We left Alice Springs this morning at 9.30 after saying good bye to a few people at GDay Mate and made our way to Stuart Wells where we topped up with fuel and a comfort stop. The tempature was in the late 30's very warm. We decided to only go to just north of the border at Kulgera . It consists of a road house and a small camping ground, Cost $20.00 a night for powered sites. As I type this up it is 27 degs at 7.00 pm with plenty of flies still buzzing around and being annoying, and the mozzies just waiting to give you a bite. John and I are staying in the caravan with the air conditioning on and leaving the nights insects to look after themselves and leave us alone I hope . We travelled 287 k today.
The sign says it all
20th October
We had a great sleep last night, the first time in ages . It was so quiet only 3 vans parked up. We passed over the border into South Australia at 8 am . Today is overcast with a few dark clouds in the horizon hopefully we will get some rain the land sure needs it. There is very little grass around for stock to feed off.
Our first bit of rain in over 6 months, sadly not enough to give the ground a good drink
10.30 am time for a coffee and comfort stop and a bit of a walk around . We stopped at a road house named Marla . The temperature was only 27 degs . I think the temperature is starting to go down a little bit, much more comfortable driving than when it's over the 30s plus .
along the main Stuart Highway.
A beautiful colouring of wild flowers growing along the side of Stuart Highway
30 k north of Coober Pedy we came across the Opal mine mullock heaps.
21 st October,
We booked a tour of Coober Pedy for this morning . Thought it would be more interesting this way, cost us $42.00 each Well worth it.
We visited a Serbian Orthodox church which was under ground.
Tour included streets and houses as will as the golf course and mines .
The tee's were artificial grass . The greens were made from dust and sump oil to stop the greens from blowing away.
Underground caretakers cottage ( Security Guard ). The underground tempature stays at 25 degs all year round with outside reaching over 50 at times .
Underground caves where opal was once mined
Digging a vent hole. 5 days by hand or 3 hours by machine
John coming up out of the mine
How Cooper Pedy got its name
Local water supply for visitors
Coober Pedy vacuum cleaner ( it sucks out the unwanted sandstone and puts it in a heap)
The average is around 75,000 dollars.
The discovery of opal began in 1915 when a small group of men named the New Colorado Prospecting Syndicare had unsuccessfully been searching for gold just south of Coober Pedy. On February 1st they set up camp and a young 14 year old son of one of the men found pieces of surface opal. Eight days later the first claim was pegged.
Together with nearby Andamooka and Mintabie , Coober Pedy produce 85% of the world's opal supply.
Fuelled up here $152.9 a litre. Marg knitting Knockers while we travel for breast cancer .
We stayed at Pimba tonight . A very quiet rest area next too the Spud Hotel. Cost a gold donation.
22nd October,
Stopped for lunch by the pink salt lakes between Port Augusta and Red Hill
We found Nesses at Lochiel which is on the Port Augusta to Adelaide highway.
23 rd October
Glen took us to see parts of the Barossa Valley. Wow what a beautiful area it is with all the vineyards .
Glen and John by an Eagle made of white Quartz
Looking over the valley of vineyards
This morning brought us a overcast day . We had a pleasant outing with Glen and Judith to Granite Island which is on the coast south of Adelaide by Victor Harbour. We walked from the mainland over to Granite Island . It was great to do a good walk since leaving Alice Springs .
Horse pulled tram goes every hour across the wharf to Granite Island. $9.00 return or $7.00 one way.
Seal carved out of a granite rock on the edge of the island
John and Glen walked up the stairs and along the top and down the other side. View from the top of Granite Island .
A blue tongue lizard we found going for a walk
Encounter Bay looking over toward Kranite Island
What a fabulous day we had with people we met at Alice Springs who are also from Adelaide .
Jeff and Chris Wilkinson and Tracy and Jason showed us around an area of Barossa valley we had not seen. We visited a winery called Seppeltsfield wow what a beautiful place . Seppeltsfield is the first winery built in Australia. The first vines were planted in 1850 here.
Entrance to the winery just recently built
We had a taste of a few ports and wine . From here we visited the Whispering wall, this is very interesting. If one person walks across the dam to the other side and you whisper,you can hear it on the other side come back to you.
It was starting to get dark when we got here hence not a very clear photo.
John & Marg, Jeff & Chris Wilkinson and Tracy & Jason Jones enjoying a coffee
Another lovely day here in Adelaide . Today our friend Glen is taking us to Hahndorf which is a German settlement that started in the 1850s. It is about 1 1/2 hours from where we are staying in Gawler. Beautiful green rolling hills and vineyards on our way there.
John climbed to the top
Peacock walking around the car park area
Visited Melba's chocolate factory and cheese's
These cheese's were all a soft cheese ( John did not like them , but Marg did )
From here we went to Hahndorf . When you arrive in this township there is a canopy of trees in thee main street. A lot of beautiful old stone buildings built many years ago with baskets of flowers and many rose bushes growing along the foot path.
Cockoo clocks every where to be seen and brought
Visited a museum and gallery in the Main Street of Hahndorf .
A very popular sport here in town in the 1878 and 2006
14 children and parents lived in the hollow of this tree in the 19th century. Such a humble abode. One of the present decendents lives in a house next door.
Across the road from the tree is a water well and a trough made out of a large tree that was used for the horses and cattle to drink from .
From here went to a lookout which was named Eden Valley. The earliest residents, the Peramangk and Ngadjuri tribes, made shelters in the red gums and used the bark for making canoes. The English and German immigrants settled Eden Valley in the 1850 and by the early 1900s there were two general stores , a flour mill, a bookmaker and butcher and two blacksmiths .
Now it is mostly in vineyards and famous for its Riesling, Shiraz , Chardonnary and Melot.
Looking over part of Eden Valley
John got a large tarp 9.1 by 4.5 meter to cover our van up when in storage, then we got a upholsterer to put a clear plastic piece that covers over one of the solar panels. This will allow the battery's to keep charged hopefully for the next 3 to 4 months .
Our van all parked up in Gawler South Australia
Our last night in Adelaide we spent with Judith and Glen's having a lovely meal of roast lamb and all the trimmings. We have had a wonderful time visiting all the different areas in Adelaide . Many thanks everyone for taking us around.
Our first day in Sydney had us walking and walking around , a great way to get exercise . We went to Paddys Market at in the suburb of Haymarket. We had a great look around. Not many people were there when we arrived which was great.
Then we went for a walk around a few streets, and came across Hyde park .
This morning brought a lovely sunny day . We decided to go on a cruise of the Sydney harbour to fill I time while we waited for our flight to NZ this afternoon.
As luck would have it we were the only ones on the tour . It was very informative . Photos below
Train ride to Circular Quay under ground . A double decker carriage
Navel base in Sydney Harbour
Fort Denniston
Apartments worth 5 million each for 2 bedrooms and a view
ANZAC bridge
HMS Endeavour. ( replica of )
This is the name of the tour boat we went on
From here we went for a walk around the quay, until our train ride back to the airport. We came across ineresting plaques on the walkway.
