There are (000's) of Grey Nomads and their dogs all pushing up and down the Stuart Highway finding the warm weather and ideal locations to bask in good weather, good company, and a welcoming part of the country.
AND
We are have joined them having set out from Central West of NSW firstly heading to the Fraser Coast for a week on the water at Hervey Bay. Have worked our way across Central Queensland with Tree of Knowledge, Stockmans Hall of Fame, new Waltzing Matilda Centre at Winton just to name a few idyllic locations. Turned left at Three Ways and currently at Mataranka with temps of 32 and swim in thermal pools today. Will head to Katherine and out to the Gorge before heading West to WA with Lake Argyle, Kununurra, Bungle Bungles and much more
Then South down the Coastal Highway of WA before heading inland for the "Wild Flowers" and on to Perth.
Our costs for accommodation utilizing both free camps and caravan parks is less than $15pn, our land cruiser is averaging 20 litres to the 100 with the most expensive fuel at Barclay Homestead and Three Ways $1.89.
We have only pre-booked accommodation for Katherine, Lake Argyle and Kununurra and yes you need to be at Rest Stops with toilets by lunch time.
We will spend 3 months in Perth House sitting and catching up with family before heading back East across the Nullabor mid October.
And for those who enjoy the cold weather and need several layers of clothing on "good on ya". But please don't contribute ill informed personal opinions when you are in the minority and never experienced traveling across this big land mass meeting like minded people and experiencing this beautiful country first hand.
JohnR
TheHeaths said
07:19 AM May 28, 2018
"Ill informed personal opinions". Well, don't hold back John.
Incidentally, you turned right at Three Ways when you came from Queensland, otherwise you to would have been needing the 3 layers of clothes as you came south after turning left!
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Monday 28th of May 2018 07:20:00 AM
rockylizard said
08:27 AM May 28, 2018
Gday...
I guess I will be one who will incur your wrath with an ill-informed opinion.
Love the country you have been travelling through and are enjoying. I have travelled it many times over the past decades.
However, I prefer to stay away from the NT/NW WA between June and September.
I prefer to camp 'off the grid' away from towns, and have no desire to ever again need to be 'tucked up' by noon, crushed in with the maddening throng simply to save a few bob. OH, and at that time of year those goddam van parks are even more crowded usually.
I like my space and find that if travelling in those tourist areas in those months one needs to be content with 'mass meetings'. Unfortunately, I am not. I guess because I not 'like-minded'.
I prefer to travel on what is referred to as the 'cusp of the wet' - time to soak up the atmosphere of the area - rather than soak up the crowd.
However, I do like to meet up with small groups of fellow travellers who enjoy the tranquillity and wonder of this wide, brown, exciting land. Half a dozen around a campfire on a clear, warm night is pretty hard to beat.
Keep enjoying your journey, I know there is still much more for you to take in. There is only one proper Straya and it is only getting more crowded.
Cheers - John
Treecrest said
11:53 AM May 28, 2018
hope the Matarnka thermals are not green and slimey like they were when we were there!
LLD said
04:09 PM May 28, 2018
About to do same. Had to book at Alice Springs because of the Finke Rally. Otherwise we are just winging it. We are hoping Wikicamps is our friend. Gotta say that every one down here in Mexico is doing the loop up thru Alice, Katherine, Broome, Esperance. First time I've heard this as most go to FNQ for winter. Seems a tad expensive in S/W of WA and few free camps but all other places seem reasonable even with the tourist season in NT starting June 1.
LLD said
04:13 PM May 28, 2018
Treecrest wrote:
hope the Matarnka thermals are not green and slimey like they were when we were there!
Which thermals are you referring to? Mataranka Homestead or Mataranka / Bitter Springs Cabins & camping? When were you there? Thanks.
Stretch60 said
07:15 PM May 28, 2018
I have to agree with rockylizard, crowding cheek by jowls into a caravan park so close you can hear bodily emissions of the neighbours doesn't float my boat either. Reason why I am setting my second hand van up to free camp as much as possible.
JohnR said
08:58 PM May 28, 2018
"are you paying attention"
the left turn instead of the right turn.
Good to see the Heaths on the ball as to say.
No Rocky you were not in my sights.
LLD
Mataranka Homestead and we there on Sunday afternoon. Very pleasant, very clear and clean and no smells. We had 2 nights at the Territory Manor CP @ $27pn. Had a 10% discount for having stayed at the Hi Way Inn. $28- at High Way Inn(Schooner & Wine) included.
Currently at Katherine Riverview CP access to Hot Springs back of park.
Another 32 degrees day.
Caravan Parks are full and overflowing. Wednesday we head in direction of Kununurra and a few free camps to discover on the way.
JohnR
The Belmont Bear said
09:02 PM May 28, 2018
We just got back today from a trip up the mid north coast of NSW stayed for a few nights at Crescent Heads then headed further north when all the old surfies hit town for their annual long board competition. Great place 25deg.plenty of people fishing, surfing or swimming the only noise in the park happened at around 5pm when 1000s of lorikeets came into roost in the pine trees. Next we spent a week camped on the Belinger River at Repton (near Urunga) the back of the van only 3 metres from the water. Just had to throw out the line - we lived on Trevally for the first couple of days. Again no social life there either - we would light our BabyQ, crack a bottle of wine, sit back and enjoy the tranquility and the sound of the distant surf breaking. I have always loved spending time on the north coast of NSW ever since I was a kid when we surfed and camped on the ground using sleeping bags at what were then pretty isolated spots.The fact that other people have now discovered these places doesn't worry me, if it gets too crowded I'll just go and find somewhere else after all there is plenty of room out there and we are well set up to free camp when we need to.
Cheers
BB
LLD said
09:40 PM May 28, 2018
Was in Crescent Head 2 years ago for the oldies long board competition. Talk about a time warp. Had a great time. Packed into the van park was just like the west coast of Vic (Torquay etc.) in the 60s. Then out came all the old surfies and long boards just like I had back in the 60s. Even ran into two old surfies walking along the beach one morning. I mentioned the Torquay bit and they laughed as that's where they came from - 20 years ago. It reminded them of home but the weather was better.
The Belmont Bear said
09:35 AM May 29, 2018
You're right LLD a lot of weather beaten old surfies were in town we actually ran into Roger Clements a well known professional surfer from the 70s who along with his mates Mark Richards and Luke Egan grew up surfing at Mereweather Beach in Newcastle. There were a group of guys from Geelong who were setting up beside us as we were leaving they said that competitors would be coming in all week from many parts of Oz for this event which has been held each year for over 30 years. Unfortunately we had to beat off all the migrating grey nomads to find a spot but we managed to squeeze in here and places further north.
And the pub played surfing clips from Simon Townsendâs Wonder World for the weekend.
Graham J said
08:32 AM May 31, 2018
Gday John, great to hear you are still travelling. We have followed your blogs over last couple of years
We have done a few trips in van, NSW Sth Coast to Phillip Island, York and Eyre Peninsulas and to Qld Carnavon Gorge but still novices
Have only just joined forum. It has been great to follow blogs etc
We hope to hit the road again July /August. May see you on the track sometime.
Keep on pedalling
Regards
Graham J
ACT
JohnR said
05:56 PM Jun 3, 2018
Johnno is that you???
I have just logged into the forum having had no service for several days.
Firstly G/day mate and welcome to the Forum.
We are currently parked up at Kununurra WA (Lake Kununurra) having spent the last few days at Lake Argyle and prior to that making our way from Katherine. We will take the rest of June to reach Perth and be around Perth until the end of September.
There are (000's) of Grey Nomads and their dogs all pushing up and down the Stuart Highway finding the warm weather and ideal locations to bask in good weather, good company, and a welcoming part of the country.
AND
We are have joined them having set out from Central West of NSW firstly heading to the Fraser Coast for a week on the water at Hervey Bay. Have worked our way across Central Queensland with Tree of Knowledge, Stockmans Hall of Fame, new Waltzing Matilda Centre at Winton just to name a few idyllic locations. Turned left at Three Ways and currently at Mataranka with temps of 32 and swim in thermal pools today. Will head to Katherine and out to the Gorge before heading West to WA with Lake Argyle, Kununurra, Bungle Bungles and much more
Then South down the Coastal Highway of WA before heading inland for the "Wild Flowers" and on to Perth.
Our costs for accommodation utilizing both free camps and caravan parks is less than $15pn, our land cruiser is averaging 20 litres to the 100 with the most expensive fuel at Barclay Homestead and Three Ways $1.89.
We have only pre-booked accommodation for Katherine, Lake Argyle and Kununurra and yes you need to be at Rest Stops with toilets by lunch time.
We will spend 3 months in Perth House sitting and catching up with family before heading back East across the Nullabor mid October.
And for those who enjoy the cold weather and need several layers of clothing on "good on ya". But please don't contribute ill informed personal opinions when you are in the minority and never experienced traveling across this big land mass meeting like minded people and experiencing this beautiful country first hand.
JohnR
"Ill informed personal opinions". Well, don't hold back John.
Incidentally, you turned right at Three Ways when you came from Queensland, otherwise you to would have been needing the 3 layers of clothes as you came south after turning left!
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Monday 28th of May 2018 07:20:00 AM
Gday...
I guess I will be one who will incur your wrath with an ill-informed opinion.
Love the country you have been travelling through and are enjoying. I have travelled it many times over the past decades.
However, I prefer to stay away from the NT/NW WA between June and September.
I prefer to camp 'off the grid' away from towns, and have no desire to ever again need to be 'tucked up' by noon, crushed in with the maddening throng simply to save a few bob. OH, and at that time of year those goddam van parks are even more crowded usually.
I like my space and find that if travelling in those tourist areas in those months one needs to be content with 'mass meetings'. Unfortunately, I am not. I guess because I not 'like-minded'.
I prefer to travel on what is referred to as the 'cusp of the wet' - time to soak up the atmosphere of the area - rather than soak up the crowd.
However, I do like to meet up with small groups of fellow travellers who enjoy the tranquillity and wonder of this wide, brown, exciting land. Half a dozen around a campfire on a clear, warm night is pretty hard to beat.
Keep enjoying your journey, I know there is still much more for you to take in. There is only one proper Straya and it is only getting more crowded.
Cheers - John
Which thermals are you referring to? Mataranka Homestead or Mataranka / Bitter Springs Cabins & camping? When were you there? Thanks.
"are you paying attention"
the left turn instead of the right turn.
Good to see the Heaths on the ball as to say.
No Rocky you were not in my sights.
LLD
Mataranka Homestead and we there on Sunday afternoon. Very pleasant, very clear and clean and no smells. We had 2 nights at the Territory Manor CP @ $27pn. Had a 10% discount for having stayed at the Hi Way Inn. $28- at High Way Inn(Schooner & Wine) included.
Currently at Katherine Riverview CP access to Hot Springs back of park.
Another 32 degrees day.
Caravan Parks are full and overflowing. Wednesday we head in direction of Kununurra and a few free camps to discover on the way.
JohnR
We just got back today from a trip up the mid north coast of NSW stayed for a few nights at Crescent Heads then headed further north when all the old surfies hit town for their annual long board competition. Great place 25deg.plenty of people fishing, surfing or swimming the only noise in the park happened at around 5pm when 1000s of lorikeets came into roost in the pine trees. Next we spent a week camped on the Belinger River at Repton (near Urunga) the back of the van only 3 metres from the water. Just had to throw out the line - we lived on Trevally for the first couple of days. Again no social life there either - we would light our BabyQ, crack a bottle of wine, sit back and enjoy the tranquility and the sound of the distant surf breaking. I have always loved spending time on the north coast of NSW ever since I was a kid when we surfed and camped on the ground using sleeping bags at what were then pretty isolated spots.The fact that other people have now discovered these places doesn't worry me, if it gets too crowded I'll just go and find somewhere else after all there is plenty of room out there and we are well set up to free camp when we need to.
Cheers
BB
You're right LLD a lot of weather beaten old surfies were in town we actually ran into Roger Clements a well known professional surfer from the 70s who along with his mates Mark Richards and Luke Egan grew up surfing at Mereweather Beach in Newcastle. There were a group of guys from Geelong who were setting up beside us as we were leaving they said that competitors would be coming in all week from many parts of Oz for this event which has been held each year for over 30 years. Unfortunately we had to beat off all the migrating grey nomads to find a spot but we managed to squeeze in here and places further north.
Cheers
BB
Gday John, great to hear you are still travelling. We have followed your blogs over last couple of years
We have done a few trips in van, NSW Sth Coast to Phillip Island, York and Eyre Peninsulas and to Qld Carnavon Gorge but still novices
Have only just joined forum. It has been great to follow blogs etc
We hope to hit the road again July /August. May see you on the track sometime.
Keep on pedalling
Regards
Graham J
ACT
Johnno is that you???
I have just logged into the forum having had no service for several days.
Firstly G/day mate and welcome to the Forum.
We are currently parked up at Kununurra WA (Lake Kununurra) having spent the last few days at Lake Argyle and prior to that making our way from Katherine. We will take the rest of June to reach Perth and be around Perth until the end of September.
Send me PM in need.
Cheers
JohnR