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Our
planning for our outback Aussie journey started back in August last
year. The internet and our GPS was used extensively to plot our journey,
in the second month of our travel's we expect to arrive at the start
of the Birdsville Track. We have a large folder of all information
we could gather plus we were to speak to other Motorhomer's who had
recently completed the journey. We had made the decision to purchase a new tow vehicle and as we had such a excellent run with our old Suzuki we upgraded to a new Suzuki Grand Vitara 2008 model. This is when the shock started; to buy new the towing pack and have fitted was to cost $3300 or a secondhand unit that needed major modifications to fit the Suzuki Grand Vitara for $1800. As we had the previous tow pack for our old Suzuki manufactured locally we decided to go down that road again. To supply steel and manufacture and fit along with a new braking system whilst towing cost $706 inclusive, the costs were kept down by using the old Suzuki A-Frame and changing the towing hitch to the braking type. New shock absorbers plus two new front tyres fitted to the motorhome and change oils and filters and we are ready to head off. |
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Front
off Suzuki |
Towing
gear fitted |
Suzuki
under tow |
Being creatures
of habit we had the usual barbecue with our friends at Binalong Bay and
then headed off to Launceston the following day to do the final packing
and say farewell to our children and grand kids. On the way we dropped into Avoca and had a `cuppa with Peter (The Pom) and continued on to Launceston. We were to do our final check and have the family over for tea on the Friday night. |
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Liz in our cabin |
Melbourne 6:30am |
Green Lake at dusk |
Left
the lounge on the ship at around 11:30 and off to bed, before we knew
it we were being called to prepare for breakfast and embarkation. Sunday the 3rd What a wonderful trip again we only felt the ship roll a little as it came through the "Rip" at the head of Port Phillip Bay. Off the ship and out to Thornbury to see out latest grand child Lucas and Rob, Jenny and Ollie. We had breakfast and then hit the road for our first night out at Green Lake. We stopped at Heathcote for lunch and then back on the road. We were to notice how dry the countryside was and then we came upon hectare after hectare of grape vines with the main players in the vineyard industry well represented and then a few boutique vineyards, we noted that one vineyard still had heaps of grapes on the vine no doubt from the last season, what a waste. We arrived at the lake at around 2:30pm, we just relaxed for the rest of the day and had our first happy hour at the waters edge. There is plenty of bird life ranging from swallows to Major Mitchell galahs just to mention a few, we won't talk about the fly's which there was plenty of. There were a few out on the lake fishing and a few speed boats towing skier's, when they left the area it left three happy campers. After the sun dropped the fly's disappeared and we drifted inside for our evening meal and to watch the football and then have an early night. Kilometers travelled 185 Monday the 4th A sunny morning though a little chilly and there is not a cloud in the sky, it was a beautiful dawn, though I couldn't find the strength to leave the warm bed to take a photo. We didn't climb out of bed until 8am, the lake is showing a lot of reflections on its surface, quite beautiful. |
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The Moooooving Art Display on the outskirts of the Shepparton City Centre |
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We
then decided to go into Shepparton for a look around, being some fifty
kilometers from the lake it didn't take all that long in the Suzuki, arrived
around 10:30am. First stop was at Aldies. We strolled around the store
looking at prices and it was a little difficult to compare their prices
against their competitors for they do not stock the same brand names,
the locals must think it is cheap for the store was really full. We were
to buy a few items especially vegetables which were cheap along with eggs
and cheese as we do not need to stock the cupboards again as yet. We decided
to walk around the city centre the sun was shining brightly and it was
warm. The town is well set out and after doing a little window shopping buying a newspaper for the football results and having a look in cash converters we went back to the car and then headed down to Campbell's soups. Being some seven kilometers out of the city centre it is sometimes hard to locate, we arrived in time to sample the soup that was busily warming for those who shop in public store, this saved us buying lunch. Sometimes the prices they ask are dearer for the same brand and type in the supermarkets. We were to purchase some Kettle chips and soups and stocks for our stews etc further up the road. Back into Shepparton where we filled the empty drums with water and headed back to camp by the lake. On the way we stopped at the Moooooving Art display that displays many colourful cows and took some photo's, over all the years we have seen this display we have never stopped for a photo session. Then we headed back into Mooroopna and the SPC & Ardmona factory. The prices were good and we purchased spaghetti by the dozen, fettuccine, peaches, and a couple of chocolates, we just do not have more room in the motorhome or the Suzuki for food or any other item come to think of it; though it would be true to say we could find the room for a couple of cartons of beer. Back to the campsite at the lake and it was time for happy hour. |
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| Galahs taking off near lake | Black clouds in the western sky at Green Lake |
On the way back to camp
we stopped along the way to collect sticks etc for our fire, needless
to say there is not much wood available close to camp. We lit our fire
and then it was time for happy hour. There were plenty of Galahs flying
around and the sky was very overcast though it drifted off to the west
and left us to experience a red sunset. Set up the dish and tonight it
is to cold to sit outside so we will read and watch the tellie. |
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Tuesday the 5th  Another
cool sunny morning when we awoke, the lake was again showing many reflections
and the bird life was happily chirping away. The temperature in the motorhome
was 9 degrees though when using the gas stove for breakfast it soon warmed
the interior up to 13 degrees. Nothing on the menu today we are just relaxing
setting up camp for we have decided to stay until Thursday. So we
gathered water for the washing of clothes and then setting up the shower
tent and then boiled the water for our showers for later in the day.We do not have a lot of wood so we did not light our fire until lunch time, we had a nana and poppy nap after lunch and then our showers then read a few magazines. We spent considerable time checking out our next camping area in our camping book and the GPS. We intend to camp on the Murray River. I cant wait to get the yabby traps out and the rods to try and catch the elusive Murray River Cod. While we were doing this we were to see many swans and hear the strange calls that we normally associate with brolga's from the Northern Territory, though we do not believe they would be this far south, would they? In all a very lazy day spent in camp and after we had our evening meal we then watched the satellite television until we retired for the evening totally relaxed. Wednesday the 6th A wonderful morning, plenty of sun no wind and not a ripple on the lake, the temperature for the day was to stay at a steady 19 degrees until sunset. were were to watch the birds work the lake looking for food. We were to see for the first time seagulls arrive on the lake feeding in the late afternoon. Off we went and cut firewood for the day and save for a enough for a few days hence. The rest of the day was spent reading and just relaxing taking in the wonderful tranquility of the area. On lighting the fire after lunch we were to cook our tea of chicken in the camp oven, which we had cold with a little salad. We intend to move off in the morning heading for a camping spot on the Murray. We have enjoyed our stay at Green Lake Conservation Area the only downside being the amount of fly's. Had we been here any longer we would have erected our fly tent and not relied on head fly nets. This area would be well utilised during the summer and easter periods though it would open to wind which may make it a little unpleasant. Though in all it is a great place to set up camp and just relax there is just so many camping spaces to allow for personal freedom. Later in the day we started to dismantle our camp and pack away our gear. |
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| Our last morning at Green Lake | Water Tower Welcome at Cohuna |
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Thursday the 7th Out of bed early and had breakfast and admired the changing scenery as the sun rose, it certainly has been a very relaxing time though a little chilly at times. On the road and we were heading towards Cohuna to enter the Gunbower Island and our new camp area. Along the way we noticed the large water channels that dotted the countryside, you could see which farms were using irrigation on their land and those that didn't; their land was very dry and barren. It was sheep and cattle country and we saw many young new born lambs and again we wondered what they were eating, the soil was red and the roots of grass were all removed. We were to drive through many small towns that serviced the farming industry and before we knew it we arrived at Echuca; we did not spend a lot of time there and didn't go into the town centre or look at the old boats plying the Murray River having done that in recent years. Pushing on, the sun was beaming into the cab of the Motorhome making sure that we were warm and then we came across those screeching Corella's their screeching you could hear over the noise of the road and engine. |
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| Main Street Cohuna | Spot the fish behind Water Fountain at Cohuna |
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We arrived at Cohuna, their large water storage
tank that welcomes you some kilometers before you arrive in the town is
quite striking actually Off to the football ground to fill with water and then we parked up and walked the main street, We bought a few supplies and a couple of nice pork chops from the local butcher for our evening meal. Checked out the local IGA and prices were higher than we had experienced in the shops behind us. The town is also plastic bag free so we had to carry our goods back to the Motorhome. We then headed out to our camp area. |
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| Murray River near our camp | Our first meal cooked on camp fire |
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We missed the turn into the Gunbower Island
and had to turn around, when we were here some years ago we had learnt
the hard way that people had turned the direction signs around sending
you the wrong way. We set the GPS to get us to where we wanted to go and
sure enough nothing has changed. We finally arrived in the camping area
and due to the amount of Murray Gums it was obvious that it was not good
area for solar panels, we eventually opted for a nice camping spot where
the Murray seemed a little deeper near the boat launching area. We had
investigated a few other spots in the Suzuki and was somewhat surprised
to see the Murray River as low as it was, in places across the river you
see the bottom which appeared to be only about half a metre deep and in
other spots for the first time that we know of the river was shoaling,
how sad. On a brighter note we were to see some very large gray kangaroos
who came close to the river no doubt for water. We set up camp and though we have no phone we have at least the satellite dish setup and it will keep us in touch with the outside world.We set up the camp and lit the fire pot and cooked our evening meal which included the pork chops we purchased today. it appears to be a little warmer than our last camp which is great. A nice day with blue sky's and sun though later around 4pm clouds appeared and blocked out the sun. Tonight we intend to read before going off to bed. Kilometers travelled 132 |
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Friday the 8th What a buuuuuusy day. From the time we hopped out of bed we were making our camp just that little more comfortable, cut the wood with the chainsaw and put up the shower tent, restock the fridge's with the necessary happy hour refreshments and get the fishing gear ready. The rod was left on the bank as I had fitted a bell to the tip and it started jingling not long after hitting the water, no result just loss of bait. Bait up again and back to the camp which is some twenty metre's away  from
the banks of the Murray River. We gathered water and the washing was done
and hung out to dry and then we sat down and looked at the tourist blurb
for the area. We are currently camped on Gunbower Island which they state
is the largest inland Island in Australia, some 142 hectares in all with
over 100 individual camp sites. Time for lunch and we only had biscuits
and cheese and a cup of tea, then we took the car down the boat ramp and
gave it a good wash for it had picked up plenty of dust coming in behind
the Motorhome. We just bucketed water and threw it over the car and then
washed and chamois it down and then back to camp to read our books and
relax for the rest of the afternoon. No luck with the
fishing and before we knew it happy hour arrived and then we decided to
have minestrone soup for our evening meal accompanied with croutons and
parmesan cheese,very nice indeed.When we retired inside we watched the football and then went off to bed somewhat tired with the amount of things we did during the day, it being a beaut windless sunny day.It was a treat. |
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| Yellow Belly (Golden Perch) | Full moon rising when having our evening meal |
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Saturday the 9th A cloudless sky this morning and the sun was shining brightly, the early morning temperature was 9 degrees rising to 19 degrees later in the day. Today was a Laaaaazy Day just baited up the rod again. Spoke to some of the blokes that were launching their boats to go down river, one indicated that if he caught a Murray River Cod then he would give it to us. The size that is legal is 60cm and that is quite large, needless to say he wasn't to catch anything of that size so we excepted the gift of a yellow belly (Golden Perch) which we will have tomorrow night for our meal. We were to read our books and take in the beautiful tranquil weather, other parts of Victoria is experiencing rain and wind and luckily we are enjoying the opposite, I was really getting into my Clive Custler novel and it was time to wring the cloths to hang out to dry. We were to be visited by two Victorians who didn't have a clue how get off the Barmah Island and we know the as I have said the local blokes turn the direction signs around. We were able to draw them a map to get back to Cohuna and then they said they would then find their way back to the NSW side of the Murray River. The camp fire was going so we cooked our evening meal and stayed outside in the twilight enjoying the meal and the full moon rising over the river with all its reflections, there are mosquitoes here so we enjoyed our meal and didn't go inside until the football was about to commence. |
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| Liz taking calls for Mothers Day | Mothers Day Apple Crumble |
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Sunday the 10th |
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| Wharf onto Lake Boga | Catalina flying boat at Museum |
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We then arrived at Lake Boga and were shocked
to see there was not a skeric of water to be seen only wharves that stood
with no water around them, this lake has a history in that it was one
of the inland service areas for the Catalina flying boats in the second
world war. To think that this area was utilised for aircraft repair for
it was to far south for Japanese war planes to reach and there is not
a skeric of water to be seen! We then arrived in Swan Hill and as we had been here several times in the past we bypassed the city centre and headed out towards Mildura we were to come across camping spots that we had camped in previous years and then we turned off to Tooleybuc and then headed over the bridge into N.S.W. and then onto Kyalite looking for a suitable camp site on the river along the way there were many kilometers of ploughed paddocks for wheat and other grains. No luck see we headed back into Victoria and headed back towards Swan Hill and we came across a Reserve on the Murray River where we camped for the night. We had our usual happy hour and when twilight arrived we adjourned inside as I had set up the satellite dish to see how the budget is going to effect us, had our meal and after television we continued to read our books. Kilometers travelled 217 |
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| Pistachios trees in abundance | The Mighty Murray near our camp |
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Wednesday the 13th We slept in this morning and didn't get back on the road until nearly 10am, another nice morning though a few clouds in the distance. There was not much traffic on the highway though there seemed to be an exodus of Caravans heading towards Robinsvale. The countryside again was undulating and we were to come across our first Pistachio's orchard which seemed to go on kilometer after kilometer. At times we were driving very close to the Murray River with all their no camping signs; these areas appeared to have large pumping stations no doubt for the citrus and vineyard industry. We were heading for our next camp at Passage Camp and as we turned off the road we went in about five kilometers to be really disappointed with the camp area to many trees and the bank down to the river was to steep to fish or gather water for showers and washing. We came back on the highway by way of a farm road, the amount of butternut pumpkins and other pumpkins was unbelievable. There were bin after bin full of them by the sheds and there appeared to be as many still on the vines on the ground, the oranges appeared not quite ripe yet or were they left over's from the last harvest? Back on the road and we came across a small town and on its outskirts we saw a sign indicating State Forest and as the GPS showed the river nearby we decided to check out the tracks. Sure enough we found ourselves on the Murray and it didn't take long to find a suitable campsite for the next couple of days. |
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| Our camp in State Forest on Murray | 58cm Murray River Cod |
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We set up the camp leaving a little to do
tomorrow, I then set out to try and catch a Murray River Cod out with
the rod and as it was now mid afternoon I decided to have a poppy nap.
Just about to doze off and the bells on the rod started jingling, when
I hauled in the line the bait (cheese) was still attached so out it went
again. I stood by the rod for about five minutes and then drifted back
into the motorhome to doze off, or so I thought, the bells started jingling
again. They stopped again and this time I was by the rod and yes caught
it, reeled in a 58cm 2.5 kilo Murray River Cod what a beauty. No more
bites though I cleaned the fish and ended up with two nice big fillets
that we will have with chips tomorrow night for our evening meal. Settled
in for the rest of the afternoon and then set four Yabby traps to see
if I can catch the elusive Murray River Crayfish we will know in the morning. After our evening meal we just watched a little tellie and read our books before retiring for the night. Kilometers travelled 72 Thursday the 14th Late out of bed again, its starting to become a delightful habit. I went around the traps and found only river prawns to small to make a meal of, though good for bait, I decided to release them all then reset the traps. After breakfast gathered river water for washing and our showers and did a bit of maintenance on the two vehicles and then reset the  rod
hoping to catch another Murray River Cod.The morning had passed quickly and before we knew it lunch time had arrived and as the camp fire was still alight we pulled out the grill plate and had eggs and bacon on toast for lunch just for a change. Life's tough isn't it! We then read our books after lunch for a short period and then Liz went walkabout looking for the devastation that was supposed to happen in the area last week when a mini cyclone came through. A local bloke told us yesterday the the path wasn't very wide though it stripped trees and moved a whole sand bank in the Murray River. Liz was to come across the stripped trees and took many photo's of the devastation. Just before happy hour we started to dismantle our camp and pack things away for we are back on the road tomorrow, I am noting that our packing procedures are improving as to how we packed our various items when we left home. Had a large bite on the line that really rattled the bells and by the time I picked up the rod I had lost the fish. Then in came the traps with more river prawns released again and then left the traps to dry and then packed them away. It has been a absolute lazy day just watching the Hawks and then the Sea Eagle work the river actually getting fish and we were to see turtles on the opposite bank feeding amongst the weed. We are at marker 1220 on the river. We will watch the footie show tonight and then off to bed after a very relaxing day. Friday the 15th The morning was fresh and we finished our packing up of the camp and then had breakfast and then headed off. Now which track did we come in on? Everything looks different when you are doing things in reverse and the GPS was of no use to us, as we had a fair idea which way to head we changed tracks twice and then recognised the vineyards tucked in the corner of the state forest. New road surface and we had no recollection of this until saw a Scraper resurfacing the main track. Hooked up the car and then onto the highway towards Mildura, along the way citrus, olive's, almonds, apples, table grapes and vineyards were on each side of the highway for as far as you could see. We didn't stop to buy fruit or vegetables for we will be going over the border into South Australia in a couple of days, thus subject to the fruit and vegetable inspection station. We arrived in Robinsvale and parked up and went walkabout around the central shopping centre, we were to hear Middle Eastern and Asian language being spoken. There were many Vietnamese shops where we made purchases in last visit here some years ago. Around to the IGA and purchased bread and saveloys for our meal tonight and then after we will watch football. We topped up with diesel at $1.22.9 a litre and then topped up with water and then back on the road, it wasn't long before we over the border into NSW again and then into Euston and and when we checked the price of diesel there we had made the right decision to top up at Robinsvale. We were pushing a head wind so we decided to get off the road a little earlier today, the land was still undulating and though no farms were visible there was mallee scrub and stunted small gum trees lining each side of the highway. We were to see signs to watch out for the Mallee Fowl for the next 30 kilometers, we came across a rest area with the same name and even though there were no camping signs we went around the back of the rest area and set up for the night. Luckily we are able to receive digital set top box television so we do not need to set up the satellite system to watch the football tonight. Kilometers travelled 97 Saturday the 16th This would been the noisiest camp spot we have had to date, there were vehicles coming and going all night not to mention the trucks with their refrigeration motors going and then the noise they make departing in the middle of the night. Given all this it is still a good spot for overnight camping. On the road with very overcast sky's and the likelihood of rain, again we were driving by vineyards and citrus orchards on both sides of the highway. We had only travelled 22 kilometers and we then turned off the highway to head for Bottle Bend Camp area on the Murray River once again. It appears to be a popular area for there were plenty of camps set up, we were lucky to get a good spot right on the river bank about 300 metre's from our nearest neighbor. Whilst Liz was doing the washing I set up the clothes line and gathered water from the river to rinse the clothes. Once they were on the line we cleaned up and then unhooked the Suzuki and headed into Mildura. More fruit and very cheap at the roadside stalls and again we cant buy any for we will going over the border in about three days time, we were to pass through Gol Gol and the GPS was to warn us of speed camera's, 50kph areas and red light camera's. One arriving in Mildura we drove out to Lock 11 and took in the well manicured grass and very tidy surrounds, it is good to see they still fly the Murray River flag from a couple of centuries ago. About four years ago we celebrated our wedding anniversary at the Lock and it is good to see they have finished the island tourist walk, it looks really nice a real credit to the town. Mildura wouldn't be same without its Paddle Steamers and House boats that line the river, and as you pass over the bridge from N.S.W. we noticed the new houseboat marina and man made island for rather elaborate housing. |
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House
Boats either side of the Murray River
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Paddle
Steamer working River |
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Then up into the commercial hub of the
town and into a cheapo store bought a few items and then back into the
K-Mart looking for a fold up leaf rake to help us clean our campsites,
alas to no avail. Then onto Coles and Liqourland where we were able to
buy two cartons of Boags Stubbies 
for $68 much cheaper than home.Due to the time of day we decided to head off to Hungry Jacks for lunch, a simple task you would think when we asked locals for directions they all thought we knew the town so it was a waste of time. Ah ha! what is a GPS for fool! and before we knew it we were heading for Fifteenth Street and junk tucker! Welllll! a brand new shopping complex with all the major bakeries, junk food outlets including chinese and the usual Woolworths, Coles, Targets and across the road a Cheap as Chips store. After our lunch we crossed the road and spent $40 at Cheap as Chips on little do dads etc, certainly a lot cheaper than chicken feed stores. The poor Suzuki with the beer, groceries and do dads there was just no room, Liz had a lot of it stored it at her feet. We will need to buy a trailer to hook on the car and then maybe we can be called a Road Train or B-Double. As it was 3pm we decided to head back to our camp until we saw the Paddle Steamer departing from its terminus. We knew it would be heading for Lock 11 so we back tracked to capture Lock 11 in action. |
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| Paddle Steamer "Rothbury" arriving Lock 11 | Lock 11 being drained |
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The Paddle Steamer "Rothbury" entered
the Lock, tied up and then the steel gates behind it were closed and the
water released from the Lock to bring it down to the level of the River.
One moment the people on the steamer were well above us and then well
below us. We were lucky to hear the commentary from the Captain about
the Lock and others on the Murray. All you need to do is book with the
Lock Master's as for time to arrive and it is all free whether you are
a Paddle Steamer or a House Boat. It was very interesting to watch the
way the Lock and the water was lowered and kept at that level until the
"Rothbury" returned from down river. The "Rothbury"
boasts the fact that it was built in 1881 and still going strong. To read
the history of the Murray and its importance prior to road transport is
just amazing. The Locks today are only manned during day light hours though
in its hey day the river traffic operated 24 hours a day and so did all
the Locks with one big difference. Today the Lock doors are hydraulically
operated in the previous centuries it was all carried out manually on
the Locks as well as horses pulling the Paddle Steamers through the Lock. |
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| Lock 11 Doors opening | "Rothbury" departing Lock 11 |
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After watching the paddle steamer depart down
river we returned to the car and followed the road along the waterfront
taking in the ambiance though we were to get light rain so we never hopped
out of the car. Headed out back into N.S.W. over the bridge and on arriving in camp took in the clothes and then set up the digital set top box to watch the football tonight and then have an early night. Note that mileage travelled only relates to the Motorhome, we keep a separate book for the Suzuki. Kilometers travelled 22 Sunday the 17th Out of bed late and noted that the day was nice and sunny though it would cloud over later in the day. Set up the fire and cooked our toast and boiled the kettle for breakfast and enjoyed the sunshine. Gathered the water from the river and Liz washed the smalls and hung them out to dry. We have a blockage in the sink so we decided to go to Gol Gol and buy the sunday paper and something to clean the pipes, unfortunately there were no supermarkets so we had to drive into Mildura in Victoria and go to Woolworths. Bad move! Tim Tams for $1.89 a packet oh well! four packets and then cheap sausage rolls the paper then back to camp. |
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Bottle
Bend Camp |
Murray
River near camp |
House
Boat Marina Mildura |
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stopped off at the House Boat Marina and had a closer look, the house
boats are certainly large and I suppose its just like owning a large Winnebago,
the house sites are small and no doubt the houses will be built to a certain
standard to match the area.Further up the road we noticed a paddle steamer up on the slips so we dropped in and I noted that the bottom of the boat was absolutely flat, no keel at all and even though the topsides were steel the bottom was timber. No doubt built out of Murray River Gum. They were doing extensive caulking on the planks and if they are to carry passengers they would need to be in survey for safety purposes. Then we topped up a container with water and headed off over the bridge and into New South Wales and back to camp, on the way we stopped at an orange grove and noted the amount of oranges on the ground and even though there were no fences heaven help anyone who picks them up for personal use. Back on the road we stopped off at a typical roadside fruit and vegetable stall and noted how cheap the items were and of course we are not in a position to buy. Hopefully when we arrive in South Australia the produce is as cheap. It is interesting to note that each Orange Grove has a paddock where they grow nothing other than pumpkins and today in the supermarket we noted that large Butternut pumpkins were only 89 cents each not per kilo. There certainly seems to be a glut of pumpkins, we also noted that there a lot of orange groves where the trees had been bulldozed up into heaps for burning. No doubt this is due to the amount of imports that come into the country. |
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| Orange Grove | Typical roadside stall |
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Arrived back in camp and settled in to enjoy
the river traffic we were to see an old paddle propelled house boat and
next was an up market twin outboard house boat there was certainly a big
difference in the quality of the craft. Then the football on radio and just enjoyed the quietness and birdlife around the water and then it was happy hour and then time for our evening meal and listen to the twilight game of football with St Kilda v Essendon. An early night is on the cards and just read our books before nodding off. |
Monday the 18th Breakfast by the fire and enjoy the early morning sunshine and the ambiance of the area, very tranquil indeed. We were watch two Swans overseeing their cygnets as they drifted down the river, the cygnets must be very young for they were not large and you could still see the down covering their body's and as usual the river had plenty of ducks to-ing and fro-ing and the odd fish jumping. As we were reading we were to see two house boats heading towards Mildura and one was very plush indeed the other was obviously a privately owned and certainly not of modern build. There were no dingy's on the river today at all they must be at work poor souls. Wash the clothes and the car and then it was time for lunch and other than a walk around the camping area during the afternoon which is large we just settled in and read our books and dismantled our camp for we are back on the road again tomorrow. We will watch tellie tonight before retiring, in all a very lazy day enjoying our last day in this Bottle Bend camp area. Tuesday the 19th Arose late again to a rather overcast day, after breakfast it didn't take long to pack up the rest of our camp and get ready to hit the road, Liz dropped of our rubbish at the dumpster and then we hooked up the car and we were on our way. Turned onto the Sturt Highway heading out of New South Wales and into Mildura in Victoria; on the way we were to witness the bulldozing of orange trees that were absolutely full of ripe oranges into heaps to dry and burn. Not to worry, us Australians will drink the orange juice and eat the oranges that are imported into the country, we both agreed that its a pity that Australians did not see first hand what is happening to their fruit industry and their jobs. We passed through Mildura and then onto the highway heading for Renmark in South Australia. |
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Wheat
as far as you can see |
Fruit
& Vege station on border |
Single
lane bridge at Pimba |
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The countryside was to change into long sweeping
paddocks as far as the eye could see that was being planted with wheat
or had already been sown. There were huge tracts of land that had wheat
sprouting so there must have been rain recently for there were no irrigation
channels or pipes evident. The traffic was reasonably heavy especially trucks Semi's and B-Doubles. The land was pretty flat so it was easy for faster traffic to go around us and it was pleasant driving with the sun coming in through the side window. We arrived at the fruit and vegetable inspection station on the South Australian border, there were plenty of signs indicating that the station was coming up and the fines for trying to hide fruit and vegetables was $2500; not a bad deterrent and they even gave you the opportunity to surrender any fruit and vegetables at the inspection station before they searched your vehicle. Liz had made a beautiful vegetable based soup that will last us for days from our excess vegetables, we had planned to stop for lunch prior to the border and finish off our lettuce. We hadn't taken into account the change in time and we arrived at the border earlier than we thought, they let us keep the lettuce after declared it. We noted in the other lane they were really giving a ute and caravan a real going over making them pull everything out, we were through in no time at all after they inspected where we usually kept our veggies and the fridge and then we were on our way. Before we knew it we had arrived at Pimba and the narrow single lane old cast steel bridge, the centre lane now a pedestrian walkway used to be a railway line. Pulled into Woollies at Renmark to top up with diesel and was pleasantly surprised to take on diesel at $1.09.9 a litre we couldn't believe it and this was the smallest amount of fuel we have taken on to date. |
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| House boat near our camp at Plush's Bend | Evening sky near our camp |
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Then headed to our camp area at Plush's Bend,
there were not many people staying there and we were able to set up camp
at the area we used about four years ago, we set up camp over the next
couple of hours and then settled in to enjoy our first happy hour in South
Australia. Stoked up the fire and heated up the beautiful sausage rolls
along with a bowl of soup for our evening meal, different and beautiful! We were again to witness a house boat passing by the camp and the wonderful sunset before we went inside for the night, you can only get digital television stations ABC and SBS the normal stations were very poor reception so we set up the satellite dish. It wont be long now before we can sit outside by the fire and enjoy the nights and the stars by the fire. Kilometers travelled 184 Wednesday the 20th A cold morning with cloud which is threatening rain, the birdlife on the river is prolific with ducks, heaps of Swans, diver birds and the awful cormorant working for fish in the river and parrots in the trees. This camp site is so peaceful and we are only about 10metres off the river. Today is special day for us for it is our 46th wedding anniversary and even though we have nothing planned we will be going into the city of Renmark sometime today. That is after we have gathered wood for the campfire and then our showers. We were about to leave to go into Renmark and lo and behold Bob and Mona arrived, we exchanged information on where we had all been in the last week or so and they then set up camp close to us. |
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| Welcome into Renmark and leaving spoked wheel | |
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We headed off into Renmark and drove under
welcome to the area signage and then we went and fuelled up the Suzuki
and refilled with water then onto to where Woolworths used to be located
and found that Cheap as Chips were now there so we couldn't resist the
urge, so in we went though we didn't purchase a great deal. Then across
the road to Foodland and bought vegetables and then into Glo Lo another
cheap shop and there were purchased a few items including chips for happy
hour. |
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| Bob & Mona join us for our 46th wedding anniversary meal | Chicken, chips and salad for our meal |
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Then drove over to Pimba for a anniversary
lunch with Bob & Mona, we had chicken and chips with salad which really
great for the price and a glass of wine and beer. Back to Renmark and
onto the new shopping complex and into the Big W, Woolworths and the other
associated small shops in the complex. Into the liquor store and we were
staggered at the price of beer even given there is a five cents charge
on each can or bottle. The strange thing today is that plastic shopping
bags have been banned in South Australia though when you buy your vegetables
you still use plastic bags from off the roll, strange that. Back to camp and Happy Hour and caught up with more information from Bob & Mona and as darkness fell we went inside for our bowl of soup for we had a large meal for lunch today; and an early night is on the cards. Thursday the 21st A wonderful sunny morning as we cooked our breakfast on the fire, after breakfast we headed in Remark to load this diary onto the web site. Oh yeah, no problem not much the school library we used a few years ago did not want to know about us, onto the hotel and they wanted $3.70 for each half hour and then around to the library where it was free if you signed up. This I did and then they wouldn't allow me to connect into power and given that the battery on the computer is ageing it took all the power just link up. Around to the laundromat to pick up Liz who was doing the sheets etc and then back to camp for lunch. I linked up the computer to charge the battery and then we had our lunch. Back into Renmark to check out the cost of the houseboats, there was nothing flash about those we looked at, with the house boats powered by 179 holden motors transferring power through to a paddle wheel. We were able to negotiate a reasonable price which included the motorhome on power whilst we were on the house boat. We thanked them for the quote though didn't book one. Then back to the library and loaded the diary on the web site and before it was completed it closed down indicating that I had exceeded the upload and download levels for the library link up, talk about frustration so I will need to come back in two days time to try again. Then off to the supermarket to finish our shopping and it now means that we we should not have to buy any food for the next two months. I am still peeved that the price of beer is so high and as they say take it or leave it. Back to camp and we had an extended happy hour with Bob & Mona which allowed us to see the wonderful reflections of the gum trees on the Murray River, and a bonus was that a houseboat pulled into the bank nearly opposite us and tied up for the night and then we had a piper play the bag pipes for about a half hour; very nice indeed and it made the the day a very happy one indeed |
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| This a house boat complete with garage door | Lady Pelican the boat we hired for five nights |
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Friday the 22nd Around 6:30am the bag pipes shattered the early morning quiet on the river, no doubt this is the wake up call for all those on the house boat moored on the opposite bank. Of course it woke us and the birdlife and no doubt any other camper on the river bank. It didn't really worry us to any great extent for we went back to sleep and didn't climb out bed until 9am. Had our brekkie and then heated the water for our showers and Liz did a bit of washing and then we were underway to check out the house boats at Berri. Only 15 kilometers from Renmark Berri appears to be more vibrant in its shopping centre, along the way we were to pass the Big Orange that remains closed and the orange grove alongside has be bulldozed. We dropped into Cheap as Chips for a few lunch items for our house boat trip next week. We then went over to the marina and checked out the house boats and the owners offered the winter rate plus one extra night free as well putting our Motorhome and Bob's Caravan on power to run our fridges at no extra cost whilst we were on the river. We looked over a few and came to choose Lady Pelican a very nice house boat outfitted for twelve people with everything other than food supplied, we pay for the fuel used when we berth after our journey on the Murray. To say that we are not excited is an understatement and go on the Murray with Lady Pelican on Monday the 25th of May. We purchased more beer and wine for our outback trip ahead and have been actually stunned at the price once again. Then we drove up to the Berri Club and had our lunch, what a lunch, Roast Pork and there was plenty of meat and you helped  yourself
to the vegetables or salad as much as you wanted and the cost $7.90, Liz
had the fish and it was really well presented and it cost $7.90 with as
much salad or vegetables as well. Very nice and it meant that we spoke
of not wanting much for our evening meal for we are still full. We then
drove out to the roadside stalls where you could buy 6 butternut pumpkins
for $5 or fresh grapes for $2 a kilo. Then we did the round trip out through
Bermura and then back onto the Sturt Highway towards Renmark.We stopped at another roadside stall and oranges were 12kilo for $5 though we thought they were a bit on the soft side so we bought two 2 kilo bags for $2 each they were in much better condition. Back to the camp and again we are disappointed to see last seasons grapes dried on the vine on the way. It has been a full day and it was time for a poppy nap and then it was time for happy hour. It is a bit on the chilly side tonight so again we went inside around 6pm and do not even look cooking anything for evening meal I reckon we will settle for a cup of tea and few scotch finger biscuits. |
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| Workers trimming vines | House Boat with many solar panels |
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Saturday the 23rd This morning after breakfast it was time to check out the condition of the truck starter battery and the solar panels. The solar panels were very dirty its a wonder they were performing at all. Out with the ladder plus cleaner and in no time at all they were refreshed and given that the day was very overcast it was obvious that there would not be a lot of charge going into the house batteries today. The truck battery checked out ok. We then went into the laundromat in Renmark to do the washing and then onto the op shop and the supermarket to buy a few items for our trip on the Murray on monday, the difference in prices between Foodland and Woollies is amazing. Foodland in the vegetable and meat sections are way cheaper though not in the grocery lines. Back to camp for lunch and then we headed off to Angove's winery for a bit of wine tasting and purchased a couple of cartons of wine for our journey ahead, it would be true to say that we are spending more on alcohol than fuel at the moment. We then went driving around the area and up to the lookout out of Renmark, it is hard to see the township for the amount of trees though we were to see the workers pruning the vines near by. The machinery had already been through trimming the vines and the workers appeared to be just following up doing the final pruning. It was interesting to be looking down on them as they worked away some were on there own and others were in groups. There were languages being spoken that we did not recognise then again when shopping in the town you see many many different nationalities. Then we were to see the orange trees absolutely loaded along with Mandarins, there was plenty of fruit on the ground and with no fences it wouldn't be a problem to pick it up though knowing our luck we would get caught. The prices for fruit is very cheap at the roadside stalls. We then drove over to Paringa again and down to the Locks to look at the various house boats and take in the atmosphere that is apparent amongst those that are on the house boats, they are a friendly lot and it is not hard to strike up a conversation about the river and the enjoyment they experience. We were to spend some time talking to the people. Back to camp after having a pretty full on day driving around the area checking out all the nooks and crannies. After unloading our gear and hanging out the washing it was time for happy hour once again and during this period we had a house boat go past camp and it looked as if there were two house boats hooked together the striking feature was that there were 18 solar panels that we were able to count the boat was huge and it did not have outboards or paddles so we could only assume that it had the normal props of a boat. After happy hour which was somewhat extended we went inside and had our evening meal and then watched the football on the tellie before retiring for the night. Sunday the 24th Another overcast day when we hopped out of bed and a little on the cool side, we hadn't much planned for the day other than pack up our camp ready to depart tomorrow. We drove up to Renmark and noticed a garage sale occurring which decided to have a look at, we only bought one video and then onto Woolworths for unleaded petrol at $1.06.9 cents a litre and then back to camp. We had our lunch and then started packing; in the first instance the campfire etc and then packing our gear for our trip on the house boat tomorrow. Then we sat outside just watching the many small boats going up and down the river fishing. Then we were to listen to the football on the radio. Yesterday Collingwood won and today St Kilda so both Liz and I are happy. Then before we knew it it was happy hour, no wonder we are putting weight on with all these happy hours. The darkness arrived around 5:30pm and so we started up the generator and inside to listen to the rest of the football and then watch television before retiring for the night, of course given the excitement of the trip on the house boat tomorrow we again checked our clothing, food etc for the trip and of course the fishing gear has been set aside and hopefully we catch something. So off to bed and Renmark has been alerted to the fact that it rain at Midnight tonight, not that we understand how they can be so precise with the timing. There is no doubt they really do need a good rainfall for the fruit industry and the outlying grain crops. We have made sure that we will be able to pull out in the morning without getting bogged down. |
Monday the 25th
We were awoken at 1:30am to flash's of lightning and rain that was falling steadily on the roof of the motorhome, luckily we had put all the outside camp gear away last night thus we did not have to wade through the slush and mud. In no time at all we were leaving Plush's Bend bound first to Renmark to purchase food for the week on the house boat, we arrived at Berri and the house boat area where we loaded all our gear for the next five days on the Lady Pelican. Then the managers placed the motorhome on power for the time we are away and then showed us how to operate the house boat. On the way and we are heading towards Loxton and it was very pleasant to enjoy the Murray River from the river itself. Watching the bottom on the depth sounder there are very large holes in various parts of the river and there were plenty of pumps along the banks pumping water to farms and orchards. |
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| Leaving
motorhome behind |
Jim
leaving bank for trip |
Liz
in control of Lady Pelican |
|
Liz was to take a turn at the wheel for it
is an easy river to navigate especially with the use of the depth sounder,
maps etc that we were supplied with, We were to pass many high ochre coloured
cliffs that looked beautiful in the afternoon sun especially with all
the differing ochre colours abounding. The wind had picked up and the house boat is a great wind catcher so we had to increase rev's to bring on more power to bring the house boat under control, we had lunch on the run for once you get used to applying engine speeds and rudder you can walk away and have lunch with some adjustments every few minutes or so. Then we were approaching Lock 4 and we gave three long blasts on the siren to alert the Lock master that we wanted to use the Lock. |
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| Doors open and entering Lock 4 | Dock Master Lock 4 |
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We had to hold back for the lock doors were
shut and the red lights were on, I wasn't sure whether the lock master
had heard our arrival siren, then we were to see movement and the lock
doors opened and the green lights came on. Wouldn't you know it the wind
had picked up and was coming in on the side of the house boat pushing
it away from the entrance to the lock. Luckily with twin engines we were able to use the engines to get us in and tied up with the lock doors closing behind us the Lock master congratulated us for job we did to get into the Lock in the high winds. He explained that he has some houseboats coming in sideways, wrong way around and some smashing into the concrete sides, so we felt pretty good about it or was he just humouring us given that he knew we were first timers. |
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| Leaving
Lock 4
|
Ochre
coloured cliffs |
|
 The
waters dropped 3.9 metre's and then front doors of the Lock closed and
we were on our way once again applying plenty of power to keep control,
then a hundred yards or so the wind dropped off and we were able to drop
back 550 rev's and just took it easy as we enjoyed the countryside each
side of the river, we were to see plenty of cormorants and Pelicans working
the waters for fish. We were trailing a lure with no success, though in
South Australia you are not allowed to catch Murray  Cod
at all.We were so relaxed and with the sun breaking through that we were getting a bit sleepy so we decided to pull up for the day even though we have only travelled about 12 kilometers. Again lovely ochre coloured banks and then we hit the area infamous for it sand bars, needless to say we used the depth sounder and the maps to weave our way through them. We spotted a good spot in the distance that was sheltered from the wind so we drove into the bank head first and then run the ropes ashore and made them fast. Then we had our showers and weren't they great for we were able to stand under them for awhile given the the water is direct from the river. We went ashore and had a look about and then it was time for happy hour and relax. Our evening meal we cooked on the barbecue on the front of the houseboat and the vege's on the gas stove. This house boat has everything you could possibly need to make your trip memorable. Kilometers travelled 22 |
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| Dawn on the Murray | Early morning reflections |
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Tuesday the 26th I awoke several times during the night wondering if the houseboat was still moored to the bank for you could hear creaking taking place, though there was no worry for it was securely moored. It would have had to pull trees out the bank and when you see the amount of roots that the Murray Gum has it is a wonder that any fall at all. When we awoke it was 6:30am and it was a beautiful sunrise with no wind and no clouds in the sky the reflections on the river were excellent. We had our breakfast and Liz opted for a shower this morning and we were on our way at 8:30am heading towards Loxton. The scenery is something that you find interesting for it is forever changing and never boring. |
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| Map of Murray that we followed | Scenery as we travel along |
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The Murray is forever rambling and is somewhat
like a snake as it winds its way towards the ocean, you only need to look
at the above photo to see where we are traveling today. Generally speaking
it is an easy river to navigate for like other rivers the deep water is
always on the outside of the bends, even though we have a depth sounder
we rarely look at it unless it emits a beep. A couple of times the depth
had dropped to less than a metre and even though we saw the old tree in
the water we thought being 15 metre's wide of it would allow us to miss
any part of it being underwater. Oh yeah! we were to hear a scraping sound
as the underwater part of the tree run along the shore side pontoon it
did not slow the boat nor shove it off course so we must of only caught
a branch |
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| Liz & Mona playing cards | Liz working on her craft work |
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We are mindful of the fact that the pontoons
are only aluminum and that we have two 50 horsepower four stroke Suzuki
pushing us along, we are only going slowly for we are not in a hurry,
so we have the throttles set at 1800 rev's each. The day was good that Liz and Mona were playing cards in the first instance and then they went outside to enjoy the early morning sunshine. Liz was to work on her craft work and Bob was relaxing. Both Bob and I do thirty minutes on and thirty minutes off the helm, the house boat is very easy to maneuver so long as you keep her moving. Lunch time arrived and we were to look for spot to moor for lunch, you moor the houseboat bow first into banks which leave the motors in deeper water. At one spot it looked great with gentle sloping banks which were grassy and we were in nearly two metre's of water about two metre's from the bank and then bang stop we were on a sand bar. We were able to go astern easily and only moved along the bank 15 metre's and repeated the exercise and nearly made the bank and then another bar so we just rammed in a little harder and then turned off the engines for lunch and another relaxing time on the Murray Underway again and we were to come across pumping stations galore no wonder the river has little flow at its entrance to the sea, orange groves and grapevines galore. The birdlife has been prolific and it didn't matter at what part of the river you were at there were the cormorants and pelicans doing their thing, then we were to across those screeching Corella's there must have been two to three hundred of them roosting in the trees and on the bank of the river, the noise was unbelievable. |
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| Triple
pumping station |
Murray
camp 2 |
Results
of salinity |
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2pm and it was time to look for a camp for
the night for we are only 5 kilometers out of Loxton. We found a lovely
grassed spot in a little shallow water and in we went and grounded only
a metre and half from the bank proper so down went the plank and tied
the stern on both sides to gum trees. The only downside was that even
though it was grass it appeared to be a favourite spot for the ducks as
well and their toiletry habits aren't all that good, not to worry. Once we were sure that the houseboat was ok we went walkabout and noticed whole heaps of pipes driven into the ground and signs indicating that they were test holes for south Loxton salinity testing. The trees closer to the river were all dead and it was noticeable that the salt is a big problem in this area. Back on board we then lined up for our showers and then just relaxed until our evening meal cooked on the outside barbecue of course and then watched tellie until bedtime. |
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Wednesday the 27th A very restful night and when we awoke this morning there was a misty type of fog on the river, we certainly won't be moving until it has lifted which should not take long given the sun is now rising. We had our breakfast and we were on our way towards Loxton at 8:30am, it was no trouble to cast off and back into the channel of the river and get underway. The reflections this morning were great and you would think that we would being seeing the same type of scenery every day and this has not been the case. It may be due to the changing banks and the need to weave from each side of the river to navigate safely. We must be nearing civiliseation for there are houses starting to appear and houseboats moored below them. We can only assume they have houseboats instead of Motorhome's or Caravans, there are more and more pumping stations appearing and if they are all taking water there cant be much left to flow to the head of the river Murray. |
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Misty
fog on river |
Liz
having breakfast |
Scenery
along the way to Loxton |
| We were tracking close
to the banks dodging the sand bars that show on the river map, thankfully
we have a full complement of maps to help us along the way and to date
we have not had a problem. We were to see plenty of birdlife again this morning and with the wheat silo's in the distance this would explain the number of Corella's and the appearance of Major Mitchell Galahs. The amount of Murray Gray Kangaroos along the banks is the most we have seen, they did not scare off even when I sounded the siren so one can only assume that it is a reserve or they are protected. We arrived at Loxton where they have a public boat mooring you can use for free, in no time at all we were secured to the pontoon and then had a cup of tea and thought of heading off up the steep hill toward the township of Loxton which is about a kilometer from the mooring. There was one other houseboat moored and we had a discussion with them and found that it was there home full time and they travel up and down the river all year round. They indicated that they call Tocumwal home and they are ok with water, due to Locks and weirs, up to Mildura due to the locks and after that the river has no depth and they do not expect to arrive at Toc until November this year due to this. |
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| Murray Gray Roo watching us pass | Camp 3 on the Murray |
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We finally moved up the hill and it sure was
a climb Loxton appears to be built on hills of varying sizes, we found
a cheopo shop and bought a couple of bags and then ventured around the
town looking in the stores etc. We were to note that there was a historical
Pie Cart selling pies etc and they had other displays of old equipment
on show including old butter making equipment. This week is Loxton Historical
Week and there are plenty of displays around the town, being a riverland
town it is bustling with people and all are very friendly. We found it
difficult to understand how many picked us as coming in by the river,though
we didn't ask how they knew. Into woollies and then the op shop and then it was lunch time so we headed for the Loxton Hotel where we were to have an excellent meal and so much and at a reasonable price already we reckon we will not need to cook an evening meal. We headed back to the houseboat and just relaxed and read the newspapers. |
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Plenty
of houseboats today |
Welcome
to Loxton |
Historical
Pie Cart in town centre |
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Around 2:30pm we decided to go to the Loxton
Historical Village and we spent the next few hours stepping back in time
to a few centuries ago, from trains to old farm equipment and various
types of business's with their original operating equipment it was all
very well done. As you walked into the various buildings a taped recording
would start explaining the internal equipment and the way things functioned
in the past. We were to even see dentist chairs and old equipment which
Liz suggested should be used on me and my sore tooth. |
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Loxton
Historical Village
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Old building made out of Mallee stumps and
the church built from sandstone very well set out and a credit to those
that had the foresight to put the village together, most of the items
had been donated or loaned from those around the district. The village
is manned by volunteers and this would be why the entry fee is so low.
As we went around we came across a Murray Gray Roo about a five footer
who was busily scratching the vermin away from his coat. I sort of quietly
moved towards his and he allowed me to scratch him. Back to the houseboat checked the moorings and it was time for happy hour and sure enough no one worried about the evening meal other than a few chips etc for the longer than normal happy hour, tomorrow we start back to Berri and will arrive there on saturday morning. We actually turned off the television and played Phase 10 card game which went on for hours with Bob being the eventual winner and then we were off to bed. |
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| OOH! am I itchy mate! | Jim giving Roo a scratch |
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Underway
from Loxton to Berri |
Corella
Trees |
"Kookaburra"
from Tocumwal |
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Thursday the 28th Another good nights sleep and then breakfast, Bob walked into Loxton after breakfast and bought the newspapers then before we knew it we were saying farewell to Loxton by way of one long blast on our siren sailing towards Berri. It interesting to note that even though we are now traveling back over the same stretches of the river we came down on it looks somewhat different in reverse, we were able to pick out the residences and pump stations though the scenery looked a little different. We came to stretch of the Murray that was absolutely teeming with Corella's screeching away for every one in the trees there were two flying around the boat; we were glad when we passed them by. The cormorants were again fishing along with the pelicans, there seemed to be more ducks that usual. Liz was working on her craft work, Mona and Bob reading. When I came off the wheel Bob took over and then I went and had a nice hot shower. Lunch time arrived before we knew it and rather than pull into the bank we decided to move and moor up around 1:30pm we were to come across the couple from Tocumwal and as we went past they indicated that this was there second stop since yesterday and the bloke indicated that he had caught 8 fish we wished them well and continued on. Mona & Liz started playing phase 10 we were to see other fisherman out in their tinnies. At the place where they have installed signs showing a right hand turn from one bank to the other is a little strange though the depth sounder shows a very large sand bar and just along from that we turned into moor. Wouldn't you know it the wind picked up and belted into the side of the houseboat and was moving it sideways against our wishes, luckily we have the horsepower and was able to drive the pontoons straight into the sandy bank. Bob & I jumped off and very quickly secured the houseboat, time 1:45pm. Now we are just relaxing before we go ashore to have a look about for it looks as if this is a camp ground used by those locals in the know. Since we have a washing machine onboard it will be utilised sometime this afternoon and the washing hung out to dry. The day has been overcast most of the time and combined with a southerly wind has made it a bit cold to the extent that we had the gas heater going whilst underway which is a first. Tonight watch tellie and probably play cards etc. |
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Spot
the Murray Gray Roo |
Spot
the ducks |
Camp
4 on the Murray |
Friday the 29th Given that we played cards until 11pm last night we did not arise early this morning, though a quick breakfast and we were on our way towards Lock 4 and then onto Berri. Each morning we have witnessed two swallows sitting on the front rails of the houseboat and we are coming to the conclusion that they have made this houseboat their home and I sure if we looked we may find a nest somewhere. Though it is hard to determine if they are same swallows each day though their habits make us believe so. On the move at 8:30 am and the morning was cold so we had the heater going in the houseboat to warm us up and we didn't go outside much at all. Here we were relaxed just taking in the scenery and there was a blast from a siren and as these craft do not have rear vision mirrors we had to go to the back and check, sure enough there was a boat towing a frame who was going to pass us we were going so slow. As they came alongside we had a brief discussion and found that the frame they were towing was sending information back to the equipment they had on board which was testing the salinity of the river from Loxton to Berri. |
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| Swallow hitchhiking to Berri | Water Board checking salinity of Murray |
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The scenery along the way never gets boring
for it changes in such a short distance, plus all the water birds and
the occasional hawk checking the area makes it quite serene. Before we
knew it we had arrived at Lock 4 and the usual three long blasts to alert
them of our arrival and the need to use the lock, they are very quick
to the point that we did not have to moor just come ahead very slowly,
then we watched the water boiling as they emptied the Lock to allow us
to enter. The gates swung open and then we had the green light to proceed,
it was easier on this occasion for the wind was blowing gently and not
affecting the movement of the houseboat. We were tied and secured by the
lock master and then the rear doors closed and the water boiled in. As
previously stated we are 3.9 metre's lower than the Murray River on the
Berri side of the Lock. In no time at all the Lock had flooded and we
were on our way again. |
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Lock
4 doors open |
Lockmaster
greeting us again |
Lock
4 filling |
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Liz
adjusting Lock mooring |
Lock
doors open to Berri |
Leaving
Lock 4 |
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The Lock master informed us that he had been
doing the job for the past 35 years, he was a very pleasant chap and he
was great in selling his state and the local area as he bid us farewell
he indicated that we should come back again. Some of the data that is on the side of the dock indicated that the Lock and accompanying Weir were built in 1929 and that the Lock is some 516 kilometers from the sea and the is 13.2 metre's above sea level. |
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| Left Lock 4 towards Berri | Camp 5 on the Murray |
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We were getting closer to civiliseation for there plenty
of houses appearing on the high banks and there was more traffic on
the river, we have decided to have our camp tonight only a few kilometers
from Berri for the houseboat has to be on its mooring by 10am in the
morning. |
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| Last dawn on the Murray River | Highway between grape vines |
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We retrieved our motorhome and suzuki and then went
over to the farmers market in Berri, we bought eggs, butternut pumpkins,
cabbage and tomatoes at prices that were well below the supermarkets
prices, then over to Woollies for bread and paper and then we were on
our way. |
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Saltbush
country on the way to Burra
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| Red Banks Conservation Park | Red Banks pathway |
| Sunday the 31st Last day of Autumn? Feels like the middle of winter the temperature when we hopped out of bed was a mean 5 degrees and it didn't get above 12 degrees all day. We had a breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast and of course the mandatory cup of tea, mate. The stove had warmed the Motorhome to a comfortable level and as Burra was only 17 kilometers from our camp site at the Red Bank Conservation Park we decided to drive in and get the paper and use the public phone. The second thing we did was adjust the heater in the Suzuki before we moved off to 24 degrees, beautiful. Arriving in Burra we noticed that the nice little stream that flowed under the cast iron riveted bridge was not flowing; it just had small pools of stagnant water. The only water was above the weir and that suited the ducks especially being so close to the caravan park and being fed of course. Nothing had changed in Burra since we were here a few years ago, and why would I think it would it is the only complete Heritage listed town (I think) in Australia due to its Cornish background and buildings from a few centuries ago. We purchased the paper and made a phone call and then went back to our camp at Red Banks. It was lunch time so we had an orange, mandarin and an apple for lunch, Oh Well! nothing wrong just having a few Tim Tams is there? Though we had gone on walks around the park in the past we were to take the 3 kilometer walk which took us through the gullies and under the beautiful red cliffs that follow the erosion of the creek. Caused during the winter, wet season? It was a pleasant walk though we had our pull over's and coats on due to the cold, there was little sun other than cloud and a cold southerly wind. During the late afternoon I had a poppy nap and Liz continued to pack our gear away that we took on the house boat. We of course watched the football on tellie though were unable to receive the Collingwood game we had to listen to that on the radio. It was so cold that could not see the sense in having our usual happy hour and opted for a cuppa instead, then it was time for our evening meal and watch tellie for awhile, we are still contemplating whether to fill our hot water bottles and place extra blankets on the bed for the night. |