October Cadell

Cadell and along the River Murray

Thursday 15th Oct
Left home early to avoid the heat.....got to Cadell by 9:30am......found a spot ...bit nasty day 43c...still 34c at 10pm.......Brian and Sharron turned up around 4pm....no campfire tonight to hot and windy

                             2 Pajeros now...Brian got a new caravan

Friday 16th
cooled down some....we spend most of the day chasing shade...still no fire tonight...early night

                                                     Brian
Saturday 17th
Rick rang to tell me he should be here 9am....I lit the fire around 10am so we could have a cooked lunch..Rosie did small pasties...Rick and Brian cooked up a treat...cooking all day and into the evening we got through a lot of wood..main problem was the fire pit it was so deep...trapping the heat making it hard to judge campoven temps....shared dress up...fancy tie dinner...

Sunday 18th
most of the cooking started after lunch....roasts and chicken legs...shared dinner again tonight evening closed 10pm

Monday 19th
Early pack up.....said our good-byes to the great Caretakers Mike and Margret ...and see you again soon Brian and Sharron and Taj their dog...Rick and Cindy (always fun to be with)
We headed south to Swan Reach.(got fuel at Blanchtown)..over the Ferry to a camp ground....found a spot watching the weather..very hot and dark clouds....we thought we might have the place to ourselves but by 5pm there were 7 other caravans...I couldnt believe some one lit a campfire and it still had 1m high flames at 3am ..no one in attendance and still 28c...about 5pm it rained lightly

Tuesday 20th
We packed up early...and headed south having a look at Big Bend then Nildottie then onto Walkers Flat...where we came across a campground called Hettner Landing.....we would have stayed there but the sky was black with storm threating so we headed home.

Home by midday......now do we go away again or start in 2016??

September Victoria Trip

Back to Victoria

21st September Monday Day1
after going to the dentist at 8:30am...we headed off to Victoria..
After 6 hours driving we arrived at Wooroonook Lake only to find our usual spot already taken..we had to move another 30ft further away..no biggy...the lake seemed to have more water than last time we were here...wet windy day today...family of 5 slept in a roof top tent over a works trailer..near us

Tuesday Day2
The family left early as it was still blowing 70kph winds
We spent most of the day inside the van...glad to have power

Wednesday Day3
Left Wooroonook this morning...headed East to Charlston got extra food and fuel...then travelled 27klms to our next camping spot...Skinners Flat Res...found the place to ourselves...setup but still very windy...cooked dinner a chicken roast on choofer and sat outside till after dark

Thursday Day4
Beautiful morning...even had eggs and bacon cooked on the choofer for breakfast...spend day just sitting and adsorbing the warmer weather...Rosie went for a walk around the Dam.....about 35mins...dinner cooked on choofer again tonight...just a slight breeze full moon light

Friday Day5
Packed up this morning and headed through Wedderburn down through Bridgewater to Newbridge onto Laanecoorie camping area on the Loddon River.....few campers on the river bank ...we parked back by the fence..away from the screaming and generators and barking dogs....we were going to stay 2 nights here but we will see how it is tonight noise wise..if we leave in the morning

Saturday Day6
We were out of there by 8:30am...and headed west through Maryborough then on to Avoca...slight north to Moonabel then to Stawell then headed into the Grampians to Plantation Campground...we left Laanecoorie cause of the crowds and screaming kids..only to find the place packed...finally found a spot...not at all level..but did have a fire pit and about 20ft from toilets.

Sunday Day7
Got out as soon as we could..by 8am and headed to Horsham..got fuel and before you knew it..we were at Lake Ratzcastle...for next 4 nights....expecting a crowd here we were surprised there was no one here...had a hot shower this morning and campfire tonight...great day and worth the 145klm trip..just for peace and quiet

Monday Day8
Been quiet all day...overcast weather but no rain...had visitors..none stayed...had fire burning all day...roast pork in campoven tonight

Tuesday Day9
2 campertrailers set up about 40ft from us......Durrrrr!!! they had the whole place to park..but next to us.GRRRRRRR!!!.....anyway was cloudy day.no rain.but cleared up tonight...later our neighbours caused a racket...couldnt make out what was said..but did make out a few naughty words

Wednesday Day10
Great day.....neighbours came over and apologized for their behavior last night and asked if we could look after their solar panels...while they were away......tonight we joined them around their campfire

Thursday Day11
All things must come to an end...we packed up early 8am and headed home...going to be warm day..and long drive...getting home around 12:15pm

Next trip will be Cadell mid October

Victoria Trip 18th - 28th August

Victoria Trip 18th - 28th August

After having our van in the repairers for a month...few minor jobs plus removing the 2 x 4.5kg gas cylinders replacing them with 1x 9kg and a jocket wheel bracket for storage...we finally got it home on the Monday..packed it up again and left home Tuesday morning..heading East...who knows where?

With the weather being wet and stormy we decided when we reach Tailem bend ...we will work out which direction we will head...either East via Pinnaroo or south via Bordertown ..or via Keith down south
Well it ended up being via Bordertown....getting there it was still wet so where to go.Hmmmm??
We headed through Kaniva...then did a sudden right turn and ended up at Lake Ratzcastle.
Now we have been there several times when the weather turned bad and its not a nice spot in high winds and rain. So with that thought in mind we parked up and set up down in the swamp..same spot as before...knowing it was more shelted there.The wind didnt let up...but we were far enough away from the big gum trees to be safe.

Wednesday I dug a fire pit from a used one mounding the sandy soil up pretty high to protect it from wind...so Rosie could cook with campovens... I didnt keep a daily report of events happening so the days went like this...breakfast...wood collecting...chat with new neighbours and locals...get rainwater from the fishing hut tank...lunch...then Rosie would go for a walk around the lake... she felt lot more secure with having the new twin portable hand held UHF radios...we got from EMG mags...they worked great.

                                        Oricom UHF Radios

Before you knew it ...it was Monday....we been there 6 nights..so we headed off.....up through Horsham to Warracknabeal...where we got extra supplies and fuel and headed up to Brim.

                                                       Pub

We worked out this was our 6th stay there in 2 years.
Parked in the same spot as we have other times...chat with locals and new neighbours..most seem to come from Tasmania...before we knew it ..it was Thursday...so with others we all headed to the Pub for parma night...$18 a big plate and a pod of beer in the price.

Friday and it was time to head home...now for planning the next trip

Lake Eyre Trip

May 2015 TC trip

Day 1...1st May
left south around 8am...convoyed with Frank & Brenda & Gerry through Adelaide ...north and caught up with Hugo and his brother Malcolm....headed north and ended up staying night at Warren Gorge.

Day2...
left and headed out to Probys grave then on to Kanyaka Homestead..then up to Hawker...finally arriving at Beltana Campground $20 night...Rosie cooked a pork roast in campoven on camp fire.

                                                                        Beltana

Day3..
Left there still heading north stopped at Leigh Creek for fuel and had a look at Copely..then up to lynhurst and out to Talc Alf but no one home..while we were there we did a short trip up the Strzelecki Track...then north and had a quick look at an ocka pit then on to Farina town (old Ghan) where we are staying 2 days to have a look around...camping here is $5per head per night unpowered but have flushing toilets and donkey hot water showers.

                                             
Day4 ..
Rosie did some clothes washing this morning..Rosie went for a walk through the ruins town...no campfires either night

Day5 ...
Packed up early and while others were packing up we went exploring the town towing the van...then left
Headed north to Marree...got fuel $185.00 ltr...checked out the old diesel train engines and Tom Kruse truck.. then headed out to Muloorina Station ....where we set up not far from flushing toilets $10 night....then explored the water hole part of the Frome River..No campfire tonight.

Day6 ...
Headed out to Lake Eyre via Level Post Bay....long trip...then walked out on the Lake...then headed back to Station on way stopping at another point of lake where we ate lunch..back at Station we had a campfire...Rosie cooked a damper went down well...

Day7..
Packed up and headed back down to Marree..got fuel again and extra rain water..then headed west on the Oodnattada Track..first stop was Alberrie Creek to look at plane henge...next Lake Eyre South lookout...having lunch at Curdimurka Siding...(old Ghan)...then out to the Bubbler springs...and finally on to Coward Springs where we set up camp for night...$25 night no power/drop toilets/donkey hot showers...we had a look at the Hot Spring but too many people there

                                                                     Coward Springs

Day8...
Packed up and headed west again ...stopped at Beresford Siding..then finally to William Creek...total of 60klm today..Had dinner at the Pub I bought couple stickers and a stubbie holder..$30 night powered in the Caravan Park opposite the Pub..3 of our gang paid for a flight over the lake only to find it was short trip as oil sprung from plane...when airborne ..try tomorrow again...Hugo had a fire going tonight....was short as the sand flies?? ate us alive....I cant work out how they managed to bite me while in bed through 3 layers of clothing.but boy do they itch..Rosie ones look bad .as she still getting over the ant bites that were nasty on her foot.

Day9...
We decided not to go out to Halligan Bay to Lake Eyre today with others.and I had a lazy morning while Rosie did clothes washing in the CP laundry...Late camp fire tonight as they finally got to look at the lake from air..$420 each

Day10...Mothers Day
Left William Creek this morning...and headed to Coober Pedy...staying 2 nights at Stuart Range CP.($34 powered)..4 of the Group are leaving us tomorrow..Tuesday we are making our way home... might stay one night at Lake Heart...and have a look at Woomera.

Day11...
Monday....Frank & Brenda...Hugo and Malcolm headed off this morning...Leaving us and Gerry ...who went for a drive around Coober Pedy...we 3 had pizza tonight..had an early night

Day12...
Left Coober Pedy this morning and headed to Lake Hart only to have rain on the way...Gerry decided he would head home too..we headed to Woomera...had a look around and thought the trip home was bit far so stayed night at the CP..($25 powered) place was showing its age but wasnt too bad for 1 night
Lake Hart

Woomera

Day13...
Left Woomera this morning and headed down to Port Augusta...we were thinking of heading home too..but the storm clouds rolled in...about 100klm from there..we looked at a parking bay only to see Frank & Brenda packing up their van..they are heading to WA........went though PA and now staying tonight at Stony Creek BC at Wilmington ($25 powered)

Day14...
Headed home this morning to a very wet trip home....only to find the developers have closed off our driveway.luckly we still got the van in over the carpark drive

Now where to next???