On the road To Bourke

After our stay at Broken Hill we head towards Bourke, known mostly as Back of Bourke...... Nothing much west of  Bourke is the impression you get but there is, just need a four wheel drive for a lot of it. 

We had two nights on the road to get here, mostly because we take our time, morning tea, lunch stops etc. had a great stop at a small town called Wilcannia, which had a lot of shops boarded up but a great little coffee shop, with home made cakes, a real gem

First stop was a rest area on the Barrier  Highway, good spot, not to much noise from the trucks, other vans etc and goats, oh yes lots of wild goats, they are on the lookout for water more than food and hung around the toilets and they were around the water pipe on the van when I emptied the sink, don't think Bentley was too keen on them.

Next night we stopped at a rest area 40ks before Bourke, we found that we were getting a few kangaroos around, hoping back and forward over the road, one family stopped in the middle of the road and we had to stop and wait for them to move.... Of course the trucks don't stop, just hit them and you see a lot of dead ones along the way.

We arrived in Bourke Saturday morning and as it was hot we booked into the caravan park so we could have the air conditioning, so good, of course had to do some washing etc, we had a quick trip into town as everything except IGA closed at lunch time. Had a bakery lunch, pies, award winning ones, not sure what award......... and then spent a relaxing arvo, me having a nana nap with the air con on. Nice caravan park, lovely grassed area in the middle with the vans around the outside, found Bourke to be very green in places, obviously have a underground water supply or the Darling River.

Sunday, today we took a walk by the Darling River and found nice coffee at the RSL club, also drove out of town, further down the river where there were some free campsites but very rough tracks, not something we would take the van on. Looked at PV Jandra a replica of the paddle steamer that used the Darling River, it cruises on the Darling twice a day but not on Sunday...

Coffee shop at Wilcannia

Great coffee and home made caramel slice, think I have a reflection from roof on my coffee

Wild goats at our first overnight stop

Thinking Bentley feels safer with Brian nearby 

Sunset at our second stop on the road

Darling river Bourke

Some of the bird life on the Darling River

PV Jandra

More of Darling River

Sunset at the caravan park as we sat having a drink

Broken Hill

Arrived Broken Hill on Easter Sunday, hot and sticky. Camped at the race course under the shade sails, had a drive into town and a walk around, giving Bentley some exercise now his leg is much improved, weather changed and poured down with rain, we had to go into Gloria Jeans for a coffee. found the town interesting, lots of old buildings and the streets very wide and uneven, dips in the road and pavements as if the ground is unstable which considering lots of mining went on here it probably is....BHP originated here a syndicate of 7 men formed Broken Hill Propriety in late 1800's Lead and Silver were found here with ore and minerals and the mining is still continuing but BHP no longer involved.

Monday we visited Jack Absalom Gallery, it's situated at his house and he answered the door to let us in and shook Brian's hand and invited to look around, no charge, wonderful paintings and a fantastic opal collection, later we went out to visit the Royal Flying Doctor centre at the airport and enjoyed the tour and video, did go to the lookout and Miners Memorial but we were disappointed with it, cafe closed and a neglected look about it.

Today Tuesday we drove out to Silverton about 25ks away, road is sealed but there are 39 dips in the road!! Like being on a slow roller coaster. It was once a thriving mining town but now only 60 people live there and it still has its pub which has been featured in movies and commercials, Art Gallery's are now in the old buildings and very interesting quirky type of art, lots of old cars painted etc, tea rooms where we had morning tea and then after a walk around went back for lunch 

My photo of the Lunar Eclispe, taken Saturday night

That's us on the right parked under the shade sails

Old grandstand building, not used much, showers in there but a bit old, I prefer the shower in our van

Jack Absalom house and gallery, not allowed to take photos in any of the Galleries

Royal Flying Docotors Hanger

Art work around Silverton

Mad Max 2 filmed around here

Tea rooms were next door

Brian's bush mans snack. Sausages, gravy and damper.....

My Quandong Pie and ice cream, you can see I started eating before I thought to take a photo

Art Gallery

Silverton Hotel

We have enjoyed Broken Hill and we have one more day here but will probably catch up on the shopping, visit Big W etc and head off onThursday towards Bourke. Has been good to stop a few days here, after being hot to start it has been cool and cloudy, had to get the heater out last night and porridge for breakfast ........

Heading towards Broken Hill in NSW

"After a great time with Maryvonne and Bruce we all travelled to Jamestown where we parted company, they were heading to Burra to meet friends and we were heading to Peterborough. We arrived after lunch, had a quick look around town and then headed out 2 ks to a free camp spot, close to the railway line but only a couple of goods train pass through and very friendly if you wave they give you a toot.... It was a windy cold night and morning too, laid in bed and had a leisurely breakfast, Hot Cross Buns as was Good Friday. We then headed back into Peterborough and had a coffee and a look around, they had an art and craft trail on and we visited the Art and Photo display and quilts etc, Brian went to the Steam Rail Heritage Centre, which he enjoyed. No passenger trains since 1990 but goods train passing by now. Headed to another free camp at the other end of town Friday night and then Saturday morning we made our way in again and looked around the Easter markets and did mundane jobs like visiting the launderette to do washing......

We have travelled along the Barrier Hwy towards Broken Hill and have now stopped at Olary, near the rail track of course but a pub over the road, nothing else just the pub,  great we thought, camp and then walk over for a drink, not to be, it's closed, a pub in the middle of nowhere closed!,! But lovely sunset and a full moon, took lots of photos but deleted them by mistake......... Hoping I can borrow a couple from Brian, but I think a good book and bed is the way to go 

Our first night outside Peterborough with goods train passing by, so friendly

Peterborough Markets

Olary pub, we are camped over the rd

Full moon at Olary camp

Point Lowly

Spent a wonderful couple of days at Point Lowly with friends from Mandurah, Bruce and Maryvonne, they are travelling with their Avan and meeting SA friends tomorrow but we have managed to travel together for the last couple of days. Really good to catch up and the weather was beautiful while we were at Point Lowly which is outside Whyalla, called windy Whyalla by the locals. Of course we had to visit the shops in Whyalla, Woolworths, Target, cheap as chips and even managed an op shop...

After a couple of messages from a friendly Vet, Bentley is resting....... Not easy to rest him but leaving him the van while at the shops helped and just one short walk a day, no beaches for him at the moment and his leg does seem a bit better and hopefully will continue to improve, if not it does seem as if a trip to the vets is on the cards.

Tonight we have moved on to an overnight stop at Port Pirie and it has been a hot sticky day, fortunately there is a tavern nearby so we headed there and sat in the air conditioning! This will be our last night with Bruce and Maryvonne and we have decided that a meal at the tavern is just what we need.

Point Lowly

A couple of photos of the campsite

Managed to catch a couple of sunrises, first time I have been up in the morning to catch the sunrise!

I think that might be a lost Grandad in my sunrise shot

Brian's beef schnitzel, I had chicken and it was just as big, $15 each with salad bar

Bruce had Fillet Mignon, mushroom sauce and veg $23, Maryvonne had similar.

We all took a doggie bag back except Brian.....

Relaxing around Elliston SA

We have spent a couple of days at Elliston caravan park and now moved 10 ks up the road to a bush campsite by the beach at Walkers Rock, only $10 a night, no water or power but a toilet, suits us fine. Been very quiet here and we have taken beach walks and just taken it easy. Nice group of people

 Bentley has had sore back leg since he had the run on the beach, sometimes he uses it and other times he hops around on three legs, I think it's a bit of arthritis although he doesn't seem to be in pain, any vets reading this may know what the problem is?? 

We will be moving on tomorrow Sunday and catching up with friends who are also on the road.

Some of the sculptures around Elliston

Our campsite at Walkers Rock

Lovely rose like flower right by our camp, no idea of its name

Making the van look homely and pretty 

Made a quiche/ zucchini slice without the Zucchini .... Very tasty

Served with salad

May be Bentleys last chance for a swim as we will be heading inland soon

And of course a lost Granddad with binoculars 

Nullarbor and beyond

Well after a few delays we finally got started on our trip.... Lovely to get the van on the road and we tried not to over pack etc but such a lot I like to take. The trip over the Nullarbor was fine but long days driving and we did hit a head wind to start and then thankfully it turned westerly and was behind us for the rest of the trip, fuel was cheaper this time as we crossed the Nullabor, last year at the Nullabor Roadhouse which is the dearest on that rd it was $2.11.9 for diesel, this year price $1.78.9, most places were between 25c to 30c litre cheaper. Started Thursday morning last week and arrived in Ceduna SA on Monday morning, ceduna has the quarrantine station and we are not allowed to bring any fruit or vegies past this point, pleased to say we ate all our fruit and veg on the road and I only had to throw half a cucumber away. Once we got past Ceduna our original plan was to head about 80ks down the road to a free campsite at Haslam where we had stayed before but we heard it is being over run with mice, didn't fancy that so we thought further on is a nice town called Streaky Bay but the caravan park was fully booked! so we travelled further to a town called Eliiston, we have stayed here before, small nice town, two caravan parks so that's where we finally settled on Monday night. A longer day on Monday than we anticipated and we were glad to settle somewhere, lovely green grassy sites, Bentley was very excited to see the grass instead of gravel camping areas and little prickly bushes to wee on.

Today we had a lovely relaxing day, woke up late as the 2 and half hour time difference means it still dark at 7 and this morning we didn't wake up until nearly 8 am!! Took a walk to town and then walked back via the beach, there was one very excited dog once he realised the place of sand and water was there.......

Meridian campsite outside Ravensthorpe WA

Campsite, 10 mile rock on the Nullarbor

Campsite at Elliston, lovely green grass

Lovely mural on community building Elliston

One happy dog, I know Brian threw a stick in here where is it ??

I so love the beach 

Jetty at Elliston