Esperance

snapper49 · Senior Member

RE: Esperance

Vic · Guru

Sounds about the same Snapper, I was there a couple of years ago. Agree about the showers, first in best dressed (or showered), not much good on an overcast day though. You can use generators and there is an open carpark type camping area just before the entrance (overflow) that is not under trees for those with solar.

yeoeleven · Guru

Thanks Vic and snapper, will be looking out for both places when I start off towards Albany, fortunately they both are in Camps6 so I won't forget them. Often a personal recommendation is better than reading the print in a book.

Have spent the day charging up everything that can be charged, catching up with laundry and generally getting ready for a few days in the National Parks near Esperance. The first will be Cape Le Grand then Lucky Bay and on to Thomas River all recommended for visiting and now have been recommended to visit Alexander Bay. There will be no internet whilst I am visiting the National Parks so it may be a while before I can post but I will be using my Blog Notes file and will post when possible.

One of the benefits of letting members know where I am was borne out today when I received a visitor in the form of Justjo who is returning to her beloved WA and called in to see me. What a wonderful surprise, I knew she was coming back to WA from her thread but had no idea that she would look me up.

She is a special lady and we talked for hours this afternoon and she has booked in to Bushlands for a few days to recoup after her rapid drive across the Nullabor she did it in 2 days whilst I was flat out doing it in 3.

John

justjo · Senior Member

Thanks for those kind words. Was great to find you still camping at Bushlands. Can't miss your van :) Lovely place and thanks for recommending it. Enjoy the next stage in your travels and hope to see you in Geraldton.

Jo

milo · Guru

so whats the gap between servo's and accomadation ie carvanparks /pubs/ hotels etcacross the Nullabor ?

snapper49 · Senior Member

Parry Beach caravan Park

snapper49 · Senior Member

Camped among the trees at the park

blaze · Guru

milo wrote:
so whats the gap between servo's and accomadation ie carvanparks /pubs/ hotels etcacross the Nullabor ?

around 250km between stops, I reckon some would be less, never measured or taken a lot of notice but fuel isnt a problem and I have never had any problems getting a bed for the night. I have stayed in the single bed donger style mostly. Food in the road house is reasonable because they cater to the truckies.

cheers

blaze

justjo · Senior Member

milo wrote:
so whats the gap between servo's and accomadation ie carvanparks /pubs/ hotels etcacross the Nullabor ?

What blaze said Milo. Really the Nullabor is a lovely road to drive, a lot of places to pull off and see and enough traffic so you don't feel you are the only person in the world out there. People wave, all the road houses have friendly people running them and will tell you how much further to the next stop. After driving down the Stuart Highway the Nullabor seemed crowded.

Good luck

Jo

Vic · Guru

Don't forget Yalata on the map is closed though Milo (No fuel etc).

Here are a couple more of parry beach Snapper;

Cruising Granny · Guru

I paid more than $2 per litre at Nullarbor Roadhouse, so plan ahead, and only pump what you need to move on to the next roadhouse. It's the dearest I saw.
If you're travelling the Nullarbor keep a look out for the white dingo west of Nundroo, in the vicinity of the Nullarbor Roadhouse.
She's looking very fat and healthy.

milo · Guru

thanks for that chris.. would it be worth taking a small thing of fuel in the car with me, like the small 20 litre ones.. i can get roughly around 450 ks on a tank, 1.5. litre engine.

billeeeeeee · Guru

Howdyeeee John ,, how U doing young fella,, just finished reading U latest entre in U blog,, ,,hehehe , , am enjoying Greens lake ,, few GN have turned up so far,,,,,catch U out there.. stay excited John ,,, U only get one shot at it ,,no re-runs......Billeeeeee

Happywanderer · The Master

My god, I take terrible photos. Ugh!!!! Thanks Billeeee.

gubby · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
My god, I take terrible photos. Ugh!!!! Thanks Billeeee.

Nothing wrong with those pics Marj, they show a happy GN relaxing out there enjoying our great country...

My wife always says the same about photo's of her.

wendyv · Guru

John,
re the Thomas River campgrounds: the DEC one is the "top" one. It is a fairly short walk from there down to the beach. Great views across the bay. While we were there, did several excellent walks in that part of the NP.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Good to see so many of us meeting up now - Norma is well on her way - was south of Narribri last night - can't ring her - my phone had a drink of coffee this morning - turns out it is allergic to it!!!!!

Happywanderer · The Master

She should have my mobile number in her phone as I have her number in mine. Will giver her another day and give her a call, see how she is going.

yeoeleven · Guru

Back in Esperance for another week, just had 2 days in Cape Le Grand National Park and 2 days in Lucky Bay. My plans were to go on to Thomas River but had problems with the fridge and decided to get back to Esperance.

I was confident of the van's ability to keep charge up to the fridge but the first day with a higher ambient temperature and it was registering 16 degrees. The annoying aspect was that since it was working hard to keep the temperature down it was using more than the solar panels were feeding it for a zero result.

As soon as I got into Esperance I went to the Caravan & Camping Centre with the measurements and found that there was a Dometic upright fridge which will fit the space if I remove the microwave and the existing fridge. I have ordered one to be delivered this week and he can fit it hopefully early next week.

Went to the same second hand dealer that bought the bike etc. and he will take the redundant items. So here I am again in Bushlands until next Tuesday.

John

nu one · Senior Member

Sometimes it pays to advertise biggrin

pauline · Guru

There are worse places you could be John, just chill and enjoy.

Jazzin Around · Veteran Member

While you are down near Esperance I suggest travelling the road which goes right along the coast (gravel) from near Esperance to Hopetoun. There are quite a few free camps which are small but very close to the beach. The road is good gravel and last month full of wildflowers of the bush type and kangaroo paw. There is fresh water available from the end of the toilet block in Hopetoun. Yes we loved the Bushlands Van Park and cheaper rate for solos.

-- Edited by Jazzin Around on Thursday 20th of October 2011 09:58:53 AM

yeoeleven · Guru

Have everything sorted with the fridge and bought more food that can now be safely carried. The batteries have held up very well with the new Engel with .05 amp idling and 2.5 amps when flat out, the other was 4.5 & 5,8 respectively.

Been fishing twice over the last couple of days, didn't catch anything but the fellow camper who took me out was very helpful and only went out in unfriendly fishing weather to give me some experience.

Leaving Esperance tomorrow after two good weeks here, with Stokes Inlet as the first camp followed by Munglinup Beach both for two days and both without internet. Would have liked to add Quagi Beach to the list but local listing indicates that a 4WD would best be used for access.

Will create a thread " Towards Albany" when I can get on to the internet and post about the first few days.

John

yeoeleven · Guru

Am still here in Esperance and waiting for the delivery of a pressure cooker purchased from Ebay so the proposed start on the way to Albany hasn't eventuated, however, the week is up and paid for so I can now go to Cape Arid National Park further along the coast past Cape Le Grand to Thomas River where I had originally planned to go. The plan is to go for a couple of days and return here hoping that the cooker has been delivered and I can start off towards Albany.

I caught a squid today but had no idea as to what to do next so I put it in a bucket and took it to the bait shop who sold me a jig for advice. He gave me the full story and I took the squid back to the jetty to use the fish cleaning table. Black ink was everywhere but the water jet was strong enough to clean most of it away and I started to follow the instructions, but alas, they were not written down and I got it totally wrong. I was looking for a white tube that could be cooked and eaten but there were two and I kept the inner one and threw out the edible part. Sammy the seal lion was there and he couldn't believe how stupid I was, he had a free meal and sat up and applauded flapping his flippers. Whilst all this was going on my camera was in the car so no photos were taken. The small tube that I took back to the bait merchant for further advice was no use and I had thrown away all the parts that could be used as bait as well as the main course. Oh well I will know better next time.

Sheba · Guru

Hi John, this link will show you how to clean and cook Squid. Just Google for more recipes if you need them.

http://brigidtreloar.com.au/blog/2009/04/27/squid/

Cheers,

Sheba.

yeoeleven · Guru

Thanks Sheba for the link it is very helpful and the next time I go out for squid I will be more prepared.

I now have the pressure cooker it arrived today Monday and I have gone through the trial guide cooking up some water with lemon juice to give it a good clean out and to help me understand how it works.

So tomorrow I will set off towards Albany with my first stop Quagi Beach, it is nominated as 4WD but apparently has been upgraded and a traveler who had just been there in a simlar vehicle to mine had no trouble. Then to Stokes Inlet followed by Munglinup maybe a couple of days in each probably with no internet access.

I will post when possible and take photos and notes daily of my experiences.

John