Week Twenty-Three: Westward Ho!

Stunning Head of Bight cliffs on the Nullarbor

Home sweet home! There is no place like it. We hightailed it through South Australia and across the Nullarbor to arrive home safely on Monday afternoon. With 20,243 kilometres travelled through five states and the Northern Territory, we had plenty of time on the journey home to reminisce and relive some of the many highlights and the odd lowlight we experienced. We have had the most wonderful time and Australia never ceases to amaze us with its spectacular beauty. 

The Cubby de Wheels MKII dwarfed by the Bunda Cliffs

When I quizzed GK on his top five picks he named people rather than places that were the most memorable to him. It was wonderful catching up with family and friends on our travels as well as meeting new ones on the way. The weather can make or break a holiday and we were truly blessed to have very little rain to dampen our spirits although the freezing inland morning temperatures leave a lot to be desired! Minus 4 degrees in Gympie sent us scurrying to buy hot water bottles for the five days we spent free camping at the Muster. Brrrr!

All rugged up for the Gympie Muster

Check out the legs. Sigh.

We have now been around Australia four times. Our first trip was in 1975 when we were footloose and fancy-free. We bought an ex police paddy wagon, raised the floor where we slept and shoved our worldly possessions underneath. I don’t know how we did it as I now have claustrophobia and would get the screaming meemies if I had to climb back in there to sleep. The fact that I wouldn’t fit is beside the point. Being young and in love and at least ten kilos lighter obviously helped. 

We set off up the west coast with retread tyres and the wrong set of spanners. Some things never change as GK’s mechanical skills haven’t improved. His talents lie in other areas. By Sydney we had run out of money and had to get jobs. Luckily great mates from Perth, Steve and Marg Buck, were also travelling around Australia and were flatting in Meadowbank. We moved in with them for six weeks and saved enough to continue our trip. They were six of the happiest and most carefree weeks of our lives. When we get together these days we still reminisce about the great times we had. 

Steve and Marg - 1975

By the time we got to Melbourne the paddy  wagon was belching blue smoke so we decided to sell it and go to New Zealand on the proceeds. When we returned to Melbourne we met up with other friends from Perth who were also on the road travelling in a Kombi. They invited us to go to Tassie with them and we jumped at the chance. The four of us (plus their dog) spent two weeks travelling around the Apple Isle with us sleeping on the roof and Chris and Ali in the van. Again being young and in love (read stupid!) and ten kilos lighter was helpful. 

We then tackled the unsealed Nullarbor and limped back into Perth with no car and $28.00 in our pocket. Agh! The good old days! Roll on thirty-five years, three kids, eleven houses (true!) and buying and selling our own business, we set off again in 2010 to retrace our original steps. We travelled in style in the very swish Cubby de Wheels MKI. What luxury! We had so much fun we did it again in 2012. 

Touring Tassie in style - 1975

We had a hiatus of five years before our itchy feet returned and we went ‘up the guts’ in 2017 taking in the Flinders Ranges, Wilpena Pound, Coober Pedy, the Macdonell Ranges and Alice Springs before heading back down the West Coast to home once again. This year’s mammoth 20,000 odd kilometre adventure hasn’t cured our wanderlust but we will take a break before returning to ‘do’ South Australia justice in a couple of year’s time. It is one of the most underrated states in Australia and we want to spend quality time travelling up and down its Peninsulas and exploring its famous wine regions. We ran out of time this trip plus I was getting homesick. I missed you all!

The Nullarbor isn’t as daunting as it seems and the long straight road is a pleasure to drive on after some of the shuddering rollercoaster rides we have been on. There are some very scenic vantage points for photo opportunities and safe free camps to stay the night. It is a shame we were hell bent on getting home as we could have stopped more often to break the journey and enjoy the sights. Too bad, too sad - we are home now and loving it. 

Beautiful mural on the wheat silos at Kimba in the middle of Australia

What a hunk!

The garden is glorious thanks to all the rain you have had and great mates, Michele and Boj, who cared for it so well. The lawn was freshly mowed and everything trimmed and manicured when we pulled up. Jenny and Terry collected the mail and kept an eye on the house so it was a huge relief to come home and find everything ship shape and in one piece. Thank you so much to everyone. The drinks and dinner are on us!

GK has hit the ground running, or I should say limping, as he has made appointments for his knee to be replaced and to find some answers as to why his unsuccessful eye operation to relieve his stinging watery eyes didn’t work. I am not game to push the hearing aid situation just yet but will slowly work on him. In the meantime I will have to stop mumbling and enunciate more clearly. It seems I am the one with the problem. Whatever.

He has still got it!

We hope you have enjoyed our weekly reports on our shenanigans. We loved getting all your feedback and can’t wait to catch up with everyone over the next few weeks to hear all your news. Until then, this is the Krazy Kents signing off till our next great adventure. Hope to see you on the road! xxxx

Here are some highlights.

Snorkelling at Turquoise Bay

Loved catching up with Kelly and Grace in Broome. We will be back! Lots of love Mum and Dad xxx

One of our favourite places - the Sunset Bar in Broome.

Cruising on Lake Kununurra with Peter and Sue Stubbs. A Magic day.

The Sunset Cruise up Katherine Gorge was sensational with Jenny and Terry.

Our Queensland mates Ross and Sue Thomas - another great catch up.

It was such a bonus to meet up with our old mates from Melbourne in Noosa.

Our time in Mildura was too short with the Calamity Cleggers

My idea of hell - sleeping in this caravan.

Week Twenty-Two: Winners are Grinners!

Can't stop smiling!

What a fantastic Grand Final and what a fantastic result! GK can’t wipe the smile off his face after the nail-biting finish and then the follow up win of his NRL team the Roosters the next day. It has been a terrific week with the footy wins being the icing on the cake. There have been so many highlights (and the odd lowlight) we don’t know how we can top it next week. 

Still smiling with great mates, Ron and Marg Clegg

Catching up with our great mates Ron and Marg Clegg from Perth was an absolute highlight as we always have a lot of laughs with them and we have missed them while we have been away. The boys go way back to their rugby playing days at North Beach and Margie and I had our first babies six weeks apart making us firm friends over the years. We were so glad we could catch up with them on our way home via Mildura as they have just set off on a six-month holiday of South Australia, Victoria, NSW and Tassie. Three days wasn’t enough but we managed to cram a lot in and the laughs, wine and beer flowed all weekend.

Enjoying lunch and the entertainment at Trentham Estate Winery

We were in Mildura for the 32^ndAnnual Mildura Country Music Festival. It was fantastic! Former workmates of Ron have been several times and recommended it as a ‘must see’ stopover while in Victoria in spring. It turned out to be a fabulous rendezvous destination for us on our way home. Ron’s mates, Justin and Chris and their wives, Elaine and Diane were so helpful guiding us through the Program of Events as we didn’t know the drill and were confused as to what to do and see.

Fantastic talent at the Festival

Over fifty bands and country artists descended on the town for the ten-day Festival where they perform free at over twenty venues around Mildura and the surrounding towns. The performers are unsigned recording artists and count on the audience buying their CDs. We were blown away with the talent we saw and heard. It was as good and even better as anything we saw at Gympie. Australia definitely does have talent and we can’t believe that some of the artists aren’t household names. 

After the great footy win, the eight of us went into the Globe Hotel to listen to seven artists with the most incredible backing group we have ever heard. They hadn’t met the performers before they stepped on stage and were handed their sheets of music. We were gob smacked by their talent and really regretted not learning a musical instrument when we were kids with the exception of Chris and Di who play the guitar and piano accordion. They entertain the cruise ship passengers who sail into Adelaide. We were lucky enough to be treated to an impromptu jam session on Sunday night. Again another highlight.

Brilliant backing band at the Festival

Faithful pooch waiting patiently for his owners

Sunday morning was an early start, as we had to travel across the border into Buronga in NSW to the Edge Hotel to listen to the Bush Poet’s Breakfast. What a hoot! There was more outstanding Aussie talent on show with poets and storytellers recounting hilarious stories and anecdotes. We wish we could remember some of the jokes but were laughing so hard as they came thick and fast. One memorable song was “Who Hit Fanny on the Freckle With a Frankfurt?” You had to be there. It was a fantastic way to start the day releasing endorphins and laughing until it hurt.

Great entertainment at Trentham Estate

More great entertainment!

The appeal of Mildura is it is situated on the banks of the Murray River on the border of NSW and a short distance from South Australia. It has a population of around 60,000 and provides Australia with 98% of its dried vine fruit, 75% of its table grapes and 69% of its almonds. We thought we would sample some of its ‘grape juice’ at a boutique winery at Trentham Estate, 15 minutes from Mildura. We had lunch on the banks of the river where another four very talented artists entertained us. The weather was glorious, the backdrop sensational and the company brilliant. It doesn’t get any better than that. 

Fantastic day at Trentham Estate Winery

After lunch we crossed the border once again into NSW and headed to the Coomelalla Club in Dareton to watch another group of talented artists. With the help of the brilliant backing band I mentioned before they finished with a rousing rendition of “I Am Australian”. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house and we left on a very high note. 

GK and I realized that three days at the festival wasn’t long enough to see and do everything we wanted to so we tried to book another day at the caravan park. They had two vans coming in the next day, which wanted to be side by side on our site. We could pack up and move to another site but we didn’t want the hassle of doing that so decided to push on as planned. We will definitely return in a couple of years and do Mildura and the Festival justice. We can’t believe that the first class entertainment is free! We highly recommend it. 

Old and new friends

We hate goodbyes and it was particularly hard saying ‘goodbye’ to our old mates Ron and Marg and our new friends, Justin, Elaine, Chris and Diane. Another few days would have been terrific but wasn’t to be. We will keep in contact with the Cleggger’s news via Ronnie’s blog over the next five months so that will have to do until they return to Perth in March next year. Thanks for the fabulous few days we did have and a special thank you to Justin and Chris for looking after we Festival Virgins so well. We would have been lost without you. XOXO.

I mentioned we had a few lowlights last week and a major one was breaking down in Swan Hill before the Festival. We hadn’t intended staying there but GK saw a huge Bunnings store and decided to stop to buy another washer (we have a friggin’ drawer full of them!) for a leaking tap. We love listening to Richard Fidler’s program ‘Conversations’ on Podcast as we drive along and we were listening to a really interesting one when GK went in for his retail ‘hit’. Big mistake. The extra amps required for the Podcast (with the car engine turned off) and the amp hungry fridge in the van chewing up the rest was enough to flatten our battery. We thought the worst and imagined it was some major computer problem with our new fandangled car. The gorgeous RACV guy, Anton, wasn’t sure either and recharged our battery long enough to get us to an auto electrician. Problem solved and lesson in batteries etc learned the hard way. All good now.

Another big Australian icon - the Big Cod in Swan Hill

Free horse and buggy rides in Swan Hill

After the tension of the battery incident we decided to stay two days in historic Swan Hill and chill out. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we got some jobs done (tap fixed – yeay!) and did sight seeing around town. The Pioneer Settlement is a ‘must see’ destination and we spent a lovely afternoon wandering around the true to life historical recreation of a township from the 1800s. It is virtually an open-air museum and we were very impressed with the buildings, machinery and characters in the shops and blacksmiths etc. Well worth a visit if you are staying in Swan Hill. 

We loved the Pioneer Settlement at Swan Hill

A woman's work is never done!

We have mixed feelings about the next few days. We can’t wait to get home but are dreading the ‘big push’ across the Nullarbor. It has to be done so we will do our homework and find some great free camps to stay. The last week has proved how isolated we are in WA as it takes three days to cross our border where it takes five minutes in Mildura! They are certainly spoiled for choice in the Eastern States as far as holiday destinations go. Having said that we wouldn’t live anywhere else and can’t wait to catch up with family and friends next week. Love to everyone and keep safe. xxx

Solved our caravan's heating problems. This one comes with its own chimney!

Week Twenty-One: The Murrumbidgee to the Mighty Murray

Famous Beechworth Bakery in Echuca

As week Twenty-One rolled past you can’t blame us for getting confused as to where we have been and what we have seen. Just this week we have driven through the towns of Canowindra, Cowra, Cootamundra, Culcairn, Corowa and Cobran, crossed the Macquarie, Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers and camped on the banks of Lake Mulwala. Phew! If you are confused, imagine how we feel. At times all the towns blur into one and we ask ourselves “Have we been to SuchnSuch?” With the answer usually being “Yeah. That is where the big thingamajig is”. Or in GK’s case “They have a great bakery and a old pub on the corner”.

 

Another old pub but a beauty according to the expert

It doesn’t help that all these towns have kept their beautiful old heritage buildings and have picturesque tree-lined streetscapes. They are usually very well maintained, with lovely gardens and parks dotted throughout. We seemed to have bowled everything over in WA in the name of progress and have only Toodyay and York left as remnants of the past. Even the bigger towns of Bathurst, Lithgow, Orange and Wagga Wagga have preserved most of their historical buildings and we were amused to see shops like Target Country, Sports Power and even Myer with 150-year-old facades. There is usually a slick, modern building either side and we love to see the juxtaposition of the different styles. The old working equally with the new. Synergy. (Second big word - now I am showing off!) 

The Old Post Office in Echuca

Even though we prefer the smaller towns, we did stay two days in Bathurst, as we wanted to visit the Jenolan Caves. They are the world’s oldest cave system and are nestled in the Blue Mountains world Heritage Area with ‘awe-inspiring caverns, pure underground rivers and breathtaking formations.’ I have to quote from the brochure, as we didn’t get to see them! 

We did our homework, although not well enough as it turned out, and timed our arrival at the Caves so we could have lunch before touring the Chifley Cave with its ‘exquisite spar crystal’. The tourist information we read said the road wasn’t suitable for vehicles towing caravans or trailers, as there was 20kms of unsealed road with twists and turns and a steep drop on one side. It advised us to ‘take care’. As we had left the caravan in Bathurst we thought “Piece of cake”. Wrong!! 

We proceeded to negotiate our way down a slippery goat track and 5km in I was convinced that we had taken a wrong turn. I couldn’t understand how this could be a tourist drive to one of NSW’s major attractions. He must have felt the same as GK didn’t put up much of a fight when I tearfully insisted on turning back. Happy wife, happy life as they say. We found a corner on a hairpin bend where we could turn around, praying that no one would come hurtling down the mountain, pushing us into the abyss. It would be such a shitty way to end our holiday. So unfortunately we didn’t get to see the caves. Better safe than sorry.

View over Bathurst from Mount Panorama

When I mentioned the condition of the road to the owner of a shop in the pretty little Alpine town of Oberon near the turn off to the caves, she shrugged and said it was ‘okay’ although they were always working on it and it was closed everyday and only open for descending traffic between 11.45am and 1.45pm as the road is one-way. It was important for cave visitors to time their exit or they could be stuck there. There has to be a better system than that! Mind you, it would be very hard to build another lane onto the existing one, as it is 1113 metres above sea level and precariously hanging off a mountain! Good luck! We wont be back.

Mount Panorama. Say no more!

While in Bathurst we had to do the obligatory bog lap or two around the Mount Panorama Racing Circuit. It is amazing to think it is a public road with people live along its length. I bet they hate October when the Bathurst 1000 is held for Super Cars, which do 161 laps of ear splitting racing with all the thrills and spills it entails. It would be a good time to rent your house out to some dedicated rev heads and leave town for the duration. I know I would.

Beautiful Japanese Gardens in Cowra

One of the prettiest towns we visited was Cowra on the way to Wagga Wagga. Its claim to fame is the Cowra Breakout when over 1000 Japanese prisoners launched a mass escape from the Prisoner of War Campsite. It is the largest prisoner of war breakout in modern military history and 231 Japanese and four Australian soldiers lost their lives. From this violent beginning there has been a very successful attempt at reconciliation and friendship between the people of Cowra and Japan. 

 

I am feeling Japanese, I am feeling very Japanese in the beautiful gardens in Cowra.

This is particularly evident in the stunning Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre on the edge of town. Ken Nakajima designed it with the ‘strolling’ garden featuring the Japanese landscape in an Australian setting. The towering gums overlook the manicured gardens, serene lakes and cascading streams with sweeping views over Cowra’s countryside. We spent a leisurely hour wandering around the gardens feeding the ducks and the Koi carp and marvelling at the glorious cherry blossoms in flower. The Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) is to be held this week and we are so sorry we will miss it. Should have been more organized and shuffled things around to coincide with the festival. Never mind

And they are on their way for the annual Tractor Trek!

We were, however, in Young at the same time as the Annual Tractor Trek was being held. Definitely a poor second to the Cherry Blossom Festival but still fun to watch the dedicated farm machine enthusiasts rumble past in over 160 vintage and new tractors. We stayed at the trotting track next door, as we couldn’t get into the showgrounds because it was completely booked out by the ‘Trekkers’. It would have to be the most uncomfortable ride imaginable but didn’t seem to worry the guys who had travelled from all over Australia for the event. Restoring old machinery seems like a great hobby as they were having a ball. A perfect example of the adage Act, Belong, Commit to live a longer and happier life. Good on them!

 

The old and the new lining up for the Tractor Trek

I am watching you!

Wagga Wagga is on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River and we spent two days there poking around and dodging the swooping magpies. One had it in for GK and he had to make a dash to the showers, car and anywhere else he dared to venture. In the end he had to put up our awning so he could shelter under it to barbeque our chops. The cheeky bugger even swooped him there. I can’t understand why he chose GK as he is such an animal lover. Who knows? Apparently they only attack in the first month of spring so we should soon be safe. Fingers crossed. 

On the banks of the Murrumbidgee River at Wagga Wagga

We have done a lot of driving this week and are now in Victoria on the banks of the mighty Murray River in Echuca. The port is a living monument to the 1870’s when it was Australia’s largest inland port. Authentic steam driven paddlesteamers depart daily from the Echuca Wharf, which was home to the TV series ‘All the Rivers Run’ starring Jon Walters and Sigrid Thornton. Today we walked into town in the glorious sunshine to look at the shops and admire the Victorian houses and gardens. No maggies here so we had a lovely time.

Authentic paddlesteamer on the mighty Murray at Echuca

Next week should be a ripper as we will be catching up with Ron and Marg Clegg, our great mates from Perth for the Mildura Country Music Festival. In between listening to some fantastic entertainment we will be watching the Eagles beat Collingwood on Saturday. Let’s hope that swooping magpie wasn’t a bad omen for the Grand Final. GK will front up again on Sunday to watch his rugby league team, the Roosters play the Storm . With all these Eagles, Magpies and Roosters, I hope his teams don’t get roasted! We will know all about it by next week and I hope we are ‘grinners’. It will make life so much easier for me. Go the Eagles! Have a great week and love to everyone xxxx

No wattle at Cootamundra but so much on the roadsides through NSW.

We didn't linger longer in Yarrawonga but loved free camping on the banks of Lake Mulwala closeby. Bliss

Watching the trotters training early in the morning at Young

Love the Cherry Blossoms!

Week Twenty: Dubbo and Mudgee

Some welcome greenery near Mudgee

The names Dubbo and Mudgee don’t conjure up images of vibrant cosmopolitan towns but they are and we were pleasantly surprised to find very neat, tree-lined heritage streetscapes with an abundance of cafes and restaurants in each town. Both are nestled in rich pastoral land surrounded by rolling hills and fertile farmlands. They have had recent rain so there was a tinge of green on the hills, fields and gardens around the towns. It was lovely to see after weeks of travelling through depressing drought-affected areas. It certainly put a smile of people’s faces including ours.

Cattle grazing in the 'long paddock' near Dubbo

The drought isn’t over yet as we witnessed driving into Dubbo. Farmers are seeking permits from the Local Land Services agency to drive their cattle through the narrow strip of grass between their farm fences and the roads known as ‘the long paddock’. In some cases it is the only feed available to them as their farms are so drought ravaged. We crept through a mob of about 300 cattle as they munched their way through some much-needed grass. It brought the drought up close and personal as the un-streetwise cattle wandered in front and around us. It was great to see everyone making allowances and giving them a wide berth. 

 Dubbo promotes itself as a holiday destination offering big adventures from heart pumping adrenaline activities to laid-back relaxation. No prizes for guessing what we chose. A visit to the award winning Taronga Western Plains Zoo is an absolute ‘must do’ while in Dubbo and it didn’t disappoint. We had a fantastic day walking and driving our way around the 6km circuit looking at all the animals roaming around from meerkats to big cats. I am not a zoo fan (or circus) but I was very impressed with the wellbeing of the animals as they all looked very healthy and content. 

The 300-hectare open-range sanctuary undertakes a vital role in national and international breeding programs for rare and endangered species including the black rhino and cheetah. One of its new programs that opened this year is Lion Pride Lands where they have successfully bred lion cubs. We paid $29 each on top of our entrance fee to go on ‘an adrenaline pumping journey inside lion territory aboard the Pride Lands Patrol’. We climbed on board the purpose built, fully enclosed safari truck to head deep into lion territory with our experienced zoo guide to spot the pride as they ‘stalk, play and survey their domain’.

'Yo bro. What's happening?' Not a lot as you can see. The 'boys' chillin' under a tree.

Security was a huge concern and we had to pass through four air-lock gates to enter the huge  fenced enclosure where we saw four ‘teenage’ male lions doing what most teenage boys do – sleeping under a tree. We rattled around the ‘truck’ for twenty minutes while our lovely guide gave us a talk about lions in general and then we exited through the four gates and went back to our pick up point. Exactly thirty minutes later and $58 poorer, we got off the bus with GK exclaiming, “Is that it!!?” I think he was expecting the lions to stalk and pull down a wildebeest or two and devour them in front of us. The only adrenaline pumping was mine as I tried to placate him and steer him away from the other disillusioned passengers with lots of “Ssshing” and “Careful. She will hear you”. “Rip off!” was his final comment. I had to agree. You win some, you lose some. The rest of the zoo experience was fantastic and we would highly recommend it. Just leave the grumpy old man at home.

Famous Ten Dollar Town Pub in Henry Lawson's stomping ground in Gulgong

It was a picturesque drive from Dubbo to Mudgee through more undulating pastures where there are signs of Spring flowerings everywhere. In another month it will be spectacular when all the poplars shoot and crepe myrtles burst into blossom. We stepped back in time in the quaint little village of Gulgong, which featured on the original $10 note and where Henry Lawson spent most of his youth. The streetscape and heritage listed buildings haven’t changed much since the late 1800’s with high footpaths and narrow bent streets. The town boasts that it is ‘steeped in history and gorgeousness’ and we have to agree. It was a lovely stopover on our way to Mudgee.

GK outside Lowe's Winery near Mudgee

We loved Mudgee! It is a town of 25,000 people, 268km north west of Sydney and has no traffic lights! It is a very refined country town with a rich pastoral history reflected in its wide tree-lined heritage streetscapes. It has a sophisticated café and boutique shopping precinct, which offers a slice of city life with all the advantages of a laid-back country lifestyle. There are many ‘tree changers’ moving from the big smoke to make Mudgee their home. We can see why as it has something for everyone. 

One of the disadvantages of country living in Mudgee is reverse parking. I struggle with forward parking.

By luck we were in town for the annual Mudgee Wine and Food Festival where you can ‘swirl and sip’ your way across 40 family-owned cellar doors. With our Mudgee Mud Map we set off exploring and called into several boutique wineries to sample their wares. The region is famous for its reds and GK was in seventh heaven tasting some fabulous shirazes and cab savs. We had to curb our enthusiasm as we had to drive and had already been through a RBT that morning. We settled in at Moothi Estate, which has the rustic address of 85 Rocky Waterhole Road, Mudgee. We sat on the sun-drenched deck and shared a ploughman’s lunch with a glass of wine before creeping back into town evading Mr. Plod. It was a great day. 

We could have spent more time in Dubbo and Mudgee but time is ticking on and we are now on the homeward trail. Like Brown’s cows it is hard not to drop everything and head straight home but we have many more kilometres to cover and several ‘bucket list’ places to see and do before we turn west. Twenty weeks is a long time away from family and friends and we can’t wait to catch up with all of you in a few weeks. In the meantime we will keep on keeping on and reporting our escapades weekly. Keep safe and lots of love.   

 

Cheers! Loving the Pinot Grigio with lunch.

Does it get any better than this?! See you there TA.