Hello all,
Myself and my wife have just had our first baby. We like a challenge so we have decided to hire a campervan and travel up the West coast of Oz for a month, end of Feb / beg of March. We fly into Perth and intend to make our way up to maybe Broome(ish) before heading back down to Perth to fly back to Sydney.
Has anyone done anything similar? Can anyone recommend some must see spots for kiting (and / or scenery) on the way? Preferably with a camp site so we can plug in the van (for power), but not necessary every night.
Finally, not kite related, but does anyone know of the best way for me to get internet connection on the road? I'm only back in Oz for a couple of months and so don't want a contract or anything but need to have internet access for work while travelling up the coast. I'm imagining something that I can just plug into the laptop and it gives me a connection anywhere in Oz that i can just top up with a credit card when I run out of credit...?
Cheers
Darryl
Woodies>Scarbs>Lano>Gero>Denham>Exy...wouldn't go further myself.
Don't know about the internet...have fun
3g wireless internet card from telstra. either pcmia or usb. broadband connection anywhere there is mobile coverage (speed increases with signal) and the 3g network has the best coverage in rural areas. just pay the extra and go with telstra if it's for work. dont mess around with any of the other assclowns as theyre just not worth it in the long run imho. Call/ response times/ service ets all poorer. can download coverage maps from telstra also.
I concur - I run an IT company and have to supply kit like that for a lot of clients. If you want to go regional, Telstra/Bigpond (Same company, different faces) is the only way to go.
My only concern is that they will rape you on a contract - normally they want to hit you for 2 years at a minimum of $30/month.
All the same, the other players (3, Optus, Vodafone, etc etc) won't have the coverage in the regional areas.
I just suck it up and go with Telstra so I can know that when I am regional I will still have broadband.
If you have 3G mobile broadband where you come from, you could bring a device over, but normally you get KILLED on roaming data charges.
I also agree, i work for the biggest IT reseller in WA, and you will need to go Telstra if you want to have any kind of connection outside Perth
as for the travel, i have done the drive north a few times, Coral Bay is a must, as is Kalbarri, Monkey Mia. swim with the dolphins
WA is awesome. Enjoy
Darryl
I went on a surf trip in a camper with my first baby. We thought we were different to all our mates who advised us not to go.
#&&%$ what a nightmare!!
It is still hot up the West coast in Feb and March, which will make it worse.
I suggest a 2 or 3 day trial run to see how the baby handles change before you commit yourself.
Done the trip a couple of years ago in a campervan. The main spots north of Perth regards kiting are
Lancelin : flat water on inside waves out the back on reef. Normally busy with polesurfers but plenty of space. Beach can be smelly due to seaweed central. Campsite is walking distance to beach, haven’t tried it though it’s not the best apparently.
Cervantes : Thirsty Point is a wind swept beach with bright turquoise water. No waves just choppy as the wind picks up. Campsite is of reasonable standard but is not really walking distance to Thirsty Point. Checkout Pinnacles 20 minute drive away.
Geraldton : Few beaches
Point Moore large sandy beach with grassy rigging area and facilities. Flat on inside with waves either side. Campsite on Point walking distance to beach.
Georges Beach has a decent grassy area with facilities, small launch and landing beach. Relatively safe waves break on a reef 100 metres out although can be gusty as it’s in a bit of a wind shadow from the close proximity to the city (town).
Sunset similar to Georges but with cleaner wind will be quite busy if any wind. Campsite right on beach.
Coronation Beach ½ hour north of Gero, Large area of predicable waves out back think there’s a flat water area one end of beach (wasn’t windy when we went there). Basic camping facilities on beach.
Denham : Massive area of flat shallow bright turquoise water. Waste deep for 200 metres out. Might see the odd little shark but low tide keeps the wildlife away. Campsite is right on the beach, checkout dolphins at Monkey Mia half hour away.
Coral Bay : Didn’t find any decent kiting beaches as launch was small and awkward but good area for snorkelling and diving.
Never been to Exmouth but is supposed to be good not sure the wind season is bit different once you go that far north. Also Gnarloo which I’ve never been to can have good waves (apparently) but very basic camping.
As far as Internet access if you don’t want to enter into a wireless broadband contract some campsites had wireless facilities. You buy a prepaid scratch card for a set time access. The card gives you a log on id allowing you to connect to the internet for a set time with a wireless laptop. Quite handy as you don’t have to use the time allocation all at once just enough to send and receive emails or check the wind forecast. Sunset Beach campsite in Geraldton had this facility I’d check online details for other sites. Failing that there are usually internet facilities in any reasonable size town.
Perth metro has a number of beaches checkout WAKSA website. Most beaches have facilities (apart from Woodman Point, Leighton and Melville) but beware of break ins mainly on week days before beach gets busy.
Have a good trip 
Great - thanks m/w, just the sort of info I need.
I appreciate your concern John. I have no doubt that it will not be without it's challenges, but we have committed to do a month and he is a very well behaved baby so far so fingers crossed he stays that way!
you might be able to get a 3g mobile phone and use that as a data access point via bluetooth or cable from your laptop.
you must have a ledgend missus if she is prepared to sit with the baby in a desert while you kite!
