Gorgeous Gawler Rangers NP

After a weekend rest over looking a peaceful bay in the Wittelbee Conservation Park near Ceduna, we continue to keep to isolated and sparsely populated places as we make our way back to Queensland. We know that we are blessed that the great outdoors is our back yard.

we made a slight detour off the Eyre Highway for a nights camping at Pildappa Rock at the turn off to the Gawler Ranges (the rock had only just reopened for camping and visitors that day)

Then onto Yandinga Camp Ground in the Gawler Ranges NP for a few nights.  The national park was proclaimed  in 2003, and was formerly Paney Sheep Station since late 1860s.  There are several camping areas, and plenty of 4WD tracks to explore.

Organ Pipes

We were amazed at the ruggedness of the ranges, the lush green meadows, the abundance of Wallaroos or Euros (a sub species of the red and grey kangaroos) and emus, history and solitude.  It was outback Australia at its best.

Old stone dam

Old Paney Homestead (restored)

Pandoona Outstation

Pottery and glass found around homestead

Yandinga Falls, we climbed to the top of the 3 levels

The colours were a beautiful contrast of rusty reds, greens and wattle yellow, awesome!





We only saw half of the park due to a puncture from a screw near Pandoona Outstation, 32 km from our camp. We topped it up with air and made it back to camp on dusk

Not Nullaboring

We took 2 nights to cross the Nullabor, very quiet, only 5 Travellers in Vans heading towards WA, as hard border closure still in place.

We also spotted, dingoes, an adventuress Kelpie named Larry, kangaroos and lots more bird life.

This was our welcoming just before we reached the end near Ceduna.

Goodbye W.A.

After 7 1/2 weeks here in the National Park we have sadly made the tough decision to turn back. WA had 13 regions in lock down and will combine and reopen some on the 18th May, leaving 4 new regions.Unfortunately our region was neither expanded or opened up, and we remain stuck for at least a further 4 weeks, with no guarantees as to when we can get through to Exmouth, let alone through the Kimberley remote community area, and across the border into NorthernTerritory and back to Qld.

New 4 region boundaries

If only we could get into either of the next regions to our west, we would stay on. We are soooo close!

It is impossible to see WA and do it the justice it requires within the limited time we would have left before the wet season is back in the north. Winter will soon be here in the south, so on Monday we turn back to Esperance as it is now open so we can get the Landcruiser serviced, then we are heading back on Wednesday across the Nullabor into SA and onto Qld (Cairns) and then try again next April/May after the wet season from the top (North to South) of WA (Kimberleys) providing borders and regions are open. 

Very disappointing having to leave so soon, but will definitely be back, and will make the very best of where ever our continued adventure takes us.

We will miss our Iso friends Bevin and Rhonda, who are staying on and will wait it out, before returning to Toowoomba in October.

The weather has been excellent this last week so more fishing on a river yon side of Hopetoun for black bream

A bush track for a few k’s to get there

This one was thrown back


Keepers - average 30cm each, not bad for less than an hour....tremendous fun,


Perfect beach day

Daily visitors...we will miss them, they must have sensed we were going, as they spent all our last day with us in our camp


Our washer and spinner

Sunsetting behind 4 Mile Bch and East Mt Barren taken from Hopetoun harbour


Goodbye 4 Mile Beach, Fitzgerald NP, Hopetoun, Rhonda & Bevin, and Rangers Paul & Mal, it was really a lot of fun

Nearer to Nature

I am loving the down-time (hang on...isn’t that meant to be another word for retirement?), and decided to sketch some of nature that we have come across for the very first time. I only have 12 basic colour pencils!

Hakea, New Holland Honey Eater

Ring Necked Parrot, Sturt Desert Pea

Staying put..for now

With WA. beginning to consider easing some restrictions sooner than expected we are hopeful opening movement between regions will be one of them.  They have reopened National Parks, so we are going to give it a few more weeks to see if we will be permitted to move into our nearest region to the west.   We have been here 6 weeks on Thursday.

Hakea Trail 23km is a coastal path - no road access. We have walked 2 sections so far, total 19km of awesome coastal views

First hike from Hamersley Inlet to Tamala Karst Lookout (a Karst is the Star Wars looking rock formations)

Back along through Hamersley Inlet rather than over the dunes

Awesome but eerie

Second hike from West Beach to Edwards Point..view from West Beach Lookout

Edwards Point...lunch stop

We joined our 2 neighbours for some 4wd fun to some remote areas of the park.  Frank was our tour guide, Bevan and Rhonda behind us.  The vegetation was low, the road very narrow and our cars got mighty scratched, but Derek was able to polish them all out.

Firstly to Quoin Beach

Then to Whale Bone Point and on to the beach and along Hamersley Inlet

Proud as punch!



We have got over our initial anxiety of being so isolated....6 months seemed impossible to contemplate, but now things are easing up after only 5 weeks, we are very use to our routine,  and are enjoying our stay a lot more, but are very keen to keep moving west soon.   We really don’t want to have to turn back, and whilst we have time on our side we are in a better mind set to stay here in WA a bit longer.

Roos protecting my washing, and our nightly cheeky possum found my bread in the fishing bucket under the van, an Argo Octopus Shell 

Still some good fishing, caught that elusive Salmon ...yay!