On the road again

In a few days I'm heading north again, out into the desert.

In the year I've had the van I've travelled more than 26,000 km and I'm about to do around 20,000 more in a big trip north through Central Australia, west across the top of Australia, down the west coast for a while and then across the middle of Western Australia, back east along the Great Australian Bite in the far south, and home. I figure I'll be gone three and a half months.

The aim is to see lots of desert, glorious sunsets,

lots of Australian wildlife

and of course, old buildings.

I'll post some pictures from time to time when I have internet - but many of the places I'm going don't have power or water, far less internet.

See you on the other side.

Have fun
Helen

Picturesque Portland

Portland is the oldest European settlement in Victoria. Old = historic buildings. Yay!

It is still a working port, so I rode the historic cable tram

along the foreshore

to the lighthouse.

Helen

Not another old house/pub/church Mum!

Much to my family's dismay, I adore old towns. Tasmania has many historic towns, and since I'm travelling alone I can spend as long as I like looking at every old house/pub/church/bridge... I want. Bliss!!

Wonderful Westbury.

Spectacular Stanley

When I was refueling at St Helen's, a man asked, "Didn't I see you a couple of days ago in LaTrobe? Taking a picture of an old house?"
Yeah. That was probably me.
Lovely LaTrobe.

Have fun. I am.
Helen

Crossing Bass Strait and into Tasmania

Yes they did get me up to disembark at 0510. That's, like, ten past five in the morning. Here is the sunrise to prove it.

The surf was up at Coles Beach.

Several historic houses.

Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Devonport.

Helen

Helen has retired, yes, really retired this time.

For the past three years I've been telling people I'm retiring. I've cut down my commitments a lot, but until now, I could never completely let go.

I really love travelling. It's what I want to do. But it doesn't mesh with a job, even a part-time job, that requires me to be nearby to the internet every day.

Australia is a vast land with a lot of empty space in it. So there are far too many places nowhere near mobile (cell) phone reception or internet reception. And I want to see them all.

So this is it. I am really, truly, absolutely, definitely retired now.

Adiós, adieu, addio, adeus, aloha, arrivederci, ciao, auf Wiedersehen, au revoir, bon voyage, sayonara, totsiens, vale, zàijiàn, shalom.

And most importantly, Have Fun. I will.

Helen

From Port Phillip Bay to the Gulf of Carpentaria...

I've driven from Port Phillip Bay (Victoria) to the Gulf of Carpentaria (Qld) and east up Cape York to Cooktown, from less than 100km from the Northern Territory Border to the eastern coast, and just about everywhere in between in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

9847 km, 1386 photos, 44 days, 3 states, and one motorhome hauling my mobility scooter.

Yes, I had fun. Amazing, excellent, fun.

Ayr, Qld.

Cardwell Range Lookout, Qld.

Mount Isa, Qld.

Moree, NSW.

Mount Carbine, far north Qld.

Wandoan, Qld.

Australian Wildlife

These are crocodiles, not alligators. This one, Krys, was over 6 meters long.

Little green tree frogs everywhere.

On the Jump Up (mesa) near Winton, the scientists have discovered 6 new "animals" including a parrot thought to be extinct, and a red-back spider the size of a saucer.

Cane toads.

Lots of things that bite, including hugely enormous flies at Mamu and meat ants at Augathella.

Kangaroos, wallabies, emus, koalas and even cows wandering on the roads in the Outback (no fences there).

And, of course, scrub (bush) turkeys.

I'm loving the heat (high 90sF, 36-37C) and the travel.

Helen

In the Wheel Ruts of the Pioneers

Quite literally!!

Australia's National Highway 1 - but not how those who live in the capital cities know it.

Burke and Wills, explorers.

Helen.

Trees and Flowers

I love looking at interesting trees and pretty flowers although I don't know much about them. So enjoy.

Scribbly Bark Gum. The "writing" on the tree is caused by caterpillars eating the bark.

In Charleville, Queensland.

Grafton, New South Wales.

Gosford, NSW.

Ghost Gum, Barcaldine, Qld.

I'm almost at the Gulf of Carpentaria, and still heading north.

Helen

Heading North: Old Buildings

Bairnsdale, Victoria.

Cobargo, NSW.

Poet, Henry Kendall's House, Gosford, NSW.

Slab hut, Orbost, Victoria.

Moruya, NSW.

I'm having fun. I hope you are, too.

Helen Woodall

Ben Boyd and Twofold Bay

This is Twofold Bay, as seen from my aunt's kitchen window. Stunning by day or night, ever-changing, always amazing.

Twofold Bay (in New South Wales) was historically one of the few safe deep-water ports along the coast here, so there are still plenty of old buildings to look at, as well as a huge National Park.

Ben Boyd's Tower is where sailors used to watch (100 years ago or so) for whales, and where locals kept watch for bushfires and other dangers.

Here's a section of the National Park. Does it remind you of the enchanted woods in a child's fairytale?

Helen Woodall