Category Archives: Around Australia Trip

Around Australia Trip, Family Happy Snaps, Our Rig, Photography, Travel Journal

And Finally……

2 Comments

 Well, we are slowly getting used to normality. Nathan has returned to work and Elokin to preschool. Hendrix and I are still getting used to not having everyone around. We all had haircuts the first week we were back, as well as gave our rig a much needed wash. We also fixed the camper trailers brakes and re-registered it and have started to get it ready to sell. We went to Jayco Sydney having another look at something to tow for the next time. It has to be perfect for us. I finished drawing on our Australia map in green highlighter to show the roads we took. I then took photos of it so it can be viewed on here. The pink and yellow are from previous trips, not this one, although we did some of the same roads again so it may be hard to see the green.

In total we travelled 28060 kms around this wonderful country of ours in 234 beautiful days. We paid on average 1.469 c/L for diesel and our average fuel consumption was 5.292 kms/L and 18.896 L/100kms. Our average price for unleaded petrol for the boat was 1.537 c/L. We took 11016 photos as a family and had 2 videos taken of us.

Below are our trip expenses entered into a spreadsheet for easy viewing. This shows every dollar we spent, for everything and anything. Grand Total: $20751.47

Our Expenses: Please click the link to view our trip expenses spreadsheet.

So, is there anything we would change….. yes. We would swap our generator for a solar panel, get rid of the extra fuel drum on the roof and replace it with an empty water jerry for water runs into town, and take a cryovac machine to do our own fish and meat instead of getting a butcher to do it. We would also stay in Western Australia longer, especially at Ningaloo.

We have picked up some really useful information and had to figure things out for ourselves along the way. We thought we would share what we have learnt to help fellow travellers. A trigger nozzle is great for when you are staying in caravan park, hook it onto a food grade hose to avoid that horrible plastic taste (we finally bought one in Nowra for our last caravan park stay, wishing we had of bought it at the start). A plug for laundry tubs as laundromats usually dont have them. Detol hand sanitiser is fantastic as you dont need water to have germ free hands. Baby wipes or hand wipes are also fantastic, good for hands, feet and bird baths without water. Nappy sacks are great for poos, they are biodegradable so they break down when buried and kill odours. Ziplock bags for keeping food fresh and sealed and baking paper to put on communal bbq’s so you dont have to clean them and dont get other peoples food on yours. A solar light for the kids night light is a must have, or even to put outside your door so you know where camp is when you get up to wee in the night. Surface spray for ants that love canvas. Fly spray for flying insects. Take plenty of sunscreen and insect repellant. Fly nets for your head are sanity savers. Take a good quality mattress (we made this mistake and Nathan had a sore back most mornings and I kept waking up with springs digging in to my hips, its not worth it).

So what did we break? Lots. Read on….

On the patrol – crack in the large boot door, snapped the legs on the roof rack, the clutch went, the airconditioning belt broke and we needed a new headlight globe.

On the camper trailer – Top pin in box housing on leaf springs, tregg hitch (all welds snapped and bent all components including the pin), wheel bearing, lost brake components as they rattled loose, popped water tank inlet hose off and flooded the trailer, snapped centring bolt on leaf springs (lost 1 leaf as 1 was found and axle slid back bending mudguard and gouging tyre), kitchen came apart and need to be rescrewed twice, snapped the extension bench off the kitchen, 1 tyre puncture, broke the road cover zipper slider and the zipper on flyscreen door, and finally lost 1 wheel nut.

Misc breakages – 2 inverters, 2 camp chairs and 1 table.

Thank you for following our travels, it has been great having you on board. And yes we are already planning another trip, it is quite addictive! So if you are interested, sign up and we will let you know when it is going to happen, or check back from time to time.

Finally, Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.

Around Australia Trip, Travel Journal

Day 234 – Homeward Bound

10 Comments

Wednesday, 16 February 2011

It rained during the night so of course the camper is all wet this morning for the final pack up. 94 times we have done this and I will be glad to not have to do it again. We packed it up and were on the road for the final time just after 10am, heading north. We arrived home safely about 2pm. It was great to see our family again.

Whether we like it or not, the world keeps turning, time keeps on going, the days keep on changing and all good things must come to an end. The memories we have will keep forever and the friendships we have made will live on. We have had so much fun travelling around Australia, it is not for everyone, but it is definitely for us!

In the coming days I work out all of our expenses, total kms, average fuel consumption and bits and pieces and post them on here, so stay tuned.

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.

Animals, Around Australia Trip, Photography, Travel Journal

Day 233 – Our last day here

Leave a comment

Tuesday, 15 February 2011

It was overcast again this morning and then it rained. Elokin and Hendrix had fun collecting water off the roof and filling their sand toys up. The sun tried to come out, but didn’t. Not very good weather for our last day on the trip. The kids are very excited about going home tomorrow. I am excited about seeing family and friends, Nathan does want it to end.

After more rain the sun did eventually come out for short time. It wasn’t windy so it was pleasant. We spent our last afternoon walking along Sunburnt Beach, climbed around the rocks at Termeil Point and then went part way up Termeil Beach before seeing some rather ominous clouds and returning via a track up Termeil Point and then the road back to camp. A wallaby came right into camp this evening, so I quickly grabbed the camera for some shots. We started the pack up process to get organised for tomorrow’s drive home. Nathan has got 3 didgeridoos to take that should all work.

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.

Animals, Around Australia Trip, Destinations, Family Happy Snaps, Landscapes, Photography, Travel Journal

Day 232 – Hmmm sunshine, finally

Leave a comment

Monday, 14 February 2011

What a pleasant surprise, the sun was out this morning when I eventually opened my eyes. After breakfast we thought we would make the most of the sunshine and headed for the beach. Nathan even had a swim. When we came back to camp it was lunch time. Yummy chicken burgers. Nathan’s rash was still annoying him – mainly his nose and ears, so I made the decision to pile us all into the car and head to Ulladulla to a doctor. They were booked out, but got Nathan an appointment in Milton. We did have time for an ice-cream first at the ice-creamery.

The doctor thinks his rash and burning ears and nose are separate issues. Still no real clue – could be a mild allergic reaction, but to what???? Its not life threatening and he isn’t contagious so he will be fine. We bought the prescription cream, milk, bread and some fruit and headed back to camp.

This afternoon the clouds rolled back over and it rained a bit. Elokin and Hendrix watched a movie while Nathan worked on his didgeridoos, again and I went for a nice bike ride. Then both Nathan and I got some shells out and did some craft. We were all in bed early tonight.

Expenses to date:

Diesel             5201.56L       $7644.31       27527.1kms

Petrol boat     275.78L          $423.90

Gas                                         $342.20

Take Away                             $715.04

Groceries                               $4608.75

Ferries & Permits                 $425.00

Accommodation                    $1323.10

Parts & Repairs                    $2348.45

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.

Around Australia Trip, Travel Journal

Day 231 – A lazy day

Leave a comment

Sunday, 13 February 2011

It was overcast again this morning and then got quite cold. Most people camped here left today, all but one camp. Nathan had a nap this morning and the rest appears to have helped his rash. He and Hendrix went for a walk to look for more didgeridoo logs while Elokin and I did her find-a pictures book.

After lunch Elokin, Hendrix and I went for a walk to the beach for more shell collecting. We then all went walking in the bush for more logs. Nathan is very keen to make one that works.

We all had a nice lazy day today. It was quiet enough for kangaroos and a wallaby to be around the camp ground this evening which was nice.

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.

Around Australia Trip, Destinations, Family Happy Snaps, Photography, Travel Journal

Day 230 – We discovered a rash

Leave a comment

Saturday, 12 February 2011

It wasn’t raining, but still overcast and now windy this morning. We stayed in bed as long as possible, which was after 8.30am. After breakfast I washed Nathan’s hair as we discovered he has a rash on his face and ears, so we figured his hair might be irritating his skin. With clean hair, we all went for a walk along the beaches here, one being sunburnt beach. The kids played with their sand toys and we all found lots of nice shells.

Then it was back to camp for lunch. This afternoon Elokin found a one winged march fly and was playing with it. We then fed it to a spider that came by. It jumped from the chair, grabbed it from the bark and was back on the chair in one smooth, very fast motion. Elokin didn’t like that very much. She told us she wanted to help the march fly, and we said she had by putting it out of its misery. And she fed the spider, which we named Charlotte. (I know, how original!) Later on we discovered that Nathan’s rash had spread to his entire body. We will have to keep an eye on it. We then went for a walk in the bush in search of logs to make didgeridoos.

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.

Around Australia Trip, Travel Journal

Day 229 – Driving around in circles….

Leave a comment

Friday, 11 February 2011

We packed up and were on the road at 9.45am heading south. First we arrived at Long Beach to a dead end road and had to back track to the turn off to Maloneys Beach. Both of these were very nice, sleepy little beach towns. We turned on the GPS then and found the track into Murramarang National Park. We did some 4WDriving and backed into a tree turning around as we found a locked gate. I then found an alternative way to go, so it was back to the highway and up to Durras South turn off. We then turned right onto North Head Road and were back in Murramarang National Park. North Head camp area has been fenced up to stop people spreading out and destroying the forest, and the spots they allocate aren’t really big enough for camper trailers. They are more suited to tents. So we left there trying to Oakey Beach camp area – which we found no longer existed. There is a car park and a walk to the beach which looks like quite a distance. By now were getting quite annoyed with the way this National Park is being managed.

We then took the Old Coast Road and drove through to Durras, which brought us out at the EcoPoint Murramarang Resort. We left there heading north, back up to Meroo National Park. We took the north entrance this time and found ourselves at a choice of 2 camp areas – Termeil Point and Stokes Island. The first one, Termeil Point, had mostly been locked off and what was left was a camp area under construction. Stokes Island was nice, lots of shady trees and no formal camp spots; it was pretty tight manoeuvring our rig around. There were other people camped there too. We left there and tried the south entrance to the park, as we had taken the middle one when we camped here the other week. This was a track to nowhere. We eventually turned around and just before the highway stopped for a very late lunch at 4pm and a cuppa.

We left there and headed further north to Lake Tabourie Holiday Park. We pulled up at the driveway and found the place to be huge and the lake no good for skurfing or fishing, lots of tress in the water. At this point Nathan made the decision to g back to Meroo National Park, north entrance, to Stokes Island camp area. And this is where we will stay for the last 5 nights of our trip.

What was supposed to be an hour drive, found us driving around in the rain all day. Maybe the weather made it all feel terrible and decisions harder to make, who knows. We had a very late dinner and a very late night for the kids. 94 set ups and this should be the last!

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.