Tag: Caravanning

Vic, Wildlife3 Comments

A Wise Old Bird is the Pelican

Itching for Hitching

His beak can hold more than his belly can. We were in Mallacoota in Victoria and there had been quite a bit of rain. Once the weather cleared we wandered around the boat ramp watching the commercial abalone boats returning with their catch and amateur fishermen cleaning theirs. The family of pelicans that live on the sandbank opposite the boat ramp, took flight and skimmed in to the pier to get their fill of the leftovers. It was easy to spot the birds that were successful enough to get a fresh feed as the blood dribbled down their huge bills. Continue reading A Wise Old Bird is the Pelican

Farm Stays, WA8 Comments

Indee Station

Itching for Hitching

About 70kms south of Port Hedland, WA and a mere 9kms off the Great Northern Highway is Indee cattle Station. Alison greets us in the cool of the sprawling homestead. It turns out that she’s from Melbourne too and ‘does the season’ up here. We park out back behind the machinery sheds where there are spotlessly clean portable bathrooms. In fact everything seems portable. Dongas for accommodation cabins and a large shipping container makes for a pretty good camp kitchen. Everything is chained or bolted down and the buildings that have conventional roofs have them strapped down and the wire … Continue reading Indee Station

CB Radios, WA3 Comments

Breaker, breaker

Itching for Hitching

We leave Tom Price and take the road to Karijini National Park. We soon meet up with a large piece of equipment being transported to one of the outlying mines. There are more mines out here than you can shake a stick at. A voice comes on the CB and says “5 metres at the blade, 4 on the wheels”. After we’ve gone past, the escort vehicle has trouble raising our mates on the radio and then we hear “first caravan can you tell your mate to buy a bloody radio!” The truckie then comes back on the radio and says “See … Continue reading Breaker, breaker

Places, WALeave a comment

Not Much to See Here

Itching for Hitching

“There’s not much to see” says the lass at the Info Centre in Kununurra, WA. We take her meagre advice and visit Kelly’s Knob lookout above the town to get the lie of the land. She couldn’t tell us where historic Ivanhoe Crossing was as she hadn’t heard of it. Not surprisingly we find it on Ivanhoe Road just as the sun is setting and there are folks fishing with disregard for crocodiles and the water is brimming across the spillway. Of course it is prohibited to drive on it these days and a huge boulder blocks the causeway. In … Continue reading Not Much to See Here

Why Caravanning5 Comments

An Open Letter to Retired Caravanners

Itching for Hitching

What’s the hurry? The next big event in your life is your funeral, so take your time. Smell the roses Wander the little towns Drive shorter distances and see more Sleep in Cherish the rain on the roof and the frost on the grass Listen to the birds Soak up the history Get salt on your fingers and eat fish and chips on that pier that stretches forever …and live Continue reading An Open Letter to Retired Caravanners

SA, Well Bugger Me!1 Comment

Who wants to go first?

Itching for Hitching

Morgan sits high on the banks of the Murray in South Australia and is quite spectacular with views over the wide expanse of river where it turns south towards the sea. This was once a busy river port and as well as historic warehouses there is an old brick morgue perched on the riverbank. Apparently when the town cemetery was being laid out one of the surveyors wondered who would be the first to be buried there. Sadly, next day he drowned in the river. Continue reading Who wants to go first?

Freedom Camp, SA3 Comments

Burra Gorge

Itching for Hitching

Just off South Australia’s Goyder Highway (B64) between historic Morgan on the Murray River and the heritage town of Burra is a road called the World’s End Highway (now there’s a name for you). From the highway it is a short drive through sheep paddocks to the summer dry stony creek that has carved a small gorge. There are large gnarly gums and you’ll find plenty of room to camp. On a warm early autumn evening we sat outside and celebrated our mate’s birthday, perhaps we celebrated a little too hard, but after all we were under a magic carpet … Continue reading Burra Gorge

WA, Wildlife11 Comments

Flies are bad…

Itching for Hitching

The flies are bad in Coronation Beach as we slowly make our way up the Western Australian coast. We constantly sweep up the bodies and must wear nets on our hats, at all times. A large crowd is in attendance at the Northampton Anzac Day service. Wearing T shirts proudly displaying their heritage are Australians and New Zealanders of many races heads bowed together. Hands slowly brush flies, eyes squint in the sun and a dog with a halo of flies waits. That afternoon we drive into Eagle Gorge at Kalbarri where the rocks look to have been laid down … Continue reading Flies are bad…

WildlifeLeave a comment

Walter Pigeon & Co

Itching for Hitching

As we drove into the caravan park we stared in horror at the pile of grey feathers beside the lake. Our first thoughts led us to believe that someone must have driven over the pigeons leaving little more than dead grey wings being tossed randomly in the breeze. But wait, that movement almost looks choreographed, ha they’re cooling off in the sprinkler. What next synchronized swimming? Continue reading Walter Pigeon & Co