The Nullarbor-ing Days 66-68

Day 66 - Perth to Coolgardie -
545km today

So, we've decided to make a run for it in between weather systems. Just to perspective this, we haven't seen rain since Alice Springs some 7 weeks ago, and haven't had a temperature under 15, even over night since the same....... Until Last night!!! Far out it was cold! The last thing we wanted was to be stuck in the pouring rain for the next week! So we point East and run for it. Todays target: Coolgardie. Why? Because its about 500ish km away. Makes for a not too long a drive.

The blue line is our Track today - all 545km of it - click to enlarge

We arrive in Coolgardie about 1600, and start looking for the 2 alleged Caravan Parks in town. We find one: essentially a gravel carpark, looks a bit like it used to be a drive in movie theatre. in the 50's! Anyway. it's only $30, and we get to pick where ever we want. Find somewhere flat and not too far from the "facilities", which, whilst they have seen better days, are clean and functional.

Tomorrow : plan to Caiguna - we think. About 550km......

Day 67 - Caiguna to....... Cocklebiddy and the Wedge Tail Inn
Distance today 606km

As there is absolutely NO reason to stay here any longer that necessary and at least 550 km in front of us we get a move on. Nose pointed East as are going to hit the Nullarbor proper. We Stop in at Noresman for fuel and stretch. Interesting little town, with a declining population. We head for the "supermarket" but the shelves are pretty bare. The Truck is due in this arvo. grab a bag of lollies and an Iced Coffee and get going.

loooooooooong straight road - thank gawd for the hills

About 180km in to the trip we get to Balladonia. Site of a Road house and not much else, although they do have a WA Ambulance Service Volunteer station. The only thing of note here; The longest single stretch of Straight road in Australia: 146.6km of DEAD straight road. Booooooooooooring. thankfully it's not flat as well as straight.  


Sam and his Favourite Animal
in the Whole World!

The up side to this long straightness is  that if the brown gooey substance ever hits the rapidly rotating blades, the RFDS can land near by. Upside! otherwise...... driving.... driving.......driving. watching the rear vision mirror for storm clouds. every time we stop its WINDY. Apparently it gets windy when the sun goes down. Awesome! Oh, and its only 20 degrees in the middle of the day..... Brilliant :(

Day 68 - Cocklebiddy to Penong - Where the hell is Penong?
Distance Today 690km!!!!! Bloody Hell!

I'm confused.........

So saddled up for the day after a windy and cold night (Glad we packed the fan heater!!! :) ) we get a wriggle on again, we once again turn right out the driveway of our overnight stay

Madura Mundrabilla and Eucla  pass by and we roll into Border Village on the SA/WA border.

Border Village being some many hundred Km from the next fuel we grab 100 odd litres to give us options Also grab some snacks and a loo stop. Consulting the maps as we eat, we look towards Nullarbor Roadhouse (182km)and Nundroo (332km) as possible stops. We decide on Nundroo. Had we not been trying to out run the weather, I was going to suggest a northerly detour to Maralinga. Always been fascinated with this part of our military history. Not saying I'd camp there. but interesting to visit.....much in the same way Wittenoom wold have been.

We arrive at Nundroo and OMG what a total DUMP. There is a gale blowing in off the Bight and the only sites for Tents are in the open and on shade cloth. While we are here, the local Constabulary arrive to deal with some "locals" who are inside the shop. Toilets are disgusting. It's called CLEANING people. Try it some time.

Some Wedgies grazing on the side of the road.
Working Smarter, not harder. Why kill it, when a car can do it for you?

Straight back in the HiLux  and decide to drive west until it gets dark. Its raining now on and off. Looking at the maps we decide on Penong, another 80 km. Never heard of it. We find a great little caravan park, tucked away off the main road about 1700. $35 a night!!! Its getting dark now. And COLD. Care taker offers us an INDOOR site, in a shed, to keep us out of the wind. Sadly, we need to drive pegs into the ground and have to say no. He instead puts us into a  group of sites behind some trees and screens. It's actually not too bad over night. Predicted rain is there, but not too windy, given what we thought it could have been. Cold overnight, but sunny in the morning. Woo Hoo :) Only 1700km from home now!!!!!!!

Day 65 Cervantes to Perth via Indian Ocean Drive

Cervantes to Perth via Indian Ocean Drive

Distance Today 307km

Ill be honest now: Perth underwhelmed me, and that's probably not fair. There were several reasons.
1. the weather was closing in. We were seeing forecasts of storms and crap weather arriving in the next 2 days. We decided to "make a run for it" across the Nullarbor. We had frost on the tent and rain overnight. :(

Freemantle Harbour: He's NOT gonna need a bigger boat

Anyway, we arrived after lunch after a drive down the scenic Indian Ocean Drive and it was worth it. Great views, but as we had now essentially decided that the trip was over, dropping some things we were going to see between Perth and the Nullarbor Proper to stay ahead of the weather, we had northing keeping us here. That and Mandy had just about had enough. In retrospect I don't blame her. 30 weeks pregnant now and really, she has put up with some appalling roads, long days and some hot days. Oh, and the odd bent tent peg of 12, which may or may not have produced some unpleasant results in the husband department.  I'm so proud of her though, because this pregnancy could easily have been the end to our trip, before it even started., but we stuck with it, and she has done remarkably well. Proud of you Sweetheart :) 

Its along way to the top if ya wanna Rock and Roll
AC/DC found it... and stayed there


We decide to drive down to Freemantle to see what all the fuss is about. Mandy has been here before, many years ago. We have found a caravan park, after our original first choice is full. Not bad, but very open, near a road. anyway, it's only one night.
Freemantle was interesting, but our quick tour probably didn't do it justice. We did see some massive boats, a Boat parking facility that looked like a multilevel car park and a Bronze statue tribute to probably one of the biggest names in Australian Rock - Bon Scott. despite being born a Scot, and emigrating in 1957, we took him as our own, as we Aussies tend to do (Although I've  never claimed Russel Crowe, New Zealand can keep him) We had Fish and Chips in a massive harbour side chip shop. A bit $$$ but not too bad.

On the return trip to the Trailer, I spot St johns WA headquarters and threaten to drop in my resume. Apparently, this was not funny. I make the argument of climate and the extra $25K A YEAR. This gets shot down with "5000km to grandparents" and other such practicalities. Pfffffft!

We retire to the Trailer to replan the stages of our Nullarbor journey. We deicide to play it by ear, with some roughed out plans of places at our trigger distance of 500km per day. Oh dear. The best laid plans....... as they say..... 

Day 64 - Geraldton to Cervantes - The Pinnicles

Geraldton to Cervantes

Distance Today 275km


Now you see me........

After a tyre rotation and possibly some of the best Italian food I've had we continue the journey south.  We drive via Port Denison, and bare right for the Indian Ocean drive towards Cervantes and The Pinnacles. An Interesting little town, and a great drive once you head out and head towards the Pinnacles. We arrive in time for lunch, set up and decide to head down to The Pinnacles this arvo, as local advice is its' a half day activity.
There is seemingly some dispute over the origin of these odd formations. The main one being that millions of years ago this was actually a rain forest, when Sea levels rose the trees were submerged and became "fossilised" under layers of silt and sand etc. When sea levels receded again, they were revealed when the sand was washed away. Cool




The other cool thing here is the visitors centre. The vast visitors centre is a wealth of knowledge and information, with plenty Hundreds of Japanese and other foreign tourists swap this place as it is a bus drive from Perth now with the new Indian Ocean drive completed. We found them to be quite rude and pushy, not particularly eager to take their turn, as they were seemingly trying to pack 6 hours sightseeing into 4 hours! Disappointing.



What you lookin at?

 Once we left the visitors centre however this was no longer a problem. You can drive around the formations in your own car provide you stray on the defined track and park in the bays as marked by rocks. Once there you can walk around at your own leisure and see the formations up close. The only restriction is that you are asked not to climb on them. Not a big thing to ask really. Still, for some, particularly those not seemingly born here, or for whom English may not be their first language, compliance with this direction seemed to be quite difficult



The Kids seemed to find The Pinnacles quite fascinating and I admit I was the same. just another of those weird natural phenomena Australia has to offer (Ha- take that Mal Walden -Phenomena!!!!! I can say it AND spell it)

After a night in Cervantes in the beach side caravan park, sites were on the small side but reasonably priced and although straight out of the 1970's Flat grassy sites. walking distance to the beach. the sunset was pretty cool: a storm on the horizon.

Tomorrow it's off down the new section of the Indian Ocean drive that links in to the old road south.

Bugs? What bugs?