The Lasers Big Adventure

Oceania » Australia
April 8th 2009

Published: April 18th 2009

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Charlie1980

Gundabooka National Park

Bennetts Gorge

Having been offered a really good job in WA, I had a big journey ahead of me. I worked on the raspberry farm in Stanthorpe, QLD, until the end of March and was due to start in Wongan Hills (North East of Perth) after Easter. I originally thought I could fit in the great ocean road but reality set in when I found out that even by the most direct route it was 4300km so I decided to go direct in an uncharacteristic display of sensibleness! Staying with the sensible theme, I booked the car in for a full service and safety check, bought some jerry cans and lots of water. The drive which in the end was a total of 4880km took only 8 days...

Day 1 - Stantorpe to Moree - 395km
Day 2 - Moree to Gundabooka National Park - 556km
Day 3 - Gundabooka NP to Broken Hill - 599km
Day 4 - Broken Hill to Port Augusta - 503km
Day 5 - Port Augusta to Streaky Bay - 741km
Day 6 - Streaky Bay to Madura - 796km
Day 7 - Madura to Southern Cross - 896km
Day 8 - Southern Cross to Perth -

Gundabooka NP

Mulgowan Art Site

394km

The highlights of the trip were definitely the Gundaboka national park with its challenging (for the laser anyway) dirt roads which has left so much red dust everywhere it still falls out whenever I open a door! The sculptures at Broken Hill where amazing, they paid sculpture’s from all round the world to carve something with the rock they were given on the top of a hill in the middle of the dessert. The point of it I don’t really know but the results are stunning. It was great to drive through the Flinders Ranges again on the way through to Port Augusta. I am really pleased that I decided to do the extra k’s and drive round the Eyre Peninsula, the beach’s where stunning and made a welcome change from the bush I had seen passing though NSW’s outback and knew I still had to drive across. A lunch of oysters also helped to sweeten the deal! The community pub I stayed in at Streaky Bay was fantastic, and I even got to catch up with a couple of farmers that I had met in Stanthorpe! The Nullabor (land of no trees) on day 6 and the

Gundabooka NP

Mulgowan Art Site

longest stretch of straight road in Oz on day 7 where monotonous but where beautiful in their own way. Driving into Perth on day 8 was a relief, I had underestimated how painful driving that much would be. By the time I checked into my hostel I was holding my back like an old lady and I then refused to get into the car for the next couple of days.

I met some interesting characters along the way and had some interesting experiences too. I got pulled over for the first time (no need to stress dad, just hit a bird and bust my rego plate) and had my car searched by officials twice. You would think they would be looking for drugs or weapons going across state borders but no I had to chuck out my apples and I got my potatoes confiscated. Transportation of fruit and veggies is illegal!!!!

I am pleased I got a chance to do the drive as it has given me a real appreciation of how big Australia is and how much just space is out there. I always found it a little bit hard to believe how many people just go