Here we go again....

Here we go again…4 ½ years later we are…... “On the road again….” going almost around Aus.

After weeks of making lists and thinking of things to be done before we leave we are heading off.

We decided to leave after the mail delivery and rubbish collection, making that around mid day.

Our house minder, mail collection etc called around to collect the keys and make sure that she knew where everything was, this lead to chatting, cups of tea and suddenly it was 12:15 and I still had to pack a few items into the van.

We'd been so efficient that we'd turned off the water pump, then had to turn it back on to fill the water tank in the motor home.

We decided that it was now lunch time, so rather than drive off to a parking area we sat in our own driveway and had lunch.

Our first port of call was the little town of Brookton, south of Perth.

Every two years, Brookton is host to The Old Time Motor Show. A definite fixture on our calendar. We were camping on the show grounds perimeter with about 18 other motor homes / camper vans, for two nights. We arrived around 4:00pm and were welcomed by Ralph who directed us to park next to him, which was behind other friends and members of our local 'chapter'.

We socialised until dinner time, and most people stayed inside for the rest of the evening.

The next day we sat having breakfast whilst watching the vehicles arrive. A fine mix of cars, trucks and tractors.

I walked into town to get the newspapers and as I left the shop it started to rain,a light drizzle only and it stopped raining as I got back to the show grounds.

We wandered around the show, meeting a couple of old, friends. One was a neighbour from when we lived in Serpentine, and another from the more 'quirky' car club SIVA (Special Interests Vehicle Association).

We got back to the motor home just as Chris and Anne were heading out to look around, as we hadn't seen everything we joined up with them and went off again.

The Grand Parade was scheduled for 3:15pm but as the rain threatened to arrive it got underway before 3.00. A lot of vehicles did a couple of laps of the oval and then headed off the show grounds, to make for home. 

We sat out, enjoying an early happy hour until the rain forced us inside around 4.30.

The band struck up on the oval and we were happy to sit in our van and listen to them.

Sunday morning and time to officially start our big trip. Ralph and Hanny were joining us for a couple of days but Chris and Ann were heading home. There was no rush to leave so we sat and watched others driving off. We had lunch, said our goodbyes and then with Ralph and Hanny following headed back up to Beverley before turning Eastwards.

We had thought of making a stop at Kokerbin Rock but I vaguely remembered something about it no longer being available for overnight camping. Even more vaguely I remembered someone telling me about a place just south of Kokerbin, a place called Kwolyin.

We found Kwolyin on the map, between Quairading and Bruce Rock and as we approached it there was a lovely blue sign – Kwolyin Camp Ground.

We found a spot big enough for the two of us to park side by side and were soon set up.

We each put out an awning and had a lovely sheltered spot to sit.

The toilet block was spotlessly clean and the toilets were fully plumbed in, flush types. There was even a camp kitchen should we wish to use it, aswell as a spotless BBQ. We decided that this place was perfect and that we'd spend our two days together right here.

We sat outside on a rather humid night before retiring to bed by 9.30.

The next morning a Shire Officer drove in to ask how we found the facilities, checking all was well. We congratulated him on the Shire's initiative and he explained that Kokerbin rock had been 'loved to death' so needed to be closed for camping, new facilities had been put in place for day users but it was really over used. We hope that Kwolyin Camp doesn't suffer the same fate. At the moment it's a perfect bush camp, but after a few years of bush bashing campers, people pulling up any and all wood that they can find to burn in camp fires, it could become a barren, inhospitable place. He told us that it was for a maximum stay of 3 days in any 28 day period, but there were no signs to that effect and who would police it? We intend to return to Kwolyin but will be looking for somewhere untouched if it too gets “Loved to death”.

We were all feeling quite energetic this morning and after a Petanque competition, which the boys won, we had a round of 'clog golf'. This took us around the whole camp ground, and as usual, provided some hilarious moments.

It was a rather warm afternoon, so most of us spent it resting and napping. I took myself off for a walk over Kwolyin Rock. (Mad dogs and English women…..). 

When I got back I did my contortionist act and had a quick shower in the van's bathroom / cubicle. After dinner, as we won't be seeing them for a long while, we sat outside with Ralph and Hanny and had a supertoc competition. This time the girls won – 2 out of 3.

That night the humidity finally dropped, we had a thunder storm.

Next morning, up early, 8:00am and after a farewell cuppa we were on the road by 9.30.

Ralph and Hanny headed westwards, home, and we continued eastwards through Shackleton to Bruce Rock and then northwards to Merredin.

We stopped for a few supplies in Merredin and I must confess to being very pleasantly surprised at the stock and prices at the IGA.) We then decided on our next stop – Karalee Rock and Dam, near Yellowdine, east of Southern Cross, so after lunch we headed off.

We stopped in Southern Cross for a coffee –enjoying the banners highlighting the merits of the local communities. I've always said that everywhere has something different -Bodallin's merit is possibly still true but Moorine Rocks' was a long time ago.

We made a note to avoid the coffee in Southern Cross next time, and got out to the Rock at 3:00pm. The dirt road in is in need of some grading, it was still a rough ride even at 15kph!

We pulled up on a lovely, open flat area and had a rest before I took a walk around the dam, alongside the flume and over the rock.

Karalee is a much easier rock walk than Kwolyin, not as steep and less lichen growth. 

After another country sunset, we had a quiet night in.

The next morning I did a bit of 'housework', ie I shook the rugs out and swept the floor. Everything spic and span we set off, back down the corrugations to the main road and continued Eastwards.

Our first stop was in our favourite Goldfields town, Coolgardie. We got fuel, a few groceries and then did some washing at the laundromat. I thought I'd struck gold in the street when I found a $1 gold coin. It turned out to be a $2 gold coin – from New Zealand.(I'll hang on to that and spend it when we visit Auckland in December).

We turned south in Coolgardie and headed down to Norseman to start the trip across the Nullarbor.

In Norseman we called in at the information centre and asked where we could fill our water tank, the lady gave me the key to the tap at the side of the building – all they asked was for a donation. Very reasonable. Thank you Norseman.

As we headed out of town we were not so happy with our visit – a flying stone from a truck going the opposite way clipped the edge of the wind screen and sent a crack line running across the glass. It's on the driver's side and down, out of the main field of vision but such an annoyance.

Just 16kms out of town we stopped for the night, the same spot that we stopped last time across. We found a large flat area, with some shade and could barely hear the trucks on the Highway. Michael marked the tip of the screen crack, so we can check it's 'progress'!

The next day was rather nice for travelling, overcast and we seemed to follow rain most of the way, only travelling in showers a couple of times.

We stopped for fuel at Balladonia and checked the screen crack – another 2cms. At the roadhouse we had a snack and coffee. I thought that the place looked very old and sad, commenting to Michael how dirty the toilet floor was and that the shower block was closed off. He pointed out to me that there were notices apologising but they had run out of water. I take back my negative comments.

We took on more fuel in Cocklebiddy (best to be safe, than sorry), and then drove just another 17kms to our night stop – same place as last time. This was the place where we saw nesting budgerigars last time, but not a one around this time. We shared a happy hour with a couple in a caravan who were travelling from Perth to Queensland, then we had a lovely quiet night.

The next day and we headed on, under sunshine, but a grey sky. (Our windscreen crack has only grown another 1 cms). We took a break after a couple of hours and then stopped at Eucla for more fuel. We had spent a couple of days here previously, but were pleased that we hadn't planned on staying this time as the caravan park was closed for work to be done.

We crossed into South Australia and drove along the top of the Bunda Cliffs with spectacular views out across the Great Australian Bight. We kept driving and decided to stay at the last camp area with ocean views – I thought that it was odd not seeing other vehicles parked up, and when we got to the marker post we found out why – the track in had been ploughed up! It was no longer a rest area / parking spot. So we drove on, away from the ocean views and pulled into the next 'P'. This was also used by trucks so after a coffee and snack we headed on. Just 4kms down the road was another 'P' and this one did not allow trucks. (157 Peg Rest Area). We drove off the road and found lots of caravans spread around a huge area, we found ourselves a lovely spot and settled down to enjoy a glorious Nullarbor sunset.

By the time we were up and ready to roll the next morning we were the only vehicle left. Everyone had quietly gone on their way.

Michael really 'doesn't do mornings'.

 

We drove on, past Nundroo, pleased to find just the one dead wombat by the side of the road. Last time there were so many, maybe it's the time of year or rainfall.

We stopped in Penong for fuel and then pulled up for a lunch break. We phoned the caravan park in Ceduna where we enjoyed our stay last time, but it's Easter and they were fully booked. There is a caravan park in Penong but it is behind the 24 hr truck stop / fuel stop so can get quite noisy. We decided to play it by ear and keep rolling to Ceduna anyway and then review our options.