4th October

This was a big day with a tail wind. Along the coast line and not really able to see it, on the map it looks to be right on the coast. It is the Great Australian Bight & we went to the superb Lookout for photos 

Mighty cliffs and a beautiful ocean.

Free camped in another large area set aside for us campers, we are so fortunate, Nundroo, Colona Rest Area. A good audiobook and changing scenery made the over 500k a great day.

3rd October

We are 30k west of Eucla, have driven 513k, it's been a bright sunny day, with a good westerly wind pushing us along and helping with fuel consumption. We are at Najada Rockhole a free big roadside Rest area. Only 2 vans and we are both Jayco Silverline.

It's been an interesting day, a good Audiobook to listen to, , drove the longest stretch of straight road

Drove on an area that is the emergency landing strip for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The scenery was nothing to get excited about

We stopped at a roadhouse, along with about 12 other vans and had our mid day meal at Mandurah. Now it's time for tea and a very quiet night, no TV, NO noisy neighbours, but a game of Rummy O before bed. Tomorrow we cross through quarantine from Western Australia to South Australia.....no fruit or vegetables are allowed, no plant life and quite a lot of other things that don't concern us. We will be safe,I cooked the remaining apples! 🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

Balladonia

2nd October. Date sensitive issue....bother!

30th September was a longer drive, 423k to Balladonia Roadhouse, Caravan Park. It's one of those places where you stay 1 night, when we said we wanted 3 nights we got a funny look! We HAD to be at a place to be sure of TV, it was "Grand Final" weekend for both football codes.

Brian set up the satedish dish & we had good TV Friday night and Saturday UNTIL the game started!!!

Wind, rain and cloud, we had no reception, but were able to go to the Roadhouse and watch it withe 17 others. Luckily all were cheering for The Bulldogs, all from Victoria. The wind kept up for the 3 nights and we were glad to have power for our heater. 

As it said, a one night stop is enough but as has happened all this trip, it was for the best.

I went for a shower between showers (yes that's correct), no water in the park, it's bring your own, but they do have showers. While I was having mine, a big storm came through, what a noise it made. As I stepped out it was all gone......I told Brian when I got back, that I had been so lucky & he said 'there was NO storm at all......just the wind in the ablution block......then the same happened to him. Golly it was funny at the time.

We enjoyed the AFL game & our 19 people would have made the MCG attendance 100,000. A great occasion. The NFL on Sunday didn't get the same attendance, it was just Brian and the Bar girl! Melbourne Storm lost much to Brian's disappointment.

All ready for a big day across a lot of The Nullabour road tomorrow.

Kambalda

29th September. This system won't let me back date!

The day that had hung over our heads for the last 5 weeks has arrived. CAR SERVICE DAY.

Brian dutifully had the car in at 7am & was delivered back to the van.....but the pickup time had been extended from 1&1/2 hours to noon.......OK.....noon came and went.......2.30pm we got the call say it was ready. They came for Brian but NO APOLOGY OR EXPLANATION as to why soooo long! 'Not happy Jan'

We left immediately and drove 57k to Kambalda, a mining town, with a lovely new Rec Centre that offered free camping & the use of their 1st class shower & toilets within opening hours. Also a good Woolworths there......hot Chicken for the next 2 days. Yippie no cooking.

Sorry no pics.

28th September. Kalgoorlie.

💨💨💨🌥🌥🌫🌫🌞🌞🌞 Wow, a real mixture.

Our next stop was at Sandstone, Peter Denny Lookout.. It was a huge area on the edge of a breakaway formation with expansive views down the orange cliffs to the sea of spinifex scrub that extends to the horizon.

There are only garbage bins and a couple of concrete picnic tables.

There were only 4 caravans & 2 tent type campers there. Quite a number passed through to take in the view. We arrived by 11am and enjoyed the sun and the view but not the flies!

We then set out for Leonora, an active Gold mine, "The Sons of Gwalia" The open cut mine was hugmungus as were the huge hills they had created around it. There was a free camp 'On the top of a hill, no tree, no shelter from the wind, no nothing.....except for a museum ' we are mine museums do out! Down we went to the original village, parked in the parking area, cooked & ate our dinner, then went for a walk among the 'what was left' 

We had planned to stop there but chose to go on to find something better, kept driving & driving, wind got stronger & stronger. We stopped in a roadside stop , nobody there, so decided to go on to Kalgoorlie. We are at Centennial 24hr free park right in town. Must be FULLY self contained.

WELL....we put our sullage hose onto a tree (we arrived at 5pm) after having been blown down the Goldfields Highway, set up for the night with 15 other vans & had a good night in the wind & rain.

Slept in until 8am. Brian got out of bed & opened a blind to see the Ranger recording all number plates.......he put a sleeveless jack over his PJs & went to ask if we could have an extra night because the car is booked in for a service tomorrow. It was granted, recorded and were told to put that sullage hose away, a lidded container or grey water talk were necessary!!!! We have now complied.....

Had a nice day today driving around the big town. Originally there would be a Pub on every corner which have become other things now.

The local Baptist Church 

Yesterday we fueled up......serve yourself by credit card

Also saw more wild flowers.

We will move immediately after the car is serviced. It's a 7am booking....Brian will be delivered back for breakfast and picked up when the service is done. Pretty good.

Out for Dinner tonight, thanks to Jocelyn (Fathers Day).

Well, our dinner out was beautiful & thoroughly enjoyed.

A lovely end to our day in Kalgoorlie.

25th September. Mt Magnet.

Just a very short drive today in our rig after a nice stop at Yuloo.

Where we came from

Where we were going

We stopped a number of times to see the wild flowers because they would finish when we got to Mt Magnet.

And up close

The scrub around this area

Another stop

How about these Pom poms and their black shadows

One more stop for a change of colour 

What a delight it has been. 

We are camped on the roadside, 1 k through Mt Magnet. Very quiet except for the occasional Road Train. And one young dirt bike rider with a ute accompanying him. Even able to get TV here as well as Telstra, pretty good.

24th September. Yalgoo (find it if you can)

Left Geraldton 8.45am heading due east for the first time in 6 months. We were aiming for Mullewa, a Western Australia Wildflower noted area. It started off as a beautiful rural farming area. Huge wheat fields, some sheep and steadily changes to bush land with nothing but scrub.....then the roadsides started to be carpets of yellow or white flowers, there were some other patches of blue as well as odd bushes of purple, pink & red. We stopped at Mullewa and talked to the women at the info centre & they recommend we go 30k further to Pindar to see the wreath flowers as it's nearing the end of the season. Oh, it's one of Gods amazing creations.

There roots go down 2 meters and live after the flower dies. They are best when there has been some earlier rain & this year was a winner.

These were all in about a 500 meter edge of the road, both sides. Not in amongst the scrub but just on the roadside.        This is the Blue Pincushion.

There is another story attached to these photos.....the Wreaths are right on the roadside, but some of the others were further into the scrub.....I went in and was walking back, so pleased with myself, when......I steped on a giant ants nest.......they attacked me by the hundred, bighting my ankles and going up my legs under my trousers, my shoes were covered with them racing to get onto me.......the others standing nearby were laughing!!!!, I said, don't speak to me, Brian, open the van, I've got to get these pants off!!!, he shook them out inside out and right side out, heck what a fright. Lucky they don't sting & there are no reprocussions. Looking back it was funny but not while it was happening.

We had planned to stop at the free site where there was a sign 'Where the outback begins', however it didn't happen & we came to a nice little park $22 with power & water and lovely ensuites. Yalgoo. 

It's been football all afternoon, Doggies won & now Storm are winning. Brian is happy.

Tomorrow, another story.