We only had about 45kms till we were in Mandurah when young lady overtaking us slowed beside our car and waved her arms frantically  pointing this way and that and making circles in the air. It was all very confusing and could have meant anything from “Great looking truck… or, hey mate, all your wheels are spinning… or, hello handsome are you travelling alone?… or, excuse me but your trailer appears to be on fire!”

Unfortunately, on this occasion, it was the last of these options. We pulled over to check things out to be greated with clouds of smoke billowing from under the passenger side of the camper trailer. Thoughts rushed through our minds like “did I turn off the stove after lunch” (Ginnie) and “don’t tell me the batteries have had a melt down” (Markus).

It usually takes us about 3 or 4 minutes to get the camper open… boat swings off the top, the spare tyre swings off the back… undo all the clips that hold things closed and swing the top of the trailer over onto the ground. Not this time! Within 30 seconds it was all open, I had the bed lifted and felt everything to see what was hot with Ginnie beside me fire extinguisher at the ready (I wonder if she actually knows how to use one of those? I must ask her what she would have down if there was flames!). When it was clear nothing inside the camper was on fire we stepped out and discovered all the smoke was coming from the back of one of the trailer wheels. I knew what this meant… we had a wheel bearing meltdown and things were now cooking and disintegrating within the hub. Had we not stopped I would have had the opportunity to see our trailer wheel part company with the trailer and head off into the bush at high speed as the whole camper then dropped onto the roadway and threatened to bring us all undone! I know how this looks from experience many years ago with a hired camper trailer miles out from Tipaburra, 10 hours north of Broken Hill.

This is why a good tool kit & supply of spare parts is handy… had it all sorted enough to limp into town in under an hour 🙂

Long story short… thank you Pedders Suspension for over tightening the wheel bearing (apparently they are in the habit of doing this) I am composing a letter to Mr Pedder and enclosing the bill for $640 to see if they stand by their “No Bull” catch cry?

Sunset beside the estuary behind Mandurah a short time later and our troubles seems a world away…

This is Harvey Estuary. Together with Peel Inlet, and the Murray & Serpentine Rivers they provide an amazing series of waterways behind Mandurah just an hour south of Perth.

Sadly I had to put Virginia on the plane to Sydney on Friday in Perth. She is spending a week helping her mum settle back into home after a recent fall and stint in hospital. We were keen to find me a nice quiet place for me to stay, on the water so I could fish and go boating and with a good internet signal so I could mark assignment papers for Harvest BC. A search of the local caravan parks was pretty discouraging. The closer you get to the big cities the harder it is to find bush camping spots and caravan parks get really pricey with no discount for one person – you pay for the site. With options limited I started to think outside the box and drove around the foreshore and river front area looking for some creative solution… and there it was… the last house in a quiet street that finished on the Murray River… a small holiday cottage, somewhat run down and uninhabited and FOR SALE! No I didn’t buy it… but I did ring the agent and ask how the owner might feel about letting me camp in the back lawn (next to the river) in return for some rent or some maintenance on the house? He put me in contact with the owner who generously said he was happy help us out and granted me permission to stop here for as long as I needed, FREE! I think you will agree that someone was looking after us. I like it so much here I almost don’t want to leave…

Home away from home for Markus while Ginnie is in Sydney. It’s almost as beautiful as Ferntree Gully!!!                      The pictures below show the Murray river flowing just a few metres from my set up and living area 🙂

 After dropping Ginnie at the airport I had a visit to Perth CBD before heading back to Mandurah for sunset on the waterfront…

My idea of the perfect dinner to watch the sunset at Mandurah… the prawn lovers special 🙂

Turns out sunrise around these parts is also pretty good. These shots are near my campsite…