BACK HOME
And so our journey ends. Had the most amazing time, had some amazing experiences and met the most wonderful people. We stayed at 79 different sites and visited 273 places and took a total of 4662 photos. We travelled a total of 34955 klms using 4355 litres of diesel at a cost of $7400 equating to an...
GUNNING
Left Boorhamen about 10am and were surprised that there were no golfers around. Another 5 hour drive to Barbour Park with a stop for lunch in the van. A free park so hopefully we'll do better than last night. We did pop over to the pub for one drink to support the locals. There are a few other vans...
WANGARATTA
Left Capel Sound for our last leg home. A 5 hour drive to Wangaratta with a stop for lunch in the van. The street we are staying in is kilometres long but there is only a pub and a golf course here. We are the only ones at the golf course so it was very quiet. Walked over to the Buffalo Hotel and Br...
CAPEL SOUND
Mornington Peninsula. Took the van on another trip on the ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento - saved us about 4 hours driving through Melbourne. Coffee and cake on board and a smooth 45 min crossing. Another 40 min drive and we were at the park right on the beach. Ok site and amenities old but hot a...
TORQUAY
Cold and windy this morning. Visited the Australian National Surf Museum at the visitor centre. Great selection of surfboards and skateboards. Al still thinks Wayne's is better. Checked out the famous Bells Beach. Parked in the wrong carpark and had to walk 1.3k in the cold and wind. Beach looked or...
APOLLO BAY
Two and a half hour drive to Apollo Bay Recreation Reserve on the Great Ocean Road. Don't know what all the hoo-ha is about this road as it is hilly and windy and like a country road and you don't see much of the ocean at all because of the scrub. This wasn't a pleasant drive - we were glad to get o...
WARRNAMBOOL
Two and a half hour drive to Discovery Park, nice grassy sites but very tight. Couple of blokes told Al he wouldn't get in but he did. Good set up for kids here and clean amenities with large showers. Went to Lady Bay to breakwall where the underwater observatory used to be. Flagstaff village is whe...
MOUNT GAMBIER
Arrived Pine County Caravan Park, nice grassy sites. Jumping pillow and playground and older but spotless amenities. Also have glamping tents. Checked out the Umpherston sinkhole with beautiful gardens of plants, palms and ferns. Possums come out at night. On to the Blue Lake - almost as jaw droppin...
ROBE
Couple of hours drive to the Discovery Park - very nice and near the beach. Jumping pillow, playground, games room, pump track and indoor swimming pool. Put us on a site too small and moved us but still not enough room to put awning out and park the car. Too windy to put awning out anyway. Went for...
MENINGIE
Couple of hours drive to Lake Albert Caravan Park. Crossed the Murray River on the ferry from Wellington. First time van has been on a ferry - and it was free. A well maintained park right on Lake Albert. Amenities older but spotless. There is even an aviary with budgies and cockatiels. Drove to Coo...
VICTOR HARBOR
One and a half hour drive to NRMA Victor Harbor Beachfront Holiday Park. A lovely big park with all the bells and whistles for the kids - jumping pillow, bike track, waterpark, swimming pool and go carts. Just a short walk to the beach. Had a stroll to the jetty and walked over to Granite Island. Al...
SEMAPHORE
3 hour drive to Adelaide Beachfront Park - can't see the water but just a short walk away. Really nice park with all the gizmos for the kids including a pool. Got a nice spot with a tree just to one side of us. Amenities really good too. Another massive beach with the tide way, way out. There are se...
YORKETOWN
Arrived for 3 night stay at Yorketown Park, a tiny park which was voted a great nomad park in 2019. No one at office for most of our stay here which wasn't a problem - very casual. Picked a nice grassy site. Amenities spotless and quite modern albeit only 2 toilets and showers. Very small town - bas...
MOONTA BAY
Four hour drive to Moonta Bay caravan park with a stop at Harrys along the way where we bought some humpalicious camel sausage, olive pate and pepperoni sticks. Considering this place is in the middle of nowhere is has a vast range of products. Got a nice spot in the park a couple of rows from the w...
WHYALLA
Set off for Whyalla - a few sprinkles on the way. Stopped at Cowell to check out another silo - no signs so you had to know it was there. This one had a camel and camel herder and a yellow ring neck parrot - they are just all so good. Right on the water at Whyalla but too windy to put out awning. Ni...
PORT LINCOLN
On the way to Port Lincoln we stopped at Talia Caves - the cave itself is called The Woolshed. Went looking for Talia Caves but the Woolshed is it. While we were there checked out the Tub - a large crater with a tunnel connection to the sea. 10 - 30 metres deep and 50 metres across - just huge. Both...
STREAKY BAY
Stopped at Penong on the way to Streaky Bay to check out the windmill museum. Has heaps of windmills here including the largest in Australia. Then went to check out another pink lake, Macdonnell Lake. Al got some great drone shots whilst I took over the driving. Definitely a pink lake but pity the s...
COHEN OLD SCHOOL CAMP
Topped up fuel at the Nullarbor Roadhouse at $2.24 a litre. Then on to Nundroo where we filled up for $1.61 and got our tyre and rim. Even though there are signs for camels, wombats, emus and roos we thankfully didn't see any of them although we did see a couple of shinglebacks crossing the road. Pa...
BUNDA CLIFFS
Stopped at Mundrabilla Roadhouse for fuel on the way to Bunda Cliffs. Stopped at Eucla to check out the ruins of the old telegraph station and the jetty. It was about a 1k walk in soft sand to the beach and another half k to the jetty. Crossed the border at Border Village - didn't have to stop or ha...
MADURA PASS LOOKOUT
Stopped at Caiguna Roadhouse for coffee and cake. Saw the sign for the Caiguna blowhole so turned off to check it out. Drove around scrub for about half an hour looking for it then decided to turn back only to find it was at the very start of the turn off. Used to be a blowhole when the sea was here...
BAXTERS CAMP
Set off on the Eyre Highway across the Nullarbor. Expected it to be flatter and sparcer but pretty much like a lot of the roads we've been on - long road with scrub either side. Another free camp at Baxters rest area off road camp. Plenty of sites to choose from. Not a bad spot - picnic tables, toil...
NORSEMAN
On the way to our next stop called back into the auto shop and the girl there was really helpful putting through our rego. She was only from near Durham - small world. Free RV camp only two vans here with one other rolling in later in the afternoon. Drove up to the gold mine lookout overlooking the...
ESPERANCE
Two and a half hour drive to Pink Lake Tourist Park. An older park with some weird set ups for sites but we've got plenty of room on ours. It has the most popular jumping pillow of all the parks we have been. There would be 20 kids bouncing around on there. Amenities are old but good, hot and strong...
HOPETOUN
3 Hr drive to Wavcrest Caravan Park. Only 2 other caravans here. Looks like a new park under construction. Has a pool which we didn't even get to see as it was too windy. Also has a bar/bistro which we went to one afternoon and had a game of darts. The sites are spacious and the amenities are old bu...
BREMER BAY
2 hour drive to Bremer Bay Caravan Park. Large park with lots of permanents. Amenities fairly modern and clean. Bumped into Amanda and V who had been next to us at Bullara Station. Bremer Bay Beach has nice white sand and beautiful water but yet again the wind is following us. Checked out Little Boa...
ALBANY
2 hours to Rose Garden Caravan Park. A big park but not many vans. Amenities new and modern. Nice beaches but windy (for a change). There are nice little bays along the waterfront one with tiered gardens good for a sunny day. Checked out Denmark. First stop Waterfall Beach that has a small waterfall...
WALPOLE
Three and a half hours to Coalmine Beach Holiday Park. A lovely tree studded park and met by kangaroos, yellow collared parrots (28's) and galahs. Amenities old but clean. Went down to check out the beach and surprised to find it wasn't turquoise but a browny red from the tannin in the trees and veg...
BUSSELTON
3 hour drive to Busselton Holiday Park. A nice big park with playground, jumping pillow, two pools - one heated- and games room. Amenities older but clean. About a 250m walk to the beach which is a beautiful long beach with those turquoise waters. Checked out the markets but arrived late and they we...
FREMANTLE
3 hour drive to Fremantle Village - thought it was on the beach but it isn't. Large park with room for van, awning and car. Amenities old but clean, hot & strong. Al bought a new battery or his drone at DJI shop in Westfield Carousel Centre. Bought a new camera at JB Hifi - a Nikon Coolpix P950. The...
JURIEN BAY
2 hour drive to Jurien Bay Tourist Park. Right on the beach and you can at least see the sand even though there is weed here too. No awning out again and unable to even sit outside cos of the bloody wind. Walked along waterfront on the Turquoise way walking trail - some beautiful houses but on small...
DONGARA
The park is right on the beach but it is thick with seaweed/seagrass and a bit on the nose. Amenities are OK - hot and strong. Walked along beachfront and pier where a pacific gull picked up a sea urchin off the rock shelf in the ocean and was dropping it on the rocks to break it. Did the 10k walkin...
KALBARRI
Five and a half hour drive to Kalbarri with a fuel and coffee stop at Billabong Roadhouse. Bumped into John & Karen who we had met at Carnarvon. The park is new and large and all the sites have an ensuite which was hard to leave behind. They also have a nice pool and the park is still under construc...
DENHAM
4 hour drive to Denham with fuel stop at Wooramel Roadhouse. The usual scenery of scrub on the way. Denham Seaside Caravan Park is across the road from the beach and we're on the upper level which gives us great views across the ocean but makes it more windy. Hadn't been able to put the awning out o...
CARNARVON
About a 2 and a half hour drive to Wintersun Caravan Park with a stop for fuel at Manilya. Park is surprisingly empty. Decent site with room for van, annex and car on a concrete slab with GRASS around us. Checked out the Fascine - very nice - park area with palm trees along the water and some very n...
CORAL BAY
2 hour drive to Coral Bay Bayview Caravan Park. This place is just magic - right across the road from Ningaloo Reef. Walk across the road onto the beach and onto the reef. Such a beautiful place - has to be one of my favourites so far. Only 2 caravan parks here right next to each other each with its...
EXMOUTH
Quick one hour drive to Exmouth Cape Holiday Park. Nice big site in a big park. Couple across from us have sharpei called Kimba but it's a bit growly. Peter mentioned to Al about satellite dish so Al went to check it out and got a better deal on 2 of them. We've had terrible tv reception if any at a...
BULLARA STATION
4 hour drive to Bullara Station with a fuel stop at Nanutarra. Bullara is a working cattle station on quarter of a million acres. Very quirky with bucket showers, old cars and trucks scattered around the site. Some dormer sheep here and an emu. Fire pits, camp kitchens and play area for the kiddies....
ONSLOW
Four hour drive to Ocean View Caravan Park - saw some Sturt Desert Peas at side of road. Good site right on the beach - room for van, awning and car and astro turf for chairs. Amenities modern and clean. Paparazzi dogs on waterfront checking out staircase to the moon. Onslow was actually moved from...
KARRATHA
An easy 3 hour.drive to Discovery Park Karratha. A nice big park with, wait for it, GRASSY sites. When we arrived we were given a bottle of bubbly and a small box of chocolates for being loyal Discovery Park customers. They have a pool, the amenities are old but clean. Sunset was beautiful but we're...
PORT HEDLAND
3 hour drive to Discovery Park Port Hedland. It's a very flat town known for its salt piles, lithium and iron ore. The park has a pool but it is closed for resurfacing and it's 36 degrees:( It's a fairly big park with plenty of room on site but the roads are very narrow. Amenities ok but floors look...
EIGHTY MILE BEACH
4 hour drive to Eighty Mile Beach with a stop for fuel at Sandfire Roadhouse where Al bought a t-shirt. 80 mile is so nice - glad we decided to stay here instead of Cape Keraudren. The cape was apparently flat, no shade, power or water and had sandflies. 80 Mile is a large park with lots of grassy a...
BARNHILL STATION
An easy 2 hour drive to Barnhill Station. It is a huge station and we got a decent shady spot. Have power and water but power cuts out when we use kettle so have to use gas kettle. Toilets and showers are very basic - open topped - will be using ours. No service or TV reception. All in all though it...
BROOME 2
Back to Broome for Al to get his 2nd covid vaccination. Went to Cable Beach Caravan Park this time - cheaper than Roebuck and it has a pool. Went to Mangrove Hotel for pizza with Dave and Kristen. Greek style minced lamb this time as opposed to Garlic prawn last time - I thought this one was tastier...
PENDER BAY
Clifftop site with beautiful views over the ocean. No power or water - $40 a night. Thought there was something wrong with van, squeaking noise but turned out to be gas bottle rubbing against van. While looking for squeak Al noticed water tank was bulging so he fixed it by putting in some steel stru...
MIDDLE LAGOON
A stunning spot right on the beach. We have water but no power. Nothing to do here but relax and have a dip in the beautiful blue ocean. Did get a couple of walks in up the beach and to the headland. Al even got on his kayak. Drove to Pender Bay to have a look but being Aboriginal they wouldn't let...
BROOME
Broome Discovery Park just jaw dropping to see the beautiful turquoise water. Site only one row back from the water. Surprised they have aboriginal problems here too. Fortunate to be able to move sites because the bats in the tree above us kept us awake all night. Fighting and squabbling and droppin...
FITZROY CROSSING
2 hour drive to Fitzroy River Lodge. Bit suss about staying here because of poor reviews. 2 weeks before we got here 2 young girls were bashed and had their car stolen. The teenage aboriginals who stole it crashed the car and one was killed. The park itself is really nice - huge. Not too many here,...
LARRAWA
Stopped for 2 fuel stops on the way to Larrawa at Doon Doon and Halls Creek. Larraway is a working cattle farm covering half a million acres. Basic toilets and showers but better then some we've experienced. We rode our bikes to the river which was almost empty - it would be massive after rain. Had...
KUNUNURRA
Told it was taking 7 hours to get through border yesterday so left Timber Creek at 4.30 to get to border and arrived at 6.30. Only 8 vehicles in front of us. Took is one and a half hours which was great. Had our isolation stay at Migaloo Farm right on the Ord river. Met up with Troy and Jo and Ben a...
TIMBER CREEK
$45 a night but very close to other vans. The showers were tiny with nowhere to put your things. Glad it's only an overnight stay.
HOWARD SPRINGS
Big 4 Howard Springs Holiday Park. Nice spacious corner site with shady trees. 2 swimming pools and a spa pool plus splashpark and jumping pillow for the kids. Amenities new and clean. Picked up 6.30 for our Litchfield Escapes tour. Guide is a young bloke called Jake who was born and raised in Howar...
KATHERINE
Only an hours drive to Riverview Tourist Village. The site is right next to the walkway to the hot springs. Nice big site - no water for a little while as the caravan across from us knocked over the water tap. There is an upper and lower pool - not quite as warm as Mataranka or Bitter Springs. There...
BITTER SPRINGS
Got here early to get a spot but we didn't have a problem anyway. Nice shady spot. Went to checked out the hot springs but took the wrong turn and ended up at a sign that said we were on Aboriginal land and needed a permit - whoops. Got on the right track but when we got there there must have been a...
DALY WATERS
Had been told to get here early so we left before 8.30. Named after Governor of SA Sir Dominic Daly in 1861. It hosts the 1st international airport in oz and was the rear guard base during the bombing of Darwin by the Japs in WW2. The pub was originally a supply point for drovers. Explorer John McDo...
DUNMARRA WAYSIDE INN
About a 5 hour drive to Dunmarra with a fuel and coffee stop at Renner Springs. Nice shaded drive through spot with power and water for $29. They had a pool but it was closed for maintenance. l bought the famous vanilla slice - a large portion for $6 - I had a taste and it was very yummy. 36 degrees...
DEVILS MARBLES
Two nights at Devils Marbles. Were going to stay the 2nd night at Wyclife Wells but park was surrounded by razor wire and looked abandoned so we just checked out the UFO centre which was just the petrol station with old clippings on one wall and lots of UFO merchandise for sale. Devils Marbles is in...
TENNANT CREEK
Two one night stops at Tennant Creek. 80% of population are indigenous and told to make sure everything secure at night which we do anyway. No problems either time. Went to see Mary Ann Dam and the pebbles. Happy hour at the bar with Chris Callaghan who was really good both nights. 2nd night we had...
BARKLY HOMESTEAD
Three hour drive to get to homestead. Good drive through sights. The couple we parked next to is the couple we met at the Camooweal Caves - small world. Happy hour at the bar from 4 - 5, wine and beer only $5 - thank you very much. Met another nice couple from the sunnie coast who said we should vis...
CAMOOWEAL
Camooweal Post Office Hotel Motel Caravan Park. Drive through site $37 a night with power and water. Even has a nice swimming pool and next to the pub. Not much here to look at but we did check out the caves. Took us an age to get there through paddocks on shocking goat tracks cos Al put in the Nati...
MOUNT ISA
About a three and a half hour drive to Mount Isa. ot a bad site - pretty full. Has a pool. Had soup on for tonight (too hot) and live music, which we missed. Also had a hairdresser on site but couldn't fit me in. Lovely and sunny. Did touristy things. Went to City Lookout with views over Mt Isa and...
JULIA CREEK
Good 3 hour drive - 2 lanes into 1 but no dirt and gravel which is good. Saw a wild cat chewing on a dead roo on road which ran off into the bush. Nice park and lovely tidy town. Bumped into Lilian & Colin who we had met at Port Macquarie park who have the Unicorn. Bush dinner around the campfire th...
ADELS GROVE / LAWN HILL
Stopped at Gregory for a fuel and rest stop. Roos hopping about all over the place on the way here. Road mainly gravel except for dips which could be a bit vicious. The bitumen was the worst bit with savage drop offs and pot holes. What a disappointment was Adels Grove - thought it would be really n...
FOUR WAYS / BURKE & WILLS
Stopped at Normanton on the way to return cans and check out the purple pub and Krys the Croc. Burke & Wills Roadhouse - heaps of vans here filling up, $30 per night for power but no water. Al bought some beer which was reasonable but they wanted $30 for a bottle of wine - no thank you. Smells a bit...
KARUMBA
Arrived Karumba Lodge Caravan Park, small park next to Karumba Lodge Hotel. 31 degrees and right on beautiful turquoise water. Hundreds of locusts flying around bouncing off everything including me! Al got good shot of croc sunbathing on the other side of the river. Drove to Sunset Tavern on Karumba...
CROYDON
A good hour and a half drive with the usual landscape of arid, flat plains and more termite mounds. Croydon is a cute town - very small. Stayed at the Rodeo showground for $5 - only $5 if you stay 2 nights too. This included toilets and amenities - can't complain about that. Had a walk round town -...
GEORGETOWN
Almost a 7 hour drive - first part was all winding roads up a mountain - not much good for fuel economy. The last part was mainly a single lane road. Stopped at Ravenshoe for coffee and met a lovely couple who gave us helpful information on our upcoming journey. Arrived Goldfields caravan park for o...
CAIRNS
Five hour drive to Cairns with coffee stop at Tully. Al had photo in the bug gumboot which depicted the highest amount of rainfall they'd had there - wettest town in Australia. Small tight spot in the park and Al had to have a break cos he was coughing and knackered. Made use of the food van for din...
TOWNSVILLE
Left Airlie Beach about 9 and arrived at Wulguru about 2pm. Nice park, good site. Swimming pool, bouncing pillow, play area, splash park. Stopped at Home Hill on the way for a cuppa and custard tart/muffin. Al finally agreed to try cough medicine. Drove into Townsville city. Walked around the marina...
AIRLIE BEACH
2 hr drive to Airlie Beach. Nice big park with pool, play areas etc. Did basic set up and Al went to bed. Dr Charlton rang to see how he was and if he wasn't any better in the morninghe'd have to go to hospital. He's really, really crook. Headed to Proserpine Hospital next morning who were expecting...
MACKAY
5 hour drive, including a coffee stop, to Premier Caravan Park - doesn't actually live up to its name. Very old park with mostly permanents staying here. Some of the vans as you come in are decrepit - surprised they're allowed to stay there. Have to say though that the amenities are spotless. Again...
MULAMBIN/YEPPOON
Good 4 hour drive. Site is further from the beach than we thought...will have to drive most places. Nice site with garden beds between vans. Great for kids with swimming pool, water park, play areas, jumping pillow, go garts, outdoor cinema and games room. Walked to Bluff Point just over 2k's there...
AGNES WATER
Left Bargara and said goodbye to Charlie and Jeanie and gave them our facebook info so they can follow our travels. 2 hour drive to Agnes Water Beach Holidays Park. Got a good site right on the walkway to the beach. Pretty windy but got set up ok. Another Bailey in here a Bailey Astro here for 3 mon...
BARGARA/BUNDABERG
Four hours to get to Bargara Beach Holiday Park but a good drive. Very spacious site across the road from the beach. Surprisingly small beach with lots of black boulders - apparently basalt, a result of volcanic eruption. For such a small place there are heaps of units along the waterfront. The gent...
TEWANTIN/NOOSA
Noosa caravan park. Nice park, site opposite camp kitchen and playground but very quiet. Fella from park helped Al get on site as it was very tight with palm trees everywhere. Lovey swimming pool that we never got to use - too busy. Met Dale and Wyatt at Peregian skate park. Great to see them again....
SCARBOROUGH
Scarborough Holiday Village - lovely spacious drive through site right next to the marina. Went for walk around marina - some massive houses with beautiful outlook over water. Adam called over with Freya and had dinner. Great to see them again - Freya is growing up. Drove into Redcliffe and walked a...
TALLEBUDGERA
Arrived Tallebudgera which is only an hour up the road from Byron. Finally in QLD. Park is huge and very busy as it is a long weekend here. Has a decent size swimming pool too and a shop and food truck. Went to Burleigh Heads which is just across the bridge from where we are but they were closed for...
BYRON BAY
Excited to arrive at Byron First Sun Caravan Park...although we've been here heaps I still love this place. Sun is shining for our set up and you should see our site...it is amazing. Waterfront, double slab, 34 steps from the beach and you can hear the surf hitting the rocks below. Just beautiful. W...
CORINDI BEACH
Double slab right on the beach. No pool or much for kids. Weather miserable so far. Pouring rain of a night and off/on rain during the day. Caught up with John, Jane, Michael, David, Lydia and Gracie for dinner at c.ex club. Very nice club and beautiful meal. Back to Janes for cake (Michaels birthda...
PORT MACQUARIE
Arrived Port Mac on the 24th March. Raging flood waters , beaches closed , walking tracks blocked. Big cleanup ongoing. Lots of walks , bike rides , boules. Catch up with Deb and Jim at Lighthouse Beach. Drinks at beach bar , Pretty restricted with flood damage. Picked up a couple of things from JB...
HARRINGTON
Rain, rain and more rain , stuck here for 8 days due to flooding all the way up mid north coast. Forecast for next week is rain and really windy too. Al put extra straps on awning....just as well. Harrington an older park, lots of permanents but pool and amenities are spotless. Got a few walks along...
AROUND OZ
Day 1 after 4 years of planning. And so it begins. Australia here we come. Plan on travelling for 12 - 15 months around the coastline of Australia taking in all the sights and experiences along the way. Two spots are already booked - Horizontal Falls in Broome and our Christmas/New year stay at Espe...