The window of my new home office faces west. Above the street, treetops, and roofs, the clouds approach with grey, white, apricot, and raspberry hues. I am familiar with the weather patterns here at our home on the Mornington Peninsula.
Other skies enchanted us on our travels. We have seen sunrises and sunsets, star maps, and swirling clouds. Weather patterns unfamiliar to us; the strangeness reminding us that is not our home.
Meeting other travelers, they would proudly say they had been on the road for two years, or eight years, or were permanent travelers. This was not for us. We felt it in our hearts. We like a home, a base, being near to family and friends, being part of a community. Eighteen months was enough for us.
Mornington Peninsula VIC
When our caravan broke down in the desert, we had already decided on the end date for this trip, just one more month. So, we thought a quick drive up to Uluru and back would be a nice way to end. It was not to be. We have been to Uluru many years ago when our children were young, and I am glad I hold the memory of that visit in my heart.
What if our breakdown and required repairs had happened at the start of our trip, or in the middle? What do full time travelers do then? We are lucky we were at the end.
So, we unpacked all of our stuff from the storage unit, and happily moved into our townhouse. We love the walks to the beach every day. In my kitchen I have been cooking things I have not been able to do in the caravan. I have been practicing playing my piano. Mick has been fitting shelves and running and cycling. Like everyone else in Melbourne we are in lockdown but that is okay, and we have had our first vaccination.
Happy to be home after 18 months travelling
I plan to stop writing this blog now that our trip is over. Perhaps I will write just one future final instalment when our caravan is eventually repaired, and we can bring it home from South Australia.
Happy travels to all those exploring Australia in 2021 and beyond. My one bit of advice is to use the Wikicamps app as this has been the most help while on the road.
It is quiet; too quiet! At night you can hear your heart beating. During the daylight, the birds talk all day. Meanwhile the brown water sweeps silently westward.
The Murray River is Australia’s longest river at 2,520 kilometres, and the third longest navigable river in the world, after the Amazon and the Nile. It is unique in that there are no major cities situated along the route. Although Albury Wodonga is a growing city.
We wake at midnight startled, sitting straining to hear anything unusual; like cats with fur standing on end, our senses are heightened. Nothing, but we are spooked. There is no one else about and it’s too quiet. Eventually we settle back to sleep until daylight.
We are camped alone at Masters Landing on the Murray River. It looks well used and has fire pits, some firewood, and drop toilets. There is a rope tied to a high branch so people must swing out from the high banks into the river. Water skiers must love this spot on the weekends and during the summer holidays.
Mick fishes and catches an 80 centimetre Murray Cod. He calls to me from the bank so that I can take a photo, but I don’t hear him. The cod does a lazy flip, shakes the hook free, and swims away casually. Mick intended to release the fish anyway, but we have no photo proof of the catch. At least he knows. I go for a swim, reliving days of my youth when I swam in the river at Tocumwal. Once I squelch through the thick mud I glide out into the strong current, not game to venture out too far from the edge. As a teenager I would have swam across and back without thinking twice.
There is an old hut here. It is leaning sideways but remarkably intact considering it was built in 1860 by Frederick Masters using red gum and grey box eucalypts. He married Emma Taylor and they had thirteen children. Frederick worked as a deckhand on the paddle steamers, as well as selling fish he caught. It must have been a hard life here back then. Three of the children died, Charlotte drowned in the river when she was just two. Walking through the hut is creepy as old furniture remains. Apparently, descendants of the family lived here until 2010. It really needs to be cleaned up (inside at least) by Parks Victoria.
Masters Hut Murrary River VIC
We have camped at three places along this stretch of the Murray. First at Pental Island caravan park which is tucked away on a private cattle station. The grass is a thick green carpet and luxurious to walk barefoot. The bend in the river is a perfect spot for fishing and we walk under the river gums during the hot days. There are a few other campers here but not many and birdsong fills the air.
Pental Island Murray River VIC
The next stop is near Koondrook beside the Gunbower Creek. We camp off-grid alone right next to the full creek, although we can see other caravans nearby. Mick fishes from dawn to dusk. He catches shrimp and yabbies for bait. He catches and dispatches more carp. They are an introduced species and a pest in this environment. We see a turtle. The wind is strong, and we decide that we won’t light a campfire even though there are no fire restrictions at this time.
Gunbower Creek VIC
Our next stop is at the country town of Cohuna and we stay at the free off-grid 72-hour RV park in the town. There are about four other campers here. We go for a swim at the local pool. There is a caravan park nearby beside the lake, but the reviews on Wikicamps are enough to keep us away. We head off the next day.
Murrary River VIC
Driving through the Gunbower State Forest with our caravan is a bit of a mistake. In search of the perfect riverside spot, we negotiate dirt roads with long deep ruts. In wet weather this would be a bog. We get our first pinstripes on the caravan trying not to get wedged between scraggly trees. Eventually we find Masters Landing near a boat-ramp not far from the small town of Gunbower. After our spooky night we head into town and book into the Gunbower Caravan Park. Here we wash the beige dust from the caravan and car. There is a nice swimming pool, relief for the hot days.
Murray River VIC
But then Victoria goes into a snap lockdown for the third time due to an outbreak of the virus at Melbourne Airport. The caravan park will close. We discuss our options: stay put; return to the farm at Horsham; or cross the border into New South Wales. After discussions with the caravan park owners, they allow us to stay because we are self-contained. Next Wednesday we will reassess the situation, hoping to move on.
The Sapphire Coast of New South Wales is well named as the seas sparkle dark blue across the bays and out to the Tasman Sea. With so many rivers, lakes, bays, and inlets, this is a fisherman’s paradise.
Tathra Beach NSW
So, Mick finally gets a tiny bit serious about his fishing forays and tries his luck, taking note of the local tricks. He is happy to catch a lovely plate-sized pair of black flatheads in the Moruya River. At Tathra he has no luck at the Bega River inlet, or from the famous Wharf. He catches a Southern Green Moray Eel from the rocky headland and returns that to the water lifeless after struggling to release his hook. He watches at the wharf as another fisherman fights to land a 1.2 metre Kingfish. At Eden he fishes from the banks of the shallow saltwater lake and then later from the beach. He was elated to catch a good size Australian Salmon. He sees a two-metre-long Mako Shark come into the shallows chasing the salmon. Later we hear that this bay is a nursery for Mako Sharks. The fresh fish van visits the caravan park ringing the bell, so we buy and enjoy fresh oysters and fresh flathead.
Mick is happy with his catches Sapphire Coast NSW
We swim in the cold seas. Kianinny Bay is a beautiful little cove with clear green waters. We see a large black stingray drifting for scraps near the boat ramp. With snorkels and fins adjusted we edge in. It is freezing!! I glide off across the pool, but Mick is out already, stunned by the cold water. Later we swim in the rolling surf at Tathra across the road from the caravan park. It is refreshing in the white frothing surf. We get out and only then notice many blue-bottle jellyfish stranded above the tideline. We need to be on the lookout as we don’t want to get tangled up with those poisonous tendrils. The pool at the caravan park is warmed with a solar system; this will do nicely. At Eden the clear green waves beckon enticingly, masking their underwater power.
Sapphire Coast NSW
At Moruya I become familiar with the gentle flap sound high above as skydivers unfurl their chutes. Blue, crimson, orange, green, yellow; colourful pops that appear suddenly, then the skydivers steer through the air back to the yellow flags on the runway nearby. A couple of tandem rides land on the soft sand at the beach. It is an awesome sight however I am not tempted to do it myself.
Skydivers at Moruya North Head NSW
The campground at Moruya North Head is awful, only surpassed by the dreadful camps of the Rosebud Foreshore. The amenities here are to be avoided. “Permanents” hide in tent hovels, obviously homeless. Despite the campground, there is a lot to do here and explore. So, people are out making their own fun: fishing, surfing, boating, kayaking, skydiving, cycling, walking, swimming, building huts on the beaches using the driftwood from the nearby Moruya River.
Sapphire Coast NSW
Tathra is busy on the weekend with lots of families enjoying some much-needed travel in this year of restrictions due to the virus. There are lots of mountain bike trails nearby and it is obviously the thing to do because everyone has their bike and they set off along the paths. It is noisy with people having fun, laughing, and talking. The small town of Tathra struggles to cope with visitors. I wonder how things go in the busy summer holiday periods. We have a nice lunch at the iconic Tathra Hotel. We walk a lot up and down the paths looking out across the beautiful views beside the ocean. Bushfires went through this town about three years ago and you can see where the damage was done. It appears to be recovering well. The lush green fields of the Bega Valley still feed contented cows. It is an idyllic landscape.
Trip routes in New South Wales – avoiding virus hotspots
Further south at Eden we camp at a lovely park-like caravan park situated between the sea and the lake; green grass, tall shady trees, lots of birds, and you can hear the waves breaking on the sand from our caravan. We walk to town several times. We climb the rocks near the ocean pool, too cold for swimming. We take a dip in the sea. We explore some local towns; Boydtown and Wonboyn. The forests are black from last year’s catastrophic bushfires, but once again the forest is regenerating with new green growth up the trunks and new green undergrowth. The cicadas must love these environmental conditions because they call out loudly from the charred wood. We see a large goanna scurry up a tree.
Finally, with 24 days free of COVID-19 cases in Victoria, New South Wales opens the border on Monday 23 November just after midnight. Eden is the first major town along the Princes Highway into New South Wales, and we see an influx of Victorian vehicles with caravans and camper vans. It is easy to tell the difference between the new travellers and others. The Victorians still wear their long pants and long-sleeved tops, and a stunned look on their faces. Others like us still wear shorts and t-shirts and have brown skin and relaxed smiles. I think some kindness, care, and good listening is in order. Lots of people have had it hard this year.
We get new tyres for the caravan at Eden, have them balanced and checked. While we wait, we visit the Killer Whale Museum where we learn about the infamous whale Old Tom who behaved like a cattle dog, befriending the fisherman and rounding up the larger whales and herding them into the bays for slaughter.
Skeleton of Old Tom and life size model of a Mako Shark at Eden Killer Whale Museum NSW
Finally, we head south into Victoria. It has been over five months since we left our home state. There are still some restrictions in place, and we will need to get used to wearing face masks at certain times.
A blood-chilling scream woke us in the night. Outside in the tree near our caravan a bird called. In another tree further off its mate replied. The next day when I looked it up online, I found it is commonly known as the Screaming Woman Bird! A Bush Stone-Curlew (Burhinus Grallarius). A little relieved we managed to sleep during our stay at Katherine, but it did wake us each night.
The Holiday Park at Katherine is gorgeous with parklike surrounds and big shady trees. It is out of town a short walk to the beautiful Katherine River where fresh-water crocodiles live apparently. The swimming pool is beautifully situated and a welcome relief on these hot humid days. It was not too busy, and it took me a few days to realise why this campground was so serene – no dogs. I do get used to them in the campgrounds, but it is quieter when they are elsewhere.
Katherine NT
The trip up along Katherine Gorge in a boat is a must and we enjoyed the experience. Initially we walked along one of the bush trails through the red rocks, pandanus trees, ferns, and other lush bush. Many others were doing these walks too. We got lost having missed a green triangle sign on a tree and rather than press on blindly we turned back, had lunch on the grass beside the river waiting for the boat trip to begin.
Katherine Gorge NT
The river guide was friendly and informative giving us all the information we needed about this ancient land the aboriginals call Nitmiluk. We see about six freshwater crocodiles and he tells us that saltwater crocodiles get into these waterways during the wet season and are relocated by the rangers. We see one gorge, then walk across a rocky area, past aboriginal art to a second gorge and a smaller boat. It is glorious in the sunshine, green water, red cliffs, blue sky, green trees. We drift along and I am relaxed and sleepy in the afternoon warmth.
The next day we walk from the caravan park to the Katherine River and then along the trail to the Katherine Hot Springs. It is a popular place and we have a dip in the running stream of warm water. It is not as nice as Mataranka’s Bitter Springs in my opinion; more “curated”.
Katherine NT
We feel a bit like fugitives on the run from COVID-19. We have been lucky with our timing, borders closing behind us as the virus grows and moves north into NSW and QLD. We are following all the rules and restrictions, despite some furtive looks at our Victorian number plates. Victoria has gone into Stage four restrictions until 13th September. This is dire and I worry about our family and friends every day, feeling slightly guilty we have escaped for now.
We decided to leave Evans Head early due to the inevitable northward creep of the pandemic. With printed copies of our Queensland Border Pass and electronic copies of four weeks of NSW accommodation receipts in a folder on my iPad we packed up and headed off, expecting delays on the M1 at Tweed Heads, and not knowing if we would be turned back.
Crossing the border into Queensland at Tweed Heads 15 July 2020
As it turned out we were only delayed in the queue at the border for one hour and the policeman we presented our documents to was very friendly. The relief was palpable.
We drove north past the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Caloundra, Noosa, and the Sunshine Coast wanting to avoid populous areas and preferring to see beautiful landscapes anyway. It felt great to soak in some warm air again.
We stayed at Pomona, a pretty little town I remembered from our last visit to this region. It is set amongst the rainforest at the foot of Mount Cooroora. I’ve only been here twice and both times there was a horse with rider in the main street of town. We stayed at the Showgrounds caravan park for a night on the hill overlooking the oval where many other caravanners were already settled.
The next day we drove inland through Gympie, following our noses to wherever. On WikiCamps I found an overnight stop just before Chinchilla called Round Water Hole Rest Area. We were the first to arrive and park alongside a lovely billabong where ducks swam. Sharing a campfire with some fellow Victorians from Mansfield we compared our travel stories. Our Dry July efforts vanished in this idyllic location. In all there were about six caravans settled into this free off-grid overnight area.
Travel through Queensland
The next day we drove further west through Chinchilla, Miles, and Roma. The sealed road was a roller coaster and we bounced around on our seats. The landscape is epic with big sky, dry scrub, native trees, cattle, emu, kangaroos, road trains, and caravans. At Roma we headed north aiming for Carnarvon Gorge.
There is a caravan park there called Sandstone Ridge that I had tried to contact, eventually finding out they were fully booked until the end of July. There are few other options out there; not even overnight parking areas. The old campground at Carnarvon Gorge is no longer in use unfortunately. And so we pressed on regardless hoping something would present itself.
The road into the National Park is forty kilometres from the main highway and it was 2:30pm by the time we arrived. The visitor centre was closed due to COVID19 and there was no sign of any park management. There is also no phone or internet coverage and when I had checked the Queensland National Parks website earlier in the day, it was extremely confusing and difficult to navigate on a smart phone, let alone determine whether individual parks were open or closed due to the pandemic.
Many other walkers were enjoying the place, so we walked up the steep rocky ascent to Boolwinda Bluff which is worth it for the epic views. We also walked along the main track to the Moss Garden, and the Amphitheatre. We had been to these places many years ago when our offspring were children and enjoyed this special place. I wondered if it is possible to take too many photos of cliffs, ferns, and the stream while happily snapping away.
Carnarvon Gorge QLD
The stream did not appear to be in pristine condition with a cloudy blue tinge and some algae in the still sections. We did not see any platypus and last visit we saw several. It is such a shame that such a beautiful place on earth is not being managed properly.
We continued our journey north to Rolleston where we stopped for a meal and began to get a feel for the real outback. Then on again towards Emerald. With smoke in the air we pressed on to Sapphire in the Gemfields. We had previously been to The Willows but I could not get a response to my enquires about campsites there.
The Sapphire Caravan Park is lovely and so we have settled here for a week. Mick will do some fossicking for gemstones.
I did not realise how much I had missed the sea until I stepped onto the beach at Brunswick Heads. It is a perfect beach with surf, a river mouth and inlet, sand that stretches south to the headland at Byron Bay and north towards the Queensland border. Pointy Mount Warning nearby overlooks the scene.
Brunswick Heads NSW
We had visited this town some years ago staying in Byron Bay, but promising to return one day to stay here instead. The caravan park is on the banks of the inlet where fish, stingrays, pelicans, and other birds live. Bush turkeys and ‘bin chickens’ roam around.
The town is full of hippies, young and old, local and visitors. Drumming and fire-twirling lured us through the dark where aromatic smoke wafted through the air and a crowd writhed to the tribal beats. We felt very out of place and soon retreated to the warmth of the caravan.
Minyon Falls is in the hinterland of the Nightcap National Park. We have done this walk before and loved it; so returned. The carpark is close to the top of the waterfall giving easy access to the lookout with panoramic view towards the sea. The cliff drops vertically 100 metres to the rocks below. The walk is through pristine Australian bush along the ridge, then down into the rainforest where palms, figs, eucalypts, and other trees reach up to the light with tall straight trunks. It is dark and damp at ground level. (The header image for this blog is a photograph I took on our previous visit, looking up through the rainforest trees.)
Minyon Falls NSW
The gnarly trail winds along for 4.5 kilometres to the rocky creek below the falls. We clambered the large boulders to get to the base of the fall where a dark pool of water receives the shower from above. Many other people were out enjoying the beautiful forest on this sunny cool day in June.
Rainforest Minyon Falls NSW
Meanwhile the NSW State Premier itches to close the border at Victoria as the COVID-19 virus ensues. I feel anxious and stressed by the situation. This once in a lifetime big lap of Australia has not gone to plan and is far from easy. There is no reason for me to complain though, as many people are in far worse situations. Turning off the news helps, especially every time Gladys hogs the screen with her malicious rants. I look about at the peace, sunshine, blue sky, birds chirping, tides changing, and try to enjoy this experience for what it is.
Finally, after three months in lockdown at Horsham we travelled north on 16th June. The trip from Victoria into New South Wales was easy with three nights staying at designated roadside rest areas at Narrandera, Coonabarabran, and Glen Innes. It was cold and the landscape was green with the winter rain.
On the road NSW
We had wanted to stay at the Warrumbungle National Park as we had been there before many years ago when our children were young. We drove into the rocky mountain range only to be told at the Visitor Centre that most of the campgrounds were closed for maintenance work. I did not see this on the website when I checked beforehand. One camp was open, but it was crammed full of campers when we drove past at the end of the day. A few too many in these days of social distancing. So, disappointed we pressed on.
The drive from Coonabarabran to Armidale is through lush valleys of farmland. Then into the mountains of the Great Dividing Range, through Tenterfield, winding through forests down to Lismore. There were lots of road works in progress, but this did not detract from the journey.
We arrived at Brunswick Heads where we had booked a campsite for a couple of weeks.
We have now spent eleven weeks in lockdown on the small farm in Riverside near Horsham. That is the same amount of time we had previously spent on the road. We hope we can move soon and prepare for that. Mick has checked the bearings on the caravan wheels. I have made some initial enquiries at caravan parks hoping for some positive action soon.
This time here has not been wasted or a failure but fortuitous in many ways. Mick celebrated his 60th birthday with our family at home on the Mornington Peninsula. We walked through our youngest son’s new build project. We spent precious time laughing and playing with the little granddaughters. Mick played golf with his mates. I had a much-needed haircut.
Precious time with family
We both caught a cold, probably from the granddaughters, and had a CoViD-19 test that was uncomfortable, necessary, and negative.
We visited friends who have a large property near Wycheproof, and it was nice to stroll around in the winter sun amongst the Mallee eucalypts surrounded by green grass.
Mick’s brother had unexpected heart surgery, so it was lucky we were here for support and to help gather the firewood for these cold days in the Wimmera. The farm animals are used to us now and allow us to pat them.
Wimmera Days
We bought a new heater for the caravan to endure the -1⁰C frosty nights, and we snuggle up re-watching Game of Thrones on DVD. So, no adventures, no walks in the wild, no swimming or snorkeling, while patiently waiting for the Government to give the signal that we can move again.
My heart goes out to the decision-makers in government who have applied themselves to this huge problem with diligence, hard work, sacrifice, and genuine care. It must feel a bit like herding cats. We have supported their efforts by following the rules, staying home, only making day trips once that was allowed, self-isolating when necessary, keeping distance, using hand sanitiser, downloading the app, and trying to remain positive and self-sufficient.
It has been one month now holed up in our caravan here at Riverside. The COVID-19 virus continues around the world, but we are on the downhill slope of the curve and the isolation measures in Australia are working very well. But of course, there are still questions. Will the spread of the virus increase again once the lockdown measures are eased? Will China ever take responsibility for this horrendous destruction of the societies on this Earth and perhaps change their ways? Aside from the illness and lives lost, people are getting impatient with some protesting about their civil liberties, others flock to beaches, parks, and shops such as Bunnings and Spotlight, as many are going stir-crazy.
I have been doing a Short Fiction Masterclass online with Writers’ HQ UK, taking photos, going for walks, doing yoga, and listening to my favourite podcast and others. Mick has been helping his brother to paint the farmhouse. At night we enjoy watching the World Movies on SBS. I have also been continuing with the sketching: a couple of farmhouses, a lorikeet, and some little sketches that I post to our granddaughters. FaceTime and Zoom are new ways to say hello to our family.
Around the farm
Last night we watched the Music from the Home Front concert on Channel 9, hosted by David Campbell. Australian singers and musicians gave pared down performances from their homes. It was primarily as a tribute to the ANZAC’s, but also to thank the frontline staff who are working to battle this awful virus, and then an added sad memorial for the four policeman who died in the line of duty in Melbourne last week. The songs and performances were exceptional and tugged at the heart strings, while also making one proud to be an Australian during these challenging times.
Garden flowers
The farm is lovely, and we are lucky to be able to stay here. There are the much-loved farm animals: two alpacas Sunny and Star; one peacock Raj; three chickens, Petal, Lady Gaga, and Madonna, one old black curly haired dog Jet, and three black cats, Lily, Jack, and Ebony. And the wildlife: snakes, mice, blue-tongued lizards, wolf spiders, flies, ants, rabbits, hares, hawks, black cockatoos, tawny frogmouth owls, lorikeets, magpies, and other unseen creatures. The cats take great pride in catching the mice and displaying their conquests for their masters. Sunny the ginger alpaca shakes his head at me when I do the same at him. The chickens lay cute perfect eggs most of the time.
Around the farm
We take a trip to town a couple of times a week for food supplies. The Wimmera River is a picturesque place to walk for some exercise. We can have a campfire near our caravan, when the wind is not blowing, which makes us feel a little like we are still on our trip. Living in the caravan has been fine; self-contained and all that we need. We meet up with the other two for 5pm drinks seated well apart under their pergola and share our opinions about this perplexing virus and the situation around the world.
Around the farm
It is a quiet time and we are lucky to be away from the city madness and can get outside every day for some sunshine and fresh air. My heart goes out to all the parents who need to care for and entertain their children at home while still trying to do their own work remotely. Also, for the people living in small apartments where it is hard to get out for some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise. It goes without saying that the tragedy of lives lost is incomprehensible and unfair.
Wimmera River
We hope to be able to resume our caravan adventures once the restrictions are lifted, but we are not making any firm plans just yet.
Mick & Sue's Aussie Adventure 