Kalgoorlie to Adelaide

Hello all
After leaving Kalgoorlie I had an eventful trip across the Nullabour...............with a bit of everything thrown in.
Thunderstorms, howling winds and a breakdown to top things off.

Bunda Cliffs Nullabour Plain

A holwing tailwind pushed me to Balladonia for a night of thunderstorms, on the way I stopped for the second time in less than a week to assist a stranded fellow traveller..

Bunda Cliffs

Little did I know it would soon be me stuck on the side of the highway.

Bunda Cliffs

After I left kalgoorlie I started hearing a bit of a wine and dismissed this a tyre wine, as the Pilbara had chopped the tyres around a bit.
This was followed  by a slight scrapping sound at slow speeds, by this time I was well and truly committed to the Nullabour.
Things went from bad to worse fairly quickly, with howling winds listening to noises was nearly impossible with the window down, so onward it was.
200 kilometres west of Ceduna the brown smelly stuff hit the fan, coming close to losing a wheel.

Add caption

When I ground to a halt the centre of the tyre was resting on the tray tiedown rail.
I was more concerned with getting my bum off the road than taking pictures so you will have to use your imagination here.
With no drive I had to think quick as I was hanging out onto the road, so into 4x4 and the front wheels dragged me clear.
At this stage a nice Truckie stopped to see if he could help. We jacked up the wheel and backed off the brakes to be able to push the axle back in.
The wheel bearing was absolutely shagged................
As luck would have it All this happened right adjacent to a rest area and within the last mobile phone coverage for about 150km.
With no hope of continuing we nursed the vehicle into the rest area for the night, followed by frantic phone calls for a towtruck.

not a pretty sight

 Next morning the Flat top came 51km out from Nundroo to collect me.
Unloading the camper in the campground the off the ute went for be looked at.

Once apart it wasn't a pretty sight.

not much left....

  
Now, after six days stranded in Nundroo following is the points of interest  list...............







That's correct .....blank......there are no points of interest in Nundroo.

I must admit though, Wayne at Davis Motors, Nundroo did a good job getting me going again, the ABS sensor is shagged and I need to replace this when I get a chance but all going well so far.
Before blaming the vehicle though, it was pointed out to me the other day, that a lot of people have done the trips, and been to the places I have been.........but how many have done it in the same vehicle?
I think it's done a pretty good job considering.
I am heading across to Mildura to spend a little time on the Murray, considerably poorer than I was..... 
Bye for now

Carnarvon to Kalgoorlie

Hello all
From Carnarvon I headed North to Gnaraloo Station and Red Bluff

view from camp at Red Bluff

 Red Bluff was stunning, and the surf was massive, the waves were 'dumpers' and all night and day was like a thunderstorm with the waves thumping on the shore.

surf at Red Bluff

sunset at Red Bluff

After Red Bluff I decided to head inland to try to escape the constant strong winds.

heading inland

I wanted to visit the Big Bell townsite ruins near Que.

Big Bell sign

Big Bell Hotel in it's heyday reportedly had the longest bar in Australia.

Big Bell Hotel

Big Bell Hotel

Big Bell Hotel

It would have been a Grand building back in the day, with all the fireplaces, arches, and tiled walls.

The old kitchen

roadside wildflowers

Next stop was the Superpit at Kalgoorlie.

Kalgoorlie Superpit

The dots you can see on the access road exiting the Superpit are dump trucks carrying 250 tonnes each.

dump truck in the Superpit

 Next update will be across the Nullabour, and a few hiccups along the way, including my first major mechanical problem and the 6 day wait for parts and repairs.

Bye for now.

Carnarvon - kennedy Range - Mt Augustus - Carnarvon

Hello all
 My plan to escape the wind failed................I headed out to Kennedy Range with a howling gale pushing me.

The Cobbled Road north of Gascoyne Junction

 In the 1930's a work for the dole scheme funded the upgrades to the original roads that were often impassable after rain. The Road was cobble paved over the boggy sections to allow the mail run to get through.

Temple Gorge Campground, Kennedy Range

Upon arriving at Temple Gorge I was greeted by the lovely Campsite Hosts, Colin and Maureen.

Temple Gorge Campground, Kennedy Range

The first day was perfect weather, the second hot, and then the wind found me again........

Kennedy Range

departing Kennedy Range

I was feeling a little isolated as I headed towards Mt Augustus. In the 240km to Mt Augustus I saw 2 vehicles only.

approaching Mt Augustus

one of those vehicles was 2 very relieved German Backpackers, as I was the first vehicle they had seen in 8 hours. They were a bit wide eyed and freaked out about the isolation and the thought of getting stranded in their Hiace "Hippy" camper van.

Mt Augustus from Emu Hill Lookout

Mount Augustus is an inselberg or monocline. Mount Augustus or Burringurrah is one of the most spectacular solitary peaks of the world's largest monoclines, it rises above a stoney, red sandplain of arid scrubland and is visible from the air for more than 160 kms. The granite formation is about 8 kms long, covers an area of 4,795 hectares and is estimated to be 1,750 million years old.

Cattle Pool, Lyons River

 Cattle Pool a few kilomtres from Mt Augustus is a pretty spot.

Cattle Pool Lyons River

Sunset Mt Augustus

One odd thing in the area is Dawson's Burrowing Bees, which have taken a liking to the circuit road around Mt Augustus.

burrowing bee hives in the middle of the road

These bees were amazing and huge..............the size of a small helicopter............not really but were about as big as the end of your index finger.

Mt Augustus

While returning to Carnarvon I was thinking about Mt Augustus.................while it does lack the visual impact of Uluru it is magnificent in it's own right.
Would I return to Uluru.................yes......would I return to Mt Augustus..........probably not.

Wildflowers

Recent rains have bought the bush alive and although I am still well above the "wildflower area" wildflowers were abundant.

Tomorrow I am heading North again to Red Bluff on Quobba Station for a while. I have had several days of only 22c and 23c and have froze. I am definitely not ready to head any further South until it warms up.
Bye for now

Broome South To Carnarvon

Hello all
I have been a bit slack updating my blog over recent weeks. This is mainly because I have been travelling through areas I have covered in past blog posts.

sunset at Quandong Point

 After 30mm of rain in Broome I headed South.

sunset at 80 Mile Beach

 the skies cleared and the scene was set for a magnificent sunset at 80 Mile Beach.

sunset at 80 Mile Beach

 Western Australia is truly the home of sunset photos. you just cant beat the sun going down over the ocean.

sunset at 80 Mile Beach

 I took the Railway Access Road from Karratha to Tom Price this time, as I hadn't travelled it before.
There must have been recent rains as the wildflowers were all out in bloom.

Sturts Desert Pea

 I headed to Newman to catch up with friends for a few days.

I doubled back towards the coast with the plan of doing some snorkeling at Cape Range for a few days.
Alas for three days it blew and blew and blew............they don't call WA Windy Always for nothing....................
I am now at Carnarvon, with the plan to head inland to escape the wind and school holidays.
I plan on heading out to Kennedy Range and Mt Augustus over the next week or two to explore new areas.
Bye for now. 


 

Cape Leveque ( Dampier Peninsula )

Hello all
I headed up the rutted drain (because it does not deserve to called a road) towards Cape Leveque.
Now, I have travelled some pretty ordinary roads but this one is rubbish. Driving down a drain with 15% side angle, throw in corrugations, throw in loose sandy surface and throw in narrow in many places, I wonder why there aren't more accidents here.

King Sound from Gumbanan Bush Camp

Being only a day or so after the full moon the tides were massive, probably in the 8 metre range. It was interesting to watch the rush of water from King Sound.

King Sound

 The road., as I mentioned was shocking, and about half way along the 110km unpaved section the Engine Malfunction light came on. It was so much fun trying to drive this road in Limp Home Mode. 60kph flat out 3rd gear.......................
I tried the old trick of disconnecting the battery for a while but the light wouldn't clear.
Fortunately overnight it cleared itself and hasn't reoccurred.

Gumbanan Bush Camp

 Waking up the next morning was like somebody had pulled the plug on King Sound.

low tide Gumbanan

Next stop was Gnylmarung Retreat, what a gem of a place, even the strong winds didn't detract from the place.

only one other person on the beach Gnylmarung

After a couple of days here relaxing I headed for a short drive to Middle Lagoon.

Middle Lagoon

the wind was still howling and since last year, Middle Lagoon has been discovered, with lots of people there.

Middle Lagoon

 Next was James Price Point, where the Western Australian Government want to build a massive Liquefied Natural Gas Plant.

James Price Point

 This has been met with massive public backlash.

James Price Point

James Price Point

Tomorrow I head back into Broome to do a few chores and decide what is next.

James Price Point

Odly enough, there are showers and possible thunderstorms forecast for the next couple of days.
Hopefully it doesn't start until I get off the red dirt...............dust is one thing, mud is another.

Bye for now........................