Back from Ningaloo :-((((
Submitted: Monday, Jul 14, 2003 at 12:05
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Member - Melissa
Hi All,
Yep, back already. As always, the holiday was too short but we had a great time anyway with the exception of our travelling companions 1 year old receiving some nasty burns to his hands and knee (from residual heat in the fireplace some 16 hours after the previous nights campfire). This cut their holiday short and he is now receiving treatment from the burns unit at PMH but the diagnosis looks good.
We based ourselves at
Ningaloo Station and explored the Cape from here. What a great place. Parts of
Cape Range are truly spectacular as is the coastline. Had a great time 4WDriving around the Cape and dunes other attractions including the old
whaling station, Point Cleates lighthouse
ruins, goat caves and the crater.
Reckon we'll be back next year.
:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
Reply By: Member - Glenn(VIC) - Monday, Jul 14, 2003 at 17:06
Monday, Jul 14, 2003 at 17:06
Hi Melissa,
Glad you had a great trip. Hope the one year old is OK and isn't suffering too much, or suffer any scaring.Just Do It!
AnswerID:
24915
Reply By: Slammin - Monday, Jul 14, 2003 at 22:32
Monday, Jul 14, 2003 at 22:32
Thats a shame about the burns but I guess it puts me in my place because last week at
Kings Canyon (yep the $50/night camping one) they have fire pits with chains around them warning of potential burns from residual heat. I really thought it was overkill but it just goes to show, accidents happen.
I hope the
young fella's all right - bet he still wants to go camping next time!
AnswerID:
24942
Follow Up By: Ray M (Vic) - Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 01:19
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 01:19
I learnt my lesson the hard way 25yrs ago on a beach where people
camp. A thick layer of
grey ashes on top but red hot coal underneath. Running around like the crazy fool I was then I burnt my foot enough to put me off work for 3 weeks. I'll never forget it.Hooroo
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 10:48
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 10:48
I can relate to that Ray. I was on a family camping trip as a teenager and wandered down onto the beach one day, stepping straight onto red hot sand. Someone had a fire going on the beach many hours beforehand and thought they'd done the right thing covering it over with sand to put it out when they left. I rec'd bad burns to both feet and needed continuing dressings and treatment for months afterwards, not to mention weeks off school.
:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowupID:
16861
Reply By: Andrew - Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 00:11
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 00:11
Always a good trip in that part of the world, hey Melissa?
As a matter of interest, did you keep any fuel figures on the 4.5 Patrol???
Did you tow the camper and what economy did you achieve?
Cheers
Andy
AnswerID:
24953
Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 10:52
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 10:52
Hi Andrew,
We love the place and will probably head back for a couple of weeks again next year. Our fuel economy for the trip was approx. 20L/100km's overall, but I couldn't tell you the break down between towing and not towing. On the trip up we were carrying a lot of supplies, water and firewood so we were heavily loaded. Coming
home with out tanks almost empty etc our economy was noticably better than on the way up.
:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowupID:
16862
Follow Up By: Member - Phil [Sunshine Coast] - Thursday, Jul 17, 2003 at 06:10
Thursday, Jul 17, 2003 at 06:10
Giday Melissa,
We did that side of Aussi last year,
Ningaloo reef is magic!! Out on the glass bottom boat, & goin snorklin,really beautiful.Of all the
places on our trip around oz.the best was
Kalbarri!!! veeeerry relaxing & heaps tido.Off on another trip [early August ,Top end,
Gibb river, to
Broome &EVERWHERE in btween,& if time [&money permits] will come
home that way ,cant wait.......
might see ya on the track..
Phil.
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Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Thursday, Jul 17, 2003 at 11:12
Thursday, Jul 17, 2003 at 11:12
Hi Phil,
Sounds like a great trip! Half your luck...Enjoy!
:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowupID:
17034
Reply By: TonyY - Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 10:26
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 10:26
Hi Melissa,
yes it's a great area isn't it. We are already planning our next trip there in March next year.
Just out of interest, how easy was it to find the
whaling station? I have been by boat but last time I tried to get there by vehicle (which was admittedly a few years ago), I couldn't find a track through the dunes, even with a good map and GPS.
Cheers Tony.
AnswerID:
24980
Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 11:06
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 11:06
Hi Tony,
The main track into the
whaling station is well used and is now signposted so it was easy to find. Our only problem was that prior to going there someone told us there wasn't much left to see (still struggling with that one!) so when we arrived at the first beach and found an old boiler and a few rusty relics we thought that was it. Later we found out we hadn't gone far enough so we had to go back. We were also told later that there is an alternative, but less used south-bound track in from South Lefroy.
Anyway, it was well worth the effort with plenty to see. It's like when they closed down they just walked away and left everything to the elements. Of course, you wouldn't get away with it these days but it sure makes for an interesting attraction.
The main track in over the dunes is relatively easy with only a couple of soft patches but with a long steepish decent down the final dune that puts a lot of people off (the thought of getting back up that is). We met a couple of people who parked at the top and walked the last 300m in rather than tackle the dune. We had no problem in the Nissan with 25lb still in the tyres but we watched a Landrover Defender try to get up several times without success. He had about 15lb but just didn't have the torque to carry the vehicle to the top. In the end, he went back to the
whaling station and drove south along the beach until he found an easier exit.
Anyway, we recorded the track on the GPS so if you would like me to email it to you, just let me know your email address.
:o) Melissa
Petrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowupID:
16863
Follow Up By: TonyY - Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 11:11
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 11:11
Thanks Melissa, that would be great. It was a few years ago that I tried to find it so it sounds like the track has been opened up a bit.
My email is a.yates@bom.gov.au
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Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Thursday, Jul 17, 2003 at 11:14
Thursday, Jul 17, 2003 at 11:14
Tony,
I'll get them to you in the next few days. Just gotta get hubby to transfer them from his laptop to my PC.
:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowupID:
17035
Reply By: Member - Darren & Janella - Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 15:25
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003 at 15:25
Hi Melissa,
Nice to hear you had a good time (holidays just seem to fly by don't they? - unlike workdays). Sorry to hear about the littlen's accident, hope he gets well real soon.
We're heading up to
Coral Bay in about 8 weeks time). We're going to be based in
Coral Bay itself but are looking at exploring the track up to
Yardie Creek, sight seeing, fishing and lazying about on the beach.
I was wondering if you wouldn't mind emailing me those GPS co-ordinates as that would be much appreciated? Did you run 25psi all the time in the Patrol or did it vary?
By the way did you happen to do any
beach fishing whilst there and if you did, did you have any luck?
Anyway can't wait to get there, although I'm not looking forward to the fuel bill (should of stuck with the diesel patrols), but thems the breaks.
Cheers Darren
My email is dblogg@bigpond.comCheers,
Darren
AnswerID:
25008
Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Thursday, Jul 17, 2003 at 11:18
Thursday, Jul 17, 2003 at 11:18
Hi Darren,
I'll get the waypoints to you in the next few days. Just gotta get hubby to transfer them from his laptop to my PC.
Re tyre pressures, recommend you have a good air compressor with you. Around the dunes and beach we ran at about 25lb (some we talked to were running as little as 14lb) and about 30lb on the north/south tracks along the coast for a softer ride over the corregations. Heading back towards the range where it is really stony we ran between 35-40lb.
:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowupID:
17036
Reply By: Member - Scotti - Wednesday, Jul 16, 2003 at 02:15
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2003 at 02:15
G'day Melissa.
Just got back from
Kalbarri and took your advice on driving the
Murchison River and also trip down to
Lucky Bay.
Had a great time and many thanks for pointing me in the right direction for 4wdriving around the area.Kids had a ball aswell.
Oh,almost forgot.Had to snatch a Bogged Landy 80 series from beach(lol).
Looking forward to
Kalbarri in July..
AnswerID:
25072
Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Thursday, Jul 17, 2003 at 11:21
Thursday, Jul 17, 2003 at 11:21
Hi Scotti,
Glad to hear you had a good time. We spent a couple of nights in Kal on our way
home but after
Ningaloo we found it a bit too cold! Re the bogged Landy...does the heart good don't it :-))))
:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowupID:
17037