Chapter 2 - Home to Flinders Ranges

Prologue

I sent out an email a few days ago advising of our trip. I have had lots of responses wishing us safe driving and a great trip. We would like to thank you all for those emails. We will do our best to fulfill your requests and give you something worthwhile to read.............. 

Day 1 – Tuesday 23 May – Home to Beaufort - 184 km

I said Wednesday 24th, but Shirley said Tuesday 23rd. Shirley won. Packing was easier and more organised that I had allowed for - despite spending most of Monday/yesterday on the golf course. My motives were pure - I gave Shirley a chance to pack without interruption. 

After last minute packing, switching off of appliances, and locking all things that need to be locked, we took a deep breath and moved away from home around 10 am.

It was lucky that we had a check list or our first stop may have been the supermarket for olive oil, sauces, jams, mustards & cereal.

We had our sharp axe, our new Baby Weber Q BBQ (thanks Amanda) and an additional (4 kg) gas bottle (thanks Crippsy). The centre console had a supply of mints and snakes. I had my apple nearby (one that you eat). Shirley was ready to relax. The windscreen was clean (for the moment).

The car and caravan have both recently been serviced. Shirley has visited the hairdresser. I cut my own. Shirley's looked better and there was more of it. The car is full of diesel. We have plenty of water and food. Maybe a couple of bottles of wine. Two bags of wood. Three gas bottles - two for the caravan and one for the Weber.

The forecast was for sun and a top of 16C as we headed north west, up the Western Highway towards Ballarat. Our second big trip in our new caravan was underway.

Kay and Darryl were seven days ahead of us. It's great having forward scouts, 👀👀 although they started off scouting a different route to what we have started on.

It was around 17 degrees as we left the ring road. That dropped to 8 by the time we reached Ballarat. Shirley had her first nano-nap 92 km into the trip. It did not last long, neither did the next or the next ............

We had a break for lunch and later pitched camp at Beaufort - a town that takes its name either from Rear-Admiral Francis Beaufort or a Welsh village in Monmouthshire - around 3pm. The temperature had jumped to 10 degrees.

Our home was the Beaufort free RV camp (1 Park Rd, Beaufort).

Beaufort free RV camp

Dinner consisted of lamb steaks and the remaining fresh vegies that we needed to cook before we cross the state border (tomorrow). Although the outside temperature had dropped to 7 degrees the diesel heater ensured that we were comfortable with 20+ temperature. We also needed to cook some apples that were not going to be eaten by late tomorrow.

We had a spooky moment when music started to come out of the four ceiling speakers in the caravan, despite the audio system being OFF. It stopped a few minutes later. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Day 2 – Wednesday 24 May – Beaufort to Bordertown - 329 km

Today was all about the journey, not the destination.

My phone said 6 degrees at 6 am outside. The temperature gauge said 9 degrees inside. I turned on the diesel heater. Nine degrees became 16 degrees by the time I woke Shirley. I was dressed and fed and ready to go. 

We hit the road around 8:15 am. Our first stop was the silo art at Horsham and it was very impressive.
There are two sets of art as shown below...........

Silo Art at Horsham

Silo Art at Horsham

It was then onto the Arkona silo art around 11 km north of Dimboola. It was also impressive, and has a long explanatory description - if you wish to look it  up.

Arkona Silo Art (Dimboola)

Shirley checking out some interesting letterboxes

We drove into Dimboola for a look around. We admired the Wimmera River on our way to the entrance to Little Desert National Park. We did not stay long - just wanted to say that we had been there. 

Wimmera River at Dimboola

We stopped to take a photo of Pink Lake (below), although it was not very pink.

Pink Lake

Nhill has great caravan parking in the middle of the town, so we stopped there and made a sandwich for lunch. A walk around the town discovered a memorial to Draught Horses, an animal that was very important to the establishment of Australia in the 'early days'.

My forebears had many such horses when they farmed in the Wimmera in those 'early days'.

Memorial to Draught Horses

Our third silo art for the day was at Kaniva, just 250 metres off the Highway - also impressive.

Kaniva Silo Art

Kaniva also has the "Sheep Art Trail" - a large collection of sheep statues that are all over the town. The 'real sized' statues are a huge range of colours. Two are included below. Click here if you want to see a lot more.

Sheep Art Trail

Sheep Art Trail

We ate our last piece of fruit then crossed the border into South Australia - and immediately gained half an hour. We soon pulled into Bordertown and stopped at the animal reserve that features a collection of white kangaroos.

White Kangaroos

We topped up on diesel (including five litres for the diesel heater) then established camp in the Bordertown RV Recreation Lake Park. We were about 20 metres from the water. The photo below was taken from the back of the caravan.

From the back of the caravan

We then walked around the park and took a photo of one piece of art that was on display (see below).

Art on Display

It was time to relax. Although we have had a pleasant day the quality of the Western Highway from Melbourne to the SA border is extremely disappointing. It is probably the worst major highway that we have travelled on in recent memory.

The head wind today was a pain, but we accept that there will be head winds and tail winds.

Day 3 – Thursday 24 May – Bordertown to Burra - 430 km

For the second day in a row I was up before sunrise (surprised?), and was able to get the following photo from the back of the caravan.

Sunrise at Bordertown

Two minutes later it was gone as the clouds took control. The forecast is for wet and chilly - and it was - all day. Shirley appeared early and we were destined for an early start (7:45 am).

Our first stop was the silo art at Coonalpyn. See below. I had to take the photo out of the window as it was raining too hard to get out.

Silo art at Coonalpyn

Murray Bridge beckoned and we duly visited Coles to stock up on fruit and veggies (that we could not bring across the border).

We then bypassed Mannum and headed due north. The weather was getting worse by the minute. We stopped on the banks of a dry creek and made a hot lunch - hot dogs. I include the photo below to show how typically Aussie this country is. The gum trees were magnificent.

Trees at our lunch stop

Our next stop was Eudunda, where the rain subsided long enough to get the following photo (but it did not stop). The theme was based on the author Colin Thiele who came from this part of the world. Click here for more information on Colin.

 

Silo art at Eudunda

Our last silo art before the Flinders Ranges was at Farrell Flat - a superb little town that could have had us for a couple of days, if not for the terrible weather. The small pub had heaps of cars outside - always a good sign. The GPS lady took us along 14 km of unsealed wet road. I was not impressed, but the sight at the end was worth it.

The art work depicts the last passenger steam train (RX 55) to travel through Farrell Flats when passenger services closed in 1986.

Silo art at Farrell Flats

We were only 26 km from Burra, so we completed the day's journey at the Burra Showgrounds - as the rain continued. Shirley conjured up some casserole and left over (cooked Victorian) veggies.

It was a relaxing evening, as the rain continued into the night.

Day 4 – Friday 26 May 2023 – Burra to Mt Little Station

My body said stay in bed, so I did – until 7:45. Shirley was happy with that. Then we showered at the same time, because the local amenities made it that way (we had to drive there).

We did caravan stuff, like emptying the toilet cassette and topping up with water. Our departure was around 9:30 – very late for us.

Peterborough was our first stop – a lovely old town with many magnificent buildings – large and small. The Peterborough Hotel is a fine example.

Peterborough Hotel

We did some minor shopping, had a coffee, visited the tourism centre, then headed north.

The road and weather conditions (for driving) were the best day of the trip to date.

Pea n ham soup was warmed up for lunch and we arrived at Mt Little Station around 2pm – where we booked in and met up with Kay and Darryl. We had a great private camp spot with our nearest neighbour maybe 100+ metres away.

Mt Little Station Campsite

The station had a pizza bar so we joined in and each had a great pizza. It was a superb location with two roaring fires.

Pizza at Mt Little Station

Pizza Cooker - Mountain Range at Rear

The pizza maker was happy to feature in the sunset photo with the hills in the background being highlighted by the setting sun.

Mt Little Tavern & Pizzeria

The 2 km or so drive back to camp was an issue as we nearly got bogged on the way to dinner. It was my closest call ever with this car (and three witnesses on board].

On the way home it was pitch black and we could not find our way back the way we had come. Fortunately, there was an alternative longer track that we ended up using. Our 2 km took about 30 minutes.    

So far we have driven 1216 km.

This is the end of Chapter 2. Now we embark on seeing the Flinders Ranges.

Last updated at 1 pm (SA time) on Monday 29 May 2023.

*** Chapter 2 Complete ***

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