tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78405458894871167042024-02-20T17:16:34.917-08:00Jean and Ade's Vagabond TourJean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-74230917602762028512012-03-05T17:22:00.000-08:002012-03-05T20:37:52.719-08:00Melbourne and Beyond<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Driving into Melbourne was a little like a "home coming" as we had both spent part of our lives here. We stayed at Craigeburn on the northern side of the city so we could be closer to meet and greet the newest member of the family, baby Siena, Amanda and Simon's second contribution to the every growing hoard of Grandchildren.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguD7XWrd8b-EVvSipLQ7hfAliuAixz4PO6CIK4DoHpA-i5N9VKg4fdi9wmqkdGZ60iSOq43_Zti1R3kCq9PkDcZmq-yeXTuSOTK5vxTxXWLK1f8VTXcls6u5dTyI7BMFBIi7uilH4hFf8/s1600/vic+029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguD7XWrd8b-EVvSipLQ7hfAliuAixz4PO6CIK4DoHpA-i5N9VKg4fdi9wmqkdGZ60iSOq43_Zti1R3kCq9PkDcZmq-yeXTuSOTK5vxTxXWLK1f8VTXcls6u5dTyI7BMFBIi7uilH4hFf8/s320/vic+029.jpg" width="320" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;">The most memorable part of our stay at the holiday park was the big storm that hit one afternoon during our three week stay. I sat on the bed hugging one terrified little pooch while the thunder, lightening and wind raged around us. 100 ml (4 inches on the old scale) of rain fell and huge hail stones in the space of one hour. Thanks to the deluge, we actually had river frontage as the water flooded the road in front of the van. There was no damage unlike other parts of town and the water eventually cleared away and we all dried out. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">While at Craigeburn we celebrated Christmas (a few weeks early - any excuse) with dear friends, Neville and Colleen who had returned from Vietnam for a holiday.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><i>Beautiful Victoria</i></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNipEUz0xknjVaRHGwqP6rnIW0sOu0nuLonAZdulBMlj1kmyOAxJYl4PMmwt0iAkAh0mTRjYkyrBdLYICd3TZNWpWeYhcrDiZx1drdmRHIwx2go_QVFAwKmeBs_cd8slxQq-ecaYO7qw/s1600/vic+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNipEUz0xknjVaRHGwqP6rnIW0sOu0nuLonAZdulBMlj1kmyOAxJYl4PMmwt0iAkAh0mTRjYkyrBdLYICd3TZNWpWeYhcrDiZx1drdmRHIwx2go_QVFAwKmeBs_cd8slxQq-ecaYO7qw/s320/vic+019.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Ade took me on a tour of rural parts of the state I hadn't visited before and where he used to live at Rochford. We were going to visit Hanging Rock but due to the public coffers needing a substantial donation we decided to hold on to our money and invest in food instead. As it turned out this was a wise move; lunch at Woodend turned out to be another taste sensation. Not just the pies, (Queenscliff is still the best) but the local bakery happened to be the winner of the 'Best Vanilla Slice' Competition for 2010 - who would have thought! Let me tell you they deserve the title. Think we died and went to heaven!</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">One of the highlights of the day was to drive over Mt Macedon which was completely devastated in the 1984 Ash Wednesday fires and today has been replaced by the most magnificent gardens hiding equally magnificent mansions, many owned by the elite of Melbourne's society. The glimpses of stately homes behind walled fences was worth seeing but having been through those '84 fires myself you wouldn't catch me within cooee of that much undergrowth in Victoria's summer months. While we were on this side of the city, we also visited with fellow travellers Col and Kay, who we met in Derby, Western Australia, this time for a wonderful lunch at their lovely home at Heathcote in the country north of the city.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Our Christmas Celebration</i></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bQNxIQ2HeQSFJbOG02b8Bh4sS-sOoDMuq4JrzugBei2SnjNd9cD20dLZpR7JXPfCRuuh0ecsUvXrX7N2d3JXcU9gmeB0zRo_99fGWyyu2N3b7mvXKuf_5_GpQkXcJ6PiQ1dPN1NQYg4/s1600/vic+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bQNxIQ2HeQSFJbOG02b8Bh4sS-sOoDMuq4JrzugBei2SnjNd9cD20dLZpR7JXPfCRuuh0ecsUvXrX7N2d3JXcU9gmeB0zRo_99fGWyyu2N3b7mvXKuf_5_GpQkXcJ6PiQ1dPN1NQYg4/s320/vic+010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">From Craigeburn we moved to Emerald in the Dandenong Ranges to stay with our dear friends Marg and Trev over the Christmas and New Year season and count ourselves lucky to have such generous and hospitable people in our lives</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">. We had the best time catching up with so many friends and being in a real home was the icing on the cake. Family from Brisbane, namely Sally and Beren and their little man, Xavier as well as Stacey joined us during our time here giving us even more reason to celebrate.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Westgage Bridge from Docklands</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d9DTD0wf0tixgQEtizMktUZgnw7LZIqRYWLQr0TZcfqk8085jqkvBtF4NDTvUUo3tCRa6DxOPBWWFXo4qXm7ng2mKdSYJKwYaRnr9t-UkJzk_TRzFcMxPhNGQ5Zx2pNLW1z8XXRcWLc/s1600/vic+035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d9DTD0wf0tixgQEtizMktUZgnw7LZIqRYWLQr0TZcfqk8085jqkvBtF4NDTvUUo3tCRa6DxOPBWWFXo4qXm7ng2mKdSYJKwYaRnr9t-UkJzk_TRzFcMxPhNGQ5Zx2pNLW1z8XXRcWLc/s320/vic+035.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">We had a wonderful meal and catch up with our friends Howard and Allison at their new Docklands unit. The setting sun provided a stunning backdrop to views from the balcony across the Westgate Bridge and the city. Another day we had an outing to Warburton where we took a long walk through the amazingly tall tree fern forest of the Yarra Ranges National Park.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Yarra Ranges National Park</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesdrXYSG4RPHW7eE-GYkgMSm4Np4Qy4yu6kuYzYL_gtCSRcl2EIuPwmdT3nqZcNqEkCFrcNm6E58jfCVYY2z9ZubYkvjhp148Q5MNPeBdRQlYkSfCr94jvyQIkiLNdvTeCGoLG95MRJM/s1600/vic+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesdrXYSG4RPHW7eE-GYkgMSm4Np4Qy4yu6kuYzYL_gtCSRcl2EIuPwmdT3nqZcNqEkCFrcNm6E58jfCVYY2z9ZubYkvjhp148Q5MNPeBdRQlYkSfCr94jvyQIkiLNdvTeCGoLG95MRJM/s320/vic+026.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">It was time to move on from Melbourne and begin the journey east along the remainder of the Victorian coastline to New South Wales.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We had every intention of staying on Phillip Island for a few days but it wasn't meant to be - the island was totally booked out for the holiday season leaving us with another reason to come back!</span><br />
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</div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-38884598809625988572011-04-18T23:08:00.001-07:002011-04-27T21:29:05.932-07:00The Great Ocean Road<div align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtzJugJtZQLdLlWn_Zzr7rMNkcrvZyRM8UQh7_TWrSwfGFEWF_Qdd4ZDczg_lZ0C-QsyTNN-FhopXxaOy0GqfZpP9dGVx_Bx6ga6-YUJWXnOQ0jMyA9xpyMCOcxHflmbvsHZd6nZ8N_M/s1600/Port+Fairy004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599763147688953474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtzJugJtZQLdLlWn_Zzr7rMNkcrvZyRM8UQh7_TWrSwfGFEWF_Qdd4ZDczg_lZ0C-QsyTNN-FhopXxaOy0GqfZpP9dGVx_Bx6ga6-YUJWXnOQ0jMyA9xpyMCOcxHflmbvsHZd6nZ8N_M/s320/Port+Fairy004.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Port Fairy</span></em><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">After leaving Mt Gambier we headed east into Victoria and somehow missed the border crossing sign, i.e., if there was one, and continued along the Great Ocean Road to Portland on the Discovery Coast. Portland is documented as Victoria's birthplace, the site of the first settlement in the state in 1834 by the Henty Brothers who arrived in the Ladybird from Tasmania. We had a quick look see around town and decided to travel further for the day and return another time.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Our destination was Port Fairy, a most delightful seaside village on the Moyne River with a sheltered harbour filled with fishing boats, wide tree lined streets, stately Norfolk pines along the highways and byways, and like most towns on the Shipwreck Coast has a history centered around whaling, fishing, and agriculture. The old world character of the town is enhanced by the imposing dark grey bluestone of the historic buildings which contrast with the timber cottages many perfectly preserved from the 19th century. We took a run along the coastal reserves east of town which are significant in their Aboriginal heritage and rich in native wildlife.</span><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Warrnambool Maritime Museum</span></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsalXUFHKI4ZSL_5e9S5YBmKzmQzDge4Dfy3vyZRtUL8lJzRG5JhM36jh7Pp9jtG9zGTiUHKNEaFjMDlzxcZG7tJDpXcKAqPWcVPzICsWwMBxArBFF2HZOW5ZkgBGKflIbuZSlSYbRE0/s1600/Warnambool+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599763876305210546" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsalXUFHKI4ZSL_5e9S5YBmKzmQzDge4Dfy3vyZRtUL8lJzRG5JhM36jh7Pp9jtG9zGTiUHKNEaFjMDlzxcZG7tJDpXcKAqPWcVPzICsWwMBxArBFF2HZOW5ZkgBGKflIbuZSlSYbRE0/s320/Warnambool+003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">A twenty minute drive to the east took us to Warrnambool, the largest city in the region situated on beautiful Lady Bay and on the day we visited the weather was true to form of late, ordinary. The breakwater which interestingly was constructed way back in 1890 to protect the Port was awash with spectacular waves due to the high winds and rain squalls. Nearby is Logan Beach known as Victoria's Southern Right Whale Nursery where every year the whales return to calve between June and September. The heritage listed lighthouse located in the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has been keeping Lady Bay safe for over 150 years. We ventured into the hinterland between the two towns to check out the extinct volcano at Tower Hill where we had fantastic views along the coastline.</span> </div><br /><br /><div align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-Mw3H7o3HVP_IOodQ1BYvHcgXlptDgXQ5DamHmiqWEtKsRCyk8KUlwO4-iYOxZkvpYa6T_V2l6aBcSnqmERXKH4Gkf_HeVAoeZwU2agGblpIPViHM6vtQPABuJomiOoTKS8wckjPRuk/s1600/Bay+of+Islands+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599764937306932866" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-Mw3H7o3HVP_IOodQ1BYvHcgXlptDgXQ5DamHmiqWEtKsRCyk8KUlwO4-iYOxZkvpYa6T_V2l6aBcSnqmERXKH4Gkf_HeVAoeZwU2agGblpIPViHM6vtQPABuJomiOoTKS8wckjPRuk/s320/Bay+of+Islands+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>Bay of Islands</em></span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The morning we left we had a text from eldest daughter to say baby on its way and sure enough some 3 hours later Siena Rose arrived in this world - the whole 9lbs 2oz, phew, good job Mum. Number 6 grandchild and another little girl to love. Tempted to keep driving into Melbourne to check out her credentials but decided to hang out at Apollo Bay for a few days instead. The drive took us past the Bay of Islands, The Twelve Apostles Marine National Park (and now there are only eight, I think, as the force of the ocean swallowed them), Cape Otway and its famous lighthouse on the most southern point and a winding mountain road through the Great Otway National Park.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCS7XIGFQuS-IfASYSj_BVE6K_fSGLO2EQcL5iJl-Zr9SwRQBhCBVQBD0mkmUie67YjRXUlMl67No-GxW7mFrs6B1mz1QaKj1pSnlEpzyy-0wCmWFIzkr1vSUl7HHpGmsBHxgXbrEpXi8/s1600/Otways+Lookout.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599768126775610690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCS7XIGFQuS-IfASYSj_BVE6K_fSGLO2EQcL5iJl-Zr9SwRQBhCBVQBD0mkmUie67YjRXUlMl67No-GxW7mFrs6B1mz1QaKj1pSnlEpzyy-0wCmWFIzkr1vSUl7HHpGmsBHxgXbrEpXi8/s320/Otways+Lookout.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">The Long and Windy Road</span></em></span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">We stayed at Marengo a couple of kilometres west of town and 30 metres from thundering surf and it felt like the wind was blowing directly from the Antarctic with the chill factor when we arrived. Rough seas and huge waves pounding the rocky shoreline, nothing knew here but the sun was shining - yeah! It was time for us to simply stop for a few days, catch our breath and enjoy the warmest days we have experienced since Port Vincent in SA.</span><br /><br /><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Marengo Coastline</span></em></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6KsLAAr07JucD-qai4q8SGB6CdE4Bz9TjSjPhAqwIrZBuFKM32bCcLZA20ukylDO7qYPJjRjzRJeXShwqqovz7u4HzgcnUGnqlHhKxOfLZlcMlYhhgmn6Y-DHBpiH91aa3VeYcyhYFI/s1600/Marengo+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599782418468767906" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6KsLAAr07JucD-qai4q8SGB6CdE4Bz9TjSjPhAqwIrZBuFKM32bCcLZA20ukylDO7qYPJjRjzRJeXShwqqovz7u4HzgcnUGnqlHhKxOfLZlcMlYhhgmn6Y-DHBpiH91aa3VeYcyhYFI/s320/Marengo+004.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Marengo holiday park is also on the Great Ocean Walk and as I am up at daybreak with the four legged people we had long treks checking out the awesome early morning views of this rocky coast. The other half, alias snoring beauty missed out on this. Just as well I didn't see the sign "beware of snakes in this area" until the last day or I may have curbed my walks through the undergrowth to the beach.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We left Marengo early morning in a pea soup fog and it was the slowest 70 kilometre run on the whole trip travelling on one of the windiest section of road in the country. The day cleared to spectacular sunshine and around every corner we had amazing view of rugged cliffs, beautiful bays and the awesome southern ocean as we passed by the well known holiday destinations of Lorne and Aireys Inlet. The caravan park at Anglesea was the only one in the area to accept dogs so that became our base for few days and we enjoyed catching up with our friends Jeanette and Glynn from Torquay where the Great Ocean Road comes to an end.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Point Lonsdale Lighthouse</span></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgzKoS6DKG0ReTDnpy5qN7apQjSBqB-lZqMBPZseTU9oknmLiELNlV_wjrmhxLLdpABv60xIYC_GziJJIeM7ey2S72Y8VrO8QTR_uU9tEN_lw0TU_ljfaIeZRs75pLt5iMfuAF4ArOUo/s1600/Queenscliffe+004.jpg"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGsomxjRAHTbjqp913DkgYzKWvdukD-VAajUYNvEnjQwslyp9c2XfNEvJ6u1FU058iHtX7ptLnPKiTrXP_uBvaWvif4HNSP8kwVnrkw0uzo2n3S6NzuDTIW-tylm1s59PyWvtrBHUtmU/s1600/Point+Lonsdale+008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600486141181726610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGsomxjRAHTbjqp913DkgYzKWvdukD-VAajUYNvEnjQwslyp9c2XfNEvJ6u1FU058iHtX7ptLnPKiTrXP_uBvaWvif4HNSP8kwVnrkw0uzo2n3S6NzuDTIW-tylm1s59PyWvtrBHUtmU/s320/Point+Lonsdale+008.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Torquay, and nearby Bells Beach the iconic surf beach home to the Rip Curl Pro surfing contest held over Easter every year, is also where the surf brands of Rip Curl, Quicksilver and Billabong are headquartered. The Bellarine Peninsula on Port Phillip Bay was close by for us to revisit the delightful seaside towns of Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale. The Point Lonsdale Lighthouse on the rocks at the western entrance to Port Phillip Bay overlooks "the Rip" where the water surges through and the bay fills and empties with the tides. </span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Food note to finish: Victoria's "Best Pie Award for 2010" at the Queenscliff Pie Shop. A clear winner in our 'delicious awards', and even though we have further to go it will take a a lot to better this one! </span></div></div></div></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-77813374335571841292011-04-16T19:30:00.000-07:002011-04-18T22:55:22.689-07:00Limestone Coast<div align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597146648821491794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybVZzRIl7DvoamRIZQ_Sk8kWzNXtUjdQGLAzgMru9Rmy0bz4w4L9TM3arLVMoVwQOABQQ7TvEoWJlovLLRGXOwbRFBoHnJ1ij96Ehz69Z9D8-1Fs5VzInmPfdieJOCkp9EfrLq9N3nuU/s320/Robe+009.jpg" border="0" /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Ship Ahoy!
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<br /></span></em><span style="font-family:arial;">On our journey from Victor Harbor to Robe on the Limestone Coast we once again passed the Langhorne Creek area and then boarded the car ferry at Wellington to cross the Murray River, only a five minute journey. The Murray River actually flows into Lake Alexandrina at Wellington and then the road took us down the eastern side of the lake and along the coast line of the Coorong National Park. The national park is largely made up of a string of saltwater lagoons sheltered from the effects of the Southern Ocean by the sand dunes. Its an important waterbird habitat and hundreds of species of plants, birds and native wildlife inhabit this 140klm stretch of fragile ecosystem. There is also cultural and historical significance to the Ngarrindjeri people who have 6,000 years of history in the Coorong.</span></div>
<br /><div align="right"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597145113949693890" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNblfZl_lfQpgdTa3QBI2lCqgA_WuqsTIJ_jS0oE4R1aIZy9J38LPWq8ngp1DWiEXcaozEwhic6dVQ7D9VNwAe217zrpB78aGfOTQj1Ts0O7bJoF-mr_jZQubJzOMDkmmeFwVuvGdQBg/s320/Robe+004.jpg" border="0" /></span>
<br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Lakeside Manor</span></em>
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<br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Robe is a seaside town on Guichen Bay where we stayed for three nights. I was fascinated by the heritage listed Lakeside Manor, a grand 1880's sandstone mansion which is next to the Caravan Park and in fact the original stables have been converted to the office for the Park. The manor is currently used as youth hostel accommodation and inside there are 17 rooms, the largest 30' x 12'; a 40' long hallway; the grand library has bookshelves measuring 18' long by 12' high of blackwood and mahogany; ceilings are 12 to 15 feet high and it has 8 Italian marble fireplaces, etc. The large "for sale" sign out the front was tempting and there was a definite drool factor imagining the potential of renovating this grand old building and its gardens. Its probably a tad to big for us anyway! </div></span>
<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Robe is a delightful town of heritage buildings, trendy pubs, restaurants, lovely beaches, known for its prized rock lobster and recreational fishing. On Lacepede Bay north of Robe is the town of Kingston where one store claims the title of Australia's best fish and chip shop and on two separate occasions no less (we had already eaten), and nearby Cape Jaffa which has a newly developed marina and housing estate and is home to a fleet of twenty cray boats. The Mt. Benson cellar doors are just down the road with a fine selection of cab savs and shiraz to sample from this newly established wine region.</span>
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<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">We moved on to Mt Gambier driving through pine forest country, the town of Millicent and nearby Snuggery which is home to the Kimberley Clark Wood Pulp Mill, which manufactures much of Australia's household tissue paper. We stayed a couple of nights in Mt Gambier which allowed us time to have a couple of minor repairs completed on the van. </span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">
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<br /><div align="right"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597152328472970450" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWmdoRHEY5PBqqLeWg680tm9D2jxWev9msCJZHKyd_2Ar6kmJ-4BcK0m2mA1ngaW1vhfTHS9wvPeV4yW8tOe0Hf4fhT6eiJzkq6Iql-n7n9aB6QOZZJZqblZEO4CYRn9zZQv_uxbKgCc/s320/Coonawarra+001.jpg" border="0" /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Wynns Cellar Door</span></em> </div></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">A day trip took us on the Riddoch Highway to the town of Penola, the heart of the Coonawarra district, with more of those gorgeous heritage cottages and rose gardens and where they also make great meat pies (terrific pastry) and scrumptious ginger slice that complement the fantastic wines. Its always a great experience to drive through the vineyards and to arrive at the magnificent sandstone building of Wynns Estate was like the icing on cake. We have been so good protecting our temptation to sample! Guess what, we fell off the wagon! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_WZ4uyY0aiATUimfdFjMk_DKXomkc3sZzif2iju69qEKtFLCqO1oH64ORcO_487exhjUdGmoFSaDF54m3y7rPisJRPYkcROh2iw4ea8DsJetteGIDzYCoNPR_mxGFhCxqz3LTIU2gms/s1600/Mt+Gambier+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597155399295591650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_WZ4uyY0aiATUimfdFjMk_DKXomkc3sZzif2iju69qEKtFLCqO1oH64ORcO_487exhjUdGmoFSaDF54m3y7rPisJRPYkcROh2iw4ea8DsJetteGIDzYCoNPR_mxGFhCxqz3LTIU2gms/s320/Mt+Gambier+004.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">
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<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Blue Lake </span></em></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">
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<br /></em></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mt Gambier is set amidst a unique and ancient landscape of volcanic craters, lakes, caves and sinkholes according to the tourist info. Blue Lake which is the city's water catchment holds 30,000 million litres and the colour changes from a steel grey in winter to a brilliant turquoise in summer. The lookouts gave us panoramic views over the city, lakes and hinterland. </span></span></em></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">
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<br /></span></span></em></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">A short drive to the coast and the historic Port MacDonnell and Cape Northumberland where the remains of South Australia's first mainland lighthouse is still visible.. Originally a trading port the lighthouse commenced operation in January 1859 and was of great importance to the ships navigating </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">this treacherous coastline. It was abandoned and replaced in 1881 to the east when the pounding seas made inroads under the foundations and gale force winds caused tremors. Today r</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">ock lobster fishing fleets operate from here and it's popular for sport fishing with record size tuna fish being caught in these icy waters.</span> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn5G7ACW3pfNn8BQjigyOVc3LdEeV8u3L5Bnms3r2WGOrsQkdCwo8k2hE8bsUirUY_UM0Bs00BqJlZvroWBwsU0dhQQfUVtSH1ABkJIrrpbhGyfmQxnVwiPezbRm2hppU2pBOQhpToRE/s1600/Port+MacDonnell+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597156753719586066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn5G7ACW3pfNn8BQjigyOVc3LdEeV8u3L5Bnms3r2WGOrsQkdCwo8k2hE8bsUirUY_UM0Bs00BqJlZvroWBwsU0dhQQfUVtSH1ABkJIrrpbhGyfmQxnVwiPezbRm2hppU2pBOQhpToRE/s320/Port+MacDonnell+006.jpg" border="0" /></a> </span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">
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<br /><div align="right"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>Cape Northumberland Western View</div></em></span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We were looking forward to the next stage of our journey the "Great Ocean Road" across the border in Victoria.</span> </em></span>
<br />Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-84040824759002897872011-01-28T16:08:00.000-08:002011-04-16T00:13:37.879-07:00Fleurieu Peninsula<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdI3juoefT_1_eF9yv706tB_ivVz_E4gqaoW6sXzH3XC0uucxsf2QB4tv83XwYYNfL5tMC12mASS5A8c3P0W8DNtmeZPKZ1hWw1txqQjHujKb-LPPPHwX725Wgh1-ZRi95oeMcyC5acao/s1600/Trip+373.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596070716730501586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdI3juoefT_1_eF9yv706tB_ivVz_E4gqaoW6sXzH3XC0uucxsf2QB4tv83XwYYNfL5tMC12mASS5A8c3P0W8DNtmeZPKZ1hWw1txqQjHujKb-LPPPHwX725Wgh1-ZRi95oeMcyC5acao/s320/Trip+373.jpg" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Granite Island</span></em></div><span style="font-family:arial;">Only forty minutes from Adelaide and situated between the Mt Lofty Ranges and Gulf St. Vincent the picturesque McLaren Vale wine growing region was en route to Victor Harbor. The last time I travelled this area was 1985 and as I had talked Victor Harbor up to Ade, I was seriously hoping time had only increased the charm of this small town nestled in the wide arc of Encounter Bay.</span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Causeway & Tram to Granite Island</em> </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyDdCaiO5fkxp96F62KwQLK8do60eZMtUqOmihoZA9OVUA_6ZNb4DJiXzhRBgzvXtxyTLPQ25A5XPBvCECnprm0vK5U0f98LyCbuiMpEkXa9dLDNKKdzn_DmYC9zwbLLHHfcek1r5Sfw/s1600/Trip+378.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596060898440509538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyDdCaiO5fkxp96F62KwQLK8do60eZMtUqOmihoZA9OVUA_6ZNb4DJiXzhRBgzvXtxyTLPQ25A5XPBvCECnprm0vK5U0f98LyCbuiMpEkXa9dLDNKKdzn_DmYC9zwbLLHHfcek1r5Sfw/s320/Trip+378.jpg" border="0" /></a>
<br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Yes it has and as expected the town has grown but also retained that old world feel with its early colonial architecture and even a Clydesdale-drawn tram across the 600m causeway to Granite Island home to resident Little Penguins. The Caravan Park we stayed at was on Encounter Bay so named by Matthew Flinders of the Investigator after his encounter with French explorer Nicholas Baudin on board the Le Geographe in 1802. There were huge piles of seaweed washed up on the beach providing sniff delight for the woofs on our daily walks. </p></span>
<br /><div align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6g34NfJX6jnIsjBku6JWekhKpzl90olLpEAXXaseCw7tP9JU0mokKV8y9a6guq8kdywsqjitXKDeRsDqdlyN2Coyo5l6UYYKNw3oaY0aVyfOC5NV6hM6rmDqc6uByvGN8K9ddr9jhsqA/s1600/Trip+380.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596062459808736978" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6g34NfJX6jnIsjBku6JWekhKpzl90olLpEAXXaseCw7tP9JU0mokKV8y9a6guq8kdywsqjitXKDeRsDqdlyN2Coyo5l6UYYKNw3oaY0aVyfOC5NV6hM6rmDqc6uByvGN8K9ddr9jhsqA/s320/Trip+380.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Cape Jervis</span></em><span style="font-family:arial;"> </div></span><span style="font-family:arial;">
<br /><div align="left"></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;">Our drive along the coast to Cape Jervis has to be the prettiest country we have seen on the whole trip. Cape Jervis is at the southern tip of the peninsula and the departure point for the passenger and car ferry service across Backstairs Passage to Kangaroo Island. Rural scenes of rolling hills, pine forests, vineyards, berry farms, fat Angus and Freesian cattle grazing on thick pastures (they probably never have to walk more than a metre in a day to feed), sheep, goats, alpacas as well, and superb views of the southern ocean and Gulf St. Vincent.</span> <span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>
<br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">Australia's third largest island is best known for its spectacular wildlife and unspoilt natural habitat and has a growing reputation for producing fine wine and foods, including local marron (fresh water crayfish), cheese, honey, lamb, herbs, spices and sauces. Definitely a destination worthy of a few days to explore and devour gourmet delights - next time. </div></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9PRPvIbNGlIDxHJE55ENhdWmjHoszC6PC-TcloyLpXSntk-YdqpNvEtUzWxAxsdkknslnZtnBUJAr9owvtGW0VIpYiNLlPfofJHpu27o_bdIyilq362D4ESQNoi5qLvJKWvpcXiwHFw/s1600/Trip+382.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596063428519711842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9PRPvIbNGlIDxHJE55ENhdWmjHoszC6PC-TcloyLpXSntk-YdqpNvEtUzWxAxsdkknslnZtnBUJAr9owvtGW0VIpYiNLlPfofJHpu27o_bdIyilq362D4ESQNoi5qLvJKWvpcXiwHFw/s320/Trip+382.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Kangaroo Island Ferry</span></em> <span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;">We headed back to Victor Harbor along the coast of the Gulf and stopped at Lady Bay to view the commemorative site of the ex-HMAS Hobart a guided missile destroyer which has been sunk 4 kilometres offshore and is now used as a dive wreck. We travelled up to Normanville, a seaside town known for beautiful white sandy beaches and inshore reefs and back across the country via Yankalilla - meaning place of falling bits! A farmer's town with tumbledown sheds, old stone farmhouses and stockyards located in the valley of the Bungala River. We never did find out the meaning of the falling bits! </span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGckd69DY8_0VfQjuAHy27ifmMJSpX1DqvjuXopZ3KyXz_PotoADZkmPLyUOmzMbA2X4XfpKKJSFGExmg7bz6wtT7ktAa9KxNn2kuTKtgOBUorDfASaa82TvcReWDECvZbuiTOE9U8UDg/s1600/Trip+387.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596063977011998434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGckd69DY8_0VfQjuAHy27ifmMJSpX1DqvjuXopZ3KyXz_PotoADZkmPLyUOmzMbA2X4XfpKKJSFGExmg7bz6wtT7ktAa9KxNn2kuTKtgOBUorDfASaa82TvcReWDECvZbuiTOE9U8UDg/s320/Trip+387.jpg" border="0" /></a>
<br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">We explored to the east of Victor Harbor travelling through Port Elliot to the town of Goolwa once a thriving river port and the last on the Murray River</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">where paddle steamers and steam trains met to carry the inland produce. A bridge connects Goolwa to Hindmarsh Island and from Sugars Beach you can see where the mouth of the Mighty Murray empties into the Southern Ocean only impeded by a shifting mass of sand banks - very impressive. Ade reminded me of the infamous 'con' - secret women's business, aimed at halting housing and development on Hindmarsh Island . It was supposedly a sacred place to Aboriginal Women. From our observation the island is very barren with only a small number of new homes and more importantly</span> a<span style="font-family:arial;"> bird habitat and home to grazing black swans in winter and Cape Barren Geese in summer. I would guess it's a fisherman's paradise as well.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SMzVkklKgWiPQNSVmRqXHM7Zd1q2igsRCjccFQGusnOM7NflTBDKE7G5YyXpzKOKQm7HGNbkjp1fTcjAEMIzY5oUwctWh5kaKwiX2XnpGg3aFN6KTisS3ae7wQ5cm9EALmf0whfiKF4/s1600/Trip+396.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596064495974182818" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SMzVkklKgWiPQNSVmRqXHM7Zd1q2igsRCjccFQGusnOM7NflTBDKE7G5YyXpzKOKQm7HGNbkjp1fTcjAEMIzY5oUwctWh5kaKwiX2XnpGg3aFN6KTisS3ae7wQ5cm9EALmf0whfiKF4/s320/Trip+396.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span></p><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Murray River Mouth, Coorong National Park</span></em> <span style="font-family:arial;">We travelled around Lake Alexandrina to Langhorne Creek, home to eight cellar doors and one of the oldest and fastest growing wine regions producing outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The grape vines had the thickest gnarled trunks we have seen and the area also boasts olives groves, almond orchards and a horseradish farm within its food culture. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKusEbGosJrS9VnyG94umoLNG-UZ5HsDfGxieBKLflH4i3eQWjEhyphenhyphenkTB13Qx-hkkDzkm2J4TA7e1tMBeaNLLtDXwOX-cZ6BLK2asCEoiSjErAnBg1iZPpezoF8S9T01Z_8QNRpYXsYHZ0/s1600/Trip+400.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596068465841771394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKusEbGosJrS9VnyG94umoLNG-UZ5HsDfGxieBKLflH4i3eQWjEhyphenhyphenkTB13Qx-hkkDzkm2J4TA7e1tMBeaNLLtDXwOX-cZ6BLK2asCEoiSjErAnBg1iZPpezoF8S9T01Z_8QNRpYXsYHZ0/s320/Trip+400.jpg" border="0" /></a>
<br /><p align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Kingsbrook Inn</span></em> </p>
<br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Just down the road is Strathalbyn a small town with a history dating back to 1839 when it was settled by Scottish migrants. There is a strong Celtic influence in the old stone buildings with cast iron lacework, and the town is a well regarded centre for antiques with a dozen or so antique dealers and an annual antique fair. On our way back to Victor Harbour we passed the Kingsbrook Inn established in 1852, a little touch of Italy, quite a contrast and surrounded by vineyards. Are we really in Australia?</span></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYzu02749zX21MuOg4ti8ZYCetkshDplOEPbK8zlJ4gt6j7ca1f25IFMkomXJWkxndDvaphugd4-7f6gYCIwxYwT1JiHZUzJcd8I8UGdJA0yJYz2HU_gjVwJYWRere0Bs1LJPcs75Adc/s1600/Trip+402.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596069671388716034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYzu02749zX21MuOg4ti8ZYCetkshDplOEPbK8zlJ4gt6j7ca1f25IFMkomXJWkxndDvaphugd4-7f6gYCIwxYwT1JiHZUzJcd8I8UGdJA0yJYz2HU_gjVwJYWRere0Bs1LJPcs75Adc/s320/Trip+402.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>Another Vineyard</em></span> <span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;">
<br /><p>Next on the tour, the Limestone coast our last area to explore in South Australia before heading across the border to Victoria. </span></p>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-75417707391559168382011-01-28T16:04:00.000-08:002011-04-12T18:53:09.792-07:00The Barossa, Adelaide and Surrounds<em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">All Roads Lead to Wineries</span></em><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRfOwfvTxV9e1PbRtBI1w_2bij4tF20Ogq_LS5uCVhK7az2Pxtftn8GWAue0ZauoLPqOFh3tWJLrBz4KktnFyNHew7Rla8JMAbfu9Ci5lRMQYG5NpJRkHoRiA_6nzBzvgtdiN53BsWOA/s1600/Barossa+004.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594584382111338754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRfOwfvTxV9e1PbRtBI1w_2bij4tF20Ogq_LS5uCVhK7az2Pxtftn8GWAue0ZauoLPqOFh3tWJLrBz4KktnFyNHew7Rla8JMAbfu9Ci5lRMQYG5NpJRkHoRiA_6nzBzvgtdiN53BsWOA/s320/Barossa+004.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">It seems that all roads in South Australia lead to food and wine growing regions and none more noteworthy than that of the Barossa Valley. Our main reason to stay here was to touch base with a former co-worker of ours from Duracell days. Dean and his lovely lady Sabina who run a produce agency in nearby One Tree Hill, joined us for a meal and memory lane visit at our camp. The camp was on the edge of the local athletic field and we were entertained by the local junior cricket teams, pint size players taking their game very seriously and providing much entertainment.<br /><br /></span><br /><div align="right"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594578142017002962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBtj7FEUg9D7yE8rE1EzU2n9Hy4jIX0NbpO9l2JXapek1Y3jh6JQ5sgoEy_Xqttso1TrQybim6LXoyFENz8YGHyfNgbIqn_ceeG7zY50coHzpWsZuR0e_KP5fe9jNKKliuVsTtM0GRZ4/s320/Barossa+005.jpg" /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Seppelts Family Mausoleum</em></span></span> </div><br /><br /><div align="right"></div><span style="font-family:Arial;">The strong German influence here is easily confirmed by the number of Lutheran churches and like the vineyards and cellar doors, there seems to be one around every corner. The first grapes were planted in 1839 and some of the oldest producing Shiraz vines in the world are found in the Barossa which is the largest wine producing area in Australia. The major town of Gawler was in close proximity as well as the pretty villages of Lyndoch, Tanunda, Nuriootpa and Angaston nestled between the rolling hills and acres of vineyards. The old stone cottages, antique shops, art galleries, restaurants, etc all just add that special appeal to enjoy the experience of the Barossa. Again I have to mention the beautiful roses that were just everywhere - so numerous in number, colour and form. I had a strong urge to become "the phantom rose thief"<em> -</em> <span style="font-family:arial;">if only I had a pair of secateurs!</span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">A highlight for me was visiting Maggie Beer's produce farm and sampling her specialised produce from the farm door! Yummy sauces, pate's, pastes, jams etc. - very hard not to purchase a few. Ade discovered the pheasants in the garden which </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">were most interesting with wonderful colourful plumage but really I didn't want to think of them ending up in the pate' I enjoy so much. One could say this region is a gourmet's delight with the bakeries producing traditional German yeasted cakes and breads, butchers with smoked mettwurst and bratwurst sausages, locally produced cheeses and beer from the boutique breweries as well as farmers' markets showcasing local produce. </span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibC_qAXVkgNp-EGbPy_xiZWiE0a7HnASnqASpLikfih5fK-PwBzb9QE5-dOxa8UE38kCuhBqFxLrAG3UX-zhYz_IUYZizveV8am6_bo0t6qFL75Gjc8kNt1JotkqWOGSoRJ9GHzohCf0Y/s1600/Barossa+011.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594580116850063090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibC_qAXVkgNp-EGbPy_xiZWiE0a7HnASnqASpLikfih5fK-PwBzb9QE5-dOxa8UE38kCuhBqFxLrAG3UX-zhYz_IUYZizveV8am6_bo0t6qFL75Gjc8kNt1JotkqWOGSoRJ9GHzohCf0Y/s320/Barossa+011.jpg" /></span></a><br /><div align="left"></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Fine Plumage at the Pheasant Farm</span> </em></span><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em></em></span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">As we both had been to Adelaide before we didn't spend a lot of time in the city preferring to travel further afield </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">and spend our time exploring the coast south of Adelaide. It seemed the whole of Adelaide had headed for the suburb of Glenelg on the picture perfect Saturday morning we visited. The kids were still in primary school last time I was in Glenelg, just west of the city, and as happens there has been a transformation from a small seaside suburb to a very trendy thriving cosmopolitan village with its high rise apartment buildings, shopping and cafe society and to top it off, the beach which hasn't changed!</span></div><br /><br /><div align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxm0R8F-08pjYOQYfhmw3dshqhBL1xqwTtnEN5KQrY7FmV7jFKfq-_k1FO2QUQOUvTV-CG17tOqEw32KbdpTXGFj2I28G7mhfU4KgI56o5m5x2cdiTw30GWEEvAiM3jhT7L8QHsujlw5g/s1600/Port+Noarlunga+002.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594581658110925826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxm0R8F-08pjYOQYfhmw3dshqhBL1xqwTtnEN5KQrY7FmV7jFKfq-_k1FO2QUQOUvTV-CG17tOqEw32KbdpTXGFj2I28G7mhfU4KgI56o5m5x2cdiTw30GWEEvAiM3jhT7L8QHsujlw5g/s320/Port+Noarlunga+002.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>View from Wittons Bluff</em><br /><br /></div></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><div align="left"></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;">We drove south to Port Noarlunga an old port township on the Onkaparinga River. We had wonderful views from Wittons Bluff over the jetty and the heritage listed reef which is fully exposed at low tide and the protected marine reserve, a popular local diving spot. The reef was the cause of shipwrecks in the early days of coastal schooners.</span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">Next stop Victor Harbor, new territory for Ade, and once again I haven't visited since my big kids were little tackers! </span><em></div></em>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-81193633224681988012011-01-28T15:58:00.000-08:002011-02-24T22:35:07.714-08:00Yorke Peninsular<div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Wallaroo</span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576762778211190370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyLVZGyGQqmBfn_11aHPMgsf6IV_8aHVi4kB6nlspr1HeTwpm2bkj1A9pN0pp43XD09DDRBL7nHJ7t6NQZXUUVJABl-gB939qUqU_3xrGG0ITaHXaZI-rMzHEGyaIVx7bVqfKLZIlAl8/s320/Wallaroo+002.jpg" border="0" /> Sunset</em></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">One could be forgiven for thinking we had landed in Europe as the shape of the Yorke Peninsular looks like the boot of Italy. Yorkes as the locals affectionately call it is easy to criss cross and explore, only a two and a half hour drive from top to bottom and thirty minutes across. Matthew Flinders named the region in the early 19th century and before European settlement the traditional owners were the Narungga people. There are wonderful bays and beaches, jetties, historic buildings, charming stone cottages with the most stunning rose gardens, wildlife, rolling farmland, grain terminals, lighthouses and all that goes with it.</span> </div><br /><br /><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Restored Stone Cottage </span></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpdBm8akv8sLqc-mRTtDYMUsLSKsrlrxNt9lCHhMJGxu3wahqGXOt6PSXFBUOhfElRMMmiXcCA1kQmtujQ6U5eyr6q7rQXMScgzXG09tZJvqrxY7La4QGdpGQ3xkAEGh2mWVic9CQTyY/s1600/Yorketown+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577110341929892146" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpdBm8akv8sLqc-mRTtDYMUsLSKsrlrxNt9lCHhMJGxu3wahqGXOt6PSXFBUOhfElRMMmiXcCA1kQmtujQ6U5eyr6q7rQXMScgzXG09tZJvqrxY7La4QGdpGQ3xkAEGh2mWVic9CQTyY/s320/Yorketown+001.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">We stayed at Wallaroo </span><span style="font-family:arial;">on the northern end of the Spencer Gulf for a couple of nights where we had front row seats from the van to view the stunning sunsets over the water. We had long walks on the wide sandy beach with the dogs. Brie was in her element playing chasey with the bird life and took off at the rate of knots to catch them until her extending leash pulled her up short! Darn - missed again! Bere is a good paddler and unlike his sister doesn't mind being wet though we need to pay attention to him as he has disappeared in pools on a couple of occasions - the trials for our blind boy. Wallaroo has a modern marina where the Spencer Gulf prawn fleet is based and local boaties moor their toys. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigX0bFgb_Q-oRCCfbsCsLNOzJXAxZduO6i857y8T4Jer8djnfvM3hwij6oDX3CDFV7-SBCUoyOQ9XFuld10tZoPqgz97IUgBKzG7V4-nqMwnA-_S3ptkTs9crWipomwk7UqL9KTgzq9Gc/s1600/Edithburgh+019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576770805961279778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigX0bFgb_Q-oRCCfbsCsLNOzJXAxZduO6i857y8T4Jer8djnfvM3hwij6oDX3CDFV7-SBCUoyOQ9XFuld10tZoPqgz97IUgBKzG7V4-nqMwnA-_S3ptkTs9crWipomwk7UqL9KTgzq9Gc/s320/Edithburgh+019.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">An Original Cottage</span></em></div><br /><br /><div align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Copper was discovered in 1850 in nearby Kadina and when skilled Cornish miners worked the Wallaroo </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">and Moonta mines it was referred to as "Australia's Little Cornwall" and the three towns are commonly known as the Copper Triangle. Even though the mines closed in 1923 the cultural mix from these settlers lives on with all things Cornish from the hogs pudding, ginger pop and more importantly the home made Cornish Pasties! Oh yeah, food again and I have never tasted a Pasty like it - delicious! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576766221587655154" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoGdpMb4g8YBVxEvoQhfMsvZrZtCSADg_stI0SoTTxqJKVlvU6WuY_YWkPI-ISnaZ4JYijbT1z34RrhYcFNrRYrWVqUxwE-FT4klF6cb-9efLd_ekQymL3pD6yVjiD6e5DX5aJCrecKM/s320/Port+Vincent+001.jpg" border="0" /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></em><br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span></em></span></p><br /><br /><p align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">The Before</span></em> </span></p><br /><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Our next move was to Port Vincent on the eastern side to catch up once again with our travelling friends from Brisbane, Syd and Lorelle for a few days. Another delightful historic little town, this time on the Gulf of St. Vincent and once again our camp site was right on the water. Syd couldn't wait to take Ade gardening and with rake and rubbish bin in hand the two of them set off. This was gardening with a twist!</span><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">...and after - yummy!</span></em><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjdCZdgzTYL0mIG-aRVPWIwkW8kTtWM02TLlJ47YSEcLXTtqtfwaD03bV5-KEY9Idl1QsUsEeyLxL0WR7H2z5RwTxW-zLocdVk2OJTxUJAL1V6tMeBTCKTkmsEEW5am06QTe67XaQyoo/s1600/Port+Vincent+002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576767529831865266" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjdCZdgzTYL0mIG-aRVPWIwkW8kTtWM02TLlJ47YSEcLXTtqtfwaD03bV5-KEY9Idl1QsUsEeyLxL0WR7H2z5RwTxW-zLocdVk2OJTxUJAL1V6tMeBTCKTkmsEEW5am06QTe67XaQyoo/s320/Port+Vincent+002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The boys were like two little kids let loose in a lolly shop. The first day they came back with eight Blue Swimmer Crabs which required a special rake to extricate them from their sandy hideaways in waist deep water. In their enthusiasm they broke the rake (Ade reckons it was a giant crab that got away). We cooked the crabs in the camp pot and thought we were the bee's knees devouring our fresh crab meal. Day two, with new rake in hand they set off again returning with 42 of these delectable little crabs this time. Hours later after the cooking process we sat back and engorged ourselves all over again, and still had plenty left!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">By the time we said goodbye to our friends and moved south to Edithburgh the weather had deteriorated. Wind and rain prevailed and the temperatures dropped considerably. In actual fact we had a howling gale for two days and by now we should know what to expect when there is a wind farm nearby! No taking advantage of the tidal swimming pool at our front door with this lousy weather so instead we went exploring. On an historic note here, I read that the Yorke Peninsular is the resting place of 85 shipwrecks and Edithburgh the site of at least six of them.</span> </span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjulG8ducJ4uDGNqDRvQ52nhtej02gIRWb5auEUAB1cKNtEp2nXbj9EysS9xRmyIx_bFyagE-IFVHQQWG0A2e4YM0avnk8Z6pI0iUCu7SmvcgkEIQn1IOLrz2-i9M1jZiqmiJxFvQ2G7I/s1600/Wool+Bay+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577113300935910386" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjulG8ducJ4uDGNqDRvQ52nhtej02gIRWb5auEUAB1cKNtEp2nXbj9EysS9xRmyIx_bFyagE-IFVHQQWG0A2e4YM0avnk8Z6pI0iUCu7SmvcgkEIQn1IOLrz2-i9M1jZiqmiJxFvQ2G7I/s320/Wool+Bay+005.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">The Lime Kiln from above</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The rich limestone soils produce bumper crops of barley and wheat and Yorkes is known as the Barley Capital of Australia. It's said you can find a little part of Yorke in every glass of Aussie Beer. We think you could be in England with the countryside dotted with stone ruins and dry stone walls, wheat and barley fields waving in the breeze and narrow roads my imagination lends me to believe could be country lanes - but no horse or hay carts on the horizon!</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2RX5Tb7E6y3D-AwlBKmx6dEv7G0RZhyphenhyphenkQEsGxUXhAArhPKxVjr_clWIT_vad52W2qW6n1goqL2acLjfi6-it4J2W_H3ZixgfMS0vxuePDgpipniJ7WV5aDMCx9RYhYlfdR54oy-8RTgA/s1600/Wool+Bay+006.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577114783021257474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2RX5Tb7E6y3D-AwlBKmx6dEv7G0RZhyphenhyphenkQEsGxUXhAArhPKxVjr_clWIT_vad52W2qW6n1goqL2acLjfi6-it4J2W_H3ZixgfMS0vxuePDgpipniJ7WV5aDMCx9RYhYlfdR54oy-8RTgA/s320/Wool+Bay+006.jpg" border="0" /></em></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>.....and below<br /></em></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">We probably drove through all the towns and along all the coast roads. There are views across the treacherous waters of Investigator Strait to Kangaroo Island from Stenhouse Bay. We were fascinated by the historic Lime Kiln ruin dug into the cliffs at Wool Bay where lime was collected and burned from the late 19th century until the 1950's. It was then shipped to Adelaide to be used in mortar for the building industry. The town of Minlaton has a memorial to daredevil pioneer aviator, Captain Harry Buttler who flew across the Gulf from Adelaide in a WWI Bristol monoplane known as the Red Devil to deliver the Royal Mail in 1919. Our last stop in Yorkes was at Tiddy Widdy Beach to see how "tiddy widdy" it was. We had a good laugh but there was nothing to get excited about!</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9R3bqRXcc4nZ9T-T5kg3NzytEgYasnEntOV7R0fMdLdgdZ7LtTY-AnD50L8cnecp42zPqqDslj25uekJX6YgR8yxJtb5QPdp77PpsHKIWZLWJwU_wge-oOoiWKDd5uTdcj3iVaCKPSrE/s1600/Minlaton+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576771862201372546" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9R3bqRXcc4nZ9T-T5kg3NzytEgYasnEntOV7R0fMdLdgdZ7LtTY-AnD50L8cnecp42zPqqDslj25uekJX6YgR8yxJtb5QPdp77PpsHKIWZLWJwU_wge-oOoiWKDd5uTdcj3iVaCKPSrE/s320/Minlaton+001.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></p><p align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">The Red Devil</span></em></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfc7ekeTXCPkK79cgWZr2ZiKzZbKmxlVLPt-4Uxxx7Ug9eWnI6CJVI00fkoSDEceLF92iJJ9ZmBczyY0-3nwULfap8dJfrOtEXzfxU6pFrSO5h1bWQ8qzAogivJOIjptdrM9p8dwCiZ0/s1600/Tiddy+Widdy+Beach+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576774147793795874" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfc7ekeTXCPkK79cgWZr2ZiKzZbKmxlVLPt-4Uxxx7Ug9eWnI6CJVI00fkoSDEceLF92iJJ9ZmBczyY0-3nwULfap8dJfrOtEXzfxU6pFrSO5h1bWQ8qzAogivJOIjptdrM9p8dwCiZ0/s320/Tiddy+Widdy+Beach+004.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Tiddy Widdy Beach</span></em></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Lots to take in and we continue to be amazed at our wonderful country. More to see and particularly in the infamous wine country of the Barossa, our next port of call.</span><br /><br /><br /></p></span>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-26035114541396852792011-01-28T15:52:00.000-08:002011-02-15T20:23:36.326-08:00Eyre Peninsular<em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">Early Evening Streaky Bay</span></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfbfs_-lXG5H5BlXx_y42y7ToeXy4BYjPbo8_61i51hEOhYDCoOvUGPdQxUqcDSNWF95do7U4_cxQ5QKKw_qxJK0EBmOYAQcWAK6AdFU6biZgbM5TCYIf80zTR03X-OHf-ht8LznBRrQ/s1600/Streaky+Bay+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573420083188464514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfbfs_-lXG5H5BlXx_y42y7ToeXy4BYjPbo8_61i51hEOhYDCoOvUGPdQxUqcDSNWF95do7U4_cxQ5QKKw_qxJK0EBmOYAQcWAK6AdFU6biZgbM5TCYIf80zTR03X-OHf-ht8LznBRrQ/s320/Streaky+Bay+006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">The Eyre Peninsular looks remarkably like the continent of India; lays claim to fame as the seafood capital of Australia (as the brochures tell us), with an abundance of cold water fish, oysters, abalone, scallops, mussels, prawns, blue swimmer crabs, and rock lobster, etc. What a great place to visit!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The Foreshore Tourist Park located on the shore of Streaky Bay and the Great Australian Bight was a good base for us to explore this northern part of the Peninsular. This charming village has beautiful old stone buildings from the pioneering days and its history dates back to 1802 when Matthew Flinders named the bay for the bands of colour in the water from the seaweed oils. By the 1880's the area became an important port for the shipment of wheat and wool which remains as the major industry today.</span> </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZnpU-4pP3P8SGFU1hKsrbmv3OxiN-jOk7pZWcTD8gdkezuQCLV93-pRh3atj_d4RuBtOTOmSvn5JhX1TJbBmh4qhyc_PbVEx5iD4Qe2Yxhk_mkU9nVVD-Dk0WBNOIbzgayvdfARzaCuk/s1600/ajw+Point+Labatt+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573421886200065522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZnpU-4pP3P8SGFU1hKsrbmv3OxiN-jOk7pZWcTD8gdkezuQCLV93-pRh3atj_d4RuBtOTOmSvn5JhX1TJbBmh4qhyc_PbVEx5iD4Qe2Yxhk_mkU9nVVD-Dk0WBNOIbzgayvdfARzaCuk/s320/ajw+Point+Labatt+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Mommas and Poppas of Point Labatt</span></em></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">We all know how Adrian loves driving on corrugated dirt roads, but as he wanted to see the Sea-lion colony 51 kilometres south it didn't seem to be such a major concern this time! Point Labatt Conservation Park is home to the only permanent breeding Sea-lion Colony in Australia. We watched these puppy dogs from the sea riding the ocean waves and the youngsters frolicking about in the rock pools from t</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">he cliff top lookout 50 metres above the sandy cove. Most of the big mommas and poppas were 'hanging around' sunbathing on the rocks no doubt after a few days of fishing! Point Labatt is also a resting place for New Zealand Fur Seals. The bird life we spotted amongst the Sea Lions were Pied Cormorants and Crested Terns.</span><br /><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Point Labatt</span></em> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOvxbrLjv5NS1M6zbFBiMjoZDiNjzsTnZTu8-Qg-rzRXLTDergI5k72yBaInwwJsq3lT1CgkVmeRhE4R8Ts_Xeh8jnd0pDKJzbhxoNAdRnAaO1-VitvMU39a9rHcoxZnZlkxCo-oBeoU/s1600/ajw+Point+Labatt+007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573445735021401730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOvxbrLjv5NS1M6zbFBiMjoZDiNjzsTnZTu8-Qg-rzRXLTDergI5k72yBaInwwJsq3lT1CgkVmeRhE4R8Ts_Xeh8jnd0pDKJzbhxoNAdRnAaO1-VitvMU39a9rHcoxZnZlkxCo-oBeoU/s320/ajw+Point+Labatt+007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Westall Way Loop Drive and the Cape Bauer Loop Drive close to Streaky Bay provided another contrast of spectacular scenery with granite cliffs, white sandy beaches, huge sand dunes, and blowholes. Here Southern Osprey, White Bellied Sea Eagles and Peregrine Falcons inhabit the area and it is also a breeding ground for these feathered creatures.</span></div></div><br /><br /><div align="right"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>Oyster Beds Coffin Bay</em></span><br /><br /><div align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573434137903122482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dkdStWdYD3-Zi4vsGZf-lK-RDsgIY2zRNi2-rxKNPRcGKshO3IaqZEEnIUh4uWyRisQrwckmgSXXBi6l-EKAc5vn1EVOGfvvK-etLYFCm_-9dYKwoqgpFoYWxxtoRgW2SDacG0D3gtE/s320/Coffin+Bay+011.jpg" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Our next stop for a couple of nights was further south at Coffin Bay where some of the finest oysters in the world are harvested. The bays, inlets and waterways provide ideal conditions for fishing and water sports as well. This was a good base to enable us to travel to Port Lincoln on the eastern side of the southern Eyre Peninsular. I should mention that views from the Winter Hill Lookout of the rolling green hills down to the blue waters of the natural harbour of Boston Bay are quite spectacular. Port Lincoln first settled in 1839, is a thriving modern community with a population of 15,000 supported mainly by the aquaculture industry and in particular Blue Fin Tuna. Southern Rock Lobsters, Western King prawns, oysters and King George Whiting are also on the menu - hard to take! One of the tourist opportunities we saw advertised is swimming (in a cage) with 'the exciting predators of the sea', Great White Sharks - shark bait, no thanks, it didn't really appeal to my sense of adventure.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></div><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Port Lincoln</span></em><br /></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9RYeZ3AgkvPMuNrPHnHH3qS88tOopo8Z0F6EIaO6D68-2y0He-66GDunuKuayYakkrzJRJh6DECMi6cgC0amATJW747xnO3eWJctMBfirfEXoDlWccQG3QbFMNZ3hQVm1ar_sPi_ero/s1600/ajw-Port+Lincoln+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573430817516828594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9RYeZ3AgkvPMuNrPHnHH3qS88tOopo8Z0F6EIaO6D68-2y0He-66GDunuKuayYakkrzJRJh6DECMi6cgC0amATJW747xnO3eWJctMBfirfEXoDlWccQG3QbFMNZ3hQVm1ar_sPi_ero/s320/ajw-Port+Lincoln+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;">A little more my speed was the Alex Stenross Maritime Museum on the site of the boat building workshop on Boston Bay. Alex Stenross, the descendent of two generations of Finnish boat builders, was born in 1895 and first went to sea at the age of 12. He came to Australia from Finland in 1927 as a ship's carpenter and set up his business in 1928 repairing and building boats and continued until a few days before his death in 1980. The museum has his original boat building tools and maintains the slipway for todays small craft.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTHZaF_sNItOuBYNXNhxN8hMTWZWI6GtorQD08oVyPcHUxY2swBbaaBsHeVrRl6CYE6dQHxBX5olEBlvTyLIo1dKTGtF8X6DMGinF4W39YZTE0scJD92spcXCURDnynO6QMJs5QFfYsg/s1600/Port+Lincoln+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573432205510067426" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTHZaF_sNItOuBYNXNhxN8hMTWZWI6GtorQD08oVyPcHUxY2swBbaaBsHeVrRl6CYE6dQHxBX5olEBlvTyLIo1dKTGtF8X6DMGinF4W39YZTE0scJD92spcXCURDnynO6QMJs5QFfYsg/s320/Port+Lincoln+006.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Alex Stenross Museum</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">After our stay at Coffin Bay, we headed north on the Lincoln Highway on the eastern side with Spencer Gulf separating us from the York Peninsular. Quick side trips into the small seaside villages of Tumby and Arno Bays, Port Neill and Cowell before stopping for a couple of nights on the Whyalla foreshore. I should say the 'windy' Whyalla foreshore - Ade had to hold the door open so I could get in and out of the van and the poor little woofs almost turned inside out! The only bonus was the spectacular views of wind surfers rising way up out of the water and travelling at incredible speed. Whyalla is another one of those rusty red towns thanks to the iron ore industry. The ore from Iron Knob in the Middleback Ranges is railed to the site at the Whyalla Port 54 kilometres west where it is transformed into 90 different grades of steel before shipment.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></div><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Whyalla Wind Surfer</span></em> </div><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTKta21FapMoZf34MRJuI_LX9gvqM8FwmXSGIwD-9OB8eAMB7T8i18tyFSKPf3-b1YUQL13DFMmbb_Ihwq3RDFpHDC1KDwkmx_uAP5rKOYcrV2Jhcr_E4guCm7uIwRzi1TvRTRSSQZ4E/s1600/ajw-Whyalla+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573435414104178738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTKta21FapMoZf34MRJuI_LX9gvqM8FwmXSGIwD-9OB8eAMB7T8i18tyFSKPf3-b1YUQL13DFMmbb_Ihwq3RDFpHDC1KDwkmx_uAP5rKOYcrV2Jhcr_E4guCm7uIwRzi1TvRTRSSQZ4E/s320/ajw-Whyalla+003.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTKta21FapMoZf34MRJuI_LX9gvqM8FwmXSGIwD-9OB8eAMB7T8i18tyFSKPf3-b1YUQL13DFMmbb_Ihwq3RDFpHDC1KDwkmx_uAP5rKOYcrV2Jhcr_E4guCm7uIwRzi1TvRTRSSQZ4E/s1600/ajw-Whyalla+003.jpg"></a></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">As those of you who are regular readers will know, I'm over red dirt in a big way so I was very happy to move on to what I hoped would be greener and less windy</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> pastures!</span></div><br /><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Rusty Red Whyalla</span></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94DbicJt63Fwloz-rD4dy53Z8WyqbHMIIl0ZtdevGZwULUjyG3iulCMeNqVrcgi_AmV6kR8txv9S3KZ_T5ezcpJah5XfIYyyoIGFp4bvph3xATdhwdNhjbP1xiPXh0MHUbKd3AGXPtMw/s1600/ip-Whyalla+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573436423464210434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94DbicJt63Fwloz-rD4dy53Z8WyqbHMIIl0ZtdevGZwULUjyG3iulCMeNqVrcgi_AmV6kR8txv9S3KZ_T5ezcpJah5XfIYyyoIGFp4bvph3xATdhwdNhjbP1xiPXh0MHUbKd3AGXPtMw/s320/ip-Whyalla+003.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></span></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-89185640468371570972011-01-20T20:28:00.000-08:002011-01-25T22:29:53.049-08:00The Nullabor Plain<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDvaT389EFpM0Dtp2oukCYR35mjb9uEFG9ec8cu6-gxcYfyLoSTS4QEGPei2zSYXDz7YtYUaRPagcCnU9WInqwdL61bZ_OmvRnq9aJmXQFPH2YShI7xMLiG_DukntbvPyhssRHP0xh8U/s1600/Nullabor+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566366446387960818" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDvaT389EFpM0Dtp2oukCYR35mjb9uEFG9ec8cu6-gxcYfyLoSTS4QEGPei2zSYXDz7YtYUaRPagcCnU9WInqwdL61bZ_OmvRnq9aJmXQFPH2YShI7xMLiG_DukntbvPyhssRHP0xh8U/s320/Nullabor+004.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">The Straight Stretch, Eyre Highway</span></em><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">We returned to Norseman on Friday and at precisely 11am we started our journey across the Nullabor Plain; Australia's great road journey with the Great Australian Bight and the Southern Ocean to the south and the Great Sandy Desert to the north.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Weather was cold and overcast as we travelled to our first camp at Baxters Rest between Balladonia and Caiguna on the longest straight stretch of road in the country, 146 kilometres. We aren't playing the Nullabor Links and for those who haven't heard of the latest tourist attraction, you can play 18 holes of golf from Kalgoorlie to Ceduna in South Australia; the longest golf course in the world at 1,365 kilometres. We couldn't help but wonder how the 'Tiger' would handle the distance!</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">Firstly we passed by Fraser Range, granite hills supporting a Eucalyptus hardwood forest of more than 20 species about 100 kilometres out and then the 90 mile or 146 kilometre straight stretch on this Eyre Highway. Next the town of Balladonia which made headlines around the world in 1979 when space debris from Skylab landed here. Small clumps of wildflowers, spindly trees, red dirt through to a clay looking landscape and no sheep, no cattle, an occasional dead emu on the side of the road and I almost forgot, no noisy crows! A nullaboring road according to the mere male sitting beside me!</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DUpVeAlolwSjucohyeyz43HOsi4gpv-Mlgz8R-iY5dGJ3PwatH5WobHFYBcIMaEHwfE19x5W4lqhxZq0vFWMPaYUyXPS-E51NrO7wp-7poHj7M0hwYz4m5bYtthJQBUNaPls9b7IJGQ/s1600/Nullabor+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566373736742415154" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DUpVeAlolwSjucohyeyz43HOsi4gpv-Mlgz8R-iY5dGJ3PwatH5WobHFYBcIMaEHwfE19x5W4lqhxZq0vFWMPaYUyXPS-E51NrO7wp-7poHj7M0hwYz4m5bYtthJQBUNaPls9b7IJGQ/s320/Nullabor+006.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Cliffs of The Great Australian Bight</span></em></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">An uneventful overnight stop and still no sun the next morning as we continued on our journey to South Australia with a two and a half hour time difference to deal with down the track. This is one big expanse of flat country as far as the eye can see. An amazing view after Madura which is midway between Perth and Adelaide. We descended at Madura pass from the Hampton Tablelands to a spectacular view of the grey green nothingness of the Roe Plains. The Moodini Bluff lies to the north and the ridge of the tablelands which would have once been the ocean cliffs continued in view and we realised we were driving on what was once the ocean floor. </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeW3rdJ03VT_VQhkECHcg0vHFgzeWumSjoGm-6sm-igvg7LwjAB-1_LKU_meQqoPCUCkqNbdIGgXGVsb9qcODTit30nIydJ88UL6OYkzOVuD2fC5bqvQQrV9fI9Xo81mHGp4vSNRljeGw/s1600/Nullabor+009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566367888898065714" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeW3rdJ03VT_VQhkECHcg0vHFgzeWumSjoGm-6sm-igvg7LwjAB-1_LKU_meQqoPCUCkqNbdIGgXGVsb9qcODTit30nIydJ88UL6OYkzOVuD2fC5bqvQQrV9fI9Xo81mHGp4vSNRljeGw/s320/Nullabor+009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Coming into Eucla twelve kilometres before the border we had amazing views of the Delisser Sandhills and for the first time, the Southern Ocean. We climbed to the tablelands and travelled along the ridge over the border crossing into South Australia (time change) and there was the Great Australian Bight in all its glory. Surf and majestic cliffs and the sun shining for the first time today - bloody marvellous said the other half! We saw a family of emus; mum and dad crossed the road in front of us and the youngsters numbering at least six had the good sense not to follow them.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Tried to grab a photo but we were travelling to fast.</span> </p><p><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hwT43U3v5cfj967dqw0PikXZiqwnzljS3KT6nben1rH-b4O5HgtCb_X7TFJheg-Wfwh6jrjKI1bTZuPU2VMLTz-3qqPek8sg_hgctSU7Her53EG8wNKfIpAIij2BOQroz6xRPQF1yxU/s1600/Nullabor+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566374988238090034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hwT43U3v5cfj967dqw0PikXZiqwnzljS3KT6nben1rH-b4O5HgtCb_X7TFJheg-Wfwh6jrjKI1bTZuPU2VMLTz-3qqPek8sg_hgctSU7Her53EG8wNKfIpAIij2BOQroz6xRPQF1yxU/s320/Nullabor+013.jpg" border="0" /></a>Bunda Cliffs Vegetation</span></em></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">133klm (from the border) Rest Stop at Bunda Cliffs for our second overnight stay. We camped probably 100 metres from the cliffs of the Bight and a walk to near the edge was a creepy experience with strong winds and a sheer drop of up to 90 metres below. Definitely not an area where you would want to sleep walk! Lots of beautiful wildflowers and we saw 'brere rabbit' who was most unfriendly and took off down his burrow when he saw us. Sunday morning I did a big cook up of our left over fresh vegetables (no food for our unfriendly bunny) to avoid losing them at the fruit fly quarantine station at Ceduna. First town, if you could call it a town, was Nullabor, "nullus arbor" meaning treeless plain, an area of 200,000 square kilometres and up to 300 metres thickness of the worlds flattest piece of limestone. Passed by Yalata and the dog proof fence which goes for miles and miles to the north (dingos and wild dogs) and then the road took us up and on to another tableland and hills with thicker vegetation and small trees. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The landscape started to change before we reached Penong, meaning waterhole, with cultivated pasture and sheep stations and continued as we travelled on to Ceduna and the end of our journey on the Nullabor Plain. Ceduna, derived from the Aboriginal word Chedoona meaning resting place, sounded inviting, but we decided to push on to Streaky Bay another 100 kilometres south on the Eyre Peninsular of South Australia.</span></p>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-7319642984429385952010-12-07T22:49:00.000-08:002011-01-25T20:42:47.746-08:00Golden Outback and the Goldfields<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqygEnkdkwDIAD_Z_QerUz52ivjWTaT_Ylgq_ia1tZ9CjP1JqqdS7S7Sb-jZWTwUcJa7T2fhEQ8KVwGjpWFYXushckUFtmfDtFrs7DnF1373AR8IlCWa873wZCRXxzQhJfEI5wp2kfk8/s1600/Kalgoorlie+034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566329911803873890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqygEnkdkwDIAD_Z_QerUz52ivjWTaT_Ylgq_ia1tZ9CjP1JqqdS7S7Sb-jZWTwUcJa7T2fhEQ8KVwGjpWFYXushckUFtmfDtFrs7DnF1373AR8IlCWa873wZCRXxzQhJfEI5wp2kfk8/s320/Kalgoorlie+034.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Wardens Court Building</span></em><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Golden Outback encompasses Little Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, Great Victoria Desert and the Nullabor Plain which we will travel across to South Australia after visiting both Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. I fear that red dirt will become part of our lives again!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">H</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">eading due north on our journey from Esperance to the goldfields we passed through the tiny town of Grass Patch, the "H</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">eart of Mallee Country", and apart from grain storage silos, one tavern, one house with a grass lawn (that must be the grass patch), all there was to see was mallee scrub. Onwards to Norseman with marginal country including dry lake beds and more mallee scrub on view - this is unforgiving land. </span><br /><div align="right"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitMcQm8vc8qRT2h9grBCIOW60XA0HfgWju6aYgtiC6xD0UbPYXoRRiQWMKMG4zHXq8YykTgSUJTH71EMmB-NTdUk7G_prfrIJazkkv0jVA56YhB0CxIgb-JXRZ4fKo5TzHZnHy8pz-gc/s1600/Kalgoorlie+032.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566327993675127906" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitMcQm8vc8qRT2h9grBCIOW60XA0HfgWju6aYgtiC6xD0UbPYXoRRiQWMKMG4zHXq8YykTgSUJTH71EMmB-NTdUk7G_prfrIJazkkv0jVA56YhB0CxIgb-JXRZ4fKo5TzHZnHy8pz-gc/s320/Kalgoorlie+032.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>Old Gaol, Coolgardie</em></span> </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">166 kilometres on we arrived in Coolgardie, an historic town with a gold mining past for a two night stay. Beautiful old buildings from the 1890 gold rush days line the main street which was built wide enough for a camel train to turn around - probably not used much for this purpose today! It felt almost like a ghost town with so few attractions including a general store, petrol station, information centre, and tourist venues such as the Goldfields Museum, Miners Licence Office, the original Gaol all housed in the Wardens Court Building, and of course the fully operational pub or two.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMc-yEfY2hPb7VrC2qvjgBWt83nBfEK287d9EiAWmoKZPheDJXJ01WfJ3feXoSbezSwrMwiXANqelTBczKjxU9KfBWY6n6PAy46Rt5vIkzG0-kTjGXc4xzYkRFxoADhDpxvFUnKYPXUA/s1600/Kalgoorlie+010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566331142074143234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMc-yEfY2hPb7VrC2qvjgBWt83nBfEK287d9EiAWmoKZPheDJXJ01WfJ3feXoSbezSwrMwiXANqelTBczKjxU9KfBWY6n6PAy46Rt5vIkzG0-kTjGXc4xzYkRFxoADhDpxvFUnKYPXUA/s320/Kalgoorlie+010.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>Super Pit Lookout<br /></div></em></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Kalgoorlie-Boulder is 38 kilometres east and home to what was previously called </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">the Golden Mile, reputed to be the richest square mile of gold bearing earth in the world, and known today as "The Super Pit".The sheer scale of the mine is a breathtaking, larger than life experience of one of the largest working open cut mines in the world, originally made up of smaller working mines and then consolidated by Alan Bond when he became the owner . Today the mine is owned by KCGM, Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines. The massive mining trucks working at the base look toy size from the viewing area.</span><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-S9FFWQDrG98qiD9DLz5yzIVEO6JchXAXiUuJgK9OSBQKaVk2g8ILwHr3r-YLQsEE2yokIDgPH0DTT9OGuHDO2aSpleBD3X5-M09nao13Zu0jwhmNJ7-_zc9RL9McP8Z0zA3vX3lF4A/s1600/Kalgoorlie+012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566340874332245602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-S9FFWQDrG98qiD9DLz5yzIVEO6JchXAXiUuJgK9OSBQKaVk2g8ILwHr3r-YLQsEE2yokIDgPH0DTT9OGuHDO2aSpleBD3X5-M09nao13Zu0jwhmNJ7-_zc9RL9McP8Z0zA3vX3lF4A/s320/Kalgoorlie+012.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">The Super Pit</span></em></div><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Gold was discovered in Kalgoorlie by an Irishman Paddy Hannan in 1893. He rode to Coolgardie with a few good nuggets to register his claim 5 kilometres north of the Golden Mile. This triggered the biggest gold rush in Australia's history and in no time the population swelled to over 30,000. Lack of water, food, medical supplies and inadequate sanitation led to disease with thousands dying but nevertheless stories of fame and fortune spread and today the twin towns of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is Western Australia's largest regional city which has the same population as in the time of the first gold rush!</span><br /><div align="left"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2InI5jLWmbF4ZgSGnkQ9d5ZbZlrlysJreyUZhudN1O1k9f-5wh4OHTdVr6jHtYzDbPu2MAaqfaFr1oYJnIxtzjNlT_oEsm-7jwGJg-rcM1EJvedmQ8qLnM0X2CU4WpOexB2LFWEC4reM/s1600/ajw-Kalgoorlie+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566341496778699602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2InI5jLWmbF4ZgSGnkQ9d5ZbZlrlysJreyUZhudN1O1k9f-5wh4OHTdVr6jHtYzDbPu2MAaqfaFr1oYJnIxtzjNlT_oEsm-7jwGJg-rcM1EJvedmQ8qLnM0X2CU4WpOexB2LFWEC4reM/s320/ajw-Kalgoorlie+004.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Mt Charlotte Lookout</em><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We visited the Mt Charlotte Lookout, the best vantage point for views of the town, including a water storage area fed by a pipeline established in 1903 providing water from Mundaring Weir near Perth 560 kilometres away that has ensured the town's survival from those early days. Modern establishments blend into the streetscape of this city rich with its heritage and history though one </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">street in particular, Kalgoorlie's Hay Street was the notorious red light district of the gold rush era and a few of the bordellos are still open for business! Ade was a bit hesitant to visit - he reckoned he might bump into someone he knew</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">! </span></div><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><div align="right"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-qhNDrAv2XNavSJZ98NWzohmszl3nC3tfOnR0Hcm6aLPKUei6XkN32Y7GFxOrhCqzxEEGLqWO5wkR0UBi0onZIhyphenhyphenQWMPmEAzRV-uKs8r7NEYL70QtbS1ijIHBGDcmUzPOLzUFupgkR8/s1600/Kalgoorlie+020.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566342220921899650" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-qhNDrAv2XNavSJZ98NWzohmszl3nC3tfOnR0Hcm6aLPKUei6XkN32Y7GFxOrhCqzxEEGLqWO5wkR0UBi0onZIhyphenhyphenQWMPmEAzRV-uKs8r7NEYL70QtbS1ijIHBGDcmUzPOLzUFupgkR8/s320/Kalgoorlie+020.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div align="right"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Flowering Eucalypt</em><br /><br /></div></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">We had a more sobering visit to the semi arid environment of the Kalgoorlie Arboretum with it's magnificent display of flowering gums, and native vegetation which supports a variety native animals. There are walking trails, picnic tables and even a small dam filled by intercepting the run off from residential areas and attracting water birds. The woofs were most appreciative of a shady tree or two and the meagre grassed area.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Our next stop is unknown - a free camp somewhere along the Nullabor Plain.</span>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-14718661484410790082010-11-20T23:36:00.002-08:002011-01-21T23:05:09.659-08:00Esperance<div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">Looking at the map I realise we are leaving behind the land of "<em>up</em>" not "<em>oz"</em> - you heard correctly. Yallingup, Candyup, Manjimup, Nannup, Balingup, Kojonup, Boyanup, Myalup, Binningup, Dardanup, Nornalup, Jerramungup, Wonnerup, Cowaramup, Boranup, Gnowangerup, Tambellup, Porongurup - enough! Yes, and there are more - someone should write a song and set it to "I've Been Everywhere"!</span><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564885877704314514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUFDO0Zb-dCStOBAjw3NBPqumfpgp4dwlbrTrTe4cWESEL9FDoxuuUWDCX-002RJ-h6AZsmVvTUtdnt9HIIXyAAHFa22f-p2lS_oflgOuDuKrXgfMteTAb51-GJiyNN2ADOLkdZd5xIM/s320/ajw-Esperance+058.jpg" border="0" /> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Salmon Beach</span></em> </div><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">In the meantime, back to our travels from Albany to Esperance through majestic Karri Forests, pastures with contented (how do I know they are contented you ask - 'cause they are fat) sheep and cattle, ancient mountain ranges, national parks, different combinations of wildflowers, and our lunch break (not worth mentioning) at the inland town of Ravensthorpe which is the beginning of the Golden Outback on our journey. We had intended to take an overnight stop but the free camp lacked appeal so we soldiered on and approximately 500 or so kilometers later we settled into Esperance on the Southern Ocean. Situated on the beautiful Esperance Bay or "Bay of Isles" as it is often referred. This area definitely has a "wow" factor unlike any other we have seen. There are a string of 110 islands in the brilliant blue water along the archipelago.</span> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0n1GBTT8vltlvUQaGZQwi3E8zAZ4-1kW9btmv0mGg2SvzJv2TQ4F8ImUT1Lb3dTn0G3Z_YwLuoD_-D5DJFBg9LLe-Z4P5K3COPKkJIvw-L9MLy6xBAv3v2Vzfh44NhpP_XgEKLF3W38c/s1600/Esperance+014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564898769482584610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0n1GBTT8vltlvUQaGZQwi3E8zAZ4-1kW9btmv0mGg2SvzJv2TQ4F8ImUT1Lb3dTn0G3Z_YwLuoD_-D5DJFBg9LLe-Z4P5K3COPKkJIvw-L9MLy6xBAv3v2Vzfh44NhpP_XgEKLF3W38c/s320/Esperance+014.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Blue Haven Beach</span></em></div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em><div align="left"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">To the west the 38 kilometre circular loop of the Great Ocean Drive offers the most breathtaking views (we drove it in both directions) we have seen on the whole trip. The beaches of Blue Haven, Salmon and Twilight had enormous waves crashing into the islands and beaches with the sea churning over smooth rocky pillows close in to the shore. The Esperance wind farm of 15 turbines situated on the cliffs look spectacular with a backdrop of the islands, ocean and cliffs and the Roaring Forty's providing plenty of movement to produce 22% of the towns</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> power and reduce the amount of diesel generated electricity.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngR6oeLdy0fcCyiDX2kQmdXjiTn0HFwN6rw_PKL7zR1oP58Hf4HiS2jqzwri1wYRDnhBzpr7Qsgemw8RpFnjdY-avRUyEqH_YxJh3aU-gLEzvA_RuRwXXNAkPoParygQa1rKtQ5ZEo5Q/s1600/Esperance+018.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564889342197020786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngR6oeLdy0fcCyiDX2kQmdXjiTn0HFwN6rw_PKL7zR1oP58Hf4HiS2jqzwri1wYRDnhBzpr7Qsgemw8RpFnjdY-avRUyEqH_YxJh3aU-gLEzvA_RuRwXXNAkPoParygQa1rKtQ5ZEo5Q/s320/Esperance+018.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Observatory Point</span></em> </div><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The early history traces back to 1627 when a Dutch sailing vessel passed through the archipelago and the actual European discovery is credited to two French ships, Recherche (Research) under the command of Admiral Antoine d'Entrecasteaux, and L'Esperance (Christian Hope) under the command of Huon de Kermandeo that were forced to seek shelter from a storm in 1792 out from Observatory Point. Mathew Flinders in "The Investigator" chartered this southern coastline in 1802 and the pirate Black Jack Anderson roamed these waters in the1830's and remains of his huts are on some of the islands.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">1863 saw the arrival of the first settlers and in 1892 with the discovery of gold in the Kalgoorlie area, Esperance became the principle port for the goldfields. T</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">oday the Esperance region produces beef, fat lambs, wool, wheat, oats, barley and other crops including linseed, safflower and grain sorghum.</span></div><div align="right"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhz-8qWSHpLv6DdsWE4s350CTeQb_9gWJo7c4E0JZr3Dbk0mAdaQttAiffd7lVdfEurWVidqz4GwYzlhsUzPEPQ3IMie5kjk6QZMOOFqeTo5Gdm_ucK7T4KLnRcI31VIZInmJ6bzTTQI/s1600/ajw-Esperance+030.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564894034504877106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhz-8qWSHpLv6DdsWE4s350CTeQb_9gWJo7c4E0JZr3Dbk0mAdaQttAiffd7lVdfEurWVidqz4GwYzlhsUzPEPQ3IMie5kjk6QZMOOFqeTo5Gdm_ucK7T4KLnRcI31VIZInmJ6bzTTQI/s320/ajw-Esperance+030.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Wharton Beach</span></em></div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">56 </span><span style="font-family:arial;">kilometres east of Esperance we travelled passed the Cape Le Grande National Park on the Recherche Archipelago and then a further 30 kilometres on to our destination of Duke of Orleans Bay. We were able to drive on to the rocky edge of Wharton Beach with its smooth granite rocks, snow white sand and turquoise blue water. The beaches (scenic but not necessary usable) here are often described as some of world's most beautiful by tourist operators, and there are no arguments from us.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We had four seasons in the week we stayed here - 35 degrees and 20% humidity one day, next 16 degrees and a cold biting wind, rain squalls the next day and so on. Before leaving our largest State we are travelling north to Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie - gold country.</span> </div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-37473967689211133042010-10-28T23:50:00.001-07:002011-01-14T23:00:18.914-08:00Albany<em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">Middleton Beach on King George Sound </span></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2BSUbb9mPAxtg3C2mHgP_50HPsQ2elUEQNlfOR7BLscjjiC8hjPt9RqTd7ORP4nbXa8BdXbNS_-QCyjyHpq4B8ND7M4_Px8ov67lsIzXioDw65Um-M6EGLlwBhexwuAHYNrSgepHV_Y/s1600/Albany+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560793543002432594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2BSUbb9mPAxtg3C2mHgP_50HPsQ2elUEQNlfOR7BLscjjiC8hjPt9RqTd7ORP4nbXa8BdXbNS_-QCyjyHpq4B8ND7M4_Px8ov67lsIzXioDw65Um-M6EGLlwBhexwuAHYNrSgepHV_Y/s320/Albany+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">Albany was an easy drive from Walpole though the weather did not improve and blustery and damp conditions were the order of the day as we set up camp at Emu Point east of Middleton Beach. W</span><span style="font-family:arial;">e enjoyed walking along the paths on the Emu Beach foreshore of King George Sound with views out to the granite islands of Michaelmas and Breaksea and where a narrow channel opens into a protected waterway called Oyster Harbour. As the name suggests, the Albany Rock Oyster is farmed here and it's also a popular spot for fishing and swimming, i.e. if you aren't a Queenslander and you can brave the freezing water!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The City of Albany is mostly populated on the hillsides and situated on the beautiful Princess Royal Harbour which opens through a channel to King George Sound, discovered in 1791 by a Captain Vancouver. The day we took a drive around the coastline we watched Southern Right whales swimming about 20 metres off shore in the Sound; it is truly amazing to see these creatures and so close! Further on we took a short run up to Mt Clarence to check out some of our military history of gun placements and a museum from WWI. Albany was one of the main sea ports for our troops to embark to Gallipoli in the 1914-18 war and as such has a strong ANZAC legacy.</span> </div><br /><div align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElsxiuE4oeXU3raOwTf3oz5EoH7ItYDdKpz-4d7eYP0haZQpj_jnyzPz0WE3guNcLoSK4jmMqNd5jZfo3GamTMhzB462Be5cTWT0Hn5Crfe3n6NmrYBjD4wQBwftL7uJ21HEZ96kEh3Q/s1600/Albany+029.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560800458043920802" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElsxiuE4oeXU3raOwTf3oz5EoH7ItYDdKpz-4d7eYP0haZQpj_jnyzPz0WE3guNcLoSK4jmMqNd5jZfo3GamTMhzB462Be5cTWT0Hn5Crfe3n6NmrYBjD4wQBwftL7uJ21HEZ96kEh3Q/s320/Albany+029.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Amity</span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The ship Amity on the foreshore of Albany is a full scale replica of the rig which brought the first </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">settlers and convicts to Albany in 1826. The town has a colourful history which includes a convict jail built by the convicts, and the site of the last whaling station in Australia which closed in 1978 located on Frenchmans Bay in King George Sound. It now operates as a museum and includes one of the whale chasers permanently docked in the bay.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimezJR9LAU1AHyyjWUb-boueoC7se7Zby1E7uoByImxB2dCHffkMiDZ0dtfz8sl6_oqKAu_ptDh8Cytvu-MTLgxxT1uhuIUL668u16qSO1ohrPHpO2O4K_oWuMqAnQxR8aXsf1ov42Jcc/s1600/Albany+019.jpg"></a> </span></div><div align="left"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Whale Chaser 'Cheynes IV'</span></em></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WZqCD7uhYqzHNGtpzWTOfMC30bP-37S90ClTvHr2ktX1oDwLcPd9wmuCbpjXbshpC0ouvpe3_DeYO5zZEaqlDQelXpKvs8JK276u5bGfa1P-MujG3hQcBnOuwtWYFYWdHSj2SNlqfjs/s1600/Albany+014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561911648052387826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WZqCD7uhYqzHNGtpzWTOfMC30bP-37S90ClTvHr2ktX1oDwLcPd9wmuCbpjXbshpC0ouvpe3_DeYO5zZEaqlDQelXpKvs8JK276u5bGfa1P-MujG3hQcBnOuwtWYFYWdHSj2SNlqfjs/s320/Albany+014.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">Further on we went out to the cliffs on the southern side of the Torndirrup National Park and watched the rough seas buffeting the rugged coastline with amazing views of Jimmy Newells Harbour 30 metres below. The Harbour is named after either a "Convict" who was transported from Tasmania after his release and was hunting seals (Newhill), or, "Deserter", an American whaler who jumped ship and then was captured and worked on a chain gang in Albany (Newell).<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6kmWvR8-xr3LhfKwMBw1gIrc59T61kA-9XVzHzdNiZqUedzbTH6y20XXiDgYBgByFN1bVF3W0WMLEGqrqHZMSQoVy6AioewMhFVrnCf2J3zWTz7M4M4XJaL6zSO6-B62oAtXDIlFp80/s1600/Albany+020.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560796053898280546" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6kmWvR8-xr3LhfKwMBw1gIrc59T61kA-9XVzHzdNiZqUedzbTH6y20XXiDgYBgByFN1bVF3W0WMLEGqrqHZMSQoVy6AioewMhFVrnCf2J3zWTz7M4M4XJaL6zSO6-B62oAtXDIlFp80/s320/Albany+020.jpg" border="0" /></a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Jimmy Newells Harbour</span></em></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">A lengthy debate has ensued over the identity of the man this site was named after but one fact appears to be agreed on and that is he was driven into the inlet in a sudden squall and survived.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzkmZm-WFd-TXBoAfaE6Z3daXSgm5MQ8ceA329tHJOv6rdWP9T452pVGRtqZJbI3Je3VTa0Kw0rifxpQYcgoZikPH0L-V8DqKmoMDkzp3I5yzK0vgVScbftSV_eU-hQZXVYtFeD4fBlA/s1600/Albany+034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561910352076736594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzkmZm-WFd-TXBoAfaE6Z3daXSgm5MQ8ceA329tHJOv6rdWP9T452pVGRtqZJbI3Je3VTa0Kw0rifxpQYcgoZikPH0L-V8DqKmoMDkzp3I5yzK0vgVScbftSV_eU-hQZXVYtFeD4fBlA/s320/Albany+034.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p align="left"><br /></p><p><br /></p><div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Restored Albany Home </span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div></div><div><em><span style="font-size:0;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">We loved the old timber seafarers cottages and glorious colonial buildings of local stone which give Albany a charm and character we have not seen before on our travels. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br />Tuesday we did a sight seeing run to Stirling Ranges and we could not have picked a worst day, dull and raining. Views of the sides of the road and no more than 20 metres beyond! The Sandlewood Factory, the largest sandlewood oil distillation and manufacturing facility in Australia is at Mt. Romance which just happened to be on our way back so I was able to get lost amongst the gorgeous cosmetic products, </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">for a little while! The highlight of my day while Ade 'car sat' the dogs.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Murphys law - the day we left dawned with sunshine, blue sky and warmth. Our next trek is through Ravensthorpe some 270 kilometres on and leaving the south west behind to travel to Esperance and the beginning of the Golden Outback. A big day travelling nearly 500 kilometres.</span> </div></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-38297099439572809582010-10-28T22:33:00.000-07:002011-01-08T19:40:42.637-08:00Walpole and Denmark<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559708508101819762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVzjXSmYejxtNbftPKWbJBNhrrZ61WZ3V_5A5eB8rLWW6KsEGcxh_32aZNNVIdBZovmKtFhQPVpuaQ3hskwyZpzhkWwb642pyZalQlAhJcK_i1uW4RYkUnQ3gNYV8-DLUx-1lxy3l6Qs/s320/Walpole+012.jpg" border="0" /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"> Dawn Flight Walpole Inlet</span></em><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">The narrow and winding roads made for a slow journey through the southern forests to the coastal town of Walpole. We stayed at the picturesque Rest Point Caravan Park on the Walpole Inlet which is a beautiful protected bay connected to the deeper Nornalup Inlet through a narrow channel. It's surrounded by a wilderness area encompassing a national park, nature reserves and forest conservation with over 20,000 hectares of diverse vegetation from Karri and Tingle forests to coastal wetlands and many species of wildlife. The Marine Park is home to a big family of Pelicans who glide along so gracefully on the calm water and line up on the jetty for their daily board meeting, that is until the fisherman start to clean their catch when they are quick to stand to attention.</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-f5YOOYGbFlGCHcU_7Mn-T1pyzDnPFZJfTxyWSFs5wSX2SFX2a_UsgCDiGNiQx_t3NhVBeSBG6XLxXOuwuswnFbS4MuGcfQUtAUwcAV2TNXepDdd-WKsioVF10SY76nZXLBfpd9XcfU/s1600/Walpole+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559705210400060002" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-f5YOOYGbFlGCHcU_7Mn-T1pyzDnPFZJfTxyWSFs5wSX2SFX2a_UsgCDiGNiQx_t3NhVBeSBG6XLxXOuwuswnFbS4MuGcfQUtAUwcAV2TNXepDdd-WKsioVF10SY76nZXLBfpd9XcfU/s320/Walpole+003.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><br /><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Dawn Reflection Walpole Inlet</span></em></div><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">A day trip took us east to Denmark, a much larger community than Walpole and situated on the Wilson Inlet, and again we took note of a fellow travellers recommendations for lunch. Love these local bakeries - yummy pies followed by donuts (up there with the Augusta Bakery) - its cold and one has to eat, right! We enjoyed our fare at a delightful picnic area on the Denmark River and then it was time to move out and explore to walk off that delicious food.</span><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Wilson Inlet to Ocean Beach</span></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOAh_c4aAn7eenbH3rueZKp9duIgIG0ahLgS3sCi1Fa94AP_Jqx8wJ2ypX7zI9IXOVY6vY84VldOxxjuIHKPBBPzswizHIFLJXafLoCw05Wsh6qpmYK8m8q7dBXNOFQaaCCvd6hcpuVU/s1600/Denmark+009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559711544375607378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOAh_c4aAn7eenbH3rueZKp9duIgIG0ahLgS3sCi1Fa94AP_Jqx8wJ2ypX7zI9IXOVY6vY84VldOxxjuIHKPBBPzswizHIFLJXafLoCw05Wsh6qpmYK8m8q7dBXNOFQaaCCvd6hcpuVU/s320/Denmark+009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">We drove from Denmark due south along the Wilson inlet to Ocean Beach on the Great Southern Ocean with stunning views across Ratcliffe Bay to the high sand dunes on the eastern side. Further along to Wilson Head there are western views of beautiful William </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Bay. </span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7z77OxVEm_KO4uIMHSgqi1X98fBRU1cUt1y5dLi_WyYD3NDfetUq11Obl8eICRYzGhdyTJFfvLWezNHpPs8xPxue9def-qPj6C2-x-6TCAupk-vVkBBTabF4dtWbohn1qG1ZPTx8nLI/s1600/Denmark+028.jpg"></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">On our way back to Walpole a side road took us into Parry Beach where we braved the high winds and took the woofs for a beach walk in sniff heaven. They love all the smells in the seaweed. No sighting of whales with all those white caps.</span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">After our three nights in Walpole, we packed up as rain moved in and kept our fingers crossed for some improvement in the weather as we headed east to Albany. </span></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-80389252904512949422010-10-28T19:11:00.000-07:002010-12-30T20:38:21.300-08:00The Blackwood River Valley and Southern Forests<div align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdIzWimFXf6JffpiEMtfNk5c8IZQchoaUhT7jUaSQsTGpwioN4ZtKzzpDMyDFZTsO3Ej4JR8b2OAkcmOFjQShf_CHA1YMd_r1YrbKIpCBLFho8kGiHtihbI9neqDFLh1LulmO4u58CkI/s1600/Manjimup+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556697858475426930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdIzWimFXf6JffpiEMtfNk5c8IZQchoaUhT7jUaSQsTGpwioN4ZtKzzpDMyDFZTsO3Ej4JR8b2OAkcmOFjQShf_CHA1YMd_r1YrbKIpCBLFho8kGiHtihbI9neqDFLh1LulmO4u58CkI/s320/Manjimup+006.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Southern Forests</span></em><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;">Monday 27 September and the beginning of our journey east, from Busselton to the southern forests. The Vasse Highway took us through rich farming country with black Angus cattle and sheep knee deep in grass, beautiful wildflowers in the national parks, and huge forests of </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Karri, Jarrah, Marri, and Tingle trees. There is no way you would want to be speeding around the corners on these winding mountain roads with these massive trees right on the edge of the black tar.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Nannup, the first town we drove through at the northern end of the Blackwood River Valley is picture postcard country. Flower boxes filled with multi coloured tulips and daffodils lined the main street, and trellises of white and blue wisteria were in full bloom on many of the old dwellings. It's known as the Garden Village in honour of its many beautiful gardens and the town celebrates their famous tulips with a spring festival. We visited the rustic and charming town of Bridgetown and yes you drive over a beautiful old bridge on the Blackwood River on the outskirts of town. The countryside is a continuation of fertile land, supporting chestnut, tulip and daffodil farms and grapes (third largest wine growing district in WA) and those huge forests, mainly Jarrah and Marri in this district.</span><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Kangaroo Paw</span></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnE5Hp1Golbm07y78HGfe14ZQdwVH1tfPFFfqVNXNViAE0RfGxW_gUwhyphenhyphenn_3FujY3X0AYvo8cmAULmp1mS3YvERJEoEi7mhVbNdUG4b8VsmLpKjt9BBUy9THQoTETYoPONvff9ldTVp4/s1600/Manjimup+002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556692869392036722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnE5Hp1Golbm07y78HGfe14ZQdwVH1tfPFFfqVNXNViAE0RfGxW_gUwhyphenhyphenn_3FujY3X0AYvo8cmAULmp1mS3YvERJEoEi7mhVbNdUG4b8VsmLpKjt9BBUy9THQoTETYoPONvff9ldTVp4/s320/Manjimup+002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We stayed in the heart of the southern forests in the town of Manjimup, centre stage for a thriving fruit and vegetable industry as well as timber milling. The woodcutters log houses in the town looked picture perfect nestled under the forest trees but the smoking chimneys - now that could be dangerous! This is home to the Pink Lady apple, one of my favourites, and several varieties of cherry's although we were to early for the Cherry Festival in December - darn! </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">We visited the King Jarrah Tree which is over 500 years old; 200 years older than our nation, that's impressive. It was saved from the woodcutters saws when an order to protect the tree was posted in the nick of time back in 1910. Such a great story with the 'saviour' riding his horse non stop from Bridgetown to Manjimup to blaze the broad arrow on the tree and therefore protecting it to this day. </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4tohNqZi9SaIjCMxLjVoojapF9De-pFJ7lfkuT0JViXfnH85qokUlrlf5PDQ7oig3sNGNlH04g9GJy52Kvpixc4BD38hmsZ_qeR203qkconaRI5_IQTd9m5H2b9qoI27s3iV9q4Ade8/s1600/Southern+Forests+08.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556694059737573986" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4tohNqZi9SaIjCMxLjVoojapF9De-pFJ7lfkuT0JViXfnH85qokUlrlf5PDQ7oig3sNGNlH04g9GJy52Kvpixc4BD38hmsZ_qeR203qkconaRI5_IQTd9m5H2b9qoI27s3iV9q4Ade8/s320/Southern+Forests+08.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The logging industry is alive and well in the town of Pemberton, and the timber mills which were established in 1913 provided railway sleepers for the Trans-Australian Railway Line and also for the first stage of development of the London Underground. This is another delightful old town which also produces excellent wines and delicacies of marron (freshwater crayfish), trout, and perch from the local rivers - what more could you want? </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">To answer that question, warmth. Three </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">nights of freezing overnight temperatures in the mountains is enough for this girl and as we are about to head further south to Walpole on the southern coast, it probably wont improve! </span>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-68074068136777732122010-10-24T23:52:00.000-07:002010-11-10T23:51:36.691-08:00Margaret River Wine Region<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg945L9qycrZJoRRIXObaysu0yhLwA_1IdyCqzU3fbhXC668yUFDlR64Wi0fNb3uJ3XDUEMNB8SSzYIzD72cNU8qBZM0cDGWnfGu6T3S-tqVDjznWFWja5Cjsz-R5GIaaFk11JlJgaEqvs/s1600/Margaret+River+Region+017.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537811894564451298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg945L9qycrZJoRRIXObaysu0yhLwA_1IdyCqzU3fbhXC668yUFDlR64Wi0fNb3uJ3XDUEMNB8SSzYIzD72cNU8qBZM0cDGWnfGu6T3S-tqVDjznWFWja5Cjsz-R5GIaaFk11JlJgaEqvs/s320/Margaret+River+Region+017.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Busselton Jetty</span></em><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Guess why we are in this part of the world - to sample wine you think. Well that could be one reason but there are plenty of others including catching up with dear friends Lance and Joy on their lovely acreage property outside of Dunsborough at the top of the Margaret River Wine area. What a place to live!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We settled into the Mandalay Resort Caravan Park at Busselton, one of the best we have so far stayed in, even providing a herb garden for guests. A long white sandy beach is directly across the road and big walks twice a day were in order for the four legged people and me - occasionally Ade! Busselton is a picture postcard coastal town about 3 hours south of Perth on Geographe Bay and it just is delightful. Busselton Jetty which is 1841 metres long has an artificial reef and underwater observatory 8 metres below placed near its end. Unfortunately the jetty was closed for restoration this trip and on our previous visit the weather was wet, cold and blowing gale force winds! We will have to come back again! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMvX3waVFqDNhDDlixoC2xNPRElT_R4Hkq-0amRrZPRGj5sLfTL_dOuvA7Cll1gE4gE4AEQufgG0LIdz9NCQ9DGh2rWn0DTO65tAga3QbvSIwvWrvRukbW9jsHjMSx8jUyDIJ5GxKGOQ/s1600/Margaret+River+Region+007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537812743153603522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMvX3waVFqDNhDDlixoC2xNPRElT_R4Hkq-0amRrZPRGj5sLfTL_dOuvA7Cll1gE4gE4AEQufgG0LIdz9NCQ9DGh2rWn0DTO65tAga3QbvSIwvWrvRukbW9jsHjMSx8jUyDIJ5GxKGOQ/s320/Margaret+River+Region+007.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">At least the weather was on our side this time and we explored from one end of the region to the other. The diversity of the countryside is a tourists dream. Let's start with the wine: The first grape vines were planted as recently as 1967 and internationally acclaimed chardonnay, semillon, sauvignon blanc, riesling, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and shiraz are produced in this Mediterranean climate. Gourmet lines of berries, fudge, preserves, olive oils, and fabulous cheeses are also part of the taste sensation. We saw black Angus beef cattle (Macdonalds must have been here), Freesian dairy cattle, and Merino and Suffolk sheep who didn't have to walk to far for a feed. There are also a lot of flower farms dotted between the pretty towns with their trendy cafes and tourist "must stops" ('cept we didn't)!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mother natures turn: Down the coast through the town of Dunsborough to Cape Naturaliste to glimpse the Lighthouse and a drive through the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park (and we hid the dogs in the car and told them to be quiet) and the beautiful turquoise waters of Meelup, Eagle and Bunker Bays with stunning coastline views and wildflowers everywhere. Yallingup (meaning Place of Love) is positioned high on a hill and around from the Cape and for those in the know is one of the world's top surfing beaches.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qF3ls72R9obuj1Ps1CFkCKi6pK03Tw2lL_tFN0rFyKlGVMjUMeqfQYEBr7TNvDi043c32UkreKBkUFc-I_EGg1Bx_z5B2d2VJlqshYtBM17Rdo-bQuUQN0EX7tPlVljCXFFN_3QbqxQ/s1600/Margaret+River+Region+037.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537814304405201906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qF3ls72R9obuj1Ps1CFkCKi6pK03Tw2lL_tFN0rFyKlGVMjUMeqfQYEBr7TNvDi043c32UkreKBkUFc-I_EGg1Bx_z5B2d2VJlqshYtBM17Rdo-bQuUQN0EX7tPlVljCXFFN_3QbqxQ/s320/Margaret+River+Region+037.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We took a day trip down to Augusta through the centre of the region with its wineries, quaint villages, art galleries, restaurants etc, and on the basis of a recommendation had to sample the fare from the Augusta Bakery for lunch. I know, you are all hanging out for one of my famous food crits! Meat pies to die for and I suppose I will have to mention the custard filled donut with chocolate drizzle - heaven in a paper bag! We came home with a loaf of bread as well and vowed to walk twice as far that day. Poor dogs! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Cape Leeuwin Light House is only 9 kilometers further on and sits on the tip of the peninsular where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean and </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">humpback, southern right, and blue wales, dolphins and New Zealand Fur Seals hang out!. We took a different road back to Busselton which took us through Boranup Karri Forest (Karri trees grow to 60 metres and are the third tallest tree found in the world) and then more wineries, beaches and pristine coastline.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYOJgYflbgLECMpGV8C4q5bzZnyHwrxnqCq46aKPpsnpj1djEGEofqooMxcdgspFq6b-wiWbBC0frqRTSZCUMRoRdGxcd8ibdrF2EG49IPRsdWgWypeIZOpN3pLWenN1VoXuIsLW0ZRA/s1600/Margaret+River+Region+044.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537821825603229010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYOJgYflbgLECMpGV8C4q5bzZnyHwrxnqCq46aKPpsnpj1djEGEofqooMxcdgspFq6b-wiWbBC0frqRTSZCUMRoRdGxcd8ibdrF2EG49IPRsdWgWypeIZOpN3pLWenN1VoXuIsLW0ZRA/s320/Margaret+River+Region+044.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">Karri Forests</span></em></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">We had a wonderful couple of weeks exploring the south west and this part of Aus is definitely a must return to again on our calendar. Time to hit the road once more and start to work our way east to the next state border.</span> </div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-44632248629119185952010-10-22T22:54:00.000-07:002010-10-31T23:28:05.650-07:00Rockingham<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXc2WijgHgStgOfEstexWbV9MLzBPYBELysRzjLwxKh2wKMpwUE3yDGpJaUn87h7Pe-jUlQ56by-SHfpu_npav06U3ayumpcP-MYT4_t_gbNu7AW6U-vjj6ztGgH-QEOnRESNjJVn2Awk/s1600/Perth+2007+031.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534446000008226066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXc2WijgHgStgOfEstexWbV9MLzBPYBELysRzjLwxKh2wKMpwUE3yDGpJaUn87h7Pe-jUlQ56by-SHfpu_npav06U3ayumpcP-MYT4_t_gbNu7AW6U-vjj6ztGgH-QEOnRESNjJVn2Awk/s320/Perth+2007+031.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Fairy Penguin</span></em><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Three and half years ago we visited Perth and as we had more pressing engagements further south we bypassed this beautiful city this time. Rockingham, our destination is a delightful seaside area south about 45 minutes and the van park only a couple of blocks from the water. On our last visit we were here to attend Sandy and Brendons wedding and I was very excited to catch up with them and meet their newest addition, baby daughter, Isla.</span> </div><br /><div></div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Penguin Island towards the Mainland</span></em><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqGPY1W1gIgKQOTN_ZYun82ZiOGDf5i51F82JPmk8SfFTmgMKuFwwFnfSQMgUDun6l6IzaOmCVpUJTXQ0xnTngTBfvViLK1y6HII0iWEXt3seiyeCCuyDVXRQoitlIFmmTiX3qgOwkzM/s1600/Perth+2007+008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534448609336975778" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqGPY1W1gIgKQOTN_ZYun82ZiOGDf5i51F82JPmk8SfFTmgMKuFwwFnfSQMgUDun6l6IzaOmCVpUJTXQ0xnTngTBfvViLK1y6HII0iWEXt3seiyeCCuyDVXRQoitlIFmmTiX3qgOwkzM/s320/Perth+2007+008.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">We took a drive along the foreshore at Shoalwater Bay where we had previously taken long walks, re-acquainting ourselves with the views of beautiful homes on one side and the islands and ocean on the other. The whole area has gone ahead in leaps and bounds and we noted lots of new homes, cafes, restaurants and parklands. Penguin Island is the home to over 600 pairs of the Fairy Penguins and it is just 500 metres offshore, a 5 minute ferry ride, and where Sandy works as a Ranger. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Australian sea lions and dolphins are also part of the marine life found around the islands in the Shoalwater Marine Park as well as a large number of sea birds, eg. terns and fairy terns, noddies, silver gulls, ospreys, sea eagles, cormorants, darters, bartwit (all the way from Siberia) and a large breeding colony of Australian pelicans. The Continental Shelf which is much further out from the off shore islands along the southern coast takes the brunt of the ocean swells making the beaches </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">safe for s<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEksMMM1HBYekXeLqLqHSz8Ief-qPomDV-3uh46ZPvKpdzTUBQLecSHA4dOJdGT57aSIt9-EeUJ9pSzBVFbuDNu2NLkomdtvFQbB3lRfPqEiE_Py0UPUKaeROJYYjHBspqlDH9TrMHyI/s1600/Perth+2007+094.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534450286792926322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEksMMM1HBYekXeLqLqHSz8Ief-qPomDV-3uh46ZPvKpdzTUBQLecSHA4dOJdGT57aSIt9-EeUJ9pSzBVFbuDNu2NLkomdtvFQbB3lRfPqEiE_Py0UPUKaeROJYYjHBspqlDH9TrMHyI/s320/Perth+2007+094.jpg" border="0" /></a>wimming.</span><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Freemantle's Fishing Boat Harbour</span></em><br /></div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">Sandy offered to babysit the woofs, (she didn't have to ask twice) which gave us a chance to revisit the bustling port of Fremantle just south of Perth and also on the Swan River. We had a scrumptious seafood lunch at Joe's Seafood Cafe on the colourful and busy Fishing Boat Harbour, tempura fish for me and fish and chips for Ade, and the obligatory bottle of wine! Tough life we are leading!</span><br /></div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">The Round House c.1831</span></em></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MSfnhK6xAkRfJp_HvJRAvTJ8DdlGCE1nPxukqbmgaNQuRn-s5RIdswaeX-pZdqmeYFaAAI4LlmnJaOsxbVI4ktb8fEshCX89uhzCdQtrHkGaAtjtEKnLyaE_SsINEEgO-1ZmeQxBneU/s1600/Perth+2007+092.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534450794626948850" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MSfnhK6xAkRfJp_HvJRAvTJ8DdlGCE1nPxukqbmgaNQuRn-s5RIdswaeX-pZdqmeYFaAAI4LlmnJaOsxbVI4ktb8fEshCX89uhzCdQtrHkGaAtjtEKnLyaE_SsINEEgO-1ZmeQxBneU/s320/Perth+2007+092.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">There is a mix of old and new in Freeo, as the locals refer, with a heritage of convict prisoners, maritime heroes, murderous mutineers and pioneering settlers. Also, home to the Maritime Museum including Alan Bond's America's Cup-winning yacht, Australia II; the old Shipwreck Museum which houses the original timbers and treasures from the 17th century Dutch Batavia shipwreck which sank in 1629; Notre Dame University with its fine old heritage buildings; the Freemantle Prison built by convicts in 1850 and decommissioned in 1991 as a maximum security prison; the Round House the oldest building in the state built in 1831 and purpose built as a gaol, adjacent to the Gun Deck and Whalers Tunnel. The European feel is reflected in the fabulous shopping precinct (I need at least a week here), art galleries, restored historic hotels, micro breweries, restaurants,coffee shops, etc. - a cosmopolitan</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> environment!</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbd01WnZFaG-5tn5zgknVXEfxjMGyZujdg1W8pKJRM1uJfHKwVdcaq2nqDjBBTi_OggGJ1qYuVab6ILSepabcfcelgQA375CJ_eeHh-ao4Yu2PknUO2_FhvZuEXr0hCCykDEtNgv141PU/s1600/Perth+2007+093.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534449643923017970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbd01WnZFaG-5tn5zgknVXEfxjMGyZujdg1W8pKJRM1uJfHKwVdcaq2nqDjBBTi_OggGJ1qYuVab6ILSepabcfcelgQA375CJ_eeHh-ao4Yu2PknUO2_FhvZuEXr0hCCykDEtNgv141PU/s320/Perth+2007+093.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Shipwreck Galleries -</span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">Maritime Museum</span></em></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">This is a very pretty part of the world, shame it's so far from Queensland. We could have stayed longer but for the need to to catch up with our friends in the Margaret River before they headed off on their holiday.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> Busselton down the coast is our next stop.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbd01WnZFaG-5tn5zgknVXEfxjMGyZujdg1W8pKJRM1uJfHKwVdcaq2nqDjBBTi_OggGJ1qYuVab6ILSepabcfcelgQA375CJ_eeHh-ao4Yu2PknUO2_FhvZuEXr0hCCykDEtNgv141PU/s1600/Perth+2007+093.jpg"></a></span></div></div></div></div></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-50126104209796721532010-10-11T00:52:00.000-07:002010-10-20T23:56:45.720-07:00Avon Valley<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_uG1qBa7lxtjDA_T3-VeiNdgdJfbzNp6M5G7TdKOkgrXyV-TKtsRvEY39U9yL1UN14wWfp7o5NfEU6aUJn1F9x-kkw2CPVpPER48cAHSraj8Mh5jheTygguMSHiO-2yj4GfQ9Q-BxWQ/s1600/Northam+Perth+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530387028309920226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_uG1qBa7lxtjDA_T3-VeiNdgdJfbzNp6M5G7TdKOkgrXyV-TKtsRvEY39U9yL1UN14wWfp7o5NfEU6aUJn1F9x-kkw2CPVpPER48cAHSraj8Mh5jheTygguMSHiO-2yj4GfQ9Q-BxWQ/s320/Northam+Perth+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">New Norcia Benedictine Community</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">'St Gertrudes'</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Our plans to stay at the monastic town of New Norcia were foiled by the weather turning wet, cold and windy. The campsite had no power and as we knew we would need the heater that night, we decided to continue on to Northam one of the oldest settled country towns in the State.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">New Norcia was established as a mission in 1846 by a Spanish Benedictine monk, Bishop Rosendo Salvado and still operates today as a Benedictine community of monks who live a simple communal life of prayer and work within the monastry. Reading a brochure I collected from the visitor centre, I cannot help but feel there is a 'tich' of commercialism here and all is not just peace and tranquility. Its a business and with its museum, art gallery and gift shop, (selling their produce of olive oil, Abbey wines, breads,etc) hotel and a monastry guesthouse that can cater for groups of up to 200 people for conferences and special events, one probably detects a little cynicism in me - hm mm. Apart from that it is quite a sight to see the wonderful old buildings such as the Old Convent, Abbey Church, Old Flour Mill, Olive Workshop, Monastery and more.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3ejx66JK4h2dUINkoSDVcnme6FRP-v6iYsazzkNQB2UdZ7K4hn4B8_1YbvNX_GVQjNz9RRZLXvuYPjtCBK9_sf-ZrJDaGb7Joe-2MVEJZIv_fHdAEeXlUjk6f5HSJCvwx2FVkPbhUxg/s1600/Northam+Perth+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530379754721188514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3ejx66JK4h2dUINkoSDVcnme6FRP-v6iYsazzkNQB2UdZ7K4hn4B8_1YbvNX_GVQjNz9RRZLXvuYPjtCBK9_sf-ZrJDaGb7Joe-2MVEJZIv_fHdAEeXlUjk6f5HSJCvwx2FVkPbhUxg/s320/Northam+Perth+004.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /></div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Ye Old Cottage</span></em></div><div><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Northam was a great base for us to explore the Avon Valley. The town is situated on the Avon River with some amazing old historic buildings . We did our usual thing and spent a couple of days touring around the local towns and enjoying the panorama of the countryside. It's all here - charming B & B style accommodation, fine country mansions, farm stays, verandah-clad pubs, craft shops, markets, locally grown produce, bush walks, hot air ballooning, museums, restaurants and cafes. A perfect getaway if you live in Perth, the Western Australian capital as it's only an hour away. It has a similar feel to the Bowral and Mittagong areas where weekend retreats are an easy drive west of Sydney.</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjibsoQdBP4w_9A-HlY-tlplcRvDWSvgnfTVZiVlyAX0yPlsYL3f3RDabNAOAtm8M62fKngwvq8QQRsKDjzgz5vY3EMocMlsKhUGK_mKuixd3ihzO3a8eTKVPUF8fsaR7LM1WdWsOfcw/s1600/Northam+Perth+010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530381785157195314" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjibsoQdBP4w_9A-HlY-tlplcRvDWSvgnfTVZiVlyAX0yPlsYL3f3RDabNAOAtm8M62fKngwvq8QQRsKDjzgz5vY3EMocMlsKhUGK_mKuixd3ihzO3a8eTKVPUF8fsaR7LM1WdWsOfcw/s320/Northam+Perth+010.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">York's Imperial Hotel</span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">circa 1886</span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">We actually had a chance to sample local hospitality when we stopped at a partially renovated old pub at Spencers Brook between these towns, (and not as fancy as the Imperial in York) a one pub and and almost nothing else dot on the map. The tavern was constructed around the 1870's and we parked the car out the front in sight of the dining area, told the dogs to behave (and crossed our fingers Bere wouldn't take to eating the upholstery) and indulged in a yummy steak sandwich with entertainment provided by the local publican who I think was a little starved for conversation! </span></div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530384167213203522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDnQR5nGJ-ey99sCMMaIqO4qmJzxlx18cspHTnul8SO-E_h-R4_R_Rt_NiGg2scYYFX9G5I7-t7y3Wz04IZ1neBeYbFLFAA-7X5klPLV0kOy9_5IKqM_YzJ64LTO80Ofbl04u7-qukaU/s320/Northam+Perth+016.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:Arial;">In easy driving distance to Northam, York and Toodyay (meaning place of plenty) are delightful old towns both founded around 1831 and both on the Avon River. We saw a lot of new homes established in these towns and I imagine there are a lot of hobby farms in the mix as people get away from the hustle and bustle of a big city. I really enjoyed exploring Connor's Mill in Toodyay, a steam driven flour mill built in 1870 producing 'The Conqueror' brand of stone ground flour complete with bag chute where the dray was positioned below to catch the flour bags. Fire destroyed the mill machinery in 1921 and the mill was then converted for use as a power station until 1950. It was saved from demolition and restored in 1970.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Time to head back to the water and beautiful Rockingham and Shoalwater Bay south of Perth.</span>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-82615822819087026692010-10-08T22:27:00.000-07:002010-10-11T00:52:01.669-07:00Jurien Bay<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iTqHh4leerrPj40GXZaiP1N-5BY7x44k1kd2C6RHl01Keo-cjtljy47bveOgiAyBLgbsSWxCD9q2H2OLwueCB5y0G7ezHGWd49KxnnR4rrTua9nvzqwBINuHS_wABXCwYMxRhT73br4/s1600/Pinnacles+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526687669894622562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iTqHh4leerrPj40GXZaiP1N-5BY7x44k1kd2C6RHl01Keo-cjtljy47bveOgiAyBLgbsSWxCD9q2H2OLwueCB5y0G7ezHGWd49KxnnR4rrTua9nvzqwBINuHS_wABXCwYMxRhT73br4/s320/Pinnacles+013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Pinnacle Formations</span></em><br /><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Jurien Bay is a jewel of a seaside town with walking paths, wide beaches and crystal clear water, a marina and modern housing estates under development. Off shore is the Jurien Bay Marine Park, a string of islands and reefs which is a breeding ground for sea lions and as you know, you have heard it before, a haven for dolphins, migrating whales, seabirds, and of course great fishing and snorkeling opportunities.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We were able to catch up with our vanning friends, Kay and Colin from Bendigo who were staying at Cervantes another coastal town about a half hour drive south. Ade stayed at their camp site with the woofs (no dogs in National Parks) while Kay,Colin and I spent a couple of hours at the Pinnacles Dese<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZcF8ZYM8BLk0W12OQdSUKdf7EP02LQI3o1JvWmW-Jp2-GFOOO9qcwC2Mw-ztNAHH4W2hWFjFPJIk1-Jt59i958wtdvVAX8OPIwions9PfAvQ5n0fcrxuHp4VYjRy80y4V2Ii3t1mPXk/s1600/Pinnacles+022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526318890089655762" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZcF8ZYM8BLk0W12OQdSUKdf7EP02LQI3o1JvWmW-Jp2-GFOOO9qcwC2Mw-ztNAHH4W2hWFjFPJIk1-Jt59i958wtdvVAX8OPIwions9PfAvQ5n0fcrxuHp4VYjRy80y4V2Ii3t1mPXk/s320/Pinnacles+022.jpg" border="0" /></a>rt in the Nambung National Park. The park also has limestone caves and is a rich parkland of native plants and animal life.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Pinnacles are thought to be natural limestone structures created from ancient shells which have evolved over millions of years. They have been exposed by the shifting sands and sculptured by the wind, rain and sun. There are thousands of these formations ranging up to 5 metres in height and 2 metres thick around the base and set in varying colours of sand throughout the desert. Apparently the Dutch sailors who first sighted the area in the mid 1650's mistook the Pinnacles for ruins of an ancient civilization!</span></div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLdvFT2eYaJIZuiuYKkvukL-jURoOnm5W2ZsuHEeTSLfXLjQOJExLSbUrZ9kGdU2nKH43W4JKYAwHrFY4Fa1vSRBRIfDDYajsTTlyWM7ebe_Dz1cebJySDKNkqfb2ET8zBFEVlTY3UbU/s1600/Pinnacles+028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526692212680146466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLdvFT2eYaJIZuiuYKkvukL-jURoOnm5W2ZsuHEeTSLfXLjQOJExLSbUrZ9kGdU2nKH43W4JKYAwHrFY4Fa1vSRBRIfDDYajsTTlyWM7ebe_Dz1cebJySDKNkqfb2ET8zBFEVlTY3UbU/s320/Pinnacles+028.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">A Couple of Galahs</span></em><br /></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">on a Pinnacle!</span></em></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">We had an unexpected experience on our early evening drive back from Cervantes. At first we thought it was '</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Sylvester's Giant Mouse' who propped in front of the headlights and then we realised it was a 2 metre tall kangaroo! Considering the 100 kph speed, Ade's instant reaction to safely swerve the car and miss the big grey was amazing. The roo would have made a nice mess even with the bull bars on the front of the 4WD. It brought home in a big way how unsafe it is to travel at night on country roads.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Now that I have thawed out, Ade has decided we should venture east into the cold once more and visit the communities of the Chittering and Avon Valleys.</span> </div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-10299996503317556642010-09-30T02:31:00.000-07:002010-10-09T23:22:09.826-07:00Wildflower Country<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCx_swMBeKttgLcCPZgFAIANG5za4aQO3AsuNxBPxmjvB9ZR1qAWb_7kvOkWBTy_zoUwogccvG3jhWVyFvN0TO0olN7IQxaEXYl2r85PshQg3Q2bq5FzrWGqQRP7xykfJXkuWBz_DP9E/s1600/Morawa+051.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525225913954283874" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCx_swMBeKttgLcCPZgFAIANG5za4aQO3AsuNxBPxmjvB9ZR1qAWb_7kvOkWBTy_zoUwogccvG3jhWVyFvN0TO0olN7IQxaEXYl2r85PshQg3Q2bq5FzrWGqQRP7xykfJXkuWBz_DP9E/s320/Morawa+051.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Everlasting Daisys</span></em><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">We headed east from Geraldton, firstly to Mullewa known for the trails of pink, white and yellow everlasting daisys, travelling along ridges with outstanding views across the green valleys and then on to Morawa, a delightful little town to base ourselves at the smallest van park we have stayed - 20 sites and 2 cabins, with spotless facilities and a bunch of friendly people.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This countryside brought back memories of our visit to the Amish country in the US State of Pennsylvania, however, there are no covered bridges, barn-raising or farmers tilling the soil with horse and farrow here in Aus!</span><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Big Ears</span></em> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxo8ZOPAGz9c80ps2Ans0ZVF5DXWuucv6t0Ut3Nfo9TlgIHa8RauSgymNaiTnHv9TbRbRKP2KUc0YwiePUevv3w7Bk_6GhC6OvScv-rWBpvdmqVwFux8cO5M5kQRHd6l-dU4D0dzkNp4/s1600/Morawa+037.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526292816596590418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxo8ZOPAGz9c80ps2Ans0ZVF5DXWuucv6t0Ut3Nfo9TlgIHa8RauSgymNaiTnHv9TbRbRKP2KUc0YwiePUevv3w7Bk_6GhC6OvScv-rWBpvdmqVwFux8cO5M5kQRHd6l-dU4D0dzkNp4/s320/Morawa+037.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">First day toured south to the town of </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Perenjori, (Aboriginal word meaning 'water hole') and then looped back through Three Springs (home to the largest Talc mine in the Southern Hemisphere), and Mingenew the grain centre, (with the largest grain receiving facility also in the Southern Hemisphere) and also home to a giant wheat stalk sculpture, fondly known as Big Ears! These small towns are all charming with loads of history and a variety of wildflowers along the roads. Ade was disappointed that he couldn't find hot food (preferably a meat pie of course), after 1.30 pm! It feels like a step back in time or is it that we are really away from the big smoke?</span> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Wreath Flower</span></em></div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhqAeckMwqhsTiwRcIBMSacsObzD3BEvAedjJPAF1cvdpSyyhgzdCTjC9X8gUoRjbiUwUge_sEOvunQGF1B0AdgxJb-tEHyNuQmkA5nPdV1ONxYPxPlr5wjCbmAukheKmIhJYEk7CxXY/s1600/Morawa+071.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525224666718600434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhqAeckMwqhsTiwRcIBMSacsObzD3BEvAedjJPAF1cvdpSyyhgzdCTjC9X8gUoRjbiUwUge_sEOvunQGF1B0AdgxJb-tEHyNuQmkA5nPdV1ONxYPxPlr5wjCbmAukheKmIhJYEk7CxXY/s320/Morawa+071.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Saturday we back tracked to Canna which had the best of mother natures displays. </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Everlasting and pom pom daisys, wattles (so many varieties), hakeas, myrtles, pea flowers, sturts desert pea, banksias, heaths, flannel flowers, kangaroo paws, grevilleas and fanciful names - featherflowers, red ink sundews, pixie mops and honeypots, to not even scratch the name calling surface!</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjd4jYk8P3aEVxANFHTNMRWMQ-MPZ3pYRjvNFi21kverQDLEeW95NaQKu4lQld5aobL8BPeDRLYXzWhhp30GLDS7OKQzsokg0j4cVYu8LTJIaL1HyAkN1a_Bh_P92D7zcVQlhTIs7scc/s1600/Morawa+095.jpg"></a></div><div align="left"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKh-ydHLalFv6XrUlNWgnNkw96zdpYoM_06Rr5-FH0uskk-dLWuMIybB0DL9GPO-ayEf5sHmosfTPQtp6jlrrDVd3ceN6sLkozn1woHT35JXjO9QiJ9K59ivxberzqzr5m_4FVliOkIs/s1600/Morawa+015.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525897714491585538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKh-ydHLalFv6XrUlNWgnNkw96zdpYoM_06Rr5-FH0uskk-dLWuMIybB0DL9GPO-ayEf5sHmosfTPQtp6jlrrDVd3ceN6sLkozn1woHT35JXjO9QiJ9K59ivxberzqzr5m_4FVliOkIs/s320/Morawa+015.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><div align="right"></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">We found the unique wreath flowers, which grow from a center of green and form pink and yellow flowers on the rim as they continue to grow in a distinctive circular shape. Tiny native orchids, cowslips, spider,custard, bird, vanilla, Queen of Sheba(just a few), as big as my smallest finger nail, and difficult to see in the bush. I hate to think how many I may have stepped on before realizing. </span></div><br /><div align="left"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLCs2iRkS-kR4-eqjNSEqw0AasqO09yT0j6KvI5k-rOjXP9e3XQkWHOG3_MkHKdF0XwP38yDsbYwXqAEvN6h17vGQ0FSZaCTnfzusSmESoskzNi4t1K0HJRwh2AHjQq38-YGe-sgiw1E/s1600/Morawa+087.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525888484926719730" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLCs2iRkS-kR4-eqjNSEqw0AasqO09yT0j6KvI5k-rOjXP9e3XQkWHOG3_MkHKdF0XwP38yDsbYwXqAEvN6h17vGQ0FSZaCTnfzusSmESoskzNi4t1K0HJRwh2AHjQq38-YGe-sgiw1E/s320/Morawa+087.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Cowslip Orchids</span></em></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">This particular area is only one of the hot spots for wildflowers and I'm sure we will be entranced by many more displays as we continue around the south west.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWtqh4SzsBk7e2ZvO4agg21Id66-dq2VE1_U8j-A7Sx1MKreQhh1ARE4spJLU554X4s2fhHG0DQP5qcY1EXxX2v5OMn-lPAhc-WiFRIlrUrch7EVJkLklNnpeHB9q-jJDEAJDh6t5vUk/s1600/Morawa+063.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525896186812163026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWtqh4SzsBk7e2ZvO4agg21Id66-dq2VE1_U8j-A7Sx1MKreQhh1ARE4spJLU554X4s2fhHG0DQP5qcY1EXxX2v5OMn-lPAhc-WiFRIlrUrch7EVJkLklNnpeHB9q-jJDEAJDh6t5vUk/s320/Morawa+063.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Time to head back to the coast, this time to Jurien Bay and maybe some warmer weather. </span></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-92094497895542614012010-09-30T01:14:00.000-07:002010-10-05T02:07:21.636-07:00Geraldton-Greenough<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLHiM2CGNUMlgeY5hVrW2SgYyYAC6giQx9hW2Cv9wFpqkw1wHw3jMw0AXnuRTm6tRiLvD04g1yGgfbEEW2h-zpf-mlq2dt-fJNpne8yi_8L4brgjr_I8VlBrLTCfEH3nMRfVZ73danHM/s1600/Geraldton+007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523387107430588722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLHiM2CGNUMlgeY5hVrW2SgYyYAC6giQx9hW2Cv9wFpqkw1wHw3jMw0AXnuRTm6tRiLvD04g1yGgfbEEW2h-zpf-mlq2dt-fJNpne8yi_8L4brgjr_I8VlBrLTCfEH3nMRfVZ73danHM/s320/Geraldton+007.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">Greenough's Leaning Tree</span></em><br /><div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Tuesday 31 August we arrived in Geraldton, a relatively short distance to travel from Horrocks, and that gave us the chance to settle in before catching up with Brisbane based friends, Syd and Lorelle who are also doing the big round trip having left home about six weeks prior to us. A barbecue and exchange of travel notes at the Farina/Wilson camp was on the agenda that night. It was great to see familiar faces!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Wednesday our first port of call was Coronation Beach, a short drive north, and well known for windsurfing and kite surfing. We could see three ships lined up on the horizon waiting to go into the </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Port of Geraldton to load grain for export but I would have preferred to see colourful sails tearing across the water! The coastline is a continuation of beautiful beaches and the 122 island archipelago of the Abrolhos Islands lie off the coast which is another marine sanctuary and is also known for harvesting of pearls. </span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">South of Geraldton are the horizontal trees, or 'Leaning Trees of Greenough', River Gums with strong trunks and weak branches which can survive against the powerful southerly winds; the Greenough River where the waters meet the Indian Ocean at Cape Burney, and a step back in time of restored sto<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8Ala6knQ8MXDvRwwIAANDkB8Zw8QVtmYr9m8rIp-_RmHnUg5h0lBohXCv345KCAKQJ7-T6imoYiU7FRVebNjLn2QrtibbXjwAikyDYUsZgYs-GSa24RpoVVwc9BWCbsY_6kOzXrIYSE/s1600/Geraldton+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524465271089613266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8Ala6knQ8MXDvRwwIAANDkB8Zw8QVtmYr9m8rIp-_RmHnUg5h0lBohXCv345KCAKQJ7-T6imoYiU7FRVebNjLn2QrtibbXjwAikyDYUsZgYs-GSa24RpoVVwc9BWCbsY_6kOzXrIYSE/s320/Geraldton+013.jpg" border="0" /></a>ne buildings part of the Historic Settlement of the area, circa1865. </span></div><div align="right"><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Point Moore Lighthouse</span></em></div><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Geraldton's marina and port with its bold red and white stripe Point Moore Lighthouse is in close proximity to the city centre, and then a must see, the HMAS Sydney II Memorial on a hill overlooking the city . The beautiful silver dome of 645 seagulls is a moving tribute to the same number of men who lost their lives when the WW II German raider, the Kormoran attacked and sunk the warship Sydney on November 21, 1941. The Kormoran was disguised as a Dutch merchant vessel and was also sunk but 340 of her 393 crew survived. Both wrecks were found 150 kilometres off Shark Bay in March 2008. </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">As well as the dome there is a a bronze statue of a woman gazing hopefully out to sea waiting for news of a loved one, and a stele - a single dramatic shape representing the bow of the ship which soars into the sky. The names of the men lost, photographs and the sto<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbECaWyqPOFix4asOV45DK5ajkzrYC4mEfrZX68vUphmOwzQ-Tsdc_uQmFYkg4WcH4QtQ1YPLIbxzXY3-bH5U_-EdkSq8RRylHes5fj0DKSO-Lz-otnOBa5d4bSvKuIfArOsv4GxTaKA/s1600/Geraldton+023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524466042550878370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbECaWyqPOFix4asOV45DK5ajkzrYC4mEfrZX68vUphmOwzQ-Tsdc_uQmFYkg4WcH4QtQ1YPLIbxzXY3-bH5U_-EdkSq8RRylHes5fj0DKSO-Lz-otnOBa5d4bSvKuIfArOsv4GxTaKA/s320/Geraldton+023.jpg" border="0" /></a>ry are part of the display at the memorial. </span><br /><br /></div><br /><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span></em> </div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbECaWyqPOFix4asOV45DK5ajkzrYC4mEfrZX68vUphmOwzQ-Tsdc_uQmFYkg4WcH4QtQ1YPLIbxzXY3-bH5U_-EdkSq8RRylHes5fj0DKSO-Lz-otnOBa5d4bSvKuIfArOsv4GxTaKA/s1600/Geraldton+023.jpg"></a></span></em> </div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span></em> </div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">HMAS Sydney II Memorial<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2w4mzwNYSooxdfGrE4psAtycNXBppi7iMXghrQKsfurmbbbZ5DkbXbuGX2S1t6lKUOH7c-exroW7yLrVLYaokL8idL9zBFS0su2kgZsd2vYenndEl2goBJXuEsbc3Rlbj_l_7SftrTlk/s1600/Geraldton+016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524468767320730802" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2w4mzwNYSooxdfGrE4psAtycNXBppi7iMXghrQKsfurmbbbZ5DkbXbuGX2S1t6lKUOH7c-exroW7yLrVLYaokL8idL9zBFS0su2kgZsd2vYenndEl2goBJXuEsbc3Rlbj_l_7SftrTlk/s320/Geraldton+016.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></em></div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">Time to leave the coast for a while and travel east to see the wildflowers for which Western Australia is world renowned.</span></div></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-35851018353876574362010-09-24T01:49:00.000-07:002010-09-29T02:09:42.043-07:00Horrocks and the Chapman Valley<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Cliff Views of Horracks</em><br /></span></span><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUivTLnYKRrFF6QI_VOuyOfoMqBzuuOYgtx7JU1n5Mtrtg0MHG_QvQ4abqV3EZVHoEbmYjUFdreuOY-7pu7GYm8xMoGC1-30A1JBGm5F0Z5YhTKzQ29n3TxxutQ7uAPKDZibbd3pqHOA/s1600/Horrocks+015.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521142679921596018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUivTLnYKRrFF6QI_VOuyOfoMqBzuuOYgtx7JU1n5Mtrtg0MHG_QvQ4abqV3EZVHoEbmYjUFdreuOY-7pu7GYm8xMoGC1-30A1JBGm5F0Z5YhTKzQ29n3TxxutQ7uAPKDZibbd3pqHOA/s320/Horrocks+015.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">We had another three night stay, this time at Horracks, a delightful village nestled at the base of coastal cliffs and known for its fishing and protected waters for boating and swimming. Our journey was a continuation of rolling hills of wheat, barley, lupin and now fields of iridescent yellow canola, a tapestry of colour all the way to the beach. We have become so accustomed to sand dunes and sparse areas through our travels we were surprised to find this rich agricultural land almost on the ocean shores.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGsrz0zC8dsf-q9ph3zdRqO5hcwrmsRNx9z9kY2tj5x17ej18j-LDoRF_tCPWmds1BrMqYhg1gpSfZKnl0LCL_SmtqeUUxtI9tVQvbcJVOIwiY03btIUMvP1U_FBiTb7Uz-ZybN7ZffQ/s1600/Horrocks+028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521144324653140578" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGsrz0zC8dsf-q9ph3zdRqO5hcwrmsRNx9z9kY2tj5x17ej18j-LDoRF_tCPWmds1BrMqYhg1gpSfZKnl0LCL_SmtqeUUxtI9tVQvbcJVOIwiY03btIUMvP1U_FBiTb7Uz-ZybN7ZffQ/s320/Horrocks+028.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><br /><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Canola Country</span></em></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">With Horrocks as our base, we headed out for a day of exploring inland to <span style="font-family:Arial;">Northampton and the Chapman Valley. We soaked in the change of countryside with it's old stone farmhouses, barns and fences, some in ruins, and enormous grain storage sheds some of the largest in the country, and 'green' everywhere. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHpCZpbod_6UITItYdsFyAcbShZu3w2YoVhXoLQ49kCY-SODVutSYwBAAbPKFgFxf2s0zpnFB25efMF7A2srz9f7HW_RZ6K5AVw_lU7xFYfqTOMlIHsmTTqKAWx6W1bI4tZr6ajsm_IQ/s1600/Horrocks+036.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521147402049993298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHpCZpbod_6UITItYdsFyAcbShZu3w2YoVhXoLQ49kCY-SODVutSYwBAAbPKFgFxf2s0zpnFB25efMF7A2srz9f7HW_RZ6K5AVw_lU7xFYfqTOMlIHsmTTqKAWx6W1bI4tZr6ajsm_IQ/s320/Horrocks+036.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">A Testament to our Beginnings</span></em><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">Northampton is best known for its many historical buildings. Oakabella Homestead classified by the National Trust is known as the most haunted house in Western Australia.</span></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">We took a run out to the Bowes River mouth which we were surprised to find was cut off from the sea by a wide strip of sand. I'm sure a king tide would change that situation. Miles of stunning surf beach, and treacherous rips. You would have to know what you were doing to venture out with a surfboard at this beach.</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4n_7j6KIEMCjji80XzDK_kDChRCxxj-9vgSPOQEDG_bB10Jw9qYeleYAf7-NaiKUpvs-DSSdHoUQNDfcmzzwhCylm_lpSskrbyhs-vmupne3uRQCkL6Sbtqv4AdFBXCWSDs4UKVDRduo/s1600/Horrocks+026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522253683643685186" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4n_7j6KIEMCjji80XzDK_kDChRCxxj-9vgSPOQEDG_bB10Jw9qYeleYAf7-NaiKUpvs-DSSdHoUQNDfcmzzwhCylm_lpSskrbyhs-vmupne3uRQCkL6Sbtqv4AdFBXCWSDs4UKVDRduo/s320/Horrocks+026.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="right"><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Entrance to Willgully Caves</span></em></div><div><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">On the way back we met the challenge to find the Willgully Caves and it was worth our trek through the knee high undergrowth to see rock art created by the indigenous Nanda people. Fortunately it has been spared from vandalism and I summised that is pobably due to the lack of signs! </span></div><div align="left"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7mP4RuD9utLAsz7vXz08JdpP8YSRJouEksnHTiKFj_7vIA88Nw_iG-cguGfqzXDi33KCMM1nKC-E0JQSUPYa6TlEMpB8VatUi3HrdACuCmo8HS4QRi-3nbfRiK2E085bLUWrDsEYmWE/s1600/Horrocks+025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522250455172845586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7mP4RuD9utLAsz7vXz08JdpP8YSRJouEksnHTiKFj_7vIA88Nw_iG-cguGfqzXDi33KCMM1nKC-E0JQSUPYa6TlEMpB8VatUi3HrdACuCmo8HS4QRi-3nbfRiK2E085bLUWrDsEYmWE/s320/Horrocks+025.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Willgully Cave Drawings</span></em></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Our next stay will be Geraldton, the second largest town in Western Australia with a population of approximately 36,000!<br /><br /></div></div></span></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-70280633292699770352010-09-23T22:00:00.000-07:002010-09-25T22:26:42.255-07:00Kalbarri<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZh33kwHeOXb_SVoPZPSe7LnUWvfXVOcIQNYi-AZm_2h2WwWhB_Sd3CsPeMPd0cF_VKgjDzWpWGBJ_AgjgGCMQ83EqN5EYLuGNTCyJCJMhSWT1V_HBrcWLE6-VvZVR1IPt_QPQvoU0Q4/s1600/Kalbarri+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520775778115287282" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZh33kwHeOXb_SVoPZPSe7LnUWvfXVOcIQNYi-AZm_2h2WwWhB_Sd3CsPeMPd0cF_VKgjDzWpWGBJ_AgjgGCMQ83EqN5EYLuGNTCyJCJMhSWT1V_HBrcWLE6-VvZVR1IPt_QPQvoU0Q4/s320/Kalbarri+001.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Wildflowers</span></em> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">About 25 kilometres from the intersection of the North West Coastal Highway and the Kalbarri Road turn off the scenery totally changed from desert to rolling hills of green pastures, grain crops, and grazing sheep. Then we saw natures stunning array of wildflowers - ground covers of white, yellow, hot pink, pale pink, mauve and shrubs of red and yellow. I have this amazing picture etched in my mind of a carpet of white contrasting against the green, like it had just snowed in one particular area. This is absolutely gorgeous country. Our route took us through the Kalbarri National Park to the pretty seaside town of Kalbarri with its open sandy beaches and where the Murchison River meets the Indian ocean. This so reminds us of Caloundra where the Pumistone</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> passage opens to the sea.</span><br /><br /></div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fncI3omA8gYYr2d7FoYhkBsrDkVfl8j5jJfZZGtWEj2RpAfx6YW80n989eIdsRWXuEJ3RRjyY8yMqzn0IrVvR5uVT_wX-DUmJ5PGaC4-aJCp_rwVorejk40QKz17bvWstcFXCIkYt-Q/s1600/Kalbarri+014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520780446831853554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fncI3omA8gYYr2d7FoYhkBsrDkVfl8j5jJfZZGtWEj2RpAfx6YW80n989eIdsRWXuEJ3RRjyY8yMqzn0IrVvR5uVT_wX-DUmJ5PGaC4-aJCp_rwVorejk40QKz17bvWstcFXCIkYt-Q/s320/Kalbarri+014.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Natural Bridge</span></em><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We had a three night stay at a park opposite the River and found lots to explore around the area. Safe swimming beaches and surf beaches, fishing spots, rock pools, whale watching, lookouts, a rugged coastline and the beautiful wildflower landscapes. The Kalbarri National Park's coastal gorges were easy to access with walking trails from the car parks where we saw dramatic cliff formations made up of layers of sandstone and limestone which the ocean has eroded over millions of years.</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Island Rock</span></em></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-CIV4f01x8WuWUr8Iz7tItHa3NhBS9pIZsZfPHmycyIEb7FidiCjF_wIgb9YHb7YTmp36g1OOzzIjE3oGFxbvSi1qL3oJoa3p4XBpSFt9fD2YUsUZ34vEBWoCl62AEEjPt7N4IsWLxJQ/s1600/Kalbarri+018.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520393151503058034" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-CIV4f01x8WuWUr8Iz7tItHa3NhBS9pIZsZfPHmycyIEb7FidiCjF_wIgb9YHb7YTmp36g1OOzzIjE3oGFxbvSi1qL3oJoa3p4XBpSFt9fD2YUsUZ34vEBWoCl62AEEjPt7N4IsWLxJQ/s320/Kalbarri+018.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;">Moving on from Kalbarri we travelled down the coast road through the National Park and then the country opened up again to more rolling hills of pasture and more contented sheep and fat cattle - we really have left the desert behind, at last! Detoured into Port Gregory, a tiny fishing village, passing Hutt Lagoon otherwise known as 'Pink Lake' . The pink colour is caused by bacteria trapped in the salt granules which produces beta carotene. It was an overcast day so it was probably a little more subdued and we were told the sunsets are stunning when the colour changes from pinks to mauve and to purple hues.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2PcqsTO1TTJNx1XIGvM3F_SvJKVDvAhmPs9YPIan_y7HLHJWawxC4zM2GPpIjLHarQwxiQ-W7xUR9ivAxih4tCupQch4CZ7RhEomwyrhghCBQPLa6nNyr8MJnL2iLKRHFsXnPvlJDTg/s1600/Horrocks+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520395420049457890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2PcqsTO1TTJNx1XIGvM3F_SvJKVDvAhmPs9YPIan_y7HLHJWawxC4zM2GPpIjLHarQwxiQ-W7xUR9ivAxih4tCupQch4CZ7RhEomwyrhghCBQPLa6nNyr8MJnL2iLKRHFsXnPvlJDTg/s320/Horrocks+004.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="left"><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">The Pink Lake</span><br /></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Back out on the main road again, we came across the ruins of the stone buildings of the historic Lynton Hiring Station established in 1853 to house the convict labour who worked for the lead mines at Geraldine and local pastoral stations. The harsh conditions of the time forced the closure in 1856. </span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">On to our next stop at Horrocks, another seaside</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">town.</span></div><div align="left"></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-30202397677536445442010-09-08T01:44:00.000-07:002010-09-22T01:36:51.719-07:00The Shark Bay World Heritage Area<em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Shark Bay Pelican</span></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDRDVemTIjlbaMJeoFwiD3ZWZaEyMDtKUMgs-pmDmNVn2dgcRnLKX9SdotSW-aVwCkRAFRmEGkwYbmqzS20w_nd7zsrCLJDOZ5-ZE505EbCn4M5hnMq8hLIx8xCCM51Ca8C1AFmGVVuA/s1600/Shark+Bay+055.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519622269601006290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDRDVemTIjlbaMJeoFwiD3ZWZaEyMDtKUMgs-pmDmNVn2dgcRnLKX9SdotSW-aVwCkRAFRmEGkwYbmqzS20w_nd7zsrCLJDOZ5-ZE505EbCn4M5hnMq8hLIx8xCCM51Ca8C1AFmGVVuA/s320/Shark+Bay+055.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Friday we were on the road again, destination Shark Bay and the town of Denham and a visit to Monkey Mia which is famous for the Bottlenose Dolphins who come in to feed every day.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">An early food note: We stopped at the Overlander Roadhouse near the turn off to Denham for a bite to eat. Sausage rolls on the menu today. Not just any sausage roll, the most enormous, I mean hard to get your mouth around enormous, and delicious we have ever eaten. One would have probably satisfied the both of us but we soldiered through!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">110 kilometre drive to our base for five nights at the Denham Seaside Tourist Village and such an interesting drive catching views of water on both sides of Shark Bay and a change of scenery with flowering bushes on the roadside. Spring has sprung and we are hoping to see lots more wildflowers down the track.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The history is so interesting. Dirk Hartog, the Dutch explorer, landed in 1616 at Cape Inscription on what is known today as Dirk Hartog Island. He was the first recorded white man to set foot on Australian soil. William Dampier named Shark Bay in 1699 due to the abundant shark population. The French also laid claim to the Great South Land here in 1772, but as we know the Brits had claimed the Colony for Mother England in 1770 when Captain Cook sailed into Botany Bay. A long time after, in 1858 a Captain Denham chartered the whole of Shark Bay; in the1860's the pastoralists settled; in the 1870's the pearling industry established. The pearling industry died off at the turn of the century and has now been re-established off Monkey Mia with tourism and fishing the main industries today. A little geography lesson in addition to the history, Steep Point on the southern side of the bay is the most westerly point in Australia.</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNNuZ5rhEfRrro1uzEj8fH-SxB-OQpxI9y_MizQaC6CpGu8wkujZMUrFtJt7gZRfbepZ54_9X1-_BQ2lnmCzVkEkqKN2gdm0i3-XEVBJE__q6eAhNTZPZrqjwuevHxbyR3II9Q4hF1VI/s1600/Shark+Bay+054.jpg"></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I enjoyed an interesting and informative couple of hours learning about the natural and cultural features at the Discovery Centre . My favourite little Aussie, who I had never heard of before, is the Sand Hill Frog and he looks just like a frog who has been covered in sand. He also lays little white pearl eggs in the sand - no tadpoles for this little fellow. He is very special along with a multitude of other threatened species. Two thousand Bilbies have recently been released on the Peron Peninsular which thanks to an intensive programme is now safe from feral foxes and cats who once threatened their existence. </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Shark Bay qualified for World Heritage Listing in 2008 and is in good company with places such as the Great Barrier Reef, Galapagos Islands and Grand Canyon. There are only twenty sites world wide satisfying the criteria of Natural Beauty, Earth's History, Ecological Processes and Biological Diversity.</span> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519266757257621394" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYr9t-R97kh0cgwFqPgKSgiLhxqWsPGHHoBub7OIh6_5ij1ldfC5BeYLsznps7buqMDumFSV9IQbP-9V3wxybYDojNb3HiKSTtgHBlTyR8QpAj6b1yAGfo6-TlAXGKjyxSeZ2IWBeaS8E/s320/Shark+Bay+028.jpg" border="0" /></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Bottlenose Dolphin Mother & Daughter</span></em></div><div><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We visited Little Lagoon an almost perfect blue circle nestled in the sand dunes, which was once land locked before the sea inundated the area several thousand years ago. Other amazing places here include Shell Beach and as the name implies, it's made up of trillions of tiny shells heaped in piles up to 10 metres thick. In Hamelin Pool, Stromatolites which exist in hyper saline water are found and are the only living marine fossils in existence. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGlzhqZ630hT8bvVC8P9vhHYvE0BF5tjDcpqSbX1BOosTCL3dSs6fKn8eGhgABO7INKxDbNhm_f1qfwKiSTSg0EuyFxHagqycpWp_riS_9cFBkEMs1QVVn6DBwFDs8sO34oSvit2XoY8/s1600/Shark+Bay+046.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519625685971268114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 233px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGlzhqZ630hT8bvVC8P9vhHYvE0BF5tjDcpqSbX1BOosTCL3dSs6fKn8eGhgABO7INKxDbNhm_f1qfwKiSTSg0EuyFxHagqycpWp_riS_9cFBkEMs1QVVn6DBwFDs8sO34oSvit2XoY8/s320/Shark+Bay+046.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div><div><div></div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div align="right"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Dolphin Feeding at Monkey Mia</span></em><br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">We missed the ritual morning feeding of the Bottlenose Dolphins at Monkey Mia on our first visit but a mother and baby came into shore (must have seen the disappointed look on my face) and it was just so special watching them swimming in the crystal clear shallows. There are thirteen dolphins who come into the bay daily for feeding which is strictly supervised to ensure the animals survival in the wild. I am told there are 1500 dolphins and 1200 can be identified through the markings on their dorsal fins. Dugongs</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> feed on the abundant seagrass meadows found in the bay and manta rays and turtles make their home here as well.</span><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Sea Lab 1</span></em><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGhxfND4tKItjNvphPZwSci4AIDPE3-ciYQTWVioZGWL9rZeDKgtJSHNmMcqy60VqJ7lpnYHODbmthpXxA-BKgj2rBqi7RZpTJrD0wkhohxN3TJs5FfaWk8e3Z-S8fOkEAynYJs3Vv6E/s1600/Shark+Bay+064.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519269438933947298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGhxfND4tKItjNvphPZwSci4AIDPE3-ciYQTWVioZGWL9rZeDKgtJSHNmMcqy60VqJ7lpnYHODbmthpXxA-BKgj2rBqi7RZpTJrD0wkhohxN3TJs5FfaWk8e3Z-S8fOkEAynYJs3Vv6E/s320/Shark+Bay+064.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;">My other favourite experience here was to sail on the catermaran, Aristocrat 2, from Monkey Mia out to the Blue Lagoon Pearl Farm pontoon known as "Sea Lab 1" for a tour. This is a family owned operation and it was fascinating to watch a demonstration of how the cultivation, seeding and harvesting process produces pearls. The Pinctada Margaritifera (black lip pearl shell) oyster is the species farmed here in the cooler waters to produce the black pearls. The colour of the completed pearl is cultivated from the outer rings of colour on the inside rim of the pearl shell. Not all pearls are perfectly round and the odd shapes are known as Baroque Pearls.</span> </div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Inside of Pearl producing Oyster</span></em><br /></div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Vj0yKmnKxrTU-VB39K3Q1QEA-Pits8el1aV18uS8xqjkedB6MJt4iDEc75rD8OaT7sx-mCWj2kCwSF2cR-aZRlrIfhqM_8ae2Y9LpxYE8ZSq9S6NohnvBiTHfnq3e32tpb5jDPJB6Og/s1600/Shark+Bay+065.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519623791124140578" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Vj0yKmnKxrTU-VB39K3Q1QEA-Pits8el1aV18uS8xqjkedB6MJt4iDEc75rD8OaT7sx-mCWj2kCwSF2cR-aZRlrIfhqM_8ae2Y9LpxYE8ZSq9S6NohnvBiTHfnq3e32tpb5jDPJB6Og/s320/Shark+Bay+065.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:Arial;">We were in good company at Monkey Mia with A Current Affair filming the "Farmer wants a Wife" farmers feeding the Dolphins; Jamie from the Pearl Farms has been one of the farmers in the current series. Women's Weekly and Women's Day were doing stories as well.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">So much more to see and do than we can experience and I would say to anyone who plans to visit, take it all in, it's such a special place.</span></div></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-55787919362570266872010-08-29T01:17:00.000-07:002010-09-21T23:20:15.886-07:00Exmouth and Carnarvon<span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ningaloo Lighthouse</span></em></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0rbkji2frTzBb41wrrDg0P6XGr5JpLS-P-5h7LKHKLPGDa033AiQwbMdYpWMdWd9qEtOyIKftfEczdICgBPA_fI45WFR9J7B3Z8bYKl5uG1MnLPs7a-a7ZYAi6Dek4VG0_gugPffsJ0/s1600/Exmouth+006.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517809796921411330" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0rbkji2frTzBb41wrrDg0P6XGr5JpLS-P-5h7LKHKLPGDa033AiQwbMdYpWMdWd9qEtOyIKftfEczdICgBPA_fI45WFR9J7B3Z8bYKl5uG1MnLPs7a-a7ZYAi6Dek4VG0_gugPffsJ0/s320/Exmouth+006.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Three nights in Exmouth gave us plenty of time to explore this small town and its surroundings. On one side, the Exmouth Gulf and the other, the Indian Ocean and the beginning of the Coral Coast including the Ningaloo Marine Park. Glimpses of blue water of the gulf to the north and to the south views of Cape Range National Park as we headed in a westerly direction towards North West Cape. The friendly natives here are emus, emus and more emus who wander everywhere, always in pairs, and are right at home with the the two legged visitors in their territory. They appear to be a smaller variety than their eastern cousins. I might be imagining that. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><div align="right"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">Towards North West Cape & Communications Base</span></em></span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdh2EUI4SlOT1lKopKMGSxFoDA9QuSQfUhbBFa6jwj06OSPeUPctb680l7-jvYkmEm_ne21sCVuldgShv5lcTk41Ml2hH5ZUqMLC2-SBYv8L7lGy25QukmZiEqaZHwIPbDOFXXipQ9KZ0/s1600/Exmouth+017.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517810412941036114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdh2EUI4SlOT1lKopKMGSxFoDA9QuSQfUhbBFa6jwj06OSPeUPctb680l7-jvYkmEm_ne21sCVuldgShv5lcTk41Ml2hH5ZUqMLC2-SBYv8L7lGy25QukmZiEqaZHwIPbDOFXXipQ9KZ0/s320/Exmouth+017.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Australia and the US established a communications base in 1967 and Exmouth was born. The facility is a radio relay station passing messages between Australian and US command centres and their respective submarines and surface ships in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific. The low frequency transmitters' central tower stands 387.6 metres high, weighs 800 tonnes and can withstand winds up to 500km per hour and is surrounded by 12 similar transmitters and its a very impressive sight. Today it is known as the Australian Naval Communication Station, Harold E. Holt, named in honour of the late Australian Prime Minister - and the US Navy continues its involvement.<br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The coastline and beaches are just beautiful, with turquoise water and miles of white sand - my kind of place. You can swim with the Manta Rays and Whale Sharks who eat plankton, not people. There are also Black Tip Reef Sharks, White Tip and Grey Reef Sharks, and no doubt they are the people eating varieties so I figured it's best to avoid them. The Green, Loggerhead and Hawksbill turtles have rookeries along the coast and come under wildlife protection laws as they are threatened species. Vlamingh Head Lighthouse built in 1912 at the point of North West Cape wasn't built early enough to save the SS Mildura from the reef during a cyclone in 1907. The wreck is still clearly visible from Lighthouse Bay at the point. We drove up to see the second lighthouse called Ningaloo Lighthouse and had fabulous views of the surf beaches up and down the coast and we were also able to watch Humpback whales again. </span><br /><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Almost forgot to mention, Ade finally managed to throw a line in, but the fish must have seen him coming!</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_Vi9ef9TTa5JLJSBXoX6yVslZgL1CaECjGxGRCR3Xu-CGhbvVgnA9oFpxaCPqLrhyphenhyphennDsHU41ujZ_q4MlUXXZ8Wtj-DYvcJ7oUUBura0M6_irFfKkN2R0xwv4TzsQKMbsU6Lr9eMjLVA/s1600/Exmouth+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517826682278169106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_Vi9ef9TTa5JLJSBXoX6yVslZgL1CaECjGxGRCR3Xu-CGhbvVgnA9oFpxaCPqLrhyphenhyphennDsHU41ujZ_q4MlUXXZ8Wtj-DYvcJ7oUUBura0M6_irFfKkN2R0xwv4TzsQKMbsU6Lr9eMjLVA/s320/Exmouth+2.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><br /><br /><div align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>Fishing for Nothing</em></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">We detoured into Coral Bay on Tuesday on our way south to Carnarvon. Another magic place for swimming and snorkelling on the Ningaloo Reef and more white sandy beach - so hard to take. The coral viewing boats were all lined up loading passengers for an outing and I so wished I was going too</span><span style="font-family:arial;">.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">174 kilometres on we once again went over the Tropic of Capricorn. Definitely no chance of showing off my suntan in Carnarvon with the temperatures much cooler and rain. Delightful town on the Gascoyne River and the heart of the salad bowl where 70% of Western Australia's fruit and vegetables are grown. We followed the Gascoyne Food Trail and stopped at plantations, (they are not called farms here) and bought fruit and veg from the growers. Not only are they cheap but so fresh. Bananas are the biggest crop and mangoes, strawberries, star fruit, melons, citrus, tomatoes, avocados, asparagus, beans, broccoli, cauliflower,<em> </em>corn, pumpkins, grapes, (just to name a few) etc. are grown, but no spuds!</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7S9-rpAr8j4swH5Fzqmo45FexjQgVOE-eDzfO-DpdWci9YX7_Uu-06cQD2P5VFoYlKQqwdjoYWVS0LeAhy2OiemSjhHo_heA0YwxHBrYBtkXaJturBW0Cq28QAknqO0S0c-fneXO_OQo/s1600/Quobba+31.jpg"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517818860368066898" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7S9-rpAr8j4swH5Fzqmo45FexjQgVOE-eDzfO-DpdWci9YX7_Uu-06cQD2P5VFoYlKQqwdjoYWVS0LeAhy2OiemSjhHo_heA0YwxHBrYBtkXaJturBW0Cq28QAknqO0S0c-fneXO_OQo/s320/Quobba+31.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">Quobba Coastline</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">To top off our first day in Carnarvon, we had a feast of freshly caught seafood for lunch - magnifique!. We devoured blue swimmer crabs ($2 each) and king prawns (shrimp to my US readers) and Ade shucked his half dozen oysters, a new experience. The snapper was held over for dinner the next night and that was also delicious.</span><br /><br /></div><div align="right"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Point Quobba Blowhole</span><br /></div></em><br /><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgIPjE1HL5y1FbVXe5NvZiy2cPzh5MxJnDyu65kcmSmxmLW2i8anvkMr_eXyY2uMrawiGQBJEDAK-Dr5ApyhFOJeVpT3s652PexJepekf_y0CHhYvK27DuUOQko6c-8Jtsy466nqbC3U/s1600/Quobba+32.jpg"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519603656223214754" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgIPjE1HL5y1FbVXe5NvZiy2cPzh5MxJnDyu65kcmSmxmLW2i8anvkMr_eXyY2uMrawiGQBJEDAK-Dr5ApyhFOJeVpT3s652PexJepekf_y0CHhYvK27DuUOQko6c-8Jtsy466nqbC3U/s320/Quobba+32.jpg" border="0" /></em></a></p><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Day two we took a run north 70 kilometres along the coast this time to see the blowhole at Point Quobba. The rugged coastline and the sea rushing into shore and forcing the water up through the blowholes was spectacular as was the deafening noise. </span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Next destination is one of the worlds heritage listed areas, Shark Bay.</div></span><br /><br /><div align="right"><br /></div></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-6563483862519123162010-08-23T02:16:00.000-07:002010-09-04T02:24:31.255-07:00Point Samson, Karratha and Dampier<em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">Small Road Train</span></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKESxZxSIQKer7KIILZXSC2VM4smKziiOr_-OPO0RrYPZg_MQJgZGcsACivw8THQOHyrv_0BHHocpOp0sWXLb7Wrp1jC-OcPhhhL6TGmXTimlWAVicyXoBOrXLaLpja6lS8RqnuWYsc5o/s1600/North+West+Highway+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512968407792431106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKESxZxSIQKer7KIILZXSC2VM4smKziiOr_-OPO0RrYPZg_MQJgZGcsACivw8THQOHyrv_0BHHocpOp0sWXLb7Wrp1jC-OcPhhhL6TGmXTimlWAVicyXoBOrXLaLpja6lS8RqnuWYsc5o/s320/North+West+Highway+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Our trip south to Point Samson covered more of the same desolate country. The only highlight I can recall was a sign to the Whim Creek Copper Mine which explained the deep purple and red colours in the rocky mountains we could see in the distance. High winds again made another day of unpleasant driving conditions and we saw lots of willy willys swirling the red dirt around.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Cove Caravan Park at Point Samson overlooks the ocean and those gale force winds wouldn't let up. White caps and rolling surf created spectacular views at our back door. This is by a country mile, the best van park we have stayed at with excellent facilities and a great outlook. </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">It's like the "F</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">ive Star of Parks"! We were relieved to wake up the next morning to calm conditions which gave us the opportunity to take the woofs for a walk down to the beach and get out and about to explore.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9uU1vBazhlpjaaeaMDyJv4EES_HAjkCotPu71H6q79oQj1lEDg8q_Nk5Xk5noVK0Y0PIINAKi9rhA03G8nGizi7Nog_5lAK1joQKGxsqXZFEnnZR3fsWClIakFjlUvj9Bp4hHENtNbU/s1600/Point+Samson+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512976281838012338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9uU1vBazhlpjaaeaMDyJv4EES_HAjkCotPu71H6q79oQj1lEDg8q_Nk5Xk5noVK0Y0PIINAKi9rhA03G8nGizi7Nog_5lAK1joQKGxsqXZFEnnZR3fsWClIakFjlUvj9Bp4hHENtNbU/s320/Point+Samson+006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Restored Cossack Court House</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">constructed 1895</span></em><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">First port of call and just down the road from Point Samson is the ghost town of Cossack established in 1863 to support the pastoral and pearling industries. A cyclone hit the area in 1898 and the pearling fleet then moved north to Broome and in 1950 the town was completely abandoned. A heritage trail tells the story and many of the old stone buildings have now been restored. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">The historic towns of Roebourne, settled 1866 and Wickham settled in 1840 are nearby.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We took a run south to Dampier and Karratha, approximately 40 kilometres away . Dampier, named after the English buccaneer William Dampier, was established in 1965 by Hammersley Iron. It's aother sea based export location for iron ore and also provides loading facilities for Dampier Salt, Pilbara Iron and the North West Gas Shelf Project. Karratha derives its name from the Aboriginal word meaning 'good country'. It must describe the mineral wealth - not the views and countryside. Boating and fishing are popular around the Dampier Archipelago and given more time and warmer weather it would be great to experience the Montebello Islands off the coast; a designated marine park and known for beautiful coral reefs, sandy beaches and unique marine life.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Friday was time to move on and we are still travelling south this time to a free camp at Barradale. Once more high winds added to our fuel consumption and the car was noticeably running at much higher rpm's to counter the head winds. We encountered more flat and uninteresting country with occasional glimpses of distant ranges. We passed by gas mines and a huge stock pile of iron ore and equipment visible from the road at the Mesa Mine. There are loads of long </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">road trains carrying mining equipment up and down the highway as well as fuel tankers. South of the Nantutarrra Roadhouse the highway is an Emergency Runway - no planes landing or taking off while we were driving - now that would have been something to talk about! Food note: An expensive lunch of a pie and a pastie and sauce $14.80 at the roadhouse. We travellers are a captive audience without other options as there isn't anywhere else for 200 kilometres.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KYS-_QFpYTrHy0pKX2V5mq2IAsWdKY7ABK3PzYIUwtiEc6D4572OnIyrsCm03EWHICTpI5hBBIbuKvU0dAcbKC6mMlvTLcFXrDUNLD-mkmmwJUvHGATa3Lnu9M0WEpEUGJ02nbsiLtc/s1600/Barradale+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512619575639342562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KYS-_QFpYTrHy0pKX2V5mq2IAsWdKY7ABK3PzYIUwtiEc6D4572OnIyrsCm03EWHICTpI5hBBIbuKvU0dAcbKC6mMlvTLcFXrDUNLD-mkmmwJUvHGATa3Lnu9M0WEpEUGJ02nbsiLtc/s320/Barradale+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Barradale Free Camp</span></em><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Saturday morning after our overnight camp at Barradale, (loved the river gums but more horrible red dirt!) we travelled further south, turned west and then north to reach Exmouth on North West Cape at the top of the Coral Coast. Up and down the sand dunes was the order of the day with glimpses of the blue waters of the Exmouth Gulf. Yeah a change of scenery!</span>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7840545889487116704.post-77755696609437007162010-08-23T00:38:00.000-07:002010-08-24T01:04:31.333-07:00Port Hedland<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4CetdfqmqcNGydOG6s1U24whKUa25jCz8HMX3FIn_aHgPa5ZS9yWYj7wOQ9p39KOI-tpv3LDA1p-agj5zXwyIf_7nHAIKgsn-rWU2p5tWCHaeQrkGMHZrfWQXL7c4_6ob7vOLtYhVgM/s1600/Port+Hedland+4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508857056260129458" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4CetdfqmqcNGydOG6s1U24whKUa25jCz8HMX3FIn_aHgPa5ZS9yWYj7wOQ9p39KOI-tpv3LDA1p-agj5zXwyIf_7nHAIKgsn-rWU2p5tWCHaeQrkGMHZrfWQXL7c4_6ob7vOLtYhVgM/s320/Port+Hedland+4.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Dampier Salt Stockpile</span></em><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Our first impression of Port Hedland - it's a wonderful shade of rust! We are now in the Pilbara region of Australia which is known as the 'Engine Room of the Nation' and home to massive resource projects, natural gas and iron ore mining.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">As we hadn't planned to stop here, we called into the Information Centre to help us secure a site in a Caravan Park to stay for a couple of nights and organise a mechanic to fix the air conditioning. After the new fan belt was fitted to the air conditioner the next morning, we set off to look around this industrial town. The Dampier Salt Stockpile is a most impressive sight as well as the huge trains carrying iron ore to the port for export. 682 cars and 8 locomotives set a new world record in 2001 here in Port Headland, for the heaviest tonnage and longest train carrying iron ore. Love those world records!!</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkw41qqL9_YGrQ74LEKGGHgMCTBJGnYWZdvgcJsVqL100OrOD10zyOUeRKlb2-HaQy89KOej_Bw_HICeO44eqgI91hpdHhYs_v0x7gD6qN0EK8LC5GT7cyLc7povBt5CeJU3f7bXCyfcY/s1600/Port+Hedland+002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508858230726439554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkw41qqL9_YGrQ74LEKGGHgMCTBJGnYWZdvgcJsVqL100OrOD10zyOUeRKlb2-HaQy89KOej_Bw_HICeO44eqgI91hpdHhYs_v0x7gD6qN0EK8LC5GT7cyLc7povBt5CeJU3f7bXCyfcY/s320/Port+Hedland+002.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">The Japanese Iron Ore Ship</span></em><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The port itself is quite a sight and we watched 4 tugs positioning a huge Japanese ship to the dock to be loaded with the crushed ore. I counted 20 more ships out to sea waiting to enter port. The town is almost insignificant compared to the massive crushing machines and equipment all around in the BHP Billiton sites.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSYxIogHPj27JI-2skNwrfcmNE8ZyaZ8SvAs-4i9m6jPbfXVhV4-Rc15R57QqmLRuRqS9leQIk3r3sNSjhXoFQ-s-LytJW0H28m7v5naxLXwBx3_yC2bX3_yiOUFroUkul1VbhmJLDDc/s1600/Port+Hedland+009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508861637470248642" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSYxIogHPj27JI-2skNwrfcmNE8ZyaZ8SvAs-4i9m6jPbfXVhV4-Rc15R57QqmLRuRqS9leQIk3r3sNSjhXoFQ-s-LytJW0H28m7v5naxLXwBx3_yC2bX3_yiOUFroUkul1VbhmJLDDc/s320/Port+Hedland+009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><br /><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Port Hedland Wharves</span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div></div><div></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">We toured around the Port Hedland coastline and South Hedland where the main living and retail areas are located. The waters off the coast are well known for fishing enthusiasts but the beaches are uninspiring. I was expecting to see Fred Flinstone jump out of the "Pot Wagon" a Japanese artist's sculpture we came across in one of the parks. It was donated by BHP and it's made of copper, zinc and lead.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Fred Flinstone's 4WD</span></em></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4O71xe48kkIJVwxXG8adX0jAyT7bdHUg_m8P7qluCX5qRkwsfFAe7gE5ei9tmJG7G_VgywMd8LdZmx_vYOO_TGeD8CR3b_-k2PEeCuuIhQOd3u64ipg-YUGHIVkNHPUxmZkDY8SMW7wU/s1600/Port+Hedland+017.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508870695295744338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4O71xe48kkIJVwxXG8adX0jAyT7bdHUg_m8P7qluCX5qRkwsfFAe7gE5ei9tmJG7G_VgywMd8LdZmx_vYOO_TGeD8CR3b_-k2PEeCuuIhQOd3u64ipg-YUGHIVkNHPUxmZkDY8SMW7wU/s320/Port+Hedland+017.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">Marble Bar, the hottest recorded place in Australia,(162 consecutive days of over 37.8C or 100F in 1928) is inland about 250 kilometres from the coast. Newman is further inland where iron ore is also found and like Marble Bar is also known for its gold deposits. Further south east is the town of Tom Price in the Hammersley Range, home to Rio Tinto's open cut iron ore mine, and it is also the gateway to the Karijini National Park. It is </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">interesting to identify the whereabouts of these well known places while we are travelling even though we</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> don't have them on our agenda.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">Our unexpected stay at Port Hedland was enlightening and enjoyable. Time to move on down the road.</span> </div></div></div></div>Jean and Ade's Vagabond Tourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09249030221882451257noreply@blogger.com0