Across The Nullarbor, SA. to WA.

Bearing in mind the rigourous WA Quarantine Inspection on reaching the Border of SA and WA, we planned the number and place of our daily camps so that we could buy only the quantity of fresh fruit and vegetables that we would consume in that time. For travel beyond the border crossing we bought frozen vegetables, something that we rarely do.

First camp out was Cohen RA. This is a large stop-over and very near the site of, the now removed Cohen School. Total number of camps that night was about 7.

The following morning we pulled into Mundoo Roadhouse for morning tea. We also had a great conversation with a Dutch couple in  Australia for their second visit, this time for 10 weeks. We diverted to the "Head of the Bight" for a scenic look at the beginning of the Bunda Cliffs, these cliffs will continue westwards around the Bight for 800 km. To the East  lay the silky looking white sand dunes. After lunch here we travelled onto 164 K Peg RA. for our end of day camp. The Peg number indicates the distance to the WA Border in kilometres. I have a deep feeling that I camped here 20 years ago on our previous trip back from Perth. We met up with Mick and Karen, who pulled in to camp shortly after us. Of course we downed a few ales and swapped life histories.

We still had fresh food to consume before we crossed the WA Border Quarantine Station so the days travel was shortened to the 10 K Peg RA and have a slap together meal. During the day we pulled off the road at all the Scenic Lookouts. Mick and Karen followed us into this camp where we continued our previous night's conversation.

The following day we took advantage of another day of East Winds to travel as many kilometres as possible on improved fuel economy. Who knows what tomorrow is going to bring? Being Remembrance Day. A day that some of us still revere in this country. At Madura Pass Look Out we stopped and maintained a minutes reflection of past sacrifices. After an early lunch we moved onto our camp to be, Moonera Well RA. Can't see any well here! We also had to deal with a sudden time change moving into WA. During the Eastern States Summertime period there is a 3 hour time change as you cross the border. It's going to be a long day.

The final camp before we reached Norseman was at Mount Pleasant RA. Soon after we set up camp down came the rain, and it rained all night. Moved onto Norseman the following day still in constant rain. I think the forecast is for rain all day. After a walk around Norseman we moved out to our nights camp at Lake Cowan RA en route to Kalgoorlie. With the generator running I am processing this blog post.

Cohen RA, SA

Silky White Sand Dunes at Head of the Bight.

The beginning of The Bunda Cliffs at The Head of the Bight.

The Rainbow Dragons apparently eat ants. 

Camp at 164 K Peg RA, SA.

81 K Peg Scenic Lookout, SA

Bunda Cliffs Scenic Lookout, SA.

13 K Peg Scenic Lookout, SA.

10 K Peg RA, SA.

Madura Pass Lookout, WA.

This Queenslander didn't finish his can of XXXX at Madura Pass Lookout.

Moonera Tank RA, WA.

Seems Norseman, WA. was named after this horse.

The slow moving Main Street of Norseman, WA.

Galvanised Corrugated Steel Camels on this roundabout in Norseman, WA.

Our rig looks a little cleaner after a full nights rainfall.

Our very wet camp at Lake Cowan RA, just north of Norseman, WA.

Lake Cowan is sort of visible in the distant mist.

Smoky Bay, SA.

Departed Streaky Bay in a Northerly direction, just so happens we also had a blustery wind from that direction. We made a slow but steady trip up to Smoky Bay with the intention of booking into the caravan park there and sitting in the van with the air conditioner going full blast. Several other caravan travellers followed us in, great minds think alike! The van park was deserted all afternoon until the southern change came through, then all the air conditioners were turned off and everyone was out and about. About 5:30 PM we took a stroll around the seaside village, this didn't take us very long!

The Bayside strip along the foreshore.

This is the only shop in town.

"Beware the Dog" sign on the gate, but without a fence.

Quaint little Community Church.

Smoky Bay Pier, restored (rebuilt) in 2012 at a cost of $640000. The original cost 5700 Pounds in 1912.

The carpark at the pier looking back over the village and the foreshore of Smoky Bay.

Streaky Bay, SA.

Chris, along with his canine offsider Fido, whom we first met at Lake Lascelles, Hopetoun in Victoria earlier this year, e-mailed us and said, "your heading my way, you had better call into Streaky Bay and stay a couple of days". As it happened to be only a minor divergence from our planned route we jumped at the opportunity to catch up with them again. Chris was busy setting up a new enterprise but he gave us some travel hints for the area till we got together again each evening. So Chris, Good Trading in the new business.

Streaky Bay is a very neat and pretty seaside town surrounded by cropping country and with access to The Southern Ocean. On a future journey we will spend more time investigating The Eyre Peninsula in full. 

Wudinna, pronounced 'wood in a'. Is another town in the cropping belt. We stopped here for a driver break on our way to Streaky Bay. To recognise the value of the farmer to the area the community commissioned this granite statue that was completed in 2009. Of course there are silos in this town too, forming a back drop to the statue.

The Streaky Bay Pier.

Great looking hotel in town is opposite the pier.

One of the main streets of the CBD.

We drove a 214 km circuit from Streaky Bay taking in some of the highlights of the Eyre Peninsula coast south of Streaky Bay. 'Murphy's Haystacks' was one of the stops on the circuit.

More of the strange rock formations eagerly visited by many travellers.

Another pair standing alone here.

The furtherest point on our drive was here at 'Baird Bay'.

We were virtually driving back to Streaky Bay along the coast and taking side tracks into various points of interest. This is The Sea Lion Colony at Point Labbat.

Jude holding on to her hat at Point Labbat.

Typical of much of the coastline of Northern Eyre Peninsula.

This is Sceale Bay.There is a small community here of maybe 50 homes.

The Award Winning Public Toilet at Sceale Bay. Notice the window! It is possible to sit in there and wonder at the vista of the bay.

The southerly view back to Point Westall.

Looking North and over looking a feature known as The Granites. The Granites are the black rock formations along the sea line.

Kimba, SA.

After travelling for 155 km we felt it was time to make camp for the night. Having already investigated camp sites ahead of us, Kimba Recreation Reserve seemed promising. We had crossed "The Goyder Line" and the country side changed from Salt Bush to productive cropping lands. G.W. Goyder had proposed The Goyder Line as early as 1865 and it roughly indicates areas of insufficient rainfall from those that will sustain viable agriculture.

The town of Kimba with a population of 1200 people seems to be prospering from the cropping enterprises that surround the town. Stripping of the crops was in full swing as we travelled through the area and the roads were busy with trucks delivering the grain to the silos. After setting up camp we began bucket washing the red Simpson Desert dust of the caravan, we couldn't see out of the windows there was that much dust on them. Kimba is a very friendly town and RV Travellers are made most welcome, the facilities made available, for a donation, are awesome.

We soon discovered that there was going to be a Melbourne Cup Luncheon at the local Hotel, the proceeds of the afternoon was going to support a family with a young son, Henry, who was afflicted with Cerebral Palsy. There were 55 people in attendance, 7 of those were visitors to the town. I was one of of the two males in attendance. Steve and I were out numbered so we behaved ourselves.

Our sparkling clean caravan after the bucket wash.

One of the Pavillions at The Kimba Recreation Park.

2 km out of town is a Lookout Point named White Knob. Along with a Communications Tower are these two steel statues depicting Edward John Eyre and his Aboriginal Guide. 

From atop White Knob looking back over Kimba and the vast cropping lands.

The Hotel where we had a fantastic Melbourne Cup Luncheon.

Kimba is also noted for being at the Half Way point across the continent.

There are many Galahs in the area. This one is the largest of all.

There are 20 large silos in this complex in Kimba. There is a continual line of trucks delivering grain into here.

Port Augusta, SA.

Port Augusta is where we change direction. We've been travelling South, from now we will be travelling Westward. It was near 40 deg on our arrival here, with a very stiff N/NE Wind to boot. The second day the wind had changed to S/SE and was very cool.Many people delayed their departures that day because of the strong wind gusts. We've stayed on for a third day to gather some provisions and have a look around the city on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon. We will leave our Gulf side camping site tomorrow morning and begin the Westward leg of our journey.

Looking South along the Wharf at Port Augusta and into Spencer Gulf. The Port Precinct is adjacent to the CBD.

This bridge carries the traffic from Highway 1. The parkland in the background leads into the Wharf Precinct above.

Looking North along Spencer Gulf over the skeleton of an old barge.

Matthew Flinders viewed Spencer Gulf from this vantage point in 1802. This is looking North over the main railway bridge.

From the same vantage point as above but looking South over Port Augusta.

Alongside the walkway at Matthew Flinders Lookout we noticed this succulent in flower. It was interesting because the buds, before they bloomed,  looked like jewels. The plant was glistening in the sunlight. If you enlarge the photo you should see it too. 

Port Augusta boasts a wonderful Arid Lands Botanical Gardens. This is the Information Centre/Restaurant.

This is only one section of the 5 to 6 km of walking trails through the Arid Lands Botanical Gardens. These Gardens are very worthy of a visit if you ever come to Port Augusta.