THE BIG DASH: 20,000km MDC review

We’ve left the Margaret River region and headed down into the south-west corner of WA, travelling through a series of picture-postcard towns before ending up in Albany, the capital of the south coast.

It’s rugged, incredibly scenic and at times pretty challenging country. You would have to put up with remoteness and some serious weather to live down here, but by jeez, on a good day it is brilliant. And we were lucky enough to have a few good days.

Small joys

Tas, our Kia Tasman X-Pro, has had some hard work this week, towing our 2.8-tonne caravan over mountainous, undulating roads with plenty of climbing, narrow and winding sections and surfaces that weren’t always overflowing with grip thanks to rain, tree residue and bumps. It has handled it really well.

After leaving Augusta and heading through Nannup to Pemberton and then Denmark, fuel consumption was generally in the mid-teens. Coming back north from Albany was another matter thanks to gale-force winds.

Where we would normally cruise along the flat in seventh gear, at times we were pulling fifth. When the wind wasn’t directly in our face it was hammering us from the side, which provided another serious test of the stability of the Tasman and caravan combination.

Once again, I’m thankful for the advice we received about setting the vehicle up properly, primarily Richard Jarvie at Pull Your Weight. Our first towing trip to Paynesville, before we added the fifth leaf spring (Chapter four) and got the weight balance sorted, was a bit of a horror show in crosswinds.

The conditions this week were far more challenging, yet the combination remained stable and predictable. Sure, we were being buffeted, but it never became alarming.

Between the towing legs we also had several days unhitched, playing tourist on bitumen and dirt back roads through forests and out to beaches. Tas did what he usually does: comfortable, spacious and easy to live with.

It also occurred to me this week just how solidly built this vehicle feels. Even the thunk the doors make when they close is reassuring.

Jane also gave the interior a serious clean with her new Dustbuster and the exterior got a wash in Albany too. For a brief period everything looked remarkably spic and span.

Then we drove down dirt roads, it rained again and on one hot, still day we seemingly murdered every flying insect in southern WA. So much for that.

So to this week’s fuel numbers:

Litres consumed: 165.88
KM travelled: 1158
Consumption average: 14.325L/100km
$ paid: $416.01 (best price paid: $2.492 per litre)
KM per $: 2.78km (was 2.93km per $ last time)

Things we’ve enjoyed this week

Nannup: A picture-postcard village wedged into a steep green valley, there’s clearly been plenty of effort put into making the town attractive, with art, craft and gardens everywhere. Tulips were flowering while we were there and the whole place had a relaxed, artistic tourist vibe.

There’s also an excellent little mountain bike park just down the road. The local brewery lost a couple of points by not selling takeaway tinnies.

Pemberton: It sits on a hill surrounded by magnificent karri forests. Neat weatherboard buildings give it plenty of charm and we happened to be there for the local footy grand final, with car horns tooting whenever a goal was kicked. It reminded me of living in country towns years ago.

Denmark: This was our base for exploring more of the south coast, including the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, where you can get up into the canopy 40m above ground before returning to ground level to wander among these enormous, ancient trees.

It stirred an old memory. When I was a kid living in WA, Mum and Dad took us to this area and we drove our Holden into the hollow of a giant tree. There’s still a family photo somewhere. That tree eventually fell, but the memory remains.

At the skywalk I had the chance to relive the memory. See the photo.

Jane particularly enjoyed the little fairy houses hidden along some of the forest walks. Open a tiny door and there might be a creature waiting inside. They gave her, as she puts it, “a lot of pleasure”.

The coastline around Denmark was another highlight. At William Bay National Park we walked out to Elephant Rocks and Greens Pool, where huge granite boulders create remarkably sheltered, translucent green water. Locals told us it’s a favourite place for teaching kids to swim in summer.

The dogs couldn’t come into the national park, but that worked out rather well because we found a fabulous dog sitter, Lynette, who also gave us homemade marmalade. So lovely.

Albany: Our planned three-day here stay quickly became longer because the weather improved and we were enjoying ourselves too much to leave.

Almost everyone had told us to visit the National Anzac Centre. It tells the story of the Australian and New Zealand troops who departed from Albany in the first convoys of 1914. For many, this coastline was their last sight of Australia.

The centre is interactive but restrained and factual. Listening to letters and personal accounts is moving, but for me the most powerful place was the pool of reflection overlooking King George Sound, with the names of those who departed displayed around it.

Down the coast is Albany’s old whaling station, which operated until 1978. It’s preserved as a museum and is fascinating, but I found it grim. Walking through the old industrial site is an uncomfortable reminder of an industry I’m very glad no longer exists in Australia.

Much more uplifting was the nearby wind farm. A walking trail follows the clifftops through the turbines, combining spectacular coastal views with the strange experience of hearing those enormous blades swoosh overhead.

But nature provided the best moments.

At Nanarup Beach we stumbled across two University of Western Australia staff conducting a whale count. They pointed out a humpback mother and calf resting in the bay. From a distance they initially looked like rocks, their backs occasionally breaking the surface. We climbed higher on the cliffs and watched them from perhaps 100 metres offshore.

Then came Bettys Beach. We popped over a rise and both audibly gasped. Ahead was an enormous sweep of blue water, granite boulders and rugged coastline. The scale of the scenery in this part of WA is extraordinary.

Albany itself is an interesting contrast. It’s a working town rather than a polished tourist resort, yet almost everywhere you go there seems to be another view across water, hills or coastline.

We loved it, particularly once the first day’s wind disappeared and temperatures climbed into the mid-20s.

Naturally, on the morning we left it was raining and howling again.

20,000km review

After five and a half months and more than 20,000km, the caravan is fundamentally holding together well. Structurally it still feels sound, but inevitably we’re noticing some wear.

The screen door has been patched. Some fridge drawer bins are cracking and their silver-finished handles are tarnishing. We’ve also had water collecting in the bottom of the fridge, apparently because of a blocked drain I haven’t yet investigated properly.

The shower-door latch occasionally unwinds itself and falls off, the table has developed some movement and the Thetford oven has earned Jane’s particular disapproval.

“It’s a waste of space,” is her assessment.

It takes a long time to heat, there’s no useful temperature indication and the grill is tiny. On the positive side, the washing machine continues to perform brilliantly.

We’re also keeping an eye on the Dometic reverse cycle air-conditioner, which suddenly appeared reluctant to cool. More investigation is required before we condemn anything.

More top parks

Our caravan parks have been another highlight this week.

Pemberton gave us a big, easy-access site surrounded by walking and riding trails – and Quokkas. They wandered right up near the van, along with rabbits, ducks and lorikeets.

Unfortunately Lulu regarded the quokkas less as charming native wildlife and more as game. Twice she escaped and chased them towards their burrows, earning herself confinement to the van.

If we return, we’ll probably request the non-Quokka section.

At Denmark we had a waterside site with a pleasant walking track into town, complete with more fairy houses hidden among the trees.

Finally there was Big4’s park at Emu Point outside Albany, only seconds from beautiful white sand and a dog-friendly beach - there are lots of them.

The site was easy to access – always worth celebrating with a caravan – and the park made an excellent base for exploring.

One of the better caravan parks we’ve stayed at.

Now we’re turning around and heading back towards Margaret River for a few days and a family reunion...