Renmark

Before we head off from Morgan, Bet tries some pre-dawn fishing but the only catch was a small yabby which was returned to the Murray. A stop at Barmera to replace our punctured tyre relieves the background worry of travelling without a spare. Once into Riverland, we stock up on grapes, apples and capsicum at a roadside stall, remaining cognisant of the various border and regional fruit and vegetable quarantines.

Pulling in to the Riverland Caravan park,we are assigned a prime site fronting the Murray River, and soon have new neighbours Kaye and Alan.

Morgan

From Ceduna, we join Highway One and head east through Wudinna, Kimba and the rusty hills of Iron Knob to an overnight stay at Port Augusta. Then it’s on through Peterborough and Burra.

Morgan Riverside Caravan Park

Rolling into Morgan we are assigned a powered gravel site in the Morgan Riverside Caravan Park, but after setting up we are lured by the grassy river’s edge unpowered sites, and we quickly relocate. The lawns are immaculately maintained with minute attention to edge detail by the owners and Murray River water abundantly available for watering. Perfect outlook from our van site. The shrimp net is dunked into the river and the subsequent catch is used as bait, but the result is one unknown fish species and one silver perch. Both are returned to the river. (In South Australia silver perch are protected and cannot be kept). Next morning’s catch of more silver perch and a catfish are also returned to the river, as is the black yabby (Cherax Destructor) that found its way into the shrimp net.

Murray River crossing at Morgan

Morgan was proclaimed in 1878 and became one of Australia’s busiest inland port. Parts of the old wharf still remain, and the river crossing is provided for by a twenty-four hour ferry service adjacent to the caravan park. An historic self-guided walk around the town takes us to the original shops, two hotels, post office and museum in the old shipping agents storehouse.

That’s it. Time for a bourbon.

Ceduna

Smoky Bay

We leave the Streaky Bay Foreshore Tourist Park filled with fisherpeople, although many have hitched up their boats and headed out for a day of piscatorial pursuit. It’s only a short 110 km run to Ceduna, but we still punctuate the journey with a cuppa stop at Smoky Bay. A caravan-friendly car park on the shore and adjacent to the caravan park entrance provides a magnificent view of the bay and the jetty. This appears yet another place to consider for an extended stay should we pass this way again, especially with fishing and crabbing mind.

Shelly Beach

Arriving in Ceduna, we make our way to the Shelly Beach Caravan Park, a park that we stayed at last August when heading to our Canning Stock Route adventure. An ideal park to stay in, the beach is immediately behind the  sand dunes at the back of the park. Our site is ideally placed, being shaded, protected from the wind, and close to ensuite style amenities.

It isn’t long before we are on the Ceduna jetty in search of a catch of crabs and fish, but the presence of a large ray swimming around the crab net and lines makes the task difficult. Running short of crab bait, we approach a fellow crabber, who not only provides us with some smelly fish pieces, he gives us his whole bagful. Fellow fishermen can be generous.

Next day is Betty’s birthday, and she rises early on the low turning tide to get a few bites, but the only whiting landed eludes final capture by slipping from her grip while being measured. The pressure is on Ken to provide a respectable feed of crab, so it’s back to the jetty. To our combined joy, we come home with six crabs, two tommy ruffs, and two eating-sized trevally. We missed a squid which we managed to jag under a float, but it cut through the line and disappeared with the lure. Betty’s birthday wishes come true, and its sweet chilli crab for tea.

It’s cup race day in Ceduna, and the last ever running of the Thevenard Cup. The racecourse is literally across the road from the caravan park, and we are the 202^nd and 203^rd paying customers (wrist bands are issued and provide entry into the $1000 raffle – we did not win). John Letts is the roving MC, commentating on the fashions on the field, and is happy to sign our race book. Betty backs the winner of the first race, punting on the third favourite in a four horse race, and scores again in the fourth race of the day (six starters).  The TAB Telstra lines are down, so for the crowd of around five hundred it’s pretty much what’s in front of them. Back at the caravan park, it is another meal of fresh seafood, as we consume the tommy ruffs and trevally. 

Denial Bay at Davenport Creek

A trip out to Denial Bay and Davenport Creek turns into more adventure than anticipated when a sharp rock puts a split in a rear tyre. Without the high-lift jack or trusty jack block (both in the caravan boot), the Pathfinder scissor jack is inadequate to cope with the extra 40mm lift that the Ironman suspension affords, so we call on the RAA to help us out. While waiting , Betty throws a line into the bay, but trying to stand in knee-deep wet seaweed soon takes any enjoyment out of this activity. Inside an hour, a chatty old bloke is on the scene and the tyre change is complete. (Memo: leave block in car).

On the way home, we pick up a dozen fresh oysters, which serve as an entrée before yet another feed of sweet chilli crab (still not tired of these lovely crustacea).

That’s it. Time for a bourbon.

Streaky Bay

We leave Coffin Bay via their local Sunday market, and pick up some fresh vegetables at below local supermarket prices. Elliston is close to half way to Streaky Bay, and we take a break to view the magnificent coastline of Waterloo Bay before sharing a pie and a pastie in the local park. The take-away shop appears to be the only one in town, and is overrun by passing tourists, backpackers, and most likely patrons of the nearby caravan park. Like many of the coastal towns along the Eyre Peninsula, Elliston appears to be ideally located for a restful stay and a spot of fishing. For us, it’s on to Streaky Bay.

Streaky Bay Sunset

In hot and still weather we set up Matilda in the Streaky Bay Foreshore Tourist Park, which surpasses the Coffin Bay park in terms of fisherpersons, tinnies and larger boats. Groups turn up here at the same time every year to renew acquaintances for periods varying from two to six weeks. Others have even longer stays. The sites are obviously wide and deep to accommodate the van, the annex, the boat and the vehicle, and many of the 4WDs are equipped to carry the tinnie on the roof. No chance of a beachside site here, but even though our site is on the fence line, we are still only six rows from the bay coastline. The sites are on hard gravel, so hard that the owners lend us a drill with a 30cm long bit to predrill the ground where our shade cloth guy ropes will be pegged. Sat on the lawns next to the beach until the sun set and the midges took over.

Cape Labatt

Following a lazy day around the caravan park and a dark and stormy night (apologies to Edward Bulwer-Lytton), we explore Sceale Bay, Surfers Bay and Fishermans Paradise, the last being a collection of very newly built houses, old shacks and sheds in a neatly laid out estate with paved roads, as distinct from the unsealed roads providing access to these locations. From a constructed observation platform at Cape Labatt a colony of sealions can be seen on the rocks below where they are known to breed, nurse and generally bask.

Shingleback Lizard

Travelling the unsealed roads requires attention to shingleback lizards that are encountered frequently crossing the roads at their crawling pace. These creatures live alone, but reunite with the same partners during the mating seasons, and we avoid creating widows and widowers with careful driving.

Smooth Pool

To the west of the Streaky Bay township is Westall Way, a loop road (also unsealed) taking us to Smooth Pool, a group of protected rock pools with drive-onto beach, coloured rocks, and views of nearby High Cliff. Even on this relatively calm day the surf continually roars onto to the nearby reefs. Further on is Tractor Beach with its bush camping area ($5 per night per person) where the local district council has cut into the scrub to form individual camping sites suitable for tents, camper trailers and medium sized caravans, only a step from safe swimming in Corvisart Bay.

At the end of the day we partake of the $12 beef schnitzel, chips and gravy meal at the caravan park café.

That’s it. Time for a bourbon.

Coffin Bay

The Coffin Bay caravan park is nearly full (we booked ahead to secure a powered site), buzzing with a full variety of four wheel drives plus van plus tinnie on top. Many of the tenants here have obviously settled in for some time. The sites are not as level as we expect in caravan parks, but with leveling ramps and chocks we set Matilda as level as a billiard table. (Well, almost).

We get the info on oyster buying and head off to Pure Coffin Bay Oysters before closing time, meeting Chris with his shed full of recently harvested oysters. Ordering twelve plus an oyster knife, we are quick to confirm the order is one dozen, not twelve dozen. Chris provides instruction on how to use the knife to open oysters in an OH&S manner, repeating the demonstration so that we each get a free tasting. What doesn’t sell today is returned to the oyster beds to keep these wonderful bivalve molluscs alive. After all, Coffin Bay must be synonymous with oysters.

Off to the jetty for fishing, and the oysters entrée precedes a feed of freshly caught tommy ruffs, weber fried chips, and salad.

With Matilda disconnected, we explore the area around Coffin Bay. Farm Beach (where Gallipoli was filmed) with its ‘tractor park’ the result of pulling together a number of old tractors that were once along the beach, has a camping ground with evident popularity where you can stay for up to four weeks on unpowered sites for $10 per day (although some of the setups appear to have been there much longer). Mount Dutton Bay, with its Woolshed  Museum, has a camping area with unpowered sites for $15 that resembles a gravel car park, but with showers at an extra charge and fire places - bring your own wood - it is only for the enthusiastic camper or fisherman, even though there is plenty of room for the largest van or motorhome.

We cruise down to Port Lincoln (which we briefly by-passed on our way to Coffin Bay) checking out the caravan park on Boston Bay where we stayed in the 80’s when touring with our Jayco Dove and two young children, and follow up with a bit of shopping and lunch in the park.

Back at Coffin Bay, we get together with Brenton and Wendy on the neighbouring site. Brenton has a fridge full of squid, and also has squid rings stored in jars with Italian dressing once he has cooked the squid (in boiling water for only two minutes). Beautiful !!

Another attraction in Coffin Bay is the meat store run for a long time by Ray (wearing his faded St.Kilda football club cap) where there is a wonderful assortment of locally smoked ham, bacon and other meat products. Unfortunately, life has caught up with this gentleman and the business will close before the end of the month.

An extended chat with Brenton and Wendy followed by a late cooked dinner brings another fine day and evening to a close.

That’s it. Time for a bourbon.

Arno Bay

Just relaxing

From Wallaroo, it’s off on one of our longer drives – Arno Bay via Adelaide, Port Pirie and Whyalla. Once we are on the west side of the Spencer Gulf and on the Eyre Peninsula, the landscape is noticeably drier, with evidence of the latest wheat harvest remaining as stubble in the paddocks.

It’s 37° and very still as we pull into the Arno Bay Caravan Park. As luck has it, we snaffle the last available site, and find out that caravan accommodation at Cowell (45km before Arno Bay) is 100% occupied. This prompts us to book ahead for our next stops at Coffin Bay, Streaky Bay and Ceduna. The grey nomads are definitely on the move!

The park is absolute beach front and next to the jetty. Our site is a corner block, a bit of a squeeze for Matilda’s 20’6” body. Another site is available for our second night’s stay, so a quick move is made as soon as it’s vacated.

Tony and Sam

We are here on the evening when Steve (owner), Tony and Sam (helpers) serve up dinner comprising two crumbed whiting fillets, two crumbed prawns, chips and salad for $12. Irresistible! Most of the park occupants take up the offer, and gather in the newly constructed shed, the roof of which was completed just the previous day. The customer oriented Steve is doing a great job around the park to provide the amenities that caravaners and campers appreciate.

Jetty fishing yields six good sized tommy ruffs, no crabs, and too many striped trumpeters (not good for eating) which are tossed back.

That’s it! Time for a bourbon.

Victor Harbour & Wallaroo

The return ferry journey across Backstairs Passage brings us back to the mainland, and we are soon at Victor Harbour to rendezvous with Kay Field and her mum (Beryl). Before meeting them, we set up the van, then take a short journey back to Langhorne Creek and the Bleasedale winery to stock up on their quaffable 2011 red blend. Back at  Victor Harbour, it is drinks with Kay and Beryl, then we all head off to the Beach Shack for dinner.

From Victor Harbour, a slow drive through the eastern suburbs of Adelaide to again escape to the open highway takes us to Dublin for lunch in the local Lions Park and on to Wallaroo on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf. The selection of the North Beach caravan park as opposed to the Office Beach caravan park provides an ideal beachfront outlook, so much so, that we take the opportunity to extend our stay from two to four nights as an absolute beachfront site becomes available. Betty ventures on to the beach and into the shallows at first light and snares a couple of whiting.

Exploring the area, we travel to Moonta Bay and Port Hughes (all part of the Copper Coast), and encounter crabbers and fisherpersons at both jetties. At Port Hughes we both comment that the majority of people fishing are female.

News abounds of blue swimmer crab around the Wallaroo jetty and this demands a visit to the local fishing equipment shop to purchase a crab net. Armed with garfish heads from the fish cleaning shed at the caravan park we join a handful of others working for a catch. We are reliably informed that the jetty becomes overcrowded here at weekends and this quickly depletes the crab stocks, so crabbing on a Monday may not be as productive as later in the week. We soon have two legal size crabs (the small fellas being rightly tossed back) and we are happy to add these to our menu as an entrée to the whiting.

With a beachfront site, this is definitely somewhere we would return to for an extended stay.

That’s it. Time for a bourbon.

Picture Gallery

North Beach Caravan Park

North Beach sunset

Port Hughes jetty

Relaxed                                                         Sweet chilli blue swimmer crabs