Travelling Around Australia

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Menindee to the Eyre Peninsula

8^th February 2013 to 5^th March 2013

After we left Broken Hill our next destination was to the Menindee Lakes area about 110 kms east. There are a number of free camps around these lakes but this time we elected to go to a caravan park due to the forecasted weather which was to be really hot. We chose the Menindee Lakes Caravan Park about 5 kms from the township of Menindee mainly because of the telephone manner of the park host Tim. It turned out to be an excellent decision. Sammi and Tim along with their sons Tyson and Braxton welcomed us very warmly. It is not a busy time of year for them so they chose a premium spot for us where we were sheltered from the sun with some beautiful trees and still had a great view of the lake.

Menindee is the first town on the Darling River and the lake is fed by the Darling. When Sammi and Tim first took over the park, the lake was empty and although it is not full now, due to it being emptied back into the Darling by the authorities, it still had plenty of water in it for us to enjoy. The weather was very hot while we were here so the lake was a welcome respite. On our second day here another couple from Muswellbrook in NSW arrived. Rob and Emma and their 3 children Taneika, Lily and Jake camped next to us and we enjoyed a fabulous few days and nights together, particularly the star gazing. They are travelling for a year or so and the children are being home schooled. Hopefully we can catch up with this wonderful family in Darwin later in the year.

Tim and Sammi took us all fishing by the river on the edge of the Kinchega National Park. It was a successful outing with about 11 yellowbelly being caught and all of us can claim catching a fish, although for some it was only a crappy old carp. Tim cleaned the fish for us and then we all enjoyed our feast on fish that evening.

We drove out and had a look at all the other spots around the area including Copi Hollow, Lake Pamamaroo and the Main Weir which holds back the Darling River. Sunset Strip, nearby, is a small holiday community which houses some permanent residents but mainly consists of holiday homes. It also has a great view of the lake and is enjoyed by people who like all types of water sports.

Two days before we left Menindee, there was a huge storm and the rain bucketed down. Mister of course was very frightened and it was very hard to calm him down. Because this area was in drought condition, the rain was a welcome relief for the locals who hadn’t seen rain like this for 3 years, but it left a bit of damage around the area and particularly in the caravan park. All the roads were washed out as well as the path down to the lake, the rain left behind huge ditches and muddy waters. Tim had to work very hard the next few days grading all the roadways around the park. Greg gave him a hand, which is what Greg does, but he was very happy to do it. Unfortunately because of the rain we couldn’t get into the Kinchega National Park as the roads were closed, so we missed out on seeing some sites in there including the old Homestead, the Woolshed and the wreck of the PS Providence. That little tour will have to be put on the bucket list for future travels as we will definitely give Menindee another visit.

We left Menindee on 16^th February to head to Port Augusta and then ultimately around the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. We drove as far as Olary to an outback pub on the Barrier Hwy to stay overnight before moving on to Port Augusta the next day. From the publican and his partner to the local barflies and the American tourists it was an experience not to forget. There was no how do you do’s in this pub; everything was straight down the line. We had lunch at the pub and a few drinks, so we could stay for free, and then we set up the van for the night. As it was extremely hot, we went back over to the pub for some more refreshments, as you do. We chatted with the locals and the mine workers from around the area who came in for a drink; even South Australians call us Victorians ‘Mexicans’! The publican was an ex mine worker and mechanic by trade from Broken Hill. He told us stories of people driving out this way who always run out of petrol and call in to him to get some. “It is not a [insert expletive] petrol station” he tells everyone. While we were there two American tourists came in requesting mechanical help. The publican gave them a decent dressing down in no uncertain terms, if you know what I mean, for driving in the outback, not knowing what they were doing and not carrying spares and then went on to not only help them but offering the driver of the vehicle free soft drinks. We all then enjoyed a great chat together about Australia and the USA. It was an interesting and insightful afternoon and evening.

The next day we left about 7 am to get to Port Augusta because once again it was going to be very hot and we wanted to arrive early. We chose to stay at a caravan park for a couple of days as we were moving on to some free camp spots and wanted to wash all our bedding and stock up with supplies. Port Augusta is part of the Flinders Ranges and the outback and is not technically a part of the Eyre Peninsula, but it does sit atop the Spencer Gulf. It is also where the Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Darwin rail lines meet. We saw the Indian Pacific passenger train go through as well as a number of goods trains. We drove through the Flinders Ranges to get here from Olary. The Caravan Park is situated right on the tip of the Upper Spencer Gulf, so we were able to enjoy beautiful salt water swimming for the first time since we left home. My skin appreciated the salt water very much and I hope to have much more if it as we explore the Eyre Peninsula.

After doing all we needed to do in 2 days at Port Augusta we set off down the Peninsula towards Whyalla. Our destination was the Point Lowly Camp site, 32 kilometres north of Whyalla. The Eyre Peninsula is ‘where the outback meets the sea’. Whyalla, originally known as Hummock Hill is now a big tourist destination and houses a Maritime museum and the Arrum/Onesteel steelworks (formerly BHP). Point Lowly is a free camp spot adjacent to a boat ramp and has toilets and showers, rubbish bins, fresh water and a dump point which are all extremely important for the self sufficient camper. I guess this is the reason this particular site is so popular. There is a limit of a 14 day stay, which we enjoyed and there was no less than 20 vans each night, sometimes over 30. Most people stay for as long as they can, not only because of the facilities, but it is a very popular fishing spot and across the road is a beautiful swimming beach.

We had a perfect spot right on the water’s edge facing the break wall and the boat ramp, about 10 metres above the high tide mark. It was the perfect position to witness the beautiful sunrises and also all the activity on the water. It was also a great spot to have a chat to people as they made their way to and from the water. We had some fabulous neighbours; Jenny and Ray from Donnybrook in WA, Bill and Janelle from Bundaberg in Queensland and some fellow Victorians, Peter and Gail from Melbourne. We all got along really well, sharing meals, card games and of course happy hour (or two) every day. After all our friends left, we met Ash and Liz from WA who were into the first month of their around Australia journey. They are a young couple who enjoy fishing and possibly we will catch up with them on our journey up the centre.

Most days we had perfect weather although it did get a bit windy at times. Apart from 3 days we swam every day on the beautiful beach. Early in our stay we took the Hobie out but it tended to get a bit rough in the afternoons, so unless we went early we missed the calm conditions. The last 3 days we were there the weather turned it on again and we were able to Hobie everyday and try our luck with the crab pots and fishing, but as is always our luck, we never caught anything apart from crabs which were too small to keep and shitty fish. Luckily for us, our new friends Jenny and Ray gave us a feed of crabs and Bill and Janelle shared their bounty of blue swimmers with all of us.

We very much loved staying at this particular spot and it was very hard to move on, but rules are rules and we needed to make way for others to enjoy the area. Hopefully we can go back another time. We left on Tuesday 5^th March to head down the coast to a place recommended by Gail and Peter, Redbanks. This spot is only about 5 kilometres north of the fishing village of Arno Bay on the Spencer Gulf. It is where we are now and intend to stay until after the weekend. It is really lovely, almost right on the beach and protected from the wind by the sand dunes. Not many people camp here, mainly overnighters, but we found this spot at the end of the car park just at the top of the path to the beach. We were lucky no one was around when we arrived so we had a walk around and found the perfect spot.

My next blog will give you a further account of Redbanks (if the Scorpions don’t get us first, he he) and the remainder of our journey around the Eyre Peninsula.

Cheers til next time.

Black Cockatoo at Menindee

Sunset at Menindee

Goanna at Menindee

Sunset at Menindee

Mine host tim with Greg

Rob Emma Taneika Lily and Jake at Menindee

Sunrise at Olary

Pub at Olary

Dolphin at Point Lowly

Beach at Point Lowly

Goods train at Port Augusta

Point Lowly

Greg and Mister on beach at Point Lowly

Sneak peek .. Sunrise at Redbanks

Lighthouse at Point Lowly

View from our camp site at Point Lowly

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Pysche Bend, Wentworth, Broken Hill

21^st January 2013 to 8th February 2013

We arrived at a free camp spot called Psyche Bend, which is 12km’s south east of Mildura on 21^st Jan. To say we were delighted as soon as we arrived is an understatement. There is nothing quite like camping beside the beautiful mighty Murray River. It was a warm day when we arrived, but from our previous experience of travelling in the heat, we elected to leave Hopetoun early and arrived at Psyche Bend at 10.30 in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat while we travelled. It was only a 2 hr trip, but we were able to set up early, do some necessary food shopping and enjoy the remainder of day on the river.

This particular spot is only for self sufficient campers, no toilets or fresh water, but only a 10 min drive to get fresh water and supplies. It is also a spot which is steeped in history, probably not surprising given that it is on the Murray. Psyche Bend houses Psyche Pump Station which irrigates and drains water via electric driven pumps, but was originally irrigated via a magnificent pump and steam engine, built in England and transported to Australia in 1891. It was fully operational until 1959. It was restored and is now maintained by the Sunraysia Steam Preservation Society. It is the only steam driven Tangye operational pump of its type in the world. The pump station is open 3 days a week for visitors and is only operational 6 days a year. Unfortunately we missed out on the operational days, but were able to visit the site, only 200 metres from where were camped. A truly great piece of our history, inspired by one Alfred Deakin, who enticed two Canadian brothers, who were developing irrigation systems in Southern California, to come to Australia to develop the Mildura Irrigation system. History lesson over!

We have met some wonderful people here. Shirley and Sandy from Deception Bay in Queensland , who have done quite a bit of travelling, stayed for a couple of nights and were about halfway through this particular part of their trip which was to travel the length of the Murray via the road. They were headed to Renmark after they left here and going all the way to Goolwa at the mouth of the Murray. Del and Ron from the central coast of New South Wales have been travelling since mid December through NSW. We enjoyed a delightful night of drinks and talking with them. They are continuing to travel later this year, so maybe we will catch up with them again somewhere.

Camping on the Murray is truly a great experience and I know many of you have done this. I just love watching all the activity, including houseboats, speedboats, water skiers, fishing boats and jet skis. Then when we get on in our Hobie, include kayaks, canoes etc. The weather was beautiful for the 11 days we were here and we were able to swim every day. The only thing we didn’t see for a week was a paddle wheel boat, until the Sunday before we left. Then around the bend we could see a paddle wheel boat coming. We were very excited and just after it passed our site it moored on the opposite side of the river. Greg and I waited a little while, and then we put the Hobie in and paddled across to have a better look at it. As we approached the owners of the Shiralee, Max and Marj came out on deck, we had a brief chat and then they invited us aboard to have a look. An invitation that could not be resisted.

Max built the Shiralee, it took him two years and they launched her in 2000. She is a truly beautiful vessel and we were privileged to be invited by Marj and Max to have tea with them aboard her. We were totally rapt and couldn’t believe what a wonderful experience it was. The Shiralee is certainly a credit to them both. We not only enjoyed tea with them but a couple of hands of 500, we hadn’t played for a while so it was great fun. Thank you again Max and Marj.

We loved staying at this spot on the Murray and our Hobie was put to good use. What better place than the Murray for a paddle/pedal.

Australia Day on the Murray at Pysche Bend

I see a full moon rising on the Murray

Our campsite at Psyche Bend from the Hobie

The Southern Cross beneath the Southern Cross

The beautiful Shiralee

Psyche Bend old pump station

We left Psyche Bend on 30^th January to spend a few nights at Wentworth. Of course it is only a 41 km trip from Mildura, but it is a town worth visiting for its historical charm. Again we found a free camping spot just beyond the boat ramp, about 2 kms from town. Wentworth is another town which is steeped in history; the first fact is that it was shortlisted to become Australia’s capital because of the Darling River/Murray River confluence (where both rivers meet). It was one of the busiest ports during the Riverboat era, with sometimes more than 31 vessels in port at one time. We visited the Old Wentworth Gaol and the site where they are renovating the old PS Ruby. What a magnificent vessel she must have been in her heyday.

We were camped only 1 km from the Loch and Weir and were lucky enough to see two vessels come through the loch. It is something both Greg and I had never seen before and it was really interesting. Sometimes we get really excited about the simple things. One of the houseboats had numerous attempts at getting out of the loch because the strong wind kept pushing it into the side of the loch and as it was so shallow at that point it wouldn’t have been able to get out. They eventually had to tie her up on the opposite side to give her room to get out and although very interesting to watch it must have been a bit embarrassing for the owners of the vessel.

The Darling (closest to camera) meets the mighty Murray

The mens cell block at Wentworth Gaol

The beautiful old PS Ruby undergoing renovations

On Saturday 2^nd Feb we packed up and left for Broken Hill. There are few free camp spots around this area, so we stayed at the Lakeview Caravan Park. Broken Hill is not the prettiest town in the world, in fact I think it is downright ugly, but don’t let that fool you into thinking there is nothing to see. It is a surprising collection of old buildings, beautiful landscapes, wonderful museums and once again a fascinating history. There is a lot to discover here and we tried our best to see most of it. I will attempt to enlighten you about a few of the places we visited.

A syndicate of seven men from the Mt Gipps station discovered ore on an isolated hill in 1895. They called that hill Broken Hill and so BHP was born. This massive ore body contained the world’s richest source of lead, silver and zinc. There are three working mines in this area now which employ only about 450 men, a stark contrast to the early days when in excess of 4000 men worked the mines. It is believed that mining can continue in Broken Hill for another 30 to 40 years.

Our trip into Broken Hill was amazing in itself. The flat, scrubby, dry landscape is uninspiring, but the beauty beyond that is amazing. Lots of mad emus’ goats and kangaroos along with the odd camel leap out to greet you. Not far from Broken Hill there is a small town called Silverton. Silverton is spectacularly scenic, a small sleepy town full of heritage stone buildings. The sad and stirring Pioneer Cemetery is worth a visit, it covers 42 acres, with a lot of unmarked graves, but a lot of graves with the names of children, who died mostly due to Typhoid which was rampant at the time. Silverton is most famous as a film location including, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Mad Max 2. Many other movies have been shot in this location, but these two are the most famous. The Silverton Hotel has featured in more than 100 movies. The famous Mundi Mundi plains 5 kms from Silverton was the location for Priscilla and Mad Max. The plains are beautiful to look at and you can see for miles around on the extremely flat landscape. Another few kilometres past the Mundi Mundi, on the western slopes of the Barrier Ranges is the Umberumberka Reservoir, a true oasis in the middle of all this scrub.

We visited the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS). The base is in Broken Hill and it gives you a wonderful insight into the beginnings of this life saving service as well as how it operates today. The RFDS looks after 80 percent of Australia and the work they do is simply amazing. It was well worth the visit. Whites Mineral Art and Living Mining Museum is also a must see. It is like going underground without going under. Bushy White has produced an illustrated journey via his mineral art of the architectural and mining history of Broken Hill. He also has lots of memorabilia and has made models of mine sites. His knowledge of the history of the mines and the equipment they used and are using is amazing. His crushed mineral artwork is simply beautiful. Another section of the museum displays a large collection of handmade dolls and teddy bears, 90 percent of which were made and dressed by Bushy’s wife.

The Miners Memorial which sits atop the Line of Lode is also an interesting site to visit. It lists the names of over 800 men who lost their lives in the mines, the most recent being in 2005. This site which is built upon an open cut mine, the site of the original broken hill, also houses the Broken Earth Cafe and has an exhibition of mining equipment used in the mines. Another beautiful feature of Broken Hill is the Living Desert Sculptures. It is about 9 kms out of town and offers fantastic views of the area particularly at sunset. There are 12 massive sandstone sculptures by artists from all over the world and look stunning against the desert backdrop.

This is just a small piece of Broken Hill. We were here for only 6 days, but I would suggest you need at least 10 days to 2 weeks to fully discover the whole area. It is truly an inspiring piece of Australian history and true Australian Outback.

The caravan park we stayed in, Lakeview Caravan Park, does not have a view of the lake. It is clean, with grassy sites and shady trees, which is a must in this climate. A very refreshing and much needed swimming pool was our saviour every day we were here. They also have cabins for those without a caravan or tent. I would recommend this caravan park for a visit.

Yesterday, 8^th Feb, we left Broken Hill to head for Menindee about 110 kms east of Broken Hill. We will be staying here for a week and I will blog about this area next time. After Menindee we think we will be heading back to South Australia, but those plans could change.

Enjoy and cheers till next time.

Part of the Umberumberka Reservoir

Some of the beautiful mineral art at Whites Museum

A mine model at Whites Museum

Part of the doll gallery at Whites Museum

The Miners Memorial on the Line of Lode

An old mining shaft on the Line of Lode

Part of the display at RFDS

Planes at RFDS

Camel at Silverton

An old gravesite at the Pioneer Cemetery Silverton

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Continuing our journey..Hopetoun, Victoria

January 11^th 2013 to January 21^st 2013

I am writing this blog a little earlier than I had intended, I prefer to do one every month or so, but this destination needs to be written about. Who knew Victoria had such a lot of attractions, not many of us, because we prefer travelling interstate. But believe me if you can think outside the square and don’t mind a bit of camping, Victoria has a real lot to offer, including this delightful destination I am blogging about. We met a lady from Tasmania (no reflection on the beautiful Tasmanians we have met) at Bass Reserve on our way home in January 2012 who told us she hated Victoria because there were no decent places to camp and nothing to see. Clearly she didn’t try too hard. I now know Victoria is fantastic if only we took a little time to explore.

The day we left Rocklands it was tipped to be 44 degrees. In hindsight we should have stayed another day. The trip to Hopetoun was difficult to say the least. We travelled into a very strong northerly wind which prevented us from doing more than 70 kph all the way. A one and a half hour trip turned into a more than two hour trip. The only reason we chose Hopetoun was to split the trip up between Rocklands and Mildura. We generally don’t like travelling more than two or three hours between destinations. Aside from the length of travel, we find we miss too much if we travel long stints.

We had never heard of Hopetoun as far as a tourist destination, so we weren’t sure of what we would find on our arrival. After the long and hot trip from Rocklands and the flat, dry and bland scenery we came upon our destination. Lake Lascelles in Hopetoun is an oasis in the Mallee, there is no other way to describe it. It was a very welcoming sight and before we even set up for our stay we dove straight into the water to cool down. We camped on the Eastern side of the lake, which is the free camping area and only 10 metres from the lakes edge.

Hopetoun is about 5 hrs from Geelong and is between Horsham and Mildura in the Mallee region. It is only a small community with about 590 people, but it has everything you need as far as supplies go. An IGA, a bank, 2 service stations, a pub, a butcher, a cafe, newsagent, pharmacy and Post Office among the services provided. The people of this town are very friendly and welcome visitors into their small community with open arms. The Apex Club, the Angling Club and the community in general have done a fantastic job of developing Lake Lascelles into a tourist attraction and take great pride in their achievements.

Lake Lascelles is a mecca for walkers, swimmers, boating enthusiasts and fisherman. Water skiing is an extremely popular pastime here and we have witnessed many days of this activity. It is a perfect lake for our Hobie as the circumference of the lake is around 2 km’s and it makes for a great workout. It also great for swimming and the weather this time of year allows us to enjoy it every day. It is also the perfect lake for take a stroll around. BBQ areas are situated in four areas around the lake with maintained grassed areas. Playgrounds, toilet and shower facilities and firepits are also provided. All free of charge. But if you are like us, a donation wouldn’t go astray to help this lake remain fully maintained and functional.

We are camped on the Eastern side of the lake, which is a free area. We have access to fresh water, can dispose of our rubbish as well as enjoy the grassy areas. It is really very beautiful. On the Western side of the lake (town side) there are powered sites available on a first in first served basis. They only cost $15 dollars per night and are based on an honesty system, as is the hot water for showers. Also on that side of the lake is the Mallee Bush Retreat accommodation area. The buildings are built from corrugated iron and timber and have a very rustic feel. It is a fantastic complex and offers unique accommodation for a very moderate price.

The buildings in this complex have unique names which represent the farming heritage of the area such as Cow Shed, Horses Stables, Silo and Limestone Grainstore. The Shearing Shed houses the camp kitchen which is fully functional and includes a TV and fireplace. The Mallee Bush Retreat would be a great place for a completely relaxing holiday in a natural environment. They were all designed and built by a local builder.

We have enjoyed a beer with two locals who both had a hand in developing this site. Peter is the treasure of the Apex Club and Chick represents the Angling club. They really love their lake and its surrounds and volunteer their time to maintain and keep the area clean for visitors and locals alike. I really commend their efforts, it truly is first rate.

For those of you who have never been here, you really should do yourselves a favour and try it out one long weekend. It is really popular over Christmas, New Year and Easter, so perhaps a quieter time in February, March or April would be and ideal time. If you don’t mind the free camping and are self sufficient, 2 or 3 nights on the Eastern side of the lake in your tent would be perfect. I honestly cannot recommend this place highly enough and of course the people of the community would welcome and deserve your patronage.

Hopetoun is also the gateway to the National Parks in the area. The Wyperfield National Park, the Murray-Sunset National Park and the Big Desert Wilderness Park are popular with 4WD enthusiasts who want to take the great Mallee Drive. It is 625 km drive, which is usually done over a numbers of days with some fantastic camping spots along the way. It is best done at a leisurely pace so you can enjoy the region and even though the Mallee is Victoria’s driest region, there is still an abundance of wildlife and flora to enjoy.Althoug we had a peek at it, Greg and I did not do this trip as it is best done in the spring. The weather is far too hot this time of the year, but it is something we will look forward to doing in the future.

We are heading off tomorrow (Monday 21^st Jan) to camp at a little spot called Psyches Bend about 12 km’s east of Mildura on the might Murray river. I love the Murray and look forward to giving you details of that adventure in my next blog. Cheers til next time.