Port Augusta to Coober Pedy

22nd May 2013

We left the Big 4 caravan park at Port Augusta under grey clouds and constant drizzle. It didn't look much better where we were heading.

But the dark skies did provide a contrasting backgroud to the brilliant orange-to-red hills that surrounded us.

  Mid morning saw us at the Woomera Rocket range. This is a strange place that's a bit like a ghost town on the surface, but there's Army personnel and other workers around, a school, cinema, General Store, Museum and a Heritage Centre. There's also a Cafe where we took the opportunity to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee.

 

"Alice Springs?.......a nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there"

20th & 21st May 2013

Here we are at last, about to start one of the most iconic Australian journeys....through Central Australia to Alice Springs.

The last two days have seen us arrive at Port Augusta, travelling over countryside familiar to us after our trip to the Flinders Ranges in 2011. Last night we pulled up at a Caravan Park in Bolivar, an area on the north western side of Adelaide. I got talking to a fellow camper there about where we were heading. When I told him our ultimate destination is Alice Springs his immediate response was "Nice place to visit....but you wouldn't wanna live there!"  (He and his wife had lived there) hence the above title of this blog thread.

So, here we are on the eve of ticking off one of the major items on my bucket list, that is, to experience Uluru and Kata Tjuta in person. Hopefully there'll be some nice photos to add in over the next 4 weeks.

Stay tuned.

Rapid Bay, Myponga, Hindmarsh Valley, Deep Creek Conservation Park. 9th Oct 2012

After a comfortable night's rest, we woke to a bright and cloudless day.

Di and Dave hopped into the car with us and and guided us to a few locations they'd visited over the previous couple of days.

Old unused jetty behind the new.

The first stop was a little down the road at Rapid Bay, which has a large, open campgroud, no power or showers, an uninterupted view of the beach, and handy to the old derelict jetty which is popular with divers hoping to catch a sighting of the elusive leafy sea dragon.

Another short hop to the HMAS Hobart Memorial overlooking Lady Bay. The Hobart was a Destroyer that served Australia for 35 years before being de-commissioned and subsequently scuttled in 2002, now providing a habitat for local marine life. The ship's anchor has been situated at the memorial such that it points to the ship's final resting place.

The view back towards Rapid Bay.

Looking North to Yankalilla Bay

A bit more driving and it was time for a coffee break so we hit the local Bakery at Myponga. Back in the car and after a few wrong directions coming from the back seat (Dave had the map) we continued to follow the Tourist Trail and stopped off to take a couple of short walks to some waterfalls.

The Trail brought us out on the edge of the Deep Creek Conservation Reserve, and a chance for us to test out the new Prado on some dirt road. After a few K's we pulled up at a diversion off the main track that we had to purchase a pass to use and was open to 4wd vehicles only. We all agreed that it might be interesting to take a look so Dave filled out the paperwork and paid the fee and we were in. Not far down the track we came upon a couple of Parks Officers busy with a chainsaw clearing a reasonable sized tree that had fallen across the track. It turns out they'd only opened the trail 5 minutes earlier after being closed for the Winter., but assured us the way was clear from there on. So, we pushed on and found ourselves looking out over a spectacular landscape towards a brilliant blue sea and spotless sky. The "road" at this point was almost two lanes wide, dry, lightly gravelled but to our inexperienced eyes, quite steep with a number of switchbacks. Being a novice offroader, I turned on the Descent Assist Control (DAC), took my feet away from the break and accelerator, and let the "smarts" do all the work. It was a reasonably slow trip down the hillside, but the DAC did such a great job, I don't think the tyres broke traction once.

Road to Boat Harbor Beach

Anyway, the view was well worth it and was a perfect reminder of why we decided to get a 4x4.
Funny, but it didn't look so steep going back up and we made it back onto the main Tourist Trail again and back "home" in no time.

We dropped Di and Dave back at the 'vans then Sharon and I drove the last couple of kilometers to the end of the Cape to watch the Kangaroo Island ferry load up and cast off. The weather had started to turn by this time with the wind gusting up a bit and showers passing over, but the stretch of water between the mainland and the island was surprisingly calm. The crew were very efficient at cramming as many vehicles as possible onto the deck.



When we got back to the 'van we were surprised to see how many caravans, motorhomes and campers had moved in whilst we were away. Being the closest camping area to the Kangaroo Island ferry it seems that most people stop here overnight ready to jump aboard the ferry next day.

Anyway, despite there being quite a few campers, the place was still quiet and peaceful and a great place to kick back for a while.

Cape Jervis , Robe and Nelson October 2012

Like Willy Nelson we're "On the road again..." 

Cape Jervis via Bordertown, Wellington, Strathalbyn, Victor Harbor. 8th Oct 2012

Monday morning and it's time to set off on another caravanning holiday with Di and Dave. We said goodbye to Laura, as she left for work, and shortly after we hit the Highway, bound for Cape Jervis, South Australia.

It was a pretty quick trip across the border and down the Fleurieu Peninsular to the Sheep Station at Jervis Bay. The most interesting part of the drive over was the short ferry ride across the Murray River to Wellington. The ferry operates 24 hours per day, every day of the year, and is free of charge. Something a bit different to break up the driving.



 From Wellington, it was on to Strathalbyn and out to the coast at Middleton, followed by a welcome pit-stop and a break for a very nice coffee at Victor Harbor.

Cape Jervis is only 50 minutes or so further on from Victor Habor and is a very picturesque drive through some green rolling hills, not unlike the area around Leongatha, Gippsland. After climbing yet another hill and rounding a long right hand bend, you're met with an unobstructed view from a high elevation of the tiny village of Cape Jervis, the Backstairs Passage, Kangaroo Island and the Southern Ocean. It was a good test of the brakes on the way back down to something closer to sea level with the well signposted entrance to the Sheep Station at the foot of the hill.  



View looking South towards he Backstairs Passage

 

 

Di and Dave had arrived two nights earlier and were sitting outside their van looking pretty settled and relaxed, talking with some fellow travellers, when we rolled in. 







It didn't take us long to set things up, have a quick and easy meal, then settle down for the night.

9 Sept 2011 - Departure Day

Since I passed yesterday's blogging attempt, I'm back to write another, giving Gary a break. YES, we did arise very early this morning so we could say we did experience a beautiful sunrise over the Flinders Ranges.

We had just under 600kms to drive today so the early start was handy. Final goodbyes to Di and Dave and our second trip together came to a sad close. A different route home through Peterborough, Morgan, Renmark and on to Mildura. Along the way we encountered emus on the side of the road, a mob of kangaroos hopping across the road, and two stumpy tail lizards sauntering across the road. Pleased to announce all animals still alive especially the lizards who passed within centimetres of all our six wheels. Great driving Gary!

Our first stop was at Peterborough for petrol (200kms). Not far out of town we started seeing wind turbines along the ridges of the nearby ranges.We passed dozens and dozens of them, they just faded into the distance as we turned away from the hills. Later we found out that this was the Hallet Windfarm, currently the largest in Australia.

The Murray was an amazing sight and the town of Renmark was surprisingly large. A quick stop here for a much needed coffee before we headed off for the final 140kms.









The countryside was constantly changing, ranging from hilly to flat, wooded and salt bushes.Once again all fruit and vegetables had to be dumped before crossing the border. There were small rain showers on and off in the afternoon, with the road surface deteriorating as soon as we crossed into Victoria. Arrived in Mildura a bit after 4.30pm Victoria time (losing half an hour after crossing the border).

8 Sept 2011 - More Quorn please

Peter and Robyn left us this morning. This was our last day in Hawker today. We decided to drift down the road to Quorn for morning tea at the Emporium and a spot of shopping. (65kms trip to Quorn).

After coffee, shopping and a leisurely stroll around the town centre it was back to Hawker, with a stop on the way back at the Kanyaka ruins. It was the largest homestead in the district boasting staff quarters, doctors surgery, stables, wool sheds, post office, and of course, the cemetary. There are so many ruins and evidence scattered around of how harsh living conditions were. I can't help thinking of how easy and lucky our lives are today.

As the car passes all this superb scenery, we find ourselves once again snapping away with our cameras. Even though we have travelled this road five times in the past fortnight. I think I might take after my father! Upon returning to the caravan, we quickly get ourselves ready for departure the next morning. So the normal things of petrol in the car, last minute photos, gifts to buy and items to pack away were taken care of. Final BBQ for tea with Di and Dave and an early night, since we all decided to watch tomorrow's sunrise for our last morning here.

I couldn't resist this last minute photo.

7 Aug 2011 - Where eagles dare

Another sunny but fresh morning. Today we again hit the road in the 4x4s, bound for a dirt track that took us through the full length of Barachina Gorge, then on to Blinman for lunch.

But, before we left the Highway, we were fortunate enough to catch sight of two separate groups of Wedgetail Eagles.

The western end of Barichina Gorge is quite spectacular, with a small stream passing along the foot of towering walls.

The next track took us from Blinman, across to Angorichina Village and on through Parachilna Gorge, then to the tiny town of Parachilna itself. This area contained some species of wild flower that we hadn't come across before, as well as an opportunity to play in some water.

'Arvo tea was had at the Prarie Hotel in Parachilna. This place is renowned for it's "roadkill menu". Dave and Pete sampled the Feral Antipasto which consisted of, among other things, smoked kangaroo, 'roo mettwurst, and goats cheese. The rest of us settled for coffee and other standard fare. 

The day finished off with a quiet cider and a chat about the day's events.