8-11 Oct King's Canyon to Wilpena Pound

Friday 8^th October 2010

Last night after leaving The Olgas we drove for a bit and ended up at Curtin Springs on the Lasseter Highway to buy petrol at $1.88 per litre! They had a campsite there which was free. A hot shower cost $3. There was a hungry emu getting into someone’s food in one of these photos! We also met a desert frog at our campsite.

We got up early and drove up to King’s Canyon. There is nothing here except a resort (smaller than Ayer’s Rock Resort) and the canyon itself. It was a fantastic walk, about 3 hours long to walk right around. The waterholes were full and the garden of eden was very green. There were plenty of lizards around and few of the ancient cycad ferns which are estimated to be around 400 years old.

After King’s Canyon we drove and drove and drove until we got to the NT/SA border where we camped the night. There were a pair of nutjob cyclists camping there. They do about 150-200 kms a day… in the heat… crazy.

Saturday 9^th October 2010

We got on the road at 7.30am to head to Port Augusta. It was a long drive and got there about 6pm. We saw so much road kill. But we also saw a few live cows and and emu with 4 young. Port Augusta town was absolutely dead. The fish n’chip shop was closing just as we arrived at 7.15pm. We got the local prized King George Whiting for $6 each. We ended up staying at the motorhome place where you can stay for $5. It’s basically a block of land next to a sporting club, but only 4kms from the town.

Sunday 10^th October 2010

We woke up early and did the shopping. Then went to the newly developed foreshore for some breakfast. Heaps of campervans around. Local kids jumping off the jetty. We wanted to do fishing/crabbing but it was Sunday and everything is closed. There was a camera shop according to a brochure we picked up but it must of closed down. So all photos are taken on the 2mp mobile phone camera until we get a new charger, probably in Adelaide.

We decided to just got to Port Germein where we went before to stay a the van park, then get some fishing gear in the morning. But along the way we were thinking if Port Germein even had a fishing shop and so quickly turned off Highway 1 and decided to go to Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges.

So we got there about 3pm yesterday. There is a resort and caravan park here. But the van park is in the middle of the bush and you just go wherever you want. So we pulled up and started doing our washing. There was also a couple with a teepee tent here!

We met a bloke from the country here with his friend and we got talking and they ended up taking us for a 4WD into the ranges. Then we camped out for the rest of the evening around a fire. They slept in the open in a swag. They’re both from Adelaide but the guy does shearing and bar tending in NT, and knew everyone we’d met in Alice Springs. There are kangaroos around the park and we’re sitting in the middle of the bush doing emails, but our phones don’t work because they’re on Optus & broadband is on Telstra.

Tomorrow we hope to the the Wilpena Pound walk and up to Mt St Clair.

Our Home on Wheels

In September 2009 Anthea and I were at a bit of a crossroads. We could either settle down & get a mortgage, or we could spend that deposit on a campervan & a trip around Oz. We chose the latter!

We looked around for about a month. We looked at Toyota Hi-Ace (too small), VW Transporter (too expensive), Winnebago (dreaming!) and Ford Transit.

We bought the Ford Transit in a private sale in Copacabana on the Central Coast. It's a 2000 model, auto (Anthea could drive it), diesel (economical), hi roof (standing up in your home is nice), long (more room), white (anonymous looking), 180, 000 kms on the clock and an annexe (even more room!)

In January we went to the South Coast for our first big trip in the Transit. On the way back through the Kiama bends I smelt something bad coming from us! The temperature needle was boiling off the dial so I pulled over near the cemetry. With no NRMA (off to a good start!) I called the parents and they came & rescued us.

Everyone's an expert when the bonnet's open, but only one of us has overalls on!

With his overalls on Dad diognosed the Transit as suffering from a leaking radiator. After filling it up and driving it back to their place close by it remained there for the next two months, waiting on a aftermarket radiator.

After dad pulled out the radiator, he also discovered it needed a new waterpump, and that several blades off the fan were missing, so they had to be replaced too.

Thanks everyone who gave us $$$ at the wedding. We could afford to fix the Transit!

So we got the Transit on the road in time for Easter so we could attend the Byron bay Bluesfest.