Roadhouses

No, I don't think I'd want to spend too long at any of these places, but I think they'll make a good story.

Sorry Allan, brain fart here - I mistook you for Al @ Tjukayirla.

Agree with that one, very friendly and obliging people.

Cheers

Dunc

Yep, totally agree, the worst roadhouse I have stayed at. Backpackers are the staff, underpaid and ignorant. Would not even call in there for fuel again.

Allan,
I pulled in there twice, once in 2012 and again in 2016 and enjoyed the atmosphere, and the friendliness of the staff both times.

Served a descent burger also.

Cheers

Once I would have agreed with you Motherhen...

I lived and worked in Paraburdoo for many years and would avoid the place like the plague - filthy, expensive, crap food, dirty showers etc. etc.

Last school holidays, I had no choice but to stop there due to our travelling companions having a mechanical failure with there van.

A surprising difference - now owned by two brothers (they take it in turns so one of them is there all the time) - very friendly staff, well presented, good food, reasonably priced - except fuel but what do you expect! They allowed us to leave the van setup while we went to Karratha for parts (took us 2 nights) they even picked a spot where they could keep an eye on it and this was in the school holidays.

I would call in and stay again. It is amazing the difference time makes

Cheers

Anthony

" It is amazing the difference time makes" - I'd say it's amazing what difference a change of ownership can make. Have seen the same elsewhere.

That's exactly what I meant

Cheers

Anthony

Pleased to hear good news about Nanutarra. No doubt for the next ten years people will talk about the reception they got there. I hope the new owners soon gain their own good reputation.

The price will always be high. Not only due to transport costs, but due to relatively low customer numbers to cover the same static costs that a very busy roadhouse would have. The trend to carry extra fuel to avoid purchasing from these lonely roadhouses will only hasten their demise.

Without Nanutarra, travellers would have to cover around 500 kilometres from Minilya Roadhouse to Karratha. No trouble for many of us, but may be too far for the traveller with an average car.

We have refuelled at Nanutarra a number of times with no real complaints. My only grouch once was that a credit card surcharge was added without notifying me first. But as usual I did not notice this until we had left.

My daughter told a tale of rude reception there, when the roadhouse was waiting for diesel supplies.

Late 90,s early 2000 leased by a fella ... no names mentioned, who had a limousine stud between Margaret River and Augusta he would come down Sth wigh his car and trailer and collect all the discarded tyres from the servos and sell them at NASA prices

Stayed there in July. Handy spot to break the BV track trip (especially if the going is tricky). Place is "interesting", including the Maccas sign. Phil was his usual friendly self. Looks like he may move back south, or may have already done so. Johnno previously was good too (now at a motel in Boulia).

Our group laugh about the awful service that we experienced at Mungerannie in July 2014

At dinner, a group of 10 people at the next table were waiting for their ordered dinner, after 60 mins no meal arrived and they were kicked out because a tour group arrived. There was a massive fight between the group and the waitress and they were told that the reason they were kicked out was because 2 people ordered the steak and that takes a long time to cook. Seriously.

The music was so loud no one could sleep in the rooms, up until 2:30AM. The only person in the bar was the manager.

The wait in the morning was 45 mins to get served before people gave up. No one knew where the staff were. He just walked off while there was a shop full of customers. People just served themselves breakfast and fuel in the end. No one to be found to pay the bill from the accommodation.

It set a new benchmark for awful service. No one in our group had never seen anything like it.

It wasn't funny then but it gives me a chuckle now.