Katherine NT

After foillowing the coast all the way I had to turn left somewhere.
I went further north in Quennsland than I had intended but Airlie Beach was the first blue ocean I had seen for a while.
With all the rain the rivers were flooding and the water beind spewed in to the ocean was brown. The rivers down the east coast are plentiful and enormous.
Everything is so green too and with those hills everywhere it is just all so spectacular.
I managed a ferry trip out to see Hamilton and Daydream Islands. They are really just big hills in the ocean. And of course Hamilton where they previously worked so hard to hide or camouflage any buildings, now has a giant cream coloured multi storey phallus plonked right where it can be seen to anyone arriving or leaving the island.
That was my one dry day in Airlie so a bit of sun was so lovely, even though it was pretty warm. The ground was waterlogged from all the rain. Fog down over the hills the next morning, saw me leaving for Townsville.
Passing more sugar cane and big black clouds everywhere, I decided to turn left before Townsville because I could see the rain that was there.
Heading west I passed through Charters Towers, which was full of historical buildings and then on to some rather forgetable towns through some very flat but green land.
Every grasshhopper splattered itself to the car through here.

rain and sand flies

I ought to have stayed with a good thing and stuck with my little bit of luxury in Noosa.
But it was raining so much I thought that going north would be different. But its not.
I went through Gosford where they were giving flood warnings and I could see why.
There were big brown lakes where the football oval used to be, wherever creeks had flowed and roads were cut throughout the area.
I made it to Bundaberg after stopping at Eumundi markets not far from Noosa. It was really big and I notices a lot of the businesses from Noosa were set up there. It was wet and so not at its best I'm sure.
I left Bundaberg and found the road badly pot holed after the rain and even water over the road at one floodway.
An hour and a half later of rain and dodging holes in the road I drove into Agnes Water and made my way the 5 or so k's to 1770.
Opptimistically I put up the tent, mainly because I had wanted to come here and I had looked forward to camping right next to the beach.
It rained all night, so I had to have the tent shut up and then it was hot. High tide had brought the sand flies out too and a good many had made their way into the tent.
So an uncomfortable night later I am wondering whether to stay, but in a motel this time.
I may not be able to get out though anyway because of the floods.
Hmm interesting.

Byron and beyond

After Ballina showed itself at its best with beautiful surf and dolphins sharing the waves with surfers it sent me off with not only rain but thunder and lightning as well.
It was time to head for Byron Bay.
In the rain with all views of the coast obscured on the way there, I drove into a frantically busy town with my windows fogged up and not knnowing the lay of the town, drove around in circles trying to find somewhere to park.
Byron is quite big and sooo busy. Forget Broome or Margaret River in the busy seasons, this was mayhem.
The place is full of backpackers and most of them seemed to be on the street. waiting for the bus or pulling out in front of you on the road.
I was so glad to finally find Astra and to find that she lived 10 minutes out of Byron in Tygarah. We turned up a pot holed dirt road off the highway and made our way up the hill to a pretty tree lined lane and into the property she lives on. It is about 100acres that is shared by a dozen or so houses and cottages. A few people rent rooms in the main house.
Astra has a little timber cottage surrounded by green. Most of it has been planted so it feels like it is in the middle of beautiful gardens in a park. It has all been designed so that you cant see the other houses.
It was such a haven that I stayed for 5 days.
It rained on every day bar one. We got ourselves going then to the lighthouse and then up into the hills to the Crystal Castle. That is a place where enormous crystals are all over the garden and of course there is a crystal shop. It is on quite a few acres and over 20 years they have planted and developed the property as a place to go for peace and quiet.
We were ther for about 2 hours it was so lovely.
I deaded north finally in more rain thinking I would spend some time at Coolum Beach. It rained the whole way.
So I kept going pat Brisbane over the Gateway Bridge and past Coolum to Noosa.
After my lovely rest I felt like people so I found an apartment in a resort. They said at the visitors centre that the resort was old and tired so it was a bit cheaper. I thought they were going to tell me they had put me in the wrong room! It looked more than ok to me.
So with granite and stainless steel in the kitchen and marble tiles on the floor I am happily insconced there for a couple of days.
Not to break the pattern - its raining again. It hasnt stopped actually. In fact they are expecting floods and gails. But at least I am dry warm and comfortable.

Out of the woods

I headed north to what I thought was going to be a nice quiet fishing village. It was in the Lakes district and sounded like the ideal getaway. The road led there through more tall timber and past large lakes. I was heading for Forster. And then I hit it. It was so busy. Another town on an inlet that led to ocean. I actually stayed in Tuncurry which is across the bridge from Forster.
Evidently it has a lot of retirees but also holiday makers by the size of the apartments overlooking the water. Driving around there was definitely not a relaxing exercise.
Loud fast cars also predominate in some of these areas.
Finding a xpot for my tent was also a challenge with the number of permanent annexes making the whole park claustrophobic. I did evetually find a spot - up the back- next to the oyster cleaning sheds that was a bit better.
I had two days there, one being wet, and couldn't wait to leave.
So onto Nambucca heads and through more trees.
It was fine until I was nearly there and then the rain started again. I found a nice cafe looking at the ocean on a cliff(even though the ocean was covered in fog). Right next to when the rain stopped was a caravan park that gave me a haven among the ferns and trees and palms, where I had noone around me. The ocean was ove the hill and I managed a walk into town and around the heads and back the next day - all in the sun! They have a big river and where the inlet comes in the rocks along the water are covered in graffiti. Apparently they like it.

I am now in Ballina, after passing Grafton, where everthing is old and historical. North of there were can fields and the road followed a river. It was very open and tall metal bridges spanned the river with warning lights in case the bridge opened.
I discovered the best cafe so far sitting on the ocean in Ballina. It helped that the morning was perfect and the dolphins were playing in pods just out past the surfers.

Heading inland

I had to break with my rule of sticking to the coast because it was flooded and the road was washed away. Just a minor inconvenience! So Batemans Bay was not to be on this trip.
I was advised to head up through Cooma. I made it to Bega where the river had cut the town in two but managed to follow some dodgy detour signs and found the road I needed.
It was so pretty, with rolling hills and farmland. It was a good road and by the time I reached Cooma, there were Akubras in evidence on the main street, and I realised I was in Snowy country.
I plugged on though and made it to Goulburn and stayed the night in the tent again. Kangaroos jumped behing my tent in the morning and into the bush.
Then onto Kiama through Moss vale. That was more beautiful countryside. Wineries and horsey properties abounded. A view to the east showed the coast in the distance and I was a long way up a hill. The drive down was another twisty turny and scary one. Just because it was a narrow road didnt stop trucks and buses from using it.
Plus the locals who have to drive down as fast as they can ignoring blind corners.
I just wanted to look at the tall trees and the palms growing under them, alongside tree ferns again.
By the time I reached the bottom of the hill I looked back on a sheer rock cliff. So how a road came down that is anyones guess.
Kiama was just stunning. Little rocky bay and grand ocean views with the town sitting right there amongst it all, but of course frantically busy.

I headed north up the coast a way to the Sea cliff bridge which hangs out ove the cliff north of Wollongong. I drove over it and then walked ove it as well for good measure. The road wound along the cliff as so many do around here. Rocks up the cliff and rocks in the water!

I wanted to get around Sydney and it was really worrying me but had had some good advise from the information centres on the way so set out with instructions in hand and proceeded to get lost in Liverpool and paid 2 tolls and the M5 that I didnt want to be on, got instructions from an Indian man ina servo and got lost again and finally found the elusive M7.
I was so relieved I didnt want to get off and just kept driving til I reached Newcastle. Now that was busy. I didnt have a clue where I was and left it to the satnav which couldnt shut up.
Then of course there were only caravan parks 30m minutes away and being 6pm by then I was stuffed.And you should see the on site van i scored

Rain and more rain

I am in Eden in New South Wales. Can't go on and can't go back.
It has rained so much floods are threatening.
The drive to here from Sale was rather precarious to say the least. The road was so wet and the pot holes tried to swallow us a few times.
Driving through the fog and the rain meant I couldnt stop to enjoy the tree ferns and the tall forests.

Great Ocean Road Cliffs

I left Apollo Bay and was soon hugging a cliff as I drove east.
It was quite busy combined with narrow, wet and winding. It was a bit hard to pull off and see because that all happened on the other side of the road and then it was hard to get back on because there were so many blind corners.
Add a few idiot drivers - if you have a new porsche you can pass 3 cars on a blind bend!!
The towns were busy being the weekend. There was a surf carnival on in Lorne.
Cafes looked to be busy in every town.
I stopped at Bells Beach to see if Bodhi was there (Patrick Swayze - Point Break). There was some good surf and quite a few surfers out.
I headed to Quennscliff through Torquay and Barwon Heads - it was all so busy and i wound my way following the ferry signs to get the car ferry to Sorrento. I caught it with only minutes to spare. It was a quick crossing but saved me the drive up and around Melbourne.
Then I did lots of guess work and found my way along highways and hill tops to Sale.

Onto Apollo Bay

I saw the 12 Apostles in the sun without all the hoards because I got there early!
And it was worth it. Just stunning.
Then off to Cape Otway.
There were koalas in the trees on the way there just on the side of the road.
There was a lighthouse at the cape but the koalas were the amazing thing. Big blobs in the trees.
I had been advised to see Blanket bay and even stay the night. It was a rough winding dirt road with a rocky bay as the prize. Really lovely but i didnt feel the need to stay there.
The road into Apollo was winding and busy.
Apollo Bay itself was busy, busy - lots of eateries and motels. Its on the ocean with big hills behind it.
Parachutes were gliding off the hills all afternoon.
I sat near my tent and could see the ocean.

Port Campbell

The rain has stopped and the exploring begins.
The coastline of the Great Ocean Road is now visible without the fog of yesterday. It's nice and cool and the crowds are still few as I venture out to The Grotto and Loch Ard.
The sun still refuses to show itself and the 12 Apostles is the main attraction. I was dying for a toilet by then and far from being just a car park the buses were lined up and the toilets were numerous. There was even a squat toilet; an indication of the origin of a number of the tourists.
There is an underpass so you dont get run over. This leads to the well known sight of the Apostles.
The Otway Ranges were also on the agenda for today and so I set off and soon struck the fog and rain that I thought had disappeared yesterday. The road wound its way up through tall trees and eventually tree ferns.
I found the Triplett Falls after deciding not to climb the Suspension bridge called the Otway Flyer.
To reach the falls I took the most beautiful walk down into a valley of mountain ash and tree ferns. It was broad steps most of the way and I had to nurse the knees on the way down. The mountain ash are enormous and the ferns tall enough to be over your head.
I think it took about an hour going down and then back up again, but it was well worth it with the falls and a stream being the reward.
The clouds filled a lot of the valleys on the way but had cleared by the time I came back.
As I am staying a 2nd night at Port Campbell I was able to revisit the Apostles. It was warmer, busier but still the sun refused to break through the clouds.

Fogged out!

Lovely Port Fairy became enshrouded in a sea mist in the afternoon. But i was warm, dry and comfortable in my little tent overnight.
I was so looking forward to the Great Ocean Road and the sights awaiting me.
So I folded my now wet tent and set off.
I almost got run over in Warnambool, so I kept going. My first sight of the limestone cliffs and and the Bay of Islands was amazing.
I pulled into each car park but with each stop the view disappeared in the fog. S
So I am holed up in Port Campbell waiting for the rain and the fog to clear

Pt Fairy

Even though Robe was just a delight, with the caravan park on a hill looking out at the ocean, it was pretty warm. And camping with not enough shade made me move on. I headed into Mount Gambier with full intentions of staying there, but after seeing the Blue lake at its bluest, I had a wander around in the car and then on foot. But it was too warm, and being inland I was soon on the road again.
I found Portland and a view of the harbour and beyond just magnificent.
Avisit to the Visitors centre had me driving out to Cape Breakwater. A big bay with softly rolling surf between tall hills reminded me of Esperance. I took the recommended road out to the blow holes, but it wasn't blowing!
So back for a sit with an ice cream at the bay and a suggestion of where to stay in Portland. It was one of those towns that, even though not big, it was easy to get lost. I even nearly cleaned up a few Victorians!
The caravan park at least had grass to camp on and the campers without power were stuffed down into a back corner.
There was even a koala in a tree. I actually heard them through the night scuttling along the fence. I had to remind myself I was in Australia and not Africa. (No Lions here!)
A thick sea mist rolled in late afternoon and everything was soon damp.
Someone somewhere had told me to have fish and chips here, because they were the best. Come to think of it, I think they said somewhere else! They were ok.
So with full intentions of going on to Port Campbell today, I have stopped in Pt Fairy. It is so pretty, with its old buildings and river that is lined with fishing boats. It's right on the ocean, so this is probably where I should have had the fish and chips.
Its a very old town by Australian standards and a lot of the buildings are stone and very impressive. Even the main street still looks old.
So I wonder if fish and chips two nights in a row is too much!
Tomrrow will depend on what those big clouds in the east end up doing.

Top Robe camping spot

After the tourists who have flooded out of Adelaide to the hills, namely Hahndorf, where everything is frantic and the shops are invaded up and down the main street, I have had a glorious morning of beach combing in Robe.
After a blowy, cold night, the morning has been warm and calm. Fortunately for me the tents are on the front row overloking the bluest of oceans.
I didnt know that when I booked my 2 nights'here, but it now occurs to me why people stay for weeks at a time. (Apart from the long inimpressive drive down!)
I even got the bathers on and went for a swim. It was absolutely freezing. Take your breath away cold!!

I'm across!

Having passed through Albany where it was raining - surprise, surprise - and I chickened out of putting the tent up and got a flasho cabin for my first night (Well if you cant then when can you) I went on to Esperance. No rain there!
I drove to the ocean road and just said wow!

How can the water be so torquoise blue and not melt your heart?
It is a colour to soothe the ragged soul.
The heart chimes to its flow.
The waves form a cloak to enwrap weary shoulders.

But I did get sunburnt - buggar!

After 2 nights there I headed off to Balladonia, through Norseman -where it was raining.
Made pretty good time so I went on to Cocklebiddy. It was blowing like a ...! But the tent and i did not end up on the other side of the highway.

Up very early and after a roadhouse brekky I pointed BM east and we were on the road again.

Stopped for a couple of photo opportunities of the bight. So great to see ocean when you are in the middle of nowhere.

A lovely lady at Nullabor Roadhouse sold me an Iced Tea for $5.20 and gave me some great advice - head for Ceduna.
So I did and I made it. Even if I didnt know what time it was in SA!

It was raining in the morning so off I went again. Not really wanting to do another long haul, I still made Pt Augusta.

All the way across I only saw 2 horses near norseman and 2 goats at this end. The only kangaroos, camels and wombats were on the big yellow signs.

But that drive was absolutely stunning.

The First Step

The car is packed and I am Margaret River bound. So much for travelling light, I might have to keep the windows down and let some of it go. Sort of like natural selection. If it doesnt fly out the window it can stay.
Going south first keeps with my theme of following the coast. I'll then go on to Albany.

May the days be warm and the flies be out to sea!

Nearly ready

The tent is ready. I have had 'tent practise' nearly every day for a week. Nothing is funnier than watching someone trying to put up a tent that is unfamiliar. Or in my case taking it down and trying to fold it up. I have bought everything to make the spontaneous tenting experience comfortable.
The car is having its last minute look over. Last minute contact with friends is happening. Everything I take has to be lightweight and as small as possible. So much for hiding it all in the boot!
The car is full and all I have left to do is the food shopping and an esky for the cold bits. Oh well, I guess I can just squash it all up a bit more.
On Friday I will head south to Margaret River to begin where the idea began to sprout.