Port Augusta

26 – 29 August 2023

After 5 fabulous nights at Gluepot Reserve we drove out through Morgan, where we had lunch. From there we drove on towards Burra so we could stop in to the Red Banks Conservation Park. It would have been nice to camp there but after 5 nights in the bush without a shower we really needed to get to a caravan park. We stopped in the day use area “the oval” and Mick spent a bit of time looking for birds. Reluctantly we moved on, still not sure where we would end up. We decided to drive through Laura, looking for suitable caravan parks along the way. We didn’t find anything that appealed so while we were at Laura we phoned ahead to book into the park in Port Augusta where we always stay.

As usual, we spent a day washing, shopping and doing general maintenance at camp, and on the other day we headed out early to Arid Lands Botanic Gardens. The gardens were looking particularly lush and there were so many plants blossoming. We wandered around for a couple of hours before having a delicious morning tea at the onsite café. We then finished our “town” chores and repacked ready to travel into a more remote location.

Mick had heard about the birding at Mount Ive Station and had been keen for some time to get there so we added it to the itinerary for this leg of the trip. We had arranged to meet birding friend, Paula, on the Birdsville Track in a couple of weeks’ time so were able to fit in a visit to this spot in the Gawler Ranges.

We left Port Augusta and drove to Iron Knob where we had a quick look around what was left of the town and then turned off the highway for the two hour drive on the unsealed road to Mt Ive. The road condition wasn’t great to start with but improved as we went along. 

We knew we wouldn’t make it in time for lunch and, as luck would have it, we reached the only picnic spot along the road just on noon. The marker indicated it as “Edward John Eyre Camp 6 Site” and consisted of a small drive through parking bay and a picnic table. Not much, and given the wind was howling, it was sufficient for a quick chicken and salad wrap, then back on our way.

Port Augusta

21 – 23 November 2022

After our two nights in a cabin in Ceduna we headed eastward off across the top of the Eyre Peninsula with no firm destination in sight. As we drove we checked the weather forecasts and decided that we would probably return to Port Augusta, which is becoming one of our regular stops.

We had lunch in the park at Minnipa and arrived at Port Augusta mid-afternoon. We booked into an ensuite site at the caravan park we always stay at and were pleased that it wasn’t too crowded. It was still quite windy but manageable, and forecast to be lighter overnight and into the next few days.

As always we went to Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens for a walk amongst the beautiful and varied vegetation, and to look for birds to photograph. The gardens look like they have a had a lot of work carried out lately, but the birdlife wasn’t as abundant as usual.

Later in the day we went into town to do some shopping, picking up supplies for the next few days. We have always found Port Augusta to be a good base to restock and the caravan park we choose is very well looked after and has all the required amenities. Being close to the Arid Lands Gardens has made it almost a compulsory stop for us.

We had been in contact with friends who were also travelling through South Australia and arranged to meet them in Mount Compass, so that was where we headed when we left Port Augusta.

Port Augusta

 10 – 13 April 2022

We were unsure about where to go next and were considering Gawler Ranges, then north on the Stuart Highway but there were also some good bird spots on the Oodnadatta Track. We decided to go and spend a few days in Port Augusta while we made up our minds.  On our way from Cradock we stopped for a cuppa in Quorn and realised that the Pichi Richi railway was running and would leave Quorn sometime that morning. The Pichi Richi is a heritage railway journey running between Quorn and Port Augusta. The original line was commenced in 1878 and formed part of the famous Ghan journey. After our somewhat early morning tea we went for a walk around the town and returned to the picnic area in time to see the engine getting up a good head of steam ready to set off. We joined many others taking photos of this seldom-seen sight.

From there we made our way to Port Augusta and found a small park on the foreshore for lunch before checking in at the caravan park. It was very hot, and the forecast was for more hot weather so we were glad to be able to spend some time in the camp kitchen and recreation room.

As always, we visited the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens – three times! The first morning we rose early and were there for 7:30am opening time. We spent some time in each of the two bird hides and also along the tracks where Mick had spied some flowering Xanthoreas. We also checked out the Eremophila gardens in the hope of finding some birds there.

On the second morning we arrived even earlier and found, as Mick had suspected, that the gates were already open, or perhaps they had never been closed. This time we visited one of the bird hides and spent the rest of the time on the tracks. There is a huge network of well-marked and signposted tracks that meander all over the property through various sections highlighting regional plants. It’s a great place to photograph plants, birds, animals, as well as the stunning landscape.

On our final morning in Port Augusta we made one last visit to the Gardens on our way out of town. This time we also treated ourselves to morning tea at the excellent café. We had finally settled on a route that would take us along the Stuart Highway then across to the Oodnadatta Track, and back to the Stuart Highway.

Port Augusta

 9 - 13 November 2021

While we were having lunch in Quorn we booked an ensuite site in Port Augusta. The Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens is a 5 minute drive from the caravan park, so it would give us plenty of time to visit. Unfortunately the weather forecast was for some rain, but we hoped we would get some clear skies.

Once we arrived and settled in, we saw that the forecast had been updated to rain throughout most of South Australia until the weekend. With that in mind, and seeing we were in an ensuite site, we extended for another two nights. For our first night the wind whipped up and blew hard for most of the night, with some rain as well. We were warm and dry inside the trailer but the noise meant little sleep.

In the morning there was mostly cloud, but a little bit of blue sky so we headed over to the Arid Lands and enjoyed an hour in the gardens. We also treated ourselves to a delicious morning tea in the on-site cafe as well as a look around the gift shop. From there we headed into town to do some shopping. Back at home and having lunch we noticed that a severe weather warning had been issued that included Port Augusta. Reading the details we decided it might not be sensible to stay in the camper (thunderstorm with gale force winds, hail, flooding). The staff at the caravan park were fantastic converting our booking to a budget cabin - the only cabin left for three nights.

We packed up the trailer in the rain and moved to the other side of the caravan park. The budget cabin was quite adequate although it had seen better days. It was clean, everything worked, including TV and air conditioner. We unpacked and made ourselves comfortable as the storm drew closer. We were certainly glad to have a roof over our heads as lightning struck very close, several times. The rain and wind continued throughout the night, and intermittently through the next day.

The storm continued through the night although not as ferocious as it had been in the afternoon. We ended up staying in for the whole day as it rained constantly, sometimes quite heavily.

On the Friday morning there were glimpses of blue sky so we set off for the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens again. We didn't last too long this time due to the cold and windy conditions. At least we weren't getting rained on this time. We retreated to the cafe - this time for a very nice piece of quandong slice with our coffee. From there we went into town to get bread from the bakery we had discovered earlier in the week, fuel up and get a replacement headlight bulb for the Prado.

When we arrived home it looked like the rain might hold off long enough to get some washing done. It turned out that the caravan park was providing washing machines for free due to some maintenance issues. This worked out very well as I had two loads to do, and we were able to put most of it through the dryer for free too! We spent the rest of our time sorting our gear and checking the weather forecast to determine our next stop. In the end we decided to put Gluepot on hold and head for the Yorke Peninsula.

The sky was grey when we left Port Augusta, but we started to see some blue as we drove along. We were hoping for better weather ahead.

Back Across the Nullarbor

Fraser Range

28 - 29 November 2018

Leaving Esperance just after lunch we began what we knew would be a few long days on the road. We weren't sure where we would stop but with the temperature well over 30, we figured we might as well go as far as we could. In the end Fraser Range was our choice. We had stayed there on the way west three months ago and we were happy to stay again.

This was just an overnight stop, but in a lovely spot. We were up early - we never did get used to the (approximately) 4:15am sunrises! 

Nullarbor Roadhouse

29 - 30 November 2018

We had a bit of an idea about staying at Madura Roadhouse because when we saw it on the way west we thought it looked nice. The day was again hot, and stopping at a roadhouse early to camp isn't all that appealing so we kept going. We worked out that we could get to Nullarbor before dark.

Crossing over the border into South Australia meant we lost 2 hours, but it also meant an end to the very early mornings. We kept on driving and arrived at Nullarbor Roadhouse after 7:00pm, but the sun was still up. We picked a spot in the camping area and went into the bar for a burger and drink. The meal was good and the drink welcome after such a long day.

The reason Mick had wanted to stay at Nullarbor was the Nullarbor Quail-thrush so we headed out along a dirt track in the morning. The guide book Mick uses gave instructions for driving along the fenceline so that's what we did. We found the spot - but no Quail-thrush so eventually turned around and headed back for the main road. Part way along the track a bird sat a little way in front of us - yes, it was the Nullarbor Quail-thrush. Unfortunately it flew away before Mick could get a photo. We spotted another one flying off into the bush a little further along.

A truck hits the road heading towards a spectacular sunrise.

Sun's up, time to go hunting birds.

Slender-billed Thornbill. A second new bird for the morning and a decent photo as well.

Slender-billed Thornbill

We returned to the campground, packed up and headed off towards Streaky Bay.

Streaky Bay 

30 November 2018 - 1 December 2018

Again it was a very hot day so it was more comfortable in the car than outside. We chose the caravan park at Streaky Bay that had ensuite sites and a view of the bay. It was still really hot when we arrived after 3:00pm so we were glad to be able to spend some time in the cool of the well-appointed recreation room.

The forecast was for strong winds through the night so once again we had to attach extra ropes to the awning. Rain was also forecast for the morning. With the rain clouds looming we packed quickly and managed to avoid getting wet canvas. 

There were storms around and high winds forecast for most of the state so we weren't sure what to do. We decided to drive towards Port Augusta and make up our minds along the way.

Port Augusta

1 - 2 November 2018

We drove through a couple of showers but the further east we drove, the nastier the weather became. The wind was very strong and there were some very ominous looking clouds ahead. Then we saw lightning! We stopped at Kimba for lunch in a cafe just ahead of the storm. As we were leaving there was a huge clap of thunder.

Approaching storm.

We drove on and kept checking the weather radar. It looked like the storms would impact any of our proposed overnight stops. We had hoped to go down onto the Yorke Peninsular but in the end we decided a cabin in Port Augusta would be our best option. 

We arrived mid-afternoon and checked into a near-new cabin at the caravan park where we had stayed on the way to WA. The rain and thunder continued, and the wind blew throughout the afternoon while we enjoyed air-conditioning and television. After 100 days on the road we figured we deserved this treat.

After a lazy start to the morning we set off for yet another visit to the Australian Arid  Lands Botanic Gardens. The weather was kind and there were a few birds about. From there we headed to Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills.

Not many birds about but I managed a few shots. White-browed Babbler.

White-fronted Honeyeater

Male Superb Fairywren

Travelling through South Australia - Clare, Port Augusta, Streaky Bay and Ceduna

Clare

8 – 10 September 2018

Back on the highway, we found the turn-off to Red Banks Conservation Park, and then drove in to Burra for lunch. On the way a concerning warning light came on – a fuel light, and the manual said “see dealer”. Bugger! We stopped in a park by the river and called the RAA. The lovely chap who came over from Clare suggested it was something to do with the fuel filter and tweaked it a couple of times – no more warning light, but a change of plans to make our way to Clare for someone to have a proper look on Monday.

Before leaving the area we went back to Red Banks in search of the promised Redthroat. We found the spot that was described to us and, unbelievably, there was the bird! Lots of them, too. We had considered camping there but with some good photos obtained and the wind blowing a gale, we decided to proceed to Clare. We called ahead to the caravan park which was very crowded – it seems the Clare Valley is a popular weekend getaway.

Red Banks. Redthroat inhabit the low blue bush all around the area.

Redthroat. A new bird for me.

After another very cold night – this time we were on a powered site so could use the heater – we visited Gleeson’s Lagoon. The local Lions Club established and maintain this lovely parkland, complete with a bird hide. Unfortunately there were only a few ducks around, but we did enjoy the walk. We spend the rest of the day doing housekeeping tasks, and enjoying the pleasant surroundings.

Spring was a little slow coming to Clare.

On Monday morning we called into Clare Valley Toyota and established that the fuel filter needed to be changed, and yes, they could do it almost straight away. Camp packed up, new filter in and we were on the road again, headed for Quorn – but along the way we changed our minds.

Port Augusta 

10 – 11 September 2018

We set of towards Quorn and stopped for coffee in the tiny town of Georgetown, then drove on to the slightly bigger town of Laura where we had a picnic lunch in the park. Sometime after lunch we decided to skip the visit to Quorn, chosen because we had enjoyed staying there on previous trips, and go on to Port Augusta instead.

We reached Port Augusta around 2pm and checked into an ensuite site at the caravan park very close to one of our favourite places – Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens. After parking the camper trailer we set off for the gardens. The weather was almost perfect – warm with only a slight breeze. This was in stark contrast to the strong winds and really low temperatures we had been experiencing. We had a very pleasant afternoon wandering the gardens and visiting one of the bird hides. Afternoon tea at the lovely café made for a very nice treat too.

Nankeen Kestrel nesting at the entrance to the gardens.

Reptiles like this young Bearded Dragon were coming out of hibernation.

A Shingleback Lizard or Blue-tongued Skink near the cafe.

We saw Chirruping Wedgebills but, as always, they kept either hidden or distant.

Another sign of spring.

Watching from the saltbush.

Moving on from Port Augusta we decided on Streaky Bay as our next destination but were more than a bit concerned at the severe weather warning for strong winds ahead of a cold front. We chatted to the lady in the caravan park office, and she reassured us that it wouldn’t be as bad as we thought it might be, so we headed west and hoped for the best.

Streaky Bay

11 – 13 September 2018

After an early start we stopped at Kimba for morning tea – and the wind was blowing hard. We stopped to take photos of the silo art, which is becoming increasingly popular in rural areas, and then found a warm café for coffee and cake. While we were there I contacted the Toyota dealer in Ceduna to book the car in for a service later in the week, and also booked a spot in the caravan park. While we were at it we also booked ahead for Streaky Bay.

Silo art at Kimba.

We shouted ourselves lunch at the roadhouse at Poochera as there was no way we could picnic in the windy conditions, then turned off for the drive to Streaky Bay. It wasn’t too windy when we arrived but that was to change later in the day. By dinner time, it was almost impossible to be out in it, so we cooked a quick meal of scrambled eggs and toast and retreated into the tent to eat, and watch some television. We had a powered site with absolute beach frontage and the best free wifi we have ever had, so we streamed some live tv, with the heater going to keep the cold at bay. It worked, we were snug and warm throughout the night.

Absolute beach frontage.

A shower of rain passes leaving some blue sky in its wake.

A variety of cormorants on the swimming baths.

Pelicans hoping to be given fish scraps were often seen on the beach.

 In the morning, the weather was significantly improved – still very cool, but generally sunny and not nearly as windy. We set off for one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area – Point Labatt and the permanent sea lion colony that can be viewed from a platform above the rock platform the sea lions, and their friends the New Zealand fur seals, call home. Despite the icy wind, this was a fabulous experience. Even without binoculars you can see the residents quite clearly as they laze in the sun, and move about to get a better spot, or set off into the water for a feed.

Australian Sea-lions with Black-faced and Pied Cormorants.

Life's tough.

A Sea-lion heads out the channel to sea.

From Point Labatt we made our way to Yanerbie Beach for a bit of bird watching as there was a particular bird Mick was hoping to photograph there. Back to our camp for lunch and then out on the road again later in the afternoon made this a real touristy day. In the afternoon we took a walk along the jetty and then drove around the Westall WayLoop, stopping to walk down the hundred or so steps to The Granites, as well as a look at High Cliffs and the Smooth Pool. We then detoured back to Yanerbie Beach before returning home to a beautiful evening by the water.

The Granites.

The Granites.

Yanerbie Beach is supposed to be a good site for wading birds, in particular, Grey Plover which would be a new bird for me. The guide books get it right sometimes and I got my plover almost immediately. On an open beach it's very hard to get close enough to the subject for a decent shot. I've found that a commando crawl will sometimes work but it's not easy with old bones. Especially carrying 4.5 kilos of camera gear. The plovers let me get a little closer on my belly but for some reason the shots I got didn't turn out so good. Mick

Sooty Oystercatcher

A Pied Cormorant at Yanerbie Beach.

Grey Plover

Red-necked Stint

Curlew Sandpiper

Pacific Gull

Red-capped Plover

White-faced Herons

We packed in a rather leisurely fashion and stopped for morning tea at the local bakery café before setting off for Ceduna. The car was booked in for a service at 2:00pm, and with only about an hour drive ahead of us we weren’t in a huge hurry.

Ceduna

13 – 15 September

We stayed in Ceduna once before and didn’t like it at all, but decided that we would have to give it another chance if we wanted to get the car serviced before we set off across the Nullarbor. We had booked a site at the caravan park on the foreshore and, even though we didn’t have waterfront this time, we could still see the water from our site. The car was serviced that afternoon which meant we had the whole of the next day to explore.

In the morning we visited the Tourist Information Centre, as is our habit and picked up a brochure with information about nearby National Parks. We chose to visit Laura Bay Conservation Park first and enjoyed a lovely walk along the beach. From there we drove back towards Ceduna via the unsealed road and detoured to Wittelbee Conservation Park. From the point there are spectacular views up and down the coastline. There is camping at both locations, but Wittelbee would be my pick for the fabulous views. There are no facilities at either campground.

A taste of the spectacular coastline of Wittelbee.

Black-faced Cormorant in front and Pied behind.

We pottered around at camp for the rest of the day, and learned late in the afternoon that there was a severe weather warning for strong (gale force) winds for that evening and night. It was only a little breezy when we set off for dinner at the pub – conveniently located right next door to the caravan park. The meal was fantastic! Mick had King George Whiting – a local specialty – and I had Boston Bay Mussels. I had no idea where they came from but they were totally delicious and absolutely the freshest I had ever eaten. There was also way too many for me to eat so Mick helped out. Even then we couldn’t get through them all.

A generous serving of mussels.

As we returned to camp, the wind had picked up so we settled inside the camper trailer tent to watch some television before turning in for the night. Not long after, the wind really started to pick up and we (well Mick, really) had to adjust the poles on the awning. We hadn’t taken it down because we would have had to almost completely pack up the trailer to get it secured properly. We simply had to hope for the best. The wind howled throughout the night and the conversations in the amenities and camp kitchen in the morning confirmed we weren’t the only ones who had a sleepless night. At least the awning stayed put.

The wind had dropped somewhat by the time we came to pack up but it was still blowy enough to make the job a bit awkward. After a quick stop in town for fresh bread we set off for Fowler’s Bay. Apparently you can sometimes see whales from the jetty so we considered this for our next overnight stop. When we arrived, the wind was blowing hard and there were none of the promised whales so we pressed on.

A scruffy youngster.

To get to Fowler’s Bay you drive across a causeway through salt marsh. On the way out we saw Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Red-necked Stints and Common Greenshank around the edges of the shallow tidal pools. I also got to photograph a tiny Red-capped Plover chick. Mick

Clare and Quorn

Clare

21 - 22 November 2015

We drove from the Coorong National Park, back through Meningie and on to Murray Bridge on our way north. We made a couple of stops along the way, but the day was one for getting as far as we could. We decided Clare would be a good place to stop so checked into the caravan park at about 3:30pm.

The Banded Stilt is often seen in large flocks but this one was seen feeding alone at one of our stops.

The park is on the highway, but well laid out with lots of trees and a great camp kitchen. It was still windy so we made use of this facility - as did many others. It was a nice spot for an overnighter - with the Tourist Information Centre right next door.

Before leaving Clare we drove up to Gleeson Lakes wetland. This is a really beautiful spot being developed and maintained by the local Lions Club. They are doing a great job! 

On to Quorn with a stop for morning tea in Laura - many places were closed as it was a Sunday so we were pleased to find a nice coffee shop, and an "old wares" shop as well. 

Quorn

22 - 24 November 2015

We arrived at Quorn in the middle of the day, and the caravan park office was closed. The sign said to go find a spot, so we did. This caravan park is almost like being in the bush, but with all the advantages (hot showers and a laundry) of a caravan park. Friends had stayed here earlier in the year so we were glad to find their positive description accurate. Once the office opened again at 4:00pm we ventured up and found that they also hire DVDs, for a donation to Friends of Warren Gorge.

Crimson Rosella race subadelaidae.

Crimson Rosella.

We made use of the camp kitchen and escaped the cold in the camper watching a movie on Mick's computer. Such luxury!

Two different Eucalypts were flowering in the park attracting Red Wattlebirds.

In the morning we headed off to the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens in Port Augusta. We had visited when we went to South Australia last year, and promised ourselves we would be back. There were lots of plants in flower and lots of birds around, so Mick was happy. It was hot, and after 5 hours (which included a nice lunch in the cafe - featuring local produce) we called it a day and drove back to Quorn.

Young White-fronted honeyeater.

Goanna.

Young Nankeen Kestrel.

Chirruping Wedgebill. We found it impossible to catch this bird in the open.

At the suggestion of the manager of the caravan park, we decided to venture out to Warren Gorge then next morning. The information pamphlet described a 5.2km walk which leaves from the day visitor carpark, or the campground. We decided on the carpark as the forecast was for 35 degrees and we figured that we would get the steepest climb over in the earlier part of the day. The pamphlet rated the walk as easy to moderate - and I was struggling after the first 500 metres! The path was steep, narrow in parts and very loose underfoot. The view, however, was magnificent. We reached Smoke-Oh Lookout and then made our way to the cairn marking the highest point on the walk. There was a visitor log book so we signed, and checked to find the names of friends who had come this way in July. The rest of the walk was indeed easier, but still very tricky in parts, and the heat didn't help.

Lots of great views on this walk.

Adding our names to the log book.

Grass trees... called Yakkas in South Aus.

We finally reached the bottom, and we still hadn't seen the gorge. We pushed on, and the gorge started to appear, with rocky walls where Mick hoped to find a Yellow-footed rock wallaby. Unfortunately, most creatures were well hidden so most photos were of the spectacular scenery. As we came closer to our starting point we realised we could have driven into the gorge and skipped the walk completely. It was good exercise, but plenty of water and stops were needed.

Back to the caravan park to try to escape the heat in the (slightly) cooler camp kitchen, only to be inundated by small biting mosquitoes! We just can't win. At least the wind died down and we were able to cook dinner without battling the gas blowing out.

The forecast for Wednesday was 40 degrees, and winds of up to 40kph, so we said goodbye to Quorn, and after a very short stop at the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens - just in case the Chirruping Wedgebill was waiting to have its photo taken - we headed down the Eyre Peninsula. The wind persisted and the temperature reached 38 degrees at lunchtime, so a night in a cabin was in order.