Monday 24 December 2018

Merry Christmas 2018

Flowering Gum - in time for Christmas

It's a bit different here Downunder at Christmas, no snow, just lovely blue skies and high temperatures and I love it.
I think we have been inundated with too many movies and television programmes about white christmases which I would love to experience, but in reality our Christmas here in Australia is way different.  Many people still do a hot dinner with pudding but I think it is way too hot for cooking on the day so I usually cook a variety of meats on Christmas Eve, and we have them cold with salads.  I sometimes do an icecream Christmas pudding and always have pavlova and a fresh fruit salad and icecream.
We are having a very quiet Christmas Day this year but will have all the family here on Boxing Day.  It will be very different from most of my Christmases and it has taken me a while to get used to the idea of not having the family here but on the positive side I will be able to sit and relax and perhaps even have a "nanna nap" after lunch before going to our daughter's for tea.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and hope you can spend it with those that you love and if not, then I  hope you are able to enjoy the day doing what you love.



Tuesday 19 June 2018

A few days bush camping in Willow Waters Gorge, Flinders Ranges




Willow Waters Gorge

We left Farina after 3 lovely, sunny days but very cold nights and headed south to our next 3 days at Willow Waters Gorge.  We pre-booked as the camping area is on private property so we called in to the homestead and paid for 3 nights and our bag of chopped wood which they delivered to us.  
When we arrived it was quite cold even though the sun was peeking through the clouds and we were hopeful of some sunny days.  There are only a few sites on the property so it is not crowded with campers and it is lovely to be able to camp in such a beautiful place.  
There are no facilities provided so campers have to be self contained and it is important to leave the area as found and to not collect any firewood from the property.  
It is a privilege to be able to camp on this lovely property which has been in their family for  5 generations.
There is a 4WD track that takes you further into the property and past some ruins of the original homestead.  We booked for this self drive trip and collected the key and took ourselves off on the trip and had a great drive.  It is only about 13 km round trip but took us about 3 hours as we stopped along the route to look around and have some lunch.


A good view from here

We made it to the top

Now the descent back to our camp site

One of the locals



A view from the 4WD track

Another view


Ruins of the original farmhouse

Abandoned items scattered around the ruins






View on the Willow Waters 4WD track 



Enjoying the campfire

This view was taken from our caravan door

View from behind our van

Taken on road into the property

Road into Willow Waters Gorge



Monday 18 June 2018

Flinders Ranges Trip 2018

Carrieton is a small town about 300 km from Adelaide on the RM Williams Highway in the Flinders Ranges.

Our first night away was at the caravan park in Carrieton.  The caravan park is in the old school grounds and has all the amenities needed as well as lovely views of the countryside.  The best camp kitchen/lounge/tv area we have seen in all our travels, especially on a very cold night as the wood burner heater was particularly welcome.  Simon & Mel did a great job stoking the fire with plenty of wood for us and we had a great night with the other campers there.

Carrieton Caravan Park


An old pump outside the Carrieton Hotel


Carrieton Hotel - now closed
Ron and  an old tractor in Carrieton

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Mosaics on another wall in Carrieton

Galahs settle for the night

Mosaics on wall in Carrieton
We travelled on after our stopover at Carrieton, through Cradock, Leigh Creek, Lyndhurst and then to Farina.

Farina is located within the Lake Eyre Basin and is about 600 km from Adelaide.  The town is no longer inhabited but the Farina Restoration Group is doing a great job of restoring some of the old buildings including the underground bakery.  The volunteers have put up signs and notice boards explaining the work and the descriptions of many of the remaining buildings.
Ron standing under the Standard Gauge railway bridge in Farina

Farina ruins

Farina ruins

The Farina Bakery is very popular

The Transcontinental Hotel is being restored

Patterson's House - reproduction building to be used as an Information Centre

The road into Farina


Relaxing at Farina campsite after a long drive

We saw a large number of emus along the road

Almerta Farm Stay between Carrieton & Cradock

View from the car as we travelled to Farina
Corellas at dusk at Farina
Sundown and an early night

Enjoying our camp fire
Our campsite at Farina was great, at the far end of the camping ground near the fence to the Station.  As the camp ground was quite full when we arrived we didn't have many choices, but it was very quiet with no immediate neighbours.  Each day we had emus come very close, just on the other side of the fence, to drink from the water pipe.  We also had 2 buzzards come in on 2 days as well as many finches, and kangaroos so sitting outside we were entertained by the visitors.

One of the visitors

Another kangaroo

When we first saw this bird we thought it was an eagle but checked our bird book and fairly sure it is a buzzard

The buzzard came in a few times but was very cautious & didn't drink straight away


Just taking off

Up up and away

Farina campground from the War Memorial Hill.  Our site is on the far left.

A great sunset from the Hill

Another view of our campsite


A lovely sunset at Farina
We drove from Farina to Marree for lunch at the hotel and to have another look around.  The road was a fairly good dirt road but if anyone passed us we were concerned about getting windscreen damage, but luckily we were ok.  We had a good meal at the pub and then looked around the Tom Kruse Museum which is part of the hotel.  Although we knew a lot of his story this Museum had more information and heaps of old photos as well as memorabilia and the video was showing of his life.
The Marree Hotel

The platform at Marree

View one way from the middle of the platform

The Lake Eyre Yacht Club- another interesting place to look around.
Emu drinking - interesting pose!

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