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McDermotts Travel Oz

McDermotts Travel Oz

We haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on our list. Leia mais🇦🇺Sydney
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    • McDermotts Travel OzViajantePort Lincoln Road Trip 2025

      Home Sweet Home

      18 de janeiro, Austrália ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

      Where the Blue Gums are growing and the Murrumbidgee’s flowing beneath the sunny sky…

      Before hitting the road for our final leg to home we enjoyed a slow cooked breakfast from the original Niagara Cafe in the main street of Gundagai. First established in 1902, it has a fascinating history, including once hosting wartime Prime Minister John Curtin and his War Cabinet for a hearty midnight meal of steak and eggs in 1942. And yes, we can confirm it still offers old fashioned service!

      Gundagai really is more than just a dog on a tucker box. Who knew?

      As we neared Sydney we found the rain and cold that we had otherwise avoided for our entire trip. We feel very blessed for the amazing weather we’ve had until now when it really doesn’t matter. We’re just grateful to be home safely having enjoyed a wonderful time away 🥰

      P.S. We definitely haven’t missed the Sydney traffic or impatient city drivers. Give me the country any day!      Leia mais

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    • McDermotts Travel OzViajantePort Lincoln Road Trip 2025

      Gundagai NSW

      17 de janeiro, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

      On the road to Gundagai… we stopped at the quaint little heritage town of Rutherglen to round out our tour of east coast wine regions. This trip, we’ve now covered the Riverina, Barossa, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Rutherglen Regions. Mmm😋🍷

      Just a quick stop this time at two of the most identifiable wineries - DeBortoli Estate and Campbells Wines, the latter being a trip down memory lane for Dan and Helen who celebrated Claire’s arrival with a bottle of their ‘Liquid Gold’ over 16 years ago xx

      For lunch we checked out Parker Pies in the main street of Rutherglen. Although not cheap, we all agreed they were possibly the best pies we’ve had anywhere in the country, or at least on par with Mt Barker Bakery in WA. So good, we definitely recommend if passing through 😋

      Tonight we’re at Gundagai Tourist Park in an undercover drive-through ensuite site. It’s a bit of a novelty, kind of like camping in a carport, though I have to admit not very outdoorsy. In our defense we booked it when they were predicting the supercell that smashed the east coast two nights ago. It would have been perfect in a storm, but happily our run of ideal summer weather continues. “Positive vibes” to the end.

      We ended the night with Dan’s Amazing Road Trip ‘Have You Been Paying Attention’ quiz where we all recounted our favourite experiences.      Leia mais

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    • McDermotts Travel OzViajantePort Lincoln Road Trip 2025

      Thong Tree VIC

      16 de janeiro, Austrália ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

      We’ve previously painted a rock on the Port Macquarie breakwall, now under the cover of darkness we’ve added to the Thong Tree on the Echuca River Walk.

      Thanks to Josh for donating his old blowouts. It doesn’t get more Aussie than that! #mcdermottstraveloz #leavingourmarkLeia mais

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    • McDermotts Travel OzViajantePort Lincoln Road Trip 2025

      Moama NSW

      16 de janeiro, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

      After a much needed sleep in, we slowly found our way to the iconic Aussie Beer Shed & Heritage Farm Museum on the outskirts of Echuca, showcasing an eclectic collection of memorabilia from beer cans and all things beer, to old Aussie household items, old petrol bowsers, a Coca Cola collection, old farm machinery, a car shed and even a partially restored WW1 canon.

      The introductory tour by owner and self professed lunatic Neil Thomas was entertaining with quirky stories and audience participation. The kids learnt the truth about pokie machines experiencing first hand the unlikely chances of winning - except for Josh who somehow defied the odds 🤦🏽‍♀️ Apparently the one old demonstration machine, despite daily activity, hasn’t paid out a jackpot in the past 20 years!

      Among the 20,000 odd beer cans from Australia and around the world, we did giggle at the Tennent’s Lager Lovelies range from the 1960s and 1970s. The evocative cans remain one of the most popular promotional campaigns of all time, combining sex appeal with beer in a way that has never been matched - and hopefully never will! I did have to wonder if it was just a coincidence that my name appeared twice 🫢😉

      It was a truly unique tourist attraction rated No. 1 on TripAdvisor 🤨 Plus did I mention I found both how to manage men and the key to happiness 😁 #wheninechuca

      We spent the afternoon at Moama Beach, a lovely recreation reserve on the NSW side of the Murray River, before celebrating our last night in the twin border towns at the American Hotel where ironically we had one of the best Aussie beef steaks of the trip!      Leia mais

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    • McDermotts Travel OzViajantePort Lincoln Road Trip 2025

      Murray River NSW

      15 de janeiro, Austrália ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

      Today was a real mixed bag of experiences. This morning we explored the Port of Echuca, a living monument to the 1870s when it was the third largest port in Australia, outside Sydney and Melbourne. We even took an authentic paddlesteamer cruise down the river aboard the Pevensy with its original steam engine just as it would have been in ye olden days.

      The historic wharf itself is impressive, towering approximately 10m above the waterline with multiple deck options to accommodate the changing river levels. It originally extended 332m in length in the 1880s but was reconstructed in later years following realignment of the river.

      On returning to the vans we were confronted by an unknown stank, until we discovered the caravan park was conducting free camel rides right next to our campsites. What else were we to do but join the fun - just “don’t bring me down Bruce” 😆🐫

      This afternoon Anthony and the boys hired e-bikes and headed out to the confluence of the Campaspe and Murray Rivers before crossing back over the bridge into NSW to check out Moama Beach. Interestingly, we learnt that following Federation the State border was set at the high water mark on the Victorian side, hence the river itself is technically wholly within NSW.

      We ended the day with dinner at the Shamrock Hotel ☘️ It’s the home of 101 Parmas including the ‘Parmageddon’, a monster 5-stack parma of Biblical proportions where you can win an “I survived Parmageddon” t-shirt if you finish the entire offering. Sensibly we didn’t try, though there’s a possibility one of us may have survived 😝 @Josh      Leia mais

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    • McDermotts Travel OzViajantePort Lincoln Road Trip 2025
      Mt Sturgeon11

      Echuca VIC

      14 de janeiro, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

      We couldn’t leave Mt Gambier without trying ScRoll Queen - apparently it’s a Victorian/South Australian thing. A warm savoury scroll served as breakfast while the sweet ones were saved for lunch. I sense a business opportunity in NSW - Yum!

      After crowd sourcing some route info and confirming the recent bushfires were under control, we took the scenic route to the south of the Grampians, a striking mountain range rising out of the middle of sheep and cow paddocks. They definitely made for an impressive backdrop to our travels.

      The route had us zig zagging our way across country Victoria connecting the dots between small towns. In contrast to South Australia most of the dots actually warrant their place on the map with pretty leafy main streets and stately heritage buildings. We stopped for lunch at Ararat under a shady tree with a friendly free range chicken - right outside the hospital for the criminally insane. A perfect photo opportunity, even if J Ward was closed for intakes 🤪

      Somewhere after Ararat our GPS had a conniption sending us on a series of sub-optimal backroads through parts of Victoria we never knew we needed to see!

      At the mercy of the navigator, we eventually rolled into Echuca around 4:30 pm where the awesome NRMA Echuca Holiday Park will be our home for the next three nights. I’m getting Mildura vibes - it’s still 30 degrees at 10:00 pm!      Leia mais

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    • McDermotts Travel OzViajantePort Lincoln Road Trip 2025
      Favourite Son... 🤔😊

      Coonawarra SA

      13 de janeiro, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      They say a good day starts with good coffee and ends with good wine… Today was a good day 😊

      After a (not) quick coffee stop at the Metro Bakery in Mt Gambier (credit though to their sourdough loaf) we headed north towards the wine growing region of Coonawarra, famed for its age-worthy reds and strip of terra rossa ('red soil') – one of the most valuable patches of earth in Australian wine🍷

      Our first stop was at Parker Estate, a relative newcomer to the region but a strong contender nonetheless. The kids entertained themselves playing poker on the lawn out front, much to the amusement of staff 😆

      Next up we tasted the offerings at Hollick Estate, a boutique winery renowned for its high-quality wines from both Coonawarra and nearby Wrattonbully. This was a definite winner and our favourite of the day, so much so that we’re now a ‘Friend of Hollick’ and a case of their finest heavier after signing up for their member's deal!

      For lunch we chanced Brand’s Laira cellar door. It had been recommended for their lunch platters, which were good, but after two cracking starts we were uninspired by their wines.

      We promptly moved on to Majella Wines, another excellent recommendation from Dan’s sommelier friend. The friendly and informative service adding to the experience.

      Back at the van the boys enjoyed a good old fashioned water fight before heading to dinner at Mac’s Hotel, where I enjoyed a Majella rosé while Anthony and Dan tried a dessert beer 🤪🍻      Leia mais

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    • McDermotts Travel OzViajantePort Lincoln Road Trip 2025
      Umpherston Sinkhole, Mt Gambier
      Cave GardenFound the PenguinsBrowne BayLittle Blue Lake

      Mt Gambier SA

      12 de janeiro, Austrália ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

      Today we explored the geological wonders of Mount Gambier, including the underground garden of Eden at Umpherston Sinkhole, Cave Garden, and dazzling sapphire waters of the famed Blue Lake. Apparently, it only turns blue in November each year and by summer’s end returns to an uninspiring grey colour. We feel fortunate to have seen it at its best!

      It's quite bizarre how the town has evolved around the various sinkholes, lakes and caves, which are quite literally in the middle of the main street.

      As the day warmed up we headed south to Port McDonnell to explore the highlights of this part of the Limestone Coast. We started at Cape Northumberland, the southernmost point of South Australia, before heading east to find the locally recommended swimming spot at Browne Bay. It was a lovely unspoilt beach with beautiful clear turquoise water. To the boys’ delight we joined the parade of 4WDs on the beach. Whilst still not my comfort zone, I have to admit it did save us carrying a lot of gear and made a good wind break for when we returned from the surf 😁

      On the way back to Mt Gambier we detoured via Ewens Ponds, a series of three water-filled limestone sinkholes. From the viewing platform they were a bit underwhelming. Turns out you need a permit to swim/dive the reed-lined ponds.

      Finally we made it to the highlight of the day - Little Blue Lake, a fabulously unique experience, jumping off the 4m high cliff surrounds into the ‘bottomless’ crystal clear fresh water of the sinkhole. The signs said the water was a constant 12 degrees so we were prepared for chill-shock, but happily it was much warmer and we enjoyed a good hour or so in the refreshing water.

      As we sit out at the vans tonight wrapped in our blankets and beanies, red wine in hand, we’re graced with the sweet sounds of Mt Gambier from the paddock next door - “Moo” 🐮😁      Leia mais

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