We visit friends in Perth on our way up the west Coast and as we are leaving their small poodle races over to the garden on the verge and has a good sniff. “Oh” says our friend “Charlie is checking his pee mail” and as he cocks his leg, “Now he’s sending one”. Continue reading His Inbox is Full
South from Mildura,Vic we take the B200, the Henty Highway which is flanked with bright yellow canola. It only seems like minutes before we reach the hamlet of Hopetoun. For such a small town accommodation choices abound. There is a caravan park and then there is the lake, Lake Lascelles. A small perfectly round lake fringed with sandy beaches and shaded by red gums. We pay $20 for a powered and watered site on the grass fronting the lake. There is an adequate camp kitchen and ablution block. On the eastern shore there is free camping with gold coin donation … Continue reading Lake Lascelles
As we drive we are talking about how we’re becoming overwhelmed by all of the experiences that we’ve had on this, our trip through Western Qld and as we pull up at the Augathella Road junction we see a kangaroo just standing there watching the traffic. We round the next bend into the little town of Morven and there is a crowd of people sitting in the sun having morning tea. They all wave vigorously and as we pull over a pocket rocket in yellow called Dulcie runs up to my window. It happens to be the town’s “Longest Morning … Continue reading Morven, Qld
The Cooktown Hotel advertises sunset on their verandah and we decide to take them up on their offer. The front door is shaded by a piece of striped canvas hanging down about a metre. We lift the canvas and enter the cool of the bar. It is busy and noisy and classic rock is still playing as it was earlier in the day, now it’s the Rolling Stones. We are greeted by a small shaggy dog with a big smile. We take our drinks up the steep wooden stairs and find half a dozen others on the verandah. There are … Continue reading Cooktown Hotel
This is Australia’s busiest Seaman’s Mission with 70,000 seamen visiting the port annually. The chaplain conducts the tour and after learning about their work and what our tour cost gets used for we board their harbour boat and pick up and deliver crew all over the harbour. This is not a conventional port with piers and walkways so the Mission boat acts like a water taxi. In typical Pilbara fashion the statistics were mind boggling. It is Australia’s 2nd largest port. The world’s largest iron ore port and there are usually about 35 ships waiting out at sea to enter. … Continue reading Port Hedland Seaman’s Mission Tour
Normally we never drive early in the day or after mid afternoon because of the risk of hitting a roo on the road. We drive from Melbourne to Esperance, over 3000kms without seeing a single kangaroo. We’ve seen thousands of emus but where oh where are the kangaroos? Is this some kind of record for driving in Australia? Then just when we have to arrive early to secure a spot at a way too popular NationalPark camp ground, out pops a roo and wham. A couple of days later a policeman at a random breath test tells us to get … Continue reading The Perils of Getting Up Too Early
We’re in Broome, WA and our new grey nomad friend tells us that she met a naked man while walking along Cable Beach this morning. I later ask her what she is doing tomorrow “Oh going to find the naked man again” she says with a grin. Continue reading Clothing Optional
I am so captivated by the rock formations at Osprey beach and Camp Ground on the Ningaloo coast that each day I scramble head down across the rocks taking photos of fossilised coral and watching my every foothold carefully for fear of being shredded on the coral outcrops. Suddenly a French voice says “Elloo”. I raise my head and all that I can see is a perfectly tanned bare breast. “Top spot” I mumble and stumble off to leave her sunbaking in peace. I’m still wondering how she managed to balance her chair on the rocks. Continue reading Top Spot!
In Gayndah, Qld there is travellers rest called Zonhoven Park beside the Burnett River just east of town. We spent a peaceful night there in 2015: It is quite a pleasant spot and there is a farm beside us. The river is about 10 metres below the park and its far bank has to be 400 metres away. There is a beautiful sunset over the river as we chat to a local lady who is out walking her dog and pleased to see us sitting outside. She says that most campers set up then lock themselves away for the night. … Continue reading Service With a Smile in Gayndah
itchingforhitching 