..../continued

On the way to Swan Hill, we came across this wonderful little spot called Lake Boga, with it's caravan park situated right on the edge of the lake.

Unfortunately, the wind was absolutely howling

so we couldn't stay here.

Just near here is a planetarium, but again, because the weather was not being very considerate, we were not able to attend the planetarium that night for any viewing.  Oh! well, guess it could be worse, it could be raining as well.

While I was at the pheasant farm, Greg was not idle.  Obviously missing his huge 6' x 6' shed, he built a temporary shelf for my wool & incidentals bag.  A man without a shed is a man lost I have long believed and I think now this could be the proof:



Since it wasn't raining the next morning, we decided to take the bikes for a ride and just as we were about to cross the bridge over the Murray River to New South Wales, my trusty back wheel decided it couldn't take the 'cat's eye' burr any longer and let go with a little whooosh!.  Well then, a little walk back to the van site and all was well (no blisters anywhere) and Greg also found he had cat's eyes too!  And a very flat tyre when he pulled one out (hehe! these burrs are obviously not biased as to what bike tyre they like).

During the afternoon, I found something for Jennifer & Warwick in Swan Hill:-

Thought you two might enjoy this :)

Friday, 25th May 2012

SWAN HILL, Vic to BARMERA, Sth Aust.

It rained all night steadily and we hooked up this morning in drizzle to make our way into South Australia via Ouyen, Red Cliffs and Irymple.  On the Murray Valley Highway near Piangil, the irrigation to crops such as pumpkins, cabbages, cauliflower, apples and oranges is amazing.  Hills and hills of orchards and then turning onto the Mallee Highway heading west of Ouyen, the land changed dramatically from the irrigated orchards to sweeping grain crops and then salt pans and back to the crops again.  This area was of red soil, extremely flat and a very low rainfall spot.

We also came across large areas devoted to Saltbush farming with signs on the fences as such.  I must remember to check this out and what it is being cultivated for.

West of Manangatang the red/pink soil shows signs of large open cut mining, but we couldn't find any information about what was being mined (ore, coal????)

After leaving Ouyen were they said they had only had a miniscual amount of rain overnight, we came across this :-



NOT rain, but dust! 

The areas beyond the trees on either side have been so depleted of flora that the topsoil has nowhere to go on a windy day but up and everywhere.  There is also a large number of signs asking drivers to beware of the endangered Mallee fowl. 

After travelling through Renmark ,where we have stayed on a previous trip, we pushed on over the Historic Renmark bridge and through mile upon mile (acres and acres) of red soil and rock, full of mallee bush and tumbleweeds.

Once through Renmark we stopped for the night at the Barmera Caravan Park on the foreshore of Lake Bonney.  Magic, absolutely!  Very little in the way of caravans here at this time of the year, but I would imagine in peak season it would be full to the brim and overflowing. Not surprising either, what with watersports, fishing and views like these right at your doorstep:-

After washing down our sundowners with a cold beer and a wine, we made our way across the way to the Hotel for dinner with Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn who watched us quietly from their space on the wall.  (Facebooker's would have seen that beautiful pic I uploaded while we waited for our meal).

James Dean looked pretty cool too I might add.

Saturday, 26th May 2012

Barmera to Port Germein

Leaving Barmera, we travelled through Waikeri stopping at the lookout for a view of the Murray River

                                                                                      and then continued on through Morgan

Along the highway heading towards Burra, we came across this sign "WORLD'S END HIGHWAY".  Greg didn't want to go that way, just in case it really was.  Funnily enough, not long afterwards he commented that the Navara seemed to be struggling even in 5th gear and losing power.  (Not good thoughts when your near a highway near Worlds End).  But then we noticed the big off roader in front of us wasn't pulling away and golly gosh, we came across a guy on a pushbike (standing up and pumping his legs for all he was worth), so we gathered that the really straight, flat road was actually a pretty steady incline that is not really noticeable.

Lunching and fueling up in Burra, we continued on to Port Germein for the night.

Port Germein has the largest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere (5,500 ft).  The other photo shows how far the shallow low tide is also.

Sunday, 27th May 2012       Port Germein to Venus Bay

Today we travelled pretty much most of the time to get to Venus Bay on the West Coast of the Eyre Penninsula.  (Just south of Streaky Bay, this is a really pretty spot, with a permanent population of only 20).

Pt Augusta's Power Station

Iron Knob Mine

VENUS BAY, SA   (mmmmmm!) Home of the best garfish burgers in the world.

On the way, we travelled past Port Augusta, Iron Knob Mine and several long stretches of vast ploughed land.

Hopefully tomorrow will be fine enough for us to go fishing and maybe catch a King George Whiting or two for dinner (crosses fingers).

Until next time............ cheers to you all :)

Seymour VIC to Venus Bay SA

Sunday, 27th May 2012

On our way up, we stopped for lunch in Yarrawong and found something for you Rob!

Well, off again we were on Monday, 21st May to Kyabram in Victoria to catch up with my Aunty Noela.  The last of 12 children, she was my mum's next oldest sister, mum being the youngest.  Her hubby, Uncle Pete was my godfather and their family and ours lived nearby each other whilst in New Guinea for several years.  We had a lovely time together that afternoon and it is such a shame that she lives so far from me or I would get to see her so much more.  We took the chance of catching up as she is now 85 and we weren't sure when we could back down this way again. 

We also caught up with my cousin Mal and Jane while there for dinner.  Wow, so long since we've seen each other and what a nice night it was.  In the morning Jane picked us up before work so we could see their farm just on the edge of town.  Kyabram is very quiet in off-season, but when the fruit is on the town swells enormously with out-of-towners for picking.

While staying at the caravan park there, the owner kindly made Greg a new TV cable to see if it would work better than the one we were using.  Sometimes kindness comes so unexpectedly :)

To fill in the day before dinner with Mal, Jane, Kate and Kimberley, we decided to go and have a look around Echuca.  This town really caters to the tourist community and the history of the Murray River as well.  Before reaching Echuca, we called in to have a look at The Great Aussie Beer Shed

And Greg found a favourite picture there too!

After he finished ogyling this we continued into Echuca and wandered around the informative area of the town.  After a while he did tell me gently, I'll go on at my pace and you keep looking at your pace and I'll see you back at the car!  Ah yes!  that is correct (and only 3 weeks into the trip haha!)

Well, while I looked at my pace I found an awesome statue store with so many statues you couldn't count them. 

At that moment I think Greg was pretty lucky

he wasn't a plant *lol*

But all was not lost and Greg, in his quiet way, decided what we needed was

to do something that he likes to do -

 Yep! you got it.  We had to go off the main track to check out the Mighty Murray and found it's Mighty Muddy side tracks, BUT.......

 2 HOURS LATER -

with the help of a kindly passing policeman on his day off relaxation ride, we managed to get out. 

Nothing the Car Wash at Kyabram couldn't deal with (after adding more coins, and more coins, and a few more coins for good measure).  *lol*

and that folks, is what just what happens to take the chill off the air inside a vehicle at 2pm on a sunny day.

NEVER WILL WE FORGET ECHUCA (or that grey, smelly mud!)

Wednesday, 23rd & Thursday, 24th May

We left Kyabram and headed to Swan Hill with lunch in Cohuna. 

In the background is actually an island and is home to a huge array of birdlife and aquatic animals.

The conservation here is ongoing and many of the endangered animals are seeing a resurrgence of populations.

We booked into Swan Hill Caravan park on the edge of that Mighty Murray and had a wonderful site right on the edge of the river, complete with our own table -

and our own duck & 3 drakes

 Mind you, one of these drakes was really curious and tried hard to learn how to patch a bike tyre's puncture and how to pump it up with a compressor -

He was such a cutie & even liked being picked up & patted :):)

While Greg had a day of relaxation, I called out to Olsen's Game Bird & Pheasant Farm.  I would have to say this gentleman gave me a wonderful tour of his farm and also his personal collection of Pheasants.

Some of his collection are really beautiful and it was a pleasure to meet such a lovely man happy to share all his knowledge of this industry.  This farm if anyone is in the area is well worth the visit.  Just follow the brown signs out over the railway line and you can't miss it.  An oasis in the wilderness!

Well, dinner is on the table, so this needs 'to be continued'.........................

Lakes Entrance to Seymour

Friday, 18th May 2012
LAKES ENTRANCE, VIC and Surrounds

This morning we went for a walk along the foreshore of Lakes Entrance and found the marina area to be filled with many large boats, yachts and trawlers, speaking of a deep channel into the town.  Originally known as Cunninghame and the marina area as Reeves River and then Cunninghame Arm later.

                    

                   These 2 pictures are carvings were done

                    to commemmorate the soldiers and

                    volunteers of World War II.

                    Done from the bases of enormous

                    trees left over from logging/harvesting,

                    they are huge and must weigh tonnes.

LIL - Especially for you (just like our 'friend' at Yamba!)

After having lunch overlooking the water we headed for the small town of Metung.  We had thought to stay here and use it as our base in this area, but couldn't find very much info on it, so we decided rather than drive the 20odd kms in and back out if there wasn't anywhere to stay, we would just come down on a day trip to have a look.  What a magnificent place!  It exudes oppulence and bespeaks happy retirement for many people, with an up-market, trendy appearance but a comfy, relaxed atmosphere.

Leaving Metung we drove up to Bairnsdale and stopped for walk around this large-ish town.  Stopping into Rivers we decided we really needed a pair of shoes & socks each and OMG! - I had to pay for this because Greg found no plastic in his wallet.  Well, after racking our brains we had the thought that it must still be with the guy we hired the boat from in Mallacoota for fishing........

Drove back to the van at L.E., with a bad, bad feeling but no!  amazingly, yes it was with David and Greg suggested he drive back tomorrow to pick it up.......................  Sure why not, a 6 hour round trip sounded just like what Greg loves doing, but definitely easier than trying to organise new credit cards (THANKFULLY IT WAS GREG WHO LOST THE CARD...as all you feminine friends would  agree!) but me-thinks quietly I may keep this one up my sleeve for future reference if needed hehehehe!

Oh yeah!  Isn't this gorgeous (Just like calling your dog "DOG" or your cat "CAT"!)

Saturday, 19th May 2012....

OKAY EVERYONE:  Question 1 -  WHAT IS A SHELL? (no peaking ahead either)

So, Greg was up bright and early and headed off to pick up his little plastic card from Mallacoota and I went over to the laundry and did the washing. (Whoo Hoo!)  After hanging it all out I decided I had several hours to fill in without my trusty guide and hitched up the bike with the camera, water bottle and locking strap and headed into town along the 3.5 km foreshore walk/bike track.

Wow, found a shell museum and aquarium (I have never seen so many collections of shells in one place, and some of the most unusual marine animals dredged up from the deep in full preservation)  Awesome and this private collection has shells from all over the world.  So I duly removed the bike helmet, locked the bike to a fence and locked the helmet to the bike with the bike chain Greg got me, just outside the museum and entered paying the requested $6.00. fee.  Remember guys, I've never done this bike locking thing before & it's all a little bit funny I think if anyone was to be watching, but oh! well..... gotta learn sometime!

 

Question 2:  WHAT IS A NUDIBRANCH?  (no peaking again either!)

Answer to Q1:  Shells are created by snails for protection of their soft bodies, just like our fingernails and are made from Calcium Carbonate (Lime).  They are permanent fixtures and grow with them.

Yay!  Just knew you would know that ..... Good work people.

The Museum was established inb 1962 an dholds one of the larges private collections of natural marine life in the world.  They have over 90,000 shells and continue to receive more and well as when rare and unusual creatures are brought up by trawlers and fishermen around the area and further afield.

Leaving the display area I found myself in the gift shop area (as we always do when we go to these exhibits and try to find the way out).  So, while quietly looking at all the shells and giftware the nice lady came over and gave me a cane  bowl so I could collect any shells I may like to buy.  Finding a really great Tea Towel with our National Anthem on it (Just in case I forget the words when I get dementia) and some wonderful shells of such truly exquisite beauty they just demanded to be purchased, I paid for my cane bowl load of shells and trust tea towel which the kind lady then placed into a nice, hole-less plastic bag.

On leaving the building, I stepped out into a brisk, cold wind and some sprinkling water from the grey skies above.  Thinking I may need the sunnies to stop the rain getting in my eyes I go over to unlock the bike and Yep!  There laying neatly in the locked up helmet locked with the bike to the fence are my really nice "Maui Jims". 

Obviously no one in Lakes Entrance noticed the UN-LOCKED Sunnies (thank goodness) or if they did they just as obviously didn't realise what they were looking at ......... Ha ha : their loss (and my lesson to BE MORE CAREFUL - It takes more than a key to lock a bike).  Also kinda comes into the category of locking up the Weber & gas bottle outside the van to the drop-out awning arm on our van (But I did tell Greg that I would think it would take 2 people to carry the Weber AND the gas bottle since they are locked together!)

Okay:  Answer to Q2 - A nudibranch is a snail or slug WITHOUT a shell, and some are the most beautifully coloured creatures in the ocean.

Yay!  Knew you knew that one too (clap, clap, clap)

LAST QUESTION:  No 3 -  What is it?  It can change colour slowly to hide;  they hide in sea-weed;  they have a frill on their bak and tiny fins at the sides of their heads; and they can lay 200-300 eggs in 1 breeding day?

If you said a Sea Horse- you are almost fully correct.  If you said "a pot-belly sea horse" then you are absolutely correct & the eggs are dropped into the sand and the male picks them up and pushes them into his pouch on his tummy just like a kangaroo.  (They have relatives called Leafy Sea Dragons and Pipe fish)

Anyway, put on the helmet & sunnies, emptied the tea-towel & shells into my back-pack and wrapped the camera in the plastic bag (thankfully some people still use plastic bags) and peddled frantically the homeward 3.5 kms.

Well, after a while back at the van the sun came out again and I filled in the balance of time waiting for

Greg by taking some pics of swans in the wetlands beside our caravan park:-

 This guy was so cute and not afraid to come and check out my
camera. 
And he didn't mind a pat either :)

He did get tired of waiting for food though!

This was a really pretty spot and all within 10 or 15 metres of our site.

Well, off to Kyabram tomorrow where I will hopefully get to catch up with my cousing Mal and his wife Jane and see my Aunty Noela who I haven't seen in forever ........

See you all soon.... Cheers everyone!