The Mini Tour

Set off just after 12 on Saturday July 11th, I was taking photos while grandma & poppy said goodbye to the kids in the car. Clint was making sure everything was alright with the van. I grabbed my bag off the bench and out the door we went. We got about 10minutes up the road on tonkin highway when Clint asked if I grabbed his hat and keys. NO! I said So after a heated discussion we turned around and it remained that way until a couple of kms further on, we kissed and made up. So at 1pm we set off and Clint estimated we would arrive 4 - 5 hours later, but I was pretty sure it wouldn't take that long ( I can read a map you know).

We arrived at Mandalay Caravan park in Busselton just a little before 4pm and checked in. John, one of the park caretakers rode on his bike in front of us and showed us to the site. A good one, as we just drove straight through onto the site (NO REVERSING, I GOT OUT OF THAT ONE) It was a beautiful well maintained park, with a bouncy pillow, pools and playgrounds. We had a good spot next to the ablutions so we didn't need to go far to the loo. We had a great dinner, I had 2minute noodles and the rest of them had tin spag with toast, they loved it. The kids went over to the bouncy pillow in the afternoon, but it was a little chilly so we didnt stay out too long. The caravan was quite an attraction, being brand new and shiny we had a couple of people come up and ask about the caravan and the triple bunks. I even caught an elderly couple at the back of van in the evening pointing at it.

The first night wasnt so crash hot, I tossed and turned trying to get used to the bed while Clint was freezing (I had more of the doona on my side whoops) It was rather cold but it is winter. Isla woke at some time in the night unsure of the time but we let her come in with us and she slept till 8 in the morning. The kids got up early as usual but stayed in their beds for a while. They slept really good which is handy.(two less to worry about)

We had bacon and eggs in the morning and got the coffee machine out for a tasty brew. Then is was play day for the kids they met a whole lot of other kids on school holidays. Even Isla managed to find a friend who fussed over her. Shelby and I took a walk to the beach and picked up some shells, the ocean was beautiful and calm, very relaxing.

Quite a busy caravan park it had a lot of really nice cabins too. A lot of caravan and tent people arrived during the day, it was good checking out all the other different caravans. It was like being at the caravan and camping show.

Our last night we had apricot chicken for dinner which everyone gulped down very quickly. Then the kids went off to bed and Clint and I finished of the bottle of Galway Pipe. It has been quite cool in the evening and the airconditioner has been on quite a bit during the night. How people do tents in winter I dont know. Maybe Im getting too old.

Woke up early and packed up the van ready to head to BIG VALLEY CAMPGROUND MARGARET RIVER. We went into Busselton first to get father some flannelette PJ's to keep him warm. Turned into a 3 hour shop, getting groceries, sausage rolls and donuts for the kids. We managed to get a park down a side street with the van and walked to the shopping centre.


The van has travelled well so far nothing to report.


we arrived at this magic place BIg Valley, if you google search Big Valley campground Margaret River you will find out the details of their campsite. You drive through a paddock on a gravel road passing a heap of sheep and baby lambs! (so cute). Big Valley belonged to a couple Shelley and Keving. Its an actual working farm and we paid $25 for the night. They had chooks so we got stash of fresh eggs, yummo.It would of been nice to stay here for a few nights, but not to worry. We used our camps 5 book to find this great spot.


Ready to pack up the van for the next trip to Bridgetown, made lunches while Clint took the kids to watch the baby lambs get their tails cut off. That was interesting as Kevin whose farm it is gave the kids a tail each! Shelby couldnt help herself and had a sniff and a lick (no complaints from here, who eats fish eyes) Clint met a few of the other caravanners they are all so nice and had lots of stories to tell. While clint hooked up the van I took the kids to get some fresh farm eggs, we wandered around the chicken sheds and Shelby watched a chicken lay eggs. Shelley who also owns the farm had two baby lambs one named Michael Jackson & the other Farrah.





We finally left at 1pm (check out is usually 10am)and stopped along the way for sandwiches, treats and toilets in the bush. We got to bridgetown about 4ish after travelling up and down steep windy hill roads. Clint was rather impressed that the cruiser handled it well. King of the Road he says.

Brad was the park owner at Bridgetown caravan park and he guided us in. (Another one I got out of)

Well our first night in was not fun, it was so cold that the airconditioner wouldnt work too well as it was so cold outside (we think about 1 or 2 degrees) it was crazy.

After freezing our butts off during the night, the sun came out and warmed us up or defrosted us. We called Poppy first up and wished him a happy birthday the kids sang to him and after brekky we headed into the town of Bridetown to receive a fax on the offer of our house. We took the kids to a park in town and they met a few other kids and played with them for most of the time.

We had Chooks for lunch and by the time we got home we actually got a little sunburnt...naughty. We settled in for the night expecting the freezing cold FRIDGETOWN (as the locals call it) to freeze us again, but as the rain had started it actually got a bit warmer.

The next day, it was raining so we ventured out to donnybrook to this amazing fun park t(told to us by some locals and Erin (Gibbo) that is a must see). We left the funpark and found a stop on the side of the road with an old train that they would of used on the wood mills and had lunch there. It was right next to an apple orchard where i sent the kids too to get some fresh apples from the ground. They were so good Slade ate the cores. We had a scenic drive on the way back and the girls had a bit of a snooze.