Caravan Cruising

 31st July 2025 All packed up by 9 am, we said our farewells to Brian and Ann, and headed off towards Sydney planning to stop at Robinvale tonight. The distance is a bit over 400 km so at towing speed it should take us around 5 hrs. We were ready for a cup of coffee by the time we reached Barmera, and as we did on our trip through in the other direction, drove down towards Lake Bonney to find somewhere to park and a cafe. This time we tried The Lakes Cafe and Bakery. The coffee and scones did the trick to revitalise us for our trip. Parking nearby was also very easy. We were making pretty good time and lunch time was approaching, so we decided we could see if we could find a nice quiet spot to stop before we get to Mildura, and make a sandwich, as we have plenty of supplies in the van. As we were driving through Cullulleraine we saw a sign suggesting there was a picnic area down near a lake, so we went to have a look. We discovered a great park on Lake Cullulleraine, with a caravan...

 30th July 2025 It is another very cool morning and it is 10 am before it is nice outside and we head out for our last day in the Barossa. We have decided to head down to Lyndoch, visit a Lavender Garden there and have coffee at their cafe as our first stop. The last few km to the Garden is on a dirt road with stunning scenery of a quite hilly and very green landscape. We later discovered there was bitumen access from the other direction, but the direction we came from was certainly worth the view. Yearning for a cup of coffee we entered the shop/cafe only to be told that at this time of the year the cafe is only open on weekends. Our disappointment must have been obvious and as we groused through the offerings in the shop, the owner relented and said if we only wanted coffee, she would make us one. Carole browsing the shelves After token purchases from the shop we enjoyed sitting outside in the sun enjoying our coffee.  Not a bad setting for a cup of coffee It seems that ther...

 29th July 2025 It is bitterly cold this morning when we wake up, but is around 9 C at 10.15 am when we set out with our first planned stop at Maggie Beer’s Farm shop, only a short drive from here. Once inside the shop, our first priority was to get a warm cup of coffee. The fireplace came a close second Now warmed up it was time to look around the shop, which also includes the  Kitchen used to film the TV series “The Cook and the Chef”.  A staff member was keen to take our photo in the kitchen As expected, there were lots of delectable items for sale and we walked out with a couple of jars of relishes. Outside the complex is quite expansive, with a separate building dedicated to a restaurant and cooking school, overlooking a pond. Initially started out as a pheasant farm, the property has an impressive aviary, with many exotic game birds and peacocks on display. This peacock was desperately trying to impress a couple of very disinterested pea heads. A few healthy looking...

28th July 2025  Back at Foxtale Houseboats before 9 am, we proceeded to unload the boat. Even though we have consumed a lot of what we had taken aboard, the unloading was still a major exercise. We were finished by 9.30 am, everyone said their farewells and 3 couples headed off in their cars for Hay on their return trip to Sydney. Our caravan ping friends, Brian and Ann, and ourselves headed for Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley. The drive to Nuriootpa is only 98 km, so roadworks and speed limits etc we are at the caravan park by 11.20 am, a bit ahead of official check in time, but they reluctantly let us check in and arranged adjoining sites for us. It is a larger caravan park, close to town, and adjoining the main sports oval. Entrance It is a bit of a drive around the oval to get to the caravan park Fortunately many of the sites, including ours are drive through After a week on the houseboat, we have lots of laundry to attend to, and we need to replenish our food supplies in the v...

 27th July 2025 It is our final day on the houseboat before having to return it to the marina tomorrow morning by 9 am. We decide to take a short trip a bit further up river to Cadell, a small town about 10 km upstream, have lunch there and returned to the to Morgan for the night. We are not in a hurry to leave our mooring, so take the opportunity to go for a walk exploring a bit more of Morgan before departing for Cadell. View from the houseboat looking up to the township of Morgan We have the mooring space to ourselves Morgan is undergoing a bit of a restoration, having been one of the major river ports on the Murray in their heyday. Many on the old buildings around the wharf area have been restored and the wharf itself is in the middle of a restoration. Now they are all tourism outlets. The wharf is well on the way to being restored View looking down at the ferry from the lookout above the wharf The remains of the railway line that serviced the wharf in the past The highlight of...