Day 4: 28th Aug 2014

Again, we were up early with the sun so with breakfast taken care of and everything loaded up and squared away, it was back on the road. 

 

We made a quick top up of diesel at the Balladonia Roadhouse which proudly has on display a large piece of debris from the doomed Skylab space station.

Close to Norseman, we startled a herd of camels that were grazing not too far off the edge of the road. We didn’t get a real good look at them, but they appeared to be in excellent condition.

In to Norseman and a coffee break at the IGA Supermarket Café/Coffee shop and a visit to the Information Centre to pick up info on Caravan Parks in Kalgoorlie.

We chose our Park and booked in for the next three nights.

The ladies went in to town to do some grocery shopping and grab some fresh fruit, which we haven’t had since crossing the Vic/S.A. border.

Tomorrow we'll be booking into a tour of the "Super Pit" open cut mine and other sights and historic places.

Day 3: 27th Aug 2014

Daytime arrives early in the west and we were up and about just after 6:30, greeted by another perfect morning with bright sunshine and very little breeze.

A quick pack up and we were back on the road with nothing of real note until we stopped for lunch at the self-professed "Hub of the Universe", Caiguna. This place marks the Eastern end of the longest stretch of straight road in Australia, 90 miles, or 188kms, without a bend. 

Tonight we’ve pulled up at a free camp spot some 50kms short of Balladonia. Apart from the over friendly bees, which disappeared as the sun went down, it was a really pleasant area.

Day 2: 26th Aug 2014

 We took our time packing up and heading off this morning knowing we weren’t travelling a great distance that day.

First stop was at the Head of Bight Marine Park to try our luck at spotting some whales. We weren’t disappointed. The viewing area is a series of long boardwalks overlooking the cliffs that drop into the Great Australian Bight. The conditions were perfect with clear blue skies, a very light breeze, and calm seas. There were a number of whales just lolling around in the immediate area, some with young calves, none in a hurry to go anywhere or do very much. A very long telephoto lens would have been handy here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bit further down the road we pulled in to the first of the lookout points along this stretch to view the rugged cliffs that abruptly mark the edge of the Continent.

 

The next lookout provided a different vista with slopes rolling steeply down to the water’s edge, and the third view was different again.

 We finally made it to Border Village where we stopped to capture the moment of crossing into W.A.  for posterity.

Everyone must pass through the Quarantine Station where the officers go through your vehicles, caravans, etc. with a fine toothed comb. We all made it through without any infractions and were allowed to go on our way.

Tonight’s stop is in Eucla, another “town” that’s really just a roadhouse, Hotel, Motel and Camping Grounds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The park soon filled up and we were also joined by a group participating in the Perth Variety Club Bash. Apparently, this mob of characters had driven their whacky and motley looking vehicles all the way to Sydney and were on their return leg to Perth.

Day 1: 25th Aug 2014

Here we are again, off on another trip to see a bit more of this great country of ours. This time it’s over to Perth so I finally get to tick off the last of the States and Territories off my “to visit” list.

Although Sharon, Laura and I left on Saturday, the trip has only begun proper today on leaving Port Augusta after meeting up with Di, Dave and Wendy last night. Up to this point, we’ve been travelling through countryside that we’ve now become fairly familiar with, having been this way three times in a little over twelve months.

Lunch break at Morgan overlooking the mighty Murray.

We rose to a fairly crisp morning, packed up the vans and tents and headed out of Port Augusta in the direction of Perth.

Even though the sun was out, there were thick layers of low cloud hanging around the foot of the ranges and before long we were driving into it. Thankfully it wasn’t too dense and visibility was pretty good, still, I can’t fathom why some people don’t bother to put their headlights on in such conditions.

A thick layer of cloud hanging at the base of the range.

To my surprise, the surroundings, for a lot of the time, are fertile and green, with huge expanses of crops stretching off as far as you can see. Occasionally, the landscape is painted bright yellow with huge fields of Canola in flower. Then, within kilometres, everything will look totally different with low growing trees and salt bush.

Peter's Humpy

Laura found a comfy place to chill.

 

Our choice of location for our lunch stop produced a pleasant little diversion in an all-but-deserted town called Poochera. The little picnic grounds were well maintained with separate His and Hers’ toilets, electric BBQ, and a historic “humpy” built in the early 1900’s by a local character name Peter, out of flattened oil tins. Poochera, like many of the towns we’ve seen so far along the Eyre Highway, seems to exist only to support the grain silos that stand next to the rail line that links them.

Later in the afternoon we pulled in at Ceduna, where we fuelled up and headed on out again without really spending any time. Maybe on the way back.

Tonight we’ve set up camp in the Caravan Park adjacent to the Roadhouse at Nundroo. Facilities are pretty primitive, but we’ve got power, a toilet, and passable showers, but they’re not charging the earth so we can’t complain.

An early morning scene at Nundroo