Peter Burns Home Page

Sandy and I are travelling around Australia for at least 10 years in a 4WD and a caravan . We began our journey on Boxing Day, December 2001 for our first of two, 2-week trial runs in the new caravan. Our house was sold and the paperwork was finished allowing us to head off permanently on Sunday the 17th of March 2002 which coincided with our 23rd Wedding Anniversary.

This website is our travel diary which we will attempt to update at the end of each month. The diary below has links for you to join with us on our progress around Australia.

Our Story(click here) on how we became Aussie Nomads is near the bottom of this page.

Please send us an email when you think of us or wish to ask a question. We attempt to collect our emails every Saturday or Sunday and reply the following Saturday or Sunday providing mobile service is available.

Email via broadband - sanpeter@internode.on.net (small photos allowed)

For Bigpond email - No attachments or jokes please as mobile internet is slow and expensive.
Any emails with attachments will be automatically deleted.
All emails will be replied to within 2 weeks with luck.

CLICK ON THE YEAR BELOW TO SEE THAT DIARY INDEX

I have to keep the WebPages under 10 meg so some of the earlier years/months have had the photos removed.

2002
No Photos

2003
No Photos

2004

2005

2006

2007

Underlined months are links to an active diary pages
please click on it to see what we were up to that month.

Black is the planned itinerary (always changing and mostly unknown).

2007
January	Port Arthur, Franklin, Cockle Creek, New Norfolk, Oatlands, Hamilton, Strathgordon
February	Hobart, Wooden Boat Festival, Lake Sinclair, Queenstown, Strahan, Trial Harbour, Stanley.
March	Northern Tasmania, Perth.
April	Perth. No photos and nothing to report.
May	Visiting Family in Perth - no report.
June	Visiting Family in Perth - no report.
July	Perth to Broome.
August	Broome
September	Broome
October	Broome to Perth
November 07 to July 08	We have stopped travelling for a while to build a flat on the back of Sandy's parents house in Mullaloo, Perth. This will be a new base for us so we can extend our travels overseas in the future. The Website www.users.on.net/~sanpeter/sanpeter will have a few photos of the construction as I get time to upload them. Feel free to have a look. Our new phone number is 08 63635231 and our new broadband email is sanpeter@internode.on.net (small photos allowed)

Return to Diary Main Index

The change started in 1984 when my long service leave became available. We purchased a tent and a 4WD, all that we required to go touring Australia and we did, for 5 months. That was where my wife Sandy and myself started changing into Nomads.

The next stage was in 1994 when we decided that we would leave our day to day work behind and set our goals to travel Australia with a little more comfort than last time. With the help of Hudson Research Institute, who taught us how to invest and who are still providing valuable financial help, we left the workforce seven years later in August 2001. Over the following 6 months we sold everything - house, cars, furniture, tools, plants and all the other things you collect after 23 years of marriage and 29 years of working.

At the same time as we started to sell things a decision had to be made as to the mode of transport/accommodation required. We intend to be travelling for a minimum of 10 years so the original tent from 15 years ago was sold at one of our many garage sales. An off-road camper trailer would be good but we decided it was too small for 10 years accommodation. We believe we require access to most areas of Australia, on and off road, without attempting extreme locations such as Cape York or the Mitchell Plateau. We looked at a 4WD Mitsubishi Canter converted to a Motorhome - off road capable but the living area was too small, a Coaster Motorhome - no 4WD unless we tow one but we prefer to take our comfortable living with us to remote areas. Therefore we were left with only one option, a heavy duty caravan that we could tow behind a 4WD. We looked at what was available in WA and decided on a Windsor Escape made to our specs from George Day Caravans.

What we now have is a caravan that can go on "unmade roads" not offroad. This should satisfy most of our needs. We have 160 litres of drinking water (2 weeks supply if we can get shower water elsewhere). Four Unisolar 64watt panels to power the 140 litre ARRID (now WAECO replaced in 2005) 12 volt compressor fridge. A 450 watt SEA inverter capable of running the bread machine, TV, Video, laptop, lights and small battery chargers from the two 6volt 200A/h batteries (The 12volt Shop). A 10amp Dolphin battery charger (for caravan park or generator power) to aid the solar panels in charging the batteries. We have had to supplement this system with a Honda EU10i generator ( Now Christies Honda Powered Alternator replaced in 2005) as the bread machine draws a lot of current from the battery, which isn't fully replaced on overcast days or when camped under trees. We have our Q/S innerspring mattress and also on board is an annexe, made for us by Armadale Canvas Works, for extended stays.

We purchased a secondhand 1993 Landcruiser diesel traytop which already had a lot of options fitted such as ARB air compressor, bullbar and towbar, OME suspension, dual batteries, PTO winch, etc. (Now we have an ex Telstra Nissan Patrol with OME suspension ARB air compressor, bullbar, towbar, dual batteries and a ROSCO aluminium back.) To this we added a 3.8 metre Savage dinghy on top with a 15Hp Johnson inside. I made a 12 volt shower from a small bilge pump which works extremely well with a bucket of any water available. In the back we also have 2 x 90 litre (now 3 x 90l) water tanks to replenish the caravan when we camp for an extended period of time.

Being able to keep in touch with family and friends during our travels was our first and last consideration. What we came up with is a laptop computer connected to a Telstra CDMA mobile, enabling us to send and receive emails and make phone calls as required in the bush where service is available. We have also developed a Website for our travel diary so that everyone who is interested can check in on our progress and us. Telstra provides accelerated Internet access with no monthly fees for CDMA users via #777. You only have to pay 22 cents connection fee and 8.25c per 30 seconds off peak. This has enabled us to send and receive 25 text only emails for less than $1.00 at CDMA speed of 14.4Kb per second. Updating our website each month takes around 15 minutes which costs approx $3.00. Internet cafes appear to be charging $5.00 per half hour in W.A. while the CDMA internet is charged by the second.

We did two 2-week trips in 2001 to check all our equipment. We have had a few repairs done and made some modifications. Our first trip took us to Whittakers Scarpe Mill campsite just north of Dwellingup. Toilets only and no camping fees. We set up camp and just relaxed for two weeks. Water was available at the North Dandalup dam just down the road a bit and this lovely campsite had plenty of tracks for bush walking. Our last trip we did had us camping at Lane Poole Reserve (Stringers campsite) south of Dwellingup ($10 per night), then day trips to Waroona dam and Drakesbrook Weir just behind Waroona. The weir is a delightful lake for swimming and picnicking with shade and seats available. On to Yalgorup National Park near Preston Beach ($10 per night) to camp with the possums under the shady peppermint trees. Not good for the solar panels so we were glad we had the generator. Good swimming at the nearby beach and friendly campers. Last stop before home was Herron Point near Pinjarra for a few days of crabbing. The Council is now charging $5.50 a night per car with plans to upgrade the camping area.

After this our affairs in Perth were completed and we are now following the sun like true Nomads. We hope to meet many of you out on the tracks or via the Internet, just look for the couple with big smiles!