We are embracing retirement, and making the most of it.

We knew we were never going to sit still for long, so whilst we are happy and healthy we will be out and about seeing the world………… full time.

We are out of the fast lane and taking the slow road ahead

Monday, 31 January 2022

Goodbye Margaret River region for now

The thermo-couple for our fridge is taking too long to come, it has been 5 weeks now, so we have packed up and headed further east, one powered camp site at a time.  We feel fabulous to be finally back on the road exploring a new region.....the Southern Coast.  But......we will be back to the Margaret River region in about a months time to complete the fridge repair.....hopefully!

Here’s a few final photos from last week.

Busselton, jetty beach


STS Leeuwin II visiting Busselton, mostly used for youth team and personal development journeys 
,

Great playground in Busselton


Couldn’t resist some cheeses and yoghurt

Derek....No strings attached 


Coastal abseiling spot near our farm stay


Had another swim at the Aquarium, awesome beach, view from carpark, we walk down the cliff to the Aquarium far right, for snorkelling


Unusual sight of swans in the ocean, must know where to get a good feed of fish....the Aquarium


Not the usual beach danger....we are use to crocodile, jelly fish stingers and shark warnings


Southern Coast region here we come

Friday, 28 January 2022

Update..Margaret River Region

Well we are still here in the Margaret River region.  The first fridge part ordered was for the wrong fridge model, so we have waited another 2 weeks today for another one from Melbourne, sent by express post, which still hasn’t arrived.  It has been a very frustrating experience,  5 weeks today.  We caught up again with some travel buddies, started to do more family history, done some cleaning, caught up on lots of washing, but basically just killing time.

We have used this time to revisit some of the best places in the region, excluding the chocolate factory. 

Augusta..Cape Leeuwin, tallest lighthouse in Australia




Explored the southern end of the Cape to Cape track, and found this old water wheel which brought sea water up to the lighthouse construction site.....crusted over now

An amazing task,  and the weather was very showery


Took a 2 km walk down the side of a hill through a forest to find this amazing bit of history dating back to the 1830s






We sat out 6 days of a heat wave down at Meelup beach every afternoon 1pm-6pm, under the shady trees and basically just swam and read


We are so impressed with this beautiful beach, clear calm water, and beautiful colour blues and greens




Every day this pearl lugger would bring tourists down from Dunsborough for a 4 hour trip, including swim, afternoon tea, and set the sails for the return trip.  It would appear about 2.30pm each day.......we called it our Pirate Ship



Friday, 14 January 2022

Postcard from Nannup

With time on our hands still, we drove an hour inland for a day visit to Nannup a cute village and timber mill and Barrabup forest, the old mill site which closed in 1925 which was going to be our next camping spot. Nannup is still full of timber worker’s cottages, small boutique shops and cafes and has a great lookout high up in the forest.




Wednesday, 5 January 2022

Welcome 2022



On Christmas Eve our fridge was diagnosed with a fault to the gas connector, and being holiday time the part will take some time to get to us from Victoria. So..... the kind farm host here in the Margaret River region at Metricup has let us hook to electricity until it is fixed, we cancelled our 2nd farm stay near Busselton and are currently enjoying the region.





Last couple of photos of Bunbury


During the 4 day heat wave we swam at many of the beaches around here, this is the Aquarium at Canal Rocks,


and a little secret cove nearby at Wyadup Rocks




We had Christmas and New Year with some travel buddies...only 12 groups on the farm, temps dropped,  after a lovely day on Meelup Beach


Yallingup, a great village and centre of surfing in the region


Lots of walks, we have done several sections of the Cape to Cape Track (124km) from Cape Naturalist lighthouse in the north along the coastline to Cape Leeuwin  lighthouse near Augusta in the south, through forests, over beaches and around cliffs
This section is at Yallingup




Busselton, and walked the 1.8 km long pier


8km walk around Cape Naturalist, to the most south western point of WA.  Also took in Bunker Bay and Eagle Bay close by.


Visited the NP and bush surrounding  Conto Campground where we should have stayed, burnt oneside of Cave Rd and not the other


Hamelin Bay, incl old jetty




So many wineries just on our road alone, Chocolate was yummy....our Christmas treat


Nearest little village is busy Cowaramup..also called Cow Town, our closest dump point, water and rubbish drop off.
Over 40 cows and calves to locate throughout the town.




The town of Margaret River is at the centre of the region had a lovely vibe, also sells lots of locally produced produce,

Augusta was a lovely small town on a river mouth, the lighthouse was closed.


Honeycombe Beach


We have got a couple of more things to do if our fridge part takes another week, we are visiting Dunsborough today, and there is the Moses Rocks section of the Cape to Cape Track 4km return walk for tomorrow.