Whyalla SA to Euston NSW

Sunday 16^th September.  We left Tumby Bay in the rain and with very thick cloud cover, the wind was blowy a gale and we had some heavy side gusts.  We travelled NE towards Whyalla and had to go through the little village of Cowell. 

 

 

 

 What a nice spot on the edge of Franklin Harbor.  We stopped and had a coffee and cake and then went for a walk out along the boat ramp – a huge ramp that has had lots of work done to it with reinforcing using truck tyres.  It is a credit to the local community.
We then got back into the car and headed further north east. 
We went through the town of Whyalla [past the info centre which houses the HMAS Whyalla]

and out of town by 10km to turn eastward to the area of Point Lowly. 

It was still very overcast and gusting (up to 48kmph) and there was no protection.  We found a spot not far from the toilet block (very new block with 2 normal toilets, 1 with disabled facilities and a COLD shower…..  J :D  I think I will have a hot water sponge bath tonight :D.  And there is a little sheltered cove just down from us – where you can launch your boat or go for a swim. 

 You can park and camp here at Point Lowly for 14 days at any one time and then return 4 weeks later if you wish.  We had afternoon tea and then went for a walk along the water front and to the lighthouse and the original Lighthouse keepers cottages.  It was a very interesting walk and there is a little cove where you can swim – but be aware of the strong currents. 

 

 

There is a huge crude oil, naphtha and LPG plant right on our doorstop

 

 

but no odours coming from it.  You could quite easily stay here for the two weeks and not want to leave.
Monday 17^th September.  Up at 7.30am and the sun is shining brightly, the wind is blowing gently and not a cloud to be seen…. Yeeha.  Of the 20 vehicles that were camped here last night there are only 6 left and one of them is us :D  We finally finished getting everything sorted out and on our way by 9am and the clouds are starting to appear L. 

 Just in front of us is an ACC tyre cover – so we say hello to John and Julie from Queensland whilst their travelling companions use the DumpEzy facility.  We then wished them well for their journey as they are heading SW and we are heading NE again.  We travel on to Port Augusta and then through town to Wilmington and onto Peterborough. 

 

 

Flinders Ranges

Horrocks Pass

 

We stopped and got some lunch and sat in the park and enjoyed it in the sunshine but the wind is starting to cool down and the town has been invaded by two buses of school children.  You can tell they have been cooped up in the buses for a while as they are going CRAZY [running, yelling, screaming and not listening to their teachers] when they get out of the bus J.

 

Peterborough SA is a very historic steam locomotive centre and in the 1950’s there were over 100 steam locomotives through the town EVERY day.

After lunch we continued on our way to a little town called Terowie, which also has historical significance.

It was here that U.S. General Douglas MacArthur made his famous quote on the 20^th March 1942, “I came out of Bataan and I shall return”. 

Sadly most of the buildings from that time are no longer here, and the ones that do remain are at the hands of vandals. Why is it that people feel the need to demolish buildings that are no long used on a regular basis???? It is something that we are finding with regular monotony.
Terowie is also the place where the old broad-gauge of the eastern railway line stopped and the narrow-gauge of the south-west, Northern Territory and Western Australia took over. There is still evidence of the wide-gauge tracks but unfortunately the narrow-gauge tracks have been pulled up.

Broad-gauge line still in situ. Narrow-gauge line has been removed

We got the van set up and then headed up to the town for a look-see. 

We checked out all the historical signs around the railway siding first and then up the town.  It is a very small town and looks like some of the locals are doing their best to get tourist to stop by and have a look.  The CWA hall is the local info centre

and there are mini museums in many of the old business houses.  The pubs and the Post Office are now all private residences.  It sure looks like it was a thriving town in its hey-day.

Terowie “tumbled into oblivion in 1969 when the broad-gauge line was extended to Peterborough.  The town went from 2000 residence to 150 virtually overnight”.  One of its historical signs says “Our community looks to you to appreciate what was here and to give us renewed pride in our past and its significance in our nation’s history”.

 

 

They also have a local who makes metal figures and this is just a few of them.  Was a great thing to see.

What a great place to stop, relax and take in the amazing history of this town and the countryside.
Tuesday 18^th September.  We drove today to Moorook just SW of Berri SA.  We are camped on the banks of the Murray in the town park. 

Buster-bob :)

ferry crossing at Waikerie

Mum, Dad and 15 ducklings at Moorook

 This is a great little park that they have opened to campers and caravanners.  We had no sooner set up then Darryl was out with his fishing line.  He managed to catch 12 fish, 10 yellow-belly (only one legal size though L) 1 bream and 1 carp.  We have got one fish in the freezer – all he has to do is catch another one tomorrow so that we can have a feed each J.  It was a lovely afternoon but once the sun went down out came the mozzies L. 

Wednesday 19^th September.  Happy Anniversary to my brother Ian and his lovely wife Wendy - 20 years today….. yeeha, have a great day.
Today started out sunny, then turned drizzling, then showering and now it is sunny.  Got the underwear washed but was thinking it would still be wet tonight with the above scenario but the clouds and the drizzle went away and we had sunn for most of the afternoon with some breeze – so it all dried.  We are supposed to have mobile reception here but it comes in and out at one bar.  Even with the aerial in the car plugged into it we don’t get much better L.
Darryl was fishing most of the day and managed to catch about another 10 fish but none of them were legal :C  Ahh well he will have to think of some way that we can have the one fish between us :D
Tonight the weather is mild but the mozzies are again out in force – so I am sitting in the van doing some knitting and Darryl is reading.
Thursday 20^th September.  Today we have come through Renmark into Victoria to Mildura and into NSW and are now at a stop 15km from Euston. 

Border

 

We wanted to stop at some of the fruit and vegie stalls along the road in SA but weren’t sure what we could bring across – so didn’t risk it.  We found that we did NOT have to stop at the quarantine stop at Renmark but then there were signs saying not to take fruit and vegies into VIC and that there would be a quarantine stop at Cullulleraine.  Hmm – well we couldn’t find it and all those lovely opportunities for fresh fruit and vegies seem to have disappeared from the side of the road L.  We stopped in Mildura and did shopping at IGA and then headed into NSW for lunch.  We stopped at the boat ramp park in GOL GOL which was very nice.  Buster was able to have a walk and a relief stop as well.  it was here that we noticed that the wind has really picked up in strength - Darryl says it will give us a tail wind across the Euston.
On our way again and found a stall for mandarins – yes Please – we got two bags of about 20 mandarins each for $6 - BARGAIN. 

Buster had a hard day!

We continued on our way and are now camped at Lake Bananee.

 

 Wildflowers

 

 This is a lovely spot just down from the road but virtually right on the water.  It is a short walk through the sand to the nice cool water (it is currently 30 degrees and we are roasting J) and Buster has even been for a paddle.  At present there are about 12 of us here in varying modes of transport but it is indeed a lovely spot to stop.  Tomorrow we will head across the Hay Plains into Hay itself…..