MAGIC Place you have been...

newslug · Veteran Member

RE: MAGIC Place you have been...

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Nuh - not into hitchhiking any more - hahaaaahaha

matildatraveller · Guru

Hi guys,

I am back now from Tasmania a bit earlier than expected being May 1, 2018. Took a caretakers position for the next nine months on Kangaroo Island in SA. But I managed to take some magic shots while over in Tassie, see attachments. Gwynnie

Mayfield Conservation free camp (1).JPG

matildatraveller · Guru

Hello Fellow travellers,

I have left Tasmania now, it took nine hours by the 'Spirit of Tasmania' Ferry to reach the mainland. The seas were kind and I highly recommend taking a recliner chair offer to get some sleep. For those with grander ideals there is always a cabin. Word of warning:-BOOK EARLY!!! The ferry is always heavily reserved by the local Grey Nomads heading north for the winter and the freight run by large semi-trailers. However there is always STAND-BY opportunity so if you haven't book just call up and place your name on a wait list!!

Whilst travelling from Melbourne to Adelaide I took the opportunity to travel via the 'Great Ocean Road' to see the 'Twelve Apostles' and the London Arch. The weather was mildly windy and partly cloudy, but I did manage to take some 'OMG' photos in between the cloud cover.

Now I am doing some house sitting on Kangaroo Island for nine months. The SEALINK ferry journey was a short 50 minutes, clear sailing and calm seas most of the way. Not too much of a worry booking as they run back & forth about 4 times a day, but again book well in advance of your expected travel dates. Take care Gwynnie (recorded my trip on the Solo Traveller forum)

Tassi & Great Ocean Road 2011-01-26 014.JPG

matildatraveller · Guru

Hello everyone, as you know I have been given a wonderful opportunity to house sit on Kangaroo Island for the next eight months. It is a short 45 minutes by ferry from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw in South Australia. I took some interesting photos yesterday of the Kingscote Jetty and some beautiful early sunrise shots outside the house this morning. Hope you like them..... Gwynnie

Sunrise at Kingscote KI March 2018 (16).JPG

-- Edited by matildatraveller on Friday 23rd of March 2018 10:56:42 AM

Vulcanick51 · Member

My magic place is wherever I am at the time. Unfortunately both my partner, Mel, and I work full time so we can only get away a few times a year. Fortunately we live in Hobart, so we have a lot of great places to visit not far from home. Had a week off before easter and travelled the north east and spent the last two nights at Cosy Corner South,in the Bay of Fires region, near St Helens. Not only the location but the people you meet too.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Love Cosy Corner North - and so many other places in Tassy - ****le Creek was fantastic, we walked out to the cliffs at the cape - freezing on a hot day.

Enjoy your travels - your time will come to do it full time.

matildatraveller · Guru

Hi Jules, I am still on KI- but this one's for you!! OMG isn't he cute!!!

Baby seal.JPG

matildatraveller · Guru

HI guys,

Since the cold is upon us some of you may be heading NORTH!! So I always think of Broome at this time of year and would like to suggest a wonderful place I stayed at just 94 kms south of Broome called...'Barns Hill Station stay. It has wonderful sunsets, brilliant beach scenery and a stunning rock pool!! Gwynnie

Barn Hill Station stay- Broome 2016-09-12 023.jpg

JayDee · Guru

A couple of nice spots in the Burnett region of Qld to the west of say Gladstone.

Mingo Crossing in Gayndah region. Fees $22 p.n.down on the river's edge of $29 pn. up in the powered sites. Great down by the river.

Glebe Weir outside of Taroom Qld. Believe it or not but fee is $7 per night with or with out power.

Plenty of Red Claw at each site but you will need a boat of some sort to get the the best reds banks.

Quennsland beautiful one day perfect the next. so true in the outback.

Jay&Dee

kiwijims · Guru

having recently returned from a trip into the Northern Goldfields of W.A. I must say that the best spot ( free camp ) we came across was at Malcolm Dam,

This Dam is situated a few clicks out of Leonora, on the road to Laverton ,

Lovely and peaceful, great clear skies ang beaut Sun rises, "oh" and I must mention the Yabbies in the dam, I caught a good feed in a couple of hours.....

K.J.

matildatraveller · Guru

HI Jim, your trip to the Northern Goldfields brought back some memories for me. I stopped at Niagara Dam o/nite on the Goldfields highway before heading north past Kalgoorlie and Leonora through to Sandstone. Love the yabbies I have a fabulous red chili thai recipe too. A fantastic trip and just sorry I did not take my metal detector along and spend more time out that way. Maybe next time!! Gwynnie

(23)NIAGARA DAM- Our bush camp site.jpg

(31) Boondi bush dunny.jpg

kiwijims · Guru

Hi There Gwynnie, We also stopped at Niagara Dam, but we camped on the opposite side of the Dam, down on the flats,

This was the only place in over a Month away, that it looked like it was going to pour down,

The sky became so black at Sunset that I decided to move up on to higher ground and camped just about in between the two vans that are in your first picture.

as it turned out, we got about two spots, a little wind and nothing else,

By the way, there was hardly any water in the Dam when we were there, that part of the country was almost in drought conditions.

I also had a metal detector with me but, not even a beep out of it, same thoughts this way.... maybe next time !!!

Cheers k.j.

matildatraveller · Guru

Thanks guys, I was there in the October, like you I took a look at down stream, but thought my rig might turn into a house boat if things went south. Got talking to another couple of 'baby boomer' prospectors and they told me it took them four months to get a few ounces. Very tight lipped about the amount and location though. I think a small group out together is the way and go further inland around Leonora and Leinster, there are a few old mullick dumps around that area. But very labour intensive and time consuming of course. Maybe around this time next year for a couple of months would be worth thinking about. Gwynnie

(17) a close up view of a breakaway.jpg

(34) London Bridge site.jpg

(12) The outside dunny- Leonora WA.jpg

-- Edited by matildatraveller on Saturday 16th of June 2018 10:33:54 AM

gooba53 · Guru

Just wanted to share my view from my couch tonight. Love crisp winter nights on the bay.

palaceboy · Veteran Member

Really enjoyed the Spencer Gulf. Around Margaret River is beautiful as well, all of those old forests in SW Western Australia are fantastic. Tasmania is possibly the best kept secret in the world. I'm hoping I'm going to enjoy the dry interior, Thus far I just cannot see the appeal of places like Coober Pedy, which makes me worry for my potential as a true grey nomad.

Personal story, stayed at my BiL's place out West of Goondiwindi, went for a solo walk out the back of his place, it was very very dry at this time, ended up right in the center of a concave very large paddock, all I could see was horizon, no movement, no flies, no birds, no anything except dryness and dust and absolute quiet, was one of the worst feelings of my life, totally freaked me out, almost copped agoraphobia from it, well understood implicity how people could develop the condition.

Yes bit worried about my capacity as a GN.

There again then there are places like the Gwydir Highway, which are totally the opposite of desolate, so maybe I'll be right :)

Possum3 · Guru

Great photo's Gwynnie, How did you get the gig at Kangaroo Island? The child-bride is twisting my arm to go there.

matildatraveller · Guru

Hi Possum 3, thanks for your comment. The weather at this time over here on KI is wet & wild and blowing at gale force on the Northern tip of Kangaroo Island at Cape Borda lighthouse. I am inland a bit so the wind is not as fierce.

A trip over to the Island is a simple process of calling 13 13 01 to book a trip over to Kangaroo Island with SEALINK ferries. The ferry crossed about 4 times a day and takes all manner of vehicles including big rigs, caravans, campers and even fully loaded double decker cattle trucks. It is a relatively short 45 minutes sail, docking at the Penneshaw jetty. Give me a PM if you wish to know more information and I will do my best to pass on information. My rig is the camper called Beauty & the Beast in the second photo. Gwynnie

Trip to Kangaroo Island.jpg

matildatraveller · Guru

Hi guys,

Just wanted to share some photos of some beautiful birds I took from my backyard on KI this morning. My photography skills will greatly improve after next weekend, I have been lucky enough to jag a spot in the STEVE PARISH 'Nature Photography Master Class' being held at Kingscote on Kangaroo Island 27th & 28th October. So stay tuned to this site..... Gwynnie

beautiful birds (1).JPG

beautiful birds (2).JPG

beautiful birds (3).JPG

Plain Truth · Guru

Nice photos,in the 1980's we had Tea rooms in the Dandenong Ranges at Kallista.We sold heaps of Postcards and books by Steve Parish. They were very popular with the tourists.

Enjoy your course.

JayDee · Guru

Dreamcatcher wrote:
Hi everyone
Has anybody stopped at Green Lakes and if so where is it and is there free camping areas.
I've heard that it's a great place to go but don't know where it is.

The Green Lake I am referring to is about 50 KLMS west of Shepparton heading towards Bendigo.

Great Spot and one can camp right down on the water edge. We are totally self sufficient so great spot.

Beware .... it can get very windy on some days.

Jay&Dee

RosieW · Guru

The Maranoa. Even with the monster dust storm last week (and I do mean MONSTER) we love it here.

Eaglemax · Guru

lovely pics Gwynnie

We live in central Victoria. Sometimes we tow our van to a sweet spot, a caravan park actually called "Gentle Annie" at Whitfield south of Wangaratta.

There is a camping ground owned by the CP as you approach the area with shade trees and the most beaut flowing river, pebble shores.

Just a nice spot. About 30 minutes north east of Mansfield

Grams · Guru

We have only been on one trip so far, but staying anywhere near the Murray Rive and the Darling River is magical. Im an early riser, so watching the sunrise, listening to the birds, and hearing the frogs, plus the views are spectacula. We stayed at the Rivergardens Caravan Park at Gol Gol. Amazing.

Grams

Bicyclecamper · Guru

Stayed in an area recently on the Gwydir river just north of Bundarra, was their to do further wildlife studies for Australian Wildlife Conservancy, as they are about to acquire this land. It is only about 100 acres, but is a small valley encompassing the river. Absolutely rife with rare wildlife. This land will be a closed wildlife and fauna reserve. Very beautiful surroundings and considering it is dry all around the outer area, this is an Eden, simply protected by the hills surrounding it. Will get one more chance to stay there then it will be closed for day studies only. As it is no waste can remain, all toilet use is in trailerable portaloos, all rubbish removed, and masks and protective suits must be warn. Stayed there for 2 weeks in the van.

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Wednesday 5th of June 2019 05:42:40 PM

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Wednesday 5th of June 2019 05:43:36 PM

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Wednesday 5th of June 2019 05:44:43 PM

Olive Oil · Senior Member

On a recent trip through Outback NSW & QLD via the Kidman Way we stayed 2 nights at Merriwagga between Griffith & Hillston.

There is a lovely small low cost CP there with a very friendly owner/manager.

http://merriwaggacaravanpark.blogspot.com/

The town has a memorial to the Pioneer Women of the Outback & the Black Stump Hotel reputedly has the tallest bar in Australia.

We really enjoyed our stay.

20190520_080624 (600x800).jpg 20190520_081150 (600x800).jpg 20190520_081846 (600x800).jpg 20190520_081825 (600x800).jpg 20190520_153820 (600x800).jpg

-- Edited by Olive Oil on Wednesday 7th of August 2019 05:26:22 AM

Plain Truth · Guru

Good photos,channel 2 show on "Back Roads" Monday night covered this area.Interesting to see their reasons why the bar was built so high.

Robshep · Member

Try shifting one of those chairs!

I did, and soon learnt that the older I get; the better I was.

matildatraveller · Guru

Hi guys,

I have done that track last year after attending the 'BIG RED BASH' in Birdsville. We farmed the outback NSW as a child and I still love the red dirt! Now I am living on Kangaroo Island where the rain 'does' fall is a blessing. smile biggrin Farmers on the Island are baling Hay at this time of the year to survive the summer months. (Rains only in Winter)

I feel a great empathy for the outback farmers of NSW in the drought. I can remember our father once saying: 'This is our seventh year in a row without rain, hopefully the drought breaks soon, or we'll be only farming feral goats and wild dingos!' hmm disbelief

December 2019 Hay baling on Kangaroo Island.jpg

Gundog · Guru

2 places on the Eyre Peninsula are great Venus Bay west of Port Lincoln and Arno Bay north of Port Lincoln but number one is Cape Gloucester in the Whitsundays.