Around Oz the First Time - Chapter 85 - Frazer Station to Eucla

The names Cocklebiddy, Mundrabila and Balladonia could quite easily be names from a JK Rowling, Harry Potter book. Add to that Madura, Eucla and Caiguna, and you could be in another world, but these are places on the western half of the Nullarbor, and places we are travelling through today.

We are up early because it is going to be a big day of driving. We are looking to cross the Nullarbor in two days, make the South Australian border by tonight, some 500 kilometres and then through Ceduna and on to Streaky Bay the next day, which will be more like 600 kilometres. We also have to factor in changes in time zones, that with daylight saving will cut two and a half hours off the clock, if not off the potential daylight. What it effectively means is we will need to be careful, as driving in the night-time across the Nullarbor is fraught with danger.

We decided on a 7.00am start and we are on the road, not a moment before or after that time. Because we have been here before we take the lead. There is no real reason for this, but I am more than happy not to be seeing the back of a caravan for the next 500 kilometres for a change. One of my driving lights got a bit depressed on the road in last night (all two kilometres of it), and I wonder how it will go today. I will check at the first fuel stop.

The Nullarbor is not a place to be taken lightly, water and fuel are the most important. We are leaving nothing to chance on the crossing, refuelling more times that we potentially could, but if the wind picks up like it did yesterday afternoon, we might be struggling with consumption levels, leaving us short of a roadhouse.

Balladonia is only around one hundred kilometres up the road, and it will be our first top up stop. If I were a facetious person, and willing to lead readers astray, I might suggest Balladonia was the name of Bellatrix L’Estrange abode in a Harry Potter book, but I am not that way inclined. There has been much “astray” leading on this trip already, what with suggested explanations of phenomena and occurrences, especially where rocks were involved.

The fuel here is $1.99, so we are happy its only a small top up. We all expect the price will rise as we cross the vast plain in front of us.

The Nullarbor conjures thoughts of a vast emptiness, yet nothing could be further from the truth. Whilst there is a 90-mile straight stretch, yes, no corners, the land undulates, and with each rise and fall the vista changes. Yes there are vast areas of almost treeless plain, yet you can quite easily crest a rise to see forest on both sides of the road. From Balladonia the forests shrink in height, as we head on towards our goal.

Not long into this next leg, we are passing Caiguna. Then when we reach Cocklebiddy, obviously a place not unlike Diagon Alley, where Harry purchased his first wand, if we are to keep the JK Rowling theme going. Here we stop for a leg stretch and toilet break. I head over again to the golf hole here and snap some shots. As I leave to return to the Cruiser, two vehicles pull up ready to play the hole.

We are about an hour from the appointed luncheon stop, but first, I want to show the group the view from the Madura Cliffs. Its only one kilometre from our luncheon destination and second fuel stop for the day, but once we stop, the gaping mouths say it all.

Its 38 degrees, and the wind that is blowing is no relief, yet the group stand and take in the view, as if it is a much more pleasant temperature. It even takes them a while to raise a camera and snap some shots, such is the majesty of the vista before them. When we were here last, there were encounters with wedge tailed eagles on our way to this point. Today, we have seen one in a tree, next to the road, a magnificent bird which must have been a metre high, and a smaller one, tracking some prey a bit after. We wont lunch here, although the view almost demands it, we will head down to the roadhouse, refuel and lunch in the shade as the temperature is starting to take effect.

There is a steep decline into Madura, and I take the Cruiser out of automatic and put it into second gear, a road train has gone before us and it is in low gear as demanded by a roadside sign. The turn into Madura is right at the bottom of the hill, you drive past the golf hole here and the diesel pumps are well away from the other fuels. We fill, I move the Cruiser and van so Forbsy can fill, while Robyn goes and deals with the cashier.

Lunch, forced to eat all the salad items in the van before we reach Ceduna and the fruit and vegetable quarantine station, where we will have all fresh foods confiscated. Don’t ask me why, when we went the other way we had to do the same thing, there are fruit flies in NSW, so why does “uncontaminated” food need to be destroyed. Robyn thinks it’s a tit for tat measure. What it does mean is we are pigging out on salad items for lunch. Worse still, we have two bags of potatoes, carrots, two avocados and a large amount of tomatoes and onions, not even considered for lunch, that will either be destroyed, or we will have to eat tonight, or at least cook up and refrigerate.

For now, we are filling up on Caesar Salad, with a few extra tomatoes added in.

Full to overflowing, we are back on the road, and heading for Mundrabilla, surely the estate of Mudungus Fletcher, an original Order of the Phoenix representative, a dealer in stolen merchandise, dwelling in the wizarding underworld. Sadly, its only a roadhouse, and we pass on by, with only about an hour to our final stop tonight – Eucla.

There had been confusion as to where the quarantine station is set up. Given we thought the border, it seemed logical that we stop just prior and attempt to eat all we could, cook and freeze the rest, so as to preserve the value. Not only that, tomorrow, if we start from Eucla the first 12 kilometres to Border Village, assuming we are able to maintain our usual speed, will take us something like two and a half hours on the watch because of daylight saving and the time zone difference.

Robyn had checked out the local park to ensure vacancies were available. When we made the call, we were all but out of tower range, and although we ascertained there was vacancy, it may have been only for one van, as there was no time to suggest three were coming.

When we hit the park, they have an issue. Someone recently ran over a power post and knocked out several sites. They have 20 viable sites and only six are left. They are unsure if we will get three together.

We drive to the camp, which is well away from the reception area, to find there are three adjacent spots right at the front gate, and we are looking at one magnificent view over Eucla and towards the ocean. Whilst there is no grass in the park, the view is worth the price of admission alone. A quick set up and off to take some pictures.

This done, its now down to sorting out this food. Robyn has some work to do so I am left to my own devices, silly girl. I will split the tomatoes and combine them with some onions, reducing them in a saucepan for spaghetti sauce at a later date. The other onion I will simply slice and stick in a freezer bag. The carrots and sweet potato can be roasted tonight, along with some of the potatoes and the remaining potatoes care mashed potato bound. Sounds like a plan to me.

Robyn works away while I peel, slice, dice, boil and generally prepare everything. The tomato and onion saucepan is cooking until reduced, then I replace with the mash mix. The roasting items are on two trays and in the oven. Everything in the caravan takes a little longer than at home, but no worries, we haven’t changed time zones yet.

Dinner starts with a bag of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, two avocados and sliced tomatoes, left over from the sauce. Thankfully one of the avocados is off and we throw it away. I take the mixed roasting pieces out and we attempt to tuck them away, without a real lot of luck. I venture that I can have a toasted tomato and cheese sandwich for breakfast and that will delete the last of the sliced tomatoes, and because the quarantine station is at Ceduna some 400 kilometres away and not Border Village down the road, we might be able to consume the remaining salad for lunch.

That’s the plan and we are sticking to it. Thankfully there is enough room in the fridge to “hide” all the cooked dishes.

During the afternoon I went for a wander trying to get the best sunset shot. The sun fell between the clouds and the horizon, lighting up the underside of the clouds with drizzles of gold on a bright orange backdrop. This is one of the best ones I have shot, and I have found the perfect spot to take advantage of it.

After dinner I return to the spot to attempt again to take star shots. It is pitch black, or so I thought, and the rock platforms will be perfect for ensuring the camera stays still while the lens is open taking the shots of the stars. Disappointingly, there is quite a bit of ambient light, and although I can use the rock to hold the camera still, I still cannot get it right. I send the shots to my daughter, the now PHD scholar (or will be once she finishes her honours degree), for her ideas. She can make a camera talk, either on its own or through a telescope. I will see what she suggests in the morning, but for now its time for bed as we may have a confusing start in the morning.

In any event, the daylight will be twelve hours, and as long as we get going not too long after sunrise we should make it to Streaky Bay in daylight.