Locations: Morgan, Bordertown, Port Nelson, Cape Northumberland, Port Campbell, Timboon

Dates: 6-11 November 2024

Regions: Riverland, Barossa and xx South Australia, Barwon South West, Melbourne and Gippsland Victoria

Temperatures: 6-34 degrees

Wednesday 6 November 2024

Morgan to Bordertown SA

Temperature: 12-34, clouds clearing, sunny & hot

Starting km’s 15060

Leaving Morgan today we cross the river and drive East up to Waikerie admiring the silo art, then onto Berri with all the vineyards and wine making facilities at Kingston on Murray before turning South towards Pinnaroo, passing through the Mallee and then onto Bordertown where we camp for the night at the recreational lake.

Dinner is a simple Salmon with ratatouille and pasta while we watch the results of the US election and Trumps victory.

367 km’s today.

Thursday 07 November 2024

Bordertown to Port McDonnell SA

Temperature: 8-22 Sunny but cool morning. Shower or two and wind later for Bordertown

Starting km’s 15427

A lovely cool morning with a breeze and a bright blue sky and it’s always lovely to wake to the sound of many birds enjoying the lake.

Today we are heading to the coast of Port McDonnell heading directly South all day. We pass through Naracoorte, home of the fossil caves and where the prehistoric Diprotodon, the largest prehistoric mammal was found.

We pass the sculpture and apparently the Diprotodoon looked like a very large 250kg wombat!

Everything is looking very green as we pass pastures and then vineyards as we move through the Coonawara Wine region.

By 11:00am showers start and we have paddock after paddock of vines lining both sides of the road. It’s cool, misty and green and we pass many estates including Wynn’s and Penfolds.

No wine tours today though as we continue South passing through Penola and Mt Gambier where we see a boat replica and pass the famous blue lake that we visited last year.

It’s then a short drive to Port McDonnell and then Cape Northumberland, our camp for tonight and the most Southerly tip of SA, all up just under 200 km’s today.

It’s windy when we arrive and make camp and the BOM reveals a marine wind warning and gusts of up to 65km overnight. It is such a beautiful spot we decide to stay and take what comes.

It’s surely an adventure but there’s not much sleep for me and at 4:30am there’s a storm to boot. The van rocks and the wind howls and I eventually drift off about 6am to snatch a wee bit of sleep!

Friday 08 November 2024

Port McDonnell to Portland

Temperature: 7–22 windy, clearing showers

Starting km’s: 15616

It’s a slow start after a nearly sleepless night but we are away by 9am.

Travelling into Victoria we visit Nelson, having a look at the river houses in the Glenelg River and then as we head to Portland on the Portland-Nelson Road we enter the green triangle – 6M hectares one of Australia’s largest forestry region.

125kms today.

We make camp at Portland RV park and just after we parked I saw a large Koala on the other side of a chain link fence near a pathway bordering the canal. At first it tried to come through the fence but realising it couldn’t and then seeing me it bolted for a tree on the pathway.

Not a Eucalyptus but a Sheoak. He/She looked very fit and healthy but I rang Victoria Wilderness Society to check for its welfare. Apparently Portland has a healthy population of Koala’s and they do roam so everything appeared to be ok. Possibly a male out looking for a mate.

What a cute koala and such a joy to see up close. He was in the tree curled up sleeping about 7 metres up til late afternoon then he was gone.

Saturday 9 November 2024

Portland

Temperature: 8-17 cool & cloudy

This morning Rob’s taking me on one of his mystery tours; he’s so good at these and I’m excited to see where we are going.

First stop was the Gannet Colony. Gannet’s are large seabirds; with a wingspan up to 2 metres, that have taken up the rocky outcrop of Lawrence Rocks at Point Danger just 6km from the city centre of Portland. Over 6000 pairs breed here, laying one egg only. The chick, on maturity will leave the colony to roam the seas for 3-5 years before returning to mate for life and breed. They are fascinating to watch as they skim and dive over the waves as they fish.

Next we head to West Portland, taking in the views before we visit the light house at Cape Nelson.

The next stop on the tour is Cape Bridgewater where the bay is the base of an old extinct volcano. It looks like a lovely spot for summer holidays.

We visit the blowhole and watch the frothy water on the coast.

Next we visit the petrified forest which is only a short walk from the blowhole. It’s not really petrified but a geological phenomenon of sand and limestone that appears tree like.

As we head back into town we pass lots of lovely old cottages, always a favourite for me and one particularly charming example covered with roses takes my eye.

Sunday 10 November 2024

Portland to Port Campbell VIC

Starting km’s: 15843

Temperature: 8-18 partly cloudy

We head East today, passing through very cute Port Fairy. Rob deviates around the front for a look and it’s a very pretty town. I wish we were stopping but onwards through Warrnambool we go before turning right onto the Great Ocean Road.

The pine forest gives way to groves of Eucalyptus and large stands of Mediterranean Pines and then we get a flips of the Great Ocean at Peterborough.

We camp at Port Campbell, wash everything including us and are back in the car in an hour and a half and of sightseeing.

We turn back towards Peterborough and visit every lookout taking in Port Campbell , London Bridge, the Grotto and the Bay of Islands.

Along the way we met a couple on a trip to Tasmania for a vintage car rally towing an old Green Buick.

Our last stop is the Bay of Islands before picking up dinner tonight of Fish and Chips from Peterborough. Accompanied by Rob’s Vero cocktail which is a version of Appleton spritz we cheers to a great day.

Monday 11 November 2024

Twelve Apostles Marine Park

Temperature: 6-21, cloudy, clearing to sun

Today is a touristy day and our first stop is the Gibson Steps about 12 km’s from Port Campbell heading East.

Next stop is the Twelve Apostles heading back towards Port Campbell. A truly iconic Australian location.

Next stop is the Razorback and the Blades.

Next stop is Mutton Bird Island, home to the Mutton Bird aka the Short tailed Shearwater. These are extraordinary migratory birds that travel up to 15,000 km’s each year between Australia and the Northern Hemisphere for summer. Each year thousands of birds arrive at this island at the end of September, mate for life, clean out a burrow, feed, lay eggs in November which all hatch between 10-20 January, then the adults leave in early April. The chicks wait til end of April. George leaving for their first solo migration navigating on instinct.

Our final stop on the coast is Loch Ard Gorge where we read about the shipwreck of the same name. After a three month voyage she was lost trying to navigate this coastline. Only two survived to tell the tale.

We finish the day with a quick 17km trip inland to the famous Timboon Ice Creamery. My good friend Heather lives liquorice ice cream. I’m a fan of liquorice too so had to try it and it was amazingly good. Made with Junee Liquorice. yum.

The tough part was what to pair it with? Chocolate or Turkish Delight?

We’ve had a fabulous day!

We continue East tomorrow. I’m a bit behind with posts from WA and SA and will hopefully catch you up soon.

Love to all. Stay safe and be kind.

Love Maryann and Rob xx