Kurrimine Beach

4 – 5 October 2023

We left Cairns and headed south towards Kurrimine Beach. Because it’s a relatively short drive we decided to detour via Etty Bay, just south of Innisfail. Cassowaries are often seen near the beach at Etty Bay and we were hoping to add to our bird list for the trip. We drove down to the beach and made morning tea – all the while hoping for one of these magnificent, huge birds to come wandering along. Unfortunately there were none around that day.

We jumped back in the car to return to the highway and were very surprised and pleased to see a cassowary wandering along the edge of the road a few kilometres away from the beach, adjacent to some rainforest. We did get a good look but by the time we were able to turn the car (and camper trailer) around, it had disappeared into the bush. At least we were able to add it to the list.

We moved on to Kurrimine Beach and arrived at lunch time. The caravan park was fairly full even though it was late in the tourist season and we ended up in a spot near the road with little shade. It wouldn’t matter for one night but we were glad we weren’t staying longer. During the afternoon we went for a walk along the beach – always a favourite activity – and observed heaps of coral spawn washed up. Coral spawning occurs once a year after a full moon, generally in October or November and when sea temperatures are right. It appears there may be some healthy reef in this part of the Great Barrier Reef.

It has become our habit to go out for dinner on the final night of our long trips so we had chosen to stay at King Reef Resort and Caravan Park, which just happens to have a very nice on-site pub bistro. We sat outside to enjoy the view and were entertained by some of the local curlews who wandered around the tables.

We left early the next morning for the final leg of our almost two year journey – returning to Townsville to make a new home (for now at least).

Cairns

30 September – 4 October 2023

It’s a relatively short drive from Yungaburra to Cairns so we stopped in Kuranda for a look around and a coffee. Towing the trailer makes parking a challenge but there are a number of long vehicle parking bays one street back from the main street. We were early so found one easily. Disappointingly, when we returned later, every other spot was taken by a single vehicle.

We drove down the Kuranda Range and arrived at the caravan park in time to set up and have lunch. This park allows check-ins for powered sites from 11:00 am – very convenient and helpful. We had stayed at this one before and chose it again as it is on a creek, has lots of shady trees and a lovely pool.

Mick had a number of things on his Cairns wish list so we had a fairly full schedule planned, most of it involving photographs of birds. We started with a drive to the mouth of the Barron River at Machan’s Beach. The tide was out quite a long way so Mick had a bit of a walk to get close to the birds there.

On Sunday morning we headed into The Esplanade – always a favourite spot and usually a great place to photograph birds, if the tide is right. It wasn’t, but we had a good morning visiting Rusty’s Market, walking along The Esplanade and having an ice cream. We also did some grocery shopping while we were in town. Later in the afternoon we walked along the creek out of the caravan park and into Goomboora Park. This lovely, “rainforesty” park was being well used by locals to fish, walk, exercise dogs, cycle and play.

On Monday morning we set off early to Catanna Wetlands. Once part of a cane farm, and sand quarry, this environmental park has been rehabilitated into a fabulous network of walking tracks and wetlands, with a number of viewing platforms, bird hides, seats and BBQ areas. We spent a few hours spotting birds and enjoying the surroundings. Later in the day we visited the Cairns Botanical Gardens but the sandflies were biting so we didn’t stay long. After the Botanic Gardens we returned to the Esplanade where Mick met up with some fellow birders – including one he had met on a Pelagic out of Eaglehawk Neck. As always the locals were very generous with their information and shared photos of a rare sighting – a laughing gull. Despite everyone’s best efforts it wasn’t seen again – but they did have lots of photos to prove it had been there.

On Tuesday morning we made another early start – this time to the Mangrove Boardwalk near the airport. We knew from past experience to expect sandflies there so we were well prepared with long pants and shirts, as well as heavy duty insect repellent. Even so they managed to find those exposed parts of the body that hadn’t been smothered in spray. It was still a great walk along the boardwalks above the mangroves. Late in the day, we went back to the Esplanade – again – just in case the Laughing Gull returned. It hadn’t, but it was a nice afternoon there anyway.

We had one more night before returning to Townsville so decided Kurrimine Beach would do us nicely, so that’s where we headed when we left Cairns.

Yungaburra - Lake Tinaroo

27 – 30 September 2023

We had never stayed at the caravan park on the lake at Yungaburra and were pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome, even though it was well before usual check-in time. We were also allocated a site just as requested – not too far from the amenities. To top it off the site had a view of the lake in two directions.

We went for a couple of walks down by the lake and enjoyed some lovely weather while we were there. It was busy with families but we had a site on the end of a row, the amenities and camp kitchen, so didn’t feel hemmed in. There was a long weekend coming up and the park started to fill up on Friday afternoon.

While we were on the Tablelands we took the opportunity to catch up with friends who live in Mareeba. Bill and Kerry drove over to have lunch with us at a very nice restaurant in Yungaburra. We hadn’t seen them since we left North Queensland two years ago, so had lots of stories to share. Bill took Mick out for a paddle on the lake early one morning – a new experience for Mick. We also visited our favourite Lakes – Eacham and Barrine and went for a short walk at each. It was late in the day when we went to Lake Barrine this time and there was plenty of parking.

We still had at least a week before we had to be back in Townsville so we decided on a few days in Cairns before heading south again.

Granite Gorge

25 – 27 September 2023

We stopped for lunch in Mareeba, at the park near the Visitor Information Centre then set off for Granite Gorge. I set the GPS for our destination even though we were fairly confident we knew which way to go, and hadn’t travelled far when we realised that, once again, the “crazy woman” was leading us astray. We backtracked and found the correct turn-off.

We checked in and chose our powered site and then the real trouble began. We had packed up in between showers and the canvas was still very wet – and that had led to quite a bit of water getting inside the camper. The mattress and bedding was quite wet around the edges. In the past we have been able to dry things off easily by lifting the mattress slightly and directing the fan onto it but this was much worse than anything we had experienced before. I drove back into Mareeba to buy a larger fan, and also a hair dryer.

Back at the camp we pulled the mattress out of the trailer, set it on the table in the sun and used the new (small and very cheap) hairdryer to dry it out. It took a while, but it worked. We didn’t use the fan so we returned it on our way out of Mareeba a couple of days later.

We had a quiet evening after quite an energetic afternoon. Granite Gorge is home to a unique marsupial – the Mareeba Rock Wallaby so in the morning we walked down to the part of the gorge where they can be seen easily and fed – if you buy the feed at the reception. Mick spent a bit of time wandering the grounds photographing birds, and we also went for a walk along the creek that runs beside the unpowered camping area. It was school holidays and there were lots of families visiting.

We thought we might stay for three nights but decided that two would be enough so we booked a site at Yungaburra for the next few nights and moved on.

Malanda

22 – 25 September 2023

We stopped for a late lunch at the rest area at Forty Mile Scrub and then continued on to Mount Garnet. We pulled into the caravan park, but despite the glowing reviews, we found it underwhelming, so continued on to Ravenshoe.

The community run caravan Park in Ravenshoe looked really nice, but it was full and there were only spots in an unshaded paddock. Because it was still quite early we decided to go to Malanda. We’d stayed there a number of times before and knew it would be a good spot. Being a Friday, and school holidays, we called ahead and were told there was a spot available.

When we arrived we were actually given a choice of several spots and we chose the one in the corner of the park near the falls, backing on to the rainforest. As we sat having a Friday drink we caught sight of something moving at the back of our camp. To our delight we realised it was a couple of Lumholtz Tree Kangaroos! Mother and baby skirted the edge of the trees, then climbed one where we could watch them for a few minutes. This was a truly special experience.

On Saturday morning we drove over to Yungaburra – as luck would have it we had arrived on markets weekend. First we went for a walk along Petersen’s Creek and down to Frawley’s Pool. This tranquil spot is named for a local school teacher who taught children to swim there in the 1950’s. We then walked back along the creek and across the suspension bridge – looking for birds the whole time.

From there we went to the famous Yungaburra Markets. Always busy, and with lots of local produce, food and handicrafts, we enjoyed wandering around. We bought a few things then went back to Malanda for lunch. There was some rain in the afternoon and more forecast for the coming days, but nothing too drastic – so we thought.

On Sunday we drove over to one of Mick’s favourite spots – Hastie’s Swamp, near Atherton. The two level bird hide allows good views of the swamp where there were many different varieties including heaps of Magpie Geese. Once again we headed home for lunch and then a drive to Lake Eacham in the afternoon. It was a beautiful day so we also had a walk to the Malanda Falls – adjacent to the caravan park.

Unfortunately the rain started in earnest during the night and by morning we had a significant amount of muddy puddles to contend with. The original forecast that had indicated “0 – 6mm” of rain, had been revised twice and was now showing “0 – 15mm” so we had to decide whether to stay and wait it out, or move to a drier location. More rain was forecast for the next 5 days so we chose to move on. Packing up in the wet is never fun, and we had the added complication of the sticky red mud. Thankfully the rain had stopped briefly so at least we weren’t wet. We managed to get everything done and reluctantly left Malanda bound for Mareeba, on the dry end of the Tablelands.

We visited Platypus Park near Atherton looking for birds, and hoping for a coffee, but the café was closed. Devonshire Tea at Lake Barrine was our next choice, but with no designated long vehicle parking, and the parking area full we drove back in to Yungaburra where we enjoyed a very late morning tea at one of the cafes there.

Back on the road and we stopped at “The Humpy” at Tolga for some fresh fruit and veggies, as well as some treats, then continued on to Mareeba.

Hughenden

21 – 22 September 2023

Leaving Boulia early we discussed our plans and both agreed to scrap the next part of the trip due to the weather. We would forego Opalton and birding near Lark Quarry, in exchange for some time on the Atherton Tablelands and along the Tropical North Queensland Coast. We both felt this was a fair and sensible swap, and that we could come “out west” during Autumn.

We made a number of birding stops, including at the old Hamilton Hotel historic site and had morning tea at Middleton before continuing on to Winton. We met up with friends Wendy and Jay who had a rare couple of hours off, so we joined them for lunch at the café in the Waltzing Matilda Visitor Centre.

After a quick round of the grocery store, we hit the road again with the plan being to stay the night in Hughenden, before moving on the Atherton Tablelands. It was still in the high 30’s when we arrived in Hughenden so we sat in the very well-appointed camp kitchen before setting up our overnight camp.

We had no need to be up so early, but we still managed to get packed up, buy groceries, meat and fuel and be on the road before 9:00am. We planned to drive to Mount Garnet, along the Kennedy Development Road, just because we’d never been that way before.  We called in to the Porcupine Gorge Lookout along the way. We had thought about camping at the gorge but with the heat it wouldn’t have been pleasant, and way too hot to walk down into the gorge.

Birdsville

13 – 16 September 2023

We left the campground and headed north again, towards Birdsville. This would be our first time in Queensland since leaving home in October 2021. Entering Queensland from South Australia would also mean another change of time zones. We arrived and were set up in the caravan park in time for lunch. Mick had been to Birdsville previously for work but this would be my first visit. Our arrival coincided with some very high forecast temperatures – mid 30’s – and we found the sudden increase a bit challenging after so long in cooler climates. We knew this would be the start of lots of hot weather and we would eventually get used to it.

We spent the afternoon quietly at the caravan park trying to escape the heat and catching up on the small mountain of washing we had accumulated. The caravan park is well set out and is just across the road from the roadhouse which doubles as the grocery store. The pub is a short walk around the corner, as is the Visitor Information Centre and Bakery, the coffee shop is only two blocks away.

After a number of very early mornings we decided to have a slower, later start to our first full day in Birdsville. After breakfast we walked down to the river at the back of the caravan park and along to the Visitor Information Centre. The centre is very well set up and was hosting an exhibition about the local area. The staff were happy to answer our questions and talk about the local attractions.

Of course there had to be some birding involved in this visit so on our second day in Birdsville we took an early morning drive the 14 kilometres out to the Waddi Trees. These ancient trees are only found in three places in Australia and Mick had been given information about some likely bird sightings there. The heat and harsh light meant that there was only a couple of hours in the early morning suitable for photography so we didn’t spend too long there. Back into town and we went for a drive to a Burke and Wills location – another tree bearing their blaze. We also had a look at the local swimming spot but unfortunately the water looked quite muddy and it was way too cold to do any more than dip your toes in.

One of the major attractions in Birdsville is the “Big Red” sand dune. We figured we should at least go out for a look, and the 35 kilometre drive in the air conditioned car would at least provide some relief from the heat. Most people take the challenge of driving to the top, but we decided against it. We were happy just to get there for a look and to take a couple of photos. No need to push the vehicle just to say we’d done it.

Arriving back into town, we decided there was another “must do” activity for us – a beer at the Birdsville Hotel. The cold beer and air conditioning was sorely needed and very much appreciated. We walked back to camp and had a couple more drinks with birding friend Paula who was also staying there.

Mick decided he needed one more session at the Waddi Trees before we left so he headed out early while I started to pack up the camp. He was back in plenty of time to finish packing and leave well before the 10:00 am check-out time. We had to fuel up and re-inflate the tyres as we would be travelling on bitumen for most of the rest of our journey. We called in to the café for a coffee before hitting the road and ended up staying quite a while chatting with the owner who is also a keen photographer. She told us stories of going out on country with her father, and the expeditions she has taken with anthropologists, archaeologists, geologists and other academics, visiting and documenting significant sites. One day she hopes to use her developing photography skills to share her cultural knowledge. It was fantastic how a simple cup of coffee lead to such an interesting conversation.

Back on the road and we continued north towards Bedourie.

Birdsville Track - Mungerannie Hotel Campground

7 – 12 September 2023

We had arranged to catch up with a birding friend at Mungerannie so we continued north along the Birdsville Track. We had a quick lunch in the car at Cooper Creek Camp, which looked like a good place to stop but the wind had us continuing on. The wind was still way too strong when we arrived at Mungerannie so we took a room for the night – a bit of a luxury, but we had always planned to do that from time to time.

Later in the day we met up with Paula and enjoyed dinner and a couple of drinks together. In the morning the wind had dropped quite a bit, and we were able to snag probably the best campsite in the whole place. The campground is just a big open area that backs onto some scrub which borders a wetland. There is very little shade for most of the day, but we found a spot that backed onto the scrub, with a small stand of vegetation in front. We were able to get some shade and were also quite private from the rest of the campground. Sometimes it pays to be early.

We ended up camping for four nights while Mick went out chasing birds. He went out with Paula a couple of times, by himself a few times, and I joined him on one early morning excursion up the Kalamurina Road onto Cowarie Station. He had some moderate success and was generally happy with his photos, but disappointed not to get the Grey falcon that everyone else seemed to have been able to photograph.

We had one mishap while we were at Mungerannie – one of the gas bottles ran out just as we finished cooking dinner and when Mick connected the other to heat water for washing up, it started to leak. It looked like a problem with the valve. We carry a Jetboil for roadside morning tea stops so used that and considered our options. We were due to leave in the morning but had also thought about staying another day. With only the Jetboil we wouldn’t be able to cook so we had to think carefully. After an early start to go out to Cowarie we decided to stay at Mungerannie another night and have lunch at the pub, and cold meat and salad wraps for dinner.

We enjoyed hearty burgers and chips for lunch and paid for another night’s camping. When we returned to camp Mick decided to have a closer look at the gas bottle. It turned out all it needed was a new “o” ring. Crisis averted. Mick chatted to some other birders and received some information about stops on our trip further north. He went out early on our final night while I did some initial packing up of the camp. We were back on the road again by mid-morning.

Merna Mora Station

4 – 5 September 2023

We had planned to have a big drive from Whyalla to get us close to the Birdsville Track but the sleepless night we had both endured had us rethinking our plan. We left Whyalla and refuelled in Port Augusta before continuing on to Quorn for morning tea and then Hawker for lunch. We had a look at our options, and noting that the strong winds would be around for another day, we decided to look for somewhere where we could get a powered site as cooking outside on gas in strong winds in near on impossible. We settled on Merna Mora Station, partly because we had never been there before, and partly because it wasn’t too far away.

We phoned the station while we were in Hawker, then drove the 43 kilometres along The Flinders Ranges Way. Merna Mora is just one of many station stays in the Flinders Ranges and is well set up for visitors.

Once we had settled onto our site we noticed the neighbours – another couple we had met at Mount Ive. It certainly is a small world. They had told us they were going to Rawnsley Park – another station stay – but couldn’t get in until later in the week so had chosen Merna Mora to spend the time waiting.

We spent a quiet afternoon and evening at camp, and went for a short walk up the hill to a lookout point just on dusk. The views around Ikara-Flinders Ranges are something to be seen. It’s a really beautiful landscape.

In the morning we went for a walk to the dry creek bed looking for birds but there wasn’t much around. We packed up and headed off hoping to be on the Birdsville Track later in the day.

Whyalla

2 – 4 September 2023

We went back in to Kimba for lunch as it was almost noon when we left Lake Gilles, and we couldn’t see anywhere suitable on the map, along the way to stop for a picnic. We found a lovely picnic area at the Kimba Lions Park than decided to take a short cut to Whyalla, not realising that it would be mostly on unsealed roads. It’s always fun to get off the highway and try a different road, and this one started off great, but deteriorated significantly as we drove along.

Arriving in Whyalla, and aware that the forecast for the following day was for very strong winds, we decided to stay at the caravan park just out of town rather than the one on the foreshore. We were given a good spot and settled in. Late in the afternoon we drove out to Wild Dog Hill at Whyalla Conservation Park, another birdy spot Mick had been told about. No luck with the birds, but a nice enough place to visit.

The wind picked up a bit overnight and in the morning we drove down to the foreshore for a look around. We walked along the boardwalk to the very impressive circular jetty. This looks to be fairy new, and is obviously popular. We walked right out to the end which has become a bit of a habit when we see a jetty somewhere in our travels. 

After a visit to the supermarket we returned to camp as the wind continued to increase. We retreated to the small camp kitchen to make lunch and spent the afternoon sheltering from the wind inside the camper trailer. The wind dropped a little later in the afternoon so we were able to sit outside for drinks and to make dinner but it soon picked up again.

Overnight the wind continued to howl and we had a very sleepless night. In the morning I checked the Bureau of Meteorology app and discovered that wind gusts of up to 69kph had been recorded. No wonder it was so noisy inside the camper. Fortunately it had dropped again as we packed up ready to move on, again not too sure where we would end up.

Mount Ive Station

29 August – 1 September 2023

Mt Ive Station is very well set up for visitors with accommodation and camping, including powered sites. With a few more cold nights ahead of us, we booked onto a powered site for three nights and settled in for the afternoon. They also have a bar which opens at 5:00pm so we wandered up and sat around the fire with some fellow travellers, then Mick met up with some birders and chatted with them over a few drinks.

The following morning Mick set off very early on one of the 4WD tracks, with another birder, looking for the grasswren known to be on the property. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, they were not successful. We went out the following morning to a couple of other likely spots, but again were not successful. Mick tried in the afternoon and again the morning we were leaving, but he had no luck – looks like we’ll have to come back to Mount Ive another time.

  

Mount Ive has a number of 4WD tracks as well as access to Lake Gairdner, another one of South Australia’s famous salt lakes. We paid for the permit and obtained the key so we could drive out to the lake one afternoon. Of course we stopped along the way to take a few bird photos before arriving at the lake only to find that it was full of water! Just as well we went for the drive and not to marvel at the enormous expanse of salt.

Leaving Mt Ive we decided to go via Kimba and on to Lake Gilles – another potential birdy spot. We set off and tried to find our way using a combination of Google Maps and the GPS, which didn’t always agree. We had misplaced the paper map of South Australia so were a bit unsure when the GPS suggested a road that wasn’t signposted as heading for Kimba, but later we realised we should have gone that way instead of the much longer road we had taken. Along the way we saw three dead wombats – I’m not sure if that indicates there are lots in the area or if they are dwindling in numbers. We’ll never know.

Once we made it to Kimba, we stopped to pick up some fresh food and to refuel before continuing on to Lake Gilles.

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.

Gluepot Reserve – Babbler Campground

 21 – 26 August 2023

After a couple of very pleasant and relaxing days at Lake Bonney, we set off for another one of our favourite places – Gluepot Reserve in the South Australian Riverland. We stopped in Waikerie to pick up a parcel at the Post Office and to do some more shopping. We then crossed the Murray River on the ferry and drove on to Gluepot.

Gluepot is a protected area and the largest block of intact mallee in Australia – and it is well known as a fabulous spot for birding. This would be our fourth visit. We stopped at the visitor centre to check in and also to have our lunch, then made our way to Babbler Campground. There had been reports of Scarlet-chested parrots in a location not too far from Babbler so it seemed the logical choice.

In the late afternoon one of the volunteer rangers called in and told us that we were the only ones camping in the whole reserve – there was no-one in either of the other two campgrounds. This didn’t last as over the following days a number of other campers arrived. The beauty of Gluepot is that the vast majority of visitors are birders – it’s too remote for caravanners looking for a cheap place to stay.

I went out with Mick a couple of times looking for the parrots, as well as to walk the Mallee Fowl Walk one morning. We actually did see a Mallee fowl not far off the track, but it didn’t stick around long enough to have its photo taken. We went out for a drive just on dark one night looking for Spotted nightjars but were not successful. Mick went out birding each morning and afternoon and processed photos during the middle of the day. I caught up on some reading and enjoyed relaxing and pottering around the camp.

Because there were a number of birders at the camp, much information was shared – not just about Gluepot. It was while we were there that we made up our minds that we would definitely go to another good birding spot – Mount Ive Station – even though it was a bit out of the way.

We had initially booked in for three nights but ended up staying for five. We could perhaps have stayed longer but had run out of drinking water so had to move on. Maybe next time we’ll allow a week. Even though the nights were cold – and fires are not permitted – the days were pleasantly cool and there was not a drop of rain while we were there.

Before leaving the reserve we called in to the ranger station and to check on another camper who had been having tyre trouble on his rented car, and to pay for our extra nights. We let Rob know that we would be spending about ½ hour at one of the hides before heading back to the main road so would be behind him if he needed help along the way. After the session at the hide – where we met up with another of the camper/birders we drove back towards Waikerie without seeing Rob. Knowing he had made it that far we presumed he had been able to get all the way to Waikerie where the two tyres could be fixed. I guess we will never know for sure.

Instead of returning to Waikerie we headed towards Morgan where we stopped to buy fresh bread and we discovered the local church market where I purchased a couple of books – just in the nick of time as I only had one left in my stash waiting to be read. We drove down to the riverside park to air up the tyres and have some lunch. While checking our location on WikiCamps, we discovered we were sitting near the Old Historic Morgue! It was located on the river so the deceased could be transported by steamer from outlying areas, for burial at the local cemetery.

Lake Bonney

 19 – 21 August 2023

We left Bendigo on yet another very cold morning and stopped for coffee in Bridgewater where we considered our options. We consulted the weather forecast and decided that after several nights of sub-zero temperatures we would take a cabin for a couple of nights. We wanted to get as close to Waikerie, and Gluepot Reserve, as possible so we booked ahead to Lake Bonney, at Barmera. We figured we could handle a big day’s drive knowing that we had a place for the night organised.

We stopped and had lunch in a park at Nullawil, just one of many towns with fantsatic "silo art", and continued on towards Mildura. We turned off before Red Cliffs and drove along a minor road before rejoining the highway near Lake Cullulleraine.

We continued on towards South Australian but before reaching the border we stopped at the quarantine bins and deposited an avocado and what was left of a soggy cucumber. We hadn’t given much thought to quarantine when we left Bendigo as we hadn’t initially planned on travelling across state lines. We continued on to the quarantine check point where the car and fridge were inspected, before driving on to Barmera in the South Australian Riverland.

We had called ahead to make sure that our camper trailer could be accommodated near the cabin and were pleased to be offered an empty site in front. Our cabin had views to the lake even though we were a few “streets” back.

We took advantage of the space and comfort and cooked a big pot of bolognaise sauce to go into the freezer. We also shopped and Mick spent a lot of time going through the photos he had taken in and around Bendigo. We walked by the lake and enjoyed having water views for a couple of days.

Bendigo

14 – 19 August 2023

Once we had settled into camp for the first time since April, and after giving the trailer a thorough clean to remove some mould that had appeared, we set about enjoying our time in Bendigo. We visited the Greater Bendigo National Park a couple of times in search of the Purple-gaped honeyeater – again successfully. We also returned to Bell’s Swamp and Castlemaine Botanic Gardens for the possibility of better photos.

On Wednesday we were joined by John and Judy, Townsville friends who have been “grey nomads” for a couple of years. We last saw them in Mount Compass in November 2022. Once again we enjoyed a couple of great days with them. Unfortunately the weather was awful – daytime temperatures in the low teens and an overnight low of -3.9! Definitely not the best weather to be camping in. We had booked to stay for three nights in Bendigo but extended for two more when rain was forecast. We didn’t want to have to pack up wet, especially when it was so cold, and we were happy with our ensuite site, so staying on was the logical thing to do.

This was around the time we were getting up. 

Apart from birding and socialising we restocked the fridge, freezer and pantry ready for the next part of our journey. We visited the Bendigo Pottery Centre where we saw there are a number of artisans as a well as the well-known local pottery. It was an interesting way to spend an hour or so.

Eventually we had to move on and were lucky to have a nice sunny morning to pack up. We weren’t sure where we would end up, but decided to set the GPS for Waikerie (on the way to Gluepot) and decide where we would stop once we were on our way.

Horsham

30 March – 1 April 2023

With another short drive ahead of us, we left right on check out time of 10:00am and stopped along the way to Horsham at Oasis Rest Stop not far from Ararat. We had morning tea at the well-presented area then headed off again. We had rung ahead and the staff at the caravan park were happy for us to check in when we arrived, well before lunch time.

We were given a good sized site which looked out towards the river side park. We chose this caravan park for its proximity to the river and botanical gardens and were very happy with the location. Before we had left Ararat we noticed a very large crack in the windscreen which may have happened the day before on one of the dirt roads in the Grampians, so called the insurance company as soon as we were settled and arranged for a replacement the following day. We were very relieved that we could get it done so quickly.

The caravan park sits beside the Wimmera River

After lunch we set off into town for a walk around and to visit the op shops. We found another very friendly town, with a few good op shops, a couple of which were located out of the CDB area. Mick also managed to find a reasonably priced barber for a haircut.

On Friday morning I took the car in for the windscreen and walked back to the caravan park. We pottered around until it was time to pick it up, then spent most of the afternoon getting everything reorganised so we could put the trailer into storage again in a few days’ time. Later we went for a walk in the gardens and a little way along the river. 

We had some rain overnight but the sky was clear and bright in the morning. We had arranged a slightly later check out of 11:00am so that gave us plenty of time to get everything completely dry ready to pack up for our return to Tasmania. Before that though, we had three nights booked in at Little Desert Nature Lodge, in a garden view room.

Stawell

27 – 30 March 2023

We wanted to visit the Grampians so decided to have a few nights in a caravan park in Stawell to dry the canvas out and wait out the forecast bad weather. The drive from Green Hill Lake only took about ½ hour so we stopped in at a coffee shop for morning tea before going to the caravan park.

The park we chose was just on the outskirts of town and in a bushland setting. Our site overlooked the lake formed by Pleasant Creek. Most sites are either near the lake or the creek – and of course there were lots of birds around. Because it was raining when we arrived, we parked the trailer on the site and headed into town. After wandering around we set off for a pub lunch – at a hotel suggested by the caravan park manager. Her recommendation was spot on – senior’s meal, which included desert, for $16 each. Great value, and a good meal.

By the time we returned to the caravan park, the rain had stopped so we set up and discovered that some water had entered and the mattress was wet. We managed to lift the edges and set up a couple of fans to get things dried out. Not an ideal situation but not a disaster.

The following day we went back into town to visit some op-shops and do some grocery shopping and then spent the rest of the day trying to keep warm. On Wednesday we set off after lunch to drive into the Grampians. The weather was still very cold, but the rain looked like it would hold off for a while. We planned to get some information about camping spots, but with more rain forecast we decided that camping in the national park might not be such a good idea.

We drove over to Hall’s Gap and stopped in to the Visitor Information Centre for directions to a couple of lookouts. We drove first to Boroka Lookout which had magnificent views over Wartook Reservior. The lookout is only a short walk from the carpark and the road in, although unsealed, was in good condition.

From Boroka Lookout we drove back to the main road and on to Reed (or Reid, depending on where you’re looking) Lookout. The carpark is right at the lookout which again had magnificent views but also a really icy wind blowing. From this lookout was took the 2 km return, easy, walk to The Balconies lookout. More fabulous views across the Grampians out towards Moora Moora Reservior.

View from Boroka Lookout

On our return to Stawell we went for the drive up Big Hill to the lookout over the town. Stawell is a nice town with lots of interesting architecture and all the services needed.

After consulting the weather forecast again, and not wanting to get the canvas wet again before putting the trailer in to storage we decided that we would have to forego camping in the Grampians this time. Instead we set off for Horsham – another place we had never visited.

Green Hill Lake Reserve - Ararat

26 – 27 March 2023

We left Rochester and continued our journey with a quick stop at Bendigo to pick up some more enhancements for the tripod. From there we detoured off our chosen route again to find a park to have lunch. As we were travelling on minor roads, there weren’t any rest areas so a detour was necessary.

We found the picnic area on Laanercoorie Reservoir and made use of the covered shelter to have our lunch out of the cool breeze. It was adequate but in a very untidy state. It is hard to understand why people would come to a lovely spot and just leave their rubbish around when there are bins available.

We continued on through Ararat and on to Green Hill Lake Reserve. This is a huge free camp on the lake, with toilets and a dump point. It was reasonably busy on a Sunday afternoon but we could imagine it would be packed on long weekends and school holidays. We lucked out and settled on a spot right on the lake, with just a short walk to the toilet block.

Friday drinks by the lake

We came to Green Hill Lake so Mick could look for a bird that had been reported recently so he spent some time in search of – unfortunately not very successfully.  The temperature dropped with the sun and we wished we had thought to bring some firewood with us. During the night it also rained quite a bit so we had to make a decision about staying, and putting up the awning, or moving on. 

More rain was forecast so there would be no bird photography if we stayed so we packed up and moved on. We were lucky that we had a short window of time with no rain so even though the canvas was wet, we weren’t. It was such a shame as this was a lovely spot – definitely one to come back to one day.

Rochester

25 – 26 March 2023

We had booked to spend a few nights at Little Desert before returning to Tasmania so we needed to start making our way towards the west of Victoria, with a view to spending some time in the Grampians. Because we prefer not to travel too far in one day we decided to make Rochester our next destination. It would be a little bit out of the way, but we had never been there so it seemed like as good a place as any to spend a night.

We left Winton Wetlands and drove through Shepparton, where we made a quick stop so Mick could pick up some camo wrap to use on his tripod. We were lucky that on a busy Saturday morning we were able to find the shop we needed, and get a parking spot right out the front. We continued on and had another stop at a rest area before we made our way to Rochester.

We had chosen this spot because the caravan park is located on the Campaspe River, and the reviews were good. It’s a community owned caravan park so the overnight fee was very reasonable when compared to some other places we had stayed, and the facilities were top notch. There was a large, and well equipped camp kitchen where Mick spent some time editing photos. Our site was good, but we were positioned in such a way that we didn’t get any shade - again! - so we were grateful for the camp kitchen and trees nearby.

Later in the afternoon we went for a walk but couldn’t get down to walk along the river from the caravan park. We could see some of the damage caused by recent floods, with a small pontoon almost completely destroyed. Rochester, like many communities, still has a lot of work ahead.

The beautiful old pub has pride of place in Rochester's main street

Before we left Rochester we went in to town where we did some grocery shopping and had a coffee. As with many of these small rural town, there were lots of empty shops. From there we continued our journey with a free camp near Ararat as our intended destination.

Winton Wetlands

24 – 25 March 2023

We checked the weather forecast and decided to head up into the Warby Ranges to a free campground about an hour from Glenrowan. We arrived at Killawarra Forest Campground and were the only ones there. We weren’t sure about staying as the best located site wasn’t ideal for us so we had morning tea in the small rotunda while we considered our options. We were very glad we hadn’t set up the camper trailer, as the couple of march flies that were hovering around when we first arrived had beckoned all their mates and we were being harassed by a huge number – all trying to bite us. It wasn’t hard to make the decision to move on.

Fortunately we were both agreed that a return to Winton Wetlands would be a much better option so we headed there and were set up by the water iin time for lunch – and again were the only ones there. We drove around to the other side of Lake Mokoan in the afternoon so Mick could look for some birds.

Evening glow

The weather wasn’t quite as good as the first time and there was some light rain come through a couple of times but nothing to spoil an otherwise peaceful night – and no visits from the night creatures this time either.

Before leaving the wetlands we stopped in at the Visitor Centre for morning tea then set off, heading west.