12th November 2012 - Home!

Jodie and Jeremy both working this Monday morning, so we are ready to go when they have to leave home - Jodie at 0740. By 0755 we are off. and going north east via Kersbrook and Birdwood to Murray Bridge and the Mallee Highway.

Takes us an hour and a half to Murray Bridge (JJ does it in 50 minutes - in a car and knowing the road). Through the hills is hard work; lots of 3rd gear hills, and the exhaust brake is playing up, so I have to be careful to control the speed on the downhills... without running out of brakes.

Once on the flat at Murray Bridge it is easy running; except we have a strong gusty crosswind again!!! We stop for a short break every couple of hours so are regularly refreshed a bit...

We have a idea of stopping at, or near Lake Boga and checking out the new Catalina museum. By the time we get there (and wind the clocks forward half an hour) it is closed. There is "no camping" and it doesn't open til 0930 tomorrow... We will keep going.

So 11 hours 45 minutes from departure and 865 kilometres later, we are home.

We have been away four and a half months - or 19 weeks - or 132.5 days... have spent all 132 nights in the bus.

We have spent $3400 on accommodation - caravan parks.

The bus has done 17,558 on the odometer. Which corrected (from calibration done last year) is 17,295 Kilometres... has consumed 3659 litres of diesel, at a cost of $5908. That works out to 21 litres per 100 kilometres, and 34 cents per kilometre.

It has used less than 3 litres of oil - about $20. Has had one oil change costing $210 including the filter... I have replaced several bolts and nuts, worth a few dollars, and the water pump replacement cost about $1000 all up... one of those things... Oh and we now need both windscreens replaced... not quite covered by insurance.

The poor old Suzuki engine change cost $2100. Another one of those things...

So we have had a brilliant four and half month holiday for about ten grand (which was the budget) - aside from food and drink, which we would have anyway. We have spent $3000 in contingency for repairs...

We have seen lots of great place - which would go to again. And lots of places where we have ticked the box, and never need to see again. We have traversed a lot of the nothing much... and met lots of really nice, friendly people. Taken thousands of photos - including some good ones!!!

Having the house - shut down and turned of still costs us nearly $100 a week for connections rates and insurance - but we are not ready to join the homeless or itinerant... just yet. So for now we will enjoy the summer at home - doing serious overdue work on the house, and some modifications and thorough service to the bus. Plus, very importantly, 'de-cluttering'.

We have spent four and a half months with a few boxes of clothes, kindle readers, phones and ipad/computers, video player and a Wii, in a 15 square metre bed-sitter, and survived admirably...
We have so much stuff we don't need cluttering up our life, it has to go! Maybe that is the enduring lesson of the last few months: 'Stuff' is unimportant and unnecessary...

And when it gets cold here next year... we will be off to where it is warmer! But, it will be less driving, more staying put and exploring by car... Karumba and Daintree are high on the list... and then maybe follow the east coast south - as the temperatures increase.

You may have discerned that we have a gap in the "RHHINO Coastal Tour" between the QLD border and Adelaide... Whilst we have covered most of that by car over the years, we have not been 'motorhoming'... And of course there is Tassie (and February is my favourite time for going there)...

But , meanwhile, and more importantly, we have lots of great kids and grandkids to visit and keep an eye on...

10th- 11th at Jeremy and Jodie's

the Bali hut at the back of the garden...
nice place to drink beer...

Had a great weekend with the (oldest) kids in Adelaide. Bit of shopping, market browsing. Lots of eating and drinking (in moderation). Very relaxing after the pretty hectic previous week or so.

Only 860KM to go... We are over the 16,000KM mark prior to Adelaide...

9th Nov - Turton to Adelaide

Today we will cross to the eastern coast of the Yorke Peninsula and explore the coast to the top the down the other side of St Vincents Gulf.

Stansbury

We are off to Yorketown then Stansbury All the towns are old, and most surviving original buildings are of the typical SA style, which use bricks which look like they have a rock cast in them. Must investigate...

Stansbury is on the coast and again a pretty place. People relaxed and smiling. Mind you it is a glorious day. Althought it seems to me that on the western side the wind was south westerly, now on the eastern side it seems south easterly?


Next Port Vincent. Really, really nice waterfront, shops and houses...

Port Vincent

Pt Julia

Port Julia is next and no shops or services just a lot of homes and holiday houses - a very getaway from it holiday feel.

Drove through Pine Point, most places either on or at the bottom of 15m cliffs not much beach, but the inevitable jetty...

Ardrossan

Then Ardrossan; first passing the massive Viterra grain handling corner. The town itself is a pleasant surprise. The coast is a cliff with a few spots to descend... to the jetty and boat ramps!

Viterra at Ardrossan

Finally round the corner and at Port Wakefield. Seems all that is open on this Friday is on the Highway. A kilometre to the water  we cannot find a town centre... just a pub...






We have heard that the Tramways Museum near St Kilda is a good place to stay in a motorhome. It is only $8 per night and with power and water - and toilets. We will investigate... There are several big rigs in residence from QLD, WA and VIC. We get immediate friendly greetings - and the dogs all introduce themselves. The museum allows 5 units at a time, due limited facilities, I guess, and the presence provides good security for the museum. Win-win!

They are having a big Sunday so a few people are working on some trams, which means the big sheds are open. And I have a camera.

Trams at St Kilda 

Melbourne W Class tram - now a work platform

The cheap park at the Tram Museum

Finally Adelaide, well as close as we are going, at Jeremy and Jodies place, Salisbury Heights.

Salisbury Heights

8th Nov - Eyre Peninsula to the Yorke Peninsula

What a brilliant morning. What a lovely place to wake up (mind you waking up any place is good...)

 However, a bit of perspective... 'Behind' us and to the west of the Point is the Port part, really long (un)loading jetty for oil and a fractioning plant to refine oil and LPG... plus serious fuel storage...

We, however are enjoying looking east, and in no hurry to move on... but eventually do! Through Cultana Military Training Area... Refuel at Port Augusta; nicer place that we expected.

Port Germein

Port Germein

First detour Port Germein - old place. We have not particularly mentioned that we have been driving through enormous grain fields and crops.


All the ports were founded to ship the grain... once upon a time. Now it is very 'bulk handling' and concentrated at the major ports, including Whyalla, Port Augusta, Port Pirie etc

Some pretty places worth a visit. Wallaroo was a surprise - an old place ... but with new marina and multi storey apartments....

Port Broughton

Wallaroo

We are following the coast as usual, but headed for Point Turton... sounds nice, is tucked in nearly at the south west corner of the Yorke Peninsula. And that leaves us tomorrow for about 260km (plus any new detours) up the eastern side, round the corner at Port Wakefield, and on to Salibury Heights.

Port Victoria

Moonta

Turns out Point Turton is delightful - and a cheap CP at $23 powered...

Point Turton CP

The view... from the upper park...

7th Nov - Coffin Bay to Lowly Point

Today we are off up the eastern side of the Eyre Peninsula. The morning starts with regular heavy showers. Most uninviting for sightseeing. On my way to the ablutions bright and early I nearly (within several metres) bumped into a full grown Emu wandering around the CP. He was not concerned... And late last evening we were surrounded by Wallabys. Poor low light photo, but note the big mob in the background too.

leaving Port Lincoln

Eventually underway about 0930, still in showers. It is 30km to Port Lincoln and we need fuel. 100L fills us up after 550... km AND our last Woolies Fuel Discount has expired... 28 days.

Tumby Bay foreshore

First detour is Tumby Bay. Nice enough place, small town on the water. Some great old building still well in use - pubs.

Port Neill

Next stop along the coast is Port Neill. A bit off the highway, it is also a pretty and active little town.

Then Cowell, the big smoke and centre of Franklin Bay shire. Lunch by the water.

Iron Knob

Onwards... passing Iron Knob - well the spoils heaps which obscure any mountain which was there... And on to Whyalla where the ore is shipped - and also, some of it actually processed.

There did not seem to be enough smoke from enough stacks... I guess Chinese steel from Aust ore and coal is cheaper. We do our bit and shop in town - at Woolies and spend over $50 for a 10C/L off... a bit late...

We are aiming for a free camp at Lowly Point - or Point Lowly - near Port Bonython (famous SA name!) 35KM past (and off the highway from) Whyalla.

Turns out to be better than described. There are toilets and even a dump point! And plenty of room along the waters edge to park away from the crowds.

We don't need power water or toilets, so park 500m from the main park and 100m from the lighthouse... beautiful. And the lighthouse actually still works. Need to shut a curtain at bed-time!

Pacific Gulls on the foreshore

our camp for the night

6th Nov - Streaky Bay to Coffin Bay

Ambling down the south western coast of the Eyre Peninsula today stopping where we see fit... And the first stop is Port Kenny. A dead port if ever there was one...

So we are off around the bay (Venus Bay) to Venus Bay settlement. A very pretty place on the peninsula with the bay on one side and the Great Australian Bite - or Southern Ocean? - on the other side. Great views, nice village.

Continuing south east we regain the coast at Elliston off the highway, it is quite big, a town. Also some great locations and views to sea.

Through another bunch of inland localities - including the two houses at Mount Hope - we arrive at the Coffin Bay turnoff early... it is the dirt road shortcut... good gravel though!

Soon at Coffin Bay. No free camps around here so into the CP. Nearly time for the Melbourne Cup so we will have a walk and look for a gambling den - don't have one; save money! Good walk for all three of us just the same. We will kick back and watch - no we won't got back as the race finished. Damn the time zones!

I know I am overdoing the panoramas... but they show so much - even if perspective is lost. So here are the alternate views of Coffin Bay foreshore.

There is a good looking take-away just across the road so we will indulge - after our walk around, and saving the gambling dollar.

PS: forgot to mention with the Nullarbor crossing... we have long given up counting dead kangaroos, but we did chalk up: one dead camel, one dead wombat and one dead dingo!!! Not personally! On the way down the Eyre Peninsula on the Flinders Highway, we have avoided running over literally dozens of stumpy tail /bob tail lizards. Many others were not so fortunate. Oh and missed one very lucky Black Snake!