Heading over to Margaret River

Our next stop after Geraldton was Margaret River. Margaret River is 200 kilometers south of Perth. Unfortunately, the way to get there was not entirely smooth. On December 29th we left Geraldton for Margaret River to celebrate New Year’s Eve there.

From Geraldton to Margaret River it was a total of 700 kilometers. So we wanted to try to drive as far as possible and then, if in doubt, spend a night at a rest area. In the early evening we were only in Perth, which is why we then decided not to drive through to Margaret River. We chose a rest area behind Perth and then made our way there.

However, after we made a short stop at a gas station in Perth, our engine suddenly started to jerk very loudly. When stationary as well as when driving. This worried us a bit, but we ignored the issue for now. We then spent the night at the Rest Area near Perth. This was right on the highway but also right in the forest, which we really liked.

Car problems & no campgrounds

On the morning of December 30th we drove on. However, the jerking of our engine got worse and worse, so that we finally didn’t dare to drive any further. So we pulled off the highway in Busselton and visited every workshop nearby and asked if they could check our car at short notice. Unfortunately, no workshop could give us an appointment in the near future.

We had already googled and were now sure that our spark plugs were broken. But we couldn’t say that 100%. First we tried to find a campsite over New Year’s Eve. However, all campsites in Margaret River and in the surrounding area were fully booked. So we ended up in Busselton without a campsite and with a broken car.

We then called a few car workshops nearby and were finally able to get an appointment for January 4th in Bunburry. Until then, however, we had to get by without a campsite. Ultimately we decided to drive back to the rest area where we had been the night before and stay there for the next few days. Before we had a shower in Busselton and then we drove there. In the meantime, luckily, the car hasn’t caused any major problems while driving.

New Year’s Eve on a Rest Area

We also celebrated New Year’s Eve at the Rest Area. Of course it wasn’t the New Year’s Eve we were hoping for but we definitely made the most of the evening and it will stay in our memories forever.

On January 2nd we left the Rest Area for the first time. We drove back to Bunburry for shopping and a shower. There we called a few campsites and spontaneously managed to get a place by January 4th. We then spent the next two nights at this campsite. We wanted to put as little stress on the car as possible.

On January 4th we were finally able to go to the workshop. The days before we had all sorts of thoughts. If we had had a serious problem with the engine, we would have had no choice but to sell the car somehow. Under no circumstances did we want to spend more than $1000 on the repair.
We also celebrated New Year’s Eve at the Rest Area. Of course it wasn’t the New Year’s Eve we were hoping for but we definitely made the most of the evening and it will stay in our memories forever.

On January 2nd we left the Rest Area for the first time. We drove back to Bunburry for shopping and a shower. There we called a few campsites and spontaneously managed to get a place by January 4th. We then spent the next two nights at this campsite. We wanted to put as little stress on the car as possible.On January 4th we were finally able to go to the workshop. The days before we had all sorts of thoughts. If we had had a serious problem with the engine, we would have had no choice but to sell the car somehow. Under no circumstances did we want to spend more than $1000 on the repair.

Continuing the road trip

We somehow had to spend the day in Bunburry while our car was checked through. During this time we looked at the place a little and went to the beach. 3 hours after we had given the car to the workshop, the redeeming call finally came. The spark plugs were broken and would cost $200 to fix. Of course we were extremely relieved. All the worries that we might not be able to continue the road trip finally disappeared.

After we were able to pick up the car repaired at midday, we first drove to Perth. There we spent the afternoon shopping in the city. At 6 pm we didn’t feel like driving another 300 kilometers to Margaret River, which is why we stayed the night again in the Rest Area, where we had also celebrated New Year’s Eve.

Finally arriving in Margaret River

On the morning of January 5th we finally made our way to Margaret River. But first we stopped in Busselton and cleaned our car inside and out again. Only in the late afternoon, after we had settled everything, did we finally drove to Margaret River. When we got there, it was already 6 pm.

We then drove briefly through the town and then once to the sea. Immediately we were enthusiastic about the nature and all the forests. We then stopped at a lookout point and admired the view over the forest, the Margaret River and the sea.

Now we had to face the challenge of finding a campsite. I had already called a few campsites by midday, but they were all fully booked for the next few weeks. We could only get a place on one campsite, but only two days later. Until then we had to fight our way through.

We had first found a campground 30 kilometers from Margaret River that was supposed to be free. When we got there we decided very quickly not to stay there as it was more like a stoner festival.

Camping in the forest

It was now 7 pm. and the sun was slowly setting. We then drove to two other campsites nearby, which could not be reached by phone, but they were also fully booked. Our only option was then only a rest area 70 kilometers away from Margaret River. Then we went there. Since it was now dark, we couldn’t drive too fast due to the kangaroos crossing, which is why we didn’t arrive at the rest area until 10 pm. The rest area was in the middle of the forest and was very nice.

The next morning it was cloudy and a bit chilly for the first time in weeks. Later it also started to rain for a short time. After we had packed our tents together, we drove towards Margaret River. When we got there we went shopping. Finding a parking space was quite difficult as it was extremely crowded.

After shopping we went to the beach and had breakfast with a view of the sea. Since it was very windy and cold by the sea, we didn’t leave the car.

Visiting the Calgardup ​​Cave

At noon the sun came out a bit and we drove along the Cave Road because we wanted to visit one of the many stalactite caves in Margaret River. We then stopped at the Calgardup ​​Cave and took a look at it. We found the cave very interesting. Since this was very far below the surface of the earth, we could not see anything without flashlights. At one point in the cave we turned off our lights and were surrounded by total darkness, which was pretty scary.

From the Calgardup ​​Cave we drove further down the Cave Road. We stopped again at a parking lot in the middle of the forest. There we walked along a small forest path, but when it finally ended in nothing, we went back to the car.

It was late afternoon now. However, before we wanted to drive to the rest area, where we had stayed the night before, we drove to Leeuwin. This stretch of coast wasn’t quite spectacular either, which is why we finally drove to the Rest Area. There we set up our tents and played a round of Monopoly.

Exploring Margaret River

The next morning we drove back to Margaret River. For the next two nights we also had a place on a campsite. However, before we drove to the campsite, we bought some breakfast from Coles and, like the day before, drove to the beach to eat there.

After breakfast we drove to the campsite. There I first cleaned and tidied up all our things in the trunk. When the sun came out again at noon, we set out to explore Margaret River further.

First we drove to the Kevill Road Waterfall. There was no waterfall there, but the nature with the forest and the lake was still very beautiful. From there we drove to a hiking trail called the River Walk. There we walked through the forest along the Margaret River. To see so many trees again is something completely different than the many deserts that we have always seen further north and we really like it.

When we finally got back to the car it was almost 5 pm. Before we drove back to the campsite, we went to the supermarket again and bought something for dinner there.

Going for a kayaking adventure

For the next day we had planned to go kayaking. When we left the campsite around 10 am. in the morning, we first drove to the supermarket. There we bought something for breakfast and drove back to the sea to eat there.

After breakfast we went straight to the kayak rental. This was right next to the Margaret River.

After being given a kayak and a paddle we went down to the beach and straight onto the river. The first half hour was very relaxed as we had the wind at our backs that blew us down the river. The Margaret River runs directly along many trees, between which we drove our kayak.

When we finally had to paddle back, all the wind came against us, which made the way back incredibly tiring. Sometimes I couldn’t even move from the spot, the wind was so strong. In the end, Mathis tied my kayak to his and thus pulled me. Nevertheless, kayaking was a lot of fun.

Visiting Hamelin Bay

Afterwards we drove back to the campsite to shower and change. As soon as we were done we got back in the car and drove to the beach in Hamelin Bay. We walked along the water there. In the water we could even see rays that were very close to the beach.

From Hamelin Bay we drove back to Margaret River to the campsite. By now it was already early evening. We then spent the rest of the day at the campsite.

Our next morning started like all the mornings before. After we had packed everything together, we went shopping and then drove back to the sea to have breakfast there. After breakfast we drove back to the campsite.

We had booked a quad bike tour through the forest for the afternoon, which is why we left the campsite around 1 pm.

Exploring Margaret River with a Quad

Arrived at the meeting point of our tour, everyone got a helmet with goggles and a cloth for the mouth. After a short briefing, we were off. The whole time we drove through the forest one after the other. Every now and then we stopped briefly so that our tour guide could tell us something. We also stopped once at a viewpoint where we had a really nice view of the sea and nature.

The tour was designed for 1 1/2 hours. Ultimately, however, we were on the road for two hours because we had to take a longer break in the meantime because one of the quads broke. Our tour guide then had to go back and get a new quad.

I also fell back a bit once with two boys. When we came to a junction and didn’t know which way everyone else was going, we asked on the radio where we had to go. But since our tour guide got the wrong direction, we initially turned in the wrong direction. Only after a while did we realize that we had gone wrong. The tour guide had already followed us to get us back.

It was my first time riding a quad. The quads weren’t extremely fast, but it was still fun and the speed was enough for me.

Making sushi by ourselves

After the tour, Mathis and I drove back to Margaret River. On the way we decided to make sushi ourselves in the evening. So we drove to the supermarket and bought everything we needed.

Back at the campsite we started to prepare the sushi. It was the first time that I made sushi myself.

When we finally finished, we put the sushi rolls in the car and drove back to the beach. There we ate the sushi at sunset. In the evening we played a round of Monopoly at the campsite before we went to sleep.

The next morning was similar to every other day here. We went to the supermarket, bought bread for breakfast and then drove to the beach to eat.

Injidup Natural Spas & Canal Rocks

From there we finally made our way to the Injidup Natural Spas. These are about 30 kilometers north of Margaret River. The pools, which were directly between the rocks by the sea, were quite nice but quite crowded with tourists. So we left very quickly. On the other side, however, there was another way down to the water. Nobody stayed here except us. So we sat down by the water for a few minutes and enjoyed the view of the sea.

From the Natural Spas we continued to the Canal Rocks. These were another kilometer further north. These were also very nice but again overcrowded with tourists.

From there we drove back to the campsite. We then spent the rest of the day there.

Boring morning in Margaret River

Our next morning in Margaret River was just like any other. We packed the roof tent, went shopping and then had breakfast on the beach.

From there we drove back to the campsite. At noon we wanted to go kayaking again. We arrived at the kayak rental at 2 pm, but since it closed at 3 pm, we could not rent a kayak for that day. So we decided to move the kayaking to the next day. Instead we drove to the Kevill Road Waterfall again. That’s where I let my drone fly.

On the way from Kevill Road Waterfall back to the campsite there were some kangaroos along the road. We stopped there to see the kangaroos up close. We found the baby kangaroo, which was with its mother the whole time, very cute.

The Starysky in Australia

We then spent the rest of the afternoon at the campsite before driving to Boranup Lookoutpoint in the evening. There we watched the sunset and had dinner in the car.

When the sun went down and you could see the starry sky, we started taking photos of the starry sky. It wasn’t until around midnight that we finally started our way back to the campsite.

Going for another kayaking adventure

The next morning we had to leave the campsite because we couldn’t extend another night. After checking out, we went back to the beach and had breakfast there. We also started applying for farm jobs there.

Before we looked for a campsite, we went kayaking again. This time we only drove an hour. We didn’t go very far down the river either, so we had no trouble paddling upwind. Instead, we paddled through the small forests right on the edge of the river.

After kayaking, we drove to a campsite that was right near the beach. Luckily he still had a seat available for us. We spent the afternoon there before driving back to Boranup Lookout in the evening. There we watched the sunset again and had dinner. I also let my drone fly again.

Failing in finding work

The next morning it was time for us to leave Margaret River. We made our way back to Busselton. We spent the nights at free campsites while we spent the days looking for farmwork. Unfortunately we were absolutely unsuccessful.

To make matters worse, our car started having problems again. We had already googled and found that the transmission band needed repairs. The repair shouldn’t be too expensive, but since we had already been in the workshop a week earlier, we didn’t want to invest any more money. So it was clear to us that we would sell the car after the farmwork at the latest.

But since we couldn’t find any work nearby, we finally extended our search to all of Australia. Since we couldn’t drive far with the car anymore, as the starting got worse every day, we had already put the car up for sale on Facebook. However, our search for work across Australia has still not been successful.

Fixing the car by ourselves

Eventually we found that we could fix our engine’s problem quite simply by topping up the gear oil. After we did that, the car didn’t cause any more problems.

The evening before the car sale, we then looked for hostels in Perth. However, these were all fully booked. We then looked for hostels in Sydney, but they were all too expensive. Finally we looked at hostels in Tasmania and found that they are quite cheap. So we decided to fly to Tasmania.

After Mathis phoned a friend who advised him to keep the car, otherwise we would be lost, we thought again. Since our car didn’t cause any more problems, we were actually able to keep it. After we phoned around a bit and everyone told us that if we refilled the transmission oil and the problem went away, we could still drive a few 1000 kilometers.

Changing plans daily

So we decided not to sell the car but to go to Tasmania. The next few days we drove from Perth towards Tasmania. We sat in the car from morning to night and managed about 700-800 kilometers a day.

When we arrived just before Melbourne and still didn’t have a job, we were a bit frustrated. Of course, it was only then that we came up with the idea of ​​looking at how we could actually get to Tasmania by car. The ferry there was more expensive than expected and our car was too big due to the roof tent. We should have sold this earlier.

Since all of this was too complicated for us and also too uncertain if we wouldn’t find a job in Tasmania, we first tried to find work in South Australia and Victoria. But we were not successful there either.

Finally we found out that construction work in Adelaide also counts as work to extend the visa. Since we were not far from Adelaide, we drove back there. We saw this as our last chance. I then completed the white card course in Adelaide and shortly thereafter we both started working in the construction sector.