Sunday, February 6, 2022

Purposeful Meandering Around Victoria - Week 3

Week 3: Our final week on the road and we’ve decided to take a leisurely pace up the east coast as we head for home. Monday morning and we checked out of our inner city apartment, we commented how much fun we’d had living in the heart of a capital city (for a brief change). Our first stop was the caravan manufactures who base themselves predominantly in the one area of Melbourne, but getting there meant we had to negotiate the streets of Melbourne. Trams, right turns from the left lane, weird lines painted on the road, fences in the middle of the road and rules I’d never heard of…….. how hard can it be?

We spent almost 3hrs trolling various makers getting ideas for what our next van will look like. Anyway by early afternoon we were heading east with no fixed plan of where we were staying the night. We had stops in Warragul and Moe before finally pulling up in Sale for the night. We often say “your travelling experiences are made up of the places you stay”. We opted for a motel for the night which could have doubled as a retirement village based on its vintage. Nonetheless it was a bed for the night and we were grateful.

Tuesday and google said it was only 3.5hr drive to Mallacoota so the kids were super happy, but we packed so much into the day that we didn’t arrive in Mallacoota till almost dinner time. Along the way we detoured out to Paynesville (part of the Gippsland Lake system) where we stumbled across the Mitchell Silt Jetties…… wow, wow, wow! Back in Bairnsdale we found a sneaky pie shop to indulge our hunger. I’m sure we could write a book on pie shops of Australia. Pushing further north finally made it to Lakes Entrance where we made the obligatory stop overlooking the lakes and the entrance. Leonie and I had been here almost 20 years ago so a lot but nothing had changed (if that makes sense). With our day slipping away we kept going, the next 2+ hours seemed to take forever, the rest of the car were all catching flies at one point or another, only to all wake up as we drove into Cann River where the Police blocked the whole highway to do RBT. Finally, we arrived in Mallacoota, it’s a place none of us had ever been to but I’d heard so much about it, especially when the 19/20 bushfires isolated the town forcing residents to be evacuated by the Navy off the beaches.

Note: internet photo
With a 2-night stay planned for Mallacoota we all felt like we’d earned a sleep-in, however the relentless southerly winds kept everything rattling but we did manage a lazy morning in the van park before heading out to do a bit of exploring in the car. It was quickly evident by its beauty why the town swells to 8 times its population over the festive period. Beach swimming, coastal walks and a labyrinth of estuaries that must have boaties and fishermen super excited. By late afternoon we’d changed modes of transport as we strolled up and down the shops and through the campgrounds before capping off our walk with ice-creams.

Thursday was moving day. It was only 20 or so km’s back to the highway and then a short drive north before you see the signs welcoming you to NSW and you instantly feel like you’re home, or a local at least. We stopped in Eden to check out the local tourist attractions, the views of Twofold Bay from Eden lookout and a picturesque Quarantine Bay before moving up the coast to Pambula where we caught up with a long-term friend for coffee and a chat. Pushing northwards along the coast to Tathra we were surprised by the growth in the coastal towns. Reflecting we had to remind ourselves it’d been many years since we’d been on the far south-coast. The winds of the past few days hadn’t abated so most towns didn’t feel warm or inviting simple because of the strong winds. By mid-afternoon we found ourselves in Moruya and we decided this was as good a place as any for an overnight stay, but for the 2nd time in a week our accommodation choices let us down. Without saying anymore, it was a bad choice.

Friday morning and we were all excited as we’d be home today. The overnight rains had persisted but by mid-morning the clouds had burnt off leaving a sunny and still windy day. We had stops in Mogo and Bateman’s Bay before stopping in Ulladulla to check out a few sites. The last 90min from Ulladulla seemed to drag over with so much roadworks happening on the south coast, but by mid-afternoon we were “Home Sweet Home”.


In 3-weeks we’d travelled over 4200km across much of Victoria, a small part of South Australia and the south coast of NSW. As we pulled in the driveway we all commented how nice it was to get away and for us, it completed our last part of exploring mainland Australia as a family. 


Sunday, January 30, 2022

Purposeful Meandering Around Victoria - Week 2

Week 2 on the road has gone at a frenetic pace and at every turn it’s been action packed. Monday saw us broadening our wings out from Geelong, to the southern coastline where we visited the famous Bells Beach and an enjoyable meander through Torquay. This part of the coast wouldn’t have been complete without a visit to the Chocolaterie & Ice Creamy shop, needless to say we walked away with a few samples. By late afternoon we’d headed back into Geelong township for nice sunset photos.

On Tuesday we left our charming Geelong Airbnb with a plan of doing something a bit different, we headed out to Queenscliff where we utilized the car ferry service across to Sorrento saving us almost 3hrs and a few hundred kms driving. Arriving in Sorrento we enjoyed some time exploring the Mornington Peninsula which included the old Quarantine Station, The Pillars and the views from Arthur’s Seat before heading to Point Leo for a relaxing night of beach camping.

Wednesday was probably the highlight of our trip, we packed up with the temps already nudging 30deg and made our way out to Phillip Island. Being Australia Day it appeared everyone else had the same idea as getting a patch of sand at the beach was impossible. Instead we decided to go to our 2nd chocolate factory in 3 days where Sam and Leonie were like kids in a candy store. No surprise, we had more samples to take with us. The next stop was more to my liking, Phillip Island raceway where I witnessed a bike club day enjoying the spoils of having the track to themselves. By late afternoon we’d rested up at our accommodation before heading back out to watch the famous penguin parade at the southern end of the island. These little guys who numbered over 900 penguins on the night we were there, put on a great display of cuteness as they waddled up the beach and found their burrow’s for the night.

Thursday dawned with Melbourne and surrounding suburbs being lashed by severe thunderstorms and flash-flooding. It was our first rain of the trip but didn’t slow us down or dampen our enthusiasm. We headed across to the Dandenong Ranges where we watched the Puffing Billy steam train traverse the trestle bridge. By mid-afternoon we’d made our way into the Melbourne CBD for a few days of city life. Between negotiating trams, right turns from left lanes and crazy narrow laneways, I was glad to park the car and use other modes of transport for the next few days. We’d jagged a trendy little apartment over-looking Chinatown that was perfectly situated to everything.

A lazy start to Friday suited all of us, by mid-morning we’d ventured out for our first taste of Melbourne shopping. The girls had picked out a few DFO outlets which ultimately would have them satisfied for the next few days. By early afternoon I’d splintered away from the girls to do some local geocaching. Right on que and at my furthest point from the apartment I found myself stranded in the Botanical Gardens as another wild thunderstorm lashed the area. I found myself sharing a gazebo with 20 other strangers as we all tried to keep dry. Needless to say by the time I returned to the apartment I resembled a drowned rat and any thoughts of heading to the BBL final were squashed as the weather hadn’t improved.


Saturday saw us back in the car as we headed to the suburbs for the day. Our first stop was a trendy café in Richmond for breakfast and a chance to spot tennis notoriety, needless to say we failed on spotting any one famous, but we did enjoy a nice breakfast. We continued exploring Port Phillip Bay to the Brighton Bath Boxes where the milder weather ensured crowds were low and the boxes were all locked up displaying their full colours. We were in awe as we googled some of the crazy selling prices these basic 3x3m wooden boxes fetch. Back in the car and we headed back towards the city, we stopped at Melbourne’s Luna Park where a familiar big laughing face and rides greeted us. By late afternoon we were back in the CBD where we enjoyed a mostly relaxing afternoon exploring some cafes and alleyways around town. Like the rest of the nation we spent the night watching “Ash Barty” make us all proud. 


Sunday is meant to be a day rest, I wish the local patrons and shop owners adhered to that. On numerous occasions we were woken to the clanking of hundreds of bottles and cans as neighboring streets were cleaned up and rubbish discarded. After a lazy breakfast and a bit of grocery shopping for the days ahead, I’d surprised Leonie with the news that we’d be heading to the matinee show of the “Moulin Rouge Musical”. By 3pm we were seated in the majestic Regent Theatre as the stage come alive with some amazing dancing, singer and provocative costumes told a love story for the packed crowd…… We capped off our stay in Melbourne with dinner out on the town and another night of some great tennis.

Week 2 is done and dusted.

Sunday, January 23, 2022

Purposeful Meandering Around Victoria - week 1

We’ve all got something or somewhere that COVID has limited our enjoyment, I could name multiple trips or destinations that we’ve planned, only for COVID restrictions to spoil our dreams. For us, sitting at home wasn’t the way to manage COVID so we decided to embark on our first family holiday in over 2 years.


With much of the country opening up we packed the car and headed south towards Mexico (Victoria). With Dave already in Wangaratta, that seemed like a logical place to start our 3 weeks adventure of Victoria. Arriving in Wang the temperatures were nudging 35deg so it was straight to the Ovens River for a relieving swim before heading out to the Warby-Ovens NP for a night’s camping. Unfortunately overnight temps offered little relief and a sticky sleepless night marred our first night of holidays. Undeterred by a restless night the following day we headed towards Bendigo where we checked out the local pottery, while the kids got a glimpse of their first tram. Continuing southward, we stopped at Hepburn Springs with an expectation of thermal springs or something similar, how wrong were we….haha! Before days end we’d arrived in Ballarat where we found a lovely 2-bedroom cottage for the next couple of nights.

Our cozy cottage and cooler overnight temps ensured a lazy start to Tuesday, but it wasn’t long before we hit the tourist attractions of the Eureka Stockade, Sovereign Hill and a glimpse of when the 1956 Olympics came to town. By days end we all commented that we’d packed a lot into one day.

Wednesday saw us heading further west, the towns of Aarat, Stawell and Seppelts Wines all demanded a quick inspection before heading to Halls Gap, and The Grampians. I could have easily spent a few days here exploring the many adventures or sights on offer but we’d made a family decision that we’d simply drive through this time, vowing to return another time for a specific holiday in the Grampians. By mid-afternoon with the temps in the mid 30’s we snuck across the border into South Australia. Actually, there was no border enforcement, leaving us both to comment on how nice it felt that most of our country could work as one nation. We were soon in Mount Gambier which was our home for the next couple of days. The town is known for its Limestone history which has created numerous sinkholes around the region and its pre-historic volcanic activity with many old volcanoes now filled with water for both recreational and human consumption. Blue Lake immediately grabs your attention due to its amazing turquoise colour.

With lots to see ‘n’ do on Thursday we headed out reasonably early to take in the sights. Our first stop was Mount Schank, Australia’s youngest extinct volcano allows visitors to walk around the rim or even venture into the earth filled crater, an experience we all enjoyed. A short drive south saw us on the limestone coast at Port MacDonnell where coastal erosion provides an amazing rugged rocky scenery. A plaque at the old lighthouse reminded us of how tough the early settlers did it, with 35 ships being lost at sea throughout the late 1800’s. Our next stop/s were the numerous sinkholes and caves that litter the landscape, Little Blue Lake provided a great opportunity to cool off while other sinkholes were for the more experienced cave divers. Back in the heart of Mount Gambier a must-see was the Cave Gardens and Umpherston Sinkhole. Our day culminated with us exploring the beauty of Blue Lake and a picnic dinner beside Valley Lake.

Friday we were on the road again and back in Victoria, the coastal towns of Portland, Port Fairy and Warrnambool all provided some amazing sights, none more than in Portland where the local timber exporting industry takes place. B-double semi-trailers laden with wood chip are hoist into the air at almost 60deg which unloads their cargo at an amazing rate, the whole process only taking minutes before the next semi-trailers move in to do the same. Leaving Warrnambool we soon found ourselves on the picturesque “Great Ocean Rd” and our first glimpses of the amazing coastline didn’t disappoint with the Bay of Islands provided a perfect example of what lay ahead. We seemed to spend more time getting in and out of the car over the next few hours as every point of interest was worthy of a stop. By days end we’d made it to Port Campbell where the temperatures once again demanded we cool off with a swim…. Has anyone ever said swimming in the Southern Ocean in summer can be very cold? Needless to say it was a short but refreshing swim. Our day concluded with some sunset pictures overlooking the 12 Apostles.

More driving along the Great Ocean Rd beckoned on Saturday and once again the sights were breathtaking, a walk into Loch Ard Gorge and the early morning sun on the 12 Apostles was beautiful. The road soon leaves the coast as it heads into the Otways and does scenery, rainforest and mountainous trees filled the void for the next few hours before we once again popped out on the coast at Apollo Bay. The abundance of crowds was the first thing to grab our attention, it seem every Victorian heads to Apollo Bay or Lorne for summer holidays. Continuing east we did the final stint of the Great Ocean Rd as it winds it way along the waterline with its towering cliffs swapping from either side of the road. By days’ end we’d arrived in Geelong at a quaint Airbnb which would be home for the next few days.

Our first week on the road culminated with a lazy Sunday morning, we caught up on numerous loads of washing and restocked our food supplies before deciding to head downtown and explore the foreshore and surrounding city centre. Another glorious hot day ensured all the water vantage points were busy jostling for somewhere to cool off. As our first week of holidays came to end we caught up with friends for dinner who we’d met travelling Australia back in 2014, lots of laughs and reminiscing of past travels ensued.

Week 1 is done  

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Purposeful Meandering Atop Oz - Week 6

Sunday is normally a day of rest for most people, but for us we had a lot going on. Sadly, the girls were flying home today but not before we managed to grab a few essential groceries and cram in a little more sightseeing. Heading downtown the streets were filled with Sunday markets and entertainment, for us though we had a look around the wealthy harbour foreshore and the V8 supercar street circuit. By lunchtime we had the girls at the airport and sad farewells ensued…. Sometimes work gets in the way of a good holiday. For Ethan and I though, we decided to get a few kilometres further south in what was to be a 5-day trip home. Some 300km later we found ourselves in Mackay where we decided to live it up for a night and stayed in a motel. With our accommodation sorted we headed downtown to do some late afternoon sightseeing and caching. Having never been to Mackay before I was keen to see what made Mackay tick, my naïve-ness was soon explained. More than 20 cargo ships were anchored off the coast, Mackay was a huge industrial town. By nightfall we’d grabbed a bit of dinner before enjoying our first night in a real bed in almost 6 weeks.
Monday didn’t start too well for us, we didn’t even clear the carpark before managing to put a dint in the car…. Oops! Pressing southward there wasn’t a lot said in the car as Ethan knew Dad was a little pissed-off, so he erred on the side of caution and said nothing. Pushing along the highway was slow going as there was endless roadworks which seemed to have us making little progress. About lunchtime we detoured off the highway to Yeppoon and Emu Park, it’d been over 30 years since I been in the area. Back then Great Keppel Island was the go-to holiday resort and I was keen to look around. Apparently nowadays Great Keppel is a ghost town, but the mainland coastal town are booming. After enjoying some time out on the coast we moved further south but once again roadworks slowed our progress. Late in the day we found a great free-camp on the banks of the Calliope River which we shared with some like-minded campers.
Tuesday and another day of slow highway driving loomed, we weren’t keen for that, so we headed out towards the coast and down to Bundaberg via Agnes Waters. By mid-morning we’d made it to Bundaberg where we headed straight to the Bundaberg Rum distillery and the Bundaberg soft drink factories where we enjoyed a tour of the factories. Continuing south we went through Childers, Hervey Bay, Maryborough and Gympie before spending a night at Leonie’s brothers place in Noosa. Catching up with family with a few bourbons was a great way to unwind after a couple of days of driving.
Wednesday started early for us as our overnight hosts had to leave early for work so we hit the road at the same time. We used the morning for a bit of sightseeing and caching around Caloundra and Caboolture before skirting south around the city of Brisbane. We made sure to time our run past Yatala Pies so we could stop for the perfect lunch feast - yum yum! Back on the road and we’d soon passed the Gold Coast and the QLD/NSW border which was a sad reminder that our holiday was coming to an end. Before getting to my parent’s place, we detoured into Byron Bay where we checked out the most eastern point of Australia, thus seeing 2 extremities of Australia in the 1 trip. After a brief stop at Byron we continued the last few kms to my parent’s house where we had a 2-night stopover. Thursday rolled into Friday as we had a day around my parent’s home catching up with family and sharing the excitement of our trip to the Cape.

Friday dawned early as we wanted to put as many km’s behind us before the roadworks of the far north coast really slowed our progress. By breakfast time we’d made it to Coffs Harbour McDonalds where a dose of coffee and a bite to eat hit the spot. Back on the road and our next stop was the once sleepy hollow of South West Rocks, well last time I visited it was. Nowadays it’s a rather busy holiday location and we had a brief catch-up with friends who were enjoying a break. Continuing southward we made one further detour into Raymond Terrace before hitting the Friday afternoon Sydney peak-hour traffic. For the next 3 hours we crawled along the Sydney arterials till we got south of Campbelltown where once again we could speed up to the speed limit. Just before 6pm, in what had turned out to be a 12-hour journey we finally arrived home.
After 6 weeks and some 9600km later we’d made it to the tip of Cape York and back home again. What an amazing adventure! 

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Purposeful Meandering Atop Oz - Week 5


Our penultimate week started with us so close to Cairns that by the end of Sunday we’d be back in civilisation watching the NRL grand-final, but to get to that point we had to undertake our last dirt-road adventure. Waking Sunday morning there was a bit of indecision to whether we’d stay another night or not, after confirming some accommodation in Cairns we all packed up and headed towards Cairns. Our first stop was the picturesque Bloomfield Falls before we started down the Bloomfield Track. The track southward was very easy compared to those of past weeks, the highlight for us was seeing a Cassowary in the wild. All too soon we’d finished the Bloomfield Track and where back at the Daintree River ferry crossing. A short time later we were in Port Douglas checking out the local markets again and grabbing a bite to eat. By mid-afternoon we’d checked into a caravan park in Cairns. We quickly made ourselves at home in the camp kitchen where we ordered in pizzas for Sikky’s birthday. Having seen no TV for weeks settling in to watch the NRL grand-final. 
Monday was a public holiday in QLD, so we took the opportunity to have a lazy start to the day. For many of us, vehicle repairs would have to wait another day as very little was open. The first priority was to catch up on the mountain of washing that needed to be done, next was the chance to grab some much-needed fresh groceries followed by some further sightseeing around Cairns. Returning to the caravan park the heat ensured it wasn’t long before we were trying one of the many pools on offer in the van park. This park had so much to offer for the kids, it seemed to be hours before we seen them again. There were jumping pillows, water-slides, so many pools, basketball and tennis courts and then there was the “adults only” relaxation spa that we seemed to gravitate towards. It worked a treat in getting rid of our aches and pains, oh and some of the ground in red dust that our bodies had collected. No one seemed to know or care but happy-hour kicked in early and we spent the remaining hours of Monday enjoying a few beverages.
Tuesday was fix it day, after another slow start to the day many of us headed out to the four corners of Cairns seeking parts and repairs to our cars. For us, we were booked in for a wheel alignment, so dropping the girls off for a bit of retail therapy Ethan and I went and got the car looked at. All too soon we were done and had met up with the girls again. We grabbed a bite of lunch before heading out to do some more sightseeing. We headed out to the Cairns hinterland where we found a place called Crystal Cascades. This picturesque freshwater stream flowed over shallow rapids, down waterfalls and through deep rock pools. We spent a few hours jumping from one swimming hole to another, there was plenty of fish and the occasional turtle to see while we swam with them. Returning to the van park it didn’t take long before we were back in the refreshing pool as we did our best to beat the hot weather. By nightfall we’d gathered in the camp-kitchen where we spent much of the night feasting on fresh fruit and desserts we’d all made. It was pretty much our last night we’d all be together before our group started to disseminate and head our own ways home. For us however, we had another full day in Cairns.
Wednesday started with goodbyes as our group started to go their own way, for us though it was to be a day filled with fun and excitement as we headed to the Great barrier Reef. This natural wonder a “must do” for us and by early morning we were on a big catamaran heading to the outer reef. The 90min cruise didn’t feel long and soon enough we were donning our snorkelling gear and jumping into the turquoise waters. Watching the expression on our kids faces as they explored the numerous pockets of coloured coral was priceless. At every turn there was something new for us to see, Sam was the first to see a Nemo fish while we all seen lots of starfish and sea cucumbers on the ocean floor. All too quickly we were tucking into a hearty lunch before we once again returned to the water where tried the underwater observatory and glass-bottom boat. With our reef adventure coming to an end we had one last swim before the kids got to handle some of the sea creatures the marine biologist had collected for “show-n-tell”. Returning to the Cairns marina we all commented on what a great day we’d had on the reef but thought Ningaloo Reef in WA is just as nice. Back at the caravan park our day’s adventure soon caught up with us and after a relaxing meal it was time for an early night to bed.
Thursday was moving day for us. We bid farewell to the last of our group before heading south down the Bruce Highway. We didn’t get too far down the road before we detoured into Babinda Boulders where we changed to our swimmers in anticipation of a refreshing swim. For Leonie and Sam it was certainly refreshing, to the point it was freezing bloody cold. Ethan and I seen the looks on their faces, their teeth chattering and quickly back-peddled to high ground where we stayed nice and dry. After bit more exploring of the boulders we headed back into Babinda where we enjoyed a lovely meal of pies and pastries from the local bakery, Leonie even commenting that the pies were on par with Yatala Pies. Pushing on we passed through Innisfail and the endless fields of sugarcane and bananas before arriving at Paronella Park. This concrete jungle built in 1930’s by one man is amazing. Built beside a waterfall, Jose` Paronella had the foresight to generate electricity years ahead its time, he built 2 castles and numerous other out-houses on the property all for the enjoyment of others. For us, we spent much of the afternoon exploring the park and learning the incredible history of the parkland. By evening we were pleasantly surprised to be joined by another family from our group who’d also come to the park. Together we enjoyed the evening spectacular as the park is transformed with lights and music. A fitting way to end a beautiful day.
Friday and we had one final part of Paronella Park to explore before getting on the road. Jose`s water turbine still generates electricity to this day, enough to supply the park all its needs plus some back into the grid. Back on the road we headed across to the coast where we stopped at Mission Beach for a look around this quaint coastal hollow and the views across to Dunk Island. Continuing southward we stopped at Tully and Cardwell where there was a lot of mixed emotions for me, as I’d been to these towns only 24 hours after cyclone Yasi and the resultant devastation caused by it. Back then the towns looked like a war zone whereas today Tully is once again a thriving sugar mill town, Cardwell is a picturesque seaside town where we enjoyed lunch today. I did notice however there were a few vacant blocks of land in Cardwell where houses had once stood, while Hinchinbrook Marina seems to have not recovered after the mass devastation. Continuing a further few hours and we found ourselves in Townsville where we quickly found some accommodation before doing some late afternoon exploring along the Strand. We spent our evening relaxing and doing a whole lot of nothing as the temps were still in the high twenties well after dark.
Saturday dawned for us with an air of sadness as today was the last whole day we’d spend together as a family before the girls had to fly home. We had a lazy start to the morning, the only thing getting us out of bed was the burning heat on our swags. We enjoyed a hearty breakfast before heading out to do some sightseeing. Townsville is flanked by huge pink granite hills and we soon found ourselves exploring one of these hills which is the home to the “rich and famous”. Many of them sharing million-dollar views in equally expensive houses. From there we headed up Townsville’s major attraction. Castle Hill (mountain) towers some 300m above the city and is the centrepoint to the town with its 360deg views, we spent plenty of time up there admiring the spectacular views. To the west we’d spied an even higher mountain range, so 30min later we stood atop Mt Stuart which offered even broader views of the township and surrounding areas. Once back in town and now mid-afternoon we headed to the Strand where we enjoyed a beautiful family walk along the esplanade watching likeminded people enjoy picnics, swimming or relaxing in the sun as Townsville baked mid thirty deg temps. As dinner approached and with our holidays all-butt over, we headed to the Cowboys Leagues club to celebrate a great holiday.
Why do holidays seem to go so fast!

Monday, October 7, 2019

Purposeful Meandering Atop Oz - Week 4


Week 4 started with purpose, in fact it was the whole purpose of our trip, to make it to the most northern tip of mainland Australia. We left the van park by 9am and made our way northwards the some 40km towards the tip. Our first stop was the Croc Tent, this top-end souvenir oasis has everything relating to the cape and we stocked up. Heading further north the notable change was the landscape, the last few days had been bushland, but now it was very tropical. Soon enough we were in the tip carpark where we had some 400m walk ahead of us. After the short rocky walk, we’d made it to the tip of Australia. We’d achieved another item on our bucket list. We sat and rejoiced in the moment for a while, took a heap of photos, watched a huge turtle float by before heading back to our cars. From the tip we headed around to Somerset and the 5 beaches 4WD trek. It was at this point a few of our group opted to stay in the area for the night while the rest of us continued exploring the coast. For us, we headed back towards Bamaga where we found a number of WWII plane wrecks scattered in the bushland. With our day culminated, we explored a few local aboriginal communities before returning to the van park. By night fall we had dinner in the park restaurant basking in the nights’ special of ‘fish-n-chips’ on the beach.
Monday was moving day, but not before we experienced our heaviest rain of the trip, leaving us to pack up in the rain. We grabbed a few last-minute supplies and fuel in town, met up with the rest of our group before pushing south to the Jardine River ferry. This 6-car ferry traverses the narrow river crossing regularly and we were soon on the southern side. Continuing southward the corrugations on the Peninsula Development Road (PDR) were true to form, the car was literally shaking itself to pieces as we made our way the some 120km to the next destination of Captain Billys Landing. Arriving at our campsite sadly the southeast winds made the area less than attractive, but we made it work for us settling up the cars to form a nice wind-break. One of our members decided to head to Weipa to seek medical aid for an infected took foot. For the rest of us our day we relaxed by the beach, strolled along the foreshore, explored the many caves which become accessible at low tide, drove along the sand. For those keen fishermen amongst the group they were pleased to finally catch some fish while the kids took delight in building little homes for the numerous hermit crabs they’d found. As darkness came the wind persisted stopping us from having a campfire but we still took the opportunity to celebrate a group members birthday with cake.
Tuesday saw us moving again. Retracing our steps back to the PDR we continued further south over countless corrugations and dust to the Bramwell Roadhouse, returning to this place felt like we’d completed a big loop as we’d been here a week or so earlier. The need to refuel at $2.05/ltr hurt but was necessary if we wanted to continue seeing this amazing area. Pressing on we’d soon arrived at the Old Morten Telegraph Station which in its day was an integral link in communications heading north/south using Morse Code. We enjoyed the homestead hospitality while checking out the history and photos of recent floods that devastated the area. A short distance down the track we turned off for our next adventure, the "Frenchman’s Track" which in itself is an adventure but in reality, is a shortcut to Chilli Beach. The track, at times was very rough with us soon dropping down the steep descent into the Wenlock River where we took advantage of the perfect river conditions to swim and play for the next hour. Back on the track we encountered a couple more waterholes and steep climbs before reaching the Pascoe River. It was here the recent wet season had caused significant track damage resulting in the track being close up until recently. The entry and exit to the river were steep and rough with the water level in the river being up towards the bonnet level again. We were soon across safely and, on our way. Too our surprise our injured member was waiting for a few kilometres down the road, having had a 2cm palm spike removed from his foot. With time getting away from us after what was a big day we eventually arrived at Chilli Beach. Sadly the winds had persisted along the coast but camping in a little more protected area we were able to enjoy the spoils of a campfire in the night.
Wednesday was all about chilling at Chilli beach, we had a bit of sleep-in before having morning coffee on the beach. Most of us spent the morning either doing minor maintenance jobs, relaxing by the camp or on the beach. The kids had taken a few shovels down to the beach and started digging out a beach fire pit for us, while a few adults tried our luck getting coconuts from the countless palm trees that littered the beach, we even attempted to scale the trees Fijian style. After lunch and with the tide running out we took the kids for a bit of beach driving before going out to explore the surrounding area. We found a local selling cooked prawns so we grabbed some before returning to camp. Regrettably the wind had not abated but that didn’t stop us from spending a couple of hours around our beach firepit devouring prawns and bourbon on the beach. After dinner we enjoyed another campfire, telling tales, sipping port and reminiscing at what had been a lovely day at Chilli Beach.
Thursday saw us on the road again heading back towards the PDR, but not before we detoured via the aboriginal community of Lockhart River, this was certainly an interesting excursion highlighting the multicultural lifestyle of others. The road heading back to the PDR was good and we made good time and speed along the dirt road, however as we re-grouped at the PDR road junction car troubles struck the group. One car simply wouldn’t re-start again, after a bit of diagnosing we decided to push-start it and head into the Archer River Roadhouse for further investigation. We opted to have lunch at the roadhouse and while sitting at lunch we got to witness farm life at its rawest, sadly a lame bull had to be put down in eye-shot of the roadhouse. With a band-aid fix done on the car and a swim in the nearby river we kept motoring south towards Coen. Once in Coen we grabbed some fuel and basic supplies before having a drink at the local. We’d spied a good campsite as we drove into town so after enjoying refreshments we headed out to camp by the river. Once setup the kids swam, the guys threw a line in the river before we enjoyed jaffles in the campfire.
Friday dawned with beautiful sunny views over the river. After packing up we were on the road again. It was some 250km to Laura but who would have known that shortish distance would take us most of the day. The PDR was as rough as we’d experienced. Once again, the corrugations generated noises in the car which had us 2nd guessing whether the car was self-destructing. For some of the group car issues were a reality, at Musgrave we pulled an alternator out of one car while another car continued to have starter motor issues. Our roadside mechanical repairs took us up till lunchtime. After lunch we were back on the road heading south, the PDR was still an adventure, the bull dust coupled with corrugations and oncoming road-trains had us at reduced speeds much of the time. Just when we thought it’d be an easy run into Laura car problems presented themselves again. The car with starter motor issues yesterday simply conked out mid-road. Further investigations and a short tow to the nearest roadhouse saw us doing more repairs. By late afternoon we’d finally arrived in Laura having done that 250km, sadly another car had succumbed to car troubles, the PDR had claimed another casualty with a car battery rattled itself to pieces and dropped a cell. With it late in the day we wanted to press on, starting our next offroad adventure along the Old Coach Rd towards the Palmer Goldfields. With dusk nearing we got a couple of hours down this renowned rough track before finding a suitable spot to camp for the night. As we setup camp we reflected on how fun the track had been so-far. The terrain was challenging, technical in spots and at various times there were great views across the ranges. After a long day in the saddle it was so good to sit and relax by the fire, watching the stars and the serenity of being in the bush.
Saturday had us excited about what the Old Coach Rd had install for us, as the morning unfolded the track didn’t disappoint. There were steep rocky climbs, creek washouts, wombat holes that had us on 2 wheels at times, off chamber sections that had us flipping ‘n’ flopping through weird angles plus more of the great scenery. The closer we got to Maytown the remnants of yesteryears gold lifestyle were unveiled. We found old stampers, boilers and abandon mineshafts scattered across the countryside. Coupled with the old, was the new, we found a handful of operating mines where people were hard at it trying to make their riches from the minerals which lie beneath. Once in the historic township of Maytown the size of "what once was" hit home. Only the cobbled gutters and a few house piers remained but once where a building stood now a plaque identified the numerous shops and multiple pubs that stood on site back in the 1880’s when over 18000 people lived in Maytown. We had lunch at the nearby Palmer River before heading towards our next campsite. The road out of Maytown weaved its way over the ranges and at times felt like we were riding a rollercoaster as it twisted and turned. The day wasn’t without more car issues but nothing that couldn’t be fixed beside the dirt road. By mid-afternoon we’d reached a main bitumen road, the sensation of driving on a smooth black road felt strange after so many kilometres on dirt. Late in the day we arrived back in Bloomfield, a familiar campground for us as we’d stayed here on our way to the tip. Week 4 had concluded with some amazing highs, a few car problems for us to deal with once we were back in Cairns and a whole lot of dust and corrugations behind us.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Purposeful Meandering Atop Oz - Week 3

Sunday of week 3 started with a few of us booked into the local Weipa mine tour. The 3½ hr tour was very interesting and informative, we learned so much about the Weipa township, the impact Rio Tinto has played on Weipa, followed by look over the mining process of Bauxite. Returning to camp, the rest of my family had enjoyed a lazy morning catching up on some much-needed washing. After lunch we went out and did some further exploring. It was strange to see a town that actually closes down on Sundays. We checked out the ship loading facilities, the longest single lane bridge in Australia before returning to at some of the miner’s facilities. By days end we enjoyed a refreshing swim in the van park pool after a very hot 34deg day. Once again, the sun setting over the ocean was spectacular.
Monday dawned with us decided to stay another night at Weipa, instead of us packing up and heading out the peninsula, a decision that we’d later regret. By mid-morning we headed towards Mapoon to an Aboriginal community located on the Gulf of Carpentaria. After charging out the sights of the town we explored a few offshoots before driving to the beach oasis of the Pennefather River. We immediately regretted our decision to stay another night in Weipa, the beach setting where we enjoyed lunch was a beautiful spot and worthy of an overnight stay. We witnessed some turtle nests on the beach and an enjoyable swim in the shallows of the gulf. Pushing on, we wanted to see some old plane wrecks so we started trekking down the beach but with most of us pushing hard along the sand we opted pull the pin as some of our cars were overheating. Back in Weipa we enjoyed the last few hours of daylight with an extended happy-hour.
Tuesday was moving day, but not before we all got some last-minute supplies from Woolworths. Leaving the civilisation of Weipa we were quickly back on the dusty dirt roads, we managed a detour past the Botavia Downs cattle station before joining back on to the Development Road northbound. The main north/south road soon showed its true colours as parts of the road were heavily corrugated. We flew past a landmarks commenting that we’d seen them again on our return southwards. Just after lunch we arrived at Bramwell Station which was to be our overnight campsite. This working cattle station of over 300,000 acres opens its doors for travellers as a convenient rest stop offering dinner and showers. After setting up camp we headed to the beginning of the Old Telegraph track where we spent a few hours exploring the next days, options. Once back at camp we spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing around the cattle station. As night fell some of our group enjoyed a cattle station meal and entertainment while others mingled around our camp.
Reflecting on Wednesday, to date it’s been the best day of our adventure so far. The Old Telegraph track offered so much, it had a bit of everything for everyone. Starting at Bramwell Roadhouse we trekked along the single lane dusty track till we’d come across creek crossing. Dry or wet everyone of them was an adrenalin rush. Palm Creek had one of the steepest exits of the day and when 2 of the smallest cars in the group were able to climb the steep wall we had bragging rights over those bigger cars that struggled. After a few more dry crossings we e upon Delhunty River where we spent some time cooling off in the cool waters. Pushing further north there were numerous other crossings that challenged us all before we arrived at the infamous Gunshot. Those in the know have all heard of this place and the reputation it has amongst those who tackle the OTT. For 2 of our group the sheer rock face drop into the creek was in their sights. The near vertical wall requires an element of nerve because for much of the drop you have no control over the speed of entry but our 2 cars made it down successfully while the rest of us negotiated the challenging deeper water crossing. Pushing on there were more challenging creek crossings before we made it to Fruit Bat Falls. This spectacular low level falls spans a 50m wide river with plenty of opportunity for us to cool off in the water below the falls or directly under the thumping water. With more OTT to cover before days end we reluctantly pushed on. The Scrubby creek crossing offered one last highlight before we arrived at Elliot falls campground for our 2-night stay. After setting up in our respective campsites we enjoyed the atmosphere and dinner cooked on the open fire.
Thursday dawned early as I headed back the kilometres to Fruit Bat falls to capture the first light on the falls, unfortunately the light wasn’t spectacular but the early morning swim under the falls was beautiful. Returning to camp it wasn’t surprising to see the rest of my family were still in bed enjoying a lazy sleep-in. After a hearty breakfast we headed to the nearby waterfalls of Elliot and Twin falls where we jumped from the adjoining rock walls that dotted the waterfalls, we rumbled in the white-water before enjoying our float downstream on our pool noodles. The hectic pace and energy of the morning was too much for some us as a few of us needed a nana nap before returning later in the day for some more fun in the waterfalls. Our day ended with the whole group floating the creeks again, basking in what had been a beautiful day playing natures best natural features. As night fell we sat around the campfire toasting marshmallows, sipping port and reminiscing on how fun the past few days had been.
Friday was all about finishing the second half of the OTT, with most of the track done we only had 40km to go, but as the day unfolded it would be one of high impact. The last half dozen creek crossings were the most challenging and deepest of the whole Telegraph track. Steep drop-offs into the creeks, wombat holes that had us grabbing big air at times and water lapping at the bonnet were all too common. As the track neared its an end we had Logans and Nolans crossing to complete. Logans crossing depth was deep enough that we were waist deep in water as we inspected the right line to take, thankfully we all managed to negotiating creek successfully. Our last crossing was the treacherous Nolans Crossing. Rumour had that people count the number of times a car is drowned in the deep long crossing. Sure, enough as we arrived on the southern bank a plethora of people looked on from the northern bank, it felt like lambs to the slaughter. There were multiple lines to take across the creek, all with their own perils. Plenty of onlookers had an opinion of what line to take, of course they had the presence of hindsight as they sat and waited for our fate to unfold. Eventually we all picked our preferred line, we aired down our tyres and pre-prepared our cars with extra snatch straps in the event of a recovery. Our 2 biggest vehicles made it across easily, our 3rd vehicle wasn’t so lucky and had to be recovered. For us we chose a line that was deep but short and were lucky to drive out the other side without taking any water onboard. Thankfully the rest of our group also made it to the other side without taking on any water. However, the news wasn’t all good, our 3rd vehicle that had to be recovered had taken in a big gulp of water into the engine. We spent the following couple of hours pulling engine parts off trying to clear water from critical parts. Eventually with us not having a lot of success out in the bush we opted to tow the car 30km into Seisia where we were able to borrow some tools from a local mechanic and perfect the repairs needed. With daylight fading to hear the purr of a diesel start-up was music to our ears. Our evening culminated with an easy dinner and some NRL via the iphone.
Our last day of week 3 (Saturday) started very early for all of us, we were off to Thursday Island (TI) on the 7:45 ferry. Waiting at the dock we were enthralled by the locals as they fished from the high pier, some by regular fishing rods while a few used 6m hand spears very successfully. Our ferry weaved its way through the countless islands that litter the cape coastline and 80min later we were docked at Thursday Island. We’d arranged a local tour guide to show us around the small island which is steeped in war history. By lunch time we’d seen pretty much all of the island and were sitting Australia’s most northern pub for a counter lunch. Following lunch, we spent our last few hours on TI looking around the cultural centre and sheltering in the shade as the high temps and high humidity was getting a bit too much. Returning to the mainland many of the passengers grabbed 40 winks as the ferry rocked n rolled in the wind swell chop. By late afternoon we’d grabbed a few groceries to tie us over till our next major town. It was then time to relax as happy-hour and a spectacular sunset concluded a beautiful week in Cape York.