A beautiful fine day for our drive along Coorong National Park, poked in to have a look at 42 Mile Crossing campground …another nice spot…with the long weekend coming up I think it will be full here. Plenty of walking tracks, the limestone has been cut out of the ground to build water wells in the area back in 1850s by the chinese and even one of the wells still standing.
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| Big Lobster at Kingston SE |
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| well made by the chinese immigrants |
We got the free Wellington Ferry over to the Fleurieu Peninsula and it ended up being a long day driving so we stopped in a free camp, Frank Potts Reserve in Longhorne Creek, a winery area. Frank was the bloke to buy the first two blocks for sale in the area in 1850 and the family still owns Bleasdale Wines so Steve bought a cleanskin ($16) from the local tavern and it must have been a bit of alright…another dead marine at the end of the night!
Next stop was Strathalbyn what a beautiful little town. Our Talban camping friends would love it. Boutique gift type shops, history, beautiful stone cottages built in 1850s, and plenty of bakeries and coffee shops (for Greg). Shortly after our arrival it started to rain, so after finding the ’loo’ and the ATM we had to choose a bakery to sit in and let the showers pass…this is no easy feat!!! Walking down one street we found three bakeries alone. After getting a few food supplies we hopped in the car and drove around town in the rain and had a look at the place. We should have stayed here, don’t ask me why we didn’t…gorgeous place.
Next stop was Strathalbyn what a beautiful little town. Our Talban camping friends would love it. Boutique gift type shops, history, beautiful stone cottages built in 1850s, and plenty of bakeries and coffee shops (for Greg). Shortly after our arrival it started to rain, so after finding the ’loo’ and the ATM we had to choose a bakery to sit in and let the showers pass…this is no easy feat!!! Walking down one street we found three bakeries alone. After getting a few food supplies we hopped in the car and drove around town in the rain and had a look at the place. We should have stayed here, don’t ask me why we didn’t…gorgeous place.
Off the main road across the country roads and onto Normanville on the westcoast of the Fleurieu Peninsula. There is the HMAS Hobart scuttled of the coast here and we thought we would do a dive, after enquiring about the weather…it was going to be raining for the next week and unusually 2.9m swell so we decided it was probably a no go. It was cold and miserable but the camp kitchen had a great fireplace…and we know one of the many skills Steve has; he knows how to make a good fire so we spent the night in there and did the laundry and cooked dinner. I had a hair cut tonight and I can honestly say…Steve did a pretty good job. Yes, Steve clipper cut my hair!
The next day was no better weather wise, it just rained and rained and rained,,,argh. So we got in the car and we drove and we drove and we drove around the Fleurieu Peninsula (Cape Jervis, Victor Harbor, Port Elliot, Goolwa and the mouth of the Murray River) and everywhere we went the rain went with us. We stopped at Victor Harbor to have lunch and that was it….so cold and miserable.
Sunday 2 June, we did a visit back to Victor Harbour and got a walk in over the causeway to Granite Island
then went to see Keith and Heather, who we met in Oatlands, Tasmania. We stayed with them for two nights and we had a beautiful view of the ocean and we had our eyes peeled the whole time hoping to see the Southern Right Whales (that come in as close as 50m from shore) but we had no luck. We did see a whale out to sea on our walk on Tuesday but not very close and we even had some no rain days and calm seas but still no luck in the whale watching department. But on Monday when Keith and Heather were driving us around showing us the area we did see a couple of seals playing close to shore.
We also got to see Ingalalla Waterfalls in a lovely picnic area, and plenty of water flowing.
On the way back to Port Elliot we stopped at Yankaville Bakery and I am afraid to say it is hard to choose which bakery is the best so we will have to just keep doing the taste testing. After having a couple of lovely days, lovely food and beautiful company with Heather and Keith we headed off to Adelaide.
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| horse drawn tram on the causeway |
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| a rock on Granite Island walk |
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| see the man with the big belly? |
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| see the face? |
then went to see Keith and Heather, who we met in Oatlands, Tasmania. We stayed with them for two nights and we had a beautiful view of the ocean and we had our eyes peeled the whole time hoping to see the Southern Right Whales (that come in as close as 50m from shore) but we had no luck. We did see a whale out to sea on our walk on Tuesday but not very close and we even had some no rain days and calm seas but still no luck in the whale watching department. But on Monday when Keith and Heather were driving us around showing us the area we did see a couple of seals playing close to shore.
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| views around Port Elliot |
We also got to see Ingalalla Waterfalls in a lovely picnic area, and plenty of water flowing.
On the way back to Port Elliot we stopped at Yankaville Bakery and I am afraid to say it is hard to choose which bakery is the best so we will have to just keep doing the taste testing. After having a couple of lovely days, lovely food and beautiful company with Heather and Keith we headed off to Adelaide.
We left Port Elliot a little bit later than planned so we drove straight to Adelaide and got caught in the edge of the peak hour traffic but found our way to Levi Park Caravan Park at Vale Park (North East of CBD).
We have decided to stay in Adelaide for a week and it was dark by the time we finished setting up the awning on the Tvan. Wednesday was an organizing day, we emptied out the car because it goes in for a service on Thursday…and just in case we don’t get the car back when we expect it… and we’ve had that happen before!!!
Thursday the car went in for its service and we caught the bus into the CBD. We walked around,had lunch and saw The Camera House had a sale on for an Olympus camera…well seems my Fuji is about 10+ years old we spent a bit of time inquiring and we found it to be a very good.
We got a phone call about the car and with a couple of extra things to do on the car we will have to leave the car overnight and it will be ready tomorrow midday. Oh oh!!!
We googled the camera, and decided to buy…blown the budget again this month.
The car was ready on Friday…thank goodness and we took it for a drive up the Adelaide Hills then back to camp and back into the CBD and we bought the camera and then we walked to the Central Markets. Its a lot like the Melbourne markets but not as big and it is next to Chinatown. Lots of fruit and veggies and meats, live entertainment and multicultural foods to eat…and I bought a new pair of uggies in Chinatown.
Saturday we drove to Semaphore
to meet up with Keith and Heather again because Steve left his camera in their car and we met at a great eating place called Swedish Tarts but we stuck to lunch more than the tarts. We walked around Semaphore and Keith and Heather showed us around as they used to live there. We went to the local library which used to be a theatre and still has all the original decorative features on the walls and looked at some of the original houses…just beautiful. We left them to do what they had to do and catch a bus to watch Adelaide play AFL. We took a walk along the pier, had a look at the carousel (which is 75 yrs old) and walked along the beach front back to the car and drove to Glenelg. Glenelg reminds me of the Gold Coast with its apartment building and boat marinas and then the main street, Jetty Street reminds me of St Kilda with shops and eating place.
to meet up with Keith and Heather again because Steve left his camera in their car and we met at a great eating place called Swedish Tarts but we stuck to lunch more than the tarts. We walked around Semaphore and Keith and Heather showed us around as they used to live there. We went to the local library which used to be a theatre and still has all the original decorative features on the walls and looked at some of the original houses…just beautiful. We left them to do what they had to do and catch a bus to watch Adelaide play AFL. We took a walk along the pier, had a look at the carousel (which is 75 yrs old) and walked along the beach front back to the car and drove to Glenelg. Glenelg reminds me of the Gold Coast with its apartment building and boat marinas and then the main street, Jetty Street reminds me of St Kilda with shops and eating place.
Sunday we drove to Mt Lofty, Adelaide’s equivalent to Brissy’s Mt Cooth- tha with a great view of Adelaide
and then onto Hahndorf, a town outside Adelaide established by 74 german families back in the 1800s. Today is a beautiful sunny day and the long weekend and just like home everybody was outdoors and I think everyone came to Hahndorf. We arrived at 11.30am and found it hard to find a park, by the time we walked down one side of the street we could not see the end of the line of cars coming into town, but a great town: puppet shop, german foods(Steve loves, it’s in his blood), boutiques, beer halls etc we had a fabulous day.
and then onto Hahndorf, a town outside Adelaide established by 74 german families back in the 1800s. Today is a beautiful sunny day and the long weekend and just like home everybody was outdoors and I think everyone came to Hahndorf. We arrived at 11.30am and found it hard to find a park, by the time we walked down one side of the street we could not see the end of the line of cars coming into town, but a great town: puppet shop, german foods(Steve loves, it’s in his blood), boutiques, beer halls etc we had a fabulous day.
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| streets of Hahndorf |
Monday was a pack up day and Tuesday we left Adelaide bound for Mambray Creek or Mt Remarkable NP to camp for a couple of days (a few people had told us this was a lovely area. We got to Port Pirie and had a look
and then the usual happens to us anyway...
we get a little rain!!! Somebody please give us a break.
So change of plan, no camping; we head straight to Pt Augusta and book a room for two nights (the weather is not getting any better for a couple of days). We have been here before so we just stocked up for the great outdoors.
Thursday 13 June the car is stocked chockers with food and fuel and we are off to Woomera.
Bye for now.
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| chimney stack to the worlds largest lead smelter |
So change of plan, no camping; we head straight to Pt Augusta and book a room for two nights (the weather is not getting any better for a couple of days). We have been here before so we just stocked up for the great outdoors.
Thursday 13 June the car is stocked chockers with food and fuel and we are off to Woomera.
Bye for now.
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