We left Sydney and the rain there
to more rain in the Blue Mountains – there were a few clear moments for us to
enjoy the views and some amazing sights of rivers spilling their banks – we
visited the Jenolan Caves – some of which were closed due to flooding –
something that our guide said she had never known in all her years there.
 |
| Out of the rain at the Jenolan Caves |
Heading back towards the coast
again we visited Shoalhaven Heads and a National Park at Jervis Bay which was
one of the most fantastic beaches we have yet seen in all our travels, white
sand like sugar, clear azure sea with not a ripple on it and just the odd
person taking a stroll, kangaroos lying around in the sun and beautiful parrots
eating our crumbs over breakfast – the toilets had spiders in like monsters so
it wasn’t all dandy. We were lucky with
the weather, it was perfect that day but more rain was coming so we thought we
would avoid it and decided to skip our planned route following the coast down
to Melbourne and head into the outback instead – Coober Pedy was our intended
destination – let’s see how we go.
 |
| A brief respite from the rain and a bit of racing at Shoelhaven Heads |
 |
| Amber enjoying the beautiful white sand and some sun at Jervis Bay |
 |
| The clouds are gathering, Jervis Bay |
So we left the coast and took to the road inland through the Snowy Mountains (not snowy at this time of year though). Little did we know that west of the mountains was going to get a flood anytime soon from all the rain.
 |
| Natural warm spring water pool in the Snowy Mountains |
It was a tricky drive – avoiding
the many flooded roads, rivers, lakes and creeks through areas such as Wagga
Wagga. Sarah had to part with her
Mineolas, potatos and a bag of rocket leaves through the fruit and veg. check border but apart from
that…We stopped off at some campsites along the Murray River, MIldura and Renmark, then through the Barossa Valley wine
region – not for more wine tasting but just coz it was en route – a lovely area
with roads lined with grape vines and orange trees. Lying around the carp filled Murray River, it
was unusually lush and green for the time of year (we were told).
 |
| The floods are here |
 |
| Where the Murray river meets the Darling |
 |
| Bob finds an old Gypsy Moth at Narandera |
 |
| Sand dunes just outside Wentworth |
 |
| Sarah trying a sand surf |
From Renmark we made haste to
Coober Pedy stopping 100k’s north of
Port Augusta, at Spuds Road house, just south of Woomera, a dusty night rest
stop shared with campers and truckers (and a few red backs in the loo!).
 |
| A beer, a sunset and a lovely daughter |
 |
| Not a lot of anything out here |
With an early start we completed
the final 400km and arrived in Coober Pedy mid afternoon, in the hottest part
of the day, around 40 degrees. With our hostel closed for siesta we headed to
The Old Timers Opal Mine and had a look round and the kids did a bit of
noodling for bits of opal!. The town was not quite what we expected, people do
live underground but there are still houses and shops above ground. It looks like a normal town from the outside
apart from the bits of old junk, film props and the thousands of white mounds (like
giant molehills) surrounding the town. We stayed in Radeka's underground hostel
and had to go down 6 meters below ground to our room. The room was sparsley
decorated with bare sandstone walls but nice and cool.
 |
| Down The Old Timers Mine at Coober Pedy |
 |
| A space ship from the film Pitch Black |
 |
| UNderground at Radeka's Hostel in CP |
So its only 750kms to Ayers Rock
from here, a day’s drive, we thought
we’d come this far, let’s go for it. We arrived at the rock at half hour before
sunset and enjoyed a beer and a cheese board whilst the sun set over Uluru.
Next day we dragged the kids up early for a guided walk, which they enjoyed and then headed to the Olgas (an equally
impressive formation of rocks) in the afternoon for a self-guided walk, we had
a quick swim at the campsite pool and left late afternoon back the way we had
come.
 |
| Kulgera Road house near the SA/NTborder |
 |
| Sunset dinner at the rock |
 |
| Sunrise at Uluru, we drove there with the kids still in bed! |
On the way back we pretty much travelled non- stop, apart from a brief
lunch in Coober Pedy where Sarah succumbed to the calling of an Opal ring and a quick visit to Woomera.
 |
| The Break Aways nr. Coober Pedy. It was very hot here. |
 |
| Some old rockets and stuff at Woomera |
After two and a half days
travelling we arrived in Adelaide. Here we had a full day checking out the
city, we visited the very interesting South Australia museum , took a tram down
to Glenelg, which is a lovely beach front suburb and had a curry!
Off again next day to the south
coast and then east towards Melbourne taking in the great Ocean road and it’s
wonders such as London Bridge and the 12 Apostles. We stopped in the Coorong,
Mt Gambier with it’s amazing Blue Lake and sinkholes and lastly at Johanna
beach - stunning albeit windy coastal area famous for shipwrecks and
lighthouses.
 |
| Fish heads at our road house in the Coorong |
 |
| The Blue Lake at Mt Gambier |
 |
| A very pretty sink hole with garden in Mt Gambier |
 |
| The Great Ocean Road just before sunset |
 |
| Joanna Beach |
 |
| Following the bushfire although it was controlled burning off! |
Melbourne was very rushed due to our detour to the outback
but we managed to fit in a visit to our friends Erica, Dev and family. Great to
see them and their girls aged 12 and 15, Aisha and Surrita. A bit of shopping, a few beers in the uber
trendy Brunswick st and then off to NZ.
 |
| Erica, Dev in Melbourne |
