Day 84 – Adelaide to Home! (Melbourne)

 

 

Adelaide is my Mum’s hometown, and this is one of the reasons it was so tempting to stop by on our way home. I have many wonderful memories of Christmases with my grandparents, and playing on Seacliff beach with my brother and parents. When google revealed there was a caravan park less than a kilometre from my Nana and Poppa’s old house, it was too good an opportunity to miss to engage in a bit of nostalgia. (It turns out the caravan park was there when I was a child, too, but back in those days I was less interested in the needs of mobile families).

By the time we negotiated peak hour Adelaide traffic last night (and not helped by a bad steer by the iPhone navigation), we might have been halfway to Melbourne if we had bypassed the South Australian capital.

But it was all worth it this morning as we ducked out of the beachfront caravan park onto the Seacliff shore. The beach and surrounding streets were narrower than I remembered, while the modern and architecturally attention-drawing beachview homes were unexpectedly conspicuous. However, the laidback feeling remained the same, while the tall pine trees lining the esplanade were just as I remembered.

Next stop down Nostalgia Lane was my grandparents house, and I was delighted to find it almost unchanged, right down to the poisonous oleander tree in the front garden, and the cracks in the front garden pavement where I used to watch ants trekking back and forth and occasionally show my mastery by redirecting them with hastily-constructed stick walls! I even think I spied the fruit trees down the side path, which were prolific producers a couple of decades ago. (I did knock on the front door before staring so nosily into the current owners’ garden and taking family snaps!)

The children enjoyed seeing their Nana’s old house, even if their mum’s reminiscing got a bit boring after a while!

By the time we filled the fuel tank and took a few more wrong turns out of Adelaide, we were well behind schedule for the big trek back to Melbourne. Yet the idea of breaking our journey just a few hours short of home didn’t make much sense, so we pushed on, having our first rain in a few days (it finally caught up with us, but was thankfully light and temporary).

At Tailem Bend we found a fantastic park and playground area, and across the road a bakery and source of caffeine.

Our only other daytime stop, apart from driver changes, was the supermarket in Nhill to stock up on fruit as we had none left thanks to the border crossing (as it turned out we didn’t even notice when we crossed the border, so maybe we could have taken our fruit and veg after all).

After nearly three months of travelling, when we nearly always cooked for ourselves and certainly avoided (or didn’t see!) fast-food outlets, we succumbed to the convenience if not culinary delights of McDonalds at Ballan, a bit over an hour before home.

And then, after negotiating the unpleasantly strong winds which were buffetting the outskirts of Melbourne, we were home. Our epic journey, involving over 17,000km of driving, some fabulous experiences together as a family, and the occasional moment of stress, was over. 

Day 83 – Streaky Bay to Adelaide

Streaky Bay is a quiet and pleasant village, and the caravan park had a lovely feel to it, with beach frontage. The beach itself couldn’t compare to many others we have seen on this trip, but it provided a good place for a runaround before today’s long trip.

 

 

The pelicans were out in force again.

 

 

 

I was keen to get a photo of them all flying and walked steadily towards them hoping it would encourage them to take off. But one of the group is clearly the protector, and outstared me. Here he is, fixing me with his enormous beady eye:

and again:

 

 

In the end, his very large beak proved too daunting!

 

 

 

We enjoyed the scenery around Port Augusta, where huge mountain ranges are so close to the sea. We were tempted to stop for a night at Mt Remarkable National Park, but now that Melbourne is within sniffing distance, the kids are more interested in pushing on (and staying in cabins wherever possible!). Certainly the fresh evening and morning temperatures are also a deterrent to camping.

Day 82 – Eucla (WA) to Streaky Bay (SA)

Given the size of the dot on the map, and the fact that there is nothing for miles either side, I had expected Eucla to have some substance to it. When we booked the motel room, it had seemed on the internet there were two motels, but on checking in the lady explained that one name was a trading name and they were the same place. The next day I realised that any expectation that Eucla might have two motels was ridiculous, because the caravan park/motel IS Eucla. There is nothing else, certainly no town to speak of!

If there’s one thing you have to see in Eucla, it is the ruins of the old telegraph station, now half-buried in sand. The proliferation of rabbits resulted in vegetation on the dunes disappearing, which allowed the sand to gradually encroach on the building.

I read that in fact the building people see and take photos of is in fact the telegraph station master’s cottage. However, when we explored a little further towards the sea we came across some more ruins, so I reckon we probably saw both!

We could happily have spent hours here, as the ruins were a great place to explore and jump off!

 

 

But it’s always good to move on while everyone’s still smiling, so we embarked on the next part of the treeless plain, which by now really was looking bare (Thomas counted five trees over approximately 10km, so it is not entirely null-arbor, but nearly!).

 

 

 

Despite the signs, we didn’t see any camels or wombats, and the kangaroos were mainly of the non-breathing variety. We did, however, see a couple of dingoes. But the wildlife we were really hoping to see today was whales. I didn’t hold out much hope, not having spotted any spurts of water in the areas where the road came close to the sea. But as we turned off on the side road that leads to the Head of Bight, we were excited to see a sign that “today’s count” was 42!

We paid the rather steep $35 family entry fee that allows you to proceed down the walkway to the Bight, but quickly realised it was well worth it. The aspect was incredible, with cliffs to the right:

and sand-dunes to the left:

But the real sight to behold was right in front of us, not more than fifty metres offshore.

 

 

 

In all we spotted seven whales and calves close up, and many more dark specks further in the distance. We hearded their deep trumpeting calls, and saw a few tail slaps and rolls, although no full breaches. What an unforgettable sight.

We pushed on to the quarantine checkpoint at Ceduna (hundreds of km into South Australia, but they don’t bother checking until then because there is no farmland!) and handed over a bunch of delicious oranges. I told the quarantine chap he should have a taste as they were so juicy, but apparently its an instantly sackable offence if they partake in the confiscated goods.

We arrived in Streaky Bay just as the sun was setting and enjoyed watching the resident gang of pelicans flying and splash-landing on the water like seaplanes.

 

 

Day 81 – Fraser Range to Eucla

 

 

 

 

You can tell by the beanies that mornings have been pretty cool ever since we headed south from Dampier! We’ve been glad of the hot water bottles (not sure why I only brought three!) and I’ve grunted in annoyance every time I have to shift the TWO 12v fans we bought in Darwin when all we wanted was a bit of cool. Now I’d kill for a 12v heater instead! However, our plan to beat the bad weather by spending a few days at Cape Le Grand has paid off, and we are now looking at riding a wave of sunshine across teh Nullabor, with rain two days ahead of us and two days behind – as long as we keep moving we should avoid grey skies.

 

The section of the Eyre Highway to Fraser Range and a bit beyond is treed and relatively fertile. Within an hour of leaving Fraser Range, though, the landscape had changed to lower scrubby bushes.

It is around here that Australia’s longest stretch of straight road begins. Apparently road safefty would now result in the road having a few engineered bends included to keep travellers alert.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only place we stopped for any time was the Caiguna blowhole, where we felt the earth “breathe” as cold air rushed up out of the cave below. Nullabor caves supposedly breathe harder than any others in Australia…..

 

 

We had lunch and a quick kick of the footy/game of chasy beside the blowhole, trying not to get tangled in any of the toilet paper that littered the area. 

Next stop was the Madura Pass, giving a view over the even barer landscape to come. It had never occurred to me, though of course it is now obvious, that “Nullarbor” means “no trees” or the treeless plain.

 

 

 

 

 

Arriving at Eucla caravan park, we couldn’t face putting up a tent or trailer only to take it down first thing the next morning. We decided leaving ourselves well-placed for a quick exit would enable us to get more ks under our belt the next day, so we instead took advantage of the motel rooms on offer. 

We had a quick look over the stretch of plain between us and the sea, some distance away, and the kids ahd a run around while dinner was rustled up by the staff (ie Mum and Dad).

Day 80 – Cape Le Grand to Fraser Range (start of the Nullabor)

The kids had a last play on the beach while we packed away the trailer, sad to be leaving this part of WA but so glad we made the detour to enjoy it in sunshine.

Despite having several hours of travel in front of us, or perhaps because of it, we decided to whip up to the top of Frenchman’s Peak before leaving. The guidance suggested the return walk would take 2.5 hours, which we didn’t have to spare, but although steep, it didn’t look that far.

The first part was an easy frolic, but then the ascent began.

Some of us managed it at a run….

while I kept up the rear, just in case any of the kids came tumbling back towards me! The views were fantastic.

We were part way back down the slope when I realised I had left a drink bottle and jumper at the top, so had to skip back up again! Oh well, good to get some exercise given we would be just sitting in the car.

I was not the only forgetful one – we realised Em’s trusty Keen’s sandals were missing – they had to either be back at the campsite, or down near Hellfire Bay, which we had visited the day before. Both places were several k’s away, but not in the same direction. Luckily we punted on Hellfire, where we found them not in the carpark, as anticipated, but abandoned on the beach  – luckily they hadn’t been washed away by the tide!

Leaving Cape Le Grand we drove past the “replica Stonehenge” that was built down in these parts a couple of years ago. I remember it being mentioned in the gossip pages of the business West Australian when I worked there, as a wealthy mining magnate had decided it would be a great thing to plunk down near Margaret River. Turns out he ran out of funds for it, and the stones got sold to some farmers near Cape Le Grand instead, where it now sits. Apparently it is quite a popular tourist attraction, but it looked so sterile and lifeless compared with the real thing!

We retraced our tracks from a few days ago up to Norseman, then turned east, embarking on the epic Nullabor journey. There was an unnerving moment when an oncoming semi-trailer started drifting into our lane – at first I thought it was a momentary lapse, but the truck kept bearing over and I had to break and honk the horn. Fortunately he flashed his lights and moved back onto his side, but it certainly got my heart pounding, and made me realise how much you can be at the mercy of other drivers, especially trucks which have probably been driving long hours for days,

We were only tackling 100km of the Eyre Highway today, and sought respite at the delightful Fraser Range Station, a 400,000 acre property that traditionally ran sheep but now runs only people – grey nomads and people like us! The homestead area is sprinkled with antique bits of farming machinery, while the original stone farm buildings ahve been beautifully restored as accommodation. The kids were instantly happy, thanks to the presence of Dana the sheepdog, who delighted in rounding them up, and because the cottage-style gardens provided passages and hidden pockets to explore.

We pitched the pop-up and enjoyed a delicious curry in the warm and well-lit camp kitchen, housed in one of the stone buildings. There was time for a couple of family board games before we collapsed into bed.

Day 81 – Fraser Range to Eucla

Over to Emily:

“We arrived in Eucla at about 4 o’clock. We hurried up to our motel room, 21, and unlocked the door. It was no Seashells (see Brooome posts) but it had a bed, at least, and a heater.

We kids agreed to go on thermarests, at Daddy’s offer of each a $5 usage the next day.

We had chicken for dinner in the camp kitchen and then went to bed.

The next day we drove to Eucla Telegraph Station on the sand dunes – well, more like under the sand dunes. It was covered with sand and plants.

Then we set off – and after around two hours, we stopped – and saw WHALES. Black and white, with calves by their sides because it’s birth season. It was a really cool experience!”

Day 77-79 Kalgoorlie to Cape Le Grand National Park (Lucky Bay)

 

 

Text to follow as we are about to lose reception crossing the Nullabor! But the photos say it all really. Cape Le Grand has some of Australia’s most gorgeous beaches. They defy description.

Day 74-76 – Kalgoorlie

The superpit outdid all previous mines with its huge scale, and is impossible to do justice with a photo. The tourist brochures feature an aerial shot that shows just how huge the open-cut mine is alongside Kalgoorlie. Finally enjoying glorious sunshine, we spent half an hour up by the lookout marvelling at the operations below us, jumping around on the oversized tyres…

and posing in the scoop from a mining vehicle…

 

It is amazing to think that it takes six trucks loaded with dirt to find gold amounting to the size of a golf ball! The information about the different vehicles and their costs and sizes was also mindblowing.

Back down the hill we stopped by at the Loopline Railway Museum, which is dedicated to the old loopline railway that used to circumnavigate Kalgoorlie, transporting the thousands of goldminers and other residents in the town’s heyday.

Half of the original loop route has now been swallowed up by the superpit, while the rest was dismantled when the trains stopped running. KCGM (Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines), which operates the superpit,  is working in partnership with the museum to put out the track for a new line which will run between tourist sites. The first part is due to open next year, so sadly we missed that. However, they had some great memorabilia, including original advertising panels that used to hang on the carriage walls and an old train bell that the kids gave a good workout.

The Boulder lolly shop makes a fortune from selling overpriced sweets from around the world and “olden days” lollies like humbugs. The photos say it all really.

After a picnic lunch in the sunshine, we visited the Hannan North tourist mine, which has mining vehicles on display, a reconstruction of a miners’ camp, and the chance to pan for gold. We managed to find numerous specks, which we stuck onto some stickytape, but unfortunately no huge nuggets!

 Our second day in Kalgoorlie was devoted largely to admin – getting the car serviced, doing the washing, stocking up on some more books for the kids etc. We also stopped in at the museum, taking the lift up to the platform of the mining poppet that gives good views over town. Walking round town, it is incredible to look at the foundation dates of the buildings. Four hotels were built in as many years at the end of the 19^th century, while the sudden gold wealth is also evident in the plush interior of town hall.

Unfortunately our third night in Kalgoorlie required us to move to the next-door cabin. However, the new kids bedding arrangement f a lower double-bed bnk and upper single proved perfect for a cubby!

 

 

 

Day 72 – Gascoyne River to Sandstone

It has been quite an insight this trip to see how many roads in Australia are at the mercy of the weather, liable to be suddenly closed and rendering entire communities shut off from the rest of civilization.

Leaving Gascoyne River, there were a few potential routes we could take to continue our journey towards Kalgoorlie. It was tempting to take the quickest route, but this involved a minor dirt road and with the continued rain and slippery conditions, we decided it might be more trouble than it was worth. In any case, the council told us it had not been closed yet, but might be by the end of the day,  so although we could have got through, it obviously wasn’t in great shape.

Our second choice, which offered better scenery and the middle distance to travel, had been closed that morning.

So we stuck with the remaining option, which was bitumen all the way but added around 300km to the total distance. We were now in the “goldfields” area, and passed through several historic towns (eg Cue), several brown-signed “former site of x town” where the town was now completely wiped from existence due to the fluctuating mining fortunes, and several towns that we felt perhaps would be better if they WERE wiped from the map (eg Meekatharra, although the man at the shire offices was very helpful!).

At Mt Magnet we turned due east, reaching the historic town of Sandstone by mid-afternoon, where, in view of the weather and Chris’s back (now beginning to improve) we had booked a night at the only pub in town, the National Hotel. Samdstone was once a thriving mining town sporting four hotels and a population of several thousand. These days it is a little more humble, as is the donga-style accommodation (suffice to say that the UHT milk supplied in the fridge had a use-by date of Feb 2013). However the bar was full of character, with a crackling log fire, friendly staff and a bunch of locals, and we enjoyed a good pub meal there. (I completely forgot to take a photo of the National Hotel or its front bar, which is a shame). Chatting to a mechanic at the bar, who travels between mines fixing everything from the little forklifts to the huge dumpsters, I asked him if many of his mates worked in the mines. “Nearly all of them,” he said, as though that would be obvious, and it struck me just how different WA is to Victoria.

 

 

Day 71 – Karijini to Gascoyne River (roadside stop)

It was cold leaving Karijini, and dress standards hit new lows, with my tracky daks and fleece now being complemented by socks worn with thongs. We stopped in Newman for petrol and supplies, and the place is perhaps best summed up by the fact that, having spruced myself up by removing the socks, I felt overdressed.

From Newman, we were confronted with “oversize” load after oversize load, as we saw several mining vehicles being transported north piece by piece – first came the dump trays and scoops, then the wheels, and then finally, the massive bodies, nearly 8 metres across and defying physics in the way they were balanced across the semi-trailers. It’s a wonder the transporting trucks could move with the load, and certainly there was no room for us to share the bitumen with them!

We bush camped a short distance of the road near the Gascoyne River, enjoying a relaxed evening by the campfire to the muted sounds of semi-trailers, all lit up like moving strands of fairy lights as they continued their travels through the night. We turned in, thinking we might just have outrun the rain….

…and were awoken a few hours later, not by the trucks, but by the pitter patter that told us we would be packing up a wet trailer in the morning.