2012, October 21/22 - Lucky Bay to Nullabor (via Esperance & Balledonia)

No one wants to leave !!!!!

Trip Meter Reading Start –  9167

Trip Meter Reading Finish –   9766 (599 kms)

Filled up Esperance
LPG @ $1.09 / litre; 56.721 litres; $62.34

Filled up Norseman
LPG @ $0.99 /litre; 63.821 litres; $63.79
 
Filled up Balledonia
ULP @ $2.05 / litre; 14.14 litres; $29.00

Accommodation
Free camp somewhere along the Nullabor Plan; couldn’t work out on Camps 5 which one we were actually at, but there were no facilities and were about an hours drive from Balledonia; I assumed it was Baxters Rest Area which is marked 17 in the Camps 5 book.

Comments – Luke

Today we drove to Esperence to top up on supplies.  After that we drove to Norseman and turned onto the Eyre Highway which has the longest straight in Australia 146.6km  long on the Nullabor plain.  After that we set up camp at a free camp for the night along the straight.

Comments – Mum and Dad

Leaving Lucky Bay was sad as it was such a beautiful place and had given us memories that will stay forever.  We said goodbye to all the wonderful, happy, positive people we had met and drove back into Esperence hoping to find something open so we could stock up on supplies and fuel to last us a couple of days free camping  along the Nullabor.

Being Sunday most places are closed in WA including Woolies.  However, the IGA at Pink Lake was open; although more expensive, we were in need of meat, bread and other essentials.  Stocked up we headed north along the Esperance Highway to Norseman refuel before driving east onto the Eyre Highway for a drive through long straights and a whole log of nothing.  We refuelled at Balledonia and at $2.05 we only topped her up...so expensive, but we are now out in the stix with not alot of choice right now.  LPG was over the top so we decided to just fill the tank with ULP at any servo we found along the way.

Come 5pm Mark had had enough driving and we pulled up at a free camp to avoid hitting the roos.  I cooked up all my fresh vegies and chicken and we sat down for a scrumptious red curry and satay chicken dish washed down with a beaut Sandleford Rose I had picked up in Balledonia...mmmm...

View to ???? - The Nullabor Plain



My God!  Where the bloody hell is the end!

 

 

2012, October 17/20 - Esperance to Cape Le Grande National Park

Trip Meter Reading Start –  9007

What a site...Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grande National Park

Trip Meter Reading Finish –   9167(160 kms)

Accommodation
Lucky Bay campground within the Cape Le Grande National Park; $9 per adult; $2 per child per night.  Hot and cold water solar showers; flushing toilets; corner sites have ocean views over the bay.  These are the best ones as you get protection from the vegetation.  Probably the best camp site we have stayed at on this trip. Just stunning!!!

Comments – Luke
Wednesday – Today we drove across a headland and saw a very large pot of dolphins splashing about after that we went to McDonalds for lunch and had a burger.  We then drove to Lucky Bay and set up camp at Cape Range national park.  The beach sand was white and the water was clear.

Home sweet Home, Lucky Bay

Thursday – Today Mum and I walked to Thistle Bay on the way we saw lots of pretty lizards and wild flowers at Thistle Bay there were lots of cool rock formations and nice water after that Dad picked us up and we went fishing at Hell fire Bay and we caught six bait fish off the rocks.  We then went fishing at camp but did not catch anything.

Good catch Dad....Lucky Bay - Murrawong?

Look at this little Beauty - lizards at Cape Le Grande National Park

Luke on the trail from Lucky Bay to Thistle Bay - Cape Le Grande National Park

Friday – Today we went to Frenchman’s Peak for a walk.  The walk was 3 km when you get up to the top you can see the ocean and is 262 metres above ground.  After that we went to camp and me and dad went fishing but didn’t get a bite we also saw kangaroo’s laying on the beach.  After that we had happy hour.

Beautiful flowers at the base of Frenchmans Peak

 

Joey on the beach just metres from our camp site

Saturday – Today I rode my bike to the end of the beach and back and saw a whale with its calf.  We saw the calf jumping out of the water and it was slapping its fins.  It was only 50 metres off the beach but dad swam across to a rock and ran to the end of it and he was 10 metres away from it.  After that I carried a 3 metre long plank of wood on my bike.  The beach was 5 km long I put the plank of wood over some stinky weed that still had its nutrients in it.  After that we had happy hour again.

Luke transporting a log back to camp

Comments – Mum and Dad

Wednesday - Ocean Drive; large pod of whales near observatory; Lunch at Maccas

Set up camp; white sand and kangaroos on beach; watched snorkelers spearing for fish

Thursday – Luke and Nic walked to Thistle Bay from camp where I picked them up; then we drove out to Hellfire Bay where we fished catching herring, whiting and mullet; white beaches and clear water.  Admired Frenchman Peak with large cave through the top.  Took photos of wild flowers; also fished at Lucky Bay on headland which has small rock caves.  Kangaroos sleeping and lazing about on the beach; one was eating a fish; Had a drink with Dave from Victor Harbour that we had met in Esperance.

Friday – We drove to Frenchman Peak and walked up 262metres of rock.  Met Max and Leah from Melbourne and invited them back for happy hour.  We drove to Rossiter Bay for a look; Happy hour with Max, Leah, Darcy, Lornetta and Dave.  Discussed places to see in SA.

Frenchmans Peak - 262 metres high

Almost at the peak

Come on Mum!  You can do it!

 

Happy hour at Lucky Bay with Darcy, Lorinne, Dave, Me and Mark

Saturday – Whale and her calf sighted in the bay.  We walked and Luke rode along Lucky Bay where we saw the baby whale breaching.  We ran up and viewed them for a couple of hours.  Luke balanced a large piece of timber on his bike to use as a plan over a wet area at camp.  Happy hour again with Darcy and Lorrine – school teacher hot legs and painter steve and poms ???



Luke and Mark fishing at Hellfire Bay

Hell Fire Bay, Cape Le Grande National Park

Road to Hellfire Bay with view to Frenchmans Peak

Mark and Luke head around the headland fishing at Lucky Bay

Fishing spot at Lucky Bay - noice hey?

Awwww hello bubba......Mumma feeding bubba (Southern right whales) before heading on the long journey
back to Antarctica.
 

Mumma and bubba cruising 20m off the beach

Nicole and Mark - Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grande National Park

View to the whales through the rocks

Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grande National Park

 

2012, October 15/16 - Quagi Beach to Esperance

 

 

Beautiful Esperence

Trip Meter Reading Start –  8896

Trip Meter Reading Finish –   9007(111 kms)

Fill up Woolworths
Petrol @ $1.529 / litres; $95.00 (62.13 litres)
LPG @ $1.099 / litre; $70.95 (64.56 litres)

Accommodation
Top Tourist Seafront Caravan Park; $35 per night powered site plus $20 refundable key deposit.  Clean, shady sites overlooking the sea front and foreshore area.  A bit pricey for off season.

Campsite at the Top Tourist, Seafront Caravan Park, Esperance

Comments – Luke
Monday - Today we set up camp at a caravan park in Esperance.  After that me and mum went walking along a beach to a Jetty and saw a big seal.  We also went walking down town and bought some licorice icecream.  Me and mum thought it was delicious.  Then we came back to camp and had afternoon tea with people we met at Exmouth.

Sammy the seal sunbaking at the jetty, Esperance

Tuesday – Today me and Dad went fishing of the Jetty but caught nothing this time we saw two seals.  After that we went to a beach and had a walk.  We also went to the Post office and posted some post cards after that we went back to camp and had after tea with the people we met at Exmouth again and another couple.

Comments – Mum and Dad

Wildflowers, Quargi Beach

 

Luke at a rockpool in Esperance on the Ocean Road

Wildflowers on a dune - Esperence

Looking toward the Surf Club of Esperance

Pod of 50-100 dolphins off the great ocean road, Esperence

 

 

2012, October 14 - Albany to Quagi Beach (55km west of Esperance)



Camping for $6 bucks at Quargi Beach

Trip Meter Reading Start –  8408

Trip Meter Reading Finish –   8896 (488 kms)
 
Fill up Albany (Coles, discounted fuel)
Petrol @ $1.379 / litres; $91.70 (66.51 litres)
LPG @ $0.865 / litre; $56.18 (64.95 litres)

The Gap - Albany

Accommodation
Free camp at Quagi Beach is 55km east of Esperance.  Cost is $2 per person per night.   The area has designated numbered  bays for Caravans; tents can be erected closer to the beach.  Campfires are permitted up until the 1^st of November.  Flushing toilets were clean.  Really pretty and protected camp area abundant with wildflowers and a beautiful beach and bay.

Comments – Luke
Today we said goodbye to the Italian man and French girl and went to the Natural bridge and the gap.  It was raining heavely and waves ere smashing against the rocks and lots of cars got wet by the waves.  After that we stopped on the side of the road and had lunch then stopped at a free camp called Quargi Beach approxametly 70 km from Esperance.  In the afternoon we walked a bit of the beach and found some nice shells.

Quargi Beach Camp

Comments – Mum and Dad
we braved a drive to the Gap and natural bridge which is carved from ancient granite on the way home.  Back in 1978 my father had walked out to stand on the bridge with me in tow.  Looking at it today, it is a wonder I lived!



In 1978 my father and I stood on this bridge - I am lucky to
be alive.....thanks Bruce!!!!

Today was a huge drive, but we pushed on to a free camp at Quargi Beach not far from Esperance.

Driving to Quargi Beach

2012, October 13 - Exploring Albany (day 2)

Trip Meter Reading Start –  8305

Trip Meter Reading Finish –   8408(103 kms)


Luke with the skeleton of a blue whale at the
Albany Whaling Station which closed in 1978

Accommodation
Free camp at Cosy Corner (East) is 38 km east of Denmark and 30 km west of Albany – take the tourist drive south from Denmark.  Beautiful shady campsites behind the vegetated dunes of Torbay Bay.  The camp has a dump point and clean toilets – you could get water from Cosy Corner (West) where they have beach showers (not potable or suitable for drinking)

Comments – Luke
Today we went to Albany again and went to Whale World which is a big centre on whales.  We went aboard a big whaling ship and saw how they lived it was very interesting.  We also saw where they used to cup up the whales and saw pictures it was very grucom.  After that we saw skeletons of whales they were huge one was a skeleton of a blue whale and was 80 feet but can get 102 feet the size of a jumbo jet and weight of 30 ellephants.  We then watched 4 different movies about whales.  We then headed back to camp and the Italian man and French girl came over and cooked and we taught them how to play UNO.


A family of eight lived in this 2 room house at the Albany whaling station

Comments – Mum and Dad
Today was forecast for winds and showers.  Given this we decided to do the family attraction of Whaleworld - $59 per family. We spent a good 4 hours here exploring the old whaling station.  On the hour a tour guide takes you through and explains the whaling processes and equipment.  It was very interesting to know that this was the last station to be closed in Australia in 1978.  Apparently Malcolm Fraser’s daughter was fond of whales so he declared no more whaling in Australia.


A picture of the gian squid taken from the belly of a Sperm Whale

For families this is a very educational experience for children of school age but adults can learn alot too.  The skeletons are dinosaur huge and we were in awe at how big these creatures actually got to.

Leaving whale world in the rain and wind drove back into Albany for a free hot shower at Patrick Cottage, Duke Street, Albany

Free hot showers are available here! Unbelievable.

2012, October 12 - Exploring Albany

Luke exploring the Brig Amity, Albany

Trip Meter Reading Start –  8186

Trip Meter Reading Finish –  8305 (120 kms)

Accommodation
Free camp at Cosy Corner (East) is 38 km east of Denmark and 30 km west of Albany – take the tourist drive south from Denmark.  Beautiful shady campsites behind the vegetated dunes of Torbay Bay.  The camp has a dump point and clean toilets – you could get water from Cosy Corner (West) where they have beach showers (not potable or suitable for drinking)

Comments – Luke
Today we went to Albany for a look around.  We had a look at the Brig Amity which is an 1826 ship used to bring first European settlers to Albany to establish a military post it was interesting to see how they lived on the ship so close together with fifty somthing people on board the ship.  After that Dad and I then got a haircut in town we then went to an Anzac mermorial where the soldiers left Albany to go to war at gallipoly in 1914.  On the walk trail we saw lots of large black lizards called skinks.  After that we went to Emu point and had a swim of a little swim out jetty.  On the way back to camp we called into the wind generators which is 18 wind generators that reach speeds as fast as a formula 1 and reaches a height of 100 and somthing metres high.

Check out this gorgeous frog!  Of course, Luke spotted him!

Comments – Mum and Dad
With a big day ahead of us, we headed off early east to Albany.  Coming into the City we pulled into the Museum and paid $10 to explore the Brig Amity which Luke has described in his comments above.  This was a cheap and very educational place to see; it really gave you a good perspective of what living conditions were like on a small boat for early settlers.  The city of Albany is very picturesque and alot of houses we noticed had to build around the large granite rocks that existed in their yards.

Anzac Hill, Albany - Fires burning further south

We drove up to Mount Melville Lookout which gives a good view to the south west of Albany then to the Anzac Memorial park on Mount Clarence.  Spectacular.  After the boys had a haircut we had lunch on Albany’s main beach called Middleton Beach; nice community facilities, showers and picnic areas on a grassed foreshores lined with huge Norfolk Pines; very pleasant indeed – wish Coffs had something like this.

We drove further east to Emu Point where many families were picnicking on grassy banks with uninterrupted views over a swimming lido.  Luke took the plunge and joined other kids for a quick dip before we headed back through Albany to explore the Albany Wind farm overlooking Torbay Ocean.

Luke prepares to go for a swim at Emu Point, Albany - the sand is sooooo white!

I cooked dinner for our new neighbours at camp, Margot from Paris and Luca from Roma.  I think they appreciated a substantial meal which is one of our favourites – Bosciola.  We shared some stories around the campfire washed down with a few coldies. Magic..

Bigger than Ben Hur!!! - Wind Station, Albany

Me and mum at the base of a Wind Station