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Marg n Pauls Gap Year 2017
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Marg n Pauls Gap Year 2017

A 353-day adventure by The Shifting Spanners Read more
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  • The Shifting SpannersMarg n Pauls Gap Year 2017The Shifting Spanners
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    Berry - Kiama

    February 18, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Stayed 2 nights at Berry Showground. Quaint little town that comes to life on the weekends when the Sydneysiders come to visit. Drove up to Bald Head Lookout to view the amazing Sea Cliff Bridge.

    Meandered our way down the coast through many seaside towns including Gerringong, Gerroa, Kiama and Shoalhaven Heads. Had a good look around Kiama including the Blow Hole and Rock Pool.    Read more

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    Jervis Bay

    February 21, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Stayed 4 nights at Woodenhead Farm at Jerrawangala. Fantastic place right on the Princess Highway and only about 30 minutes to all the beaches and villages of Jervis Bay. The owners only allow 1 camper at a time, and have a cleared area high above their house surrounded by trees where we had total privacy.

    We visited Nowra where we browsed through some caravans (dreaming), then explored Currawong, Callala, Huskisson, Vincentia and Hyams Beach. We tried to get into Perpendicular Point, but there were exercises on so it was closed.

    We also checked out Ulladulla, Mollymook, Milton, Bendalong and Sussex Inlet.

    Jervis Bay is a very large, beautiful bay and we especially loved Huskisson and Hyams Beach where Marg had a swim. Hyams Beach has the whitest sand in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records! We also loved Sussex Inlet which is on the western side of the inlet that divides NSW and Jervis Bay Territory.    Read more

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    Narooma

    February 25, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Another beaut Farm stay. Stayed 6 nights with Rob & Marie at their beautiful 70 acre property on the Narooma Inlet. Had a great stay and really got on well with the hosts. Enjoyed quad biking around the property and were lucky enough to be invited to dinner at their place. Oysters are a big industry in Narooma, and I had plenty! Couldn't believe I could walk to the bottom of the property and eat fresh oysters off the rocks.

    Loved the NSW South Coast. The beaches have the most clear, blue water and the whitest sands we've encountered so far on our trip. Narooma is considered to have a very temperate climate...not too hot or cold, so a lot of retirement villages are being built in the area.

    We visited Batemans Bay, Mogo, Moruya, Bodalla, Mystery Bay, Central Tilba, Cobargo, Bermagui, Bega and Tathra. Had a great afternoon with Chris and Valmae our neighbours from Cairns who were visiting their son at Bermagui.

    Marg loved the seals that congregated on the rocks at the entrance to the harbour at Narooma. We had to visit them every afternoon on the way back to the farm!    Read more

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    Lakes Entrance

    March 9, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    10 days at Lakes Entrance at only our 2nd caravan park of the trip so far. I won this on a Travel Auction for $17 per night so very cheap. We're right across the road from the lakes and 90 mile beach.

    Lakes Entrance is a lot quieter and less populated than we imagined...and we managed to relax a lot more than we have to date.

    Ian, Jane and Cherie visited us and stayed overnight in our caravan park which was great. We all did a lakes cruise and dinner at the club.

    We visited Buchan Caves, Metung, Bairnsdale, Paynesville and took the ferry over to Raymond Island to see the koalas...another bucket list item checked off the list!

    Beautiful weather, although a little cool somedays. 11-26°    Read more

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    Victorian High Country

    March 11, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Passed through Mt Hotham, Dinner Plains etc on The Great Alpine Road. Interesting to see the ski resorts in Autumn. Quite an eerie feeling as we drove past empty resorts and houses, and lots of dead trees in the area apparently a result of bush fires in 2003.

    Spent a day driving up to Mt Buffalo where the once beautiful chalet sadly lies in a state of disrepair. Funding has been granted and work has started to bring it back to it's former glory.    Read more

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    Beechworth

    March 13, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Travelled over the Great Alpine Road through Omeo, Mt Hotham, Bright, and Myrtleford to arrive at our beautiful farmstay near Beechworth. Set high in the hills this property had amazing views over the Victorian Alps.

    This is Ned Kelly country and they sure milk it for all it's worth...there's statues, museums and souvenir shops everywhere! It's beautiful country but very dry and brown so bushfires are a constant threat.

    We checked out the Bright and Myrtleford Festivals, Beechworth, Glenrowen, Milawa, Rutherglen, Albury Wodonga, Hume Dam, Yackandandah and more. We had a ball at the Bright Festival and stayed for the concert seeing Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows, Mental as Anything etc.    Read more

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    Echuca

    March 19, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Stayed 3 nights at Rotary Park ($5 donation). Great spot on the banks of the river with afternoon shade.

    Did a cruise on paddlesteamer PS Emmylou along the Murray accompanied by a couple of Sav Blancs...very pleasant! Visited the National Holden Museum, Port of Echuca and The Great Aussie Beer Shed which was fantastic!

    Warm during the day but cool at night. 16-32°    Read more

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    Lake Boga - Swan Hill

    March 21, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Wow - what a spot! Stayed 2 nights at Lake Boga right on the waters edge, about 10 minutes from Swan Hill. A very entertaining stay - we were treated to a bushfire which unfortunately claimed a fire truck on the first night, then a big dust storm on the second night.

    Lake Boga played a part in WW2 as it was chosen as a top secret repair depot for the flying boats (Catalinas etc) after the bombing of Darwin. We loved the Flying Boat Museum and spent a couple of hours poring over the exhibits. The original communications bunker is still inplace and has been wonderfully restored.

    Saw the sights of Swan Hill including the Burke and Wills Tree, Pioneer Settlement and Heartbeat of The Murray laser show.

    We still can't get over how dry and brown the landscape is. There is hardly any grass and lots of bindis and tumbleweeds.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersMarg n Pauls Gap Year 2017The Shifting Spanners

    Bendigo

    March 23, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    2 nights free camping at Sebastian Recreation Ground - 15 mins north of Bendigo. Good spot with afternoon shade, toilets and potable water. Morning and afternoon horse trots were training behind us.

    Really enjoyed the Talking Trams which run non-stop tours around central Bendigo. On the first day we were the only passengers, so the conductor gave us a personalised tour of Bendigo and also the tram maintenance depot.

    Decided to do the Central Deborah Gold Mine tour. This tour is an authentic experience compared to the Ballarat mines apparently. The mine closed in 1954 and was one of over 5000 gold mines in Bendigo. We descended 61 metres in hard hats and miner's lamps and got to see mining equipment in operation. We panned for gold to no avail but had a great day.

    Starting to get cooler now...13-26°    Read more

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    Grampians

    March 26, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Took the scenic route from Bendigo through some beautiful towns such as Maldon, Maryborough, Avoca and Ararat. Maldon especially was very appealing with a very well preserved historic streetscape.

    Stayed 3 nights at Old Man Emu Farm Stay at Halls Gap. $15 pn with very few neighbours and on the banks of a small dam. Kangaroos, sheep and emus were constant visitors during our stay.

    Spent a couple of days driving and hiking various trails through the Grampians. We visited Boroka lookout, The Balconies, Mckenzies Falls, Lake Bellfield, Halls Gap, Stawell and more. I was mad enough to venture out onto the rock ledge at Boroka lookout for the "signature" Grampians photo. After watching several backpackers dangle their feet over the edge of the "Jaws of Death" rock formation, I even shuffled half way out on that too!

    A beautiful part of the world...temperatures 14-29°    Read more

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    Ballarat

    March 29, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    3 nights free camping at Haddon Lions Park, about 15 minutes outside Ballarat. Great spot with toilets, potable water and only about 3 vans.

    Because we did the Gold Mine tour in Bendigo, we decided to skip Sovereign Hill. Reviews seemed to indicate it was overpriced and dated so we were happy to save our money. We walked the heritage streetscape of Lydiard Street, visited the Eureka Stockade Museum, Lake Wendouree, Botanical Gardens, War Memorial, Arch of Victory and Mill Markets. I enjoyed the Eureka Stockade Museum and got a good photo of what's left of the actual Eureka Flag that is on display. The flag is huge...about 4x3m. Lots of missing bits as they were cut up and given as souvenirs.

    Getting colder still...5 - 27°    Read more

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    Melbourne

    April 1, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Stayed 7 nights at The Solar House - an "off the grid" 17 acre property at Little River (halfway between Melbourne and Geelong). Once again the only ones here and a 39 minute train trip in to Melbourne.

    Little River (after which the Little River Band is named) is a very small town at the foot of the You Yangs mountain ranges where we did a few walking trails that offered fantastic views to Melbourne and Geelong.

    Spent a few days in Melbourne and checked out the Melbourne Museum, Old Melbourne Gaol and Watchouse, Victorian State Library, Police Museum, Southbank, Crown Casino Complex and went to an AFL game at the MCG.

    We also visited Geelong, Portarlington, Queenscliff, and explored the eastern end of the Great Ocean Road including Torquay, Angelsea and Lorne.

    Great to catch up with Jane and Ian again as they too stayed at The Solar House on their travels. Hopefully our paths will cross again as we both head towards South Australia.

    Cold when we were here 10 - 23°    Read more

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    Great Ocean Road

    April 6, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Fantastic! The GOR was better than we expected. We spent 2 hours at sunset with the Twelve Apostles and were absolutely blown away. We stayed overnight at Princetown where you could almost hear the waves crashing into the Apostles and next morning drove through to Port Fairy.

    Although not quite in the same league as the Twelve Apostles, we really enjoyed Loch Ard Gorge, The Wreck, The Razorback, Bay of Islands, The Grotto, Thunder Cave and London Bridge.    Read more

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    Port Fairy

    April 8, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Stayed 3 nights at Port Fairy after traversing the Great Ocean Road. Very nice little beachside town with a good surfing beach on the western side. We checked out the local markets, Battery Hill, Griffiths Island, Fishermans Wharf, Tower Hill and drove out to a great little Irish town called Koroit where I had a couple of Guinness' in the Irish pub...just to be sociable! (To be sure, to be sure)Read more

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    Tantanoola

    April 10, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    Overnight in a free camp at Tantanoola (home of the Tantanoola Tiger), just west of Mt Gambier where we checked out the Umpherston Sink Hole sunken garden and the Blue Lake on the way through.

    Unfortunately the Tantanoola pub was closed due to ill health so couldn't see the tiger.    Read more

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    Kingston SE

    April 11, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    A great free camp right on the beach at Kingston SE (home of the Big Lobster). This one is very popular and was quite full by nightfall. Had very nice neighbours, originally from Cairns.

    Called in to the small fishing villages of Beachport (known for it's 800m jetty) and Robe on the way.Read more

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    Lake Alexandrina

    April 13, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Two nights at a fantastic free camp on Lake Alexandrina, the mouth of the Murray river in South Australia. Lucky enough to get prime spot on the water adjacent to the jetty. We will be boarding two ferries tomorrow on our way to Victor Harbor.

    Cautiously got the drone up for a quick flight and some aerial photos in the golden afternoon light. Luckily the pelicans, ducks, starlings and other birdlife kept their distance!

    Visited Raukkan, an Aboriginal community whose notable resident David Unaipon and the Raukkan church appear on our $50 note. Raukkan also is notable for it's beautiful murals painted by the same artist that painted the Coonalpyn Silos.    Read more

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    Victor Harbor

    April 15, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Stayed 4 nights at a beautiful farm just outside Victor Harbor. There were a few other campers and people in the BnB but heaps of room and a lot better and cheaper than any caravan park over Easter! This one even had power, water, BBQ, pool, games room, shower and toilet. Took the opportunity to charge everything whilst we had power. I set up the satellite dish for the first time on the trip as there was no terrestrial TV signal...took about 30 mins as I was a bit rusty, but worked like a charm.

    Took the steam train from Goolwa to Victor Harbor and return which was a great way of checking out the area. Loved the Horse Tram which took us over to Granite Island. We grilled the driver about the load on the horses, but apparently the carriages are so well engineered that they only have 80kg rolling weight, so are well within a clydesdale's capacity. To demonstrate the fact, an 18 yo girl pulled a loaded carriage all the way to Granite Island a few years ago.

    Did a day trip down to Cape Jervis where the boat leaves for Kangaroo Island, Second Valley, Wirrina Cove, Normanville, Yankalilla and Myponga. Also visited Waitpinga and Parsons beaches where there were about 50 fishermen catching little mullet off the beach. These are great surfing beaches but very treacherous swimming beaches where several people have drowned due the the rips and currents.    Read more

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    Adelaide Hills

    April 20, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    Stayed 5 nights at a Dairy Farm high in the Adelaide Hills. The owner, who travelled Australia for a year with his 7 kids, allows Grey Nomads to stay on his property for $6 per night! We had the place to ourselves and used it as a base to explore the area, including Adelaide.

    We are lucky to be visiting the area in Autumn so the Maple trees are all turning yellow and red, and losing their leaves which is awesome to see. We loved Hahndorf, Stirling, Mt Barker, Woodside, Aldgate, and Mt Lofty to name a few. We picked one winery to visit in the area and it was Bird in Hand Winery, which was recommended by a local.

    Not as cold as it could have been...11-24°    Read more

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    Adelaide

    April 21, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Just spent the one day in Adelaide from our camp at the Adelaide Hills. Only a 45 minute drive down the hill and used a Park and Ride to catch the free tram around the city.

    We visited Rundle Mall and it's associated lanes, Adelaide Oval, St Peter's Cathedral, and did the Popeye cruise along the Torrens river. We then drove out to Glenelg and checked out the beach, jetty and shops.Read more

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    Barossa Valley

    April 25, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Loved the Barossa! Stayed 5 nights at Greenock Centenary Park $5 pn. Top spot adjacent to a beaut cricket ground under huge pine trees. Had to get the Genny out eventually as the trees provided so much shade the solar panels couldn't catch any sun.

    Checked out the Whispering Wall, a 140m arch dam that has incredible acoustic properties. Marg and I could have normal volume conversations from one end to the other which we captured on video to great effect. Called in to Maggie Beer's Farm Shop where Marg stocked up on Quince paste, Cabernet paste and Dukkah which proved to be a great accompaniment to the many bottles of Barossa Shiraz we sampled in the region.

    Visited heaps of wineries in the area and thankfully the liver survived the onslaught! Chateau Tanunda is known as the biggest and oldest in the Barossa and it didn't disappoint...although the wine itself was a bit ordinary. Loved Seppeltsfield, Rockford, Murray Street, Peter Lehmann, Jacobs Creek and a small wine producer called JB Winery.

    Bloody cold! 5-18°    Read more

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    Clare Valley

    April 29, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Stayed 2 nights at a free camp at Blyth Sports Ground, about 15 minutes west of Clare. No facilities apart from a dump point, but walking distance to town and we had the place to ourselves so very quiet.

    Loved the (not for profit) Sevenhill Winery. This was the first winery established in the Clare Valley by the Jesuits in 1851 to produce sacramental wine. Fantastic history associated with this winery, including St. Aloysius Church with the only crypt below an Australian parish church - the final resting place for 41 Jesuits, and the College building which was the first Catholic Secondary School in South Australia. Mary MacKillop lived in a cottage on the property for a couple of years whilst two of her brothers attended the college and Jesuit training.    Read more

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    Yorke Peninsula

    May 1, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Stayed 2 nights at Alford on the Yorke Peninsula. Great free camp with toilets, water, dump point, and beautifully maintained by local residents. Unfortunately all commercial enterprise has closed in Alford and many are for sale including the pub and the church.

    Used this as a base to visit towns in the "Copper Triangle" including Kadina, Wallaroo and Moonta. Also checked out the beaut little fishing village of Port Broughton.    Read more

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