z_printheader SPRING, 2014 OCEAN DRIVE LIFESTYLE AND TRAVEL FROM CERVANTES TO EXMOUTH ROAD TRIP Spring is the perfect time to get out and explore our region. We take you on a drive from Cervantes to Exmouth z_printheader contents Everybody LET’S who has Buckle up for done ”it” has ROAD a favourite safety place. And We spoke to a mechanic a favourite TRIP spot. to help get your car road ᔡ The same awaits those yet to do trip ready Cervantes “it”. PAGE 6 PAGES 4-5 “It” is the ocean drive which is the theme of the spring edition ᔡ Jurien Bay of Ocean Drive. We cover from Cervantes to PAGE 7 Exmouth — and everywhere in between. Make your bag ᔡ Dongara/ Port As our team of talented writers — supported with photographs work for you Denison which will leave you Nobody likes packing, but gobsmacked — attest, there’s PAGE 8 so much to see and do. there are some handy tips ᔡ And the best way of doing such to make it bearable. Geraldton is “on the road”. PAGE 6 PAGES 12-13 Firstly, you need time. These days, everybody, everywhere, is ᔡ Map in too much of a hurry. So slow down, suck in the fresh air and PAGES 16-17 unwind. More importantly, you need a safe and sound vehicle. Inland ᔡ Northampton On page 6 we tell you about how to get your vehicle into adventure PAGES 18-19 “tip-top” shape. There is more to our region On the other pages, we advise ᔡ Kalbarri than the coastal stops — you what to see and do at the PAGES 22-23 towns, and smaller spots, along check our inland day trip the way. guide. ᔡ Shark Bay/ Obviously, there is one thing in common with the whole trip — PAGE 10 Monkey Mia water. The Indian Ocean is very big, and very addictive. PAGES 24-25 But there are many other reasons for the adventure. Nature’s finest ᔡ Coral Bay There are lots of spots to hang Spring brings a bounty of out and hang loose, so to speak. PAGES 26-27 So read Ocean Drive, and then beautiful flowers to our ᔡ do the ocean drive. region, here is a guide to Carnarvon Cheers, enjoying them. PAGES 28-29 Peter Sweeney PAGE 20 Editor ᔡ Exmouth PAGES 30-31 WRITERS Alexia Parenzee, Branwen PUBLISHER PHOTOGRAPHY Smith, Darcy Hay, Ian Cutler, Ocean Drive is now a Geraldton Newspapers 1 Australia’s Coral Coast, Jessica Millward, Letitia successful quarterly glossy SPRING, 2013 Barker Street Geraldton, WA, Kalbarri Visitor Centre, Busniak, Lewis Freer, Lisa OCEANAUTUMN, 2012 DRIVE 6530 Phone 08 9956 1000 Tourism Western Australia, Thomas, Ryan Hadji, Taylor magazine distributed indian Ocean DriveLIFESTYLE AND TRAVEL FROM CERVANTES TO EXMOUTH Courtland, Gavin Box from Cervantes in the The sisters Department of Parks and OCEANLIFESTYLE DRIVE ANDput TRAVEL some FROM CERVANTES TO EXMOUTH Ocean Drive Rock LIFESTYLE AND TRAVEL FROM CERVANTES TO EXMOUTH GENERAL MANAGER LIFESTYLE AND TRAVEL FROM CERVANTES TO EXMOUTH Introducing SUMMER, 2013 Wildlife, Shire of Irwin, Nic south to Exmouth Jessica and spring Marnie Rock. Page 13 Gerard Marquis ART DESIGN/LAYOUT in your step SPRING, 2012 Ellis, Trin Suckling, Monkey in the north and Feelin hot gerard.marquis@geraldton Alexandra Newbigin, mid west hot hot lovin’ bloomin’ Geraldton’s Hot Yoga craze. fest Page 8-9 Mia Resort, Geraldton Visitor zest Shannon Beven throughout the Wow factor newspapers.com.au So much to discover at the Geraldton Museum. Centre, Integrity Coach Page 30-31 Flying the Mid West. colours Spring Comprehensive guide Lines, Phil Rossiter, Gascoyne COVER PHOTO to wildflower season. EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR Page 34-35 tales into . fi tness whale Happy snapper Junction Community SnapAction, gear supplied A day feedingPages Douglas 22-23 the croc We investigate Shannon Beven booming health and Ian Dearing’s new life. Geraldton’s Pages 6-7 George Bass Salvation within fi tness industry. The barefootPages businessman. 2-3 by Getaway Outdoors INSIDE: Starts page 3 Resource Centre, Shire of More than 30,000 copies TOP 20 BEST-VALUE SUMMER WHITES EDITOR Mingenew, Shire of Three AND TOP 20 MID WEST SURF BREAKS ADVERTISING are printed each quarter. Peter Sweeney Springs, Wildflower Country, Jason Scott, Cathy Byrnes, editor@geraldton Thinkstock. newspapers.com.au Brenda Griffin 2 I OCEAN DRIVE I SPRING, 2014 z_printheader Travel I’ve been everywhere man: Ross Sims has spent half his life travelling the Bad traveller: Tempers can State, mainly behind the wheel of a Picture: Integrity Coach Lines flare after being cooped up bus. in the car. LOVE Picture: Thinkstock YOUR PASSENGER Alexia Parenzee shares some tips on how to keep your dream road trip from turning into a nightmare hen you are about to hit the road, the last thing you W want is a bunch of passengers who don’t get along. We can all push past bad singers or chatterboxes, but hours stuck in the car can get on anyone’s nerves. If you can’t avoid the people you are travelling with, here are a couple LIFE of easy tips to make sure you make the most of your Ocean Drive road trip. Noone is happy when they are BEHIND THE WHEEL hungry. To cover all bases, we suggest selecting tasty treats to suit everyone’s taste buds. You can’t go Peter Sweeney meets a ‘walking-talking’ advertisement for WA, particularly wrong with gummy worms, chips or The Coral Coast chocolate, fruit, vegetable sticks and nut mix. oss Sims is 53. For half his life he where you are, there is so much to little humpies — shacks where Excessive heat is not only has travelled the State, mainly see, day or night. fishermen work from. There’s places exhausting, but can lead to frayed behind the wheel of a bus. “But you need the time, people where you can drive right to the nerves. But everyone likes a different R “Done it once or twice. Love it, must give themselves time. Because water’s edge, there’s 24/7 camping temperature. To combat the love it,” Mr Sims said of his treks north of this we introduced a ‘hopper spots, where you can just pull in. afternoon heat, while not irritating of Perth. pass’. Slowly — that’s the only way to “People go to Monkey Mia and your cold-blooded companion, try “There is nothing in the world like see this part of the world. We urge miss Shell Beach. There’s billions and packing a hand-held fan. This will it.” people who travel with us to get a billions of little shells there. help cool you and only you down. Ross Sims drove coaches for other ‘hopper pass’, and hop on and hop “On the Carnarvon-Coral Bay trip, Straying from your course has led people for a decade. Then he off and hop on and hop off. there’s cattle stations. Beware the to many a disagreement between decided to start his own company, “They can get on at one place cows on the road, but the wildlife is friends — especially when you and for the past 16 years he’s run and off at another. The ‘hopper pass’ worth the trip. And when you get to discover you have been travelling Integrity Coach Lines. applies for 12 months. Coral Bay, boy oh boy. the wrong way for quite some time. If Sure, he’s more office-bound than “What’s there to see? What’s “It doesn’t matter what age you this occurs remember, it’s not easy he’s ever been, but he still gets away there not to see? are, you’ll love it. It’s so laidback and being either the driver or the whenever he can. “There’s lighthouses, there’s the weather’s great. The reef is just 50 navigator — nor is the situation The Sims family-driven Integrity magnificent bush — in one spot on metres off the beach. unfixable. Pull over, set your map Coach Lines travel between the the coast there’s thousands and “You go up to Exmouth and the around the right way, and head off. capital city and Broome. thousands of grass trees, there’s beaches are beautiful, the dive spots Be courteous to your travel “Originally we went to Carnarvon, unbelievable ocean views and are rated the equal of any in the buddies, go to the toilet before you then it extended and was reduced there’s wildlife, like kangaroos and world. leave — multiple rest-stops are high again. Last year another company echidnas. “And there’s ranges, there’s on the list of disagreeable travel pulled out of serving the north-west “In one part of the coast — Indian something for everybody. behaviours — and if things get tense and the State Government asked us Ocean Drive — you can travel along “It doesn’t matter how you see this take a deep breath, remember what to increase our service. It’s all right by without having to worry about road part of the world … just make sure the road trip is all about — having a me, we see much more,” he said. trains, because they’re not allowed you see it. fun time. “This (coastline) is a great part of there. You can travel at your leisure. “It’s an amazing State — just give Alternatively, sometimes a nap the world — the best. No matter “There’s places where there are yourself time to explore it.” heals all wounds. SPRING, 2014 I OCEAN DRIVE I 3 z_printheader Travel Cervantes As she explains, there is plenty about the small township waiting to be discovered.