2016 PERLUBIE ON THE BEACH

By far the best campsite we've stayed so far on the Eyre Peninsula. Camped on the beach (literally), clean flushing toilet, swing set to watch the water and sunset, sun shades and great company (but not too much). Perlubie Beach is situated between Smokey Bay and Streaky Bay and it was simply bliss.

Brad found a fishing friend Andrew. Andrew is a teacher on LSL, he and his wife taking their two girls on a great Aussie adventure in their caravan. Lola and the girls Savannah and Taylor played for hours each day. A bit too much sun yesterday so today was spent playing games inside the bus

Ok so a little bit of a hitch in parking on the beach. Time to leave and the tyres were spinning amongst a pile of old seaweed. No problem, first time out with the shovel, a bit of easy digging and we are off again. Stopped at Smokey Bay on the way to Perlubie, lots of beautiful sea birds.

2016 THE OYSTER CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA

Welcome to Ceduna, the Oyster Capital of Australia on the far west coast of SA. Being vegetarian, I can't vouch for the oysters, but our first stop was the Oyster Bar where Brad and Lola didn't hesitate to get stuck in.

After a visit to the foreshore, and a trip around town we headed out of town to a permit camp ($10/night) site at Decres Bay, about 12km out of Ceduna a lovely spot overlooking the water for 280 degree views and a magnificent sunrise on the first morning.

We spent the next morning on the foreshore, trying to contact a vet - Daisy has been limping with a sore foot since we left Burra and it is getting worse not better. Turns out, there is no vet in Ceduna, just a visiting vet from Port Lincoln who visits once a week. We managed to get in on an "emergency" visit meaning stick around for 3 days until the vet arrives.

We suspected a grass seed, so I headed straight to the chemist and purchased some magnesium (used to be called Dr Thars) it's used to draw out splinters and things. So I piled it on Daisy's foot, wrapped it up and we waited for the vet to arrive. This human treatment did seem to relieve her pain quite a lot and reduce the swelling. By the time we reached the vet, she just squeezed the grass seed and puss straight out (seems my remedy also avoided a surgical procedure usually used for seeds like this). So Daisy all good, we will move on to the coast tomorrow......still seeking a lovely swimming beach.

Lola stood on a drawing pin so we wrapped her foot up too, just like Daisy

A windy rainy night with amazing lightning and thunder storms, was awesome from this vantage point

2016 BURRA TO CEDUNA & HALFWAY ACROSS AUSTRALIA

I know I keep saying it, but it feels so good to back on the road. Always an interesting and unique experience stopping at places to work, no longer just a passing tourist, you really get to know a town, the locals, what makes it and they tick. And let’s face it, stopping to work is an essential part of our nomadic life choice.

That said, we live this life for the adventure of travel, and there really is nothing quite as exhilarating as taking to the wheel of your home and just drive, especially when a specific destination is unknown….just taking each road as it comes.

Just before leaving the farm at Burra, we committed to a job back up north, about 300 odd km’s north of Alice Springs, managing a remote general store. Having said we wouldn’t commit to a 12 month job again, we just have.

The reason, well we loved our time at Redgum Store before and this time, we get to help the owners make big changes and improve the store and developing a sense of community for the local Utopia people. If we committed only 6 months, it would be coming into summer when it’s time to leave and I really don’t want to head north in the wet season, way too humid.

So this where we save up a pile of cash then head to the top end and across to the west, the places I am just dying to explore. So for now, we have almost 8 weeks of freedom to do as much “beach” as we can before returning to the hot and dusty desert that we have actually come to love. Our tentative plan right now, is head to Ceduna along the inland highway then travel back along the coastal roads of the Eyre Peninsula…..as much beach as we can muster.

Shop stop at Port Augusta then first stop is Iron Knob. When last we visited, this place resembled an abandoned ghost town in both look and feel. But the mine has reopened we’re told and wow, there has to be at least 20 or so residents, lights on in a couple of houses at night. Talking to the locals, if you work at the mine, which is right in the town, you can’t live in the town, or if you do, you still have to travel back to Whyalla and catch the mine bus to work instead of walking just up the road from an Iron Knob home (due to OH&S Reasons apparently), sounds crazy. Can't complain about the Iron Knob camp ground for $5 per night

Personally, Whyalla would be a much more pleasant home to live in, the prettiest part of Iron Knob being the art work on the camp area buildings.

Kimba on the other hand, a very pretty little town full of house proud residents who like to give their houses names it seems.Very welcoming in appearance, this little village just bursts of pride and welcome to travellers. Heading out of Kimba you can’t help but miss the Big Galah (though apparently a lot of people do, miss it that is) and obtain the knowledge that we are now “half way across Australia”.

2016 ANIMALS ON THE FARM

The heart of Baldina.

2015 BALDINA STATION WORK

Well I must be honest and say Brad did most of the work on the farm...not that I was idle, I was earning $$$ continuing on some remote work from my job in Alice. I did do two full rounds of mowing the grounds of the big house which includes pool, tennis court, front gardens and side gardens, quite a job actually.

Meanwhile, Brad was learning the ropes of the farm to look after things while Kobey's away, as well as squeezing in building a pergola extension on the manager's farm house and a new deck.

Lola fed the chooks and collected eggs every morning. As the temps were heating up, Brad rounds up the sheep on motorbike, doing the water run - took about 3 hours to ride around the property and check the water in the paddocks. Pergola done, ready for the next nomads to do some painting. As the holidays end, Lola starts her schoolwork to get a head start. It's never all work, got to have some fun too.

2015 ARRIVING AT BALDINA, BURRA SA

After a few stops along the way, we arrived in Burra today. A lot less green than when we last came through, this lovely little heritage town in many ways still reflects the old time. It reminds me a bit of Tasmania, lots of old stone buildings, green grass and trees and everything closes by 12noon on Saturday.

About 12kms further on, and down a dirt road then a very long driveway, we found our way to Baldina Station where we will spend the next 8 weeks over Christmas, firstly learning to work on the farm then taking care of the station while the managers take a well earned break and head to the beach over Christmas.

Immediately on arrival, after meeting manager Kobey and saying gidday, we discovered he had just rescued two little new born goats (kids) from certain death. So of course, Lola and I immediately adopted them, bottle feeding them through their first weeks and giving lots of love and attention. Now known as Gertie and Flirty, they are sooooooo adorable. But they grow quick and by the end of our stay (late January) they have grown into independent, fun and feisty little poo machines. And having spent so much time with us, they used the front of our bus, our chairs and our tables as their never ending toilet. I have to say, my long lasting love and affection was rapidly depleting with every sloppy pooh (sorry, but.....).

Nat and Kobey at Baldina host nomads all throughout the year. In return for somewhere to park your bus/van, power, water and bathroom, you are asked to maintain the gardens at the "big house" and care for the vegie patches which you also get to enjoy.

In our case, Brad was also learning the daily farm functions and tasks to take care of things while Nat, Kobey and the kids Jesse and Lilly went on holiday to the beach.

2015 PORT BROUGHTON & A REPAIR JOB

We arrived in Port Broughton and Brad discovered we were lucky the trailer and car made it too. A crack in the tow hitch could have been a serious issue so out with the welder and a bit of paint and we're good to go again.

Strolls along the beach, the foreshore and the jetty with a few dips in the water pretty much summarised our stay here. Oh and a magnificent tapas lunch at Palate 2 Palette. A quiet, peaceful, relaxing time, if only a few days. From the desert to the farm with a little bit of sand in between, we prepare to head to Baldina Station Burra for 8 weeks over Christmas.

Post Note: Check your tyre pressures, this is what happens to tyres that are under inflated. It's actually worse than it looks, the outer tread is nearly at its limit. I'm a Dickhead for not checking them.😣

2015 PORTS GERMEIN & AUGUSTA

After about 580kms we spent last night at a free camp in Port Augusta. The wind was wild and we mostly enjoyed the view from the bus, but not a bad site (Power Station Road) with a clean running water loo. Then moving on to Port Germein.

With one pub and one caravan park is all we needed and Port Germein is such a peaceful place to do it. The tide is often out (so we still haven't had our ocean swim) but lovely long walks down the beach, the pier and Daisy Dog just has a blast.

Dinner at the pub and decided to stay another night or two to chill out. Lola's not feeling well so staying inside with the aircon blasting to get over it while Brad, Daisy and I wander aimlessly around this little beachside village.

2015 HMAS WHYALLA & OTHER STUFF

A brief and creepy pit stop at Woomera; a sad, vacant, eerie and despondent place. While we didn’t see a soul, it felt as though souls did in fact exist, watching us and waiting [shiver]. So onward and out of there….

Finally the vision of water! After so long in the desert, we couldn’t wait to hit the beaches. We didn’t quite satisfy the urge in Port Augusta, Whyalla or Point Lowly, but water we did see and feel. First stop Port Augusta, big shop, air in tyres and overnight stay then off again.

Exploring the town of Whyalla, we took a tour on the HMAS WHYALLA. Built in 1941, the Whyalla was the first ship built in the Whyalla shipyards and served during the second World War 1942-46. It served by minesweeping, survey work and ferrying troops. Decommissioned in 1947 she was re named SS RIP and used to blast a dangerous stretch of water called The Rip at the entrance of Port Philip Bay. She now lives 2 metres off the ground and 2 kilometres from the sea back in the town of Whyalla.

We moved on, spending the night by the lighthouse at Point Lowly, got our feet wet in the water and continued to dream of the ocean, waves and white sands we were dying to see. The view from the bus, we are parked up at point Lowly SA. It's beautiful here, lovely breeze blowing and about 25 degrees, magic 😊

2015 BACK AT LOVELY LAKE HART, SA

Each time we have driven up or down the Stuart Highway, the desert presents something just a little bit new. Colour transitions through the time of day, the weather and the season.

Recent rain sprouting rapid new growth as if the greenery waits impatiently just below the surface and the very moment moisture arrives it jumps up, grabs it and instantly flourishes. One thing that never seems to change, nor disappoint is the beautiful Lake Hart.

Amongst a long, sometimes tedious landscape of red dirt and 50 shades of green, all of sudden appears a vast sea of salt, purest white, sparkling like diamonds that glisten in the sun. Another boiling hot day but we had to visit once again.

As quicly as we posted on Facebook that we were soon to arrive at a favourite oasis, a friend we met at Ross River (Graham “Scurry” Murray from Scotland) instantly responded “see if you can see my name”. He had travelled through a couple of weeks before us and was keen to know if his graffiti’d memory lived, and it did.

After our long stroll across this “desert snow” arriving back at the carpark we were met with a gaggle of tourists madly snapping their Nikon’s with pictures of our bus. It wasn’t long before they created a single file queue at the door to step inside and have a gander……so funny.

2015 FAREWELL ALICE - FOR NOW

On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again....I know just how you feel Willie.

Just a trifle sad to be saying goodbye to Alice and surrounds after meeting so many wonderful people and collecting unique and cherished memories, there is nothing just quite like being on the road again.

As soon as we hit the Stuart Highway, backpacker alert by the side of the road so of course I stopped. I can't remember now, I think Maria was from Iran and her partner maybe German, making their way to Uluru, we took them as far as Erldunda, where they picked up another ride almost immediately to reach their destination by late afternoon.

Still stifling hot, we decided to call it quits for the day and pull up in Erldunda and go for a nice relieving swim. Shortly after, a magnificent dust storm hit us..the wind blowing debris sideways, whipping my arms and legs, I watched in awe. At first with fear as I thought it was a fast approaching fire, but no, only dust which went as fast as it came...another memorable experience.

2015 HANGING WITH THE CAIRNS CREW

After leaving Ross River Resort, we returned to Alice Springs to see out my last couple of weeks working at Central Desert, before we get out of Alice and head south for the summer.

We stopped at the showgrounds, and met up with the Cairns family better known as “Holiday Road". True pros to this travelling life, they have been on the road in their bus for over 10 years, currently have their 11 kids on board, 2 dogs and 4 birds! We had met up with them briefly a couple of times around Alice in the past year, but being neighbours with them for what was supposed to be a couple of days, found us really getting to know each other and our days together developed into weeks!

We had such a great time with this fun loving, adventurous family, when it was time to leave and they were heading north and we were heading south, we all decided to do a little road trip together first with a visit to Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles).

The last time we attempted Karlu Karlu, back in May 2015, we broke down about 100kms north of Alice and wound up having to replace the motor in our bus. This trip now would be our first real endeavour with the new motor. It's summer, and it's really really hot!

So off we go, 2 buses, each with trailer, total of 4 adults, 12 kids, 4 dogs and 3 birds :) The older girls travelled up with us making it a loud and happy trip, Lola just loved their company

We made a few roadside stops along the way, the Tropic of Capricorn, Ti Tree where we the kids all collected some sticks and we fuelled up our little fireplace and had sausages and bread by the road, Aileron Roadhouse and a few other roadside rests.

Aileron Roadhouse stop - at the bar from left to right Djarra, Bono, Tyrheanna, Beaudine, Eloura, Me, Kiana, Brock, Peter and out front from left: Lola, Kiana,,Beaudine, Nadine, Djara, Tyrheanna, Brock, Bono, Peter, Eloura

Arriving at Karlu Karlu, I think around 3am, the kids decided to stay up and watch the sunrise while exploring around the marbles. Exahusted from driving and keeping a constant sharp eye on the temperature gauge, we went to bed.

It was really very bloody hot staying at the marbles, so the next afternoon we headed down the road to the Wauchope Hotel and decided to move there and stay in the caravan park with some solid aircon running and swimming in the pool.

So hot, we all jumped in as soon as we could after arriving

Time to say goodbye for now, until we meet again. The kids carried Lola into the bus and we bid a rather sad farewell.

Some more fantastic new friendships we've all made, we are keeping in touch and can't wait to catch up again, somewhere on the bus.

2015 NEW LONG TIME FRIENDS

It's not all about the places you go, but the people you meet. Working in Alice Springs has given us the opportunity to make amazing new friends. My special two Dan brings fun and life to everything he does and made a difficult place to work so much fun and Sascha taught me so much about the town, the community the bush and Aboriginal culture.

We shared a lot of fun times together - an amazing road trip from Alice to Lajamanu and back (via Yuendumu & Willowra) in a weekend, nights out on the town, bus parties, bush walks and mountain climbs and lots of fun times at work too. Will miss you two, but we will meet again.

2015 BYE BYE ROSS RIVER

We had a great time living and working at Ross River resort. Jodie and family where absolutely awesome to work for and we will miss them. If you are in Alice Springs go and check out Ross River resort it's a special place. Beautiful relaxed camp grounds, dogs and kids welcomed.

Post Note: Thank you Jodie Solczaniuk for our camp ovens. Just a slight modification so we don't get confused between the vego and the canibals. can't wait to get cooking

2015 NEVER DULL AT ROSS RIVER

While Brad worked as Maintenance Manager - fixing, building and upgrading a range of everything, we lived in our broken down bus at Ross River. It certainly wasn't all work though...a lot of fun and experiences with staff and visitors were had….Lola learned to shoot (targets, definitely no dead animals), Brad went a little mad, Planes fly in

The Desert Song Choir come to perform. As well as checking them all in and serving their dinner function, we used the "donor" bus to transport the choir and audience down through the river, across the sand and into the gorge....saved the guests a long walk on a very hot day. Happy passengers... Brad is a natural at playing the entertaining bus driver and all enjoyed a beautiful performance in a magical setting. Not just a maintenance manager, Brad played maitre de while I played bar maid

Graham Rogers performed his tag along show bringing along approximately 40 caravan loads of die hard fans...we served the bar and enjoyed the show

Fish's Run held their annual event in memory of Terry Gill (Fish) who hit a camel on his bike leaving Ross River. Friends, family and followers now celebrate his life with an annual bike ride event from Alice Springs to Ross River also raising money for charity. We checked them in and out, watered the road to limit the dust as over 120 bikes rolled in and one big all night party!

We saved some piglets....two rejected at birth by their mum, and one bitten badly by a sibling, we nursed this little babies from near death to health with heat mat beds, bottle feeding through the night, dressing the wound and loads of love until Jodie tried returning them to their mum. Mum was happy to have them back, in fact then become very protective of them. After returning to the pen, my little piggy recognised my voice instantly every time I visited but mum would not let her near me. Glad they were accepted back so protectively by mum, brothers and sisters....but sad to see them go (admit, I wanted to keep this little one).

Even Daisy was happy to adopt a new little baby and always a party to be had, birthdays, farewells, just because.....the backpacker staff were always a barrel of laughs and glad I kept them in grog during my daily trips to town. And just chilling out enjoying the views.

2015 BEST WORK TRIP EVER - THE ROAD TO LAJAMANU

SEPTEMBER

Off on a 3 day work road trip. Day 1 from Alice up the Tanami Road to Lajamanu via Yuendumu. Check this out on your map, it really is the middle of nowhere. Day 2 Lajamanu working then off to Top Springs. Day 3 Top Springs to Alice. Thats a lot of hours in the car, lucky I'm in good company. Should be fun!

Arrived in Top Springs, 1100kms down, about 900 to go.

A great insight into a well managed community at Lajamanu, productive meetings then off home with a bit of fun along the way.

On the home stretch, Just before arriving in Tennant Creek, took a quick detour and found a little wet oasis in the middle of the desert.

Dan will show you if you're ever lonely in the outback there's always a termite mound to befriend.

Roadside and roadhouse stops, no wonder it took 7 1/2 hoirs to do 500 kms

Quirky signs are one of the things I enjoy about an NT Road trip, topped off by awesome company to be locked up in a car with

Tennant Creek to Barrow Creek and everything in between. Brad Mains I might need a lift home from Alice

2015 RED CENTRE NATS & DESERT CHOIRS

The Red Centre Nats going off.

Hangin at the drags 2nite we had cars from Datsuns to Ferraris and everything in between, even a car from Rowville Vic. Heaps of them from our young days. Prompted Brad Mains and I to make a list of all the cars we've owned. Here's our list, now its your turn, go.....XT Fairmont, VG Valiant Pacer, Datsun 120Y, Hillman Hunter, Valiant VG Pacer again, VC Commodore, XB Falcon, XA Falcon, Mini sedan then a Mini panelvan, Sigma, , XD Fairmont, Nissan Pulsar, VS Commodore, Mercedes 380SEL, then the work Fors Transitz Captiva and Hyundai and now the little Suzuki Vitara we tow behind the Mercedes bus

Meanwhile: Bush bashing with the donor bus to see if we can get it thru the river to transport the Desert Song Choir down to their performance...of course we can, so charter bus service we are today and the singers keep dry feet

SEPT 13 Brad ferried nearly 200 people up the road, across the rivers and around the bends to hear the Desert Song Festival Choirs sing in a beautful desert setting at Ross River Resort

2015 FISH'S RUN

August 23, 2015 · Another big weekend at Ross River. Fish's Run, a long running memorial bike ride in honour of Terry Gill. These guys certainly know how to show their respects in true aussie all night party style

2015 PIGLETS

Originally rejected by mum and siblings and nearly squashed to death, 2 little pigs were removed and so it was our job to love them and keep them alive.

23 Aug Nursing little 🐷 piglets, in love. Daisy meets the piglet formerly known as Barry (Baz) now awaiting a more feminine name

27 Aug I'm informed our 2 little piglets have been returned to their mum and siblings today.....they'd better be safe Brad Mains and Jodie Solczaniuk or I'm comimg to get you!!!!!

Well I feel like a dingo stole my baby but I have arrived home and oir 2 little pigs are all snuggled up with their siblings appearing safe and sound. Might get some sleep tonight