GooDay (1 Viewer)

Sep 10, 2007
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Hi all, we have now well & truly started our lap of Australia, We arrived in Sydney Thursday 14th October we were picked up from the airport by the dealer who we are buying a motor home from.
They are put us in a cabin for a couple of nights while we sort out finances and get all the stuff you need to live in a motor home.
We stayed in a place called Narrabeen in Sydney's north beach area, had a trip in to Sydney on a ferry from Manley, what a great way to see the harbour.
The Van's name is Lulu, found it on her keyring, she's a little hi-top Transit.
We left Narrabeen on Monday 25th drove through Sydney to our 1st stop Broulee just south of Batemans Bay, from there on to Eden, strange little place where the whalers used pods of killer whales help herd other whales into the bay so the whalers could kill them, their bit was they got to eat the tongues & lips of the dead whales. check out this link Link Removed
Then out of NSW & in to Victoria stopping in Marlo free spot on the Snowy river.
Next stop Friday 29th the south end of Ninety mile beach, yes it really is 90 miles long, free camped again.
Saturday 30th Stopped in port Albert , one of Victoria's oldest sea ports, established in 1841, had about 30 buildings then now got 29 now
so not changed much! stopped in the car-park with a fantastic view.
next a place called Shallow Inlet costal reserve, a lovely little site right on the beach.
Spent the next couple of days visiting Wilsons Promontory national park, stunning Scenery.
So thats where we are, next stop Philip island then on to Tasmania.
I will try to upload some pictures if I can put a link in for my photobucket album.
As you can see Bloging I don't do so I will try to post a update as and when.

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lorger

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Nice pics looks like your having a great time keep up with the updates
 

dellwood33

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Great photos Ray - what's the story about the red car ? ::bigsmile:

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johng

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nice Ray. although I was lucky to be there earlier in the year, I could handle being there again ::bigsmile:
 

Jim

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Looking good Ray:thumb: I am really looking forward to hearing more of your OZ adventure

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RayV8
Sep 10, 2007
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Hay Jim, that was a big tree to move, Dick & Barbara, as for the red car thats Aus art !
I have uploaded some more pics of the wild life we have seen today, we are cattle trucked
today as i thought it would be a good idea to walk to the top of Mt Oberon today then a walk
through lilly pilly gully, only 5 hours solid walking. This place is as far south as you can get in Aus apart from Taz and as its spring here the temperature ranges from 30 down to 11 deg C
I am uploading this from a fee overnight stop in a place called Yanakie about 46 km's from wilsons prom, theres only one general store/fuel station & thats it, the chap that runs it, spent time in Aldershot in the army in the 70's still thinks the Uk ok. I have to say I haven't yet met a grumpy Aussie, this lot make you feel soo welcome.
I think I have found motor home nirvana there is so much freedom here. It aint cheep to do but its worth it.
Well it's 11:12pm here so we are off to bed now.
xxx Ray & Joan
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Jim

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Glad you guys are having Fun:thumb: Let's be careful out there ::bigsmile:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmRexWQhs3M[/ame]
 
Nov 30, 2009
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That clip from Jim plus all the pictures from Ray and Joan has reminded me of our trip to S.A. 3 years ago. We hired a MH just like the one you have bought for 3 and a half weeks . They are much more expensive out there than over here aren't they:whatthe: .
We toured South Australia because we were planning on emigrating there. We jumped through all the visa hoops . But decided not to go ahead after the trip , after meeting and speaking to fellow poms already out there .
The people are really friendly , cant do enough for you. Though once your living there its a bit different. Theres lots of " you lot coming over here taking our jobs "
A bit like over here really:ROFLMAO:
We went in October. There were some lovely sunny days and some freezing cold nights , and rainy days too, but everywhere was green and lush. I think its the best time to go Sept to November. December on wards the scenery is very dry brown and dessert like . Theres loads of places to camp as the Ozzie's love it and BBQ points for all to use.
In Adelaide , ( i dont know about all of S.A.) the they have certain days where the petrol / diesel is a lot cheaper , when we were there it was Wednesdays. Ask a local if you haven't already. Theres a website called pomsinadelaide.com for Brits wanting to emigrate or who have emigrated . A bit like this one actually . Same web provider. Though when we were on it it was the yellow version. If you look in on there you may be able to pick up some local knowledge. Its free BTW.
Have a great trip . Go to Hanndorf ( cant remember how to spell it now ) a German town, whilst your in S.A Dont forget to visit some of the vineyards too theres loads of well know ones there. You will be able to stay over night in the car parks :winky:
You can also buy label less bottles of wine cheap from them.
But the actual bottles are a lot cheaper in Asda , 3 for a tenner :Doh:
Bev
 
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RayV8
Sep 10, 2007
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Hi Bev, we have only been traveling for 2 & a half weeks, but your right MH's are expensive here, I could have brought a brand new van of this type in the UK, not a 2005 model like this one, but hire for a year would cost as much as I payed for for this van.
So what I get back will be a bonus. We are stopping in a big 4 tonight, on Philip island
Its $29 a night approx £18.oo per night but we desperately needed to do some washing! although the last 4 nights were free.
The Aus Doller is now worth a couple of cents more than the yank's so a lot of Aussies are getting keen on traveling right now, thanks for the info I will check it out.

regards Ray & Joan
 
Nov 30, 2009
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You should get a good price for the MH when you sell it. Second hand cars bikes MH's , infact any vehicle really hold their value out there. There also not that up on MOT's have you noticed the old rickety cars driving around:whatthe:
The web site i told you about pomsinadelaide is not as active as it was a few years ago. I logged on after making that post to have a look. There is another one called The yellow one . Link Removed We did a reccie report on that when we came back , same names , saying why we weren't going to emigrate.
Its still on :whatthe: 3 years later!! Because they changed to the blue version lie this one.
It raised a few eyebrows. I can tell you.
You would be amazed how many families just sell up and go through all the visa process and go out there blind. Thinking " its got to be better than this dump "
Many get out there and find its the "same sh*t shinier bucket " and cant afford to get back. Ive just read it and it feals like yesterday !!

Both of the forums are free and you could advertise the MH on there , once you've found your way round it too , when ready to come home .Or ask fellow poms advise for the best place to sell it. There a bit like this forum, someone will always hep out anyway they can.

I remember staying at the Big 4 in Adelaide , it was about £25 when we went per night . Considering a tradie ( spark , brickie , chippie) only earns £10 to £15 tops per hour out there , quite dear for locals.
Good campsite right on the beach though . Lots of facilities. Free gas BBQ's communal kitchens with cookers fridges microwaves etc.
There was also anothernice one at Bellair reserve , or park. Which was in a wood adjacent to the golf club , which did lovely meals. You could see koalas in the trees , and we got chased by 4 possums one night on the way back from the golf club to the MH. They look so cute but they are nasty little bu**ers :ROFLMAO:Dont be fooled.
Enjoy your stay , and if you like chinese /asian food call into the take aways. The Laksa noodle soup is to die for. Dirt cheap too.

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RayV8
Sep 10, 2007
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All you MHF petrol heads

Sat 13th November, got in to Tas @ 6:30am this morning and went at Symmons Plains raceway to watch a V8 super car series meeting,
they had super bikes & 70's & 80's classic racers including a very nice mk1 escort & a 2002 bmw, great fun, check out the last page on my album......
all the best from Tasmania.

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RayV8
Sep 10, 2007
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Hi all, latest update, we are now 55 days into our trip, spent a week in Tasmania and boy was it cold, one day on a mountain pass we were surrounded by black swirling clouds and the ground covered by hail stones. Went to a Tasmanian Devil conservation park, its very sad that they are endangered, through a very unusual cancer which is transmitted through blood, all the nipping & biting they do when mating ! & and as the researcher said, being a island species they are genetically compromised AKA too much brother & sister action !!!
Tas is a time warp destination, inland you could be back in the 60's, Hobart & Davenport being unto date 90's.
One place is reputed to have the cleanest air on the planet, although it was wizzing past at 50 mph when we were there.
Stanley was fun with a Geological volcanic plug called the nut.
Back to mainland Aus, and back into Melbourne, then on to the Great Ocean road, viewing the twelve apostles, London bridge which are a tourist must see !!!
Next Portland, Mt Gambier, crossing the border into South Australia, stopping in a place called Tantanoola free camping next to a disused station and railway track
& 9 hole golf course !! yes very surreal.
Then on the Princess highway to Younghusband peninsular where there were thousands of Pelicans descending to their breeding lakes.
Next main destination Adelaide, where Australia turned from pretty to gritty, the landscape now has started a major change, gone the are green gum tree roller coaster roads,now we are into the thousand's of acres of wheat farming & sheep pastures. Adelaide, got the van serviced then the weather went pete tong, flash floods ect!
9 years of drought then we visit, I will charge the Aus govement for my rain making service…
Left Adelaide and on to port Augusta, then on to the Flinders range of mountains cos the lady in the tourist office said its a must see, & only a 2 hr drive.
2 Days later… defo not a 2 hr drive but worth it.
Port Gibbon, population 42, a chap I met on the beech gave me 4 big whiting for tea, bloody friendly lot these Aussies, highlight watching a 1 meter stingray swim past me inches away whilst standing in the surf.
We are following the coast along the Eyre peninsula & towns are getting smaller and further apart the land scape is wheat or sheep.
Tonight we are spending our last night in Cedunal, the last town before crossing the Nulllarbor plain, Nulllarbor means no trees, it has the longest pice of straight road in Aus and overall is 2400 Kms long. we will be ten days crossing the plain and our next stop will be Esperance for Christmas
We have free camped for about for about half of the trip so far, so next update will be when we get to Esperance and I can up load some pics.

xx Ray & Joan
ps don't mention the cricket
 

JJ

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Thanks for the updates Ray and Joan...

Have a great trip and don't worry if you spot angry Aussies in floppy green caps approaching throwing cricket balls at you and the van...

... they'll all miss... :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:

JJ
 
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RayV8
Sep 10, 2007
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Well we crossed the Nulllarbor, in two days, it's bloody long drive, you defo need a i pod or mp3 device as the is no fm radio after 30 km's out Ceduna.
I think there's more than a bit a bit of folk law & romancing talked about this trip by Australians, and no doubt in the 60's when it was still dirt for the most part it was a real adventure, & it still leaves you in ore how the pioneers explored this region back in the 1800's.
We are now in WA, this state is a third in area of Australia, and very different to any thing else we had seen so far.
We arrived In Norseman. one of the longest running gold mining towns in Aus, to say the least we were a little under welmed, this place was dead on it's feet
and they charged me 3$ to dump me poo at the tourist information centre, on the up side the chap at said info centre told us a really good place to free camp,
on the town's heritage trail, only 23k's on a dirt road, near the remains of a dead town called Dunas.
We then went up to Kalgoorie, home of the super pit …………………………………………..
this place was amazing it was the nearest thing we had seen that resembled a city since Adelaide !
I think one of the difficult things to convey about this trip is how weird it is to free camp in the most out the way places and meet really wonderfully friendly people,
truly astonishing.
Well we have arrived in Esperance a little before schedule, so went to a camp at Cape Le Grand national park for three nights, what a fantastic place.
Well Xmas, weather 35C stiff breeze nice swim in the morning red snapper for dinner & xmas pud & custard for pus !!!! how bad is that.
I have posted new pics on photobucket, but no labels yet sorry, any way all the best to all Funsters & happy new year to you all, especially those in Zahora xxx love Ray & Joan
ps i found JJ's Tasmania operation !!!
 
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RayV8
Sep 10, 2007
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Hi all this is what we have been up to........
After leaving Esperance we moved on to Ravensthorpe & Albany, where we spent New year, watched a good firework display had a good drink and
had the oddest taxi ride home ever. The taxi was a old 8 seater minibus, with a sound system like a open air consert PA, must of been worth more than the van !!!
Never herd Metalica that loud before, made my ears bleed ! stopped three nights to get over New Year.
Next stop Windy harbour, there's a clue in that name. Then on through Grace Town, Busselton & Bunbury.
Now Jan10th, travelling to Mandurah we had a very scary experience, some idiot had decided to give us the bush fire experience, words cant describe the sight sound & smell ||! its something I would rather not see again. (pics on photobucket)
Now on to Freemantle & Perth booth interesting places to visit and spend a few days exploring.
Our next port of call was a bit off the tourist track, a place called Goomaling in the central wheat belt area approximately 140 km's inland from Perth, a small farming community of 1100 people & where Joan's cousin had decided buy a house to retire to after 40 years working in Aus as a teacher.
We enjoyed our 2 weeks stay, parking the van in his back yard and helping him move in and clear up the garden. Whilst there we Joined in the Australia Day celebrations
by having breakfast with the community at the sports hall, stuff like this makes me realise how nice it is to have pride in your country & I am a little jealous.
Just before we left, we experienced another bit of extreme Aus weather, a monster wind storm, it ripped down power cables tore off roofs and flattened trees over hundreds of miles,fortunately Joan's cousins house survived with little damage.
Off again on the lap, now making our way up to Geraldtown & Kalbarri after which towns get replaced with roadhouses, where you refuel your self and your vehicle,
and distances increase between stops. Also its getting hotter, max temperature so far has been 42 deg C.
Next stop for a week because of a tropical cyclone brewing is in Denham, a small seaside town near Monkey Mia, where all and sundry go to swim with dolphins,we did
every body should if they can. while we were there we went on a trip on a old ex world racing catamaran to check out the aquatic wild life. grate fun.
The sea temperature was 32 deg C almost too hot !
Next, Coral-bay a pretty little place where you can snorkel 20 meters out from the beach and find your self in beautiful coral gardens, we took a boat trip to snorkel with
Manta rays. booth of us found it a wonderful experience. and on the same trip watched the reef sharks having their teeth cleaned by small fish!
This has taken us up to the middle of March & just over 15000Kms. We are moving on tomorrow further north…….
all the best Joan & Ray.

pics at

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Dalek

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Sounds like your having a great adventure. My niece is living in Broome and they have floods at the moment so cut off I believe. She is loving the lifestyle and how friendly and welcoming people are over there. Enjoy and look forward to reading about your next adventrue.
 
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RayV8
Sep 10, 2007
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Sunday May 22nd

Hi all, we are now 7 month & 26000Kms in to our lap of Australia, we have traveled along the coral coast north then turning inland to Paraburdoo & Tom Price,
iron ore mining towns. We then headed back to the coast taking in Karratha Port Headland, Broom & Derby.
Then in the Kimberley where you have no choice but to leaver the coast & take a big dip south through Fitzroy Crossing & Halls Creek, this is where we started seeing
a lot of Aborigine people, not quite the cultural images you see in the glossy tourist brochures !!!! there a lot of problems to sort here I hope the Aus government succeed
in solving.
I have to say we are feeling a little cheated as this is on the way to the red centre, red it aint, every shade of green you can imagine flora & fauna in abundance,
also the wild life is in overdrive, this is because they have had more rain this year than the last ten.
Australians tell us this is a once in a life time experience to see mainly desert areas so lush, anyway finally back to the coast at Wyndham, one road in one road out,
but the view from the town lookout over the five rivers is stunning !! worth the drive just for that.
next stop Kununurra, and a trip to lake Argyle, there's a camp ground there made out of the workmen's site from where they constructed the dam which created the lake, I think its the world 23rd largest fresh water lake, we did a sunset cruse on the lake, if you ever get to this place, its deafo a must do, thought I seen every thing when, at sunset in the middle of this lake we were swimming,and served Champaign and nibbles on floating trays.
Now across the border into the northern territories, next stop Katherine and on to Darwin, liked this place a lot, even went to pub/club in one of the suburbs to see a live band called Neo they were very good with a repertoire made up of scar reggie and funk, showing me age now !!
We left Darwin to visit Kakdu national park, then back to Katherine, where we decided to go to the Australian iconic rock….
Touristy yes but worth the visit we stopped 25kms outside in a free camp from the resort town of Yulara a impressive place in the middle of nowhere,
yes the rock is special and fantastic to see as the sun goes down, but there other delights in this green desert, the Olgas, Kings canyon all within a couple of hundred kms.
Now I decided as we were in the middle I really did want to see Coober Pedy as we missed it on the way round on the bottom… Opal capital of the world, crazy place piles of rock & holes everywhere, not quite what i expected, and people living a troglodyte existence.
this little detour only added 1200 kms to our journey, I must becoming Australian distance no object !!!
Now the long drive back, through Alice and up to Tennant creek, turn right, this is the second most isolated town in Australia, well that is what the lady in the newsagent/chemist/general store told me, and she gets a payment every six weeks to fly out of town as a sanity brake!!!
Well we eventually arrived at a little place called Karumba in the Gulf of Carpentaria, this is a fishing Mecca where many fishermen come to worship….
We cant believe the bird life we have seen here all the the big predators form Osprey Wedgetail eagles whistling kites buzzards and falcons in their hundreds. absolutely fantastic.
I am still amazed this long into our road trip how friendly these Aussies are, the offers to visit people we have just met don't stop coming, be it in a campsite or a free camp, I just cant get over it.
Any way we are off tomorrow across the base of Cape York to I am not sure yet .

ps no new pics internet not good out here will upload some when in more populated area

All the best Ray & Joan
 
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RayV8
Sep 10, 2007
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Mon 17 oct 2011

Well I have been really lazy, got too busy doing it to write about it, we are now in Fiji enjoying not being in a motorhome for a change.
After a year and just over 36000 Kms we are just chilling out.
We planned to hire a 4wd and go to the tip of Cape York, but had to go all the way south from Cooktown to Cairns to get one, a Toyota land cruiser with a pop top was acquired,
and up we went, to Cape Tribulation then on the 35 km Bloomfield dirt track through the Daintree rain forest, stopping at the lions den, a iconic Aussie boozer.. in the middle of nowhere, this was a good acquaint to off road driving, especially after dire warnings from britz about where I could and could not go, eg the old telegraph road ect.
Cape York is truly amassing, the dirt roads there are only drivable for six months of the year, the place can only be accessed by boat & plane in the wet.
After Weipa a bauxite mining town, you are really out in the booneys it is not the most visited place on the planet, rustic sprigs to mind.
Well we made it to the most northerley point of OZ and have the pics to prove it.
On the trip back we stopped at a Aboriginal dance festival at Laura a real good experience, I had not seen them enjoying them selves this much before, or realised the depth of their culture,
evidently one of the oldest on the planet.
Just to put this part of the trip in perspective it was about 1500 kms on dirt, the black top starts and stops at Cooktown.
We had a stop in Port Douglas and took a dive trip out to the barrier reef, nice but not as good as the Ningaloo reef in WA only my opinion !!! I figure it's had a hard time last year with cyclones and
a lot of run off with the massive wet season last year.
Back to Cairns and return the Toyota, and pick up Lulu to continue southwards, stopping at lots or interesting places like Bramston beach (caught a little hammerhead shark there, only 2 foot long so I let him go and told him if any of his big mates saw me swimming I was a ok pom so don't eat me)
Also plenty of salt water cocks in that area.
Northern Queensland is a loverly coast line, with many interesting towns, mountains, sugar cain fields, just so pretty (and Damp) cant have rain forests without rain !
One highlight was a close encounter with a Cassowary bird, google it, too much to describe it.
One sad bit was seeing the destruction of areas like Mission beach, Tulley Heads from last years cyclone Yatsi, but these Aussies are a resilient bunch and seem to be getting on with rebuilding.
The next 5000 ams to Sydney I could write a book about, so I just will list just a few notable places we passed through,
Cardwell ,Rolling Stone beach, Townsville, Bowen, Airlie beach (trip out to the Whitsundays) Rockhampton (found a pub with a bull riding ring in side it) Gladstone Hervey Bay (went whale watching)
Brisbane ( festival with a fantastic laser show on the river)
A really nice thing we managed was to hook up with motor-homing friends we had met in Europe & the UK that have settled here near the Blue mountains, Bruce & Marion (They send their regards to all the funsters who know them) their new home is only in a small 35 acre plot, we have magic memories sitting on their porch watching the roos lazing in the morning sun.
Finally on to Sydney, and back to the dealership we brought our van from, who were as good as their word and gave us a fair price for Lulu, I have no connection with this company, but have to say
I don't think I would have been looked after so well in the UK, so A BIG thank you to Sydney RV.
What a year, what a country, what a experience. as they say in Aus all good.

Well that us for the time being, we have five weeks in Fiji then on to New Zealand for a couple of months, then back to the UK.

All the best Ray & Joan

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Nov 30, 2009
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Sounds like you have had a fantastic time travelling around Oz.
Wheres a green with envy smiley when you need it::bigsmile:
We would love to do it. Canada too. Dont want to wish my life away, but i hope we can , I hope we are fit healthy as well as wealthy enough to be able to do it when we retire.
 

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