Author: bobandsiobhand

Parkes – The Dish

Jan 17  Parkes is best known for its large radio telescope which had an historic part to play in transmitting the pictures from the first Appollo 11 moon landing. Parkes has had an important role in the scientific community. In addition to local research conducted at the radio telescope, Parkes scientists have assisted NASA for several missions as a relay and communications station. (The movie The Dish was based somewhat loosely on the role the telescope played during the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing.)

Lake Cargelligo

Jan 16 This is what the local tourist information says about this area, which is in central NSW – Lake Cargelligo is an unexpected oasis in central NSW and its beauty and tranquility has remained unspoilt and relatively undiscovered by the travelling public. How right they are. It is a lovely place to stay and relax a while.

Port Germein To Hay

Jan 8 to 15  We revisit Port Hughes where we stopped on the way down to Port Lincoln but, unfortunately, the weather was against us as it was blowing a gale and impossible to fish. A brief stop in Adelaide is followed by free camping in Renmark, Lake Benanee and 2 nights in the wilderness at Hay camping next to the Murrumbidgee River, a lovely spot.

The weather is again warm and we have to keep an eye on the bush fire reports as we travel north through a very dry NSW.

 

Port Germein

Jan 4 to 7  We begin the long track back to the Sunshine Coast where we plan to arrive towards the end of January. First stop is Port Germein (after a brief stay at Arno Bay where it was too hot and windy to do any fishing). Port Germein’s jetty, opened in 1881, is the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere. It is a great place to find blue swimmer crabs when they are in season – which is NOW !!

We collected large amounts of beautiful fresh blue swimmer crabs and we stock up for our long journey north. Strange people these South Australians – they use crab pots which are completely open at the top so you have to keep hauling them to see if there are crabs caught. Queenslanders have a much better idea with their mudcrab pots which are completely enclosed – once caught thats it.

The caravan park had 2 converted washing machines for cooking the crabs which we used regularly.

Port Lincoln For Xmas and New Year

Dec 21 to Jan 4  Port Lincoln is a coastal city on Boston Bay at the southern-most tip of the Eyre Peninsula. It is located approx 280 Kms in a straight line west of Adelaide … but you have to drive for 650 Kms to get there !! Port Lincoln is reputed to have the most millionaires per capita in Australia.

British naval officer Matthew Flinders discovered the harbour in February 1802 and named it after his UK home in Lincolnshire. The economy is based on the huge grain-handling facilities (a total capacity of over 337,500 tonnes), the canning and fish processing works, lambs, wool and beef, and tuna farming for the Japanese market.

We set up in the caravan park close to the centre of town and unpack the annex for a relaxing 2 week stay over Xmas and the New Year. The weather is very strange with normally quite windy but warm days and cool nights. Then we are thrown by one day at 36 degs !

The weather becomes quite stable with warm and sunny days giving way to comfortable evenings and nights. Christmas Day is spent with a group of other travellers in the caravan park ans lunch consists of some beautiful locally caught and/or bought seafood.

We spend the Xmas break touring around the Eyre Peninsula which has spectacular views, especially along the famous ‘Whalers Way’, a rugged and beautiful part of the coast.

We are introduced to a locally caught seafood delicacy, the razor fish, which is a little like a cross between a scallop and an oyster, once you have got rid of all the gunge inside the shell (see photos).

 

Stansbury, Yorke Peninsula

Dec 10 to 12  Remaining on the Yorke Peninsula, we move a little further south to Stansbury, a great little town with a caravan park literally on the beach on the edge of the sheltered Oyster Bay. And this is where the hunting and gathering genes kick in. We get serious about sharing the local marine delicacies which are abundant – namely squid, blue swimmer crabs and yellow fin whiting. Well, 2 out of 3 anyway, those whiting are really hard to catch.

Whilst not easy, the squid and blue swimmers can be caught but see what lengths we go to to try for the whiting – yes we have both walked at least 2 kilometres to the water and are wading to the tops of our thighs but still no whiting.

Ardrossan, Yorke Peninsula

Dec 9  On our last trip to South Australia last year we did not visit the Yorke Peninsula so we take a left turn north of Adelaide and travel down the east coast of the Peninsula. First stop, Ardrossan, a great place to catch blue swimmer crabs, except the crabs are obviously not aware of this fame. They are all undersize so maybe after Xmas would be a better time to try for them. We were taken aback a little when the caravan park owner warned us about the brown snake underneath the toilet block !! Note the local golf course could do with a new greenkeeper !