A trip to South Australia - week III

Monday, 15 May, 2017


This morning's walk is considerably longer than our usual one, because we want to find a cache which is at some distance near a cemetery.  It's not an unpleasant walk, and certainly not as cold as on previous mornings.  As usual we also take some time to look around at the cemetery.  These small, local cemeteries always tell, in their own way, the history of the area.

Postmaster Potts (#1631)

We leave the campground after 10 and arrive at Strathalbyn half an hour later.  We happen to park near the information centre (S 35° 15.596', E 138° 53.652'), which houses a gallery where we admire the paintings done by local artists.  One in particular got my attention, and if it weren't for having to cart it all the way home in the camper, with possible damage or it getting in the way, I would have probably bought it.  Ah well, I might find something closer to home one day. 

The ladies at the centre produce a town map and some information and we set out to walk to the local park.  On our way we pass a quaint little shop where it doesn't take me long to find two pairs of trousers which will come in handy for winter. I also happen upon a suitable container for dishwashing, as the sink in the camper is far too big for our sparse use of water. 

The quaint little shop

On our walk back to the camper we find a cache near a fish-and-chips take-away.  Next we pick up the camper and stop closer to the park so that we can have lunch away from the traffic.  

Fish Out Of Water (#1632)

As my GPS keeps falling down since the suction cap has become too brittle to attach it to the windscreen, we stop at Woolworths for duct tape (temporary repair is necessary) and groceries. 

Not only do I have problems with the GPS, the fridge has stopped working as well in Murray Bridge and after that loud noises started to come from the front, indicating that my airconditioning belt is playing up as well. Luckily it's not too hot during the day so we don't need the airconditioning constantly.

After lunch it's time to leave and we drive to Victor Harbour on the Fleurieu Peninsula. As there are not many free camps on the Peninsula I have contacted a CMCA member who offers free camping on his property (like I did at Beerburrum last year) and since it's somewhere out 'in the sticks' we can't leave it too late to get there.  We have just about time for one cache and a bit of a walk along the esplanade.

Victor Harbour

Soldiers Memorial (#1633)

After this we have to drive back north again to find this property at Currency Creek (-35.43230, 138.73340).  As the given coordinates are not in the format that I can use for my GPS, and there is no actual address that comes up either, we have to wing it.  After the turn-off of the main road we come upon a dirt track and from here it looks like a real adventure.  We keep going and going and going....  Not unpleasant.  The views are great and the surroundings nothing less, but... not knowing if you're going to get lost is something else!

  We do see lots of sheep and kangaroos though.

In the end we find the turn-off that is mentioned in the description, with the warning that, if you can't enter through the gate at the end there is no way to do a U-turn, so you would have to reverse all the way back.  Yeah right....

Anyway, we take the plunge and drive and find the gate.  There we have to punch numbers into a numerical pad, which, if you do it correctly, will open a case and produce the key for the padlock.  After a few tries (forgot first the * and then the #) I get it right and have the key in my hands.  Pffffew...

Patricia closing the gate

We open and close (after having passed through) the gate and next there is another long, winding dirt track until.... we come to a wide open space in the middle of nowhere, but amongst the trees and alongside a creek. A little kiosk with a visitor's book and welcoming notice comes into view and there we learn what we have to do and how we can spend our time there.  Interesting to say the least!

As it is a lovely afternoon and a pleasant secluded spot we decide to use Patricia's camp oven and make a camp fire over which we roast some marshmallows later (after dark).  But first we go for a short walk to explore the area and we find a lovely little 'secret garden', as this place is mainly designed for families with children. 

Tuesday, 16 May, 2017

In the morning we have breakfast and a shower and go for a walk around the property.  I take plenty of pictures of all the sculptures, made by the owner, and of all the plants and trees that are flowering, or are just beautiful enough to take a photograph of.

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A collection of birds nests

The camp kitchen

Flowering eucalyptus

Red flowering gum

   

A different eucalyptus

Fairy gardens in the making

We discover that during the night a French couple have arrived and we stop briefly to chat with them.

Then we set off for a drive across the peninsula to the west coast.  It is a very pleasant drive with beautiful scenery.  We arrive shortly after at Yankalilla where we have a cappuccino and lunch, after which we go for a walk and find two more caches:

PICNIC AT DUCK LAKE (#1634)

Twelve Ninety (#1635)

After that we stock up on groceries again and ring to see if we can go back to Eagle Dell to stay another night.  After a positive response we drive back to Currency Creek.

Just when we are back another couple arrive in their caravan and Patricia gets acquainted while I start dinner.  They get invited over for damper and to my surprise Patricia tells me to get a cup of flour and water and mix it for damper.  In the middle of preparing dinner and not having made damper for years I don't remember exactly what goes in it, but one cup doesn't seem much to me.  Anyway, I mix it and hand it to Patricia, who pops it into a Dutch oven and starts cooking.  I hadn't really mixed it all that well and was under the impression that Patricia was going to make the damper, not that the little ball was going to be cooked like it was.  Well, it didn't come as a surprise that it wasn't edible at all and far too small for four people.  I went on and cooked the rest of our dinner so we didn't have to go to bed hungry.  Next time when people get invited over for dinner the person who invites them can do the cooking too!

Wednesday, 17 May, 2017

We say goodbye to Eagle Dell after our walk around the property and make our way to Hahndorf, an old German Settlement in the Adelaide Hills.  I have wanted to visit this little town for years, so it finally happens.

We like the beautiful autumn colours

A leather shop with real (and huge) rabbits at the back.
(Probably Flemish Giants)

It's basically a loooong street lined with shops and restaurants on both sides. It takes us the best part of the morning to walk up and down, have lunch, and buy some more clothes.  I can't help myself, and buy another lovely jumper for cold days and another pair of pants.  Patricia buys a jumper as well.  We end up with the same one, Patricia's in teal and mine in orange. 

We even find time to search for a cache, which wasn't an easy find, but as usual perseverance paid off.

Chase Away Your Sorrows (#1636)

We leave at about 14.15h for our drive to Mallala where we want to park at the Mallala Sports Ground (#238) S34 26 18, E38 30 49.  According to the Camps book that we use we are allowed to camp for a donation, but the groundsman comes walking towards us, shaking his head and says: "No. Camping is not allowed."  He explains that they have had too much trouble with free-loaders and dole-bludgers who camp permanently and leave the place in shambles.  I explain to him why we are there and that we also urgently need water.  After my explanation and plea he tells us to park behind the buildings on a grassy area and keep quiet.  We can also take water and he doesn't want payment.  Well, we're happy.  Not because of the non-payment, but we don't have to look for another place for the night and we have plenty of water again.

Thursday, 18 May, 2017


Our morning walk leads us through Mallala and we chase a few caches. The first one is a multi, which needs lots of questions answered and they can be obtained by walking around a war memorial.  Well, after a re-calculation it's time to go and find the next one, because we've become rather dizzy!  For the next cache we have to search a piece of artillery and find the cache container open on the ground without a logbook.  We message the CO and claim the find anyway.  Then we walk a distance to find the actual container for the multi cache.

Mallala War Memorial (#1637)

21 Gun Salute (#1638)

Upon our return Patricia rings Dianne to make further arrangements for her stay and I ready the camper to drive to the next destination.  We leave rather late after our extensive walk: 11.00h.

We stop at Paskeville for lunch and arrive at mid afternoon at Wallaroo.  We ask for information at the info centre and go for a walk to the sea side. Then we drive a bit north to North Beach where we park the camper for the night at North Beach Caravan Park.

Patricia rings a cousin with whom we are going to meet up later and after dinner we drive back to Wallaroo where we attend a concert by the local brass band with said cousin an his wife.  The conductor of the band appears to be a Scottish lady who has formerly conducted the London Symphony Orchestra.  The concert was part of the Cornish Festival which we are here for.  The festival is over a few days and also three towns: Wallaroo, Moonta an Kadina.

Friday, 19 May, 2015

We go for an early walk and find a dump point before we drive to Moonta, where we arrive at 09.00h.

We find a parking spot not far from the street where the parade is to be held later in the morning.  I wanted to visit the art gallery, but it is closed till later in the day, so I hang around till the parade starts at 10.30h.  Patricia has gone to visit the quilt show in the meantime.  After the parade we walk past the market stalls and then it is time for the Maypole dance at 11.30h.

As my back is not up to standing for long hours I have really pushed it too far today, so I walk back to the camper where I lie down for a bit of a rest and have a sausage sizzle for lunch, which I had bought at the markets.  I also bought a cheap watch, because my regular watch had stopped working.  Patricia has gone to do some things on her own.

When I feel up to walking again later in the afternoon I join Patricia again and we visit the rest of the market stalls, an Arts centre and an Art gallery.  At the arts centre we talk to local artists while they are doing their painting and admire their work, which is very much up to standard.

On the way back I find a purse lying in the guttering.  As the police was present earlier on I go in search for them, but the ambulance people tell me they have left for the day and the nearest police station is at Kadina.  What luck, because we are leaving for Kadina where Patricia has already booked a caravan park for the night.

Upon arrival at Kadina I stop at the police station where I hand in the purse.  While we are talking about it and while the officer is counting the money they receive a phone call with the question if a purse has been found by any chance!  I am happy to hear that the owner has been found and a few days later I receive a phone call from the woman who thanks me for handing it in.

We do a bit more shopping at the local Woolworths and drive to Kadina Caravan Park where we will stay for the next two nights.


Saturday, 20 May, 2017

As Patricia wants to sleep in on Saturdays and Sundays I go for my morning walk by myself.  I end up at the markets again, but they appear to be a repeat of the ones at Moonta, so I walk back (via a little community garden) to the camper, where I stay for the rest of the day to work on my blog.  I have a lot to catch up with, because haven’t done anything since the 1^st of May.  We have power, so I can make use of the fact and keep working for as long as I need. 

A community garden in the middle of town

Now, while I am writing this blog from my notes I read it again.  Really?  Worked on my blog??? Damn bad memory.  I seem to have updated my blog in Word up till the 22nd of May.  Damnation again. And it's not the first time I have done such thing! Anyway, I keep going .....

In the afternoon we go for a quick walk to the town centre again, and look for a cache (Apex Express) that we can’t find. Not unexpected, because there are a lot of people around and this one is well-hidden on a train!

The local art gallery closes as we walk in, so we have to return the following day. Patricia wanted to have a Cornish Pasty for dinner, so that’s what we get and it saves me having to do the cooking. ;-)

After dinner Patricia walks to town for a choir night at the church hall and I have an early night.

Sunday, 21 May, 2017

I can’t even remember if I went for a morning walk or not, but we did get to walk anyway as we had to go back to town for a car parade of old-timers and hot rods.  

All in all I think we saw some 400 cars!  Luckily I found a park bench from where I could watch them at leisure.

Nearly towards the end we got hungry and walked to the pub on the corner for a pub-lunch. After that we visited a Flower Show and the Art Gallery. 

Although not being a lover of flower shows in general, this one was not so boring as it was set up as a theme: A children’s corner, a teenage corner, high school students, brides, homely, garden, old age.....  Well done and the colour coordination was fantastic.  In this part of the world roses grow well, so they featured mostly in their different colours.  

Unfortunately I didn’t remember to take pictures.

On the way back we picked up a few DVDs which we had bought in the morning at a garage sale and back home, at the caravan park, I rang Stephen and Kevin for a catch-up.

Dinner was just a cup-a-soup and a sandwich as we had had a generous lunch at the pub.