The Red Centre Part 4

Day 26, 13th May - Tumby Bay - Cummins (6890km – 7023km)

This morning we took a 4km walk along the white sandy beach of Tumby Bay. The foreshore has been planted with native plants which are endemic to the dunes of this area. Along the beach there is washed-up sea grass in substantial quantities which would make swimming, if you could bear the cold, a little difficult. We had a browse through the local shops and were quite impressed with the bakery and the local crafts store.

Later in the afternoon I took a drive along one of the many gravel roads and discovered some pristine beaches that would have been excellent for fishing. I saw plenty of birdlife with some big flocks of galahs and quite a few sightings of the Port Lincoln Parrot. Back on the tar I headed inland to the small town of Cummins. The town is a thriving hub for outlying farming communities. It was settled in 1904 and there are a few remaining historic buildings including the Butter Factory. I returned to Tumby Bay on the same route and had a good view of the coast from the top of the range.

Back at the van Alice had prepared a nice casserole which was complemented with a cheeky 2013 Ingoldby Shiraz.

Day 27, 14th May – Tumby Bay, Koppio and Port Lincoln (7023km – 7166km)

It is yet another overcast day so we decided to take a drive and get some supplies for the next few days. We headed inland towards Cummins and then took the well maintained dirt road to Koppio. We had read that there was a half decent museum at Koppio and when we reached that thriving community all that was there was was the Smithy Museum. I still cannot get away with a seniors rate so after coughing up our $10 each we started our tour.

It is amazing how many exhibits that this out of the way place contained and can appreciate why it has been listed by the National Trust. There was a blacksmith’s shop and cottage and we both had a go at pumping the bellows. The old Koppio Rural School has been reassembled here along with the old desks, inkwells, school bell, rules for female teachers (very draconian) and of course the dreaded cane. Other exhibits included a women’s pioneer room, horse drawn vehicles, stationary engines, tractors, farm machinery, vintage vehicles including a Studebakers from the 1920’s, a heritage hall and an exhibition about the terrible fires that swept through the area in 2005. I nearly forgot to mention the replica World War 1 tank that was used in the movie “The Light Horsemen” which was filmed around Coffin Bay. On closer inspection we found that the tank was made from plywood. There was also the world famous Bob Dobbins barbed wire collection. There were so many strands to this collection. Who could have guessed that barbed wire was so diverse and interesting? We were both impressed with the museum and would recommend it to anyone traveling through this area.

We arrived at Port Lincoln just after 1:00 and headed straight to the dining room of the Pier Hotel. We were both freezing and took a table next to the not so roaring fire. Alice chose our lunch which was crumbed Nannygai with salad and the ubiquitous chips. The food was great and put us in the right mood to tackle the aisles of the local Coles store. With our supplies in hand we headed out of town towards the suburb of Boston. The reason for stopping here is that they have a winery and it does not close for another half hour. The two reds and whites that we tasted were excellent. Unfortunately they had sold out of their award winning Riesling which was voted Australia’s best in 2014. Alice was sorry that she didn’t try a glass when it was on the menu at the Pier hotel.

Back on the road again and we decided to take a detour down a dirt road to investigate the beachside destinations of Red Cliff and Trinity Haven. These are both run by local churches and it appeared that you could book a stay at Red Cliff as there was a sign for bookings (Phone Kathy Brand – 86881947). The solitude and the rugged beauty of the coastline would make this a great getaway if you could secure a site. The T-junction where we turned towards Red Cliff looked like you could get in a free camp during the quieter months. Further down the road there was camping allowed at Second Creek which is about 7km from Tumby Bay. For $10.50 a night you get a spot right on the water with a spot to launch a boat and the opportunity to catch some Australian Salmon. When we arrived there were already two vans parked up and they looked like they were in for the long haul. We ended up arriving back at the van a little late for the Bold and the Beautiful but we can live without that.

Day 28, 15th May – Tumby Bay to Redhill (7166km – 7600km)

After a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage, grilled tomato and mushroom we hit the road at 9:30am en-route for Adelaide. Our first stop this morning was Cowell where I managed to convince Alice into buying me a dozen of their best oysters. My plan is to devour them this afternoon at our overnight stop and possibly complement them with a couple of Coopers dark ales. Alice decided to troll the bottle shops, all two of them on the off chance that they may stock the elusive award winning Riesling from the Boston Bay winery. When I picked her up at the second ‘bottleo’ she had a big grin on her face and was clutching two brown paper bags. She managed to snaffle two bottles from the 2013 vintage at the bargain price of $19 a bottle. That was $3 cheaper per bottle than the winery. I was impressed.

Back on the road and 170km later we pulled into the Port Augusta Shell servo and topped up our fuel for $1.209 a litre. It was getting on so we pulled over on the side of the highway and stopped for a bite of lunch. Alice whipped up a scrumptious salad that will tie us over until dinner tonight. We are on the hunt for a free camp tonight so we have set the GPS for the Redhill recreation ground which is about 140km south of PA. The highway in this section is excellent and occasionally we are rewarded with views of Spencer Gulf and the Flinders Ranges. Around 3:30pm we took the turnoff into Redhill and soon saw a sign which indicated that RV’s could camp for free.

The Ellis Street Reserve is a big flat area with plenty of trees, grass and a couple of rubbish bins. After setting up the camp I embarked on a series of stretching exercises which is designed to enhance my culinary experience with the oysters. It worked and I can only say there is nothing like fresh oysters to stimulate your senses! Alice is looking a little wary. Dinner tonight was a sensational piece of Atlantic Salmon with salad, fried potato and sweet potato wedges and washed down with that Riesling. Sensational!

Day 29, 16th May – Redhill to Adelaide (7600km – 7775km)

After a bitterly cold night Alice and I found it difficult to rouse ourselves from the sanctuary of our blanket layer. The thin blood does nothing for you in this type of climate. If I was smart, I probably should have kick started the generator and ran the heater for a few hours. In the end we crawled out of bed and were greeted by an absolutely gorgeous day. There was not a cloud in the sky as we headed south to Adelaide. As we approached the conurbation of Adelaide the traffic increased dramatically which set my nerves on edge.

In the end we made it to the Adelaide Caravan Park in Hackney without incident. The only drama I had was reversing the van into the narrow space which was surrounded by trees. It should be interesting when it becomes time for the hookup. I guess that I will need an exit strategy. The park is surrounded by trees with lots of parrots and rosella’s and overlooks the mighty Torrens River. We are only 2km from the Rundle Street mall so it will be Shanks’ Pony for all our tours and meetings while we are here.

Around 5:00pm we headed into the City where we will meet Alice’s good friend Nicola for Dinner. The walk was easy and took us about 25 minutes which gave Alice time to check out a few shops. Nicola arrived promptly at 6:00 and after a short debate we chose a Vietnamese restaurant aptly named Chopstix to test out our pallets. The food was great and after a couple of wines and some great conversation we settled up our account. I think the wine was slightly more than the food bill. To finish of the evening Nicola shouted us a decadent caramel and strawberry ice cream that we washed down with a cup of coffee. It was a great evening where we were able to catch up on all the news about our families and mutual friends. Just a short and rather cool 2km walk down Hackney Road and we were back at the park and safely ensconced in the warmth of the van.

Day 30, 17th May – Friends and Family (7775km – 7802km)

This morning we are catching up with one of Alice’s old work mates from TAFE, Martha and her husband Ronaldo. We are meeting in Melbourne Street, North Adelaide which is only a short 1km walk from the caravan park. It was very considerate of them to choose such a handy location. Our route took us along the walkway adjacent to the river Torrens and through a couple of parks. Melbourne Street has a burgeoning restaurant scene and judging by the number of patrons our chosen brunch place, The Store was doing a roaring trade. We secured a table and had a leisurely breakfast which had our taste buds working overtime. Martha and Ronaldo were wonderful company and we would have loved to have chatted longer but we had more meetings arranged.

I dropped Alice off in Rundle Street so she could browse the shops prior to us meeting her nephew Chris and his girlfriend Caitlin. The truck needed a wash so I thought that was better than two hours in the suffering seat. After traveling up and down North Terrace a couple of times I eventually found the carwash. With the last of the Northern Territory red dust removed the Triton finally had its bling back. I made it back to the mall just after our appointed time of 2:30pm. I noticed that Alice’s left shoulder was slightly dropped which indicated that she had a successful shopping excursion.

We adjourned to a coffee shop where we could relax and chat with Chris and Caitlin. He is looking well and really working hard at securing full time employment. Caitlin is a lovely young girl who is definitely having a positive influence over Chris. They made a big effort to come and meet us which we both appreciated. All good things come to an end and it was a little sad to say goodbye to them both. Back at the park I relaxed by watching the NRL and knocking the top off a Peter Lehmann 2012 Clancy’s Cabernet Shiraz Merlot. That was a fitting way to end a good day.

Day 31, 18th May – Adelaide to Clare (7802km – 7955km)

Today is Monday and after the morning peak had ended we hit the road and travelled north for the wine growing area of Clare Valley. Even though the peak had finished there was plenty of traffic and heaps of traffic signals. I did manage to catch a few red lights which started to stress me out but after about 30 minutes we hit the open road. After 90 minutes we rolled into the valley where row upon row of elegant vines sat beside untamed Australian bush. There are a number of rural villages which all seem to have a welcoming pub, art galleries, antique shops, cafes and cellar doors. The caravan park at Clare is well laid out and has all the facilities including a pizza oven that we need to be comfortable.

After lunch we headed into town to sample some wine and beer at Knappstein Wines. We were the only tasters and as a result were treated to the whole range on offer. The standouts were a Lord Mayor Shiraz, Sparkling Shiraz and of course the Riesling which the valley is famous for. To finish off I had a sparkling beer which was very refreshing. There was still time for another visit so we headed off to the outskirts of town to sample some Jim Barry Wines. Again we were the only visitor’s which is a double edged sword. On one hand you get excellent customer service with a good helping of wine and on the other it is difficult to depart without purchasing some of the product. Again the wines were excellent and the winery definitely worth a visit.

A quick stop at Woolies was in order as I needed a few vegetables for the roast lamb that I am cooking later tonight. The main part of the town is quite large and there are plenty of services available to meet most needs. Oh, the roast lamb done in the Cobb Cooker was tender, succulent and delicious.

Day 32, 19th May – Clare Valley (7955km – 8002km)

At around 2:00am I was woken by the sound of thunder and soon after the rain came bucketing down
. The downpour lasted for a couple of hours and gave everything a good soaking including our shoes. Later in the morning we took a scenic drive over the ridge to Mintaro. The town has a maze and quite a few historic buildings. We thought we would visit Martindale Hall which was used as the boarding school in the film “Picnic at Hanging Rock”. Bad luck, it is closed on Tuesdays. I went up one of the dirt roads for a better view of the mansion and the next thing we were sliding all over the road. The speed we were traveling at was barely 10kmph and the tyres just would not grip the sticky red clay. I put the Triton into four wheel drive and made my way out of that sticky mess. The truck looked like a layer cake and will need a good wash to remove the huge hunks of clay.

A couple of back roads later we pulled into Taylors wines which is one of the larger wineries in the region. Once again we are the only ones in the tasting room and have the opportunity to taste all of the wines on offer. We tried a few of the wines and then opted to spend $5 for a platinum tasting. This gave us a few olives, cheese and chutney as well as six premium wines. Now that was an excellent decision, as another couple came in just as we were finishing our tasting. This took the pressure off and we managed a graceful exit with only the purchase of some chutney and wine glasses.

On our way back towards Clare we took the scenic Spring Gully Road. There was an avenue of old gum trees that shrouded the road with the occasional splash of colour from the native Rosellas. We stopped off at Skilogalee Wines which was recommended to us by Alice’s friend Nicola. There is a restaurant attached to the winery and judging by the number of cars outside the food must be good. Alice and I tried a number of the wines so that we could choose one to have with our lunch. She thought that the Chardonnay was excellent and for me the Cabernet Franc from the range of reds was my pick. At $75 for a bottle I doubt that I will be choosing this one to accompany our meal.

With the tasting done we took a table that had a great view of the rose garden that had many flowers in bloom. I had pasta with Riesling cream sauce, scallops and chorizo. Alice chose a braised lamb with a middle-eastern rice and a pomegranate salad. This was washed down with a bottle of the 2012 Take Two Shiraz Cabernet. The meals were superb and were complemented by coffee and a glass of muscat. Alice’s decadence was greater than mine as she indulged herself with an affogato which was ice-cream, that she laced with expresso and muscat.

With lunch done and our bellies full it was time to give the Triton a makeover. I found a carwash that had a high pressure hose and removed a wheelbarrow of red clay from the underbody. In town I purchased some honey and macadamia sausages and some Texan chilli sausages from the award winning sausage maker. They will do as a treat for later tonight in the unlikely event that we suffer from hunger pangs.

Day 33, 20th May – The Barossa (8002km – 8242km)

We hit the road nice an early this morning and headed south via the old mining town of Kapunda to Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley. Our first destination was Maggie Beer’s Farm shop which we found accidentally without reference to any map. The shop overlooks the farmyard and a crystal clear dam. All of the products displayed in the shop can be sampled prior to making a decision on what sumptuous item to purchase. Needless to say my taste buds were given a good workout and I especially enjoyed the pate and salted caramel. Alice bought enough to just about fill the back of the Triton. Well I may be exaggerating slightly but she did purchase a few wares.

With no set destination in hand we continued onto the small town of Angaston and were impressed by the historic stone buildings. Just out of town we stumbled onto the Yalumba Winery which is still owned by the Smith family. As I am the designated driver I am limiting myself to sampling a few reds whilst Alice is free to sample the whole gamut of wines on offer. The winery is set in old grounds and the tasting room is large with a fireplace and accompanying roaring log fire. I was in the market for some bulk port to top up my 25 litre oak keg that I had purchased from them nearly 30 years ago. I was devastated to learn that they no longer were in the fortified market as they had sold all their old stocks in the early nineties to stave off a financial crisis. The tasting was excellent and we left with a warm inner glow and an excellent map of the area.

Our cellar master had recommended that we try the Artisans of Barossa cellar door which was the outlet for seven small winemakers. There is also a restaurant and the head chef Tracy Collins was a finalist in last year’s Masterchef show. I’m sure that Lilian would know who she is. We tried a couple of items from the menu and found them quite delicious and just enough to fill the stomach. The wines were excellent but we restrained ourselves from purchasing as the price range went from $20 to $150. With the afternoon getting on we traveled back through Tanunda and then onto Penfolds winery at Nuriootpa. There were a few patrons knocking back the wine that included cellar door reserve wines as well as the majority of the popular bin ranges. I worked my way through all the reds and enjoyed them all especially the Magill Estate shiraz.

We departed Penfold’s around 3:30pm and headed off to Sepptlesfield Winery. You know when the winery is approaching as the road is lined with evenly spaced date palms on both sides. There are over 2000 plus date palms, mostly planted during the Great Depression out of gratitude by the Seppeltsfield employees who had been kept on by the Seppelts at great cost. The cellar Door is located in the redeveloped Bottling Hall with a blend of historical and contemporary architecture. There are four separate circular tasting alcoves so we sidled up to one and set about tasting some of the sparkling shiraz, wines from the Solero range and of course the famous Para Tawny Port which by the way is no longer called port. After our tasting we lingered in the grounds admiring the garden and old architecture. With the sun going down we headed back on the road for the return back to Clare.

Day 34, 21st May – Clare Valley (8242km – 8319km)

After a bitterly cold night without any rain we have woke up to a bright sunny day. There is no rush this morning as we have or should I say Alice has some washing to do. I at least will start preparing tonight’s dinner and adjusting a few things around the van. With our caravan chores done we headed back on the road for some more local sightseeing. First stop was a revisit to Martindale Hall which was built in 1879/80 for Edmund Bowman at a cost of thirty thousand pounds. He wanted a home similar to English manor houses so he brought out 50 craftsmen from London and 10 carpenters from Victoria and the house was completed in 23 months. He surrounded the home with a polo ground, racecourse, a boating lake and of course a cricket pitch. The hall is built of local sandstone in a Georgian style and has 32 rooms. When I stood at the top of the marble staircase I thought that I could have been born to the manor or been an extra in Downton Abbey. William Mortlock bought Martindale Station in 1891 for 33,000 pounds as a wedding present for his wife Rosye. Their son Jack traveled all over the world and brought back many artifacts which are still on display along with the original billiard table. The hall along with 45 acres was handed over to the SA government in 1986. The $12 admission to the hall was well worth it.

I was in need of a beer so we headed into the heart of Auburn to the Hop and Vine. It was cozy inside and the perfect destination to sit, relax and try some mouth watering beers and superb wine. The beers come from the Clare Valley Brewing company and I wasted no time in ordering a sample of four beers which included King Kong Stout, Monkeys Uncle Red ale and a Bulls Eye APA. The stout was so good that I ordered a pint and a take home growler. Alice meanwhile sampled wines from the Good Catholic Girl, Jeannert and County Clare wineries. Once again we were the only ones in the store for the majority of the time we were there.

Time was marching on so it was back up the road to Watervale where we made a detour to Annie’s Lane winery. It is located in the heritage listed Quelltaler Estate and boasts large century old cellars that feature a museum, gallery and of course the cellar door. Our goal here is to taste the range of whites with emphasis on their Riesling. We were not disappointed and ended up departing with a few bottles. Back on the road and we decided to stop at Greg Cooley wines which is walking distance from our caravan. It was late in the day and at the tasting bar Greg the winemaker was ready to serve us a few wines. It turns out that he was originally from Brisbane where he used to sell real estate. He gave us a good run down on the different wines and what he was trying to achieve with them. After a good solid tasting we loaded up the Triton with more wine and headed home for our pre-cooked casserole.

Day 35, 22nd May – Clare to Mildura (8319km – 8724km)

What a night! It was absolutely freezing and there was that much dew that you could be forgiven if you thought it had rained. It was difficult to pack up for today’s journey as everything is damp and my hands are numb. We finally headed off but went into Clare where Alice did a spot of shoe shopping. We were initially going to head south back down the Limestone Coast and the Great Ocean Road however our plan now is to head for the Riverland and Sunraysia.

We stopped for some morning tea at a town called Morgan which is on the banks of the Murray River. A fellow Queenslander who was at Cooleys Wines had recommended that we stop here and try one of their pies. It was a good decision as the pies were delicious. We also had a good chat with some older grey nomads who were traveling with their dog. They reckon that they always free camp so they can save their money for fuel and cappuccinos. Another 100km up the Sturt Highway we stopped for lunch at Paringa. Just past Renmark, it is also on the banks of the mighty Murray. The park had loads of beautiful trees and a great view of the river. It is an area where you can hire houseboats and judging by the mooring there are plenty available.

The road to Mildura was excellent and a mere two hours later we were there. After filling the tank we went in search of a free camp spot that is supposed to be about 8km outside of town and just off the Calder highway. We found a dirt road that looked promising and after a few kilometres we came upon some camping sites right on the bank of the Murray. We have an uninterrupted view of the water and think that Psych Pump is one of the best spots we have stayed at. With the sun setting, pelicans gliding by and a cool drink in our hands we sat back and enjoyed the last of the daylight.

Day 36, 23rd May – Mildura to Nyah (8724km - 8934km)

Oh Boy! – Another night so cold that I would have frozen if it wasn’t from the heat radiating from my darling wife. When the sun came up I abandoned the van and tried to soak up all the heat from the morning sun as it rose over the river. Alice would not get out of bed. She just wrapped herself up as tight as she could and refused to move until I had made her a cup of tea. Even then she remained in her cocoon until well after 8:00.

We were in no hurry this morning so we did not leave Psych Pump until 11:00am. The back roads looked promising so we traveled the byways for about 30 minutes until we came to the town of Red Cliffs. It looked prosperous and there was an opportunity to purchase some avocados and oranges. With our food stocks replenished we hit some more back roads and eventually stopped for lunch. We picked another spot on the Murray and had a good break at an out of the way spot called Wemen. The lunch was so good that we were joined by one of the local mutts who hung around until the food was gone.

The free camp book has indicated that we should be able to get a good site on the banks of the Murray at a town called Nyah. We rolled into town about 2:30pm and saw a sign that welcomed RV’s. The camping is free and there are plenty of sites behind the Harness Racing club. There is also a dump point which is quite handy for us free campers. It must be a good place as there are already about 30 vans set up in this large expanse that is shaded by huge old River gums. After setting up camp we collected a big quantity of firewood. Later in the evening as we sipped our glasses of poison and stared at the bright night sky I remembered the words of my father “fire is your friend”.  Ah there is nothing like a fire to warm your body as well as your heart.

Day 37, 24th May – Nyah to Echuca (8934km – 9122km)

Today we are going to stick to the Murray River theme and continue slightly south through the historic town of Swan Hill to Echuca. Along the way we stopped for a toilet break at the aptly named Lake Boga. The lake was huge with a caravan park right on the water and would be a great spot during summer. The whole district around here is surrounded by lakes. With our rest break over it was back on the road traveling through large and small towns such as Kerang, the big Cohuna, Gunbower, Torrumbarry and finally Echuca.

After checking into a caravan park which is right on the banks of the Murray River we took a short stroll to the historic port precinct. A quick bite to eat and before we knew it we were embarking on a paddle steamer up the river. Our steamer is called the Canberra and is reputedly over 100 years old. The trip takes you past the wharf which is lined with luxurious houseboats that come with their own hot tubs, old steamboats and not so new houseboats. River Gums that line the bank are home to raucous galahs and cockatoos. Our trip into the past was a little under one hour and brought back memories of Sigrid Thornton in the classic mini-series “All the Rivers Run”. Back on terra firma Alice trolled the gourmet food stores while I enjoyed sanctuary of a caravan spare parts shop. This was all too much for us so we dropped into a bar called the Bordello and tried a couple of craft beers.

Echuca has plenty to offer including an undercover aquatic centre with heated pool. Now that is a plus considering how cold it has been in this area. We would definitely recommend a few nights here and also the parma meals at the Shamrock hotel.

Day 38, 25th May – Echuca to Melbourne (9122km – 9391km)

This morning we got away at a very respectable 9:00am for our 190km trip south to Victoria’s capital city, Melbourne. For morning tea we stopped at Heathcote and enjoyed one of their award winning sausage rolls. With a bit more time we could have explored some of the shops that sell local produce as well as wines from the area. At Kilmore we saw more police officers doing some sort of road works duty than we had seen for the entire trip. The boys and girls in blue were everywhere. As we approached our caravan park in North Coburg the nav bitch decided that we should travel down some narrow streets that despite the van we could just get through.

Eventually we found the park and after a quick set-up we headed out into Melbourne traffic to visit Alice’s friend Vicky. She resides at Ringwood which is about 40km away but for a good portion you travel on ring roads and freeways. We spent a great afternoon with her before heading back in peak hour traffic to the park. It would have been good to stay longer but Alice needs to pack her bags for tomorrow’s trip.

The Red Centre - Part 3

Day 19, 6th May – Sunrise and Sunset (4826km – 4910km)

The alarm went off promptly at 6:00am and Alice and I sprang out of bed as if we were twenty year olds. It was soooo cold that we nearly went back to bed however we persevered and were on the road just after 6:30am. We have decided to view the sunrise at Talinguru Nyakunytjaku which means place to look from the sand dune. When we arrived it seemed as if everyone who was visiting Uluru was at the viewing platform. I managed to elbow my way through the horde and found a spot which gave us a good view of the sunrise as well as Uluru and the Olgas. With the sun starting to climb the crowd started to disperse towards the line of coaches and cars that lined the edge of the desert landscape. We both needed to thaw out so it was back to the Triton for an anti-clockwise drive around the rock. Surprise, surprise as we were driving back to camp we spotted a young Dingo crossing the road before disappearing into the Spinifex.

We had good intentions of heading back out to the rock for some more walking and a sunset. Alas, camp laziness overtook us and we ended up slothing around the van. I did however find the energy to roast some rolled Kangaroo which turned out to be quite tasty and tender. It was a great meal to finish our stay at Uluru.

Day 20, 7th May – Uluru to Agnes Creek, S.A. (4910km – 5321km)

We are in no hurry to depart this morning as we are only travelling a little over 400km to a free camp site at Agnes Creek in South Australia. I topped up the fuel with an additional 20 litres as the cost here for diesel is $1.98 a litre. We had a short break at Mt Ebenezer where the coffee was hot strong and expensive. Alice and Sue had a good look at the aboriginal art work which was reasonably priced and of average to good quality. Once again I have cut it a little too fine with the fuel. At about 30km from Erldunda where the fuel is a mere $1.78 a litre the low fuel light started its evil orange glow. After my effort coming into the Alice I was confident that there would be a sufficient quantity left in the tank to get us to our destination. I must have judged it a little too fine as the tank took 66 litres.

At Kulgera which is either the first or last town in the Northern Territory depending on the direction you are travelling we stopped for some last photo shots. Another 93km and we pulled into a large camping area which bordered Agnes Creek. Instead of water the creek was flowing with bright red sand. After setting up camp the boys scoured the course of the creek in search of firewood. We managed to get enough fuel for a rip roaring fire later in the evening. Before dinner I decided to do some exercise which isn’t that easy when you are wearing a fly net. As I was deep into a stretch and drawing a deep breath I managed to swallow one of the little buggers. Yuk! When the sun dropped the flies disappeared and we all settled in around the fire and listened to music under a beautiful starry night. Macca the master chef whipped up some jaffles with a chili mince filling. A great way to end a day of driving.

Day 21, 8th May – Agnes Creek to Coober Pedy (5321km – 5652km)

There is no hurry to get on the road this morning as it is only a mere 316km to Coober Pedy the opal capital of the world. Our first stop was at Marla which is the end point of the Oodnadatta Track. The penultimate stop on our journey south was the very dusty Cadney Park Homestead. This is the gateway to the Painted Desert but all we wanted was a hot cup of coffee. No success here as all they had was instant. Around 1:00pm we arrived at Coober Pedy and decided to have some lunch before heading to Riba’s underground camping and Caravan Park. The caravan park is 5km south of town on the road to William Creek.

Our two nights of accommodation and an evening mine tour set us back $80. Our gravel site is drive-through and has a shade cloth cover. We have power to run the heater during the cold nights but there is no water supply. We all made another trip into town for various supplies and a quick recon of the various sites. After getting some cheap fuel at $1.42 a litre we checked out the Big Winch which sits on the highest point of Coober Pedy. There was a little store next to the Winch which was owned by an oriental gentleman from Hong Kong. He was trying his best to sell Eddie and Alice some raw opals but they managed to refrain from parting with any big money. Alice did spend $3 on a few rocks for her collection. Our last stop was the Celebrations liquor store where we decided to buy some beer and wine. I must look pretty young as the store manager would not sell me anything as I did not have any identification. Damn that wallet that I left in Brisbane. Fortunately, Alice was able to purchase some supplies on my behalf.

At 7:00pm Rick the owner took us on a tour of his mine. There were fourteen of us and he gave us a good explanation of how the opal is formed, the different types and how it is mined. More importantly he gave us a good idea on the process they use in working out where to stake a claim. Apparently all you need is a little luck and the ability to use a wire water diviner. He gave us a demonstration and gave us all an opportunity to test out our skills. Eddie was up first and after his effort he could have replaced Russell Crowe as the lead in the Water Diviner. We all had a go and managed to get the rods to cross over. It is amazing that you can actually feel the pull and vibration of those rods.

Day 22, 9th May – Around Coober Pedy (5652km – 5796km)

A nice bacon and egg breakfast and we or should I say Alice and Sue were ready to tackle the downtown opal stores of Coober Pedy. Eddie and I took our places on the suffering seat while the girls browsed their way through the beautiful products that were on offer. Sue eventually emerged with a beautiful gold opal ring which looks stupendous. Alice decided to try a couple of other shops before making a decision on what to purchase. She eventually ended up with a pair of silver earrings set with a triplet opal.

We met up with Macca and Lyn at the Old Timers Mine which was hand dug in 1916. The tour which we undertook is self-guided and it meanders through a couple of display galleries which showcased old and new mining tools, and precious seams of opal. With my hard hat on I must have looked like a dead ringer for Bob the Builder. There were also two underground homes which highlighted how life was in the 1920’s and 1970’s. Afterwards Macca and Alice tried their hands at ‘noodling’. This is a process of searching through heaps of discarded mullock for pieces of opal missed by miners. The majority of opal in these heaps is known as potch which has no intrinsic value however it does look nice when it is wet. Alice managed to find a few stones to add to her rock collection and Macca found a few with one of them having some nice colours.

There are a number of underground churches and we took time to visit the Anglican Catacomb Church, St Peter and Paul Catholic Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church. We were particularly taken with the Catacomb Church and with its beautiful alcoves and a simple wooden cross it had a good feel to it. It would have been good to attend a service here. The Serbian church is a work in progress and with stained glass windows, sculptures and carved vaulted ceilings is a beautiful place of worship.

Prior to our return to camp I had to endure another round of the suffering seat as Alice made another selection of opal jewelry. With her selections made we headed back to Riba’s to bring in the washing and a small rest break.

Late in the afternoon us boys decided to take a road trip for some secret men’s business out to the Breakaways Reserve which lies 32km north of Coober Pedy. It consists of colourful low hills which have broken away from the Stuart Range. There are two lookout points which highlight the open spaces of Moon Plain and the colourful environment. Our drive took us past the locally named “Castle” or “Salt and Pepper” which is an outcrop of rock which has been used in a number of films such as Mad Max and advertisements. The 70km round trip back to Coober Pedy takes you east along the hills to the dog fence. This 2m high wire barrier stretches for over 5,300km across three States. The fence has been designed to protect the sheep country from the Dingo. It was a great drive and if you are ever in Coober Pedy don’t miss it.

Tonight we are going downtown for dinner and have booked a table at the popular John’s Pizza Bar.

For an entrée we indulged ourselves with their signature dish and ordered the family size ‘Coat of Arms’ pizza. Kangaroo, Emu with some beef camembert cheese in a cranberry sauce made this one delicious meal .We were so full that Eddie and I shared our main meal with the girls. On the other hand the glutinous Macca ordered a family sized meatlovers pizza to share with Lyn. At the end of the night he waddled out of the restaurant. The meal and the company was a great way to finish the day.

Day 23, 10th May – Coober Pedy to Port Augusta (5796km – 6338km)

Today we have a drive of over 500km so we were all up early and on the road by 8:15am. The one thing I did notice on this section of the road trip was the road kill. There was a large feral cat, beef cattle and kangaroos dotting the bitumen and feeding the birds of prey. Nothing seems to go to waste out here. After about 200km we took a rest break at the Bon Bon rest area. The wind was howling through here so we hid inside the van. The others stopped for some fuel and a sausage roll at Glendambo.

We bypassed this stop and kept heading south towards Pimba which is 366km from Coober pedy. Just prior to Pimba we stopped for a photo opportunity of Lake Hart which is one of several salt lakes in the area. Pimba lies at the junction for travellers heading to Woomera and Roxby Downs. It is also the junction of the Ghan and the Indian Pacific trains. We stopped at Spud’s Roadhouse for lunch and a top up of diesel fuel. No orange lights for me on this section of the journey. The steak sandwich we had at Spud’s was the best and the cheapest so far on this trip.

After our break it was south for another 170km to Port Augusta. Along the way we started to see a few mobs of emus (love a good collective noun), more salt lakes and a freight train heading south long the Ghan. Around 3:00pm we pulled into the Big 4 caravan park and I was thankful that Eddie had rung ahead and booked our sites. There were no vacancies left as they are doing some works at the park which has reduced the number of sites available. There were 21 television channels available but more importantly we had Optus coverage which enabled Alice to ring her mum for mother’s day and for Telissa to contact her.

Day 24, 11th May – Port Augusta to Tumby Bay (6338km – 6655km)

It is a sad morning as the others are heading north to Broken Hill to continue their journey home. It has been a pleasure travelling with Eddie, Sue, Macca and Lyn and we will miss their company. Alice and I are having a late start as we only have about three hundred kilometers of travel to the south along the Eyre Peninsula. Prior to setting off we headed into downtown Port Augusta for some last minute shopping. We bought a couple of bath mats and a blanket just in case we start to feel the cold. The area is quite rustic as they have managed to retain some of their heritage buildings. To soak in some of this ambience we settled into an appealing café for some scones and a coffee.

After filling the tank with some fuel at the bargain price of $1.20 a litre it was off down the Eyre Highway to Whyalla and points beyond. Cowell is 106km south of Whyalla and is the home of a burgeoning oyster industry. We stopped for a rest break and were glad that we did. There are numerous heritage buildings including a fantastic looking pub that nearly tempted us to try a local brew. The caravan park is on the foreshore of Franklin Harbour and next to a very long jetty which would be ideal for fishing.

It is an overcast day which for us is an unusual event considering the past few weeks. To get a feel for the area we have decided to stop at all the beachside hamlets on our way south. Arno Bay was our next stop and you could best describe this place as a fishing village. Alice managed to take a few photographs of the beautiful wildflowers that were growing on the sand dunes. The road south takes you through thousands of acres of sheep farming country. In the distance you could see the blue waters of Spencer Gulf. Our penultimate stop was Port Neill which boasts an immaculate foreshore area and a waterfront golf course. There are plenty of picnic areas and of course there is a boat ramp to launch your tinny.

At around 3:30pm we arrived at Tumby Bay which will be our base for the next four days. Once we had paid we were off to our allocated space along the fence line. The problem was that it was near impossible to reverse the van into the available locations as directly opposite us there were two large motor-homes. I did give a good account of myself but decided that it would be extremely difficult to get the van out. Alice went back to reception and got us another site that was far better than the previous one. After setting up I went for a walk down to the foreshore and watched a few of the grey nomads fishing. Despite the wind that is howling across the caravan park this part of the bay appears to be sheltered from the wind and is quite calm. You can’t help but strike up a conversation with your neighbours and I soon had some advice on where the fish were biting and what terrible weather they had been experiencing for the last week. To round out the day I washed some of the red dust off the Triton and then enjoyed some of the other red which was a cheeky little shiraz from Penola Estate in the Coonawarra region.

Day 25, 12th May – Tumby Bay to Coffin Bay (6655km – 6890km)

We must have been tired from all the driving that we had done in the past few days as we did not arise from our slumber till 8:00am. Judging by the weather we may as well have stayed in bed as it is windy and overcast with intermittent rain squalls. In a nutshell the weather is disgusting. Nevertheless we did get up and feasted on a delicious omelet that Alice concocted from all our leftovers. Eventually, we may go for a short drive.

Just before lunch we jumped in the triton and headed south for 51km to Port Lincoln. The drive was quite relaxing even though we were being buffeted by strong SE winds. The last 10km basically followed the coast line and you could see the white sandy beaches of the various bays as well as the far off islands. I can understand why Port Lincoln was once considered for the right to be capital of South Australia as it boasts one of the largest protected natural harbours in the world. We followed the Esplanade and spotted a bronze statue of the famous racehorse ‘Maykbe Diva”.

After a bit of touring around we headed off to Coffin Bay which is an idyllic destination offering great beaches, national parks and fantastic seafood. We stopped at a lookout that overlooked the community and the nearby islands. We did the Esplanade thing once again and did a complete circuit of the area with a short drive into the national park. National parks in South Australia require an entry fee and in this case it was $10 for the vehicle. Given that it was getting late in the afternoon I decided to risk a free entry.

The park is rich in native wildlife including kangaroos, emus and many bird species but we didn’t see any of them. That also includes the park rangers. Camping is also available in the park and would be great in the warmer months. Alice was starting to get a little fangy so we stopped at the local store which does fish ’n’ chips. Just as we were about to enter the store two emus sauntered across the road to peck at some seeds under a tree near the jetty. It was amazing as they seemed to not have a care in the world. Their feathers were also a lot lighter than those who reside in the dryer climates. Back at the shop we ordered a serving of King George Whiting with chips. The food was delicious and we finished off ordering a dozen opened Coffin Bay oysters for later consumption. The coat of arms was complete when we spotted two kangaroos in someone’s backyard.

On the drive back towards Port Lincoln we saw over 100 Galahs in a field as well as some Port Lincoln Parrots. They are absolutely beautiful and you should google an image if you have never seen one. The drive back to Tumby Bay was quite relaxing and when we arrived we decided to take a

walk along the jetty. That was a bit of a mistake because the wind was howling and the wind chill factor made us cold to the bones. There were two lonesome guys on the jetty trying their luck at squid jigging. Business was slow but they had managed to get one of the inky buggers into the bucket. Back at the caravan park the oysters were slowly consumed by yours truly and washed down with a cold glass of champagne. The wind continues to howl so we are both rugging up prior to catching some zzzz’s.

The Red Centre Part 2

Day 12, 29th April – Alice Springs to Kings Canyon (3626km – 4116km)

It was another cold night but Alice avoided the cuddles by running the heater of the air conditioning unit all night. It certainly made the van nice and cozy. A simple breakfast was followed by a simple shower and the tedious task of packing up all the bits and pieces that get strewn about the van. Nevertheless we were on the road by 8:45am and heading south along the Stuart Highway. There wasn’t a great deal to see even though the scenery was still spectacular. Nature eventually called and we pulled over for a quick roadside rest stop at Finke River. Like all the river beds in this area it was bone dry. The stop itself would be quite okay for a free overnight camp. Just south of Finke River is the Ernest Giles Road which can cut 130km off your trip to Kings Canyon. The only problem is that it is over 100km gravel and after my previous battle with dirt in the NT I will give it a miss.

Not wanting to get caught short on fuel again we filled up at Erldunda and at $1.78 a litre it was a bargain. While I was gawking at the resident Emus, Alice paid for the fuel and a lukewarm coffee. Jemma would have sacked that barista. Kings Canyon is still another 275km away so it was a quick right turn onto the Lasseter Highway which is the main artery to Uluru. We cruised past Mt Ebenezer however the others stopped there for lunch. Sue and Lyn thought the aboriginal art that was on sale was excellent value. We did stop for lunch but the flies were so annoying that we had to take refuge inside the caravan. While we were consuming Alice’s nourishing sandwiches two cars with some foreign backpackers pulled over. There is nothing like a man throwing up into a large rubbish bin to help get you moving again. The road kill is still not happening however we have seen a few crows and some Wedgetail Eagles scrapping over a few old morsels.

Eddie has booked us a powered site at Kings Canyon resort for the next three nights. After checking in and being relieved of $150 we headed over to our site. The sites are quite level and well shaded. There are a number of amenity blocks which are satisfactory but looking a little tired. The swimming pool looked good but with weather still quite cool I could not be tempted to dive-in.

The boys arrived an hour after us which is a first for this trip. After setting up the three of us took a couple of beers up to the sunset viewing platform. It’s lucky we took our own as the resort was selling Crownies for $10.50 a bottle which equates to $252 for a carton. There is no way I could justify that amount of money to quench a thirst. Anyway the sun promptly disappeared at 6:18pm which led to a mass exodus from the viewing platform. There had been plenty of shutter noise up until them as the guests of the resort took lots of snaps of the red escarpment. With everyone gone we slowly sipped our beers and drunk in the tranquility of our surroundings. A great way to end the day.

Day 13, 30th April – Kings Canyon Rim Walk (4116km – 4136km)

Last night was a little warmer than what it had been in Alice Springs but it was still cool enough to keep us in bed until 7:00am. The sun coincidentally poked its bright orb over the escarpment at exactly the same time. Bacon and eggs for breakfast sounded good so we just had a leisurely morning. I decided to prepare our evening meal which is a nice lamb roghan josh curry.

Eddie and Macca decided to join us on the 10km drive down to the carpark at Watarrka National Park. We have decided to tackle the canyon rim walk which is about 6km long. The first section is the hardest as it is a steep climb of over 100 metres to reach the rim. The walk around the rim is breathtaking as you gaze at the red sandstone chasm that plunges over 270 metres to the canyon floor. Eddie was taking photographs left, right and centre so there is bound to a good one amongst them. After climbing down some stairs and crossing a bridge we took a detour to the aptly named Garden of Eden. There were luxuriant cycads around this permanent waterhole which also supported Red River Gums, Bottle Brushes, Fig Trees and an abundance of ferns. There was also plenty of birdlife and we saw Spinifex Pigeons, Zebra Finches, Duck  and Yellow-rumped Thornbill. The water looked very inviting and as there was no one around I thought I would go skinny dipping. My entry to the water was quite spectacular. As I approached the edge I slipped on some slimy rock and went arse over turkey into the water. Even though it was midday in the middle of the desert the water was quite bracing. I didn’t want to press my luck on anyone showing up and so after a couple of refreshing minutes it was time to exit. Over time the water and wind have eroded some areas into beehive-shaped rock formations. They are called the Lost City and if you use your imagination they might just resemble some ancient Aztec city. The walk took us approximately 3 hours 45 minutes and apart from the initial climb was not overly taxing. It is a photographic delight and a real treat for those who love to see the sights and enjoy bush walking with flies.

Back at the resort we are all having a well earned rest. With the sun close to going down we deposited ourselves in front of the van to take in the views. It might be laziness but we believed our view was every bit as good as the viewing platform minus the hordes. Just after the sun dropped below the horizon we were rewarded with a sighting of two dingoes moving through the camp area. They were looking for any scraps lying around and moved about like they owned the place. Later in the evening in the bush on the outskirts of the camp we heard them calling each other with a chorus of mournful howls.

Day 14, 1st May – Kings Creek and Kathleen Springs Walk (4136km – 4211km)

Our first walk this morning is a short 2km return stroll on reasonably flat ground which meanders along Kings Creek. The walk ends at a viewing platform which gives you a stunning view of the sheer canyon walls. Just below the platform there is a small waterhole that was so clear you could see the reflections of the Red River gums in the pool. Zebra finches kept flying in and taking advantage of the abundant water supply. There was life all around us and you could hear the native bees buzzing around the red flowers on the Holly Leaf Grevillia Trees. In the creek beds among the hollow branches of the river gums and Coolabah trees Port Lincoln Ringlets made their homes.

Our next walk was at Kathleen Springs which is another 20km down the road. Judging by the number of carparks this walk is not as popular with the tourists. There is drinking water available as well as toilets and gas barbeques. The walk is 2.6km return and graded as easy. Signs along the track tell the story of centuries of Aboriginal culture and the recent cattle industry. At the start of the walk there was an abundance of Paddy Melon vines that were loaded with fruit. Apparently this plant has been known to kill livestock. This landscape at the start of the walk was quite arid and as a result it was very hot. It also brought out he flies in such numbers that we could not stop doing the Australian salute. There were plenty of flowers blooming with the purple potato weed being a standout. We passed the old trapping yards where the cattle were herded onto trucks for shipping to Alice Springs and continued onto the delightful spring-fed waterhole at the head of Kathleen Gorge. This cool moist place would have been a great place to rest and enjoy the tranquility but the flies drove us away. We made pretty good time back to the car and managed to finish the walk in 45 minutes. I did forget to mention that my walk was made more enjoyable as Alice let me use her fly net. No guesses what I will be buying back at the resort.

With all our walks completed I decided that the caravan could use a wash. Eddie on the other hand thought it would be good to get some exercise in at the pool. The water temperature is very cool and it took him a few laps to get the blood circulating. Macca on the other hand has his priorities right and is enjoying a few cold ones. The girls are just looking good.

Our plan for the rest of the day is to enjoy the sunset over a few refreshments. The sausages are sizzling away and they will go down well with Alice’s famous potato wedges. After dinner it will be off to the Thirsty Dingo Bar to enjoy the sweet dulcet tones of Rod Dowsett singing his unique brand of country music.

Day 15, 2nd May – Kings Canyon to Uluru (4211km – 4579km)

There is no hurry this morning as it is only a mere 300km to Yalara and the Ayres Rock camping ground. Again there was no wildlife to be seen on the drive however we did see a pair of Wedgetail Eagles soaring high above on the thermals. Approximately 150km from our destination we could have sworn we had seen the rock. It turned out that it was the false rock, Mt Conner. At Curtin Springs which is 220km down the road we stopped for some fuel for the Triton and ourselves. At $1.94 per litre and $25 for the big stockman’s breakfast the mastercard copped a hammering. As we approached Yalara our Optus mobiles burst into life, how exciting! After checking-in we set up camp at one of the 176 sites. The facilities and television reception are excellent. Yalara is like a satellite town with all the mod cons such as supermarket where the prices are half as much as Kings Canyon. Should have waited before purchasing the 100g bottle of Nescafe coffee for $16.

Once we had settled in we took a drive out to Uluru which is another 20km down the road. At the park entrance we had the option of paying $25 each for a 3 day pass or $32.50 for an annual pass. As we are here for 5 days we have purchased the annual pass. Once into the park we circumnavigated the rock in a clock-wise direction. Of course we drove as it is about 10.6km around the base of the rock. We did stop for the small Kuniya 1km walk to the Mutitjulu Waterhole. There are plenty of interpretative signs to help you understand the significance of this site to Aboriginal culture. There was some aboriginal rock art but we had to keep moving quickly as the flies were out and about. As we approached the waterhole it appeared to be full of water. It turned out to be an illusion as it was only a reflection from the sandstone. This would be a magical place after a little rain.

There is a shortage of toilets in the area so it was off to the Cultural Centre for a rest break and a chance to gain some understanding of Anangu culture. There are some great Aboriginal murals which provide information on ‘Tjukurpa’ which is the traditional law guiding the Anangu and the foundation of their culture. There is also a short film which gives a good insight to their history. The building is also made from locally-made mud bricks. It represents two ancestral snakes, Kuniya the woma python woman and Liru the poisonous snake man. After all this action we had timed it perfectly to watch the sunset from one of the viewing areas inside the park. There were numerous other vehicles with the same idea but we managed to find a spot right next to Eddie and Sue. The light was magnificent and the rock glowed red as the sun dropped below the horizon. You can’t get enough of these outback sunsets as it is just a perfect way to end the day.

Day 16, 3rd May – Back to the Rock (4579km – 4632km)

After all the driving yesterday the ligaments of my left knee have tightened up which will make walking difficult. As a result we have opted to take the free ranger-guided Mala walk. This walk is only 2km return but as a guided tour you need to allow two hours. The ranger regaled us with tales of ancient battles, culture, history and how the Anangu managed the land. This is where the Mala (rufous hare-wallaby) people camped when they arrived at Uluru in the beginning. There are good examples of rock along the walk. At this time of day the sheer vertical walls provided plenty of shade as we made our way to the dry waterhole of Kantju Gorge. It is hard to believe but after a little rain this place becomes a major habitat for frogs.

Back at the main carpark the boys decided they needed to undertake some secret men’s business. We decided to tackle the Liru Walk which is a 2km hike from the base of Uluru and the Cultural Centre. The red sandy track winds through stands of Mulga and overall was a very uninspiring walk. The girls were a travelling trio of Titans as they drove off for a trip around the rock. A cup of coffee at the kiosk rounded off our morning.

Alice decided to catch up on some washing as I rested up my aching knee. The footy was on television and as I could not stand the Aussies being trounced by the Kiwis I headed off to the pool for some knee therapy.  Even though the weather is quite hot the pool is unbelievably cold. A few vigorous strokes soon got the blood pumping.

Our treat for Uluru is a flash dinner aptly named the ‘Sounds of Silence”. At $195 a head it is hard to believe that I would part with that much ready. The six of us and at least another 40 were picked up in a large bus and conveyed out into the red sandhills. When we alighted there was a short walk up a high dune which afforded us a great sunset view of Uluru. As we waited for the sun to do its magic we sipped on champagne, nibbled on canapés and listened to the serpent sounds of the local yidaki (didgeridoo) player. I didn’t know that it was called a Yidaki and that it was only played by Aboriginals who wandered from Mt. Isa northwards. With the sun gone we traipsed down the hill under a moonlit sky to our open air dinner tables. The wines and beer flowed and while we waited to be called to the buffet three local indigenous performers treated us to a number of dances. The dinner was excellent with a variety of salads, kangaroo filet, barramundi and lamb cutlets. Whilst we were enjoying our desert and port an astronomer pointed out the many stars and planets that shone brightly above our heads. All too soon the evening came to an end and we were transported back to our humble abodes. It was an expensive night out but a once in a lifetime experience.

Day 17, 4th May – Base Walk of Uluru (4632km – 4662km)

Alice and I have decided to tackle the Uluru 10.6km Base Walk today. We started at the Mala carpark and took a meandering journey through acacia woodlands and grassed claypans.  The first part of the walk followed the mala walk that we had undertaken on the previous day. As we moved around the base we could easily see the different patterns and caves on the rock face. The sun was climbing and we were glad that there was a stop where we could refill our water bottle at a point half way through our journey. As we neared the Kuniya section of the walk there were bloodwood trees that gave us some protection from the sun. The Lungkata section is the last part of the walk and is about 2km in length. Lungkata was the blue-tongued lizard man and as you walk you learn the story about him and why you should not take what is not yours. After two and a half hours we had completed what was a very satisfying walk.

The afternoon was spent around the caravan recuperating from our morning activity. This entailed some stretching, a relaxing swim and the preparation of our evening meal in our trusty Cobb cooker. The roast lamb and vegetables were sensational.

Day 18, 5th May - Kata Tjuta (The Olgas 4662km – 4826km)

This morning it is an early start as we want to get started on the walk to the ‘Valley of the Winds’ before the sun gets too high. The best laid plans seem to always go astray as we did not make it to the park boundary until just before 10:00. This was partly due to my tardiness and also having to return to camp for the camera which was still sitting on the bench top. Our first stop was about 23km from Kata Tjuta at the sunrise and sunset viewing platform. This is a short easy walk and offers a magnificent panoramic view. It is a relaxing place to sit (make sure you are wearing your fly net) and absorb this ever changing landscape.

After passing the turnoff for the 200km of dirt to Western Australia it was only a short drive to the Valley of the Winds. We set off on our walk a little after 10:30 and I was glad that I had decided to bring a jumper. Even though there were no clouds there was a chill factor from the constant wind. It is only 1.1km uphill over some loose rocks to the Karu Lookout. The view of the beehive shaped rocks that forms the Olgas is quite spectacular.  At this point you can return to the carpark but Alice and I have decided to continue walking and tackle the full circuit which includes the Karingana lookout. The track takes you down steep valleys and follows a dry creek bed. There are plenty of Desert Oaks which throw off a little shade but still no animals. The walk is graded as difficult but we would rate it as moderate for our level of fitness. It was a rewarding walk of 7.5km which took just over 2.5 hours.

We decided to take lunch in the carpark of the next walk at Walpa Gorge. Alice was preparing lunch in the presence of the ubiquitous flies when Eddie and Sue pulled up. They were off on the Gorge walk and we joined them after we had eaten. This walk is 2.6km return and is reasonably easy. The rocky track gently rises and as the gorge narrows there are great views of the sheer canyon walls. There are small caves which are supposed to be home to rock wallabies but we have not seen any. The dry stream is home to rare plants and at the end of the walk there is a grove of spearwood. As we returned to the carpark we felt quite satisfied with the time we spent at Kata Tjuta.

Time was marching on but we still had just enough time to look around the town square at Yulara. This is the location if you want to watch some free performances or partake in some activities. The IGA is also here and is the ideal place to stock up on last minute supplies especially if you are heading towards Kings Canyon. Our alcohol supplies were running low so it was off to the Pioneer Hotel to check out the prices at the bottle shop. At $35 for a six pack of James Squire I was quickly heading in the opposite direction. The late afternoon was freezing but it wasn’t cold enough to force me inside the caravan to watch “Family Feud”.

KAWAKU AIR HITS THE ROAD TO THE RED CENTRE

Day 1, 18th April - Brisbane to Miles (0km – 281km)

The Triton rolled slowly down Lucy Street and left onto Baroona Road to mark the commencement of our journey to the centre of Australia. This will be our longest road trip in length and time that we have embarked on in our own country. My brother Eddie, wife Sue and his friends Macca and Lyn will be our traveling companions.

Our plan for today was to have a short journey to Gil Weir which is located about 6km south of Miles on the Leichhardt Highway. Alice and I left Brisbane around 11:30am and set a good steady pace of 90kmph to arrive at Toowoomba just after 1:00pm. About 60km into our journey I realized that I had not reset the trip meter which means our mileage will need a slight adjustment. We parked the van in the bus stop at Toowoomba Grammar where we were meeting our friend Carina for coffee. I then had an epiphany or you could call it something else as I had just realized that my wallet with credit cards, drivers license and the most important item my coffee club VIP card. It doesn’t matter where I’m traveling to I always seem to leave some minor item at home. Anyway life goes on so we spent a pleasant hour with Carina before hitting the road for the next leg of the journey.

We had just left the environs of Toowoomba when a Triton towing a Goldstream camper flew past. We soon worked out that it was a fleet footed Macca who obviously wanted the best camp site at the weir. Meanwhile we just potted along and enjoyed the scenery of the cotton fields (good Beach Boys song) and what we thought were fields of Mung Beans. A bit of fuel at Dalby and we were off again traveling through small hamlets like Bowenville and Brigalow. The big semi trailers heading in the opposite direction would give us a slight buffeting and one was so bad that our towing mirror was just about ripped off. Just before 5:30pm we arrived at Gil Weir and joined the others in setting up for the night.

This is an excellent overnight stop for those who enjoy free camping. There was plenty of room to spread out with good views of the water. The sun soon dropped below the horizon and it did not take long for Eddie to have a fire going. A couple of cool drinks added to the relaxed camaraderie. In this atmosphere I remembered one of my Dad’s old sayings ‘fire is your friend” which made it a perfect way to end the day.

Day 2, 19th April – Miles to Morven (281km – km)

The first thing I heard this morning was the raucous laugh of a kookaburra. It was 5:00am and they were soon joined by the screeching sounds of a large flock of white cockatoos. There is nothing like the sounds of the bush to get you out of bed nice and early. The birdlife here is prolific with Willie Wagtails, Butcher Birds and the pink Galahs which remind me of little old men. To top off a great morning a large Pelican came soaring over the weir like a giant jumbo jet and then landed gracefully on the calm water of Dogwood Creek.

The driving today will not be particularly onerous as there are a no major towns to navigate through and the weather is overcast with the possibility of some light rain. We were traveling along at a Driving Miss Daisy pace and decided to pull over for a Devonshire tea at the bustling community of Wallumbilla which is about 40km east of Roma. The scones were excellent and the coffee so hot that it scolded my tongue. There was also a well restored railway station building and a 1930’s Chevrolet fire engine. Ever onwards we drove and at last we reached Roma where we marveled at all the Bottle trees that have been planted to commemorate the soldiers from the district that were killed during World War 1. I believe that 135 trees were planted in their memory.

With no sign of Eddie and Macca who are probably well in front of us we continued down the Warrego Highway. There are plenty of road trains heading in the opposite direction and as they pass us you can feel the van and Triton being buffeted. It is only 87km to Mitchell and despite the rain squalls we could not resist stopping at Muckadilla for some photo opportunities. The name always evokes a pleasant memory as Dad on a long drive would always comment where the hell are we going, to bloody Muckadilla? At Mitchell we had one of those serendipitous moments when we decided to stop and have a swim in the hot artesian bore. We had the pool virtually to ourselves and the hot artesian water that was pounding our skin really invigorated us. We rotated from the hot bore water to the cold bore water which brought a tingle to our skins. Alice thought her aching knee joint had been miraculously cured. At 2:00pm we reluctantly left the pool and continued west towards Morven which is only an hour away. There was one small town that we drove through that had a tongue twisting name. Try saying Mungallala with a mouthful of Sao biscuits.

When we arrived at the Morven Recreational ground the other Triton boys had already set up camp. There is a small lagoon at the opposite end of the show grounds which would be a good spot to throw in a pot for some red claw. The real bonus however is that the local community provides free camping with facilities such as power, dump point, toilets and hot showers. All they ask is that you leave it how you found it and a small donation. After setting up we had an early dinner, watched a little television and hit the sack.

Day 3, 20th April – Morven to Longreach (555km – 1163km)

Today we started moving a little before 9:00 and headed straight to the truck stop for some reasonably priced diesel. Alice was glad that she was paying the bill because the smell of the $15 truckies big breakfast may have enticed me to linger a little longer in Morven. It was not to be and a little over an hour later we were cruising past Augathella whose claim to fame is the Meat Ant, Ouch!

Along this stretch of road we were rewarded with sightings of large flocks of Black Cockatoos that were feeding on the edge of the highway. We also saw quite a few pairs of Jabirus that seemed to be patrolling the boundary fences in search of scraps that may have been thrown from passing cars. Of course there were plenty of highway cleaners (crows) feeding on the Kangaroo road kill. Another 100kms and we were pulling into Tambo which had a great rest area. We only had time for a quick rest break and a stretch of the legs before jumping back into the Triton to continue our journey north on the Landsborough highway.

Another 100kms and we were pulling into Blackall for a well deserved lunch break. As I was circling the block I saw Eddie heading north in search of the Black Stump. He was so focused that he flew straight past without noticing me. We found a dusty picnic area down by the banks of the Barcoo River and enjoyed a relaxing coffee and a few crackers. It was nearly time to leave when a couple (Steve and Jenny) came over and introduced themselves. I made the fatal mistake by commenting on the size of his trailer box that was mounted on the rear of his Billabong Caravan. Steve then proceeded to show me all his handiwork that he had carried out on their van. He actually did an impressive job but after an hour we needed to get moving. We still had another 220kms to travel and it was already after 2:00pm.

The 107km to Barcaldine was made more pleasurable as we passed “Alice Downs” and found that the Alice River ran through town. We spent a little time filling up with petrol and having a look at the “Tree of Knowledge” which unfortunately is now dead. This was the birth place of the labour party movement that was born out of the shearers strikes. I also struck up a conversation with a tattooed Rick who turned out to be evangelist bikie. He was off to Roma for a get together with some more Christians. You never know who you will meet on the road so it is worth the effort to say hello.

Our last stop for today is Longreach Waterhole for a spot of free camping and with a bit of luck we will make it before the going down of the sun. On this section of highway I have never seen so much road kill. It looked like mobs of kangaroos had stood in the middle of the road and were just run down by an eighteen wheeler. I thought I had found the turnoff to the waterhole but after traversing a rutted dirt road for over 10 minutes I knew I was in the wrong place. We turned around and headed back to the highway and found some people who informed us that we were on the wrong side of the highway. At around 5:30pm we set up camp next to the others. A quick set up in the remaining half hour of daylight and it was time for a well deserved drink.

Day 4, 21st April – Longreach (1163km – 1195km)

It was a nice easy start to the day as all we are doing is driving around Longreach to have a look at

the sights. Our first stop was the Stockman’s Hall of Fame where we took in a one hour show and spent a good amount of time looking over the excellent exhibits. A nice cup of coffee in the town centre was interrupted by a spectacular flying display of over a thousand raucous cockatoos who seem to have set up home next to the water tower. The drought in this area is quite bad as there were kangaroos in the main streets feeding on the nature strip.

After lunch we paid a visit to the QANTAS Founders museum which had some very good interactive displays. There were also exhibits in the original QANTAS hangar with an old ABC documentary narrated by Hudson Fysh who was one of the founders. Time was marching on so we headed back into town for some more supplies. Alice managed to snaffle a couple of wine bargains for $5.

Back at the camp the boys headed down to the river. I wish that we hadn’t as we met a guy coming back from checking his yabby pots. He had a bucket full of the biggest Red Claws that I had ever seen. There would have been enough to feed the six of us. Such is life!

Day 5, 22nd April – Longreach to Fountain Springs (1195km – 1780km)

We were on the road by 8:30am this morning as we continued up the Landsborough another 180km to the township of Winton. There was still an abundance of road kill which made us feel a little sad. We also saw our first Emus of the trip who seemed to be keeping off the highway. The fuel was reasonably priced so we filled up before heading over to the musical fence which is on the outskirts of town. I must be tone deaf because I could not get the darned fence to play Waltzing Matilda. There was also a bush drum kit and we had a fine old time belting out a nonsensical tune. Next to the fence there is a cairn which is where the first runway for QANTAS was built. In the centre of town is the Waltzing Matilda Centre where we managed to spend a good 90 minutes listening to John Williamson’s stirring version of this iconic song and looking around the museum. There was some good memorabilia on A.B. (Banjo) Patterson who penned the words and from Christina Macpherson who penned the music. I don’t know about you but when I’m travelling and I hear this song it always brings a patriotic tear to my eyes. We could not dither for long as we still had another 400km to travel to our next free camp site.

Just after midday we hit the road again and pushed on to Kuyuna and then McKinlay where we met up with our fellow travelers. They had decided to pay $3 for a hot shower at the Walkabout Creek Hotel (Crocodile Dundee country). Alice and I forged ahead as we wanted to set up camp before dark. The others decided a quick beer in honour of Paul Hogan was the order of the day. At Cloncurry our Optus reception kicked in so we managed a couple of quick calls to family. Eddie also got hold of me and gave us information regarding our next camp site which was Clem Walton Park located on Corella Dam. When we arrived at the entrance it was near dark and horror of horrors the gates to the park were locked. We waited 10 minutes for the others to arrive and quickly made an executive decision to stay at Fountain Springs rest area which was another 7km further up the Matilda Highway. The facilities were quite good but a little close to the highway. The road trains sounded like they were coming straight through the camp site.

When we were setting up our camp I noticed that I had forgotten to tighten the handles that tension the arms of the retractable awning. As a consequence the very expensive nuts had fallen out somewhere along our route. I would not have felt so bad if this wasn’t the second time I had done this. I had a couple of Crownies to drown my sorrows while Alice whipped up some mean rissoles.

Day 6, 23rd April – Fountain Springs to Camooweal (1780km – 2038km)

Prior to leaving our camp we saw a sign with a 4x4 tour that encompassed three old mining towns, railway tunnels and a waterfall that gives its name to the rest area Fountain Springs. Next time we are in this area we will give it a go. We started late this morning as it is only a 60km drive to Mt. Isa. About 10km from the Isa the fuel warning light came on so I slowed down a bit to conserve fuel. When we filled up I managed to squeeze 61 litres into a 60 litre tank. We stocked up on a few groceries at the Coles store and then checked our emails courtesy of McDonalds free wi-fi.

The road out to Camooweal for 185km on the Barkly Highway is quite good. About 20km out of Mt. Isa there is a roadside rest area that has a dump point for chemical toilets. A quick flush here and we were on our way once again. There was an absence of road kill in this area and the only thing that kept us amused was the termite mounds. You may well ask why we thought this was funny but the answer is simple. The good citizens of the area or possibly fellow travelers have taken to dressing the mounds in all sorts of clothing. Undies, singlets and dresses were the most popular form of apparel.

At around 2:15pm we approached Camooweal and at 2:16pm we departed. Just out of town we headed across the Georgina River and then turned left along a dirt road to some amazing camp spots along the Camooweal Billabong. While we were setting up camp Eddie informed me that Macca was still in Mt. Isa waiting to see the Mitsubishi dealer. He was having computer problems with his Triton but they could not see him until 3:00pm. After setting up camp Eddie and I threw our opera house pots into the lagoon in hope of catching a few blue claw. Macca arrived just before 6:00pm so we all jumped in to help him set up camp. When he had settled down I found out that he had blown a gasket. That was Macca, the Triton had blown a 7.5amp reversing light fuse. So much trouble for such a small item. In terms of blue claw we did manage four of them plus a couple of small crabs and fish.

Day 7, 24th April – Camooweal Caves (2038km – 2139km)

Today is a rest day so it was nice to sit down to a nice breakfast of bacon and eggs with a view of the billabong as a backdrop. The pots again let us down but it was nice to see a small barramundi and a freshwater shrimp in one of the pots. Just prior to lunch we went into town to top up our freshwater and take a visit to the Camooweal Caves. I should have checked the distances and directions prior to leaving as we all managed to get lost for a time before eventually finding the caves. Eddie had headed off towards Alice Springs instead of turning left at the Post Office Hotel in town. Alice and I missed the turn for the caves and if we had kept driving along the dirt road we would have eventually ended up at Urandangi. After about an hour we made it to the caves which are essentially a large and small sinkhole. A couple of km from the sinkholes there is a beautiful billabong which is a day use area.

When we arrived back in town our cars were covered in red bull dust. I had a bit of a thirst so opted for a cold XXXX gold at the local bar. All the homesteaders are coming into town tonight for a cricket carnival and to celebrate Anzac Day. The first game is a day nighter and kicks off at 4:00pm and we were invited to attend the festivities and sink a few coldies at the bar. It will obviously be the place to be in Camooweal tonight.

Back at the camp and we are all relaxing in preparation for the big drive tomorrow. Our pots are still not producing the goodies so it looks like no entrée tonight.

Day 8, Anzac Day 25th April – Camooweal to Devils Marbles (2139km -2723km)

It is 6:00am and as we packed up most of our gear last night we were able to get away early this morning. The Northern Territory border is only 13km away and apart from sitting in the transit lounge of Darwin’s airport in 1994 this will be my first trip into the Territory. Our first stop is a mere 261km down the road at the Barkly Homestead where fuel prices are quite high. Around 11:00am we pulled into the Homestead and topped up with enough fuel to reach Tennant Creek. We also fuelled up with a terrific all day truckies breakfast for $20 which was big enough for us both to share.

There was no time to hang about as we still had another 187km to the Three Ways where the Barkly

Highway meets the Stuart Highway. We are about 20 minutes in front of the others so we stopped for a photo opportunity with a termite mound. Alice decked out a mound in a bright green South Bank T-shirt, cap and sunglasses. She left the shirt for other travelers to marvel at. There were numerous flocks of parrots and birds of prey but very little road kill. At Tennant Creek we all fueled up for the 115km drive south to the Devils Marbles. We did a short tour around the periphery of town but could not see anything that would make you want to spend a night here. Overall the whole place looked pretty tired.

Macca and Eddie had of course passed me by this time as they think I drive like Miss Daisy. We arrived at the Marbles around 3:00pm and set up camp. Facilities are basic but the view is fantastic. Alice and I put on our walking shoes and spent a good 2 hours walking over the entire site. The boulders with their bright red colours are amazing. Around sunset we all headed up to a vantage point and watched the dramatic change in colour. It was a great way to end what has been a very big day.

Day 9, 26th April – Devils Marbles to Alice Springs (2723km – 3160km)

It was a cool and windy night but we woke up in time to see the sunrise. After a quick breakfast we hit the road . Just south of Wauchope we saw an aboriginal man trying to hail down any passing car. He was on the opposite side of the road so I kept on going. Eddie and Macca did stop however and they ended up donating 20 litres of fuel to him to get him going. We are driving into a strong cross wind and the fuel gauge seems to be dropping before my eyes.

Further south we passed through the settlement of Wycliffe Well that claims to be the UFO centre of Australia. Eddie stopped and looked around and his view was the place had already been overtaken by aliens. Barrow Creek was the next settlement and it has an old Telegraph Station to look at. I just kept on driving and finally pulled over for some fuel at Ti-Tree which is about 192km from Alice Springs. The fuel price was around $1.929 per litre and with their credit card facility not working I thought that 15 litres of fuel should be enough to get us to Alice Springs.

We just passed Aileron, the home of The Big Man when I saw a sign saying 140km to go. On a whim I pressed the range button on the Triton which indicated that I could get 150km out of the tank. I know that it was cutting it fine but Eddie and Macca were behind me in case I got into any trouble. Nevertheless, I did not want to run out of gas and as a precaution I turned the air conditioner off. When we were about 55km out of Alice and with Alice feeling a little uncomfortable the fuel warning light started to glow. I kept expecting the motor to die at any moment but we kept chugging along. I started to relax when I saw a sign for fuel on the outskirts of Alice. I asked the other Alice, the one who must be obeyed if she thought I should stop there. She looked at me as if I was a blooming idiot. We did stop and the thirsty Triton took on a huge 67 litres.

Alice Springs is quite large so we turned on the GPS to navigate our way to the Gidday Mate caravan Park which will be our home for the next 3 nights. The facilities here are excellent and it wasn’t long before we had set up. Alice made a bee-line for the Laundromat and put on a few loads. We spent the afternoon just relaxing and enjoying our surrounds. An added bonus was that there were no flies, unbelievable!

Day 10, 27th  April – West MacDonnell Ranges ( 3160km – 3604km)

This morning we hit the road at 8:30 am for a full day of driving through the MacDonnell Ranges. Our first stop was at Standley Chasm which was the only place that required an entrance fee. I did manage to get a seniors discount even though I don’t look a day over 59. The walk up to the chasm was about 1.2km and well worth it. The walls were quite narrow and the early morning light gave the rock a deep red colour. On the way back a few more people were making their way up the rocky path. Near the end I heard a good use of the integrated adjective “David Bloody Gould”.  I could not believe that I would meet an acquaintance in the middle of a gorge in the middle of Australia. It was Des whom I worked with at Toowong bus depot. The world is definitely not big enough. We had a bit of a chin wag about our trips and hoped we could catch up again.

Next stop was the Ellery Creek Big Hole which has some half decent facilities for camping including a drop toilet. The big hole is surrounded by cliffs and has a white sandy beach. The water colour is stained a dark brown but still looks crystal clear. Even though it looked inviting we all declined the opportunity as it was still quite cool. I can imagine how this oasis would have appealed to the early explorers.

Serpentine Gorge was our next stop and after a bumpy drive in we reached the car park. It was an easy 1.1km walk to the gorge but along we intersected one of the entry points to the Larapinta trail. At 223km long it is one of Australia’s most spectacular and rewarding bushwalking and trekking experiences. I would sure like to have a crack at walking this trail. The gorge however was set in a rugged environment surrounded by Ghost Gums and a small permanent supply of water.

Back on the road again and it wasn’t long before we reached the Ochre pits. Even though this area was not high I thought this section of the ranges was quite extraordinary. I can understand why the aboriginal people regarded this area as sacred. It was time for lunch so we headed up to Glen Helen Resort. The resort has Glen Helen Gorge as a backdrop and overlooks a large waterhole. The birdlife here is prolific with plenty of zebra finches and of course the rare Gouldian Finch. There were some exotic items on the menu and Eddie and I decided to try the Camel Burger and Alice the Kangaroo salad. The burger was well seasoned and tasted sensational.

Ormiston Gorge was our next stop and I must say that the short walk to the gorge was worth driving 150km to see. It was the perfect place to cool off with a swim and was surrounded by cliffs, ghost gums and white sandy beaches. There is a camping area and a half decent amenities block that also supports walkers undertaking the Larapinta trail. Alice and I decided that we wanted to travel the whole loop and have a quick look at Hermannsburg. Along the way there was a lookout which had tremendous views of Gosse Bluff. As we drove up to the lookout we took a young lady by surprise as she had just dropped her pants to take a pee next to their for wheel drive. Alice and I burst into laughter as she hopped in vain to the rear of the vehicle and fell on her backside with arms and legs flailing in all directions. You just can’t help bad luck and timing. We continued on and soon hit the unsealed section of the road to Hermannsburg. This section was 43km long and very badly corrugated. The Triton at times felt like it was being shaken to pieces. The only joy in this section were the sightings of wild brumbies and the abundant birdlife. About 2km from Hermannsburg we stopped to view the cottage where the famous aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira lived. It was a simple 2 roomed white stucco cottage with a fireplace. We had a quick drive around the township which is home to a large aboriginal community. It was established as an Aboriginal mission in 1877 by two Lutheran missionaries of the Hermannsburg Mission from Germany, who had traveled overland from Bethany in the Barossa Valley in South Australia. They named their new mission among the Aranda People after Hermannsburg in Germany where they had trained. The old mission is now home to a potter’s school and is the only thing worth visiting.

It was starting to get late and we still had another 130km to travel back to Alice Springs. The late afternoon light cast such a magical look over the ranges that we travelled back at a sedate pace so we could enjoy the panoramic views. We were so late back that the others thought we may have broken down. What a great day and what a magical place.

Day 11, 28th April – Around Alice (3604km – 3626km)
Oh what a night, the temperature dropped down to a rather cool 4 degrees which on the plus side meant that I received lots of cuddles. This morning we just relaxed around the camp catching up on cleaning and attending to electronic media.

After lunch we took a trip into the city centre to explore what was on offer. As much as I love Alice it is a little concerting to see the word Alice associated with every inanimate object, store and event. She is everywhere. After some browsing we took a walk through the mall and apart from the Red Dog Coffee shop the place was quite dead. We also took a drive up to the Mt. Coot-tha of Alice Springs, Anzac Hill. The view encompassed the nearby ranges, mountains and the sandy dry bed of the Todd River. It was definitely worth the effort of driving up there.

Back at the caravan park we spent the afternoon removing the red bull dust from the Triton. I also had the unenviable task of cleaning up a diesel spill from the rear tray. I had bought a 20 litre jerry can from Super Cheap to safeguard myself from another fuel shortage mishap. The only problem was that after I filled it I forgot to tighten the air valve. Consequently when the unsecured jerry can fell over the diesel flowed freely into every crevice of the tray. You would think I would learn by now! With the cleaning duties over I relaxed with a couple of ice cold beers.