Australia Downunder - 5 months Adventure with the family

[Hads]

Back in the beginning of August 2017 my wife and our 3 beautiful kids and myself took off for a 5 months adventure travelling Oz - I took long service leave from work.

I never thought to put a trip report together about this trip as I thought it may not interest too many Safaritalkers.

However while we are in these strange times of life in a Covid world and Trip reports few and far between I thought I would share my Family adventure travelling my beautiful home Country.

 

We have recently upgraded our home computer and I still need to get all the photo's downloaded - so please bare with me  .

As we live in remote North West Western Australia, pretty much where the arid desert meets the ocean I wanted the family to experience seeing Rainforests, Mountains, Cold climates, New Wildlife and most of all learn more about there own Country - yes we had to throw in the odd city visit as well.

Here are a few photo's to whet the appetite.

 

Kangaroo Island

Minnie Waters - one of our favourite spots on the northern NSW coast.

Lucky Bay - near Esperance WA

The Rock - Uluru

This guy means business

Northern Territory

Corroberee Billabong - NT

Arnhem Land Border Crossing - Cahill's crossing

Home on Wheels  

Baird Bay SA

Lawn Hill National Park - QLD

Water was very cold.........

Mens talk............

Footprints in the Sand

 

Stay Tuned

 

Edited June 23, 2020 by Hads

[Hads]

The photo shows in black artline permanent marker where we travelled.

In total we travelled approximately 32'500 km's in the 5 months.

We Traveled in a Clockwise Direction around the Country.

[elefromoz]

@Hads, lucky kids, lucky all of you.5 months is a mighty trip. Even in that length of time though, so much more to see still! 

[janzin]

wow, what an amazing trip! I have a feeling this is going to be a very long report Looking forward to it!

 

[Bush dog]

@Hads

 

Do not worry, a trip report, even if it's not focused on wildlife, is always interesting and what a marvelous adventure for your kids.

[KiwiGran]

Really looking forward to this trip report as I am sure it will bring back many happy memories, the Lawn Hill photo certainly did, the wonderful scenery and serenity canoeing up the gorge. We did almost 30,000kms  in rental vehicles over 7 trips to your amazing country.

[Treepol]

Looking forward to your family adventure, what a great experience for all of you and I’m sure that many lifelong memories were made during this time.

 

 

[Atravelynn]

Thanks for showing the rainbow.  I expected it to be upside down, like a U.    ha ha

 

 

What has the croc so enthusiastic?

 

What a fabulous family adventure!

Edited June 24, 2020 by Atravelynn

[ForWildlife]

what a trip!!!

[adamt123]

@Hads Australia is easily my favourite country - what a splendid trip to travel around it as you did. The Brolga photo is particularly nice. 

 

Depending on the situation, I am considering a trip you spectacular home nation myself next June - probably NT Top End and north QLD, so I very much look forward to your report. 

 

As for this...

 

On 6/23/2020 at 5:50 AM, Hads said:

I never thought to put a trip report together about this trip as I thought it may not interest too many Safaritalkers.

 

...what nonsense! 

 

Also @Atravelynn I love the new profile picture !

[Caracal]

 

@Hads -  am looking forward to following this epic trip/adventure.

[Earthian]

Yes! At last a long trip report about Australia. Always wanted to explore Australia by road and seems like i am going to get inspired.

 

Beautiful start. Hooked us. Thank you for sharing. Pray, please continue.

[Atravelynn]

The map and your route really make an impression.  It would take 5 months!

 

[campsafari2015]

Looking forward to this! What an adventure!

[Earthian]

On 6/23/2020 at 10:20 AM, Hads said:

Stay Tuned

We are....and waiting for the journey to continue.

[zimreef]

Looks as though you saw an awful lot of the country. Looking forward to this trip report immensely - please don’t keep us waiting too long!

[Hads]

@Atravelynn We went on a boat cruise on the Mary River in the Northern Territory - they feed some of the bigger crocs to show how far they can jump out of the water.

 

Thanks to everyone's comments.

[Hads]

Apologies for a long delay in getting back into the report - been working long hours of late and still looking for some missing photo albums.........

 

I will break the trip down into sections of each State (Province) that we visited and the highlights of each.

As I have lived in Western Australia all of my life on departure we pretty much headed from my home town in Karratha to Wyndham (3 days drive towing a caravan about 1700km's).

We wanted to get into the Northern Territory pretty quick, however we did stay 3 nights near Wyndham at a rustic Caravan Park called Parry's Lagoon (also has a great bird hide a few km's away).

 

Australia is such a massive Country in 5 months we only scratched the surface. In total we travelled approximately 32'500 km's

Trip breakdown will be:

 

Section 1 - Western Australia Wyndham - Parry's Lagoon.

Section 2 - Northern Territory - Highlights being Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks, Corroboree Billabong, Mataranka, Mt Bundy Station and Uluru. Catching up with Friends in Darwin. Eating Cherapin.

Section 3 - Queensland - Highlights being Lawn Hill National Park, Kurumba, Atherton Tablelands, Daintree Rain Forest, Sth Mission beach, Longreach and Fraser Island.

Section 4 - New South Wales - Highlights being the Northern NSW coast, Minnie Waters, Lightning Ridge and Sydney Visit for the first time.

Section 5 - South Australia - Highlights being camping on the Murray river around Renmark, Adelaide Hills (Cherryville), Kangaroo Island, Eyre Penisula and all the small fishing villages famous for oysters and diving with Seals and Dolphins, Driving across the Nullabor Plain.

Section 6 - Back into  home state southern Western Australia - Highlights was stopping in Esperance at Cape LeGrand National Park. Xmas with family .

 

Apologies again if I do not get back to the report ASAP  - But I will leave you with a few more photo's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 11, 2020 by Hads

[Treepol]

@Hads your photos really capture the spirit of the Australian outdoors, pelicans are one of my favourite birds. Looking forward to your road trip.

[Earthian]

Yes, your photographs are really very good. You have the eye!

 

What gear do you use?

[Atravelynn]

On 7/11/2020 at 6:23 AM, Hads said:

@Atravelynn We went on a boat cruise on the Mary River in the Northern Territory - they feed some of the bigger crocs to show how far they can jump out of the water.

As a canoeist in various locations in Africa, I wish I did not know this.

Thanks to everyone's comments.

 

[John M.]

   What fantastic travels!  I spent a few years in the NT in the 70s, even hitched from Adelaide to Darwin and back in my youth in the early 60s . 

   Your croc photos remind me I went barramundi fishing at Cahill's Crossing in '74 and '75, either side of Cyclone Tracy, but wouldn't be game now. Hardly any crocs there back then.

  I remember when my parents visited Darwin, I took them on a river cruise to see jumping crocs. Didn't see a single one... I was told it was too close to the wet season and the crocs were off in the wilds looking for mates.