Yowie Bay to Broken Hill
Heading off
This year we have the same caravan, but a new car. You can tell it's a new car as the number plate is green on white, whereas the old car had a number plate that was white on green!
The main purpose of our trip is to go camping on the beach at Ningaloo Reef/Exmouth. We tried last year, but were foiled by COVID and travel restrictions. Our kids are flying up to meet us and we've hired all their camping gear for a great stay on the beach. The major question was, which way do we go to get to Exmouth.
The floods in northern Australia had closed a few of the roads we wanted to use. First being the Plenty Highway/Donohue Highway from Boulia to Alice Springs. Right up to the week before we left they were closed. Then they opened as they had dried out.
The trip Plan A was a total of 6,101 kms, Yowie Bay to Exmouth.
Plan A
But COVID struck Brisbane and of course Western Australia closed their border to all of Queensland. So that meant we had to be flexible. So Plan B came into effect.
Plan B was a total of 6,392 kms. We can live with an extra 300 kms, easy peasy!
Plan B
However the Gary Junction Road from Alice Springs to Marble Bar is still closed in parts and is very questionable in others and I don't want to be fighting with mud and changing tyres.
Last night over dinner at the Palace Hotel (known for the Priscilla, Queen of the Desert movie) we bit the bullet and decided to head across the Nullarbor for an easy trip and them come home via the Gary Junction Road.
Plan C
Plan C is a total of 6,537 kms. OK, an extra 400 kms, but much faster driving as its all tar, no dirt roads.
Certainly in these difficult times you have to be very flexible in your planning.
Our first night was at Kendall Showgrounds. A really nice stop and we enjoyed the cows and calves on the other side of the fence.
Then it was on to Coffs Harbour to meet up with the Fritters and Shippers for Easter. Alexis flew up and Justin and Mel drove up with Casper.
On the way we stopped and had our van and car weighed to make sure we were legal. We're allowed to have a total combined weight of 7.8 tonne.
Luckily we came in at 7.6 tonne.
The van came in at exactly 4.00 tonne, right on the limit and it had 200L of water in it, so easy to adjust downwards.
Easter was especially nice with all the family and kids there. The Easter Egg hunt was really good and Megan did a marvellous job of looking after everyone.
Jason and Sam joined us too in their fancy new camping setup.
On Saturday, Cousin Linda and Henry drove up from Laurieton to visit for the day. We haven't seen them for ages, so it was lovely to catch up with what's going on in their lives, and their kids on the other side of the world.
Easter Egg Hunt
Even Elliot enjoyed her first Easter Egg Hunt
One day was spent down at Pete's Beach where Peter has been the sole owner and operator of Coffs Jetski Hire which he started in 1988. Jayne and Chuck have known Peter for around 60 years, and he and Chuck have stayed best mates all this time. Peter is a very generous guy, so those that wanted a jetski ride were able to race around in the water, while others watched on from the shore. Thankfully it didn't rain while we were there!
Casper enjoyed the Jet Skiing as well
Alexis and Casper
Justin setting off
Justin returning, alive!
Jet Skiing done and dusted, thanks Peter!
The bluff at the top of Moonee Beach was one of Shane's favourite places, and an important location for his ashes. We felt very privileged to be part of this special ceremony. It was a very sombre occasion, but the kids always bring out the best in any situation.
View from the top of Moonee Green Bluff
Getting things ready
Osric and Shacky had the important job of placing Shane's ashes into the ground
A good looking bunch
A good looking boy! But I'm biased.
As usual it rained at Coffs, and continued with heavy rain the day we left, making the packing up a very damp occasion.
The plan was to head west from Coffs, but we had to again change our plans as the Dorrigo Road was closed due to a landslide caused by excess rain! So we had to head north to Grafton and go west from there.
This meant going up the mountains on a road that wasn't quite as windy as the Dorrigo Road, regardless we had a "close encounter" with a B-Double cattle truck between Grafton and Glenn Innes.
We had to stop after this to make sure he didn't hit us. Luckily everything was ok. Quite a heart starter!
Then when we got to Walgett the road to Brewarrina/Bourke was closed from the flood waters coming down from Queensland. So we had to head south to get to Broken Hill. Talk about being flexible!
We then stopped at Bingara Gwydir River Common Camp and dried out.
Bingara
The drive through the outback was spectacular and lush green as far as you could see. So different from previous trips during the long drought, where the landscape was dry and brown. With so much feed around now, there were no dead kangaroos to dodge on the road either. We did notice though that there wasn't much stock around, as the farms have been destocked because of the drought. So the poor farmers have lush fields and nothing to eat it. They can't take a trick.
We spent a night at Warrawong on the Darling in Wilcannia, and it was terrific to see so much water flowing down the Darling River. We've had 2 nights in Broken Hill to reassess our trip and have a bit of a rest. We've managed to use $75 of our NSW COVID Vouchers at the pub for dinner, and cafe for lunch.
We've lost count of the number of times we've been to Broken Hill, but there's always something different to do and see here. Yesterday we had mornos (morning tea) at Bells Milkbar, the oldest in Australia. They certainly had some interesting paraphernalia in the museum out the back.
Stargazing
Quite unique
An original Esky and what TV's used to look like (sitting on top of a pie warmer)
Check out the venetian blinds in the background.
We leave Broken Hill today and head to Streaky Bay, or at least that's the plan right now. With our flexible planning arrangements these days we could end up anywhere!
Plan C2 = actual