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Our Lap of Oz - Part 3
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  • Wandering Ozzies

Our Lap of Oz - Part 3

We have left Tasmania and now head west to South Australia and West Australia. Read more
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  • Trip start
    December 5, 2021
    Wandering OzziesOur Lap of Oz - Part 3Traveler

    Devonport

    December 4, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    A last day in Devonport as we prepare to board the Spirit. The car and van have been washed and we are ready for the next stage of the adventure. Boarding at 5:30pm and hopefully not being locked in our cabin this time.Read more

  • Wandering OzziesOur Lap of Oz - Part 3Traveler

    Melbourne - Spirit Of Tasmania

    December 5, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Border closures rear their ugly head again! Well, threats of closures anyway. The South Australia Premier has been making noises about closing the border to Victoria because of the Omicron variant situation. We still want to head west on this trip so the decision was made to try to get to SA first and keep our options open. We could find no official advice about travelling through Victoria after leaving the Spirit so we dutifully filled out the entry permit information truthfully and were surprised to get the approvals back almost immediately.
    An overnight on the Spirit and this time everything was open on board. We pretended we were on a cruise again. Probably the closest we will get for a while. Dinner in the restaurant before heading off to bed for an early rise. Arrival in Melbourne at 6:00am Sunday morning to try to avoid traffic.    Read more

  • Wandering OzziesOur Lap of Oz - Part 3Traveler

    Mt Gambier

    December 5, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    The car was fueled up and I had a jerry can as well so we wouldn't have to have any interaction with anyone in Victoria as we drove. Leaving Melbourne we headed through Geelong and then west. 6 hours later we arrived at the SA border not sure how we would be received. We were half expecting a third degree and were ready with printed receipts from Devonport and onboard the Spirit to prove our movements. We needn't have worried as we breezed through with our passes and proceeded to Mount Gambier. A bonus of the whole Covid situation was the lack of traffic on the highways. Not many people travelling from Victoria to SA at the moment.Read more

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    Mt Gambier

    December 6, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Mt Gambier Showgrounds is our base for the next few days. The car is due for it's next service which I had planned to be in Swan Hill but the change to South Australia meant changing service bookings as well. Luckily got in to Mt Gambier Isuzu quickly but it means staying a few days. There seems to be plenty to see around here so an enforced stop is ok.
    Catch up day. Several loads of washing done while we have good water. Managed to visit the Umpherston Sinkhole in the afternoon and had a bit of a look around town.    Read more

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    Mt Gambier

    December 7, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Time to explore the Mt Gambier region. The area was part of a very active volcano system many years ago and the sinkholes and caves are the remnants. We visited Little Blue Lake where some young influencers were trying to get the perfect shot diving into the water. It was freezing so I hope it was worth it for them.
    Closer to town was Blue Lake which is the main water supply for Mt Gambier. It is pretty amazing as it actually changes colour during the year, Being summer we got to see it in it's blue phase. Just beautiful.
    Then right in the centre of town was The Cave Gardens, Not easy to get down to the bottom of this one evidenced by the shopping trolleys and kids scooters sitting on the floor. The surrounding rose gardens were lovely.    Read more

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    Mt Gambier

    December 8, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We were hanging around Mt Gambier because the car was due for a service and the Isuzu dealer here could fit it in. I dropped the car off in the morning and we headed off for a walk around the area. The showgrounds are a nice camp but they are located close to the state owned forestry sawmill which is a huge operation. And they don't stop overnight. The noise generated by the crashing of heavy lift cranes and forklifts is pretty intrusive and can easily disturb a good night's sleep.
    The Mt Gambier Harness Racing Club is also part of the showgrounds complex where we could see the pacers working out during the day.    Read more

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    Carpenter Rocks

    December 9, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Time to move on from Mt Gambier so we headed for the Limestone Coast. Everything seems to have some snazzy marketing name nowadays. Had a look at a couple of camps at Port Macdonnell but they were right on the coast and very exposed to the winds that seem to be a permanent feature down here, so we headed further north to Carpenter Rocks. Quite a few small seaside towns along here that are either weekend getaways or fishing. They all seem fairly lifeless.
    We found a nice open campsite where we could park near some bushes protected a bit from the wind which was quite a relief.
    Exploring the little town in the afternoon saw us ending up taking a 7.5km trek up to the Cape Banks Lighthouse and back, again in the wind. A pleasant walk there but not so much on the way back.    Read more

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    Kingston SE

    December 10, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    On our trip across to Tasmania we met a lovely lady who suggested the town of Beachport in South Australia as our base for the Christmas period. We could see why when we visited on our way through. What a lovely little town and so reminiscent of the Gold or Sunshine Coast towns of 30-40 years ago. It was such a pity that the wind was relentless and freezing cold so we couldn't enjoy the area a bit more. We moved on along the Limestone Coast to Robe for lunch. Another lovely seaside town with plenty to see and do before stopping in Kingston SE RV Park for 3 nights. The SE stands for South East as there are apparently several Kingstons in South Australia. This place is well set up for travelers with a very organised park near the beach and jetty. A short walk to town as well.
    We were lucky enough to be here when they had their Christmas Parade and Fair on the Friday night. The fair was held in the Lions Park right next to our campsite with lots for the kids to do as well as live music. All finished off with fireworks directly behind our van.    Read more

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    Parnka Point - Coorong National Park

    December 13, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The countryside north of Kingston does not seem to have received much rain recently. The paddocks are extremely dry and dams are not full. The drive north along the Princes Highway gave glimpses of The Coorong along the way. The day was overcast and the colour of the water was greyish with salt lakes dotted along the way. We stopped at one Pink Lake that had only a tinge of the colour. Apparently they get a deeper colour as they dry out during summer.
    Our campsite was at Pelican Point in the National Park and we were surprised to be the only campers there. We expected it to be busy as the school holidays have now started. An enormous amount of birds around including many pelicans. Faye was convinced she spotted Mr Percival from one of her all-time favourite movies.    Read more

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    Port Elliot

    December 14, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    A couple of days on the Fleurieu Peninsular at the Port Elliot showgrounds. Port Elliot, Goolwa and Victor Harbor are lovely beachside towns that offer much for family holidays. We really expected it to be busier than it was but apparently cancellations have been rife. We took a lovely walk around the headland at Port Elliot and then through the town. A quick drive up to Goolwa and a visit to the mouth of the Murray River that is looking pretty good.
    Next day we headed off to Victor Harbor to revisit the jetty bridge across to Granite Island. Unfortunately the horse drawn train was not running as they are building a new bridge that is probably long overdue.    Read more

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    Adelaide & Adelaide Hills

    December 16, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    In to the big smoke of Adelaide for a couple of days mainly to get our Covid booster shot which was due. It's amazing how we forget how hectic traffic can be in the bigger cities and how constricting inner city caravan parks are. We spent Thursday afternoon exploring the Central Markets in Adelaide that brought back great memories of some of the indoor markets we have seen around the world. I managed to pick up some chocolate ginger and Faye couldn't make up her mind so got nothing 🤷‍♂️ A trip down to the beach at Glenelg reminded us how lovely it is.
    Friday spent exploring the Adelaide Hills towns of Hahndorf, Mt Barker, and Gumeracha.    Read more

  • Wandering OzziesOur Lap of Oz - Part 3Traveler

    Port Arthur

    December 18, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    After a couple of days in a city we were happy to be moving again. We drove to the north for a couple of hours to the top of St. Vincent Gulf and stayed in a bush camp at Port Arthur. There is actually nothing at Port Arthur apart from a name on the map. For the first time after a Covid vaccination I actually felt some side effects. Fatigue and general muscle soreness overtook me and I spent the afternoon sleeping, very unusual for me. Came good again the next day so we continued on.Read more

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    Coobowie

    January 2, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Well after spending the Christmas - New Year period in the Coobowie Caravan Park we will probably not be looking for another caravan park for a while. It is a pleasant enough spot but being in a full park is not really our thing. We did a bit of exploring around the area mainly to get out of the park for a while.Read more

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    Moonta

    January 3, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    It is nice to be on the move again. Over to the western side of the Yorke Peninsular we drove up through Point Turton, Minlaton and Maitland to the Moonta Bay/Port Hughes area. We stopped at the Moonta RV Stopover which was pretty much a dust bowl. The wind whipped up again so everything was covered in a fine layer.
    The Moonta Bay / Port Hughes foreshore is quite lovely with the jetties extending out into the deeper water. The water is crystal clear but spoiled a bit by the amount of sea grass and weed around. I was keen to have a fish for squid which seemed to be the catch of choice but the wind was just too persistent.    Read more

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    Bowman Park, Crystal Brook

    January 5, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We left the Yorke Peninsular with mixed feelings. Parts of it were lovely but with the incessant wind and the crowded time of year we probably didn't see it at it's best.
    Heading north the scenery started to change with less of the brown open grain fields and more bush and greenery. Made our way to a Council controlled stopover called Bowman Park near the small town of Crystal Brook. A really interesting spot that was originally a homestead called "Crystal Brook Run" running sheep and growing wheat but has been through quite a few lives since it's original purpose. It has apparently been used as a youth camp, rodeo ground, speedway and flora and fauna park. Parts of the original homestead are still visible.Read more

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    Kimba

    January 7, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    A fairly big day for us travelling from Crystal Brook, through Port Pirie, up to the top of the Spencer Gulf through Port Augusta and then west to the town of Kimba.
    Now a centre for grain distribution, Kimba bills itself as "Half Way Across Australia". The local community have done a great job providing facilities for travelers here with two dedicated free camp areas. We stayed at Kimba Pioneer Memorial Park with lovely clean toilets and showers, water and rubbish bins available and nice clean quiet area. A fantastic camp kitchen was also available but we didn't get to use it.Read more

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    Port Gibbon

    January 9, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    From Kimba we headed back to the coast as the weather improved. Through the picturesque Cowell on Franklin Harbour the road headed south along the Spencer Gulf coastline. Several beachside camps are provided by the local council with no facilities but lovely locations.
    For once the weather was kind as the sun shone and the wind dropped. Fine enough for a walk on the beach and some highly unsuccessful fishing. We enjoyed a lovely sunset and sunrise the next day.    Read more

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    Port Neill - Carrow Wells

    January 11, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Travelling down the eastern side of the Eyre Peninsular through Arno Bay and Port Neill. Both lovely little seaside towns that boast clean sand beaches and clear water. The winds are still too cold for us to venture in for a swim but the weather is improving.
    After filling up with water at Port Neill we took the dirt road down to Carrow Wells. Right on the beach the remnants of the original wells are still there, although safely fenced off now. No facilities here apart from a long-drop toilet and the camp area itself was extremely rocky and uneven but the beach walks were lovely. We stayed for two nights.    Read more

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    Cummins

    January 13, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    From the coast we headed inland for a couple of days to catch up with household chores. On the way we passed one of the most recognisable pieces of silo art in South Australia. It really is very clever how the image must be viewed from a certain spot to be able to see the detail.
    Cummins is s mall town in the centre of the Eyre Peninsular and a hub for much of the storage and distribution of the grain that is grown in the area. A small community run caravan park was our base for the stay.
    It seems the original van park owners abandoned the spot and the community could see the advantage of still having the park in town. The admin is done at the local Deli and volunteers look after the grounds, which were in terrific condition. The bonus for this park is that they offer free use of the laundry facilities (washer and dryer) and even provide detergent. Faye said she has never seen a 14kg washer before. We managed to wash and dry all the mats, sheets, blankets, doona cover and clothes during our two day stay. We even enjoyed some apricots that the volunteer caretaker was giving away.
    The town itself is not overly burdened with things to do or see so we made sure we were stocked up and clean (on the inside anyway) before moving on.    Read more

  • Wandering OzziesOur Lap of Oz - Part 3Traveler

    Red Cliff Campground - Tumby Bay

    January 15, 2022, Indian Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Back to the coast near Tumby Bay we headed south to Red Cliff campground for a couple of days. This is a beautiful spot with sweeping views of the Spencer Gulf. Pristine beaches spread north and south from the camp with lots of spots where snorkelling would be great. The water was just warm enough to try for the first time on the trip.Read more

  • Wandering OzziesOur Lap of Oz - Part 3Traveler

    Port Lincoln - Bayview Park

    January 17, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Port Lincoln is the largest town on the Lower Eyre Peninsular so we had planned ahead to get some essential work done. The caravan hadn't been serviced since we left home so it was well and truly due. It had developed a rather noticable squeal in the disc brakes on the rear wheels which I thought was just dust and grit we had picked up. A thorough service of the brakes and replacement of the bearings fixed the problem. We had also been plagued with problems in one of the airbags on the car. It had not ever been right since install despite the original installers having three goes at it. Booked it in to the local Airbag Man dealer to try to rectify and they found a tiny hole in the top of the bag at the brass fitting. I believe it was always there but as it was out of warranty we coughed up to have it fixed.
    Bayview Park was a pretty nondescript private park just outside town. Served it's purpose.    Read more

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    Fishery Bay

    January 20, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Escaping the hustle and bustle of Port Lincoln we headed south to Fishery Bay, about as far south as you can go on the Eyre Peninsular. The campground was basically a bit of a carpark with a short walk access to the very popular beach. No internet access or phone coverage at the site. The council has recently introduced a camping fee for the area but I don't think anyone other than us actually paid. Got some heavy rain on our second night here but nothing like what areas just north of us received where roads were flooded or washed away.
    Met some very helpful council officers there who were planning out improvements to the camping area. One in particular took great delight in showing us some of the bush tucker that was growing right at our camp. Native cherries and currants are delicious snacks.    Read more

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    Coffin Bay National Park

    January 23, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    A couple of nights at Coffin Bay National Park. Campsite was large with a lovely view out over the water. Some nice walks starting at the campground as well as stunning views over beaches around the park. We didn't get too adventurous with any of the 4WD tracks as I had heard the sand was very soft and we were travelling alone.
    The main attraction in town is the oyster tasting tour where you sit in the water.    Read more

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    Kiana Park

    January 26, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Heading north along the west coast of the Eyre Peninsular we stopped at a couple of clifftop camps with spectacular views at Point Drummond but somehow thought maybe they were just a little too exposed. So we came inland a little to a farmstay at Kiana Park. Really nice grounds with lots of green grass. As the day wore on the sky got darker and heavier in the west and we could feel and hear a storm brewing. The BOM radar wasn't much help as it showed some storms passing near us. We pulled our awning in and packed all our gear and chairs away anyway.
    Sitting in the van at 5:30 the storm hit. The wind was blowing the rain sideways and shaking the van on it's legs. I was glad it was still attached to the car. I guess we were a little lucky in that where we had parked was next to a row of medium sized bushes that gave us some protection. About 5 minutes after the rain the hail started. At first it was smallish and pattering on the roof of the van so we weren't overly concerned.
    Then it got bigger, and bigger until it was jagged golf ball size. The noise inside the van was horrendous as we just hoped it didn't punch a hole through anything. We started to get water in through the 4 Seasons hatch but not too much.
    After about 10 minutes (felt like 2 hours) the hail started to ease off and was all but gone soon after. We ventured out to survey the damage.
    The van suffered some roof and rear wall damage but really not too bad. I'd say the roof skin will need to be replaced. The hatches are shattered at the rear. The aircon unit is also battered at the rear. The TV antenna connections are battered and I can't figure a way to repair them. Feeling fairly lucky at this stage.
    Checking the car showed hail damage on the rear, roof, bonnet and at least one side. One of the extended towing mirros was trashed. A couple of broken tail light covers rounded out the damage. All in all not too bad and both car and van are still usable and not dangerous.
    Another couple at the park were not so lucky. They were in an aluminium sided van that was parked side on to the storm. The van was a real mess with massive damage along the storm side and roof. The poor things were two weeks into their long planned lap of Australia. They planned on heading home to try to get the damage repaired.
    A very eventful day and not one I am in a hurry to repeat.    Read more

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