SA TO QLD VIA OUTBACK NSW

Leaving Port Augusta, we headed east through Wilmington and the northern Flinders Ranges. 

The Flinders Rangers always look special.

At Orroroo we pulled in to a take a look at the Giant Gum tree which is estimated to be over 500 years old before visiting the local Lions Park where we stopped for lunch. 

Orroroo's giant gum tree.

It was a very pleasant little place although the lack of water in the creek was noticeable. Our overnight stop was at Olary Creek just east of the little village of Olary which is really just a pub at an old railway siding. Our camp at the creek was pretty good although we did have to move once because of the huge black ants which swarmed the generator because of the vibration. The dry creek bed was nice for a walk and although it is right beside the railway line it wasn’t really a problem.

Our camp at Olary Creek. The black on the power cord is ants.

There were lots of rain clouds on the horizon as we took off next morning for Broken Hill and we were happy to encounter some heavy rain to help wash off the salt which we had accumulated on the rig at Farm Beach. Just outside Broken Hill we were surprised at the size of the solar farm. It is the biggest I’ve seen in Australia. 

A small section of the solar farm at Broken Hill

Because of the rain we didn’t spend much time in Broken Hill which was a bit of a shame as we would have liked to take a look around. We did get the washing and a little grocery top up done though. As John was feeling tired we decided to pull in to a roadside rest area so he could have a short sleep. We had seen lots of goats since we left Broken Hill and were amused to find a large herd settled in at the picnic tables.

It was obvious that they had worked out how to press the button style tap on the small water tank here as the tank was dry and they were all looking at us in anticipation. We thought it was food they were looking for but while I was off looking at the local birds, John found it impossible to sleep as the goats were under the van sucking at the moisture which had come out of the water outlets. I took pity on them and decided to give them a drink. Consequently I was mobbed when I offered an ice cream bucket of water.

Continuing east on the Barrier Highway, we stopped at Wilcannia for fuel. This looks like a very sad little place. There were several lovely old stone buildings but they were in a sad state of repair and the Darling River here looked like a green swamp. 

We noticed that all the trees beside the road had no leaves below the height that a goat could reach while standing on its hind legs.

We had planned to take the dirt road which follows the southern side of the Darling from Wilcannia to Bourke but with rain threatening we decided to take the bitumen route. Our camp for the night was quite a nice little road side spot west of Cobar and again there were lots of goats hanging around the picnic tables. They left just on dark though, much to John’s relief.

Next morning we turned north at Cobar onto the Kidman Highway to Bourke. The local cemetery, which predates the town, is on the highway just south of town and we made a point of stopping to take a look at the grave of Fred Hollows. Situated under two large coolabah trees, it is very impressive and well worth a look. 

If you are interested in history they provide a really interesting little booklet telling you about some of the other people who are buried there as well. There is a map of where the graves are located as well as information about each of the people including a river steamer captain, Afghan cameliers and eccentric “Barefooted Harry Rice” who never wore shoes after his wife drowned in the river and he was unable to remove his boot quick enough to save her. He believed he would be ready and able to save anyone else from a similar fate.

The Darling River at Bourke was low but looking a lot nicer than it did in Wilcannia. 

The old paddle boat jetty on the Darling at Bourke.

We continued on to Brewarrina and spent the night at a lovely spot on the Darling called Four Mile Reserve. 

It was quite hot again and since the area was very large and we had no near neighbours we decided to run the generator for a few hours early in the night so we could use the air-conditioner. There are certainly some positives about travelling in a van with some creature comforts.

It was our intention to take the dirt road north off the Kamilaroi Highway east of Brewarrina but we didn’t take the first one available which runs past Narran Lake and then the next one said Authorised Access Only. The final one said No Through Road but John wanted to give it a go. In theory it was only 15 klms across to the Walgett-Grawin Road. However it gradually got worse and worse until it was just a station track leading to dams through varying degrees of bulldust. We backtracked to the Highway and took the bitumen up to Grawin and the Club in the Scrub (Golf Club), one of three pubs in the scrub on these, the less known opal fields near Lightning Ridge. 

After setting up in the free camp at the Golf Club and heading over to the bar for a coldie, we took a drive which looped around through the other two pubs, the Glengarry Hilton and the Sheepyard pub. 

We stopped for a drink at Sheepyard and were greeted by lots of friendly locals. It is pretty obvious that many are either escaping something in the outside world or dreaming of the one big find that will make them rich. The opal workings are everywhere, with tracks leading off willy nilly through the scrub. The place certainly is full of character and characters. It is also evident that most of the equipment is made from cannibalised bits and pieces from trucks, pumps and who knows what.

Next morning we went back to the huge tailings dumps where anyone is free to go and fossick around. Lots of people actually find small pieces of opal here. We found some potch (colourless opal) without trying too hard. The large golden arches sign nearby was a good indicator of the local humour. Maybe next time we will go in the cooler months and have another look. 

After our fossicking foray we headed into Lightning Ridge and after some investigation on Wikki Camps and a drive out to the newest caravan park we decided to stay in town at the Crocodile Caravan Park. I would recommend the park to anyone. The sites are all grassed and while the amenities are very rustic they are OK. The afternoon happy hour was great with everyone joining in and making newcomers feel right at home. It was also the cheapest park in town and is within walking distance of the main shopping area.

Stanley the 18 metre high emu stands on the highway
just south of the turnoff into the Ridge.

The GPS in the car showed just how many
little tracks were hidden in the scrub.

Lightning Ridge has become very much a tourist destination and I’d say it is very busy in the cooler months. There are lots of tours which include visits to mines, the most famous of which is the Black Hand mine. We did not go down as we thought the $35 price tag was a bit rich, but we were told that the carvings in the mine are brilliant so it would probably be worth a look next time. We did take a drive up to 3 Mile, an old open cut mine at Lunatic Hill where we met an interesting old character selling opals. He had plenty of stories to tell including some about the thieving that goes on in the area. It is not surprising that this is a continuing problem as there are few fences and little security apparent.

While in the Ridge we took the opportunity to visit the art gallery of John Murray who has made a name for himself painting comical emus and iconic outback scenes. The gallery is certainly worth a visit and there are other galleries and attractions in the town to explore. We really enjoyed our stay in the Ridge and hope to return to the area.

One of John Murray's artistic creation outside the Outback Resort.

It isn’t very far at all to the Queensland border which meant we arrived too early in the little settlement of Hebel to take a look inside the local pub. It has gained some fame because John Murray, of Lightning Ridge fame has painted the ceiling inside the pub. That’s another place we will have to revisit. We did have a home-made pie from the shop opposite though and while it wasn’t huge and was a bit expensive at $5.50, it was a really nice pie.

From Hebel we continued on the Castlereagh Highway to Dirranbandi and on to Noondoo. We decided to go further east to Thallon then north on the Carnarvon Highway so we could call in to take a look at the famous Nindigully Pub. It was much like most other outback pubs but its claim to fame is the array of Akubra hats hanging on the walls, including one that belonged to Joe Hockey.

Unfortunately due to the current lack of rain the Moonie River was not looking too flash but I’m sure it would be lovely when the water levels are higher. From Nindigully it was on to St George and Surat where we found a lovely little camping spot just out of town on the Balonne River. We checked out the camp spot on the northern side of the river but it was pretty ordinary so we went back across the bridge and took found a lovely site on the eastern side of the main road. There was soft couch grass and the river was nice so it is a spot we would recommend.  

While John relaxed at camp I went into town and spent some time in the old Cobb & Co store where the locals had developed an interesting museum, complete with Cobb & Co coach. 

I was also lucky enough to be able to see the exhibits from a local photography competition. The photographs I saw were really lovely. The local town hall is an impressive old building as well.

When we left Surat we contacted my cousin Robbie Leather as we knew they had bought a new property somewhere near Theodore. Just north of Roma we turned north-east to Taroom and then onto the Leichardt Highway to Theodore. 

We saw lots of cotton on this part of our trip. Makes you wonder how they have water for it when you see how little there is in the Darling further south.

Cotton bales beside the road.

We eventually got hold of Mel, Robbie’s wife, and took a small detour just south of Banana to their property, Barfield Station. We had a wonderful night there as the whole family were home for mustering etc. Sitting around the huge dining table for a traditional roast dinner was great and the views from the homestead were fantastic. We definitely hope to return regularly. Their hospitality was wonderful as was the company and conversation.

The homestead at Barfield has lovely views.

It was an easy drive next day into Gracemere next morning with a quick stopover to take a look at the lookout at Isla National Park. 

Isla Gorge from the lookout.

We settled in at the caravan park for two days with our darling grand-daughter before heading home. As usual we were sad to be finishing yet another trip but also happy to be home and ready to get back into the Bowen lifestyle.

The lovely lagoon at Gracemere Caravan Park

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

We followed the Mallee Highway to Lameroo and ten turned north through Kulkami to Bowhill and on to Purnong where we caught the ferry across the Murray River to a beautiful camping spot right beside the river called Caurnamont. 

It was such a lovely spot that we decided to stay a couple of days. We enjoyed swimming and taking a drive into Mannum, following the road on the western side of the river. 

The sight of the river paddle boats moving through was lovely especially at night but it was sad to see so few people on them at this their peak season.

An original take on guest accommodation.

Leaving Caurnamont, we drove back through Mannum then turned  north to Sedan. It was lovely to see the amazing stone fences again. If there’s one thing in plentiful supply in South Australia it’s rocks. 

We continued on to Nuriootpa  and Freeling then headed north-west to Balaklava. Along this road we saw the sad evidence of the recent bushfires that had raged through this area. It is surprising when you realise that most of the fires were fed by the matured grain crops, with most of the bush consisting of roadside verges. Unfortunately, recent rains meant that the farmers had ploughed their fields so the really strong winds that were blowing were just picking up all the soil and carting it away, piling much of it up against fencelines.

At Balaclava we turned west to Port Wakefield and then it was a short run through to Kadina where we spent the next couple of days with great our great friends and fellow Bushie owners, Neil and Sue. Kadina is the biggest town on the York Peninsula and is a great place to restock. There is also some great crabbing to be done on the coast just to the west and we were treated to several feeds of sand crab over the next few days.

KANGAROO ISLAND

We booked our accommodation on the island through the ferry company because that gave us a small discount. The selection was limited through them but we decided that since you don’t really know much unless you’ve been there before it was worth a punt. So that we wouldn’t be rushing too much, we left a day early since we had to drop our dog, Leo, at the kennels on the way. It was nice to take a leisurely drive through Adelaide and down to the Fleurieu Peninsula. On the way we stopped at a fantastic spot called Port Wilunga where we had a delicious lunch at a restaurant called Star of Greece. Thanks Neil! 

The view as we ate lunch at Star of Greece restaurant.

The beaches along this coast are truy beautiful and the sand so hard that everyone just drives down onto the beach.

After coffee in Port Elliot and some investigations we decided to stay at the Anchorage Hotel on the seafront in Victor Harbour. The rates were OK and everything was clean and tidy. They have a nice bar and restaurant although the evening meals aren’t really what we were looking for so we just walked up the road to another pub. 

The view from the balcony outside our room was lovely and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll around town after checking in. Unfortunately not many of the stores were open as it was after 5 pm. We were a bit surprised that there was no late night opening since this is supposed to be their peak season.

Next morning it was off to Cape Jervis to catch the ferry, with Neil worrying that we didn’t get seasick if it was too rough. He needn’t have worried as the crossing was pretty easy despite the big swells coming through Backstairs Passage. The cost of getting a van across to the island is prohibitive so we all came down in the one vehicle. A normal car under 5 metres costs around $97 and passengers about $50 each one way. 

Approaching the ferry terminal at Penneshaw.

We arrived at Penneshaw just before lunchtime and decided to head straight to a great little spot on the north coast called Stokes Bay. It was great to be doing the trip with Neil and Sue as they had been here before. A little bit of local knowledge goes a long way to making the trip easier. After a walk through the rocks to a beautiful beach we had another delicious seafood lunch beside the ocean at a little restaurant.

This beautiful beach lies at the end of the path through
the rocks from Stokes Bay carpark.

After lunch we continued along the northern coast, exploring more beautiful beaches as far as Western River Cove. 

Black boys this size abound on the island.

Looking back to Western River from the west.

Then we headed south to the Playford Highway with runs through the middle of the island. Kangaroo Island is surprisingly large with about a third taken up by National Parks and Conservation Parks. With only about 4600 residents it is certainly not crowded and the countryside is a mixture of bushy scrub and farmland. Most of the minor roads are dirt but easy driving without a 4WD.

There are several large salt lakes throughout the island.

Our accommodation was just outside the main town of Kingscote at a little winery at Bay of Shoals. We were really happy with our choice. The 3 bedroom house was not flash but clean, comfortable and tastefully decorated. The large deck overlooking the vineyards and the bay beyond was fantastic. 

We spent many hours just sitting there enjoying the view and the antics of the wonderful variety of birds that came in to take a drink or bath in the birdbath. The blue wrens were very friendly and were not afraid to come right onto the table chasing tidbits that we tempted them with. We also had lots of red-browed finches, new holland honeyeaters and silvereyes among others. 

At around $160 a night we thought it was great value. There is a wide selection of accommodation scattered all over the island and while some is way out there on the luxury end, most houses range from $150 to $200 a night. We thought Emu Bay just north of us would be a great spot for families. There are lots of houses for rent and you can just drive down onto the beach which is sheltered from most winds.

The beach at Emu Bay.

The guys went on a fishing charter next morning and managed to bring back a good lot of King George whiting which of course we enjoyed for dinner. There was even enough to freeze some for later. 

There was no shortage of pelicans on the island and they always appeared wherever boats were returning from fishing.

The rest of our time we spent sightseeing around the island. Admirals Arch and Remarkable Rocks at Flinders Chase National Park, were quite spectacular. 

Cape du Couedic Lighthouse above and the view to the south-west over Admirals Arch to the Casuarina Islets below.

There are plenty of New Zealand fur seals to be seen on the rocks all around the Cape.

Admiral's Arch

Weirs Cove where supplies for the lighthouse were offloaded at the bottom of the cliff and lifted up to the storehouse.

Remarkable Rocks certainly live up to their name.

Once again we had great lunch – fish burgers this time – at a little store at Vivonne Bay before heading out for a look at the jetty there.

It was then back to the house and a leisurely afternoon out on the deck. I would recommend Kangaroo Island to anyone. It has a wide range of things to do and see and there is something to suit most budgets. 

On our way to catch the ferry home we made a quick stop at the boat ramp below the vineyard to feed our fish scraps to the pelicans. John almost lost his hand down ones throat.

We also called in to Pennington Bay before enjoying a lovely coffee back at Penneshaw.

Pennington Bay

The lovely beach at Penneshaw beside the ferry terminal.

YORKE PENINSULA

Of course Leo was very happy to see us when we picked him up on the Monday. Next day was catching up with washing etc then it was off down to Gleeson’s Landing, our favourite spot on Yorke Peninsula. This is a wonderful bay which reminds us very much of Wooroora Station at Ningaloo in Western Australia. As the wind wasn't too strong, we made our camp on the headland at the south end of the beach. The views were spectacular.

We put the tinny in one day but didn’t catch anything. Not that we minded. It was nice just to get out on the water. Being fair weather fishermen, we decided it was too choppy for the rest of our stay but it was so relaxing just sitting out watching the birds and the ocean that we were happy to stay for several days. We didn’t see anything of the ranger so didn’t get to pay the $35 a week fee that you’re supposed to pay. Apparently you can pick up a permit etc at Minlatin on the way down. There are lots of other camping spots and caravan parks on the Peninsula and Innes National Park right at the tip has some lovely beaches as well. The surf here at Gleeson’s is pretty good too. 

We saw several guys on surf boards, boogie boards and even a “why bother” board out at the point catching a wave.

Because we were camped on the headland we didn’t get the sunsets over the ocean but they were still pretty spectacular. We will definitely be coming back again.

EYRE PENINSULA

Our trip to Eyre Peninsula didn’t start too well as we got a flat on the van just out of Port Augusta. While trying to help John I managed to put my back out of whack again after having it fixed the day before. I was lucky however as I got a chiropractor’s appointment in Whyalla for the following morning. Fortunately, the Bridgestone people in Port Augusta looked after us and we were off again pretty quickly to Port Lowly Point just north of Whyalla. 

The sheltered little harbour at Lowly Point

Light House complex - Lowly Point

We were hoping to spend some time here to do some snapper fishing but the weather didn’t look too good for the next few days and other campers said they hadn’t been catching much so we just spent the one night then headed in to Whyalla and the chiro before continuing down the eastern side of the peninsula looking for another nice camp. 

Just avoided running over this blue-tongue along the road.

We thought we might stay at a new spot this time but after checking lots of them out we ended up going all the way down to Lipson Cove, a spot where we camped on our last trip. It is still a lovely spot and the cormorants, gulls and rock pigeons were still prolific on the little island just off the beach. The beach itself is lovely.

Lipson Cove

It wasn’t far to Port Lincoln next morning and after catching up on washing, groceries, water etc we managed to get to Farm Beach reasonably early on Friday afternoon. It turned out that we got there just before a large group of regulars so we were lucky to get a nice camp site in a sheltered area beside the fence. This gave us some protection from the winds and made it easier for us to keep Leo the dog away from the other campers.

The 'caravan park' here is run by the Lower Eyre Shire Council based in Cummins and has a toilet and cold shower only. It is now $10 a night per site which isn't too bad. Our first two days proved good for whiting fishing with us getting 7 keepers each day, although we did catch probably twice as many which were just under the 30 cm size limit. We also managed to jag a couple of squid thanks to some timely advice from our friendly neighbours. 

Full moon rising over the hills behind the camp site.

And so we filled our days for the next two weeks fishing, squidding and socialising with the great group of people who were there. Each afternoon saw a large gathering for happy hour and on Thursdays and Saturday’s you can get a nice meal in Wangary at the football club. We also joined in the men’s cooking night which was fun.

Men's cook night.

Port Lincoln is only 60 kilometres away when you need to restock, wash etc. You can get groceries in Cummins but other services are limited. Likewise for Coffin Bay which has even fewer shops but it does have a dump point. Oysters can be bought straight from the farms just a couple of kilometres down the road at Little Douglas, where several large farms operate.

The beach where you launch the tinny is hard enough to drive on without problems although there are occasional soft spots in which you can get bogged down . Cars can be seen parked at left.

Getting ready to go out chasing nannagai.

One of the many cliffs along the coast, one of which was
used in the filming of the Gallipoli movie.

A cave John had to explore.

There were dolphins aplenty that day. We even had a large
pod surfing our bow wave at one stage. Magic! 

Our catch of nannagai.

Almost everyone at Farm Beach was friendly and helpful, with information re how and where to fish being shared freely, as well as the catches themselves. We spent our last couple of days chasing squid with some success.

One squid managed to get some revenge!

It was a lovely environment and we found it hard to leave. We hope we will be able to return regularly. Consequently we were a bit sad to head off. We decided to go as far as Whyalla where we stayed at Stuart Park, a local sporting ground for $10 a night. It was quite a good spot for an overnighter and we actually managed to get some useful information from the local Centrelink office when we paid a visit. Whyalla itself, like Port Lincoln, is quite a large place though Lincoln seems more prosperous and will probably be even more so if the steel works in Whyalla don’t continue to operate.

Next day we pulled in at Port Augusta so we could replace the rest of the tyres on the van, since they were all getting past their use by date. John dropped me at the Australian Native Botanic Gardens just north of town while he took the rig in to get the tyres. I was really stoked to get three new birds here so it was a worthwhile trek. We also picked up our mail from a local post office and John managed to complete his postal vote. Unfortunately the staff at the electoral commission couldn’t figure out that we wanted both our vote kits sent there so I will have to hope mine gets to Rockhampton via our mate Steve in time for me to vote too.

We managed to get away from Port Augusta just on lunch time, heading east in the next and final part of this trip.