Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all

Over the last year I have been planning to get away for a while, and my boss has given me 12 months off (long service + annual leave, and a bit more without pay). Our original plan was to get a job in Canada but that has fallen through. We've now decided to do a road trip around the country.
We will be leaving Adelaide in April and will be travelling in a clockwise direction. Our itinerary is flexible but have the following in mind:
Hawker (Flinders Ranges) for Easter
Esperence (missed out a couple of years ago when in WA)
Perth (visit friends and Ye Old BYAP shoppe)
Ningaloo Reef and other sites on the west coast
Darwin (more friends)
Townsville (brother)
Goldcoast (theme parks for the kids)
Brief stops down the east coast to visit friends
End up in Warrnambool and park there for 6 months
Home for a couple of months to restart the AP system before going back to work.
We will no doubt visit lots of other places.
We are planning to tow a campervan (yet to be purchased)
We would love to meet a few BYAPers on the way and check out a few systems. I am likely to be in AP withdrawal for most of my time away (have purchased laptop). However I imagine there will be plenty of time to plan that elusive 2nd system (aka pool conversion - I will be counting on you to help me convince my wife)!!!
We would love to meet as many of you as we can as we travel around.

Aquaponically mad - and loving it!
David and Athena

ps I have an aquaponic system for rent, available for 9 months April-Jan. Comes with free house. Will also throw in 50 trout. $350 per week. PM me for details.

There's a room here if you need one, bit out of the way if your going via Esperance though

I am just up from Ningaloo reef.....welcome anytime

If I go to Esperence I will probably end up following the coast, and that means I would have to visit C1.
I guess it depends on how much time we've got. Some of our accomadation on the west coast (eg Ningaloo) will have to be pre-booked. If we are in a hurry we will have to take the shortest route from Hawker to Perth, that means a visit to OBO.

Jess I would be interested in a bit of local knowledge. Are there any places you would recommend that we did visit along the coast, and are there any places that we should miss? I might PM you soon with a few more questions. We will be looking for somewhere to park the van eg caravan park or camping ground so we can enjoy the coast, go snorkeling etc

most welcome KE and Fam.
I think you need to start another thread like..

Best places to visit during the lucky country circumnavigation
via camper van for KE and Family.

anyway it sounds like a wonderful thing to do

well, I suppose we could let another APer see the system

1/3 of the lap planned. Hawker (4 nights), Streaky Bay (1), ...... Esperence (3), Albany (2), C1's house Margaret River (2), Perth (7), Cervantes (3), Denham/Monkey Mia (4) and up to Coral Bay (5).
After here we will probably head east to Tom Price and the national park next door (2), then north to 80 Mile Beach (2) via Port Headland, then Broome (6). Then its Halls Creek and the Bungle Bungles, Karatha, and onto NT.

Drroool. Very jealous, But your trip sounds great. Maybe a BYAP get together could be planned to coincide with the royal visit. What date do you think Your Highness?

Don't forget to drop into Kununnurra and have a look around the Ord for a day or two....

Denham/Monkey Mia - Is nice but... not much there apart from the local
dolphins If you visit the dolphin interaction centre watch for the handlers...
then after they do their thing feeding, have a chat with them
You might jagg a feeding oportunity

Coral bay is awesome...
walk down the beach togs only (south as far as you can easily walk)
then hop in the water and let it take you all the way to where you
started
A tip - EDP (chemist) as a first aid powder for sea/beach related cuts and scratches.
Every thing will try to draw blood and sea ulcers take ages to heal.

There is also heaps of Aloe vera growing near the (old)old backpackers.
be careful with opening oysters they are joy but cut fingers, seemingly
without even touching anything
Don't forget to have some coconut milk, there are a few palms around

Not for the faint hearted but a night snorkel (dive is better) is awesome

Oyster bay is remarkable but tough don't walk without 100ltrs water
drive, be careful of the turtles nests.(up the beach with heaps of sticks) About 10k...
Black and white tip reef sharks are no bother, also happens to be a B&W tip nursery.
Hope this helps

Old surfies tip... or travelling surfeis tip.... for sea ulcers.... pack them with pure honey....

mmm...
the trouble is, getting pure honey is troublesome.
Also if your camping ants will lurve you!
But totally with you Rupe

Any honey is better than none....

Honey is a natural antiseptic... and allows the wound to remain "moist" and heal from the inside out....

Most sea ulcer take heaps to heal... as they get wet, then dry out... the dry outside edges just keep decaying before the inside has a chance to heal...

Result ... big hole...

Between Cervantes and Denham, Kalbarri is worth a look. Attached a couple of photos from there I took a few months back, including a whale I spotted while I trying to take photos of waves washing up on the rocks. Didn't have sufficient zoom or my tripod unfortunately
Recommend fishing charter out of Denham if you are into fishing.
The glass bottom boat ride out of Coral Bay is awesome.

+1 for the fishing charter out of denham... we did it years ago and it was awesome... fishing 70 MILES off shore next to oil rigs but caught coral trout, schnapper, a million other wild and wonderful fish and one bloke caught a spanish mac that was shared amongst all aboard and made a great bbq fish and pasta cold slad Can get a bit rough, and the area is known for a very large population of tiger sharks, so you do bring the odd half a fish up (wind faster)