Year off around Australia

Roger and I setting off in the Dmax Ute with our Goldstream caravan in tow to explore our country Read more

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Year off around Australia Traveler
Port Gibbon
February 19 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 22 °C
Come for a drive - scenic along the coast - to have a look at this spot. Again spectacular coastline. Now drive back to our camp
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Lucky Bay
February 20 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Turn off to come here for a look. It really just has fisherman's shacks and the wharf for the ferries - that operate between here and Wallaroo.
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Discovery Parks Whyalla Foreshore
Feb 20–22 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Feel a good vibe here as soon as we arrive at the office to book in - as lady looking after us is so lovely. We get a powered site with waterfront location, close to the amenities block and camp kitchen. Go and settle on our site 154 - very happy with it. No need to put out our mat as mats are provided - and decide we don't need to put out our awning as we have shade from trees either side of our site. Powered site here $34.20 per night. I go check out the facilities - again very happy, all up to date and clean, and there's a full size oven in the lovely camp kitchen. We have our lunch in our caravan, meat and salad sandwich for Roger and open toasties for me with relish, avocado, tomato, salami and cheese.
Next we go for a drive to find the Visitor Centre. We return after a nice afternoon out at around 4.30pm. I make up some plates of cheese and biscuits to have with our drinks - that we enjoy sitting out the back of our van, watching the ships. I eventually retreat into the van to read a book as the wind is now quite cold. Roger gets in warmer clothes and goes for a wander around the park. Tea tonight is reheated sausage surprise, which Roger follows with fruit and yoghurt - not for me, full enough. Roger had his shower before tea, so we both do the dishes and tidy up. Time to relax in the van before going to bed. Have a rowdy cat fight happening nearby - thankfully all quiet now as I'm writing this before sleep time. Whoops silly me - caught up in a book and read until 1.30am!
21/02/25 Friday. Get up around 7.30am - we've got a tour booked this morning so want to be ready without rush. I go off and have a shower while my porridge is cooking in the Thermomix. Return and have breakfast. Tidy up and head off about 9am.
We return after lunch with our groceries - around 2pm. Happy now to just relax at camp. Roger goes for a walk out on the low tide beach area - I stay and read my book. Have afternoon cheese and biscuits with our drinks - sitting out the back of our van enjoying the breeze and view. Tea tonight is cooked chook (supermarket) with salad and airfryer chips. Not bothering with dessert. I decide to make a batch of Anzac biscuits - camp kitchen oven works a treat. Roger has his shower, and then we do the dishes and tidy up. Relax before bedtime.
22/02/25 Saturday. We get up around 7.30am. I head off for a walk. Return shortly after 8.30am. Have breakfast then go and enjoy a shower. Help get ready to leave and be on the move. Leave right on 10am.Read more
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Whyalla Visitor Centre
February 20 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Come here to suss out what we'd like to check out while in Whyalla. Immediately on chatting with the staff here, Roger is booking us to do the Steel Works tour for tomorrow morning - this leads to that there's a tour of the ship Whyalla (installed here beside the centre as part of the Maritime Museum) at 1.30pm if we'd like to do that? Why not - sounds good! Call back through here after the tour and enjoying looking through the Maritime Museum - to be given some Postcards and I purchase my hat pin.Read more
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"The Whyalla' ship tour
February 20 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Roger and I are lucky enough to be the only people on this tour so we have the lovely young guide Janine all to ourselves. Janine takes us on board Wyalla for a very informative tour. We are amazed at the life the sailors put up with - no easy ride here! Very important work though - clearing our waters of mines. Happy we did this tour.Read more
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Maritime Museum Whyalla
February 20 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
After our Whyalla ship tour, we able to wander the lovely grounds and go through the museum. Beaut way to use up some time - plenty to look at, and we enjoy watching a film on how they got The Whyalla up on land and where she is now.Read more
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Hummock Hill Lookout Whyalla
February 20 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
After we leave the Visitor Centre, we come for a drive to here. Park and get out to walk around and enjoy the 360° views of what Whyalla has to offer.
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Whyalla Marina and Jetty
February 20 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Drive here to go for the walk along the Jetty. As I'm wandering by the Marina I notice there are a couple of dolphins leisurely swimming about in there. Always a thrill to see dolphins.
Lovely walk out onto the Jetty - get to walk around on it's circular design and take in the views.
We're now just going to go for a drive about the foreshore area for a look, before going back to our camp.Read more
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Whyalla Steelworks Tour
February 21 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
We get to the Visitor Centre in plenty of time before this tour starts this morning. There is a good crowd gathering - so looks like there is a few of us doing the tour today. Tour starts with us all watching a video in the centre - that gives us an overview of how the Steelworks operates. Then we all get into a mid size bus (at least 20 of us) to be taken on a drive about Whyalla township first- including Hummock Hill Lookout, before being driven about on-site at the Steelworks. It is a comprehensive tour (we have to stay on the bus) with a very good guide - Rob, 15 years doing this gig - taking from place to place, showing the steps involved. I am just amazed at all the infrastructure here - some now outdated and just used as storage. Obviously a big business, vital to our country's growth, as the current government billion dollar rescue package indicates! Tour lasts for about an hour and a half. It's a good one.
After it finishes we go for a drive to another recommended place to check out.Read more
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Mount Laura Homestead Whyalla
February 21 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Short drive from the Visitor Centre - we come here for a look. Entry cost $7 each. It has got alot of buildings all moved to this spot so they can be saved for historical value. Amazing collections of the past - another reminder of how much has changed. Our pioneers really were tough - and got on with it.
By the time we finish wandering about here - it's lunch time. We decide to go to the shopping centre and find something to eat there, before doing a grocery shop at Woolworths and getting some wines from BWS.
I have Subway for lunch - my good old chicken teriyaki toasted salad roll. Roger gets a plate of Chinese.
After our shop - happy to go back to camp to pack away the groceries.Read more
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Tanderra Craft Village Whyalla
February 22 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
We stop here for a look before we leave Whyalla. Our luck was with us that this is open this weekend. What a terrific way for local crafters to display and sell their wares. The prices are terrific - buying directly from the makers without huge 'mark ups'. Roger certainly enjoyed having morning tea here, I was too busy admiring all the different types of crafts, plants and foods. I happily purchased some leadlighting ornaments - a wind chime $40 and a black cockatoo $30.Read more
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Quorn
February 22 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 37 °C
After travelling through Port Augusta - did stop for fuel - we drive on to here. Whoops we did pull over in a parking bay somewhere between these 2 places to get out the cheese and vegemites sandwiches and apples Roger packed for our lunch. When then continued driving along while we eat.
When we get to Quorn I'm keen to go to the supermarket to get butter and cream - so Roger waits for me (airconditioning in the ute) while I get them. Next we go book in at the caravan park. On driving about the town I am reminded what a lovely historic place this is.Read more
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Quorn Caravan Park
Feb 22–23 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 37 °C
Friendly manager books us in for our required 1 night. He explains that we're welcome to choose our own site in the area of the park that is open (some sections closed while it's quiet season). We decide on site 33 for shade reasons. It's hot today with hot winds. Once we're settled, with air conditioner in the van running, and ute unhitched we go for a drive to the local gin distillery.
Return from here just over an hour later. Now resting in the van. We get a lovely call from Tegan - she's busy getting posters ready for laminating for her dog walking business - while doing this we have a good chat. I sleep and read for the afternoon. Tea tonight I do the Thermomix creamy tomato and salami pasta (I add cooked chicken too). We have a sound and light show at the nearby silo to walk to - so we leave just after 8pm. We return around 9.30pm. Roger has his shower and I do the dishes. Write this up and it'll be bedtime.
23/02/25 Saturday. I get up thinking I'll head off for a nice walk, but when Roger gets up too, he reminds me that washing is due - so I strip and remake our bed instead. We have our breakfast and I ask if we've got time for a walk...happily we do. Go for a short walk and check out a bush tucker trail and the Lions Park. Get back and I head off for a shower while Roger finishes getting us ready to leave. Leave this morning around the 10am.Read more
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Flinders Gin Distillery Quorn
February 22 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 37 °C
Come here to try the local gins and enjoy the lovely cool environment - indoors with good air-conditioning! We are looked after very well by local lady Mary, who has worked here for 3 years - after returning to Quorn (grew up here) to be closer to her aging parents. Roger and I both do the 'Gin Flights' - sample the 4 different gins made here with a very nice tonic. Of course I like them all, though I purchase my 2 favourites. The Outback Lemon Lime and the Butterfly Pea Flower gins. We also meet Ernie, the distillery mascot dog.Read more
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Quorn Silo Light Show
February 22 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
Walk from our caravan park the short distance to the seating area to watch this show. It starts promptly at 8.30pm. I'm able to have a wander about the area before it starts. It is a great idea - and is very well done. There are short films on different topics - projected onto the side of the Silo. The topics vary (we're not sure if from night to night on a rolling schedule - or for a block of nights before changing) - so you get an assortment of history and current happenings of Quorn and district. Roger and I the only ones here tonight for the main showings - a family wandered by, but didn't stay long as their children too young to be interested for a longer stay. It is trying to rain as we walk back, doesn't last.Read more
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Hawker SA
February 23 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Pull up in Hawker streets so we can get out for a look around. Roger feels like a cuppa so he goes to the servo for one. I just poke around taking a few photos. Not too much open in Hawker this weekend.
We decide we may as well head on out to Luke and Claire's place next.Read more
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Claire & Luke's near Hawker
February 23 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Find our way here no worries thanks to previous visit. Roger has worked out it is 8 months and 3 days since we were last here. Also means when we arrived in Hawker we have crossed our path again on our trip - so my map tracking shows a loop of sorts!
Dejarvue - no one home when we arrive. We know Claire is away on a study trip to Cambodia, so we'll only catch up with Luke this visit. Luke has let us know he'll be away this morning and will return sometime early this afternoon.
We settle ourselves, parking our caravan and ute in the similar spot. We immediately 'make ourselves at home' and get a load of washing happening. We don't go into the main part of the house - happier to wait for Luke to show us what they've been up to in renovating inside. We have some lunch - reheated pasta, sitting out on the back veranda, admiring the amazing views of the surrounding ranges. By now we've got the 2nd load of washing happening - 1st load hanging out to dry. I'm back in our caravan, playing with the Thermomix making a caramel sauce for sticky date pudding, when Luke arrives home. Great to greet him, and now get shown into their home. Wow! The change since our last visit! We are 'gobsmacked' with their work - they now have a wonderful kitchen and dining area with a lounge room - doubling as their bedroom for now. Looks fantastic - with Luke's skills they are making features of the home's original structure - and Claire is painter extraordinaire, making the rooms come to life. We have a beaut afternoon - Roger having some fun helping Luke with some tidy up stuff (including ripping out old flooring from a room), while I look after our washing and make sure a sticky date pudding is organised as our contribution to the yummy roast tea Luke is preparing. We enjoy some pre dinner drinks and chatting out on the veranda - again those views (including dust storms as the wind drives up the dirt). Tea as mentioned, a lovely roast beef (thanks Ewin) and roast vegetables and gravy. Followed by sticky date pudding and custard (Thermomix). Nice evening relaxing inside with Luke - we check out Claire's Cambodia itinerary, sounds an amazing experience. We call it a night around 10pm - so Luke fresh to go to work tomorrow. We go back to our caravan, do our dishes (Roger had his shower before tea) and head to bed too.
24/02/25 Monday I get up and get ready to go for a run, hoping I'm early enough to catch Luke before he goes to work. We do, Luke packs his lunch, leaving us the rest of the fresh bread he baked last night (bread machine). Luke's gone shortly after 7am. Such a lovely bloke - so happy Luke and Claire getting married this coming October - being held where Claire used to work (when nannying). Now I go for my run, return, have my breakfast and decide to make some Anzac biscuits to leave as 'thank you' to Luke. Only leave 1/2 batch as overcooked (we keep the worst!) Lol. We get underway from here 11am.Read more
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Port Broughton
February 24 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Arrive here after travelling back through Hawker, Quorn and Port Augusta. Also have travelled through Port Pirie to get here.
We park at the foreshore area - have our lunch from the caravan. Enjoy sitting out looking at the Jetty and surrounds. Next walk down the streets to go to the IGA supermarket - get a few grocery items and box of chocolates for thank you gift for our next visit. Also stock up at the bottleshop on beer and wine.
This is another lovely, well maintained coastal town.
We head back to the RV Park that we checked out on our way past.Read more
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Broughton Bay RV Park
Feb 24–25 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Great set up here for fully self contained travellers. Cost $10 a night per vehicle. We choose our spot, settle and relax. It's quite warm still so we stay cooler in the shade. Roger in the park facilities, me lazing in the van. I do join Roger out for a drink, before retreating back to our van. I do a phonecall to Lynden Boehm, to check how Auntie Thelma's 100th birthday went yesterday. All good - but Auntie Thelma not prepared to celebrate, so happily slept through the get together - how she wanted to enjoy it.
Tea tonight, steak with onion and mushrooms and salad. Roger has his shower, we decide to leave the dishes for the morning. Relax and bedtime.
25/02/25 Tuesday. I get up earlier to work on this (have got a couple of days behind), then have breakfast, finish this off. Now to help Roger get ready to move on.Read more
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Moonta
February 25 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
First stop here is to go to the Visitor Centre to find out what we should aim to check out while here. As we're answering the staff question as to where we're staying in Moonta - the lovely folk who are having us visit at their place, arrive at the centre to welcome us and ensure we have directions to their place.
Can tell we're in for another beaut visit with terrific people by such a wonderful greeting! David and Bernice Rook call in to make sure we're right to find our way to their place - after we have a quick tour about Moonta. They head off to an appointment they have, and we go for a drive to quickly have a look about.Read more
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Moonta Mines
February 25 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
A main tourist spot to explore. This is our lunch spot today, Roger has packed sandwiches (cheese and vegemite) and fruit for us to have. Find a shady spot, with a nice breeze and enjoy. We look at the railway (miniature train) station and go to the nearby lolly shop. We decide we don't feel up to the Museum today - need to allow a good few hours - but we're keen to go settle ourselves at David and Bernice's - and park up our caravan so that's what we head off to do.Read more
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David & Bernice's Moonta
Feb 25–27 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
As David and Bernice explained to us when they came and met us at the Visitor Centre - they'll be at an appointment (David - re: doctor for tests) and may not be home for a little while - but have encouraged us to come here when we're ready - so we settle in their back yard while they're away. What a lovely place they have - built here about 2 to 3 years ago - have it looking so lovely and established you'd think they'd been here longer than that.
They arrive home shortly after we have settled and happily give us the tour of their home and yard. We spend the rest of the day enjoying a lovely relax and catch up with David and Bernice. Neighbours (from about 500m away), Sandy and ??? stop by to say hello and have a drink before heading back to their own place. We then enjoy time in the backyard spa, before having a lamb roast with roast vegetables and gravy (boy Rog and I continue to be spoilt). David and Bernice have to have an early start in the morning (more appointments for David) so we call it a night at around 10pm.
Back to our caravan, Rog has a quick shower, I'm writing this up, then bedtime.
26/02/25 Wednesday. Stacy's RN Graduation today in Warrnambool - we've sent flowers and our best wishes - here's to wishing her a wonderful day as she deserves. I get up around 7.30am, have breakfast with Rog. Then decide to go for a walk - head to Moonta Bay Jetty - very nice. Roger stays and washes the ute etc. I get back and have a shower, Roger relaxing waiting for me to be ready to go for a drive to look about. Head off mid morning.
Return here 4pm. David and Bernice home from David's MRI (Adelaide) - David now has an afternoon appt 5pm with his local doctor for a 'stress test'. Bernice stays here while David goes off to do this, she has phonecalls etc she wants to make. Roger and I have another lovely relax in the spa bath (it is so good), before getting out to get tea ready. Our turn tonight - Roger's cooking chicken kievs and airfryer chips - while I make up a tossed garden salad. David arrives back - and we all enjoy this meal together. We follow with Drumstick icecreams we purchased. After tea tidy up, Denise and David teach us a card game they've been playing lately 'Five Crowns' - good fun, I'll definitely be buying this card game! We finish this game (13 hands) and decide we'll call it a night. Back in our caravan 10pm for Rog to have his shower, and I'm writing this up before bedtime.
27/02/25 Thursday. We get up to have our breakfast. Great to look out our caravan window and see David and Bernice enjoying a morning spa together while enjoying a cuppa. We go and sit out in their outdoor entertaining area to chat with them while we eat our breakfast. Once they've had their 20 minute spa they come and join us with their own breakfast. After we've all eaten, we decide to have a walk together before Rog and I get organised to leave. We walk to the Jetty and back - fantastic morning for it and includes some beach combing on the way (looking for sea glass for Bernice). Once we return I go have a shower ( in house - so lovely) and Roger gets the caravan tidied and ready to roll. We then have a cuppa with David and Bernice before going. Sad to leave - we've had a wonderful stay with lovely people at their beautiful home.Read more
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Moonta Bay
February 26 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
My morning walk takes me to the bay. Lovely spot.
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Moonta Cemetery
February 26 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Denise mentioned this is a worthwhile trip to get an idea of the hardships faced in Moonta's past. Over 600 children buried in unmarked graves from epidemics caused by the lack of clean water supply and torrid living conditions of the early 1900's. Quite confronting to see - heartbreaking....
There is no doubt, visiting cemeteries, and reading the headstones gives you insights to lifestyles. and a reminder to live life to your fullest.Read more
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Moonta Mines Museum
February 26 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Come back here again as we're now ready and got the time to enjoy the self guided tour through the museum. It is an interesting look into historic copper mining and the Cornish heritage we gained with the immigration of Cornish skilled miners. Lots of other interesting displays as well.Read more
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