Adelaide

Don't know about you, but I associate Barossa Valley with Adelaide. So day one was a visit to Barossa Valley and a few wineries


And while at a winery, one must have a wine tasting (driver excluded of course). We sampled a series of wines and the suggested serving options of foods - all available from the supermarket.



On our return trip we took in the "whispering wall" where whispers are carried from one end of a dam wall to the other.


Above is where I whispered from and below, Bruce and Helen are about to reach their end of the whispering wall. It truly is amazing how clearly the whispers are transmitted and how audible they become.



A small German town near Adelaide is Hahndorf


We visited here spending time wandering through the main street,


sampling some genuine German foods,


and doing a spot of shopping


On the way back to Adelaide we called in to Mt Lofty where we had a coffee and took in the view





At camp we once again had the company of people friendly bird life


And on Friday 11th January we said farewell to Bruce and Helen and shared a final meal with them at Adelaide airport

Mannum, Murray River

And so we left the Grampians, passed the giant koala,


and at some point crossed the border to enter South Australia. Careful planning meant that all we put in the border quarantine bin was half a lettuce and half a cucumber (we have since acquired a travellers guide to Australian state borders quarantine restrictions - and found we could have kept the lettuce).
We stayed at Mannum and on Monday took a lunch cruise aboard the Proud Mary, which gave us an hour and a half on the Murray River.


There were plenty of houseboats lining the banks of the river


Lunch was smorgasbord and one or two of our group went back for seconds


Brandt even had a turn at the controls of the wheelhouse


Back at the Mannum Caravan Park, the birds entertained us





Also other boats passed by. The Murray Princess was quite impressive as it passed by





Next stop.....Adelaide

The Grampians

Instead of risking there being no spaces left for us in the Grampians National Park camps (it is first come gets the sites), I booked us in to the Halls Gap caravan park.
The view from our "back door"




Being on the edge of the National Park we had frequent visitors of the wild life












Day one took us in search of the fantastic views - a combination of driving and walking.




















We believe the above photo is of The Pinnacle, which Brandt and Bruce climbed on Day two. It was supposed to be a five hour walk but they returned after three hours and say they spent about 40 minutes at the summit. Unfortunately the sun appears to have marred Brandt's photos, but I am posting the best of them anyway. I assume they are of the view from the top.

Port Fairy and Tower Hill Reserve

The holiday season meant we stayed a little inland at a place called Koroit. On the way to Port Fairy we went via Toolong (this place was discovered by searching google maps whilst we were at Greens Lake and there was much too-ing and fro-ing about Howlong and Toolong). Seeing as we were close to Toolong I just had to visit it.





So we discovered the answer to the question, "How long is Too long?" the answer being "not very long at all." In fact we blinked and missed it so all I have is evidence that we were on Toolong Road.



We walked around Griffiths Island and took in the views











And then on to Tower Hill Reserve, which is a series of volcanic craters


We walked round a crater rim





And back at the visitor centre we saw Emus walking around

The Great Ocean Road

Saturday 29th December said good bye to Brian and Cheryl bright and early and took an early bird ferry crossing from Sorrento to Queenscliff. The early bird sailing meant that we only paid $22 for the caravan (instead of the regular $81). On the ferry, we lined up for coffee.





And once across at Queenscliff found a cafe serving breakfast.


Brandt is holding out the badge that says he is the boss around here (as it was his birthday).

Then on towards The Great Ocean Road.


Coming in to Lorne (actually about 5km out) we struck a bit of a hold up


At first we thought there must have been an accident, but it was just holiday traffic in Lorne itself holding us up.

Then to the Erskine Falls


Of course we HAD to go to the bottom.
I surprised myself by easily coping with the climb back up to the car park


We camped at Apollo Bay for the next two nights, taking a day trip to the 12 Apostles. It didn't disappoint. (but there was something on my camera lens. However the views are still great)








We even went down to the beach





And of course back up to the top again


The next day we passed by the twelve apostles again and called in to more lookouts on our way to Koroit.
The arch


London Bridge, now called London Arch


The grotto



And the Bay of Martyrs



Our trip from Apollo Bay to Koroit was supposed to be 2 hours, but with all the stops we did it took about 5 hours.