Merry Christmas from the Australian Outback

Having purchased a second hand caravan recently, I decided to set out on my maiden voyage to an outback area of Western Australia. Kalgoorlie is 595 kms (370 miles) east from Perth. With my caravan in tow this took me about ten hours driving. Usually a 7 hour drive, I wanted to be diligently careful. This area is known as the Goldfields. Mining is the main industry in the area, and large mining camps can be seen all over the land.

There are many areas where you can park for free. Some of these spots are for 24 hours only, some are for up to a week. I camped at Lake Douglas, 12 kms from Kalgoorlie, or Kal as the locals call it. Kalgoorlie-Boulder area has a population of about 30,000 and a historical background of gold mining. More articles will be written about my travels there soon.

Here is my set up for those few nights. The chair, footsteps and esky (Australian for cooler) are ready for me to sit back and relax with my feet up, enjoying the sunset and the serenity of the bushland setting. There was a toilet nearby, but no running water. Some toilets in the outback are long drops. What is a long drop toilet some of you may ask?

It is a basic amenity where someone has dug a deep hole in the ground, put a toilet and seat over it, surrounded it with corrugated iron walls, and that is where you go and do your business. Surprisingly it does not smell. Always ensure that you put the lid down so the flies do not get to enjoy it as well. I am not including a picture, I will let your imaginations go wild.

Being in the outback, with no-one around, the stars shining brightly overhead at night, the peace surrounding you is awesome. I love camping and gazing out upon the beautiful Australian bushland. In Western Australia I love the red dirt beneath my feet, the trees that grow despite the harsh dry conditions, and the beautiful blue skies that go on as far as the eye can see.

Staying overnight with a friend at Kambalda (1 hour from Kalgoorlie) we drove up to the Red Hill Lookout tonight and were delighted to see that one of the television towers was lit up for Christmas. It blinked off and on, and can be seen for kilometres (miles) around.

From me to you, my amazing readers, I wish you the happiest of Christmases and a successful and prosperous New Year, Merry Christmas from the Australian Outback.

Happy Travels!

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