My last post was September 2024, it is now July 2026, gee time flies when your having fun ! Sooo let me take you back to where I left off. We had arrived in the Wheatbelt area of WA at the end of August and were staying with our friends Steve and Mary. It’s very busy on the land at this time of year, getting ready for harvest. It was good to have a home base while we did some day trips as well as me attending doctor’s, having scans, x-rays and physio, none of which gave me an answer as to why I was in so much pain.
Wandering around the small towns looking at the wildflowers and finding the ocasional loo in the bush.
Hopefully I have captured the names of some of the places that we stopped at, as I cant remember them now. So many interesting places and when we find water that’s a bonus. And wildflowers everywhere!
Chris hadnt planned to work this trip, but““ it took little persuading from the family to do another harvest season with them as well as stay for their family Christmas. OK.
Harvest hadn’t started so we had time to fill in, just doing day trips around the area. I was happy about that as the day drives weren’t as painfull for me with my fractured back. These photos are taken around the town of Merredin.
A couple of photos around Kellerberrin and Doodlakine Lakes.
When we weren’t out and about I did crochet rugs. Not sure who got this one but I think I have done 16 in total for family members, while travelling around the country in the last 10 years.
El Toro in Quairading.
The township of Meckering was destroyed by an earthquake in 1968. Most houses were reduced to rubble as depicted below.
Mary dragged Steve out of the shed, as well as their van and the 4 of us had some time out and about. We enjoy camping with these two, it’s been a while since we had a few days away with them
We went to have a look at the recently completed big tractor in Carnamah, it’s huge.!
We also called in to the McPherson homestead for a look, Chris and I had seen it before, however it has had some renovations done and the machinery display had been tidied up.
More tractor displays..
This one below is a bit different..
And dog trials, love watching them.
One L of a good feed.. dinner out.
Steve enjoying some days off..
Yarra Yarra Lakes…
By October the harvest was getting closer, so Steve had work to be done on the machinery, Chris helped some days and I spent some time with Mary and Daughter Jodie. The doctor that I was going to, checked a lump on my leg and said it needed to be cut out, so Chris and I took the van down to the Caravan park in Wongan Hills and the Doc cut out the problem.
Apart for the flies, my leg and fractured spine, all was good. It seemed like I was falling to pieces. Chris kept offering to fly me home and him drive back with the van, but I was determained to complete the trip.
While we were staying in Wongan Hills our friends Ray and Donna came to visit, we had a meal at the One Note Cafe, the owner does some entertainment, so we all enjoyed the time there.
October, was all systems go, with the start of harvest, so Chris was back in a truck, carting grain from the farms back to the storage bins.
It was a good season, for the grain in ’24, which kept the boys very busy. I did a lot of resting in the van as well as spending time with Mary
Whilst the girls were off enjoying a day out Chris was busy bringing more grain in to the storage bins ,which were filling up fast.
Before we knew it, it was Christmas time. I had put some decorations around the van
Christmas day was a beautiful day, family fun, lots of food, presents, then relaxing afterwards and consuming more food for dinner.
The boys enjoyed doing the carving of the meats. Maybe it was the taste testing, anyway they had plenty of laughs.
Mary and Steve were great hosts, and we had a lovely family Christmas a long way from home.
With Christmas over, it was time for us to pack up the van, hook it up and take one last photo of the grain storage on the edge of town. Not to mention our sad farewells to WA friends. I think we left Kalannie on the 27th Dec ’24.
We had a short visit to my cousin in Perth, not the best photo, we were both battling health problems at this time.
Next stop was in Ravensthorpe for some driver survivors, and an icecream for me. A cute little shop that we can’t go past without stopping, whenever we are travelling this way.
The rail overpass from the nickel mine at Ravensthorpe
Esperance was another stop, time for a wander around and a few more photos before doing the 90 mile straight.
I think I must have slept between stops, so it was another unbecoming photo. Thanks Chris. I was so tired and sick from taking strong painkillers. I couldn’t bare the pain of sitting upright, so laying back in the seat was my mode of choice for the trip home.
There was another quick stop for fuel at Eucla. We were making good time and thankfully no problems, so were hoping to be home by the 5th Jan ’25.
Our camp spot for that night, 30th Dec, was at one of our favourite, the Nullarbor is truly an amazing place to free camp and enjoy the natural beauty of our country.
We woke early on new years eve, taking the time for a picture as the sun was rising. Looking at this photo I can see how much weight I had lost and just how crook I was.
Heading out on new years day we stopped for a break and a look around the windmill display at Penong.
What an eyesore these wind turbines are, so many of them marring the landscape in South Australia.
At one stage of our trip, when we had phone service a call came in from Kaela, saying that she had received a photo of our van on the road, from a friend.
Great to be spreading the word of Jodies Inspiration wherever we go.
When we reached Port Augusta we had completed the trip that we had set out to do. It sure was an amazing time. Then it was time to take the shortest route to home. I haven’t got it on the map as wiki camps has updated it’s site since doing this trip and I haven’t the patience to figure it out yet.
From Port Augusta we only had a quick visit to a couple of places.
Bells milk bar is in Broken Hill and is always worth a visit, it’s a house/Cafe full of 60s memorabilia and they serve the best lemonade spiders.
Getting closer to home we called into Sawtell and had a catch up meal with family. Steve’s parents were also over from Perth, so we caught up with them again.
5th January ’25. Here we are back home after 12 months away.. it was so good to be home as it had been our quickest trip from Perth ever.
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