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Puppy's South West Adventure
  • Bec Taylor
October 2023

Puppy's South West Adventure

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  • Trip start
    October 6, 2023
  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Home to Gilgandra

    October 6, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Pup settled in the car much faster than he has for our two test runs, so that's a bonus! Still wanting his head out of the window at 100km, but too bad. We had a quick stop at Merriwa, snapped a photo of the Silo art, grabbed a small feed from the bakery, then on to Dunedoo for another quick Silo photo and bathroom break.
    We're camping at the Railway Hotel, Gilgandra tonight. We pulled up and checked in with the staff who are super lovely and thanked us for actually checking with them first, sounds like there have been issues previously. We set up and took pup for a wander. The 3 dogs that live at the pub all yelled at him, the publican said we can either go out into the beer garden with them, or, luckily, we can sit out the front when we're ready. I stayed in the camper for a bit so Pup would have a nap before going to the pub for a drink and a feed. Ben headed in to make sure the beers were okay, so selfless.
    We shared a schnitty and a pizza for dinner with another drink, and now we're back in the camper getting ready for bed.    Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Gilgandra to Cobar

    October 7, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    It was incredibly windy overnight, I don't think anyone had a great sleep. We were awake around 8 but took it slow this morning since we were all tired. Eventually packed up, headed off to grab fuel and keep moving. We'd planned a quick stop at Nevertire water tower, but the boy finally settled so we kept cruising on. Not a lot to report on, I read for a bit and and we stopped in at Nyngan. First we pulled in at an info booth with a little Bogan, we didn't know it wasn't the big Bogan, so felt underwhelmed. We kept cruising and saw the signs for the actual Big Bogan, much better! Had his Esky and dog rusty. We stopped for some photos and a wander. It was very quiet, not much open, if anything from what we could see. So we made up some wraps for lunch before continuing on to Cobar. We had a quick stop at the monument/town sign for a photo then headed to the caravan park to check in and another quick and easy set up. Much to puppy's dismay we headed back out. We stopped at the Cobar miners heritage park, it's set up very nicely. So nice, that there was a wedding wrapping up. Next we went to the Fort Bourke Hill mine lookout. It was so bizarre to see how big it was from that angle. I saw some goats and their kids, so that was exciting. Another quick stop at the monument since there wasn't a line up this time, then on to the big tooheys can for a photo and the iga for a fresh chook for Pup. Headed back to the camper to enjoy the afternoon sun and a few drinks. Pup didn't want to be outside and we didn't want to be in, so we found a good compromise that he was pretty happy about. Crumbed steak and salad for dinner, showers and a relatively early night. Pup decided he deserved an upgrade from the bottom of the King bed with the deluxe mattress topper, so he took my spot on my pillow.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    A long day in the car

    October 8, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    After fueling up, we started the day with a 3 hour stint to Wilcannia. We saw a few emus and their chicks, and 90km of goats! So bloody many! Not a lot to report, I read for a bit, resettled the boy a thousand times and we listened to Spotify. We pulled up at a rest stop in Wilcannia and ordered a classic burger and steak burger to share. It was so good to get out of the car and stretch our legs. We were heading to Menindee today.. except both roads from Wilcannia were closed, not sure why due to the lack of service, so we headed to Broken Hill to see if there was another way in. There was, but damn it's been a long day in the car. Another hour and a bit to Menindee, we headed straight for the servo to top up the fuel and grab a map from the info centre. We drove along weir road for a bit, there are a heap of free campsites listed on wiki camps here. There wasn't a lot of shade and we couldn't properly see the access to each site and didn't want to risk getting stuck with the camper since it was 5pm already. We kept going and came across Copi Hollow. Ben went and spoke with the caretaker and he directed us to a spot on the water. We set up, went for a quick walk and settled in. Pup settled and slept really well in the car today, but still wasn't interested in laying in his bed on the ground like some peasant. Just the usual evening activities, dinner, music and relaxing before bed.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Arrived in Broken Hill

    October 9, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Woke up a bit earlier today, but still slow moving. After we'd packed up and were ready to go, Ben realised the back numberplate that copped a beating last year, was starting to fracture, so he had to drill some new holes to suit. Unfortunately it's a 6mm bolt and we only have a 5mm drill bit, so he had to get creative. On the road and we looped back to the Burke and Wills Campsite and main weir to have a look, then a quick pop in to Sunset Strip on the way to Broken Hill, an odd little suburb. We had a quick stop at the visitors info centre to grab some maps and info, and went to check in. We paid an extra $15 a night to have an ensuite since it's surprisingly cheap and we're here for 2 nights. Since we were checking in early, they said that we could set up, but not use the ensuite until the afternoon, which wasn't an issue. We set up and headed out to find a feed, settling on Alfresco's cafe. Ben had a Caesar burger and I had a chicken, Ham and cranberry sandwich, very nice. We headed up to the Line of lode memorial and the big bench. They've put chains up so you can't sit on it anymore, boo. The memorial was lovely but sad, listing the many ways people passed away while working in the local mines. There was a significant drop off over the years as more safety standards were implemented. Next we cruised around Broken Hill, just having a look and getting our bearings. We had a quick stop at the JP Keenan lookout, then white rocks reserve to read about some local history and watch the storm roll in. Back to camp for a nap, well, for pup and I anyway. We found out that the road we were meant to take from Wilcannia to Menindee was flooded which is why we had to go the long way around yesteday. Another couple came and had a chat with us, asking about the camper, they're looking at buying one and stoney creek was on top of their list. We showered in our fancier than expected ensuite, flicked through some brochures we picked up earlier, and headed to bed.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure
    2

    Silverton

    October 10, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    As easy as it is to set up and pack down, it was nice knowing we didn't need to pack the camper away today. Pup was in a mood this morning, too many people packing up and lots of noises. We headed to Silverton today, I'd seen some Facebook posts about keeping kids entertained by counting all of the dips in the road out there, we didn't keep track, but there were a heap, and as we came into town, there were signs saying 'beyond the 39 dips'. We headed out just past Silverton to the Umberumberka reservoir to have a look, then back past the Mundi Mundi lookout. Beautiful landscape, but also a whole lot of nothing. Silverton follows NSW time, not SA like Broken Hill does, so our watches and phone keep jumping all over the place. Google told us the other day that Broken Hill goes by SA time due to the rail link to Adelaide. We went to the Mad max museum, $10pp entry and well worth it. There were so many behind the scenes photos and information, as well as a lot of props to look through. We were allowed to take photos in the back section where they had lots of replicas, including a lot of vehicles and the Interceptor. Puppy had an interaction with a cat, that interaction being him being completely oblivious as he went past twice, missing the cat hissing and swatting at him the first time, then finally realising and just walking away. After the museum, I quickly popped into the John Dynon gallery, the emu man, lovely artwork but very $$, it was a nice quick stop either way. We were getting pretty hungry so it was time for a feed at Silverton hotel, more burgers and steak sandwiches. The gaol/museum was next, the lady at the front office was lovely and said we could bring pup through too. It was surprisingly big, with lots of history and artefacts. We moved pretty quickly as Pup was starting to crack it, fair enough though, he's been really good and it's pretty warm today. We headed back to Broken Hill, I grabbed my magnet from the info centre and took Pup back to the trailer while Ben went and grabbed some groceries and stock up. There isn't another woolies until Barossa, there are some foodmarts/IGA, but want to make sure we could get what we wanted for the next bit. I got some schoolwork done (it never ends) and looked at some activity options over the coming days. We've put a load of washing through and are just chilling at the campsite now.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Hello South Australia!

    October 11, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Another pack up and another morning where the boy has the shits about getting out of bed. Treated ourself to a cafe breakfast this morning, The Silly Goat popped up as a good, dog friendly spot, also the lady when we checked in recommended it. Great spot! The server was fabulous, I loved his blue eyeshadow and sparkly nails. Ben had a breaky burger and I had the veg burger and an iced latte, damnnn it was all so good! Back to the car and on the road for half an hour, we've reached the border! Hello South Australia!Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Peterborough, the Steamtown

    October 11, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 29 °C

    It was a few hours to Peterborough and a whole lot of nothing in between. We did get stopped at a quarantine spot and had our mixed lettuce leaves taken. I had some schoolwork to do so I'd downloaded a bunch of documents the night prior so I could be productive, and I actually was! Made the trip fly, for me at least. We got into Peterborough and headed for the information centre at Steamtown. We had a look at some flyers and booked in for the Sound and Light show tonight, dogs welcome! We also have access to do the day tour tomorrow, we're planning on doing that after pack up in the morning. Off to the caravan park to set up. A small park, but it has a nice feel to it, the breeze blowing through is making it feel much nicer than the 30 degrees it apparently was. We decided to head out and have a bit of a wander around, it's not a huge town at all, but it's quirky. We went to each of the 4 individually designed Peterborough signs, walked along the main street, into the heritage railway carriage and stopped for a photo with the statue of Bob the railway dog. He would've had a much harder life than pup, someone remind him of that next time he's carrying on please. We checked out the local pubs for dinner options and weren't really feeling it, so we headed back to the trailer for a lie down. Our tummies have been a bit off today too, so the quiet time was much needed. Ben cooked up steak and we got ourselves ready for the tour. There was another dog absolutely going off when we got there, so we thought this was going to be interesting. We kept pup away from her and noticed the owners put a muzzle on. We had a chat with another couple who had travelled from Tassie, via Geelong, Mount Gambier, Hahndorf, pretty much the same as us, but in reverse. Just before we went through for the tour, I went and asked the old fella with the dog if he'd rather be at the front or back of the group. He was very apologetic, saying he's hoping she'll calm soon as she's not yet 2. He was so kind and I tried to reassure him, said Titan was much the same, similar breeds etc, he was really good about it. That lead to a bunch of the other oldies asking about Pup and saying how nice we were about it. We weren't really sure what to expect with this tour, definitely right up Cameron's alley. There was a steam train lit up with its Whistle going with a bit of a story before we moved on. We went out into the yard and climbed onto the carriage on the turntable, and made ourselves comfortable. It was essentially set up like the movies where they played clips about Peterborough and its history, while lighting up the locos and carriages surrounding it. It was pretty cool, definitely different! After the tour we headed back to camp for a snack, a shower for ben and bed time.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Steamtown morning tour

    October 12, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    It got quite cold overnight and the wind was absolutely blowing this morning. A big change from 32 degrees yesterday to a top of 18 today. We battled it while packing up then headed back to Steamtown for our morning tour. We were taken out to John who keeps the tours looping around the Roundhouse and rail yard, you just join wherever he is and loop until you've seen it all. Quite a few train buffs in our group, with lots of questions and facts to share. I said Ben was doing some professional learning while on holidays, he laughed but would've preferred to 'be anywhere else' 😅 Pup was a very good boy, rugged up in his flanno. Once we'd finished our loop tour, we popped into the diesel shed to look at more exhibits and information. I felt like the tours were really good value and were the right amount of time, it didn't drag out (apart from when the buffs wouldn't stop talking ha!), and it didn't feel rushed either. Back on the road to Hawker then on to Rawnsley Park Station tonight.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Rawnsley Park Station

    October 12, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    We had a quick drive by the Giant Red gum at Orroroo before stopping at Hawker, one of the main entry towns to the Flinders Ranges. Quick stop at the visitors info centre then late lunch at Flinders Food Co. We shared lamb tacos and another burger, bloody good. I had a sneaky cocktail too. Ben looked up fuel prices in the area and decided to top up before moving on, especially since we were haemorrhaging fuel with the 40km winds today. A few quick photo stops - Arkaba Hill and Elder range lookout, then on to Pugilist hill. When we got to the bottom of the hill, it said 'impassable if towing', we debated unhooking the camper before I realised on our off-line maps, the 4wd track we do tomorrow overlaps pretty close, so we'll have a proper look tomorrow. We checked in at Rawnsley and went to find a campsite, we found a nice spot looking at Rawnsley Bluff, part of Wilpena Pound. We'd already decided to order takeaway pizza from the Woolshed restaurant, a km up the road where the cabins are, on the way back we stopped off at a lookout and took a few snaps. A pretty quiet night tonight again, surprisingly have some 4g, so we've been able to google/scroll do the usual things. We do have some downloaded movies and TV shows ready for when we don't have service. I've also been trying to keep up with The Block drama. Pup had quite the tantrum tonight, moody boy, it was prettu funny. We're doing the Arkepena track tomorrow before heading to Willow Springs for 2 nights.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Arkepena Track and on to Willow Springs

    October 13, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We had a couple of drinks last night and flicked through our Cape trip memories. Up this morning to pack up the camper as we had planned to leave it while we did the 4wd track, and didn't want to have to do it this afternoon. We picked up the access key and the map and headed off around 10:30. Today we did the 40km Arkepena track. The first brief challenge was finding the entry point. After we tracked it down, we came across 3 other cars getting ready to start. They said they might be a bit slow so we could go ahead. We got the feeling they'd be stopping at every marker/checkpoint. There are lots of emus around, we weren't far in when we saw one with a bunch of chicks. We looped through the checkpoints, stopping every so often for a photo. The map was pretty cool, with each marker it had a blurb about the local history, or something in that location, such as the trees or shrubbery. We noted that the terrain was so different to what we've seen before, but also to each other, with vast differences on either side of the road, or changing every so often as we progressed. There were 2 parts to this trail, the yellow, low clearance part, then the red, high clearance loop towards the end. We did both of course, climbing up to Prelinna lookout. It was stunning. Views of Wilpena Pound, Elder and Chase ranges, and everything in between. There was a mailbox with a visitor book inside to sign. Pup even got out to take in the view and to get some cute photos of course. Back down was pretty bumpy, but nothing Ben couldn't handle. Once we got to the bottom, we looped past Pugilist hill from yesterday, it was steep but smooth, I reckon we could've done it with the trailer on yesterday afterall, also with plenty of room to spin around if it was on. Back to Rawnsley to pick up the camper then head on to our next campsite. It was only bout 40 minutes down the road. I checked in with the caretaker at Willow Springs and she directed us to our campsite. It's a huge property but I'm glad we booked as there are only a few campsites. They're spread out and relatively private with your own portaloo on each, which was a nice surprise. Most places, even on stations etc, try to jam as many people in, which we get, it's a business, but it was nice to have some room and space for pup to be off lead. We did keep a close eye on him as there are 1080 baits laid all around the Flinders Ranges, although they said they don't deliberately place them around the campsites, birds can still transport it around. In true pup fashion though, he was always right on one of our heels, or at the steps trying to get into the camper. We went for a quick drive back to the amenities so we could shower, pup wasn't thrilled about that. Back for dinner and the earliest night we've had in preparation for our biggest 4wd trek tomorrow.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Skytrek

    October 14, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Up early and ready to take on the 80km Skytrek 4wd trail. The information says to allow the whole day and that you have to depart by 10:30, or you wont be given the access keys due to safety precautions. We were given a booklet of information for each respective marker, 50 of them, lining up with a km marker to keep track throughout the day. At marker zero, we reset our odometer, and off we went. The start was at the back of the campsites and homestead, winding next to a dry creekbed. Our first stop was to find some local Aboriginal etchings. Another couple were there and pointed them out for us, we've seen a lot of ochre style artwork, but no etchings like this before. You could clearly see a number of emu footprints, otherwise we think a lot of the rest have been slowly eroding away. Back on the trail and the scenery keeps changing drastically. We saw so many emus! More than sheep! Quite a few roos too, that's pretty standard though. The information booklet was fantastic, such a great way to enjoy the trip and learn about the area. The pyramids were one of my favourite stops, it just looked so cool! We got to the recommended lunch spot and got out to track down the Eagle nest and stromatolite fossils. We found the nest and THINK we found the fossils. We'll google it when we can. Wraps for lunch and a wander for pup before moving on. He's been so good with the tracks, a bit unsettled both mornings, but I think it just rocked him to sleep. We hit marker 42, and it was time to go into full 4wd mode. Up we climbed to a number of gorgeous lookouts. The photos don't do them justice or really show how high we were. One of the last lookouts also had a mailbox, with a visitor book to sign before we started our descent. We got back just before 3pm. Pup had a treat and we had a nap in the camper for a bit, just enjoying some downtime and letting pup properly rest. Shower time, then back for steak wraps and another early night.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Cruising around the local area

    October 15, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Not too far to travel today, about 2 and half hours in total with stops along the way. We packed up and headed for the Great wall of china, an unusual horizontal bed of limestone up on Mount Emily. We kept moving through to Blinman. It's a tiny town but felt quite nice, you can wander in and out of a number of the buildings from the 1860s or do a mine tour, which we'd look into doing another time. We had some temperamental phone service so we checked in on a few things online. We spotted The Miner's Crib cafe and grabbed a quick bite to eat, Ben a pie and I grabbed a salad roll. A quick trip down the road to Wadna, an aboriginal shop filled with local artworks and artefacts. I had a chat with the bloke working there who was turning some wood. Kept moving through the Parachilna gorge and past the Angorichina tourist village. Lots of free campsites along the way that looked quite nice. Last stop was at the Prairie hotel in Parachilna. It's known for its 'Feral food' - emu, goat, kangaroo and camel. Ben had a kangaroo schnitty and a tasting paddle of their local beers. I had a cider with camel sausage rolls and halloumi with quandong and dukkah. Luckily we pulled in when we did, it was absolutely chockers when we were leaving. A quick wander around the park across the road and we were on the road to our next campsite. Staying at Mount Little Station tonight, I caught Kellie, one of the owners, before she was heading off to muster the sheep and she directed us to our campsite. They've got lots of great activities here, a treasure map to a pirate Cove, an animal scavenger hunt, lots of walks and drives, a petting farm and a tavern that opens certain nights of the week. The campsites are pretty spread out too like the last spot. I'd just like a toilet a bit closer, we'll be peeing in the bush before bed tonight. We took refuge in the camper to avoid the flies and for a sneaky nap this afternoon. We had leftover pizza for dinner and watched some downloaded netflix before bed.
    We really rate Mount Little Station, it'd be a good spot to base yourselves out of, especially with kids. They've got heaps of driving tours on their site, animal feeding, a tavern open certain nights of the week, a scavenger hunt, a swimming hole, fishing options etc. It's also not far from any of the towns, everything is pretty close here. Back to Blinman for the mine tour, or in to Wilpena Pound etc. Only complaint, although they advertised toilets and amenities, which they do have, they're a drive away, not a wander. So we'd bring a portable loo and we'd be good.    Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    The last 4wd track and onto Quorn

    October 16, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    Just after we packed up and checked out, it started to sprinkle, timed that well! We looped back 20 minutes up the road to Merna Mora Station to do the Wowee track. This is a short one but with lots of steep ascents and descents. We were out and about for 2 hours, it was a really nice way to start the morning, although I did get a bit anxious with some of the descents. Ben and Pup weren't worried though. We checked back in with the station so they knew we made it out alive and took off down the Moralana scenic drive. It cuts between the ranges and Wilpena pound. The landscape and terrain continues to change so often, it's bizarre! Once we got back on the highway, we stopped off at Hawker again, pretty hungry by this point. The Hawker hotel had some lovely spots in the sun for us. Schnitty (the regular chicken kind), and a burger with the lot. Verrry good pub feed! Back on the road for just shy of an hour to Quorn where we're staying tonight. It's a nice town, bigger than I was expecting, but still not huge at all. We set up the camper and charged up our phones/caught up on all things internet related while Pup had a nap. The caravan park backs onto the bush tucker garden so we went to have a look. Pup was confused why he was exerting energy, but I think he enjoyed the walk after been very much car bound the last few days. Ben attempted to grab a few things from the IGA, but no luck with what we were after. It's gotten verrry fresh with the cool breeze coming through. Crumbed steak and salad for dinner, then shower time. We were considering going to the Quorn Silo light show, it's on each night, they project stories and images on the silos and you can sit back and enjoy. It's a bit too cold for our liking, so we're rugging up inside instead.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    A quick stop at Port Augusta

    October 17, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Pup moved funny last night and had a little cry, so we think he's twinged one of his back legs. Very sad boy, but he snuggled into 'his' bed just fine. He was pretty grumpy and hesitant to move around this morning, until breakfast time then he felt fine enough to have one of his usual tantrums. So we're thinking he's okay afterall, we'll just keep and eye on him. Short run into Port Augusta this morning for brunch before continuing south. It was weird seeing water in the distance. We also drove over bird lake, which is currently dry so is a big salt flat. We did read that they've had issues with it being quite stinky over the last little while. Brunch was at Mamma Lou's, conveniently close to the Progress Rail depo, much to Ben's dismay. Quick toilet stop and we're on the road again.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Bumbunga Lake

    October 17, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We were making pretty good progress to our next stop, then we hit the roadwork. Not a massive delay, but a bit annoying. We had a quick stop at Snowtown and were a little concerned when there was a sign saying 'the big blade'. Turns out it's part of a wind turbine, which made more sense. Bumbunga Lake was our next stop, a pink, salt lake with the famous Loch-eel. Usually the lake is the most pink when there's water in it, rather than when it's dry. We had a bit of both. Some parts far off were very pink, we could see some lovely blues too. One of the signs said there are lots of striking colours - pinks, purples, blues and browns.. we weren't so sure if we'd consider brown to be 'striking' though. The lake itself was huge! We walked down to the viewing platform and realised you could walk right out there, even with some water in it, so we did just that. Pup slowed down when we hit the water, but I wanted to go out to the Loch-eel, so Ben was going to wait for me, but Pup couldn't possibly miss out, so he was adamant he'd be coming too. Walking through the shallow water was weird, as sheets of salt moved over and stuck to our feet. I could feel where I cut myself the other day too. We took some photos and headed back so the other people that were showing up could get their photos without us in the background, since it looked like they weren't planning on walking out onto the lake themselves. We dried off our feet and got most of the salt off pup's legs, he doesn't know it yet, but he's in for a foot bath when we get to our airbnb.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Hello Barossa 🥂

    October 17, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Roughly an hour and a half to get to our accommodation. A great spot, just a bit tricky to reverse the camper in with the busy traffic, made it work after some maneuvering. The house is lovely and it backs onto a vineyard. Pup was very happy, peeing almost immediately and exploring the backyard, he mustve known we were at a house because whenever we pull up to a campsite, he's a bit he's a bit more hesitant to explore, and demands to be in his camper as soon as it's set up. We stayed in, planning some things for the days ahead. I finally got to watch the block too!
    We're off on a wine tour tomorrow 🥂    Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Wine Touring 🥂

    October 18, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Sue from The Wine Wagon picked us up around 10:30, where we met Lorraine and Mal who were joining us today. First drop wines was our first stop, I clearly enjoyed it since I bought 3 bottles here, even with our limited space. Next was Ubertas, a Taiwanese ran vineyard. Our staff member was lovely, asking about travelling with Pup, as she has a poodle back home. Between stops, Sue gave us some background of the local area as we cruised around. Gibson wines was the next stop, it was surprisingly busy. Another lovely spot, although we didn't finish the tasting as we were running short on time to get to lunch. We could hear a bloke at the table over, trying to get a discount if he bought in bulk. A bit of a wanker, but in the end we think he was making a purchase for a venue. Last stop was Kies for lunch, followed by a tasting. The fellas got fish and chips while the ladies got the pies, it was a good feed. We got to know Mal and Lorraine quite well, absolutely lovely people from Perth. We talked about our travels, their kids and grandkids, dog stories and work things of course. They had been on the road for about 3 months and were on their way back home after being in QLD to visit family and looping around the coast. While Lorraine and I did the wine tasting after lunch, Sue ran Mal and Ben to the Ministry of beer where they each got a paddle to try. Pup was being the best boy, as always. He even went for wander with Sue in case he distracted the hearing dog in training that was inside with us. As we got back to our airbnb, we said our goodbyes and well wishes, and we cracked another drink. Honestly, the yard of this airbnb is so nice. We'd already sussed out a pizza place to deliver us dinner and just enjoyed the warmth. It looks like it's going to get quite cool for the back end of the trip. I did head inside to watch the block, then we went back out to start a fire. We don't often do it just for the 2 of us, but it was really nice to just sit and relax in front of, with a few more drinks of course.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    A quick run into Adelaide

    October 19, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    A bit of a slow start this morning, funnily enough. We decided to put the oodie through the wash since it was meant to be a hot day, well the 45 minute cycle was a lot longer than that, so a bit of a delay before making the trek into Adelaide. I haven't been there before and Ben doesn't remember much, we both thought it felt really nice, good vibes and definitely keen to fly over for a long weekend at some point, hopefully we can line it up with an AFL match or the cricket. We stopped at the Adelaide oval and did a lap around the outside. There are a few different tour options here that we'll have to look into for next time too. It was pretty hot so we took it slow for Pup. We headed into Glenelg for lunch, with a bit of a wander first, such a lovely spot too! We ate at Moseley, and when Ben was grabbing drinks and a menu, he spotted Jeremy McGovern from the West Coast Eagles. So that was a bit exciting! After a feed, we were ready to head back. We did get caught up in traffic, so it took a bit longer than before. Ben ran into woolies at Gawler since we move again tomorrow and there's only a foodland in the Barossa. Once back at the airbnb, Pup and I had a nap before getting our things organised and packed to leave in the morning.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Barossa to Hahndorf

    October 20, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Annnd we're back. I'll recap the other 2 days soon, probably tomorrow when we're in the car for a bit. Up at 8 and finished packing, not much to do since we did it last night, just getting a few things organised, also most places we wanted to visit today didn't open until 10am anyway. We loved our airbnb, would happily stay there again. Such a good location, 3 bedroom and the yard 👌. First stop this morning was the Maggie beer farm shop. They do have a lovely Cafe and cooking classes too. I just wanted to scope it out and see what was available. Such a lovely spot! Next was the Barossa chocolate factory, we were there for a while, taking turns (with Pup in the car) to work out what we wanted, it was much bigger than expected! Back to the main road to pop into the visitor centre, a bit different to the others and nothing I was interested in. We continued down the street, popping in and out of shops. We stopped at Browns donuts, bloody delicious, we shared 2 filled donuts, a lemon curd and strawberry cheesecake. Also grabbed a sneaky cinnamon scroll for later. Wohlers grabbed my attention with their massive Christmas display in the front window, and I think Ben was a bit nervous that I was inside, unsupervised while he was outside with Pup. It was amaaaazing! Their Christmas stuff is up all year apparently, and it was sort of like Myer, heaaaps of different stuff! I spent a bit longer in there than I expected. Last stop was the Old fashioned sweet shop for a few bits and pieces. We headed back to the car to make our way to Hahndorf. I'm not sure that we took the most direct route, as the road weaved through the hills and some narrow spaces. It was a nice drive though, not like the boring, long runs on a freeway. We checked in at the Discovery park Hahndorf, dropped the camper off and went out to grab a feed. We ended up at The Prancing Pony brewery, Reuben sandwich for me, Brisket burger for ben and some crumbed pickles. We had to try to the local drinks too of course. On our way back we stopped off at Beerenberg, they have lots of fun activities too, a cafe and strawberry picking. I just went to shop. Grabbed a few bits, then moved on to the Hahndorf main street for a wander. In and out of the shops and just taking it all in. It was longer and busier than we both expected, but it was really nice, had a good feel to it. I did find another shop full of Christmas goods! I'm so ready for Christmas! We headed back to the caravan park and set up the camper, it's a pretty quick process since we've gotten the swing of things. It's a fair bit cooler too, our last few days have been high 20s/low 30s and we were sitting at 19 when we got back to camp. Nothing major tonight, just the usual dinner, showers, etc. We're off to Mount Gambier tomorrow and are meant to hit a bit of rain, see how that goes.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Meningie

    October 21, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    I wasn't feeling the best overnight, so pretty tired and blah today. It was a fair bit cooler this morning when we were packing up and Pup wasn't too happy about being stuck in the car while we got everything sorted. About an hour down the road we had a quick stop at Meningie Pink Lake, it was ridiculously windy and cold. It looked pinker than Lake Bumbunga, but it was a bigger walk through some sludge, with the wind too, we just headed back to the car. Another quick toilet stop at Meningie, where we read about Birdman of the Coorong. The only 'genuine' South Australian bushranger. He opted for a faster method of transport by riding an ostrich!Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Kingston & Robe

    October 21, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    Kingston SE what next on our list, with a quick stop at Larry the Lobster and to find something to eat. Lacepede seafood caught our attention, we got a lobster roll and a Seamore mixed box to share. Bloody good, although the wind was ridiculous today, so we ate in the car. Another quick stop, this time at the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse. Different to a lot we've seen before.
    Back on the road to Robe. We had a quick stop at the visitors centre where I got stuck with a very lovely lady, she just wouldn't stop talking. On to the gaol ruins and obelisk. We just did the short loop, again because of that damn wind. The main street of Robe looked really nice, with a decent amount of shops and cafes. A stop for another time I think.    Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Woakwine cutting and into Mount Gambier

    October 21, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    We spotted Woakwine cutting on Google maps, only just off the main road we were on, so we popped in for a look. Over 3 years, 2 men and some machinery removed 276000 cubic metres of material to drain a swamp on their property. In only 3 years! Very impressive. We decided to skip Beachport, the wind is just ruining the vibe a bit and killing our fuel consumption. We had a quick stop at Millicent for fuel, then headed to our camp for the next 2 nights at Pine Country, Mount Gambier. What a wet and windy night, not great at all and super miserable. The shower was crappy too, considering we paid for an ensuite, hot and cold, hot and cold, ughh. Moods were not fab. We ordered Thai from Wild Ginger which Ben picked up while I made jokes about Noah. Kind of an early night, but no one slept well as it was so cold and the canvas hasn't been properly seasoned yet, so there were quite a few damp spots.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Damp and miserable - feat the Blue Lake

    October 22, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    We woke up to more rain and weren't really feeling it, but we got ourselves up and moving anyway. We stopped off at the blue lake, it is so much bigger than I was expecting and it was like something out of a movie. Absolutely unreal. We stopped off at some other lookouts, just taking it all in. For the ones with a slight walk, we took turns while the boy stayed in the car, didn't want him to be damp and miserable too. Had a quick stop at kmart to grab some more towels, then on to the visitor info centre. They had the lady Nelson ship out the front and a discovery centre inside with more information about it and the local area. It was like a mini museum and free, nice surprise.Read more

  • Bec TaylorTravelerPuppy's South West Adventure

    Umpherston Sinkhole

    October 22, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    Next we went to the Umphertson sinkhole, a site I've been so keen to see for years, and damn! Absolutely unreal! Pup was only allowed around the top, which was fine, we were going to take turns anyway when the rain picked up. Ben was happy with the view he had from the top and headed back to the car while I went in. It was as amazing as I thought it would be, rocks and green, two of my favourite things haha. It just had such a great feel. I spent a while just taking it in and walking around the different spaces. Apparently if you go of an evening, there are possums that come out to have a feed, often taking fruit from your hand (hence why no animals are allowed into the sinkhole). Even with the rain, God it was amazing.Read more

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