2018 Sandstone, Mangowine, Westonia, New Norcia

Had a lovely family Christmas around Perth then back down to Waroona to house sit for another 6 weeks.

Left late Feb to see friends at Seabird then on up to Sandstone. Stopped at Kirkalocka free camp which is about 4 km south of the station. Lovely big area well off the road, toilet and 2 dump points. Also stayed at the Miling caravan park - very small but it is quite adequate. there was heavy rain a couple of nights at Sandstone and at the station. Lots of water lying round and fresh green grass!!!!

 I drove though water over 2 floodways just out of Mt Magnet - that was exciting! Booked into the cp at Sandstone then decided to leave the van there for a week so I could go 50 north to Barrambie Station to stay with friends. Was not sure about gravel roads after rain. Had a lovely week at the station - recycles curtains for the bathroom and kitchen. I knew carting my sewing machine all round Aus was not a waste of space LOL. Did lots of experiments with baking bread. Decided that the dough hook and baking normally seemed better than the bread maker with it's smaller loaf.

 Went for a drive up to the vermin fence, checked out the airstrip, and up to the hills where there are many old mine shafts - and areas of new test bores. Apparently these hills are riddled with old shafts that have not been fenced or marked!

We went to Jundoo Dam one afternoon hoping to get some yabbies. No luck but would be a lovely camp.

 I picked the van up again and went to the dam but decided not to stay as it was very windy and clouds were building up. Was worried about heavy rain washing the road out and branches blocking the access also. Ended up at Mt Magnet instead. On down to Jibbering Reserve north of Wubin. Huge area with scattered trees. Far enough off the road to be quiet. Stopped at Dalwallinu for groceries and fuel and on via Kalannie to Beacon CP. Passed a huge cattle feed lot. Good sealed road all the way. Beacon has a great cp - very clean and tidy.
Royalties for Regions has done a great job of upgrading these small country places.

On to Mangowine Homestead for a few days. Only $12.50 a night for power, scheme water and a shower - a lean-to in a shed but does the job just fine! It is very hot at the moment - 37 so have the AC running. Caught up with my Kiwi friends - they are heading home this year after 5 years of spending 6 months a year travelling around. Good timing as I decided to update my passport and needed a Kiwi who was not family to verify my identity! Was perfect being able to do it all online, including uploading the photo.

Next stop was the Westonia Caravan Park where I was only intending to  stay for a couple of days but such a lovely tidy place, very good nightly and weekly price and some lovely people that I stayed for 9 days instead!
There is an amazing place there out in the bush on the edge of town. A hermit built a shack and lived there many years. The places is surrounded with brown glass beer bottles.  He had started to stack them but..... Also had built a long drop loo at some stage. Amazed me that no-one seems to have touched the place since he died - but I gather he was well respected in the town. He put the bottle tops back on many of the bottles.


Westonia is a delightful very tidy small town. They encourage retirees - I think the Council retirement houses are $80 pw! Free use of the pool and gym etc. A community run grocery shop, coffee shop and a tavern. Although the mining camp is right behind the caravan park it is very quiet. The Edna May mine is on the edge of town, and there are some lovely drives in the area to view the huge rocks.
April - flew to Mackay for my granddaughter's 12th birthday. Love flying over this country. Had to Google one area that was quite stunning - it was Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges.

Back to New Norcia to do some more scanning in the Archives. Thoroughly enjoying that work. So much history in the letters written in the 1850-60's. I did manage to back the caravan into an overhanging branch there which broke a piece off the AC cover, and put a small split in a dent on the top. Thank goodness for insurance - $7,500 later!!! They replace the complete skin on the back just to get to the split. Also replaced the decals. One advantage of house-sitting is that I don't need the caravan to live in.







June - November saw more house sitting around Waroona, and 3 more weeks at New Norcia. I spent a week around Perenjori and Moora looking at the stunning wild flowers and checking out future camping spots.
I also decided to upgrade my vehicle. The old Navara was starting to cost too much to keep running so now have a 2012 Colorado.




I was Googling crochet patterns for a friend and found Tunisian Crochet  so started making beanies. I have not done hand crafts for years and am loving it.
A great 3 week trip back to NZ. spent most of the trip catching up with family, and friends I have not seen for many years. Shame it was rather damp much of the time.

Dec 2017 Waroona, New Norcia

Almost the end of another year - how time flies :) I have spent much of the year around Waroona house-sitting again and spending time with the lovely friends I have in the area. Three months on one property - almost like having my own home!!!! I spent an extra 12 days there looking after some dogs and beautiful pups.

Spent 2 weeks back in New Norcia in November working Monday-Thursday scanning hundreds of letters from 1858 – 68. Firstly from Fr Martelli to Salvado (the founding monk) in English for Dr Kinder [a Kiwi!] to work on,  then from Salvado’s brother Santos – all in Spanish which will now be translated into English. There have been summaries done on all these letters and what interesting reading they are.

‘ thank you for the ton of tobacco. It was good to smoke but too mild to use as a sheep dip!’ (yes I Googled it – was used for lice etc)

‘it seems the Liberals over East are determined to get rid the savages to make a place for the white savages who will be far more ruthless’

‘she heard that the laundry lady used washing blue to whiten the clothes so she tried it on her face – and was quickly cured of her vanity’

‘… has been elected Foreign Minister (in Spain?). He is a convicted fraudster and married to a whore’.

‘We have found a cure for cholera. Juice of half a lemon, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of rum. We have cured 3 people so far. Also a decoction of mercury is excellent for purging the stomach of impurities’

And a beautifully written letter from the local aborigines asking the monks to please stop shooting their dogs even though the dogs were trying to ‘eat the little sheeps’!

I could have spent the whole time just reading these letters! The monks leased huge areas of land and looked after the local aborigines, who helped put the road through to Bindoon. They also traded many horses and set them by boat to India.  If anyone wanted to do history from 1847 I would recommend these archives as a goldmine of information. The monks were well informed of events in Europe as well as Australia.

I didn’t have access to the library which is in the monastery but they have books there that are very rare. Some of these are the only ones left in the world I gather! The priceless ones are all in a fireproof vault. A good thing too – lightning struck the copper pipes to the gas hotwater at the old police station while I was there and started a fire. Put out quickly before too much damage done.

I have decided to go back next March for a couple more weeks and whenever I can during the year. There are 30,000 photos that have been numbered but need to be put in order so they are easier to access as well as thousands of documents to be scanned. In exchange for help, volunteers are given free accommodation and 3 meals a day, but are only allowed to stay for 2 weeks at a time.  Wine is available at both lunch and with the 2 course evening meal, and of course their wonderful bread is always in abundance!!! Too tempting!!!!

I have had a month in the van again and wandered down to Greenbushes and Manjimup. It is still a lifestyle that I really enjoy but I am running out of 'new' roads to travel. Off to Perth for Xmas with family then back to Waroona to do it all again - have several places booked already  so looking forward to that.

April - October 2017 Waroona, Esperance farm sit, New Norcia retreat

From Lake King I wandered up to Gingin for my cousins 70th. Lovely weekend. I was rather surprised at how much stubble is being burned off - very smokey. I thought that practice was discouraged. 

Spent Easter with friends at Seabird, then back to Waroona via 'back' roads to avoid the school holiday traffic. Lovely drive via Gingin, Bindoon Hill, Toodyay to Katrine camp beside the river. Bit tricky to get in to but flush toilets - always a big plus. Then to York intending to fill up with water - but my fancy anti-vandal tap fitting doesn't work on those tap. Got water at Beverley instead. On down to Pingelly and across to Pumphreys Bridge. Lovely big area down by the river, up behind the hall and on an oval out the back. Thought I was the only one there and a bit nervous about all the traffic stopping at the hall during the late evening. seems to be a meeting place - or maybe they just stop to use the loos. Anyway -  I see a van tucked away on the oval next morning.


 Enjoyed the drive via Crossman and Boddington. Thought about stopping there but went in to Waroona via Lane Pool. I had forgotten how narrow the north end of that road is - and with weekend traffic it was a slow cautious trip!

Farm sitting again - a couple of dogs and 600 acres. Enjoying being back amongst old friends in Waroona.

From there I went via Mt Barker (laid up a few days with a nasty cold) and on to Esperance where I had another farmsit for 6 weeks. Lovely old renovated house, 4 farm dogs, a cat, a bird and chooks. Did a trip to Lucky Bay, hellfire Bay, Stonehenge, Cape Arid (almost - road too wet and slippery).
Found the amazing Hakea Victoria in Helms Arboretum. Pity it is such a spiky plant - certainly has stunning colours.
Stood beside a snake at Hellfire Bay - thank goodness it seemed to be asleep. Not sure if a Tiger or  what but not getting too close whatever it was.
Stonehenge was amazing and the tidiest Tourist destination I have seen in Aus. The farm & business is for sale!
Big flock of black cockatoos flew past a couple of times - migrating I am told.

I made my way back to the next farmsit out of Waroona. Will be here 3 months so looking forward to catching up with all my friends in the area. The weather has certainly changed - wet and wintery but at least everyone has grass again.
October:

New Norcia Benedictine Retreat – 29/9 – 2/10

My birthday present from the family was a weekend retreat at New Norcia. Lovely group of 9 people I was with. All good Catholics…..and heathen me. Dom Chris looked after us and ran sessions where he told us about being a monk, how New Norcia runs and the Benedictine Philosophy which was all very interesting. I did feel though that I had heard so much of that from ‘life coaches’ and motivational speakers – just not with the concept of God being the giver of this inner strength! We were shown very old material maps of the 1 Million acres they used to own & lease – down to 20,000 acres now which they have decided to lease out as that will make them more money.

Had silent 3 course meal with the monks one day – complete with our own '2.5 glass' bottle of wine. Coffee with another monk after lunch – and a glass of port! We were served by the Abbot and another monk while we listened to readings. Self-help cereal and toast breakfast and 2 course dinner with wine also!

They built 8 bedrooms against the monastery wall when they decided to expand the guest house. All twin ensuite rooms – with aircons donated by an Irish man who decided they were too hot! A suggested donation of $80 including meals is the going rate. Lots of people booked this week.

Went to Vespers a couple of times where the monks chant the psalms unaccompanied, and a beautiful Mass on Sunday in the chapel with the huge old organ. One of the new  monks is a musicologist and plays magnificently. He played Tchaikovsky’s Barcarolle on a piano during communion. Stunning acoustics in there. Maybe 30 locals there as well, and morning tea afterwards.

The monks pray 7 times a day for half hour (except Sundays ) starting at 5.15 am and last one at 8.15pm. Means they cannot ever get too involved in their other work and forget about their ‘mission’ to become a better holy person! They all commit to the monastery for life – some have been there 60 years!!!! The 3 we spent time with were delightful  - very well educated and lovely humour.

Anyway – I stayed an extra night so I could meet the Archivist who has been there for 10 years. I will go up for the 10 days soon to make a start on scanning letters from 1847 – 1860 from the original monk to people in Europe asking for money……and who knows what else. The Spanish ones have been translated and are on computer – they just need the originals copied now. There are thousands of documents to digitise all kept in temp controlled room. Huge interest from around the world for this stuff apparently.  I plan on going up there in March for however long I don’t know - 😊 Just waiting to hear where I can camp etc and what cost if any ….. 

Unlike priests, the monks do not administer to a congregation – although some monks are priests as well and do Mass etc. Father Anscar has spent 28 years at Kalumburu working with the bush aborigines and built a museum there. Full of funny stories and has written a couple of books about an abbey cat. He is feeling very sad though – since he left 5 years ago, 30 of them have died through drugs, suicide etc.

Interesting that anyone can go to Mass – I always understood it was absolutely not done if not Catholic. But the history of the place I find quite compelling. 

Decided to do a 'Morphography' picture for the Waroona show!

Jan - March 2017 - 70th, BlazeAid

Had a great family Christmas around Perth, with a surprise visit from family in Mackay. Lovely to have 2 granddaughters together also. 

Picked up the van from my friend at Waroona and headed to Herron Point. So many people crabbing out in this shallow estuary. Did have a good spot to camp - but went off today to do laundry etc and camp back to find a young couple with 3 little kids right up hard against the back of me. Is plenty of room for them to have moved over further. Bugger! Very hot so I don't want to have to shut windows so I cannot hear everything over there!!!!
Back to a farm I stayed at last year for a while then the big 70th party at Logue Brook Dam near Harvey. Wonderful to have friends and family from NZ and many lovely Australian friends help celebrate over the weekend. Managed to stay dry luckily. shocking heavy rain earlier in the week.
More farm sitting then the call from BlazeAid again to help set up camp at Lake King to work on flood damage. The old set-up crew there again so that is fun and a few others that had worked with us at Waroona also turned up.
Very small community here - just a Tavern and a small general store/PO but already we have fresh meat in the freezer, and lots of farm eggs etc. The flood seems to have take fences and dumped them out in the paddock - mainly through pressure of stubble building up on the netting I guess. Luckily farmers have machines that can pick up the fence and drag it back into place so it is mostly a matter of putting in new pickets and reattaching the wires.
We had a huge feed of yabbies thanks to one of the farmers also.

Managed to get the ute's weird noise sorted in Kondinin with great young mechanic who found a hole in the manifold exhaust pipe. Bit expensive to fix but I now have power back and fuel consumption is back to normal. What a relief!

Oct - Dec 2016 Waroona, Northcliffe, Yanchep

Had a lovely time house-sitting in Waroona and visiting with friends. Dinners out, cafe breakfast, happy hours etc. Worked at the Pinjarra Harness Club a few Mondays - signing in the Drivers and Trainers, and also worked at the Harvey CRC doing a bit of computer stuff then as an invigilator for people doing external exams. Good time to do lots of reading.
Then off to Wellington Dam (Potters Gorge) for 11 days. Had 2 lots of friends turn up and spend a few days with me also so that was fun. The park was partly closed as they have upgraded the whole thing with several new toilet, kitchens with gas BBQ s, all bays gravelled and with picnic tables and fire-pits. There is a dump point and rubbish skips as well and a new day visit area. Lots of trees so sun for people relying wholly on solar for their fridges may be a problem. TV pretty good, some phone and internet. Money collected most evenings. Mostly a peaceful National Park spot - until the young ones turn up for the weekend....... at least there are no motor boats or jet skis on the lake.

I went for a drive to Honeymoon Pool - no caravans allowed - a one way road. Pretty spot and lots of tents there but the water will be very cold as it is a very shady area. Didn't realise I needed to go back a bit to get to Gnomesville, so crashed my way up this badly corrugated road and ended up back at Potters Gorge - gave up for the day!

We were visited by a Black-faced Wallaby one night. Very friendly as long as you didn't try to pat her head - she growls at you! Saw tiny blue wrens - but only when I didn't have the camera with me LOL!

Headed for the 'religious mile' out of Busselton looking for a caravan park. Too hard - had to cross the road and they dont really look like places for caravans so carried on to Four Seasons instead. A couple of days there then on down to Northcliffe to Sids camp. Great little spot. Did a day trip back to Donnelleys Landing where after chatting to  Ranger followed him up the road to stop at a Snottygobble tree! The camping around here is strictly for tents - even a camper trailer may have trouble opening fully. Did a wander along back roads to Pemberton for lunch then to the Bicentennial tree. 66m up - not for me.
Next stop was Frankland CP - lovely new facilities. Stayed a couple of days as it was rather hot! Then via back road to Tone Bridge. Tucked myself away in the scrub then decided it was going to be too hot so on to Boyup Brooke CP. Heat wave one day the raining the next! On to Kojonup  - caught up with my son, then to a free camp, back towards Kojonup and took the back road to Darkan. Another lovely drive with hardly any traffic. You pay at the Shire ($18 pn) then get the code to access the laundry and get the keys for the amenities and the dump point. First time I have found one locked! Had a quiet couple of days backing up and sorting the laptop as I need to get a new one.
Headed north again towards Boddington then to Pinjarra. Got a new computer - ugh - so much to learn! Dropped the van at a friend's in Yarloop and up to my brother for Xmas etc. Several days later and I have the computer sorted - I hope. Huge amount of data has to be downloaded so chews up the prepaid internet! Even Office is now only available by download it seems.
Merry Christmas to you all.

8-10 2016 Denham, Chapman Valley, Mullewa, Kalbarri, WILD FLOWERS

South of Billabong

I left Waroona mid August and travelled up via Middle Road to Three Springs, then on to Denham to stay with friends. The wild flowers every where have been amazing especially the Wreath flowers out of Pindar.

Galena Bridge

Three Springs has a 'caravan park' run by the shire. It is free but for a $10 bond you get the key from the Shire office and then have use of the toilet and hot showers. There are a couple of taps there. Also public toilets that may be locked at night?

Galena Bridge overnight camp is a very popular place. A large camp on the south and a smaller one north of the bridge. Picnic tables, toilets and dumps on both sides.

Pink Lake, Port Gregory

North of the bridge is Nerren Nerren overnight camp also with facilities. Plenty of parking off the seal but I wonder if it may get boggy in the rain and there are a couple of drains that may catch a caravan. I was tempted to go and hide in the scrub to the south but the trees were a bit low and close in places.

I stopped at the Linga Longa caravan park for a few days so I could see the Pink Lake and go to Hutt Principality. Lovely people but basic amenities, no TV, limited phone.

Yuna Hall

Behind the Yuna Hall is a free camp with toilets. Unfortunately the pub is shut for now - there are only a few houses but quite a busy school. Lovely drive through the Chapman Valley at this time of year. Once again no TV, limited phone.

The camp at Tenindawa was great - phone and excellent TV there. Lots of places to park in the scrub. No facilities or I would have stayed longer. Was also windy but it has been like that for weeks it seems.

Northampton gravel pit

On to Mullewa CP for a couple of nights so I could leave the van. Extremely busy during the wild flower season. Cannot book either - so get there early and hope there are powered sites if you need them. Headed up to Wandina one day but struck the gravel and had another 25km to go - too hard :) Went to Pindar and up the 10 km of gravel to see the wreath flowers instead. A stunning display for over a km along both sides of the road.

From Mullewa I headed to Ellendale Pool. Lovely spot and a big pool for kayaks etc although care needed when swimming. Honesty box to pay $5 pp,pn. Quite a few there. Sealed winding road in from the south down to the river.
Next stop was Eneabba at the oval. $5 pp pn also but  you get toilets and hot showers at the Rec centre. Ranger collects the money in the morning. Pub is walking distance and meals also available at the Miners Camp some nights.

 Lake Indoon was the next stop.  I was assured that it was OK to take the caravan along the track to the left. Almost off roading at the end turn around but managed ok. Stayed there a night. I was told the has not been water in the lake for a few years so the locals are enjoying having their playground back again. this year.

On down to Seabird. There is a dump at Cervantes but only during the Tip hours. The Shire has sealed several rest areas south of there and there is a toilet and dump on the west side of the highway about half way between there and Seabird.

Spent a lovely couple of weeks with friends near Seabird who welcome travellers. We did the Neergabby fireworks night over the long weekend. Thousands come to it each year. Pity it is not a camp area though.

A couple of other friends to visit before heading back to Waroona to help with the show. What a busy time that is. So much work by so few people. Great to see some younger ones helping now. I spent Friday in the hall helping take the entries then displaying them In bed by 11 pm! Not used to 8 hours on my feet any more. Back on Show day as a steward in the hall for much of the day then back on Sunday to help sort the tables for next year. Was great to catch up with so many of the locals I have got to know of the past 9 months.

Have another part time job at the Pinjarra Paceway helping check in the drivers and trainers on a Monday - until they get a permanent person to do it. Have a house sit until the end of November so probably wont add much to the blog for a while.