Down Under Adventure: 2011

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Western Australia - Perth

After crossing the Nullabor, we reached Perth, Western Australia. We had travelled over 5,000km (3,100 miles) from Sydney to Perth. We left Sydney on January 8th and arrived into Perth on January 25th.

We celebrated Australia Day at the Raggamuffin concert in Fremantle. After spending a few days in Perth, we took the ferry over to one of our favorite spots on the trip, Rottnest Island. No motor vehicles were allowed on the island. You traveled by foot or bicycle. We opted for bikes...great way to see the island but can be exhausting in 100 degree heat! Thankfully there were 60 plus beaches on the island and they all were stunning.

We then drove north of Perth to Lancelin to escape the looming cyclone and to try sand boarding. Luckily, we didn't come across the cyclone but we did have an out of this world 4x4 ride on top of the sand dunes in Lancelin and got to sand board.

We finish our time in Perth relaxing on City Beach and ended our 3 1/2 week trip across Australia!

Celebrating Australia Day 2011in Perth

Kangaroo with beer in paw

Local brewery in Fremantle

Ragamuffin concert in Fremantle

Ragamuffin stage

Perth waterfront area

Perth Bell Tower

Perth skyline

Beautiful Rottnest Island

Taking a moment to enjoy the view

Shadows tell the story

Little Parakeet Bay

We enjoyed an amazing day on Rottnest Island

Well worth the bike ride around the island

Geordie Bay

Our mode of transportation for the day

The Quokka - Rottnest Island animal

Oceanside basketball court

Guilderton

Taking in the sunset after heavy thunderstorms

Guilderton inlet

Sunset at Guilderton

It's a 'Kevin' statue

Ledge Point Holiday Park

Desert Storm Adventures - Lancelin

That wheel is the size of Katie

Wow this vehicle is larger than Kevin

To the dunes!

We rode the dunes!

King of the mountain!

Our tracks in the dunes

Who needs a restaurant?

Our favorite road meal...raviolis

Karrinyup Waters Resort Caravan Park

Love you Nanie

City Beach Perth

The last night with our Britz campervan

Monday, February 14, 2011

The Nullabor Plain

On Saturday Jan 22nd, we embarked on the longest driving part of our journey...The Nullabor Plain. As we drove from Sydney to South Australia, we met many Australians who shared various thoughts on our journey across the Nullabor. Some folks thought that we were absolutely crazy to drive across the Nullabor Plain, others thought it was a fantastic idea to drive the treeless landscape of Western Australia that most Aussies had never travelled.

We had planned to spend three days driving the 2,132 km (1,324 miles) distance from Wudinna, South Australia to Perth, Western Australia. But...we soon discovered that the Britz (and us) were capable of pushing the limits so we drove the plain in two days.

We loved the journey. Yes, it was very flat, straight, dry, and HOT! But we had the opportunity to see the Great Australian Bight and drive right to the southwestern edge of the continent and view the Bunda Cliffs! We drove the longest straight road in Australia (90 miles without a single turn or bend). And of course we passed heaps of 'road trains'. The Australian 'road trains' are the longest trucks in the world. They have 3 or more trailers and are 53 meters long (174 feet) hauling 115 metric tons (253,531 pounds). They moved fast and really rocked the Britz in their path.

We didn't see any wild kangaroos, camels, or wombats. Which really was good in the end because we didn't want to have any unfortunate accidents with our Britz van. We stopped (after 8 plus driving hours each day) at the Madura Pass for night one and then in Merredin for night two. We met a lovely Dutch couple that were traveling around the world over the course of the year. Not a bad way to spend a year. Of course we asked what they did for work. She said she was unemployed and the other didn't really answer...interesting.

Enjoy the photos!