Luvapuzzle

Adelaide to Port Augusta

27/7/23

We travelled 330 km from home to our stop for the night at the discovery Park at Port Augusta. We are in the Prado and heading for a unit at Streaky Bay, so no camping gear with us this trip.

I’m going to relax for a week while Trev goes fishing with Bob and Craig. Hopefully I will get some nice down time with Bev, but I also have jigsaws, quilting, planning for a walking camp and also some holiday planning, documentation of future plans and cleaning up of my PC to do (clean out the emails and sort the photos). I’m pretty sure I won’t get through all of that.

We had breakfast with Maggie (visiting from WA) before heading home to do the last of our holiday prep, and left home just before midday. First stop the fuel station. Then we were heading out to Gepps Cross and the Port Wakefield Rd. The rain fell intermittently and the day was grey.

Late lunch was a pie each and shared vanilla slice at Pop Kiplings bakery at Port Wakefield with a hopeful gull and many little sparrows for company before we braved yet more roadworks. It’s hard to understand why the traffic speed is so limited when the roadworks are so distant from the current road.

We stopped for a cuppa and short rest break at Warnertown and watched a goods train with 90 trucks pass by as we sat in the car watching the rain and having our hot drinks. Then we headed onwards again.

We arrived in Port Augusta about 4:15 and headed straight for the CV Park and our little motel cabin with 2 comfy beds. Here we had reheated lasagna for dinner and relaxed until an early bedtime. (Trev wasn’t so relaxed until he turned off the cricket)

Coming home from the Flinders 14/6/22

The chilly wind was still blowing as we woke on Wednesday morning. We packed up the camper and headed down to the camp kitchen on our way out of the campsite to have our breakfast, boil the kettle and do the dishes.

Our travels home took us through Hawker to Cradock, Orroroo and Jamestown (bakery for lunch), then Spalding, Clare and down through Tarlee and on to the northern expressway.

The most significant thing I can say about the drive is to remark upon the number of nankeen kestrels that we saw (approximately 40 of them) hovering near the road edges. There must be a lot of mice out in the paddocks for them to look for. We also saw at least 5 black shouldered kites doing the same thing. Trevor did a great job of concentrating on the driving for the long drive. We didn’t hit the rain until we were in the outer suburbs of Adelaide.

We arrived home just as peak hour was starting and were glad to pull into our own driveway and to be off of the road and out of the crazy traffic at last. The clothes washing and unpacking were commenced. An early tea and then a relatively early night were in order. It was good to be in our own beds again.

Relaxed touring day Wilpena and Arkaroo Rock 13/6/23

We were up to say goodbye to Craig and Ev before they headed out of camp and then packed up in a leisurely fashion. The wind was chilly and rain threatened, plus we were both still feeling pretty tired and ragged. Maybe today was not the time to try the climb up to Rawnsley Bluff. We agreed that the first thing to do was head up to Wilpena Pound and return the key to the rangers.

The rangers were nowhere to be seen when we arrived at the administration building, so we amused ourselves with a stroll around the old buildings of the old Wilpena Station. The old store, stables, Smithy, Governers cottage, Graveyard and mud and pug hut all stand around the area, and are well signed, with information about what it was like to live in the old days out here. The garden of the homestead (Now the admin building) also has interesting signs. It really is worth a look. A remnant of the old cattle yards still stands, with the old fence rails fastened though holes cut into a huge gum tree.

By the time we had done the walking tour and admired the apostle birds and ringnecks near the homestead, the rangers had arrived.

I was able to return the key to Alan and thank him for the use of the land. He stressed to me that the time of permission to use the land expired this year and that it was highly unlikely that future applications to use the area would be treated kindly unless the members of the management board changed. Trev and I left there feeling sad that this beautiful area for orienteering was unlikely to get another look in. There has been a lot of time, effort and money put in to the mapping of that area and the orienteers have always treated it with respect and care.

Our next stop was the Wilpena Pound visitors centre where we picked up a bit of information before having a picnic lunch. Then we headed down to the resort to check out accommodation options for future visits. I think the only way we will ever be staying up there is if we are camping. Rooms are upward of $500/night even for the basic ones!

As we headed back towards Rawnsley for our final night of camping, we decided to stop in and have a look at the Arkaroo Rock walk on the way.

The walk is only about 3.5km long, but it is rated as moderate due to the climb using a rocky path. It is very scenic though and the lush growth currently around after all the rain they have had is particularly lovely. We found the rock art at the end underwhelming (as we remembered) but we loved the walk and thoroughly enjoyed the birds on the way back down the path, pausing to take numerous photos of the vistas across to the far mountain ranges and the rocky outcrops above us.

The yellow gaped honeyeater and white eared honeyeater were the most prolific.

We returned to Rawnsley to check out the accommodation offerings there (a bit less expensive than Wilpena Pound, but already well booked for October) before finding ourselves a flat site not too far out from the main camping area. From here we could walk back to the amenities block.

The wind was so cold and strong that I decided not to try to use the gas stove on the side of the camper. Instead, I took the ingredients for tea to the camp kitchen and used their gas stove to heat up dinner for the two of us, and their dodgy kettle to put some heat into water for a cup of tea. We ate a quick, warm dinner as it rained and blustered outside and hopped into our warm bed for our last night.

Manawarra Orienteering 12/6/23

We lay warm and snug in our beds and listened to the sounds of the others heading out to help set up the event for the day. We were glad to have a bit longer to lie there in the warm. There was lots of movement across the campsites because it was the last day of the long weekend and lots of people needed to pack up their camps and head towards home again. it was going to be a long day on the road for many of the campers today.

At the event we enjoyed a very scenic walk to the start with a lovely view over the road to the ranges with the sun showing up the lovely colours of the rock.

I started out really well and was feeling confident as I found my first control, but then started to concentrate on those coming along behind me from that control and didn’t think enough about exactly how I was finding my way to the next one. 19 minutes later I got there. That was my chance of any glory gone already. From there I was happy to consistently have a clean run, but the damage was done. Looking back at the times, it is obvious that there was just not enough energy in the body and legs to run fast enough, even if I hadn’t made that cracker of a mistake. Trevor, although not making a massive mess up, also found that he was suffering from his cold and the previous day’s exertions and was also well down the placings for his age class. We both thought that our courses were well set and enjoyable.

We happily stayed around till the end, chatting to various people who were around the place, and supporting the club members running the event as they packed up and headed for home. Trev was even able to help out Al, who found he had a flat battery when we tried to start his journey homewards.

Tonight, only Craig and Evelyn and us remained at the campsite. The whole place was much quieter. We used the last of the wood for a small fire and turned in for bed. Tomorrow they would head for home and it would be just us left behind.

SA Long Champs Wilpena Creek 11/6/23

We couldn’t avoid the day finally arriving, so we met it face on and early in the hopes that we could make the best of what we had to come. With toilet tents and signs loaded in the van (and friends bringing the emptied Porta Potties a little later on) we headed on out to get those signs up so everyone could find the right place.

We have an excellent band of Tintookies members who are happy to help and it felt as though we had adequate coverage, despite needing an unexpected couple on car parking (to ensure that no-one staked a tyre, took on too much of a rise for their clearance or found slippery ground) and to put up toilet tents and some privacy cover for the ladies.

Setter and helpers had gone off to put out the water on the courses, but the time was fast approaching for starts and we found ourselves with no knowledge of exactly where the start should be set up, no idea where the maps were (presumably in his car??) and an increasing number of people heading to the start location expecting to be leaving there at their appointed time (from 10:00 clock onwards every 2 minutes).

With only a few minutes to go the setter arrived, but without the maps!!! They were apparently back at the assembly area, and he rushed off to get them. They were then hurriedly placed out for collection as people started and we were finally into the groove of the start process, only 8 minutes delayed from the planned time.

It is standard procedure to step into the first start box 6 minutes before your expected time, step forward again to get your control descriptions 4 minutes before and then finally to step up to the maps 2 minutes prior to your start time. Each person is responsible for taking their own map from the box in front of them. Unfortunately, in the flurry it seems that 2 wrong maps were placed in the box beside their correct one – meaning 2 people got the wrong one. One realised very soon and came back to start again to swap maps. The other did not, and ended up with a longer but navigationally easier course.

Sadly, at the end of the course it became apparent that there had also been an incorrectly numbered control on the course for some of the orienteers, which effectively voided the champs for 12 of the classes competing. The decision was made that the courses on the following day would stand as the long champs instead for those classes.

Trevor and I had both gone out on our courses as last starters, having helped with getting others out there. We both began well, but found that lost orienteers seeking assistance messed with our navigational concentration. Erica had the added experience of coming across a fellow orienteer who needed physical assistance (she was finding herself unable to stand up), and dropped out of her course part way through to render assistance and assist her to return to the assembly area. (In doing this she missed experiencing the drama of the wrong number on the control). Having thought that her chances at the champs were now finished, she now had a second chance at the cherry offered on the following day.

Once the presentations were done and dusted the merry band of helpers needed to bring in all the water, controls and tape. Out we headed once more, happily accepting a lift to the start of our collection area. We had seven controls to pick up out of the 50 and worked our way around our area. We even followed two legs with pink tapes as we picked them up.

Back at the assembly area, some of the other workers had packed up the tent and equipment and it was just a matter of waiting a bit more for the rest of the water and controls to come back in. Trevor and I grabbed a quick sandwich at about 4pm, our first food for the day except for a quick muesli bar just before our runs!

We were relieved to have everyone back and be packed up just before 4:30pm, when it started to get cold. We headed out of the locked gate for the last time, and picked up the directions signs as we went. The signs were dropped off to Barry (to go in the trailer) and we dragged our weary bodies off to the showers, where we attempted to soak out some of the weariness under the wonderful warm water.

Back at our campsite the others were well sorted, with the campfire happily keeping the cold at bay and a space for our chairs. We were offered a glass of red and Zita offered to make enough for us for tea as well, alleviating the need for me to think about food tonight. This offer was very gratefully accepted. What a kind friend to meet my need right at that moment in the very best way she could have thought of. I located some veggies to add to the mixed veg side dish and sat down to rest the tired legs while she cooked. It was good to debrief with friends and to try to put the day behind us. Tomorrow the rest of them would have their turn to offer an event and we just had to turn up and enjoy it.

Rawnsley Orienteering 10/6/23

We had a lazy start to the day. The relaxation of the time was greatly affected by a phone call from one of the orienteers who rang to say that he was unable to bring the toilets which we had arranged for him to tow up from Jamestown. Unfortunately the lights on the toilets were not functioning and neither John nor Adrian (who arrived a little later) could find a way to get them to work. This effectively meant that we had no toilet plan for 150 people attending events on Sunday and Monday!

When you are using National Park land you can’t just dig a hole. What a dilemma! Finally the best solution that we could come up with as a group was to borrow a couple of porta-potties and shower tents and to ask everyone to go to the loo before they came to the event on the following two days. Thank heavens Rawnsley has a dump point.

By the time we arrived at the event that afternoon we were feeling the stress of failed plans and trying to find a solution, and our heads were not in the zone for satisfactory orienteering. We proceeded to prove that by both messing up the second control on our courses, and Erica messed up a couple of others as well. It was still good to be out there on this challenging countryside, despite the mess-ups.

After stopping in at the showers on our way back past, we had an early tea and enjoyed a bit of a sit around the fire with friends (Max and Ian now added to our number) before a fairly early night to bed. We were very aware of the need to be up bright and early and out to get signs out and things well organised for the event ahead.

Thanks to Zita for this shot of our campsite and fire.

Appila Springs to Rawnsley via Wilpena. 9/6/23

We were woken to the quiet mumbling of the friendly apostle birds who were scratching around with their family of five near the camper. It was chilly but not overly cloudy or raining.

After a leisurely breakfast we packed up and we’re pulling out of camp just on 10 am. Our only goal was to be at the ranger’s office at Wilpena by 2 if possible.

The road took us up to Orroroo fairly directly and we found ourselves there for a well-timed loo stop at the memorial toilets. Do other countries also have these toilet blocks in country towns erected by or in memory of pioneer women???? It was a very clean and spacious loo and we were happy to make use of it anyway. That’s probably already too much information.

Just out of Orroroo we found the old Pekina rail bridge- an impressive structure with some very large trees nearby offering a home to what seemed to be a varied bird population. I wondered how many hollows one tree like that one could offer. And what other critters beside the birds are living in there?

On past our lovely Cradock Hotel stay from a couple of weeks ago before arriving at Hawker, where we found the popular public toilets now re-opened for business (excuse the pun) and the new cafe across from them beckoning us. How could we say no? It’s always nice to take advantage of convenient food offered at the right time, so we sat in a window seat and ate hot pies followed by a good hot cup of tea while we wondered if that man over in the car park was our friend Regina’s brother. It turned out he was-but we didn’t figure it out till after he had left town. Sorry to miss saying hi Peter.

We were comforted in our disappointment by the arrival of our easily spotted orienteering trailer trundling into town pulled by Barry, so had a chat with him instead, and made new plans with him for an earlier meeting a bit further up the track.

We left Hawker as the convoy of travellers built into a steady stream. We hoped they weren’t all going where we were. The RV park in Hawker is basically just a big flat hard bit of land. Very disappointing following our recent wonderful discoveries. I guess they make up for it with their great toilet block and shelter area on the other side of town.

We had a bit of trouble finding the ranger station at Wilpena. It is signposted “Parks Administration” and well off of the main entrance road, down a road marked staff only. Alan the ranger was there for us though, and we were able to pick up our special key from him to allow our orienteering event to be set up appropriately. (The assembly area is beyond a locked gate, so we are allowed to let a few vehicles in for equipment and toilets.)

We met Barry and traipsed out to the event site with him to drop off the Tintookies trailer beyond the gate and check out the state of the road and potential parking areas after the recent rain. it looks OK to park off road. The worst thing will be the road out there-which has a few rather wet patches.

We drove in to Rawnsley and checked in before heading back out the Rawnsley track a little to the cabins area, where we were seeking Jack to pass on the key. He wasn’t there yet, but we did catch up with a number of Orienteering friends who were all staying in that area. We passed a lovely half hour or so before our expected meeting, then left to find ourselves a shower on the way to the campground. Craig and Ev had told us where to find them, so we were able to find a spot in the busy campground area with very little effort at all. Along with us, Craig and Evelyn already had John and Carol Such camping. Zita and Al arrived in their van just before dark, having done some orienteering work with a teacher at Clare on the way up.

It was good to be around a fire under the stars with friends again. The impressive sight of Rawnsley Bluff hanging over the campsite always helps us to feel small and to wonder at the magnificence of the Flinders Ranges area.

It was a noisy night with kids excited to be camping out, friends all catching up, music playing and some extremely late arrivals too. We were glad that we didn’t have to be up extra early on Saturday morning.

Adelaide to Appilla 8/6/23

It’s been a crazy week of turnaround since we got back from the last trip away to Witchelina. We’ve tried to fit in catching up on washing, family visiting, our usual walking, and preparation for the big Orienteering champs event of Sunday. I’ve also tried to have the food sorted so it’s not taking too much time or thought while we are away, not to mention Trev being sick and a tyre that needed returning to the repair shop for re-fixing on the camper.

All in all we were lucky to be pulling out of the driveway at about midday with a feeling that we were mostly organised. Still not sure where I packed those home made biscuits though!

We decided to fill our fuel tank at Hampstead this time, and chose the OTR station with fuel at almost the lowest price we could see across town. We used the app at the pump, hoping that this would give us a saving. It’s a chance you take. In this case it paid off well, with a saving of 20 cents a litre for our 121 litres of fuel. And we didn’t even need to go inside the service station shop! That’s a good start.

As we headed down Grand Junction road we enjoyed a glimpse of a persimmon tree in a passing yard. The bare tree showed well above the house fence with just the bright orange balls of the fruit attached. Like a Danish Christmas tree-just twigs and baubles.

We stopped at Two Wells bakery for late lunch. I’d read that they make a mean lamb shank pie. It’s true. We admired their stretched dog shaped seat and sat eating our pies, then sharing a vanilla slice while we read the local notices on the board nearby and did our best to keep out of the chilly wind.

Then we were off again towards Brinkworth. Here we checked out the local RV spot-it’s a flat gravel area big enough for a dozen vans with toilets and a shower, an excellent sheltered area with sink, bbq and tables, and a playground adjoining.They even have a water filling station, dump point and some herbs growing along with an excellent large book exchange. Here we had our first cuppa for the journey from the trusty thermos and a mandarin each. ( Thanks Dad and Peg)

We took the road straight on north from here past the little riverside camping area at Whitecliffs. One van was already parked there. We discovered that there is now an elevated toilet facility there! We cut back to the Horrocks highway and worked our way past the green paddocks and newborn lambs to Georgetown and Gladstone where we watched over 40 empty train flat bed trucks go past as we waited at the level crossing. That was once we started counting. Then on to Laura – The home of Golden North. The sun sent shafts of light through the heavy clouds.

Somewhere on that road we laughed at the name on the camper heading the opposite way- “Lumbago.” Also on a back cross road we saw what looked for all the world like a galv dunny (complete with breather). strange! Maybe it was a bus shelter with a heater???

The light was getting lower already and it was a long enough drive for a still-sick man, so we decided to head across to Appilla Springs to camp. There were already a couple of vans up the top near the toilet but the space near the spring down the bottom was free, so we parked there. It was ideal too. Quiet and flat. The frog sounds were excellent and Trev read on the signs that rainbow bee-eaters make their nests in the clay cliffs. Apparently they fly into the holes without touching at the entrance so the lizards can’t detect their presence and come in for an easy meal. We didn’t spot any.

We enjoyed a few games of crib ( Trevor won them all) in the van hiding from the chilly breeze before I cooked an early tea. Then we and decided to read in bed. We were all tucked in by 6:30 and turning out the light by 7!!!!!

The frog chorus kept us entertained and guessing how many different ones out there for a while. We had plenty of chances to rethink the numbers through the night as they continued their chorus into the early hours.

Witchelina walking – getting there day 2 (21/5/23)

The first van pulled out at about 8:30, raising us from our comfy warm dozing into a crispy morning.

We took our time getting up and about but we’re eating breakfast by the time Al Pettet dropped in on his way home from riding his motor bike in the Simpson. (on his way home from Marree today. ) it was good to have a bit of a chat before he continued on his way.

We took the time to wander on the historic walk of Cradock. Someone has taken the time to place plaques where old buildings used to be. There is also a very comprehensive war memorial with excellent information. Of course there are also the memorials to young men who went to war and never returned. So many wasted lives!

We were heading in the opposite direction not much later. A quick pump of a slowly deflating tyre (recently “repaired”) at Hawker and we continued on the highway west of the ranges. Now we have red dirt and Bluebush.

We decided that Parachilna was too early for a lunch stop and headed onwards, pulling in a bit after midday at Aroona Dam ( just south of Leigh creek). This dam is the water storage for Leigh Creek and home to a reintroduced population of yellow footed rock wallabies.

We didn’t see any “Wobblies” but did enjoy looking over the beautiful green water at the playful swallows (. ?maybe fairy Martin’s, as they had a white rump but some,at least, also had rufous heads. It was about 1:15 as we pulled out from there again.

Finally we made it to Witchelina a little after 3. About half of the walkers were already there. We pulled our van in close to the shearer’s quarters and joined in the chatter, slowly welcoming each new arrival.

Dinner was a taste of what was to come – lasagna and apple crumble. Yummy.

We’ve been warned that breakfast is at 7 so it’s an early night for everyone. 8:30 and all is quiet!!!!

Witchelina walking – Day 1 of getting there

We left home on 20/5/23 at about 1130, heading down Greenhill rd to South rd and heading on to the northern expressway.

We stopped in Two Wells to fill with fuel plus put a bit of back-up fuel into a Jerry can (100 litres in total). We initially thought we might stop at the bakery in Two Wells, but there was a line out of the door so we didn’t.

We ended up stopping at Rodney’s at Owen for soup, toast and a cuppa before heading onwards again.

We were aiming for Cradock Pub for the night where we thought we should be able to get a hot meal and camp out the back.

We decided to take the route via Blyth, Clare, Spalding, Jamestown and Orroroo to get there.

The weather was sunny as we left town and we were peeling off the layers but once we left Rodney’s place, we had mostly grey skies and bits of rain.

We were travelling on the Explorers Highway also known as the RM Williams Way.

We finally arrived at Cradock at about 4.15 – in time to get set up before the sun set.

There were quite a few vans in the parking lot – about 12 ended up there that night.

The deal is that you can stay if you buy a beer. We didn’t buy a beer, but we did buy some red and some dinner. We tried some Quorn gin too (very nice). We also met a lovely couple as we sat waiting for meal time and doing our crossword.

They were on their way home to Adelaide after a good tour of the west coast – Graham and Annette take their big dog with them on their travels and carry a washing machine drum for a fire on their drawbar too. They ate with us and then invited us back to enjoy their fire along with a few others of their neighbours for the night. (3 lads travelling together and one lady travelling alone)