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Turtle

Banned
Jan 23, 2011
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Bathurst, NSW
in no particular order

the Lookout at Norseman is nice, with great views (pity I wanted a piccie of my Van and car...........)
View attachment 58818

Esperance, like I said, with a day trip to Duke of Orleans bay, and if your lucky, the lake behind Esperance will be "pink-ish"
but that dont matter, there is a better one north of Geraldton

as I said, Ravy for lunch, but I would stop at Bremer Bay for a day or 2, the coast and rocks there is amazing........ (and Pelicans usually get fed after 3.30 I think it was, at where the river meets the sea.)

lots to see and do in Albany, the Brig Amity is on the foreshore

just outside Denmark heading out of town toward Walpole is Bartholomew's Meadery............. nice honey ice cream and Mead.................. yummo
Walpole has a great visitor centre
Bow Bridge sometimes has free camping there....
Peaceful Bay used to be just that, now its very commercialized
pity your turning off - I prefer Manjimup (and the hotel there) to Pemberton, Fonti's Pool, Truffle Farm
Pemberton is such a pretty town, and the Diamond Tree, Gloucester Tree are worth looking at, and climbing if your game
on the way into Pemberton is the Lavender Farm tea rooms....... well worth a stop in

you should really head south at Bussell Hwy and see Augusta, the light house, the line between Southern ocean and Indian ocean, quite pretty

I would stop at Big Valley Camp site, near Margaret River, quite pretty (turn right at Rosa brook rd,where Yahava Coffee is.......)
View attachment 58822

if you turn left at Wallcliffe rd, and head towards Caves road there, a much better view along that section of the road, if you cross over Caves rd, and head towards Prevelly, very nice swimming beach there
then you can head back towards Caves rd and head to Gracetown Cvan park - its quite a way out of town, not far after getting off Caves rd you turn into it
pretty Cvan park, and you get visitors sometimes at night - 'Roo's, Possums etc
I would have a couple of days in that area - Marg's etc for the wineries, chocolate factory, Cheese places

I would also stop in Busselton, nice pretty town, with great beaches
Busso to Karrinyup is a good 5 hours, maybe longer depending on time of day on the freeway
Thanks for all of that, plenty of local knowledge is a real help.
As far as timing goes, leaving Bathurst around the 5th of March and have tickets for Jimmy Barnes on the 19th of April in Perth (don’t mind if we do or don’t but it’s something to aim for).
 
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Turtle

Banned
Jan 23, 2011
359
308
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Bathurst, NSW
A Dyson in a van ????????? I think a blower would be the go, @Turtle ................ Nice little jackets on the gas bottles, very cute....................the table rack, good idea did you put pads on the door or a slide lock so the thing won't bash the door ???

..........I'm going to sit down with my paper map and mark all those places @bigcol , think I may have ticked some already....................I'm getting over that way again, one day.......
I’ve been doing just that this morning
 

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bigcol

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Nov 22, 2012
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Swan Valley Perth
to be brutally honest.............

I love the south west, so much to see and do

I have been travelling down that way atleast once a year for the last 30 years (sometimes 2 or 3 times a year), and see something new every time

I have still to stop at Ayr Sailean but have been told it is ab-so-lute-ly fantastic - its near Bow Bridge
 
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bigcol

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Nov 22, 2012
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Swan Valley Perth
right, just as a side line......................

I hate Major Museums - Kalgoorlie, Perth, Fremantle even Albany as they are run by the Gov. so there is everything from 40 000 years ago to now.....which can be a bit boring to be honest
I like the local country types....... run by locals and about the local area
Esperance Museum is a local run one - you can spend a day there, old cars and trucks a couple of boats and a train, all sorts of shyte there
Wellstead is another like that, not as big, but the cafe does a great feed as well
Denmark, not so much but Walpole have great visitor centres and little museums
The Valley of the Giants is a must, very fascinating, it dont take long, but worth the stop and the skywalk

as I said, I would stop at Manjimup, Truffle Farm, Fonti's Pool, the Heritage park, Surf n turf at the Manji Hotel......... so much to see near there
then head to Pemberton, the IGA is a biatch to get into, but good prices, apart from the Gloucester tree, the Lavender Farm and Crossings Cafe........ tis only a day trip
Beedelup Falls is a nice stop near there

instead of turning off on Stewart Rd, I would head to Nannup, great feed at the hotel - just my thoughts............

I have been told there is free camping at Alexander Bridge, but have only stopped for a smoke break, not stayed long

turn left at the end of Brockman Hwy and head to Augusta, pretty much a day stop, the local museum in town, the Cape Leeuwin Light House and museum there, the views of the Southern Ocean and Indian Ocean, there is a water wheel near by that they used to get fresh water from the ground and pump up to the Light house
we stayed at Turner Caravan Park to do day trips around..... the Colour patch Cafe was ok-ish
 

Smirke

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May 9, 2014
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Palmyra, WA
Looks like an awesome trip so far. School holidays start 13/4, so I hope you have pre booked places, otherwise you may find everything full.
The boys and I will be heading to coral bay then, so may see you on the road
 
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Smergen

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Jun 8, 2014
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Bacchus Marsh
Not just the Wait Awhile mates .... a particular Mexican too

Make that 2 Mexicans. Althought the nearby Francois Peron NP was one of my all time favourite spots on the trip. Amazing colours.

Sorry Team,
We were that busy enjoying ourselves that we didn't have time to post along the way.
Here’s a summary of an excellent adventure

Wow... That's a great lap and we mirrored so much on our trip last year. Not surprising given there isn't many highways out there, but still, it's great to reminisce through your trip.