Streaky Bay to Ceduna

27th March,2011


Now we are all together for the trip across the Nullarbor. Wendy and Bill met up with Judy and Warren and travelled down together. Their trip was wet and they were glad to see the sun shine.
Streaky bay is a small village as most are, and the water is clear and welcoming. Most went for a Kayak only one decided not to venture out yet due to the Great White Sharks that live around in these waters.
The tide goes out a long way and you can walk out without any concern. The water is clear and aqua in colour.The country side is covered in yellow flowers and they are called poor mans Canola. The town's people are friendly and the caravan park was full every day. Don't book don't stay!.
29th March 2011

NULLARBOR

This is the exciting part as we all don't know what to expect. We hear how dry and long the trip will be but we will know ourselves from today.

SMOKEY BAY first stop. They have a jetty built in 1890 at the cost of 7,297 pound fifteen shillings and one penny.  Today it is 200 mtrs and in the old days when it was first built it was 600 mtrs. There is a photo of a young ten year old boy who was taken by a great white shark. And his memorial is still there to remind all what is out there. They have life ring buoy's to be thrown out to any one who may fall in etc.

The water is beautiful in colour and it is very welcoming.  We all purchased some oysters from the working sheds. Unchucked $6.50 a dozen as fresh as can be. we all purchased two dozen. The foreshore is covered in crushed shells for miles.

After Ceduna we are on our way across the Nullarbor. The guys are having their hit at the golf ball across the Nullarbor so we went down town to have a look. We found a great little craft shop and all helped the local community by purchasing wools, needles, materials and cottons.


Past Denial Bay. Large bay and the water is sooo clear. Everywhere on this side of the coast seems to be beautiful and clear water and healthy countryside. They have had rain and it makes all the difference while seeing green pastures not brown dead land.  We have chosen the right time to come across.

Penong. Rest here over night in a camp spot on the side of the road. As there are three of us it is safe and other vans and cars stop when they see others doing it. We woke t find it looked like a large car park it was so full of campers.

our first sight of the rugged coastline

wool shed caves

Murphy's haystacks

bird ALBATROSS  in flight with only one foot.....great shot!

shells no sand

the trio photo shoot for the first hole

ELLISTON the Cliff Scenic Drive

thongs made out of metal on the side of the cliff

other side of the Elliston cliff

designer table and chair on the edge of the cliff face

cement sculptures

Well from here we go along the long road and what we find will be a great surprise as we have never been there before. I will keep in contact from here on in. We have had no service. Love to all xxxxx

Travelling the Air Peninsula

26-3-2011


Port Lincoln,Elliston then onto Streaky Bay where we will meet up with the rest of our group.  The Concept team now has a new name The Nullabour Team.

Freebies         Sea Lions from the Lookout at Point Labott


                      Descend into the Woolshedcaves. A mammoth sandstone cave near Talia


                      Murphy's Haystacks. Giant pink and brown boulders and pillars sculptured from 1500-million-year-old Hiltaba granite, these Inselbergs or 'island mountains' encrusted with lichen lie scattered across hilltop. Walking trails lead around and through the 'haystacks'. And entry is by donation honour system.

CHEAP TREATS


Colton.
Look for the sign after laving Elliston about 20km out of town saying OPEN. This will lead you to the most scrumptious wood fired bread imaginable. $3.50 peer bag or loaf, this is on the honour system again put your money in their tin. It is baked daily and only while stocks last.


The views along these clifftops are breathtaking and the water clear, clean and the deepest cobalt blue ever.
The scenery with the countryside on one side of the road and the calling ocean on the other. Paradise.
On the way back to the caravan we spotted a sigh "PEDRO"S CRAYFISH" couldn't resist we went in and had a look. Now we have looked everywhere for Lobster and here they were in a huge tank set up. The son's catch between 5 and 50 each day. They range in size from 500gm to 6kg. Little bit of knowledge is that a Lobster or Crayfish lives for 80 years and weigh up to 6-8 kg.
Couldn't afford to have the big one so we excepted a 1.5kg and they cooked it for us and boy wasn't it great.
We called in the next morning and picked one up for Warren and Judy as they were saddened that they didn't get one.

First thing in the morning we had to have a look at the tourist drive we missed yesterday.  What a difference a day makes from beautiful blue, deepest blue to grey water. Southern Ocean freezing winds. The rock walls so high and jagged. Elliston is a little bay nestled off the Great Australian Bight. This is just a taste of the wonders of the Great Australian Bight. Just a line joins the Southern Ocean.

Photo's of these areas and events are as follow. Time just didn't permit doing any other way.

Sorry all but my account is having a problem and l can't open the photo's tonight I will send them to you soon
Love to all Sandy and John xxx Coffin BayWe stopped at Coffin Bay, beautiful lake side, small but worth a look, very friendly. We purchased some oysters fresh today. Yum!.

Sheringa

Sheringa next village and it is magnificent with white sand dunes, rugged cliffs and a great area for fishing for salmon.
In the distance we can see the sand dunes while driving past. The occasional form or chimney stack still standing from a home built long ago on the farm.
To see so much barren land yet off on the side about 1 km off the highway we can see sand dunes to the right. We pass a dried up salt lake with a trickle of water. The lake is inland but looks tidal after checking it is two lakes co joined but still empty.
We arrived at Sheringa 2.45pm bombarded by crickets again.

Talia

Off the beaten track at Talia we travelled the dirt road for 5km's to the Woolshed Talia  Caves.
After descending a wooden staircase to the base of a cliff, we found ourselves staring into the mouth of the Woolshed Cave. While overhead swallows nestled in honeycombed pockets eroded from the ceiling. Even a nest of Wasps survived building their nest in the roof of the cave. The sea rushing with gusto inside the cave.
John was able to walk to the end of the cave l played it safer by only going where l wouldn't slip over the edge.

Murphy's Haystacks

Giant pink boulders and pillars sculptured from 1500-million-year-old Hitaba granite, these Iselbergs or "island mountains" encrusted with lichen lie scattered across a hilltop. Walking trails lead around and through the "Haystacks" and entry is on the honour system by donation. The fields are just so bright with the yellow flowers all over. The hills are covered.

Elliston
We arrived at the caravan park at 4 pm put the power on and locked the door. Back in the car to do the tourist drive.Followed the dirt road looking at the wonderful water views possible. The rock wall with their splendor and strength as they are beaten by the ocean. We must see it before night falls.
We are on a mission.
First stop Salmon Point & Cape Finiss, Anxious Bay and Black fellows.........Good luck reading this blog it has proven to be a disaster and l can't fix it as there is no cut and paste. so go from this point then read from the top to when l sign off . sorry but no can fix

Port Lincoln

24-3-2011

Last day here and we are going to the Dentist first off. I have a chip tooth eating chocolate covered coffee beans which l am now sucking the chocolate off.
John for root canal therapy, his is much more major than mine. Poor thing every time we go away he ends up at the Dentist, he will have a few more trips to the Dentist before he is through.

After picking up the car from the mechanic, which we had grease and oil and they managed to get a bit more out of us. And we are finished with the Dentist.

Back to our driving around. We have stopped at a Tourist spot telling about the fishing and boat building history of the area. This is an Italian area and a very rich area. In 1928 two men decided to get off a ship they were working on and started their own boat building. The gentlemen who first found the area was Axel Stenroos who and his friend Frank Laakso had a booming boat building business.Axel had a girlfriend for 30 years and married her when he was 60 and she was 48  he died when he was 84 and they didn't have any children.

MAKYBE DIVA has a monument in the centre of town. Although he had never been here himself but his owners come from Port Lincoln. All that money again. The owner now has the Tuna farm business here and doing very well so we here from the locals.

Couldn't resist adding Johnny as the captain of the fleet. We are both enjoying ourselves and he doesn't look to bad after having his tooth fixed.

Looking over Port Lincoln

looking across the farm or rural area of port Lincoln

looking across the rural area

We are on the road tomorrow so we will let all know where we end up. Our Goal will be to stop at Elliston.
Love to all xxxx

Port Lincoln

23-3-2011

Rest Day so we are taking advantage of the local scenery. Raining it is but that won't deter us. Went to check out the fishing fleet. Huge, Huge, what can l say Huge but they only go out 55 days a year. They make enough money from this amount of time and catch plenty of Tuna, Prawns, Fish variety and Lobster.
Their income for the 55 day's is 45k and upwards. A very hard job and dangerous. It has proven to be a very lucrative business here in town. It has the most millionaire's that live here for the whole of Australia.

inside one of the smaller trawler's

Part of the fleet that work 55 days a year

We continued driving to find where we could purchase some fresh fish. Given directions by a local we arrived to a small business which sold catch of the day and other fish. We are learning catch of the day means nothing!. We did select from out he back of their shops some red snapper which l cooked and it was beautiful. We also splurged on oysters and prawns couldn't help ourselves.
Enjoyed our day and are looking forward to tomorrow.

Port Augusta to Port Lincoln

23/3/2011

Arrived in Port Augusta set up camp in the rain absolutely pouring we thought it was going to flood, but after looking around it was just severe runoff.
Following day we went to the Outback Centre. Watched a good documentary about the Flinders Rangers and beyond.This took three hours it was so interesting. hey showed you the workings of the blasting of the mines and how they retrieved the iron Ore for BHP.

The Beach at Port Agusta [ Fully Aboriginal Town] small, red dirt everywhere

not to our liking but the view is to die for

After leaving the Outback Centre we went out of town to follow the Shack Road. Out on this road there are glamour shacks looking over the ocean. We travelled for twenty km to the end of the road. They are so isolated that there isn't any services at all or town water etc. The road was 200to 300 mtrs from the shacks and they were distinguished with names such as the purple house,Swamp Pigs and muddy flats. There was only a track with red mud to drive on or should l say mud slide or bog in on to get to their properties. The view was worth it but it is not our cup of tea.

everywhere red clay
Left Port Augusta for Whyalla then Port Lincoln . Whyalla is on the western side of Spencers Gulf.
BHP steelworks dominate the City of 22,000. Looking across the for shore of the Spencer Gulf and the views of the Flinders Rangers.
Originally named Hummock Hill  in later re-named in 1914  Whyalla famous for it's Ore from the middle back rangers.
The waters off Whyalla are the home of the cuttlefish and between May and August you can see them breeding. Great fishing area for large Snapper.Third Largest City in South Australia. WHYALLA.


Next little town Cowell we are following the Spencer Gulf now and although it is raining you can still get a great view.

Franklin Harbour Cowell is very disappointing there is nothing only dust and a few old buildings. Great for fishing and you have to pay for the boat ramp and parking. Out in the middle of nowhere you have to pay!  There is a car ferry that comes in from Lucky Bay to York Peninsula. John had his first taste of seafood......Prawn Hamburger.


ARNO BAY  -   Low lying bay area practically sitting on water. Dot on map.1 out of 10 give it a 3


TUMBY BAY  -  Right smack bang on the ocean beautiful land right along coast. Beautiful country. Sheltered village verandas all round. Fabulous. n the water front. Tumby Bay Caravan park Great. Lovely Old Australian homes


Since leaving Port Augusta the scenery has been just wonderful. The rolling hills and green farms or land and can't forget the ocean views, picture perfect.

Onward we go


Port Lincoln Seafood Capitol of Australia.
Wish you were here.



Port Lincoln coast has the largest fishing fleet in the Southern Hemisphere. Port Lincoln is also well known for the WHITE POINTER SHARK, Sea lions Tuna and more.


Port Lincoln  -  The bay is three [3] times larger than Sydney Harbour.


We are enjoying our travels and we are happy to bring you along. love from sandy and john xxx

Adelaide to Port Pirie

23/3/2011
Adelaide to Port Pirie was a beautiful drive. The Land that is not being used or farmed in Australia is astounding. The country side on this leg of our trip around Australia is beautiful countryside. The road great flat and long.
It has just started to rain ever so light. In Port Pirie another BHP town of mining. Grain silos and 250mtr smock stacks all over the city.
Water front have huge vessels BHP and private. BHP stands for Broken Hill Proprietary just in case you are wondering. Mined lead in 1889.
BHP has largest lead zinc smelter in the world. Wheat and Barley are also exported from here in the Spencer Gulf.

This is the old bank with it's Metal doors.

Big Blade Wind Mill Power Blades.

Passing through Snowtown where the bodies were found in the Bank Vault.  Not the best looking bank but it is a baron town as well. Most interesting land mark is the Energy Australia's Big Blade. The storey go's   that when tourists come to town they are looking for a big knife blade not part of the energy Australia  windmills.

Town so sad nothing open except one pub and one antique shop where John asked where the Bank was.

Our yellow melons have shown their head again growing wild in the paddocks.

Spectacular country side rolling hills and just so healthy. Farming visible. Photo stop pink Lake. It is raining so not to sure if you can see the pink. The sand so white and the lake changes colour when the weather changes. Bumbunga Lake.

Salt Lake that changes colour when the weather changes.

Pink Hue

There are 100 wind mills and they are extending them to 200. You don't see any wooden telegraph poles they are all metal and cement.
Just passed a sign on the roadside which read, MUM & DAD SLOW DOWN. Now we know it isn't from our children as they know we don't go fast.
Heading for Port Lincoln. Catch up with you all then . Love Sandy and John xxx

Adelaide to Glenelg

18-3-2011

Today we are going by bus and tram to Glenelg. Known as Adelaide's best beach. Glenelg is 20 Min's from CBD of Adelaide and ten Min's from airport. Free travel once again this is just great. The first impression was nice Tide was out a long way and the water flat. Clean water and eateries everywhere. The usual churches, shops and cafes.Not as we expected. We walked around the area and viewed the old homes walked along the boardwalk and had lunch then caught tram back to the city.


19/3/2011

Our goal today is to go on the O BARN. I will explain!.

First we caught the bus to the city, then we caught the bus to Tee Tree City which is a shopping centre. Yes another one, but we need to go there to catch the O BARN.

The bus travels on the road at first then it connects to a track [ like a train track but cement and rails].

These are the cement and metal rails that the bus lines up to

this is where the bus comes off the road onto the track

The track has 9" return on edge guided rollers in front of the bus. The O BARN as it is called will travel up to 100 km per hour. The driver does not have to steer but our held the wheel with one hand for stabilisation and his comfort..When it is time to stop at a bus stop it goes onto the road then picks up the track again until the end of the journey. Buses pass one another  on these tracks heading to and from their destination.

OBARN back to the city then off to the train. If nothing else we are trying all transport and we can recommend leaving the car and safe travel by bus, train, and walking.

Hello John here l am

Perfectly clean trains and comfortable

At the station which we walked to, there are ten [10] trains to select from as to where you want to go. Ours was number six. That is John looking for me.
We caught the train to Port Adelaide. first impression was where are we when we hopped off the train. We spotted another couple as lost as ourselves and they didn't know either. The train lets you out in an area that doesn't look anything like a port. The streets were bare of life and all shops were closed except for the Pubs.

Lunch stop to get our bearings. We had to walk a fair way to the wharf. Saturdays everything closes at lunchtime. Once again not a lot to look at only the small channel of water and a bridge. We looked around and found a building that housed the history of the ships long ago. Good arvo.

We decided to catch a bus back to the city and it took about half an hour. The train only ran every hour and we didn't have the time table.

I just love churches

Heading back into the city we passed the Cathedral. When we hopped off the bus l dragged John back up the hill so that we could have a look before it closed. We missed seeing it the other day and didn't realise it was so close to the Entertainment centre. Off up the hill we went and it was worth it there was a wedding just finishing and we could go inside. After taking my pictures naturally l took a photo of the bride. She wore a Silver Grey wedding dress which looked terrible. It was a big wedding maybe it was her second?. Photo not that good but better on the video l took. I didn't want to be rude and move in to get a good photo. We had passed two other weddings in the park we walked past and they were beautiful.

We had to drag our poor bodies back down the hill then up again and then walk into the city to get our bus back home to the van. Great day we did so much.

what a sight we though you needed to see this.

I have to add in the city they have a toilet for the public to use. Naturally we did!. When you go in the door closed and the voice above tells you you have ten Min's and when you wash your hands the toilet flushes itself.
We both agree the best thing we have seen in Adelaide so far or what we liked. It is the best Educational City  we have ever seen. There is the University all over the City and students from all over the world. For anyone with children move here you will be doing the best for your children's future. We will visit. If l was younger l would move here and continue my education.

Every subject or course you can think of is here.Private schools everywhere as well. Parks and activities in every suburb we travelled through on the bus. And happy people everywhere. Adelaide is wonderful  we will be back again.

20-3-2011

On the road again to Port Pirie, raining didn't stop went through o Port Augusta. Still raining when we arrived. Safe that is the main thing. Love to all l think that l have caught up with our news and travel report.

Murray Bridge

14/3/2011

Lazy day. We went for a drive to view around the area. Driving along the scenic route a policeman was on the side of the road in a car and as we passed he followed us but not for any reason. John must have had a guilty feeling as he went the wrong way and we were on the expressway heading for Adelaide. Lucky we had the GPS with us and found our way back again without any fuss. We went to the club for lunch. It was good to have a day that we didn't have to do a lot.


15/3/2011

Murray Bridge to Hahndorf then onto ADELAIDE

Hahndorf is a small German village which is very quaint and has many shops to browse through. The houses in this area are on acreage and are very beautiful. The hills around are rolling hills and are very healthy. The area is green and very well maintained.
We have arrived at the caravan park to find that we are able to stay for five days and this is good news. We were only able to book for two days due to the INDY car races as they were all booked. It seems that their books need better keeping. They booked sites but when they were cancelled they didn't take them off the register. Great news for us as now we can have a good look at Adelaide.


16/3/2011

Today we went into the city by bus and had a good walk around. Adelaide city is only 10% of Sydney city.
And it is the only state that has a grid for the city streets. It is fantastic
We found our way around without any problems. Although we must have looked lost a few times we found the locals very friendly as they didn't hesitate in helping us find where we were going or looking for. One lady even ran down the street to tell us that she had given us the wrong directions.
Later in the day we found a display of the racing cars for the INDI and the girls that go with them. Tables were set up below the stage and the drivers were there to sign autographs etc.
I saw Craig Lowndes and said hi sand took his photo for a bit of fun.
Another day filled with sore feet but happy.


17/3/2011


Zoo day!.  Bus into city again and a walk along the gardens and bridge to the zoo along the Torrens River. Beautiful area. We saw Poppey the river boat that is so popular and well known.
Now the special treat is to see Wang Wang the Panda Bear. There are tow bears in separate areas. They are so cute but so bored and have only been there for a short time. The zoo is set out very well and have a good range of animals but they look bored in their surrounds and most are alone and that is a shame. I don't believe in zoo's like this anymore when you see the animals at Dubbo zoo they are so much better off.
I would recommend that all go to the zoo to see the animals and have their own opinion not mine.
When back in the city they have a toilet in the main street for use of all to use. When you go in the voice above tells you that you have 10mins and when you are finished and wash your hands the toilet flushes itself . Press the button and the toilet paper rolls out for you. Strange experience but they have thought of everything in this City.

Peek a boo my name is Wang Wang

I WANT TO GO HOME

He realy loves himself. So proud!

Glenelg Beach  very low tide and flat.

GLENELG BEACH

Transport is free buses, trains and they have a bus that goes onto train lines, now this will be an experience.

Guess Who

Purnong to Murray Bridge

13th March,2011

Hi to all that are interested in the blog,

Berri:  Sunday morning and the town though small was still sleeping. We missed the Farmers markets as they were on Saturday. This is so like us.Huge distillery outside of town just before Bamera.

Bamera: Rain, Grapes and more Grapes. The rain so light but was refreshing as it has been quite hot.
Brown Murray water very where from the floods.Red cliffs and red soil, it must be good for the grapes red clay soil as they are in abundance everywhere. This is why Australia has so much wine.
Waikerie:  Small town chocolate factory [ we resisted] parked beside paddle steamer that is now a restaurant on the Murray river and had morning tea.The gang plank was under water from the floods. Picture will be sent when we can. Met a couple from Tullebudgera QLD. In the distance we can see the ranges and it is good to see different scenery as it has been flat for so long.

Swan Hill: village high on a hill looking over the Murray.We had to take a left turn and didn't see rangers again. Petrol, milkshake stop.

Nildottie:Another small village Orange cliff surrounds the small area. Potatoes and wine are grown here. Out in the never never.

Walker Flat Just passing

Purnong:One of the Murray's largest irrigation areas. Purnong is a major exporter of onions all over the world. [amazing we couldn't buy any on the side of the road anywhere] maybe for the better they would only take them when we pass over into Western Australia. Fruit Fly Zones are everywhere.

Bow Hill: Undulating land or up hill down dale. Picturesque but bare of trees and life. sad

Young husband: Our scenery has changed a little with the roads although straight are like a roller coaster, the land so bare and lifeless with no farming just bare.No sheep or cattle to be seen. Thinking about it we hadn't seen any cattle or sheep since we left Tumut.

Mannum:Mention cattle and sheep and blow me down here are some on the land.Beautiful country area 82km from Adelaide.Green and lush.

Murray Bridge: What a difference another hill can make beautiful area on the Murray.You can look across the land as far as the eye can see it is just beautiful.

14th March,2011.

Today we went sightseeing around the area and to the club for lunch. It has been a very relaxing day for both. Driving along this morning and following the scenic rout there was a police car parked on the side of the road. In South Australia you do 25 km in school zones. Anyway the police car followed us not for any reason and John must have been concerned and took the wrong road and we ended up on the freeway to Adelaide. I laughed [naturally] this is me remember. We travelled for awhile until we could back track. All well used the Navigator and we arrived back in town OK.
Off in the morning to Adelaide and this is exciting.

Since leaving Tumut we have seen one kangaroo small. one dead lizard and ostrich in a paddock plus the latest paddock of cows and sheep.

Hope everyone is as happy as we are and all are well love to all xxx

Now in South Australia

.Well it has been quite a job getting my blog to come up so l understand how frustrated everyone else .
Mildura for Renmark:

Great Southern Winery as far as you can see. On to Lake Cullurreraine, small town but huge in wine growing.

Yamba: Stopped for a cuppa but couldn't enjoy due to the flies.Had to spray ourselves with our favourite solutions, equal parts vinegar,baby oil and dettol. Flies don't like it.
Berri: Largest wine growing area and oranges in Australia.

WELCOME TO SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Fruit fly inspection station where they are checking all transport. Very strict. We gave them our Pumpkin, onions,Parsnip,Potatoes and cucumber.
Beautiful country town We are staying at Paringa just 5 Min's out of town. Also famous for its skinny bridge that you just fit across and it opens for house craft.[boats]
Not Open anymore, Big Orange,Angus Fruits and Paddle Steamer isn't running due to their 100th birthday celebrations in two weeks time.

Sorry no photo's this time due to loading difficulty and Internet.

Over the Border to Renmark

On the road again. Today we are heading to Renmark. We stopped for morning tea on the side of the road and were curious about the melons in the paddock. At first they looked like rocks or very large pebbles. After checking with binoculars they are definitely melons of a sort. We enquired at the next stop and found out they were no good for consumption, they grow wild.



Our first fruit fly checking station.





There is a large Dunlop tyre across the road. The checking station is in full attendance checking all.
We gave them our potatoes,pumpkin,onions,parsnip and cucumber. Now we have no fresh food left.
This is fine as now l don't have to cook tonight.




Arriving into Renmark we had to cross over this very narrow bridge and l mean narrow. It opens for boats to pass through on the Murray. We did a quick tour into town and to the Information centre. Sad news the areas we had mapped out to visit are no longer operating any more. That's fine less money spent.
The land driving in today is worked with many farms. It is an area for Oranges and Grapes. The largest in Australia.I am looking forward to going to a market to buy fruit and veg that we don't have to hand over because
fruit fly exclusions. Another day tomorrow just looking around town and watching the boats and water skeing at our front door on the beautiful full Murray River.

BIG LIZZIE

Big Lizzie remained in the Red Cliffs area from 1920-1924 at which time she was driven to Western Victoria to clear other areas of land.
In 1938 her Blackstone engine was sold to a company in Pyramid Hill who used it to run stone crushing equipment until 1942. It was

broken and sold as scrap in 1945.
In 1970 Cr Ern Wolfe discovered the location of Big Lizzie on a property at Balmoral, near Horsham.



The wheels made of steel had timber casings attached to help it move around.





This is where we are today. On the Murray River at Mildura.