Christmas Day

It was the night before Christmas when all through the farm not a creature was stirring… well except for the 2,000 sheep, goats, chickens, birds, lizards, even the pigeons were making a racket. So well there was quite a lots of stirring going on, but none so much as the stirring coming from young Jarvis Malin's bed. Earlier in the evening we had put out a beer and some nuts for Santa and a carrot and water for the reindeers. We had decorated the peppermint tree next to the camper with hand painted gum nuts, shells from the beach and other bits and bobs so Santa would know where to come. Everything was set, except now of course Jarvis was way too excited to sleep.

But sleep did come eventually as it always does and so did Christmas morning. Santa had visited the camper, all the goodies left out for him and his reindeer had been devoured and we got to see that look of wonder on Jarvis' face, that is reserved only for kids on Christmas morning. Santa had left a stocking full of all Jarvis' favourite fruit, which Jarvis got stuck into straight away and magically a pile of presents had appeared under the Christmas tree.

With no delay he pounced on the presents. But before we opened the presents from Grandma and Co. we made sure she and Granddad, Auntie Jess and Uncle Scotty joined us on Skype to see Jarvis open his pressies. We also had a Skype session with the Malins in Deni. It was so nice to see so many of our family, even if it was across miles of digital connections.

Presents were of course accompanied by (and followed by) panettone, coffees, hot milo and crepes, which we shared around with some of our neighbouring campers.

We had intended to go to the beach, but it was a bit windy and the likelihood of dragging Jarvis away from his new presents was not all that good. So Rob and Jarvis settled into some serious LEGO construction and Em got into her new book.

Much to Jarvis' delight we made some sushi for lunch. As usual Jarvis kept stealing the ingredients before they actually made it into the rolls. But we still managed to make far too much Sushi and with full bellies decided we needed to do some more resting in preparation for the big Christmas dinner.

The owners of the farm that we are camped on, put on a lamb roast every month or so for all the campers and had planned an especially big feast for Christmas. All the campers also made a dish each and the resulting meal was absolutely fantastic. We all ate by the fire and were entertained by fire dancers, musicians aplenty and the kids ran about with sparkers. We've met some lovely people during our stay here and most of them, like us are hanging around for a few months and are trying not to think too much about the menial work they are doing for below award rates. But knowing we are all in it together and having so many interesting people here from all over the world make the whole experience very enjoyable. The fabulous Christmas dinner was a great way to solidify the friendships and welcome the newcomers.

We took a very sleepy boy back to bed way after his bedtime, all of us smelling like campfire, with full bellies, trailing empty bottles of local wine and happy with the knowledge that this is likely to be a Christmas not soon forgotten.

We hope all of our friends and family had an equally special day. Merry Christmas, happy holidays and all the rest. All our love Emma, Rob and Jarvis xxx

Margaret River: A Bushfire Welcome

As we emerged from the Karri Forest and headed north towards Margaret River the sky seemed to turn a shade of orange and ash fluttered down from the sky in a way that we had only seen once before, during the 1994 Sydney Bushfires. And our fears were confirmed as we approached town to find major roads closed and police and firemen everywhere. We were able to get into town but once there struggled to find somewhere to stay. As it turned out most of the coastal towns had been evacuated and so all holiday accommodation, including the caravan parks had been over run. We found a corner to set up our camper in and went to the most reliable source of information to get an update, the local coffee shop. We were informed that some of the government back burning had got out of control the day before and had so far destroyed 30 houses. The fire was still raging and the wind was picking up so it didn't look like they would be under control anytime soon.

By that night Margaret River had been put on evacuation alert. However, the threat was mostly on the western side of town and thankfully we were on the eastern side. But stress levels were high in town and the constant flow of fire trucks coming in for backup from neighbouring towns and the roar of firefighting helicopters overhead didn't do much to ease the tension.

Overnight the wind died down a bit and the fires moved south of Margaret River but not before destroying another 10 homes and damaging countless others. The coastal towns were still closed and remained so for several days. Eventually residents were being let back into survey the damage in where possible move back in. A few days later we also ventured into the fire struck areas to see the extent of the damage and assess whether we still wanted to stay down near the beach or if we should just stay in town. The scene that awaited us was eery and in some places depressing but in others remarkable. The vegetation has been completely stripped of all greenery along the entire coast. The dunes resembled a moon scene. There were houses in crumpled heaps, while others had been saved or missed by only a few feet. But it was inspiring seeing everyone just simply getting back into it. The sound of chainsaws rang through the area for weeks, huge skip bins were loaded up and taken away and working bees ensued. 

We did end up moving down to the coast, to Prevelly Caravan Park. The locals have been insistent that people don't avoid the area as the last thing they need are the local businesses to suffer more than they already have. The caravan park remarkably escaped relatively unscathed and resembles a lush green valley amidst the blackened landscape around it. We have been using Prevelly as our base whilst we've looked for work (successfully) and more permanent lodgings (unsuccessfully),  explored the area and frequented the beach just across the dunes from the caravan park. It's actually been a great place to be, despite the recent tragedies. The sense of community has been fabulous; BBQ's and fundraiser band nights and simply the sense of camaraderie in the whole region.

It has now been 3 weeks since the bush fires and the clean up process is almost complete and rebuilding has begun. But what we have found the most amazing is the regrowth that has already occurred in the bush and parks. The native plants are reshooting and new grass has created a thin blanket over the parklands. It won't be long until the fires are just a dim memory for most.

Please Note: As it has generally been considered inappropriate to snap photos of the fires and the aftermath, we have obtained most of the photos in this blog from the newspapers etc. The photos opportunities have been amazing but unfortunately we'll just have to store the images we've seen as memories.

Southern Forests

Most of the region between Albany and Margaret River is known as the Southern Forests. It is full of old growth Karri and Jarrah Forests, rivers, waterfalls and amazing coastline. We camped in some spectacular places but the highlight of our 4 day journey through the forests was simply the driving. The roads wind through the heart of the forests and there are little side trips everywhere which take you along dirt tracks into untouched areas.

The most popular destination in the region is probably Denmark, however, as Denmark is only 50km from Albany and camping is limited around there we decided to pass straight through. Instead, we spent our first night in the Southern Forests at a place called Fernbrook Falls on a river right in the depths of the national park. It was a lovely change from the coastal campsites we have been frequenting lately. The following day we did the very touristy but amazing treetop walk before heading down to the coast once again.

We had intended to stay that night in a tiny little settlement within the national park called Windy Harbour. The settlement was established after the great depression and there are now over 200 "beach shacks" on lease arrangements. It is very cute and the campground looked nice, but when we arrived we were told about a great camping site along a 4WD to the east of Windy Harbour so we set out along the very soft sandy track for a slow journey along the coast. We finally came across a deserted campground which consisted of little tracks joining together simple campsites shaded by peppermint trees. As we had the place to ourselves we decided to look at all of the sites to make sure we got the best one. Just when we thought we had gone as far as we could, we stumbled upon a little private hut overlooking the river mouth. There was a sign on the door inviting the public to make use of the hut but to leave it tidy and replace anything they used. Such amazing generosity. The hut was very simple and had obviously seen better days, but the deck provided the most sublime place to sit and have an afternoon beverage or a meal. Which is exactly what we did.

We briefly brought ourselves out of isolation to visit the Gloucester Tree, a 72m high karri tree which is the world's tallest fire lookout tree. Em had climbed the tree when she was 5 but even so, it was a bit too much of an ask for little Jarvis. So Rob made the climb on his own while Em and Jarvis waited at the bottom. 

1 - Jarvis attempting the first few rungs. 2 - Rob on his way up, barefoot!

3 - Jarvis waiting diligently at the bottom of the tree for his dad.

With Rob's slightly sore legs, we headed again into the isolation of the coastal national park. We found ourselves faced again with a very soft sandy road. This time simply letting the tires down didn't get Big Red moving so we had to get out the winch for the very first time. Once out of trouble, we followed the narrow windy track and discovered another deserted campsite (Jasper Beach), with a small tin roof shelter and fire pit. According to the graffiti around the place, the campsite served as a popular fishing spot in the fishing season. Luckily we had it to ourselves for the night.

The 4WD book described the road out as being for experienced 4 wheel drivers only, so we were a little worried about how long it would take to get back to the main road especially as we were towing the very heaving camper trailer with a boat on top. As such, we got going early but soon found that our fears were not unfounded. As we slowly inched our way along the coast, the road got steeper, the sand softer and the day hotter. We hadn't seen another car since we left the main road and the track did not appear to be used frequently, we were feeling a little alone and not only a little intimidated by the challenge the road was posing. Finally a steep hill with a bend was too much for Big Red and she started to sink into the sand. We found some small trees which only just provided the anchorage we needed for the winch. We slowly winched our way up the hill bit by bit. Only to find another hill beyond that. Thankfully we didn't need the winch again but it was slow going. Then just as we thought we were home free at the turn off inland (and hopefully onto less sandy ground) we found a gate across the road. With no possibility of turning back (we were hot and tired and it would have taken until dark to go back) we opened the (unlocked) gate and continued on..... how bad could it be? The road turned out to be flooded at several locations. But thankfully due to Big Red's snorkel and the waterproof camper we made it through. Although it was an ordeal, it was actually a lot of fun and we were very proud of ourselves. And despite the fact that Rob really did do most of the work, high fives were delivered all round.

Where did the road go?

But Big Red made it through regardless

We finally made it to the main road, apparently if we'd come in this way we'd have known that the road was closed.

As we neared Margaret River we passed several back burning operations, which seemed a little odd considering the heat of the day and predicted winds. There was a very large plume of smoke to the north but there were other people already camped in the national park and the staff back burning had not mentioned any danger so we set up for the night just south of Margaret River in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste NP. The sky did turn red with smoke over the course of the afternoon but the campsite was so idyllic it was hard to imagine the devastation going on just kilometres from where we were. We didn't get the full picture of what was going on till we got to Margaret River the next day. But this post was titled "Southern Forests", not "Margaret River", so the rest of the story will have to wait till the next post.....

Rob and Jarvis blissed out in the forest, completely unaware of the fires blazing to the north.

Albany

Albany is actually the oldest European settlement in WA, it was established shortly before Perth in 1826. There's an interesting bit of trivia for you. But the long standing history of Albany does give it a sense of depth and diversity that many of the other towns we've passed through do not have. It's a pretty big city and seems to have a lot to offer so we figured it would be a good a place as any to settle in for a bit and get some work.

We checked out the many caravan parks in and around Albany before deciding on one at Emu Point that was close enough to the town centre that we would be 'amongst it' when looking for work etc but was also very pretty and a great place to hang out (well this is supposed to be a holiday). Emu Point is the point between the river and the harbour and has white sandy beaches, a great cafe right on the water, the best fish and chips ever at the Squid Shack, all within walking distance along the bike track from where we were staying.

Photos: 1 - Bike track to Emu Point beach. 2 - Jarvis and Rob taking a stroll at Emu Point.

3 - Ocean pool at Emu Point. 4 - Jarvis ready for a swim.

Our first stop after settling in was the information centre and then the pub (for R&D purposes of course). The pub turned out to be a micro brewery, Tangle Head, which made fabulous beers, Albany's first tick of approval, maybe this would make a good home for a while. However, we had arrived on a saturday so we spent the weekend just wandering around town before the real hunt for work started.

We were actually pretty excited to get stuck into the job hunt, so we went into town bright and early on Monday morning, picked up the local paper. The paper didn't have much in the way of appropriate work or places to rent, so we visited the employment agencies, but they didn't seem to have much on either. Not a great start. Over the following days we went and talked to farmers at the produce markets, some of the guys on the fishing boats at the marina, local builders and also to some of Rob's family friends who live locally. They all had a similar story, that there wasn't much on at the moment with regards to farm work or building work. The real-estate agents painted an equally dismal story, no one wanted short term renters and those who did were just way too expensive. So after a few days we started to question whether it really was best to stay in Albany. We took a look at work options in other areas in the south of WA and in the end decided it would be better to try our luck up closer to Margaret River, where the seasonal work on the vineyards is huge and the tourist season means lots of summer hospitality work. That said, I am sure we could have found something in Albany, but as our funds weren't completely low yet, we could be a bit picky about the type of work we took on.

So with job hunting put aside for the moment, we decided to take in the sights and really enjoy what Albany had to offer. We wandered through town, explored the surrounding national parks, wineries, beaches and visited the local farmers markets, including the Boatshed Market where the locals go to get their fresh seafood and hang out on the foreshore sipping coffees, munching on freshly baked pastries (still warm) whilst listening to the local bands. We stocked up on all the fresh produce we could fit into our camper, it was all so cheep and looked amazing.

Photos: The natural bridge just south-east of Albany. The cliffs here can be matched to cliffs in Antarctica where they broke off from one another when the continents divided.

Photos: 1 - Jarvis and Rob checking out the view looking over Albany. 2 - Jarvis scored a box of strawberries direct from the farm for $1.50. 3 - Just one of the many pubs and wine bars in Albany.

We also hung out with some of Rob's old family friends, Pat, Ron and their daughter Amber and their grandsons Blake and Marlon. Jarvis thoroughly enjoyed having some other kids to play with and still talks about hunting for frogs with Blake in the backyard. We happily scoffed Pats cakes and scones on every visit and Ron was nice enough to take Rob sailing in the harbour (followed of course by some beers at the club). 

After a week in Albany we had somehow gone from possible temporary locals to being back on the road. We were a bit sad to leave Albany, it really is a great place to holiday or live. But as always, were happy to be back on the road. And with gorgeous Margaret River as our destination, we were very excited.