Wild Dingo
29th April 2008, 10:33 PM
Rightio I was thinking of doing a wee review of my recent mad travels to Broome and return over the last month.
First trip was north on the inland road so we will begin there
Leaving Perth first port of call is the fuel stop for the start of the journey heading up the Great Northern Hwy aim for Bullsbrook, just before the township is the Gull servo, this is one of the busiest yet friendliest servos along the route. also the last "cheep" fuel till you get back so... TOP UP HERE!!!... dont take the take away pre prepared food like sangas toasted or not they are either dried out or soggy wet... best bet all round is to take your own tucker roadhouse food sucks seriously throughout the north of West Aussie and will cost an arm a leg and either one or both knuts or boobs depending on gender.
So having topped up the fuel head north duck low as you go along the straight out of Bullsbrook as your at the end of the jet runway of Pearce Airforce Base and low flying jets can blow yer of the road and deaden your earholes for an hour or more... and... THEY DONT CARE!! so duck
Head up the hwy and past the Brand Hwy turn off aim straight for New Norcia... a wonderfull OLD town designed and build way back by the Benidicine Monks and they still make a wonderful drop of the good oil and some fine Olive oil too boot... take the time to stop and take the tour of the monestry its worth it. wonderful old building full of beautiful things and the monks are wonderful people full of quiet serenity and gentle happiness with the world... well worth it.
Head further north to Mt Magnet fuel up at the BP as you enter town this is the best stop in Magnet... I hope you remembered to pack the tucker and beer cause in Magnet its gonna hurt your wallet to have to buy either. Personally I dont like Magnet much but thats a personal thing others I know have enjoyed there time there.
So onward to Meekatharra. Now Meeka and I have a long termed relationship going way back to when I was a nipper in the early 60s Meeka was the place of my first drunk my first love my first true bar brawl and the first banning from a pub... yes Meeka and I go way back... fuel should be gotten at the first petrol station on the right as you enter town make sure you lock the car if theirs young fellas around cause believe you me they will try to get in and take something! I "lost" a pack of cigs lighter and $10 from the dash and 6 cds from the console in a matter of seconds watched them disappear down the track and nothing I could do about it... so lock up... again dont get the tucker its old tuff and revolting. Fuel price a month back was $1.70 a litre
Onwards!!... Next stop was meant to be Newman but by gawd a fella gets knocked about a bit when doing serious miles so a shower stop was screamed for and found at the Kumarina Roadhouse south of Newman... this is a must stop at place. very friendly happy staff very GOOD pub and the tucker was worth every cent. the only issues I found were a) the cold showers no hot water although the will tell you there is hot water I didnt find any and I tried all 10 showers!!! b) the little green frogs that invaded the room around 2am.
Otherwise a great spot to rest up.
Onto Newman... this is a major mining town in the north. You can do tours of some of the mines stay in the quaters or do as I did fuel up and buggar off as quick as possible... being a miner places like Newman call me to work and I was on holidays damnit!!... so a fuelup at the only open servo at 5am in town the staff was freindly with a distinct Kiwi accent and laughter which was a welcoming sound to the travel weary... be aware though that the coffee machine apparently "chucks the shytes and packs it in" every couple of days... fuel cost was $1.75 per litre
So now was my biggest hurdle of the first trip I wanted to do the Newman Marble Bar route but due to rain wasnt game to go the dirt track so headed up the bitchumine to Port Headland
Port Headland what a bloody confusing friggin town Port Headland is!!! Its separated into several sections... first entering from the south one enters Wedgefield the industrial area with the turn off to South Headland and a long haul to Port Headland... South Headland is the main shopping living area of Headland although there are houses and shops in Port Headland the main shopping precinct is in South Headland.
One place to see in Port Headland is on the way in turn right at the sign to Pretty Pool... this is a real sparkler of a place to visit the water has phosphorant in it and as you swim with each stroke you will leave a trail of sparkles behind you... pretty stunning especially at night.
Okay if you want barbies or accessories forget the urge to go to Target or Woolies whichever one is in the main shopping centre and go around to "Squizzies" which is on a back street but relatively easily found or directions given if you ask... squizzies has EVERYTHING you need at Perth prices the staff are knowledgable and friendly.
Okay servo... the one on the way out of SOUTH Headland before you make the right turn to head up to head to Broome is the one I use... friendly as all heck the food turns over very quick so is pretty fresh all the time... price of fuel was $1.70 per litre (last week)
Headland itself was a confusion and disappointment in that the people werent very friendly or sociable nor helpfull... in fact I found those I dealt with there rude for the most part and tolerable for the least only the girls at the tourist centre were able to be considered polite or helpfull and that only after I bought a ruddy token tourist prize!! :~
Anyways ONWARDS!!!
Next stop... Sandfire... hot as hell this place is an oasis in the miles of nothing between Port Headland and Broome... its also the ONLY place left between Perth and Broome where you can enjoy a shower for free... everywhere else will charge you between $2 and $6 per head for a shower :~
Sandfire as I remembered it from my madcapped youth was a pub more than a roadhouse unfortunatly due apparently to an electrical fault of some sort the pub burnt down a few years back... the endearing feature of the Sandfire pub was the decorations on the ceiling!! undies stuck from the ceiling... and yep I can state that I contributed to that mess of nickers and undies! :2tsup:
But its gone now and in its place is a simple sea container wherein one of the friendliest ladys will ply you with fresh food and a cup for the bottomless cup of coffee in the shade behind she will yarn to you if you wish or give directions and offer helpful advice... I have no idea of the price of fuel here as I didnt need it... but the ambience and friendliness is second to none... the local peacock tribe like to race over at the mere mention of food and will follow you around if you let them while the small butcher type birds will come and sit on your open door
Okay... next post Broome
First trip was north on the inland road so we will begin there
Leaving Perth first port of call is the fuel stop for the start of the journey heading up the Great Northern Hwy aim for Bullsbrook, just before the township is the Gull servo, this is one of the busiest yet friendliest servos along the route. also the last "cheep" fuel till you get back so... TOP UP HERE!!!... dont take the take away pre prepared food like sangas toasted or not they are either dried out or soggy wet... best bet all round is to take your own tucker roadhouse food sucks seriously throughout the north of West Aussie and will cost an arm a leg and either one or both knuts or boobs depending on gender.
So having topped up the fuel head north duck low as you go along the straight out of Bullsbrook as your at the end of the jet runway of Pearce Airforce Base and low flying jets can blow yer of the road and deaden your earholes for an hour or more... and... THEY DONT CARE!! so duck
Head up the hwy and past the Brand Hwy turn off aim straight for New Norcia... a wonderfull OLD town designed and build way back by the Benidicine Monks and they still make a wonderful drop of the good oil and some fine Olive oil too boot... take the time to stop and take the tour of the monestry its worth it. wonderful old building full of beautiful things and the monks are wonderful people full of quiet serenity and gentle happiness with the world... well worth it.
Head further north to Mt Magnet fuel up at the BP as you enter town this is the best stop in Magnet... I hope you remembered to pack the tucker and beer cause in Magnet its gonna hurt your wallet to have to buy either. Personally I dont like Magnet much but thats a personal thing others I know have enjoyed there time there.
So onward to Meekatharra. Now Meeka and I have a long termed relationship going way back to when I was a nipper in the early 60s Meeka was the place of my first drunk my first love my first true bar brawl and the first banning from a pub... yes Meeka and I go way back... fuel should be gotten at the first petrol station on the right as you enter town make sure you lock the car if theirs young fellas around cause believe you me they will try to get in and take something! I "lost" a pack of cigs lighter and $10 from the dash and 6 cds from the console in a matter of seconds watched them disappear down the track and nothing I could do about it... so lock up... again dont get the tucker its old tuff and revolting. Fuel price a month back was $1.70 a litre
Onwards!!... Next stop was meant to be Newman but by gawd a fella gets knocked about a bit when doing serious miles so a shower stop was screamed for and found at the Kumarina Roadhouse south of Newman... this is a must stop at place. very friendly happy staff very GOOD pub and the tucker was worth every cent. the only issues I found were a) the cold showers no hot water although the will tell you there is hot water I didnt find any and I tried all 10 showers!!! b) the little green frogs that invaded the room around 2am.
Otherwise a great spot to rest up.
Onto Newman... this is a major mining town in the north. You can do tours of some of the mines stay in the quaters or do as I did fuel up and buggar off as quick as possible... being a miner places like Newman call me to work and I was on holidays damnit!!... so a fuelup at the only open servo at 5am in town the staff was freindly with a distinct Kiwi accent and laughter which was a welcoming sound to the travel weary... be aware though that the coffee machine apparently "chucks the shytes and packs it in" every couple of days... fuel cost was $1.75 per litre
So now was my biggest hurdle of the first trip I wanted to do the Newman Marble Bar route but due to rain wasnt game to go the dirt track so headed up the bitchumine to Port Headland
Port Headland what a bloody confusing friggin town Port Headland is!!! Its separated into several sections... first entering from the south one enters Wedgefield the industrial area with the turn off to South Headland and a long haul to Port Headland... South Headland is the main shopping living area of Headland although there are houses and shops in Port Headland the main shopping precinct is in South Headland.
One place to see in Port Headland is on the way in turn right at the sign to Pretty Pool... this is a real sparkler of a place to visit the water has phosphorant in it and as you swim with each stroke you will leave a trail of sparkles behind you... pretty stunning especially at night.
Okay if you want barbies or accessories forget the urge to go to Target or Woolies whichever one is in the main shopping centre and go around to "Squizzies" which is on a back street but relatively easily found or directions given if you ask... squizzies has EVERYTHING you need at Perth prices the staff are knowledgable and friendly.
Okay servo... the one on the way out of SOUTH Headland before you make the right turn to head up to head to Broome is the one I use... friendly as all heck the food turns over very quick so is pretty fresh all the time... price of fuel was $1.70 per litre (last week)
Headland itself was a confusion and disappointment in that the people werent very friendly or sociable nor helpfull... in fact I found those I dealt with there rude for the most part and tolerable for the least only the girls at the tourist centre were able to be considered polite or helpfull and that only after I bought a ruddy token tourist prize!! :~
Anyways ONWARDS!!!
Next stop... Sandfire... hot as hell this place is an oasis in the miles of nothing between Port Headland and Broome... its also the ONLY place left between Perth and Broome where you can enjoy a shower for free... everywhere else will charge you between $2 and $6 per head for a shower :~
Sandfire as I remembered it from my madcapped youth was a pub more than a roadhouse unfortunatly due apparently to an electrical fault of some sort the pub burnt down a few years back... the endearing feature of the Sandfire pub was the decorations on the ceiling!! undies stuck from the ceiling... and yep I can state that I contributed to that mess of nickers and undies! :2tsup:
But its gone now and in its place is a simple sea container wherein one of the friendliest ladys will ply you with fresh food and a cup for the bottomless cup of coffee in the shade behind she will yarn to you if you wish or give directions and offer helpful advice... I have no idea of the price of fuel here as I didnt need it... but the ambience and friendliness is second to none... the local peacock tribe like to race over at the mere mention of food and will follow you around if you let them while the small butcher type birds will come and sit on your open door
Okay... next post Broome