Freedom Camp, The Characters You Meet, WALeave a comment

Barradale, WA

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This morning we had doubts about towing the van up the steep road to Vlamingh Head lighthouse. It turned out to be easier than it looked and well worthwhile. We camp for the night at the Barradale Rest Area which is beside the Yannarie River. It is a well appointed rest area and we are kept entertained watching the road trains as they approach the bridge. The highlight being when one prime mover tows another fully loaded four tray road train across the bridge, now that’s torque. He’d have no trouble getting up to the lighthouse. Our neighbour John and … Continue reading Barradale, WA

Caravanning HintsLeave a comment

Free Camping

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Free Camping Explained Free camping is a misused expression. Free refers to freedom, not free of charge. Usually it is a camp ground in the bush and often beside a river or beach. That being said, small towns often provide a short stay area for caravanners who are passing through. These towns have seen the potential for stopping the tourists when they are on their way to somewhere else. Also under the banner of free camp I should mention roadside overnight rest areas. Cost wise, free camps maybe free of charge or a gold coin donation to a local body … Continue reading Free Camping

Freedom Camp, Places, WALeave a comment

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

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Beasley River Rest Area in the Pilbara in Western Australia is well off the road with good facilities and shady trees. We’ve driven for two days without seeing a town. There are red mesas covered in buttons of green spinifex with purple ranges in the distance. Dry creek beds are lined with white ghost gums. Real Australia. We make camp and I bounce over the red dirt to meet a couple from Berlin and extol the virtues of the area. They look at me in shock “Vot zees?” he says. They leave shortly after, obviously he’s looking for the scenery. … Continue reading Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

NT, Places, Point of InterestLeave a comment

Katherine Museum

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The Katherine museum is a little beaut. We learn about the World War Two bombings, the 1998 twenty metre flood (when even the high level crossing was under water), pastoralists, explorers, the stolen generation and native title. Three things were a stand out to me. 1. The statue of a stockman on his horse at the entrance to town honours all stockmen and is the local legend Sabu Peter Sing part Chinese part Aboriginal. To me that typifies most Australians as we are a mixed bag. 2. The Planetarium built by a man known as ‘Galloping Jack’ who was an … Continue reading Katherine Museum

Qld, The Characters You MeetLeave a comment

The Flag Man

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We’re coming down the Burke Developmental Road out of Normanton and on our way to Cloncurry. There is very little traffic and we feel like we are in the middle of nowhere. The names of the roads out here sound desolate ‘developmental’ this and developmental that. We come upon a distant road crew and are stopped by the flag man. The flag man tells us that the wait will be quite long about 15 mins or so. He explains what they are doing, putting a layer of cement dust onto the road, this will ensure that the road stays intact … Continue reading The Flag Man

NSW, Places, Point of InterestLeave a comment

Bathurst, NSW…did you know?

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That Bathurst was “the objective and terminal point of the only inland journey in Australia by Charles Darwin in 1836”. As we enter town we can see the hill behind emblazoned with the words “Mount Panorama” in true Hollywood style. A mere two kilometres out of town is the Mount Panorama Circuit and although we knew that it is a normal road for most of the year, we are surprised that you can just drive on it, so we did. With caravan in tow we went up the hill over the top and down the straight past the pits. Such … Continue reading Bathurst, NSW…did you know?

The Pubs, Vic1 Comment

The Gellibrand River Hotel

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We chance upon the sleepy little timber town of Gellibrand and stop for lunch at the Gellibrand River Hotel. It’s a case of kick the dogs out of the way to get to the tables, but I guess that’s country pubs. There has been a pub on this site since 1898. This area once boasted a narrow gauge railway to haul timber down from the Otways. There is a photo on the wall of a hollow tree trunk so large that several men and a horse are standing inside it! The butt of one felled tree was so large that … Continue reading The Gellibrand River Hotel

The Pubs, Vic3 Comments

The Kevington Hotel

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If you meander about 10 kms south of Jamieson, Vic along the Woods Point Road, the road follows the river and is rather winding so meandering is the correct description here, you will find the quaint old Kevington Pub. Built in 1862 it is the last of the original pubs on this road. The others having succumbed to the ravages of fire or progress. The hotel is flanked by tall poplars that are as old as the pub. It is well placed in gardens that roll down to the banks of the wild Goulburn River. The narrow bar is adorned … Continue reading The Kevington Hotel

Vic, When Things Just Go Wrong, WildlifeLeave a comment

The Garden of Eden

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There are fairies at the bottom of the garden. Every morning at Skipworth Reserve fairy wrens no bigger than a hailstone from a Sydney summer storm, hop about the grass.”Don’t let your coffee go cold.” Says Woody as I climb the steeply cut clay steps down to the river bracing myself on the grassy banks for support. I really don’t want to break any more bones this year. The river looks superb in the morning sun and the water is not cold. Looking back up a photo of the van from part way up the steps would look good. As I … Continue reading The Garden of Eden

Point of Interest, Qld, Well Bugger Me!Leave a comment

Waltzing Matilda

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To say that I’m emotional is an understatement. Just south of Kynuna we turn off the Landsborough (Matilda) Highway to pay homage to the Combo Waterhole. There is 8kms of good dirt road then a two and a half kilometre walk through paddocks of Mitchell grass and through billabongs. As we walk in we pass a bunch of old blokes (our age) with towels, they’ve just been in for a swim. This is part of the Diamantina River and the billabongs have been cleverly dammed with large stones to maintain water during the dry. The dams are called overshots and … Continue reading Waltzing Matilda