HANNAH’S PAGE

Sunday 21st March

Hello everyone!  Going back to where I left off on 2nd March - we were still in Esperance - on 2nd March we went to the Esperance Aquarium and there was this big octopus called George and he was really funny.  We saw him being fed. On Wednesday we went back out to Mary and Franks and watched their daughter, Kath do some real cool training with her horse and I got to ride Siam, their other horse. On Thursday we went back to Twilight Bay and swam and body boarded.  On Friday we left Esperance and travelled for the next two days to a place called Albany and stayed at Middleton Beach. It was very rainy.

On Monday 8th we went on a glass bottomed boat called the Kalgan Queen and there were meant to be huge rays but we didn’t get to see any.  We did see some fish and sunken boats and there were lots of eagles who came to the boat to be fed.

On Tuesday we collected our cousin Marion who is 22 and is going to be travelling with us for the next 4 weeks. We went out to some cliffs called The Gap where there is a big hole in the cliffs called the Natural Bridge.  There were huge waves and it was very pretty. To get close we had to lie on our tummies to look over the edge. Then we went to a place called Whaleworld where they used to drag in whales and cut them up and use them for oil but they don’t any more.

On Wednesday 10th it was Mummy’s birthday and we went on the Silver Star cruise and saw only one lazy seal asleep on a rock.  Then we travelled to a place in Denmark called Karri Mia which had a really nice ensuite bathroom with our campsite! We set up a birthday party for Mummy and we made Nachos with cheese and had a chocolate birthday cake. It was fun.

On Thursday we went to see some people called Bob and Tina and in their garden was some little bandicoots which visit every now and then. A bandicoot looks like a big rat wih no tail and a big nose but they are cuter.  Also Tina had raised some baby parrots and set them free and they fly back every day for some mushed up insect food - it didn’t look very nice. We went on a walk with them and saw loads of birds- some really pretty ones. After lunch we went to a huge beach called Ocean beach with lots of waves where we body boarded and played in the sand

On Friday we went with Bob to his son’s winery called West Cape Howe Wines.  We had a look at how wine is made and everything. It was really cool.  Then we went to an Alpaca Stud and Animal Farm and we saw grownup alpacas which has just been shaved and only had fluffy fur on their heads but the baby ones were still very fluffy.  There were also some foxes called Foxey Loxey and Joe and hundreds of goats and a couple of stupid sheep and some really cute Highland calves. And there was a camel called Carmel. Also there was a barn and by the barn there was a little hutch which had hundreds of rabbits and guinea pigs in and we were able to hold them. In the barn there was a little incubator which had tiny chicks in and a little pen full of baby goats and a hutch with some ferrets in it and one of the ferrets climbed up Josie’s jumper. There was also a donkey which went heeeehawwww and a pig which snorted whenever you touched it. There was also a Shetland and a really pretty pony.

After that we went to Williams Bay which was really nice and calm and beautiful and we swam for ages and then drove to Peaceful Bay where we stayed for the night and swam in the sea the next morning. Then we drove to the Valley of the Giants which is an area of enormous trees - some of them 70metres tall.  There is a tree top walk which we went on and it was great fun. There were also some big trees which you could walk through. 

On Sunday we drove through lots more big trees and got to Pemberton where we stayed on a Farm for the night. On the farm there were these little baby guinea pigs and they were only two days old.  They fitted in the palm of your hand. There were also some baby bunny rabbits which were two weeks old and very cute. There were also two calves, two horses called Tommy and Vanity. There was also a little kangaroo which the man had rescued called Diver who were able to bottle feed and a galah (a kind of parrot) who put a tin on his head. There was also an enormous tree called the Gloucester tree which you can climb up - I only climbed up a little way but Michael and Josie and Marion climbed all the way to the top - 62 metres!!  At the bottom of the tree there were these little parrots and if you held out your hand with some bread they came and sat on your hand and ate the bread - it was really fun.

On Tuesday we drove to Margaret River which is right on the west coast of Australia so we have now driven the whole way across!!  We stayed at Pevelley Beach for four nights.  Michael and Josie had some surf lessons on a couple of days and we went riding on Wednesday and I rode a really pretty horse called Kuda which means horse in Malaysian.  He likes being the boss.  On Thursday we went to the Lake Cave and then we went on a sunset ride and I rode Kuda again. He is pitch black with white socks and we saw lots of kangaroos.

On Friday we went on a canoe trip down the Margaret River and it was really fun because we had to eat bush tucker which is like leaves and vegetables out of the bush and we had to paddle our own canoe.  We were all in one big one but we weren’t very fast but it was very funny. Then we went to another beach called Gnarabup and we swam out to a little platform and back. Me and Sarah made a little house out of rocks and I saw a huge ray which a man pointed out to me.

On Saturday before we left Margaret River we went to a place called River Beads where I made two bracelets - one out of glass balls and bells and another one out of sea shells and blue glass balls and a fish shaped bead - they are really pretty. Then we drove to Busselton where we are NOW!!!!

Tuesday 2nd March

Sorry it has been so long since I last updated the page - we haven’t had many chances to use the internet.

On Thursday 12th Feb Daddy came back from England and we drove to a place called Clare.  In the evening we walked down to a little restaurant which was very nice because it was so cosy.  The next morning we went the Seven Hills Winery - there were huge dusty deep cellars and a big church - there was a little cat with a difficult name which I can’t remember.  We drove to Port Pirie where we had lunch on a train which didn’t move - it was very nice.  Then we drove to Whyalla where we stayed in the caravan park. I went for a walk on the beach with Mummy, Sarah and Michael - we walked out miles through the rocks as the tide was out to a sandbank but then the tide came in really fast and our shoes all floated away but we found them all.

Saturday 14th we drove to Port Lincoln where we saw lots of people jumping off the piers on their bicycles!! into the sea!!  Then we drove to Coffin Bay and we tried to stay in the nature reserve but there were too many bees and the waterpump stopped working so we moved to the caravan park.

The next day we went on a 4 wheel drive tour in the National park. We saw some Coffin Bay ponies which are wild - they were grazing happily. We saw hundreds of emus and the guide who was called Steve got Michael to get out and wave his cap out to make the emus come closer because they are very nosey and always go to see what unusual things are.  They came quite close but not very.  We parked at the bottom of some big sand dunes, ie huge piles of sand - and got to climb up them. We also stopped for a swim at this really nice big long beach and the water wasn’t too cold.

On Monday we drove to a little place called Baird Bay which only had a couple of houses and we stayed in one of them for the next two nights. On Tuesday we were meant to go out to see some seals but the sea was too rough so we went into the nearest town called Streaky Bay to do some shopping which was 50km away, and then we went to see some huge lumps of rock sticking out of the ground called Murphys Haystacks.

Wednesday we got to go out and see the seals and dolphins and we got to swim with them but the water was freezing but it was still really fun.  They guy, Alan, who took us had his favourite seal called Fonzi which came up to him and he could kiss it and it was so cute. The seals are completely wild but love to come and play! On the way back we saw some dolphins so we stopped the boat and some people got to go out and swim with the dolphins but I wasn’t allowed as it was too deep and I was too young.  We then travelled to a place called Ceduna which is the beginning of a big strip of desert called the Nullabor which means land of no trees.

Our first stop on the Nullabor we went off the main road to a beach called Fowlers Bay.  They only have water from rain water tanks and no electricity - their power is all from solar panels. We stayed in the caravan park which was very sandy - no grass. In the evening we walked up some huge sand dunes and again the next morning.

Friday evening we crossed over the border of South Australia into West Australia and at the border we had all our fruit and vegetables and our honey taken away. We stayed at Eucla where there were loads of geese and they were really annoying because they woke us up really early and chased us around the campsite! Then we drove down a dirt road to a place where we left Charlie and met a man with a 4 wheel drive truck who drove us down this really steep hill to a place called the Eyre Bird Observatory where we stayed Saturday night. That evening we walked down to a really pretty beach and there was an old boat which had got washed up.  There was a “dunny out the back” which means that the toilet was outside! The next day we went on a walk called the Horse Paddock walk which went around the edge of the old horse paddock - near the end there were some sand dunes and we saw some kangaroo prints on them.

Sunday evening and Monday morning we did lots of driving and got to the other end of the Nullabor Plain at a place called Norseman. We stopped for lunch at a little cafe and then went into the bookshop next door where we met this lady who said that she could use some hands feeding the baby kangaroos which she had rescued so we got to go to her house. There were 7 kangaroos - 2 reds and 5 western greys and they all had to have bottles of milk. She had also rescued a tiny baby one which was still meant to be in the pouch but its Mum had been hit by a car. There were 6 chichihuahuas - 4 were girls and they were all pregnant.  She also had a baby wattle birds which are birds which can mimic sounds and Michael got to feed it - it was really ugly and scruffy.  Then we drove to Esperance which is back on the coast.

We stayed in an apartment until Friday and then in the caravan park which is where we are now. In Esperance we have been on a boat to Woody Island - we saw lots of dolphins and seals and sea lions on the way there.  While we were there we went in a glass bottomed boat and saw sunken boats and lots of fish.  Another day we went on another 4 wheel drive with a guy called Frank and we got to drive up enormous sand dunes and skid down the other sides and we got to go sand boarding which is kind of like snow boarding -you sit on a board and whizz down the sand dunes - it was really fun.  Mummy and Daddy have been talking with Frank and we might go on a big trip through the desert to Ayers Rock with him. Daddy flew back home on Saturday.  Since then we have been to a really pretty beach called Twilight Bay and we have been to Frank and Mary’s house twice - the first time we got to go on his quad bike to see kangaroos and today we went on his quad bike to see his horses - one his called Hannah and the other is called Sunami - and me and Sarah got to ride together bareback (no saddle, no bridle) - his back was very boney especially when we trotted.

Bye for now - Hannah

Wednesday 11th February

On Thursday 5th we went to a place called Ebden which had a really nice swimming pool.On wednesday 6th we went to some friends of our friend,Verity and they had a really funny dog called Fred that barked everytime you got in or out of there pool.On Thursday 7th we went to a place called moama which had a pretty lake.The next day we went to a place called mildura that had a lovely swimming pool and a huge slide.On saturday we went to a gem swhop and there was a maze and a place called Aladins cave we went to both,then we went to a place called Paringa then to Adelaide.

Wednesday 4th Febuary

On Australia day we went to see some friends then we went to Darling Harbour .In Darling harbour we watched a boat parade,the next day we left Mona Vale and went to a place called Umina.In Umina we stayed in a campsite which had a LOVELY pool with a waterslide into it.On Sunday the first of feb we went to a reptile park and there was a HUGE croc called Eric he was really scary and he had to come out the wild because he had attacked 2 people!!!.On monday we went horseriding and I rode a horse called Bronty who was really cute and fast.Now were are at Jackos and there are hundreds of baby calves.

Thursday 22nd January

On Tuesday 13th me and Sarah went to a riding place called Palomino Riding Stables on Forest Way.  I rode a horse called Khan which looked just like Woody except more sensible and bigger and lighter, and Sarah rode a palomino called Twiggy.  On Wednesday we went again and rode the same ponies. Then on Thursday we went to a pony camp and we did an hour lesson, an hour horse management and an hour trail ride.  On the lesson I rode a horse called Melody which was a dapple grey but not very many dapples and Sarah rode Chilli (a Chestnut) and then on the trail ride I rode Khan again and Sarah rode a humungous one called Toby. It was really fun riding through the wood. Then we went to see Cheaper by the Dozen (the same day!). 

On Friday 16th we went into Sydney and went up the Centrepoint Tower and went on the simulator and tour and then we went to the Aquarium where there were some really cute seals and some big sharks.

On Saturday 17th we went to Palm Beach and there was a sandcastle contest - there was one huge display which was a chess board and they were all around my height, all carefully moulded. We did lots and lots of body boarding as there was a nice shallow sandbank and the waves weren’t too big.

On Sunday 18th we went to a BIG BIG church called Hillsongs and it was really fun in our group. On Tuesday 20th we went to see some people at the beach - the Mum was called Wendy and there were two boys called Alex and Ben. I also had my hair cut.

On Wednesday 21st me and Sarah went riding and I rode Harley and Sarah rode Chilli again. It was BOILING HOT.  We went for a big swim when we got home.  Today we went riding again and this time I rode Cheska who I needed a whip on and I really liked him and Sarah rode Harley. Tomorrow (Friday 23rd) we are going to the circus.

During all this time Josie and Michael have been going to Surf School in the mornings for two hours so Sarah and I play on the beach or go body boarding when the waves are small.

Sunday 11th January

On tuesday 16th December we travelled to Adelaide and stayed there for a week seeing friends shopping and going places.Then we travelled down to Victor Harbour where we went on a horse and tram to Ganet island where we went on a walk round the island.Then we stayed in Victor Harbour for a night and on that night there was a christmas parade..On Sunday the 21st we travelled to Kangroo Island.

On kangroo Island we went to seal bay where you could all most touch the seals.We also went to a place called Kelly Hill Caves,which was discovered by a Horse called Kelly which fell down a hole and was never found again.Later that day we went on a nocturnal walk wear we saw hundreds of wallibes and loads of other animals.We stayed there for christmas which was boiling so we went to the beach.When we left Kangaroo Island we travelled to Sydney where my Dad went back to england and we stayed in a really psh hotel. While we where there we saw more friends and at one of the friends house we jumped off the pier and swam.Also we went to see the Lion,Witch and the Wardrode which was really goooood.

Now we are staing in a really nice place where Joise and Mick take surfing lessons and we are going to take riding lessons.We have been too the beach millions.

Sunday 14th December

On Saturday we went to a place called the Naracoote Caves and did a tour to the Victoria Fossil Cave where we saw the skeletons of an animal like a giant wombat and a ugly kangaroo.  The wombat was a tree climbing, meat eating wombat called Leo and the ugly kangaroo was called Stanley and ate leaves, they think.  After that we went riding.  I rode a pony called Bluey who was very a nice pony but I had to use a whip and Sarah’s pony was called Bubbles and was very stubborn and always wanted to be in front.  I was too young to go on a trail ride as you have to be 10 and I am only 9 - so unfair! so me and Sarah had to ride around the garden. They had lots of goats.  It was really fun.

Saturday 13th December

On Tuesday 2nd December we left Echuca and went to Halls Gap.  In Halls Gap there was this really annoying noise madde by little bugs called cicadas - only the boys make it.  They did it on every hot day which was really annoying.  On Thursday we walked to a place called the Venus Pool where there were lots of little rock pools and Sarah and I played in one by stopping the water and then the water jumped over your hands and it was really fun although it was quite cold. On the next day we went on a 4 wheel drive which was an all day tour of the Grampians.  We saw lots of birds, a snake and a couple of lizards and also we saw hundreds of kangaroos and one echidna and some wallabies and we saw a couple of emus which we have never seen in the wild before.  We had a barbeque for lunch and some afternoon and morning tea and we travelled quite a long way.

On Saturday 6th we went to Port Fairy which is a fishing town and we mostly just wandered around the town and saw lots of birds and ate in lots of cafes with yummy food.

On Monday 8th we went to Cape Bridgwater and we went in a little dinghy speedboat to see some seals.  We zoomed over the waves going up and down a lot and then we saw lots of seals and the man that was taking us had a stick which he dipped in the water and the seals played with it.  At Cape Bridgewater there weren’t any shops only one little kiosk.  I don’t know how we survived!  We borrowed some body boards and had bought some rubber rings and played in the surf a lot.

On Thursday we went to Nelson where we went on a boat trip to some caves called the Princess Margaret Rose Caves.  They were very beautiful and they had lots of stalagmites and stalgtites.  You can see some pictures of them on the photos page. Then we stayed at Mount Gambier and saw a blue lake which was very very blue and we don’t know why.  We stayed in a motel which had a lovely swimming pool.

Then we came here yesterday and we are here until Monday.  It is very peaceful and nice and there are lots of vineyards nearby where they make wine. We might go riding later today but we are not sure.

Saturday 29th November

On Sunday16th we travelled to Apollo bay and stayed in a place called Marengo Reef

On Tuesday we went to a place called the Otway Fly where you are on a pathway and the ground drops away and it was like you are walking on thin air. It was really fun and it wobbled quite a bit.

On Wednesday 19th we went riding at a place called Wild Dog Trails.  I rode a polomino which is a kind of creamy colour and he was called Jay Jay and was the “best horse on the block”.  We went riding along the beach. After that we went to see a lighthouse and we walked all the way up to the light.

On Thursday it was a misty grey day and we drove to a place called the 12 Apostles which are giant rocks in the sea.  They were very pretty.

On Friday we went kayaking in the sea and saw some seals.  I was in a boat with Sarah and the instructor, Travis so we didn’t have to do any work because he did it all. On the way back to shore we rode lots of waves and it was really fun and we got soaked even though we didn’t fall over and all the others did. The seals were really cute and they kept on jumping out of the water and following us.

On Saturday we travelled to the Ballarat Goldfields - it was raining quite a lot - thats where gold was found.  We stayed there until Tuesday.

On Monday we went to a place called Sovereign Hill which was a gold town that has now been restored. It was really nice and you even got to pan for gold. One lady found some but we didn’t have any luck. We also had a tour of some mines and at the end we went in a train. You had to put your leg over like you were riding a horse and it was underground and it was quite scarey.

At the campsire there was a spa pool which was like a huge bubbly bath and even though I cut my knee on the step it was still fun.

On Tuesday 25th we travelled to a place called Echuca which is on the Murray River.  We wandered around and did a bit of shopping. We went on a paddlesteamer called the Emmy Lou.

On Friday 26th we went on a houseboat and we are keeping it definitely until Monday and we might keep it longer. I sleep on the top bunk with Sarah in my room. The bunks are tiny but they have good little windows and you can sleep in when Daddy’s driving but you can’t in the campervan.  We swam in the river. It is quite cold but Sarah and I wear lifejackets and bob up and down looking like ice cubes!

Saturday 15th November

On Friday 7th my Dad got back and we travelled to a place called Phillip Island and in the evening we watched a thing called the Penguin Parade.  It was when loads of penguins were washed in by the sea and came up the beach to look for their burrows.  they were really cute and they were called fairy penguins.

On Saturday we travelled into Melbourne and on the way we stopped at the races and we had a very posh lunch because we knew a friend who was racing a horse. He is called Louis and his horse won!

On Monday we were staying with some friends, the Dempseys and we all went to a place called Healesville Sanctuary.  There were loads of dingoes, kangaroos and lots of other Australian animals.

On Tuesday we went to the Aquarium and we went in a glass bottom boat over the shark tank.  When we saw a turtle at the bottom we all lent over.  Josie lent over too far and dropped her phone in! and then we had to wait ages afterwards to see if they could get her phone back but they think a shark has eaten it.

At the Dempseys house there was a family of guinea pigs - a female called Alice, a boy called Patch and their children called Spinks, Patch junior and Dustbin - Dustbin was my favourite because when you open up the cage, all the rest run away except for him. There were also two dogs called Oscar and Darby - they were really cute.

We left the Dempseys on Wednesday and went to a place called Anglesea for two nights.  We played on the beach there and we all got a little sunburnt.

On Friday we went to a place called Cumberland River Caravan Park and there was a little river running through the park which you could paddle in.  We went on a walk down the river to a place called Jebbs Pool.  Mummy, Josie and Michael swam and me and Sarah and Daddy just paddled.  It was quite slippery in places and very cold but fun.

Today on the way here we stopped at the biggest waterfall in Victoia.  It was very pretty and we crossed over lots of rocks to the other side.  Tonight we are staying in a placed called Forrest and we are going to see some platypus and we are going in a canoe to see them!

Thursday 6th November

Sorry its been so long but we didnt have a phone line for ages.  Last Wednesday we went to Cooma where we went swimming. It was meant to be heated but it was quite cold. The pool had a roof but no sides and it was a cold day so it was a bit strange.  On Thursday we went riding again. This time I rode a half Shetland called Greg who had a very fast pace.  We saw some wild goats and some echidnas - one was drinking.  They are kind of like hedgehogs, except more spikier. On Friday it poured with rain all day so we didn’t do much. On Saturday we went into Jindabyne for Michael to play with some friends and we all played in the playground next to the lake.  On Sunday we helped Jacko and Verity to move lots of cattle and we got to sit in the back of the truck with no sides on and no seatbelts (see the photos).

On Monday we went to Thredbo which is up in the mountains. There was loads of snow and iin some places it was thigh deep and very cold at the top of the chairlift but hot at the bottom!  As well as playing in the snow we also went on a bobsled. You first start off on the track which takes you up the hill and then you zoom down the twisty hill.

On Tuesday we left Jackso and did loads of travelling to a place called Lakes Entrance and we stayed there Tuesday and Wednesday night. While we were there we went in their swimming pool which was very cold and we went down to the lake which had some paddleboats which we went on, and we played on the beach.  Today we have done loads of more travelling and we are now staying at a hotel at Melbourne airport to wait for my Dad to come back from England.

T

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