McLaren Vale to Port Augusta

The rain continued so we drove to a Kathmandu shop to add to our winter wardrobes for the cold outback nights. It was still raining the next day so we defrosted the caravan fridge! Fortunately it stopped raining by lunchtime and we met up with an old friend who recently moved back to Adelaide. We ate in the restaurant at the Coriole Vineyards in McLaren Vale. The food was excellent especially the Belgian chocolate bombe which was served as an intact sphere of chocolate which collapsed when a hot chocolate sauce was poured over it.

We packed up in the afternoon while it was dry and headed off to Port Augusta in the morning. At the information office we learned that all roads to and around Lake Eyre are closed due to the rain, but ironically the water level in the lakes is falling because no more flood waters are flowing from Queensland. So we are activating Plan B and turning left to cross the Nullarbor. We will stay here two nights so that we can explore Port Augusta.

Our first discovery has been a wonderful old building that operates as a hotel/motel, function centre and restaurant. The restaurant is surprisingly large and the menu offers "Australian" meals such as steaks and hamburgers, or Indian food. On the recommendation of our waitress we opted for Indian and it was all so delicious we will probably go back tomorrow night. There were about 50 people eating in the restaurant which shows how popular it is. The Standpipe Motel is a sandstone building that was originally built in 1883 as a watering hole for teamsters and Afghan cameleers, but it ceased trading as a hotel in 1901 after the demise of the camel and bullock trains . For years it was used as a private residence, flats and a nursing home before it was renovated and the new accommodation suites were built.

Port Augusta is at the head of Spencer Gulf and can have tides varying by up to 4.5m. The "beaches" are nothing like east coast beaches as the sand is course and reddish in colour. The local council has published one of the most informative tourist booklets I have ever read so we have a good guide to the places of interest in and around the town. I am particularly looking forward to seeing the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden. 

Another Caravanning Dog

This labrador can't seem to get the message through to her owners. On top of starvation she has a bandaged leg so is confined.

Foodie Outings

The Jeep was still saturated on the passenger side floor but we couldn't leave it with the dealer all weekend to dry out so had them refit the sunroof linings but leave the lower panels off for us to reattach later. The problem was caused by leaves blocking the drain and not dust as we had feared. We were very happy with the service provided by that Jeep dealership, particularly as it cost less than $100.

Our first foodie outing was to Maggie Beer's Farm Shop where most of her products can be sampled before purchasing. The setting encourages visitors to buy picnic packs and enjoy the surroundings. There is a lovely lake with geese and ducks but it definitely was not a day for picnics as it poured all the time we were there. The dining area was warm and overlooks the lake so we were able to enjoy the view.

For dinner we drove to the next village called Tanunda and had a fabulous meal at FermentAsian. The chef owner bases the dishes on her Vietnamese heritage and uses herbs and vegetables grown by her parents in a large garden which they established. We shared these delights:

Fresh betel leaves with sticky caramelised Barossa Hampshire pork and incendiary componen

Grilled SA prawns with pomelo salad

Grilled spiced Barossa Chicken with fresh coconut salad

Barossa Hampshire pork belly with ginger and orange sauce

Lime brulee

The weather was pretty wild most of the day and night. We stopped under cover at a service station to refuel the Jeep but just as I was filling up wind blasted hail at the back of my legs. The dogs' tent suffered a malfunction and had water on the floor in the morning. Fortunately they stayed dry and warm. As we have had the tent for at least 16 years I tossed it and we bought a new one which should deal with a combination of wind and rain much better. The windout awning on the van is also playing up and we may need to find a caravan repair shop to deal with that.

Fortunately the rain passed during Friday night and we were able to dry out gear as we packed. We had planned to have breakfast at a local market but it took so long to wind up the damaged awning we were toolate. We headed for McLaren Vale and that drive was not exactly uneventful. We were travelling on a four lane highway where the speed limit is 110kph but we were only doing 100kph. The Navman dashcam captured a 4WD towing a large caravan that turned right in front of us. We braked certain we were going to have a collision but the Jeep brakes did a great job and kept our rig steady and straight. The video shows we slowed to 48kph in less than 5 seconds and just missed the back of the other caravan. When I manage to edit the clip I will post it on the blog.

We set up at the McLaren Vale Lakeside Tourist Park which is within walking distance of the main road. After a drive around Port Noarlunga we had a lovely dinner at the Barn Bistro just up the road. We are enjoying dining out in these foodie areas before we return to the limited roadhouse options in the outback.

Leak in the Jeep

We had a very ordinary dinner last night at the local pub in Nuriootpa (try saying that after a couple of sherbets). When we got in the Jeep to drive home water was pouring down from the roof. First thing this morning we looked up the nearest Jeep dealer only to find it is within walking distance of our caravan park. How lucky was that? The Jeep is still with the dealer drying out after they discovered a drain from the sunroof was blocked.
The rain eased off by lunchtime so we walked around Nuriootpa and found a German butcher who makes all of his gluten free smallgoods. The local supermarket and hardware store are operated by a cooperative which puts a lot of money back into the community.
Tomorrow we are going to Maggie Beer's Farm Shop for lunch. The weather forecast is not what you want when living in a caravan - possible flooding rains, strong winds and hail. So far the rain has been minimal up near Lake Eyre so the roads are still not affected.

Rain

For the second time this trip the rain started as we hit the road. We managed to pack everything up before it started. It rained virtually all the way to the Barossa and we had to set up in light rain. The temperature struggled to get above 9 degrees before we drove into pasture county.
We have come to one of the cosy old pubs for dinner because it is now raining solidly. This weather is predicted to last the three days we will be here so our wet weather gear will get a workout.

Broken Hill to Barossa Valley

We have enjoyed five days in Broken Hill and have been spoilt by my sister Marian and her partner Robert cooking us lovely dinners every night. We especially enjoyed spending time with two of our nephews, their partners and two great nieces. Broken Hill is an easy place to visit - there's lots to see, plenty of parking, good facilities, and at this time of the year there is good weather for travelers. Thanks to Robert for modifying a couple of lengths of pipe to make it easier for us to pull on the handbrake on the van.

I went to the Line of Lode Miners Memorial which is high above the town on the mullock heap. The names of each of the more than 800 miners who lost their lives working in the mines are etched on individual glass plaques. Our caravan park is next to the Broken Hill cemetery so I have spent time wandering among the graves and have seen the headstones for some of these men. Life in the 1800s and early 1900s was very hard in this part of the world and many people lost their lives to accidents and epidemics.

There is a striking monument in the cemetery over the grave of Percy John Brookfield who was a militant trade unionist subsequently elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly. He was shot in 1921 while trying to disarm a deranged Russian immigrant who had already shot two other people. Brookfield died from his wounds so he was the first sitting member of parliament to have been murdered in Australia, the second being John Newman who was killed in 1994.

Our final outing was a drive to the sculpture garden a few kilometres out of town to view the sandstone structures and the landscape at sunset.

Tomorrow we are driving to the Barossa Valley where we have booked for three nights before moving onto Maclaren Vale for another three nights. We are then planning to go to Lake Eyre but that will depend on the rain which has been forecast for the next few days in South Australia.

Wilcannia to Broken Hill

We headed down the Darling River Run on the eastern side of the river but after about 10km realised it was not worth risking our vehicle over the 150km journey. A truck must have driven on the road when it was wet and left gouges that were at least a foot deep. This caused water to fill the tracks which overflowed and created gouges across the road that were anything up to 2 feet deep and 3 feet wide.

Instead of going to Menindee Lakes we drove on sealed roads to Broken Hill and will be here for five days. Unfortunately my sister and her partner had the great idea they would surprise us by meeting us at Menindee Lakes! They got the surprise when they checked their phone messages and learned of our change of plans. At least their drive was shorter and on a sealed road.

On Saturday 21 May the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Broken Hill celebrated its 80th birthday so we went to the open day. Current planes and equipment were on display along with some of the earlier planes and original equipment.

The following day we drove the 25km out to Silverton which is where Mad Max 2 was filmed along with many other films, TV shows and advertisements. Fury Road was to have been filmed here but there had been rain and the script did not call for a green landscape and that is why the movie was shot in Namibia.

This evening we had dinner with the Broken Hill contingent of the family at the Palace Hotel which featured in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. The hotel was closed for a couple of years but new owners have done some renovations and reopened the hotel with the original murals intact. The film Priscilla runs constantly on a big screen at the hotel. In September the Palace Hotel features in the Broken Heel Festival which sounds like a lot of fun (and a lot of Abba music and dressing up). The Priscilla bus will even be in town for the festival.

Wilcannia to Menindee Lakes

On Friday we will go to Menindee Lakes and this will be our final leg of the Darling River Run. Wilcannia is almost a ghost town with very few businesses operating. There are fabulous historic sandstone buildings but many have been abandoned. A series of new flood height markers up the bank of the river tops out at 12m.

I explored the caravan park property in 4WD and located a stand of magnificent red gums. The largest has a girth of more than 11m. There is an emu here which is kept in a fenced yard. Apparently it was hand raised by an Aboriginal family but when it grew too big it was dumped at the park. It used to have the run of the place but developed bad habits like stealing food from caravans, and removing earrings and necklaces from unsuspecting guests. There is also a lamb which appears to be looking for its mother. It comes quite close to camp sites and keeps bleating. At least it looks healthy.

Many of the trees have complex mud and stick birds nests but my favourite bird hideout is under the water tower where several generations of swallows have built nest upon nest.

Travelling with Cats and Dogs

So many people in caravan parks are amused by our cats that walk on leads and many have taken photos to send to their friends. We are often asked how the dogs and cats travel together so here's the system - people in the front seats, dogs behind on top of the large folded up crate and mattress, cats in the rear with access to the smaller crate containing kitty litter, food and water. The cats prefer to sit in a bed on top of boxes near the back window. Loading and unloading has to occur in order because Coco just has to get into the car the minute he thinks we are on the move. Max has to be lifted in and when the dogs are secured in their harnesses, the cats go in the back. Only once has a cat ventured past the dogs to get to the front seats.

Their crates, beds, coats and food take up a lot of room so we have to rationalise what we carry. They all seem happy enough - I can hear Max contentedly snoring in her crate outside the van!

Idalia to Wilcannia

From Idalia we travelled to Tilpa which is another town comprising one pub and a rural fire brigade. Tilpa has a very long and steep boat ramp to get boats from the road down to the river. We were too early to have a beer so we didn't see the inside of the corrugated iron pub. We did the shortest heritage walk in the country - from one side of the street to the other. Tilpa also boasts the only cemetery in the country with no graves.

After a brief visit we decided to drive on to Wilcannia following the Darling River. The drive was over 140km of variable dirt road – ranging from fine dust to rough corrugations to wide sandy stretches. There were cattle, sheep, emus and kangaroos on this leg. Very few vehicles passed us and the two other caravaners we saw simply stopped in the middle of the road to have a chat about the road conditions.

We will stay at Wilcannia for a few days and explore the surrounding area from our base at the caravan park named Warrawong on the Darling. It is set on a large property with river access and modern facilities. Instead of cooking dinner tonight we paid to share in the tucker made by the owners in camp ovens near the open fire which consisted of lamb stew, honey chicken drumsticks, roast potatoes, pumpkin and greens, followed by vanilla slice.

Darling River Run – Bourke to Idalia

To travel on the dirt roads we lowered our tyre pressures in the Jeep and the Eco Tourer to reduce the risk of punctures and give a smoother ride on the rough corrugations. Most of the road on the east side of the Darling River from Bourke to Louth was not too bad, and while there was some damage from the recent rain we didn't have any problems. That road passes the Gundabooka National Park but the roads into the park were closed because of poisoning activity.

At Louth there is a bridge over the river which is about 10m above the current water level. There is a strange sign on the bridge prohibiting jumping – perhaps it is relevant during floods. Louth has a pub and nothing else. Somehow they manage to accommodate 6,000 people when the locals organise the annual Louth races. During the races traffic along the dusty road must be chaotic. On this section of the road we only passed about six vehicles all day and two graders repairing the road.

We crossed the river to the road on the western side and continued in a south westerly direction until we reached a sheep station named Idalia which provides outback river accommodation. We stayed at a powered site on the riverbank but alternate accommodation includes a cottage and shearers' huts. There was only one other couple there staying in their camper trailer.

The dogs had a good run around as they have been confined to their crates or leads while in caravan parks, and the cats went for a long (slow) walk. The dogs keep picking up burrs in their soft paws because they are used to walking on the manicured lawns of the Gold Coast.

The owner left a package for us at the back gate which included a brief overview of the work of the station, a history of the six generations of white folk who have lived and worked on the station over the past 140 years, and a book covering a lot of the early history of white settlement in the area. Sheep shearing is in progress now so the six people who live and work on this large station are all busy. The other major activity is goat herding and they installed 45 kilometres of electric fencing for this purpose. They have a couple of planes and small helicopters for mustering. We have seen hundreds of feral goats so it is good to see the farmers are able to make money from herding them for export.

We saw a small flock of goats but it included a single kangaroo. The roo stayed with the flock even after one of the goats ran into him while getting away from our vehicle. The other wild life included a flock of red tailed black cockatoos.

Bourke

I went for a one hour ride on the PV Jandra which is a modern paddle vessel that travels along the Darling near Bourke. The river is so low it is not flowing but is still picturesque. There was plenty of bird life including kites, pelicans, herons, spoonbills, kookaburras and swallows. The boat goes under the old lift bridge and the adjacent new bridge. The skipper told us that once the new bridge was completed the intention was the old bridge be demolished. Fortunately this did not occur as it is a great example of bridge architecture. It was built in 1883 and is the oldest moveable span bridge in Australia.

At the pontoon where the vessel is moored there is a telegraph pole showing the heights of the 2009 and 2012 floods. These markers were about 4m above the top of the riverbank and the river is currently 4 or 5m lower than the bank so it must be an incredible sight to see when in flood.

Tuesday we start our trek down the Darling since enough roads are open. Our first stop will be on a sheep station which has a few powered sites for glampers like us who enjoy the comforts of home!

Lightning Ridge to Bourke

I went to the cactus garden at Lightning Ridge with to take pictures but my camera was playing up and eventually told me I was out of memory. I cleared some memory and went back on our last day with Gill and Sue. We were all set to have the manager of the garden take our picture with my camera but the battery was flat! Sue got her phone out and that wouldn't work because the memory was full, so good job there were three of us because at least Gill's phone camera was working. Some of you may have seen this garden featured on Better Homes and Gardens and it is well worth a visit if you ever get to Lightning Ridge. Some of the cacti are more than 100 years old.

We did the red car door drive and a woman engaged us in conversation about this weird construction. She said she bought it but I could not understand why! It is some sort of monument to astronomers. There is a dispute with the tour operators because it is not identified on the brochures. We could not get to the bottom of the issue but it is a good example of how some of the locals spend their time when they are not underground!

Our route to Bourke was on sealed roads via Walgett and Brewarrina. The security of shops and offices at Walgett was overwhelming, and there is a very large police complex with all cars parked behind a tall fence. It was Saturday morning and groups of Aboriginals were loitering in the main street, apparently with nothing else to do as most of the shops were shut. Lightning Ridge is less than 100km away and while there was reasonable security it was nothing like that in Walgett. Bourke also has a large Aboriginal population and significant security on the shops and other buildings, but the town feels friendly. I was taking a photo of the magnificent court house when a group of Aboriginal boys wanted to have their photo taken, and then wanted to see their picture. The eldest wants me to put it in the newspaper but I have added it to the blog so they are now on the world wide web which in some ways is the world's largest "newspaper".

We went to the Back O'Bourke Exhibition Centre and the favourable Tripadvisor reviews were justified. It is well laid out and very informative. There is a fee but we thought it well worth the money, particularly as you can go back the next day at no extra charge. We may do that as there is so much to take in during one visit. The visitor information centre also has two kennels out the back which can be used for free, apart from paying a deposit on the key. As it was cool and there is a large shaded area we left our pooches in the car where they are most comfortable. Some of the caravan parks also offer dog minding either for free or a nominal fee. Unfortunately when our mates put their two dogs in at Lightning Ridge they apparently whimpered all morning driving the staff crazy! They weren't given the option of a second chance.  

We are still uncertain whether we can do the Darling River Run because there is conflicting information whether the roads are open. The information centre assured us the road is open but the Council website still has sections closed. We will check tomorrow and make a decision whether to wait an extra day or so for the roads to open, or take another route.

Lightning Ridge

It started raining just after we left Moree and continued until we reached Lightning Ridge. The girls travelling from Dubbo were in very heavy downfalls and arrived with wet equipment. The rain only lasted that one day but at least some parts of the country received a decent drop. We drove through a large mob of cattle grazing along the road and many were very scrawny because of the drought.
All of the wild women are staying at the Opal Caravan Park which just happens to be across the road from the artesian pool – nowhere near the Moree standard but it is lovely to dip into the 40 degree water whenever we feel like it. The park has a solar heated pool and other excellent facilities, including a pavilion with a pot belly stove.

There are entertainers who perform each night at the pavilion. They are buskers and earn their living by performing for park residents. They are known as Mel and Susie on Tour but during our stay only Mel is here performing. She recites bush poetry and spins yarns which are very funny. On our first night we were enjoying the entertainment when a dog ran into the audience. It took me a second to realise it was one of our dogs! I had zipped Coco into his portable crate before we went to the show but he managed to drag the zip open on one side and squeeze out to come and find me. He had never been to that area of the park so his tracking skills are still impeccable!

Coco’s escape from his crate was followed by Anita accidentally locking us out of the caravan, with all car keys and spare caravan keys inside. By this time it was getting late and I wasn’t relishing the thought of damaging our van by breaking in. All of the windows and hatches were well secured but fortunately the boot was unlocked and I could get to my tools. We were able to simply break the lock without any damage to the door.

There are self drive tours of Lightning Ridge marked by old car doors. These take you through the mine areas with eccentric and creative structures made from rusty iron, bottles, rocks and other unrecognisable materials. The landscape is covered with piles of mine tailings and open shafts.

Three young girls raised money for a pool to be built in the town. They were so successful in their fund raising efforts they topped $1.3 million. There is still money over after an Olympic sized pool was constructed, and an Olympic standard diving facility which is undercover.

On Saturday 14 May we leave Lightning Ridge for Bourke. After the rains the Darling River Run has many closed sections so we will either have to wait for the roads to open or develop Plan B. We will be in Bourke for at least 2 nights.

Till next time, Sylvia & Anita

First Stop - Stanthorpe!

Tomorrow we leave Moree and head to Lightning Ridge where we will catch up with a bunch of wild women for a week. We went to fair in Moree displaying the surprisingly wide range of food and drink produced in the area, but most of our time here has been spent in the artesian pools, either at our caravan park or at the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre which is a fabulous facility. It’s the first time I have been to a public swimming pool where most of the people there were older than me, instead of the usual hordes of children. There is a water slide which was being used by a group of women who had cajoled a life guard to take their pictures as they splashed out the bottom of the slide.

Our first stopover was at Stanthorpe where we experienced overnight temps as low as 4.5 degrees. Had to put coats on the dogs but otherwise we all coped. We parked the hounds at doggy day care for a couple of days. The first day we explored Bald Rock and Girraween national parks viewing the granite outcrops and boulders. On our second dog-free day we enjoyed a lovely lunch with Heather and Maree at Warwick and were impressed by the facilities at their retirement village.

On the drive from Stanthorpe to Texas we saw dozens of kangaroos and other wildlife killed on the winding road. I suspect they were hit by smaller vehicles at relatively low speed as most of the carcasses were on the roadway and had to be avoided. It’s not a road large trucks would use very often because of hairpin bends and one lane bridges and floodways. Between Texas and Moree we slowed for a mob of emus either side of the highway so at least saw some living wildlife.

I continue to be perplexed by absurd rules imposed by caravan parks in relation to pets. For example, our Moree park only allows pets to stay a maximum of 3 days – good thing that was how long we planned to stay because we had no idea about that rule. At another park near Geelong I read through a long list of dos and don’ts governing dogs only to get to the last line which stated cats are strictly prohibited in the park! By that stage we had already booked in and paid so we just kept them in the van for the night. Most of the time our cats are a novelty when I walk them on leads to give them some exercise.