Adventure Before Dementia

Adventure Before Dementia

Around Australia in 80 Days

By Lyn Gerring

“Poppa and Grandma do a lap around Australia, Feb-May 2009. JOB DONE! AROUND AUSTRALIA IN 80 DAYS!”

  • 80 days
  • 18 Feb – 8 May 2009
  • 80 stops on the map
  • From Cunderdin to Karrinyup

Day 1, Wednesday 18 February 2009, took Poppa and Grandma from Perth to Cunderdin in their motorhome. Day 80, Friday 8 May 2009, ended at Karrinyup: “AROUND AUSTRALIA IN 80 DAYS!” Almost every evening Mum wrote an update home, and here they are as a journal in her own voice. Click a numbered marker to read a day, or start at the beginning.

The route joins the stops in day order (the original map has stops only, no route line), so roads are approximate.

The stops

  1. 1CunderdinEast to Cunderdin18 Feb
  2. 2NorsemanGateway to the Nullarbor19 Feb
  3. 3MaduraMadura, out of reach20 Feb
  4. 4NullarborDingoes and the Bight21 Feb
  5. 5KimbaMist, dingoes and a fruit check22 Feb
  6. 6ClareIron Knob to the vines23 Feb
  7. 7ClareA rest day among the gums24 Feb
  8. 8MannumTo the great Murray25 Feb
  9. 9MannumCruising a thirsty river26 Feb
  10. 10RobePaddle-steamer at dawn27 Feb
  11. 11Mt. GambierWind turbines and a crater lake28 Feb
  12. 12Port FairyBlue Lake to Port Fairy1 Mar
  13. 13WarrnamboolWeathering the wind at Warrnambool2 Mar
  14. 14WarrnamboolShipwrecks and a rainy afternoon3 Mar
  15. 15Port CampbellOnto the Great Ocean Road4 Mar
  16. 16Apollo BaySpray on the rocks5 Mar
  17. 17AngleseaKoalas at Kennett River6 Mar
  18. 18AngleseaA beach like Perranporth7 Mar
  19. 19AngleseaSunday market by the river8 Mar
  20. 20DovetonSurf towns and a ferry crossing9 Mar
  21. 21DovetonOld friends, 42 years on10 Mar
  22. 22DovetonA barbecue and rosellas in the Dandenongs11 Mar
  23. 23DovetonHills scarred by fire12 Mar
  24. 24WangarattaThrough Melbourne and the burnt country13 Mar
  25. 25Colombo CreekA homestead in the middle of nowhere14 Mar
  26. 26AlburyRed dust and a bumpy ute15 Mar
  27. 27AlburyMustering with the dogs16 Mar
  28. 28GeehiUp into the high country17 Mar
  29. 29JindabyneAbove Thredbo18 Mar
  30. 30Batemans BayOver the Great Dividing Range19 Mar
  31. 31GerringongGerringong, almost our name20 Mar
  32. 32Sans SouciSydney on the skyline21 Mar
  33. 33TareeUnder the harbour, not over it22 Mar
  34. 34Nambucca HeadsPainted rocks by the lagoon23 Mar
  35. 35Corindi BeachPandanus palms at Corindi Beach24 Mar
  36. 36Byron BaySugar cane to Byron Bay25 Mar
  37. 37BrisbaneCity lights from the balcony26 Mar
  38. 38BrisbaneBrisbane by river ferry27 Mar
  39. 39BrisbaneA last night in Brisbane28 Mar
  40. 40NoosaHalfway, at Noosa29 Mar
  41. 41Hervey BayThrough the cane to Hervey Bay30 Mar
  42. 42Hervey Bay and Fraser IslandFour-wheel drive on Fraser Island31 Mar
  43. 43BundabergChilders and the rum distillery1 Apr
  44. 44MarlboroughA frog in the loo2 Apr
  45. 45Airlie BeachGreen, green, green to Airlie Beach3 Apr
  46. 46Whitsunday IslandsBy helicopter to Whitehaven4 Apr
  47. 47RollingstoneCrocs and stingers at Rollingstone5 Apr
  48. 48CairnsStingray, then bananas all the way6 Apr
  49. 49CairnsOut to the Great Barrier Reef7 Apr
  50. 50CairnsRain, and a starfish to remember8 Apr
  51. 51Port DouglasTropical rain and the turn west9 Apr
  52. 52AthertonCoffee and peanuts on the Tablelands10 Apr
  53. 53GeorgetownOnto the savannah11 Apr
  54. 54NormantonThe croc as long as our motorhome12 Apr
  55. 55CloncurryTermite mounds like gravestones13 Apr
  56. 56CamoowealFrogs, crickets and a roadhouse sunset14 Apr
  57. 57Banka BankaWhip-cracking at Banka Banka15 Apr
  58. 58Daly WatersA ghost town and the Daly Waters pub16 Apr
  59. 59KatherineA hot pool on the way to Katherine17 Apr
  60. 60Nitmiluk National ParkThrough the gorges of Nitmiluk18 Apr
  61. 61Kakadu National ParkWaiting at Cooinda19 Apr
  62. 62DarwinHunting for crocodiles in Kakadu20 Apr
  63. 63DarwinCyclone, war and the stone monkeys21 Apr
  64. 64KatherineA war cemetery and a peacock22 Apr
  65. 65KununurraBoabs and a border search23 Apr
  66. 66KununurraLake Argyle at sunset24 Apr
  67. 67Fitzroy CrossingThe long road to Fitzroy Crossing25 Apr
  68. 68Fitzroy CrossingTalcum powder against the ants26 Apr
  69. 69BroomeTurquoise sea and a camel train27 Apr
  70. 70BroomeThe best sea we've ever swum in28 Apr
  71. 71Cable BeachLingering at Cable Beach29 Apr
  72. 7280 Mile BeachSunset over Eighty Mile Beach30 Apr
  73. 73KarrathaIron ore and salt mountains1 May
  74. 74Coral BayKangaroo and crocodile at Coral Bay2 May
  75. 75Coral BayGlass-bottomed boats and quad bikes3 May
  76. 76Coral BayA father and son's fine catch4 May
  77. 77CarnarvonAn emu, a road train and bananas5 May
  78. 78GeraldtonBear the guard dog, and the road south6 May
  79. 79PerthBack to Perth7 May
  80. 80KarrinyupAround Australia in 80 days!8 May