Beautiful Broome

Hi again,

Hope this email finds everyone fit and well.

Leaving Derby was a relief after 66mm of rain in less than 24 hours. Due to the unseasonal rain the Gibb river road was closed so our day trips to Windjana gorge and tunnel creek were cancelled. So the three days spent in derby were long and wet.

On our way again we finally headed to Broome. With much anticipation we arrived at our caravan park. Our first meal was at Zanders - a lovely restaurant overlooking cable beach. It was everything we had expected.

Before coming to Broome we were not sure whether we had heard so many good things about it that we might have been disappointed. Not the case. Sunset over cable beach was amazing. The expanse of beach and sky made for a wonderful sunset.

We spent the next couple of days swimming at cable beach before we headed out on a tour. 5.30am was our pick up time. A four wheel drive bus to beagle bay and then onto cape Leveque. The recent rains had made this trip very bumpy as the rains had washed some of the road away. Even as we jumped around Owen managed to get some more shut eye much to everyone’s amazement. Beagle bay is an aboriginal settlement and is a well kept area where the locals have made it alcohol free. Making such a difference to the area and people.

Back in the truck to cape Leveque. Beautiful coast line with some amazing rock formations. Then on to a seaplane where our pilot flew over the horizontal waterfalls and landed on the water near our lunch spot. A luxury cruiser. But first the speed boat ride through the falls. Exhilarating. Back onto the cruiser for our BBQ lunch of fresh fish. Another ride on the speed boat through the falls before our swim with the sharks. Don't worry we were in a cage so no danger of being bitten. An hour flight back to Broome via cable beach ended our perfect day.

Rick and Alison left us on Friday (wanting to escape from us!) making their trip back down the west coast. We both fell in love with Broome and wanted to stay on. Moving to another caravan park (where pip & steve heddles have been staying for the last 7 months). We will be here until the end of the month so that we can see the full moon reflecting over Roebuck Bay. It is known as the staircase to the moon. Something the locals say is a must see. So we are now settled into this relaxed way of life.

A ride along cable beach was an experience not to miss. Starting at Gantheaume point I rode the 5kms to Zanders. The sun in my face the gentle wind blowing and miles of beach ahead made for an unforgettable experience. I know sand and salt not good for the bike but Owen has plenty of time on his hands to wash and relube the bike when I got home.


We hope everyone is well back home and not freezing to death.

Sent from Elisa's iPhone

Dreary Derby

Hi all.


It has been a while since the last email and we have travelled many km north. Kilometres of nothing. As I knit while Owen drives the landscape changes very little. After visiting the ghost town of woomera. Owen and I can assure u all that our taxes have been very well spent in this town. No one to be seen as we walked along the beautiful paved footpaths. Kms of paving costing a pretty penny. Don't worry this was the last stop for good water so we made the most of our taxes and filled the water tank in the van.

Coober Pedy was our next stop. It was suggested that we stay 3 nights. If only o & I could catch up with those people again. We stayed at least 2 nights too long. Good to see but one day was more than enough in this dry and dusty town. Most of the houses are built into rock or underground. And wherever you look the landscape is strewn with mullock heaps where underground diggings have taken place. Once a mine is dug they can never be filled again. The streetscape is also littered with rusty disused cars and discarded old mining machinery. I did attend underground church service which was fascinating. Part of the church was built in a 22 metre mine shaft.

Alice springs was our next stop to replenish our supplies & catch up with phone calls & emails.

One night stop at Tennant Creek was an eye opener. Don’t stop there!

Daly waters our next stop. A caravan stop built around its famous pub. Dinner a few drinks and entertainment in the way of a bush poet and country & western music made this stay a real highlight. Best steak and barramundi we have eaten in a while.

Early start as there was nothing else to do took us to Mataranka homestead for three days of swimming in the warm natural springs. This is where Rick & Alison joined us followed by Rick's brother Chris & his wife Jenny.

Katherine a short drive away was our next stop. A trip down the river along Katherine gorge was very special. Finally we arrived at Kununurra. The two hour flight in a small plane was a real highlight. Friends of the FitzGeralds joined us & he is the owner of the plane. A flight over the argyle lake, the argyle diamond mine and the bungle bungles giving us an appreciation for the countryside. A vast land that is not easily accessible. Makes you understand how the drovers and early settlers struggled particularly in the wet. A day spent driving to remote stations and gorges made this another highlight of our trip.

After attending church underground in Coober Pedy. Church in Kununurra was under the stars on Sunday night. A very simple affair. 4 men playing guitars and an aboriginal preacher. Giving me some hope, as the majority of indigenous people we have seen on our travels have been sitting around town looking for their next drink fighting or shouting at one another.

Fitzroy crossing was our next destination. Rick wanted to get going early so he could get a powered site left at 5.45am followed a bit later on by us & his brother. It was a pretty long day 600ks of driving. Broome had had 6 days of heavy rain & it had moved onto Fitzroy crossing. Arriving at the park in torrential rain. Rick who wanted to be set up early ended up getting his 4 wheel drive & caravan bogged up to the axles in the paddock. Two hours later and with the help of a very skilled man who was staying in the park, winches chains and another 4 wheel drive, the car and van was finally pulled out. We all saw the funny side of things when we were finally set up.

Derby for three nights now and then onto Broome for a week.

Hope all is well at home.

Love to all,

Elisa and Owen.

A missile from Woomera

Hello everyone,

We have made it as far as Woomera and our next stop is Coober Pedy. After leaving home were headed towards Halls Gap. We had not been there for about 10 years and it has not changed one bit. Seems like it is stuck in a time warp. Our first morning started with a gentle ride (25kms) for me and 40 for Owen. Later that day we went for a hike to the Pinnacle. A walk that involved climbing over 1500 steps and hopping over rocks. As we started out it started to rain. We made it to the top but it was so cold and windy we headed back down again. On our way down we came across an American couple - the wife had fallen and dislocated her ankle and broken both her tibia and fibula (all of which we didn’t know until later). We tried our best to help carry her down. After about an hour of this we phoned for more help. It arrived an hour so later and Owen and I left them. Later we found out, some 8 hours later the couple and the rescue team finally made it down the mountain. She is having her op as I am writing this now. Nearly 2 weeks after her fall.

Our next stop was McLaren Vale to catch up with friends we had met on the Tour de France 2 years ago. Rolling hills covered with vines. Owen enjoyed a ride in the hills with Ray and I enjoyed a brisk morning walk. Our next stop was to be Port Augusta but our friends suggested that it was better going elsewhere. After a couple of days with them we headed to the Yorke Peninsula. Cold and very windy but Innes national park was beautiful. Walking the cliff edge and being blown away. And they say Phillip Island is windy. Very rugged coast line. Our next stop was Clare in the Clare Valley. A beautiful old town with old sandstone homesteads. The Riesling rail trail was a highlight as we rode between wineries along the track. We visited the nearby town of Burra (a copper mining town).

Still trying to avoid Port Augusta (or as the locals call it the gutter) we headed to the Flinders ranges. Rawnsley station. A 12,000 hectare sheep property at the foot of Wilpena pound. We spent a day driving through the gorges, not much water so we were able to drive thru without too much trouble. Lunch at a little pub in the middle of nowhere (Parachilna). The roo burger was very tasty and glad we made the stop.

A 5 hour hike was our next day’s plan. It was a 14km walk. 1km of which was climbing over rocks up a goat track. But the views from the top were amazing. Well worth the effort. One of the lookouts looked over Wilpena pound and the other lookout was towards Rawnsley station. What an amazing country. The range is about 400kms long. It is something one needs to see to believe.

We are now finally making our way up north. Woomera tonight and Coober Pedy for 3 nights after that. Driving here today we cannot believe the vast land that lies ahead covered with salt bush and not many tall trees.

We are having a wonderful time enjoying every minute of our travels.

Love, E & O.