Easter Escape: Beyond St. Helens

The next morning, dawn painted the sky in soft hues as we rumbled south, eager to delve deeper into the Bay of Fires. The corrugated dirt road finally relented, surrendering to a smooth ribbon of bitumen just before St. Helens. This little town, once a familiar sight just a week ago, now thrummed with Easter Saturday energy. We decided to bypass the bustle and continued towards The Gardens at the Bay of Fires. Here, a vibrant tapestry of red unfolded before us – the Red Rocks, their fiery hues courtesy of a tenacious lichen.

The Easter crowds had certainly claimed their territory amongst the rocks. Despite the bustle, we persevered in our exploration, determined to unearth the hidden gems of this area.

Swimcart Beach beckoned, a place that already felt like home after our previous visit. We pulled in, the familiar scent of the ocean filling our lungs. With picnic baskets overflowing with hot cross buns and steaming cups of tea in hand, we settled on a seaside table, the gentle rhythm of the waves a soothing soundtrack to our lunch.

Refueled and refreshed, we topped up the tanks of both bus and van, setting a southerly course. Our eventual destination: Triabunna, where Grammy had secured us a boat tour to the enigmatic Maria Island. The miles flew by, the journey a shared adventure with Grammy that filled us with a warm sense of togetherness. Finally, we pulled into a free RV camp nestled beside the Iron House Brewery – a perfect pitstop to cap off a day brimming with exploration and the joy of reconnecting with family. Tomorrow we would make the final drive to Triabunna.Read more