Month: April 2021

Monday, 19th April 2021

Time to move on. We are going to do our first Outback Station Stay at Hamelin to see the Stro-mat-olites. They are the oldest living organisms in the whole world.

Off, back up the track towards Overlander Roadhouse, but our stop is just 100km.

A special grid which has electrified fences up to it. This must be for the maximum security sheep. Sheep with bad records.

On the way, we decide to drop in to Kanga for a curiosity look. Only a few km’s. Turns out the road runs straight into the caravan park so we didn’t get to see the whole thing but it gave us a chance to fine tune our three point turns with 20 foot caravans on the back. Mine was a five point actually.

So giving Kanga a miss, we are off again. More road and water views, and scrub.

A sign. I wonder what it said?

Arrived at Hamelin Outback Station Stay. No power or water for vans. Not a problem for us, go ahead, resilient, ‘free camping’ types.

The white gravel is very effective and makes the park look spick and span. Also is piercing to look at. Someone must have a fly farm near here and they left the gate open.

A serious walk to the amenities but we picked the spot and I need the exercise any way.

Amenities are clean, neat and new. No 240v plugs because they really don’t want you to use power.

They are good though. Information boards etc.

This reads, ‘Spot me if you can. Western Grass Wrens, have short wings and are poor fliers: look for them running on the ground in thick Acacia shrubland.’

Here’s the little guy. I bet he is pretty p***ed off about the dodgy little wings he was ‘blessed’ with. I bet he wouldn’t mind a ‘re-blessing’ with an upgrade. The sooner the better. So is he still a bird? They said ‘poor fliers’ so I guess they can get off the ground. It’s just that they found it was less embarrassing and safer to walk. I wonder if other birds ‘take the mickey’ out of them?

It is good.

Lots of Moths hanging around.

So we are off to the pool to see the Stro-mat-olites. Good info to be seen and read.

A bit late. The cyclone took the walkway so we can’t walk out to see them. You know we have been looking forward to seeing these bloody Stro-mat-olites ever since we read Bill Brysons book, Down Under., years ago!

That’s them. The dark things on the shore line. Fascinating. Aren’t they!

Herself posing.

We inspect the old town. The lady in the shop was less impressed than us. They have lost their one and only tourist draw card till the board walk is fixed. The cyclone also ruined their fridge so no cool drinks to sell. Luckily it didn’t do the freezer and we could have an ice cream. Yes. I had a ‘Golden Gaytime.’ Also they lost their credit card machine. The new one arrived and it only works in spots. Such is life.

Back for a little lay down. Then we four and others meet at the camp kitchen for evening meal. Do your own. A good facility and I didn’t take one damn photo. Back for showers, a movie and bed. tomorrow we go to Carnarvon. Sweet dreams. Perhaps Stro-mat-olites? not bloody likely.

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Sunday, 18th April 2021.

 

A big day planned. A drive! going with the ‘D’s. to Francois Peron National Park and Monkey Mia.

That’s the golf club …

… and the club rooms on the hill.

Francois Peron National Park. (The sign is correct)

Tourist

THey did all sorts on the peninsula.

A ‘wurly’.

Ferals

Natives

We are going to look at the Stromatolites tomorrow.

Were owners of the land and they worked it hard.

Hot artesian pool.

on the march to look at the shearing set up.

Laundry. (?)

Shearers quarters.

Now THAT’S a stove.

Anne keeping her covid distance.

Engine past its prime.

… and a pump.

Now, off to Monkey Mia.

Dolphin feeding. Either too late or too early. My money is on late. I don’t think I’ve ever been early.

More self adoration but this time at Monkey Mia.

The ‘Aristocat’ catamaran. Later I was asked. Did you go on the Asistocat!!??

Self adoration with proof of location.

Friend Martine Perret photographed this and presented the banner.

Native paintings.

Squint and be enlightened.

Shops.

Small lagoon near our park.

Packing up

A true coffee lover.

The older ablution block.

Seafood dinner at the ‘D’s. White wine and port.

Big day tomorrow so showers, and bed.

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Saturday, 17th April 2021.

Up 6.50am to get an early start on the computer before Anne. She gets up at 6.55am. That’s blown that.

We are closest to the new section of this, The Denham Seaside (?) Caravan Park. The facilities are unique and good. Instead of men’s and woman’s ablution blocks, they have separate unisex ‘all in one’s.’

VERY good camp kitchen area. I’ll put more in later.

A walk to and through town.

This lovely lady of the sea has a story. As we were viewing from afar, a lady (human) walks by and notices. It turns out it belongs to her and her other half. They landed here and pulled her out because the seas were rough and she is scheduled to go back in Monday morning, subject to depth of water/tide. So we may see it launched as we pull out.

Read the sign above. The doorway is low if I have to watch it.

We are Vespa perverts. This one is almost the colour of ours.

Notice wide aft. This is a pearl lugger.

…and this building is made of shell grit blocks.

Look up close.

Quad bike business.

Esplanade street scape.

The pearl lugger again. It has a story but it’s not riveting.

Moor streetscape. ‘Kiddies’ play area shaped

Anne showing her musical prowess.

Neat little marina.

Self adoration.

A symbol on it’s side. Tilt right.

A plate from a wreck off the coast that made it all the way back to France

The terrible story of the HMAS Sydney 2 and the German Kormoran.

Over 600 Australian sailors died. The entire crew. The only good that came out of it was they sunk the ship that sunk them.

More of the facilities.

Camp Kitchen.

A great little supermarket across the road from the park.

Cute little foreshore cottage.

Pic didn’t come out too well but one of those dogs with all the skin layers.

Interesting artiist twist on things.

It was a good walk down the street and made ‘light duties’ for the rest of the day.

All the usual at the end of the day except BBQ with Mick and Lou at our place which went on into overtime. A good time was had by all.

zzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, 16th April 2021.

I think the song from the musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ goes …..                         ‘Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles …’

We are up and ready to depart at 9am! That’s NINE AM! Thanks to some plotting and planning and influence from the ‘Deegs.’

Off to Denham. Scenic.

Northampton … severely hit by the cyclone. The PUB lost its roof!!!

A new song here. The Pub with no Roof!’

….. and other missing roofs and damage. Also I heard the army had been brought into this small town to help. I spotted camouflage vehicles and am glad for the town. We saw signs just bent at the post base and now flat on the ground.

N.B. For those my vintage who were taught the plural of roof is rooves, view the following …

Rooves is an incorrect pluralization of the word roof and should be avoided. Today, the usage of rooves is so low as to approximate zero. Bryan Garner, in his book Garner’s Modern English Usage, estimates the disparity to be 535:1. In other words, there is only one correct plural form of roof—and it is roofs.

I think my English teacher would be rolling in his grave. (Not really. He is way past rolling.)

Overlander Roadhouse and the turn off to Denham. About 129km left.

But first, to quote Lou, Friday, pie day. Anne ordered chicken and veg. I ordered Beef, cheese and bacon. Anne got beef. I got beef. Anne says she ‘thought’ she saw some cheese. I didn’t taste cheese OR bacon. They were ‘PIES’ never the less.

Lots of butterflies here.

Saddle up.

The corner is just down the road …

… but you can’t miss it.

We arrive at the van park. Lots of butterflies here as well, but they came from Overlander Roadhouse. Bet that’s the fastest they have ever flown.

 

Anne’s sunset walk.

Drinks and a laugh with the ‘Deegs’.  ‘Two beers or not two beers, that is the question.’ (It is also the answer)

Then the usual, showers, meal, grape juice, movie bed.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, 15th April 2021

‘Night caps’ vary. Anne has hers from Easter. A Rabbit.

Others pulled in last night. When we wake there is an XTrail with a roof top camper tent and a Mini with a small tent along side.

I try to do last nights blog but we are lucky to make contact but certainly no photos will load. Hence I made the note re adding photos later.

Toilets are good for free camping.

Coming into Port Denison.

Lunch on the foreshore.

We get to Geraldton and head to Country Time caravan repairs for a cupboard pneumatic closer. Unfortunately, even though we were well looked after by ‘Chantelle’ the particular item is unavailable in most places.

We shop, fill the car, and adjourn to Drummond Cove to meet and have Beer O’clock drinks with Lou and Mick ‘D’.

Another washing load, this time the Coles not Woolworths  roast chook for dinner. We repeat a film, ‘Kinsmen’ and crash for an early start for the long trip to Denham tomorrow. It got late running around to stock up for tomorrow. It didn’t feel good rushing but it’s done. Bed time.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz             zzzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzz

Wednesday 14th April 2021

The neighbours we met and had drinks with pulled out early. I wonder what their names were? This is the perfect morning shot out of our window.

Anne tells me, police in the car park at the road house. So clothes on and off I go with a map in hand. I quiz them on what roadS are open etc. All seems OK except for Kalbarri. They said Geraldton was relatively OK.

NOW. LAST NIGHT 14TH I HAD NO INTERNET TO DO THE BLOG SO I AM DOING THIS ON THE MORNING OF 15TH. HOWEVER I CANNOT LOAD PHOTOS. SO I WILL LOAD THEN LATER WHEN THE INTERNET IS A BIT BETTER.

So we set off to Moora our usual late start puts us there at lunch time. There is also some confusion between and with maps and GPS which takes it’s toll on our time, patience and vocal chords.

Closest cafe had trouble seeing us as in new arrivals after us were being served before us. Also confusion on the coffee sizes and coffee content. In the end we politely withdrew. The business was for sale. I wonder why?

Around the corner and a ‘friendly’ cafe, stand in line, you are next sir, you want the small size but a double shot? No problem sir and it was called….

‘Kumquot Mae”  (Come what may)

N.B. Kumquats are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae. They were previously classified as forming the now-historical genus Fortunella, or placed within Citrus, sensu lato. Wikipedia

Lunch done, a little walk, we sort the map and we are off to the almost unpronounceable (to me) Badgingarra.

We arrive at Bad-gin-gar-ra, specifically to the servo. While filling I see a peacock about 20 metres away and let Anne the naturist know. She continues cleaning the windscreen. Just a minute later there are three peacocks at the car including a vivid white one. Now… these guys are clever. They eat bugs and we have a bug screen on the front of the car. These guys stay with the car the whole time we are there and ‘clean’ it for us. From here we can turn straight down highway 1 to Dongara which is where we were aiming for the night, except we decide we must look at the coast.

So its an extra 35km to Jurien Bay. We get there. The clock is ticking. we have a quick look, take a pic and off. We spent more time in the toilet than looking at the view, which was only a distance shot anyway.

So we rush north towards the dropping sun only to realise Cervantes just  south was the home of ‘Stromatolites’  the oldest living lifeforms on earth, formed through the activity of primitive unicellular organisms. Bummer! I was looking forward to that! Next time?

We imagined we would be cruising up the coast with the sea at out left. We have scrub at our left. We were going to pop in for a quick look at Green Head. We glimpse the turn off as we sail past. 6 Tonne doesn’t stop that quick. Next time?

We pass Leeman as Anne reads the reviews on Dongara. OK. So where else can we go. Eneabba. 35 km BACK to Highway 1. But wait? What’s this. Turn right a few km past Leeman to cut across to the highway and 16 km in there is Lake Indoon, with toilets and like an oasis in the desert.

Sun is rapidly dropping as we drive the short dirt road in. Yes. A fine block of toilets, and a boat ramp leading to the dry lake. Reading the sign about diseases that can be caught in the lake if it has water, I am wondering why you could possibly want to put your boat in it. You are not going to fish, water ski, dive, swim or paddle. So why go there.

Anyway, a nice spot to camp. One other van there and a camper around the corner. Dusk-ish and I hit the shower.

Anne sticks her head in the shower and says, ‘A Brits van has just pulled up with three scantily clad Scandinavian looking people in it.’ I ask male or female. She says female. I said, get a photo.

I was joking BUT she did it, blurry though it is. I’d say more summer casual than scanty.

Anyway, showered, we have pasta with red wine of course a very short TV view and off to bed a record, I think 8 to 8.30pm-ish. History is made.

P.S. I WILL ADD PHOTOS OF THIS DAY NEXT NIGHT STOP WITH INTERNET.

zzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Tuesday 13th April, 2021

This has to be a quick one. We did the two hour conducted tour of the town.

The miracle of the Bush Fire. Condensed version. A fire was going through the crops. The Monks placed a painting of the Madonna with Child at a certain spot in the path of the fire. When the fire got to the painting, the wind changed and the fire burnt back onto itself. I would have immediately gone and bought a lottery ticket, except they didn’t have them then.

 

The first chapel. First one room then three added to make a shape of the cross.

 

 

The last supper. It looks like there are only 11 disciples. There are 12 but Judas has been painted far right in the back ground and can’t really to be seen in this. Only in the original. I guess the painter didn’t like him. Well, no one did I guess.

The founder, Bishop Rosendo Salvado  went to Rome in 1900 for treatment but died. His body was eventually returned to New Norcia and is buried in the chapel.

Self adoration.

The mill.

Below is the Bishops rustic plow. Part of the notice on it and written by the bishop says, ‘I can say that I have watered the Australian soil with the sweat of my brow and with the blood of my lacerated feet.’

More self adoration.

Six aboriginal paintings of the two month seasons.

Aboriginal Museum.

The bigger and better chapel.

Beautiful leadlight.

This is the boys stairway and banister. Notice the little wooden nobs to stop the boys sliding down it. It brings a tear to the eye just looking at it.

Australia’s only Saint Mary Mackillop was a member of this order.

Wikipedia: The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, often called the “Josephites” or “Brown Joeys”, were founded in Penola, South Australia, in 1866 by Mary MacKillop and the Rev. Julian Tenison Woods. Members of the congregation use the postnominal initials RSJ (Religious Sisters of St Joseph).

Irene McCormack RSJ (21 August 1938 – 21 May 1991), an Australian nun, was a member of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart who worked as a missionary in Peru. She was executed in Peru in 1991 by members of Sendero Luminoso (“Shining Path”), a Maoist rebel guerrilla organization.

She joined the Sisters of St Joseph in 1957, professing her first religious vows the following year.^[5] McCormack was a teacher in Western Australia for the next 30 years. She was a petite woman and popular teacher and principal, but also known as feisty and demanding. She was an accomplished golfer and tennis player.  She became a Preuvian missionary worker in 1987.

Near 6:00 pm on 21 May 1991 armed members of Sendero Luminoso entered Huasahuasi. The Peru Communist party. ‘The Shining Path.” (!!??!)

McCormack was accused of dispensing “American food” (Caritas provisions) and spreading “American ideas” (by providing school books). Local people vouched for her, arguing that she was Australian, not American, but this did not deter the guerrillas.^[8]

Four locals and Sister Irene were taken to the square of the village. McCormack was killed first, shot by a young woman guerrilla,^[9] about six metres (about 20 feet) from the church door.^[5]Mass was held before her burial in a Huasahuasi cemetery niche donated by a parishioner.

This a shorter version of the facts. Not mentioned that they knew the ‘Shining Path were coming. Others left but she decided to stay with the parishioners.

Sainthood may be pending.

The Shining Path? What is wrong with people? If you are not one of us, you will die? Just plain barbaric and inhumane. Doesn’t the world learn from animals like Pol Pot?

 

Yet more self adoration.

A unique bread knife. Very sharp and may possibly cut you. Comes with directions. They say, ‘It is very sharp and may possibly cut you.’

Dukkah (spelling?), black olive tapenade, local bread and more self adoration.

Anne with all her friends soaking up the rural ambience.

Had a sunset talk with the new next door neighbours till it got cold.

Cold? The quilt came out from under the bed. Showers, left overs meal, TV, grape juice.

P.S. got some good info on roads. Heading north tomorrow and booked in at Denham on 16th. Tomorrow will be very interesting and maybe a bit of an adventure.

zzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzz

Monday 12th April 2021

We get up and see a watered down cyclone, if I am reading the maps right. The top map just below shows it at midnight as a category 2 on land and at 5am as just a low

This severe wind map shows north of Perth as clear. However, the news still shows the cyclone symbol but out to sea so …. ?

The fab staff at Perth Central Caravan Park in Ascot are just brilliant. They made our stay a pleasure as they did with others we met. We had to extend three times and each time they managed to wangle it. The only staff we new by name were the management, namely Carole, Jim, Wini and Nick. Even then on the last day as we checked out, they said, if you can’t go because of the cyclone, we will fit you in.

We said ‘See ya layta’ to neighbours Gerda, Daryl, Mary and Andrew. I have fixed the Klaxton horn so I can give them a farewell blast.

Soooo … we are off.

The further we get out of town the darker and more drizzly it gets. We get to first road block just outside Muchea. We explain we are just going to New Norcia and not the coast so are allowed through. Very lonely highway. Every now and again we see another car that must have talked themselves through.

Bindoon. We stop for the highly praised bakery.

Exotic tasties. They are out of steak and Guinness so it’s kangaroo and red wine. Anne has a moo and blue or beef and blue cheese. (And mud cake and a small sausage roll)

Big chunks of meat.

 

Endless munchies.

The oasis.

A holiday home. (Snigger.)

Shortly we make it to New Norcia.

N.B. 1  Norcia  Town in Italy  Norcia, traditionally known in English by its Latin name of Nursia, is a town and comune in the province of Perugia in southeastern Umbria. Wikipedia

I had real trouble with this word. I keep thinking Nausea.

N.B. 2  Nausea is stomach discomfort and the sensation of wanting to vomit. Nausea can be a precursor to vomiting the contents of the stomach. The condition has many causes and can often be prevented. Symptoms: Vomiting.

Hence every time I tried to think of the name of the town, I thought of vomit. By the way the Spanish pronunciation is Nor-chi-a.

 

Now up to the Tourist Information Centre. There is a museum and there is a walk around town. However we are too late for today. It is 11am for two hours. We decide to book in for a stay behind the roadhouse. There is a camp aross the road that costs $10. Behind the roadhouse is $15 for power and another $5 for the showers. There is no water connection to vans. The toilets are included irrespective. Our water tanks are full and we have our own shower so it’s $15 for us.

We find out New Norcia is the only Monastic town in Australia. What does that mean. Well I will tell you what the town is. It was founded in 1847 by a group of 5 benedictine monks. Two Spanish and three Italian. The head of the group was a monk named Saldavo. Today, the whole town is owned by that church and there are seven monks who live here and administer. So the toilets, the road house the park and all the buildings are part of the monastery. There is a farm which is leased out. It had schools, a hostel, monastery etc. The whole package is about 22,000 acres. Apparently it used to be about a million acres.

Tilt head right for Mary Magdalene write up.

They make their own beer, wine and bread.

We though we were going to be the only ones here wut two others pulled in not far before dusk.

A big walk tomorrow but we did one today.

Unusual coloured seepage.

We do the cemetery as per usual. Always interesting in a sd way, but real history.

Tilt right for sad old stone…

… but none more sad than the unmarked graves. These people had lives and all they gor was a couple of bits of wood nailed together and not even a mention of their name.

Sister Noseda was a pioneer of the monastery.

This is at the base of Bishop Salvado’s statue.

We continue the walk.

Amazing! She actually pushed them apart! She can do all the carrying from now on.

Anne didn’t do it. She just put here foot next to it for comparison. That is a bloody great moth than comes out of a chrysalis in the ground when it rains. The monster wandered into the servo and was flattened unceremoniously.

These are the original 5 monks with the maestro in the middle.

It grew. These thirty four monks all have separate skills. e.g.carpenters, builders, plumbers etc.

It’s a wonder he ever signed anyone up. Wake up at 2.45am. I think breaky at 5am. Tea and bread. No butter or cream That is the evening meal as well. They didn’t say what lunch was but it must have been huge. i.e. ‘What do you want for eveing meal?’ ‘Are you crazy? After that lunch!. Give me a cup of tea and a bit of bread.’

Anne said I had this ethereal blow lighting me up. Personally I think it was just the sunset through the window. I could be wrong.

No! Definitely the sunset.

Home. Showers, food TV via sat dish, grape juice Bed.

zzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Sunday, 11th April, 2021.

Things to do. Can we extend? Unfortunately no. Site is booked for long term.

Picked up by The ‘B’s  and off to a great coffee place also meeting another lady friend. Lots in common. Good people.

We were also informed football ‘heroes’ drop in from time to time from the adjacent Eagle’s training ground’

Back to the park for some R & R then off to pick out a tablet/computer for Anne. This is who served us.

Done . Now we see this sign again. I said before, ‘What does it mean?’ At least the $ sign spells it out a bit this time.

We’re done.

Leaving tomorrow. Cannot extend. North towards the cyclone (?) We shall look at the cyclone tracking map tomorrow morning and look at the news.

ZZZZZZZZ           ZZZZZZZZZZZZ             ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Saturday 10th April 2021.

Quiet morning. Anne makes a pretty close to authentic Nasi Goreng.

Hark! A problem. The batteries in the back of the car have twisted off the wood blocks they sit on and dropped 20mm, so pulling the aluminium frame apart. I need more timber to fix it.

Bunnings. Priorities first. Sausage sizzle? Done. Coffee? Done. Anne decides to buy some fake lawn. Saddle soap. Timber. Get it cut. Screws to fix. Look at the kitchens, by the way, which were surprisingly neat and presentable.

Back to the van. Time is pressing. We must fix the battery blocks today because tomorrow it will be rain. The piece of timber I borrowed from the park that we used to lever the batteries up to remove the timber under, in the last two hours had been cut down by about a metre. Neighbour Andrew steps in and helps Anne lever while I adjust. Done. Fixed (More or less. Slight adjustments required.) Anne cuts my hair, we shower and arrive at the Vietnamese restaurant just 7 minutes late, which is good for us. The H’s junior and senior complete a pleasant table that evolves to a very enjoyable evening.

A top night with great company.

Home, movie, (or two. Another version of Churchill, Magnificent 7 and a few others) drink (or two) bed …

zzzz             zzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzz