4 December to 5 December Clare
We departed the extremely windy Knob and headed north. As we came to the southern entry to Whyalla ( we hadn’t come this way before ) it was a bit like coming home as we had spent so long here and it was our first really long camp. We went through and stopped for a bit of stock and supplies in town and then went out to Fitzgerald Bay. We thought that it would be good to have a night or two at the place that we had enjoyed so much on our first visit to SA. As we breached the top of the hill and looked down into the bay towards where we had camped so long ago we got a huge sense of return . The boys remembered the place as we drove down the hill and headed towards the campsite. As we got there we saw a few vans but as we got closer to ‘our spot’ we realized it was totally empty so we parked right where we had months ago. We got out and had a look around for all the rock houses the boys built. It was still pretty windy and as as we walked around soaking up the atmosphere we made a decision not to stay but continue on our way. It was hard to leave , and the boys really wanted to stay , but the weather wasn’t as good as we would have liked so we decided to keep our wonderful memories of Fitzgerald Bay and leave it at that. It was a fantastic place and we all really enjoyed the area and hopefully will return another day. We got to Port Augusta out to Wilmington and then south along the B82 through Gladstone and the onto Clare in the heart of the wine land. We set up camp in the van park on the south side of town out near the visitors centre after we had to contend with someone parking their car in our space to go to the shower. Bloody tourists. Didn’t take us long once we glared at them and they moved on to flip Bay out and get him set up. While we were at Clare we went for a drive around the small winery town and then took a walk through the town itself. Fairly big place with plenty of the usual shops and attractions that we had been getting used to. We walked up to a lookout and had a great view over the surrounding countryside and took a few photos of us sitting on the rocks . While we were in town we sneakily bought a couple of fly swatters for the boys for xmas only to have them found by Liam later. Just cant hide anything from him. Clare was a great little spot and would be very popular in the peak of the wine season.
6 December Overland Corner
We left Clare behind and veered off to Eununda and had a quick stop at Bower for a photo. There wasn’t a lot at Bower apart from a few houses on the north side of the road. We couldn’t even find a toilet. We continued onto Morgan and crossed the mighty Murray on a small free ferry similar to the one at Narung. After a short drive on the south side of the river we crossed again to the north side via yet another ferry at Cadel. We turned east towards Renmark and pulled up at The Overland Corner Hotel and went out the back to where we found the river and several camp spots beside it where we set up. There were a couple of vans there also but we had plenty of room for all. There was a track with a gate across it so the boys and I took a short walk and found more camp spots in amongst some big gum trees and right beside the river. Unfortunately the recent floods from the beginning of the year had swept through the place and left the area as a bit a mess. The drop dunny which was built well up off the ground had water marks above the door handle and had been pretty well trashed by the water. I was very surprised that nothing had been repaired or cleaned up by the DEC that looked after the area and had locked the gate. It was a great area and would be a fantastic spot to camp as was right beside the river and sheltered under plenty of trees.We tried our luck fishing in a waterhole where we could see fish swimming in the muddy water but still didn’t have any luck. Getting a bit of a complex by now.
7 December to 8 December Vinifera State Forest
We packed up and headed out of Overland Corner after having a quick look at the pub that was shut. We stopped at the Renmark visitor centre to try and get some info on how to get to the corner of SA , VIC and NSW. The old woman that we spoke to was very unknowledgable about the area and could only tell us that it was very difficult to get to as she remembered it when she last went out there as a child rabbit hunting with the local bush fire brigade. She did bring to our attention something that I didn’t know. The northern point of the SA / VIC border doesn’t meet up with the southern end of the SA / NSW border. As the story goes one team started from the top in QLD and another started from the bottom on the ocean but didn’t have batteries for their GPS’s so the two ends don’t meet at opposite sides of the river. Have a look at a map – its quite interesting. After leaving the info center more confused than when we entered we left Renmark behind and headed out on the A20 to Mildura. We crossed the Murray and onto the Sturt Hwy down to Euston and back across the Murray along the B400. The boys and us were getting a bit confused as to what state we were in at times with all these river crossings. We got to the Vinifera State Forest north west of Swan Hill and took a short drive through the forest beside the river looking for a camp spot. We stopped when I looked out the window and saw fish bobbing around just under the surface of the muddy water against the current. We quickly set up camp and tried our luck. If we couldn’t catch a fish here there was no hope for us at all. We set about catching a fish or two with much gusto. We tried lures , cheese and bread. I think that I hit a fish or two on the head with the lures . Tracy ended up catching the only fish by using a dead spider that we killed and stuck on a hook. CARP. We tried everything to catch the things. I made a net out of some wire and one of Tracy’s ENJO bags , I made a spear with wire tips for the boys to try. Not a thing . It truly was unbelievable that we couldn’t get anything. We are truly among the unlucky , unskilled , when it comes to fishing. I don’t know how people do it as the river is very muddy and you cant see the fish at all even though they are just below the surface.
9 December Deniliquin
We left Vinifera and through Swan Hill to Echuca.We took a ride on one of the Murray’s paddle steamers which was quite good and scenic. Still plenty of the old boats on the river as well as lots of house boats which must make the river very crowded in peak season. After our trip we headed north towards Deniliquin where we pulled up for the night at the van park just over the bridge.
10 December to 11 December Carrathool Bridge
Left Deni and set out for Hay to the north. We arrived and had lunch at the local swimming pool where the boys enjoyed a free swim to cool down a bit. It was great to be free and there were several other people there as well. We turned east along the Sturt hwy again and started looking for a camp for the night beside the river. Took us a few attempts to get access to the river and when we did the spots we found weren’t the best so we continued on our way. We were getting a bit disheartened until we came across an innocuous brown tourist sign pointing north. ‘Historic Carrathool Bridge’ is all it says. We decided to take a quick look and see what was so historic about a bridge. It’s a bridge that used to lift up to let boats through as they went along the Murrimbidgee. It has huge drum weights up the top which would be winched down on a curved frame to the bottom of the bridge thereby lifting the deck of the bridge up. Quite an ingenous method actually. We crossed over the one lane bridge and as soon as we saw the other side and the picnic area on the other side we knew that we had found our camp for the night. We had a walk around and coulnt see any signs saying ‘ No Camping’ so that’s good enough for us. We backed Bay up under the bridge and set up. There were a few tables around the area but the toilet left a little to be desired so I dug a hole under the bridge for our throne. Carrathool Bridge is a fanastic spot to camp. Tracy said it was her pick of the whole trip because we all just chillaxed. Had a chat to a bloke that camped overnight and he said that there was plenty of fish in the river just under the bridge off the bank. Bingo. This was our spot for sure. We made a couple of shrimp pots out of a bucket and tin and stuck some cheese in them and threw them into the river. The boys had great fun catching the shrimp that seemed to flock to the bait. We set about catching us some fish now that we had some decent bait. And catch fish we did. First got some catfish but moved onto other fish which we weren’t to sure of what the were. Not the biggest fish in the world but we all had a great time and enjoyed ourselves immensely. Definitely one of the better days and spots of our trip. Really great family fun. After we felt better that we were still able to catch fish , they all went back by the way, we drove into the metropolis of Carrathool. Very small place of about 6-8 streets and probably about 100 people who would probably be mostly farmers from the local area as there wasn’t a lot else there to be had.
12 December to 13 December Horries Beach Camp Darlington Point
We left the great spot of Carrathool Bridge and headed east along the north side of the river until we arrived at a north bound track and take this until we get to an east bound road taking us into Griffith. Tracy informed me that this was the place that some cop or someone was killed by the mob in years past. There was enough Italians in the place for it to be called little Italy.We stocked up on the needed supplies and after a bit of lunch we headed south towards Darlington Point. We stopped at the park by the river and had a look at the twin of the Carrathool bridge that sits at the entrance to the Darlington van park. On this one the weights were down at the bottom of the steel curve so was easy to have a good look at them. From here we took a track west past the sawmill into the forest along the north side of the Murrimbidgee. We continued on for a few k’s until we got to a spot beside the river where we set up camp at Horries beach.The river was pretty high and there wasn’t much beach but apart from a few cows there was plenty of space for us. We again tried our hand at fishing after our excellent attempt over the last few days and we were rewarded with several fish of smallish size. While we were camped at Horries Beach the level of the river dropped quite dramatically and when we left the level had dropped about 4 feet and left us with a nice sandy beach as the name implied. The boys enjoyed had a great time as well swimming and playing in the muddy water.
14 December to 16 December Tumblong
We packed up and headed out of Horries Beach and turned east to Narrandera and the onto Junee.We had a look at the Licorice factory and Tracy and the boys paid a visit to th Junee train museum which they were very impressed with and told me that I should have gone in for a look as well. We left Junee and took the back roads through Wantabadgery to wards Tumblong. We took a short stop at Sandy Beach which is a nice looking camping area next to the river with lots of space . We continued on and got to Tumblong to find Les and Maria and Nan waiting for us and after a few hellos and a quick catch up we set up Bay in the back yard. A few of Tracy’s other aunts , uncles , cousins etc dropped in over the afternoon and we all went to bed fairly tired . The boys were grateful for a tele to watch but had great fun with the dogs and other animals around the place. Tracy and I took a day into Wagga to get some xmas pressies and the boys stayed with Les and Maria back at Tumblong and visited some Lewin Lane relies. The boys enjoyed also the walks with Pop and Nanny up to Uncle Allan’s place and back. They loved riding their skooters and ripsticks along the road out the front of the house between the relies. We packed Bay up on the last night at Nan’s and stayed the night at Adam’s place next door so that we could get away for Shell Harbour early in the morning
Thanks for reading again
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