Loxton to Renmark, then Mildura and home

This will be our last post for a while as we are heading home. It is getting a bit cool down here and we decided to get back home for Mothers Day.

We left Loxton on Thursday 3rd May and headed to Renmark. Rick and Lorraine (friends from home) were going to be there for a few days to pick up a new caravan so we ended up 2 sites down from them right on the Murray. The weather is certainly turning cooler, down to 4 degrees overnight and a cool breeze blowing during the day.

Murtho Forest lookout just out of Renmark

Ray with the Murray and setting sun behind him

 Rick and Lorraine got their lovely new van on Friday.
On Saturday 5th May, which was our 27th wedding anniversary, we were just finishing breakfast when we heard this loud music coming from the direction of the river. We went outside and this is what we saw coming down the river.

It was a fellow called Frank Turton, also known as "Chookman". He is a traditional country and western entertainer and lives at Paringa which is the next town on the river after Renmark. A young French film maker was making a film of Frank's life and they were taking the boat down to Renmark for the weekend and coming back to the caravan park on Sunday night to give a little concert. He is quite well known around the place. He used to be the entertainer at Daly Waters Pub in NT and sang with a chook sitting on his head, hence the name "Chookman".

We went down town after lunch and had a chat to him and Ray bought a couple of his CD,s.

That night Rick, Lorraine, Ray and I went out for dinner to The Renmark Club. It was very enjoyable and Rick took some lovely photos of us all.

Sunday night after tea we wandered up  through the caravan park and listened to some of Chookman's songs. His boat was lit up like a Xmas tree and he sang from a little stage on the boat.

Monday morning we bid adieu to The Baerwinkels and headed to Mildura. While there we decided to stay until today, Wednesday, and then head to Hay and then Gundagai and then home on Friday.
Hope you have enjoyed my Blogs and I will start them again when we go on our next trip sometime later in the year.
Bye for now.

Mannum to Loxton

Well, we are still slowly making our way up the Murray. There are so many beautiful places to stop that it is hard to choose just where to stay. At the present time The Murray River is just magnificent. There is plenty of water. The locals say that the water level is about 1 metre above normal so there is plenty of fish and an abundance of birdlife.

We left Mannum on 22nd April and headed upriver to Walker Flat where we crossed the river on the ferry, just fitting in beside a huge truck.

It is a bit squeezy on the ferry sometimes

We drove past a couple of lookouts, the second one being the most spectacular. It was called Big Bend Lookout so called because it looks out over a huge, sweeping bend of the river with big red cliffs rising up on one side.

Big Bend

We then drove through Swan Reach and on to Blanchetown. Nothing much to speak of here although we stayed in another nice park on the river. We met a young, very fit couple who were kayaking down the river from Bordercliffs (at the Vic/SA border) to Goolwa. They set up a tent and stayed in the caravan park overnight. They had all of their stuff packed into watertight bags which fitted in their kayak, a tent, air beds, sleeping bags, clothes, shoes and food. It was amazing to watch them pack up.

Lock 1 Blanchetown

From Blanchetown we went to Morgan. We have stayed there a few times before but only overnight so this time we decided to stay for 3 nights. After setting up we went across on the ferry to Waikerie where we went to Woolies and did some shopping. While at Morgan we caught up on the washing and the rain caught up to us.

Looking downriver at Morgan

From Morgan we went back across the ferry, through Waikerie and on to a little place called Moorook. We camped in a council reserve for $8 a night and had a great spot right beside the river.

Relaxed fisherman

Our campsite at Moorook

Ray caught some yellowbelly fish and he even caught a legal sized one which he has cleaned and filleted and popped in the feeezer to take home to Max, his brother. Ray and I don't like fresh water fish and Max is always asking Ray to bring him home a yellowbelly when we go away. So this time he did.

A yellowbelly for brother Max

We had a great weekend in Moorook. The days were lovely and sunny and the nights were quite cool.

This is the marker at Moorook which shows past flood levels. The one Ray is leaning on is 1974. The one at the very top is 1956 which is signposted at many spots on the river.

We got away from Moorook on 30th and headed to Loxton for 3 nights. Another lovely spot right on the river. Loxton is called the Garden City of the Riverland and the gardens are truly lovely. Just about every garden has lots of roses so there is colour everywhere

We witnessed a glorious sunset, all pinks and purples.

We have made friends with the caravan park dog Max, who came around looking for some biscuts.

Then while Ray was rebaiting his fishing rod a kookaburra swooped down and stole the bait right off the hook. He then hung around looking for a handout. Luckily we had some mince in the fridge so we gave him some. He is quite tame and will take the food out of your hand.

Camp Kooka

We drove to Berri on Tuesday. It was only 20km up the road and we were looking for a fishing store. On the drive from Loxton we couldn't believe the number of vineyards and orange and apple orchrds. On either side of the road as far as the eye could see.

Now today the 2nd is Ray's 60th birthday. I got him a new fishing rod, some bags to put the fishing rods in and some bells which you put on the end of the fishing rod and when you get a bite the little bells ring. So where people are fishing all you can hear are little bells tinkling. It sounds as if someones cat has got loose.I also got him some books and we went to the Loxton Hotel for lunch, just the two of us. It was a very nice meal.

First beer on Ray's 60th. Happy birthday

Coming back to the van after lunch the original kookaburra showed up and brought his wife with him and just plonked themselves down on the pole.

We are heading to Renmark tomorrow for a couple of nights as Rick and Lorraine are going to be there as they are  picking up a new van,

From Goolwa to Murray Bridge and then to Mannum

After all of the Easter visitors left Goolwa we went for a drive back out to the mouth of the Murray. It was a lot brighter day and the photo we took turned out better.

The mouth of The Murray on a clear day

We then drove down to the Goolwa barrage. There are 5 barrages built around the mouth of the Murray. They have been put there to:
1. Keep the salt water out of the Murray as it is used for irrigation upstream.
2. To keep the water level in the Murray above sea level
3. Ensure there is fresh water fish for domestic and industrial use.
The flow of water through the main barrage is phenomenal as there is so much water in the river.They are letting out as much as they can. There are thousands of birds around hunting for fish as they come through the barrage.

This little tern was exhausted after fishing and couldn't move

After this we drove back out to Victor Harbour and took some photos from a lookout.

Mosaic work at a lookout near Victor Harbour

Looking out over Victor Harbour

Next day, Thursday 12th April we left Goolwa for Murray Bridge. The first bridge over the Murray was built at Murray Bridge in the late 1890's and it is still in use. We had booked into a caravan park just outside Murray Bridge and it was lovely. Privately owned and overlooking the river at a place called Avoca Dell.

Sunset at Murray Bridge

We didn't do too much at Murray Bridge. Caught up on chores, went for a drive to Tailem Bend.

Old trucks at Tailem Bend

Wine barrels outside BWS store at Murray Bridge

 On the Saturday morning the "Murray Princess" came sailing past. It is a big paddleboat which cruises The Murray for between 3 and 7 days. It has 60 en suite cabins and is like an old Mississippi paddle steamer. Quite spectacular.

Murray Princess sailing past

The power of water wheels

The houseboats which cruise the Murray often tie up at Avoca Dell for the night. One night there were 8 of them tied up.

Small paddle boat and a houseboat

On Monday 16th April we left Murray Bridge to go back to Mannum. We had booked a riverside site for 6 nights and got there about 10.30am. We have a great spot. The ferry is nearly within spitting distance and as it runs on demand at night it is fairly quiet.

Our site at Mannum

We aren't doing too much as we are on holiday, although we went for a drive to Mt Barker and back to Hahndorf again for lunch. Mt Barker is about 50km from Adelaide in the Adelaide Hills and is very pretty. A bit like a smaller version of the Blue Mountains with all of the trees changing colour for autumn.

A kayaker paddling down the river with all his worldly possessions

On Thursday Ray went for a ride in a kayak. Not for long though as it is a bit hard on the hips. We are leaving here tomorrow, Sunday and heading up to Swan Reach.

Port Vincent to Goolwa via many places

On our last day in Port Vincent, the fellow from the site across from us gave us 4 lovely crabs which we had for lunch. They were very tasty. They had steamed them instead of boiling them.
 Ray had caught a couple more squid at Stansbury so we now have enough for a feed on Good Friday.
We got away from Port Vincent on April 1st, but not without a little hiccup. The jockey wheel was inadvertently left down and as we pulled out it got horribly bent beyond repair. So we knew when we got to Gawler we would need to do a little on line research to find another one.
We got to Gawler just before lunch to a lovely park with lots of trees and hundreds of correllas which shat all over the annex. The park people finally came along and scared the birds away hopefully for good.
Following our research we found the actual factory which made the jockey wheel is in a suburb of Adelaide, so the next morning we went for a run into Cavan and were able to buy a new jockey wheel and take it back and fit it.
Then we went for a drive out to the Barossa Valley. We stopped at a couple of wineries, Jacobs Creek and Seppelts, but didn't buy any. They do charge for tasting $5 per glass and the wine is quite expensive.
Next we went to Maggie Beers Farm Store and tasted a few samples and bought some lovely apricot jam and some quince paste, a couple of pates and a creme caramel. All very nice. Everything is made on site form fresh ingredients on the farm.
The caravan park at Gawler suggested we ring Mt Barker Caravan park to make sure we could get in, and guess what, they were booked out. We then had a look at the map and decided to go to Mannum, which is on the Murray. The main reason for going to Mt Barker was to go to Hahndorf and it was only 60km from Mannum to Hahndorf so we booked in there.
On Tuesday 3rd we left Gawler for Mannum and got there before lunch. We have a good site with a view of the water. After setting up we decided to head to Hahndorf for lunch. On the way we stopped at Melba's Chocolate factory for a few goodies and then popped next door to the Woodside Cheese factory where we also bought some goodies.
Next stop was Hahndorf where we stopped at Hahndorf Old Mill for lunch which was lovely.

Hahndorf main street

Then to the Beerenberg Farm to buy some fresh strawberries and some jam.
The next day after the usual washing chores we went for a drive around the Mannum area. First we went up to the lookout on a hill above Mannum and it was quite breathtaking. You could see the Murray spreading out in front of you on both sides.

Lookout above mannum showing The Murray River behind us

We then decided to try and change our direction. We had a look at a site at Mannum beside the river and we went and asked the caravan park when that site would be available. She told us it was available form 16th April so we booked it for 5 nights. We will go down to Goolwa for 7 nights, then back to Murray Bridge for 4 nights and then back to Mannum. From there we will follow the Murray River back to Albury.
After all of this planning we went for more drives. We went across the river on the ferry

Approaching the bank of The Murray on the ferry

Some boats moored on the Murray

 and followed the river around past a huge houseboat marina,

Houseboat Marina near Mannum

 then Younghusband, Coolcha, Bowhill and Purnong. We then went back across the river on the ferry at Walker Flat and stoped there and had some lunch.

View of Walkers Crossing

In the park at Walker Flat there was a sign stating not to feed the birds as you could kill them. A bit harsh we thought.

Unusual sign about bird killing

Limestone cliffs along The Murray River

On Thursday 5th we left Mannum and headed south to Goolwa. The caravan park is about 3km out of town. It is quite big and after going to get some supplies we came back and sat down to watch the "Set up Your Camp for the Weekend" show. It is quite funny some of the sights you see.
On Good Friday we had some incredible winds, with gusts up to 80km an hour. There were tents and gazebos flying everywhere. We were quite safe tucked in behind a permanent van. We went to the Goolwa markets on the wharf and bought some peaches,cakes and eggs.
On Saturday we drove over the bridge to Hindmarsh Island and out to the where the Murray River flows into the sea. The river entrance is open at present as the river still has high water levels from the last floods in 2011. We took a photo but it is not real clear as the day was overcast.

Entrance to Murray River at Goolwa. You can see the waves pounding

If the weather clears up before we leave we will go back and try to get a better shot.
Sunday was still overcast and cool but we went for a drive anyway. We went down to Port Elliot and then to Victor Harbour where we wandered around some more markets and bought some cakes and quince jam.

Looking to Port Elliot from a lookout

Looking towards Victor Harbour from Port Elliot

Tramway connecting Victor Harbour and Granite Island

Looking towards the Bluff from Victor Harbour

Looking back to Victor Harbour from The Bluff

Then on to Cape Jervis. This is where the ferry leaves for Kangaroo Island. We could see the island quite clearly as it is only a 45minute boat trip away. For us to take the car and van would be about $600 each way. Maybe in a couple of years we will go and stay a month or so.

Kangaroo Island ferry at Cape Jervis

Then we went to Rapid Bay for a look as someone had told us it was a beautiful spot.

Rapid Bay

The 2 jetties at Rapid Bay

Then on to Normanville and Yankalilla and then back to Goolwa.

Normanville

Unfortunately on the way back we were detoured around an accident at Port Elliot where a little boy had been run over and killed. Very sad.
Now today, Easter Monday we are just having a quiet day watching the caravan park empty out. We will resume our sightseeing tomorrow.
Blog you later!!!