Who is on the road and where are you ?

Currently in Isisford Central Qld. Camped on the Barcoo River and waiting for my favourite mechanic - local John Avery to do a couple of jobs on the Tojo.

Spent a few days with the Macdonald's ou of Blackall whose second property we looked after for two years. Unless the central west gets some winter ran - the drought will be worse than last year. Dry as already.

Slowly wandering north - catching up with friends in Townsville and Cairns (why else would you go to cities?) with the intention of going to 'The Tip' - Cape York not the local rubbish variety.

John and Jean

Hi Willie,
We spent 2 lovely months between Carpenters Rocks out of the Mount and Marks Point on the Coorong last year, bought a 2 months Parks Pass and free camped all the way. Little Dip, from memory was a bit tight for us so we bypassed it but there are some great free camp sites along that coast We did a fair bit of tripping about as well. The Parks were not collecting camping fees at that time something to do with the cash boxes getting broken into. That was fine by us anyway.

Currently house sitting in Dampier for the next 10 days or so, already been here a month, then heading north. hope to make Darwin by about July /August, don't know if we can drag the chain that long. We want to check out the Dampier Peninsular north of Broome so we guess that will chew up a couple of weeks at least. Regards Andrew

Taking off for a month next Sunday to Cania Gorge, Blackdown Tablelands, Lake Theresa, Finch Hatton. Then north passing Townsville and staying around Ingham/Cardwell somewhere. Then up to Chillagoe via The Tablelands before returning home.

Cheers

Paul

At the end of the month we hope to head to Katherine and then go around the gulf Roper Bar - Nathan River - Borrooloola - Normanton - Cobbold Gorge - Gilberton - Lava Tubes and then head south back home

Cheers

Alan

Hi Willie and ALL
We left Sydney about 3 weeks ago,have just finished the mini muster in SA at Rob & Glen Butlers.The muster was a great time with all really nice people....funny about that....Jan and I would publicly like to thank Rob & Glen for their hospitality & hard work they put into our camp ground on their property.Soon we will be heading north & see Ayres Rock for the first time.Then to Roper Bar for a while,Tomatoe Island for a month or so,King Ash bay for about 6 weeks, then to QLD coast,to be back in Sydney mid October.
Cheers to All
Graham & Jan

We are currently sitting in an ensuite cabin in a caravan park while our 2008 BT is getting a new lease on life.
Its at the factory having a total reskin after a severe hail storm hit us last November at Sawtell just south of Coffs Harbour.

Will be heading north around July.

Regards
RosnRoss

We have stayed the last couple of nights at Trig Camping area in Deep Creek Conservation Park on the Fleurieu Peninsula just south of Adelaide. What a beautiful spot and two stunning walks from here - one to Deep Creek Waterfall and the other to Deep Creek Cove.

Most campsites are small but there a few big enough for a van. It was crowded on the weekend, but just us and a couple of Irishmen this morning. Two long drop toilets. Lots of shady sites.

Off to Clare this morning to try some riesling.

Willie

Tonight we are playing on the net after a few days with no coverage in the beautiful Cape Le Grande NP just east of Esperance.

The white sand beaches east and west of Esperance are incredible.

While we were in Venus Bay there was two big Bushtrackers in the park. We had Boggers Peter and Carolyne round for dinner one night. They had to bring their own chairs , wine glasses and a table !

Caught a couple of nice whiting off the jetty and Peter came round with a big feed of tommy rough and whiting for us - yum.

We went into the very pretty Fitzgerald NP today and were going to camp there until we saw the 'improvements' the National Parks people had made to the two camping areas. One of them looked like a Woolworths car park with tiny parking bays and the other one was not much better.

We ended up tonight at Tozer's Camp, just outside Bremmer Bay. No power or on site water, but the best showers, toilets, camp kitchen and drinking area (with fire pit) I have ever seen in a park. Toz shared a couple of drinks with us too - a really nice fella.

Cheers

Willie.

We are camped in Esperance at the Big 4 and a 19 ft BT is parked alongside us - a couple from Ballarat. How common these things are in WA.

The CP is at Middleton Beach and there is two great bike paths leading from here. One out to Oyster Bay (nice cafe for lunch) and the other one goes around the mountain and ends up at the bulk loader near the city centre. We did both today for a pretty easy 20km ride.

We are off west along the coast tomorrow.

Willie.

Hi Willie.

Just back from a trip to the Tip,

Went up from Cape Trib, via Bloomfield track (could be called road not track)
Out to Elim beach and met Eddie, who was wearing a Kedron shirt, what a great character.
Though Lakefield with all the usual stop offs, even got RBT half way through.
Up to Weipa and out to Pennefather River (only van out there),stunning spot to stay.
Called in at Bramwell station for some washing and water, great big camp spot, has live music for a couple of hours at the bar of a night. The station has not been able to sell cattle since 2012 (export ban hang over), so appreciate tourist dollars.

Left the van at Bramwell Junction, went though the OTT to passed Gunshot, then back to get van.
Met up with a guy in a little Millard off roader and decided to do the last of the Tele Track with the vans, went back in on the northern Gunshot bypass, crossed Cockatoo and camped on the north side.The next 15km had its moments with ruts and wash outs but all good,short winch for both of us then across Sailor creek and back on to main road and a quick dip at Fruitbat Falls.

Stayed at Punsand Bay, did the normal things, Tip for a photo, Sommerset for some history and cave art, quite a nice camp site at Sommerset beach, bit windy and a shame that people can't see that writing your name on junk and leaving it in a pile under a tree isn't vandalism and disrespectful.

Met another guy in a Trakmaster, and we decided to try and get out to Virilya Point with the vans.And Ward in the Millard was keen as well.
First obsticle Crystal creek log bridge,Maxtrax over a few suspect logs and all across, the water at crystal creek is unbelieveable.
The track out to the coast was badly rutted,rough, with some tight turns and narrow spots, started to wonder if we were going to make it,
After 5hrs of winching,towing,digging and branch trimming we hit the coast.
Had been told to do the 9kms to north behind the dunes to the point, all good except for one sand dune, that the Millard just got over (being first and light) the Trakie and me both had to winch (even at 12psi).
What an absolutely beautiful spot to watch the sunset into the Gulf for a couple of days,with 2 resident monster crocs for amusement, even caught some dinner.
The trip back out was fairly uneventfull (all the trees had been trimmed), over nighted at Crystal creek, then back onto the development road which is in pretty good condition, but glad to get to Laura and the bitumen.

All in all a great trip,
Only damage was a graize to the awning going into Old Batavia goldfields (you will not get a fullsize van in there) but it was delaminating before we left and the Dometic agents are going to replace it anyway, and of cause the crappy door catches.

cheers Ken & Denise