Monday, 29 October
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:22:26 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
WE ARE HOME!!! XD
From Streaky Bay we pretty much drove the whole the rest of the way home. Through into Victoria and then New South Wales. We drove until 8.00 on Thursday in order to get home that night. And we did!
It was so nice to be home again! Sandy went berserk and we have enjoyed the last few days unpacking (that bit was not as enjoyable), seeing friends and family, taking out the motorbike and horses and sleeping in our own beds!
I will start blogging on the news page again (less frequently) but I will leave this blog up, just in case! 😛
Love all of you and thanks for reading my travel blog!
Lauren
Sunday, 21 October
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:22:26 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
We’ve been through Albany, Esperance, the Nullarbor Plain and across the SA border. We are now coming to Streaky Bay at the east side of the Great Australian Bite. We only have a few days before we are home.
We’ve have just done two roadside overnight and or toilet is full while our water tank is empty. Yesterday we got up at 6.30 and drove till about the same time that evening. We have some more long driving days ahead of us before we arrive back at home. Poor Dad, is well and truly sick of driving!
Wednesday, 10 October
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:22:26 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
We are just leaving Shannon National Park, a fair way from the last place I blogged. For the last 3 days we have stayed in a lodge in the national park, quite secluded from anyone else and we really enjoyed being able to spread out. The activities we did included the Great Forest Tree Drive where we saw huge Karri, Marri and Jarra trees and visiting the G—– tree, which is 60 metres tall. Some of us climbed the ladder of steel pegs that had been driven into the tree, all the way to the top. The view was amazing and the drop was dizzying!
Backtracking a bit, I’ll give an overview of the couple of weeks. From Toodyay we drove through Perth and stayed at a caravan park in Fremantle where the weather cleared up considerably. We drove back into Perth and hired some extra bikes so that the whole family could ride through King’s Park and eat lunch at a kiosk there. During out time there we also visited SCITEC, a Perth version of Questacon and we watch a presentation about astronomers. On the Sunday we went to church and then the girls shopped in the Fremantle markets and the boys walk down the street to the Maritime Museum and did a tour through a submarine.
In Margaret River we stayed at a working sheep farm the doubled as a caravan park and we took a day trip to Augusta where the wind was very strong and the water was COLD!! We got a treat at the lolly shop at Hamilin Bay and visited Cape Leuwin, the most South-east point of Australia!
We also did some recreational activities as mum put it, riding for the girls and mountain biking for the boys. Poor dad was sore the next day! ;D
Our next destination was Pemberton and the national park we are leaving now. We are bound for Albany with about 2 and a half weeks left to the trip! I am determined to enjoy these last few weeks of travel before we return to normal life, even though the whole family is pretty tired.
Thursday, 27 September
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:23:32 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Today was a driving and sightseeing day. We got up and packed up the van, then drove to the national park that the pinnacles are in and took a 1.2 km walk through them, well wrapped up because of the wind and spitting rain.
Then we drove to Lancelin where we had lunch and tried to find some place to hire sandboard so we could ride down the massive dunes. It turned out that the rain made bad sandboarding weather and we just drove to the dunes instead and took a dry patch in the weather to walk over them for a while.
The rain got pretty consistent after that and we all settled in the car to drive to Koodyay, where we are currently staying and set up in the rain and wind again. I took Bethany to pat the Shetland ponies and play on the playground before we all helped to make dinner and got an early night.
Wednesday, 26 September
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:23:32 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
I haven’t written since Coral Bay which is very sad and I am sorry. We’ve been moving our way down the coast, stopping in at Shark Bay and Monkey Mia and we are now leaving Kalbarri and driving to Cerbantes. The weather has turned ugly and we’ve had several showers and dreary days (like today) over the last few days.
I must say that I really enjoyed Shark Bay the most out of all the places we’ve been to lately. I loved the dolphin feeding we went to at Monkey Mia, not to mention the spa at the resort pool there! Speaking of spas, at the national park near Denham we enjoyed a artesian hot tub while watching the emus. It was really very nice, except when you had to get out and the cold wind kicked in!
I look forward to getting to Perth because it will be a big milestone in the trip and then we can all think, “We’re almost home!”
I think that 3 months is my travel limit because I am missing you guys at home so much and I’m just looking forward to getting back to normal life. Ah well, we’ll be back soon enough!
Wednesday, 12 September
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:23:32 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Today we drive to Coral Bay, a 6 hour ride. We have stayed the last few days at Karartha. We went on a four hour bus tour of the towns around here, Cossack and Roebourne. It was very well done, although the lunch didn’t really fill us. We have visited a few beaches and done a walk or two here but the Pilbara hasn’t interested me as much as other places, probably because I didn’t know that much about it. Just that it had a bunch of mining towns.
Before we came here we stopped a night at Eighty Mile beach, which was a bit of a highlight, simply because, that evening we took our dinner in the car, drove along the beach and then ate dinner with the sunset and jumped off the top of the sand dunes. The next morning, just before leaving, we went back down to the beach and this time Sam and I drove! It was so much fun to drive along the beach in a 2 tonne truck, not having to focus to hard because it’s an automatic. But we drove along the sand both directions, then we had to get going.
We are meeting up with some friends from church, the Hays in Coral Bay who are staying at the same caravan park that we will stay at. We’re really looking forward to seeing them and exchanging notes since they are travelling around for the second time. This second trip is more of a vacation and they have been seeing less and relaxing more than us. Dad claims that one day, when all us kids are gone, he and Mum will have that luxury!
The whole family had a laugh last night when Sam gave us his to-do list for Perth, aided by Ryan. It included Adventure World, a giant water park and several other high budget activities. We really weren’t surprised, Sam tends to be expensive.
Friday, 7 September
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:23:32 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Our stay in Broome was one of the most interesting times I’ve had on the trip. Broome is up there with the favourites!
We walked on Cable Beach during sunset. We swum there during the day and threw a ball on the beach. We shopped at Chinatown and visited the Pearl Luggers museum, receiving our own Mother of Pearl shells. We took the plunge and had a camel ride. I can understand why they call them ships of the desert! The movement make me feel a bit woosy!
Now we are driving away, heading to Eighty Mile Beach and I would love to come back to Broome some day.
Dad’s birthday is tomorrow! But I’m not telling how old he is turning (for his sake)!
Tuesday, 4 September
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:30:46 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
So let me recap and go through the last week which has been rather exhausting!
After a day’s rest at Kununurra, we headed of for a overnight stay at the Bungle Bungles. We didn’t get to the campsite until about 5:00 because of a few mishaps along the way. The pressure gauge for the fuel in the car was high so we drove about 40 km and then turned around and went back to the mechanic who told Dad that the gauge was inaccurate and we had nothing to worry about. So by the time we got to the caravan park about half way, and discovered that we had left the power lead behind, we were all pretty fed up!
We lock up the van and continued in the car to Bungle Bungles campsite. Sam and I slept in the car and the others in a tent. The next morning Dad, who loves his comforts, voted “neh” to doing it again!
The day in the Bungle Bungles was amazing. We did several walks and through the gorges and then took a doorless helicopter ride over everything, an experience I will never forget!
We stayed at the van park where we had left over caravan the next night. Then we drove on to Fitzroy Crossing and through to Derby over the next couple of days.
In Derby we saw the tide at it’s highest and lowest. There is about a 10 metre difference! We took a day trip to Windgana Gorge where we did another walk and saw a bunch of freshwater crocs.
We went to Tunnel Creek as well and waded through the dark water for several hundred metres. Mum’s thongs broke and I had to lend her mine because she didn’t like walking through the water without shoes! She wasn’t sure what was down there! ;D
We drove to Broome yesterday, where we are staying now. We made it just in time to see the Staircase to the Moon, though smoke from bushfires made it difficult to see and the effect wasn’t as good, but it was still fun to sit on the beach eating fish and chips, and making a massage train!
Today we are doing schoolwork in the morning followed by a swim in the huge, saltwater pool. The idea is to take a break at this very family friendly van park.
The weather is much nicer here than further up top. Not to hot but not to cold. This means that the pool is a perfect temperature and the saltwater doesn’t sting your eyes! I almost fainted when Dad got in yesterday!
Tuesday, 28 August
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:36:58 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Wyndham is really just a little town at the top of WA. We had trouble finding a cafe that was open after two! The only tourist attraction we had a look at was the Five Rivers Lookout where you have a beautiful view out over the Cambridge Gulf.
Before we went to Wyndham we drove to Emma Gorge, another part of El Questro and did a walk to the water falls and thermal pool at the centre of the gorge. Then we drove to Wyndham, though we didn’t spend long there. We were back at Kununurra by five and had a quick swim in the pool before the sun went down.
This morning I got to sleep in for the first time in months. Dad took the car in for a service so we’re not going anywhere today. We are thinking of maybe going for a canoe in the lake and of course swimming in the pool. The basic idea is an at-home day and a chance to catch up on some schoolwork. Fun.
😀
Sunday, 26 August
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:36:58 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Right now we are camped at El Questro, north and west of Kununurra. We have no power here and no 3G so I’ll publish this when in range.
We drove about 10 minutes to the beginning of the walk along El Questro Gorge. It was a two hour return without a swim in the waterhole at the end but we did it in two hours with the swim. It was good because it was through the bottom of the gorge where it was shady and cool. We also got smart and did it at the beginning of the day.
Then we drove straight to the car park of Zebedee Springs, with a five minute walk to the thermal springs, well worth the effort because they were beautiful! We soaked in there for half an hour and then spent yet another afternoon at the van park swimming in the river and relaxing. This seems to be a recurring theme in our current daily schedule. This is, of course because of the heat.
I think everyone’s, at least the children’s favourite part of this park is the river. There is a big old tree with a thick, leaning branch that hangs out over the water. We climb up it and jump from up to 5 metres into the water. There is a sand bar in the middle of the river where the young girls like to play and the water isn’t to deep for them. Even mum has come in for a swim, though we haven’t managed to convince Dad yet. (The wimp!)
Tomorrow we leave early for Emma Gorge, another attraction here, then spend the majority of the day at Wyndham. We will be back at Kununurra by the end of the day.
Friday, 24 August
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Here we are, based in Kununurra and have a full schedule around the Kimberley for the next few weeks. We are staying at the Kimberley Land Caravan Park.
Yesterday we left the park at 7:00 to do some walks at a small national park. We did one of the walks, but I was feeling sick again so I skipped next one. We were back at the park for morning tea and spent the afternoon relaxing in the pool and air conditioned van.
Today we got up and drove 45 minutes to Lake Argyle, the biggest lake in the Southern Hemisphere and had an awesome two hour cruise around the lake. On the way home we stopped for a peek at the Durack homestead Museum where they had restored the original homestead and had it open to the public Another relaxing afternoon followed.
Wednesday, 22 August
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We packed up camp yesterday and left Katherine. Our next stop was Victoria River at a cheap roadhouse and we were back on the road by ten. We have been driving for about two hours with a quick morning tea stop at Timber Creek.
To tell you the truth, I am happy to be on the go again, even though I have been feeling sick today, and of course that doesn’t stop the parents from drilling us with school work.
We hope to get to Kununurra today, just over the WA border, so by tonight I should be two hours behind all of you.
Sunday, 19 August
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We didn’t climb Uluru, regardless of Sam’s pleas that the weather would be good. ;(
The next day was just as, if not more windy than the previous. We didn’t do much more in Uluru. We headed straight for King’s Canyon, where we stayed two nights.
That was where we did a 6 km walk around the rim of the canyon, a walk I would recommend to anyone. It was amazing. A steep climb to the top of the canyon and along the freaky edge of the cliff. Then we when down into The Garden of Eden at the end of the canyon, back up and back to the car park. By the end we were all exhausted but thrilled to have walk along the rim.
We didn’t headed back up the Stuart Highway and North for another two days because of a clogged fuel filter but, with a quick stop in Alice Springs again and a roadside camp, we made it into Katherine where we are currently staying. We have been having a pit-stop here for the last few days and I really should have caught up on my blog sooner. But unfortunately I’ve been enjoying the stay so much I forgot!
My Aunty Liz lives here in Katherine and we are staying on the property that she lives on in a cute little granny flat. We have been going to the highly favoured hot springs that are located near by, almost every day. We also threw some cherapin pots in to the river and caught a couple of good-sized ones, along with some tiny fish. Between that and baking, reading books, bike riding, watching movies, regretfully doing school work and even building a little fort in a tree, we’ve managed to keep pretty busy!
Now I must tell you about the four legged friends we have here cause they are all so funny!
The two dogs live up at the big house where the actually owners live. One is called Gretel, a nosy little mop of a dog. She literally looks like a mop!
Then there are the horses, who hang around the granny flat and get feed down here. First, there is a Shetland cross something that is a tall as my thigh! Jimmy is a busy body who has often had to be herded out of the yard after getting into the compost!
The other horses are getting on in years and are quieter! A appaloosa cross, Gymoon and two tall, good looking Arabs, Zac and (something I can’t remember). Zac love to show his affection by licking your hand till it’s covered in slobber!
We leave for Kununurra in a couple of days, depending on when Dad can get the car in for a service before we go.
But I must say that this pit-stop has been enjoyable and I’m going to want another one somewhere along the way!
;D
Thursday, 9 August
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:36:00 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
I’m Lauren reporting live from Uluru, home of the world largest rock and largest cheese grater.
So we spent yesterday driving to Uluru and now here we are, visiting Ayre’s Rock and The Olgas. We started the day with Sam, Mum and I getting up at 6:30 to see the sun rise over Ayre’s rock (Dad and the girls were still asleep). Then we all had breakfast and headed out to the National Park.
We would have climbed to the top of Ayre’s Rock but it was closed because of the windy weather. Instead we did a guided walk to a waterhole at the base of the rock called Mala. The cheese grater thing was something we learned from the tour guide. The surface of the rock is like a cheese grater in that it is made of rusted shingles (like house roof shingles) of sandstone which point up rather than down as they peel of the rock. The result of someone sliding down Uluru is similar to the result of an apple on a cheese grater. Not pretty.
We drove to the Olgas and did the walk to the Valley of the Winds, where the wind was so loud you could hardly hear people speak! After that it was already one so we came back to the van for an early dinner of barbequed sausages and kangaroo and then drove back out to the park to watch the sunset and turn the rock from bright orange, to deep red, to dark purple.
Tonight has been an early night for everyone and a hope that tomorrow will be more promising in regards to the climb (Sam was really disappointed that it was closed).
Tuesday, 7 August
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:36:00 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
The last two days have also been spent in Alice Springs when I thought we were heading to Uluru. Apparently not. These days have very much been touring days.
Yesterday it was Palm Valley, an amazing Gorge that has tropical life, hence the name, growing in it. This is because the cliff faces on either side shade it and the water table is only a few metres below the surface so there is constant water for the plant life.
We also went to Stanley Chasm where we walked a few hundred metres to the end where sheer walls only a few metres apart rose up on either side of us. I was really fascinating and I enjoyed the day and slept well last night!
Today we went to various gorges, all filled with water and all swimming holes. The girls and Sam swam in one but I preferred to skip rocks on the water (one hit my sister instead of the water! Oops!) and sun baking. The We arrived back at about quarter past four and rested from two busy, sight-seeing day for the rest of the afternoon. I believe my sleep will be as deep tonight as it was it was the previous night!
;D
Sunday, 5 August
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:36:00 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
The Red Centre, The Heart of Australia is where we are at the moment. We worked across from Charters Towers to Mount Isa were we went on a underground and surface mine tour and explored the whole city for a couple of days. Then we crossed the border to Alice Springs, stopping overnight on the side of the road half way.
So here we are in Alice Springs. Today’s big thing was this morning when Dad took us all FLYING! He hired a private plane and flew us all around Alice Springs and The Red Centre. We got to see the Macdonnell Ranges and Simpson’s Gap. The plane was really noisy and you had to yell to be heard. I felt a bit head-achy at the end because of all the noise and the constant bumping of the plane but it was totally worth it!
This afternoon we have been relaxing and I have caught up on some emails. We head to Uluru tomorrow I believe and we will visit some of the places we flew over today!
Thursday, 26 July
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:36:00 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
We’ve worked our way all the way up the coast to the top, Cooktown and then back down to Charters Towers where we are right now. We are staying at a lovely big four with a swimming pool and jumping pillow.
Today we spent the morning relaxing from the busy last few days in the pool and on the pillow. We had a plowman’s lunch and then the parents and son went to see a few sights and I babysat the girls who didn’t want to go. The other three arrived back for a quick afternoon tea and we headed into town to visit a cute little toy shop that made old fashion toys. A lovely Christian lady ran it and she was so kind and gave us a few things free. We also bought a Chinese Checkers set and a harmonica which both Sam and I are determined to learn to play. There were so many cute things, even an old fashion telephone that actually hooked up!
Then it was dinner and a last jump on the jumping pillow in the moonlight!!
Tuesday, 17 July
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:35:09 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Sunday was good ol’ country Rodeo in Mareeba. We watched brave cowboys/girls ride buck jumpers bareback, barrel race and jump off their horse to wrestle a steer to the ground. Then i went with The Boldens to look at a horse they are thinking of buying and the others headed back to the caravan. We all met at the van for pizza afterwards and then said goodbyes.
Yesterday we drove from Cairns to Daintree where we are staying now. We went on a boat cruise down the river near us this morning, saw a couple of crocodile and tree snakes and have been relaxing in the van ever since. I think we are going on a lovely scenic drive soon!
Saturday, 14 July
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:35:09 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Since I last blogged we have been through Bowen, Townsville, Mission Beach and now we are here in Cairns. During that time we went to Magnetic Island and Green Island and explored Townsville and all Mum’s old memories.
We have been in Cairns two days. The first we went to Green Island where we went snorkelling, scuba diving and scared hungry little birds away from our food.
Yesterday we spent the whole day around the caravan park pool, a barbecue lunch and then heading to the public lagoon pool which was good fun.
Last night Dad, Sam and I went to night church with some family friends who live up here. The worship was loud and upbeat which was really fun. The speaker gave a good message too.
Today we have been relaxing in the caravan. I am waiting for the Boldens ( the family friends ) to come and pick me up and take me out before we all go to their house for lunch.
The weather isn’t looking the nicest today. Very overcast and a little shower earlier this morning. Hopefully it will clear up this afternoon.
Thankyou to all my friends back home who have commented! I love you guys!
So far, Cairns has been good fun!
Tuesday, 3 July
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:34:04 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
It’s day…4 of the Whitsundays. Yesterday the tide was high enough to go on the beach of Tongue Bay and we walked up to the top of the ridge and looked down on Whitehaven beach. The problem was that when we actually got around to it, the water was so rough that Dad didn’t want to go in with the dingy.
That’s when we changed course and headed back up the coast to Nara Inlet, a protected little cove that we decided to stay the night in. There we swam off the back of the boat and took the dingy exploring and the water was nice and calm. Strangely, last night I didn’t sleep well because instead of the waves rocking me to sleep, they kept me awake and I don’t know what it was but something was squeaking. I missed my bed in the caravan a lot!
For today the plan was to go up to the north of the Whitsunday Island and anchor at Haman Island or Butterfly Bay, where there is some amazing snorkeling. Unfortunately the water was even rough went we came out of the shelter of the cove and we had to turn around and go back south to Sawmill Bay to get the main sail down.
It was a bumpy ride. No one wanted to be down in the cabin so we all sat up in the cockpit, wrapped in blankets and held on tight. Because we were moving against the current the waves made contact with a lot of force. We rolled over them one at a time and the spray sometimes came into the cockpit. At one point, Sam steered us right suddenly and the ship rolled. We were going over a wave at the time so we tipped dramatically and the crockery draw flew open, plates flying everywhere. The ocean sprayed us with salt water and then it went into the cabin! It was altogether a FREAKY experience!
We end up anchoring at Sawmill Bay and staying the night there.
Sunday, 1 July
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:34:04 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
So it’s day two of OPERATION WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS and we woke this morning to a beautiful sunrise. It was breakfast and then to debate over the plans for the day. Sam had hoped to get sailing straight away but mum really wanted to go for a walk on South MolLe Island so we all clambered into the dingy and motored away to the jetty. The walk was to a lookout spot on one of the hills and it took us about and hour and three quarters to walk there and back. To tell you the truth, the view at the lookout wasn’t that impressive, personally I think the views along the walk were the best.
Then we were back in the boat and finally off for Whitehaven Beach, the most popular beach of the cruise. We wandered along slowly but the wind died down and we decided to anchor in Tongue Bay for another walk.
Into the dingy again, except this time, when we got close to shore we realized it was low tide and there was 50 meters of coral to cross. None except Bethany wanted to walk across it so we headed back to the boat AGAIN and the other kids jumped in their swimmers and had a swim of the back of the boat. I lay down for a while and actually feel asleep I think and then joined them.
We spent the remainder of the afternoon hours swimming and taking the dingy out for spins (Sam loved that) and decided to stay the night in Tongue Bay, which disappointed me cause I really wanted to get to Whitehaven and do some serious snorkeling, there’s no real accessible reefs here.
It was still an amazing and really fun day. The water out here is clear for several metres down and you leap off into the water from anywhere on the boat. We took the dingy to the beach at one point and hung around there but I am really dying for some surf here too, it’s flat as a millpond.
Mum is getting dinner now and we are all washed, dried and absolutely POOPED!! We’ll sleep well tonight!
I got my email working again so any emails are welcome, but at the moment we don’t have 3G (I will publish this when I get it back) so I won’t be able to reply till we get back in range. Bare with me! 😀
Saturday, 30 June
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:34:04 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Well, here I am, cruising the Whitsundays and I haven’t blog in almost a week. We’ve had so much on!
After Longreach it was Emerald and through to Carnarvon Gorge which brought with it rainy weather and flooding creeks. We watched a guy get his car pulled out of a creek and it was ruined! Thanks to our good, old Landcruiser, we were fine!
Instead of going back to Carnarvon Gorge (it wasn’t even that good), the next day we went straight to a little caravan park at Armstrong beach, just south of Mackay. We spend the next two days there, having a breather and relaxing by the beach. The kids all built a hut out of palm fronds and sat around in the sand, attempting (emphasis on attempting) to break open coconuts. When we finally succeeded in opening one, the milk was….interesting….and definitely unusual!
Then we were off to Airlie beach where we stayed in a caravan park last night and drove the last ten minutes to Shute Harbour this morning after a visit to the local markets. As we drove toward to the harbour the excitement grew for the upcoming cruise.
And at last, here we are, anchored at a bay about an hour from Shute Harbour, called Bauer Bay. We had a long briefing after loading our stuff this afternoon which when for about two to three hours but finally we when on our way. Our boat is called Out of the Blue, which I think is cute.
Everyone has a job when you’re sailing, whether it’s hoisting the main sail or turning on the gas. We all sat out in the cockpit at the back of the boat and took turns steering. Dad’s sailing experience from his youth is coming back and he is the man to turn to when in doubt. Sam and I were getting better at it as we tacked back and forth and the girls enjoy steering or just scampering about the boat in big, puffy life vests. Mum is adjusting to the kitchen and we are all adjusting to the constant swaying of the boat, which can sometimes leave you a little unsteady on your feet.
Right now I am sitting at the table on the cabin and I can see the hatch that you climb through to go outside. There are to rooms on either side of that with double beds. The girls are in one and Sam and I are in the other. The master bedroom (if you could call it that) is behind me and the kitchen is to my right, opposite the sitting area. It is all rather cramped but we are getting use to it.
I’ll keep you updated on the progress of the trip over the next few days because the Whitsunday passages is supposed to have fairly good reception and internet coverage, surprisingly. But if not then expect all my blogs from the various days posted when I get back.
So, that’s day one of OPERATION WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS! Can’t wait for day two!
Monday, 25 June
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:32:33 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
We left Longreach this morning after spending the last two nights there. Yesterday we went to the Qantas Museum and had a tour on the massive Boeing 747. We also went to the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, a museum about the stockmen and pioneers who settled in Australia. Mum was resting in the caravan yesterday when the rest of us visited the museum so we went back there this morning so she could have a look. After that we jumped in the car and headed for Barcaldine where Mum did some quick shopping and then off towards Emerald, in hopes of reaching it by four.
But as we are quickly learning, nothing ever goes as planned and now, at twenty to five, we are still driving towards Emerald.
We have moved further toward the coast and now the semi-arid landscape is replaced by hills and tall trees and a lot more scrub. It is raining and the internet continues to drop out unexpectedly because of the hills. The car is very quiet and there is a rather dreary atmosphere that makes me want to go to sleep but I can’t because of all the jolting. No, the road hasn’t improved much since Central Queensland.
I’m getting increasingly excited about the coming cruise and I look forward to swimming for the first time in what feels like ages!
Saturday, 23 June
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:32:33 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
All went as planned yesterday and we stayed at a caravan park in Charleville. Sam, Hannah, Dad and I went to an astronomy show at the Charleville Cosmo Centre. There we viewed Saturn and a star cluster called “the Jewel Box”, among several other things, through a telescope. We were also shown how to find south using the southern cross and the pointers.
This morning we got away at about 11:00. Mum had to do some shopping and while we waited for her, Dad took us down to a park where there was an explanation on the Vortex guns. These were large steel cannons that a man called Something Frugge invented. At the time there was a huge drought in Queensland and this guy thought that if he fired air into the atmosphere, they would be able to trigger rain. Of course, this didn’t work but the guns themselves were quite amazing and although most of them were turned into scrap metal, two of them survived and are on display in the park today.
We plan to stay a few nights in Longreach, our next destination, before we continue. I personally am looking forward to the break. Driving all day is both long and boring and Mum and Dad are taking advantage of all the driving to make us do a good load of school work! I would much rather be looking at the scenery, which has introduced some new, interesting “flora and fauna”.
Today already, instead of having to slow down for a kangaroo, we had an emu cross the road in front of us. We also saw a few other emus running through bush, which is currently lacking in fences. Due to this fact, we passed a few horses on the side of the road yesterday. The only real change in landscape is the addition of the cacti, some small enough to squash, some as large as trees. There are also a variety of palm trees and fat Boab trees.
Friday, 22 June
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:32:33 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
It turns out that our next stop wasn’t Cunnamulla, it was Byrock. This is because as we were driving along Mitchell Highway, minding our own business, when the net that held our stuff down to the roof rack decided to die on us and we lost the guitar, (luckily it was the cheap, nylon-string one) which we never found and the little keyboard which we saw come off and managed to save. We had to turn around and drive back to Dubbo for a new net and then continue our journey, which lost us like, an hour and a half and we were already running late.
We aimed to get to Bourke, about two hours out of Cunnamulla, by the end of the day. But we decided to stay at a caravan park in the tiny town of Byrock, another hour from Bourke, instead because it was such a good price.
Byrock consists of a few houses and a pub/caravan park. That’s it. There was a black and white kelpie out the front of the pub to greet us. The pub itself was pretty cool, all traditional looking with a wooden bar and bottles of alcohol on the shelves behind it. The ground was red and the trees and bushes were scrawny. It feels like we’re really out in the outback now!
Sam and I grabbed our bikes and rode along the bush walk. We got ourselves lost and had to rely on the sound of the barking dogs to find our way back to the park. Everything looked the same!
This morning I woke up a lot warmer than yesterday, we could put the heater on last night and the caravan had thawed from cold Canberra by then. I actually got too hot during the night and had to take off my jumper!
We hit the road around 9:30 and headed straight for Bourke where we topped up on petrol and pointed our headlights northward for Cunnamulla. We plan to stay in Charleville tonight , simply passing through Cunnamulla and and having a quick peek at the “Cunnamulla Fella”, which is a statue of a man written about in a traditional, outback song which bears the same name as the statue. The song has been sung by the famous Slim Dusty and the statue was erected….
Right now we are driving along an endlessly straight road through semi-arid bushland. The closer we get to central Queensland, the redder the dirt gets and the scrawny, low bushes and scarce trees line the side of the road. It’s not the nicest day and the sky is covered in a layer of cloud, so I’m glad I’m in the warm car.
In Byrock we had one bar of 3G internet connection and out in the bush between that towns we don’t get any. Hopefully tonight I will be able to jump on Skype while we’re in Charleville but until then I am cut off from the outside world…ah well…!
I also have been unable to get into my email for some, unknown reason so bear with me if you have sent me something. I really want to know how exams are going at school and how all those who are reading this are get along. Sorry for my lack of communication!
Next post will (fingers crossed) be from Charleville and beyond. Let’s pray we don’t have any more setbacks (or lost luggage) along the way!
Thursday, 21 June
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:32:33 GMT. 2 comments. Top.
Finally, after much packing and stress, we left Little Burra at around 3:45 yesterday afternoon. We drove for about 4 hours to Cowra for dinner and then just under two hours to a caravan park in Molong. The temperature was -4° and our heater in the caravan doesn’t work in below 4° temperatures. We had the gas stove going to heat up the caravan and even then, the freezing cold that we woke up to this morning was not enjoyable!
After a quick breakfast this morning, we were in the car and heading out onto the Mitchell Highway which will take us all the way up to Cunnamulla, our next destination.
Cunnamulla is the southern most town in western Queensland. In 1880, an influx of farmers opened up this area to sheep farming and now millions of sheep and cattle grass the open plains. A little country town whose central industry is farming. Sounds like the place for me!
We are currently stopping at Dubbo to:
1. Buy a heater
2. Go grocery shopping
3. Have a break and have morning tea.
On the way to Dubbo we have been doing our various school work. Sam has been discovering the wonders of chemistry and I, the discoveries of Australia by British explorers. The freezing temperatures have lifted and I am now slowly stripping off all my layers and complaining about the blazing sun that is now high in the absolutely cloudless sky. Typical.
The image is of the whole family in front of the fully-packed caravan, minutes before we left. Finally on the road, we all look forward to traveling up central Queensland to the coast and warmer climates! Next stop, Cunnamulla!
Tuesday, 19 June
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:32:33 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Today we still hadn’t finished everything so tomorrow will be the first day! We hope to leave first thing in the morning!
Monday, 18 June
Last modified on 2014-07-13 12:32:33 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
We leave for our trip tomorrow and I’m itching to get going! I’ve said all my goodbyes and I have nothing but a great, big adventure ahead of me! What’s more exciting than that?
This morning at breakfast, mum gave each of the kids a folder which contained a map of Australia, demonstrating our route, and several home-made booklets, one for each state or territory, giving a detailed description of each place we will be visiting. After reading Queensland alone, I was bouncing off the walls with excitement!
We have been very busy today, trying to get everything finished. I have been doing washing all day, cleaning all the sheets, towels and the final lot of clothes. Sam is feeling a bit sick so he is lying down and we hope he will be feeling better tomorrow. It’s not enjoyable, traveling for hours in the car while sick.
I hope you guys enjoy my blog and I am glad to receive comments. If you want to email me, my email address is and I hope to hear all about what you are doing to!!
I also have Skype and my family’s account name is ozbranches.
I will post again tomorrow with a full account of the first day!!
😀