COBBOLD GORGE – AND THE GLASS BRIDGE

On November 17, 2021 By alisonferryIn Australia, History, TravelLeave a comment

AUSTRALIA’S NARROWEST GORGE

This was the second time we have visited Cobbold Gorge and it won’t be the last! A really spectacular location in the Gulf Savannah region, this is a breathtaking part of the Outback. We loved it the first time but since then a spectacular glass bridge has been built and is Australia’s first fully glass bridge spanning a 13 metre gap and with a 19 metre drop into the water below. I was thinking of the Grand Canyon bridge and wondered if it measured up but there is no comparison. This is just amazing because of the location and also because of the size – tiny compared to the Grand Canyon but equally impressive.

Cobbold Gorge Village http://cobboldgorge.com.au is part of Robin Hood Station which is a working cattle property and is a 6 hour drive from Townsville or Cairns. The drive itself is interesting through ancient geological landforms and small townships in the Gulf Savannah region. Forsayth is closest to the station and tours run to Cobbold Gorge from there as well.

The cattle seem unperturbed by motorists on their way to the village and we passed many termite mounds of all sizes and shapes which stood out in the red earth. Wildlife was abundant – red and black cockatoos, lots of kangaroos and even wedge tailed eagles.

On arrival at the village we checked into our accommodation which was in the Boundary Huts – very comfortable, air conditioned rooms with ensuite and tea and coffee making facilities as well as little verandahs to sit and soak up the views.

There is a variety of accommodation to choose from and many arrive with caravans or campervans and are fully catered for in the nearby campground. We chose to dine at the restaurant which is located next to the swimming pool overlooking the lagoon. Great food, wonderful ambience and there was even a guest playing his guitar – what more could you want?

*The Infinity pool overlooking the lagoon and the lagoon at sunset*

To visit the gorge you must do a tour with a Savannah Guide which takes 3 hours. A short bus ride takes you to the starting point for the walking/boat tour – our group was small and the guide very informative. We started with the walk which was about an hour and a half and began along the water’s edge and then up through interesting country and onto the sandstone escarpment. The guide pointed out various species of spiders with finely spun webs, hollows for wildlife and beautiful paperbarks.

What fascinated me was the “Soap Tree” – a very special tree nestled near the water’s edge with leaves that make “soap” and is apparently a godsend for those out in the bush with very few supplies. First you find the tree, then you gather the leaves and rubbing them between your hands, magical soap appears!

We climbed the escarpment and heard some of the history of the place and stories of the pioneers who first came to this part of the country. Then we walked across the ancient landform to a point at the top of the gorge where the bridge is located. The gorge is stunning with 30 metre sheer walls from the bottom of the water to the top of the escarpment. The bridge shimmered in the morning light and we had to put on special covers over our footwear so as not to scratch the glass before gingerly walking across!

Whilst admiring the view and becoming more confident about walking on glass, a small boat was silently gliding through the gorge below – this was another group who were to do the walk after the boat trip.

A short path down the escarpment to the water’s edge and it was time to do the electric boat trip – the guided cruise takes about 45 minutes and is a wonderful way to see this beautiful gorge. The boat is so silent and gliding past the sheer rocks which one could touch and then looking through the crystal clear water, it was a dream. There are fresh water crocodiles resident in this place, known as Johnson River Crocs they are harmless and just add to the mystique of the area.

We watched tiny spiders weaving webs and saw butterflies and dragonflies flitting through the rocks. At one point the guide pointed out a place he calls “Duck Rock” – it is the narrowest point of the gorge and only 2 metres across and thus he calls out “Duck” to avoid the looming overhang! Then we saw the bridge from the water – and how spectacular that was!

Back at the village and eager to find out more about the history of the station, I found a very informative poster about Francis Cobbold and I pondered his life and times and wondered what he would think now – hopefully he would be proud of the fact that so many have enjoyed this remarkable part of the outback thanks to the ongoing pioneering spirit of the Terry family of Robin Hood Station.

We had one final thing to do before we ventured on our road trip and that was to enjoy the Outback sunset from the Quartz Blow – a short distance from the village and down a fairly rough track we found a beautiful spot to sit and watch the sky turning yellow, then pink and finally vivid red whilst enjoying a glass of wine, beer and some nibbles. A perfect end to a perfect day and a great finale for our friends from WA.

LONGREACH – THE HEART OF OUTBACK QUEENSLAND

On November 5, 2021 By alisonferryIn Australia, History, Travel1 Comment

PIONEERS, EXPLORING, GLAMPING AND HERITAGE

Each time we visit Longreach, we discover something new in this heritage area. It’s an easy town to get around, no crowds, no traffic and limitless horizons. The skies are always clear and the air is crisp in winter and warm in summer. There is a lot to experience and with limited time available to us, we planned ahead and made the most of every moment. The big excitement for the kids was the glamping experience!

Mitchell Grass retreat http://mitchellgrassretreat.com.au is a tented glamping resort close to town on the Muttaburra Highway. We have stayed in many African safari tents over the years and this one rates very highly and, in fact, is super luxurious! There are 15 canvas tents which are either King or twin size all with ensuites and a private deck. We loved the fire pit in front and at night the kids roasted marshmallows whilst watching the night sky. Breakfast baskets are delivered to your room each day and are delicious. Self catering is easy with a mini kitchenette fully equipped and a barbecue at each room.

The first night we chose to go to Smithy’s Outback Dinner and Show on the banks of the Thomson River. The dinner was delicious – camp oven themed with damper and billy tea or wine and beer – followed by a show on the river stage. The performer told stories and sang songs all with a country theme. His two border collie dogs, although not part of the show, sat quietly on the stage and captivated everyone!

The Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre was originally opened by the Queen in 1988 and was recently refurbished and reopened in April of this year. It has been modernised and has interactive and immersive experiences and is wonderful for all ages. It brings to life the rugged landscape of the outback, revealing the incredible and sometimes unknown stories of the everyday people who lived and worked on the stock routes. Allow lots of time for this!

After wandering around the museum for a couple of hours, it was nice to sit down in the outdoor theatre and watch the Outback Stockman’s Show. The Showman, Lachie Cosser tells the story of real life stockmen and women who work on the land today as well as telling tales of what it was like in the past. He had working dogs, horses, sheep and a quiet bull to entertain us and his young son gave a whip cracking display. http://stockmanshalloffame.com.au

After a quick lunch in a very hip cafe serving both vegan and cafe style meals, we headed to the Qantas Founders Museum http://qfom.com.au. With so many different tours and experiences, it is important to book ahead. I was particularly interested in the main museum and the Catalina Display – these displays tell the story of Qantas from the outback days and what life was like in 1920’s outback Queensland to the present day. With so much to see – oral displays, video talks, artifacts and interactive exhibits you could easily spend a couple of hours here before going to the Aviation Park and walking through various aircraft.

Best time to visit this lovely outback town is probably in the winter months – at least for me – and we will definitely be back to check out some of the experiences we didn’t have time to do! I can honestly say that here there is something for everyone.

PRE-HISTORIC LIFE IN WESTERN QUEENSLAND

On October 6, 2021 By alisonferryIn Australia, History, TravelLeave a comment

Dinosaurs and more dinosaurs!

The Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History is located 24 km south of Winton on the “Jump Up”. Locals know this term but I discovered that The Jump-Up is a large mesa plateau that is approximately 270m above sea level and stands 75m above the surrounding land and forms part of a mesa formation called the Vindex Range. Like much of the Winton Shire, the Jump-Up is part of the Winton Formation, which is dated around 95-98 million years old.

We decided to go early so we could maximise our time taking in the various displays, movies and self guided walks as well as enjoying the stunning scenery and native flora and fauna. This museum holds the largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils in the world.

From the start we were amazed at the location – the museum complex sits on 1800 hectares of spectacular mesa plateau and the scenery is vast with lots of walking trails and wildlife.

This is also a working dinosaur museum with the most productive Fossil Preparation Laboratory in the Southern Hemisphere, so we headed to the lab first to gain a little insight into the life of these pre historic creatures and the area they lived in 1000 million years ago.

A short stroll later took us back to the award winning Reception area which opened in 2012 and contains a shop, cafe, staff facilities and a Holotype room, also known as the Collection Room. Designed to blend into the surrounding Jump-Up rock, the building takes on the earthy hues and textures of the surrounding landscape. The concrete walls of the building were coloured and stamped with latex mats that were moulded from the rock surface of the Jump-Up rock. A life sized, 5m long bronze statue of Australovenator (“Banjo”) stands at the entrance to the Reception Centre.

The Collection Room is fitted with audio visual equipment which complements the guided tours by showing animation footage of western Queensland’s dinosaurs. This was fascinating and the children were captivated especially as the footage consists of excerpts from the documentary Monsters in the Outback – the video of which the kids watched in the car prior to our visit.

Then we hopped on the Noble Express shuttle – a little bus which took us to the Dinosaur Canyon Outpost and the March of the Titanosaurs exhibition.

The Outpost is perched on the cliff overlooking Dinosaur Canyon and includes 300 metres of elevated concrete pathway throughout the gorge below. Five outdoor galleries are positioned along the pathway, which resembles a treetop walk as it winds throughout massive boulders and thick vegetation below the rim of a gorge. The Dinosaur Canyon exhibits recreate life as it would have appeared during the Cretaceous Period including: Dinosaur Stampede, Pterodactylus Family, Kunbarrasaurus ieversi, Death in the Billabong and Valley of the Cycads. Australia’s first International Dark-sky sanctuary is here and the building is currently under construction. When finished it will be called the Gondwana Stars Observatory and will enable visitors to see the quality of the dark night skies without any threats due to its remote location.

The March of the Titanosaurs exhibition is in a purpose built room which is temperature controlled and displays a 54 metre long Snake Creek tracksite which was discovered on a property near Winton.

The tracksite was made when herds of sauropods roamed western Queensland, when the landscape was covered in temperate rainforests and muddy billabongs. The tour guide showed examples of footprints and other animal prints of a diverse ecosystem that included lungfish, small mammals, turtles, crocodiles, ornithopods and tiny therapods.

Outside was a life sized dinosaur with its young – something else to impress young and old alike!

There is much to see and do hee so my advice is spend the day, take a picnic and try not to cram everything in at once. We were lucky to be there in August when the weather is beautiful – and loved this sign ….

I have no doubt that we will return to this fascinating part of Outback Queensland, after all it is right on our doorstep!

View of the Jump Up from the road into Winton.

THE DINOSAUR TRAIL

On September 23, 2021 By alisonferryIn History, TravelLeave a comment

DISCOVERIES IN NORTH WEST QUEENSLAND – Richmond and Winton

Children the world over have all loved or been fascinated by Dinosaurs at some point in their childhood. With current Covid restrictions, we are limited as to where we can go but fortunately we live in Queensland, Australia and so it was a no brainer to have a little road trip and discover some of Australia’s dinosaur history.

Our first stop was in Richmond, a small outback town some 490 km from Townsville and with a population of around 648 people. Once part of the vast inland sea in pre-historic times it is best known for its marine fossil discoveries and is a service centre for the surrounding pastoral industries. A small, privately owned museum named Kronosaurus Korner was our main focus and is well worth a visit. Here you can step back in time and watch prehistoric creatures come to life. Most of the collection in the museum were donated by local graziers, often discovered whilst mustering cattle and working the land. These marine fossils from the Early Cretaceous period include the 100-115 million year old (Aptian–Albian) remains of marine reptiles, dinosaurs, pterosaurs, birds, fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods, gastropods, bivalves, echinoderms, plants and trace fossils.

It is worth watching the short movie before self guiding through the museum as everything is well explained and the visit is really enjoyable – our little folk loved it all and took great delight in telling us all about what happened millions of years ago!

Life sized models are outside the museum and are a real drawcard.

Richmond takes pride in it’s “tidy town” title and it is certainly that. We loved the wide streets and colourful bougainvillea down the centre as well as the public rubbish bins cleverly disguised as dinosaurs!

After a comfortable night at the Ammonite Motel and breakfast in a small ‘at home’ restaurant located in an old Queenslander, we hit the road to Winton.

As part of the great inland sea millions of years ago, it is awe inspiring to drive along the endless straight road framed with colours of the outback. The blue sky, red gravel road, various hues of green and gold of the grasses make a beautiful picture and sometimes it is possible to see stock casually roaming the vast land. Winton is 278 kms from Richmond which made for an easy drive. A small outback town, it is known as the birthplace of “Waltzing Matilda” as well as the Dinosaur capital of Australia and the birthplace of Qantas. The main street of the town is wide and well kept with an attractive garden down the centre strip and iconic images throughout.

To give us a sense of history in this town, we decided to stay at the North Gregory Hotel which has been hosting visitors since 1899. However over the years the hotel was destroyed by two fires and was finally rebuilt in 1955. This hotel is a true Aussie battler, surviving fires, drought, and hardship, and was affectionately named Queen of the Outback. It was here at the Gregory on April 6, 1895, that Australia’s unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda, was played in public for the first time. During the 1920s, secret meetings took place at the hotel, as Winton locals met to form a small airline called QANTAS. The 36th president of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, stayed here when his plane was forced to land in the Outback during World War 2.

It was an easy walk to the Waltzing Matilda Centre which is the world’s first museum dedicated to a single song! Banjo Patterson wrote the words to the song and here we learned about his life as well as much, much more about the music. The children were fascinated to see Long Playing records as well as various types of players.

In keeping with the musical theme, we next visited the Musical Fence. This is the first permanent musical fence in the world and was designed by percussionist and composer Graeme Leak. It is a wire fence installation that can be played as a musical instrument and visitors of all ages are welcome to “have a bash” and create some music – and fun!

A small museum dedicated to dinosaurs is also on the main street and is worth a visit especially if you don’t get time to visit the new Australian Age of the Dinosaurs museum located just out of town. Here at the small museum life sized models of these pre historic creatures gives you a sense of the enormity of the living beings of the era.

Next it was time to visit the wonderful new museum “The Australian Age of the Dinosaurs” which is the subject of the next post.

RAVENSWOOD – A GHOST TOWN

On July 15, 2020July 15, 2020 By alisonferryIn Australia, History, TravelLeave a comment

It has been a few months since the last blog thanks to Covid 19 and all the restrictions placed on us. At the start of the year I imagined the travel side of this blog would be all about Iceland. Our trip was booked, the wedding planned and all was in place – until the Pandemic struck! So, we are biding our time and hopefully will be able to get to Iceland in the future.

Meantime we are exploring our own backyard and last weekend we did a little road trip to Ravenswood. This charming heritage listed township is 89 kilometres west of Charters Towers and was once a thriving gold mining town. There are lots of stories and history is at every turn you make. Apparently in 1868 whilst mustering cattle, a local pastoralist by the name of Marmaduke Curr stopped to have a drink of water from Elphinstone Creek and saw specks of gold at the bottom of his pannikin. The area quickly became part of the gold rush. IN the boom era there were over 50 pubs and a population of over 5000. Today it is a virtual ghost town with a population of around 255.

We set off on the 130 km drive from Townsville on an all bitumen road. Recent rains had turned the country into a palette of greens and small farms with Brahmin cattle are interspersed along the route. An hour and a half later we drove into the historic town.

It was quiet and the first stop we made was at the Miner’s cottage – on the right in the above picture. This was a brief history lesson for Bea – age 9 – who has not spent a lot of time in the bush and who was fascinated in the lives of the children at that time.

The last time I was here was years ago with my daughter’s school class and we visited the school at the time. Bea was intrigued to know it was a one teacher school, with all students from years 1 – 7 in the same room and taught by the same teacher! Then there were about 17 students in total.

The old cottage is original and displays how the miner and his family would have lived in the late 1800’s.

The kitchen was an eye opener, as was the bedroom. Seeing this made young Bea thankful for what she has at home!

Outside was the laundry and the outhouse – I had to marvel at the fortitude of the pioneers, both male and female, who sacrificed so much to live the dream of finding that large gold nugget. For many it was hardship and disappointment and for others there was success in measured amounts. This is related as well at the local cemetery where gravestones tell of mining and horse accidents, illness and child influenza. Pioneers came from all over the world in search of a new life and many descendants are still in the area.

The old London Mine built between 1903 and 1915 consists of a headframe with mullock heaps to the north and south. Today we can walk to the entrance and stare down and imagine the miners toiling in impossible circumstances years ago. There are old chimneys, rusting machinery and old shafts throughout the town making the journey an informative one, especially for eager young minds.

The quaint shops – no longer trading – show some of the merchandise that would have been available at the time. A fun thing to do is to pose for a photograph outside and imagine you are out for a Sunday stroll in the early part of the century, dressed in your Sunday best and carrying a parasol for the sun. Note the bag of money held by the male!

We had lunch at the historic Railway hotel where little has changed. There are some original fittings and furniture, the ceilings are pressed metal and there are large french doors opening onto the verandas at the side. It is possible to stay here and during the winter season it becomes quite busy with passing travellers keen to experience a night in the old town – along with ghosts and wildlife!

We had a delicious home cooked lunch here and wallowed in the feeling of yesteryear.

On the way home we stopped at the White Blow Environmental park which is about 4km from town along the road to Ayr. The large quartz outcrop is a prominent feature of the park and is about 15 metres in height with a diameter of 45 meters and is the largest of several masses of quartz in the area. The quartz is estimated to be about 300 million years old.

We took the road to Ayr which gave us spectacular views of the Leichhardt ranges and was devoid of any traffic. We did see wildlife, including this curious little fellow out for a munch of newly grown grass.

Ravenswood Roo

An easy day trip and a little bit different. Now to explore some more although the island calls this weekend!

ORPHEUS ISLAND, WHALES AND CLASSICAL MUSIC

On September 1, 2019September 1, 2019 By alisonferryIn Australia, TravelLeave a comment

It has been a busy few months since we returned from our road trip and sadly the blog has been neglected. However, in a couple of weeks we are travelling to Japan for a month and so blogging will, once again, be on the agenda. Meanwhile I thought I would reflect on a fabulous little trip I took in July to our beautiful Orpheus Island on the Great Barrier Reef.

July is a wonderful month here in North Queensland. It is winter and the weather is glorious with days of around 25C and cool nights. There are many festivals and events planned for this time of year and one of my favourite is the Australian Festival of Chamber Music ( http://afcm.com.au ). Now in its 29th year this Festival brings musicians from all over the world to perform here in Townsville in a variety of venues ranging from an intimate space at The Ville for Conversations and Music, to full blown concerts at the Civic Theatre as well as performances in Cathedrals, Schools, on Magnetic Island and even in the street. A firm favourite, though, is the day trip to Orpheus Island, a small, secluded island in the middle of the Palm Island group about two hours from Townsville. Here a few musicians play on the beach – their ‘stage’ being between large granite rocks, on the sand and shaded by large trees opposite the ocean with fantastic fringing coral all around. The audience can choose to either sit on the beach or the rocks to listen – or even to swim and watch the whole event from the warm waters of the Reef.

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This part of the island is set apart from the very exclusive resort and the ferry arrives at Yanks Jetty onto the small beach at Hazard Bay. The trip across from Townsville passes several small islands, mostly uninhabited, and it is here that we watch for whales. The Humpbacks come to this region every year to calve and fatten up the babies before returning to Antarctica in November to spend the summer months there. This year was no different, we were lucky to see three of these magnificent creatures.

Excitement builds and everyone goes onto the top deck to try and spot the mother and calf – then suddenly she is there, right in front of you!

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It is hard to leave the whales but the Captain has to start up the motors and continue on to our destination. After all, we were all there for the concert (as well as the whales!). Once at the island everyone wanders onto the beach and selects a spot to sit – either in the shade or in the sun and just relax.

Some decide to swim or snorkel – but for me, having lived in the tropics for a long time, it was a bit chilly this year!

Among the performers was Wu Man – who played an ancient Chinese instrument called the Pipa – note the improvised music stand!

Rachel Clegg played the oboe, Roberto Carillo-Garcia was a dream on the guitar, Sally Walker was on the flute and Martin Kuuskmann played the bassoon. They were all excited about this unusual venue for the concert and loved the informality of it all.

For these musicians, who hailed from the UK, Canary Islands, China/USA and Estonia/USA, the whole experience was one they will never forget.

Imagine sitting on a rock to listen to world class musicians! Or testing the water before you settle down to sublime music….

Last year even the artists themselves couldn’t resist the water

Finally it is time to board the boat and head back to town – along the way a fabulous dinner is served along with fine wines and small, tasty desserts.

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Farewell Orpheus – until next year!

FROM THE OUTBACK TO THE COAST AND HOME

On June 5, 2019June 5, 2019 By alisonferryIn History, TravelLeave a comment

Our last leg before home and quite a few kilometres to put in front of us yet but the roads are straight and there is little traffic compared to the coast road, so it is easier driving. We take breaks very couple of hours and at Coonamble stopped for a picnic by the (dry) river which was one of our favourite meals – sushi and sashimi from a sushi bar in Dubbo.

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Country folk are proud of their towns and so many in this area have large, ugly wheat or grain silos by the side of the road. One way to brighten up the vista is to engage an artist to create “Painted Silos”. One very good example is at Weethalle where the art beckons you almost from the horizon!

It would be worthwhile doing a road trip just checking out all the painted silos!

On the Queensland border we found a typical outback pub – corrugated iron and hitching rails but with so much character. This one is at Hebel and there were several old timers contemplating the world problems over the never ending glasses of beer!

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Soon it became dark and this always poses a problem whilst driving in the country as the kangaroos, wallabies, goats and sometimes pigs wander onto the sealed road or are attracted by the car lights. There is always road kill at the side of the road so the message is “don’t drive at night” . Nevertheless the sunsets in the outback are glorious and this one was no different.

The clouds seemed to set the horizon alight, everything was still and it was total magic watching the colours change quite quickly before the sun dipped over the horizon altogether.

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We spent the night in St George and had dinner at the local pub where the message was very clear to all and sundry

The next day we had a short break at Surat – a small rural town on the Balonne river and which has become known for its fishing and its park along the banks of the river.

The area around is scenic and there are vast reserves of oil in the Surat Basin – as the website states: “Hydrocarbons in this part of the Surat Basin are generated in the underlying Bowen Basin Permian sequence and are liquids rich. Oil is also trapped in the Triassic age Showgrounds Sandstone and in the Jurassic Age Evergreen Formation. It is estimated that the “potential recoverable resources” are between 200,000 and 300,000 barrels.”

Our final stop just before we reached home was in the historic town of Charters Towers. Beautiful heritage buildings line the main street and this is where the first stock exchange in Australia was built in 1888 and is indicative of the rise and fall of fortunes in the Charters Towers goldfields. Today it is an Arcade of shops and cafes and is a perfect spot for a light lunch before resuming one’s journey.

It has been a wonderful trip and an eye opening insight to the vastness of Australia. We covered 17,500kms in just 7 weeks and yet there is more to see and experience. What will remain foremost in our minds are the long, straight roads, the vast open country, rolling hills and fertile farmlands, cotton balls by the side of the road in the cotton growing area, the never ending sunsets both on the coast and in the outback, the Nullarbor cliffs and coastline, oysters and seafood, road trains and fabulous Kakadu as well as all the Aboriginal history throughout the whole country. There are termite mounds by the thousands, millions of sheep and lambs, wallabies and wildlife and, of course, the fabulous little country towns and the welcoming people in every place. This is Australia!

I can’t wait to go again!

ON THE ROAD WITH MORE VINES AND OLIVES

On May 31, 2019 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

The Road Trip continues with over 14,000kms clocked up so far, we are feeling a little weary but still eager to discover and revisit places in South Australia. Heritage towns definitely appeal and so we stopped at Burra – a small pastoral town in the mid north. It began as a mining township in 1851 and at one time supplied 5% of the world’s copper for 15 years. People came from Cornwall, Wales, Scotland and Germany to work in the mines which closed in 1981. It is a beautifully preserved town and it is here that the Burra Charter was adopted – this outlines the best practice standard for cultural heritage in Australia.

Beautiful autumn colours are everywhere.

The parks and gardens are relaxing and well maintained and tiny old miners’ cottages surround the lake in the middle of town.

As we drove on the farming practices changed from wheat and sheep to vines and olives. Beautiful trees line the highway and it is hard to believe this is the main thoroughfare to the city of Adelaide.

Another pretty little town is Myponga – a very strange name and not easily forgotten! Here we have a friend who grows olives and makes the most delicious olive oil and it is always a treat to visit.

This time we had a picnic by the newly named Lake John – in memory of an old friend who loved this farm and is no longer with us.

Delicious fare of cold chicken, salads, cheeses and, of course, olives!

Not far from Myponga is the attractive little town of Victor Harbour which is on the coast and where, from the waterfront, horse drawn trams cross the causeway to Granite Island, home to a wild penguin colony.

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The beach is covered in seaweed at this time of year – perhaps another gourmet experience if it could be harvested and marketed for our palates!

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However, the parks and beaches are wonderful for recreation and relaxation.

It was time to start heading north again and this time we drove along the Murray River seeing the views from the cliffs rather than on the water as we had done in a houseboat three years ago.

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When it came time for a break we stopped at the river’s edge for a picnic and enjoyed the peace of the river and the birds.

As we came closer to the New South Wales border, once again vines appeared and there were acres and acres of them as well as orchards and fruit processing plants.

This area is home to the Murrumbidgee river, a major tributary of the Murray River and the second longest in Australia. We found another quiet spot for a break here.

Now we are on the last leg of our trip and home beckons – but we have more than 1,350kms to go!

FROM OYSTERS TO VINEYARDS

On May 26, 2019May 26, 2019 By alisonferryIn History, TravelLeave a comment

Another long, straight road awaited us for the next leg of the road trip – this time to finish with the Oyster Trail and get on to the vineyards. A nice combination – oysters and wine!

Last stop on the Oyster road is Cowell – a pretty little town on the eastern side of the Eyre Peninsula and situated on Franklin Harbour. The waters are sheltered and are very popular for fishing – and oysters. We found a shack close to the jetty which supplies oysters to various outlets in the town. On entering we found the proprietor busy shucking the oysters which had just come in from the bay – so without further ado we purchased a couple of dozen and together with fresh lemons and in a cardboard box, we found a table in the park and indulged for lunch! The verdict? Excellent!

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Our overnight stop on the way to the Clare Vallety Vineyards was the port town of Whyalla. Named Hummock Hill in 1802 by Matthew Flinders, the town’s name officially changed to Whyalla in 1902 which is an Aboriginal name possibly meaning “water place”. The steel industry here is over 100 years old but fishing is also of primary appeal. We were there just before sunset and went up to Hummocks Hill – a local lookout – to witness the change of colours.

The next day the road was clear and, for a lot of the way, was backed by the beautiful Flinders Ranges.

We drove through many little towns and villages but the one which captured us was Crystal Brook. This quiet rural service centre is in the heart of South Australia’s most productive sheep and wheat country and has retained its charming historical links.

Beautiful shady peppercorn trees line the main street and there are several art pieces in iron, reminders of the part the camels played in this part of the country in the early years.

The Clare Valley is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions where there are heritage towns, boutique wineries, galleries and beautiful scenery. We had booked lunch at the Skillogallee Winery where we had been before. The vineyards here are resting – grapes picked and wine made but the vineyards still looked beautiful.

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The road to the boutique winery is shady and winding at the end of which is the restaurant which seats both indoors as well as in the garden.

The menu features local produce with wine suggestions matched with each dish. Unable to resist the sashimi, I had, yet again, fabulous South Australian Kingfish and tuna served in a very artistic way.

Then came the wine tasting and purchasing – thank goodness we had a large car !

Staying in a little apartment in the centre of the town, we were perfectly placed for a choice of restaurants in the evening. And that is what you do in these regions – eat great food and drink fabulous wine!

THE OYSTER TRAIL AND PORT LINCOLN

On May 24, 2019May 24, 2019 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

Ceduna is the first major town at the end of the Nullarbor and its pristine waters produce excellent oysters and other quality seafood. It is also the start of the Oyster Drive which goes south to Port Lincoln and up the coast to Cowell. We endeavoured to taste the oysters – which all taste very different – at each place!

First stop was Thevenard -four kilometres from Ceduna – where we found a little shack shucking fresh oysters for $12 dozen – so with a couple of dozen in the car we headed for a spot by the ocean to indulge. They were good – very good!

Next it was off to Smoky Bay, a small settlement where the oysters are also excellent but of a different taste altogether.

Streaky Bay was our overnight stop and here we witnessed one of the most beautiful, calm sunsets we have seen yet. We walked along the jetty whee the locals were trying their luck fishing and the pelicans were ever hopeful!

As the sun set and the shadows deepened the reflections became more dramatic.

Of course, more oysters were on the menu along with King George Whiting and Blue Swimmer Crab.

Next morning more beautiful coastal scenery awaited us at Sceale Bay which is a tiny community and is known for fishing and holiday recreations. The permanent population is 40 and that can triple in holiday periods;

Coffin Bay is renowned for oysters and on the drive to our favourite restaurant there – 1802 Restaurant – we came across Murphy’s Haystacks which just appears out of nowhere on the landscape. This 1500 million year old geological wonder is one of the most visited locations on the Eyre Peninsula and is actually on private property. The unique form of pillars and boulders dates back 100,000 years and are ancient wind worn inselbergs.

They were buried by calcareous dunes about 30,000 years ago and subsequent erosion has revealed the pink granite forms standing on the hilltop today.

The local legend is that coach driver Charlie Mudge named Murphy’s Haystacks following a remark by a Scottish agricultural advisor who saw the landmark in the distance whilst travelling on the mail coach. Shimmering like haystacks in the hot afternoon sun, he was very impressed with the sight and remarked “that man must harrow, look at all the hay he has saved!”

At Venus Bay we went to the Needle Eye Lookout for amazing views of towering rugged cliffs and beautiful beaches as well as pounding, rolling surf.

Here we spotted a pod of dolphins frolicking and playing in the surf. An artist has carved his work on the granite rocks at the top of the cliff reminding everyone that this is tuna fishing territory.

More oysters awaited at Coffin Bay – and I have to admit that these are my favourite. Not too large and salty, they are delicious and can be prepared in a variety of ways.

Followed by raw tuna Asian style

This place is an absolute must for anyone travelling along the Eyre Peninsula. The town is sleepy but swells in holiday periods. Lots of pelicans keep you company!

Port Lincoln was our final stop for the day. This is a seafood lovers paradise with, it is said, the cleanest, freshest and most sought after seafood in the world. Prized for its superb quality in sushi and sashimi, the majority of the southern bluefin tuna is exported to Japan with some available locally. We decided to take a boat trip in Boston Bay to view the tuna and kingfish farms – now a multi million dollar business for the town. The Marina is busy with fishing boats coming and going, some to catch sardines to feed the tuna in the farms, others to catch prawns and other fish.

The farms are situated in the bay and the tuna are grown there before being caught and exported once they reach the required size.

Seabirds know when it is feeding time!

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Mussels are also grown out here and are serviced daily by the fishermen.

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We took a little detour to an island where there is an enormous number of seabirds living alongside seals lots of seals many of which were having a roll about in the water.