Month: May 2016

Leaving Murray Town behind we headed north through Port Augusta on the Stuart Highway to Pimba, where we were going to stay the night at Spuds Roadhouse camp.

Driving into a strong headwind chewed up fuel and made the going tuff. The camp was nearly full and the price of LPG and petrol was through the roof. We had no choice and filled up, deciding to push on passed Woomera and Roxby Downs to Andamooka.

Mile upon mile of vast endless landscape was punctuated here and there with slight changes in vegetation and geography. Some of it simply amazing and all of it reminding me of a quote from one of Australia’s early explorers:  “I see no end to travelling.”

We passed stretches of  “Prohibited” areas as we passed the Woomera Rocket Range and adjoining Commonwealth expanses of land.

Arriving late in the afternoon we pulled into Andamooka Town Camp and set up adjacent to some opal mining mullock heaps. Our reward for pushing on was to witness a most spectacular sunset which changed over a 40 minute period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our few days here have been spent noodling for opal , with no luck on our part , and exploring around the town and the opal fields.

A drive out to Lake Torrens was through some pretty wild tracks and Dawn was not unhappy when we ceased our quest for water and returned to camp.

We topped up our fuel at Andamooka at 20 cents a litre less than at Pimba.

Leaving Andamooka we set off to explore Roxby Downs and Woomera and then on to places north.

 

 

 

 

 

After leaving Adelaide we headed north to Murray Town, which is north of Crystal Brook.

We stopped at Laura for a cuppa and a pie, and pulled into Murray Town Park and were greeted by a member of the town’s progress committee who maintain the park.

To our surprise we found that our arrival coincided with a Country Music Concert that evening with some 37 artists.

Our planned dinner went out the window and we ate steak sangers, sausages and meat patties all washed down with the compulsory vino.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sitting around camp fires with half the town and other nomads we endured a cold but entertaining evening.

A good rest snuggled up for the night and a reasonable start the next day saw us heading for Andamooka and the opal fields.

This is our third day with power since leaving Adelaide and it will be the last for a while so I will endeavor to catch up the blog with a number of separate posts.

 

Our time house sitting in Adelaide was an enjoyable time looking after “Fritzy” for Wendy and Kev while they were away for a month.

We had some wild weather but still managed some great day trips.

 

A visit to the Barossa Valley included visits and tastings at a number of wineries and of course the re-stocking of our mobile cellar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mount Lofty lookout and botanic gardens gave a view back over the city and surrounds despite being on a very hazy day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A day in Hahndorf  brought back memories of too many years ago,  and it is still as quaint as ever with its variety of shops and eateries plus pubs of German heritage.

We sampled local fare at “Taste Glynde” which was part of the “Taste Australia” event with local produce, food and wines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several trips into Adelaide included a visit to the Central Markets which are up there with the best of them. Public transport was good and was free for us during our stay. We particularly liked the O-Bahn Busway running on dedicated tracks from north west suburbs, through bush corridors into the city.

We are very grateful to Wendy and Kev for providing us with a lovely home to look after and for their generosity in supplying a new battery for the Chariot.

Kev was rushed to hospital the night before we left and we are pleased to hear that he is home again and well on the mend.

 

 

After leaving Psyches Bends on the Murray we headed to Gawler for a couple of days before driving into Adelaide for our house sit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our house and pet sitting in Adelaide has allowed us to pay a few visits to the city via the O- Bahn busway. Part of the trip is on dedicated tracks through reserve bushland and bus interchanges. As a park and ride option it is very good and cuts time off the run into Adelaide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taste Australia was launched in SA and we attended the opening event at Glynde and sampled some local fare.

 

 

 

 

 

Fare of a different kind was the order of the day when we drove through the Barossa Valley and sampled the wines at some of the many wineries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our little housemate Fritzy is a Port Adelaide supporter, and we hope that he isn’t too disappointed with the result of tomorrow’s game against The Brissy Lions!!

 

 

 

 

Mount Lofty afforded us a panoramic view over the city and surrounds which was obscured in haze as humidity increases ahead of predicted rain and wind.

 

 

 

The Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens were looking good in their late autumn colours and a walk tested our fitness levels or lack there of!

 

 

 

 

A more mundane morning was spent today washing away the red dust from The Burrow.

We are planning the next phases of our journeys as we prepare to head north later this month, checking on places to camp and availability of petrol and LPG.