Australia here we come!

14/6/12

Today was to be an easy day of not going anywhere. Mary-Anne cooked scones and we had them about 11am with jam and cream. Jim the Caretaker was invited but he failed to show when we started eating. Fortunately we saved him some and sure enough he turned up at 11.30am. He mustn't have had any for a while as it was like a shark feeding frenzy with bits of scone flying everywhere as he demolished what was on his plate. He stayed and chatted until about 1.30pm then left on his 4 wheeler. I tried to update the blog and the girls had a lazy afternoon.

15/6/12

Today we were booked in for a tour of the Port facility and iron ore loading operation at Cape Lambert. We arrived at the Roebourne Visitor Information Centre at 9.10am and viewed a promotional video produced by the Josef Gobbles of Rio Tinto. What a great company it is we though after watching the brain washing video. Then we boarded the bus and set off with a tour of Roebourne before we set off for Cape Lambert. The operation at Cape Lambert is massive. There are two kilometre trains being unloaded 24 hours a day. We watched a few carriages being tipped upside down to unload the iron ore. The unloading process and the loading of ships with the ore is totally automated from a control centre in Perth. Unbelievable!!!! Then we ventured up a steep hill from where we could view the whole operation from above. We could see the ships berthed at the wharf, 4 at a time and the ships waiting out to sea for their turn. We were taken on a drive under the conveyer belt gantries to a vantage point closer the the acutal wharf. It is the longest and highest wharf in Australia. It juts out to sea 1.3kms. We left the Cape Lambert loading facility and we were taken on a drive through Wickham, where most of the Cape Lambert workers live and play. Then it was on to Cossack and lunch. We had prepaid our lunch and it was waiting for us. We dined at the rear of the old Customs House building in a nice shaded court yard. After lunch we had time to have a quick look around which suited us because we had seen everything a few days before. Then we were driven back to Roebourne with a running commentary by the driver all the way. She was very knowledgable about the area and the different plants growing in the Pilbra. At the Visitors Centre I filled all our portable water containers while Karen walked to the Post Office and posted a parcel. We made our way back to Cleaverville where a beer was waiting for me.

16/6/12

Today we took a drive to Karratha and Dampier. We left early and the reason for the early departure was accidently let slip on the way to Karratha. The girls had heard there were markets at Karratha and they somehow forgot to tell me. I wonder why? We found the Visitor Information Centre at Karratha on the way into town and stopped and had a look around. Then we drove into town and the girls found a Woolworths shopping centre. Guess what!! We had to stop and have a look around. It was still early and there weren't many shoppers so it was easy to have a look around. I spied Mary-Anne looking at videos in a Sanity Store and gave her my most scarey look. She knows why!!! We left and drove around town and finally found what could be called a beach if you ignored the mangroves. Karratha is a big town and the housing estates seem to go on for ever as we drove towards Dampier. Right at the entrance to Dampier is the Red Dog statue and information bay. We stopped and photographed the famous Red Dog. Then we had a quick drive around town and the girls were dismayed to find there was no large shopping centre. We did however find a lovely beach and had a walk around. The wind was blowing very strongly and it made the walk a little uncomfortable. The girls had been told about a great fish and chip shop near the beach and we went looking for it. We all bought chips to suppliment our lunch and then we found a neat park near the Red Dog statue to eat. After lunch we drove back to the Karratha Visitor Centre and filled water containers before heading back to Cleaverville.

17/6/12

Karen was up early to message Brett and Tara for their birthday. (They are husband and wife both born on the same day but 3 years apart.) The girls had a lazy morning watching videos and eating chocolate and biscuits while I prepared all the ingredients to cook my black iron pan potatoes. It was still pretty windy this morning but after lunch it died down a lot. The sun was shining and the solar panels had a grin from handle to handle. About 4pm the black iron pan potatoes were cooked to perfection and we feasted like Louisianna hillbillies. It was GUUUDD!!!!!!

18/6/12

Today is our last full day at Cleaverville. We planned to have another restful day and just enjoy the location. Had a BBQ for lunch. In the afternoon we all packed up as much as we could to enable us to get an early start in the morning.

19/6/12

We left Cleaverville at 8.50am and drove to Karratha. We found the Visitors Centre and filled up with water. Then the girls restocked the pantries at the shopping centre before we left. We stopped at an un-named truck stop for lunch and later stopped at the Fortescue Roadhouse and refuelled. We arrived at Robe River Rest Area about 2pm to find about 12 caravans already there. We had quick drive around and selected a good solar friendly spot and setup for the night. During the afternoon more caravans kept arriving. Karen did a count and there were 28 caravans and campers by nightfall. Two caravans parked behind us and blocked my afternoon sun. I was not impressed!!! After tea we engaged in star and satellite spotting until it was time for bed.

20/6/12

We woke to partly cloudy skies and eventually joined the mass exodus from the rest area and headed south towards Onslow. We stopped at the Visitor Information Centre and found out about the two caravan parks in town. We selected the Beadon Bay caravan park and were alloted two adjoining sites. Onsolw is at the start of a gas boom and the caravan park was filled with workers and their vehicles. New accomodation blocks were arriving daily and being setup in areas where powered caravan sites had once been. The result will be that in a short time it will be virtually impossible for travellers to find a powered site at Beadon Bay caravan park. In the afternoon Karen and I went for a walk over the sand dunes to find the beach. The lady at reception had told us the beach is just over the sand dunes. What she didn't happen to tell us was that the sand dunes were about 500 metres wide behind the caravan park. We couldn't find a camel to cross the dunes on so we took the path at the back fence and headed towards a creek at the side of the caravan park. We discovered that the creek is quite large and that it was the mooring point for 3 large tour boats. We walked towards the mouth of the creek for about 200 metres but were stoppped by signs advising that the area was closed due to dredging of the creek. It was a long walk home without even seeing the beach. After we got back to the caravan we found that Mary-Anne had woken up and was rearing to go for a drive around town. We visited the beach and the girls cleaned the beach of shells. I bet the Council will be pleased. Then we drove to Sunrise Beach and had another walk along the beach. There is a War Memorial there with a large sculpture of the rising sun hat badge. It is positioned so that the rising sun on Anzac Day shines directly through the badge at dawn. Karen and Mary-Anne found the Ian Blair Memorial Boardwalk condtructed over and along the sand dunes and they suggested that we walk it. What they didn't tell me was that it was two kilometres long. After hobbling on one and a half legs for what appeared to be an eternity I was delighted to find an inscription etched into one of the floor boards advising I had just walked half the length of the boardwalk. Being a true hero I continued on and eventually met up with the girls, who had left me to be eaten by sea gulls and sand rats if I collapsed, at a delightful picnic area over looking Sunset Beach and the salt loading jetty. While was regaining my strength I noticed a small cat standing under a she oak tree about 20 metres away. To my amazement it saunted over to me when I called it. It was not wild as I expected and must have been abandoned recently. When Karen came back from her walk along the beach and saw the cat sitting on my knee she made it quite clear it was not coming with us. Reluctantly I left 'Onslow' at Sunset Beach when we started our long walk back to Sunrise Beach. We drove back into town and drove up and down a few side streets to check out the houses and facilities. We found a sign pointing towards 4 Mile Creek and decided to investigate it. Well bugger me after about a 2 minute drive we arrived at the delightful picnic area at Sunset beach and 'Onslow'. The road continued on so we followed it. It past quite close to large stock piles of sea salt waiting to be loaded onto a ship. Eventually we arrived at 4 Mile Creek and another beach. There was a nice looking swimming area in the creek that looked devoid of crocodiles, sharks, sea snakes and stingers maybe. It was a bit cool so we decided not to test the water. It was past stubby time by now so it was code 2 back to the caravan park for a well earned beer or ten.

21/6/12

It was an early start today so we could see all that Onslow had to offer. Our first port of call was Old Onslow Town. This was the original Onslow established on the banks of the Ashburton River in about 1890. The town was reestablished to its current location in 1925 after the river silted up and ships could not enter the port. On the way we passed the 3 Mile Camping area which is right on the Ashburton River. There were some great free camping spots overlooking the river but the corrugated road would probably destroy our caravans. At Old Onslow there is nothing left except a few faded signs telling visitors what was once built on that particular site and the ruins of the stone Police Station ,Court House and jail. We drove back over the corrugated dirt road to the highway and stopped at the termite mound viewing area on our way back to town. Mary-Anne was convinced there was an elevated viewing area ahead and I tried to tell her it was just a track over the sand dune and not a viewing area. I know how obstinate my sister can be so when she started to rally drive towards the sand dune I just sat there mute until we nearly rolled over near the top of the sand dune. Also unlike most people I know my sister has a foul mouth and can make a wharfie blush with one of her unlady like verbal triades. Once we stopped the driver's door flew open and so did the foul mouth. God sent a thunder bolt in shock and I blushed too when we heard the following words being spat out with the venim of a viper: 'Alright I'll take a BLOODY photo from here.' I made a mental note for the future when the Saint Appointing Investigators from the Vatican are interrogating me about anything I may know that would be evidence to preclude Mary-Anne as unworthy of being appointed Australia's second Saint. Boy after this trip I hope the Investigators have plenty of time I have so much to tell them. With the termite awdeal out of the way we drove to Sunset Beach and had lunch in the wind and with 'Onslow' as company. I still wasn't allowed to bring him home. It was getting late so we went back to the caravan park. I did a little panel beating to one of Mary-Anne's caravan support legs and checked her tyre pressures. Then it was beer and tea for me in that order.

22/6/12

We left the caravan park at about 8.50am and drove to the dump point and emptied our toilets before refuelling at the Shell garage. Karen shouted us all pizza and chips for breakfast. We left town driving into a Force Ten head wind and drove about 180kms to Western Australia's largest and most solar panel friendly rest area called Barradale on the Yannarie River. We set up camp and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of sunshine and for some reason no wind after we stopped driving.

23/6/12

After leaving Barradale Rest Area we again battled headwinds all the way to Exmouth. We stopped at the Visitor Information Centre where the girls booked and paid for two sites at the Lighthouse Caravan Park. We were advised that all the beach camping sites in the Cape Range National Park were full so the caravan park was the only alternative. On the drive to the caravan park we passed the Harold E Holt Naval Communication Station from which the Unites States Navy communicates with all their nuclea submarines. The Station also played a part during the first and subsequent moon landings in the 60's and early 70's. After reversing both caravans from the narrowest shrub lined road in the world into their palacial sites we took a drive around town. The girls found two IGA supermarkets and had to have a look. Then we drove past the Marina and adjoining canal estate to Pebble Beach. It would be a great beach on a perfect day but with 50 knot winds blowing it was great to get back into the car. On the way back to the caravan park we took a detour and visited the site of the Mildura Ship Wreck. The Mildura ran aground on a reef about 20 metres off shore in 1907. The Captain must have been drunk, blind or both to be so close to land with such a large ship. Forunately for him no human lives were lost. But 390 bullocks on board drowned. An investigation found the Captain was found culpable and suspended him for 8 months. Then we drove to the Vlaming Head Light House which is situated high on a hill above the caravan park. The 360 degree views from the hill are spectacular. Also near the light house is a memorial for the radar station that was sited on the hill during WW2. As is usual in the North West of WA a cyclone came through, this time in 1945 and destroyed the radar station.

24/6/12

We left the caravan park early for a day trip to Cape National Park. The wind was still blowing wildly and the drive down the road to and through the park was great with a tail wind. Our first stop was at the Ranger Station and because we have a WA National Park sticker we got in for free. Then we stopped at the Tantabiddi boat ramp and visited Ned's camp site which was close by. There were a few trees but the wind was terrible. After Ned's Camp we visited Tbone Bay, Milyering Visitors Centre, Oyster Stacks beach, Sandy Bay, Bungarra Beach. At the end of the road is Yardie Creek and because of the wind we had lunch there in the car. Karen found there was a walking track up Yardie Creek to a lookout. The walk was only 500 metres. What she failed to imform Mary-Anne and I was that there was also a 1.7km goat track walk where you could view Yardie Gorge. Off we went on another Cliff Young shuffling walk up hill and down dale, over trecherous sharpe lime stone rocks and ascending slippery rock strewn accents until we reached out goal and viewed Yardie George in all its grandeur. After successdfully making our way back to the car we drove into the wind and headed for home. On the way we stopped at Pilgramunna Beach because a couple had told Karen they had seen a black footed wallaby there. All we saw was wind and no wallabies. They had probbly been blown to Christmas Island. We also stopped at Mangrove Bay because Mary-Anne has a thing about mangroves. She made the excuse that there was a bird hide there and she wanted to view some birds but I know the real reason. The birds had been blown away to and all that we saw was a lonely sea gull. After Mangrove Bay we stopped at Wobiri beach. Karen found a toilet but wouldn't use it when she saw a spider web at the bottom of the bowl. I think she would have been safe because the spider would have suffered the same fate as the birds and the wallabies. Next stop was at the Jurabi Turtle Centre. This Centre is on the sand dunes behind the beach where turtles come to lay their eggs. There is information on the life cycle of sea turtles and displays of stuffed foxes and turtles. After a windy day at the beach we went back to the wind at the caravan park.

25/6/12

We left windy Exmouth after filling up with water at the Visitor Information Centre. On the road out of town we stopped at a memorial dedicated to those brave men of 'Z' Force who participated in Operation Jaywick. 'Z' Force was a commando Unit established during WW2 and they sailed in an old wooden Indonesian fishing boat called 'Krait' from the site of the memorial in 1943 then rowed some 20 miles in kayaks to plant limpet mines on the sides of Japanese ships moored in Singapore Harbour. The first mission was a success and 37,000 tons of shipping was destroyed. From the memorial we drove with a strong tail wind to Coral Bay. We wanted to sail in a glass bottom boat but it was so windy we decided against it. We checked out the caravan parks but decided to give Coral Bay and the wind a miss and we drove to and spent the night at a rest area called Lyndon River Rest Area on the way to Carnavon.

26/6/12

We had a few things to catch up on and it was decided we would spend another day and night at Lyndon River rather than spending money at a caravan park to sit in the vans all day doing our catchups. It was not all bad as Karen and Mary-Anne cooked pikeletes and we had them with jam and cream.

27/6/12

When we woke this morning it was cloudy and windy and just as we started to packup it started to rain. Everything was thrown in and we were on the road by 8.30am. After a short drive we stopped at the Minilya Roadhouse for a comfort stop and I had a bacon and egg toasted sandwich for breakfast. The rain had stopped by this time and we continued on to Carnarvon. Our first stop as usual was the Visitor Information Centre. The girls found the prices for all the caravan parks and then we drove around and checked them all out. We settled on the Carnarvon Caravan Park. It was not the flashest but it was very econmonical and the caravan sites were huge. While unpacking Karen let out a scream that could only mean one thing. She found an eight legged hitchhiker sitting on my foldup chair after she carried it out of the van. She was horrified to think it had been on our bed the whole day. Luckily there was a thong handy and it was dispatched quickly. Mary-Anne could not get any water to flow from her tap when it was attached to the town water. After undoing every connection from the front of her van to the sink the blockage was found and cleared and the water flowed. Next on my maintenance agenda was our air conditioner. It had been making a clicking noise for some time and I decided to have a look at it. I worked out how to gain access to the circular fan and found a small piece of wood stuck in it. It is still not 100% but it is a little quieter.

28/6/12

This morning we went for a drive around Carnarvon and accidently found the airport and the small boat harbour while looking for the toilet dump point. Then we drove out along Carnarvon Road and visited the HMAS Sydney ii memorial. 645 men lost their lives when the Sydney was sunk by the German Raider ship Kormorant in 1941 off the coast of Carnarvon. Memorial plaques for each sailor line both sides of Carnarvon Road for about a kilometre. Then we drove to the One Mile Jetty and paid for a ride on the Coffee Pot Tram that took us all the way to the end of the jetty. As the name suggests the jetty is in fact one mile long or 1.6 kilometres in the new measure. We found this out on the walk back which took about an hour. Then we visited the Light House Keepers Museum and the Railway and Shearing Hall of Fame museum. Both were fascinating and full of artifacts from the past. There was even the remains of a life boat from the Kormorant on display. After a full day of site seeing it was good to get back to the caravan park and relax. Mary-Anne and Karen had arranged for a young french girl to come to our caravans and cut our hair. She arrived at 5.00pm and when she left about an hour later we all looked smick.

29/6/12

Today we visited the Bumbak Plantation and took a walking tour around the orchard. The lady leading the tour was very informative. We learnt that Carnarvon is the fruit and veggie bowl of Western Australia. They grow everything here except apples. Then we took a drive on the loop road that runs through the agriculturial area which is affectionately called by locals as the 'Fruit Loop'. We drove into town and found a lovely park right on the water front and had lunch. And as usual the seagulls turned up and tried to eat my sandwiches. Then we went to Wollworths and the girls did a little shopping. From there we went to the Jaycar shop and Mary-Anne bought a replacement microphone for her 2 way and a UHF antenna for her TV and I bought a replacement solar controller for the one that died in the Prado. Back at the caravan park I spent an hour putting Mary-Anne's antenna together but she still could not get any reception. I think there is a problem with the wiring in her van or she may need a booster. It is a work in progress for me.