Photos of Australia : Brisbane to Flinders Ranges

We left Brisbane on the 19th May 2015 on a journey to South Australia visiting free camping areas, caravan parks, showgrounds and family front lawns. The main purpose of this trip was to attend a stepdaughters 40th birthday in Dubbo and a brother-in-laws 70th birthday at Port Noalunga in South Australia and see other daughters along the way. This is the only reason we travelled to the colder parts of the country this time of year. We also decided whilst we are in the cold areas we may get used to it so we would visit the Flinders Ranges whilst in South Australia.

The following are photos with comments of the journey rather than a lot of writing, however, I have listed websites that provide further information you may have to copy and paste the web address if it does not directly link to the page..

New Italy

New Italy is a roadside stop that has a museum and cafe which is worth a stop over, if staying overnight there is some road noise as all roadside stops generally have, you can park in the front carpark or there is a park area on the other side of the entrance road which is where we stayed.. New Italy was a settlement of Italian farmers in 1880 that made the voyage out from Veneto Northern Italy the following website is worth a read.

Web sites:

http://newitaly.com.au/

http://www.exploreaustralia.net.au/New-South-Wales/Tropical-North-Coast/The-Gap/New-Italy-rest-area

(Green shows where we stayed yellow is the route we took)

After this first stop we went on to Bellingen Showgrounds and had a look around the town which has a lot of history. The showgrounds charge $25 per night for a powered site, the free campsite on the way to Bellingen at a football area is very small and muddy if it has rained.

From Bellingen we went to see family at Port Macquarie, Bonney Hills, Summerland Point, Heddon Greta and Dubbo.

(This is the Anzac Walk at Newcastle our good friends Brian and Colleen showed us around, this was built for the 100 year commemoration of ANZAC. It is a very long structure made all of stainless steel. Well done Newcastle.)

On the way to Dubbo we free camped at Jerry's Plains where the council has a large recreational space with good clean toilets for caravans, campers and motorhomes it is a great place to stop for a night or two. We then went to the Gulgong Showgrounds for the weekend for the Henry Lawson celebrations and Hill End National Park.

(Jerry's Plains free camping and recreation area)

Gulgong

(The Ten Dollar Town, the portrait of Henry Lawson was on the original $10 note)

(Old Dodge getting ready for the parade)

(Heritage buildings in Gulgong)

(There were many items in the parade these are just a few)

Websites: http://www.gulgong.net/

http://www.mudgeehistory.com.au/gulgong/gulgong1.html

Hill End

(Our track shows comming from Jerry's Plains to Gulgong, Hill End and Dubbo)

Hill End has a lot of history as seen in some of the old buildings and items around town and on some of the walks. It is like going back in time.

(There is a picture show inside this building you can walk in and sit down and watch the show)

(Not sure if the car still runs but the cottage has occupants)

(The building in the background is the Post Office with residence)

(Naturally we called into the hotel for a coldie around the nice warm open fire)

(Police doing it tough here. No this belonged to one of the local Police Officers children, the number plate reads 'Cops are Tops')

Websites: http://www.historyhill.com.au/hillend_history.html

Dubbo to Adelaide

After Dubbo we headed to South Australia and we stayed at a few free campsites along the way with the first being Goolgowi rest stop which is just before Hay.

(Goolgowi rest stop, yes it is cold we sat around the campfire and watched the sunset with a well earned beer)

The next day we drove and stayed at the Benanee Lake rest area and on the way stopped to look at Yanga Station.

Yanga Station

Website: http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/venues/yanga-homestead

(Yanga Station

(The last sheep that left the station was in 2005, Yanga has an incredible history)

(Benanee Lake, the rest area is quite large for vans to stay the night with toilet facilities)

From Benanee Lake we went into Euston where they have a dump point to empty our toilet holding tank being a RV friendly town they also have a water point so that you can top up your tanks with fresh water. From there we headed for our next night camp at the riverside near Waikerie.

(There is plenty of areas to camp here but I would imagine that the warmer months would attract a lot of people as there is a boat ramp for launching boats)

(Memorial hidden in the long grass)

(Beautiful sunset)

Then it was off to Port Noarlunga south of Adelaide, we actually stayed at the Christies Beach caravan park that was very nice. We are here for John my brother-in-laws 70th Birthday, he and my sister Jeanne have come down from Alice Springs and rented a holiday home at Port Noarlunga beach front.

(Map showing Adelaide destination and the start of the track in orange going to the Flinder's Ranges)

(View from the holiday house at Port Noarlunga)

(Sunrise on the beach)

(Celebrating Johnno's 70th Birthday)

(Sister Jeanne and Johnno birthday boy)

(Tanya, Vicki, Jeanne, Johnno and yours truly)

(Yours truly, Jeanne, Johnno and Nancy)

(Teresa, Lorna and Jeanne)

(Partners in crime, yours truly, Rhys, Johnno and Mick)

After Port Noalunga we went to West Beach Caravan Park so that we could catch up with some ex-Alice Springs people at the Watermark Hotel on the Saturday which was a great day we had lunch many beers and dinner there.

(Catching up at the Watermark Hotel yours truly, Marshal, Nancy and Greg, - photo courtesy of Marshie)

(Someone had used the seaweed to do this, there is seaweed stacked along the sand hills and walkways washed away from the harsh weather, talking to the Coastguard it is a regular annual event.)

(At West Beach looking at Glenelg)

Flinder's Ranges

We left Adelaide to head towards Flinder's Ranges but along the way called into see stepson Steve and Lisa, Tenayah and Syjourn for a couple of nights. Then it was off to colder climates of the Flinder's.

(Steve and Lisa's business in Balaklava, Tad's Embroidery and men's clothing store)

(Balaklava business centre)

(Orange track is to and around the Flinder's Ranges purple is when we left going back east)

We free camped on the first night out before Quorn at a roadside stop about 3 kms north of Melrose where there is a monument for the Goyder Line. In 1865 surveyor Goyder marked on the map this line delineating the drought affected country to the north, this proved fatal for farmers that started settlements north of this line when droughts affected the country.

(Township of Melrose, the gateway to the tracks of Mt Remarkable)

(Mt Remarkable)

(Free camping for the night)

(Beautiful old trees in the late sun)

(Australian trees are also incredible the way they burn up in bush fires like these two samples out of many in the area yet they bounce back and keep growing)

Quorn

We arrived at Quorn and pulled up in the parking area by the information bay, as I got out of the car I heard the movement of a steam train so we investigated. It was the Pichi Richi Rail run by volunteers so naturally we had to go for a ride.