Trip west.
Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 11:49
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nosh
Just thought I post the details of our first Major trip away and hope for any feedback or suggested stops/POI’s.
Over six or so weeks are going West and back. We planning on leaving from my parents place in Western Victoria early on November 8th and making our way to somewhere around Murray Bridge/
Tailem Bend for the first night. Then next move onto
Port Augusta and spend a night or two there, moving on and up to
Coober Pedy for a couple of night/s. After that
Kulgera for a night before Kings Canyon for a night/s then back to
the rock for a couple more nights.
After
the rock we head west down the Great Central Rd with a few stops along the way especially the
Giles Weather Station. We keep going down to
Esperance where we are going to spend a few days before making our way around the south west for the next few weeks stopping at various
places including, the
Fitzgerald River National Park,
Albany,
Denmark,
Augusta, Margaret River and other
places in between.
Then up to
Perth where hopefully we can get a couple of nights on Rottnest ( the company I work for have a contract with the
Rottnest Island Authority). After that we head back east and apart from a few POI’s stopping only when we need to across the Nullarbor to
Port Augusta from there we head to
Kangaroo Island where we have use of a Holiday House for a couple of days.
From KI we head home and plan to be there for Xmas but we may stay somewhere longer and already have had an offer to spend some nights at
Nelson with friends.
So If anyone has some spots they would like to suggest as stops or POI’s I welcome to all suggestions.
Cheers
Gavan
Reply By: Member -Signman - Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 12:18
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 12:18
Don't forget to call in and have a good look around
Woomera !!
AnswerID:
327776
Follow Up By: nosh - Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 07:59
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 07:59
Hi SM,
Thanks for
the tip I hadn't thought of
Woomera.
cheers
Gavan.
FollowupID:
595214
Reply By: Neil & Pauline - Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 15:46
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 15:46
Some of the not to miss
places on my list after
Albany are William Bay just out of
Denmark. Tree top walk half way to Walpole. opposite side of the road to the west exit to Tree top Walk is a road to Conspicuous Cliffs and
Peaceful Bay.
Between Walpole and Manjimup is a great
camp area at
Shannon in among the Karri trees.
Northcliffe and Pemberton are good diversions. You can cut through to
Nannup and to
Augusta. All that area should be good that time of the year.
You may even find us
camp hosting at
Shannon by then.
Neil
AnswerID:
327801
Follow Up By: nosh - Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 08:08
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 08:08
Hi Neil,
Thanks for the ideas. I have cousins that lived in
Albany for 15+yrs and they have recommended some spots around
Albany, including some of the ones you have suggested. The tree top walk is on the list a
camping amongst the tall trees sounds spot on. I have a book on
camp-sites in the South west.
Cheers
Gavan
FollowupID:
595217
Reply By: Member - evren1 (WA) - Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 18:20
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 18:20
definately do the tree top walk and check out the huge karri trees!Image Could Not Be Found
Fitzjerald Inlet
camp ground is my pick in the NP. It's a 45km track to get out there, but the remote feeling and the beaut beach is worth it! Make sure you let the
ranger know your heading out there and when you leave!Image Could Not Be Found
and before ya hit Margaret River, spend a couple of days in Warren NP at Drafteys
Camp. You can get your
park pass on the way in. It's right on the river and a drive through the dunes gets you on to a nice stretch of beach. When the sea breeze comes in in the arvo, just retire back to the serenity of the forest! don't forget ya cannoe and ya fishin rods!Image Could Not Be FoundImage Could Not Be Found
a lunch time feed washed down with a cold pint at Settlers Tavern in Margies an't a bad thing either!
enjoy ya trip!!!
AnswerID:
327816
Follow Up By: nosh - Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 08:37
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 08:37
Hi ev,
Some great looking spots there. For sure the fishing rods are coming and I am taking my Kayak so I will be always looking for a spot to wet a line.
Thanks for the tips
Cheers
Gavan
FollowupID:
595221
Reply By: That Troopy Bloke (SA) - Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 20:02
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 20:02
I personally would trade off at least 1 night in Pt.
Augusta for an extra night on
Kangaroo Island. In fact I wouldn't stop in Pt.
Augusta at all, unless a fuel stop is needed.
2 days is not enough for
Kangaroo Island....it's quite a large island, and there's plenty to see down there. I reckon you need at least a week to do it justice, especially after forking out the exorbitant ferry fares.
Cheers
Glenn
AnswerID:
327837
Follow Up By: nosh - Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 08:45
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 08:45
Hi Glenn,
You not wrong about the ferry prices to KI. We do hope to squeeze more time in there, I was being a bit cautious with my time estimates. As for Pt
Augusta our length of stay is going to be dictated to by one factor and that is the Kingfish at the power station outlet. I will be calling ahead and find out if they are around if so we stay and have a crack at them if not we pass thru, and try again on the way home.
cheers
Gavan
FollowupID:
595223
Follow Up By: That Troopy Bloke (SA) - Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 16:35
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 16:35
G'day Gavan
I don't like your chances with the Kingfish....I reckon they would be all over by November. They are more of a winter proposition up there....they head up to the top of the gulf for the warm
water from the power station outlet, then they bugger off when the gulf waters warm up in spring.
The smaller 'rats' are about year round, but these are escapees from the Kingfish farms, so their numbers depend on the number of 'accidental' releases from the farms.
Good luck anyway....don't forget to report back to let us know how you got on.
Cheers
Glenn
FollowupID:
595284
Reply By: Motherhen - Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 23:33
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 23:33
Hi Gavan
I agree that Pt
Augusta is for re-fuelling only. With so much to see in such a short time, don't waste your time staying at 'the gutter'.
To see Kings Canyon, you need to do the walk - preferably
the ridge top walk if the weather isn't too hot by November. Start out really early in the morning o you are climbing the steep part before it gets hot. There is a shorter ground level walk, but
the ridge top is exceptional. It it a fairly long walk, so allow two or three hours.
While Uluru is worth seeing,
Kata Tjuta is bigger and better. The
Valley of the Winds Walk is again quite long and worth doing. You can only
camp at
Yulara for seeing both the rocks, although with a good early start you could do the walk at
Kata Tjuta then continue on to
camp at Docker River (the
water supply had been vandalised so the
toilets and showers don't work, but you could still '
bush camp' in this nice location) if you get a good run.
Stay at Warakurna Road house so you can get to the weather station by 8.30 am. The roadhouse
campsite is quite good (better that at
Yulara).
When you get to
Esperance, head east. The beaches and Cape Le Grande NP are beautiful.
The Karri forests around Pemberton and
Northcliffe (and Shannon River) are glorious.
By now it will be nearly Christmas, and you still have to get back to KI!
Beware of Rottnest when TEE students finish school. I don't know if it still is a popular place for year 12 'schoolies', but it used to be a major place for them to flock to and celebrate.
Have a wonderful trip.
Motherhen
AnswerID:
327888
Follow Up By: nosh - Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 08:54
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 08:54
MH,
Thanks for the advice regarding the walks etc, that allows us to tweak our itinerary better. Also it sounds like we need to add Shannon to our stop list. As for Rottnest I am waiting to hear back from work colleagues but if there is going to be a bunch of yahooing teenagers out there then we might just day trip it and spend more time on KI.
Thanks again
Cheers
Gavan
FollowupID:
595224
Reply By: aka - Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 08:20
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 08:20
At Pemberton do the tram trip and climb the millennium tree go to
Kalbarri and see the bird sancturay at Agusta see where the oceans meet
AnswerID:
327904
Follow Up By: nosh - Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 09:03
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 09:03
Aka,
Yeah the point where the oceans meet was one of the things we are going to see.
Thanks for the other tips.
Cheers
Gavan
FollowupID:
595225
Reply By: ross - Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 10:25
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 10:25
I think Rottnest is a bit overated for the prices they charge.
I would just do a day trip and save the moeny for something else with more value.
Spending a day or 2 around Kalgoorlie is always good value
AnswerID:
327922
Reply By: Rod W - Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 at 15:56