PERTH TO HOME - The last leg

Here we are home, rejoining the "ties" that bind us, some that we have missed sorely, family and grandchildren especially, others that absence and remoteness can give a clearer picture of just where so much of our time at home goes to. Some of this is especially relevant for Marilyn whose departure on our six-month trip has marked the switch to retirement!

It has been a wonderful trip, however, and I need to round out this blog and give us something to look back on and remind us of the experiences.

Our last blog was posted in Perth (Freemantle) Western Australia on 31 August, 2017.  Our intention was to leave the following morning for Albany on the South Coast of WA where we wanted to visit some special friends, then East across the Nullarbor Plain and then choose from a number of options which way home from there.  Time was becoming a factor and, as always, I indulged in some listings of the ways ahead with estimates of distance/travel times and destination preferences - pieces of paper everywhere!

We knew that choices would have to be made about what to leave out as much as what we could include, for example we reluctantly left out the Margaret River area (and some very inviting painting possibilities) because we had spent quite a deal of time there on an earlier trip five years ago.  At that stage we were aware that the run home East of the Nullarbor may have a lot of kilometres to cover in a relatively short space of time.

We left Fremantle as planned on the morning of Friday 1 September 2017, a summary of our log from then to home, expanded with some anecdotes and photos, follows:

1 Sept 2017                  (231km) to Wattle Ridge Winery near Kojonup WA

"Wattle Ridge Winery" was listed as a free camp, not far off the Albany Highway from Perth. Free camps have been our preference throughout this trip and not just because they are "free".  It's the freedom from restrictions of structured caravan parks and the "free spirits" in people you meet. The friendliness is a trademark, almost always. For Wattle Ridge Winery it sounded a bit unusual, so we rang ahead and were welcomed. It was a small show, obviously, and it wasn't so free after we had bought some wine, but good fun nonetheless!

Photo from Wattle Ridge taken in the morning, after a very cold night (ice on the windscreen) - a big change after the warm weather we had just come from.

2 Sept                  (206k) to Peaceful Bay on the South Coast
5 Sept                  (108k) to Albany
7-8-9 Sept           (498k) to Fitzgerald River National Park

View from Caves Point in the Fitzgerald River National Park - a very impressive National Park. The wildflowers were wonderful. We were camped not far from here at Hammersley Inlet, which is a small pocket not actually in the national park, but controlled by the local shire. I think it had something to do with a large sum of money handed over after the closure of a mine. In any event it was a very well prepared and maintained camping area, at a cost to us of only $10 per night. Our entry into the national park was covered by the WA annual all-parks pass that I knew to purchase as soon as we got into the State at Kununurra. The cost was paid for in savings easily.

The paint sketch done at the location pictured above

A striking example of the roadside flowers in Fitzgerald River NP - These towering Royal Hakeas were all around us

16-17-18 Sept     (351k) to Cape Le Grand National Park

A painting site chosen in the Cape Le Grand National Park, right beside a parking bay with a lovely view of the wildflowers right at hand and looking over some of the islands to the South-West

This beach was just near our campsite in a sheltered area down behind the sand dunes. Just as well it was sheltered, as high winds and big seas from the Great Southern Ocean the night before left these piles of seaweed on what was an empty beach the day before, and what became an empty beach again just 24 hours later!

21 Sept                (74k) to Gibson Soak just North of Esperance, on way to Norseman
              (We had left Cape Le Grand rather hurriedly this morning ahead of storm warnings. Severe damage had been done East of Albany, not that far away, the night before and we judged it was time to leave the coast and head North. The camp at Gibson Soak was still pretty close to the action so we tucked the Ladybug into the most sheltered spot we could find and survived it okay)

22 Sept                (478k) to Baxter Rest Area (R/A), (on the Nullarbor Plain)

The 90-mile straight on the way to Caiguna where the first bend comes up. Baxter Rest Area where we stayed for the night, with a big storm looming, is a considerable way ahead of us along the straight.

23 Sept                (362k) to Herder's Hill R/A (near Eucla)

Our Bush Camp at Herder's Hill

Sunset at the same camp - a very pleasant spot

Looking East along the clifftops of the Nullarbor - An unusual cloud formation

24 Sept                (448k) to Cohen R/A near Ceduna SA (off the Nullarbor)

25 Sept                (263k) to Minnipa Village (on the way to Port Augusta)
             (This was an interesting situation - the free campsite was in a sheltered and tidy park right in the middle of the village and we shared it with some other caravan and motor-home travellers. The local government authorities in Western Australia encourage small towns especially to declare themselves as "RV Friendley Towns". There are a lot of travellers making use of this (and spending money locally)

26 Sept                (434k) to Peterborough
27 Sept                (284k) to Broken Hill NSW
28 Sept                (130k) to Kinchega National Park (near Menindee Lakes)

Our camp on the Darling River, Kinchega NP on the return trip. Note the full annex that we didn't have at the start of our journey (we ordered it and picked it up by arrangement at Fremantle)

Room to paint in the annex - catch up on the unfinished works!

Our camp was right alongside the Darling River

The access road along the river just near where we camped

Another sunset, this time opposite our river view

- We covered a stretch of nearly 2,500 kms in 8 consecutive days after leaving Cape Le Grand in Western Australia. This was much more than what we had normally travelled without rest days on this trip. It was possible and safe because we shared the driving and took enough breaks. Nonetheless we enjoyed the subsequent rest on the banks of the Darling River in Kinchega National Park NSW.

We had made the decision by then to deviate North/East across New South Wales into Southern Queensland to visit family there and then friends in Coffs Harbour NSW, attend a family wedding in Kempsey and finally back down to complete the circle at Port Macquarie where we had left 6 months earlier.

The log continues:

2 Oct          (380k) from Kinchega NP to MacCullochs Range R/A near Wilcannia
3 Oct          (407k) to Sandy Creek R/A (near Warren) via Narromine

An overnight camp at a rest area called Sandy Creek, near Warren NSW.  There was nobody else around at this one, so we made use of a picnic table shelter on this occasion.   (The map on my phone identified this as "Snakey Creek". Perhaps the travel maps we were using were trying to be  bit more welcoming!)

4 Oct          (414k)  to Bingara via Gilgandra, Narrabri and the skirts of Mt Kaputar
5 Oct          (152k) to Beardy Creek R/A on the New England Highway, just North of Glen Innes
6 Oct          (355k) to Burleigh Heads Qld, via Tenterfield, the Bruxner to the coast near Byron Bay

- You can see we are still pushing things along, over 1700 kms in 5 straight days, in beautiful country from the Western Plains of NSW over the Great Dividing Range to the North Coast and into Queensland - a shame to hurry it.

11 Oct        (282k) to Halfway Creek Roadhouse R/A (South of Grafton, on the Pacific Motorway)
12 Oct        (80k) to Coffs Harbour (into a big house and a real bedroom - Wow!)
13 Oct        (208k)  to Port Macquarie via Kempsey and the wedding we were making for(made it).
17 Oct        (250k) the last leg home to Newcastle.

Well done Ladybug and the X Trail - 20,000 kilometres and 6 months, through the Red Centre, the Top End, the Kimberley, top to bottom of Western Australia, back across the Nullarbor, across South Australia, a diversion through the North-West of New South Wales to South Queensland and finally back down the coast to Newcastle and home.

We certainly will go again in the Ladybug, but not so far of for so long. It's a big country!

THE PILBARA TO PERTH

Well, after four months since we left home in early April, we are at Perth and leaving here tomorrow (1 September) to start what we consider to be the homeward journey.  Lots of ground to cover yet, but the direction will be generally East!

Since posting the last episode in Port Hedland in late July, we have taken the following course:

27 July       Karijini National Park
5 August    Point Samson
7     "          Karatha
10   "          Onslow
14   "          Carnarvon
21    "         Wooramel Station Stay
27    "         Perth (Fremantle)

There have been some overnight stays in "free camps" along the way, such as Galena Bridge near Kalbarri and Ellendale Pool up in the wildflower areas East of Geraldton.  Almost all of these in Western Australia have been well maintained and spacious - all credit to the road authorities who obviously recognise how many "nomads" are on the roads over here and how much they contribute to the local economy.

Our progress has been good, particularly since resolving the needs of the electrical systems in the rig, replacing one of the deep-cycle auxiliary batteries and adding a solar blanket and an additional 12V to 12V charger/controller, to keep things going in the caravan, the refrigerators we are running in the Xtrail and the other gear. We can stay away from 240V facilities (caravan parks) virtually indefinitely now, but the ongoing need to get supplies of fresh water is usually the most demanding.

Here are some of our photos from along the way.

This is the scene I most wanted to get back to, Dales Gorge in Karijini National Park

...and this is the painting (18 x 14 in, on canvas glued to Corflute, which makes for a very lightweight panel

This is Jubura (Fern Pool) at the bottom of Dales Gorge - 283 steps we were told, and carrying a French easel and all the other gear I carry, a long way coming back up, especially also for M when she had to go back to get my painting umbrella!

This is obviously a special place for the aboriginal people. I imagine the soft yellow ochre in the rock walls nearby were important too

Marilyn holding a flower growing beside the stairway halfway down.  You can see the steps continuing on below - very well constructed and a good deal easier and safer than 5 years ago when we were there last

The Scene right outside our caravan door where we camped at the "Albert Tognolini" rest area (I couldn't remember that and referred to it later as the "Stroganoff" lookout - sorry Albert!)

Another pleasant free camp at the Peawah Rest Area between Port Hedland and Karatha. As is generally the case in WA, it was clean and well maintained - you can see the edge of the toilet block in the distance behind Marilyn, stepping down from the van.  These rest areas usually are signposted "Maximum Stay 24 Hours"

Sunset at Galena Bridge rest area

Sunset colours opposite our camp at Ellendale Pool rest area

Aboriginal petraglyph (stone etching) - one of many among these rocks at Deep Gorge near Hearson's Cove, Dampier area. These are thousands of years old

Turn around from the petraglyphs and you can see part of the extensive gas exploration and production sites in the area. 

These mountains of loose rock are all around in this area

Late afternoon light on the River Gums at Wooramel Station, just beside our camp.  We stayed here for 3 days and I do have a painting of this scene (which needs some more work)

We did the tourist thing here  - a "Triple Tour" in the one day, first leg around Fremantle in this little battler, then a boat cruise down to Perth and finally a 'topless' red double-decker red bus around Perth. We enjoyed a meal and a couple of drinks at a beaut waterfront venue, with a niece of Marilyn's and her partner, who live here, to round out a lovely day 

And finally, yesterday, a visit to the "Araluen Botanical Park" at Roleystone in the hills outside of Perth, has ended our visit to Perth and Fremantle.

So its off tomorrow morning, down to Albany to visit long-standing friends and then around the South Coast to visit Fitzgerald and Cape Le Grand national parks. We will then cross the Nullarbor and continue Eastwards, and the clock confusion, to meet the earlier rising sun.

KIMBERLEY TO THE PILBARA

Well, we are at Marble Bar, on Monday 24 July 2017. A long time since the last blog was posted in June at Kununurra, but so much has happened since then that there doesn't seem to have been time to sit down at the laptop (within internet range) to bring this up to date.

A summary of our movements since leaving Kununurra on Tuesday 20 June 2017 is:

20 June - overnight Dunham Rest Area (R/A) on the Great Northern Highway WA
21-22 June - Bungle Bungle Caravan Park (C/P) - Day Tour on 4WD bus into the Bungles
23 June - Mary Pool R/A on the Mary River between Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing (3 days)
26 June - Ellendale R/A further on the Great Northern Highway
27 June - Broome C/P ready for our boat cruise from Saturday 1 July
9 July - back in Broome, into the same C/P to get some auto electric modifications and re-stock
12 July - on to Stanley R/A on the way to Port Hedland
13-19 July - a much needed week's break at the De Grey River Rest Area (magic!)
20 July - on into Port Hedland for some more auto/elec work (new battery) and re-stock provisions, then back a little and down into the Marble Bar Road 80 km to the Des Streckfuss R/A (a great painting spot on a billabong, for a couple of days)
23 July - into the Marble Bar Caravan Park for a couple of days sightseeing and the blog!

The first photos are from our visit to the Bungle Bungles.  To avoid the long hard slog in from the highway, you can go in a short distance on to the Mabel Downs station where they run a full caravan park with good facilities, and join a day-trip in on a 4WD bus with a driver-guide (a young woman in this case - a "pocket dynamo")

Our 4WD drive bus into the Bungle Bungles

Inside the Cathedral Gorge - amazing place with concert-hall acoustics

After the Bungles, we stopped at the free camp at Mary Pool, on the Mary River between Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing

 I did a paint sketch of this and will certainly be doing a full painting of it as soon as I can.

It was on then to Broome and the start of our Kimberley Cruise. It started with the flight from Broome to the Mitchell Plateau.

Marilyn took this through the window of our light aircraft . We flew over much of what we would be sailing back through on the "Odyssey" over the next 9 days.

Mitchell Falls shortly before we landed. We passed closer to this on the helicopter flight out to a beach near the Odyssey. The chopper and plane flights were transporting back the people just finishing their cruise as we took their places. There were many enthusiastic words from them as we passed!

I don't think this little "shed" got much use, certainly not on our changeover, but there are quite a few cruise-boats operating similarly in the Kimberley.

The "Airport" - the helicopters arrived for us shortly after this was taken

On the way out to the boat in the chopper (4 at a time - 3 across the back and 1 up with the pilot)

0ne of the many small beaches we went in to had recent turtle tracks up from the water to the low dunes above the high tide - there were fresh dingo tracks around the turtle tracks, so some harassment went on. A closer look at the top end of the tracks surprised us with a baby turtle breaking up out of the obvious nest there. We gathered around (at a respectful distance, as one couple from Townsville knew that the hatchlings needed sunlight quickly)

This little fellow made it to the water (see the tracks).  We were all thrilled!

The smiles weren't forced - we were really having a great time!

Approaching King's Cascades

The skipper put the bow of the Odyssey right in under the cascading water. We were warned and ready in bathers (and it was cold!)

A bonfire on the beach and sunset viewing was a special treat. This is the tender "Homer" that took us on all of these jaunts, and fishing on a few occasions (Marilyn was the star on one, caught 12)

We saw lots of crocodiles - up close and personal at times!

Kimberley colours

I took this with my legs dangling while the group looked at some very old aboriginal rock art - that's our tender way down below and the climb up was very demanding.

The skipper gives us a commentary on the rock art. There were 20 passengers and 5 crew and the crew were always extremely helpful and proficient in the multitude of tasks they undertook in looking after us.

Another big croc - and this one really was a monster.

We had been crabbing, and got quite a few. Another of the highlights was a late afternoon stop-off on a remote sandbar for crabs and champagne

We were certainly doing it hard!

The "Kimberley Rose" (the flowers, not Bob!)

The Odyssey trip over and back to Broome, needed a good break in the one place for a while to "regroup". The perfect spot proved to be a free camp on the De Grey River, about 80 km before Port Hedland.

Our camp spot at the De Grey River

A painting from our camp

Some clever camper had transformed this stump at the De Grey

Time to move on again.  We heard lots of interesting things about Marble Bar and since we hadn't been there before, we set out. The first camp was at the "Des Streckfuss" rest area about 80 km before Marble Bar

This view of the billabong was right beside our camp

A painting in progress of the billabong

And then into Marble Bar. What a pleasant surprise - a very old historical mining town and a fitting entrant to the current Tidy Towns competition.

The township of Marble Bar (in part). The van park where we stayed here for a couple of nights is in the foreground

Some of the jasper outcrops at Marble Bar

The colours were amazing, once you splashed some water on them

I am finishing this off back at Port Hedland, before we head off to Karijinni. See you next blog!

Now for Marilyn's contribution - poetry this time to capture the feelings of our trip.

"A Riverbank Somewhere"

You've heard of a series a "River Somewhere"
 watched in our lounge rooms on easy chairs.
Well we've another story to tell of a Riverbank somewhere that's just as swell.

A high riverbank overlooking the creek, river or billabong
Looking through majestic old trees, listening to bird song.
Be it the Flinders, Camooweal, Kinchega or Mary Pool
Such a place of learning for all who are happy in life's school.

If you've time to ponder and sit for a bit
The sounds, the light, the shades, the trees are certainly for most a hit.
What bird, butterfly, plant or tree
If you've a mind look it up and see.

Small or large beak, straight or crooked
Long tail or short
Hurry, quick they're gone before you've look-ed.

Willy Wagtails, Pee Wees, Whistling Kites easy to hear and see
But Honeyeaters, Bee Eaters, Flycatchers and Finches

You've got to be quick, they're gone in a blink.

But be patient and sit, alert and listening -
Look the Corellas are squawking,
dive bombing the Cuckoo from their nest thieving.

What type of leaf, elliptical, linear, lobed or obovate
No it's lanceolate and bipinnate.
Is it a Grevillea or Hakea, Chenopod or Casuarina,
Melaleuca, Mulla Mulla or Pussytail?
No it's a Goodenia.

Did you know a crocodile has branches?
Well, if you have eyes, a plant book and time with me,
I'll show you a crocodile tree.

What about the butterflies you say
Well, there is only so much time in one day.
Perhaps next year in Queensland with a butterfly book
And more time to play.

So if you're yearning for some beyond city learning
Get your tent, van, RV and camp chair
Come travel this big country
There's always a riverbank somewhere.

Mary Pool 24/6/17