Gorge Rock and Wave Rock - Western Australia

With a day off and nothing planned we decided to head out for a drive, little did we know we would cover nearly a thousand kilometres.  We headed east on the Brockton Hwy and just drove until we got to Gorge Rock.
This rock is massive, easy a 100 meters each way if you stand in the middle of it.  I lake was established in the rock structure by the locals in the early 1900s.  It was established with a community alongside so the locals could gather.  Family days where the norm along with public holidays and weekends.  One of the outdoor dunnies (toilet) is still there in the bush.
I rescued some tadpoles while I was there, they had become stranded in a small rock pool adjacent to the big pond.  I only hope they are not cane toads.
From gorge Rock we decided to head another 100 klm east to Wave Rock (http://waverock.com.au) I had not been back there since early 1980s and Toon had never been.
Much has changed since my first visit, it has become a tourist attraction, camp site, cafe, wildlife park and shower blocks, you even have to pay ($10 a car).
They have ruined the natural wonder by adding a nasty looking slab wall on top of the wave, apparently to stop idiots falling off.  It looks awful and has ruined the natural flow of water that has created this master piece.  Stupid, but safe.
There is also a small damn next to the rock which supplies water to the township, i don't recall seeing that on my first visit.
Talking of my first visit to Wave Rock and my first visit.  hen I first flew into Perth I sat next to a couple who owned a pig farm, they were in there 50s I guess. They welcomed me to Western Australia and filled me with amazing facts and tourist attractions.  We chatted most of the then 18 hour flight.  As we got closer they invited me to come to their pig farm and stay with them, look around.  They then stated they would meet me at a small airport called Jandakot and fly me to their farm rather than drive.  Amazing, I was young and stupid and had never really lived outside of the small faring community Village I brought up in. Anyway to cut a long story short we exchanged phone numbers and I flew there saw the farm and wave rock when it was just a rock in the bush.  The flight was a bit jumpy and I was very sick so I drove back, it seemed so far back then.
So the trip, well I won't do it again for myself but would drag myself there for someone else as the rock are amazing and hold a lot of history, its real Australia.  The road is a drag, boring with the odd field full of canola plants, seems it is a popular crop out there.
We had lunch in the small cafe at Wave Rock.  Toon had an over priced cheese and ham toast and I chose a Cheese, chicken and leak pocket.  Ton said the coffee/mocha to say the least, poor.

Cafe at Wave Rock

NULLABOR Plans

 

It is with delight that another item on my to do list will be deleted this coming November. I have waited 25 years to cross the Nullarbor Plains from Perth Western Australia to Melbourne then Adelaide and then Home.

I must thank my niece and God child Katie for giving me the inspiration to finally do it.

The plan is to leave on November 7th and drive to CAIGUNA, then onto Port AUGUSTA before hitting Melbourne and meeting Katie there.

Toon and I will be using our rooftop tent for living in, for a month, camping cooking and living 1 star will test our relationship I am sure.

We have a month to travel so we should have the time. Other than the drive there and back we have no other plans I am leaving that to Katie and Danny. I am just to follow them and enjoy the ride.

They are on a junket from the UK, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, lucky them. They flew into Cairns about three weeks ago and are making there way south to meet us. They are today in Sydney.
I am all ready for the trip now, just load the car on Thursday before work, do my shift until 0130 and then wake up and leave around 0830

The Back Is COMPLETE

After deciding to kill my real lawn last spring and put in synthetic turf the rear garden has been transformed.  From a simple task to something that grew and grew, two bamboo thatched pergolas for a lounge and a spa and an Alfresco area for dining.  Then there was the garden planting, lighting and plumbing for the outdoor hot and cold shower.

So after laying, natural synthetic turf, river rocks, rubber mulch, cables and pipes and fitting jarrah decking and western red cedar roofing it is time to sit back and admire the transformation.

Please enjoy and pass comment for improvements.

BEFORE

AFTER

A Life Ruined With One Act

Simply put,

a simple act can ruin the life of another, an act without provocation, can destroy a career and a persons social life.

 

As the article (https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/latest/a/24443674/guards-attacked-every-three-days/ ) states, I was injured in a selfish act by a young drunken male who had no reason to lay a hand on me other than through a drunken act.  He not only has cost me professional income over the past year of in excess of $40,000 it is likely to cost me over $500,000 over the coming decade in lost earnings.  I have gone from being a fit healthy positive guy to being one that lacks sleep, lacks job security and has a negative view of my future.

I broke both bones in my leg and had screws and plates inplanted into my lower leg, I have a chipped bone on my ankle joint that causes great pain every day and leaves me unable to run or jog for any distance beyond 20 meters, I cant  play any physical sport that I used to be involved in, soccer-refereeing-badminton-tennis-running-jogging-cycling to name a few.

The bad guy got a $2000 fine, a fine he is unlikely to ever pay and he probably does not give shit that my life has been turned upside down.

Job future, well I don’t have a secure thought on this due to the fact I have ongoing pain an weakness.  I guess time will tell once my workers compensation runs out and I am left in a position of not being able to continue as a Transit Officer, a job I still enjoy and Love.

My employer, managers and director have offered me support and positive words, but what I really seek and need is job security, so I can plan my future and my life. Job security will again give me peace of mind.

You may ask will I ever be compensated, in simple terms I doubt it.  I could civily sue the baddy but he owns nothing.  Criminal Compensation is not allowed due to the fact I am insured through work.  The work insurer pays us minimum wage, without compulsory overtime allowance and other benefits.  So I am severely under compensated and being a victim of a crime means nothing.

The House I loved on SIGHT CHANGED

When I first saw the house I currently live I loved it, it cleanliness its simplicity and the chances of advancement.  Since moving in during March 2013 I have made changes, some I am happy with and some that were a good idea and I dislike now.  I do how ever think the changes have made a remarkable increase in the value.

I decided mid summer that the front lawn had to go, it was simply crap buffalo lawn and had become spongey and had a bad root system.  I turned off the reticulation and let it die, with the aid of some glyphosate.  At the end of summer the lawn was extremely dead and looking grey and burnt.  I decided that it would be removed and new garden beds installed.  With three beds made from treated pine sleepers and the old dead lawn removed I had a sand pit.

The sand pit remained for about 6 weeks until I decided synthetic/astro turf would replace the old lawn.   TOOn and I levelled 5 cubic meters of cracker dust and compacted it twice.  It remained un touched for a further month.

I then decided to lay pavers around the two edges, along the garden beds and the road verge.  I then waited until the turf was delivered.

Today a mate (Larry ASHWORTH) turned up to help me lay it.  I woke at 0630 and began creeping the cracker the dust, not level, with a little hump to make it look natural.  Then we cut and layer the turf, pegged it down, glued the edges and covered it with white silicone sand to aid the bristles to stay up right.

I had quotes for the job to be done, priced from $2800 to $4300,  it cost me to do it myself just short of $1500.

I thank TOON and Larry for their help and their patience, also thank the neighbours for not complaining about the sand pit that was there way too long.  I am sure you will agree it looks great.

NOW all we need are plants in the garden beds,  that is TOONs job.

PHOTOS before, during and after.