Author Archives: markandness

Day 121, Renmark to Canberra

So, we are home. We were granted an exemption to travel yesterday morning, headed to Remark ( South Australia) yesterday to be positioned to ‘Cannonball’ home across NSW today. Which we did. 10.5 hours driving, 915 km, two ‘comfort stops’ by the side of the road and one COVID safe fuel stop halfway for 5 minutes. An epic end to an epic trip. We spent the last four weeks in South Australia, working remotely, waiting for the COVID rules to line up for the run home.

The time in SA wasn’t wasted. Apart from work during the week, we maxed out the opportunities offered by the weekends. We took in the Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley, Southern Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island. We also got to spend a lot of time with our dear friends D&V, who were also very understanding and great hosts.

So, a day or two to unpack , clean up, then will post a ‘retrospective’. Cheers, Ness and Mark

Day 82, Wednesday 1 September (Spring!)

After a lovely night listening to the Frogs talking adjacent to our window , we had a lovely morning in the Clare Valley . This included a visit to the Jesuit run winery at Seven Hills, established in 1851.

It was then onto Adelaide via the Barossa Valley, including lunch in Nuriootpa, where Mark lived as a child ( a long time ago!)

Now in Adelaide for a few days , staying with friends . The next step is working out a plan to get home, given the current COVID restrictions in the Eastern States. Given that, we will pause this blog for a little while. Noting that in the last 82 days we have had an awesome adventure, covering ( so far) in excess of 18,000 kilometres across incredibly varied and amazing terrain. And met some great folks, seen fantastic sights and had unique experiences. Will perhaps post some thoughts and observations in a few days time . And will report on how the trip back to Canberra goes . Stay well, and thanks for following!

Best , Ness and Mark 🙂

Days 78 – 81 ,Saturday 28 August – Tuesday 31 August.

Up early Saturday morning and drove via Streaky Bay to Sceale Bay. There we caught up with a friend that Ness walked the Camino de Santiago with a while ago. After a great lunch and catch up it was back into the ‘Rok for the drive down the West Coast of the Eyre Peninsula to Port Lincoln. The weather became increasingly dreadful : hail, rain, poor visibility and 40- 50 kmh winds. Arrived safely in Port Lincoln to a lovely Air BNB house , tucked Bernie into the carport and relaxed.

Sunday we explored Lincoln National Park – beautiful! A highlight was a Southern Right Whale who choose to loll around in the water a few 100 metres off shore. Nice , but have to say the Right Whales are nowhere near as spectacular to observe as the Humpbacks we have been seeing. Kinda like 80 tonnes of Whale just floating aimlessly on the tide .

Monday we drove out to Coffin Bay National Park, via a water front Seafood Restaurant in the Township for lunch 😋.

Into the National Park and we observed a large pod of dolphins surfing and playing in the surf at Almonta Beach.

We also saw dozens of Emu, including a Father with 1/2 dozen young emu chicks. One Emu demonstrated a love of the water in a road puddle in front of us.

Then it was onto Yangie Bay for a walk .

Tuesday dawned and we left Port Lincoln. Drove up the East Coast of the Eyre Peninsula via Arno Bay and Cowell. Arrived in the Clare Valley for Tuesday evening.

Days 76-77, Thursday 26 – Friday 27 August

Two long days across the Nullarbor, punctuated by a good overnight stop at Madura and great stops at Eucla, the Bunda Cliffs and the Head of the Bight . The latter in the traditional lands of the Wirangu people ( after Tindale). We acknowledge the Wirangu as the traditional owners of the head of bight and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

At both the Bunda Cliffs and Head of Bight we saw several Southern Right Whales. Of a world wide population of about 7,000 ( down from an estimated 120,000 in the 19th century) an estimated 1,200 spend winter in Australia and around 900 ( counted) in the Great Australian Bight. So it is a significant habitat. We also saw Australian Sea Lions swimming in the water . And seaweed impersonating whales and seals…

Spending Friday night in Ceduna, South Australia.

Day 75, Wednesday 25 August

Up early-ish , bogan dust coffee heart starter and then a long walk along the Esperance Foreshore and the Tanker Jetty. Followed by real coffee at a great kiosk at the end of the jetty 😀.

Then it was off to Cape LeGrande a National Park. In one word : Stunning ! WA continues to deliver , if it got its tourism promotion together only the dull and the parochial wouldn’t flock here … but don’t tell anyone 😉. Series of photos to follow…

Tomorrow we start across the Nullabor. Interesting times coming up as at the moment we cannot drive back to the ACT because of NSW and Victoria’s COVID status and border closures. But that is next week’s problem.

Day 74 , Tuesday 24 August

Up early to visit the National ANZAC Centre. A simple but moving place that contextualises the WWI experience of the ANZACs who departed Albany on the 1st and 2nd convoys to WWI. Of the over 40,000 who did, for a third of the it (Albany) was there last ever sight of Australia. Their stories are told very well and it is a moving experience to visit the Centre.

It was then on through rich dairy lands, then the stunning Stirling Ranges and endless fields of Canola to Esperance. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the great southern region , the various language groups of the Noongar Nation, and pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.

Walpole to Albany

Day 73, Monday 23 August

A delightful day in the Great Forests of Western Australia’s Great Southern Region. Spent time wandering in the various Karri forests in a few National parks. Highlights were seeing the ‘Tingle’ trees, found only in this region .

We also visited an area on the Frankland River called the ‘Circular Pool’- a stunning stretch of water.

Another highlight was the ‘treetop walk’ in the ‘Valley of the Giants’. A structure takes you 40 metres into the air to see the Tingle Trees from a different perspective. It really brings home the size of these magnificent trees when some of them are still 30 metres above you !

Onto Albany , a city with a stunning natural setting . A highlight of our exploration in the late afternoon was a visit to the ANZAC Desert Corps Memorial on top of Mount Clarence.

Days 66- 72, Monday PM 16 August – Sunday 22 August

Overnight at Jurien Bay on Monday night, great walks on the beach PM and the next morning. Sunset strangely mute after previous week’s efforts.

Tuesday and we are well and truly ‘over’ the remote part of our trip ( for a few days anyway) as we head into Perth. First though , a stop at Cervantes for lunch on the beach at the Lobster Shack 🦞, followed by and afternoon in Nambung National Park checking out the strange natural phenomenon that is the Pinnacles Desert.

A great three days in Perth. We stayed with good friends in lovely Cottesloe. Apart from the pleasure of catching up with our friends we also enjoyed checking out Fremantle, Kings Park and walking he beaches of Perth’s amazing metropolitan coast. It wasn’t all leisure … the Amarok had a major service ( including a windscreen replacement) and Bernie had some minor repairs.

Friday and we left Perth for Margaret River. En-route we caught up with another friend that Ness had been in Nepal with and hadn’t seen for a while . A few short hours later we were in Margaret River.

Saturday was quite the tourist day🙂. We went to the Margaret River Farmer’s Market, buying far more avocados and artisanal cheese than any couple should 🤔. Good problem to have!

Lunch on Saturday was a real treat after the offerings up north. We had a great lunch at the restaurant at the Vasse Felix winery. 🍷 And because we were being indulgent we followed up with a tasting at the Limeburner Distillery.

After Saturday’s indulgence Sunday started a lot more leaner with Sheep’s yoghurt and fruit 🍎 . We then drove via Pemberton further south and east through vineyards, prime dairy country and fantastic Karri Forests. Sunday night at Coalmine Beach, just east of Walpole on the beautiful Nornalup Inlet.

Days 64- 66, Sat 14 Aug until Monday AM 16 August

A good weekend spent in the beautiful environment of Kalbarri National Park , camped in the lee of Red Bluff. The Kalbarri region is the traditional land of the Nanda people, we acknowledge their custodianship and offer our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

The Kalbarri National park covers a large area of the lower reaches of the Murchison River. The river , which rises somewhere near Meekatharra ( a long way away) , has cut some amazing gorges in the region. The remainder of the National Park covers some great coastal features on a beautiful coastline.

We spent a great day on Sunday walking in and exploring parts of the park. The wildflowers were in full bloom – in incredible variety and scent . And the gorges are stunning.

The National Park has also built two cantilevered ‘sky walks’ about 150 metres above the gorge system. Great engineering!

As is becoming usual, Kalbarri also put on great ‘WA’ sunsets.

On Monday afternoon we drove via Northampton and Geraldton to Jurien Bay , staying by the (nice) beach. Tomorrow we head to Perth for 3 nights / four days . We will be staying with good friends and also catching up with necessary admin / repairs to the VW and Bernie. No posts then , next posts from Margaret River on the next weekend.

Days 62- 64, Thu 12 – Sat 14 Aug

So, apparently the name ‘Monkey Mia’ derives from the Indo / Malay name for ‘camp’ , and the fact that some pearlers or fisherman from the archipelago to the north had a pet monkey at their camp at Shark Bay. Cute story , neither of us know enough Bahasa to even begin to know if the ‘Mia’ premise offered is correct 🤔.

Anyway, two lovely sunny days , water quite cold for swimming and … dolphins . As well as numerous dolphins , pelicans, turtles and crows . Wind cold and blustery sometimes, missing the Tropics after the last six weeks.

Funny thing we observed was the dolphins and pelicans do not get on . Every time a Pelican was near a Dolphin the mammal harassed it.

Saturday we packed up and drove to Kalbarri.

Days 60 – 62, Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 August

After leaving Gnaraloo and briefly pausing at the HMAS Sydney monument ( lost with all hands – 685 Australians- after an engagement with the German raider Komoran in WW2) we headed south to Carnarvon ( again). Fuel , coffee and brunch were followed by a raid on some fresh food from the local supermarket and a visit to the truck wash to remove two months of outback dust from the Amarok. Turns out we did buy a white 4WD and not a pink / orange one 🤔. The inside of the car , however, remains a dust bowl… much like 0A when Mark served in the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment ( but nowhere near as smelly…)

It was then onto Wooramel Station , some 120 km south of Carnarvon , on the banks of the wide ( and currently dry) Wooramel River. A pleasant setting , but quite cold as a 20- 30 kmh East South East wind blew almost constantly during our stay.

We filled on our census form sitting in the VW on Tuesday night ( warmest place in town at that point …). Thursday morning it was onto Shark Bay , the traditional lands of the Malgana people, who called the area ‘Guttharaguda’, meaning ‘Two Bays’. Because the area comprises two bays …. We acknowledge the Malgana people as the traditional custodianship of Shark Bay and acknowledge their elders past, present and emerging.

Enroute we stopped at Wooramel Roadhouse ( best bacon and egg wrap on the trip thus far ) and Hamelin Pool to check out the Stromatolites. Except you couldn’t really see any Stromatolites as the boardwalk that enabled same had been destroyed in a cyclone a while back, and no apparently cares enough to prioritise fixing it. So you kind of stand on a Shelly beach and look a few hundred metres away to some black rock like things sticking out of the water in the bay. Like really lame rocks. Stromatolites are actually pretty cool, apparently responsible for creating earth’s oxygen over the 2,200 million years they were the dominant life form on the planet. Just don’t expect to see them well at a Shark Bay at the moment.

Thursday afternoon we set up camp at Monkey Mia in Shark Bay. Quick dip ( cold water) in the bay, followed by sundowners on the beach . A pod of dolphins turned up while we were watching …shows promise for tomorrow morning’s Dolphin interaction/ viewing.