Month: July 2016

Wednesday, over a coffee, we caught up with Chris Baird while he waited for his flight home from Onslow airport. It was terrific catching up with him on his ‘home’ patch and learning all about Chevron’s Wheatstone gas project and the logistics of a workforce of 6,700 that work and reside 33 kjm outside of this iconic nor’west town of just 600.

Chris has spent about three and a half years in this isolated bush location and will gladly finish up around September. But he looks to be thriving on the lifestyle, which certainly hasn’t diminished his alacrity and elan.
As we plum forgot to get a picture of the event I have had to fudge a picture or two that will really  bring to mind an image of this quintessential working bloke.

He had on an Aussie bush hat bigger than this .

His hat reminded me more of Bluey  from the Aussie comics of my childhood

That’s the Chevron Wheatstone project pictured from 4 mile creek just out of Onslow.
All the best to you, Chris and Janelle

Beautiful tree across the way in Karratha, surrounded by big blue domed sky. I cropped the big motor home which suffered half a ton of cockatoo poo down its front from a winged family high up in the tree.

Caravan park at Onslow right on the beachfront.

Two tiny finches (Bill and Coo) have taken a liking to our bathroom window sill. They were so keen, they even tried building a nest in the skylight above the shower stall.

Post and Telegraph office at Cossack which was one of the brilliant heritage buildings currently housing an art exhibition—-which gave us the chance to see the inside along with a quite sensational array of art.

 

Sunset at day one, spending the weekend at Balmoral, (Karratha) Fish and chips tomorrow at the yacht club at Port Walcott with Peta, Aub and Chelsea

Two days before the EOFY 2016 we took a circuitous* route to WAs northern climes, planning a family caravanning get-together in Carnarvon for a week from July the first.
Our travels only took the long way round because of a problem with the caravan—-grey nomads in their retirement adore caravans for the constancy of problems they bring—–what else would would one do with their days? Old blokes always revert to yarns involving caravan problems when they gather in the parks at five o’clock and more especially when you encounter a dilemma putting the awning away.
(It’s not unusual to get the advice of up to 6 nomad neighbours in any given 5 minute complication)
With three sites ordered at the top-shelf Wintersun caravan park we decided to arrive early to secure the sites for Ian and Ally, Jason and Bec and all the kids. On the Friday night (July 1) —-following guarantees it never rains in Carnarvon—- it bucketed down all night, along with the fiercest of winds. It did however fine up a little for everyone’s eventual arrival on the Saturday.

Lunch in Geraldton overlooking the boat harbour, a day before Carnarvon.

Arrival at the Wintersodden caravan park where it never rains

The guarantee ‘it never rains in the Gascoyne’ was as good as a Wayne Swan budget returning to surplus. But for the week we managed to dodge the showers and check out the limited tourist options a couple of times over. It was a memorable family time together before the young’uns headed south via Dongara on the beachfront and got hit by an almighty storm.

Rocky Pool off the Gascoyne Junction road was a firm favourite on a sunny day

I am writing this parked at the Nanutarra roadhouse caravan park where we are overnighting on our journey from Carnarvon to Karratha seeking daytime temps of 28 in deference to Carnarvon’s 22 and showers over the weekend. Sunday we even plan to visit the yacht clipboard for fish and chips.

* the long way round involved returning to the service guys in Mandurah to remedy the unfinished warranty work on the caravan before driving back to Perth and thence to the Indian Ocean Highway to Geraldton and all points north.

(Agh! But what would we have to discuss with other nomads if warranty work and a $330 service had been completed satisfactorily?)