JULY 12TH

• 1700   Gelderland accepts Gregorian calendar; yesterday is June 30, 1700
• 1771   James Cook sails Endeavour back to Downs, England
• 1797   Introduction of the merino sheep to Australia
• 1843   Mormon leader Joseph Smith says God allows polygamy
• 1902   Australian parliament agrees to female suffrage
• 1930   Bradman out for 334 in Test Cricket at Headingley, 383 mins, 46 fours
• 1954   President Eisenhower put forward a plan for an interstate highway system
• 1970   Thor Heyerdahl crosses Atlantic on raft Ra II, arrives in Barbados from Morocco in 57 days
• 1997    Term Grey Nomad is coined by ABC documentary filmmakers
• 2011    About 2.6 million trips were taken by 55 to 70 year-old domestic travellers in campervans, caravans, tents and cabins
• 2016    Ray and Jude set off from Perth
• 2017    365 days on the road…….and still laughing together

1. Proper use of the GPS! We are specifically talking about the type of vehicle you identify that you are driving. The TOMTOM pic below shows car with caravan. Our Hema HN7 does not have that option. It has car, bus or truck, so we just chose car. However this led to some very hairy situations and many a cross word! It was only back in May as we were heading to Melbourne that I found the option which literally saved our marriage and our travels. I was thinking about some folk we met who lived in and drove a converted bus.  So I simply chose bus and oh boy what a difference that made to our safety and our sanity. Ok, some of you, maybe many of you, would have tried that much much earlier or even knew to key in bus. However we didn’t so for anyone else out there like us……….choose bus from day one!!!
   

   
2. A comfortable mattress – we had a relatively new memory foam mattress on our bed at home which we loved. When we sold up and moved into the caravan we swapped it with the foam one that came with the van. It made such a difference to our quality of sleep. A year down the track we are still saying, “oh I love my bed!”
3. Think out of the box – there are so many unexpected opportunities that have come our way over the last 12 months. Caretaking at RiverBreeze is the most unexpected and it is so much fun.
4. Relax and Enjoy – take days off to relax and take time to do laundry, cleaning, and cook leisurely. Walk places, play card games, or simply read a book outdoors. Don’t feel as if you need to constantly be sightseeing and spending money to have an experience.
5. LAUGH!!!!!!!!!!! No matter what, always laugh, always look for the silver lining, always look on the bright side of life!
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

We have been at RiverBreeze Caravan and Cabin Park for seven weeks now and are thoroughly enjoying our time here. The park isn’t too busy with tourists at present as we are in the early part of winter. However Ray is keeping very busy by helping Greg (the owner) with a variety of projects to enhance the park.  This is keeping Ray quite fit as is their regular early morning cycling.

The weather has been up and down with a mixture of sunny and wet/windy days but that is to be expected in winter! This has provided a vastly changing landscape out of the caravan window and below are a selection of pics taken on site over recent weeks.

We are situated on the tidal Duck River which is full of birdlife. I am getting great enjoyment from photographing them. I have even been fortunate enough to see the white form of the Grey Goshawk which is on the Tasmanian Endangered Species list.

Some of the other birds seen regularly include, Royal Spoonbill, Great Egret, White Faced Heron, Night Heron, Pelican, Pacific Gull and a variety of Cormorants and ducks.

The weekend before heading to Tasmania we stayed in Mount Gambier, South Australia. Jude’s mum Ess was born there and we actually arrived on what would have been her 94th birthday. The next day was Mother’s Day.  We immediately went to The Blue Lake which Ess spoke so fondly about for so many years. It is beautiful and we can fully appreciate why she loved it so much. Happy birthday mum!

We watched the most amazing documentary called Volcano which showed the incredible story of the eight major eruptions that created Mount Gambier. This is how the Blue Lake and other smaller lakes were formed. Check out the link to a preview – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iy93M5w5qV0

We had an amazing time exploring Mount Gambier. An unexpected but delightful way to remember mum on her birthday/mother’s day weekend. Pics are of The Cave Garden, The Main Corner Gallery and the Umpherston Sinkhole sunken garden.

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HORSE

Late March saw us head to the Victorian High Country to the small town of Corryong. We were attending the Man From Snowy River Festival.It is a unique bush gathering of mountain riders, poets, artists and lovers of the Australian High Country and pioneering spirit. Held every April, the Festival brings together people from around Australia as well as international visitors to celebrate traditional high country and bush culture and in particular the imagery created by AB Banjo Paterson’s and Australia’s most famous poem “The Man From Snowy River!” Click on this link and watch a YouTube video of Paterson himself reading the poem.

We camped seven nights at the Golf Course in Corryong along with about 700 other caravans/motorhomes/fifthwheelers etc. There was a great community spirit and we couldn’t have asked for better weather – sunshine and blue skies.

We attended a reenactment of the poem, watched a rodeo, learnt what it takes to break in a wild horse, visited the local museum and listened to a variety of singers and poets.

CROW

The following weekend found us in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, at The Stone The Crows Festival – this is a unique event designed specifically for Grey Nomads. It is held every Easter at the Australian Clay Target Association grounds. Approx 500 Caravans/Motorhomes/Fifthwheelers etc set up camp on the field for either 7 or 4 nights. We stayed for the seven nights and enjoyed a variety of entertainment, games, woodwork and craft, ukulele tuition, talent quest, trivia, open day markets, and the signature event the Stoning of the Crows! We enjoyed it soooooo much that we have already booked for next year!

Some of the acts we saw were – Mike McClellan who has long been regarded as one of the finest singer, songwriter, guitarists Australia has ever produced. Darren Carr, comedian and ventriloquist who has won numerous awards and appeared on Australia’s Got Talent. Jackie Kerin and Sarah Depasquale, story teller and violinist who enthralled us with a story called Tales from the Flyway – we highly recommend you click on the link and find out more about this duo.

PELICAN

The final festival we attended was in Goolwa, South Australia – The South Australian Wooden Boat Festival and it is only held every two years. The Pelican of the blog title is Mr Percival from the book Stormboy by Colin Thiele. The book was written in 1964 and the movie was filmed in and around Goolwa in 1976. The wooden boat used in the movie has been kept in Goolwa and was on display during the festival. Jude used to holiday in Goolwa when she was a child as her Auntie and Uncle lived in the town.

Once again we had brilliant weather with sunshine and blue skies. We went for a cruise on the PS Oscar W their flagship paddlesteamer – watched the grand parade of all boats old and new, small and large, steam and sail. Enjoyed listening to the entertainment and checking out the variety of stalls on offer and were spellbound by a superb fireworks display over the bridge.

The day after the family flew back to the UK, we joined Jude’s sister and brother-in-law (Annette and Jock) in Denmark. Denmark is in the south west of Western Australia, not the one in Europe! We went to the Rivermouth Caravan Park where we had a powered site next to Annette and Jock who had come down with their camper trailer. Jude’s mum and dad used to stay here regularly and it was easy to see why they loved it so much. Situated right on the banks of the river which was teaming with wildlife, particularly the Australian Pelican.

We had a great six days of fun,laughter and exploration. We cooked and ate our evening meals at the camp kitchen which was very well equipped and took picnic lunches out on day trips. We did however have a couple of meals out. The first being fish and chips from Denmark town and the food was so yummy. The second was at a cafe in Albany next to the Anzac Museum. Again,very yummy food and good prices. We visited the Treetops Walk in Walpole, Greens Pool which was so beautiful, drove to Albany to view the Anzac Museum which was very poignant and informative. We also had a wonderful morning in Mount Barker catching up with long time family friends, Kaye and Darryl. We hadn’t seen them for a few years and it was great spending time with them. We also played games, chatted, went for walks, got up early to view the magnificent sunrise and generally chilled out and relaxed.

On the most part we had very good weather but there were a couple of days where it was quite humid. The forecast kept indicating possible rain and thunderstorms but we didn’t get any such thing. Too soon and our time together was at an end and we made our way back to Perth. We would thoroughly recommend a visit to Denmark and surrounding areas. We hope our pictures whet your appetite to head on down in the not too distant future.

February saw Becky, Ben, Kia, Evie and Austin arrive from the UK for a three week holiday. We stayed at the Karrinyup Waters Resort in Western Australia. We had a powered site and the family stayed in a lovely roomy cabin.

We are going to hand over the rest of the story to Becky……….

Our Pommy adventure with the Smiffs began on the 5th of February 2017 and lasted for a jam packed, action filled, amazing 3 weeks. We stayed in a cabin at the beautiful Karrinyup Waters Resort with Dad and Jude who pitched up just a few doors down. The site was clean, very spacious and had 3 great swimming pools, play park for the kiddies and BBQ facilities on site. We spent a day or two settling in and then the fun began…….This is what happened……

Our first week consisted of mainly visiting family, and rain!…. Yes rain! This was the week that Perth was hit by torrential downpours and flooding, it’s second wettest February on record – but this didn’t stop us! Luckily the week started off bright and sunny and while the sun was out we got to enjoy The Maze at Bullsbrook which was fantastic for us adults as well as the kids! Lots to see and do and we even managed to cook up a little BBQ in the park for lunch. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the splash park which was also located within the park…. these types of places are always so great for the kids and such good value for money which is one thing that is very different from the UK!

As the week continued we caught up with family and friends for lunches, dinners and drinks and during this time we also celebrated Austin’s 3rd birthday at Aunty Nettie’s and Uncle Jock’s place in Baldivis. We enjoyed a feast of  traditional party food consisting of ‘little boy’ sausages, fairy bread and of course an ice cream birthday cake. We played pass the parcel and had a pinata to keep us entertained… even if Daddy (Ben!) did have his knuckles wrapped a few times! Ouch!… We always feel so at home here and when we visit family and friends it is always home from home. We are very lucky to have such a loving, extended family who we know will always welcome us with open arms

We also caught up with Kathy and Michael for a BBQ tea. There was lots of great conversation and laughter, yummy food, and various backyard games. We first met Kathy and Mike when they come over for Dad and Jude’s wedding in the UK and they have treated us like family ever since. We get spoilt by their amazing hospitality… They also came to the airport to see us off until the next time. Thank you guys!

As our second week came around the weather began to cheer up and we looked forward to our trip to Adventure World in Perth on the Monday. This has become a traditional trip for us and we endeavour to go every time we visit! This time there were lots more to do such as The Abyss ride, The Inferno and not forgetting The Kraken!! We also caught up with our friend Jaye who used to work with dad at the City of Melville.  We hadn’t seen Jaye for three years and it was awesome spending time with her at Adventure World. We all love this place and it will be somewhere that I am sure we will have membership for when we finally make our home in Aussie land!

Also during this week we visited Hillary’s Marina where we had the most yummiest burgers and had a great time on the beach and playing around on the pontoon and slides which sit out on the water in the harbour. This is also home to Nemo’s fish and chip bar that does the best battered feta… a very very naughty treat! The kids love to try and catch the little fish and Evie eventually, after much perseverance and patience, managed to catch a fair few… she was extremely proud of this and the other kids on the beach started doing the same and they ended up with a little aquarium going on!

On the two Thursday evening’s, Ben had a chance to train with the Fremantle Swan Dragon Boat Club team which was an amazing experience for him. Ben participates in a Dragon Boats over here in the UK for a little team in Tunbridge Wells so this was a big deal to him. He absolutely loved this chance and I would say that this was one of the top highlights of the trip for him. To say he was battered and bruised is an understatement but the smile and the knowledge he brought away with him is priceless. Again this would most definitely be Ben’s hobby when we are finally there…..

The week ended with a sleepover with cousin Arienne which the girls really enjoyed… even if not much sleep was had!

Our final week started with the most amazing trip ever….. Swimming with the wild Dolphins!  This has got to be one of the best experiences we have ever done… Rockingham Dolphin encounters tours are by far the best way to get up close with these mystical creatures. We managed to see a fair few and got some good footage on the GoPro… until you watch this back you don’t realise just how close they come up to you! This trip is just great and one that I know will stay with me forever. Definitely one to do again!

During this week we also visited Peel Zoo. This is an amazing little zoo that gives you a real hands on experience! We have visited before and we just love it! You can get in with the Kangaroos and even make the Cocky’s dance! (we do have this on video, one of Jude’s little talents!)…. Another great family place and also somewhere for the kids to not only enjoy but also learn from too. Its great going back to places because we get to see the animals we have seen in previous years which just goes to show how well these animals are looked after. A super day out!

We next visited two of my favourite places…. Fremantle Markets and Cottesloe Beach!

Fremantle markets is just full of life, wonderful smells and a fantastic array of stalls full of all kinds of treasures! Yes you get the tacky ones like anywhere with a bit of tourism but here you also get beautiful homemade products from clothing to cheese boards (which we purchased!). Kia had some beautiful henna done here at a very reasonable price so she was very pleased with her purchase! The fruit stalls are to die for and we highly recommend the sweet mangos! Yummo!

After all that shopping what better place to go but to the beach……

Cottesloe Beach was around 30 mins from the resort and it is one of my faves…. We hired a paddle board for this trip which was great but the area where you paddle is very wavy so not so great to swim. Just along from here is the swimmers bay which is much calmer and just perfect for the whole family. We love it here.. It’s clean, white sands are super soft and the water is crystal clear… Lots of reassurance from the life guards which makes this beach great for safety. Plenty of beach shops and lovely cafes to grab lunches and of course ice creams! One of the best…..

We also made a visit to friends Sue and Doug where we also celebrated Sue’s birthday and again Austin got in on this one too! We have met Sue and Doug a few times and they too make us feel like family. Thank you guys!

As our final week came to a close we knew it was nearly time to say goodbye ….. We hate this bit but we had had the best, fun packed 3 weeks ever with lots of amazing memories to take home with us. We miss our Aussie family so so much and we miss Australia with a passion, but this is what spurs us on to work that little bit harder and push that little bit harder to get out there too…. One day in the next couple of years we aim to be settled in Australia with our family and friends around us all the time but until then….. it’s not goodbye, its ‘see ya later’

Thank you Dad and Jude for the love, time and amazing memories…. We miss you everyday but if it wasn’t for you moving out all those years ago we wouldn’t have had these chances to visit. We will also look forward to seeing more of Australia, just like you are doing now, in the future….  Safe travels! and see ya soon! xxxxxx

Thank you Becky for such a glowing and detailed report! We too had such fun and miss you more than words can say. We look forward to the next visit, or indeed, you all emigrating to Oz!! Love you all millions and millions, Pop and Mummy Roo. xxxxxxx

January 9th saw us board the Spirit of Tasmania in Devonport, Tasmania, for our ten hour ferry crossing over Bass Strait to the Port of Melbourne, Victoria. It was a day crossing and we had to be at the port by 6.30am for a departure time of 9am. We had booked a cabin so we would have somewhere comfortable to relax and/or have a sleep.  That was the best decision as we arrived at 6.30pm very refreshed and ready to drive two hours west to our first overnight stop. It was a beautiful calm crossing and seeing Devonport from the sea was really special. The mountain range, Great Western Tiers, rose majestically behind the city.

Disembarking the ferry went very smoothly. After a slow meander through the Melbourne back streets and over the West Gate Bridge, one of the highest bridges in Australia, we got onto the M1/M8 and drove two hours to Haddon, just west of Ballarat. We stayed the night at the local Lions Park – no, it wasn’t in a zoo!  The next morning we set off for Nhill in Victoria but made such good time, we carried on another couple of hours over the border to Tintinara in South Australia.  We free camped behind the grain terminal which was a lovely spot looked after by the Tintinara Action Club.

After another good night’s sleep we set off for Moana Beach Tourist Park, just south of Adelaide. We stayed there four nights and it was a beautiful location right opposite the beach. Whilst there we caught up with some of our South Australian family. Lunch at a local cafe with Jill and Brian with yummy food, lots of laughter and great company. Then the next day a visit to the home of Max and Diana,before having lunch with them at Fasta Pasta. More good food, laughter and great company.

On Sunday 15th we departed Adelaide and made the long journey to Port Augusta where we stayed overnight behind the local sports club. That night we caught up with more family and had dinner with Jen, Garry, Elizabeth and John. Yet more good food, laughter and great company. Next morning we set off for Penong Caravan Park where we would stay two nights before the final leg of the Nullarbor. We passed through Kimba which has the Big Galah and is the half way point across Australia. Penong is home to a windmill museum which houses the largest windmill in Australia. It was incredibly hot on our second day and outside reached 46 degrees Celcius. We stayed inside the van with the cool of our air conditioner!!

So we left Devonport on Monday 9th January, had four days in Adelaide and been on the road again for three days. It is now Wednesday 18th January and we leave Penong and head off across the Nullarbor Plain – Eyre Highway.

The temperature had dropped dramatically and was only about 28 degrees but when we got to the Nullarbor Roadhouse the wind had picked up and was almost galeforce. We refuelled and then parked up to have some lunch in the van. Wow, what a rocking time we had as the winds blew and blew. We took off and five minutes down the road we came across two men walking on the side of the highway pushing what looked like heavily laden prams!

Just before we got to a town called Eucla we came to the SA/WA border and had to stop at the quarantine checkpoint. Both the car and the caravan were thoroughly searched by an inspector. We had already used up all our fresh fruit and vegetables but unfortunately she wouldn’t let us keep our jar of honey. Even though we had bought the honey in WA before we left last July, she confiscated it! We drove on and into Eucla and we were back in Western Australia. From there we drove through Mundrabilla, Madura, Cocklebiddy and half way to Caiguna before pulling into a rest area and parking up for the night. We had driven nearly 800km from Penong.

Up early the next morning, Thursday 19th, and we decided to turn left at Norseman and head down south towards Esperance and then onto Bunbury where Jude’s brother Wayne lives. Jude’s sister Annette and brother-in-law Jock were going to be there Saturday night and we wanted to surprise them. They thought we were going to turn right at Norseman and head towards Kalgoorlie and finally Muchea. Therefore they weren’t expecting to see us until mid week.

We ended up in a small town called Gibson which is 15 minutes out of Esperance. The hotel there allow people to free camp on the field next door. We had a drink and dinner at the pub which was really nice. The next morning, Friday, we set off for Wagin where we were going to be staying the night at the showgrounds. We would be driving through the wheatbelt towns of Ravensthorpe, Lake King, Newdegate, Lake Grace, and Dumbleyung.

The day before Jude had heard from a friend who said she was travelling to Newdegate on the Friday to visit her sister Dot. Phyllis said she would be travelling with another sister Marg and her brother-in-law Jeff. We stopped at Newdegate for fuel and a bit of lunch. About an hour after we left, Jude text Phyl to say we had been through Newdegate. Phyl text back and they were still on their way and were just coming through Wagin, then Dumbleyung. There was no doubt we were on the same road and would pass each other. We exchanged our car details – bit hard to miss a white Patrol with a big red kayak on the roof and pulling a caravan!  Sure enough over the brow of the hill came a car and it started flashing it’s lights. We slowed down and there was Phyl hanging out the window waving furiously! We stopped and pulled over and Jeff turned around and pulled up behind us. We all got out and had a laugh and chat. Jude hadn’t seen Marg and Jeff for many many years. What an amazing coincidence – of all the roads in all of Australia and we should be on the same one at the same time. It was so great to catch up with them.

So on we went and came to the town of Dumbleyung. Lake Dumbleyung was made famous in the 1960s when Donald Campbell broke the water speed record in his Bluebird boat travelling at a speed of 444.66 kilometres per hour.There is a replica of his boat in the town. Then onto Wagin which is “famous” for it’s Big Ram! We found the showgrounds and set up on a site with power and water. A visit to the local supermarket to stock up and then to the park to check out Mr Ram!!

Saturday 21st – we depart Wagin and drive the 179km to Bunbury and the penultimate stop before Muchea. It was another very interesting drive through countryside and towns that we had not visited before – Arthur River, Darkin, Muja and Collie. We arrived at Wayne’s house about 11am. Shortly after his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Kevin and Judy came over, then about an hour later Annette and Jock arrived. They were stunned and very pleased to see the travelling Smiffs!!!

We are currently based up at Muchea sorting out the caravan and going through our shipping container to see what we do and don’t need. On the 5th February Becky, Ben,Kia, Evie and Austin arrive from the UK for a three week holiday. We can’t wait to see them!!!

Christmas Day was spent at RiverBreeze Caravan park and mother nature finally turned on the best weather we could have asked for.  Beautiful blue skies, sunshine and the perfect temperature. Lunch was taken on the deck overlooking the Duck River. We were joined by Bob, our new mate who lives at the park.

The menu included seafood, cold meat, mashed potatoes, and was washed down with champagne! We also enjoyed a very tasty homemade Christmas cake that was kindly given to us back in July before we left Perth. Cathy, the wife of Paul, a friend and former work colleague of Ray, made the cake and it was soooo yummy.

After a very enjoyable and relaxing lunch, we sat chatting and laughing the afternoon away. Before we knew it, Greg, the owner arrived and the evening festivities began. A wonderful buffet meal followed by a show from the big boys and their toys!

On the 29th December we finally arrived back in Hobart. Two weeks in Smithton turned into over two months! But we wanted to see the yachts from the Sydney to Hobart race and go to the Taste of Tasmania New Year’s Eve celebrations.

So farewell to an amazing 2016 and welcome to 2017 and all the new adventures and experiences to come!

Ray sent up his drone to capture the beauty and majesty of the Linda Valley, Lake Burbery and the open cut mine, outside Queenstown, Tasmania. It was actually a very windy day and the higher the drone went the stronger the winds were. In the video there are a couple of moments where the footage is a little wobbly! It was a struggle at times to keep control of the drone and prevent it from hurtling to the ground.  Nonetheless we hope you enjoy this short video.