Day 3 – Wentworth to Port Elliot

A great night’s sleep and with the windows open a little it’s nice in the van. Overnight we’ve had a bit of rain, not heaps, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble to get out today. It takes a while to get pack up and get going, and finding the path out is a little interesting.

We drive less than a km up the road and stop at Lock 10. While we’ve described the way the locks work to the kids, actually seeing it helps them understand it better. Seeing it in action would have been great. From here it’s about 600mts up to the Junction lookout. I drive the van up while Justine and the kids walk up. I say walk, but the kids chase each other up with Justine trailing behind.

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The kids really enjoy the view, but maybe don’t really understand the significance of the meeting of these two major water ways (Liam disagrees with me on this). While in some way this was a way of avoiding staying in Victoria before crossing the SA border, it was a great place to stay. 

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While we could take the Calder highway and go direct to Victoria,  I really want to backtrack and go via Mildura, so we drive the 20 odd km back and cross the river.  Whilst Mildura looks nice, we can’t stop, so maybe it was a 40odd KM detour for not much benefit.

I ask the family if this is the first time we’re going to be in three States in the same day, when I’m quickly reminded that Liam’s Butt was in three states at the same time when we were at Cameron Corner this time last year.   Oh, how could I forget!

So about 100km to the SA border.  It’s an easy and enjoyable drive.   A photo of the border and shorty after we stop at the quarantine bins to get rid of some food.  Fortunately SA’s quarantine is not as strict as WA, so not much needs to be tossed.  About 1km later we’re at the border control.   Quarantine jump on us first and sus out if we have any stuff we shouldn’t be carrying,  Justine gives them the tour of the van.   Meanwhile the cops check that we’ve got the correct border passes and ask if we’ve stopped in VIC.   I thought this might have been over by now, so flipping the trip around and visiting SA first seems like a good idea.  After the official business, one of the other cops asks if I recommend the stone stomper (the stone mat on the front of the van),  “for sure” I tell him.

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While technically we can take a shortcut and bypass Renmark, like Mildura, I think it would be wrong to give it a miss.  So over the Murry once more and we stop in town for lunch.  On the way out, we need to circle around town. in the process I nearly side swipe a car with the van at this odd intersection.  Oh my heart is running a bit faster now.

We’re not that far out of Renmark and I see a Bunnings.  I didn’t think Renmark was that big, but no, this is not Remark this is Berri.  Eventually we drive though the equally large town of Loxton.  I never knew these three large towns where so close to each other.  It’s equally surprising that for the next 100km there is practically nothing.

As a toilet break approaches we drive into Karoonda, a much bigger town than the one house railway junctions we’ve been passing over the last hour or so.   They have this Silo Art, but cleverly, they have left a section blank that they light up with a Projector at night.  Now that’s a way to have the tourist stay overnight.   To give the town credit, you can stay unpowered at the local van park for a donation.  That’s all pretty entrepreneurial.

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We hit the main Melbourne to Adelaide highway just outside Murray Bridge.  We bypass the town as we take the main freeway.  Finally we turn left and start heading to the Fleurieu peninsula .  The land is so much greener and it’s amazing to see these old stone cottages and buildings.

Finally after a really long day of driving we arrive at the caravan park.  We are literally less than 100mtrs from the front gates when Justine’s phone rings.  It’s the caravan park asking when we expect to arrive. “Uh, about 30 secs???”   We’ve booked a Beachside site and are only about 30mts from the ocean, with a great view. 

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We’re here for 4 nights, which after today is really only three days.  The Kids are looking forward to a break from the car seats.  Hell we’re all looking forward to that.  While we start a proper setup the kids go to town in the playground.

After they blown off some steam, we all take a walk on beach and up to the headland just off the beach.   Such an amazing spot and we catch the last red glows of what must have been a great sunset.

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After three long days on the road we treat ourselves to dinner at the local pub, pretty good meals all round.  It rains a little while we’re inside.  Maybe a bit of a rest day tomorrow.