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A little of Melbourne

Two days in town but not many pics to show.

1st day Linda had a must see of the Brighton Bath huts.. how about 3-400K and I thought Sydney house prices were crazy!!!

Then a walk round found us in Scotts Church.

I did a tour of the MCG that was informative and great because there were NO AFL fans in the group, only 6 Indian tourists who Loooove Cricket. 

Anyone who has been there will know it’s Gigantic...

the arraw on the ground are heat lamps to keep the grass alive in the cold weather and the shade.

Bradman & Tendulkar on Bradman’s 80th Birthday

Bradman’s 100 scored at the MCG

The members “Long Room”

Then onto a coffee with Linda in one of Melbourne’s many “Lanes”

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Winter in Vvvvv-Victoria!!!!

First stop over the border was Mallacoota, a peaceful holiday fishing mecca

On the way to Cann River took a walk in the Drummer Rainforest

The Iconic Snowy River Mouth and a camp fire beside

Linda & I do like a good cave

Buchan Cave is a case in point

A funny thing happened at Buchan Caves, while talking to the guide after all other tourist had left, a car pulled up & said Hi Andrew, Linda says, to the driver, Hi Barry, we had met and travelled with Barry & Robyn in the Pilbara of WA in 2015. Amazing, so we were invited to visit them at Lakes Entrance.

Such a good time with them and other travelling friends who were with them.

They have a stunning waterfront address where we camed on the back lawn.

Spot the Red Q

Moved onto Port Albert for a few days camped at the harbour

Went for a drive to Tarra Bulga NP 

A beautiful rainforest walk to Cyathea Falls

Up early for a nice sunrise at Port Albert

With a forcast for strong wind and rain we headed to a van park at Toora for the weekend, which included a short drive to Agnes Falls

and Wilson Prom with the rain & wind

I told you it is COLD

Squeeky Beach

Next stop Melbourne

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2018 a new adventure

We are going to Perth for Christmas via the Flinders Ranges and Alice Springs

The Flinders will be as part of an AOR Rally, guided by a friend who calls South Australia home.

So to get there we decided to explore Victoria in the Winter. 

“You must be mad” they said, “everyone goes north for the winter”

Sure but that means we’ll be the only ones there.

We have been proven sopt on, lovely quiet time with crisp mornings and beautiful days.

Victoria here we come, but first we have a few NSW towns to visit....

Currarong

Kinghorn Point

Ulladulla harbour

Warden Headland

Brou Lake

Potato Point

Narooma

Tilba

Bermagui Coast

Blue Pool

Tathra

300 Year old African couch

Next post Victoria

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A fillup of 2017

Hi to all our friends.

After a long time neglecting my Blog here goes with a brief update.

we continued across the Savannah to Darwin with many highlights along the way.

Lawn Hill

Borrollola

Limmen NP

East Arnhem Land (Nhulunbuy)

After Darwin regroup

Kakadu

Alice Springs, Ellery Creek Big Hole

Ularu

Coober Peady

Birdwood, Barossa Valley

Back to NSW for a family Christmas and the arrival of a beautiful Grand Daughter.

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Georgetown & Croydon

13/08 A short trip to Georgetown for fuel, a friend of a friend who works for the council lives here and we made time for a coffee. Tried numerous times to call with no luck. After lunch in the café Linda asked if they know Peter. Bingo, found him at the council depot and enjoyed an entertaining and informative chat. He suggested we camp at Cumberland Chimney on the way to Croydon. So many nice free camps out here this is another with water for the birds.

14/08

Croydon is a historic gold mining town, home to the oldest store in Australia

Belmore Dam is the towns water supply where we met Phyllis & Bob who are nomads doing a run along the Savannah Way for an article in a magazine.

We meet up several time over the next week and enjoyed their company very much. Black Bull Siding, a free camp shared with Phyllis, Bob and two other campers.

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Cobbold Gorge

11/08 Heading to Cobbold Gorge via Mt Surprise Road to Mt Surprise

Camped at Routh Creek before GeorgeTown and met a young couple from Shoalhaven and Camden who are on their way to Darwin.

Slouth Creek

12/08

Cobbold is a Cattle Station come Tourist attraction. The tour takes us through a walk in the bush for a look into the gorge before a boat trip down the 450m long gorge.

The pioneering pastrolist who named the gorge

Crockodile Rock

Gorge from above

A swim in the infinity pool to cap the day

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Chillagoe

09/08 After the Glass was replaced we got a Polycarbonate sheet for the rear window and replaced the damaged tyre of Coen gutter fame. Linda had a hair cut, shopped till we dropped at Coles and got ready to head west.

10/08 Chillagoe is another historic mining town with limestone caves of fame.

Did a tour through Donna cave, with 12 other nomads and promptly got a cold.

Guess where the cave got its name

Bedroom Curtain

Popcorn??

Exit stairs

Rocks above too!!

Balancing Rock is another Geo feature of the area.

Archways 15k west has some Rock Art

The discovery of Copper, silver, lead, zinc & gold, the Smelter opened in 1901 after the Mareeba-Chillagoe railway was completed.

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Farwell 2017 Cape York bunch

To day we say a sad farewell to Mark, Michelle, Terry & Charmaine. The companionship of our friends has been incomporable on this epic trip and hope to do another trip in the future.

We have to go to Mareeba to get a new rear screen for the Cruiser and they are going to Chillagoe then home to NSW via the Diamontina NP.

As we had a few days to spare we stopped at Bone Lake for the night, got the Kayak wet and put in the Cray fish net.  Only got one Red Claw still, made a nice entrée.

Stopped at Sam Elliott lookout as we missed it on the way in.

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Palmer River Gold Fields

04/08 A place I wanted to visit when we were planning the trip is Palmer River Gold fields so finally going there. The trip in from the main road is very hilly and windy and so took a good 3 hours. The area is still being mined so a lot of road works going. Set up camp at Dogleg Creek rather than take the vans the last 10k to Maytown

The charcoal Burners used Tea Tree & Ironbark to produce fuel for the mine forges.

Maytown is now only a series of small plaques marking each store, posts where once Post Office and Arts Centre once stood and the bakers oven.

Post Office

Bakers

Tin Shed a & historical info

The Flagstone curb & Guttering 

The Creek behind the bakery

05/08

Sunrise after a peaceful night at Dogleg Creek

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Lakefield NP & Laura

01/08 Kalpower rangers are building steps for a new path so I asked where I could wash the car Tom said follow us back to the depot for smoko and you can do it there. He cleared the wash pad and started the Guerni for me. 2 hours later the car looks brandnew… Happy camper Yes…

Before

After

02/08

120k to Laura and the end after 3600k of dirt road and bugger me if we don’t smash the back tailgate window.

Went to the Quinkan and Regional Cultural Centre. The Indigenous tribes of the area are celebrated here and also the Gold mining and settlement by the white pioneers.

We are continually amazed by the settlement history and aboriginal culture of this amazing country we are so fortunate to live in and explore. Split rock just outside Laura is an overhang with Rock Art just a short walk up the hill.

Split Rock

Moving onto Lakeland VP for a few more days rest.

Well I didn’t get much rest as we able to wash cars and vans for $5. I spent all day doing the van looking good.

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South Bound

25/07 Captain Billy Landing greeted us with strong gusty winds and a rubbish free beach all to ourselves, well for 1 night at least.

The beach & our campsite from the headland

Bentwing and Eastern Sheathtail Bats inhabit the caves on the headland, we didn’t go in and disturb them but the smell was enough to confirm their presence.

28/07

A long day of over 300k got us to Chili Beach for a 3night stay. Right on the beach with the Sou-easter blowing a gale nonstop, just like Billy’s. The big difference here is the rubbish that washes in, and a complete lack of shells. Linda had to console herself with a few coconuts that RC had to open.

Portlands Road has a reputable café with a view so we headed there for lunch. 

Very nice it was too.

Locals on the hunt for dinner

29/07

Lockhart River Community is a 50k drive back towards the PDR so a day trip is in order now that Terry & Charmaine have caught up with us again. They had to stay in Bamaga and wait for Terry’s new drivers licence to arrive. The local “Supermarket” didn’t have much we needed, but the beach has a few photogenic granite boulders.

A tree skeleton

Why walk when you can drive?

31/07

Another long drive to Kalpower camp in Lakefield NP

We filled water and fuel at Coen and treated ourselves to a burger or fish & Chips at the pub. From here to Musgrave station the road had been trashed since we went north 4 weeks ago. No broken windscreen this time.

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The very Tip of Australia

21/07 Moved up to Punsand Bay after Siesia closer to the tip and today we made the last 35k trip.

At the tip with Mark & Michelle, Terry & Charmaine

22/07

The Crock Tent tourist trap is at the turn off to Punsand and a must stop

Somerset Beach is a short drive to the East Coast.

7189

This is where the original settlement was before they realized it was too windy and the mooring was not good for ships so it was all moved to Siesia. Siesia was named using the first letter of 6 indigenous families from the area.

Beware the madding crowd

This is where the original settlement was before they realized it was too windy and the mooring was not good for ships so it was all moved to Siesia. Siesia was named using the first letter of the 6 indigenous families 

We took the 5-beach 4WD track for fun to Nanthau Beach.

Sunrise at Punsand Bay 

The half moon looking great even from Punsand Bay

So we have “been there done that” to the tip of the great Southern Land and loved all of it despite the rugged roads.

Heading south soon with a few more spots to check on the way back.

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Thursday Island

17/07 Took a ferry ride to Thursday Island and a tour.

Dirk and his father entertained us on a trip around Thursday Island. TI from Green Hill

The guns on Green Hill were only fired once and that was on a friendly ship.

The museum is full of interesting WWII stuff.

Other gems of TI must wait till after a coffee.

Two TOYotas and a big boys TOY neatly parked outside TOYWORLD

Dirk took us to the Crayfish factory where we lashed out on tails @ $50.00/kg for a later BBQ

We went for a tour of the cemetery to visit Dirks Grandmother.

Bernard Namok designer of the TI flag is honored with a beautiful memorial.

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Above the Jardine

13/07 On the Jardine River Ferry

Made it to Bamaga

14/07 Alau Beach Camp at Umagico just south of Bamaga

We went to the New Mapoon Historical Centre that explains the reprehensible treatment dished out to the Indigenous people at Mapoon.

Alau Beach sunset

15/07

Alau Beach sunrise

A short drive to the DC3 wreck from the 4th May 1945 while enroute from Brisbane to New Guinea & Beaufort bomber crashed during WWII.

Abandoned 44 Gallon drums in the bush

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Cape York Telegraph Track

05/07 Crossed the Wenlock River at Morten Telegraph station on the way to Bramwell Station and the Tele Track

08/07

Hit the Telegraph Track after two days prep at Bramwell Station where we left the vans. What a great 3 days it was. Just a few videos and pics to prove we did it…

Gunshot crossing

Click on the link & click OPEN https://youtu.be/sSJQkeAOL4E

Cockatoo crossing was our first camp on the Tele Track.

09/07

A bridge

A welcome swim at Fruit Bat Falls

Eliot Falls

Twin Falls

The Ford between Fruit Bat & Eliot falls

Click on the link & click OPEN

https://youtu.be/TWGI9URODYA

The only time I needed a winch at Cannibal Creek

The last crossing at Nolans Brook

Click on the link & click OPEN

https://youtu.be/-J3Znp5Fg90ideo

11/07 Jardine River South Side End of the Telegraph Track

The Mighty Jardine River

Back to he PDR and Bramwell to collect the vans.

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Coen and Wiepa

Onward for a free camp on the Coen River but before that I stuffed a brand new BFG tyre on a gutter in town, Aghhhhhh!!!

Crossing the river that we could swim in for the best camp.

Click the link then click OPEN to watch the video

https://youtu.be/tPHHkn8H8vs

29/06

Such a nice spot we stayed 3 days.01/07

On the way to Weipa for two nights at Merluna Station, where the girls cooked a bevy of pizza on the Ziggy BBQ, lovely dinner.

Next day a local Palm Cockatoo came to visit and we were shown the resident pair of Papuan Frogmouth. See if you can spot him camouflaged in the tree.

Papuan Frogmouth

Mrs Frogmouth

02/07 Sunset drinks at Weipa

03/07 Hired a fishing boat with Mark & Michelle for a day and Linda was the only one to catch anything

04/07

Three of our number turned 60 this year and today is Charmaine’s actual birthday so I baked a carrot cake and Linda cooked a 2.5kg leg of lamb, the girls got dressed up and we had a very pleasant evening.

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Cooktown to Musgrave Tele Station

24/06 Saturday Markets for a coffee, dumplings and takeaway Chicken Green Curry for dinner tonight These pics are reward for a short drive to Archer Head

Took a detour to see a waterfall, took some finding as the road turned to a track.

25/06

Now the serious rough stuff starts

Off to Lakefield NP on Battle Camp Road to stay at Kennedy Bend 3 via Old Laura Homestead

Laura Station was created to supply beef to the Palmer River goldfields

The Butchers Block

Its school holidays in NSW & QLD so this is normal-crowds heading Nth & Sth

26/06

Kennedy Bend is right beside the road so it got a bit dusty.

Being Qld NP we booked and had the whole site to ourselves.

There is a Crock in the river sand a sea eagle entertained us by catching a cat fish dragging it to the bank and feasting.

He got a few frights as it thrashed about.

27/06

With 3 nights at Kennedy Bend we took a drive up the road to check out the camps we couldn’t get into.

Old Faithful

Termite mounds

Mick Fien Camp

Kalpower Crossing

28/06 Musgrave Telegraph Station 

The old & the new