Home again but not for long.....

Bill returned to work and I spent two days washing a laundry full of summer clothes.  We had arrived home on Cup Day which is in November and we expected that summer would have made an appearance while we we gone but this was not to be.  It was text book spring weather with it changing almost daily, more often than not to winter instead of summer.  A little difficult to know what to where most days.  Even this snapshot of the Christmas week is a little all over the place.  Melbourne weather is certainly living up to it's reputation this year!

Before we left on our outback adventure we had made plans to spend the weekend in St Leonard's with Cheryl and Shane so on Friday we had our bags packed and drove down for a weekend of fun and feasting.   We arrived during the afternoon and were soon settled in with a drink and a lot of catching up on each other's adventures since May.  We had a lovely dinner and Shane opened a bottle of wine that when Cheryl and I googled it we found it to be $500.  It was lovely but I'm still in shock that Shane opened it!

After dinner we all braved the winter like conditions and jumped in the spa where we chatted some more for a couple of hours. Time flies when you're enjoying life and what better way than warm bubbles and a drink or two.  

The next morning we were spoiled by Shane cooking breakfast and we all relaxed with the papers before taking a walk to the beach where Lily thoroughly enjoyed her run off the lead.  Soon after we jumped in the car and drove to Queenscliff for crepes at Panache.  Very yummy and no need to eat for hours to come.  We walked our lunch off with a wander along the Main Street but Cheryl and I were soon checking out the shops and managed to indulge in some retail therapy.  Once we found the guys again we stopped and had a look at the Vue Grand Hotel.  This lovely old hotel has been tastefully renovated and still retains it's old world charm.  We hope to organize a 'Frogs' event there later next year.

We returned home for some quiet time before donning the glad rags and driving to Wallington where we were having dinner at Oakdene.  This is a Vineyard, restaurant and Cellar Door on the Bellarine Peninsula with a well deserved reputation for fabulous food, Wine and service. 

 In the grounds there are some of the funkiest pieces of sculpture I have seen in a long time all made from farm equipment.  Some of the artwork inside the restaurant was just as quirky and we had a fabulous night enjoying the delicious food and great company.  Back at home Cheryl and I stayed warm and dry while Shane and Bill talked man stuff in the spa finishing off a great day.

Spoiled again at breakfast time we were soon back in the cars and drove to Port Arlington where we had a wander around the weekly market before driving along to the village where we had coffee and said goodbye to Cheryl and Shane.  We stopped at Oakdene for a quick visit to the Cellar Door to buy a couple of bottles of their Sparkling Shirazz before hitting the highway home.  Thanks again for a fabulous weekend and we are looking forward to seeing you again in January.

We arrived home during the afternoon and soon were getting ready for work the next week.  Our holidays were now well and truly over and it was back to work to save for our next adventure.

Until next time......

Two more days on the road......

Before we left Blanchetwon we went to have a look at Loch no 1 only to find it was all fenced in as there was some work being done on the surrounding riverbanks.  A real shame as we had been interested to see how different it was to the lochs we saw in France.  Still the lines of Pelicans and Cormorants waiting in the water for a free feed more than made up for not getting any closer.

We drove on to Waikerie and took some time to look around the lovely town, had a coffee and continued on to  our next stop in Berri in the Riverland region of SA.

On the way in to Berri we passed the huge tanks of the Berri Estate which is the largest winery and distillery in Australia.  And I thought Berri only did orange juice! The things you learn on holidays.  

We had a look around the town and the visitors centre before picnicking beside the Murray for lunch.  We didn't see any paddle steamers on the river here but there were a number of houseboats moored and some speedboats doing time trials as we ate.  It was a lovely way to spend an hour before we got back on the road again.  

Leaving Berri we saw the Big Orange, now deserted, as it is no longer open and the block all fenced as they decide what to do next.  Seems like the 'big things' are becoming a thing of the past in today's very technical society.  If there's no bells and whistles it's no use anymore, it seems.

We continued to drive on, arrived and passed through Mildura, crossing the River into NSW  as we drove on to Swan Hill.  We followed the Murray along and were soon back in Victoria where our plan had been to drive on to stay the night at Swan Hill but time was passing much quicker than we were driving it seemed and so we decided to stop at a little place called Boundary Bend where we found a small caravan park right across the road from the Murray River.

The Murray River does bend right at the Caravan Park and we enjoyed a walk along its banks watching some of our neighbors fishing.  Leaving them to it we returned to the park where we were visited by Crimson Rosellas (Eastern variety) and cheeky Blue Faced Honeyeaters.  We had a quiet night and got up early the next morning for another day of driving.

Our first stop was at Swan Hill and this was a much bigger town than we both imagined.  We had a wander round and a coffee and then made our way back to the car but not before taking the obligatory photo of The Giant Murray Cod.

We then drove the short distance to Lake Boga where we wanted to have a look at the Catalina Museum.  This is where the seaplanes were housed after the Japanese bombed Darwin in the War.  They needed a safe have to keep the boats moored and to be able to service them as well.  The large inland lake here was just perfect and it became famous for seaplanes in the desert.

The museum has been opened by volunteers and enthusiasts who have done so much work on gathering the many items on show here.  The original bunker has been opened as well as a living museum and really does give you an insight into the life of the seaplane corps.

We ate our lunch beside the lake and now the largest thing that lands there is the Pelicans and we saw a few of them that day.  They really did look just like the seaplanes as they came in to land on the water.

After lunch we drove on and continued until we reached St Arnuad where we stopped for some last minute supplies before continuing on to Teddington Reservoir.  We were going to spend our last night at the free camp sight where we had begun our journey 17 days ago.

Driving in we found a number of vans already there as with Cup Day on Tuesday many people has turned it into a long weekend.  We found a spot to set up and spent the evening relaxing by the water.  What a lovely way to finish off our amazing 2 1/2 weeks of traveling in this wonderful country we live in.

The next morning we were up with the birds and this time had to clean and prepare the van for it's last run home.  We did this and were on the road soon after stopping in Avoca for coffee and that was it.  Next stop camper storage yard and our holiday was over.  Very sad but as we always say all good things must end and we will be back on the road again as soon as we are able.  So watch this space for our next camping adventures.

Arriving home we unpacked the car and Bill proceeded to get himself prepared for work the next day.  I was not returning until the next week and so spent the next two days washing, cleaning and shopping.  

Before then though we had one more adventure waiting so until next time.......

Homeward bound......

We were up early the next morning and soon after breakfast started the job of packing down the camper for travelling.  We said goodbye to our upstairs neighbor and drove out for the last time heading back to Hawker where we had a look at the Wilpena Pound Cyclorama.    Superbly portrayed by local Hawker artist, Jeff Morgan, with special background music by Bruce Emsley, the "endless" painting can be viewed from the ground floor or from the staircase landing.   A 360 degree view of some of the most beautiful country in South Australia as seen from the highest point of Wilpena Pound, St Mary's Peak and the Flinders Ranges it really is well worth the visit.

Leaving Hawker we made our way to Quorn where we had a walk through the very wide Main Street before stopping for a coffee and a slice of Quandong Pie, our last for this trip.  

One verandah in the Main Street lists all the movies which have been filmed here, Bitter Springs, Walkabout, Robbery Under Arms, The Sundowners, Gallipoli, Sunday Too Far Away and The Shiralee.  

Walking around to see the grand old station, once a major stop for The Ghan, it makes you wonder how the town fares now the train has been rerouted and no longer stops here.  Opposite the station are about 5 hotels and guest houses all built, I imagine, to service the train and now look very quiet though I'm sure some still cater to the tourist trade.

We left then heading south and driving through more tiny towns all of which had some quirky point of difference.  Our drive that day took us through mainly sheep and wheat country where most of the properties were in harvest mode and hay bales dotted the landscape for miles.  Some of the paddocks had been cut in very interesting patterns so we stopped and played with these for a while.

We stopped to eat our lunch later in the afternoon in Jamestown, the home of the iconic R.M. Williams, and found a picnic table beside the River where we lunched in the company of a number of ducks and their little ducklings.  They were very cute and kept us entertained until it was time to hit the road again but they didn't like having their picture taken here.

Our drive from here took us through two large wind farms one of which had herds of sheep stretched out in a long line in front of them.  A very different sight.  

We followed the road to the very tiny town of Mt Bryan where we stopped to check out the 44m wind blade.  They sure do look very much bigger from this close up.

It was a big day on the road but finally we arrived at Morgan and crossed the Murray on the ferry and drove onto Blanchetown where we stayed for the night in a caravan park on the River near Loch no 1.   

We had an early night in this quiet little park and were up early again the next morning for another long day traveling and sightseeing.

More about that next time..........

Inside Wilpena Pound

After 4 days of exploring the Central Flinders Ranges we have seen the rim of Wilpena Pound from all possible angles but still have not been able to see inside. There are ways to do this but they involve all day treks, the longest being 9 hours to St Mary Peak.  The shorter one being a  3 hour trek to Wangara Lookout.  

Another 6 hour hike takes you in through Bridle Gap to the floor of the pound.  With the weather heating up we were not inclined to be trekking for hours so instead opted for the most comfortable and most spectacular way to see Wilpena Pound.  We did a 30 min scenic flight in a little 4 seater plane.  Yes, I know, it's a bit of a surprise for me to get in something that small but I loved it and am so glad I let Bill convince me to go.

The airfield is about 15 mins away from the resort and once on board, and after the safety talk, we took off and flew over the area with the pilot pointing out all points of interest as we went.  The Wilpena Pound Resort, nestled among the magnificent Red River gums, Rawnsley Park Station, the ABC Ranges, Elder Ranges, Heysen Ranges and the  the Edeowie Gorge.  To see the Bunyeroo and Brachina Gorges we had driven through the day before was amazing from above but the most spectacular of all was to see Wilpena Pound from the air.  

You can clearly see how the pound is a natural amphitheatre of mountains.  There have been many theories over the years, the most common being that it was created by a meteor or an ancient volcano but we now know that it was formed naturally over many millions of years.  

Of course the local Aborigines have their own legends of how it came to be and these make interesting reading.  The name Wilpena is said to be Aboriginal meaning "cupped hand" and that is the shape that you can see from above.   The traditional owners, the Adnyamathanha, however, have no such word in their language and their name for the Pound is Ikara which means "meeting place".  It is said to be a sacred place much like Uluru is now.

From the air we could see Lake Torrens, the large salt lake, in the distance and you can also see how the Flinders Ranges appear to be a backbone on the landscape.

As we came back into land we were amused by the other young pilot on the ground driving up and down the runway.  This is necessary to clear the emus off the airstrip so we could land safely which we did of course.  We had just had the most amazing experience and loved every moment of it.

Returning back to camp we found out that the 3 hour hike to Wangara lookout could be cut to one hour by taking a shuttle bus to the Hills Homestead so we jumped on board and soon after we were climbing up to the first lookout.  

Leaving the bus you walk into the homestead area past sliding rock and here you can read the story of how the Hill family obtained the lease to this land inside the pound in 1901 and decided to try farming.  After the immense labour of constructing a road through the torturous Wilpena Gap, they built their small homestead inside the Pound and cleared some open patches in the thick scrub of the interior.  The homestead has been restored and still stands on the original site.

For several years they had moderate success growing crops inside the Pound, but in 1914 there was a major flood and the road through the gorge was destroyed. They could not bear to start all over and sold their homestead to the government. The Pound then became a forest reserve leased for grazing. 

In 1945 the tourist potential of the area was recognised when a "National Pleasure Resort" was proclaimed. A hotel called the Wilpena Chalet was opened on the southern side of the creek just outside the gorge, and it has been run by various private companies ever since. 

From here we walked up to the first lookout which has pretty good views of the inside of the pound.  Continuing up and up the warm day got the better of me and I sat down on a rock and waited while Bill continued to the top for an even better view.   

We returned to the pick up point and waited for our ride back to camp where we settled in for an afternoon of rest before checking the maps to plan our route home. We were leaving this amazing place the next morning.  Not really something we wanted to do but our time in the bush was coming to an end and we had to make our way back to civilization.

so until next time...........

Tiny towns and Gorges.....

The next morning we enjoyed some quiet time over breakfast, said goodbye to our upstairs neighbor and set off for a drive through the tiny towns and gorges of the Central Flinders Ranges.

Our first stop was at Dingley Dell, a small free camp site about half way along our route.  It would be a great little place to stay if you just needed an overnight stop. There was about six separate sights all with barbecue plates and huge flat rocks for tables or seats.  After rain you would be camped beside the river but as I said before all was dry now.  All serviced by two very well built and maintained pit toilets.  Who could ask for more!

Driving on from here our map said that we would pass 'The Great Wall of China' and so of course we had to stop here and have a look.  We turned off at the sign and what a sight.  A very unusual rock formation on top of a hill really does look like its namesake.  You can follow the walk track and actually climb to the top but with the wind blowing a gale we decided we would stay where we were.

As we drove back to the road, as on the way in, we found lots and lots of wood swallows and large flocks of finches.  As we were watching these two huge Wedge tail Eagles flew up in front of us.  What magnificent creatures these birds are.  We watched them until they were so high up they were almost out of sight, let alone camera range.

We drove straight into Blinman next and found a very tiny town with a big personality. We stopped for a coffee at the Wild Lime Cafe and of course just had to try the Wild Lime tart which we shared and it was delicious.  It is a very small town but it's said to be the highest surveyed town in South Australia.  Now that is a claim to fame eh!

We popped into the General Store next door to buy the homemade Quandong Pies to take home for later and met an interesting man who runs Camel Train tours following the Burke and Wills route up through the centre of Australia.  Sounds like a great way to see that part of the country.  You walk and the camels carry your packs. Who knew!  The quandongs are a native peach and the pies were delicious as well.  The jam we brought home is yummy too.  

The only other buildings in town are a rather large pub with a huge beer garden, a Memorial Hall and a church.   There is a Copper Mine tour but we left that as we drove on to Parachilna Gorge.

On our way we drove through the slightly less spectacular Glass Gorge really only recognizing we were there by the signpost we passed.  Once the original route for dray carts delivering copper to Parachilna it is now a tricky but picturesque 4WD road.  No problems in the dry and we were soon on way to Parachilna gorge.  To see the rugged beauty of this gorge you need to walk in and as the day was getting hotter we didn't stop but drove on to the even tinier township of Parachilna.

With only one building in town, The Prairie Hotel, it is famous for its Feral Fast Food platter.  Other claims to fame are the movies filmed here and these include The Rabbit Proof Fence, Holy Smoke and Beautiful Kate.  The only other buildings we saw were the public toilets just off the highway which were two water tanks converted into conveniences.  And very welcome they were too!

We stopped for lunch a little further along the road parking in a dry riverbed.  From here we had an amazing view of the Heysen Ranges which we had come through earlier on our drive through the gorges.  We could also see the old Ghan railway line which is no longer in use.

We continued on down the highway to the Moralana Scenic Drive which takes you through Arkaba Station and Merna Mora Station country and is between the Elder Range and Wilpena Pound.  We detoured to Black Gap Lookout to see the views of Wilpena's rugged rim to the north and the Red and Elder Ranges to the south.  

Once back on the Tarmac we turned the car for home and on arrival settled in for a well earned cuppa and a rest before setting out again to spend some time with the birds at Wood Duck dam.  Once again a very noisy stop with, Galahs, Corellas, Cockatoos and Parrots all competing with each other to see who could make the most noise.

Our campsite seemed very quiet after the birds and we enjoyed another dinner under the stars before heading off to the land of nod.  There were more gorges to explore the next day.

Brachina and Bunyeroo Gorges are known as the 'Corridor through Time and form a famous geological trail.  This is a 20 kilometre self-guided trail that passes through 130 million years of earth history. Trail signage provides an insight into past climates, the formation of the ranges and the evolution of early life forms. 

Our first stop for the day was at the Youngoona campsite where we found the ruins of the old homestead and the Youngoona waterhole.  This is also the Youngoona Trailhead and a number of walks either start, finish or pass this point.  We met a number of serious walkers as we stopped here for a while.  We walked along the track to the waterhole and found a very rare puddle in the creek bed and of course the birds were loving it on the hot morning.   We continued on some way but as the water ran out we came back and soon moved on.

Our next brief stop was to have a look at Trezona campsite.  This is another 'free camp' site and was quite large.  A few people were camped there enjoying the peace and quiet of the Aussie bush so we didn't stay and disturb them but continued on to drive through the Brachina Gorge Rd.  This road continually criss crosses river beds and creeks which were now bone dry but it must be an amazing ride in the wet.  I'm sure most of it would be quite impassable.  And of course through every creek and river bed were the most amazing huge Red River Gums.  I'm sure some of these wonderful giants must have been hundreds of years old.  Words cannot explain the wonderful scenery of this place.

We stopped for a look at 'Slippery Dip' so named because of the sloping rock walls going down to the riverbed.  And soon after we were driving through the most incredible place as we entered Brachina Gorge.   

The drive is just breathtaking with towering red walls on either side as you pass through cool  corridors of shady trees before opening up to layer upon layer of rocks. A truly spectacular experience.  At the end we came to Teamsters Campground where we had lunch overlooking Heysen Hill and the Brachina Waterhole.  

After lunch we drove back stopping to take photos along the way.  The gorge is home to the Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby but we didn't see any at all.  A bit of a shame but the middle of a hot day was probably never going to be the right time to find them.  We did find the fossilized worm burrows though!

We turned onto Bunyeroo Rd and continued on driving between the Heysen Range and the ABC Range as we drove to Bunyeroo Gorge.  The gorge was not as spectacular as Brachina and you needed to park and walk to see more.  We kept driving and were soon travelling along the Bunyeroo Valley Rd.  Any drives that I had thought spectacular until now had just paled into insignificance.  Of course The Remarkables road in Queenstown is the exception here.

This road continued to climb and just when you thought you could not get any higher you did and there was another car park with another magnificent view.  We stopped three times just in awe of the amazing sights we were seeing.  Views of Heysen Range, ABC Range, Yanyanna Hill, the Bunyeroo Valley and the Aroona Valley were just breathtaking.  

Soon after we were back on the main road for the drive home and today we stayed put.  So pleased to see the sign letting me know home was not far away.  No more adventures for these weary travelers, it was time to chill out and rest up for another big day tomorrow.  

So until then..........