Geraldton to Contos Field

Wednesday 14 August – Geraldton to Cervantes and Nambung NP (The Pinnacles)

Morning tea stop on the way to Cervantes

Leaving Geraldton, we headed south keeping as close to the coastline as possible.  We checked in to our caravan park at Cervantes and, given the weather was quite good in the afternoon and forecast to deteriorate tomorrow, we headed out to Nambung NP to see the unique Pinnacles.   We started off by doing the 1.5 klm walking track and then drove the 4.5 klm driving track to make the most of this extensive desert of naturally occurring standing stones.

The Pinnacles started life some 500,000 years ago when shells broke down to form fine-grained sand rich in calcium carbonate (lime). This lime then mixed with quartz sand and was then blown into sand dunes. After that no one really knows how they formed.  The theory I like is that rain leached the lime into lower layers of sand forming the limestone thingies we see today.  Today the thingies are called Pinnacles and are found over an extensive area even down into the ocean nearby.

National Parks have done a great job with a new Discovery Centre showcasing the area’s history, flora and fauna, walkways and road system to give visitors like us a good understanding and access to these quite unique rock formations.

Thursday 15 August – Day 2 Cervantes and Nambung NP (Thetis Lake) and Hansen Lookout

The weather slowly deteriorated all day.  The wind and showers picked up overnight warranting the awning to be rolled up and everything to be packed away.  We were up and away early to make the most of the morning’s relatively good weather and to see the remaining sights around Cervantes. 

Hansen Lookout

We drove to the northern end of Nambung NP to climb to Hansen Lookout for Cervantes, ocean and reef views followed by a walk around Thetis Lake to view some more stromatolites and their relatives, the thrombolites.  The lake is 1.5 times saltier than the nearby ocean and is ideal for the survival and growth of these living rocks.  After fruitlessly searching for a decent place to have lunch in Cervantes we fuelled up the car in preparation for tomorrow’s travels and headed home to have a nice homemade lunch.

Stromatolites and thrombolites - Lake Thetis Walk - Cervantes

As forecast, the weather deteriorated during the afternoon with the showers and wind picking up and the temperature falling dramatically.  With 55 klm winds and frequent showers, like everyone else in the van park, we spent the afternoon relaxing in the caravan as it was constantly buffeted by the winds.  The seas were 5.4 metres high and the ocean was wild and covered in whitecaps.  Around midnight everything outside started to settle down allowing for a better sleep.

Friday 16 August – Cervantes to New Norcia

An Abbey Ale with lunch

Heading east south-east away from the coast and the strong south-west winds we enjoyed a pleasant rural drive, including an unexpected 20 klm of muddy dirt road, before reaching the Benedictine Community of New Norcia, founded by the Benedictine Monks in 1847.  Julie had read about this rather unique little town in a caravan magazine articles and we thought why not pay the remaining nine monks a visit. We set up camp in the Abbey cricket owned field for $7 per night. For that you get to camp on the Abbey owned field and nothing else.  After setting up we walked across the Abbey road to the Abbey Pub and sat on the balcony of the Abbey owned New Norcia Hotel, drank the Abbey Ale and had a good Abbey lunch.  This was followed by a 2 hour guided tour of the community which included the four old boarding schools that had been effectively segregated by gender and race having opened in the early 1900s until closing in the mid to late 1900s.    The Spanish influence in the architecture and artwork is very strong.

One of the Abbey's chapels.

Returning back to the van in the middle of the Abbey owned field around 4pm we sat on the lee side of the van out of the biting wind to enjoy a coffee while we watched the sun and the temperature go down.  When they had gone down enough, we had had enough and went inside into the relative warmth of the van. 

We both enjoyed our little detour into this rather unique and picturesque part of Australia.

Saturday 17 August – New Norcia to Perth

Travelling to Perth via Toodyay we planned to spend a couple of hours here.  On arrival we were greeted with the full blown Western Australia TARGA Rally.  Obviously being the slowest vehicle in town, we navigated the detours and passed the quaint little coffee shops we had earlier dreamed of stopping at only to spend a little time at the local tourist Information stop on the outskirts of town that made no mention of the fact not to visit Toodyay on the 17 August 2013 due to the TARGA Rally!

Our next planned target was the pretty caravan park of Karrinyup Van Park.  Phoning ahead they confirmed there was no TARGA International Car Rally being held in the van park.  After checking in we drove down the back to look for Glen.  There was Glen in his 6 seater golf buggy waiting for us beside the pretty lake filled with ducks and other water birds that, at the time, held no interest whatsoever for us as we were still traumatised by the disappointment of arriving in Toodyay and not being able to stop there.  Glen showed us around in his little golf buggy pointing out the highlights of the van park – “To your left is a toilet block, just a little further on the right is another one, and there is a Camp Kitchen, the Dump Point”.  We chose a lovely site overlooking a small local lake filled with water birds and no rally cars.

View from our van, Perth

Sunday 18 August – Day 2 Perth

Almost 12 months ago we boarded the boat in Amsterdam to travel via the Rhine and other rivers through Europe to Budapest.  On this wonderful trip we met many interesting people some of whom  we, over time, became friends with.  Two of those people were Joan and Ken from Donnybrook south of Perth.  Julie sent them an email from New Norcia saying we were in town and we were hoping to catch up with them.  As fortune would have it Joan and Ken were up from Donnybrook staying in their seaside house in Rockingham, about an hour south of Perth.  So the day was planned - we caught up with Joan and Ken for a long and enjoyable lunch at a restaurant on the water’s edge at Rockingham, followed by a couple of hours at King’s Park in the centre of Perth and then a couple of hours with Julie’s cousin Tania and her husband Damon and two delightful children Romy & Bram.  Today was just one of those great days where you catch up with lovely friends and relatives and just wish it would never end.

King's Park - Perth

Monday 19 August – Day 3 Perth

Monday and all the shops are open.  Julie hasn’t had a haircut since Darwin so it’s on.  An appointment is made at a local hairdresser about 5 klm away.  I’m am looking forward to a bit of boy time around the van.  To no avail, I have to print out some documents for Julie after she is dropped off to have her golden locks shortened.  No problems I think to myself – a quick trip to the local library, print off the document from the USB stick and back home to the van to do some maintenance and to sit in the sun and read the local news to find out how the TARGA-bloody-Car Rally went –as if I really cared!  To find out more about how this all went, see Tips for Caravanning at the end of this blog.

Tuesday 20 August – Day 4 Perth

We decided to stay a 4^th night in Perth as we had not been to Freemantle and its historic precinct.  The day was lovely and the traffic had thinned out enough for us to enjoy the drive.  First on our agenda was to vote in the upcoming Federal election given today is the first day that early voters can do so.  Parking the car we set off through the city centre to an address in a shopping centre for an early voting centre.  We found shop No. 5 but it was a derelict, empty, heavily bolted shut, shopfront beside an adult entertainment shop – which really represents what voting in this Federal election is all about, like buying something in an adult entertainment shop, no matter what you choose someone is going to get scre…ed.

Freemantle Prison

Gallows

Freemantle Prison was our next target and to our delight it was open.  We did a very interesting 1.15 hour tour of the prison that started its life as a prison for convicts and then for regular prisoners only to be closed down as recently as 1991.  The tiny 4 foot by 7 foot prison cells were still there.  In later years two cells were combined into one as it was believed to be too inhumane to keep someone locked up for 18 hours a day in such a small space. This kind thought was often overlooked as the prison became crowded and two prisoners were housed in one cell.  The tour took us through the admissions area (where I was chosen to demonstrate the “bend over and think of England” position each prisoner had to master before they could be admitted), kitchens, solitary confinement, the lashing post and the gallows (where 40 plus people were hung). 

Solitary Cell

Cell 4 foot by 7 foot

The prison never had heating or cooling, sanitation or running water to any of the cells.  Cell temperatures would fluctuate from near freezing in winter to 48-50 degrees in summer.

Inmate wall painting

Freemantle Prison cell block

Lunch was at Little Creatures micro-brewery on the waterfront where we had a pleasant lunch washed down by a large Little Creatures pilsner.

On our way home we dropped into another early voting centre on the outskirts of Perth that was open and had literally just received the relevant voting papers for our electorate in Queensland.  We have now voted, so if anyone wants to know the answers we can help you with them.

Wednesday 21 August – Perth to Wellington NP and Honeymoon Pool

Honeymoon Pool - Campsite (old No 13) from 1997

We were both up for a bush camp if for no other reason than to have a break from caravan parks.  South-west of Perth is Wellington Dam NP and a bush camp called Potters Gorge on the banks of the dam.  After setting and before lighting the fire we headed off to see the sights in the region.  Of particular interest to me was a visit to Honeymoon Pool, Site No 13, where I camped 16 years earlier.  Unfortunately caravans are not allowed here anymore as the campsites are too tight.  Site No. 13 is now closed down but still there.  This was a great site in its time as it is located on a little promontory that juts out into the mountain stream.

Returning to camp, we carried armfuls of provided firewood to our fireplace.  Roast veggies in the camp oven were on the provisional menu.  As it turned out, the provided firewood should be ready to burn sometime in October I would think.  Until then, no matter what is tried, it will not burn as it is so green and oily! 

Julie tending the fire - view from van

That is how the National Parks make the firewood last so long. As a consequence, I went for a little drive with my bush saw and was able to find a nice deadwood sapling which I cut up and put on the rack on top of the car.  Whilst the veggies were safe for another night we had a lovely evening around the fire.  By chance, we were the only ones here with no one  within at least a 7 klm radius – Julie was a little on edge about that so while she stood guard all night while I slept like a baby.

Next morning we walked along the banks of the Wellington Dam before heading off.

Wellington Dam walk

Thursday 22 August – Wellington NP to Busselton via Donnybrook

Today’s target is Busselton but on the way we travelled via Donnybrook to again catch up with Ken and Joan on their lovely property.  We stayed for morning tea and enjoyed their company and Joan’s fresh scones right out of the oven – beautiful.  Again it was great catching up with them.  We said our goodbyes and drove to Busselton to set up for a couple of nights. 

Busselton is a pretty seaside resort town.  For us it was a very pleasant surprise to come across a good location with hardly anyone there.  It is still off season and the place is comparatively deserted.  We walked the foreshore but had to return to the van as my right knee is a bit sore at the moment.  I told some old bloke standing on the shoreline all by himself, about my knee but he was unmoved.

Friday 23 August – Day 2 Busselton

Today was about exploring the region without the caravan in tow.  We travelled to Dunsborough for morning tea.  Dunsborough is also very pretty with lovely beaches and quite a vibrant feel about it. 

We then headed to Cape Naturaliste lighthouse and did the national park headland walk and saw a few whales in the distance. 

A bit further south from here is Yallingup with its many surf beaches and some of the best surf breaks in the world. 

We travelled further south along the coast to Canal Rocks and sat on the headland and walked the boardwalks while the huge surf pounded the coast.  Lunch today was at a Margaret River winery – Swings and Roundabouts.  We had an ‘authentic Italian pizza’ and sampled their wines.  Julie felt that the local wines were good enough to warrant further sampling so a dozen were loaded into the back of the car.

Saturday 24 August – Busselton to Contos Field Campground, Leeuwin-Naturaliste NP

We saw an advertisement in the caravan park laundry seeking someone to babysit a house and Jack Russell dog for four weeks.  Busselton is really pretty and we thought long and hard about the opportunity to spend some extra time in the area.  In the end we decided maybe next time we are over here.  So we packed up to start heading south again towards Augusta. Travelling via the town of Margaret River we stopped for morning tea at the Cave Centre then headed into our National Parks  campground at Contos Field. 

Contos Filed campsite

Roast veggies in the camp oven tonight

The region is now well wooded with lovely rolling hills covered in vineyards, dairy cattle and dams and streams filled to the brim from all the recent rains.  The weather has become very cold and, combined with the showery weather, it reminds us a lot of the UK.  

Given the ordinary weather there are comparatively very few travellers around these parts. Being a weekend we expected the campground to be busy. Tonight we had a couple of one-nighters nearby and the place to ourselves the next night.  With better firewood and a sunny afternoon we cooked up roast veggies for dinner in the camp over.

We walked a very small part of the Coast to Coast track.

View on our Coast to Coast walk

These white lilies grow everywhere

Sunday 25 August – Day 2 Contos Field,  Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park

Boranup Drive

Rain developed overnight and we woke to a cold, wet and showery day.  We jumped in the car, turned on the climate control, seat warmers, windscreen wipers, headlights and pulled back the sunroof cover to enjoy the picturesque Boranup Drive through 100 year old regrowth Karri forests.  Karri is the third tallest tree in the world  reaching a height of 60 metres or more.

We called in to the pretty seaside village of Hamelin Bay and watched a pod of dolphins surfing past where were stopped.

Then on we went to the township of Augusta.  Nine klm from the township is the 116 year old Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse,

Clever photo hey?

Calcified Waterwheel

the tallest on mainland Australia where the waters of the Indian Ocean meet the waters of the Great Southern Ocean. Of interest was the old Water Wheel constructed in 1895 during the building of the lighthouse to tap a spring to provide fresh water for the workers.  The Water Wheel has turned to stone over the years.

Jewel Cave -  Straw stalactites

There are 100's of limestone caves in this region with three of them open to the public. 

Jewel Cave was our cave of choice because it was nearby when the rain came in again. It is Australia’s largest tourist cave and has one of the world’s longest straw stalactites at 5.43 metres in length – apparently it’s the third longest in the world. 

Jewel Cave

The coastline near Contos Field has many beaches all of which we explored on the way home. The car was so warm and comfortable compared to camp so we maximised our time out and about.  The surf remained huge and for ages we sat mesmerised as the huge swells pounded the coastline.

Returning back to camp we locked ourselves in the van for the night as the rain came down and the wind howled in the trees above us.

We have now been travelling, on this trip, for 18 weeks.  We have travelled around 18000 klm's and the car has been faultless and the van nearly the same, except for the washing machine episode in Broome which was our fault.

I'll end this Post here as it is now been a while since my previous one.  Next episode we enter big timber country, with wild weather and rain.

Hope you enjoy the read.

Jeffn'Julie

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Tips for Caravaning (continued)

How to Print a Document (6 pages) on the road.

Background:

We were in Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, in the middle of a resources boom, I had just dropped Julie off at the hairdressers and I was given the task to print out a 6 page document from a USB stick before I could return to the van to soak up the winter sun overlooking our lovely lake views in Perth.

How to:

We have an Ultrabook and a Telstra 4G wifi gadget that work well for us on the road.  The document was downloaded onto a USB stick from a website and all that was needed was a quick visit to a local library to print it out.

Using the Ultrabook and Telstra 4G thingy I identified a local library 500 metres from Julie's hairdresser - too easy - Perth is a boom State with resources everywhere.  I arrived at the library just one minute from where I dropped Julie off to get her golden locks made more golden – the idea of sitting under the awning of the caravan soaking up the sun very clear in my mind.  

Arriving at the entrance to the library I came across 78 primary school children queued up outside on an excursion, excited to be meeting a local author of 40 or more children’s books. Pushing several kids to the ground while their teachers and parents weren’t watching I was able to get to the front of the queue.  The automatic doors opened for me and I’m in!  Racing to the counter with my USB extended I quickly explain to the librarian with the Coke-bottle glasses that all I want to do is to print 6 pages of a simple document for my favourite wife currently undergoing a golden follicle treatment. 

Giving ID to print out document

“Are you a member?”  What are you talking about – I’m here from Queensland how could I be a member – I think to myself.  “No?”  "Give me some ID and I’ll make you a member - no cost”.  Handing over my Driver’s Licence, Medicare Card, Visa Card, RACQ Card, Blood sample, IUD, and a $50 note (I don't know where that came from, it must be yours?) I hoped that I had enough points to qualify for a Library Card.  I filled in Form No 45.67-AXVT-34-&^% in triplicate, signed it three times, provided both a stool and urine sample followed by another blood sample.  “Mmmmmm – yep looks all in order, but I'm worried about your sugar levels.  Here's a referral for another blood test” says the Coke-bottled-eyed trainee librarian.  Trainee Librarian!!!!! ….. Bloody Hell!  “I'll enter everything in the computer and get "The Librarian" to check everything and then she can authorise the Library Card so you can print off your document.  “Sounds good” I say biting through my lower lip while somehow keeping a smile on my face.

Meanwhile the 78 school kids have filed in and "The Librarian" is busy taking photos to mark this monumental event in the Libraries history.  All I can pray for is that Kevin Rudd isn't going to arrive and give me a Gonski!  All I want is to print out 6 pages, black and white, before Julie has had her golden locks recoloured. 

"The librarian", fresh from photographing this monumental event with 78 kids, checks everything and approves the library card – YES!!!!.  The trainee then carefully pushes the “print” button and just like has happened 1000’s of times before, the little printer spits out a library card with my name on it, including a bar code!  “My goodness!” I exclaim, so easy as I am gleefully handed my own library card.  “My goodness” I think to myself, “what has this got to do with printing a 6 page document”?

Biting what is left of my tongue I ask “So where do I go to print off my document?”  “I’ll just register you onto the only computer in this well resourced library that allows you to print off a document, you will need to give me $1.40 for internet access (but I don't need internet access, I have a USB) and 15c per page …..  oh it’s in use and booked up for the next hour.”  “WHAT!!!!” I say in a soft and controlled voice.  “If you like I can book you for an hour later this afternoon….”  

That's a good idea I think to myself - I can pick Julie up, drop her back at the van so she can sit in the sun and look at the lovely lake views.  Then I can drive the 9 klm back to the library, log into the internet, for no reason at all, print my six pages and drive back to the van just as the sun sets and it is time to go inside because Julie is so sunburnt!  I am tempted to insert the USB somewhere opportune but refrain myself as there are 78 little witnesses sitting on the floor in front of me.  With my brand new useless library card in my hand I leave the library saying USB, USB, USB over and over.

I ended up going to Office Works 8klm away, paying $2 for a preloaded card and spending  just $0.48c from it to print off the document.  One hour and 36 minutes later I left for home appreciating the fact that I'm retired but still fully employed in a productive and rewarding lifestyle on the road.

As I park the car, turn on the kettle to make a cup of coffee, my mobile phone rings and it's Julie ready to be picked up from the hairdressers.  Out I go again, pick up Julie and return her home with the 6 pages carefully laid out on the table.  “Oh … thanks, did you have a good day” is all I get for my days hard labour.