Mite as well delete this thread its gone very stale

bigcol

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Nov 22, 2012
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Swan Valley Perth
28th Dec – Wife arrives in Perth

Day 1 = Sun Rise at Kings Park, Lunch at Hillarys Boat Harbour – heaps to choose from
Day 2 = Lunch at Fishermans Harbour Fremantle Mews Road– Cicerello's, Kailis, Joe’s Fish Shack, CharChar Bull, there is heaps to choose from there


30 Dec – Depart Perth
Pth to Dongara / Port Denison – Via Indian Ocean Drive (Wanneroo Rd) 351Kms north of Pth

You have Lancelin, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Green Head, Leeman all nice coastal towns worth a look at with great Fish and Chip Shops

Dinner at “The Priory” at Pt Denison / Dongara – great feed, and cheap as well & a visit to the Bakery a must, then on to Geraldton

Or

Pth – Dongara / Port Denison & Geraldton Via Brand Hwy – not much, apart from 1/2way Mill House – Warradarge you have to drive through Dongara to get the rest of the way to Gerro


30th 31st Dec – Geraldton 2 nights

Sun set from the HMAS Sydney II Memorial is a must, plenty of good food places, some more $$ than others

Stop at Port Gregory or Kalbarri on the way north

Also swing into Shark Bay – Denham (Monkey Mia – for the Dolphin Feeding) Hamlin Pool for the Stromatolites, Shell Beach, just for a look see


1st 2nd Jan – Carnarvon 2 nights

Carnarvon Space Museum, Morel’s Orchard for fresh fruit & Veggies, fresh (frozen) Seafood on Binning Rd – Seafood Plant

Great Feed at “The Gascoyne” on Olivia Tce as well as “The Gateway Motel” on the main drag

3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Road to Port Headland

(20mins, and you have seen Pt Hedland, apart from B I G ships, not much else (oh and Iron Ore…….))

The Esplanade used to do a great feed

I would suggest stopping in at Coral Bay, Exmouth, Karratha, Dampier (lock car doors going through Chrystal Palace – Roebourne) on your way to Pt Hedland

7th, 8th 9th 10th, 11th, 12th,Road to Newman

Instead of driving back down Gt Northern Hwy to go to Newman, I would suggest

Marble Bar (2hrs from Pt Hedland) then Nullagine (another 2 hrs)then on to Newman (another 2 hrs)

Then head for Auski Roadhouse (tourist Village) on the edge of Karijini National Park (2 hrs)

Then head back (2hrs) to Newman, then on to Meekatharra (4.5hrs from Newman)

But you have Kumarina & Capricorn Roadhouses for stops…………

Meeka to Mt Magnet is 2hrs, but you can stop in Cue, as well as Lake Austin

Mt Magnet to Wubin – 3.5hrs, not much in Wubin, but plenty to see historically on the way

Wubin to New Norcia – 1.5hrs, you can stop in Dalwallinu for a look see

New Norcia has a lot of history there, and a freaking great Pub for a Monastery Town

Then your only 1.5/2hrs from Perth………….

14th 15th to Margaret River

Perth to Margs is only about 3 & bit hours, but you can stop at Bunbury if you want (why I don’t know, but its interesting)
Busselton, Dunsborough, Yallingup & Gracetown are nice
If you go that way, you will travel on Caves Rd – awesome drive it is

In between Cowaramup & Margs is the Chocolate Factory, and the Cheese Factory – yummo
On the other side of Margs, on cnr Rosa Brook Rd is the Yahava Coffee factory

16th 17th Margs to Albany – my pick would be Margs, Nannup, Manjimup, Pemberton, Walpole, Denmark then Albany, very scenic, very pretty country side

From Albany I would then head to Hyden (Wave Rock) (4hrs) then on to Esperance (4hrs) but stop in Ravensthorpe – nice café there
Esperance to Kal is about 4.5 hrs, but then you have to turn around and head back to Norseman to head east……..
but I would also go to Coolgardie while you were there, lots to see believe it or not





As you can see, my stomach guides me on where to stop
 

bigcol

Well-Known Member
Nov 22, 2012
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Swan Valley Perth
just remember @Swerve once you are north of either Kalbarri (Coastal) or Wubin (inland) there is an awful lot of nothing to look at

forgot to say, just north of Kalbarri is the Galena Bridge (over the Murchison River) nice picnic spot
then you have Billabong Roadhouse
then the Overlander
then shark Bay you have Hamlin Pool - then Denham
or keep heading to Carnarvon you have Wooramel Roadhouse
after Carnarvon you have
Minilya then turn off to Exmouth
then Barradale
then Nanutarra
then Fortescue River Roadhouse
then Karratha

just north of Karratha is Cleaverville, used to be a nice camping spot - not sure now days, have not been to Karratha for a few years

as you go through Chrystal Palace (Roebourne) head up to Wickham & Cossack (used to be where the Pearling was from before Broome was founded)
Point Sampson Fish Shop & Dampier Fish & Chips (opposite the Boat Club) used to have the freshest Fish - literally straight off the boat to the shop
the Mermaid hotel in Dampier used to have a good feed as well

only stop between Roebourne and Pt Hedland is Whim Creek (used to be the dearest fuel ever seen - not sure now) but its only 220Kms from Karratha to Pt Hedland anyway, so you should be ok
 
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Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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Heading from Sydney on Boxing Day to Bundaberg, then inland to Carnavon Gorge for 5 nights, then back down via Lightning Ridge and back to Sydney. Got 2 weeks set aside, never been to that part of the country before, hoping it isn't too wet.

Make sure you get the AC serviced before you leave @Bellbirdweb , Carnarvon and the Ridge will be a tad warm.
 

Bellbirdweb

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Jan 24, 2014
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So the Christmas trip is now locked in.

Leave Sydney on Boxing Day - Night 1 Gilgandra
Night 2 & 3 - Lightning Ridge
Night 4 Roma
Night 5, 6 & 7 - Carnarvon Gorge
Night 8 & 9 - Barcaldine with a day trip to Longreach
Night 10 - Charleville
Night 11 - Bourke
Night 12 - Dubbo
Arrive home January 7th

Bit over 3500k's and I'm sure some very warm weather
 

Bellbirdweb

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Jan 24, 2014
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We are comming from hollbrook straight to lane cove hope to be there in arvo keep you posted on what time we will get in old Sydney town love draging the van over the bridge
From Holbrook you'll be better going on the M7 then M2 will take you straight past Lane Cove. Will avoid going through the city in peak hour