Little towns and tourism – do they need us…. Going the extra mile….. for example

Brenda writes.... 

 Coffin Bay – the locals are very friendly from the marine workshop to the Coffin Bay Yacht Club staff, to  the gas man who welcomed us to his town,  to the people walking on the beach who explained the ins and outs of the pipis v cockles – depending on which state you came from. We meet an 86 yr old walking the beach who drove from Adelaide to CB to her shack – takes her 10 hours. We met the shack lady again the next day at the market, along with a friendly knitter – who was keen to engage her knitting group in some guerrilla knitting.

 But there are always some who spoil or who have little respect for the environment – the 2 Kimberly Kamper trailers who lit a fire in the National Park – they had children with them or the lady at Tumby Bay who for the sake of 5 minutes refused to serve us after we had walked 1.25 km to buy fish ‘n’ chips – we were met with ‘Have youse done a phone order’, - we had arrived after closing time. She did direct us to the pub across the road that served us a greasy meal of mixed fish – one serving for $30.00!

With over 75,000 caravan owners, I had expected to find camping grounds/parks full.  Only twice we have come across ‘free’ spots full with caravans lined up waiting – at Cosy Corner, Esperance and Louth Bay – SA. Often we are the first to a camping spot. People arrive from 11.30am – 2pm, if they are coming…  Many of the people we have met come from Mackay – Queensland. We now have 2 invites to call in and stay – Bundaberg and Greenhill – Sth Mackay. Most campers keep to themselves and it is only when people arrive and see us parked up and talk to us about our camping spot that we meet people.  Across the Nullaboor we were often asked if we minded company – it is safer to camp in numbers.

Superman is popular wherever he goes and makes friends very easily. At Elliston Jill fell in love with him and Muz and her husband Russell took many photos of the 3 of them. Dogs continue to be fearful of Superman. One caravanner wondered if I made soft toys! Both Murray and I refer to them as ‘the boys’.

We have both lost a lot of weight – Murray especially, he has dropped several sizes in clothes and we have had to purchase new shorts/jeans etc.

Camping grounds – that is the commercial variety vary in prices from $26 - $36! Per nite for 2 adults. Washing machines vary from $3 - $4 a load and dryers $3-$5 for 15 minutes. Apparently in north WA you pay extra if you are running the air conditioner.

Fitzgerald Bay, 32kms north Wayalla – free camp spot – ideal if you have a boat – very windy though – we had a sand storm the 2^nd nite – winds up to 86km – Pt Augusta had a sand storm the same evening along with a bush fire. We parked 4 feet from the waters’ edge and both experienced for the first time fast tides – 3 metres gushing through the mangroves. Here we collected razor fish – there are signs on the beach at Tumby Bay – to wear footwear due to razor fish – what a fuss – these are shell fish that stick up above the sand – similar shape to a NZ horse mussel – ok they are a bit sharp – the locals preserve the black meat – which looks like a mussel-according to Murray doesn’t taste like a mussel.

We took Superman to the May Gibbs memorial and plaque. He sat in the gum nut tree. Superman also visited the Pt Augusta Library.

Our next stop is the Mt Remarkable National Park – we hope to spend most of December here – using this camp as a base to explore the surrounding Clare, ‘Murdock’ country, Port Perie. With our Sth Australia National Park Pass – we paid extra for camping - $50.00 for 2mths – this hopefully will turn out to be good value. There is no cell phone coverage in this park – so we take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Healthy Fulfilling 2012.