Tumby Bay to Port Augusta

Hello All,
After an reasonably uneventful trip up from Port Lincoln I am in Port Augusta waiting for some mail to arrive.
The drive was uneventful until just North of Cowell, when I came across my first accident since leaving home. An elderly couple in a 4x4 towing a Jayco camper were turning into a rest area on the other side of the road, just as 2  ladies were overtaking them and they connected. I personaly always wait for a rest area on my side of the road before stopping. The 4x4 getting a bit of panel damage and broken steering and the ladies Mazda spearing into small trees on the roadside. 7 airbags all deployed with the Mazda being "totaled" but no one hurt fortunately.

 
 I headed out to Point Lowly with thoughts of free camping for a couple of days but it was chocka block. With the forecast of 36c followed by 38c the thought of camping in a rocky carpark with no shower didn't excite me much. The March flies subsided when dusk fell, but then the mosquitoes arrived in swarms, and for the first time since leaving home the mosquito coils were unpacked. It was a pity as the views across Spencer Gulf to the Mt Remarkable Ranges, and the lights of Port Pirie was quite nice.
I decided to head to Iron Knob for a look and ended up in Port Augusta. After my mail arrives I will be starting my trek North, with another look at Woomera high on the "to do list"
Bye for now.... 

Elliston to Tumby Bay

Hello all,
Leaving Elliston I headed towards Port Lincoln, with first stop Loch's Well.

The stairs down to the beach were fairly impressive.....

Loch's Well

Loch's Well

At Loch's Well I bumped into the couple from Bairnsdale, I camped beside at Victor Harbour. There wasn't a lot to be seen before the next stop, Coffin Bay. This is a pretty little place with a very sheltered Harbour.

Coffin Bay

Coffin Bay

With Reviews of the caravan park being knee deep in "roo poo" and the weather again looking threatening, I decided to push on to Port Lincoln.The weather blew over, so I headed to Surfleet Campground in Port Lincoln National Park. I set up the camper and headed across the campground to check out the beach. My attention was drawn by someone calling my name....yes directly across was the couple I camped beside at Port Wakefield.

Surfleet beach

Surfleet Beach

I decided to follow a road to see where it went and ended up at Sleaford Bay, to my amazement, right in front of me frolicking in the crystal clear waters, was a pod of Dolphins. I sat for probably 45 minutes watching them play in the surf until my camera battery went flat.

 

Dolphins

dolphins

Sleaford Bay

There was also some amazing sand dunes here, but unfortunately I couldn't play on then with the camper on, although it is allowed in SA.

Sleaford Dunes

 Port Lincoln was booked out tonight and as i needed a shower and a battery recharge I headed to Tumby Bay.
Bye for now.............

Streaky Bay to Elliston

Hello all,
After leaving Streaky Bay i started heading towards Port Lincoln. The Eyre Peninsula is not very Camping friendly, with No Camping signs everywhere, and the Caravan Parks jammed in like sardines. Most Coastal Caravan Parks the vans awnings are up against the caravan next to it.

 

Streaky Bay

There are several scenic drives around Streaky Bay, so I decided to take drive, all the back roads over here are Limestone and clay capped and aren't all that corrugated but rough all the same.

This place is called High Cliffs - I wonder why?

Point Westall

Point Westall

On the way to Sceale Bay to road follows the cliff tops for quite a way before heading through magnificent pure white sand blows.

Sceale Bay - Note not one person in sight

 I couldn't believe how everyone is jam packed like sardines into the caravan parks but get out of town to see the scenery and there is hardly anyone to be seen.

old derelect house beside road

 It was onwards to Murphys Haystacks, weathered Granite outcrops on top of a hillside.

Murphy's Haystacks

 

Murphy's Haystacks

Murphy's Hatstacks

After a quick look at Venus Bay and seeing the only Caravan Park packed like sardines I pushed on to Coodlie Park Farm Retreat. I got the impression the place was run by Hippies but the Campground was Rustic and quiet and only $10/car. Two large thunderstorms passed during the afternoon, bringing heavy rain.

the showers Coodlie Park

 It was a complicated shower that day, first turn on the battery pack, which ignites the gas hot water, next fill the bucket, next transfer hot hot water into the shower bucket, then pull the rope pulley system to hoist the water up above head.

camp at Coodlie Park

The next morning, after the storms I awoke to a heavy sea fog which persisted well into the day which added an eerie look to the Coastline.

Steps to Woolshed Cave

Woolshed Cave

 Onwards to the Coastal Drive at Elliston, most of the lookouts here have sculptures.

Elliston Coastal Drive

Sharkbait

Elliston Coastal Drive

Coffin Bay is on the list tomorrow. 
Bye for now................

Port Augusta to Streaky Bay

Hello All,
After getting blown about in Port Augusta it was time to head to the Eyre Peninsula. The morning started of nice and mild but soon turned to rain. It rained nearly all the way from Whyalla to Cowell.

Cowell is another sleepy fishing Port, with the weather not looking good, but the forecast of improving during the week, I decided on a plan reversal. instead of heading towards Port Lincoln, i decided to cut across to the Eyre Highway and start at the other end, Streaky Bay. By doing this, by the time I get down to Port Lincoln, the forecast is for 26-28c days instead of 18-19c.

 With overcast skies, rain and wind, it hasn't been conducive to taking photos either. But upon arriving in Streaky Bay the sun shone and the skies cleared, so hopefully my plan worked.

Streaky Bay caravan park

Streaky Bay

I only got in mid afternoon, so haven't had much of a look around yet, but with 25c forecast tomorrow that will happen. there are 3 scenic drives around here so that is tomorrows plan.
Bye for now.....


 

Gawler to Port Augusta

Hello all,
Well, after tracking all over the place trying to escape the wind I have given up and will just try to live with it.

A leisurely run up through the Clare Valley, through the Wine Region was done. The thing I love about South Australia is the abundance of ruins and old stone buildings in picturesque settings. Although it saddens me to think that so many of these grand old building have been left to the elements.
For some reason I haven't been taking many photos, so I will try and rectify this.

From Port Pirie I had hoped to head into Mt Remarkable National Park but most of it was still closed since the bushfires earlier this year. Instead I headed up through Horrocks Pass tp Hancocks Lookout.
  

Hancocks Lookout

Hancocks Lookout

From Hancocks Lookout the views are magnificent across Spencer Gulf to The Eyre Peninsula. After doing some grocery shopping tomorrow, I plan to head towards the Eyre Peninsula, although I must admit I am not too keen of heading South. South means headwinds and cooler weather.
All around the York and Fleurieu Peninsula there were artificial Owls everywhere......every second house seemed to have one or two on balconies, verandas and so on, this puzzled me until I realised the owls kill other Birds.............Owl means no Bird Poo....

Fake Owls

 Also a quick report on the BFG Rugged Terrain tyres I fitted before leaving. initially the ride was a lot bouncier, but since upping the pressures a few PSI the issue has disappeared. With the old GT Radials which came standard on the ute, I used to nearly always drive in 4x4 on gravel roads, as the whole rig felt more stable and less "skatey", with the BFG's I haven't felt the need to do this. They are definately much better on gravel roads than the old tyres.
Bye for now........

York Peninsula to Gawler

Hello All,
The weather has blown up again, and I am getting sick of sleepy little fishing ports, so I have headed to the Lower Flinders to try to get some relief from the wind.

No pictures this time, as there are only so many photos you can take of sleepy fishing ports, they all start to look the same after a while.
In the morning I plan to head up towards Clare and Port Augusta, as the heat seems to be abating up North. I am still contemplating a look around the Eyre Peninsula before heading North, but it depends on the weather.
All going well, bye for now.

Adelaide to York Peninsula

Hello All
I have been out of mobile range for a day or so, and covered a bit of interesting country, so that means an update for you.

After a couple of days in Adelaide I have made an observation, in Adelaide it is perfectly acceptable to overtake someone, pull back in front of the vehicle you have just overtaken, and then slam on the brakes as you have spotted a vacant carpark.
I overnighted at Port Wakefield and had a late dinner due to a long Happy Hour with fellow travelers. It was also nice to escape the rain and wind with the weather now settled a bit.

First stop was Ardrossan, a pretty little place on the east coast of the York Peninsula.

Ardrossan cliffs and Jetty

Ardrossan

 

On the run down the York east coast there were numerous quaint little villages, most worth a look, but all the Caravan Parks are bulging at the seams with all the grey nomads waiting for it to cool down before heading North. Upon reaching Edithburgh I headed along the gravel coastal road to check out a few free camps there, but disappointingly they were being used as a rubbish dump, complete with a couple of old lounge suits. I pressed on as it was only early along the coastal scenic drive. This place was a gem and totally unexpected, the scenery was like a mini Nullabour Plain.

Troughbridge Lighthouse

road along the cliff tops

I continued down to Innes Conservation Park, WOW the scenery here was outstanding, and in my opinion rivals the Great Ocean road. Camp that night was at Pandalowie Bay.

Innes Conservation Park

cliffs at Pandalowie Bay

Pandalowie Bay

Pandalowie Bay

Pandalowie Bay

West Cape looking East

I don't think there is anyone left in Victoria..............at Pork Wakefield I camped with people who grew up in Yallourn, at Victor Harbour my neighbour was from Lakes Entrance, my neighbours last night, were from Berwick, and some people I met at one of the lookouts were from Bruthen.

West Cape

West Cape looking west

Next stop was Wreck Beach, where two ships were lost, first was the Ethel, wrecked in 1904 and only broke up completely in storms in 1988. The ship Ferret reported the wreck but ironically was wrecked on the same beach within metres of the Ethel 17 years later.

Wreck Beach

the old Boiler from the Ethel

all that is left of the Ethel

Inneston is an old gypsum mining town in Innes National Park and is now used as rental accommodation in the restored buildings.

Inneston

the old Post Office Inneston

Inneston

Cape Spencer Lighthouse

Cape Spencer lighthouse

Well, thats all for today folks, tomorrow I plan to head to Moonta and Wallaroo area for a look around.
until then, Bye for now.....