THE IVY TRAIL

We arrived at Perth International with two duffle bags, a backpack each and a rough plan. We were met at the airport by some of my family who are based in Perth and immediately got to work on opening bank accounts and various other administrative things required to live and work in the country. (3 things to do when you first arrive in Australia on a working holiday) We were also on the hunt for a van to suit our travelling needs. (Buying A Van In Australia – Things to look out for when starting Vanlife)

In between looking for a van, My cousin, Gaylene had numerous suggestions of sites to visit and cool local spots to see whilst we were in town.

Our first few endeavours began with a visit to every beach within a 12-mile radius. We lucked out to empty beaches as we visited during school/work hours. 

 Our first major trip out of Perth was a road trip north to The Pinnacles in Nambung national park. ( pictured below) Along the way we stopped along the coast at two rocks for a lunch stop and went for a nice walk along Hangover bay (Also pictured below). Features I noted at this beach were the ultra-fine sands and its alluring three-tone colour palette. As we arrived at The Pinnacles , I soon understood the fascination surrounding them. As a climber and someone with a deep appreciation for nature, I have always treasured the value that Rock holds in my own life. But to adopt the perspective of the Aboriginal people of Australia gave me new valuable insight. I became curious and did my own research so I could see things how they did long before scientific theories of the origins of these wonders were conceived. (Five things to do in and around Perth)

Our next daytrip involved a ‘convict tour’ at Fremantle Prison (Pictured below) to learn a bit about the history of the region and learn how convict transportation helped shape the area. The prison was active from its conception in 1855 (26 years after the colony was first established), until it was decommissioned in 1991. Through the duration of our tour, it became clear to me how deeply woven the prisoner transportation system was within the very fabric of the city and wider country, even today. After all, the prisoners helped to build the city, the infrastructure and the prison itself and often spent long periods of time outside of the prison while working in the surrounding areas. They often went on to integrate into the country that they helped build after being granted their freedom.

The prison convict tour puts emphasis on the harsh conditions that these people faced. When they weren’t labouring, they spent the remainder of their day in a small cell with a hammock as a bed, no running water, a bucket as a toilet and food at such a low standard that it caused a number of prisoners to riot in August of 1902.

After the prison, we spent some time at Fremantle market, a mere 5 minute walk from the Prison. We meandered in and around the vibrant stalls, with each one having something unique and eye-catching about it. I was immediately captivated by the bohemian, free-spirited atmosphere that I had found myself in. It is almost reminiscent of Los Angeles in the 1960s. The streets were bustling with activity. Local musicians performing in bars, buskers playing on the streets, and performers gathering crowds of people, enjoying the rich culture of the city.

After we finished the first full week in the country it was time to get to work. We’d basked in the sun at Perth’s beaches, hopped around tourist sites, explored the city and seen some of the local’s favourite spots. But now, it was time to find ourselves a van to begin our journey north.

The second week consisted almost entirely of looking at vans.

We looked at as many as we could. Ranging from a Mazda E200 (which was 10 years older than myself) to more modern vehicles.

At the end of the week, Jessica and I celebrated her 23rd Birthday. I baked her a strawberry cake the night prior and took her to Mullaloo Beach followed by a picnic at Kings Park. After celebrating, we ended the day with a viewing of a 2003 Toyota Hiace which is now our home for the next year or so! The hunt for our van was over and it was now time to renovate it to make it our own.
It took a further two weeks of work to get the van ready. We repainted inside, varnished the wooden insurances, rewired some of the electrics, stripped the paint of the exterior and repainted the whole outside.

On the 22nd of April we went south east for a two-day visit to the small farming town of Hyden. Home to the world-renowned Wave rock. A fascinating, colourful rock formation in the shape of a wave.

The trip was slightly eventful, we stopped for a break roughly 250 kilometres from Perth and the LED headlights mounted to the roof bars (which were wired to the starter battery) ended up draining the battery. Luckily, I had some leftover cable which I used to make jumper leads to connect the deep cycle battery to the starter battery and start the vehicle!
Lesson learned, always bring jumper leads and an emergency jump start kit when embarking on a long road trip!

This trip allowed us to find out what work needed to be done on the van before we could embark on the journey of a lifetime around Australia.