Our Trip Outback is over and we are house sitting or yachting

Summary of our Trip North

Camping in the north of Hunter valley then through to Central Qld.  Up through the dusty reaches (they didn't have their wet season last year) where Bunya Mts, Carnavon Gorge, Porcupine Gorge, Corella Farm at Nelia, Lawn Hill were the highlights.

Diamantina National Park used to get 5 visitors a YEAR  when they opened 15 years ago.  Now it is 10 a day (only in the winter months).  This is amazing, would love to view it from the air when we have a major rain event.  Water rushes down through the narrow gap of Janet's leap and then spreads out over the plains.

Bedourie's lovely 5 star spar and great camping area is very notable.

Bedourie to Birdsville, Maree down through to Lake Gairdner and Mt Ive.  Memorable.

South Australia's Eyre Penninsula, you haven't seen the last of us, we are coming back.

National parks in West Vic and NSW - lovely camping spots.

We are also enjoying housesitting (to take care of one rabbit and then one horse in the next house).

We have also spent a few great days out on Lake Macquarie and doing that again this weekend.

FINALE - HOW IS THIS FOR A last camp!

Condoblin - never thought of staying here - great free camp near to a man made lake.  What a nice asset for the town.  Lovely sunsets, then it poured and poured and poured rain!!  We packed up as best as possible with the tent up and as we watched the water pouring past and building up, we packed the tent really fast and just got it zipped when down came the rain again.

Rain is just wonderful, but not when you are camping. Back into my bling gumboots, what a blessing they have been in the rain and cold!!  Thanks Nerrine. 

Love Ian's flying bee photos!!

Back into NSW - Cocoparra National Park

Wonderful for Camping. 

Wonderful Sand Goanna - never seen a oche and black striped one before, camouflaged beautifully.

What a beauty

Western Victoria - Wyperfeld National Park - Albacutya Lake, Western Beach

Great camping in the boondocks.  Love the irony of  camping on a lake which hasn't been full in 22 years.  Yes sad, but interesting to see trees about six feet high in the lake.

Not too much competition for a great camp.  Good campfires to cook dinner.

It didn't help.  We got lost in Wyperfeld National Park  - never lost anywhere else in Australia or New Zealand, but yep Wyperfeld got up.  Had to get into 4WD for the first time over mini Simpson Desert like road out of Albacutya.  Ah well, Ian's sense of direction saved us!

Melrose - preserving wonderful historical buildings - a gem of a town

Melrose has some really wonderful, very old buildings.  Worth visiting.  Bluey's Blacksmiths has wonderful B&B.

Alligator Gorge - what the tourist groups don't tell you fortunately

Most tourists seem to end up in the Northern Flinders in Willpena Pound and surrounds.

The southern Flinders Rangers are just as spectacular.  Look at Alligator Gorge - great for a watery walk - you more or less walk up the creek.  My legs were not long enough to jump to each stepping stone, so I ended up with wet shoes, but what the heck - the walk was wonderful.

Orchids along the Gorge

Slipper Orchids growing in a crevice

Hancock Looout - how is this for a view

Great free camp spot if you are self-sufficient, as there are no services at all.  Just the wonderful view of Spencer Gulf.  Great sunsets.

What a view from Hancocks Lookout

View of Spencer Gulf - Ian grew up down south of here.

Wow

Spear Creek, a working sheep farm out of Port Augusta

Spear Creek is a wonderful place to camp or  park your caravan.  Lovely outlook, good facilities and wonderful walks.

We asked for a quiet spot in which to camp.  We were taken to our OWN paddock!  With our own toilet (and a flush one at that LOL).  The horses were very curious and gorgeous.

Bird watching revealed  revealed the Adelaide Parrot and other birds we hadn't come across.

Horrocks Pass - picturesque and misty

About to cook breakfast - what a wonderful, quiet spot.  Our own paddock.

The Horse whisperer

PORT AUGUSTA - Amazing Arid Gardens Centre

Years back when we would visit Port Augusta, never in our wildest dreams did I think that it would develop into a very visitable city.

Spencers Gulf and the lower end of the Flinders Rangers including, Willmington, Quorn and other wonderful historic towns give Port Augusta a wonderful backdrop.

Alligator Gorge in the Mt Remarkable National Park is an amazing feature of the lower Flinders Ranges.  It is just as good at the Carnarvon Gorge in its own way.  Well worth the two hour walk and getting your feet wet. (I couldn't jump from stepping stone to stone as well as Ian). 

The volunteers and council are to be congratulated on the wonderful Australian Arid Gardens Botanic Gardens.  Wonderful native plants and of course it was spring!!  Someone has set up seven gardens to show us what we can do in our back yards to grow Australian Arid plants.  Beautiful (see below)

Love my backyard to look like this!!

Guess what we will be building in the next few years!

How's this for an idea for a backyard

Isn't nature just gorgeous.

Top of Spencers Gulf where Matthew Flinders walked.

Beautiful wattle