Nullarbor (treeless plain)

We pulled up at Panong to drive quickly down to Cactus Beach, a famous surf beach. Planning to make our own coffee we were disappointed when unfortualty the generator decided to pack it in. Not a good start to the Nullarbor experience and with the forcast to be pretty hot it was a bit disapointing. Lucky the back up generator was enough to boil the kettle and make toast, this will have to do for the Nullabour trip and lets hope it doesn't pack it in as well. Cactus had plenty of sets rolling in but didn't look like the best surfing day, pretty colours and lots of huge sand dunes, pity we didn't have longer to do some sand surfing a lot safer and away from any Noah's.

Arriving at our cliff face camp the hot breeze, flies and biting flying ants were almost unbearable, after looking at the Great Australian Bight from the lookout we spent the rest of the the evening watching it from the view of our bus, parked about 20m from the edge. As it was too hot to sleep we all had a late night and watched the movie "Australia"- very appropriate we thought!

The next day we took the ute and drove (Lotte and Archie both having a turn in the drivers seat) to an abandoned homestead Koonalda made of recycled railway sleepers, situated next to old Eyre Hwy. Looking at the shearing shed, brocken down cars, the homestead and workers cottage it gave us an appreciation of the hardship these station farmers would have endured there only finishing up working it in 1988. It is now part of he Nullarbor National Park. Funny to also see a German backpacker with a drone here.

We decided SA is largely isolated with the exception to Adeliade and its close surroundings. Something Tim and Melrose had not realy considered.

Next was the WA boarder and quarantine. We had been talking about the quarantine station for while now and checking we had our honey, fruit and veg eaten down. All went smoothly. Eucla 10 km down the road we stopped for lunch eating home made frozen pizza. With a drive to look at the old telegraph station down near the sand dunes, we learntt that they had to move the station up the hill due to sand drifts starting to cover the small town. The Nullarbor nymph was a storey made up by the locals about a young blond female who had gone wild and joined the kangaroos nude. Most likely wishful thinking on the blokes behalf, even so the name/ legand still lives on today.

Thursday night was a bush camp, parking up we set to gathering some wood and cutting it up with Tim's recipro for the fire. Today was heaps cooler only late 20s so a fire was fine. With alot of native bees flying around the neighbouring van left in a panic saying the bees had moved them on, they weren't staying because they would build a nest in their van finding a hole anywhere to get in. We weren't scared and just smiled and said ok. With the fire going we did a little smoking around where the bees were and they all disappeared. Something we had learnt at Beechworth Vic at the bee experience. We cooked up some damper and sweet potato in the fire, apart from it being a little burnt on the outside it was perfect. With BBQ steak and corn and listening to Casey Chamber's Nullabour song, having a dance, it was a goo fun evening. Lotte surprise surprise put Katy Perry on and got up on the plastic box podium. What a great overnight stop.

We sure new we were in WA counting 9 Wedgetail Eagles within the first hour of driving Go West Coast- Archie saying this was a real sign. Fidge having a good drive today, it had been a while since she had been behind the wheel, although a little nervous with the over size vehicles going past job complete.

Our last stop was at Frazer Station with the change of time we arrived there for lunch. Tim and Melrose went for a run with Archie on his bike and a red kelpie Mac following along. Fidge said "I think I need a kelpie dog again", Tim surprisingly replied "yep". Well that opened a can of worms with Lotte, Archie and Fidge straight onto the internet looking for one to get before leaving Perth, lets hope we find "Nully" Nullarbor the kelpie soon. A pretty sunset walk before dinner up the range behind the station, spotting different animal tracks and several kangaroos, some very dark brown in colour.

A common comment said by all while traveling the Nullarbor was "there's not much out here!!!"

Finishing our Nullarbor experience driving to Norseman and then South to Esperance, the weather changing from warm and sunny to black clouds and rain.