ON THE ROAD AGAIN! FLINDERS RANGES NP & LAKE EYRE

Well once again its been a while since last blog. We left Kimba last Sunday. Did a couple of weeks at the Buckleboo site which was a great experience. Shared house with a couple of Irish lads. Hot & dusty work but may venture back next year to do a three month stint.

Trucks lined up waiting for you in the morning (Ned you would of loved it!).
Thats the sample office where they grade the grain.

The weighbridge - air con did not work!

Craig's job unloading the grain.

Sean & Kevin from Mayo, Ireland.

From Kimba we headed straight to the Flinders Ranges National Park. Stayed a couple of days at Wilpena Pound. Did a walk up to Wangarra lookout where you get a birdseye view of the pound. Visited the Sacred Canyon to see some aboriginal engravings. Also stayed at Trezona campground & had a look at the Aroona Ruins. Flinders was great, pretty quiet this time of year which was good.

Wilpena Pound

Heysen Ranges

Sacred Canyon

Aboriginal engravings

Sunset at Trezona campground

Barachina Gorge

Bunyeroo Valley

Weather was pretty mild so we decided to continue on up to Maree to finally do Lake Eyre. Called in at Parachilna & a snack at the Prairie Hotel famous for feral food.

Prairie Hotel

At Maree we stayed on a patch of grass beside the pub. Nice little pub just newly leased to a couple from near Cooma NSW. Small world! Up early this morning for our flight over Lake Eyre. Our pilot Jane also doubled as a barmaid at the pub. Flight was spectacular. They have had a bit of rain lately so still plenty of water about. Flew over the south & part of the north, as well as the dog fence, Welcome Creek & the Frome River. Photos just don't do it justice.

Loads of animals about - camels, horses, lizards, emus, feral cats, roos.

Nothing around.............

but horses..........

and lizards......

Now at Whyalla (blowing a gail & chilly) & going to spend a few days looking around the Eyre Peninsular.

ROBE, NARACOORTE CAVES NP, ADELAIDE, WALLAROO, PORT AUGUSTA, KIMBA

Day 66. Well its been nearly 2 weeks since last blog & we have been moving pretty quickly as had to be in Kimba yesterday to see about a job (more on that later). So we left Warnambool, crossed in to south oz, passed through Mt Gambier & cruised the coast until we got to Robe. We ended up spending a couple of nights here. Robe isn't known for robes but it is mean't to be known for lobsters. Do you think we could find anywhere to buy one? We watched the boats come in with the catch yet not one to be had for dinner. It is a lovely little seaside town but not a hell of a lot going on. Not much fishing being done always seemed to be howling bloody southerly. Doesn't matter been eating like kings anyway!

The southern ocean

Guichen Bay, Robe

From Robe we went out to Naracoorte Caves National Park. We did the Victoria Caves guided tour & the Wet Caves on our own. Great place, full of history. Stayed in the camp ground there. Rained overnight. Had another little problem with our home - the tent (at Mungo the centre pole buggered, holes in screens), this time the stitching on the peg holder bits came away ripping holes in the bottom. Have deliberated for a while about replacing it, 9 years old & has served us well.

Victoria Cave

Extinct giant kangaroo found in the caves

From the caves we headed to Adelaide. After a few hours of driving around the city & up & down the coast ended up at Adelaide Shores (not Halliday). Stayed in a park right on the beach just a bit north of Glenelg. Went for a night on the town in Glenelg. Out for dinner, ordered a seafood platter & yes the lobster was from Robe! Seen a couple of bands, one good, the other techno terrible. Glenelg reminds you a little of Manly - lots going on.

Glenelg Beach

My first time. Watching the sunset over the beach.

Adelaide has got to be the easiest city to drive around (well for Craig anyway because I still haven't been allowed to drive). Stayed another day & went shopping for a new house. Decided on the Oztent - 30 second set up & pretty impressed thus far. Hope it lasts as long as our last home which we unceremoniously dumped on the side of the road for a council pick up. Sad, sad day.

Our new house-the Oztent

After Adelaide we spent a night at Wallaroo on the Yorke Peninsular. A funny little town.

Old but now developing with a Marina & building going on everywhere. Melbourne Cup day, only one pub with a TAB, couple of ales, some very bad punting, don't know why we bother.

Just a nice picture

From Wallaroo to Port Augusta. Had applied for a job with a grain company while we were at Warrnambool & said we could start end of November. Got a call just as we left Warrnambool to start early Nov. So had to get to Port Augusta to have a medical on Thursday (I've gained 2kg, Craigs lost 4!). Whilst there we had a look at the Wadlataa Outback Centre & went up to Matthews Flinders lookout. Made us want to head straight to the Flinders however here we are at Kimba.

G'Day

Red Cliffs from Matthew Flinders Lookout

Kimba - Halfway across Australia & home of the Big Galah! Population about 1000 but upped this time of year with the grain harvest. Met with our new boss, took us for a tour of the town (couple mins), showed us our new house. Thats right, accommodation all arranged but shared. We are the first in, others apparently arrive next week. So Craig will be working as a grid operator (outside, hot), me as a weighbridge clerk (inside, a/c). Start Monday, not sure for how long, but what they hey, if its no good we're off to the Flinders!

Our pad for a while

The Big Galah

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLIVIA & NAT! Miss ya heaps, love ya!

THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD

So left Ballarat, went through Geelong & on to the Great Ocean Road.

Bells Beach

Craig shreddin - Ha!

Called in at Bells & then first stop was Lorne. Stayed a few days. Its a bit touristy but otherwise very nice. Warm weather. Bit of fishing, bit of swimming, lots of walking. Visited Erskine Falls. Got the monkey off my back & caught first fish albeit a little Herring - forgot to take photo!

Lorne

Erskine Falls

Beautiful Lorne sunrise

From Lorne we headed to Blanket Bay in the Great Otway NP. Its repititious I know but another beautiful spot. Bush on the beach. When we got there early Friday morn there was no-one around - oh the serenity. By about 5 it was packed. Not to worry, again loads of walking & fishing.

Koalas everywhere

Its a hard life - Blanket Bay fishing

 Went & had a look at Cape Otway lighthouse.

Cape Otway lighthouse

Anyway spent a couple of days at Blanket Bay before noisy neighbours got the best of us so we headed back on to the Great Ocean Road. Stopped at the 12 Apostles with the intention of just doing the walk out to the look out but we couldn't resist & ended up doing a helicopter flight over the 12 Apostles (techincally only 9) & London Bridge. What a buzz! 

Copy that

Up front -  woohoo!

Yeah!

So we are now at Warrnambool. Staying a couple of days, weather terrible. Car service, resupply, then meandering on to South Oz!!

(ED      LUVEN IT)

HOPETOUN, BALLARAT

Well we headed to Hattah-Kulkyne NP. Not really what we expected. Green algae meant no fishing or swimming so we barred it & stumbled on the little town of Hopetoun. Lovely little town with the beautiful Lake Lascelles. Magic spot & all free. Free camping, hot showers, BBQs. Met a nice old fella who kept us supplied with worms for fishing & fresh fruit & also offered us jobs (yes we declined). Craig caught a couple of yellowbellies, me still nil. Also got some yabbies. Had our first swim. Spent a few days here, magic spot & highly recommend it.

Our camp

Me nil

Sunset on Lake Lascelles

Left Hopetoun & called in to the Grampians amidst gail force winds & pissing down rain. We didn't hang around for long & spent a night at Ararat (again in pissing down rain).

Unbelievable how many racecourses around these parts. Warracknabeal, Horsham, Stawell, Ararat, Hamilton however the cloest we got was a losing bet on the Caulfield Cup in a strange little Ararat pub!

We have now been in Ballarat for a couple of days. Have been living it up in a hotel. Luxury.......... As we were driving into town we spotted Craig's Royal Hotel & of course we had to stop for a couple of cold ones at Craig's bar! You can imagine the carry on. Beautiful old hotel built in 1825 & now restored to its former glory.

Craig's bar

Visited the ex-prisoners of war memorial & spent yesterday at Sovereign Hill & went back again last night for the dinner & Blood on the Southern Cross sound & light show. Dined with a couple of lovely ladies from Melbourne in the Charlie Napier Hotel. Sovereign Hill is like Old Sydney Town used to be - set up as life on the goldfields in the 1850's.  Did a 110 feet underground mine tour, watched a bloke do a $165,000 gold pour, red coats marching, bit of muskett firing, street theatre. Cost a small fortune but had a really good day & its well worth the look.

Sovereign Hill

Red coats

Me & a red coat

$165,000 gold bar!

Old miner in his hut - better than our set up!

The United States Hotel

Wise words

Heading off today for the Great Ocean Road.