Western Australia

Greetings, fellow wanderlust enthusiasts! Strap in, because we’re about to take you on an exhilarating journey through the vast and awe-inspiring landscapes of Western Australia.

Kimba Stopover: A Christmas Feast in the Outback Oasis

The adventure kicked off as we set our sights on the West Coast. The Kimba stopover, with its free amenities and a charming camp kitchen, became our impromptu Christmas haven. Picture this: a scenic Christmas dinner in the heart of Australia, surrounded by loved ones and the vast expanse of the outback. It might not have been the plan, but it was a memorable celebration.

Once again, our family’s Christmas festivities fell victim to the relentless grasp of COVID. On the 23rd of December, both Belinda and Brianna, feeling under the weather, decided to take a COVID test, revealing the unwelcome news that they were both positive. A COVID Christmas struck us once more, forcing us to forgo our traditional family celebrations.

On the 25th of December, amidst the wishes of a Merry Christmas to all, we found solace in a delightful breakfast. Despite the setback, our family exchanged joyful gifts, creating a cheerful atmosphere. Before long, we embarked on our journey to the west coast of Australia, planning to rendezvous with Ma and Pa Kettle along the way. After a five-hour drive, we arrived at the Kimba stopover area—a free haven equipped with showers, toilets, and an impressive camp kitchen. Despite the closed township, a brief stroll around the area preceded our return to the vans, where we indulged in a heartwarming Christmas dinner.

As the sun rose the following day, we headed to the local roadhouse to refuel and capture a quick photo of the colossal Galah. Here, we learned about the halfway point across Australia from the East to the West coast and discovered the concept of “The Bigs of Oz,” adding an exciting layer to our journey as we tried to cross as many as we could.

Transitioning from the familiar towns and bitumen roads, our journey took us through Ceduna, Penong, Nullarbor Roadhouse, Border Village, Eucla, Cocklebiddy and Norseman, eventually leading us to our initial tourist destination—Kalgoorlie.

Our arrival was marked by traversing the renowned 145.6km (90 mile) straight stretch of road, admittedly as monotonous as bat turds. However, we embraced the challenge, knowing we would have to conquer it again on our return journey. Disappointingly, the absence of a WA/SA border crossing greeted us, with the area seemingly gated off, perhaps undergoing renovations. Nevertheless, we seized the opportunity to capture the iconic Rooey II photo, as he appeared to be celebrating the love for Vegemite.

Kalgoorlie: Where Gold History Meets SuperPit Splendor

Kalgoorlie, with its golden mining history, beckoned us with tales of the world’s richest square mile on earth. The SuperPit, a colossal gold mining operation, left us in awe of its sheer size and the industrial marvel it represents. From getting lost in the caravan park to witnessing mammoth trucks and shovels in action, Kalgoorlie became a chapter of our road trip filled with unexpected twists and fascinating discoveries.

Embark on a thrilling journey to Kalgoorlie, a town steeped in gold mining history that promises excitement and awe-inspiring tales. In 1893, Patrick Hannan’s accidental discovery of gold in the area led to the establishment of the renowned Golden Mile, once celebrated as the world’s richest square mile on Earth. Today, the massive SuperPit, operated by KCGM, dominates the landscape with its impressive size and cutting-edge gold production methods.

Highlight Reel

Mum & Tom appeared to get lost on arrival in the caravan park, we had basically setup before they even found the site… then proceeded to take 20 minutes to reverse the car into the 20-metre-wide site, after 9 attempts I could no longer watch and had to give some aid, it had been about 3 years since the van was last used.

Hannan’s Tourist Mine, a historic storytelling mine site, is a little like Ballart, but the impressive part was by far the size of the trucks they now use in the SuperPit, these beasts weigh around 166 tonnes and can carry 250 tonnes. The Shovels (or dozers) weigh 750 tonnes and each bucket carries around 68.5 tonnes.

The SuperPit itself is mind-blowing to see, we were disappointed that the tours were fully booked and would have been good to see it a little closer but still worth the trek to have a look. It is approx. 3.5km long, 1.5km wide and over 600m deep, and blasting still occurs on average 3-4 times a week, look it up to see if you can experience this one.

Did someone KFC, for the second time, imagine, we packed up the caravans, Mum & Tom following me, I turn left, head out the caravan park, and turn left again onto the main road, pull over and wait, wait and waiting…. After about 5 minutes I gave them a shout, yep, they got lost in the caravan park again and couldn’t find the exit. Kept us amused.

Perth: Segway Tours, Fireworks, and Rottnest Island Delights
Perth welcomed us with open arms, and we dived headfirst into exploring the city. A Segway tour of Kings Park, New Year’s Eve festivities, and a ferry ride to Rottnest Island added a touch of magic to our journey. Quokkas, historic sites, and unexpected adventures awaited us, making Perth a highlight of our road trip.

We left Kalgoorlie and headed our way to Perth, but we were wanting to slip past the Wave Rock, on closer inspection and about 30kms we soon realised the only way in was on the dirt, no dirt for us so we had to backtrack out and start again, technology let us down except for my car GPS where it stated 140kms would take 5 hours, that was the start of the dirt.

Soon enough we were heading down the freeway and overlooking the Perth skyline, but we still had about 25kms to go as we opted to stay a little south of Fremantle at Woodman Point, a very tight entrance provided a couple of tense moments but after a little manoeuvring we were soon enough setup for the next 7 days.

Highlight Reel

31^st of December, we drove into Perth and headed to the harbour for our Segway Tour of Kings Park, a good chance to see the CBD and speak with a local for all those inside tips – like where are the fireworks tonight etc. After the Segway tour, we walked around the CBD and headed to the shops (insert sigh here), we found ourselves in between Malls with a couple of little quirky lanes, which kept me interested, I guess.

New Year’s Eve, we ate at some fancy Italian Restaurant where Mum didn’t read the fine print and almost chocked on her Chilli Crab Ravioli, after dinner we started walking the 3km trek to Glouchester Park, you see, we found out earlier that day that there are limited fireworks in the CBD for midnight, while they have them for the kids at 9:00pm they do not at 12:00am. Mum and Tom opted to head back to the caravan park as Tom had hurt his knee but we ploughed onto the Park, we met some more locals who advised us to take a small walk down the round and you will find a pub where we could get a drink until it gets closer to midnight. #Firework Video

1st of January, Happy New Year, lucky for us we didn’t have a big night as we were soon racing to the docklands to board our Ferry across to Rotness Island, after a small 40-minute journey – all a shore! Sounded loud and clear, we collected our hire bikes and were off for the day while the oldies had booked a bus tour. We headed off to the first swimming beach to have a look, bang, crash, oh shiet, some dude had fair and square slammed into Emily while riding her bike causing her to somersault in the air and landing heavily on her backside. After a moment or 2, we soon dusted her off and jumped back onto the bikes to enjoy, with caution, the remainder of our bike-style island life. We climbed up to Oliver Hill Battery which played a huge role during the war to keep those enemy ships at sea. We soon found our way back to where it started and some of the girls went for a swim, but before we knew it we were being advised to get out of the water due to a shark in the area, we wandered back to the main strip where the quokka’s seemed to come out and play for the afternoon meet n greet. #RotnessIsland Video

Fremantle Prison must see activity, in fact, its WA’s only world heritage listed building, the most intact convict establishment in the southern hemisphere built by convicts and was still an operating goal until its closure in 1991. While at the Fremantle Prison, we opted to do partake in the tunnels tour, this was not what we were expecting but still a great adventure, as you descend 20 metres below the prison and walk, paddle in a labyrinth of tunnels underneath the goal, this was also built by the prisoners and was used as a main water supply for Perth. #FremantlePrison Video

We also had a crack on the electric go-karts, I lost (yes you read right) at glow-in-the-dark mini golf, I did not have my glasses with me, of course, no holiday would be without its normal DFO visit. Lastly, we got wind that the strikers were playing at Optus Oval, they lost but still very entertaining and an experience.

Margaret River: Gourmet Delights, Jetty Trains, and Augusta’s Coastal Magic
As we journeyed back home, Margaret River unfolded its treasures. From the electric jetty train in Busselton to the rugged beauty of Augusta, we indulged in gourmet delights, explored natural wonders, and revelled in the laid-back atmosphere of this enchanting region.

With the caravans packed, we started the 2-week journey back home, but of course, we still had plenty in the tank as we were taking in the Southern-West Coastline of Australia and had plenty of stops to go on our Western Australia trip, next stop being a farm stay in Margaret River.

Margaret River is best known for its tall timber forests that cover a rich jewel cave system with thundering surfers break just a short drive to the ocean, not to forget the gourmet food, breweries, and distilleries and with all that local produce yummo was everywhere.

Highlight Reel

Busselton, we hoped on the 100% electric, solar-powered jetty train across the ocean to the end of the Southern Hemisphere’s longest wood-piled jetty, measuring about 1.8km out to sea. Disembarking the train we descended 8m into the underwater observatory to take in all the natural ocean life this wonder had to offer.

Augusta, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse to be precise is where the Indian and Southern Ocean waters kiss to make those sparkling white caps (waves) but even more special is that during the colder months of the year, it is very common to see the migrating humpback whales gather.

We had a blast of day which started at the local farmers market and we soon ended up at Yallingup Maze n Mini-Golf, I wanted redemption. This mini-golf track was by far the best course we have played in Australia, while it didn’t have the glitz like American Mini-Golf tracks, this was as close as to real golf but with only a putter in tow, it had water hazards and sand bunkers the like to keep you on your game.

Albany: Anzac Memorials, Globeriding, and Granite Skywalk Thrills
Albany, steeped in history, became a poignant stop on our route. Anzac memorials, globe-riding adventures, and the breathtaking Granite Skywalk added layers of excitement to our road trip. It was a blend of history, nature, and thrilling activities that made Albany a standout destination.

Dramatic deep blue coastline, craggy cliff faces surround this town which enriched deeply into Australia’s history during the First World War. Albany was the departure site for the troops on the battlefields during World War One and there is a remarkable ANZAC memorial where you can take a moment to pay tribute to all those who went to war. From the memorial aka Mt. Clarence, you have sweeping views of Albany and the coastline that surrounds this historic town.

Highlights

On the way to Albany, we stopped into a small town to support a local business that operated the pemtram, this is a little family-owned business now that takes you for a meander through the towering Karri and Marri forest, over trestle bridges that span rivers and streams stopping at Cascades, a water stream where you can enjoy a packed lunch and some rays.

If you fail to try again, after 2 previous attempts (at least) by the girlies to secure a decent iced chocolate, this little find just outside of Albany was the golden ticket.
Must head out to witness the power of the southern ocean beneath your feet as you stand over and above the man-made structure known as The Gap, don’t forget to take in the Natural Bridge, something tells me I have seen that somewhere else – maybe Kangaroo Island.

After taking in the ocean views, we headed back to a place called Denmark, and it would not be our family holiday without something new – this time it was Globeriding. Imagine diving inside a 3m diameter bubble inside a bigger bubble filled with about 40L of cool water and hurling down the side of the man-made tracks, bouncing around inside trying not to choke as your laughter can be heard miles away – aye Belinda. Unfortunately for everyone else, you can only experience this adventure at Denmark Thrills, of course like most other things in WA, they have a way to get you there, this is the world’s longest globe-riding track at 570m long = fun for everyone. #Glode-Riding Video

Granite Skywalk is about a 1.8km trek uphill over many types of terrain and when you hit the goal you need to scramble over and under rough granite, climb the 7m ladder and then walk out over the edge as you walk across the 65m skywalk, you do get a rewarding view of the rural landscape.

Happy Days Caravan Park, this gets a mention as a surprise packet caravan park nestled alongside a river, if we had more time here we could have spent the day paddling up the river in their canoes and taking in the scenery.

DCIM/100MEDIA/DJI_0216.JPG

Esperance: Beach Dreams and Caravan Woes

Esperance, famous for its white sandy beaches and beach-roaming kangaroos, awaited us with the promise of lazy days by the ocean. Unfortunately, the weather had different plans. Yet, the town’s charm and unique attractions, like StoneHedge Esperance style, left a lasting impression.

If you mention Esperance people will say the white sandy beaches and famous kangaroos on the beach, look to be honest, that’s it in a nutshell, lazy days spent down at the beach but unfortunately for us the weather was not kind and we didn’t get this postcard experience. While we did head to Lucky Bay, it was windy and our beach picnic was a fail, even if I am the only one to admit it!

Mum & Tom had some more caravan troubles here, this time with the battery and lights, after a few inspections I realised that the battery had swollen and started leaking in the tunnel boot, lucky for all, the local battery store had an exact swap out in stock.

Highlights

Mum & Tom got lost back to the caravan park, rumour has it they were on the freeway back to Perth.

The girlies went and watched a movie at the theatre while I assisted with the battery replacement

StoneHedge Esperance style, you don’t have to travel across the globe to visit Stone Hedge, some locals have built a full-size replica as it would have stood around 1950BC. The heel stones are positioned on this line to allow the sun’s rays to pass through to the Altar at sunrise on the summer solstice and during winter the sun sets through the giant trilithon.

Homeward Bound: Bunda Cliffs, Blue and Pink Lakes, and Ceduna Pit Stops

Heading back across the Nullarbor, our return journey was filled with breathtaking moments. Bunda Cliffs, the longest line of sea cliffs in the world, offered a mesmerizing view of the Great Australian Bight. Blue and Pink Lakes in Penong, Australia’s biggest windmill in Comet, and a night in Ceduna became the final chapters of our Western Australia road trip.

After a fun-filled 9 days it was time to head home across the Nullarbor, this time on the way home we had decided to stay at a few differing spots, driving longer days meant that we would say our farewells to Mum & Tom, as they were taking more time on the way home with a couple of extra stops – let’s call it the retired life.

We filled up the car and our bellies and departed Norseman with our overnight stay at a place called Cocklebiddy, not much here except for a couple of rescued Eagles, friendly staff, warm showers and plenty of dirt.

The highlight of the Nullarbor has to be, being able to peer over the edge of the Great Australian Bight while camping along the longest line of sea cliffs in the world (stretching 200kms) known as Bunda Cliffs. If you are not looking out for it you have driven straight passed the little track that takes you down to this truly impressive sight. Imagine parking your caravan 15 metres away from the cliff edge, about 65 metres below is the ocean smashing into the face of the cliff, with evidence all around of the brutality force of nature. It is something very special.

We were a little unsure of where to stop next, but one thing was on our to-do list, driving down the dirt road in Penong where the blue lake is on one side and the pink lake on the other. I wanted to get the drone out for this one, and I certainly can’t drive (tow) and drone? It was time, Belinda had to jump in the driver’s seat and carefully navigate the car and caravan down the road so I could get those awesome pictures and videos for you. While in Penong we quickly swung past Australia’s biggest windmill (Comet) and decided we would continue our journey to Ceduna.

We stayed overnight at Ceduna and drove home the next day, while it was certainly a decent drive home the family made great memories as we continued with the Disney trivia and compared the highs and lows of our holiday. Speaking of low we had just passed Virginia when Mum reached out to advise us they had car troubles a couple of days earlier and would be stopping in at Ceduna for a couple of days while an alternator got replaced, but that’s their story to tell.

As we reflect on our adventure, the mishaps, the surprises, and the sheer beauty of Western Australia, we’re filled with gratitude for the memories created during this epic road trip. Whether it was getting lost in caravan parks, exploring historic sites, or embracing the natural wonders, every moment added a page to our family’s travel diary. Until the next road trip beckons, keep exploring and savouring the joy of the unexpected!