We’ve travelled 4,308 kms since leaving Darwin, 8,569 since leaving Cairns and 11,669 since beginning this trip in Sydney in mid-May. As we point south at Exmouth, we’re roughly half way along our journey around Australia.

On 27 September we packed up our nomadic assets and commenced the ride south down the WA coast towards Perth, about 1,200kms away. We had booked the bikes in for a 10,000 km service at the BMW dealership there, ahead of a house sit in Gelorup two hours south of Perth starting on 14 October.

Coral Bay

A few people we met on the road had raved about Coral Bay – not somewhere that had been on our radar. However, school holidays in WA meant there was a mass movement of families north from Perth.

We nabbed the last available tent site at the “Peoples Camp”.  I had a long wander round while Louise had a rare afternoon sleep. Not really captured on the photo, left, the place was heaving and after our time on the ‘turtle beach’, the crush of humans in Coral Bay was off-putting, repellent even. But the little shopping centre boasted a good bakery where I sampled an excellent beef and mushroom pie. When ‘Er indoors’ emerged we walked to the beach with a swim in mind. However, the cool, strong wind and the undeterred families swarming everywhere persuaded us that a brief paddle was enough

It was an easy decision to make Coral Bay a one night stand. Had it just been the bakery and camp site staff, Coral Bay would have been exquisite, such was its natural beauty.

Quobba Station

It was another example of ‘go in for one night, stay for three’. This in spite of a strong southerly wind. This rocky bit of coastline possessed a natural beauty that encouraged long walks but any notion of swimming was muted by the howling southerly. If this weren’t enough, the waves crashing onto razor-sharp rocks completed the job of keeping us out of the sea.

A dad and his 3 lovely kids were having some escape time. We shared a dune-top observation of humpback whales partying not far offshore. This was to be a common sight on this coastline. They kindly included us in their trip 60 kms up the rough road to Red Bluffs. Here was another camp site, still on the same farm, but in this instance, behind a magnificent beach, below left, resplendent with crashing waves, sunshine (of

course) and somewhat sheltered from the wind. Swimming, body-surfing and sand-castle construction were followed by ice creams from the low key surfie shack. Oh joy. There was even a posh camping option – glamping – for those with a low ‘hardship threshold’ (photo above right).

Hamelin Station

A modest two-plus hour ride south saw us set up camp at Hamelin Station, as recommended by an Exmouth neighbour.

This station is the latest acquisition of Bush Heritage Australia and adds 200,000 hectares to the neighbouring Shark Bay World Heritage Area.

We inspected Stromatolites on the edge of the Hamelin Pool, a vast shallow extension south off Shark Bay. This unique environment is one of only two places on Earth where marine stromatolites can be found. So what are they?

Thousands of microbial species form communities that work together, using different elements and making different ‘products’. Cyanobacteria are a key inclusion – these absorb sunlight and produce oxygen and carbon, as they have for over 3.5 billion years as the planet’s oldest known life form. Particles suspended in the doubly saline sea water become entangled in the microscopic web and mats are formed.

Certain conditions cause layers of these mats to build up and stromatolites grow in this way – as a multi-layered mat of interdependent microbial communities. Those we saw, shown in the photo above, were about 0.5 metres tall but they can be found reaching a metre in height. They were between 2,000 and 3,000 years old. It makes the 1,000 year old Boab Tree we saw in El Questro seem like a spring chicken.

Kalbarri

A few hours south from Hamelin Station was Kalbarri National Park. We checked into a camp site in Kalbarri township for a couple of nights which were extended to five. We had received reports from our fellow bikies who were well ahead of us in southern WA. They told of severe winds, rain and cold. As we did not need to hit Perth until 11^th, we decided to put the brakes on our descent down the WA coast.

A day trip to Geraldton was necessary to sort a few errands.  The visor on my helmet had cracked inexplicably – the temporary fix was fragile –   see photo right. HJC, the manufacturer, kindly couriered a replacement visor to a dealer in Geraldton under warranty. Great brand support and service – thank you HJC. Our inflatable mattress, crafted in China, had sprung a leak which saw us getting up in the small hours to puff it up. Not fun in the cold night hours ………. which challenged our summer clothing and bedding to the point that a thick blanket was required to augment the new mattress and encourage more profound sleeps.

We had a few jaunts through the Kalbarri National Park, viewing the untamed coastline

and walking in the Murchison River gorge ………….  where we looked through Nature’s Window

at a section of the meandering Murchison River gorge.

Nearer Kalbarri itself, we couldn’t resist riding onto smooth, flattish rocks at one end of a beautiful bay, right by the breaking waves.

Last Stop Before Perth – Gingin

To get my bike to BMW Perth mid-morning on 10 October we picked Gingin, 80 kms north of Perth, as a stopping off spot so booked into the Gingin pub. Riding the 4 hours down there on Sunday 8^th gave us the forecast sunny day of 9^th to have a look at the mouth of Moore River.

Sunshine, a beach an ice cream –  what more can one ask for? Well, two gin and tonics back in the Gingin pub seemed like a good answer.

After two nights in a proper bed we made the short, final dash to Perth where an apartment awaited us. My speedo read 38,099 kms. 

 

Anecdotes, Derivatives and Things That Go Wrong

At This point, 13,669 kms and a little over halfway around Australia, we’ll take a break from the ‘travelogue’ for a few anecdotes:

The Camp Site Mix

Going up the east coast the mix of fellow campers was mostly grey nomads escaping the cold winter weather in Victoria and neighbouring states. Few foreign van-clad backpackers. From our random encounters it seemed to be quite an egalitarian Aussie mix. Retired farmers, semi-retired business owners and retired trades people all relishing the outdoor way of life. Across the Top End the mix morphed into more intrepid Aussie outback travellers with rugged 4×4 truck and trailer outfits, plus younger European folk in varied machines determined to see the raw country up north. Once in Exmouth the mix was skewed back towards urban escapees from Perth, getting 1,200 kms and 20 degrees c further north.

Derivatives

I was familiar with ‘derivatives’ in the investment management business where they may be used to insulate an investment position or portfolio against an unfavourable market movement. A common example being ‘shorts’ which gets us deftly back to the beach and a new-to-me revelation of a linguistic derivative of a derivative. Previously we’ve noted a common colloquialism for ‘hello’ sounding like “Hairgamma” which derives from “how are you going mate?” spoken quickly with minimal mouth movement. On an evening beach walk at Kalbarri, I was greeted by a chap fishing with “Gaaaarn”. For this man, even the effort to enunciate “Hairgamma” was way too much – it was all he could do to create the middle sound of “Gaaarn”. I thought this merited a “Toodlepip” in exchange. Both of us gained a word.

Temperature Fluctuations

Travelling on motorbikes with our canvas house provides plenty of familiarity with the diurnal rhythms of the different Aussie states and sub-regions. For example, in the Northern Territory the days were hot, around mid-thirties but the nights dropped below the twenties. By Broome the daytime temperature was nudging 40 while the night hours remained ambient. But by Exmouth, the nights were getting cold. At first, we were deceived by the late afternoon warmth, only to find ourselves digging out extra clothes in the small hours. As we moved south, both day and night temperatures dropped, highlighting a modest flaw in our planning. “It will be hot as we travel across the Top End in the winter months and then in the summer months when we travel east across the south, it will be bloody hot.” But the descent down the WA coastline in the spring months was not factored in. Our thin, hot weather sleeping bags proved inadequate for this latest section of the trip.

Things That Go Wrong

When looking ahead to a nine month,  20,0000 kilometre motorbike oddessey, we were confident there would be things that went wrong. But what might go wrong? Now, more than half way round, what has gone wrong?

1. As described in an early blog, in Sydney, Quarrantine Man Meets Snail. Snail loses its life, We lose over A$1,000 and 10 days;
2. Frustration riding north out of Brisbane as the American lady giving google map directions kept sending us into cul-de-sacs and along pedestrian paths. But then the app was set to the travel mode of “walking”!!! Little hop up the luddite’s learning curve;
3. The 1^st night under canvas. Modern lightweight, thin, roll-up inflatable mattresses. In the morning I felt as though I had been super-glued to the ground when I tried to move. Two hours later we had a proper inflatable mattress;
4. When in Cairns, my dearest old friend in New Zealand, Judy, died on 8 June;
5. Leaving Cairns in the rain. Diesel spill on a hairpin bend. Wobble. Slide. Crash. My bike written off. But not me. Shannons Insurance were great, if slow. Bought replacement bike. Very lucky;
6. While sorting bike claim in Cairns, Special Uncle died in England. Quick trip back to attend funeral with family;
7. Cairns again, Louise’s newish Telstra-aligned smart phone died. Telstra’s abysmally low service standards and general ineptitude turn an iconic Aussie brand into a loathsome ogre, that has to be revisited and revisited;
8. Louise’s spills on the Gumlon Falls track bent her moulded plastic panniers. We refashioned them. But thereafter were limited to smooth-ish unsealed roads unless we shed all our luggage;
9. The aluminium screw caps on our aluminium reserve tanks seized on. A day in Darwin, pillar-to-post, completed fix using irrigation fittings with big bonus of meeting John Gibson;
10. Yet to happen.

Anecdotes shared and with bikes fully serviced, we headed south out of Perth to take up a one week house sit in Gelorup on 13 October.

Gelorup House Sit and Befriending Alby

We got down there early enough for a quick reccie of Bunbury.  Had a quick, over-priced lunch at the Mash Brewery to sample its beers. Then arrived in time at our house sit to be shown the ropes by Caroline and Ashley before they headed off for a week’s break.

Their dog Alby and I bonded quite quickly. As per the photo above, a playful ball

of muscular exuberance…… seemed to be popular with Alby the Staffordshire!

Jean and Cathy came across from Sydney to spend five days with us. It was great to see them and share some uncomplicated chill-out time – something they each needed. The weather permitted a beach walk before deteriorating for most of their stay. However, being just north of Margaret River, there was plenty to entertain us. We visited Vasse Felix, Leeuwin Estate and Burch Family Wines where Howard Park and Madfish are the two brands. Howard Park scored impressive analogies, points and indeed awards from this panel of enthusiasts.

We also visited one of the many cave sites in the region.

Above, the intrepid underground explorers, below left, a true representation of the caves without light, and on the right, an illuminated view:

The stalagmites and stalactites could have been made of church candle wax – but they weren’t.

The South West Corner of Australia

Having farewelled Alby we rode south and found Conto Camp Site on the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park coast south of Margaret River. This was an exceptionally good bush camp, had there been any scorching sunshine, we would have been able to enjoy the shade of the grove of Peppermint Trees.

Conto Beach was a beautiful sandy cove which, in better weather, would have been great for a swim – below. 

A   short 50 km ride south lay Augusta at the very south west corner of Australia. Just beyond, at the very tip, was Cape Leeuwin with its impressive lighthouse built in 1895.

 

 

 

 

.

 

At this corner of this mighty island, the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean. At the time of our visit, there was no evidence of two strangers tussling but tussle they do as the sign below suggests.

Turning back from the lighthouse and facing inland, the shot below shows the two oceans nearly meeting but being denied by the spit of land that is the Cape itself.

In Augusta we enjoyed a good fish and chip lunch before visiting the museum about which I had read impressive reviews. As expected it offered informative exhibits that helped illustrate the settlement of that part of Australia, back in the early 1800s. Not Britain’s finest hour. Many of the folk who were conned into migrating from tough challenges of their homeland, found themselves in a vastly more harsh environment, which sorted the hardy from the rest with only the former surviving and very few thriving.

Meanwhile back at Conto Camp, the locals were showing what Western Australians do best, just lying back and taking things easy.

 

 

But we also met a delightful couple from Victoria, Tom and Tannis. They were relishing the freedom of 6 weeks away from it all with remote, bush camps being their preference. Many happy yarns were had around their camp fire. We look forward to meeting up again when in Victoria.

On 25 October, after leaving Conto and most of the way back up to Perth, my bike’s engine tried to stop while I was overtaking a lorry with a car right up my chuff.

Fortunately, its own momentum fired it up again but not for long as the photo above shows.

Once based in an Armadale house sit, the bike returned to Auto Classic, the Perth BMW dealership, where it was due to receive a replacement rear light. They found that an electronic sensor had got gummed up. $600 later my red machine was purring again.

The next blog will tell of our final WA excursion on Sunday 5 November when we head to the deep south and explore as far as Esperance before returning to Perth on 16^th in preparation for a magnificent choo choo ride to Adelaide.