Last 3 Months of 2014

Hi,

I have taken my time with this blog, but better late than never so it's said. We have been very busy since being back in Melbourne. I have started this blog at the beginning of October, we are still crossing the Nullarbor, we reach Nullarbor Road House and stayed 2 nights here as we wanted to go to the Koonalda Station and Cave. So on Sunday 5th we set off with our picnic lunch, heading west for 90km's to a track north for 14 km's to the old station. Looking round the station was most interesting. 

Old Eyre Highway looking East

Ian checking the map

The Gurney family leased the Koonalda Station from 1938 to 1988, their home was built from the railway sleeper from the Transcontinental Railway and were source around the Cook siding, windows and door were from recycled materials from Eucla Telegraph Station. This pastoral property was the most western property in SA for 50 years, it became part of the Nullarbor National Park in 1989. 

Koonalda Homestead

The property ran sheep and the complex of the station consisted of the homestead, shearers hut, petrol outlet/generator room, workshop and storage shed, stables and the shearing shed.

Koonalda Homestead Shell service station, out of diesel

Car grave yard at Koonalda Homestead

Shearing Shed

Shearing Shed

The water for the station was pumped from this cave lake,which is approximately 10 km's from the homestead, the old pump equipment is still in the bottom.

Sign NO ENTRY, but provide a stile to get over the fence

Ian looking at the Koonalda Cave

Koonalda Cave, water source for the station

Track from the cave

After our drive and walk round we headed west on the Old Eyre Highway for about 30 km's then turn south back to the highway. We had hope to go further along the old highway but big storms were threatening and we didn't won't to get caught out.

Old Eyre Highway

Grass under the truck

More grass it was in every possible spot

The grass on this track back to the highway was up to the tops of the wheels, it got stuck every where.

This is the track that left the grass under the truck

We stopped at one pf the lookout along the road to see the fantastic Bunda Cliffs of the Great Australian Bight. That night at Nullarbor was wild, lighting, wind thunder all round us but no rain to speak of.

Bunda Cliffs looking east

We arrived at Ceduna and stayed a few nights in the wind. Ceduna is not a bad place to stay, while there I heard about an eclipse of the moon, so we tried taking photo's not easy at all, but we had fun on top of the sand dune taking photo's.

Eclipse of moon at Ceduna

From Ceduna we spent a night free camping at Kimba, really nice spot. Then onto Port Parham another free camp and into Adelaide. We had lunch with Pam and Roger also my daughter Tatania happen to be there for work, so lunch was in order with her. From Adelaide is was a short drive to Waikerier for the Cell Owners Muster, we had lots of fun looking at each others vans and comparing notes.

Banner at Waikerier

Ian & Ernie

Owners Club mascot

Murray river crossing at Waikerier

We had the required meeting and BBQ dinner, lunch at a great winery "Branrock" very nice food and wine, although is was very hot most days.

Cell Owners enjoying drinks at Branrock Station

Robyn, Ian, Marilyn and John at Branrock Station

Branrock Station vineyard and wetlands

End of a hot day out

Our air-condictioner work all the time we were there, one day we opened the bathroom door and all the stuff (snow) from the ducts in the roof landed on our floor, very funny. All fixed up now.

We had snow in the caravan

From Waikerier a few of us were of to the other 1/2 of the muster in Port Lincoln, we spent one night in Port Augusta on our way. Again we had fun, this time it was windy and rain a lot. We spent time looking round and on this big cruise ship was in town. There were Americans every where.

Celebrity Century cruise ship at Port Lincoln

As a group we went to the Port Lincoln Seafood Factory for a tour and fish and chip lunch. The next day we had lunch at a another winery again. Brett being a chef did  a pancake breakfast one morning and we also had a fun BBQ with a group of musicians playing for us.

Seafood factory tour, Kitchen

Fish and chip lunch

Cell mates at winery in Port Lincoln

Brett cooking pancakes for breakfast

Stormy night at Port Lincoln

We also went on a great drive to Coffin Bay for a tour of an Oyster Shed, Ian really liked the oyster's.

Visiting the Oyster Shed at Coffin Bay

Dad and his some of his chicks

From Port Lincoln we were off to Portland in Victoria. We stopped at Port Augusta, free camped at Port Parham again with Margaret and Graeme, from there we were of to Keith but went a bit further to stop at Padthaway Caravan Park, a really nice little park with lovely owners.

Set up for the night at Padthaway Caravan Park

 The Blue Wrens kept popping around

After leaving Padthaway we had lunch in Mt Gambier, by this stage we were on a mission to get to Portland. 10 km's out of Mt Gambier we had a bus flash us and stop. We were leaving a trail of smoke behind us. Lucky for us that the bus driver stopped us, as we had a fire under the van. Ian used our 2 kg fire extinguisher to put it out. We had to wait 3 hours for a tow truck as the first one could not fit our van on the tray. We spent the night in a motel in Mt Gambier. Next day the caravan repairer fix our wheel bearing that had collapsed and caught fire (lucky we had a spare with us)

Ian after he put our fire out

Our home getting put on the tow truck

The tyre after the fire

The Blue Lake at Mt Gambier

Our van on the tow truck, just horrible watching it sway

Next day we finally made it to Portland and met up with Karen and David, we had a lovely couple of days with them. When we returned to Melbourne the caravan went to Cell and left the van there for a few days so they could repair it. We stayed with mum for the 3 nights and went out most days doing little jobs for her. We also went on the Melbourne Star and had lunch at a pub near by. We had a really great stay with mum.

Fossilised rocks at Bridge Water Bay Portland

In the Gondola on the Melbourne Sky

City Link from the Melbourne Sky

Boltey Bridge and toll road

The blimp that goes round in circles

More of Melbourne

The Melbourne Sky

The rest of November and December has been uneventful, we have visited many friends and spent time with the grandchildren, children etc: Christmas was spent at Robert and Mel's place which was a fun day.

Rafael with his father's Tonka truck & his Christmas present

Christmas lunch at Robert and Mel's. Mum and Tatania with Denise in background

So by now it is 2015 a new year. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our family and friends. See you all soon somewhere.

Love Marilyn and Ian