Sunburnt Country

- Homeward Bound via the South West -

2010-02-25T16:04:00.015+08:00

For those who are unfamiliar with Esperance, it is the last largest town heading east along the coast of Western Australia. Its famous for its beautiful pristine beaches and islands dotted out along its coast, it is also a major port and popular tourist destination. After driving 950km's to Esperance in one day, we were exhausted! We found a cheap little cabin to check into so we could sort out the car, do some washing and have a little more comfort for the night. Once all organised the following morning, we set off to explore!

(View from Tankers Jetty.)

Our first stop was taking a walk along the town jetty (aka Tanker Jetty) where we saw some resident seals chasing each other through the water. We picked up a Coffee from the little van at the end of the jetty and it would honestly be the best coffee we have had along our entire trip!! While savouring every drop of our take away coffee we headed off to begin what is known as the tourist drive loop. 32kms of Beaches, Bays and lookouts that are just breath taking! We were especially lucky with the weather! Not too windy and the sun was just right to enhance the magical colours of the coast!

(Sea Lions.)

(The best coffee EVER!)

(It's a hard life...)

(Great Views from the Car)

We would've spent days in and around Esperance exploring the national parks and camping on the glorious beaches. However we hadn't planned on spending too much time in the South West, rather a taste, so we could come back another time. After all we were now back on home soil!After going back to Coffee Cat for a second round (i know, but it really was that good!), we drove on west and made it to Albany for the night. The following morning we took a quick drive out to the Natural Bridge and The Gap along tourist drive for a look before continuing on towards Denmark and Walpole to visit the Red Tingle Trees which make up the Valley of the Giants.

(The Gap)

These trees are exactly that, GIANT!! Some towering over 80 meters into the sky!! The best way to see these amazing trees is to take a walk into the tree tops! The tree top walk is along a steel truss walkway that meanders through the canopy of the trees about 40 metres off the ground! It was quite a strange feeling looking down to the forest floor, especially if there was a movement on the walkway! So with our feet back on mother earth we wandered through the ancient forest walk which was just as spectacular! Some of the trees would be at least 15 meters around the base, just jaw dropping to look at. Some previous fires have hollowed out the trunks of some trees making for some great photo's and even the pathways that lead straight through the tree trunks!

(Giant Tingle Tree...)

(Tree Top Walk)

We finally said goodbye to the Valley of the Giants and admired the scenery of the Karri Forests as we drove towards Pemberton. While calling past we wanted to check out and climb the Gloucester Tree. The Gloucester Tree and others like it in the area were originally fire lookouts, pegs were hammered into the tree's trunk and spiralled all the way to the top to get a better view of fires in the region. The tree is 72 meters tall, but i think to the actual viewing platform is about 60 meters off the ground!

(The Towering Gloucester Tree)

Standing at the base of the tree, we looked up in awe, and almost immediately began to question whether or not we could do it. A couple, were on their way down and if they took any longer on getting down I reckon Bren would've chickened out for good! But eventually it was our turn and began the climb, another couple had also begun the climb behind us... so there was definitely no chickening out now! Our palms were sweaty against the steel rods, our knees went weak as you looked down to see that you were placing your feet correctly on the next rung. Up and Up we spiralled around the tree. It was hard going and often you had to stop calm yourself down and just breathe! Eventually, huffing and puffing we arrived at the top platform, large enough for 6 people to comfortable enjoy the view! It was amazing looking above all the trees, although a little frightening looking down!! Once we got our breath back, we began the trip back down... which is just as thrilling as the way up... back safely on the ground again we looked back up the length of the tree! We had done it!!!

From the Gloucester Tree in Pemberton we enjoyed the drive through tall forest tree's all the way out to Augusta for the night. The next morning we drove out to the Lighthouse and enjoyed the drive along the coast. We pushed on to Margaret River to check out the surf and enjoy a morning coffee. It's such beautiful country and we could have spent days exploring the number of caves, beaches and forests around the South West. However with the region being part of our "Backyard" we pushed on to visit friends at Busselton and to drop into Mandurah for an afternoon coffee with Brendon's Grandparents. We were planning on stopping the night. However with home, so close we decided to make the familiar drive through to Perth.

(The Augusta Lighthouse.)

(Beautiful drive through the trees.)

(Surf @ Margaret River.)

With the city skyline looming, it was really beginning to hit us that we were back. How we wouldn't be setting up the tent once we stopped, or having to research things to see and do at our next destination. We also began to be reminiscent about the fantastic places and faces we have come across on our travels and the places we would choose to visit again. So you could say there was mixed emotions driving through the city and onto home. HOME, we had made it!

- The Nullarbor Plain -

2010-02-21T15:18:00.004+08:00

Imagine a stretch of road over 1200kms long, linking the East to the West. With nothing more than a few conveniently placed roadhouses to help you continue on your way. The country side is remote, barren, almost waterless, windy with very little bushland in sections. If you haven't travelled the Nullarbor before this may only begin to paint the picture. However some find it extremely boring due to its length, but most find it a mix of boring and intriuge, due to the questions you find yourself asking while taking on this driving marathon. Like how can people live out here? or how does anything survive out here? What happens if we breakdown?

We set off from Ceduna, unsure how far we were going to drive on the first day. It was extremely windy and after 2 days on the beach all we really wanted was a shower! We called into Penong first, how ever the wind had turned it into a complete dustbowl and decided to push on a little further. Eventually calling into Nundroo where we fueled up and paid $2 for a shower to freshen up. We thought about stopping here but still the wind was kicking up some dust which would've made a very unpleasant afternoon.

(Nundroo Roadhouse.)

The Kilometers rolled passed and eventually we reached the signage of the treeless plain. The Nullarbor Plain, is the largest single sheet of limestone in the world covering over and area of 200,000 sq kms. It is pretty amazing, the sheer realisation that there is nothing else out there. It also hits you that if you break down, there is a LONG WAY to go to get fixed... But thankfully nothing happened and we enjoyed the wonder of crossing "The Plain".

Further along we called into lookouts of the Great Australian Bight, to get some photo's of the amazing coastline. However a few sites had been closed off as the erosion of the cliffs has been cutting away chunks of the coast all the way into the car parks!We arrived into the WA/SA Border village and pulled up for the night. Our last night in South Australia, we drove just over 600kms and looked forward to crossing over into home territory the following morning.

We rose early.. thinking we were still on SA time, fuelled up, went through the Quarantine check point and crossed into Western Australia. It's a weird feeling seeing "Welcome to Western Australia" and finally the realisation hits, we're coming home! We still had a long way to go and immediately the scenery started to change. We constantly passed road trains in both directions, travellers in their brightly coloured wicked vans, caravans and motor homes. The other thing that sticks in our mind is the road kill, poor kangaroos... too many were getting in the way of the massive trucks which are unable to stop! It was absolute carnage!

(The Border crossing...)

We eventually arrived in Norseman marking the end of the Eyre Highway, the end of the drive across the Nullarbor. We were still making good time and decided to drive the rest of the way into Esperance! That's a total 950kms in one day!!

- The Eyre Penninsula -

2010-02-20T14:29:00.002+08:00

Awaking in Port Pirie we made plans to tour around the Eyre Peninsula, having myself been there before and loved it, i really wanted to show Bren around the area. Best known for its remoteness, oysters and alternate route to parts of the Nullabor drive, it is well worth a look.

We began the journey passing through Port Augusta, the gateway to the centre, the west and the east. But apart from all this opportunity when you get there, there really isn't much else to Port Augusta other than being outback, and a mining port. we continued onto Whyalla, a windy mining town on the eastern coast of the Peninsula. here we caught up with an old friend of mine, Belinda, who i met on my travels 5ish years ago. It was great catching up and eventually became a BBQ and Beers evening.

(View from Whyalla lookout.)

The next day we said our goodbyes and continued down the coast calling into the little seaside towns. We eventually pulled into Tumby Bay which is quite a contrast to Whyalla, with a sweeping bay, beautiful white sandy beach, and a excellent jetty for fishing. We set up camp earlier than most days and set off for a fish when the tide was right... few hours later, with a few nibbles and unfortunately no fish to speak of, we called it quits. Bugger guess, I'll have to change the menu for tonight!

All packed up the following morning, we called into the biggest town on the peninsula, Port Lincoln. Known as a fishing port there was plenty to look at, we fishing vessels returning with their catch. We enjoyed a coffee and picked up some more information before heading out to the fish market to pick up a couple of fillets.... seeing as though we could catch a thing the night before! While in Port Lincoln many of the adventurous also pluck up the courage to go Great White Shark cage diving of the near by islands, which i would love to do someday, however it is quite expensive... so i wasn't going to be on this trip!

The road from Port Lincoln to Coffin Bay links the east to the west of the Peninsula. We pulled up in Coffin Bay for lunch while overlooking the beautiful bay. As you call into the town you can see how the Oysters are farmed, encased in baskets and hung on racks in the shallow water. We also bought some local Coffin Bay oysters, which was hard not to over indulge as they're are so cheap here compared to back home! Our plan was to camp the night in Coffin Bay National Park, however it was getting later in the day and the trip out would involve a mission of 4wding etc. We decided to push on to Elliston, further up the west coast. Coffin Bay also marked where the car clicked over to 400,000km on the clock!! My god, what an effort and still going strong!!

Once all step up for the evening in Elliston, i cooked up a glorious local feed, with the fish fillets and oysters we have purchased during the days travels! Yummooo!

(Bren having fun on the Elliston Coastal Sculptures.)

This stretch of coast would have to be my favourite of the Eyre Peninsula. The rugged coastline has claimed many ships, and then the sheltered bays provide quaint little fishing villages and the tourists love it! We spent the next day exploring, doing scenic drives. Talia caves were impressive with the force of the southern ocean carving out hollows in the limestone. Another highlight was the Murphy's Haystacks. Where a series of Rocks have been moulded over millions of years of wind erosion, making for some impressive photo's! Not far from the Haystacks we pulled up for lunch at a beautiful beach called Sceale Bay. The colour of the water was just breath taking!

(Murphy's Haystacks.)

That afternoon we completed the scenic drive on the headland near Streaky Bay. Which offered further glimpses of spectacular coastline. We we planning on staying in Streaky however we found out about this perfect little spot, not much further north and it was free. Free only due to a current land dispute with neighbouring landowners, but brilliant for us... when we arrived we were a little unsure as most of the parking area was taken up by motor homes... was there room for us??We spoke to one of the "local" travellers and found out we could camp under the beach shelters on the Beach!! Fantastic! It was like a dream, we set up camp under a huge shaded shelter only meters from the waters edge... it was amazing! Then and there we decided on another night.. after all is was FREE!

(Lookout near Streaky Bay!)

(Our camp and view under the beach hut, Perlubie Beach.)

The whole next day was spent walking along the long white sandy beach, swimming when we got a little hot, reading in the shade when we got too burnt and enjoying a beer as the sun went down over the ocean! What a way to end our trip around the Eyre Peninsula as the following day we were into Ceduna for supplies and embark on the journey across the Nullabor back to the west!

- The Murray River & The Barossa Valley -

2010-02-15T13:23:00.001+08:00

The Murray River begins in the Australian Alps carving its way through 3 states ending in South Australia, that's a total of 2756 km! Its an amazing river and not knowing enough of its history encouraged us to get our Murray River Experience. We decided on the small township of Mannum to visit as it was the birth place of the iconic paddle steamers that transformed the Murray into a virtual river Highway back in the 1850's. The history of the region is amazing with dramatic floods, engineering marvels and typical Australian outback hardships of the time. In more recent times the draw card to the river is the holiday option of hiring out your own houseboat.

When we arrived it seemed like any outback town lining the banks of the river, however the longer we spent in Mannum we were immersed into the unique style of the region. The Paddle steamers are now a thing of the past, however the local historical society have rebuilt PS Marion to her formal glory, built in 1897 she is the last remaining wood fueled paddle steamers. We took a look around the boat and they truly are like no other, the powerhouse in the middle burning the wood to build up the steam to rotate the massive paddles on either side of the boat through the water.

(The Paddle Steamer Marion.)

The towns all along the river use the local transport which is by ferry, they're free and were well used by us when we took a drive out along the banks to some outlying towns. The dramatic cliffs carved by the water over time were a constant reminder that the river was once a lot bigger than it is today. We also took a tour on a little boat and it brought home the fact that this river is in fact in a bit of trouble. The water level has dropped over 2meters in the last 3 years with over extraction being the main cause, and that between the 3 states the river runs through, they're not using equal amounts or allowing enough water to flow downstream. This is resulting in many changes evident to us during our short stay effecting not only all those who use the river, the river itself is showing signs of stress. So without getting into a political story, we recommend if your travelling through, stop in and see the Murray River Region and help out the locals. The river is their lively hood and if the river continues to be exploited the way it is, the unique way of life maybe lost for good.

(Ferry crossing the river)

(Murray Princess)

After a interesting stay of 2 days in Mannum, we headed off towards Adelaide. Not before stopping in Birdwood to visit the National Motor Museum. It was an amazing showcase of cars that had Bren excited at every turn, everything from racing to vintage, to Eco friendly, to the outback feats made by hardy trucks and hardy Australians.

Adelaide is a nice city,and being a Saturday we had a look around the main shopping malls and then out to the local markets for a look around. There doesn't however seem to be a lot of appeal to Adelaide. Yes the beaches are nice, which we checked out on a drive out to see Port Adelaide. the main attraction for most is the festivals which occur there, however we were a few weeks to early and were more interested in enjoying the wine at the Barossa Valley. So after a Day exploring the city and they coast we headed back out to the Barossa, camping the night on its outskirts at the tiny town of Williamstown.

The Next day being Valentines Day, seemed like a perfect day to visit and sample the local drop. But where to begin?? There were so many to choose from, In the end we decided to go to the ones we knew or liked the look of and we'd call in... we were a little early at the Jacobs Creek Winery, so we enjoyed a coffee. However come the next winery we visited we got right into the swing of things. We called into Chateau Tanunda, built like a castle on sprawling grounds surrounded by rows of vines its hard not to want to spoil yourself! We sampled a few whites and bought a bottle for later and then it was onto the next! We went to the likes of Yalumba, Cockatoo Ridge and eventually it was lunch time and we called into this quaint little building home to Charles Melton Wines. We sampled the signature reds, and ate a glorious lunch on the Veranda it was beautiful! And afterwards bought a few bottles to send back to Perth!

(At Chateau Tanunda. Barossa.)

(Yummy Lunch!)

We then decided it would be best not to spend too long in the Barossa, for fear of draining the bank account and headed north west passing through the little town of Freeling made famous for the TV series McLeod's Daughters. Eventually we arrived in the baron town of Port Pirie and camped for the night!! What a day and so glad to know that we'll have special bottled memories of it waiting for us when we get home!

- A step into South Australia -

2010-02-12T12:39:00.001+08:00

Crossing the border into South Australia was marked by a single sign, which we would've missed if it wasn't for the picture of vivid colours. against the dry country. Mount Gambier our first destination in South Australia, is like the diamond in the rough... its name sake arises on the horizon and is created by volcanic activity many millions of years ago. Also throughout the region several craters and sinkholes make up a unique draw card to the town. Most famous of these is the Blue Lake. In the summer, the lake takes on a vibrant blue colour which is just amazing to see.

The sinkholes were also spectacular, created by the roof of a cave collapsing in. One sinkhole has been turned into a display garden and just has to be seen to believed. A staircase takes you into the base for a better view and the gardens are amazing...

(Sinkhole garden.)

We continued along the limestone coast calling into the seaside towns for a look. Eventually we were amongst what is known as The Coorong, a fragile stretch of coastline, with salt lakes, bird life and wetlands. We stopped to learn a little about the history of the area, learning that in 1850's the Chinese travelled from Adelaide en route to Victoria during the gold rush. Passing through the area in search of water. Once they located water they built a well and carved a slab of sandstone out of the ground for the final lid.... it was amazing what they achieved. The lid weighs about 1,100kgs and they had to move it 900m and then lift it into position.

(Big Crayfish,Kingston.)

(A view at Robe.)

(Chinaman's Well, note the lid.)

We drove further long the Coorong, and eventually made our camp amongst the dunes over looking one of the salt lakes. The sunset was amazing, marking another wonderful day exploring the countryside.

(Sunset over the Coorong.)

- The GREAT Ocean Road -

2010-02-11T11:04:00.006+08:00

The Great Ocean Road is tipped to be one of the worlds most scenic drives. So the decision came fairly naturally to make it apart of our trek around Oz.

After we spent a wonderful few nights on the Mornington Penninsula with Bren's Pa we drove further south to Sorrento to board the Vehicle ferry across the waters of Port Phillip Bay to Queenscliff. The 45 minute journey was over before we knew it and marked the beginning of our journey along the Great Ocean Road. We took a quick detour into Geelong and then headed onto Torquay, the Surfing capital of Victoria.

Torquay, famous for Bell's Beach, a popular Surf break and apart of the world Surf championships was really interesting to visit. We called into the Surfing Museum, which was more like a shrine to the Greats like Kelly Slater or our very own Layne Beechly. Also a history lesson into the size and shape changes of the board of the years. With our heads filled with Gnarly information we headed out to check out Bells Beach. The swell wasn't that big, however that doesn't stop the avid surfer.

(Bell's Beach.)

From Bell's we followed the coast road through smaller surfing towns perched along the spectacular coastline. Calling into Angelsea, with its grand lighthouse and awesome view at Spit Point. We pushed onto Lorne, finding the perfect camp spot high in the hills behind the township.

(Our camp in hills behind Lorne.)

The following morning was a little cool so we decided to take a walk out to the Erskine falls. Although not flowing, it was a nice drive/walk through the towering forest to see all but a trickle left of the waterfall. We drove back to Lorne to walk along the local jetty, however with the cool morning a thick fog had rolled in from the ocean blanketing the township. It was quite erie and made for some interesting photo's! As we continued on from Lorne the fog continued to hug the coast line obscuring a lot of the view, however we had found out about this little coastal settlement which is home to a colony of Koala's and having not yet seen one in the wild we were very excited to spot our own Bear! We slowly drove the car up into the hills and sure enough tucked up high in the branches were cute, grey fuzzy koalas! We counted a total of 25 bears and our favourite was right beside the road, perfect for some up close photo's.

(Morning fog over Lorne.)

(Awww... I took too many photo's of this guy.)

Returning to the road the fog had begun to clear and we called into the Cape Otway Lighthouse. It is the oldest on mainland Australia, with continuous operation since 1848, making for some interesting history!

(Cape Otway Lighthouse.)

The road continued to wind along the rugged coastline and before too long we had arrived at the most popular destination along the Great Ocean Road. The 12 Apostles are giant pillars of limestone jutted along a small section of a spectacular coastline of cliffs. Created by erosion over millions of ears these pillars are photographers delight and it was amazing to see the dramatic effects of nature, with every lookout providing a different angle.

The day seemed to slip away from us with many hours spent exploring, we ended up staying the night at Port Campbell. A unique place as its port has been established between the cliffs in a secluded bay. With a good nights sleep we were up with the sun and headed of to explore the eroded sections of coast known as The Arch and London Bridge. Again we were spoilt for photo opportunities with the morning light highlighting the vivid colours locked within the limestone. This continued further around the corner with excellent views of the Bay of Islands.

(Beautiful London Bridge.)

Eventually the road took us to the seaside town of Warrnambool, on the south/eastern leg of the Great Ocean Road. Rich in history with many shipwrecks occurring over the years just of the coast we took a tour around their award winning Flag Staff Hill Maritime Museum, complete with its own re-created 19th Century port village. It was really well presented, complete with volunteers in period costume posing as the bank manager or the store person.

(The pub & sail maker, part of the Flagstaff Hill museum.)

From Warrnambool we headed off to the Glenelg River National Park to settle up camp. It was a beautiful spot, and the following morning we drove along its banks stopping to check out the different camp spots along the way. This marked the end of the Great Ocean Road for us and the beginning of our journey into South Australia.

(Glenelg River)

To say that The Great Ocean Road is GREAT would be an understatement. The words spectacular, dramatic and amazing come to mind. I wouldn't go too far as to say it was an epic journey, but one definitely worth experiencing and should be on any ones must visit list.

- Experiencing Melbourne -

2010-02-06T15:27:00.005+08:00

We woke to a beautiful morning and once organised, caught a bus & tram into the heart of Melbourne. Tram's are largely associated with the city of Melbourne within Australia, so what better way to ride into the city. I wouldn't however rate it as a memorable experience, it was much like any public transport, busy, noisy and many stops making the journey much longer than it needed to be. It did however take you through many suburbs and gain a greater view of the city of Melbourne.

(Traditional Style Melbourne Tram, our ride into the city was a modern, longer version.)

We jumped off the Tram at the renowned Queen Victoria Markets. Situated on 7 hectares of land, this is the place to come for fresh produce! It was certainly an eye opener wandering through the fresh fish market, past the rows of butchers and into the delicatessens with their yummy smelling salamis and cheeses. Around the corner we walked through the colourful displays of fresh fruit and veg and then into the isles and isles of bric-a-brac stores. We could spend hours exploring the wonderful displays and soaking up the atmosphere, however after a coffee break we decided to head on and explore more of the city.

Along the footpath i took in what i now believe to be the essence of Melbourne. The old style store fronts, the Bohemian style art shops, the lane way cafes, the sounds of trams, and buskers. It wasn't long before we reached the State Library of Victoria, and i know what your thinking, why travel all this way to go to a Library? We didn't come to read, we called in here to bring together the story of Ned Kelly. The library offers a guided tour to see the display of his famous armour and give details on his short life. The armour was incredible, almost imposing along side an 1860's rifle and one of Kelly's boots.

(Typical street scene, drizzly weather, tram lines and historic buildings.)

(Victorian State Library, Statue of Sir Edmund Barry, the judge who sentenced Ned Kelly to his death.)

(The beautiful reading room.)

(The original armour worn by Ned Kelly at Glenrowan.)

To finish off our discovery about the life of Ned we visited the Old Melbourne Gaol where Ned Kelly was sent to his death and hung in 1880 at the age of 25. The tour around the goal includes a watch house experience, once through the doors we were treated like criminals! Separated into gender, given an identity with charge sheet! We had to shout out, YES SARGENT, NO SARGENT when asked, we were booked in, searched and thrown in the cells! The door slammed shut and the lights went out... pitch black locked in a room with complete strangers... the sounds of the goal being played out on speakers! It was certainly a different tour to what we were used to and eventually our "Sargent" calmed down and let us out to look around! After we got our mug shots taken we wandered over to the Old Gaol and took a look around. It was pretty amazing reading about the criminals of the past and the crimes that eventually led to their death by hanging. A bit morbid i know but it was pretty interesting.

(Inside the old Melbourne Gaol.)

(Sargent, locking us in & ready to give orders.)

(I wonder has he had his mugshot taken before?)

In true Melbourne style the day went from fine in the morning to grey and drizzly in the afternoon! That didn't dampen our appetite though, so we headed down to Federation Square for Lunch! Passing by the iconic Flinders Street Station and taking a peek into the beautiful St Paul's Cathedral! with satisfied bellies we wandered through the shopping streets of Bourke St, the Royal Arcade and into Melbourne Central. All this walking was beginning to ware us down so we returned to the caravan park via Tram & Bus. It was a wonderful day spent exploring the city and I'd love to come back and explore it some more one day.

(Flinders Street Station)

The next morning we drove through Chapel Street and called by St Kilda to see Luna Park and enjoy a coffee in one of the many cafes along the main strip! We finally made our way out of the city down to the Mornington Peninsula to visit Bren's Pa in Rosebud for a few days.

- Bush Ranger Country -

2010-02-05T14:20:00.009+08:00

From Canberra we continued on further south stopping overnight just short of the Victorian border. The following morning shortly after crossing the border we called into the original Ettamogah Pub, which was first created by cartoonist Ken Maynard. It was quite interesting to explore around the famously quirky pub, including the museum of some of Ken's comics.

We continued on to Wangaratta, where we stopped in again with Bren's Family for a week. We thoroughly enjoyed their company and it gave us a chance to service the car and take a look around the surrounding towns. One day we drove out to Bright, situated along the Alpine drive near Mount Buffalo. It was a beautiful little town and would be very busy during the winter with a number of ski resorts in the nearby mountains. On the way back from Bright we made a detour into Beechworth.

Beechworth very unique and is Australia's best preserved gold rush town, complete with colonial buildings and rich history. For some they visit for its amazing bakery or the local sweet company, however for many others they come to learn more about Australia's most famous bush ranger Ned Kelly who used to frequent the local pubs and lived with his family in nearby Greta.

(Statue outside the old Beachworth Bank, surprisingly one that Ned didn't rob!)

As the week came to a close we said goodbye to the Parker Family and continued south to Glenrowan. Here is another place famous in the history of Ned Kelly. It is home to the site of the Glenrowan Siege where Ned and his gang had their final shoot out with the Victorian police which eventually led to Ned's capture. Today the town survives on the legacy of the country's most known bush ranger with a number of museums & souvenir shops. It was quite intriguing and we decided to find out more once we arrived in Melbourne.

We travelled further south along the Hume Hwy, eventually arriving in Coburg just north of the city to book into a caravan park before nightfall.

(One of the few photo's on record of Ned Kelly.)

(The massive and imposing statue in Glenrown, home of the 'Last Stand' made by the Kelly Gang.)

- A Calling To The Captial -

2010-01-29T13:48:00.003+08:00

After exploring the Ambercrombie Caves we pushed on through the dry countryside down to the Australian Capital, Canberra. I suppose for any Australian travelling around the country it would be very UN Australian to drive on past. So to ease our minds and out of curiosity we headed into the nations capital.

Surprisingly, Canberra is just one large country town with all roads leading to Parliament House perched on top of Capital Hill. Fittingly all roads in are named after the states of Australia. With the Australian flag flying proudly on top of Parliament House as it loomed before us we took a few photo's before deciding to head inside for a look around.

Naturally we had to be security checked before we could look around and once this was done we pretty much has free reign to look around. The inside was just as impressive as the out. Marble columns and grand staircases guide you to the upper levels to peek into the chambers & walk around the public galleries. We even took the lift up to the roof to see the amazing views of the city and across to the war memorial.

(The foyer, after security checks.)

('Yes, Mister Speaker'.... a glimps inside the chambers.)

(The view from the roof, looking over to the War Memorial.)

- A Very Aussie Australia Day -

2010-01-28T15:37:00.006+08:00

To us, Australia Day Celebrations attract a bigger celebration than New Years Eve, whether it be a BBQ at home with friends or a night out to see a band playing Aussie Anthems, we always plan something for the big day. This year proved to be a little different. Not wanting to spend the big bucks with a day out in crowded Sydney, we opted to soak up the sun while exploring the Blue Mountains! It was a glorious day and we began with visiting many lookouts showcasing the beauty of the land.

The escarpment was impressive at every lookout and soon discovered there were plenty of walks you could do to explore! We did a couple of the shorter walks as we wanted to continue on in the same day. However we made a promise to come back and explore the longer walks at a later date. The highlight and most popular lookout is Echo Point in Katoomba. This is where the rock formations known as the Three Sisters can be seen.

The Aboriginal dream-time legend has it that three sisters, 'Meehni',
'Wimlah' and Gunnedoo' lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba
tribe.

These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry. The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle.

As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witchdoctor from the
Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to
protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the
battle was over, the witchdoctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse
the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in
their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to
come.

(Courtesy of: www.bluemts.com.au)

We continued on our journey west out to Bathurst, it was lovely to watch the country change from the mountains into the dry rolling hills. However we had driven out further west for a reason... a pilgrimage if you like to the home of Australian Motor Racing and the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama.

Its quite unique as the actual track is a tourist drive, and surprisingly people's homes are dotted around the circuit. With a speed limit of 60, you can "slowly" enjoy Pit Straight, The Cutting and finally coming down Conrad's Straight! Although no top speed records were broken i can assure you we would probably be in the running for the slowest lap record with the car crawling up Mount Panorama!

From Bathurst we turned south and drove for about an hour and a half to Ambercrombie Caves for the night. As it was late in the day, we camped and decided to explore the caves the following morning. It was a beautiful spot to camp with plenty of shade and a little creek running through the middle. Directly in front of where we set up the tent was a Wombat burrow, and later that night we saw the wombat wander from his burrow and cross the creek! A little excitement for us as this was the first time we saw one in the wild! What a wonderful and unforgettable way to spend Australia Day!

The next morning we set off to explore the caves. Although not as spectacular as nearby Jenolan Caves, it was still an amazing adventure and we had the place all to ourselves! There is also some interesting history with the caves as back in 1830 the Ribbon Gang of bush rangers used the caves as a hiding place!

- Hunter Valley & Sydney Sights -

2010-01-27T14:35:00.004+08:00

The Hunter Valley is a maze of wineries, restaurants, and galleries so it was really really hard to decide where to visit. We finally we chose to call into the local cheese factory complete with taste testing!! Ooo yummy... it was too much indulgence and what to buy for later?? Eventually we settled for a triple Brie and a blue cheese i cant remember the fancy name of!

Next we wanted to have lunch at winery we had heard of however we ended up having a taste for beer and head out to the Blue Tongue Brewery! It was pretty good.. we bought a tasting paddle, which was 6 shooters of every beer they make and at the end you receive a free middy of your favourite beer. We ordered a lovely lunch to go with our beers and enjoyed the country side before the place got too busy! There is so much to see and taste in the valley, though we decided it was best to press on and save the pennies.

(The Blue Tongue Brewry Tasting Plate.)

We began to drive into the outer suburbs of Sydney and made our way out to Palm Beach, where Home & Away is set. Its a beautiful place at the end of a peninsula, and after a drive round and few photo's we decided to head off in search of a place to stay. Then DISASTER struck, we had no brakes!! We had to pull into a nearby park and investigate, soon realising we had lost all the brake fluid and a "special part" was broken! The timing couldn't have been any more annoying! Friday afternoon on a long weekend... eventually we organised a tow truck & somewhere to stay. Ahead was a nervous wait until Monday to see if & when it could be fixed!

(Summer Bay... Ah I mean Palm Beach...)

We thankfully found a place to stay in Cremorne, just north of the city. This proved to be quite handy for planning our exploration of the city. On the Sunday the weather was a bit drizzly which wasn't all that good for photo's however it was a nice change to the heat we had been experiencing lately. We bought tickets for the city explorer bus which you can hop on/off all day, included with this was a number of discounts to venues all over the city. So off we went... the first stop was the Opera House looking out to the Bridge. It was pretty awesome to be finally here after all this time and was a great starting point for our day. We continued onto the Sydney Museum & the Australian Museum which had some great exhibitions on. We had brunch in Kings Cross & went shopping at the Beautiful Queen Victoria Building which covers an entire block. However i think the biggest highlight of the day was heading out to the Australian Maritime Museum where we had the opportunity to explore the James Craig tall Ship, the replica of the Endeavour, HMAS Vampire & the Submarine HMAS Onslow and then through all the displays inside! It was an amazing day topped off with drinks on Darling Harbour!

(Street views, including the Sydney Tower.)

(Even though the weather was miserable, the view was still spectacular.)

(Fountain in Kings Cross near where we had brunch.)

(The marvellous Queen Victoria Building.)

(The Endeavour Replica.)

(Ready to sail the seven seas.)

(It was fun exploring the confined spaces of the SUB.)

The following day was dedicated to getting the car back on the road, after hours waiting and a small fortune taken out of my bank account we were back on the road! It was a pretty good feeling to have the car back and we wasted no time and headed for the hills to begin our next adventure!!

- Beautiful Beaches -

2010-01-23T17:33:00.005+08:00

Byron Bay is the most easterly point of mainland Australia, boasting beautiful beaches, a hive activity with surf lessons, kayak adventure tours, seaside resorts and quaint cafe's & shopping.It seems to be on every tourists east coast itinerary, so we were interested to see what all the hype was about.

It was a beautiful summers day and as we pulled into the township there was already a hive of activity!People walking down to the beach for their morning swim or off to a late breakfast at one of the many cafe's. We decided to slip in with the crowd and enjoyed a coffee near the beach. We wandered around the shops for a while before making our way to the Beach. It was gorgeous! turquoise blue water, perfect waves for body surfing and not over crowded... yet. Although we got a little too burnt, it was a lovely day spent exploring the coast line around Byron. Later that evening we stayed with Anneke and caught up after not seeing each other for about 7 years!

(Beautiful Beaches at Byron Bay.)

The following morning we set off for Coffs Harbour, home of the BIG BANANA! Its quite a large place of 70,000 people. We spent the weekend there exploring the beaches and local markets. The marina was also a great place to hang out and soak up the towns atmosphere.

When Monday morning came around we headed off south to explore more of the coast line. Calling into Nambucca Heads which offered great views of the beaches and local river system. We pushed on to Arakoon, to visit Trial Bay Gaol. It looks quite dramatic perched on the headland to the bay. In 1886 it was the only jail built especially for public works. Prisoners were to construct a break wall to create a safe harbour for passing boats. However the project was abandoned by 1915 as the the large surf continued to destroy any progress made. It was really interesting to walk around and i must admit a little Erie at times. Before moving on we took a refreshing swim in the bay...

(Enjoying the view at Nambucca Heads.)

(Inside the Trial Bay Goal)

Not far from Arakoon is Hat Head National Park. A beautiful stretch of coastline, with rugged cliffs, pristine beaches, just the perfect mix for camping! After visiting the Light House and admiring the views, we set up camp. The following morning we went for a walk along some of the grassy headlands. It was beautiful and the local kangaroos thought so too!!

(The view from the Lighthouse, Hat Head National Park.)

For Christmas we had received a day out with a fishing Charter out of Port Macquarie. So this was our next stop along the coast. We had to spend a few days there, as with the summer holidays most spots were already filled. We didn't mind, it gave us a chance to tidy up the car and check out the town and beaches. Finally the morning arrived where we went on the fishing charter. We had to be on board Ocean Star at 5:30am!! So it was a very early rise as we had to pack up camp before we went!! There were about 11 on the charter and the day was perfect. We mainly set out fishing for Pearl Perch, Snapper and flat head. We were only about 5 mile off shore and amazingly fishing in 50 to 70 metres of water!! It was very different to fishing up in the kimberley's that's for sure!! Over the next few hours we brought up various species, red rock cod (thrown back), snapper, sweep (thrown back) & Pearl Perch. Although it was all very exciting nothing of real size was pulled over the sides, The biggest fish for the day wouldn't have been much over 35cm! We arrived back from the fishing charter around midday, even though the quality of fish wasn't what we were expecting, it was an awesome day out and we still managed to take home a feed of fish for dinner!

The coast line South of Port Macquarie is very unique with a number of lakes so close to the coast line. We explored a few of these before calling into Crowdy Bay National Park for a swim! We were considering stopping here for the night however it was VERY POPULAR!!! We decided to try further down... We continued on through Forster, a beautiful spot that again boasts both lake and ocean access. I wanted to pull into every lookout, the colours were amazing and the water so clear!

(Diamond Head, Crowdy Bay National Park.)

(Views of the coast line near Forster.)

Near to Forster is Myall Lakes National Park which were were very keen to explore. However upon arrival we noticed that camp spots were very scarce and the information provided by DEC wasn't all that helpful. Today just wasn't working out to be our day... So after a quick look around we headed out and pushed on to find a place to stop the night. Finally stopping in at the quiet town of Karuah in the far reaches of Port Stevens.

We had an amazing time travelling down the North Coast, and were really spoilt for choices when it came to choosing which beach to swim at or which towns to spend some time in. Next stop... a quick trip into the Hunter Valley & into Sydney!!

- A Year, A New State -

2010-01-12T14:16:00.005+08:00

On New Years Day we wasted no time to hit the road and set off down the coast. Driving through Coolangatta - Tweed Heads marked the cross over into New South Wales. After some exploring we decided to head inland and camped at Mount Warning, which is very similar to the volcanic cores making up the glass house mountains on the Sunshine Coast. It rained over night and after drying out a little in the morning we pushed on to visit the Hippie or "Alternate Lifestyle" Capital of Australia.

Nimbin was an eye opener. After finding a park for the car we called in to a cafe, ordered coffee and sat a while to take in the atmosphere. The main street of town was a buzz with activity, bright coloured clothing, people with their hair in dreads, marijuana leaves on posters, pet dogs following their owners. Even though we were expecting this scene, it was still quite surreal being amongst it. We waked around, calling into the local museum, complete with Combie vans and posters promoting the right the use marijuana, the benefits of smoking the plant and free postcards warning users of police tactics at road stops. Next we called into a souvenir shop, wanting to pick up a bumper sticker for the car...upon handing the lady the money she says to me... "cookie or chocolate?" it took me by complete surprise... i have to ask her to repeat.."cookie" i hear myself say. Before i know it i am paying $15 dollars for 3 "cookies". It was quite amusing being handed a brown paper bag.. and back on the street passing fellow tourists with their "brown paper bags". We continued to check out the other shops in the main street soaking up the atmosphere.

(I wanna be a hippie.....)

We decided to push on to Lismore, a small country town about 30 mins from Byron Bay. It was here we decided to look for work. The caravan park was reasonably price and a town of 30,000 we thought it wouldn't be too hard to pick up work. So the search began... almost 2 weeks later, after applying for almost every job in town, we still hadn't secured an interview let alone getting work!

We soon decided it would be best to hit the road and continue our trip through its entirety back to Perth. We planned a rough route and soon set off to Byron Bay to begin the last leg of the journey.

- And A Happy New Year! -

2010-01-02T13:53:00.004+08:00

We flew back to Brisbane and the following day made the trip down to the Gold Coast. Our plan was to find a place to stay, celebrate New years and then look for work in the area. HOWEVER.... on the drive down there the traffic was terrible, 4 lanes heading the same way, all at a stand still! It was certainly a shock for us and the prospects of looking for work in the area soon seemed like a crazy idea! We continued very slowly and after what seemed like forever we arrived in the high rise capital of Australia.

We pulled over at a quiet park to ring up a few places for somewhere to stay.. soon realising that every caravan park was booked out we opted for backpackers. Luckily finding one close to Surfers Paradise and the main strip. It wasn't the most appealing of backpackers however we made the most of it to enjoy New Years Eve.

We spent the arvo checking out the Coast, the countless surf shops and on our travels booked in for a Club Crawl for New Years Eve. It included VIP entry into 5 high end clubs, free welcome drink at each, All cover charges etc.

New Year's Eve day we headed out to the beach and then got prepared for the big night... All dressed up and ready to party we joined about 100 others In the Wicked Club Crawl. The clubs included Sin City, The Bedroom, CD's, Cocktails & Dreams and Players. When moving onto the next clubs we watched the streets continue to grow with crowds of people.. it was unbelievable!

(The Skyline of the Gold Coast.)

(Some of the crowd at Surfers.)

Just before the clock struck midnight we walked with about 1500 others down onto the beach to watch the fireworks! It was a memorable night and a great way to see in 2010.

!!!!HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

- Seasons Greetings -

2009-12-28T12:20:00.003+08:00

We flew from Brisbane to Melbourne to travel across Victoria visiting Bren's family for Christmas. First we spent a wonderful few days with Bren's Pa in Rosebud out on the Mornington Peninsula and then together travelled 4 hours or so up into the heart of Victoria to Wangarratta to spend the days over Christmas with Bren's Family.

We also joined in with the family traditions of picking raspberries & blue berries on Boxing Day out at nearby historic Beechworth. I think more berries were eaten than picked! however we managed to get enough kilo's to make the yearly supply of Jam. We also went out to nearby Lake Buffalo for some water fun, being towed behind the jet ski which made for some spectacular stacks & crashes!

We reluctantly had to leave a few days later with another stop over in Rosebud before flying back to Brisbane.It was beautiful weather throughout and had a wonderful 10 days in Victoria.

It was a welcome change from being on the road and we're looking forward to catching up with the Victorians again later in the new year.To all the friends and Family we didn't get to see over the festive season. We wish you a very Merry Christmas & All the very Best for 2010.

- Round Trip to Brisbane -

2009-12-18T12:18:00.008+08:00

Our plan, all along was to reach Brissie in time to fly to Victoria for Christmas, however we had arrived a couple of weeks early and decided to do a trip inland to make the most of our time.

(On Bribie Island looking over to the Glass House Mountains.)

We spent the next morning over on Bribie Island, checking out the beaches & coffee shops overlooking the water. It was a perfect spot to spend the morning. We turned the car around and headed for the hills calling past Kilcoy for fuel and spending lunch on the banks of Somerset Dam. The one thing that always surprises me while travelling is the ever changing countryside. The area around Kilcoy is very dry and the Lake seemed to be extremely low and the constant reminder of water restrictions was present on every town we passed through.

(Relaxing after lunch at Somerset Dam, near Kilcoy.)

We spent a few days hanging out in the quiet country town of Nanango, before heading up to the Peanut growing town of Kingaroy. Kingaroy is quite a big town and the lookout was a perfect place to get a greater view of the surrounding country. We could see all the way to the famous Bunya Mountains... our next destination!

(Kingaroy's Peanut Van, sells fresh local flavoured peanuts....)

In a section of the Great Dividing Range, The Bunya Mountains is home to the Worlds largest forest of Bunya Pines. With an elevation over 1100m above sea level is some areas, the view proved to be magnificent. We took several walks through out the area and were ever cautious of where to park the car as the Bunya Pine grows unique pine cones which can grow to over 10kg!! It was an awesome spot and would be a perfect holiday destination in the winter months with log cabins and B&B's scattered along the edge of the national park.

(The mighty Bunya Pines...)

(A view from one of our walks in the Bunya Mountains.)

(A great action shot of one of the mountain locals.)

We continued down the other side of the range and headed out to visit Muntapa Tunnel. A abandoned railway tunnel, QLD's longest of 287m,which is now home to a colony of Bent Winged Bat's. It was quite interesting to read about the tunnels history with its construction back in 1912 it remained open until 1964. We then took the Erie walk through the full length of the tunnel... it wasn't all that pleasant with the smell of the bats.. to make matters worse i accidentally startled them while taking a picture and we had to quickly get out! Bren wasn't impressed! We returned to Cooyar, enjoying a beer at the local pub before setting up camp.

(The bat's flying out of the tunnel after i accidentally startled them.)

(Bren is unsure he wants to continue...)

(The Cooyar Hotel...)

The following morning we drove the remainder of the way into Toowoombah. Toowoombah is Australia's largest inland - regional city and is perched on the edge of the Great Dividing Range. We spent several hours exploring the city, with its beautiful ornate gardens, spectacular lookouts. We also took a look around the Cobb & Co Museum, home to the National collection of horse-drawn vehicles. The collection was quite amazing with everything in pristine condition and offered a great insight to the past.

(An old Cobb & Co mail carriage.)

That afternoon we drove back towards the coast, pulling into Wivenhoe Dam for the evening. It was a nice shady spot and there were plenty of kangaroos scattered along the banks of the lake. Even better as we practically had it all to ourselves.

(The view from our camp at Lake Wivenhoe.)

The next morning we pushed on through Ipswich and into the hustle & bustle of Brisbane. It was crazy being amongst the city traffic after a week out bush! But eventually we found our way and a place to base ourselves just south of the city.

Brisbane is known as the "River City" with the city built lining the banks of the Brisbane River. We caught a river ferry cat into the city and took in the sights including the botanical gardens.
We spent the remainder of the week exploring the city and surrounds before flying out to Melbourne for Christmas.

(Approaching the Story Bridge, on the Brisbane River City Cat.)

- Sunshine Coast -

2009-12-05T12:16:00.005+08:00

(Looking down on Noosa from Noosa National Park.)

Our travels further down the coast brought us to the Sunshine Coast region. Well known for its beaches, hotels and water activities. Our first stop was Noosa, very similar to Port Douglas in the north with its beautiful beaches and swanky high end shopping and hotels. It also offers more opportunity with the beautiful Noosa River.

After a wonderful river ferry cruise we explored the famous shopping strip in Hastings Street. The next day we explored the Noosa National Park which is the entire Noosa headland. It was an amazing spot, with secluded little beaches around every corner and endless walking tracks to the eastern beaches.

(One of the beautiful secluded beaches.)

After a couple of days in Noosa we decided to head inland to explore some of the Hinterland. We stopped in at Yandina, for a tour around the Buderim Ginger Factory and cross the road was the Macadamia Nut factory with both offering taste testing. It was extremely hard not to buy all the yummy things in the gift shop!

From Yandina we called into Kenilworth State Forrest, it was a beautiful drive through some amazing countryside and VERY steep hills, Pockets of rain forest and plenty of wildlife. Our plan was to camp in the forest, however at the time we were going to set up camp, the heavens opened up and let out a mighty down poor! Bugger! So we decided to push on and see if the rain would let up.

We drove through some amazing little townships perched on the top of mountain ranges. Through Maleny, Montville and with the rain still not easing we stopped the night in a cabin in Mapleton.After exploring around the town in the morning & the rain still present, we decided to head back to the coast.But not before stopping in at one of Australia's BIG icons, The Big Pineapple. We caught up on our Christmas Shopping in Maroochydore and headed down to Caloundra for the night.

The following morning we made the tourist Pilgrimage to Australia Zoo! In true Steve Irwin style everything was presented in his larger than life personality and attitude towards wildlife. We fed the elephants and watched a show or 2 in the MASSIVE Crocoseum, and ventured around the park for the entire day. Although a little expensive (depending on what you chose to experience) it was a wonderful day out.

(Steve seemed to be still amongst us with larger than life posters like this one.)

(The Crocoseum, can seat 5,000 visitors per show.)

(One of our favourites at the park was the Koalas, arent they adorable?)

That evening we caught up with long time family friends, The Blores and enjoyed their company for the next few days. Before we pushed south to explore the Glass House Mountains. Named by Captain Cook in 1770, they're a series of Volcanic plugs. Believed to be hardened lava core of Volcanoes, exposed after 25 million years of erosion, making for a beautiful skyline! We took several walks around the mountains before hitting the road south again.

- Teewah Beach -

2009-11-29T12:08:00.004+08:00

Straight after arriving back on the Mainland from Fraser Island we drove through the township, Rainbow Beach onto Teewah Beach which is South of the town. It's apart of the Cooloola National Park and offers safe swimming beach, great surfing and over 15km of coastline to set up camp.

(Teewah Beach, view from Double Island Point.)

We drove onto the beach and headed for Double Island point to check out the views from the lighthouse. It was a very popular spot with an awesome surf break and sheltered swimming. the views from the Lighthouse were spectacular!

From here we headed south down the beach to look for a camp.. which being a 15km "camping zone" we thought we'd find a camp without too much trouble.... How wrong we were! Being a Friday... it was packed... tents, tarps, 4wd's, camper trailers, kids, surfers, beach cricket, fisherman all seemed to be stretched out all along the beach. We were beginning to wonder if we'd find a semi secluded spot at all!

(Campers were squeezing in to get their peice of paradise.)

Eventually we did find our spot... and in our minds a bloody beauty! although a little close to some others, we had unlimited views of the beach and only had to walk 20 metres to the waters edge.

(Our camp for one night.)

It was a magical spot, although i'd definately consider next time what time to visit.

(I got up early to capture this lovely sunrise.)

- Fraser Island Adventure -

2009-11-27T11:31:00.006+08:00

Heritage listed Fraser Island is just off the coast of Hervey Bay, it is the world largest sand island. Stretching 123km in length and only 22kms wide, this unique part of Australia lures adventure travellers to its shores.

With its long interrupted beaches, pockets of rainforest, over 100 freshwater lakes and the abundance of wildlife it is the perfect recipe for a fun filled 4wd camping trip.

After much planning and research we decided to take the car over for a 4 day adventure. We first had to get there, which meant booking the car on a vehicle ferry to cross the Great Sandy Strait. A 50 min ferry ride later we drove off the ferry and onto the island, passing through Kingfisher Bay Resort before reaching the start of many 4wd sand tracks. From the numerous self drive travellers and tourist coaches the track was quite cut up and soft in sections, so we had to let down our tyres a few times to make it much easier to drive.

(The vehicle barge to Fraser Island)

( 4wd Sand tracks are the only roads on the island)

Along the western side of the island there isn’t a great deal to see, so we headed inland passing by a couple of freshwater lakes and sand blows before reaching the eastern coast. This uninterrupted beach is a gazetted road, being the easiest & quickest way to reach the top tourist sites it can be more like a highway at times!

( 75 Mile Beach was more like a highway at low tide.)

(Sand blows were spectacular, some have engulfed entire lakes and forests.)

On our way to find our first camp for the night we came across the ship wreck of the Maheno. In 1935 the Maheno was being towed to a Japanese wrecking yard when she met her stormy end in a cyclone just off the coast. It was pretty awesome to see with the waves lapping against its rusty hull, providing an excellent opportunity for photos! We pushed on further north along the beach to find a perfect campsite complete with ocean views and a grassy spot to put up our tent! With a few wines and the sound of the waves, it could get any better than this... or could it??

(The Maheno shipwreck.)

(What an awesome camp spot, 1st night on Fraser.)

The next morning we woke to rain! Making it a very interesting while packing up! However in no time at all, the weather cleared and we were back into exploring the island. First we called by the pinnacles, a section of weathered dunes of contrasting coloured sands. Then called into Happy Valley for a look, it’s a tourist village offering an alternative accommodation to camping.

(Coloured Sands.)

Our next stop though was Eli Creek. It’s a freshwater creek flowing across the beach into the ocean with boardwalks along its upper reaches into the dunes. Here was also the place of our first sighting of a Dingo, who was just going about its business paying no attention to us at all. Eli Creek is also a popular spot to swim, as it is advised against to swim in the ocean, with rough seas and the occasional croc sighting.

(Eli Creek, great spot to explore.)

From here we headed inland, winding our way up into the rainforest and sand dunes to visit Lake Wabby. Lake Wabby is known as a Barrage Lake which means it has formed when a sand blow blocks the path of a natural spring. Eventually the sand dune will engulf the lake, making us feel very fortunate to visit while we still can! It was steep walk to get to the waters edge, however worth the effort as we plunged into its cool calm waters! When we finally got back to the car we slowly made our way back to the beach, getting stuck in the soft sand a few times on the track. We decided to drive further south to find a suitable campsite where we could make our base for the next few nights.

(Looking down to Lake Wabby.)

Just south of Eurong (Another resort village) we found the perfect spot. Nestle behind a small sand dune, with plenty of trees for shade we made our camp, putting up a few extra traps in case the rain set in again over night.

The following morning while getting ready for our next adventure 2 Dingo’s casually strolled past our camp. They’re believed to be the purest strain of Dingo and have become well accustomed to the presence of humans on the island. Everywhere we went there were warnings about Dingo’s, mostly not to approach and to make sure food etc is securely stored. One camp we saw looked like it had been torn apart by Dingo’s as there was rubbish everywhere.

After refuelling at Eurong we set off inland again to visit the most popular lake on the Island, Lake McKenzie. We’d have to say this is one of the BEST beaches in the world. It was amazing, pure white sand giving way to the crystal clear water… certainly an unusual paradise! The lake is a ‘perched’ lake which means it is only rainwater, no ground water or streams feed into this lake. The natural composition of sand and organic materials at the base of the lake, form a special layer preventing the water from draining away. We spent several hours swimming, lounging on the shores it was beautiful, however the crowds were starting to arrive so we decided to push on.

(Beautiful Lake McKenzie)

The drive from Lake McKenzie continued onto Central Station, which was once a logging community, however now home to National Parks Info Station. From here the track continued to wind its way through sand dunes, rainforests, and bushland. We stopped off at Lake Birrabeen and Lake Boomajin before reaching the eastern Beach again just south of Eurong.

The following day we spent relaxing in our camp, reading, walking along the beach and enjoying the fact we didn’t have to drive anywhere. The next day we packed up early and drove to the most southern point on the island, Hook Point. Here we caught the ferry to Inskip point on the Mainland.

We had the most amazing time on Fraser Island and would definitely go back to visit again. Not only is it a camping and 4wd adventure, it offers a unique beauty which you cannot find anywhere else. Let’s hope it stays that way for many years to come.

(The Barge to Inskip Point took only 5mins to reach the mainland.)

(CLICK TO ENLARGE MAP)

- Bundy & Hervey Bay -

2009-11-22T16:07:00.005+08:00

Our initial plan was to stop in at Bundaberg and see if we could pick up a few weeks work before heading down to Brisbane. We spent three days combing the newspapers, Internet and dropping our name into Harvest recruitment agencies. However it seemed we’d arrive at the end of the main Harvest and the beginning of the town’s quiet season. So the only thing we could do was jump back on the tourist trail and visit the Bundy Rum Distillery!

For $25 ea we took an hour tour of the Distillery, learning the processes and stages of creating Australia most loved Spirit. It was amazing… the tour was really well constructed with showing us the brewing process, the use of molasses, the HUGE American white oak vats, the bottling and finally the best part by far… the Tasting!!

Unfortunately for us, we were unable to bring cameras onto the tour… as they were eliminating the risks of a spark igniting the rum vapours and causing a massive fire. Which did happen once back 1907 putting rum production on hold for 4 years, could you imagine if that happened in today’s day and age? The country would be in uproar, considering Australia consumes 96% of the products, allowing only 4% to be exported. Talk about being Patriotic!!

Our next stop was the Bundaberg Barrel, home of Bundaberg Ginger Beer. This was also and interesting tour showing the process of making the famous brew. We also got the chance to taste a variety of different drinks at the end, including ones we hadn’t come across in the west.

(The Barrel, @ the Ginger Beer Factory.)

The following day we left Bundy, visiting the unusual and unidentified craters on our way out to Gin Gin. We then called in at Woodgate Beach and found a little park to have lunch… and it was filled with relaxing kangaroos! After plenty of photo’s and a stroll along the beach we pushed onto to Hervey Bay. Here was our second choice to stop and look for some work.

After a few days of searching, Bren got a job working for a 4WD Hire Company. However the conditions and hours were unfavourable so he decided it wasn’t for him and we began to plan our trip out to Fraser Island.

Big thank you to Herko & Wendie for letting us stay with you while we got ready for Fraser Island. It was so good to catch up with you both, remember there is always a place for you should you decide to come over to the West.

(The Unusual Craters on the way out to Gin Gin...What's your theory?...)

(Beautiful Woodgate beach... great spot for lunch!)

- Coastal Drive Continues... -

2009-11-11T15:18:00.004+08:00

After a rainy night at Paronella Park we headed back towards to the coast for a morning rainforest walk before exploring Mission Beach. Our morning highlight was stumbling across our first wild sighting of a Cassowary! It was so exciting! However couldn’t get the best photo as the bird was closely guarding a young chick!

Mission Beach was a lovely place with weekend markets, beautiful beaches and islands scattering the horizon. We continued on through Tully and explored the coastal towns near Hinchinbrook Island before taking advantage of the FREE council camping at Balgal Beach for the night.

(Bren up in the "Golden Gumboot", Tully. Known for its sugarcane and high rainfall.)

(Belgal Beach, Perfect place to end the day with a cold beer.)

The following morning we headed off up into Paluma Range National Park. The drive was very steep and the car was struggling as we wound our way up Mount Spec. Half way up we stopped off at Little Crystal Creek, a beautiful spot complete with a photogenic stone arch bridge over the gorge. We pushed further up into the mountain to reach the Paluma Township with an excellent lookout spanning out the coast, on a clear day you can make out Hinchinbrook and surrounding Islands. After a quick drive out to the lake we mad our way back down the mountain and onto Townsville.

(Little Crystal Creek bridge on the Paluma Mountain Drive.)

(Castle Hill Lookout, Townsville. View over to Magnetic Island)

We spent 2 days in Townsville visiting Bessie & Shannon, (Thanks for letting us stay guys) and continued on to Airlie Beach, choosing to stay out at Conway’s Beach.

(There were MILLIONS of these Soldier Crabs, Conways Beach.)

Apart from being the gate way the Whitsunday Islands the area didn’t have much to offer the “Budget Traveller” so we continued on down the coast exploring over the next few days the towns of Beautiful Mackay, Rockhampton, the mining export town of Gladstone, unique Agnes Waters and 1770. We finally decided to stop for a while in the Cane growing, Rum making, and ginger beer town of Bunderberg.

(The BIG MANGO in Bowen,

apparently the Council spent $20,000 to boost tourism for the area)

(Enjoying the northern beaches of Mackay)

(Beautiful Inlet at the historic town of 1770)

- Mossman to Paronella Park -

2009-11-01T08:51:00.006+08:00

On Thursday night we joined Col, Vanetta, Chook & Eddie at the Bowls Club for a lovely farewell dinner and drinks. It was lovely to have spent some time with you all and a big thank you opening up your homes for us, it is very much appreciated!

So we set off the next morning, beginning our adventure south past Cairns and back into the unknown. We decided on the coastal drive, also dubbed “The Great Green Way” down to Townsville. It was beautiful country, with high rain forest mountains, rolling cane fields, hidden waterfalls and untouched beaches.

(The Boulders just south of Cairns.)

After exploring in amongst Innisfail we headed slightly inland to a place called Mena Creek also home to the famous Paronella Park.

Paronella Park is a wonderful unique place, built in the 1930’s by Spanish man, José Paronella. Who’s dream was to build a beautiful garden and reception centre for the enjoyment of the public. We decided to stay and take the opportunity to explore both during the day and taking the night tour.

He certainly left nothing for the imagination! He built by hand a castle, yes a CASTLE! This once housed a museum complete with Ballroom/theatre off to the side. From the castle, The Grand Staircase guides you down to a picnic area at the waters edge, looking out to the beautiful Mena Creek Falls! In the lower garden another smaller castle was built for refreshment tearooms complete with two tennis courts, water fountain and view of the waterfall! However José didn’t stop here! He planted over 7000 plants on the property including magnificent Kauri Trees, lining Kari Avenue. Water features, tunnels, bridges were all constructed presenting the property as a marvellous secret garden waiting to be explored!

It was certainly well worth it and the night tour certainly added another dimension to the dreamy atmosphere with the water fountains and castle lit up, it was truly magical!

(The Kauri Avenue... just as spectacular at night!)

(The Tearooms in the lower gardens)

(Mena Creek Falls were beautifully lit up.)

(The Tearooms and water fountain in all its glory on the night tour.)

- Snorkelling @ The Great Barrier Reef -

2009-10-27T14:03:00.006+08:00

(Map from Aristocat, our destination, the Agincourt Ribbon Reefs)

Yesterday we headed out on a Snorkelling trip to the Great Barrier Reef! It was the best weather we could ask for as the last few weeks have been rather overcast and patchy with rain. I also took the opportunity to hire a digital camera, wanting to capture more than a standard disposable underwater camera. So we were set for a day of adventure!! The sun was shining, the water was flat and calm, what more could we ask for?

In Port Douglas at 9am we bored the vessel “Aristocat” and begun the 1 ½ hour journey out to the Agincourt Ribbon Reefs of the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The trip out was amazing! The mountains of the Daintree lined the horizon and we enjoyed soaking up the sun on the front deck, watching the water roll past.

(Looking back at the Daintree coast.)

The day consisted of three separate snorkel sites, with about 45 minutes or more spent at each site. The water was reasonably warm and we set off exploring the amazing corals and colours of the reef. I was surprised not to see many large fish; however the fish we did see were certainly colourful and interesting to look at. Our favourite site would have to be the second spot, where after lunch we jumped in and had more time to explore. We came across 2 large fish with big lips and wonderful black & white markings, they were territorial and this made them easy to find again and again!

(One of the largest fish we saw while out on the reef.)

The third spot was also special with a large number of the corals being of the Plate variety. They tend to fan out like plates in different levels and colours providing some interesting photos! And the small fish seemed to be in larger schools here!! Amazing to look at, however extremely difficult to capture on camera!

(Plate coral)

By the end of the 3rd dive we were exhausted and just realising how burnt we had become from lying face first in the water all day! It was a fantastic day out on the water however a smaller group would’ve been more ideal. Next time I think I’ll head out for a dive or two or three!

(Clam shell)

(Brendon, off exploring the reef.)

(Large boulder coral were amazing!)

(The back of the boat was easy to get in & out of the water.)

- CAPE YORK, Part 3 -

2009-09-28T14:01:00.004+08:00

(A section of the OTT)

The following morning we packed up and hit the road heading back south via the Jardine River Ferry. 30km or so past the Ferry we followed a track that links up to the Old Telegraph Track, as we wanted to save back tracking to reach the Elliot Falls for a swim! Just getting there was a little adventure, navigating our way around large pools of water and huge ruts gouged out by countless 4wdrivers throughout the tourist season. It was fun and gave us a little taste of the challenges of choosing to reach the cape via the OTT. Eventually we arrived at Elliot Falls and to our surprise had it all to ourselves!! It was beautiful, rushing water cascading over the rocks. Around the corner from the falls we found Twin Falls which was more ideal for swimming & exploring!

(Elliot Falls)

(Beautiful Twin Falls...)

Another 7km south, we found Fruit Bat Falls, formed by rocks stretching the width of a small river. The water was very cold, however we couldn’t pass a swim under the falls, and it was such an awesome spot!

(Fruit Bat Falls)

Our destination for today was to make it out to Captain Billy Landing, location on the Eastern side of the cape, via a 30km track off the main road. We were excited about visiting Captain Billy landing as we’d seen some impressive photo’s and decided on the spot that we wanted to check it out, although we had heard reports it can be really windy!! The turn off sign also noted that there would be Speed humps for the entire 30km’s!! Great!! It’s going to be a slow bumpy ride!! After about 10km’s down the track the corrugations were bloody shocking and then….

CLUNK!!!

We’d lost all our steering!! We both jumped out of the car to find out what the problem was… and there it was; the idler arm on the left hand side had snapped clean at the joint. So there was no support or pivot point for the steering rods!! BLOODY HELL, here we were with no steering, obviously no spare parts for this kind of break down and the closest roadhouse was about 80km’s away! We slowly turned the car around and we fastened the steering rod up to the chassis to help support it as we slowly drove the car back the way we had come to the main road. Our plan was to get back to the main road, have some lunch and flag down a passing traveller for some advice and some spare wire.

We were lucky enough to have someone call past just as we had finished lunch and surprisingly it was another Toyota 4runner! The kind traveller had some spare fencing wire and we rigged it up underneath to hold the Idler Arm in place! So the next gruelling stage began, crawling and nursing the car 70kms south to Bramwell Junction Roadhouse. It was slow going, and every 10kms we stopped to check we weren’t doing any damage and that our rough bush mechanics wasn’t wearing and tearing! Eventually we arrived at Bramwell, set up camp for the night, had hot showers and bought a few Bourbons to sit and contemplate what our next move would be.

The bush mechanics fastening was holding well and instead of sitting and waiting for a tow truck and paying a hefty towing fee, we measured up that we could still drive the car. Nor did we didn’t have a time issue, so the next morning we headed off towards Weipa, the nearest place to get the car fixed, which was 180km’s away!! A risk we knew, however being school holidays we knew if we needed assistance, it wouldn’t be too far away. So we hit the bumpy road at 7am wanting to make reasonable time into Weipa. The drive was fairly slow and uneventful, still stopping every so often to check that everything was holding well under the car. The corrugations were a lot trickier to navigate and sometimes we had to drive on the shoulder of the road just to smooth out the ride. Finally around 11am we made it into Weipa!! Thank Goodness! We took the car straight to the mechanic and they begun the search for relevant parts while we booked into accommodation. We soon learnt that the only part available would have to be flown in from Cairns, and being so remote the plane came in to town once a week!! We were in for the long haul and thankfully had booked a room with an aircon, it was going to be a long wait!

By the end of the week the car was fixed, the wallet a whole lot lighter and we were back on the road!!! It was certainly a long week, but we managed and put it down to part of the adventure of travelling up the Cape York Peninsula, and we chose the easier way!

(Brendon happy to be back on the road!)

(Weipa Bridge)

(Taken at Musgrave Roadhouse on the way back)

By now we didn’t feel like doing much more exploring so we kept to the road heading south. Just outside Laura, we stopped off to check out the Aboriginal Art at the Split Rock Art site. It was pretty interesting with an awesome view and provided a nice break from the road. From here the bitumen began and we made good time back to our friends place in Mossman.

Back safe and sound, we had a wonderful 3 weeks away. The journey “Up the Cape” reached all expectations and provided us with countless memories and adventure! It was unbelievable and we would definitely consider doing it again! Perhaps with a group of mates and a boat next time!

- CAPE YORK, Part 2 -

2009-09-27T13:59:00.007+08:00

We began the day early, purchasing our ticket for the ferry across the Jardine River, which is fairly expensive, however does include some bush camping, access to communities and the maintenance costs for the camp grounds. Due to the time of year the crossing wasn’t all that impressive, looking rather shallow and the ride was over in a matter of seconds. So before we knew it, we were back onto the bumpy corrugated roads on our way to Bamaga (which is the main community on the cape).

(The Jardine River Ferry)

At Bamaga we refuelled and decided to head out in search for a number of WWII plane wreck sites that were marked on our map. It was quite a surreal adventure as there weren’t any signposts. We just had to find our way by following a small track and bashing through the bush over logs etc. Gradually the track opened up into clearings strewn with old rusted aviation fuel drums, and then eventually we arrived at the plane wreck. I later read that this one was a Beaufort Bomber which came down not far from the old Jacky Jacky Airstrip. We also visited the crash site of a DC3, which had come down on its way from Brisbane to New Guinea in May 1945.

(The Beaufort Bomber WWII crash site.)

(DC3 remains from at flight enroute to New Guinea.)

On returning to Bamaga we took the road north out of town and made the 34km journey to the most northern tip of mainland Australia. The track was considerably winding and cut through a large pocket of Rainforest for most of the way. This surprised me as I expected the tip be quite barren and rocky, not with lush towering trees and lush vegetation! We finally made it to Frangipani Beach, parked up the car and went looking for the track to the tip. Thankfully a recent traveller had made a makeshift sign showing us the way!

(Makeshift sign to Direct travellers...)

We followed a rocky ridge heading towards the ocean. It wasn’t the clearest of days and we began watching a rolling cloud come in as we walked. It wasn’t until we made it to a lookout plaque before the rain came hurtling down on us!! Looking back it must’ve been quite funny watching us trying to shield our cameras from the rain under our shirts! The rain passed as quickly as it had arrived and we continued down to the waters edge to the sign declaring we had made it to the most northern point of the continent!

(Above 3 Pictures: At the most northern point of mainland Australia!)

Back at the car we drove back through ‘Pajinka’ which was once an Aboriginal Owned Wilderness Lodge. Now the buildings are just a shell and a lot of rubbish has been left behind. I’m sure there is more to the story since its closure in 2002; however it was a real shame to see this popular tourist destination still looking like a dump nearly 8 years on! Certainly somewhere the hefty Jardine River Ferry ticket money would be put to good use!

On the return track from the tip we passed so many travellers it was hard to believe we were far from civilization! We explored a number of camp grounds on the way back, however decided on staying in the seaside township of Seisia with the convenience of catching the Ferry to Thursday Island the following day! The remainder of the day we spent catching up on the laundry and reorganising the car.

Shortly after 8am the next morning we boarded “Straight Magic” for our 1 ¼ hr ferry ride to Thursday Island or T.I as it’s also affectionately known. It was an informative journey with the skipper pointing out the numerous islands and their historical significance. We passed Possession Island where Captain Cook first claimed British sovereignty over the eastern part of Australia in 1770 and islands of local pearling history as we rode the waves into the Port of T.I. Once on land, most of passengers decided to join the local tour, however we decided to explore around the island by ourselves. Walking down the main street you could swear you back on the mainland in some small outback town, however walking into the shops we were swept away into island life and the diversity of influences from nearby Papa New Guinea and surrounding islands of the Torres Strait. One shop in particular was filled with bright Hawaiian style printed cloth and clothing, worn mostly for festivals, special occasions etc.

After locating a town map, we headed up the steep Green Hill to visit the fort. It was built in 1890 and used as a defence centre for Australia, watching with 4 loaded canons over the nearby shipping channel and again in WWII keeping watch for invasions by the Japanese. It now houses the historical society museum of the Island, which we soon learnt that we had to go on the tour to have access to it!! Bugger! However the effort walk up the hill wasn’t all lost, as from here we got a spectacular view of T.I and surrounding islands.

(Awesome views from Green Hill, Thursday Island)

We continued on visiting significant buildings & places of the township and back through the shops for another browse. For lunch we headed to the Grand Hotel over looking the water, it was magic! We spent the rest of the day relaxing on the foreshore and watching island life. If we had more time we would’ve taken a tour over to neighbouring Horn Island where they offer insight into life during WWII and exploring the remnants of war bunkers and aircraft crash sites etc. However before we knew it we were back on the boat heading for the mainland. What a glorious day spent on T.I!

(Sunset back on Seisia Beach)

- CAPE YORK, Part 1 -

2009-09-26T15:50:00.002+08:00

To me travelling Cape York is a ‘must do’ when travelling around Australia. It’s one of the ultimate Australian 4wd adventures, rich in history, challenging, isolated and has a rugged outback appeal which lures enthusiasts back time and time again. And we were no exception! You can traverse the Cape a number of different ways. The easier way, the hard way or most tend to mix it up a little without any intentions! And this is exactly what happened to us!

After picking up some last minute supplies, we left Cooktown via Battle Camp Rd. Battle Camp Rd is known to be rough and can be completely impassable during & after the Wet. We soon got a taste of what was on the horizon, with the amount of corrugations, bull dust and the flooded creek crossings we encountered along the way. This is part and parcel of “doing” the Cape and we loved every minute of it!

(Roadtrain throwing up the dust on the way up Cape York.)

We crossed Laura River and stopped for a break at the Old Laura Homestead, marking the entrance to Lakefield National Park. We stopped of at numerous campsites in search for a good spot to fish, however being late in the dry most were down to shallow pools of stagnant water. We chose to stay at Kalpower Crossing, not only was it shady with good facilities, it offers peaceful views of the river.

The next morning we explored more of the National Park almost reached the ocean in search of a decent high bank to fish off. After getting some advice from a couple of fellas we met on the road, we tried our luck in a favourable waterhole for just over an hour. After a couple of teasing splashes, we soon realised today wasn’t going to be our day. We were soon back on the main road heading north 170km of dusty, spine tingling corrugations, we eventually pulled into camp at Archer River Roadhouse and the luxury of a hot shower!

(Old Laura Homested, Lakefield NP.)

Just after first light we were back on the road again navigating our way out to Iron Range NP, via the Aboriginal Community of Lockhart River. The road was in good condition after recent road works making the journey relatively smooth. We made an early camp so we didn’t miss out at very popular Chilli Beach! It was blowing a gale, but that didn’t hamper our spirits, after setting the awning and an extra tarp as a wind break we soaked up the sun over a good book. We were sitting on the palm tree lined beach, sounds of the ocean and the view of islands scattered across the horizon, what more could we ask for?

(Bren, soaking up the sun... what a place!)

(Our camp/windbreak, Chilli Beach.)

(Palm trees @ sunrise, Chilli Beach, meters from our campsite.)

From Chilli Beach we could return to the main rd, via the way we came or by taking a 50km “shortcut” via the Frenchman’s Track, saving us about 90km of back tracking. The Frenchman’s Track can be quite challenging as it is not maintained, nor is it sign posted and depending on the time of year can be totally impassable! The major hurdle would be the Pasco River crossing, we learnt this from our handy guide book, it reads “caution deep river crossing, should only attempted by experienced 4x4 drivers only”. The crossing was only 16km in from the turn off so we decided we’d drive in to check it out and see if it was within our experience to make the crossing.

We made our way in over a fairly reasonable track, a few washouts, patches of the usual corrugations and ruts. Eventually we reached the Pasco River, we jumped out to investigate by wading across the river (about 0.6metres deep) to check out the steep & rocky embankment on the other side. After assessing the conditions we decided to go ahead as this would be our only major 4wd adventure while up the cape & not wanting to hammer the car as we still had a long way to go! We crossed the river successfully dodging a large boulder without a problem, then put the car into Low range and slowly navigated our way up the rocky slope! It was exciting, wheels spinning, and redirecting the wheels a couple of times saw us comfortably to the top no worries!

(The climb after the crossing.)

(Pasco River Crossing.)

(Looking back down the hill.)

(Bren, after the Pasco River Crossing.)

The track continued with deep washouts, ruts and creek crossings keeping our speed around 30 kph! One crossing in particular was a little deceiving with the first section slightly deeper and the water pushed over the bulbar for a few seconds before levelling out into shallower water. Thankfully no water came in under the doors! After crossing the almost dry Wenlock River we finally reached the main road! What an adventure, 50kms worth and it took us about 3 hours! We then pushed on to camp at the Jardine River ready to cross by the river ferry first thing in the morning…

TO BE CONTINUED>>>>>>

(Wenlock River, Note the sign... "we were here in a boat...")

- Cooktown -

2009-09-11T17:30:00.000+08:00

(Spectacular views from Archer Point.)

Just out of Cooktown we called in to Archer Point for a look. Many tracks lead us to secluded little beaches; however the highlight was definitely the lighthouse which offered spectacular views of the now rugged coastline. It was bloody windy and gave us an insight to what it must’ve been like for Captain James Cook back in 1770 when the Endeavour hit a reef not far offshore from where we were standing!!

We spent a couple of days in Cooktown, taking in the sights and taking in some of the historical significance of the area.

We drove to the top of Grassy Hill, here we learnt that Capt. Cook climbed the hill everyday to survey the river mouth and find a clear passage north for the Endeavour to sail after repairs were carried out on its damaged hull.

(View of Endeavour River, Cooktown.)

(Lighthouse, Grassy Hill, Cooktown.)

(Monument making the spot where Capt. James Cook beached the Endeavour for repairs, June 1770.)

- The Daintree & Cape Tribulation -

2009-09-11T16:14:00.002+08:00

I think the Daintree is on most travellers’ itinerary when travelling to Far north Queensland. Not only is it the oldest living rainforest in the world (over 140 million years old) making it a world heritage listed area, it is home to rare species of flora and fauna and not to mention the scenery is simply breathtaking. We had been looking forward to visiting the Daintree for quite some time so you can imagine the excitement when the day finally came to leave Mossman and head north. To begin the journey we had to cross the Daintree River via cable ferry ($11 one way) which gave us the feeling we were entering another world. Once across the river the sealed road winds higher and higher up into the mountains! The poor car struggled a bit on the steep hills, but as usual the old girl pulled through just fine! We were already amongst the rainforest and before to long we pulled into a lookout to get a glimpse of just how high up we were and the View was just amazing!! Looking out from high in the mountains, to the mouth of the Daintree River Mouth, the inviting blue ocean and surrounded in lush ferns, palms and massive trees!

(Crossing the Daintree River via Cable Ferry)

(The lookout just after the river crossing)

To get amongst the rainforest we next called into the Daintree Discovery Centre, which offers an introduction to the flora and fauna of the region with a series of boardwalks, Ariel canopy walk and a five level canopy tower that takes you to the top of the trees! It was pretty interesting and gave us a glimpse of what was to come!

(Canopy tower @ the Discovery Centre)

We pushed on stopping off at various boardwalks along the way. The road continued to wind & climb through the mountains, we had to slow down many times for speed humps, also known as Cassowary crossings. (For those who don’t know a Cassowary is an endangered bird about the size of an emu, known only to be found in Far North Queensland rainforests) Unfortunately the whole time we were here we didn’t come across any, perhaps highlighting the issue of how rare and endangered these exotic birds are!

(A rare sighting of Boyd's Forest Dragon )

(One of the many 'Cassowary Crossings'.)

We followed several tracks down to visit secluded white sandy tropical beaches, lined with coconut palms, crystal blue water, ‘where the rainforest meets the reef’. Cow Bay, Thornton Beach to name a few, they were amazing! Finally that afternoon we made camp at Noah Beach (which we had to pre-book via email before leaving Mossman). How spoilt were we? We set up camp nestled behind the palm trees with a short walk onto a pristine white beach, surrounded by rainforest clad mountains and sparkling turquoise Blue Ocean! And the added bonus, we had practically to ourselves!! Pure heaven!!

(Thornton Beach!)

(Noah Beach where we camped.)

(Sunrise over Noah Beach, what a way to begin the day!)

The next morning we drove into Cape Tribulation to explore for the day. Cape Trib is a tiny community hidden amongst the rainforest, complete with general store, backpackers, tourist info and a few secluded resorts and campgrounds. We wandered around the local beaches, followed boardwalks to the lookouts etc. We decided to take one of the local tours, The Exotic Fruit Tasting and farm tour. We tried about 10 different fruits, most we’d never even heard of! Some were really nice & sweet… but there was a couple I’d rather forget! But most of all it was fun & interesting! We spent the remainder of the afternoon back at Noah Beach swimming & soaking up the sun!

(Some of the Exotic fruits we tried in Cape Trib.)

(Us on a beach at Cape Tribulation.)

The next morning we packed up the car and headed north towards Cooktown via the Bloomfield Track. For all we read about the Bloomfield, we looking forward to a 4wd adventure however perhaps due to the time of year the major challenge was getting the car up the extremely steep hills!! The river crossings were all dried up and the road had been recently graded making the drive relatively easy. We called into a place called Home Rule to walk to the “Home Rule Falls”. With only a few signs to guide us we trekked up and down steep ravines through the mountainous rainforest. It was quite challenging in sections, however we were rewarded for our efforts with a beautiful waterfall all to ourselves! We stayed a while enjoying the serenity and ultimately recuperating for the return trek! Further down the road we called into the famous Lions Den Hotel to camp for the night.

(Steep climb on the Bloomfield Track)

(Home Rule Falls, well worth the effort!)

The next day we headed of early to take in the sights of Hidden Falls, Trevethan Falls and Black Mountain National Park before we headed for Cooktown.

(Enjoying the Hidden Falls)

- Cairns to Mossman -

2009-09-06T14:33:00.000+08:00

After reaching Cairns we spent a few days exploring the nearby beaches, before heading up to Mossman to visit my good friends Col & Vanetta. From here we prepared for ther trip through the Daintree & Cape Tribulation.

(View looking down on Port Douglas)

(Clouds hanging low over the mountains)

- Atherton Tablelands -

2009-09-03T20:09:00.011+08:00

After Georgetown we began the very scenic drive up into the Atherton Tablelands. It was certainly an eye opener coming in from the dry Savannah plains into the lush rolling green hills, ancient rain forest pockets and clouds hanging low around the mountain peaks! As we drove through Ravenshoe (The highest town in Qld) we stopped off to visit Millstream falls. This marked the beginning of the waterfall circuit which is a scenic drive via winding roads through rain forest visiting several waterfalls along the way. We pulled into Pepina &Zillie falls and finished off in the Dairy producing town of Milla Milla @ the aptly named Milla Milla falls set amongst the rain forest! It was beautiful!

(Milla Milla Falls)

Once back on the road we soaked up the beautiful scenery, travelling north through quaint little towns set amongst the rainforest's and mountains arriving at Lake Eacham for the night. As the sun set the fog settled in quickly, as did the cold!! Dropping below 12 degrees before I finished cooking dinner!! We certainly weren’t ready for the climatic change… rugging up for bed in almost everything we owned!!

(Lake Eacham is a volcanic crater)

The next morning we headed back east stopping in to visit the Curtain Fig Tree. I know you probably thinking “what the?” but it was definitely worth a look at natures work in all its glory. The Fig tree is from a strangler fig species & the curtain effect is the result of one tree leaning against another on a 45 degree angle. The strangler vine then grows along the leaning tree, dangling its feeding roots 15 metres to the ground creating the curtain effect. It was amazing and the sheer size is amazing the tree would have to be over 100 years old!

(The Curtain Fig Tree, Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, QLD)

Next stop was Atherton where we took a tour around the ‘Crystal Caves’. Created by an enthusiastic gem & mineral collector, it houses over 600 specimens making it one of the largest mineralogical collections in Australia. The shop is set up as an adventure museum, where you don on a hard hat with light and crawl, duck and weave your way around a series of chambers exploring the treasures usually found deep within the earths crust.

(Bren looking the part.)

The major attraction is the worlds largest Amethyst. I mean this thing is bloody HUGE!!! “The Empress of Uruguay” as its also known weighs a whopping 2.7 tons, 3.27metres in height and is worth a reported over A$250,000!!

(Me with "The Empress of Uruguay")

After all the exploring & excitement we travelled north in search of Coffee!!! We read in almost every guide book that the ‘Coffee Works’ in Mareeba are a “Must Do” while in the area. So off we headed… and boy it certainly didn’t disappoint!!

For $19 we got to taste local and aboard coffee, teas, liquors and chocolate it was awesome… all the different flavours, aromas, a coffee lovers dream! We learnt about the roasting process and then took a tour around the world’s largest coffee museum! There were coffee machines from the dark ages! I mean some of these machines looked more like model spaceships rather than just something you’d use in your daily routine!! We absolutely loved it… and they even gave you $5 each to spend in their gift shop!

(Bren making the most of the Coffee Experience!)

(1920's tea maker, on a timer!)

(One of the 2,000 Coffee Machines)

From all the Indulgence of coffee in Mareeba we headed back towards the coast to visit the Markets in the rain forest town of Kuranda. It’s a beautiful place; however we didn’t explore it completely as it being so close to Cairns we thought we’d take the trip up the ranges via the sky rail at a later date. So from Kuranda we headed down the mountain…Finally reaching our intended destination… Cairns, the South Pacific Ocean and ultimately the East Coast of Australia!

(Barron Falls, Kuranda QLD. Wet Season on Left, Sept 09 Right)

(Finally made it to the East Coast of Australia! View over Cairns)

- Gulf Country, NT to QLD -

2009-09-02T17:34:00.001+08:00

(Me, enjoying a morning dip @ Mataranka, Thermal Pools)

After a wonderful trip around Kakadu with Mum, we wasted no time hanging around and decided to hit the road again, saying goodbye to Darwin and headed onto a new frontier! We left in the afternoon making our first stop over at Mataranka Thermal Pools, and then heading on in the morning to see the historic Daly Waters Pub. After a quick beer (mid strength), we then made the left turn heading towards the Gulf of Carpentaria!

(Our camp @ Calvert River Crossing)

Our first overnight stop was Borroloola, on the mighty Arthur River. The area is known to most as Barra country so we set off the next morning to the famous riverside camp of King Ash Bay with our sights set on catching the elusive fish! The plan was to set up camp somewhere for the night and get some fishing in, however riverside access was limited (not to mention we had to be careful of Crocs) which made fishing a little difficult without a Boat! We had a go for a while but no luck. So we decided to drive further east and camp somewhere along the way.

The country side changed dramatically the further we drove, going from flat station country into high ranges cut away by rivers roaring during the wet season. We drove quite a way, crossing 2 major rivers before finding a perfect camp beside the Calvert River. The water was too shallow for fishing, and being late in the day we set up camp. During the night we were woken several times to Cattle Road Trains crossing the River nearby, some were 3 trailers long!!

(Roadtrain @ Calvert River Crossing)

(Steep crossing)

The next day we crossed the border into Queensland!! We finally made it! Again the country side changed to really dry, drought stricken plains. There isn’t a lot to see along the way, unless you have a boat to get out to the islands along the Gulf coastline. I would love to go back and get amongst it properly! We stopped in Burketown to refuel and lunch, pushing onto Normanton for the night.

Normanton is also Barra & Croc country, and skirts the Norman River where in 1957 a local Crocodile Hunter Shot ‘THE WORLDS LARGEST CROCODILE’ measuring a whopping 8.7m (28ft) weighing 1,352 Kilo’s! I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to see this monster alive! Let alone while fishing in a tinny on the River!!

(A scale replica of the worlds largest Croc, Normanton)

The next morning we headed out to the mouth of Norman River, and took a look around the seaside town of Karumba. Again fishing was plentiful if you had a boat, we gave it go off the riverbank for a while but the tides were ripping out and you had to be extremely careful not to fall “A over T” into the mud! So we headed back to Normanton, and attempted fishing off the bridge for about 1 ½ hrs… still no luck!

(Liechhardt Falls)

The next day we called through Georgetown, a sleepy outback town that was founded back in the 1870’s with gold being mined on the banks of the Ethridge River. The visitors centre also houses an impressive collection of rocks, gems and minerals from the surrounding area and beyond, which was well worth a look. From Georgetown we only had 400kms to the east coast…. We we’re fast approaching the Cairns tableland region….

(Pretty small Police Station hey? Georgetown)

(Cumberland Chimney, 1870's Gold crushing plant, Georgetown)

- AMAZING KAKADU -

2009-08-27T14:01:00.001+08:00

(The 3 of us @ Wangi Falls, Litchfield NP)

The DAY we got back from Bali, my mum flew in from Perth to join us on a trip through Litchfield NP and the long awaited visit to KAKADU. So you can imagine getting organised was pretty full on! We finally got everything together and the following day we set off for Litchfield, taking mum to all to the popular Waterfalls and rock pools. It was absolute heaven, and will always remain one of my favourites!!

(Mum & I enjoying a refreshing swim)

We entered Kakadu the following day with our first stop @ Gunlom Falls (which is featured in the famous Crocodile Dundee movie) it had almost dried up, and like most waterfalls in Northern Australia would look mighty impressive in the wet season!! We camped here the night & mum and I decided to do the walk to above the 100m falls… the view was awesome! (Bren unfortunately got a dose of the Bali Belly, and didn’t feel too good.) We continued onto Maguk Gorge, also known as Barramundi Falls, this would be the last place we could swim before heading further into the park…

(Above Gunlom Falls, Kakadu.)

We then visited Nourlangie Rock, home to some of the Australia best preserved Aboriginal Rock Art. It’s amazing to see up close! Paintings depicting the dreamtime and creation, the spirits, and of course the food source of kangaroo’s and barramundi!

(Rock Art, Nourlangie Rock, Kakadu.)

The next day we visited Jabiru, and Mum spoilt us to a 1 hour flight over the National Park!! It was truly amazing!! Just makes you realise the sheer size of the Park and how much remains untouched, unexplored. It truly is BLOODY HUGE!! The flight takes you over the Arnhem Plateau, following the South Alligator River and almost out into the Arafura Sea!!

(Ubirr Lookout.)

After the flight we headed out to Cahill’s Crossing on the South Alligator River to Spot wild Crocs!! We sure did find what we were looking for! We then continued onto Ubirr, which also has some spectacular Rock Art and views also featured in Crocodile Dundee!

After another fun filled day of adventure, the next day would surely not disappoint! We began the day checking out the Mamukala Wetlands, which was a hive of birdlife activity. Then we exited the park and stopped off at Adelaide River to join the ‘Spectacular Jumping Crocs River Cruise’. I wasn’t that NT crocs are especially unique and do miraculous tricks. Fact is if you hang a slab of meat out the side of a boat any croc is sure to want a feed, even if it means launching more than half their body weight out of the water!! It was impressive!! And gave us an “up close” look at these impressive dangerous monsters.

We then travelled back to Darwin and spent the next few days chilling out with mum, showing her around. We finished off with a delicious dinner at Pee Wee’s on the Point, in Fanny Bay, Darwin, which I highly recommend if you ever decide to visit the Top End.

- BALI -

2009-08-18T12:54:00.008+08:00

(Bren with local dancers on Legian Street.)

We’ve just returned from an amazing 8 days in Bali! We stayed at the White Rose Hotel, Legian, just behind the Bali Bombing Memorial. (Which by the way, is beautiful and a very popular place for both tourists and locals).

(Bali Bombing Memorial)

We jumped into the market/shopping scene and learnt our bartering skills VERY quickly… with keen locals trying to sell you anything and everything @ “special morning prices”. We slipped fairly easy into the Bali atmosphere, with cheap amazing food and Bintang!

On the third day, we headed out to Waterbom Park to see if our inner child was still game enough to face massive waterslides! One, called the Boomerang, sends you in pairs down a steep tube to increase your speed, then down a chute… just when you think its all over it sends you hurtling towards the sky at 45 degree angle… only so you can FREE FALL backwards into the pool below! Smashdown was another good one. Where you climb 8 storeys of stairs and brace yourself for the 60 degree straight down slide…. You’d probably reach a top speed of 70km per hour… not to mention the major wedgee at the bottom. It was an awesome day out!

(Bren coming down the "SMASHDOWN" Slide at Waterbom park)

We also took a trip out to the Bali Safari Park, which was amazing!! We went on a half hour safari trip to see tigers, hippos, zebras etc. Then watched an Elephant Show, Bren had photo’s taken with a Baby Orang-utan and I got to hug a huge Lioness!!!

( ...Say Cheese!!)

The next day we took a tour, complete with our own guide & driver out to see more of the country side & Culture of Bali. First up we watch the traditional Barong Dance. Then we visited woodcarvers, painters, silversmiths and a Batik/weaving factory, learning from the artist how they create their masterpieces. We also visited a waterfall, visited the sacred Elephant Temple ,rice terraces and The Sacred Monkey Forrest in Ubud. We also visited a coffee plantation and spice farm, where we tried different coffee’s and fruits etc. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better we had a Buffet lunch on the rim of a volcano (well almost)!! It was an unforgettable day out and not bad for only $36!!

(Rice Terraces)

We had an amazing time, especially Brendon as it was his first time overseas! Now back in Darwin, we are now preparing for our next Adventure… KAKADU!

(Bren & I enjoying our last dinner in Bali in our own private bungalow!)

- Territory Day & Mandorah -

2009-07-06T07:32:00.005+08:00

We learnt that the 1st of July is a very special day on the calendar for Territorians. Not only is it "Territory Day" the public are able to purchase their own fireworks and celebrate by setting them off (almost) anywhere! We didn't purchase any crackers (as we're saving for our Bali trip) however the Darwin City Council put on a spectacular display down on Mindil Beach. The show went for about 1/2hr with an impressive finale lighting up the sky.

We then headed back to Craig's to watch the neighbours light their crackers in the park adjacent to the units. Some crackers fell over setting fireworks off in all directions, albeit dangerous, it was entertaining watching people jumping out of the way! Some money must've been spent as there was splashes of colour all over the city skyline! Not to mention the debris the next morning, but generally people were pretty good. However there were at least 90 call outs for the fire brigade, putting next years celebrations under review!

On Saturday, Bren and I had a wonderful day with a trip to Mandorah. We took a 20 min ferry ride across the harbour from Cullen Bay and then walked a short distance to the Hotel. The views looking back at the city while sipping down a few Corona's was an awesome way to spend the afternoon. Quite a few people were fishing off the jetty, though we didn't see them catch anything.

After Mandorah we headed to the East Point Reserve to look around the Military Museum. It was quite interesting, detailing the WWII war effort and many artillery displays.

- V8's, Beer, Jimmy & The Presets! -

2009-06-22T14:27:00.009+08:00

Darwin's Hidden Valley Race Track was home to Round 5 of the V8 Supercars....3 days of fast paced excitement, burnouts, boooze and bands! We seemed to have the hottest ticket in town, 3 days of racing, & 2 concerts with Jimmy Barnes & The Presets performing... all for just $70 Bucks!!

We decided to skip the Friday as we both had work & it was only the qualifying rounds, leaving us plenty of energy & beer money for the remain 2 days. Early Saturday afternoon we headed out to the track... the noise was incredible.. and fast!! We enjoyed a few races over a couple of beers and headed out to check out the merchandise ally and pit lane. The place was a hive of activity, with racing enthusiasts from all over the country!! After the days events had finished we stayed to enjoy Jimmy Barnes!! What a day.... and we still had Sunday to go!

On the Sunday Hidden Valley was buzzing!! Between races a fighter jet entertained the crowd by flying low over the track and doing stunt rolls with a deafening roar!! Burnouts and Stunts amped up the crowd.

Once all the racing was over... we waited close to the stage eagerly awaiting the Presets to perform. The crowd was intense, with a much younger crowd (than the Jimmy concert) jumping, screaming, singing & pushing to get a closer to the stage!! It was awesome!!

- Discovering Darwin -

2009-06-15T08:12:00.004+08:00

We've been in Darwin a few weeks now, and thoroughly enjoying it. We've been checking out the sites and looking for work so we can stay a few months. We're staying with friends Craig & Nicky, who have a unit within walking distance to the city centre... very handy for those big nights out :)

(Me at the Tio Stadium, watching AFL, Port Vs Bulldogs)

We visited the Crocodylus Park, Darwins Croc Park and Zoo. Which is home to HUGE lizards... captured over the years from all over the Territory... the largest Croc (5m) caught in Darwin Harbour!!

(Dont think for a minute that he cannot move fast...)

(Bren got all friendly with this young kangaroo... aww cute!)

(Nicky & Craig)

(Mindil Beach Markets, great night shopping on twice a week)

- Litchfield National Park -

2009-05-31T14:33:00.007+08:00

After Edith Falls we travelled to Litchfield National Park only 100km from Darwin. We stopped in at the Butterfly Park in Batchelor, taking some time out from the road and getting some awesome photo's.

We made camp at the Florence Falls 4wd camp ground and walked 15 mins for a swim in the plunge pool of the Falls. It was a little busier than expected, though still relaxing. Florence Falls is made up of 2 separate waterfalls cascading over a 15 meter cliff.

Once back at camp, we had to fight off the mozzies, while cooking etc and made for an early night.

The next morning we headed straight to the other end of the park to see Wangi Falls, again 2 separate waterfalls, though a much much higher cliff face. Unfortunately due to the recent wet season, swimming was still prohibited so we decided to do the 1.7km walk through the rain forest to the tree tops and then around the back of the falls. It was certainly a long way up and offered really great views of the surrounding country side.

Our Next stop was off the main track via 4wd to Blyth Homestead, having to cross river crossings deeper then we had on the Gibb and being potentially infested with Crocs!! Nice, i was a little worried to begin with as the water had seeped in under the bottom of the doors, however my worries lifted when we saw several other tourist vehicles had gone through and were much lower than our car!! Crazy if you ask me.

Blyth Homestead, was the location of an old tin mine back in 1929, a display throughout explores the hardships encounted by the early pioneers. We then made our way down to Sandy Creek Falls, which is a 3.4km return walk to a large plunge pool and of course a spectacular waterfall! It was amazing with the water temperature just right!!

Once back at the main road of the park we visited Tolmer Falls (a lookout over the falls as its home to 2 protected species of Bats) and then headed to Buley rockholes for a relaxing dip and a BEER!! The rock holes is a very popular spot, with easy access, and a few sections so your able to spread out and enjoy!! We stayed another night at Litchfield and then decided to head to Darwin in the morning.

- Edith Falls -

2009-05-26T08:15:00.000+08:00

With the car all fixed (a seal had to be replaced) we finally left Katherine! About 60km up the road we took a detour into one of my favourite places in the N.T, Edith Falls. Situated in the northern end of Nitmiluk National Park, Edith falls is a great place to stay, swim and explore. Being early morning we decided to do the 2.6km walk to the upper pools and waterfalls...

- Northern Territory, Katherine -

2009-05-24T14:03:00.002+08:00

We hit the road first thing and 40km down the road we crossed the border into the Northern Territory!! The country side transformed, with the road winding through high cliff escarpments alongside wide croc infested rivers all the way to Katherine. We went straight up to Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge), on getting out of the car we saw oil had sprayed up the back of the car, leaking from the Diff!! I couldn't believe it, in a slight panic (as it was Friday) we found a mechanic to book in the car in, not available until Tuesday!! BUGGER!!

(Bren @ Victoria River)

We decided to stay at the National Park for the evening and booked a river cruise ($73 ea) for the following morning. On the tour we travelled through 3 gorges, at the end of each gorge was a rock bar, so we had to walk a short distance to the next boat. In the third gorge we got to swim at a large plunge pool, it was amazingly beautiful and definately worth it.

After the cruise, we nursed the car back into town to find somewhere to stay while we waited for the seal to get fixed... it was going to be a long few days.

- Bungle Bungles & Lake Argyle -

2009-05-23T13:36:00.002+08:00

On our last day in Kununurra, Bren took a 2hr flight over the Bungle Bungles and Lake Argyle with Alligator Airways.

The Bungle bungles, It is an incredible sight of beehive-shaped sandstone formations, and deep chasms, formed over many millions of years ago.

Lake Argyle certainly impressed him!! He learnt that the "inland sea" covers over 1,000 km2, with water as far as the eye could see, and that's from the air!! With the abundance of water below, the township of Kununurra are on the same water restrictions as Perth!

- Kununurra -

2009-05-21T13:57:00.004+08:00

(Ivanhoe Crossing - We flicked a few lures here, though no success)

We've been lazing around in Kununurra for a few days now... checking out the sites, updating the blog, lazing by the caravan park pool etc. Our first day was spent cleaning out the car, the amount of dust throughout everything was unbelievable!! Over the next few days we have visited the Zebra Rock Gallery, The Hoochery, Kelly's Knob lookout, Ivanhoe Crossing and even made a visit out to Wyndham.

(Bren, pulled some interesting faces while sampling this 70% Rum at the Hoochery!)

(Sunset at Kelly's Knob Lookout.)

(Five Rivers Lookout at Wyndham)

This afternoon Bren is taking a flight over the Bungle Bungles and Lake Argyle so keep an eye out for photos!!

- Home Valley to Kununurra -

2009-05-20T11:00:00.007+08:00

The next day we had to cross the widest river of the Gibb, The Pentecost, complete with it's crocs. Thankfully the water level was only about 30cm, though still flowing fast and we crossed without a problem... or seeing any hungry lizards!

(The mighty Pentecost River... )

Our next stop was El Questro Station, now wilderness park,on a million acre property. We booked in for a night and set off to explore. Moonshine Gorge walk, 4km return, was beautiful with creek crossings, palm trees and red rugged cliff faces. At the end was Sprung Hole, a perfect spot for a swim, although a little cold!!

(Sprung Hole, at Moonshine Gorge... was so peaceful)

Next we walked into El Questro Gorge, a 6.8km return walk. This was more challenging than we expected with the gorge fairly narrow with large boulders and a lot of rock hopping. Part way along is a little water hole with big boulders Bren had to put me up!! Ferns lined the walls of the gorge and finally at the end we reached a deep plunge pool with a little waterfall called "Mac Micking Pool" It was amazing and well worth the effort! We then headed back to camp for a bite to eat & headed off on 4wd track to Branko's Lookout for sunset. Crossing creeks etc to get there!! It was awesome looking out over the gorge cutting through the escarpment...

(Branko's Lookout, El Questro.)

The next morning we rested our exhausted bodies in Zebadee Springs, a series of thermal pools fed by an underground spring. It was total heaven, with the water temp around 34 degrees... which made it rather cold when we jumped out! We pushed on to Amalia Gorge for a walk in to a slightly more open gorge to a large plunge pool at the end. However the waterfall had almost dried up, otherwise it would've been even more inviting to jump in!

(Bren & I, in Amalia Gorge...)

Next was Emma Gorge, a 1.6km walk into narrow escarpment cutting into the Cockburn Ranges. A little challenging in sections, though well worth it when you reach the end. A large pool of water, complete with waterfall... however the cliffs are so narrow the water would only receive 1 1/2hrs of sunlight making the water a VERY freezing 12 - 15 degrees!! I swam to the little waterfall.. though couldn't stay in for long!

Emma Gorge marks the end of the Gibb River Road, which we completed in 2 weeks. Driving just under 2000km of gravel , corrugated roads, creek crossings and exploring all the wonderful places along the way. It was everything and more than we expected. We definitely recommend it to anyone, with El Questro, McGowan's Beach and Manning Falls among our favourites!

We're now in Kununurra, staying a few nights to clean out the dust & explore....

- Manning Falls to Home Valley Station -

2009-05-20T09:38:00.009+08:00

After a wonderful swim & look around at Manning Falls we headed off to our next stop, Drysdale River Station, situated 60km up the Kalumburu Rd. The station is famous for its outback hospitality with the "Kimberley North Bar and Restaurant" and we were looking forward to splashing out on a few drinks, catching up on laundry etc. We spent two nights there, exploring nearby Miners Pool during the day.

We set off early the next morning towards the Mitchell Plateau. The road was very rocky & we seemed to be climbing hills higher into the surrounding escarpment. We finally reached the turn off into Mitchell Falls and about 2.4km along is the King Edward River crossing! Which was an estimated 80cm-100cm deep and much wider & faster flowing than any crossing we had come across!! With our hearts racing a little we crossed without a problem! From the crossing it was a long 80km trek to the Mitchell Falls campground, over loose gravel, tight corners and steep inclines averaging 50km p/h!

(King Eward River Crossing...)

That afternoon we made a short walk down to Little Merten's Falls to cool off and check out some of the Aboriginal Rock Art found just beneath the falls. It was awesome! We woke early the next morning to get a head start on the 3.3km walk trail to the Mitchell Falls. On the way we saw more Rock Art and got an awesome view of Merten's Gorge cutting narrowly through the sandstone plateau. We finally arrived at the Falls and it was in every way IMPRESSIVE! The size and sound of the water cascading over the 3 separate levels was unbelievable!!

(Bren sitting in the rapids at the top of Little Merten's Falls)

(Some of the Rock Art we found on the walk to the Mitchell Falls)

(The mighty Mitchell Falls... It was an awesome sight!)

We camped the night back at the King Edward River, and pushed on the next morning to Kalumburu.To enter the town and surrounding areas we needed an access permit, $40 valid for a week. We decided to stay at McGowan's Beach about 30mins out of town. With campsites right on the beach, lawn, all amenities we had found our little oasis! We claimed a site closest to the beach nestled under a boab tree. PERFECT!

(Sunset from our campsite at McGowan's Beach, Kalumburu)

We spent 2 nights at McGowan's, fishing (with no luck) and exploring nearby Pago and Honeymoon Beach. On the way out we stopped to visit the Mission Museum, which is rich in history about the war, mission and local aboriginal culture. Well worth the visit. We pushed on with a full day of driving to arrive at Home Valley Station, which was made famous as the setting for the movie "AUSTRALIA". We spoiled ourselves with dinner at the "Dusty Bar & Grill".

- Broome to Manning Falls -

2009-05-18T19:05:00.005+08:00

After a week of preparation - including purchasing food, last minute camping supplies etc our day of departure had finally arrived. I was excited and sad at the same time. Knowing that we had to say goodbye to our home of 2 years and on the other hand such a wonderful adventure lay ahead of us. So at 7:30am Monday the 4th of May we gave Meg & Nick our last hugs and best wishes and headed out of "Broome Town". We topped up the fuel at Derby and just out of town made a left turn onto the mighty "GIBB RIVER ROAD".

(Finally on the Gibb River Road!)

(Bren driving through one of the creek crossings...)

The road condition was reasonable as there were clear signs the graders had just been through. After about 200km we made our first stop to check out Lennard River Gorge. Quite a steep walk to a cliff face with excellent views. We headed on to our first night stop at Silent Grove which is the gateway into Bell Gorge. We set off early the next morning to walk the 2km trail over rocks and navigating over the streams down to the base of the falls... It was awesome and we had it all to our selves!! The water was freezing!!! So we decide to warm up a little exploring the gorge. once warmed up we returned to the falls and plucked up the courage to jump in, swimming to get under the rapids of the falls.

(Me at the base of Bell Gorge waterfall)

Our next stop was Mornington Wilderness Sanctuary. Which is a good 90km drive into the heart of the Kimberley from the Gibb & took around 2hrs with numerous creek crossings, gates, and wildlife to navigate. We spent 3 nights at Mornington, visiting both Diamond & Sir John Gorges, however most was only accessible via kayak... which they charged heavily for. So after a few walk trails, swimming at waterholes etc it was time to head back to the Gibb. We made a quick stop into Galvin's Gorge which was awesome... great for swimming etc though you could only visit during the day.

(Bren at the lookout for Diamond Gorge, Mornington.)

Fuelled up at Mt Barnett Roadhouse, fuel was $2.11 per Litre!! This took a huge chunk out of our savings having to fill the near empty tank and 2 Jerry cans!! Mt Barnett is the access point into Manning Gorge where we stopped for the night. It proved to be a very popular spot with 15 or so campers and 3 tourist coaches arriving in the late afternoon! A short walk from camp is a large water hole lined with paperbark trees and pandanus palms. The walk trail continues from here to Manning falls over steep and rocky terrain. At the end a beautiful gorge surrounds a giant plunge pool with a spectacular waterfall tucked into one corner!! After a few too many photo's we rushed in to get beneath the falls for one of mother natures best massages!!! Ahh we were definately in heaven!

(Me, over looking Manning falls...)

- Farewell @ Gantheume Point -

2009-05-03T17:02:00.004+08:00

Just wanted to thank everyone who came down to Gantheume Point for our farewell sausage sizzle!! We had a wonderful time… and maybe a few too many to drink. We will miss you all dearly. A big thank you to Meg & Nick for giving us a place to stay, while we were waiting for the road to open!

- YES on the move AGAIN!!! -

2009-04-02T01:34:00.001+08:00

Well we’ve taken the first step. Completely moved out, sold most of our belongings, and sent to Perth a few boxes. What’s left just needs sorting and packing ready for our big, BIG Adventure!! Thats right, we’ve decided to hit the road again, go camping, fishing, 4wdriving; we are rough and ready to experience the great outdoors!!

First stretch to conquer is the mighty Gibb River Road, which stretches from just shy of Derby in the South/west to Wyndham / Kununurra in the North/East of Western Australia. However the “Gibb” is still closed due to the remaining water after the past wet season. A small wait which will enable us to get ultra prepared and have a few test trips (ie Easter) with the camping equipment and power/fuel consumption while running the Engel fridge.

To prepare the vehicle, we’ve invested in a Rhino Roof Rack. Mainly to carry the extra fuel we require and room for an additional spare tyre and anything else “essential” to make our trip all the more enjoyable. To the rack we’ve attached two pipes to store awning poles and fishing rods etc, to which we will be able to attach a small shade awning.

So we’re looking forward to hitting the dusty trails of OZ soon…

We'll keep you posted!!

- Mel & Lukes Wedding -

2008-10-06T14:36:00.006+08:00

We've just returned from another whirl wind trip to Perth for Mel & Luke's wedding!! It was held in Geraldton, so we hired a car and spent a few extra days.

It was a beautiful garden wedding with the ceremony held near a little stream with a small bridge.... Mel arrived by horse drawn carriage... and She looked absolutely stunning!! Not to mention the rainbow bridal party!!

(The wedding cake was also rainbow!! just like out dresses!)

(AWW the lovely couple!)

(Carly, Mandy and I trying to get warm and out of the rain!)

(being whisked away be horse and carriage)

After a load of happy snaps it was a short walk to the reception area which had a bush theme with outdoor stage and Bonn fire... after a fine dinner and speeches a band played well into the night.. and to make the night a little more magical there were fire twirlers putting on an awesome show!

(Fire Show!!)

- SKYDIVE -

2008-08-11T15:13:00.002+08:00

IT WAS F*#!ING AWESOME!!!

Dad & I have just jumped out this tiny tiny plane from 10,000 feet above Cable Beach!!

(Oh So SMALL!!!)

Just stepping out... was an unbelievable feeling!! and noisy!! But the view of the beach and the colour of the water was unreal i couldnt wipe the smile off my face!

I land way down there on the race track... somewhere down there is Noddy thinking im bloody Mad!!

Thumbs up to totally unreal experience!!

Got the video done as well... and thats awesome to watch, best part is when i come into land and Noddy & Scott have to run out of the way to avoid getting hit... Classic!

Dad loved it too... and you should see the photos, but thats another story!

- Scotty Visits Broome -

2008-08-09T15:30:00.002+08:00

Scott has come up to visit us for just over a week!! We've been out and about seeing the sites....

We went out to Malcolm Douglas's new wildlife park to see the Crocs at feeding time!

(Cant help but think scotty is a little scared...)

(A night out at local club Oasis)

And then made it out to the race course for ladies day!! Had a few wins then topped of the night with gaming tables and a few rounds of two up!

(Ready to Roll!!)

(The crowd from top balcony...)

(looking very pleased with the final winnings!! ....and a few under the belt!)

- Michelle & Gregg's Wedding -

2008-02-13T14:48:00.002+09:00

(Looking a little nervous, waiting to go to the ceremony..)

We've just returned from yet another whirlwind trip to Perth for Michelle & Gregg's wedding! It was a beautiful day and Michelle looked absolutely gorgeous!! The reception was held at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle. So we booked a room for a couple of nights to live it up in Style!!

(Sealing the deal, what a beautiful setting!)

After the garden ceremony we made our way to Cottesloe Beach for photo's and then onto the hotel.

(Damn sexy bridal party!)

I had an awesome night with not being able to recall anything after the cake was cut... Noddy & Aaron were also up to no good... encouraging guests to drink from the bottle! (Doesnt sound like them at all does it??)

(Noddy & Aaron, superstylin!)

Wishing Michelle & Gregg All the best for future! xoxox

(Captured this awesome shot on our flight home to broome... magical.)

- Xmas in Perth -

2008-01-01T14:25:00.002+09:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

We had an awesome time flying to perth for Chrissy!! Spending the morning at mums and then down to noddy's folks for the arvo! TOOO much food! but funn was had by all!

Also caught up with everyone which was good.. just went out in Northbridge. Fun times! fun Times...

(Scott, Noddy & Daniel)

New Year was spent back here in Broome with Meg & Nick!! Just chillin by the pool... as it was sooo steamy!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! BEST WISHES TO ALL!!

- Jimmy Barnes -

2007-12-10T11:07:00.004+09:00

Jimmy Barnes came to Broome!! It was an awesome night! I must admit I've never been totally into his music, mostly just Cold Chisel (you wouldn't be Australian if you didn't. ) However his performance at The Mangrove was amazing! Certainly proved he's come back from the brink! Well done Jimmy!

- Rowley Shoals -

2007-12-04T11:06:00.006+09:00

I've just completed 2 trips out the Rowley Shoals and it was truly unlike anything i expected. The visibility was 20 to 60 meters, the water temp tropical warm, the abundance of fish and colour was amazing, not to mention the dramatic reef/coral walls, swim throughs and snorkel drift channels! An underwater explorers dream!

(This Pic doesnt justify the colours or the visibility, but its still pretty good!)

The Shoals are a day's travel west out of Broome and consist of 3 coral atolls rising 400 meters from the ocean floor, on the edge of the continental shelf. We took 2 groups of enthusiastic scuba divers and snorkelers out to explore the reefs, with up to 4 dives a day! They saw sharks, endless tropical fish and coral.... there was always a hive of excitement back on board after every dive. I was lucky enough to get in my self and do a few dives! It was unlike anything I've seen. So untouched and pristine. My favourite was the cod hole at mermaid reef. Here i did a number of dives including a night dive! It was magical, fish schooling around you, sharks sleeping on the bottom. Inquisitive potato cod brushing past you, begging for a scratch or tickle!

(My friend the potato Cod)

If you ever get into scuba diving, put this at the top of your list, as its truly amazing and hopefully it remains that way for many years to come.

(This is Our last day on the last trip for the season)

I'd like to thank Ian and Lynn from the last trip for the help with the Photographs.

- Perth -

2007-11-12T09:47:00.001+09:00

(My mummy and Me, Lancelin.)

I went back to cold ol Perth the other week to see my mum. We visited some old haunts of mine including Lancelin. Caught up with a few mates in Perth... etc here's a few memories

(Ella and Me)

- Cape Leveque -

2007-11-12T09:14:00.000+09:00

(The awesome Red Cliffs! I never get tired of the sight)

Noddy and I recently took 4 days off to check out Cape Leveque, just north of Broome... We booked out a beach shelter over looking the beach. Spent our days snorkeling, fishing, swimming, enjoying the white sand and red cliffs. Visiting the local Aboriginal communities etc. It truely is an awesome place just to kick back and enjoy another unique part of Australia.

(Our little Beach shelter complete with fresh water shower!)

(The view from the shelter! Amazing hey!)

(Hunter creek where we went fishing, about 7kms up the beach from Cape Leveque)

- A few Shots -

2007-10-31T18:20:00.000+09:00

(Me, with hawksbill turtle on Montgomery Reef)

(Crew dress up onboard Great Escape)

(Check out these jaws!!)

(Hammerhead Shark approx 14ft)

(Baby Humpback Whale)

- Birthday cocktails -

2007-10-31T17:10:00.000+09:00

(Meg and I enjoying a "few" cocktails at the sunset bar)

(Noddy and his new sunnies)

(Nath)

(Tonto and Nick)

(Nick and Meg)

Well a group of mates and i went out to celebrate my birthday the other week... It was an awesome night, starting with cocktails at sunset! We then did a mini pub crawl through Broome with bren and a few mates jumping a fence to get into a resort pool and another stripped off while on the nightrider bus... soo many laughs... no enough pictures... But i managed to get a few so check em out!

- Red Cliffs, white sands -

2007-09-13T10:20:00.000+08:00

(The awesome cliffs of James Price Point, just north of Broome)

On my week back we had our old buddy Duncan visit for a couple of days which was great. So Katie, Bren, Duncan and I went for a Sunday explore up the coast through Barred creek, right up to James Price Point which has the spectacular red earth cliffs falling away to white beaches and finally turquoise blue water…. What an awesome day, we set up shade on the beach and enjoyed a BBQ cooked on the back of the car.

(DUNCAN)

(Katie, Lauren,Me,Bren and Tim at Oasis Nightclub)

Katie has left us back to the UK much to her disgust! She had a fantastic few months with Broome’s lifestyle getting right under her skin, so I'm sure she’ll be back!

(Katie Enjoying a beer at the local Brewery Matso's)

Just Another Day

2007-09-13T10:18:00.000+08:00

It’s been such a whirlwind month that I’m a little behind on the blog… its been fantastic though.

Just near the Prince Regent River I finally caught a Barra on live bait. It was an awesome fight with the fish jumping 3 times and running itself under the anchor rope… I finally landed the 67cm Beauty! You little ripper!! And boy was it yummy!

I even had a go at shooting clay pigeons off the bow with the boats shotgun… no hits but plenty of fun!

Later along the trip we came across a pod of Humpback whales with their calves… it was incredible with them breaching right beside the boat!

The Kimberley is alight at the moment with bushfires everywhere; the smoke creates a haze which makes a beautiful sunset! Its amazing that all this is just another day on the job!

- !!Congratulations!! -

2007-08-01T12:17:00.000+08:00

Just a short note to say Congratulations to Michelle & Gregg on the birth of 'Keahna Michelle' on the 26th!

So sorry im not home to see her and miss you all very much!! xox

Sorry i tired to load up photo's but it wouldnt work.... will try again soon!

- Just Lately -

2007-07-09T13:26:00.001+08:00

(The Great Escape pulled up alongside King Cascade's...Isn't she beautiful?)

Well I've just returned from another trip and again it was fantastic. However this time i was on the larger and newer of the company's boats.. The Great Escape... Its only slightly longer than the other and a catamaran.. providing more room and comfort complete with en suite bathrooms for the guests and a spa on the front deck! The passengers were great making it an enjoyable experience.

(Me taking a break while away on the trip)

While i was away Noddy was busy fishing with a friend and both managed to land meter plus Spanish Mackerels. Pretty impressive huh?? So the freezer is on overload!!

(Noddy and Brock with their catch!)

My Cousin Katy has also arrived from the UK while i was away. And she'll be staying with us for a couple of months. Which is great! We introduced her to some of the locals at the Crocodile park on the weekend which was a load of fun.

(Katy up close and personal with this youngster saltwater croc!)

- Dream Job -

2007-06-18T14:05:00.001+08:00

(Raft Point, picture taken on walk back from an aboriginal art site.)

I’ve just returned from the first 2 week trip of my new job and it was bloody Amazing!! I am now a deckhand for the Great Escape Charter Company. They run 2 boats that cruise to the Kimberley on 2 week adventure trips, running between Broome and Wyndam.

I was really lucky to have such a wonderful first group of guests on board… and a fantastic crew to work with. They taught me so much and already I was taking guests out in the dinghies on fishing trips etc during my first week. Sometimes we travel overnight and therefore I’m required to watch keep, usually for only 2 hours, depending on how far we have to go. Its fairly easy just monitoring the radar, making sure we stay on course and have no risk of collision. The days are quite long… beginning most by 5am and finishing around 10pm.

(At Twin Falls on the Berkley River)

I’ve always wanted to explore the Kimberley, mainly due to its remoteness, history and beautiful scenery. And I found it was all that and more! Fishing a plenty, waterfalls, fresh water swimming holes and numerous aboriginal rock art sites… Places we visit include the Berkley, Drysdale, Prince Regent Rivers, King Cascades, Ruby Falls, Montgomery Reef etc. All are rich in wildlife, history and paintings making each day very different to the next.

Towards the end of the year we then charter out to the Rowley Shoals on diving, fishing and snorkelling trips. I can’t wait!

(Enjoying a fresh water waterhole at the back of King Cascades)

- An Update...

2007-05-28T13:05:00.003+08:00

I know its been a while since you've seen a new addition to my blog...

Things have been fairly busy settling into the unit, going for drinks at sunset on the beach, playing beach volleyball on wednesday nights and of course working.

Noddy is doing very well having been appointed fleet sales coordinator at Shinju Nissan!
I have scored a new job on a cruise boat called the Great Escape, which ventures up the coast through the kimberley on 2 week voyages! Unbelievable opportunity deck hand and tour guide in one. I head out this friday. 2 weeks on and 1 off. and later in the year we visit the rowley shoals! Cant wait!!

So all is well here. have my cousin coming out from England for a couple of months which is goping to be great.. will update with photo's shortly... just thought i'd fill you all in on my lunch break.

Hope you are well and hope to hear from you soon.

- Unit -

2007-04-19T13:15:00.001+08:00

We’ve got a unit! 2 Bedroom,1 bathroom and undercover parking. It is ideal with only a 5 min walk out the back gate to the Cable Beach! Since arriving in Broome we’ve been busy working and hunting the local garage sales for bits and pieces for the unit!

Noddy is working at Nissan as the parts manager and i have been busy helping out at the local camping shop.

- New Adventure -

2007-03-16T11:17:00.000+09:00

(Charles Knife Canyon....)

Noddy and I have moved to Broome. So we decided to drive up the coast taking a few days as Noddy hasn’t seen any of the county past Kalbarri!

After stopping in to see my good friend Mel in Geraldton, we headed north… chewing up the kilometres and stopping for our first night at Coral Bay! It was lovely, and much quieter than my previous visits as the tourist season begins in another month. The air was humid and a dip in the ocean was essential! The water was amazingly warm… around 30 degrees.
The next day we drove the remaining 150km into Exmouth, stopping at the Charles Knife Canyons on the way. After grabbing some supplies and feeling the need for a swim (it was 40 degrees +!) we drove around to the national park to find a camp along the Ningaloo reef. We found one that was fairly quiet and enjoyed a refreshing but warm swim and enjoyed the sunset. During dinner we had an encounter with a snake passing through our camp much to Noddy’s horror! Haha

(This is our basic camp tucked in behind the dunes in Cape Range NP near Exmouth)

We arose early the next morning to another windy day but insisted we explore more of the park. So we drove down to the famous Turquoise Bay to snorkel along the reef. Noddy was a bit apprehensive at first considering the strong current, possible sharks and his first time snorkelling in the open ocean! Once our first snorkel session was over… Noddy was that impressed he couldn’t wait to get back out there again!! We swam with schools of fish in an array of different sizes and colour, a stingray, colourful corals and best of all a turtle!!

(Noddy and I enjoying Turquiose Bay all to ourselves!)

The next morning we set off at 6am on a huge day of driving (1008kms!!) to get to Eighty Mile Beach which is 325km south of Broome. We set off charged up on coffee and 4 eager eyes on the look out for “wandering stock” and kangaroos! We fuelled up paying the most per litre for the entire trip a shocking $1.70 per litre!!! Ouch! In the middle of nowhere we came across a dust storm, more cattle, a few goats, emus and a bush turkey, much to the amazement of Noddy! After passing through cyclone ravaged Port Hedland we were well onto our last leg of the journey… arriving at Eighty Mile Beach around 5pm.

(Explians itself really...)

Eighty Mile was quiet and is a popular stop for fishing and shell collecting… which I managed to take full advantage of, collecting a shopping bag or two!! After cooking up a storm and Noddy contending with the bugs, two very tired travellers called it a night!

(Me collecting shells on Eighty Mile Beach.)

The next day was fairly uneventful, travelling the remaining 325km into a humid and stormy Broome. There wasn’t much chance of camping in a tent for the night so we checked into the local backpackers. Since arriving in Broome we have been looking for a place to stay and work for us both, I have been offered a job working on a game fishing boat and Noddy is working for Nissan.

- Aussie Aussie Aussie -

2007-01-27T11:11:00.001+09:00

OI OI OI!!

Australia Day this year was fantastic! Noddy, Jules and I went out on our friend Duncan's boat to celebrate and see the fireworks on the Swan River. Apart from the day reaching over 40 C! It was awesome.

The Aussie spirit was so alive... there were flags, boxing kangaroos, water bombs, party boats, bbq's and plenty of beer! Fun was had by all, we had to jump into the river to cool off throughout the day.

(I cant believe this shot worked out....)

The city of perth put on a air show with old war planes doing acrobatics which was fantastic. Then the fireworks kicked off... spectacular!! It was amazing viewing it from the water (a first for me) and the soundtrack the local radio station put together was really good.

(One of many awesome explosions of colour above the river)

So to all Australians.... HAPPY AUSSIE DAY!!

(Noddy getting into the true Aussie spirit.)

(Jules enjoying a refreshing Aussie beer after a swim in the river.)

(Jules and I )

- Coxswain Ticket -

2007-01-23T16:40:00.000+09:00

The past few weeks have been busy.... I've been studying at the Swan Maritime Institute for my coxswains ticket. The coxswains ticket allows me to drive a boat up to 12 meters in length and 15 nautical miles out to sea. Its been most about safety procedures, marine radio, and first aid. At the moment i'm learning about nautical knowledge and basic engineering... so its been great picking up extra information.

Hopefully with this ticket i'll be able to get a job on the boats at Cassini Island... one step at a time though...

- Photo's Published!?! -

2007-01-08T19:15:00.000+09:00

(Cover of this months Scoop Traveller Magazine)

I received a phone call this morning from Steve Tucker, (The skipper of Waverider, the game fishing boat i went on in Broome) To my surprise he was ringing to let me know that some photo's i had taken have been used to advertise Cassini Island and the new game fishing adventure charter company that debuts there this year! A photo of me, catching a red emperor and several photos i took of sail fish have been used to promote island getaways in this months Scoop Traveller Magazine!! How awesome is that? I never thought those photos would end up there!

(Main artcle featuring some of my photos...)

(More information about Cassini Island.... see the sailfish photo?)

(Check it out... )

- A boggy windy weekend -

2007-01-08T17:05:00.001+09:00

This past weekend Noddy and i decided to camping just north of Two Rocks. Throughout the week we planned what to bring.... what food to spoil ourselves with... and what beach activities to indulge in. By the weekend we were quite excited to get going, once we packed the car and finally hit the sand tracks up from Two Rocks in search of an ideal camp spot.

We set off late afternoon... its amazing how you can fill your day with daylight savings! Bumping over sandy tracks, sometimes with really soft sand or a rather steep sand dune was en counted and needed a second attempt with a little run up! It was quite fun.

Heading north we came across a few ideal spots to camp, although still rather close to Two Rocks and high up in the dunes. So we decided to head along a track dad and i explored with the Rhino some weeks before. What a mistake!! or rather a learning adventure! The sand was so soft! The track came out onto the beach... the ideal spot nestled between the dunes was already taken by some keen fisherman so after letting the tyres down we drove down the beach a little way to in search of a camp....SOFT as... we came up to a embankment, which forced me to drive up into the softer sand... and my car didn't like it... she slowed right down to a crawl and eventually stalled.. i tried to reverse and get a run up... however with the sand so soft it wouldn't allow for enough speed! We weren't going anywhere... on the second attempt to reverse the softness of the sand pulled the front wheels on an angle and she bogged right down... BUGGER! This wasn't supposed to be the relaxed beginning to our camping weekend!!

(It isnt really that bad, though i kept a close eye on the tide!)

We had to let the tyre pressure down to a low 10! and some guys camped near by came and helped us dig the sand out and pushed the car backwards a fair distance to get back onto reasonably harder sand. I rang dad and he was on his way out to help just in case we couldn't get out... Ain't he the best? By this time the sun was beginning to set and we were completely over looking for a camp, so once out of the boggy mess we settled for a high flat spot we had seen on the way in.

(We were camped closer to the point up in the dunes... a lovely view!)

The sea breeze was howling, but we managed to get the tent up and stable... Just caught the last glimpse of the sun setting and a relaxing drink before snoring into the night!

The next morning we moved the tent a little way down from where we were in order to get extra protection from the dunes when the breeze returned in the afternoon. We put up some shade and got into the days activities... swimming, walking along the beach... gorging ourselves in camp cooking! it was great!

(This is our "second" camp, comfortable with shade and a great viewing point for sunset!)

(Sunset... was lovely. As they always are!)

We had a wonderful time... a little shaky to begin with, but really enjoyed getting away and doing something a little more adventurous... and we certainly got that!

(Noddy and I playing around while waiting for the sun to set.)

- Beach,Fun and Sun! -

2007-01-02T18:41:00.001+09:00

(Dad and I ready to set off on our adventure!)

On the last day of 2006 my dad and i set out on a beachy adventure with his toy... the 4x4 Yamaha Rhino... Our aim was to travel along the beach past a few local towns up to the crayfishing town of Lancelin and back again, which is usually a 120km round trip by road!

We set off, with lunch and plenty of water packed and camera at the ready. It was great fun... bumping along the tracks and the beach, sometimes you have to lean right over to keep the Rhino balanced and prevent it from sliding or tipping due to the angle of the beach!

(We had to get through the surf here...)

We quickly skipped over some rocks and through a little surf to reach our first town of Guilderton. Only to the find the Moore River had broken the sand bank and was flowing out into the ocean. Unfortunately it was too deep and flowing a little too fast for us to cross safely.

(Its not very often the river breaks the sandbank and flows out into the ocean.)

(Some people just seem to do things the hard way....)

So we headed back following the tracks in the dunes and searching for some good camp spots...

- MERRY CHRISTMAS -

2006-12-22T08:14:00.000+09:00

Just a quick note to all...

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and all the very best for the new year.

Mum, dad and myself are heading to our holiday house on the coast for christmas.. and hopefully get the boat in the water to catch our annual feed of crayfish!! yummo the forecast for xmas is going to be a scorcher with temps around 38 for boxing day!

I hope all are well and that we get to catch up soon!

Loads of love and hugs

Ruthie

- Trip Home -

2006-11-14T14:47:00.002+08:00

From the Rock we drove west... stopping the night on the border to Western Australia at Docker River. Setting off a little earlier than expected the next day due to the time change. We drove all day and managed to get our FIRST blow out tyre 600km from Laverton. We kicked on past Laverton and camped just north of Kalgoorlie, amongst rain and very close lightening storm... i ended up sleeping in the car!! The next day we drove through to Home... though they didnt know we were comming!

The suprise worked out as planned, Dale phoned his folks and was discussing his "flight" home from Ayres Rock... "just as his mum asked what time he needed pick up at the airport.. we drove up to the front door and started beeping the horn.... A few seconds to register and Dales folks came rushing out to greet us... they had no idea!

Its good to be home... still trying to get used to the weather, still feels a little cold though it wont be lfor long as summer is just around the corner.

A huge thankyou to Dale for joining me on this trip.. i hope you enjoyed it buddy!!