TRAVEL ON THE ISLAND
I’M DREAMING OF THE WEST COAST Words and images: Stephanie Williams
“So we’re going for a drive in our house?” my six year old asks when I announce we’re taking a motorhome trip in the school holidays. “Kind of,” I reply. “You get to sit in the kitchen while Mum and Dad drive the whole house along.” Lots of laughter and questions flow and it’s obvious that the kids are going to love it. I’m a little apprehensive, I’ll be honest. The practical side of eating, driving, sleeping presents more questions than answers, but in this weird year I’ve learnt that you just have to go with it. After a bit of research we decided on a Maui six-berth motorhome (a Mercedes under a year old) and to head north to Devonport and explore the north west and Tarkine region over a week. It’s suggested we go no longer than 2-3 days freedom camping (staying away from power and water) in order to keep the vehicle charged up, so we book in a couple of key stops at caravan parks and then decide to wing it for the rest.
The van pick up was easy - we had a briefing on how to use the loo, the water, the switches, the beds and then we were on our way. Rather than take all our gear to the van, we decided to head home and pack. When we finally set off, we got about 500 metres from home and stopped at the lights. A lady in the car next door motioned to wind down the window. “Enjoying your holiday?” she yells out nervously. Realising we have Victorian number plates, while they’re in the thick of lockdown and she’s asking with a level of fear that we’re COVID infected outsiders, I yell back “We’re from here, and we’ve only just begun. Ask us in a week!”. Relieved, she waves us on our way as the lights change. Our first stop is at Oatlands for coffee and a play at a brand new (and epic!) park, opened only days earlier. We back the van into the carpark where I enjoy a cosy cup of tea from the comfy couch, while watching the kids play in the cold outside. This is gold. I’d been warned by friends that motorhomes can be slow going and difficult to handle, but the Mercedes felt safe from the outset and easy to drive. We made it to Devonport by a respectable time and set up camp with direct views over The Bluff Beach. You literally couldn’t get a better spot to wake up to the sunrise. After enjoying our cereal watching the waves and walking up to the lighthouse, we get on our way to Arthur River, the next stop.
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Near Penguin we pass a slow moving train that’s snaking along the coast road. We pull over on Main Road and watch as it thunders past, a metre from us. Incredible! Then enjoy bakery fare at the big Penguin statue. The late afternoon is spent exploring the beaches and rockpools of Marrawah, heading back to the comfort of the van for toilet breaks and snacks. After checking in at the deserted, but super clean Arthur River Cabin Park, we cook up spaghetti and retire early. Our bedtime becomes earlier each night as we get into the rhythm of things.
