The Mighty Murray

Since leaving Kingston, we headed through Pineroo and across to Mildura, the flies at the Pink Lake in the Murray Sunset National Park carried us to Mildura,  they were bad, the worse we have seen them in all of our travels, we couldn't even have a drink outside, (I'm not good at sharing).

Mildura is beautiful, and Australia's fruit bowl, we purposely didn't stock up on any fresh fruit and veg, knowing we would enter the fruit fly quarantine area, but now we are in it, there is so much fruit available and at prices you just can't imagine, the fruit is sweet and delicious.

Wentworth was also a beautiful town, one of the oldest towns in this region. It is situated at the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers, also home to Lock No. 10 and we had great fun watching the houseboats go up or down in the lock depending which way they were heading.

                                   
                                                    The Darling and Murray junction.

From Mildura we found a few bush camps along the Murray before coming into Swan Hill.

Swan Hill, is another Gem on the Murray, the Pioneer Settlement, was a couple of days well spent.
I can't rave enough about it, along with the General admission we did the PYAP cruise up the Murray and the night time Light and Sound show. It took us two days to get around all the displays, even catching the horse and cart or one of the vintage vehicles running around the settlement didn't save us any time in traversing the grounds. The highlight for the girls was dressing up in the period costumes,
or for Grace having her Wanted poster printed "Wanted for causing Havoc and Mayhem" who would have figured? I can't choose between the old favourites lolly shop or the Tea Rooms (Food heavily influencing my descision), Les enjoyed the old engineering shops,  the equipment is still used today to assist with the up keep of the settlement and all their machinery.

 

Caravans have changed a lot over the last 100 years. Thank goodness

 

Clipsal V8s

Before I go any further I must show pictures of the V'8s (boy did I get in the poop after last post when no cars were put in) so all the V8 fans here we go.

 

Adelaide

Hit adelaide just in time for the Clipsal 500,  Les is happy, he has something to keep him busy while I catch up with the girls. :)

                                              West beach with Lara and Jade

 

Adelaide is turning on the weather for us, it is absolutely beautiful, enjoyed a day down at West Beach with Lynda and her gorgeous girls. (Les still at Clipsal)
Come Tuesday we headed down to Myponga, Mum and Dad have had a shack here forever and it is a place that has many happy memories, it is special  now to be able to share this place with my own family.

 

Glad to report (Aunty) Cheryl's Christmas tree is still going (growing).
Mum and Dad planted this when Cheryl moved to Cairns 20 years ago, didn't think it would make the journey up there and would have more of a chance down at the beach, it was about knee high in a pot at that time.


Time has flown and once again time to move on, we have two weeks to spend on the riverland before heading into Melbourne to catch the flight out on the 25th. 
First a detour to Keith to catch up with one of my oldest friends, Mary and her tribe in Keith, and then onto Kingston, where my sister is spending their long weekend. (Adelaide Cup Holiday).
How is it that when you see your friends kids they all look so much older than last time you see them?  I never see myself getting older in this same amount of time - Maybe I should look in the mirror more carefully.

 

 

Streaky Bay and beyond

Oh NO, not again!!
Yes, but thanks to Karl at Streaky Bay Mechanical we were back on the road in no time.
Thanks Karl,
Before departing the Bay however we found a gem of an art gallery and museum at the back of the Shell servo, displays of all kinds of memorabilia from catches off the coast here, including this model of  the largest Great White Shark caught at the time, over 5 metres and weighing in at over 1500kg. Thank goodness we didn't see him (her actually).

 

It was cold and windy when we arrived in Ceduna,  perfect weather if surfing, so we took a drive out to Cactus Beach with its left and right break. after seeing  that model in Streaky there is no way I would go in there, especially dressed in a black wetsuit looking like lunch, or in my case dinner.

 

 



 

 

 

                            After Les has had his fill of oysters its time to move on yet again.

 

Adelaide here we come. :)