Week Commencing 21 March 2011
The day went well with an easy drive from Kal to Norseman, lunch with Bev and Bernie and then onto Fraser Range Station. We were invited to take a walk with the owner and her pet sheep, Barbara and Billy, most entertaining. The station is in the process of becoming a fully functioning sheep station, it has been run down and needs a lot of work.
Day two , we left camp early and the day was uneventful until we ran over a dead roo on the road. John had no option as trucks were coming and he could not go around the poor thing. No problems and we continued onto our next free camp. We had enough room for all the vans to be in a circle so we had drinks, watched the sunset over the plains and enjoyed a great dinner together.
Day three, once again a good day of driving, the scenery has changed a little and it is starting to look more like we had expected. All you can see is rolling plains of stunted trees. Once we get to the WA&SA border we can stop at the lookouts. The views are fantastic, rugged coastline and blue ocean. Now Patrice my good friend had told me a couple of her friends are travelling to WA from SA, you wouldn’t believe we call into a lookout and start chatting to this couple and blow me down it is Trice’s friends, John and Kathy. We are all amazed at this meeting. We finally pull in at our next stop over for the night. We are settled on top of the Bunda Cliffs. We go for a walk along the cliffs, settle in for drinks and dinner. We decide to eat inside once the sun sets a the place is full of mice, I mean hundreds of them. We did get a beautiful sunset at this spot also.
Day four, we leave our friends, Bev & Bernie, John & Judy and head for Ceduna. Today is a very special day, our Mikayla is three and we need to have service so we can skype. The trip into Ceduna is uneventful, we get through quarantine with no issues. Settle into the caravan park, have a look around and then it is time to skype. Mikayla is so excited and tells us all about her day, sounds like she had a great birthday. Nanny will not be missing her 4th birthday.

Friday we are out of the park right on 10am (there is a van waiting to take our spot – a very busy park). We arrive at Streaky Bay to a bleak cold and miserable day. Time to find the winter woollies. We catch up for drinks with Rod & Anne (I used to work with them at Schenker), while we are there who should turn up but John & Judy, they were lucky enough to get a night here. (This park is very busy also).
Saturday, I had morning tea with Judy before they headed off south, not sure where they were going. John spent the afternoon at TAB and I enjoyed some me time.
Sunday we took a picnic lunch and did the Westall Way Loop. This 31km loop is just 10kms south of Streaky Bay and is jammed packed with attractions. View the Southern ocean from the Highcliffs, where sea stacks loom out of the ocean. Further along is the popular surf beach, Granites, which boasts a lagoon style rock pool for the ‘not so brave’ to swim in. Smooth pool serves up amazing ancient rock pools where you can explore and snorkel. Speeds Point has massive waves that pound the rocks, you walk the rocks and explore the many pools. Enjoy a picnic lunch at Yanerbie beach and then talk a stroll along the white sandy beach. We finished the day with a visit to Murphy’s Haystacks a 1,500 million year old geological wonder. Local legend has it that Murphy’s Haystacks acquired their name from a Scottish agricultural expert who saw the landmark in the distance while travelling on the main coach. Shimmering like haystacks in the hot afternoon sun he was very impressed with the sight before him and remarked, “That man must harrow, look at all the hay he has saved”

Week Commencing 14.03.11

Week Commencing 14.03.11
Today I had a nice sleep in, John got up early to try his luck at squidding, unfortunately no luck. We decided to do the walk along the bay which took us up to the lookout and yes more rocks for us to climb, we were gone well over 2 hours , the weather was great. Later in the afternoon we drove down to Hellfire Beach to try our luck at fishing, no luck but it was still great fishing and reading a book on the beautiful white sandy beach.
Tuesday we woke to a miserable day, John had gone fishing back at Hellfire but returned empty, we are sure there are no fish in these waters. The day got a little better, so the four of us decided to pack up and leave camp Wednesday morning.
Wednesday was very wet, so we were pleased we packed everything away the night before. We hitched up and was on the road by 8.15am, best ever so far on this trip. We are heading for Kalgoorlie. Arrived in camp around 3.30 set up and I washed the van as it was covered in red dirt from the trip. We joined John & Judy for drinks. We did stop at Norseman and enjoyed lunch at the lookout, not much to see there.
Thursday up and did some washing and then John and I went to have a look around town. We went up to the SuperPit, what an amazing place, the trucks look like matchbox toys as they slowly move around the pit. More about that later as we are doing a tour on Sunday. We arranged a tour of the oldest Brothel in Kalgoorlie for 3pm today, Questa Casa . Off the six of us go, not sure what we were going to get. It turned out to be alot of fun, the Madam was the tour guide and she told us so incredible stories. Not a career I would like to do. The tour took over 2 hours and during that time we laughed alot and some things made you feel weird to say the least. Everyone said they had a great time. I hope the same for Friday as I have arranged for the six of us to do the Pitch Black Underground Adventure Tour.
Today is the big tour of the mine, we are told we will be 72mtrs underground, have to climb down seven narrow ladders and crawl on our knees for a small patch. After signing our lives away, we are then kitted up in bright orange overalls, big belts, gloves, helmet, torch and battery pack and of course the big gum boots. This gear is not only hot but very cumbersome. We are then given a 10min safety talk and off we go. We start by climbing down a spiral staircase, some 166 steps in all. It gets a little darker as we go. This is level One some 32mtrs below ground. He gives a little talk about the mining back in the 1800’s. From here we start to climb down the six ladders to the 72mtrs and level Two. I found the climbing ok but still was descending slowly, when you reach each level you call All Clear so the next person can come, only one person on ladder at a time. Once down we get to see some of the old equipment used and also some of the modern. He showed us some of the supports which were cut trees over 100 years old. It is quite damp down here and the floor is as it was when they closed the mine some thirty years ago. Another highlight was to climb a small ladder and then crawl into a tunnel, I waddle on my bum I was glad that I did as I wasn’t going to attempt it when we above ground. Yet another highlight was we had to secure ourselves to a chain and walk over a big hole which if you were to fall was some 400mts below , here we got to throw our rocks down the hole and wait for the splash, really good stuff. We returned to the surface in the cage. All in all everyone said they had a great experience. We were all glad to get back to the top and each of us commented that the earthquake they had here last year did cross our minds. If you come to Kalgoorlie, I would recommend you do this tour. John and I decided to go into the main street and have a good look around. I bought myself a little bit of Kalgoorlie, a gold nugget pendent, 4.3gms of gold. It is not from the Super Pit but from the local prospectors who sell to the gold shop where we purchased it. We finished the day with joining Bev & Bernie, John & Judy for dinner. A great day was had in the big Kal (as the locals call it).
Saturday, here we are again, the boys off to the races and they girls head off to town for lunch. Tonight we drove up to the Super Pit to see the operations at night. Some 31 trucks operation on a 24 hour non stop shift. We got chatting to some local kids who work for KGCM , it was great as they gave us lots of information. On the way back to camp we drove through the main street, the pubs were bussing. I then drove down Hay Street, past the brothels and the girls were sitting in the windows waiting for clients. This I found amazing, never seen this sort of thing before. Here I am 56 and still learning.

Week Commencing 07.03.11

Week Commencing 07.03.11
This week has been a mixture, we have spent the beginning of the week just hanging about at Esperance, a bit of cleaning, going to the movies, lots of walks and bike riding along the esplanade. We also put some adds up at the IGA and Woolies to sell both the bikes, we are tired of the effort of carrying them with us. Remember we b ought them for $5.00 each and we have had them since November, we actually sold them for $40.00 to a couple of kiwis. On Thursday we left John and Judy and took off to Cape Le Grande with Bev and Bernie. Wow this place is the best, beautiful beaches, white sand and so calm, it is magic. We missed out on getting into Cape Le Grande but was able to get two spots next to each other at Lucky Bay. The pictures I have attached do not do the place justice. We settled in and then John and I tried our luck at fishing, unfortunately no fish but for me it was so beautiful just perched on the rocks watching the water. Bev and I went off for a swim and it was fantastic, I know I am raving on but it really is magic. Friday, John and Judy drove down, if you come along the beach it is only about 40mins from Esperance. Judy wanted to climb Frenchman’s Peak and as the four of us were going to attempt it today her John bought her down. Judy’s John doesn’t like heights. We left camp around 9.30am and I am happy to say the five of us made it to the top. I was very proud of myself because it was quite an effort. The view from the top was great, 360 degs overlooking the ocean and the beautiful bushland. Near the top there was this huge cave, just amazing. I was a little concerned about the decent, but with a little help from John we all got down safely. We then visited Hellfire Bay, Thistle Bay and Rossister Bay, all just as beautiful as the bay before. This place is simply amazing!!! We enjoyed a late lunch together and finished the night off with drinks and dinner with Bev and Bernie. The night was so beautiful, we moved our chairs out from under the awnings and gazed at the stars. John went off to the loo (with his torch) and came back to get us to come and see what he had found. A 3foot tiger snake making it’s way across the track. Spooked me a bit, I can tell you. We do not go anyway at night now without our torches. Saturday morning the boys had Bev and I up early as they wanted to head off into Esperance for the races, we drove in along the beach, just like driving along Moreton Island. We had a lovely day, the girls had lunch and coffee and lots of chatter. We collected the boys mid afternoon and I drove home. Guess it will be drink time soon.
Sunday , we head off for Duke of Orleans to see if the beaches there are as fantastic as what we have seen already. After 20kms of dirt we arrive at Wartun Beach, yes it is as beautiful as the rest, we have a really nice lunch perched high on the cliffs overlooking the sea. We all love this place so much. After lots of exploring, climbing rocks etc we head off home. We finished the evening with a dual dinner, roast chicken, roast lamb and veges, we enjoyed this late into the night. A great day was had by all.

Week Commencing 28.02.11

Week Commencing 28 February 2011-03-03
After a weekend of golf, played ok but not his best, he still enjoyed the games. We leave Albany today and not too soon, had enough of the winds. They are so strong you find it difficult to sleep at night, they don’t let up. We are off to Bremer Bay, hoping the caravan park is a little protected. We follow the signs to Esperance and hit a dirt road, some 14kms of it. So we do the big turn around and head back to Albany. Never mind we find another road, sealed and head for the South Coast Highway. We have an easy drive to Bremer Bay. The caravan park is in the bush so fairly protected from the winds, but we cop another gravel site. Things aren’t too bad and we set up camp. John and Judy have already arrived and enjoying a nice cuppa. John and I go for a drive to see what Bremer Bay has to offer. The beautiful beaches on one side of the peninsular are protected from the wind and the bays look very inviting. Unfortunately the other side is very rough with big swells and very windy. We return to camp in time for a drink or two with John and Judy.
01.03.11 – We wake to find it is March, nearly a year since we left Brisbane. The sun is shining so we take to the road with John and Judy to explore these beautiful beaches. John is the tour guide so we head to the windy beaches first and of course get blown away. The views of this rugged but beautiful coastline are breathtaking. We decide on Little Boat Harbour to have our lunch, most enjoyable, but lots of march flies joined us, still we had a fun time, the view is fantastic. We finish the day by driving on the beach and just enjoying the views. The pictures do not do the bays justice.
02.03.11 - John has decided he will take me to Wave Rock at Hyden some 200kms north of Ravensthorpe. We head off very early for the Costello’s drove out of camp at 7.40am a record we think. We drive to Lake King where we leave the van, make some lunch and head another 124kms to Wave Rock.
Formation of the Rock: Wave Rock, a granite cliff, is 15 metres high & 110 metres long. Its rounded like shape has been caused by weathering and water erosion which has undercut the base and left a rounded overhang. Water from the springs running down the rock during wetter months dissolve minerals adding to the colouring of the wave. In 1960, crystals from Hyden Rock were dated as being 2700 million years old, amongst the oldest in Australia.
Hippos Yawn – Hippos Yawn consists of an unusually shaped granite or that was formerly part of the larger outcrop. The second most visited site, it is connected to Wave Rock by a walkway.
We were not disappointed, it was a fascinating place, we spent around a couple of hours there. Drove back to Lake King, showered and spent the evening at the local tavern and enjoyed a beaut meal and some beers.
03.03.11 – Up early again and left camp by 8.30am heading for Esperance, the trip was great very entertaining. We had the CB on and spent most of the trip behind a road train and listened to the conversation is very entertaining. Pulled into Esperance at lunch time and set up camp next to JJ & BB (John & Judy – Bernie & Bev). I think we are planning on travelling together now until we get to South Australia. John popped off for a game of golf in the afternoon.
04.03.11 – Jenny’s 30th Birthday today, so up early to make the call. We are both a little sad that we are not back in Brisbane to celebrate with her. She seemed very excited and had a lovely day and evening planned. Today , Bernie was nominated at tourist guide, so we set off early on the 40kms Esperance Great Ocean Drive.
West Beach – A favourite with surfers. Whilst a very beautiful beach, caution must be exercised , locals can be found swimming in the lagoon pools behind the reef when the conditions are safe. The beach is 3kms long. We were lucky enough to see dolphins surfing the waves, some 50 to 70 of them in three pods. It was amazing. We also saw one fellow swimming only metres from them. Bernie said he had planned this wonderful event for us. Well done Bernie.
Blue Haven & Salmon Beaches – Beautiful bays
Twilight Beach – (Noted most popular beach in WA) This is a spectacular family beach with crystal clear waters and snow-white sands. As the beach curves to the Southwest it becomes protected by its orientation and two offshore rocks.
Observatory Beach – Great appeal is windsurfing while still relatively unknown, it promises awesome waves without the crowds.
Ten Mile Beach – is a great swimming beach. A rocky shore acts as a natural breakwater, forming a long shallow pool that is considerably warmer than the ocean.
Wind Farm - consists of some 15 turbines which create energy for Esperance.
Pink Lake – From the viewing platform you could see a huge salt lake unfortunately it is not really pink, we are told in certain times of the day it appears pink.
Woody Lake - Here we enjoyed a yummy lunch.
Bernie, we had a very enjoyable day, a great tour guide, watch out you may get the job again.
Saturday 05.03.10 – Today is boys day, the three are off to the TAB for a few beers and whatever boys do. The girls are off to have lunch and play ladies. Over happy hour, lots of talking about the days events. I also got to met Sammy the Seal, he spends most of his days sitting in the shallow waters near the jetty. He is very entertaining and I think he enjoys the attention.
Sunday 06.03.10 – John and I took the bikes and went for a 2 hours bike ride. I am now sitting in the van writing my blog with a tender butt. No really it was great the view of the ocean was fantastic and it has turned into a nice day.