Kimberley 2015 - Penrose park to Port Augusta

Woke up around 7am, a small frost over night but definitely not as cold as the night before. We got the fire going again and had poached eggs on toast for breakfast. As soon as the sun starts coming up out starts to get nice and warm.

We took our time packing up and took the time to use the wonderful hot showers at Penrose park for the last time.

Heading to Port Augusta today.

We stopped on the side of the road for lunch just past Yunta. Sam stood up ona big pile of metal and waved out to a train that was coming along and he was thrilled when the train blasted the horn back at him.

We then continued on to Wilmington where we stopped and filed up the water tank and water containers. The sun was starting to set and the campsite we had been heating to had a big sign saying camping was prohibited. Lucky there was another camp site only 7km down the road that I found on wiki camps, bombers bro campsite on Horrocks pass. We pulled up just after sunset so had to set up and start cooking in the dark. Gaz got the camp fire blazing and we cookedup some chicken drumsticks and the rest of the sausages for Sam.

The fruit fly quarantine bin is no longer near broken hill as we thought its now at Oodla Wirra just before Peterborough and its for fruit, vegetables and any plant material so all our veggies her to get chucked out. We had been eating carrots and mandarins along the way.

Gaz is getting a bit stressed with the set up and pack up and drive routine and wants to be able to just set up for a few days somewhere. We have been adjusting our itinerary as we go and it just means that we may miss out on some spots to allow for a bit more rest. 

Kimberley 2015 - Penrose park Silverton

Woke to a massive frost this morning! Has to be three coldest night so far. We had a lovely evening setting up camp and going for a walk around the park chatting with other campers. There was almost a party atmosphere happening. We managed to get a camp spot near where we camped last time. Quite a few more campers this time. 

It cost $25 per night for the camp site. The showers are amazing and they also run a kiosk with fish and chips etc between 5 and 7pm. We just arrived around 2pm and had a late lunch cook up so decided to do fish and chips for dinner. Sam is straight onto his scooter whenever we start to set up camp now. We decided we would try to find him a 4wd your scooter today but it didn't happen.

I did a load of washing talking advantage of the free laundry facilities yes free!

We drove into Broken hill and collected a few supplies. Managed to get the car booked in for the suspension to be checked over. We did it grocery shopping then dropped the car off and went for a walk through town.

We came back and the mechanic wouldn't accept any money for looking over the car looks like we just have to get new bushes.

We then stopped at Silverton hotel for a beer and picked up a new Silverton cap for Gaz as Bruce ate the last one. Back to the campsite with steaks brought from the butcher in broken hill and get the grill plates working over nice red coals on the fire. A few glasses of red and off to bed.

Kimberley 2015 - Bulla park rest area to Silverton

We didn't make it to Silverton but pulled up at a lovely roadside rest area, bulla park between cobar and willcania. 

We left Dubbo after stopping for breakfast. We watched an airplane come in for landing say Dubbo airport. Had a couple of pee stops for the boys along the way and a stop say Narromine so Gaz could post off the battery charger we just had installed in the camper trailer - it started smoking when we pulled up at the camp spot near Ponto whilst we were setting up. Gaz ripped out it out the camper and spoke with the manufacturers to arrange for it to be sent in to be checked out.

We had a lunch stop set Florida rest area around 2pm. I suddenly realised we will be crossing the fruit fly excluding zone just before broken hill so we have been trying to eat all the fruit and cucumbers plus as much of the veg that we can. We topped up the fuel at cobar and pulled into our camp site around 4:45pm.

A quicker set up and dinner cooking,lots of steamed vegetables for dinner. Camp fire, more wine and chocolate and great company. Loving this!

Got up this morning just before sunrise got the kettle bubbling and had a nice cuppa with cereal for breakfast. The colours on the ground and sky are just amazing. There had been a lot of rain up this way before we have come through, lots of muddle red dirt puddles.  There are heaps of goats on the side of the road through Nyngen to cobar and lots of kid's. They seem to be making the most of the green grass shoots that have popped up after the rain.

We packed up slowly and left the campsite around 9:40am. Heading into Broken hill and then out to Silverton. We will stay at Penrose park. It's a campground where we stayed last time we went to Silverton. Has a huge area too choose from and you feel like you are camped in the middle of the desert but still able to go for a hot shower and do laundry. Gaz hasa few things he wants to fix up before we head further into the outback.

We only have about 4 hours driving today. The temperature is getting warmer although it is overcast this morning and still slightly chilly.

Kimberley 2015 - not Ponto Falls to Silverton

Ok so we didn't make it to Ponto Falls. Don't trust the directions on wiki camps! We ended up on the other side of the river and because we were running late we didn't have the time to double back to Wellington so we just found a spot on the side of the road.

We got set up fairly quick and got dinner cooking, spaghetti Bolognese, fire going and nice glass of wine. Ahhhhh we are finally on holidays!

Woke up around 7am Gaz got the fire going again and boiled the kettle for a cuppa. We packed up slowly and drove in to Dubbo and had McDonald's for breakfast.

On the road now making a beeline for Silverton. We decided we would do a big drive now and set up for a couple off days in Silverton just to get into the groove again.

Kimberley trip 2015 - Oberon to Ponto Falls

Leaving from Oberon today! I was hoping for an early start but kind of knew that it wouldn't happen but I have catered for the later start. It's been a bit of stressful week leading up to today. Well Gaz has been then stress head - he always does this though so I'm used to it now.

We spent all day yesterday doing last minute repairs and packing the camper trailer. Gaz has cleaned the water tank and put on new hoses. We went into Bathurst to pick up the land cruiser, it has a brand new radiator and has now had the engine flushed out. We have brand new thick wool seat covers and a new cb radio.

I popped in to Dan Murphy's to get last minute supplies. A couple our cases of wine and a case of beer. Beer price is $43 at the moment. As usual expecting out to go up the further north we head.

I have downloaded the new fuel app through wiki camps so will input fuel prices as we go and check out fuel economy.

So all that's left to do today is to load up the land cruiser. The fridge freezers will be plugged in to the camper trailer and the back of the land cruiser and we will be out of here!

Destination Ponto Falls.

Only a little more than 3 weeks and we'll be heading towards warmer weather!

It snowed on Friday - its been frosty most mornings since.  I'm really looking forward to heading towards warmer weather.  I'm spending the time getting organised and am already packing things - We are going to be so much more organised than we have been on past trips.  I've being buying extra meat and putting it straight into the ARB fridge freezer.  Its set to freezer so everything is being put into freezer bags and frozen into place.  I found some good vacuum packed steaks at Aldi - 4 to a pack at $19.99 a kilo.  We are trying to get a bit more frozen meat to take with us this time as we remembered back to when we traveled to Cape York and the prices were through the roof and to actually get some meat was near impossible.  I have also chucked in a few salmon portions, some baby octopus and sausages.

The 80 Series is booked into the mechanics tomorrow for the rego to be renewed and then Gaz will go over a few bits and pieces to  get it up and running and ready to roll.  He's been working on some lighting - flood lights on poles to be set up on the edge of the campsite - he has them on dimmers so we can change the light settings.

We'll then get stuck into the camper trailer.  Its booked into the auto electrician for the wiring.  The lights, indicators etc are not working again.   I've pulled stuff out of the trailer, washed all the linen again and put it back in.  Now trying to work out some kind of storage system for under the bed - like maybe a cube shelving type system that I can put collapsible boxes full of clothes/shoes/swimmers etc in but leaving half of the underneath compartment to store bigger items.

I'm sitting in the lounge watching Love Child on TV and thinking in just over 3 weeks time I will away from this and enjoying the bush television on the same channel every night!  I love that channel.

Our Kimberley Trip 2015

We have been working towards a trip to the Kimberley with my Brother Frewin and his wife Candice along with her parents Malcolm and Cindy - I've managed to get 6 weeks off work and we have suddenly realized that this trip is only a month away!!  Again i'm on an injury recuperation trip - my 4th knee reconstruction, first one on the left knee, but i'm feeling pretty good with how its healing so am hoping I will be able to do a few of the walks right up in the Kimberley

Sam will be taking 4 weeks away from school, but he will be doing a travel journal whilst we travel - that can be his homework.

Anyway - this time around I have a new laptop and Samsung Galaxy S5 to work with in posting new blogs so we'll have to see how that goes.  Gaz will be taking the iPad with us so I may need to revert back to that.  Either way I will definitely be doing a daily blog.  We went back through our blog for the Cape York trip and it has brought back some awesome memories.  As well as reminders for places to stay and things to take with us.

Today I spent most of the day trying to work out an itinerary.  (Attached)

Meanwhile Gaz has the Land cruiser pulled apart getting it ready for our trip.  He is working on the gear box, the rear passenger window and checking all the wheels then its off to get registered again.  We also need to get the camper trailer fixed up - the electrics are still playing up - the number of times we have put it in to an auto electrician!!  But it needs to be done.

I'm going to be busy over the next month organizing the camper trailer, it needs a complete going over with food and sheets and all the little compartments.

I'm interested in hearing from anyone that has done this trip and may have some advise for us!  Any places you would definitely recommend and those that you would suggest to pass by.  I'm interested in hearing about the current road conditions and pricing on "beer" "Meat" general groceries - if there is a good campground we should stay at and what kind of pricing it might be.  Please leave a comment if you are reading this blog and able to help us out.

Date	From	To	kms	hours	notes
28th Jun	Home	Ponto Falls	224	3 hr	Or if we leave early enough straight through to Florida Rest Area 8hrs
29th Jun	Ponto Falls	Florida Rest	478	5h 15min
30th Jun	Florida Rest	White Cliffs	209	2h 7min	Explore White Cliffs
1st Jul	White Cliffs	Silverton	314	3h 20min
2nd Jul	Silverton	Port Augusta	435	4h 40min
3rd Jul	Port Augusta	Coober Pedy	540	5h 20min
4th Jul	Coober Pedy	Agnes Creek/Indulkana	291	3 hr
5th Jul	Agnes Creek/Indulkana	Uluru	460	5h 53min
6th Jul	Uluru				explore Uluru
7th Jul	Uluru	Kings Canyon	321	4h 5min
8th Jul	Kings Canyon				explore Kings Canyon
9th Jul	Kings Canyon	Alice Springs	322	5h 26min	Frews crew leave Adelaide
10-Jul	Alice Springs	Yuendumu	294	4h 8min
11-Jul	Yuendumu	Tilmouth Well	354	4hr 59min
12-Jul	Tilmouth Well	Halls Creek	404	5h 37min	Meet Frews Crew
13-Jul	Halls Creek				Explore Bungles and Wolfe Creek
14-Jul	Halls Creek	Fitzroy Crossing	289	3 hr	Frews Crew Stay one more night Halls Creek
15-Jul	Fitzroy Crossing	Broome	396	4h 9min	Meet Frews Crew
16-Jul	Broome				Explore from Broome 4 nights
17-Jul	Broome
18-Jul	Broome
19-Jul	Broome	Derby	222	2h 35min	Start of Gibb Rd - can stay at Bell Gorge and explore back - just times added between locations
20-Jul	Derby	Windjana	150	2h 20min	Horizontal Falls, Tunnel Creek
21-Jul	Windjana	Bell	124	1h 56min
22-Jul	Bell	Mt Hart	84	1h 51min
23-Jul	Bell	Manning Gorge	88	1h 13min
24-Jul	Manning Gorge	Mt Elizabeth Stn	61	2h 39min
25-Jul	Mt Elizabeth Stn	Gibb	69	2h 45min
26-Jul	Gibb	Wyndham	323	4h 17min
27-Jul	Wyndham	El Questro Stn	107	1h 14min	Stay at El Questro for a few days
28-Jul	El Questro
29-Jul	El Questro	Gregory	239	2h 54min	Heading Home
30-Jul	Gregory	Katherine	275	3h 26min
31-Jul	Katherine	Elliott	420	5h 11min
1-Aug	Elliott	Three Ways	229	2h 50min	Could do a big trip Elliott to Avon Downs to allow for a day stay somewhere
2-Aug	Three Ways	Avon Downs	385	4h 45min
3-Aug	Avon Downs	McKinlay	479	5h 32min
4-Aug	McKinlay	Longreach	420	4hr 28min
5-Aug	Longreach	Augathella	432	4h 41min
6-Aug	Augathella	Enngonia	439	4h 55min
7-Aug	Enngonia	Trangie	392	4h 8min	or to Narramine 4h 30min
8-Aug	Trangie/Narromine	Home	326	4hr