Saturday, June 18, 2011
Pictures
Not a lot of waffle this post, but some pictures looking up and down our street as well as our house that we are renting. Take note of the lovery green grass with the full garden beds in the middle of the road (it is fake grass but even I was fooled for a day or 2 until closer inspection!)
Boulder Market Day
The 3rd Sunday of each month is Boulder Market Day and today was a beautiful day for the market. We firstly headed down Burt Street where there were many gorgeous creations for sale on both sides of the street. The street isn't blocked to traffic but the footpaths are wide enough for browsing and walking and the stalls to all exist happily. We came home with local honey (label just says BA Beekeeper), fruit and vegetables (from Orchard) and half a side of lamb and a rather large chicken (from Muka Meats www.mukameats.com.au).
There is entertainment in Loopline Park for young and old. We watch Scooby Circus perform and the kids laughed and cheered. Stirling is actually attending a circus workshop this afternoon with Scooby Circus (was advertised in the local paper yesterday).
And everyone has to have a train ride while at the markets.......
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Our first week
Well one week of living in Kalgoorlie has happened.....so far....it is different. There is a lot of dirt (which is red), when you go to the shops you see a lot of guys in hivis gear rather then suits, or shirts and ties. There are a lot of 4 wheel drives, a number of caravans with the exploring tourists.
I discovered there are a few things I can't get at the supermarket that I used to always buy, just particular brands, but have been able to find alternatives. I also now understand why people have large fridges, buy the time you do your big shop there isn't a lot of room left when you put things away.
I did brave the town myself a few times and managed to find the local Harvey Norman, Kmart and Target stores ok, all of which seem to have a good selection of things available. Unsure what Kmart and Target are like with toysales, but we do have a local Toyworld that currently has their Christmas laybys available. I am hoping that in the next few weeks I can take a stroll down the main street and check out what shops are on offer.
We were going to go and check out the Super Pit on the weekend but Stirling came down ill in the car (now that was smelly!), so we spent the weekend trying to arrange things in the house. Everything is slowly coming together. Greg managed to pick up a wardrobe for Abigail's bedroom on Sunday in a garage sale. We are still lacking storage but that will hopefully be sorted with an order from Ikea going in soon.
Wesley has attended Auskick once already and he is no playing in the Adelaide team (very different set up from the Auskick in Tassie, I prefer the way Clarence was run at this stage). He loves his football.
The boys both started school this week at Kalgoorlie Primary School and love it! I am yet to have a chance to talk to the teachers and see how they are going with the work, but I am told they are settling in nicely. We live a 5 minute drive from school (15/20mins walk, 30mins for the kids), which is handy.
I discovered there are a few things I can't get at the supermarket that I used to always buy, just particular brands, but have been able to find alternatives. I also now understand why people have large fridges, buy the time you do your big shop there isn't a lot of room left when you put things away.
I did brave the town myself a few times and managed to find the local Harvey Norman, Kmart and Target stores ok, all of which seem to have a good selection of things available. Unsure what Kmart and Target are like with toysales, but we do have a local Toyworld that currently has their Christmas laybys available. I am hoping that in the next few weeks I can take a stroll down the main street and check out what shops are on offer.
We were going to go and check out the Super Pit on the weekend but Stirling came down ill in the car (now that was smelly!), so we spent the weekend trying to arrange things in the house. Everything is slowly coming together. Greg managed to pick up a wardrobe for Abigail's bedroom on Sunday in a garage sale. We are still lacking storage but that will hopefully be sorted with an order from Ikea going in soon.
Wesley has attended Auskick once already and he is no playing in the Adelaide team (very different set up from the Auskick in Tassie, I prefer the way Clarence was run at this stage). He loves his football.
The boys both started school this week at Kalgoorlie Primary School and love it! I am yet to have a chance to talk to the teachers and see how they are going with the work, but I am told they are settling in nicely. We live a 5 minute drive from school (15/20mins walk, 30mins for the kids), which is handy.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
The trip
The 3rd June saw the kids and I pack the car up (with my mother in law with us), and head north. We left Hobart early to head to Launceston for the day where we say my sister and her family, and my dad to say goodbye. We also had a chance to see the dinosaurs at the museum in Inveresk.
That afternoon we headed west to Devonport and caught the Spirit of Tasmania to Melbourne. It was a good crossing except that Abigail would not settle, so little sleep was had that night by all.
When we arrived in Melbourne the next morning Greg was waiting for us and we said our goodbyes to my mother in law, and started on our long journey.
Due to the weather reports not being so fantastic we decided to just start heading toward Kalgoorlie. We had thought about taking a more scenic journey along the Great Ocean Road, but it wasn't worth the weather risk. So off we headed.
We stopped at Boardertown for lunch and a play. The bakery that is next to a gorgeous little park and stream is yummy! We also decided at this point on that we would take things one town at a time with the kids and start looking at where we could stay for the night. We managed to make it to Murray Bridge, and stayed at the Oval Motel and cabin park. The accommodation was fantastic for the price we paid.
Sunday morning we headed toward Adelaide taking a few detours that we just had to do! We went to Stirling and Handorf. Both places we are planning to head back and explore in more detail. The bakery we stopped at in Handorf was devine! They had gorgeous clocks displayed on the counter which I struggled to walk out and not buy one.
We headed from Handorf through Adelaide and up to Port Augusta. We decided not long out of Port Augusta to take a detour and stop the night in Streaky Bay. Beautiful spot!
Those that have driven the drive from Adelaide to Perth will know that there isn't a lot to see after Ceduna, and we encountered rain! Beautiful rain for the area. We stocked up on supplied in Ceduna on Monday morning and headed for the desert. Wesley proudly told us it was the best desert he had ever seen, but where was the sand.
Lunch on Monday was at Nullabor Roadhouse, a great spot to stop! Friendly staff and great food! Greg and I had stayed there back in February when we drove from Adelaide to Perth, but this was just a lunch and leg stretch stop this time. We had planned a roadside picnic in one of the many picnic areas on the highway but the rain disagreed. Monday night we stopped in Madura. It is in Madura we discovered there is another time zone in Australia....CWST. They are 45mins ahead of Perth and 45mins behind Adelaide. It is also a place of no mobile reception no matter what carrier you are with! We reverted to using a payphone that evening to call Hobart family and let them know where we were.
Tuesday morning was an early start, the kids were all still operating on EST so they were up early! Dark and wet we headed off in to fog. Slowly we started to head towards Kalgoorlie, this was to be the last day of driving! The rain was still about for a while and we came across some rather large puddles! We stopped in Cocklebiddy for morning tea and a play, they have a fantastic little play area for the kids. We also decided at this point that we would stop in Norseman for lunch. Lunch was 12....had a play and then the excitment for the kids set in....in a few hours they would see their new house and all their toys they had missed!
That afternoon we headed west to Devonport and caught the Spirit of Tasmania to Melbourne. It was a good crossing except that Abigail would not settle, so little sleep was had that night by all.
When we arrived in Melbourne the next morning Greg was waiting for us and we said our goodbyes to my mother in law, and started on our long journey.
Due to the weather reports not being so fantastic we decided to just start heading toward Kalgoorlie. We had thought about taking a more scenic journey along the Great Ocean Road, but it wasn't worth the weather risk. So off we headed.
We stopped at Boardertown for lunch and a play. The bakery that is next to a gorgeous little park and stream is yummy! We also decided at this point on that we would take things one town at a time with the kids and start looking at where we could stay for the night. We managed to make it to Murray Bridge, and stayed at the Oval Motel and cabin park. The accommodation was fantastic for the price we paid.
Sunday morning we headed toward Adelaide taking a few detours that we just had to do! We went to Stirling and Handorf. Both places we are planning to head back and explore in more detail. The bakery we stopped at in Handorf was devine! They had gorgeous clocks displayed on the counter which I struggled to walk out and not buy one.
We headed from Handorf through Adelaide and up to Port Augusta. We decided not long out of Port Augusta to take a detour and stop the night in Streaky Bay. Beautiful spot!
Those that have driven the drive from Adelaide to Perth will know that there isn't a lot to see after Ceduna, and we encountered rain! Beautiful rain for the area. We stocked up on supplied in Ceduna on Monday morning and headed for the desert. Wesley proudly told us it was the best desert he had ever seen, but where was the sand.
Lunch on Monday was at Nullabor Roadhouse, a great spot to stop! Friendly staff and great food! Greg and I had stayed there back in February when we drove from Adelaide to Perth, but this was just a lunch and leg stretch stop this time. We had planned a roadside picnic in one of the many picnic areas on the highway but the rain disagreed. Monday night we stopped in Madura. It is in Madura we discovered there is another time zone in Australia....CWST. They are 45mins ahead of Perth and 45mins behind Adelaide. It is also a place of no mobile reception no matter what carrier you are with! We reverted to using a payphone that evening to call Hobart family and let them know where we were.
Tuesday morning was an early start, the kids were all still operating on EST so they were up early! Dark and wet we headed off in to fog. Slowly we started to head towards Kalgoorlie, this was to be the last day of driving! The rain was still about for a while and we came across some rather large puddles! We stopped in Cocklebiddy for morning tea and a play, they have a fantastic little play area for the kids. We also decided at this point that we would stop in Norseman for lunch. Lunch was 12....had a play and then the excitment for the kids set in....in a few hours they would see their new house and all their toys they had missed!
Decisions and the move
A decision was made in March that we would move the family from Hobart to Kalgoorlie. Greg was already working in the area, at a job he loves (not in the mines), so we decided it was time to say farewell to Hobart and hello to Kalgoorlie.
The packing and organising was long, we needed to finish some projects around the house so that we could rent it out, we also had to find an agent to manage the property for us. We also needed to find a rental property in Kalgoorlie that would suit us and the visitors we are already expecting.
May 12th was D-day....the removalist arrived nice and early and set to work packing the shipping container
The removalists did an amazing job! We used Wridgeways and would happily use them again. The container was fast to arrive in Kalgoorlie it was unpacked about 2 weeks later, at our new rental property, while the kids and I were still in Hobart staying with my parents in law. We made the decision early to let the boys finish term 1 in Tasmania before the move, then they could have a week off school and straight back into school in Kalgoorlie as they are on holidays again soon!
The packing and organising was long, we needed to finish some projects around the house so that we could rent it out, we also had to find an agent to manage the property for us. We also needed to find a rental property in Kalgoorlie that would suit us and the visitors we are already expecting.
May 12th was D-day....the removalist arrived nice and early and set to work packing the shipping container
The removalists did an amazing job! We used Wridgeways and would happily use them again. The container was fast to arrive in Kalgoorlie it was unpacked about 2 weeks later, at our new rental property, while the kids and I were still in Hobart staying with my parents in law. We made the decision early to let the boys finish term 1 in Tasmania before the move, then they could have a week off school and straight back into school in Kalgoorlie as they are on holidays again soon!
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