The weather forecast for today predicted cloudy weather and showers, but when we woke at 5:30, the sky was clear and the sun was shining, with the van interior temperature at eighteen degrees. We are heading further west today, and after 40 km, we passed through Coolgardie before stopping at Southern Cross to refuel. The cloud increased the further west we drove, then the rain started and was quite heavy at times, continuing until we arrived in Merredin, where we lunched at the local cafe with burgers and hot chocolate. We continued on towards Kellerberrin to camp at the showgrounds. We entered the Camps 7 number into our Garmin GPS, but on arriving, there was no camping available. Backtracking, we found a sign to a new caravan park. The park looks like it had just been completed, with all new facilities, and best of all, it cost just $16.50 per site per night.
Distance today 388 km.
October 10:
A very cool morning with just ten degrees inside the van and cool enough to turn on the diesel heater. The forecast for today was rain, but we woke up to another day with beautiful blue skies. We left at 8:30 heading towards Perth. Today we were having all our batteries replaced at Alco Batteries in Belmont. Bushtracker now fit the Discover D27A 100 AH batteries as standard in their new vans, so that's what we installed. After that, we headed north up the freeway to Karrinyup Waters Resort caravan park in Gwelup, where we are booked in until the 17th of October.
Distance today 252 km.
A very cool morning with just ten degrees inside the van and cool enough to turn on the diesel heater. The forecast for today was rain, but we woke up to another day with beautiful blue skies. We left at 8:30 heading towards Perth. Today we were having all our batteries replaced at Alco Batteries in Belmont. Bushtracker now fit the Discover D27A 100 AH batteries as standard in their new vans, so that's what we installed. After that, we headed north up the freeway to Karrinyup Waters Resort caravan park in Gwelup, where we are booked in until the 17th of October.
Distance today 252 km.
October 11:
Seventeen degrees at 6:30 this morning. Today was cleaning day, with the van's exterior in need of a spruce-up after travelling over 2,500 km of dirt roads. Then all the sheets, doona covers, and clothes were washed and dried just before lunchtime, when the day turned cloudy with some light showers that persisted until the next morning.
October 12:
We left the van for the next five days while we stayed with our very good friends, who live in Menora, a lovely suburb not far from the city centre. We went sightseeing today, starting at Hillary's Boat Harbour before heading south along the West Coast Highway, passing Trigg Beach, Scarborough Beach, Floreat Beach, City Beach, Sawanbourne, and Cottesloe Beaches. We finally stopped in Fremantle for a seafood lunch at Fisherman's Wharf at the Kallis Brothers Restaurant, then visited the Little Creatures Brewery to sample some of their beer and buy some merchandise.
Seventeen degrees at 6:30 this morning. Today was cleaning day, with the van's exterior in need of a spruce-up after travelling over 2,500 km of dirt roads. Then all the sheets, doona covers, and clothes were washed and dried just before lunchtime, when the day turned cloudy with some light showers that persisted until the next morning.
October 12:
We left the van for the next five days while we stayed with our very good friends, who live in Menora, a lovely suburb not far from the city centre. We went sightseeing today, starting at Hillary's Boat Harbour before heading south along the West Coast Highway, passing Trigg Beach, Scarborough Beach, Floreat Beach, City Beach, Sawanbourne, and Cottesloe Beaches. We finally stopped in Fremantle for a seafood lunch at Fisherman's Wharf at the Kallis Brothers Restaurant, then visited the Little Creatures Brewery to sample some of their beer and buy some merchandise.
October 13:
Today was a rest day. After lunch, we visited my Godson and his fiancée, who are renovating their home.
Distance covered today: 25 km.
October 14:
Today, we were taken west into the Perth Hills. We stopped at Kalamunda for morning tea. The town is several hundred metres above sea level, and the soils in the area are ideal for growing stone fruits, apples, and wine grapes. Mundaring Weir is the dam that supplies water to Perth and also provides water to Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. The water for these towns in the goldfields is pumped via a pipeline that was built and officially opened in 1903.
Today was a rest day. After lunch, we visited my Godson and his fiancée, who are renovating their home.
Distance covered today: 25 km.
October 14:
Today, we were taken west into the Perth Hills. We stopped at Kalamunda for morning tea. The town is several hundred metres above sea level, and the soils in the area are ideal for growing stone fruits, apples, and wine grapes. Mundaring Weir is the dam that supplies water to Perth and also provides water to Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. The water for these towns in the goldfields is pumped via a pipeline that was built and officially opened in 1903.
October 15:
Toured the city, which included London Court, the Hay Street and Murray Street Malls and before leaving, we had a beer at the Print Hall Bar that is located on the ground floor of the new BHP Building.
October 16:
Our wonderful tour director, Alan was taking us to the Swan Valley today. First on our list was the Margaret Valley Chocolate Factory, where we purchased some of their lovely merchandise before heading to Cape Lavender for a Devonshire morning tea. We then visited Talijancich, who are renowned for their Verdelho, Shiraz and Aged Liqueurs, of which we brought several bottles. Next was the House of Honey, where Ros purchased wildflower honey, as well as honey shampoo and conditioner.
Lunch was at Taylor's Art and Coffee House before we visited Mondo Nougat and Chocolate, where we bought more items. We also visited Houghton's Winery, where Ros and I sampled their Classic White, which they sell for $15.00 per bottle but can be purchased at Dan Murphy's for $8.55 per bottle. We limited our winery visits as we are heading to Margaret River next week. We finished a lovely five days visiting our friends by dining out at the Nepalese and Himalayan Restaurant in Mt Lawley for dinner.
October 17:
After saying goodbye to our friends this morning, we returned to our van. We grocery shopped at the local shopping centre in Gwelup and prepared the van for our trip south tomorrow.
Loving description and scenery. But the temperatures you have experienced has gone from one extreme to the other - overly hot in the centre but then the heater on in Margaret River! Dorothea Mackellar described our great country well.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you both in the next few days. Love and hugs - tworobs