Time to cross the nullabor and to start exploring Western Australia. Neither of us have really seen much of WA at all so we are really looking forward to this next part of our trip.
Friday 10th Feb. We packed up and before leaving town, had to stop at the car wash to wash the van as we had been parked under trees and lots of birds had left their droppings all over it. It was a fairly short days drive today at about 300km to Nullabor roadhouse. On the way we stopped in at Fowlers bay for lunch and a walk along the jetty and also to Head of the Bight centre to see the fantastic views.
We reached the roadhouse about 4pm and as the wind was reasonably strong off the sea, we decided not to camp near the cliffs, but head inland from the roadhouse to the Murrawijinie caves to camp for the night. These are not caves in the side of a hill. but rather big holes in the ground where the roof has collapsed providing access to the caves. 2 of the 3 caves would require climbing down the vertical face into and the 3rd has a rough overgrown track down which we decided not to follow as we were concerned about snakes.
We camped near one of the caves on a flat piece of ground and it was so peaceful there with nothing around on the flat plains but the bushes covering the area, The sunset was pretty spectacular too.
Saturday we continued along the Nullabor stopping at the nullabor roadhouse 1st for fuel and souvenirs. Along the way we stopped at a few of the lookouts from the cliffs on the bight and crossed into WA. Our stop for the night was at Caiguna Blowhole (not much of a blowhole more just a hole in the ground). It did feel a bit weird travelling for about 8 hours including stops and setting up camp at 1.30 in the afternoon because of the time difference between SA and WA but we had had enough of being in the car for one day. It worked out well because there was another van at the campsite that had a boy that the kids had played with in Ceduna so they were well occupied.
Sunday we drove the last 400km to Norseman and stopped and the free RV camp in town. Is a good place to stop with sites all marked out and toilets and a dump point nearby. You can also get water for a small cost ($2 for 60l). You do need to get there early to have a chance at getting one of the few grassy sites though.
Monday and we were all excited to head south and get to see some of these famous beaches everyone raves about so off we went 1st to esperance where we stopped and stocked up at the supermarket before heading to camp. The woollies in Esperance thankfully has a large open area across the road from the main car park where vans can park and when we arrived it was packed with vans and campers everywhere. Not surprising since it is the 1st real opportunity to restock on food after leaving SA and not being able to take fresh fruit and veg across the border. While in town we also stopped at the information centre and got some info and were able to fill the water tanks up as well.
After stocking up on water and supplies we drove east again to membinup campground for 6 night. The campground is right in between Cape Le Grand and Cape Arid national parks so was a good base to explore both.
Tuesday 14th February, we took the shortcut from our camp to Duke of Orleans which is a fun 5km track through the dunes to our 1st beach stop and a walk along the beach and along the sand bar to table island. From there we headed round to little Warton beach where we had lunch and a great play on the beach and in the water. There where a couple of other families there too and the kids quickly made friends.
We also had to help a silly land rover driver who tried to drive onto the sand without letting his tyres down and with no recovery gear. All in a days fun. On the way home we stopped at Warton beach for a walk before going back to camp for dinner.
Wednesday we did a day trip to Cape Le Grand NP and our 1st stop was Frenchmans peak to hike up to the top. It’s a relatively short walk at just over 2km return, but very steep walking up the rock face most of the climb but definitely worth it with great views over almost the whole park and coastline. There is also a cave below the summit that is open at both ends and looks really cool looking out the southern end to the coast.
After slowly making our way down, we headed to Lucky Bay for lunch and a swim. Unfortunately no kangaroos on the beach today but still a beautiful beach with crystal clear water. After a bit of time there, we moved on to check out Thistle cove and Whistling rock. We couldn’t hear any whistling but think we found a rock with a hole in it that would whistle with enough wind and then had a quick look at Thistle cove before making our way further round to Hellfire Bay. We had a lovely walk all the way down the beach at Hellfire cove before driving back to camp for the night. People always rave about the beaches in north Queensland but I really don’t think they compare to the pure while sand and crystal clear water of the beaches in this region.
Thursday 16th, we had a quieter day and spent the morning down the beach near camp where we relaxed under the awning and the boys played in the sand and in the water. Later in the day I went for a drive to get some more water and the rest of the family played around camp.
Friday we headed in the opposite direction to check out some of the beaches and sits in Cape Arid NP east of our camp spot. It was a beautiful sunny day for us to play on the beach and we had a great time. Our 1st stop was at Dolphin cove and it was a short walk from the carpark, over the rocks to the beach. We had the whole place to ourselves for most of our time down there where we walked along the beach, checked out the crabs in the rocks at the far end and just enjoyed the peace and sounds of the ocean. (and the noises from the boys).
After that it was a short walk back up the rocks and over the otherside to Little Tagon Bay. A smaller but no less beautiful beach and a great spot for a swim. Once we finished there, we went back to the car to drive down to Tagon Beach for lunch.
The track down to the beach here is quite soft towards the end and there are plenty of warnings about only 4wd access and let tyres down. We did that and got down to the beach having to dodge around another car coming up the track as we went down. Luckily where we met there was an area to pass off the side of the main track.
This is a much bigger beach and we stopped only a short way up near the inlet of a small creek. We had lunch there and a bit of a play before it was time to head back to camp.
The whole day at Cape Arid NP we only saw half a dozen people out there so it would be a great place to camp to avoid the crowds.
Saturday we had planned to get up and drive to Lucky bay for sunrise, however when we woke up it was already light (5am) but we headed there anyway for breakfast of bacon & egg wraps on the beach and a fun morning playing and swimming. It turns out my app that i checked the sunrise time on was still set on south australian time which is why we woke up late but then also decided we would not try again the next day as that would mean getting up at 3.30am to get there before the sun came up at 4.40am.
Anyway it was a glorious morning with almost no wind and a little fog around giving a really nice effect on the way there and down at the beach. Some kangaroos were also spotted further down the beach in the dunes.
We left there a bit before 11am and headed over to Le Grand beach for a look as this was the last area we hadn’t yet explored in Cape Le Grand NP. The beach here runs from the national park all the way back to about 10 km from Esperance and we say quite a lot of people coming up the beach from town to spend the day in the national park. The beach itself is another nice beach and wider than most of the others but probably not as good for playing with the kids due to the amount of traffic going up and down.
Once we had finished there, we made our way back to camp a bit after lunch time so i could get the roast pork ready and cooking for dinner.
Sunday 19th February we all went for a walk down to the beach before packing up and driving back into Esperance to stay for 4 nights. We stopped in town 1st to get some groceries but the woollies was closed!! oh well it is Sunday and a country town. We stopped at the IGA for the basics and made our way to the caravan park to set up. The RAC park in Esperance it a little on the expensive side but the facilities ar the best around. it has a huge camp kitchen and tv/lounge area, a large pool and playground. It also has 3 amenities blocks all look quite new.
In the afternoon we stayed around the park and started the washing and also met up with some other friends we had met in Ceduna that we and the kids had gone to dinner with so the boys particularly were very excited about that.
Monday Belinda did the big hike around the bay to Twilight beach and inland to pink lake while i stayed with the boys and did washing, shopping and had a bit wiring modifications to the caravan.
When we went to pick Belinda up from Pink lake we had a bit of a wayward adventure. Just as we were leaving pink lake to come home, a lady came up and asked us to take her to the hospital as a large lump had blown up on her leg and didn’t know what from. Her husband had already started walking back to twilight beach and he didn’t have his phone so she couldn’t call him. We took her in and she asked if we could find her husband waiting at the beach and let him know what happened, so we drove out there and found hin easily enough but he did not have the car keys, she did haha so we gave him a lift back into the hospital too just and they would catch a taxi back when she was done. We were happy to do it as we would like to think someone would do the same for us in a similar situation.
In the afternoon we all went to the pool for a swim and cool down before heading out for dinner to catch up with Belinda’s cousin. We had a very tasty meal and a good time at 33 degrees in town and when we got back to camp there was a nice note, a bottle of wine and a 6 pack on the table under the awning from the people we helped earlier in the day.
Tuesday morning after doing the household chores and homeschooling for one of the boys, we headed down to Twilight beach ourselves for a swim. It was going to be very hot today reaching 42deg so a swim in the cool water was just the thing to do. We also met up with our friends there and the 4 kids all had a great time together in and out of the water. The beach on the western end of the bay where the main car park is, is a beautiful cove with some large rock just out 50m or so from the beach helping to protect the area which made it perfect for the smaller kids and also makes for a great photo opportunity. As expected it was busy at the beach but certainly not packed like some beaches nearer to major cities.
We all spent a good couple of hours there going in and out of the water until it was getting a bit too hot and windy so we left the beach to head back to camp. Just as we were loading the car the shark alarm was sounded as one had been sighted in the area and we heard from someone else that shortly after that they closed the beach completely as the shark had come right into the bay. Later we saw some footage that our friends got with the drone of the shark and it was a bigone and it had come in quite close to where the surfers were at the other end of the bay.
After lunch we did a few things around then van and went to the pool for a swim to cool off. For dinner we met down at the camp kitchen with 2 families we have become friends with for a bbq. we all had a great time and the 6 kids all played together in the playground and then in the lounge area as the rain had turned up. Plenty of food and good company to top off another great day.
Wednesday 22nd was a quieter day, the kids and Belinda went for a play at the park and I had a rest. In the afternoon we went for a swim at the pool.
Thursday we headed off again, this time to masons bay which is about 2h along the coast to the west of esperance. It’s a good spot right near the beach and if you pick one of the sites back a bit there is more protection from the wind too. We also met up with some other friends we had met in esperance and spent most of the afternoon with them so the kids could play together while we just hung out.
Friday we took a short drive to starvation bay which has a great little area for a swim and snorkel just next to the boat ramp. We swam and looked for crabs and Belinda even had a go at fishing and caught a small fish.
In the afternoon the kids played and i cooked a nice roast lamb and veggies.
Saturday we moved camp into Hopetoun for a night. We had a delicious lunch at the port hotel in town and had a bit of a play on the beach just over the dune from camp in the afternoon.
Sunday morning we moved on again to Bremer bay. Having a quiet afternoon at camp.
Monday February 27, we headed out on a day trip to see Point Ann. Point Ann is where the number 2 rabbit proof fence started. From the carpark it is an easy 1.5km circuit to the fence and the point and back again. There is not much left of the fence these days except a couple of posts and some very rusty mesh fencing on the ground but there is quite a lot of great information along the walk to stop and read. It is very interesting to see and great for the boys to learn about as well. Schooling on the road while having
Tuesday we just had a quiet day at the caravan Park. The boys played and we relaxed at the van.
Wednesday 1st March, we packed up and departed Bremer bay for Albany. And arrived at the king river palms caravan Park early afternoon. It is a lovely little park right by the king river with large Grassy sites and very friendly owners. After setting up we made our way into town for a look around and to collect some things from the post office. We also made the compulsory stop at the information centre to get ideas for places to see while in the area. After that we went back to camp and looked through the brochures and did a little planning while the kids played on the playground right near our van.
Thursday we started by heading the gap and natural bridge in torndirrup np for a look around. The natural bridge is very cool although the tide was not high so the water didn’t come all the way in under the bridge. The gap had an awesome viewing platform that hangs out over the gap and you can see straight down and see the waves crashing against the rocks in this narrow gap in the rock cliff. The area is really well set up with lots of great information on boards along the raised walkways.
From there we drove to Frenchman’s bay to catch up with some friends. We stayed for a little while while the kids all played together. As the weather was threatening to rain and there was a strong wind, we all decided to go to the Anzac centre in town. This is a must visit if you come to Albany. Albany is the location where all the troop ships departed carrying out troops to Gallipoli and, Europe and Africa to fight during world war I and the Anzac centre has a brilliant setup showing all sorts of information and detailed stories of individual soldiers that fought in the different campaigns. They have these audio pods that you scan at the different areas and listen to the stories about different people and different battles that the Anzacs fought in.
Of all the horses that went over with us, only one came home due to our quarantine rules and there the hoof of that horse has been preserved and on display at the centre. There is so much information and so many stories here you could easily spend several hours reading and listening to them all.
We finished at the Anzac centre about 4pm and decided to check out the distillery before dinner. At the limeburners distillery they make whiskey and gin, we sampled a few different types which were nice but not really our thing so we didn’t buy any bottles.
By the time we had finished with the tastings, It was time for dinner and we made our way to the due south hotel for pizza. Not the cheapest but really tasty with home made bases and plenty of toppings. The kids pizzas were just as big as the normal ones but half the price so we had plenty of leftovers to take home.all up it was a really good day with good friends.
Friday morning and the sun had come out, so we headed to two peoples bay for the day to check out the beaches and play in the ocean.
Little beach is another one of those special places we seem to keep coming across in this area. White sand, crystal clear aqua water and even these two big granite rocks right in the middle of the beach. We spent the morning there, playing on the beach and in the water. There were small waves, just enough to body surf for a few metres but a bit of fun. The kids are getting more comfortable with the beach swells the more time we spend at the beach which is good.
We left Little beach after lunch and moved just down the road to two peoples bay. This is a much larger bay stretching several km’s but you can really only access the beach at either end and on the southern end where we were, you can take the car down on to the beach but this access is limited to a small section near the boat ramp.
The southern end is very sheltered and had almost no swell at all which is great for our youngest although here he found some other kids to play with and didn’t go for a swim.
When we had finished there, we headed back to the caravan park and spent the rest of the afternoon doing a bit of planning for the next couple of weeks.
Saturday morning we met up with a family we had met in streaky bay so the kids could all play in the park together. Everyone had a great time and about lunch time we left, did a bit of shopping and headed back to camp. The afternoon was spent doing some planning of where to go and stay over the next couple of weeks while the boys played with other kids at the caravan Park.
Sunday we travelled north a bit to castle rock to do the hike up to the granite Skywalk the walk is a little under 5km return and reasonably easy but steady uphill until you get to the big rocks near the top. From there you have to scramble through between big boulders climbing up as you do. There are a few pegs in the rock to hold on to or step on but smaller kids will need help as they are too far apart for them. After the scramble, there is a small platform and a 7m ladder that takes you Up to the Skywalk and some very nice views. It would have been nice to get some Arial pics but there were too many people around and it was quite windy up the top.
After enjoying the views we made our way back down and had lunch at the car before heading back to town.
After lunch it was a trip to see the brig Amity which the boys loved exploring and down to the port to see the big ships.
Monday 6th March, we took a drive down to West cape howe NP and made our 1st stop at Shelly beach. We played there for a bit and then headed further into the park and down the proper 4wd tracks towards Torbay head and West cape howe. We didn’t quite make it to Torbay head and dunksy beach as we came across a steep sandy downhill section with some very big holes that we would have to come back up and as there were no solid trees or anything to winch off if we got stuck coming up, we decided to turn around.
We were still able to get to West cape howe and stopped there for lunch of pies and spring rolls and enjoyed the views. When it was time to leave, we headed back up the 4wd tracks to the main road and drove back to Albany and back to camp to cook a yummy roast lamb for dinner.
Tuesday was our last full day in Albany and we drove back to torndirrup NP where I was dropped off to do the 12.5km bald head hike while the rest of the family checked out misery beach and the whaling station.
The bald head hike is a grade 5 hike following the ridge line out to bald head. There are 2 decent climbs each way, the 1st one on the way back being the steepest. Most of the track is made of raised platforms but the last part is a scramble over the rocks. At several places along the track you get amazing views over the southern ocean or back towards Albany you can see the ships coming in and out of the port.
When you finally reach bald head there is a Cairn to mark the spot and there is a plastic container tucked into a crevice with a book in it for hikers to fill in their names.
After a rest, something to eat and some photos, I started back along the track. It always seems harder on the way back (probably because my legs were already feeling it). The whole hike took me about 5 hours with plenty of rest stops. And I was absolutely buggered by the end but it was well worth it.
While I was hiking, the others played on misery beach and had a swim, did a short walk to Stony Hill lookout and then went to the whaling station.
The whaling station covers a huge area and has heaps of fascinating and sometimes upsetting information. It shows the history of whaling in western Australia and the damage that this caused to the whale and shark populations. There is a skeleton of a blue whale, humpback whale and a sperm whale in there and a 3d cinema showing shows on the history.
Once I returned from the hike and the others finished at the whaling station, we all went back to camp and had a paddle on the canoes on the river at the caravan Park.
That’s all for now. In the next part we will be travelling through Denmark and up and the south west corner then up to Margaret River and towards Perth.
A Love of Adventures 