Australia’s First Slaves & Servants

Two hundred years ago this year, a branch of my family arrived into Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania).  It was a penal outpost then, one envisioned by those in authority of the day, to take in the tens of thousands of convicts over the next seventy years.

These were people expelled from the British Isles as the “Upper Crust” attempted to deal with those living in poverty, the destitute. Those often starving lower class and the disenfranchised. People who were mostly a product of the industrial revolution of the day, that was being experienced in their own country that of the British Isles.

It’s all in the Planning… Making the most of Travel

At the moment I am thick into another trip plan… one coming up soon, and as usual I have two or three of these trip plans sitting on my desktop as I develop them as the mood takes me. A number of travellers like to just go with the flow, and there are certainly times when this is the fun way to go, but then at other times planning is a part of the enjoyment of discovery and I wouldn’t even consider not building up a plan for any given tour… Even the roughest of rudimentary plans is a good option.

Traveling as we do as a lifestyle choice, as opposed to a 2-4 week or month stint across the country, we do have a broad based guide that gets us to where we want to go and then there are times where we just head off in a general direction… or in pursuit of a general goal or season respite… or even in pursuit of an interest, but the trip plan is an essential part of our future plans and I wouldn’t be without it. Mind you these trip plans are very malleable … such as this years primary plan which was to have seen us up in the Kimberley, but instead saw us spending 6 months in and around Perth… exploring, instead. Plans change as does your focus, and often. It is best to roll with the waves and enjoy the ride.

Where the Platypus Swim

Tasmania is proving to be something of a discovery and delight even though we have visited this wild island before. Becoming accustomed to the nightly song of the penguins has been an adventure but we have also been told that the platypus are quite prolific as well and are much treasured amongst the islands wildlife.

Exploring the Inland Canyon Region – NW Tasmania

Gunns Plains Caves

In one spectacular day we ventured in a loop down from Forth, and south, inland into the Canyon Region. Our aim was to explore the Gunns Plains Caves and it was a true delight. The caves travel deep under the mountain through to the other side and much of their length is still unchartered with extensive wet caves, sinkholes and active underground streams. Geoff our guide was a wonderful, full of tales and anecdotes, he was as entertaining as the caves were beautiful.

Becoming Part of the Wildlife

One of the best things about living in a caravan and freecamping, particularly in wilderness and remote regions, is that if you wait around long enough you truly abandon society and become part of the wildlife. We recently were very surprised to realize that this too can occur in a caravan park, albeit that the wildlife is a tad tamer than usual.

Fast Food Feasts – Oldies at Large

 

One of the pleasures, or pains, of travelling is the lunchtime dilemma. Often solved on lazy days, by many travellers, with the Aussie obsession with Yankie Fast Food Outlets such as ‘Tuckey Duck or Wacca’s. We have found that these venues are all about long lunchtime lines, noisy vegemiter’s and cardboard food all of which we have come to detest. In effect they are designed for families and a cornucopia of kids. In some venues you even need to line up twice! One for adult coffee and another line for over-sweet bread delights and dry straw chips. These are not joys we seek out.

Seafood Heaven – Eyre Peninsula SA

The best thing about emerging from the Oondiri Plain (Nullabor), headed east is that you inevitably arrive into the Eyre Peninsula. It is a seafood heaven, a place where the cold waters of the Great Southern Ocean deliver a bounty of seafood. We are camped up in Streaky Bay on the western coast of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.

Nullabor Plains – Caverns of the Dreamtime

Visiting the Nullabor Caves has been something we have wanted to do for some time. It is commonly believed that there are only a few caves along the Eyre Highway and while most caves are within reach of the highway there are many more than you can count.

The Bush Camp – Oldies at Large

I was born a city girl, one who grew up in the bush on the edge of the city, on the wrong side of the river my Great Grandparents would say. My Grandfather crossed the Georges River to the wilder south side of Sydney near a century ago, despite the advice of his parents. He built a home for his family amongst oyster leases, fishing huts, native camps and Chinamen who worked in those wonderful Chinese gardens in the cities of yesteryear. It was on the southern edge of Sydney in the 1920’s at Oyster Bay. Things have changed a lot since then … it is now considered millionaires row and the beautiful isolated peninsula is a much sort after suburb.

Australia Day – A Peoples Celebration!

Free E-book, available for download from Amazon.com for a short time to celebrate Australia Day and its true meaning.

“Out on the Never Never” is a true Australian adventure in traveling our land. One celebrating the love of our Land as two Grannies, two pups in a ‘Bitch Box’ set out to cross the continent in their little caravan… join them on their journey to discover modern-day Australia.

Celebrating our love of the Land and our Freedom. This is the original meaning of the peoples celebration known as Australia Day, the 26^th January.

Down through the history of Australia many groups, factions and Governors have tried to hijack what is and always was the “peoples” celebration, this to their own cause but it is truly time we reclaimed what rightfully belongs to the people.