Saturday 19.11.2011: 20 - 25 degrees. Cloud/sun. We drove out of Ceduna and across the top of the Eyre Peninsula passing lots of wheat properties, the road forever undulating then we passed through areas with lots of trees not too tall until we came to Kimba, we found the local sports ground and stayed there for the night along with another couple in a caravan.
Harvest in progress
Harvest machinery on the move
Tribute to the farmer
The big Galah at Kimba
Sunday 20.11.2011: 13 - 23 degrees - Sun and clouds. Drove to Port Augusta with more undulating country and trees, then as we came closer to Iron Knob the country became very low scrub with the earth being a richer red, full of iron, a bit like Newman in W.A. Went to the Wadlata Information Centre where we saw a very good display of how Australia, the Antartic, India and South America were once all joined together and over time they all split, Australia was tropical, then dried out, the animals that were around when all these changes took place, as well as when the Australian Aboriginal people came and when white man came to Australia and the explorers who explored different parts of S.A.. up the centre of Australia and west to W.A. we ran out of time to see the whole exhibition, but have a pass to see the rest tomorrow morning. Stayed at the Shoreline Van Park where we had a beautiful sunset with rich red colour reflected on the many clouds in the sky.
Port Augusta waterfront
Iron Knob near Port Augusta. The mountain is slowly disapearing as it is mined
Monday 21.11.2011: 17 - 30 degrees. Cloudy then sunshine. Drove through the Arid Parks Nature Reserve to Matthew Flinders Lookout on the western side of the Spencer Gulf, where the soil is red with low saltbush everywhere and the cliff is all red earth. We looked east to the Flinders Ranges and west to Iron Knob, which was very flat with one rise which is Iron Knob and is being mined.
Flinders Ranges in the distance
Sunset at Port Augusta
Matthew Flinders came as far as the bridge below
Red Cliffs at top of Spencer Gulf
We traveled east to Crystal Brook 105 kilometers, there was lots of traffic, mining vehicles, road trains, trucks, cars caravans and motor homes, a bit of a rude shock after lots of open spaces and vehicles every now and then. The only peaceful part of the trip was the fields of wheat, the paddocks rolled on and on and on.
There is a water pipeline from Morgan on the Murray River to Port Augusta
Wind Farm
Old Burra copper mine - once the biggest copper mine in the world
We drove another 75 kilometers to Burra where we stayed in the Showground, we met another motor homer from Queensland, it was lovely and peaceful after the traffic in the morning.
Tuesday 22.11.2011: 15 - 23 degrees. Cloudy/light wind. We drove into the town of Burra which is heritage listed and saw the lovely old buildings of churches, cottages, and miners cottages. The stonework is beautiful all built by mostly Cornish and some Welsh people who were bought out to Australia to work in the Copper mine, which was the world’s largest in 1850. We saw the open mine which is no longer being mined/
Drove on to Morgan on the Murray River which is a lovely spot with a lovely big area of green grass and large River Red Gums scattered here and there and a three tier wharf which is starting to fall apart on one end, and lots and lots of large river boats. Morgan was a very busy port with wool being bought down river in the paddle boats then loaded on the train at the wharf and sent to Adelaide and exported to England.
Morgan wharf in early times
Morgan wharf today
Morgan ferry to cross the Murray river
Anyone want a houseboat?
As we drove on towards Renmark we passed lots of vineyards, Renmark has lots of beautiful homes, it seemed more prosperous than the last time we passed through in 2005. We stayed at the Riverfront Van Park and had a spot right at the front on the bend of the river, it was beautiful watching the birds, duck, river boats and people fishing, very relaxing after all the driving from WA.
Cliffs on the Murray at Waikeri
Renmark campsite
Wednesday 23.11.2011: 14 - 24 degrees. Sun and cloud. Caught up on the washing and relaxing, walked into the town along the river, checked out the Information Centre then had lunch in the Renmark Hotel which was very nice.
Thursday 24.11.2011: 15 - 23 degrees. Sun and cloud. Drove along the Sturt Highway and about 20 kilometers before we reached Mildura, we saw a very large rubber tyre with Dunlop written on the top which was like an arch to drive through, this is a border check point for people going into South Australia, we did not have to stop as there was a bin for us to place any fruit and vegetables in near Renmark. As we approached Mildura we saw an amazing lot of vineyards, the homes were very nice, lots of new homes since we were last there in 2006. Did the shopping and filled up the fridge and cupboards, the rain came down very heavy
.
Border quarantine checkpoint
Paddle steamer at Mildura - in the rain
We drove on through Robinvale to Lake Benanee which is a Rest Stop beside a lake, which is a popular spot with the locals, the sign told us the water evaporated so quickly in the lake that it uses more water than is used by the people of South Australia from the Murray River.
Evening at Lake Benanee
Lake Benanee campsite
Friday 25.11.2011: 19 - 25 degrees. Cloud and sun. We walked down to the edge of Lake Benanee before we left and the waters edge has a lot of sand along it, just like being at the beach, a nice place to camp, we will remember it, when we come this way again
Drove to Balranald, then on to Hay where we went to the Shear Outback visitor centre and had lunch. Back in the Coaster we traveled on to Darlington Point and stayed in the Van Park by the River and caught up on the blog, woken up in the early hours by Year 12 students staying in the Van Park, not good, drunken and unruly teenagers.
Hay Plains - like the Nullabour
Saturday 26.11/2011: 18 - 24 degrees. Sun/cloud. Drove through Narrandera, Coolamon, Junee, Gundagai then up the Hume Highway to Jugiong where we stayed the night in the Showground.
Determining tomorrow's campsite
Sunday 27.11.2011: 19 - 24 degrees. Rain/cloud/sun. Drove up the Hume Highway through Yass, Goulburn, Marulan then stayed at Moss Vale Van Park overnight.
Monday 28.11.2011: 19 - 27 degrees. Sun/cloud/humidity. Drove through Fitzroy Falls, Kangaroo Valley and up and over the Cambawarra Mountain to Nowra which the bus did not enjoy, it was very steep and slowed the bus right down to second gear and belching black smoke. After traveling around Australia it makes you realise how very hilly the east coast is compared to the rest of Australia which is mostly flat. Stayed in Berry Showground for a week, ready for the Sydney Wanderers Christmas get together.
Lloyd and Di at Fitzroy Falls
Wednesday 30/11/2011: 21 - 31 degrees. Sun/cloud/rain/humidity. Some of the Sydney Wanderers turned up, great to see them, walked up to the shops at lunch time and had a heavy downpour of rain, so we had lunch at the bakery until the rain stopped.
Thursday 31/11/2011 to Tuesday 5/122011: We had a lovely time with all the Sydney Wanderers - 40 motor homes turned up, we enjoyed playing disc bowls on grass, the Christmas Dinner on the Friday night and the Christmas Carols and Salvation Army Band on the Saturday night.
On the Monday we caught up with my Aunt Iris at Culburra, then stayed with Margaret, Phil and Michelle at Kiamma and visited Lloyd’s Aunt Mavis at Woonoona on Tuesday, it’s lovely to catch up and even better to be home.
View from Stanwell Tops
Hang Gkiders at Stanwell Tops
Lloyd goes into hospital Thusday 15th Dec. to have a couple of skin cancers dealt with by the plastic surgeon and we hope to continue on with our trip in February traveling back to SA and then Vic.
This is the last post for this year so we wish you all a very Happy Christmas and may God bless you in the New Year.
Regards, Love, Cheers etc
Di and Lloyd
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