Road Trip to Perth

Over the last three days I have been driving to Perth in Western Australia.

Leaving Adelaide around 5:30, first stop was the Arid Lands Botanic Dardens at Port Augusta.   I had a quick breakfast whilst being watched by 4 young Welcome Swallows who were waiting their turn.  Also photograped was a Rufous Songlark and a Galah.

Next stop was Kimba, with their Big Galah, followed by Wudinna and the Australian Farmer Statue.  After fuelling up in Ceduna, it was off to Penong for the night.  I did have a walk ariund the Windmill Museum there and grabbed a quick photo of a Yellow-throated Miner.

Next morning's task was crossing the Nullabor.  The GPS instructions for the day were pretty simple. Stay on Highway 1 and turn right after 953Km.     I did make a few stops along the way though,  at the Nullabor Roadhouse, where the original is still standing, at some of the viewpoints and at the start of the 90 mile straight.

Leaving Balladonia early next morning I continued west.  I had considered going to Wave Rock, but this involved 280Km of unsealed road that google advised was 4WD only.    At my breakfast stop at Norseman Roadhouse I double checked with the staff and they said it was OK.   The roadsign said open to all vehicles so off I went.  I am so glad I did.   The wildflowers along the road were amazing, (and I was told I had missed the best time!).   According to google.........  I saw Common Net Bush, Tall Dampiera, no ID, Native Pomegranite and Blue Pincushion.  (I'm sure any corrections will be advised by my flora loving friends 😀).

Wave Rock was very impressive but quite crowded and I waited a while to get people free shots.  The light was very harsh, so I imagine it would be spectacular in the early morning light.

Now for the stats.   Day 1 862 Km, Day 2 953Km, Day 3 865Km totalling 2,680Km (1,665 miles). I used just over 114 Litres of fuel giving an overall economy of 4.62 L/100 Km (57.6 mpg)

ANZAC Day 2026

It's been a couple of years since I last attended the ANZAC Day parade through Adelaide.   The parade is opened by the Greys of the South Australian Police, followed by their band and the flag party.

There are no veterens left from World War One, and very few from World War Two, but veterans from more recent conflicts were very well represented.  

It is both moving and uplifting to see these old mates proudly displaying their and their relative's medals.

The groups of veterans are supported by marching bands and some vehicles for the less mobile.

I was nearly caught out by the RAAF P-8 Poseidon Flypast.   It usually comes from the North along King William Street, but today it came from the West.

The March also displays our current serving men and women from the Royal Australian Navy, The Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force.

And at the rear, the Barossa Light Horse Historical Association, commemorating the 8th and 19th Light Horse Regiments who saw action in both World Wars.

Today is a time of reflection and remembrance, and for remembering other members of my family who gave their lives for their country:

 

George Frederick Holbrook, Died 12 Aug 1915, age 23, at Gallipoli, Rifleman in the Hampshire Regiment.

Eric Raymond Holbrook, Died 12 Aug 1915, age 18, at Gallipoli, Lance Corporal in the Hampshire Regiment.

George and Eric were Uncle and Nephew.

Henry George Funnell, Died 28 Oct 1915, age 20, aboard HMS Hythe, off Gallipoli, Turkey , Sapper in the Royal Engineers

Alfred Victor Funnell(1), Died 28 Oct 1915, age 18, aboard HMS Hythe, off Gallipoli, Turkey , Driver in the Royal Engineers

Henry and Alfred were brothers.

William Albert Funnell, Died 28 Oct 1915, age 20, aboard HMS Hythe, off Gallipoli, Turkey , Sapper in the Royal Engineers

Frank Funnell, Died 28 Oct 1915, age 22, aboard HMS Hythe, off Gallipoli, Turkey , Sapper in the Royal Engineers

Henry, Alfred, William and Frank were all cousins.

Frank Crittenden, Died 28 Oct 1915, age 21, aboard HMS Hythe, off Gallipoli, Turkey , Sapper in the Royal Engineers

HMS Hythe, a troop carrier taking troops to the conflict, was accidentally rammed and sunk off the Gallipoli coast by HMS Sarnia with the loss of 155 lives including 5 of my relatives

Alfred Victor Funnell(2), Died 9 Oct 1916, age 18, Somme, Picardy, France, Private in the Queens Own Royal Kent Regiment

Alfred was also a cousin of Henry, Alfred, William and Frank.

Albert Edward Holbrook, Died 19 Apr 1917, age 23, Palestine, Rifleman in the Hampshire Regiment

Alexander Male, Died 1 Dec 1917, age 33, at Cambrai, Pas de Calais, Private in the Royal Tank Corps.

Harry Philip Holbrook, Died 12 Aug 1918, age 31, Borre, Pas de Calais, France, Sergeant in the Hampshire Regiment

 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Easter in New Zealand

Over Easter I went to New Zealand on an aviation themed coach tour.   The aviation photos will be posted separately on my plane spotting blog.

The tour started in Christchurch, and our hotel was opposite the cathedral that was damaged in the devastating earthquake in 2011.  It has been temporarily replaced by what is known locally as the cardboard cathedral.   Christchurch also has some vintage trams running through the city.

As we headed south towards Dunedin we passed the big Salmon in Rakaia, and the Basilica in Timaru.

We had a stop in Oamaru where we saw the Opera house, the Steampunk HQ and precinct.

The next morning we headed to Larnach Castle.  The weather was very Scottish,  but the impressive interior, entirely hand carved and assembled on site by master craftsmen more than made up for it.

Back in Dunedin we visited the impressive railway station before some of us visited a local conservation area by 8 wheel drive Argo.  We saw New Zealand Fur Seals and Little Blue Penguins.

The next morning we bade farewell to Dunedin, though sadly not to the weather. As we traveled through the Catlins, we made a stop at Purakaunui Falls, an idyllic walk through temperate rainforest to a beautiful three level cascade.

We passed through some lovely scenery but before chicking into our Invercargill hotel we made a stop at a hardware store!   This was the most unusual stop of the tour.  Amongst the shelves were vintage vehicles, motorcycles and automobilia, including artefacts from Burt Munro, the world's fastest Indian.

As we left Invercargill, we stopped at the Bill Richardson Transport World.  This massive collection of over 300 vehicles of all types is in a huge group of interconnecting halls.  The photos don't do it justice.

We stopped for lunch in the little town of Gore.  Gore has several claims to fame.  It's New Zealand's Country Music capital.  It's home to the big brown trout, and (in my opinion) home to the best pies on the trip! (sorry, no photo of the pie as I didn't know how good it was until I'd eaten it).  

We arrived in Te Anau, with a couple of hours free to explore.  I walked along the lakeside, and decided to take a floatplane ride over the Fjordland National Park.

Today we were heading for Milford Sound, and a lunch cruise.  On the way we stopped at the aptly named Mirror Lake before boarding our boat.

Next stop was Queenstown.  En route we stopped at the goldrush town of Arrowtown.  I took a walk around the chinese village, where the chinese miners stayed, separated from the rest of town.

We had a free afternoon in Queenstown.  Many of us took the cable car to Bob's Peak.  The view was amazing.  I saw the steamship TSS Earnslaw while I was there.

Heading North towards the Alps, we made a short stop at Cromwell, Home of the big fruit, before calling into Fox Glacier where I ticked off one of my bucket list items.  A helicopter flight up onto the glacier. 

On our last day we headed up to a viewpoint to see the Franz Josef Glacier before heading up to Arthur's Pass to catch the Trans Alpine Train back to Christchurch

This was my first coach holiday, and i really enjoyed it.  I saw much more than I would have done had i been driving.