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Friday 6th March 2009

Well dear readers, we have recently joined the Australian Caravan Club and today we were going to our first 'Muster' at the Big 4 CP in Robe, in the South East.   We were on the road by 9am, relying on the Navman to show us the way to Robe via the back roads of the Mt Lofty Ranges through One Tree Hill, Kersbrook ,Birdwood and Murray Bridge.   The Navman kept wanting to take us out via the suburbs and the Freeway but we persisted and finally it showed the correct route.  We made good time and although the route was a bit more hilly it was quiet with less traffic and we  took about 80 minutes to get to Murray Bridge.  A short time later after joining the Freeway we arrived in Tailem Bend for a rest break.  

The rest of the trip was uneventful.  We had lunch in Meningie on Lake Albert at the Bakery and  we stopped for fuel in Kingston. Just outside Kingston SE we saw what appeared to be the result of a car and campertrailer parting company.  Emergency Services were in attendance and the trailer was being winched on to a flat top recovery truck.  We arrived at the Long beach Big 4 Caravan Park about 3pm and booked into our site.  There were a number of other ACC members already set up so we went around and introduced our selves.  At 4pm we had the club happy hour that went on for two hours, then arrangements were made to have dinner at the Robe Hotel at 7:30pm.  The pub was a bit busy being Friday of the long weekend but service was remarkably quick and we were soon having a good time talking with other members of the club.   After dinner finished we headed back to the CP and relaxed and watched TV.  

The Beach front at Robe.	The Obelisk on Cape Dombey.
Doorway Rock, near Robe.	The Coorong.

Saturday 7th March 2009

It drizzled overnight and made everything damp and wet.  The sun broke out about mid morning and then it was beautiful for the rest of the day.  Mid morning Geraldine and I went for a walk along the Long  beach before heading off to Cape Jaffa by car.  I had seen a photo of a Marina development in one of the brochures we picked up at the Caravan Show in Adelaide last week and I was interested in going over there to check it out.  I was also under the impression that the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse would also be there.   How wrong can you be!, Doh!  The marina is still under development and only consist of partially sold blocks of land on the marina waterfront.  The only houses we could find were in the original fishing village.  And on top of that, on making some inquiries of the locals about where the lighthouse was, we found out that in 1975 it had been moved to Kingston SE and put on display on the beach front there. The Lighthouse was originally set up on the Margaret Brock Reef about 6 kms of the coast of Cape Jaffa.  Talking to one local, they would like it back at Cape Jaffa to no doubt compliment the marina.   The region surrounding Cape Jaffa is making a name for itself with lots vineyards and wineries.   We drove another 25 kms into Kingston SE  to see the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse.    While we were there we also tried out the local Bakery which was in the old courthouse.  Not Gloria Jeans, but great coffee anyway!

Why Kingston "SE" ,I hear you ask?  Well, apparently our pioneers named two towns in South Australia Kingston, so to prevent confusion, they named one Kingston on Murray (because it is on the Murray River near Barmera), and the other Kingston SE (because it is in the South East of South Australia.)  A little bit of trivia I thought! 

In the afternoon, we drove into Robe and located the Obelisk at Cape Dombey. The obelisk was originally placed there to assist mariners with their navigation.  A local builder erected the 40 foot structure in 1855 for $460.  It was painted all white at first but mariners had difficulty seeing it against the sand hills.  So then it was painted alternate red/white to make it more visible .  It is still there, but for how long?  The coastline being made of limestone is gradually wearing away by tidal erosion, and it is expected that eventually, the obelisk will tumble into the ocean as the ground it stands on is undermined.  Maybe Cape Jaffa should put a bid in for it now !   Or maybe Robe should relocate it before that disaster happens!

Robe was also the port from which 17,000 Chinese immigrants travelled overland from to the Victorian Goldfields between 1857 and 1863, to avoid a poll tax that would have been imposed by the Victorian Government had they come through Melbourne. The Chinese Monument in town commemorates this historical event.    There is also a large crayfish and shark fishing industry here in Robe.   It is also a popular region for tourism.  Lake Butler Boat Haven is where the fishing fleet is secured when not at sea.  Lake Butler is a natural lake and in the past the fishermen used to drag their boats over the sand hills from the sea to the lake to protect them in winter..  In 1964 a 2 meter deep channel was dug to connect the lake to the sea and now gives a safe haven all year round. 

In the evening we had a happy hour and BBQ dinner at the camp kitchen. 

The Chinese Monument	The Cape Jaffa Lighthouse on the beach front in Kingston SE.
War Memorial ,Robe.	Custom's House, Robe.

Sunday 8th March 2009

We drove into town and walked around the shops and beach front.  The Robe Hotel which has been continuously licensed since  1847 was first called ' The Bonnie Owl' and is Robe's first Hotel.  Custom's House situated on the big roundabout near the Boat Haven was built in 1863 and was operational as the Custom House and office of the Harbour Master and Receiver of Wrecks  for the S.E. down to the Victorian border for 25 years.  It now houses the Nautical Museum.  We took a drive up to the Beacon's Hill Lookout Tower to  take a panoramic view of the Robe Township and coastline.  The rest of the day was spent relaxing at the CP.   The weather has remained sunny and  cool.   Happy hour at 4pm.  

Monday 9th March 2009

This morning the CP emptied out as the Long Weekenders packed up and went home.   Some of the ACC members also left as they have to work so us Retirees and Grey Nomads can survive the International Financial Crisis!  There were about 6 members left who will leave tomorrow.  We are now full fledged members of the 'Southern Cross Overlanders' branch of the ACC having filled out the transfer forms over the weekend.  Overall it was a quiet day for us.  We sat around and had morning coffee, lunch and then had the happy hour at 4pm.   Went into town for some shopping and then listened to a Jazz group that set up at the Camp Kitchen.   In the evening we had a BBQ dinner and then relaxed and watched TV whilst in the background we could hear the band playing into the night.

Tuesday 10th March 2009

This morning we said our farewells to our new club friends.  We hope to see them again in May when there will be another 'muster' at Wallaroo.  We travelled on towards Mt Gambier through gentle undulating farm land and Pine Forests stopping in Millicent for a coffee break at the local Bakery and some fuel as well.  We made good time and were in Mt Gambier by mid day.   The purpose of our visit this time was to see the Blue Lake whilst it was still 'Blue'  as it changes it colour back to a wintry grey towards the end of March.  We were in luck and took some photos of the lake in all its glory.  We then drove on towards Port McDonnell and called in to 'Adam Lindsay Gordon's'  house at Dingley Dell.  Unfortunately the cottage is only open to visitors on Thursdays  but we could still look around the gardens and take a photo of the cottage.  Adam Lindsay Gordon (1833-70) was a renowned Australian Poet, Literary, Horseman, Politician and Artist.

We continued on the back roads from Port McDonnell to Nelson in Victoria where we stopped at the Kywong CP for two nights.  CP is in bush setting  just noth of town.  In the evening we had dinner at the Nelson Hotel.    We had crappy TV reception only managing one station (WIN Mt Gambier) .  Nelson is near the mouth of the Glenelg River  in Western Victoria. The Lower Glenelg National Park and the Discovery Bay Coastal Park are nearby.

Blue Lake in Mt Gambier

Blue Lake through the eye!

Wednesday 11th March 2009

We had a very lazy start to the day.  Had breakfast around 1030am and then sat around reading till after midday.  At 1pm we joined the 'Nelson Explorer' for a cruise up the Glenelg River to the Princess Margaret Rose Caves.   The cruise lasted about 3.5 hours and followed the picturesque Glenelg River  up through the Lower Glenelg National Park.  By the time we got back to the CP it started to rain so we battened down for the night.

Dingley Dell	Glenelg River near Nelson.
'Nelson Explorer'	Here I am, a standout amongst the crowd!
On tour you cross the SA/VIC border several times.	The VIC Border.

Thursday 12th March 2009

The rain eased overnight and moved further east towards Melbourne.  We were packed up by 9:45am so departed  the CP at Nelson and made our way towards Portland.  We noticed that my left rear brake light wasn't working so made a mental note to look at it in Portland later today.    The trip to Portland was short as it was only 70 kms  down the road.   We drove to the Portland Maritime Discovery Information Centre on the foreshore near the breakwater after we entered the city.  We had a quick look around the Centre and then decided on a CP to stay at.  Originally we were planning to stay at the Narrawong Top Tourist park but on our way there we saw the Henty Bay Beachfront CP (FamilyParks) and decided to stay there instead as it was closer to Town.   After lunch we went into town to do some shopping at the local Safeway and Geraldine had a hair cut.  On return to the CP I took the rear brake light cover off and found a blown globe as the problem.  A quick trip to the local Auto Pro shop and I had a couple of new globes for the van.  Put it all back together and then had an afternoon nap.   For dinner I barbecued some sausages  at the camp kitchen.  In the evening we watched the TV.  We are here for 3 days so plan to do some self drive tours tomorrow.

Friday 13th March 2009

This morning we woke up to a misty day as some low clouds moved in.  We took the opportunity to use the laundry and took care of the washing.   By midmorning the mist had lifted and we decided to drive to Cape Bridgewater to look at the petrified forest and the blow holes.  The seal colony was a two hour round hike so we decided against that one.  The petrified forest was originally believed to have been a moonah tree forest  that had been buried under a sand dune and then over time water seeping through the sandstone formed the hard crust around the trunks.  Now it is believed that the formation came about due to 2 solutions of water, one acidic wearing the sandstone away and the other mineralised that formed the hard tubes.  

We also walked about .5kms of the Great South West Walk (GSWW)  near the Bridgewater Beach before returning to the kiosk for lunch.   Afterwards, we drove to Cape Nelson for a look at the Lighthouse and the 'enchanted forest' along the coast.  This was quite a difficult walk as it was steep and at the bottom of a cliff.   The enchanted forest is a stand of Moonah Trees  in a protected gully on the side of the cliffs overlooking the ocean, creating a dense  almost tropical vegetation.   All this walking up and down hills and steps made us a bit tired so we headed back to the CP for a happy hour and rest.  

The sandstone tubes	At the Petrified Forest
Bridgewater Beach	Cape Nelson Lighthouse
Portland	Cape Bridgewater

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