West Eyre Peninsula

We have seen some very rugged secluded coastline, sheltered bays, ( we have some very windy afternoons) quaint towns such as Venus Bay and Port Ellison, and had only a little luck fishing ( no surf salmon or whiting, just a few jetty fishing) We have bush camped along most of the coastline, and just finished 5 nights in Streaky Bay Tourist Park with beach front position and views.  The Nullabor Plains is looming closer, I feel it is the point of no return.......

Point Drummond view

Talia Caves Scenery

Port Elliston, headland Sculpture trail and lunch

A few nights at Walker’s Rocks bush camp..our first Sunset over water this trip

Venus Bay headland Walk

Murphy’s Haystacks


Streaky Bay, beautiful sunsets, calm bay and fun collecting cockles for bait at low tide, rock pools and blow holes

Also hoping I catch something...

East Eyre Peninsula

Since our 4 nights relaxing in Whyalla (tide was either out or half in, dodge tide, so no fishing), visiting Iron Knob and Mt Laura

and stocking up again, we travelled south for 9 days down the Eyre Peninsula for some stunning beach scenery, and beach side towns, ending in Port Lincoln the seafood capital of Australia.

Cowell was where we saw the Crap Art, great foreshore, heritage buildings and collectables shop, then on to Port Neil, much smaller and stayed just south at Carrow Wells campground, tucked in behind sand dunes, but you could have been much higher and exposed to the elements if you wanted. 3 wells had been sunk originally by local aboriginal tribes.

14 km south of Tumby Bay, amongst wheat and sheep farms was our next stop for a few days at Red Cliffs. Each night we had 1 or 2 visitors stay the night. This end of the peninsula was so different from the salt bush and red dirt around Whyalla/Port Augusta, it was green, rolling hills and all farmed.

Our camp was high with unrestricted views, off the dirt track. We had our own private swimming lagoon between 2 beaches, saw dolphins and plenty of beach to walk. Not much internet, meant time to cook a Sunday roast pork in the webber, read, swim and walk. It was hard to leave after only a couple of nights.

Tumby Bay pier.

Port Lincoln has been a bit hit and miss with the weather, we stayed at the Tourist Park with huge views over the harbour and NP.

View from Winter Hill

but have had a great look around, spent 9 1/2 hours exploring the National Park, only 18°c, too cool to swim, it was sealed road to Surfleet Cove, and dirt past there. We wanted to check out all the campgrounds ready for “next time”.

climbing Stamford Hill to Flinders Monument, climbed by Matthew Flinders in 1802, for great views, back to Port Lincoln

walking the many bays and watching heaps of pods on dolphins frolic in Spalding Cove, so close, and sea lions on the off shore island at Donnington Pt

Unfortunately we didn’t see kangaroos or emus running about. Engine Point for a remote camp no facilities, or September Beach for surf and facilities would be our choice, but then you are spoilt for choice in this NP.

Our last days bike ride

365 Days

365 days houseless, not homeless.

The year has flown, and as we reflect on it we are grateful for the peace it has brought to our lives, the beauty we have seen around us, for the healthy lifestyle we get to enjoy, the challenges and learning curves we’ve endured and now no longer feel like newbies, and it is exciting to look forward to another 12 months travelling freely and slowly.  Our biggest downside is not interacting with family and friends, (thank goodness we have facetime, etc) but we do get to meet and chat with very interesting and amusing people almost every day.

When we started out it was very exciting and hard to believe we were full time travellers, and wondered when we would miss having a home base. Derek  never thinks about it, but I often do, and then get a bit sad, but then remind myself what a great opportunity this is and to be grateful for each new day I share with Derek.

We are able to work on our self improvement spiritually, physically, mentally and creatively, we set ourselves goals and although no longer working find each day very rewarding and full. We are never bored!

Seriously? #19

Crap Art in Cowell is an initiative of the Cowell Art Group. The ladies and gents toilets is one way of getting your art work noticed.  All pieces are for sale, around $30, and you put your money in the attached envelope and take it next door to the Council Offices. Effectively it is a 24/7 art gallery.

Cowell, on the coast of Eyre Peninsula, is a lovely tidy town, with heritage stone buildings. The toilets were down a picturesque alley between 2 stone buildings both  built in 1911.

On the road again!

This is our plan for 2020, and for once it is quite open. We have nothing booked until May, so we will just make it all up as we go along, watching the temperatures and winds.

Just for a change of pace, we are heading overseas for a month at the end of May and will fly out of Perth.

We have made it to Whyalla in South Australia after our drive through outback NSW, so will have 4 nights relaxation after an amazing 4 days getting here. We have had 44°c driving days, uncomfortable 30°+ evenings (blessed we have aircon) and, whirly winds (as many as 11 at once) and dust storms. We have seen ferral goats, emus, a kangaroo, 2 sheep, one cow and a dead pig all by the roadside.

Due to the heat we stayed 2 nights in Broken Hill to sit out the heatwave and wait for the cool change to start coming across from SA. A dust storm and strong winds hit Broken Hill as well so we only managed a visit to the mines lookout, Pro Hart’s Gallery, his massive grave, and the cinema (to keep out of the heat and dust). We missed lots, especially Silvertown 25km out of town. Broken Hill was the first heritage listed City in Australia, and we would love to go back and explore some more. Pro Hart’s iconic signature is on his grave stone...... a first for us! He also painted one of his Rolls Royces.

We woke today to clear skies and strong winds, but one hour on the road we went through a dust storm for half an hour

then followed straight after by thunder storms. So 3 hours into today we had flash flooding to deal with as well...4 of us caravanners waited to see who was game to go through first, this guy came from the otherside, so we all thought it was now or never!

and here in Whyalla at the Foreshore caravan park it is now blowing a gale, 17°c, and drizzling. So We have washed the dust out of our hair, put on our warm clothes and have got snug for the night. We have had it all today!