On the Road Again Perth Odessey 2010

Final Report

10/10/2010

Sorry that it has so long to get this final report on line, settling back into work life and catching up with 6 weeks work around the house and yes we have been away on the long weekend camping.

I said to Sheryle one night I wondered if anyone was actually reading this blog, I was shocked when I looked at the statistics, to date;

Australia   181

USA           30

Canada       16

UK               4

Brazil            3

India             3

Malta            2

Bangladesh    1

Peru              1

Total          241

I would like to thank those who have followed our trip and hope I was able to pass on the beauty of our country to not only our Australian friends but now obviously our international friends.  I strongly recommend should you travel to Australia and you enjoy rugged beauty that is raw, real and majestic then the Southern Coast of Australia between Cape Leeuwin in the west to Pt Augusta in the east must be on your itinerary.  I have been asked previously what was  the best part of our travels around Australia, well the simple answer is all of it, you cannot compare the beauty of tropical rain forest to simple beauty of a gibber desert where as far as the eye can see there is nothing but small round red rocks, not a tree nor a blade of grass, sitting atop Mt Beadel on the Gunbarrel Highway where apart from two wheel tracks coming and going nothing has changed from before the white man arrived in this country to see the Indian and Southern Oceans meet and the giants of the deep breed and play at the Head of The Bight and this is not mentioning the flora and fauna that is truly breathtaking, please come and play in my backyard as you will have fun and be personally enriched.

Jillah Rock Hole campsite

Our car is year 2000 GU Nissan Patrol with a 4.2 turbo charged diesel engine.  The only changes from standard are a 4 inch lift with Old Man Emu shockers and steering dampener and 1 ton rear springs along with a Smartbar Team Poly bull bar.  We were towing an Island Star Cheeta 16ft 6inch 1500kl caravan fitted with solar panels and batteries allowing us to be totally self sufficient.  Our running cost Adelaide Perth Adelaide;

Kilometers Traveled          7,547

Litres Use                        1368.97

Total Cost                     $1934.28

Cost per kl                          .2562

Kilometers per litre            5.51

Litres per 100 kl                 18.14      

Our Big Boy Thomas

On the baby Thomas front, all is well; Thomas is feeding well and growing with abundance now outgrowing his tiny clothing.  Again I thank you for following and  allowing me to transcribe our highs and lows to you and your prayers for Thomas and his mum and dad.  This has been my first blog and enjoyed writing it, I have learned so very much take care and keep the shiny side up.

Catch you next trip

John & Sheryle

On the Road Again Perth Odessey 2010

Day 43

16/9/2010

Our Misty

Well here we are home again after our 43 day sojourn; it is nice to be home with all our stuff about.  Caught up with  some of the grandchildren and picked up our dog Misty, she was happy to see us and could not get to the car quick enough, she has not let us out of her sight since, I think tomorrow we will be ready to take off again, how does that song go, dream, dream dream.

The trip was fantastic, I will be writing one more blog in a few days after I have completed some calculations, so please don’t hit the delete button yet, until then, play safe in your backyard.

Catch you tomorrow  

John & Sheryle

On the Road Again Perth Odessey 2010

Day 42

15/9/2010

The remains of the Pt Germein Jetty

Longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere

We are definitely on the homeward leg, it is becoming a custom that we spend our last night out at the Pt Wakefield Caravan Pk (34’11’155s  138’08’713e) where can have a good shower, clean clothes and a good pub meal.  This was all after leaving a restful Kimba on the West Coast, the trip through was uneventful, thankfully, with a break at Pt Augusta for coffee and a small walk with lunch being taken at Pt Germein then a walk along the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere, this was once 1,680 metres and had duel railway tracks running the full length.  During a storm one night 120 metres was blown away leaving now a length of 1,560 metres in each direction, which was our walk for the day.

Pt WakefieldC P

Thomas front; doing very well and still putting on weight and now getting little rolls of fat in the legs.

The weather was fine until half way between Pt Augusta and Pt Pirie where it started patchy rain the bright sunlight, outside temperature about 18 degrees.

Catch you tomorrow  

John & Sheryle

On the Road Again Perth Odessey 2010

Day 41

14/9/2010

After a restful night and pleasant drive into Ceduna this morning passing through the quarantine station was a bit of a joke, although we had nothing on board that should be declared nothing was checked apart from a cursory look in the fridge, I opened the back door of the car to show 2 fridges and this went un-noticed, we felt this was poor and we could have concealed any amount of contraband.

Lions Pk Kimba

Continuing through with our goal for the night at Kimba, our day was quite uneventful.  On arriving at The Gums Rest Area and being the first there by about two minutes we selected what appeared to be a good spot, parked the car and into IGA for some last minute groceries then into the Big Galah for another look having been there on the way to Perth.  Talking to the lass in the shop and stating we were staying the night at the Gums she asked if we minded her showing us a quieter place in town, now obviously we said no we would rather stay on the noisy road with the grain trains rolling past our bed all night, like heck.  At the back of town is a Lions Pk (33’08’305s  136’24’984e) that is also a free camp area for a gold coin donation to the Lions Club, yes here we are.

Made contact with all our children today and checked on all our beautiful grandchildren, we miss them so very much and will be great to see them.   Brett said that Thomas is settling in very well and putting on 100grs per day, this is so good to hear, Mary is also settling in with the help of her mother Judy.  On the trip to Christmas Island not one little cry from Thomas, but Brett, OH! Just joking.

Weather report:  intermittent showers d and rain all day, sunny periods then the cloud would come with showers then sunny again, this did make for tiring driving, and however, we did make it in the end.

Catch you tomorrow  

John & Sheryle

On the Road Again Perth Odessey 2010

Day 40

13/9/2010

A lazy mum

After writing the blog last night I went out for a small walk, the sky was alight with the most beautiful 10 billion stars, well that’s all I could count before I missed count and didn’t want to start again, not a cloud in sight and no wind, wow.

Arriving at the Bight about 9-45am it was don warm clothing as it was windy and cool, to say cold would be an exaggeration, but it was cool enough to be rugged up out of the wind.  Today’s count of whales in the Bight was 52, now this is not the number we could see, however, mums and calves we counted about 30.  Some of the calves would not stray too far from mum and kept nuzzling and touching, the sign said that these were newly born babies; others were playing with each other then return to their respective mothers then off again.  To see these giants and baby giants of the sea playing, rolling over, flippers out of the water, tails out, heads up, twisting this way then that again truly a privilege to be able to see these wild animals being so natural in such a setting.

The kids are playing

The rugged coastline of cliff faces 100 metres high at the least in one direction, in the other direction was sparkling white sand dunes equally as high, these stretched for kilometers.  The viewing platform to see the whales is a zig zag board walk that has been built out over the very steep sloping embankment leading to the edge of the cliff top, this allows visitors to see unimpeded the action bellow.  For us today there were two white calves, one newly born the other a little older, again the sign stated about 2% of all calves born are white at birth, we were so blessed.

What a view of the edge of Australia

Still no news on the Thomas front, we will be in Ceduna in the morning and will try to contact Brett then if not too early as Christmas Island is 2 1/2hrs behind SA time.

With only two night left for our camping holiday we are making the most of it, Elsie works well.

Weather report:  cool but sunny day about 18 degrees.  Tonight we are camped at Cohen East Rest Area (31’51’665s   132’51’879e) not a bad spot not too close to the road but we must remember we are back in SA and they want all travelers to stay in caravan parks, there are three other vans camped with us tonight.

Catch you tomorrow  

John & Sheryle

On the Road Again Perth Odessey 2010

Day 38

12/9/2010

Koonalda Homestead

Where do we start, so much to talk about today.  An early start , well we were on the road by 8-45am and that is really good for us, stopped at Eucla and sent off the blog as this is the first time we have had coverage since leaving Norsman, it was too early to ring Brett and check on the Thomas front, we pray that all things are going well.

We were heading for Koonalda Homestead (31’27’368s  129’51’521e) in the Nularbor Nation Pk, this was once a working sheep station and refueling point on the Original Eyre Highway, today, the homestead is owned by the National Pk and appears to be slowly being renovated.  It is open for travelers to stop over and camp; this was our plan, what I had been told coupled with what I had read it was a 14kl dirt road leading off the new Eyre Highway.  Well, the first 5kl is exposed rock and extremely rough, the following 9kl is brown clay that when wet turns immediately to mush also was full of pot holes with a number of water crossings (most people call them large puddles but us 4x4 people use the term water crossing), it took us an hour to drive the 14kl.  We set up camp, had lunch then went for a walk, this place is fantastic, if ever in the area take the time and have a look.  The homestead and shearers quarters have been built out of railway sleepers, the rafters for the verandah are railway iron, the doors and windows were from the original telegraph station at Eucla, inside there are still some beds, not for me thanks, the wood stove is there although not working, large bathroom, kitchen, all bedrooms are larger than standard double bedroom, loo out on the veranda next to the laundry.  All power was generated on the property via a diesel generator.

Sheryle serving petrol at the servo

 As part of the station business was supplying fuel to the travelling public, a single electric bowser with in ground tank is still there although not in a suitable working condition, Sheryle thought we were back in the servo and wanted to serve petrol. Moments of thought by Sheryle; it would be a high probability that very dear friends of ours Bob & Clare Clark would have stopped at this very pump on their two crossings of the Nularbor in about 1970 and 1974, this bought a special meaning to us being here now. 

Across from the servo was the shearers quarters, this is where most people stay, there is a new water tank and a working fireplace, there still needs to be a lot of work done, something that maybe the 4x4 association could take up with the National Pk.  The shearing shed was great, the homestead was vacated in 1988 yet you can still smell the sheep and lanolin from the wool, the timbers are still smooth, on walking in one would think it was still in use except there are no tools, sheep,dogs and people.

Clay Dam Cave

There is not one but two grave yards of cars that failed to make the journey across the Nularbor, they have been picked clean years ago most likely to help others complete their journey.   Not only cars but trucks also, the tray of an old wind up tipper truck, this reminded me of the one my father had back in the 50’s and it was a real gut buster to wind when it was full, trust me.

Clouds before the storm

Looking westward we could see a storm brewing, thunder and lightning in the distance, we felt we must make an early decision either stay and take our chances on getting out tomorrow or leave now while we know we can get out albeit slowly, the latter was our decision.  Once on the rocky ground at the 5kl mark we started looking for a camp spot, a nice clearing was selected (31’33’580s  129’54’108e), again make camp and hang out some washing, this is just too good.  After a coffee it was walk time, looking at the clouds build up in the west and hearing the thunder with the sheet lightning we continued our walk, turned a corner and there in front of us was this humungous hole in the ground, we had walked upon Clay Dam Cave, OH boy, this was great even took our mind off the storm, the perimeter circumference about 100 metres, depth 50 metres, what a hole in the ground, many photos were taken.  On returning to camp it was decided that we turn the car & van around so as we could have the car on rock for a take off if need be.  The rain came, within 2 minutes it was hang on Sheryle I am moving the car NOW,  within this 2 minutes the ground was slosh to walk on, we are currently camping on the rocky road, camp 3 for tonight.

Storm clouds with the sun to the north

The cloud formation as the storm was moving in was incredibly  magnificent, this band of blue, black and grey cloud some smooth rounded longitudinal looking while just behind swirling black with other sections grey puffy, at the northern end bright sunlight and blue sky, such a privilege to be in a position to see such a sight, again many photos.  When we first made camp 2 there was a strong wind from the north east, then there was a complete drop in the wind and quite still almost eerie, the storm was in the west and a distance from us, the wind came up again from the west although not strong but in came the clouds the large front passed then the rain came, our decision to move a) from the homestead and b) from camp 2 was certainly the correct move.

Tomorrow, off to the Head of the Bight to see the whales, we have been told there is a white calf there at the moment.

Catch you tomorrow  

John & Sheryle

On the Road Again Perth Odessey 2010

Day 37

11/9/2010

Still at Jillah Rockhole

Today has been a rest day at our 50 billion star resort, Jillah Rockhole Rest Area,  and that is exactly what we did, slept, pottered, ate, drank, tendered our fire, collected more fire wood, had the most tremendously tasty camp oven cooked Ozo Bucco, walked and talked. 

Reminiscing on highlights of our trip so far, taking out the obvious, Thomas, for Sheryle’s top 3:    The Valley of the Giants tree top walk& Emperors walk , the whales at Albany and our camp here today; for me:    The Valley of the Giants tree top walk & Emperors walk, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse and  travelling the Nularbor including our rest day here. 

We have discussed the set up in our van, what has and has not worked for us and changes to be made before our next trip.  In the main everything has worked well, however, the 3 way fridge is going and will be replaced with a compressor fridge; at this point in time the Invitri Frigo is what we are thinking of as the compressor is separate and gives an extra 30 litre capacity for the same size as other fridges.  A new drop down leg for the large draw in the tunnel boot, the instillation of Holland blinds at the windows, 12v outlets by my side of the bed so as there will be no need to have an extension cord at night, and continuing to think over the electric bikes and how we could mount these on the van. 

We have found the van to be extremely comfortable and roomy, we have looked at what we are carrying and what has and has not been used, only the turbo oven has not been used to date, items added while away, an electric fry pan and pie maker; the fry pan  was always to be included just had not got around to getting one, the pie maker, well now we have 2, this is not a bad thing as when we are home we make a swag of pies at one time and this will halve the time spent in the kitchen.

The van tows like a dream, Tom Oltoff???on the spelling, an engineer and specialist writer for Caravan World for many years has stated it does not matter what you are towing “a brick is a brick” size and weight have little baring if you have your weight distribution balanced, “a brick is a brick”, this I find is correct the fuel consumption between towing our 25ft,  2,600kg unladen Regent and 16ft 6in 1,600kl Island Star, the main difference is take off and hills, once rolling on the flat there is little difference.

Catch you tomorrow  

John & Sheryle