17^th Newsletter

Adelaide to Melbourne

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a great start to the New Year. We arrived back in Adelaide from our time out in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast on the 3^rd January to find our van and car safe and sound. Thank you to all of our friends who welcomed us into their homes over Christmas and New Year. After picking up the van we headed back to Levi Caravan Park, then basically just stocked up on supplies before leaving town. We have both enjoyed Adelaide immensely and love the beautiful old sandstone buildings that grace this city. We also visited Adelaide hills, particularly picturesque Stirling where I spent a year or two in my youthful twenties; it’s an absolutely beautiful place. Adelaide is however a lot dryer than I remember, but of course this could well be selective memory.

Monday 4^th January. We caught up with friends Lee-Anne and John for a lovely dinner at their new home on Monday evening, they have recently moved from Sydney to Adelaide. We met them way back in Derby when we all just happened to be on the same Horizontal Waterfall adventure and have kept in touch; It was great to catch up with them again.

Tuesday 5^th. Left Levi Park and drove to the Central markets in the City of Adelaide, just love the atmosphere of this busy commercial place. We bought some lovely Olives, Cheeses and yummy breads, plus a few other essentials for the next part of our adventure. Traveling south of Adelaide re enforced just how dry this area is, with rolling golden brown grassy hills. McLaren Vale proved to be a small sleepy town with its roots in wineries. Its Caravan Park allowed us a shady spot with a very rural feel, unfortunately it was the peak of the school holidays so we expected lots of families with noisy children and we were not disappointed.

Wednesday 6^th. We visited Rosemont cellar door, a busy large commercial place that regularly accommodates busloads of people. Next Samuel’s Gorge a small boutique winery in a heritage building run by the wine maker Justin McNamee, worth a visit if only for the atmosphere. Literally across the road is Chappel Hill a winery which many of us have sampled a bottle or two of their wines, as they are available in most liquor outlets. Chappel Hill not only offers wines for the tasting but also cooking classes and accommodation for up to 20 guests. My comment to the owners/managers is to put more staff on over the holiday period as the poor lady who was working was run off her feet and quite frankly the load she was carrying was not fair on one staff member. Coriole Vineyards was our next call, the cellar door is a beautiful old heritage building with the most stunning views of the valley, graciously we were served by a gorgeous young lady who was passionate about the wines she was offering. This vineyard produces a very nice Sauvignon Blanc and also a nice Chardonnay. Kay Bros was next and we enjoyed a rare Muscat to the tune of $60 a bottle, a nice drop indeed. We rounded up again for yet another cellar door and this time it was Settlement Wines, a very contemporary building with a lovely Chardonnay on offer.

Thursday 7^th. After leaving the van at the Caravan Park we drove to Aldinga Beach in the morning, then on down via the coast road to Sellicks Beach, over some beautiful rolling hills to Myponga Beach, Carrickalinga and Normanville. We found ourselves at Cape Jervis at lunch time so sat on the back of the Land Rover enjoying our sandwiches while watching the ferry bound for Kangaroo Island being loaded. On to Victor Harbor we traveled through lovely pine forests, which was such a nice change from the dry fields we had so far become used to. Victor Harbor is a very popular holiday destination for many South Australians. Its surf, clear waters and white sand beaches offer much to families on a summer break. It also has an abundance of early colonial architecture, lovely old pubs, cafes and restaurants. On to Port Elliot, a model seaside village, renowned for its cafes, pubs and gift shops, a lovely town full of character. Goolwa was once a thriving commercial river port being the last town on the River Murray before it reached the Southern Ocean, however now it is a busy regional tourist centre and gateway to the Coorong National Park. On our way back to McLaren Vale, we stopped at Shingleback Cellar door where we purchased a case of Classic Dry White at an exceptional price.

Friday 8^th. We were told it was about to warm up and they were right. By 10am it was 40 deg c and getting hotter by the minute. We decided to head for a large shopping centre to look at purchasing another phone as the one we had was becoming unreliable. Collanades Shopping Complex, Noarlunga, proved to be the closest so off we went. I spotted a Myers and found some shorts that would fit into our life style very well so made a purchase, while Ken did homework on a new mobile phone. We also decided to take in a movie, as the weather outside was unbearable, so found ourselves in a theatre watching It’s Complicated a very funny and enjoyable movie. On our way back to the van (not to miss an opportunity) we stopped in to Maxwell Celler door and sampled some Mead. It is such an unusual drink that I just had to buy a bottle. Mead is made from honey and is delicious served over ice.

Saturday 9^th. In order to stay in the caravan park we had to move positions, which was not a big hassle, but the temperature was no different than the day before and therefore most everything was an effort. Oh, for an air-conditioned winery! Shattesbrook Winery had come highly recommended and we were not disappointed by the service and variety of wines that were on offer. Next and just around the bend was Dog Ridge cellar door which appeared to be open as we were able to walk in, but no one at home and we were too polite to help ourselves to the booty. Eventually we walked out and drove away so maybe if you do decide to go to this winery it would be wise to make an appointment. Hugo Winery was a different proposition as the gentleman behind the bar was a most hospitable host and we enjoyed some very nice wines in a lovely atmosphere. Wirra Wirra Winery had come recommended by a friend so we thought we should make this our second last winery for the day. The building itself is very interesting, a large contemporary building with a most unusual fence made from large trees. The service was fairly ordinary as were the wines but to be honest it was so busy that I am not sure how it could have been any different apart from don’t go there on a weekend. We then headed back into McLaren Vale and stopped by Hardy’s Tintara Cellar door and enjoyed a couple of whites while Ken enjoyed a few reds. A very well informed young vintner behind the bar shared his local knowledge of the area.

Sunday 10^th. As we drove out of the caravan park we noted it was 42 deg c at 10am, just a tad warm even for us Queenslanders. We decided to go back to the shopping centre and purchase the mobile phone that had been so heavily researched two days prior but interestingly enough not purchased at that stage. Back into the car and heading out of town we had to back track quite a bit and found ourselves wandering through Happy Valley, then Clarendon, Meadows and on to Strathalbyn. It was such a picturesque way to go however the roads were quite narrow, windy and very steep and may I say many times I gripped the arm rests and suggested Ken might like to slow down. This always received the usual response which is ‘there is no problem’, and as I always say ‘no problem for you but there is for me’. We stopped at Strathalbyn for lunch but it was so hot I was not game to go into the van so chose a small bakery and purchased a spinach roll. Langhorne Creek was our next town then on to Wellington and across the ferry to Meningie. We were hoping that Lake Albert would be suitable for Ken to do some sailing but sadly the water has receded quite a bit and the remains are very muddy and quite saline. Lake Albert Caravan Park offered a pretty spot beside said lake however the day was very hot and by the time I opened the van it was 45 deg c inside. Sitting outside in the shade proved to be a cooler option so left the van closed up with the air conditioner on full for several hours.

Monday 11^th. At 9.45am the temperature was 42 deg c and we are wondering how much longer this will go on. From Meningie to the Victorian border the coastline is called the Limestone Coast. As we head south we had flat lands on our left and salt flats on our right, very dry uninteresting country. The good news however was the drop in temperature as the clouds began rolling in, with the temperature dropping to a cool 26 deg c by lunchtime. Pulling into Kingstone we read up on the attractions this town had to offer, with the last attraction being ‘fish and chips’. Unfortunately they must believe the tourists are deranged, because the prices they charge for their seafood is just outrageous. A walk out to the end of the town jetty is a must despite the smell of rotting seaweed that lines the beach, and also a visit to the historic Cape Jaffa Lighthouse now relocated ashore in the town centre. On to Cape Jaffa and by this stage the weather had turned nasty and very windy. From here we went inland to Mt Benson and stopped along the way to sample yet more of the fine wines South Australia has to offer. Cape Jaffa Wines was an interesting experience offering a lovely Chardonnay along with a stainless Steel Wine cooler for a very good price, just a little something I have always wanted. Ralph Fowler wines offered some very nice tasting and a wealth of information from Ralph’s wife as she generously offered us her time and knowledge. As we headed further south the temperature dropped even more and was then a cool 16 deg c, time for the coats to come out. Robe proved to be a busy place full of tourists so we picked the park we felt we would be most comfortable in and that was Robe Lakeside Tourist Park. We arrived early enough for a walk through town and then a drive up to Cape Dombey to watch the sun go down. Robe struck us as a very pretty town that caters mainly for the tourist, I am sure in the winter months this town is very quiet indeed.

Tuesday 12^th. It’s raining and miserable and a cool 16 deg c, quite a change from yesterday morning. We passed Lake Eliza, Lake St. Clair and Lake George on our right, sadly they lack water and are a poor representation of their former glory. Beachport is a lovely town that has white sand beaches on one side and wild rugged coastline on the other. There are spectacular views along Bowman Scenic drive but unfortunately pulling a caravan the size of the Traveller stopped us short, however what we did see from the window of the car was wonderful. Our next stop was Millicent and then on through beautiful pine forests to Penola. Our first glance at Penola’s caravan park was one of disbelief, as we have never seen a ‘park’ in such state of disrepair in all of our travels. We decided to press on through town and experience some wineries. Our first Coonawarra winery experience was Yalumba ‘The Menzies’, and we were most impressed with the warm welcome we received, not to mention the delicious wines we were able to savior. Next was Wynns Coonawarra Estate, which I believe to be the oldest in the district. This is a very big and busy winery that offers the unique opportunity to ‘make your own blend’; what a shame we were too late to take advantage of the offer. Moving on to find a place to park the van, we decided to put a few more kilometers in and drive north to Naracoorte Caves National Park. It’s a National Park that offers the camper several options, for us it offered a clean flat slab with power and water and a great view. The amenities block is very clean with a washing machine costing $2 a load and a free dryer, now you can’t beat that for $21 a night. We were very happy with this spot except for the feral neighbors that behaved badly speaking very loudly and abusively until well after 3.30am. The loud neighbors certainly got it from other campers and rangers later in the morning.

Wednesday 13^th. we got up late and decided on a long walk, as we were not under pressure to leave by 10am. Firstly we walked up to the ranger station to have a chat about feral neighbors and then on to the limestone cliffs. Back to the van for brunch and then packed up and headed south to sample more wines on our way to Mt Gambier. Blok Estate took my fancy and I am so glad we did stop by and the white wines at this vineyard are beautiful. The 2006 Reisling is to die for and the 2008 Chardonnay was not to be scoffed at either, I left with a bottle of the chardonnay. Hollick Wines was next; unfortunately their white wines were few for the tasting. On to Coonawarra Wine Gallery to taste one of my favorite makers of Chardonnay, Jamison Run. A very pleasant hostess treated us to some delicious samples and some entertaining conversation, then onward to Mt Gambier and the Blue Lake Holiday Park.

Thursday 14^th. After a great night’s sleep we felt invigorated enough for a walk around the Blue Lake. Mt Gambier is known as the Blue Lake city, the lake being the city water supply (containing 36,000 million litres with an average depth of 70 meters) is famous for its annual colour change from steel grey in winter to a brilliant turquoise blue in summer. Blue Lake is part of the Crater Lakes complex comprising four craters. The views are spectacular and there are several look outs located on the 3.6 klm walking trail that circumnavigates the rim of the crater. I spent the rest of the day catching up on my writing while Ken continued on the walking trails that led him to a second volcano crater. Late in the afternoon we took a drive into the centre of the town to visit The Cave Gardens, one of the sunken gardens that this city is also famous for.

Friday 15th. On our way out of town we visited Umpherston Sinkhole which was created as a result of the roof of the chamber falling to the floor of the cave, creating a perfect environment for its ‘sunken garden’, this spectacular terraced garden is open at all times, day and night. Heading south we found a lovely small village of Port MacDonnell where I was able to twist Ken’s arm regarding Fish and Chips for lunch. Heading east after lunch we very soon crossed the boarder into Victoria and it was time to change the clocks yet again. The countryside had taken a huge change for the better and now rich paddocks of hay and dairy cattle surrounded us. How quickly this country can change. Nelson was the next town that took Ken’s fancy mainly because of the Glenelg River, which meanderers its way through the lower Glenelg National Park. We found Kywong Caravan Park which suited us very well and left the van for a walk into town and back, some 2 klm or more.

Saturday 16^th. Ken was itching to set sail in his small dingy however decided to motor instead because of the fluky winds. He was gone for several hours and had a wonderful time as the story goes. For my part I enjoyed tweaking some of my stories plus having some new ideas on what could come next with my writing.

Sunday 17^th. It’s our first born son’s birthday. I am sorry we are not able to share it with him in person. It was very windy and cold as we headed out of Nelson for Portland. However it was lovely to see so many beautiful dairy cattle looking as fat and happy as can be. We did a wee bit of shopping in Portland, just the essentials that always cost $70 or so and then headed out for we did not know where. After a few wrong turns we had lunch at Fitzroy River Reserve then pressed on to the very small village of Yambuk. We found our way out of town to Yambuk Caravan Park perched high on a hill over looking Yambuk Lake. The weather conditions were foul, windy as hell and rainsqualls coming through every few minutes. Eventually we ventured out for a walk on the beach rugged up in out winter woolies having to put fabric over our mouths to keep the sand out. A nice baked dinner was the order for the evening meal, at least it kept the van warm.

Monday 18^th. Continuing our move east we arrived in Port Fairy and what a beautiful town it is. The Moyne River runs through the town and is lined with boardwalks and jetties. Beautiful cottages align the foreshore very reminiscent of an English seaside village. Port fairy is steeped in character and history and possibly the most beautiful town that I have experienced in our travels so far. Despite the many caravan parks we decided not to stay so moved some 30 klms down the road to Warrnombool, which was very disappointing indeed. The caravan parks in this town were overcrowded and very expensive so after several drive buys we moved on to the next small town Allansford that has a very nice park with plenty of room however it did cost us $36 a night which we find expensive.

Tuesday 19^th. I decided to attack the washing despite the inclement weather so all clothes had to be put in the dryer, which takes forever. We drove back into Warrnombool to have a look around without the van, Ken had the notion he wanted to visit the Maritime Museum however on further inspection decided against it. We picked up a few must have grocery items before leaving town then went back and picked up the van. We then drove southeast on to Nirranda and the beautiful ocean vista of Bay of Islands. Unfortunately there weren’t a lot of opportunities to stop along the road as the wagon train is too long and doesn’t always fit in the vista turnouts. After a quick drive through Peterborough we headed to Port Campbell, which we remembered from a previous visit. The caravan park unfortunately was charging $45 per night for a powered site so we decided to move on to a park in Princetown that charged $20 per night for a powered site. We found it in our Camps 4 book. Good value for money.

Wednesday 20^th. Today we backtracked solo to Port Campbell and beyond to see Curdles Inlet and The Grotto. Then we stopped at London Bridge, The Arch, Sentinel Rock, Loch Ard Gorge, and the 12 Apostles (now really only 10). What a spectacular coastline this is and despite seeing it once before, it still takes your breath away at how wonderful nature is. Back to the van and a phone call to our tenants in regard to a vacating date.

Thursday 21^st. It’s a much warmer day with the sun shining and the wind factor minimal. We left Princetown and continued east on the Great Ocean Road. It is a lovely forest drive as the road twists through Great Otway National Park and then back down to the ocean at Glenaire and Apollo Bay. We stopped at Apollo Bay for lunch and unfortunately chose a meat pie from one of the bakeries there, not such a good decision. Apollo Bay was crowded with no room at the Inn so to speak. All the caravan parks and any other accommodation for that matter were full to overflowing and charging unbelievable prices. This was to become a familiar story in each town as we continued on this beautiful drive. Eventually we ended up after several phone calls at Riverglen Holiday Park in Geelong, which was pleasant enough for one night.

Friday 22^nd. We left Geelong and traveled the coast road along Corio Bay enjoying the beautiful old majestic homes that grace this Bay. We then met up with The Princes Highway heading northeast until we got to Werribee where we turned off hoping to view Werribee Park mansion that was built in 1870. After a visit to the local Information centre we headed out to the park and visited the magnificent rose garden that is part of the grounds. Over 5,000 roses displayed to perfection within four uniquely shaped designs. We are lucky enough to be visiting when the roses are in their prime. We did not however tour the mansion as the entrance fee seemed a little steep to us and it was time to move on. Continuing on the Princes Highway we headed into Melbourne and drove through the city to find St Kilda Road and our way out of town. We headed south down through Frankston to The Mornington Peninsula to visit with our friends.

As I write this it is cold and windy and I am having difficulty believing that it is Summer. Recently it has been confirmed our house will be vacant midway through April, so it is our resolve to make our way slowly north over the next two months. I do hope it warms up again other wise we will feel we have not had a summer this year. I hope this finds everyone well and enjoying the first part of the New Year. Best wishes to you all, love Elizabeth.