Well our housesitting in Busselton is almost over, 2 week stint in Mosman park then we are free for 6 weeks . we are planning to go up inland to Newman then across to Exmouth via Tom Price, unless we are convinced it is worth the extra 400ks to see port Hedland, then return to our next sit in Bunbury via the coast. Would like to know of any must sees or must avoids on that route. Also would apreciate your opinion on wether worth the extra time and fuel etc to go up to Hedland. We will be free camping most of the time. Thank you

I don't think I would be in a hurry to do an extra 400km to go there.

I take it from that mileage that you are planning to go from Tom Price to Karratha before going south to Exmouth.

My impressions passing through were of a dirty industrial town but I am sure there is more going for it than that.

I guess it would depend on how long you would stay. If only for a weekend then I would say no, if however you had a week or two to go under the skin then you may find a few gems.

When are you planning to be in Bunbury? We are leaving here in 4 weeks.

Cheers

-- Edited by Delta18 on Monday 31st of August 2009 12:46:32 PM

we are in busselton until 26/9 then back in bunburry 21/11

What was that about a FEW GEMS Please explain with exact gps coordinates plese PRETTY PLEASE

sounds as if mike and judy has saphire fever,or gold fever,       oh well whatever,       hope its not catching ?????

mike and Judy wrote:

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What was that about a FEW GEMS
Please explain with exact gps coordinates plese
PRETTY PLEASE

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Weeeell, I am sure there is a jewelery shop there that I could find an address for

 

Tezza, September is still ok up north, but I wouldn't leave it any later, otherwise you are getting into the humid and cyclone season etc. When we last went to Newman, the main higher rated caravan park in the main entry road was full of contractors, even though rated the best there. The other caravan park in Newman (south of the main entry road) was better we were told although more basic (no swimming pool etc). I assume you will visit Karinji Gorges and their ranger camp there not free but cheap, so that may be better than Newman, not too sure of the free camps up that way without checking Camps 5. Pt Hedland.........give it a miss, however just past Pt Hedland going north is the turn off to Marble Bar, well worth a visit and bitumen all the way in, see the old comet mine while you are there and of course the Iron Clad Hotel, nice little caravan park there but should be heaps of free camping spots around too, I can't see anyone out that way stopping you. Happy travels, Vic

sounds as if mike and judy has saphire fever,or gold fever, oh well whatever, hope its not catching ????? Yup ,freely admit it, Been chasing gemstones in the rough all my life thought I was on to a good thing then, the only fossicking I ve done in the west is for gold SE of Leonora, and also picked up a small diamond just past Turkey Crk in 2003, Just had an urge to try that area again

The build up only really starts in October and it gets really hot and humid from then on. The monsoon season really only kicks off after Christmas. If you want to have a look around the region Pt. Samson just north of Karratha is nice and you can check out Cossack, an historical township. There are 2 van parks at Samson, but there are also some good free camping spots in that region, but find a shady one. Hedland is an iron ore port and everything has that russet red colour. It's a huge operation and if you're into large trains and seeing how it all operates out of the remote port, then Hedland is your place. There's a beautiful free camp just north of there on the de Grey River, but if you're short of time the long miles of nothing much might be out of range. If you're travelling from Tom Price or Newman across to Karratha, Pt. Samson is worth a look. Don't forget to check out the Quobba Blow Holes about 70kms north of Carnarvon. Free camping down that way at the camp in the bay or you can camp at Quobba Station. Whatever you do have a good, safe one. Cheers Chris

I recommend you avoid Pt Hedland. You can see salt works, iron ore port at better places, like Dampier, Port Sampson. Caravan Parks in Hedland full due to mining boom. Only reason to go near there is to stock up at Sth Hedland shops. You could go direct from Newman to Marble Bar, via Nullagine (some dirt). Marble Bar is great place for a stay - quite a bit to see and do. From Marble Bar, if you don't mind some dirt/gravel roads, can take the road through Hillside to the Great Northern Highway, and avoid Hedland. We spent some time in that area a couple of years back. October is starting to get hotter. The storm season is October-December and you can get some spectacular willy-willys, also thunderstorms that are very localized but hard to predict.

That Marble Bar run sounds great. I don't have an off-road van, but if the road isn't corrugated or wet I'd take a chance. I'm really keen to get back to the west when I'm back on the road. I'd like to go north from Kal through Leonora, and etc. Do you think I'd be ok? Cheers Chris

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I am usually cautious andI don't take foolish chances either. Corrugations are the caravan's enemy, and my enema. A solid open surface road is ok. So I like to be a bit prepared. Local knowledge is the best accessory. The only thing stopping me is the wait for a bed in a Brisbane hospital to get rid of this trouble making adrenal gland. Trust me, if I could get rid of it and chuck it in the bin I'd be there. There's a professor in Brissy with an operating table waiting for me. It's just the damn bed I can't get. The country's health system is up to sh!t. Every state has it's own dilemmas, but I was really p'd off when I landed in Brissy last time and waited all day to be told they gave my bed to someone more urgent. They put me up in a nearby apartment overnight, and the whole process started again next day. I still had to wait about 2 hours for the patient to vacate the bed. In my opinion, if a country patient is flying down for treatment or surgery the bed should be ready waiting for them when they arrive. So much money is wasted because of this mismanagement. The staff levels are depleted because the rest of the system, particularly administration, is sucking up all the resources while the real reason for their existence - THE PATIENTS have to just wait in line. Oops, soapbox time over. Sorry folks. Cheers Chris

Chris, you can lay the blame for inadequacies in the "health" system at the feet of the bean counters.

That's every one who is reluctant to pay for these services by way of taxation.

Governments fall on tax hikes, not on systemic inefficiencies.

The average mug punter's lack of perspective astounds me.

But, after 67 years, I'm getting accustomed to it.

Sort of.

I reckon I've paid my share of tax relative to my income. I'm not smart or rich enough to dodge taxes. I also have private health extras only, but it doesn't help me this time. It's time the government had a real good look at the whole system and cut back on the eternal handouts where there is no accountability. I don't enjoy being a disability recipient, but that's the way it goes for me. If I get to publish the books I'm writing I may be able to change my circumstances. That's on my wish list. Cheers Chris