From Perth to Karalee Rock W.A.

2^nd post

Wednesday 1^st July 2015

TODAY is the day . The day our 3 month Cabbage ban tour begins.

I don’t know what happened to my last week but it has been and gone. I’d started to write a post last Wednesday but didn’t get time to finish it.

Last night packing started in earnest. I know we had plans of packing each weekend but hey, there was sewing to done and the surf was calling Moose; so as usual it was a last minute effort for us. Moose fell into a coma prior to me even getting home from appointments but rallied after dinner for a bit. I had just finished a costume so my sewing room was a disaster zone which had to be tided before I could find what I wanted to take away with me. I finally fell into bed at about 1.30 and was up again at 6 to finish off the move of coffee machine etc. to the van. We had the usual Moose tantrum re the amount of “shit” I take along. He argues I have more crates than usual. Honestly any creative person will understand 3 crates is NOTHING for 3 months NOTHING! I had fabric, research books, drawing supplies, crochet supplies, trims, buttons, zips, needles, threads, embroidery threads, and machine embroidery threads, washaway fabric, Vliesofix for applique and more in those three tubs. I think I am amazing. He just said he was “bloody amazed “too – okay he actually said “it’s amazing I have anything left in the sewing room.

 So after some (a lot) of swearing on both our parts we locked up the house, threw Bonnie in the car and hit the road. Me needing a coffee, Him needing food. The problem with this is our usual stop is Settlers Hill but it’s so built up and busy that getting the Cabbage ban (motel room) parked would have proven a problem. Freeways took us straight past Midland which left us with destination of Mundaring Bakery. We drove around the back streets looking for somewhere to park with thoughts of fresh pies and coffee keeping us focused.  Just as we park Yak (youngest son) rings to discuss the joy of his car needing major maintenance work and how this only happens when we go away  (which it does). Moose mentions we are stopping for lunch at the bakery. Yak suggests going up the road to the one, we used to stop at when he was a kid and we were heading to Adelaide for Christmas.  I doubted it was still open but both Moose and Yak agreed it was. Moose starts the car up, while I thank Yak for delaying my coffee break. Now keep in mind I have driven up this way several times over the years to get to Meckering for my quilt retreats so I know all cafes and bakeries along the way. I continue to argue with the Moose that the bakery is not there. He argues “It is, I know it is!” Well it’s NOT.  Moose is now VERY hungry and I am not a happy chappie. Go on a holiday they said, it will be fun they said!!!!!

Bonnie couldn't care less .

We really have to get our act together. We will be ordering lunch without a morning tea being consumed. The quilting mozzies will be disgusted.

Luckily for Moose, my superior knowledge of coffee shops leads us to one of the best cafes in WA. The Managers tearooms in Bakers Hill.. http://www.managerstearooms.com .Everything is cooked from home grown or raised ingredients. A friendly welcome for us though Bonnie was put in her place by  Sam and Audrey (the owners dogs ), who were not going to put up with her over excitement  or attention seeking behaviour.  We were asked if we would like tea or coffee like we had walked into a friend’s house. As it came to the table, we placed our food orders, we were politely informed to take our time with the coffee as the bread was still baking. For a second, Moose and I exchanged the “oh we won’t have that then” look but had the amazing realisation that we were not in a hurry to go or be anywhere and sat back to enjoy our beverages. The bread was well worth the wait.  After lunch we were sent on our way with a hug and a kiss from our lovely waitress plus the cook.

We are on the never ending Great Eastern Highway which winds it’s way through the wheat belt towns of WA.

Including Cunderin which is famous for the Ettamogah Pub. Now this strange building catches my attention every time we come through this way but Moose only noticed it on some caravan program on TV a week ago. 

Next was Tammin – a town with a Fire station, hall, a handful of shops, a pub and a bloody huge grain silo. Oh and Jess (daughter) you will be impressed it has a road called: Underwood road..

Next came Kellerberrin – a group of three little girls were walking home giggling from the school bus. This is quite a big town with a Hardware store, an antique shop, a large country post office and a supermarket plus lots more. There’s a few trucks and caravans on the road. Other than the kids the streets are deserted. Another bloody big grain silo standing silent and dusty in the green landscape.

A sign indicates we are travelling through Hines Hill –one of those blink and you’ll miss it kind of towns. There are siloes but they are hiding behind some bush. The rest area is a wide red gavel space with a couple of bins in it. Scenery changes from bush to farm land. It seems to be changing from wheat fields to sheep grazing. I can look across the ever stretching fields to the far off horizon. After the ever exploding buildings of suburbia, I feel like a little speck in a very large country. The Perth to Kalgoorlie pipeline runs alongside us. It changes from one side of the road to the other and from a huge steel pipe to a medium size to two small ones running alongside each other.  Moose has explained the reasoning behind this but the only bit I can remember is “it’s to do with the pump pressure or something”. I shall endeavour to have the computer handy next time he explains it to me. Another fun fact from the Moose man – the pipeline is called: The Golden pipeline so named it was built to supply the gold mining town of Kalgoorlie

Closing craft shop

Before I knew it we drove through West Merredin and into Merredin where I had planned to visit the craft store. It’s one of those stores that has dress fabric, quilt fabric, trims, decorating items and Christmas decorations. I always find something interesting there. But atlas not this time. I thought I’d help do a food shop with Moose prior to the craft shop so once we were at the checkout, I left him to finish off while I all but ran to the craft shop. The doors were shut – it had closed at 4pm which was 10 mins before I got there, not only that but the windows were plastered with “closing down” posters AND 50 % off ones. I could of helped them stay afloat or at very least moved some of that stock for them.

Merredin is also where we filled up the Fuel tank and met the first pesky flies sighted of the trip.

Moose had the plan of stopping at the old Mt Palmer town free camping site which was to be just past Southern Cross but it was dark and the GPS seemed to be pointing us in the wrong direction so we skipped past a few towns like Buracoppin, Bodallin and Ghooli, actually the only thing I could see in Ghooli was Ghooli road. 


We tried to find Boondi Rocks which seemed to have disappeared off the map so headed another 30 km down the road to Karalee Rock. There are quite a few other campers but they are well spaced out so we can’t hear or see them. Though the same can’t be said about us as Moose was sorting the TV/Stereo system out I could hear the talking coming from somewhere, not the speakers in the van. I opened the door – yep the noise was coming from our outdoor speakers. Once sorted peace reigned again.

We relaxed watching telly enjoying the warmth of the gas heater. Tomorrow we will investigate our surroundings before heading on to Menzies where we will park the van and go off to visit a place I have wanted to visit for quite a few years …… Lake Ballard.

Travelling Moose and Moz x