MattCaz Odyssey

The routine continues, pack up, get in the car and drive, drive, drive. We sure are covering some kilometres this week! By mid afternoon we cross the magic line and are back on the home soil of South Australia. Goodbye WA, we sure have enjoyed our coastal tour and look forward to the next one already. We are getting closer but still have plenty more of the Nullarbor Plain to cover, so as the sun starts it decent we scope out for camp site on the cliffs of the Great Australian Bight. We speedily set up camp, light a campfire, eat dinner and then embark on a family uno challenge, signaling the end of another day and the last bush camp stay for the trip. We get up early, pack up and are on the road ... read more

We pulled into Kalgoorlie at about 5pm to find the first caravan park that we drove too was full, but luckily were able to secure a powered site at the next one. We were recommended the local pup 'The Rec' for dinner so headed over to find an all you can eat smorgasbord, not our usual, but we sat down, ate too much, then went back to the van to wallow in our fullness! The next morning we went to check out the Kalgoorlie Boulder Super Pit, the largest open cut mine in Australia. What an unbelievably huge hole in the ground that lies so close to the township. The pit measures 3.8km long and 1.35km wide and goes down to a depth of more than 500 metres, now that is one BIG mine! We then ... read more

We continue our trek east and the landscape transforms into vast mountain ranges signaling our arrival at Karinjini. We set up at Dales Camp Ground and are keen to explore the nearby Fortesque Falls and Fern Pool. We follow the path down into Dales Gorge and are immediately impressed by the amazing rock formations and beautiful waterfalls. We all enjoy a swim in the cool Fern Pool as the sun rapidly disappears behind the gorge walls. The next morning we pack our backpacks with lunch and towels, put on our sneakers (we haven’t worn shoes for 2 months) and head back to Dales Gorge. We spend the day walking, clambering over rocks, step stoning over water pools and absorbing the sights and sounds at the bottom of Dales Gorge sandwiched between the amazing fifty metre rock ... read more

After eleven nights camping at Cape Range National Park we pull into Exmouth Caravan Park, are slugged $69 for a powered site for 1 night, we are craving a shower and have a huge pile of washing to do. The only thing they didn’t happen to mention, water supply to the park is under repair, no water till 5pm! We survive the extra couple of hours without a shower, get our washing done, then all scrub up and head out to the Exmouth Pub for dinner with the Gordon’s. So nice to have a break from the ongoing cooking and dishes cycle in the van.... read more

We left Coral Bay eager to explore the southern 4WD camp grounds of Cape Range National Park. The southern coastal road that leads to the park was some 40km of bone jarring, teeth rattling corrugations...awesome! Some two hours later, meaning that it was taking us one hour to travel just twenty very bump kilometers, we arrived at Boat Harbor. The camp ground was nestled behind the sand hills and the turquoise waters of the bay were perfectly protected by the natural harbor shaped reef. Looks amazing but alas there are only four campsites and none are free, so we are forced to continue along the corrugated track to 1 K Camp. Hmm, not quite the same picturesque setting here, rock ledges, sharp reef and no sandy beach. Oh well, we set up camp and wait to ... read more