One Week Away in Eden

After we finally got the car back late Friday night, Tony arrived home at about 6pm, we decided that we probably wouldn't leave Saturday morning but maybe go on Sunday.  Revived a little after morning coffee so decided to leave late Saturday.

All packed and ready to go at 3.30pm, followed the GPS and headed out the back towards Pakenham way.

Stopped in Sale for the night and I am sure it was the same caravan park we stayed in 37 or 38 years ago.  Tony was working in Sale for two weeks so we all went and stayed in the caravan park in a tent and the park hasn't really upgraded much since then.

Sunday we drove on and stopped in Bairnsdale for morning tea and lunch in Orbost and then on to Eden.  After setting up, we needed to go and get something for dinner until the fish man came around and we bought some fresh ling of him so we had that with salad.

This caravan park has so many people in it and kids.  Haven't seen this many tents in a caravan park for a very long time, probably not since we used to camp on the foreshore in McCrae.

Today (Monday) we went for a walk on the wharf and then to the Killer Whale Museum, shopping then back to the wharf and the fresh fish shop for some more fish for dinner.  Had a swim in the beach which the caravan park backs onto and then a swim in the pool.

 

Palm Valley

Wow.  138 k's west of Alice Springs,  a nice drive out and then on the dirt roads again through Finke Gorge National Park about 4 k's from Palm Valley there is a little bit of serious 4wd. A little over 320 k's, a short drive!

The palm trees were counted by scientists in 1993 and there were 12,328, this was done again in 2008 and there were 9037 counted.  No Terradactyl's, Ron, but...…. if you listen you can hear something rustling in the trees.

There were two walks you could do, we did the longer one which was just shy of 5 k's with a lot of climbing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monument to Albert Namatjira

 

John Flynn's grave

 

The original stone on Flynn's grave was transported from the Devils Marbles which was a sacred women's site and they wanted it back.  There were discussions for over 20 years and the stone was returned and a replacement found.

 

Lots more photos, too many to put on here.

 

Just had the last of our Quandong pies which we bought in Copley on the way to Marree.

 

Julie and Tony

 

 

 

Upwey to Alice Springs 2nd - 8th September 2018

We left Upwey just after 8.30 am on Sunday 2nd September 2018 (Father's Day), easy travelling with stops for morning tea and lunch and then stopping late afternoon at Tailem Bends and yes we used a caravan park being the done thing in that area.  The caravan park mmmmm, found a better one further down the road the next day.

We stayed in Port Augusta the next night, a little further on than we meant to go but needed a supermarket.  Next morning we went back and through Crystal Brook, then Quorn, Hawker and onto Marree.

From the time we reached Hawker, we had no phone reception, which continued right through until just before Coober Pedy

We were told by the owners of the park that it was compulsory to be at the campfire for fivses and damper.  The damper was made in a camp oven and was lovely (I have the recipe)

Our campsite

 

This is the laundry

 

 

Sunset

 

We spent our first day driving to Lake Eyre on a dirt road, Tony had heard that there was water there in June, at the moment it is very dry.

 

A little hard to read but it is about Donald Campbell 

Just Me next to the sign

 

The next day we moved on from Marree via the Oodnadatta Track to William Creek, stopped for about 10 minutes then moved on.  Did take some photos.  The trip to William Creek and then turning left onto William Creek Road to Coober Pedy a long drive, all up it was about 380 k's of dirt road, we bumped along.

 

The above photos are all from William Creek.  The Ghan used to run along the Oodnatatta Track.

 

Spent the night in Coober Pedy and then the next night at Erldunda and arrived in Alice Springs this afternoon.  We are staying at the Temple Bar Caravan Park just outside of Alice.

 

The above photos are where we had morning tea at the Finke River

 

Temple Bar Caravan Park

 

That's all for now, it is late and I need to cook dinner.

 

Julie and Tony

 

 

 

 





 



Alpana to Peterorough

Yes it is Alpana not Angorichina.  Alpana is a homestead and they have a sheep station, they have powered sites with ensuite which is where we stayed. 

Our Campsite at Alpana

View of the mountains

Blinman Hotel which is closed.

After we arrived we went for a drive through the Glass Gorge, which is named after George Glass who was employed in the mid 1800's to built the road through the Gorge and the remains of his hut are at the end of the Gorge.  Continuing on the road at the end of the Gorge you eventually come to Angorichina Village (the only place you can get petrol, unless you go back to Wilpena).

 

There were other people camped near us and they invited us for 5's at Sunset Lookout which is on the property.  We drove up to the lookout and had drinks and watched the sunset.  The others left after the sun went down except for one other man and the three of turned around and watched the moon rise.  Great sight.

The Sunset

The Moon Rising

The next day we did the 4WD to Mt Samuel which is partly on the property, we had to go through Glass Gorge again and the whole trip was 70k which would take approx. 4-5 hours.  The views were spectacular and we also had to go through Mt Buggery Gorge.

Part of the wall built to maintain the road so that it didn't get washed away

Tony letting the tires down before our drive



Part of the drive through Mt Buggery Gorge (dry riverbed) 

Driving through the Gorge

Another photo of the Gorge

Certificate we received for driving Mt Buggery Gorge



The Gorge was great 4WDing.  Near the end of the drive we decided to go to Paralchina where we had a Quandong Tart and a drink at the pub.

Paralchina Hotel

Main Street of Paralchina

When we arrived back at camp Tony decided to have a relax.

Tony having a cigar

Friday we left and headed back to Peterborough for two nights and tomorrow Sunday we are leaving and will stay in Ouyen for a night.

Julie & Tony

Wilpena Pound to Angorichina

On Sunday we walked through the Pound to Hill's Homestead which from the centre is 6.6k return.  We started from our van, walked to the homestead and then to Wangara Lookouts which was approx. 8k return.

The homestead

Echidna we saw on our way to the Homestead 

Another view of the homestead

Tony at the top of the lookout

Monday we went for a drive and walk to Sacred Canyon and then to Stokes Lookout for lunch.  Also went for a drive to Rawnsley Park Station Resort to have a look, noticed there was a walk to Rawnsley Bluff, had a look at the sign and decided not to go as it was a 5 hour walk and it was already afternoon.

Aboriginal drawings at Sacred Canyon

Just packing up at the moment for our trip to Angorichina Station where we will be for three nights and no phone service.

Julie & Tony