THE BIG DASH: Wendy the Winch

It’s been a week, let’s put it that way.

Some ups, some downs, more evidence of my failing memory and an unplanned high-speed dash for the Kia Tasman X-Pro.

It was always going to be a solid week, starting with the trip from Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm at the top of the Dampier Peninsula to Barn Hill Beachside Station Stay, with a few hours for shopping and resupply in Broome breaking up the journey of more than 360km.

Then, after four nights, it was another 350km down the WA coast to Pardoo Homestead for another two-night stop.

Basically, we’re making our way, like frogs jumping from lily pad to lily pad, south towards Exmouth for a date with some whale sharks.

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It’s been a big week for Tas. There’s been a lot of towing, some of it on extended dirt tracks.

There’s been a high-speed 280km round-trip dash back into Broome from Barn Hill for reasons I’ll explain shortly.

And, to wrap it all up, some unshackled coastal cruising on Pardoo’s dirt roads as we explored its extensive coastline.

Through it all, Tas has stoically done his thing. There have been a few recent minor hiccups, like the fuse blowing, but nothing to get too concerned about.

Sitting on 130km/h, averaging 10-11L/100km, driving back up the Great Northern Highway from Barn Hill to Broome was a reminder of just how composed and capable this thing is when it’s not lumbered with a bloody great caravan on the back.

Travelling solo, I was able to catch up on some podcasts unplayable when the cabin is shared with Janey. Y’know, F1 wrap-ups and Melbourne Football Club game reports.

Turns out the Dees are having a great year! They’ll almost certainly play finals. I’ll be in WA when they do.

Funnily enough, when they won the grand final in 2021 it was during COVID, the game was played in Perth and we were stuck in lockdown in Melbourne.

Anyway, that’s a major digression. Here are this week’s fuel numbers.

Litres consumed: 145.21
KM travelled: 1033km
Consumption average: 14.06L/100km
$ paid: $344.90 (best price paid: $2.129 per litre)
KM per $: 2.99km (Was 2.50km per $ last week)

We’ve wanted to get to Broome for years and whenever it’s come up in conversation Jane’s always said she wouldn’t be departing without a pearl. I’ve always just agreed … hey, when were we going to get to Broome, seriously?

Well, she left it late, like to the very last day we were there, but Janey did indeed get her pearl. And it’s very nice too. It’s from Cygnet Bay’s Broome shop rather than the farm itself because there’s more selection in town. I’ve got to say, she was financially very responsible in her choice, which was nice.

We’ll get into station stays a bit more in a sec, but there’s no doubt Barn Hill’s greatest asset are its beaches. Golden sand stretches for miles in both directions from the caravan park, backed by piles of worn rock.

It’s great for strolling with the dogs and, being calm and warm, also good for swimming. Mind you, still being in croc country, it was a cooling dunk, not a marathon swim.

Unlike Barn Hill, Pardoo is remote from the coast. It’s a short drive to the closest viewpoint, but if you want to walk on the beach it’s probably 10km drive away.

The tides are huge and the beach and ocean are often separated by wide mudflats, so it’s not a place to swim, especially as there are regular croc sightings.

What Pardoo does brilliantly is sunsets. Glorious, luminescent, vibrant sunsets. We drove 15km to one of the best viewing points and, by the time the show was in its pomp, there were probably another 20-30 people out there enjoying it.

People who know me know I can get pretty intense. Usually, my anger or annoyance is centred on my own failings.

This trip, as time has gone on, I’ve relaxed a bit and become a better human to be around. But I’ve got to admit I regressed when we got to Barn Hill.

Things got off to a disappointing start when we checked in because we’d been placed on a site right next to the office area and café. So, pretty busy.

The place is beautiful. Vans are spread through a grove of gum trees, while there are also clifftop sites looking out to sea. I asked if we could move and was told flatly no.

There were no other powered sites available because a big lawn bowls comp was being held over the next few days. And guess where the lawn bowls green was? Yep.

At least I could reverse straight into the site from where we’d pulled up to check in. That was good because it was getting dark and it had been a long, long day.

It was a straightforward process, but because of the fading light I jumped in and out of the car a couple of times to consult with Jane and make sure I was headed in the right direction.

Next thing, a well-intentioned but pissed bloke wandered up and told me I should do a lap around the block and start again.

I thanked him for his advice – I was polite – but pointed out we only had a little adjustment left and would soon be set.

He wandered off, undoubtedly convinced I was an idiot. His theory was pretty much confirmed by the shambles that followed.

We parked up fine. I jumped out to lower the jockey wheel and unhook the car from the caravan.

But where’s the winding handle? It’s detachable, you see.

The last time I’d used it was at Cygnet Bay about 10 hours earlier. It was nowhere to be found.

I’d probably put it on the gas bottle shelf and left it there. Somewhere in the preceding 360km it was undoubtedly lying by the side of the road.

So, how to unwind the jockey wheel?

Thankfully, the Ark 750 Series on the MDC is quite common and I was able to borrow a handle from another camper.

So, lower the jockey wheel, release the hitch and the caravan rolls forward off the levelling ramps we’d just reversed it onto.

Gawd! Never happened before and stuffed if I know why it happened that time.

Anyway, we left the 'van not quite level and got on with setting it up.

I can’t remember what else went wrong, but there were irritating issues all along the way.

The pissed bloke’s wife came over and asked if we were OK. Jane just said it was a bit of a challenge setting up in the dark.

God love her, I wasn’t worth talking to by this stage.

Anyway, we got set up, I had a beer, Jane cooked us some lovely Wagyu burgers and life started to get a bit more balanced. But what to do about the handle?

A shifter could act as a temporary replacement, but we really wanted a proper one.

So the next morning – a weekday, thankfully – I hit the phones and located a replacement at a caravan repair place in Broome.

That’s why Tas and I did a solo 280km round trip. For a bloody lump of metal.

And I bought the last one in stock, although the bloke I spoke to on the phone had assured me they had plenty.

“Hmm, must have been a run on them,” he pondered.

Anyway, Jane now has control of Wendy the Winch, just as she has control of the credit card (lost but found, thankfully, I never shared that story!), and conducts the final sweep of the 'van when we’re packing up to make sure everything is done.

Yep, I’m obviously losing my mind.

Station stays are a big part of holidaying in Western Australia. They’re dotted around the coast and interior.

Essentially, as their name suggests, they’re a side hustle for the big farms spread across the state.

On WikiCamps there’s a bit of debate about authentic station stays versus those that are actually just caravan parks.

I’d say both Barn Hill and Pardoo fall more into the latter category.

Apart from being a fair old drive from the main road on red dirt tracks, they offer the usual mix of powered and unpowered sites, potable water, toilets and washing facilities.

As we’ve covered already, they’re both in pretty cool locations, although of the two I’d say Barn Hill has more general appeal. Big tick to the food menu – pizzas are awesome – and the communal area has a lovely vibe.

Pardoo is more for fishermen. In fact, most of our check-in was devoted to the intricacies of fishing on the property. I didn’t have the heart to tell the very nice lady she was wasting her time with us.

Fishing? I like eating fish, but the one time in my adult life I’ve caught one I then had to kill if by hitting it over the head with a stick. Sorry, not my go.

Anyway, Pardoo’s probably got better facilities than Barn Hill and looks more like a traditional caravan park. Funnily enough, they put us next to the lawn bowl green again. This time no comp thankfully.

They were both worth visiting and helped us better understand the diversity and beauty of the north-west Western Australian coast. They’re certainly better alternatives than staying at roadhouses or free camps next to the highway.

Next week it’s on to a couple of seaside villages that are also well off the beaten track...