30th April 2012 - Victor Harbor

Went exploring......First stop was Victor Harbor Tourist Info.  Disappointing, the tram isn't running until mid June as the jetty is being repaired.  The Steam Train doesn't run again until Wednesday at 11.00am and the Ferry over to Kangaroo Island is still much too expensive, even without the caravan. So, it is off exploring on our own......First stop Port Elliott, beautiful old town.  Lunch at the Flying Fish Cafe right on Horseshoe Bay overlooking the water, then onto Goolwa where we checked out the Goolwa Barrage.  Very interesting and I have had my first glimpse at the Coorong National Park.  Going back into Goolwa and over the Bridge to Hindmarsh Island (secret women's business!!!!!) and 11kms to see the Murray Mouth.  Have now seen the Murray Mouth and am looking forward to getting to Wellington to see where the Murray flows into Lake Alexandrina.

29th April 2012 - Mannum - Victor Harbour

A drizzly day today but NOT cold.  Have decided to pack up and head towards a caravan park at Victor Harbor.  Mannum has been a really beautiful place to stop for a couple of days but it is now time to hit the road again.  We are going to travel through little towns called Pallamana & Monarto, off the main roads and then down through Strathalbyn to Victor Harbor.  At the moment Barry is over excited about having a race across the Murray with the other ferry.  Our ferry "Won"....small things amuse small  minds I guess. :)  Lunch at Strathalbyn which is a very quaint little town dating back to 1839.  Lovely little sandstone houses that look like old miners cottages but much, much nicer.  Drove through Currency Creek where there is a winery on our way to Victor Harbor.  A magnificent old house, definitely going back to have a look around and maybe even buy some wine ....Finished the day with a beautiful sunset camped right by the beach with fish & chips from the Victor Harbor runner up "award winning fishery".....too good.

28th April 2012 - Mannum (Bolto Reserve 227)

Woke up to a really foggy morning that eventually turned into a glorious day.  Sunny and about 25deg. Staying here today and tomorrow and then going down to Victoria Harbour to go into a Caravan Park. There aren't very many free camps down along the Fleurieu so we will put the van into a park and then go exploring in the car.  May even go over to Kangaroo Island.  Not affordable to take the caravan.  Looked on the net and the return fare would be $358.00....ridiculous. Laying in bed watching the river and there is so much "action"..... The river is very, very busy, there are houseboats, speed boats, jetski's, and even a long rowboat with 6 people rowing, I think they must be in training!!!!!! Also heaps of bird life and the kids in the camp next door have been catching shrimp in their nets. Not big enough to eat, but still very exciting for them.

27th April 2012 - Tenbury-Hunter Res - Bolto Res (227)

10.30am and we have hit the road towards camp 221 to have a look and if that isn't really nice we will continue onto camp 225 at Purnong.  Stopped at Swan Reach to take some photos of the most gorgeous little Op Shop I have ever seen, unfortunately nothing caught my eye!!!!! Following the Murray River through Nildottie, Walkers Flat, Purnong, Bow Hill and eventually Mannum and Murray Bridge.  Looking forward to seeing where the Murray flows into Lake Alexandrina at Wellington and then onto the Fleurieu to camp at Rapid Bay.  We appear to be doing a lot of ferry crossings and they all have names:
"Albatross Ferry" @ Swan Reach
"Stilt 11 Ferry" @ Walker Flat
"Kingfisher Ferry" @ Purnong
"Coot Ferry" @ Mannum

Tonight we are camping at Bolto Reserve at Mannum.  Again, lovely spot right beside the great Murray River.

26th April 2012 - Martins Bend - Tenbury Hunter Reserve (212)

Filled the caravan with water from a tap at the Glassey Reserve thanks to information provided to us by the caretaker at Martins Bend.  Water is the only thing we have to be aware of and need to keep topped up so we can stay away from the Caravan parks.  Drizzly and foggy today but not COLD or WINDY.....Heading to Swan Reach via Loxton, Wunkar and Maggae to Free Camp 212 at Tenbury Hunter Reserve right on the Murray.  Need to stop on the way and cut a load of wood for our fire tonight.  FC 212 is really great, right beside the river with no neighbors too close to be a pest.  Only downfall is a little close to the road, but it is not a main highway so I am assuming it will be pretty quiet. Tonight is night 7 of our trip and we have been free camping every night, I am liking it more and more.  We have everything we could possibly need and don't require a Caravan Park, so end up at the best spots right beside the river. The ferry is only 400 metres up the river from us, very busy, going backwards & forwards ferrying cars, vans trucks etc.  There is an abundance of bird life here and every now and then they all seem to be "spooked" and it seems that 1000's of them fly from the trees in a squawking frenzy........

25th April 2012 - ANZAC DAY - Martins Bend (153)

Exploring - packed a picnic lunch and headed off for Barmera, Waikerie and where ever we end up.  Little bit of drizzle now after waking up to a sunny morning. NO WIND..... Had lunch by the Murray at Waikerie then got on the Ferry to go towards Overland Corner.  Stopped beside the road to grab a bit of kindling for our fire.  The camp ground where we are staying has been picked clean.  Stopped to have a look at the Historic Overland Corner Hotel, and called in for some photos, hot chocolate and a good look around.  Lovely old pub with lots of memorabilia.  Then it was onto Lock 3 where we again took some photos.  It is incredible to think of how much water there must have been through this area in 1956 when it flooded.  The height marker is nearly at the top of the indicator pole.  Bought some lovely grapes and a pumpkin from a roadside seller, then went to the Water Tower Lookout at Berri and climbed the 100 steps to the top for a good look around.

24th April 2012 - Bottle Bend - Martins Bend (153)

10.00am and on the road, cool and cloudy, plan on stopping at Mildura to pick up a few things and then hit the road again.  Dust storms between Mildura & Merbein Sth and not a very pleasant day at all.  Called in to have a look at Lock 5 where we were thinking of staying but too small and much too windy.  Continued onto Berri and called into the TI to see if they had any info about free camps.  They pointed us towards Martins Bend Campground (153) and very happy with where we are.  Got the fire going and sat outside looking at the magnificent night sky with all the brilliant stars.  Tomorrow we are leaving the van here and going exploring around the area.

23rd April 2012 - Bottle Bend Free Camp

Woke up to a cooler day with gusty winds and a cloudy sky.  Looks like long pants instead of shorts for me today but at least no rain YET…..!!  Not a very pleasant day, but we have the fire going and went for a walk along the track where we found some red gum that someone had cut and left – just for us…very thoughtful.  The river looks to be rising daily, we have our eyes on a group of 3 trees on the bank opposite us.  When we arrived they were out of the water and they now look to be in about 6 inches of water.  It will be interesting tomorrow to see if it has risen any more. The river looks really healthy and is flowing quite fast and is very full. Tonight has deteriorated into a rainy, windy, cold and very unpleasant evening.  Luckily for us the heater in the caravan works with the generator, so we are still nice and warm. Tomorrow we will pack up and head towards Renmark for a day or two.

22nd April 2012 - Bottle Bend Free Camp

A nice relaxing day at Bottle Bend Free Camp.  Barry went into Gol Gol to get gas & groceries and I did a load of washing in the machine for the first time using the generator.  Worked well, saved the rinse water so Barry could wash the caravan, very resourceful.........Got the camp oven sitting on the 9kg gas bottle fire cooking a roast for dinner and just about to start happy hour with Bob & Sherry.  We just had a houseboat pull into the bank about 100yds from us.  The guy (Len) from the houseboat came over to talk to us and they are heading back to Renmark after traveling from Renmark to Yarrawonga.  Sounds like a really great trip approx 1900kms and have been traveling the river since November. He was a very interesting man to listen to, had problems getting under bridges and was ringing authorities to let them "have an earful".....!!! Magnificent roast and time to settle in for the night with a good book.
Have made the decision to stay another day and then start heading towards Renmark on Tuesday.

21st April 2012 - Green Lake - Bottle Bend Free Camp (1095)

Didn't leave Green Lake until 10.30am after having toast done over the open fire for brekkie and fare welling the other campers. First stop is Sea Lake to pick up Tattslotto and some water.  It appears that we may be heading into some bad weather in SA so we are going to the Murray for a few days to let it pass.  Left Sea Lake after filling the water tanks and are travelling through Long Plains, Tyrell Downs, Chinkapook and Manangatang.  Thought we might go through Robinvale just for a change.  Stopped on the side of the road just outside Chinkapook (love that name!!!!) and Barry cut a load of wood to take into the camp on the Murray. Nice little workout for us both, and a great load of hard wood. Our lunch stop was at Manangatang beside the railroad siding.  There was a "H" model train there filling up the cars with wheat.  Grumpy train driver that swore at Barry when he tried to engage him in a conversation about the train. Some people just get up Grumpy I am sure.....Ice Cream at Euston and then onto Bottle Bend Free Camp for a couple of days.  Already got the fire going and met some nice people camping not far from us where we are heading over for "Happy Hour" right now.

20th April 2012 - Toolangi - Green Lake (Berriwillock)

Hit the road bright and early at 7.30am to head up to Green Lake to catch up with Lyn & Kevin, Terri, Chris & Ed for a roast lunch and free overnight camp. Stopped at Bridgewater for MT at our usual spot by the Loddon River and continued again on a brilliant warm and sunny day.  Just noticed highway "Art" along the Calder Hwy between Bridgewater & Charlton. The first was a crocodile on a fallen tree branch that looked very lifelike except for the red teeth.  The second was a black stump that looked like "Ned Kelly" with the painted armour and eyes. Some people have brilliant imaginations........We arrived at Green Lake around 12.30 to spend the afternoon and evening with Barry's family.  The boys cooked a brilliant Roast Lamb for lunch & I added a pineapple upside down cake cooked in the camp oven for sweets.  Very nice. Balmy evening sitting around the camp fire and sharing some yarns.

19th April 2012 - Paynesville to Toolangi Free Camp (226)

Decided to leave Allawah Caravan Park and head off for 2 - 3 weeks on a holiday while the house is being completed.  Weather is a little drizzly but still reasonably warm.  Heading towards the Fleurieu Penninsula in SA and going the "scenic" route around the back roads and not necessarily the main highways.  We left the Princes Hwy just before Rosedale and went through Glengarry, Tyers, Yallourn North and by passed Moe through to Willow Grove.  The scenery is spectacular. Then it was through Hill End, Noojee & Powelltown .  This is so nice being off the highway and travelling on the lesser used roads.  The road between Hill End and the turn off to Noojee is stunning, very narrow with ferns in abundance as well as trees that look to be 100ft tall reaching right to the sky.  The only negative is that the log trucks use this road and it is a little off putting when one comes hurtling towards you on a bend.....Barry says I worry too much!!!!! We stopped on the side of the road just outside Noojee and walked up to have a look at the historic Tressle Bridge.  Very interesting.  Our free camp for the night was at Toolangi (226) right beside a little stream, there we had a nice fire in the 9kg gas bottle and met up with some other people also camping. Jaffles for dinner and a scotch to set the mood.....Too Good.