Travelling around Aus and would love to meet some folks!

[Andrew]

This is a proud ad for WA.

Gday Marty. I have traveled most of Australia, no disrespect but Adelaide/ Darwin via Alice is best done on a train where you are sleeping for at least 50% of the time.

Taking that route you are going to miss the best part of Australia & also the largest by far " WA". The Southwest is absolutely unique in flora, with the largest trees in the southern hemisphere. After the Nullabor, Esperance is a great stopover & there are fantastic new facilities at the Cape Le Grand site which is run by volunteers for the Dept Conservation. The Hopetoun National Park is a great area to visit on your way to Bremer Bay. Continue to Albany & dont miss Mt Clarence & the views from the memorial. Denmark is worth a stop over on the way to Walpole & the valley of the giants. Denmark has an active aviation club & a unique airfield on the top of a hill.

The drive through Karri forest to Manjimup is a high light to any holiday. Manjimup also has an active aero club where you may get a flight if your lucky. Not to be missed is the fire lookout on the top of a giant Karri tree South of Manjimup. Free to climb if your fit & game.

Drive from Manjimup to Bussleton vis Donny brook & see the fruit orchards. Bussleton has the incredible mile long jetty with a rail line & under water sea aquarium. If your not into walking take the tourist train. A little South is Yalingup with probably the best surf in Australia. The Caves are also a must see, with guided tours every hour. There are a number of amazing limestone caves in the area between Yalingup & Augusta.

Drive to Perth is an easy 2 hours from there.

Perth! the Swan river, got to be the best location of any City in the world. Lousy architecture with virtually no history. Kings Park makes up for that with stunning views across the Swan River. The beaches in WA are the cleanest & best & they stretch for over 10,000 Km . Heading North Lancelin is a must for the fishing & FWD tracks over the dunes & if your game through to Jurian Bay on dirt roads & beaches. Sample the Rock Lobsters at Lancelin, in good supply due to loss of sales to China.

Geralton is a good stop over, after there is a long drive North, but Shark bay is a must see. If you have the time the western most point of mainland Australia is Steep point. Managed by CALM & has amazing fishing. It is possible to catch Spanish Mackeral from the rocks off Steep Poit. Note FWD only. The view to Dirk Hartog across the North West passage from there is amazing. ( UNESCO's official listing of Shark Bay as a World Heritage Site see Wikipedia)

Next stop Carnarvon a lovely coastal town, famed for bananas & fishing.

Ex mouth is worth a visit, you can get to swim with the whale sharks at Ningaloo if your there at the right time of year.

Then through the mining towns, Dampier if you want to go game fishing. See the salt mines (lakes) the mountain of salt at Karatha. A short drive to Roeburme which was the main town in the North west in early days, better travel through & visit Cossack which has interesting old buildings & excellent fishing.

Broome is a good stop over on the long journey North to Darwin. Treat your Mrs to a pearl neck & visit the pearl farms & try the oysters.

Head North & stop at Halls Creek & say hello to the guy who looks after the airport, Take a flight over the Bungle Bungles. Next must see is Lake Argyle great camping & a good place to rest for a few days, before the drive to Darwin.

 

Give me a call if you get to Perth,I will be able to take you for a flight & show you that SABC has the best grass runway in Australia. See <https://www.sabc.org.au>

Good luck in your travels.

John

Not to forget the wheatbelt, Avon valley and White Gum Farm, White Gum Air Park, and the Boeing 737 project...

www.whitegumfarm.com.au

[Marty_d]

You can drop in to Tunbridge anytime Marty, I’d be happy to show you around - by air of course!!

 

When I saw your post I thought "There's a Tunbridge on the mainland?" before looking at your profile and seeing you are in fact in Tassie!

 

Sounds good, and I don't even have to wait until our trip!

 

If you're ever down Allens Rivulet way (near Sandfly, on the way to Huonville), drop in for a coffee/beer and have a look at the 701 build.

 

Will PM you soon.

 

If you are near Canberra I am almost finished a Waiex Model B. Would be happy to show you around

 

Thanks for that, would love to see your Waiex. I have a mate in Tuggeranong who's just completing a Zenith CH750 from scratch, if you want to chat to another local builder I can pass your email address on. (He doesn't use this site).

 

Marty your itinerary is now set: i hope the rest of your family are as enthusiastic about planes...

Not even almost. But hey, if I have to visit hundreds of beaches with them, they can put up with a few planes!

 

Call into Clifton which is 60 km south of Toowoomba as they have a good club atmosphere , operate a lot of RAAus aircraft and their instructor is every wanting to fly and show off the district. They have MSO stop over caravan facilities as well.

 

Also they have a big fly in there coming up un the 8th March this year, an event not to be missed.

Thanks Tiger, won't be there in March but will check it out.

 

Not to forget the wheatbelt, Avon valley and White Gum Farm, White Gum Air Park, and the Boeing 737 project...

www.whitegumfarm.com.au

Next trip!

[Stoney]

Hi Marty,

I'm happy to take you for a fly if Murray Bridge is on your itinerary.

Send me a message if it suits.

Cheers, Gary.

[Marty_d]

Hi Marty,

I'm happy to take you for a fly if Murray Bridge is on your itinerary.

Send me a message if it suits.

Cheers, Gary.

Thanks Gary! We'll be spending at least a night or 2 with friends in Adelaide early on, so should be able to.

Will PM you.

 

Cheers!

[farri]

My kids and I like to throw a line in.

 

Hi Marty, If you`re coming to Cairns, get in touch when you get here! if possible, we`ll go Drifter flying and on the water with the Tinnie.

 

My tinnie , with my wife Frances, at Russell Heads.

Franco.

[Marty_d]

Hi Marty, If you`re coming to Cairns, get in touch when you get here! if possible, we`ll go Drifter flying and on the water with the Tinnie.

 

My tinnie , with my wife Frances, at Russell Heads.

[ATTACH type=full" alt="DSC01465 (Large).JPG]50832[/ATTACH]

Franco.

That'd be fantastic, Franco!

Thanks. I reckon we'll be doing Cairns for sure.

 

Cheers, Marty

[Bruce Tuncks]

Hope to see you at Gawler Marty. I have a 19 reg Jabiru and you are hereby invited for a scenic flight over the Barossa Valley. Cost will be zero dollars, as my Jab costs nothing to fly. ( Wife pays all the bills here)

My home town was Alice Springs and I know you will be ok to fly into Bond Springs there. But if you are coming up from the south, it would be a good idea to try and organize a CTA transit so you are not forced low between the town main airport ( to the south of the town) and Bond Springs to the north. Tiger country ? As bad as it gets. The alternative would be to park at the main airport. My experience has been that the locals ( yes, even the airport people ) are friendly. Once I saw 2 Jabirus tied down there .

Good luck with the trip planning.

[Jabiru7252]

There is a caravan park at Gawler Airfield so give them a ring (Adelaide Soaring Club on 08 85221877) and tell them your desires. Most weekdays and Saturdays have lots of activity. And the Wineries around the Barossa are worth a visit.

[ClintonB]

Like Old Koreelah said our area has plenty to do And see, plus it’s looking better green.

If you drop in around Moonbi or Tamworth it would be nice to meet another forumite.

Cheers Clint

[Yenn]

If you think of landing at Alice Springs, have a look at the current edition of Australian Flying. There is a very unhappy chappie there given the run around by ground staff and access to his plane.

[Marty_d]

Hope to see you at Gawler Marty. I have a 19 reg Jabiru and you are hereby invited for a scenic flight over the Barossa Valley. Cost will be zero dollars, as my Jab costs nothing to fly. ( Wife pays all the bills here)

My home town was Alice Springs and I know you will be ok to fly into Bond Springs there. But if you are coming up from the south, it would be a good idea to try and organize a CTA transit so you are not forced low between the town main airport ( to the south of the town) and Bond Springs to the north. Tiger country ? As bad as it gets. The alternative would be to park at the main airport. My experience has been that the locals ( yes, even the airport people ) are friendly. Once I saw 2 Jabirus tied down there .

Good luck with the trip planning.

Thanks Bruce, hope to see you there. Bit confused about the flying advice for Alice Springs, we're driving!

Yes the planning is getting complicated. Ah well, we can always wing it. ..

[Bruce Tuncks]

It's a great drive. It can be done in one hard day but you will enjoy the trip more if you take 2 or more days.

[bexrbetter]

Firstly a warning to you all, lock up your silverware.

 

I can likely arrange a day or 2 to sleep, shower ect, and see the sights in Goolwa, SA at the mouth of the Murray depending on exact dates. Great train trip and visit the dock with the paddle steamer ect.

[Marty_d]

If the Aus government ever lets you out of China!! :-D

[bexrbetter]

If the Aus government ever lets you out of China!! :-D

 

Which reminds me, lock up your china!

 

Likely not me, Dad will put up with you, I mean, put you up for a day or 2. A few Forum Members are based at Goolwa airport too.

 

Make sure your passports are up to date, and get in early for your visa applications.

[Marty_d]

Hey folks,

 

Due to obvious unexpected circumstances, we're not doing the Australia trip this year. (Maybe not the next, or the next, or the next either, depending what happens!)

 

So while I would have loved to catch up with everyone who extended offers of hospitality (and cadged as much airtime as I could), it just ain't happening.

 

Thanks again to you all - hope to see you in a year or three!

 

Cheers, Marty

[spacesailor]

Take heart Marty.

My neighbors over the road are making motorhomes for their future. One a Transit van and the other a Toyota bus, when finished they will hopefully Out of lock-down.

( took a photo but thiis tablet has neither paint to edit nor an apt to load to recreational flying )

spacesailor

Edited July 16, 2020 by spacesailor