Thursday 1st June

A new month and a new trip.

We actually should have set out last month but various hiccups caused a few delays.

It has been very cold in WA of late, it was 2oC here two mornings ago, a temperature that we haven’t had here in the 22 years that we’ve had the weather station!

For this trip we have only one real destination and that is north of Brisbane where we have two lots of friends who live quite close to together, conveniently.

At least it wasn’t raining this time when we left, so final loading of car and caravan was done in lovely bright warm sunshine.

We’re taking our usual route out to the east and along the Eyre Hwy crossing the border into South Australia, by which time we will have covered 1397 ks.

Our plan then is to go into the Gawler Ranges (weather permitting) then to Port Augusta. Then we will head north to Marree and up the Birdsville Track into QLD. Then we have many options for getting across to the Sunshine Coast. Not sure how long we will spend there but certainly long enough to work out how we’re going to get back to WA!

So, today we had fairly short run in lovely sunshine through the forests of the Darling Range on our usual route out to the east . A lunch stop at Quindanning then on via Williams to Narrogin Railway Dam for the night. The sun was still warm when we got there so we walked round the dam. On our return because it was too cold to sit outside we went in for the pre-dinner glass of wine.

We survived until about 1930 before putting the diesel heater on!

Friday 2 June

I had set the timer on the diesel heater for 6.30 but unfortunately the time hadn’t been reset so I had to get up and put it on! Hopefully I’ll get it right tonight!

After a quiet night we set out for Hyden via Kondinnin.

Our usual route east takes us through the Hyden to Norseman road which is dirt for a large part of it’s 300 odd ks to Norseman. We were somewhat hesitant as they had had some rain recently.

Approaching Hyden the Shire signs say the the Norseman road is open.    Having refuelled we headed out towards Norseman, passing another ‘Road Open’ sign.    After about 40ks towards Norseman we talked to a truckie who told us that the road was ‘closed’!   Retraced our steps and decided on continuing via Ravensthorpe, Esperence to Norseman. 

 Pat finds a likely spot for tonight near the corner of Hyden-Lake King Rd and Holt Rock Rd East. This is a useful spot, no traffic and a good internet signal.   There is a water collection system on Holt Rock that fills two large concrete water tanks which are for agricultural and emergency use.    A standpipe is available for travellers’ use.    This site is also called the Orange Gravel Pit and when we go for a walk around and on the rock we discover why.   The area is covered in rather pretty bright orange ground cover.   Up on the rock the wind is quite vicious but the views are great!

The diesel heater is in demand once again.

Saturday 3rd June

As you can see the red dotted line cuts off quite chunk, in fact it’s 260 ks further going via Esperance. However, if you look at the the area bordered by my red line and the thin pink to the north, all the roads in that area are dirt, so it was a no brainer really. We have had diversions before and almost certainly will do again.

We refuelled in Esperance and then headed for Norseman, we found a place to overnight, off Eldred road. It wasn’t gravel and there was an occasional car or truck but it wasn’t not too bad.    The sunset was not spectacular but did look good on the trunks of the Salmon Gums.    We had a quiet night – that is until the 0530 grain train passed by about 100 metres away!!

The compensation was a really lovely sunrise through a mist.

Sunday 4th June

Finally arrived in Norseman after a diversion of 260ks, which is not too bad, and where there are dirt roads and rain, diversion is often the better part of valour.

Having refuelled we continued on the Eyre Hwy, passing the Fraser Range campsite which we have used a couple of times but which is currently closed for refurbishment.   Plenty of traffic heading west but we have a very leisurely run, probably because our cruising speed at around 87kph keeps us pretty much evenly spaced from the other traffic, particularly the trucks which would catch us up but, of course, they lose momentum on the hills whilst we are still cruising.   It is noticeable that when we stop there seems to be a lot of stuff going past but when we get back on the road road again it is quiet!  

Night stop tonight a bush camp to the south of the highway (Taylor’s Maze). Nice and quiet and only one other caravan nearer the road.

Monday 5th June

Earlyish start this morning, we should get close to the border by this afternoon, this part of the includes the 90 mile straight section. We refuel at Cocklebiddy.    Again the traffic is very reasonable and we have few exchanges with the truckies.   One thing we have noticed is that there is virtually no ‘roadkill’ along the road which very interesting because normally there is a considerable amount of it and we have commented previously on how many wedge tailed eagles there are foraging roadside.   We must ask someone. Lunch at Madora Pass Lookout where the wind was strong and cold. Overnight stop is a Gravel pit which has plenty of space down behind the heaps of gravel. This keeps the wind off and absorbs the sound of the traffic. Checked the fridge for veggies and fruit to finish up over tonight and tomorrow night.

Tuesday 6th June

Another fairly leisurely day. Not much to report except a diversion down to the Bight for a bite!   It’s a bit early for the whales but not the flies!   One of which got snapped!

Today we cross ‘the nullabor’.    The whole route from Norseman to Ceduna is often referred to as ‘crossing the Nullabor but in actual fact the Nullabor is actually only about 50ks wide.   There certainly very few trees, though this is true of a large part of Eyre Hwy.

Pat had a little difficulty finding somewhere to stop tonight, we eventually resorted to just taking a convenient track off the highway to see where it went.   It didn’t go very far so we expected some road noise, which there was but it didn’t keep us awake.

Pat was busy emptying the fridge of fruit and veggies because when we enter South Australia at the border checkpoint tomorrow, near Ceduna, the van and car will be inspected, and we will have to hand in any that we haven’t frozen or finished up.   Some cooking and freezing happening this evening.

Wednesday 8th June

An earlier start today with the highlight being the Quarantine station entering SA at Ceduna.

We’ve been to Ceduna quite a few times and we will stay at our favourite caravan park so that we can stock up with fruit and veggies again and Pat can do some washing.

Checked into the caravan park and got settled in but decided that it was too cold to sit outside. Later in the evening we had some rain. During the evening we put on the air conditioner to warm up. We can’t remember ever using it for warmth before, usually it’s to cool us down!

This was the case all day on Thursday but we did venture out for a walk in the sand dunes and along the beach. By Friday the wind had dropped and it was a bit warmer.