Kangaroo Island 2004

Day One Friday 26th December 2003 – Rowville to Yea:

Well Christmas Day has passed but the festivities have not yet been completed. Today James and I travelled to Dad's property 12 kilometres out of Yea on the Melba Highway to celebrate Christmas with members of our family. My brother, Brett, and his wife Monica and daughter Eliana were over from the Philippines and so James and I were keen to catch up. It was a good trip up, with the temperatures rising as we passed through the Great Dividing Range. The traffic was lighter than expected, even through the Toolangi Range.

The roof rack and awning had been put onto the truck for the first time on Wednesday night, so I was keen to see how we travelled. There didn't seem to be any side effects, as we had a tail wind all the way to Yea. I still had problems with the fuel/gas relationship as the fuel tank was again full.

The ham was being carved as we arrived, and the beer didn't take long to flow as Dad and I erected the "fly free" tent. Of course it had not been erected before, but against every male thought and habit, we read the instructions PRIOR to erection. It may have been confusing, but we finally managed to complete the erection. The Hughes family (my cousins) arrived in dribs and drabs, with poor Simon arriving last haven been given the wrong distance from Yea. He was ready to give up and head back to Melbourne when the aroma of the de-boned leg of lamb marinated for 24 hours cooking on the BBQ reached his nostrils and pointed him in the right direction.

Lunch was consumed over a long and relaxing period of time before the "Simpson Desert" became the chief topic of discussion. Most of the people who had travelled to Yea were also going to join the touring party to the Simpson in 2004. Not much was decided, but everyone is excited and counting down the days.

James and I played a spot of cricket in the shed before the Hughes family decided it was time to head home and sleep off the food consumed over the two day period. The weather cooled as Brett, Dad and I enjoyed a few cold ones on the balcony, watching the cars still flow by. It was not a late night as James and I were heading to the Grierson's in Romsey tomorrow.

Day Two Saturday 27th December 2003 – Yea to Romsey:

A sleep in was possible as Eliana was very quiet at the other end of the house. I enjoyed a beautiful shower as Dad had recently installed a new gas hot water system that was a huge improvement on the old electric one. I wasn't feeling as bad as was expected, but as the day grew so did the hangover. James and I departed about 11.30 am and took the leisurely drive to Romsey via Flowerdale, Broadford, Kilmore and Lancefield. 

Arrived at the Grierson's to be welcomed by Tegan and Callum before we had even exited the truck. Lyn was next to greet us as Al was out the back working on the commodore. It wasn't long before my truck was in the shed as Al helped me wire up the spot light on the roof rack. It took us a while, but we finally got it working before the beer came out. I still reckon that if we had cracked a can earlier, the job would have been finished sooner as I was feeling pretty crook by this stage.

The afternoon was spent catching up and relaxing before we headed up to Mount Macedon for a picnic with the Wombat's. On the way up we stopped at the place where it appears that things roll up a hill.....I still don't believe it, but that is just me. It was a beautiful atmosphere as the kids ran around enjoying the picnic area whilst we dined on Christmas leftovers, cabana, cheese and some red wine. We headed back to Romsey via the mighty Cross at Mount Macedon, but we didn't stay long as it was getting quite chilly and the wind had picked up. 

After the kids had all gone to bed, Lyn, Al and myself relaxed over a bottle of red and a couple of ports before hitting the sack around midnight.

Day Three Sunday 28th December 2003 – Romsey:

James was up fairly early, but he quietly snuck out to play with Tegan and Callum , who were already awake. I think I was the last one up and the shower and coffee certainly woke me up. We all helped Al finish polishing the Commodore. The laptops came out and routes were planned as Al and Lyn played with their new Magellan GPS.

The afternoon was spent visiting a few local wineries but the taste buds were playing up and nothing really tasted that crash hot. That was until we visited the Stonemount Winery where the unwooded Chardonnay was superb. Next stop was the Cope Williams Winery in Romsey. Yummy! The Pinot Noir was great, as was the Cab Sauvignon, and without being able to taste it, I purchased 2 bottles of the Sparkling Red (as well as 2 Pinot Noir and 2 Cab Sauvignon).

The two Sparkling were consumed with great delight, along side home cooked pizzas as we again relaxed on a balmy Sunday evening. Bed early as it is an early rise tomorrow.

Day Four Monday 29th December 2003 – Romsey (Vic) to Normanville (SA):

The alarm went off at 6.00am and I struggled to the shower. Al had left for work by the time I was dressed but the coffee pot was ready and Lyn had made us sandwiches and biscuits for the days travel. After packing the little that had been taken from the truck, and throwing out the frozen can of Solo from the Waeco, James and I left at 6.45am. The road was going to be long today, so I was happy to reach Horsham at 11.00am. 

It was rather hot already, so James quickly downed a Wendy's ice-cream before we searched for a new pair of thongs for James. It took a while but we finally found some that fit. Back on the road we reached Bordertown in South Australia where we stopped for lunch by the billabong - Thanks Lyn, lunch was great. 

The road to Tailem Bend was extremely boring, with a fair amount of traffic and not many places to overtake. I filled up the LPG before we headed along the freeway before turning south to Strathalbyn. From Strathalbyn we headed cross country, including some dirt tracks, before we finally reached Normanville at 5.30pm. 

Before heading to the Caravan Park, James and I stopped at the supermarket to buy some water, meat and fresh salad stuff. After walking the aisles to discover there wasn't any meat available, we headed to the checkout. While waiting in line I heard my name called a couple of times, to look up and see a familiar face. It was a woman I used to work with in Melbourne, who had moved back to Brisbane, and was in Normanville visiting her dad - freaky! 

After stopping at the bottleshop to pick up some cold cans, we checked into the Normanville Beach Caravan Park and set up the swags. It was very muggy in the valley, with little sea breeze, so after completing the set-up, in 15 minutes, James and I headed to the beach looking for the fish and chip shop. Fish and Chips on the pier were downed fairly quickly as I was in dire need of a shower. James paddled his way back down the beach to the caravan park before we hit the showers.

After finally feeling human again, James and I headed up the hill to Tania's dad's place and relaxed on the front lawn over a couple of cold ones. James had a ball running around with the other kids and I was thankful for it as he had travelled really well on the long drive. It was great to catch up with Tania and meet her family and it was with great regret that we had to head back to camp, but again, it was an early rise tomorrow morning.

Day Five Tuesday 30th December 2003 – Normanville to Penneshaw (Kangaroo Island):

The alarm went off at 7.00 am and I headed for a wake up shower as it was already hot. It didn't take long to roll up the swags and hit the road and we reached Cape Jervis at 8.20am. Well we thought it was 8.20am, but as we had forgotten to turn the clock back half an hour, we were too early - bugger.

Eventually it was REALLY 8.30am and we started being loaded onto the ferry. As we were at the front of the line, I was the third vehicle on and had to back into the tiny space allocated to me - mirrors folded in type of stuff. I felt like a sardine actually. Unfortunately I left the camera in the car and couldn't get to any of the doors to get it as it was too tight a fit - and to all the smart arses, James couldn't fit either.

The water was as smooth as ice as we sailed? under diesel power on the Sea Kat, across from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw. Forty Five minutes after we had left Cape Jervis, we jumped into the truck, after the next door neighbour had driven off, and landed on Kangaroo Island.

As we drove up the hill and dodged all the passengers rushing to meet the drivers, we passed through the Penneshaw shopping district as we blinked. Before I knew it we had driven through the town. I consulted the map to see the caravan park was a left turn first street into town - doh. Mind you I should have taken the missed turn as karma. The entrance to the Penneshaw Caravan Park was nice, grass everywhere and nice cabins.  Here we had to stop and go in a pay. After paying, and been given a map, we drove to the unpowered sites to find......a sandy wasteland. It was an absolute disgrace. The little grass that existed was already occupied, as were the sparse shady camp sites. We finally found the best of the worst, and set up camp under a miserly tree. 

As soon as we had set up, we went to the cafe/corner store and had a pie and an ice cream for breakfast, before locating the Visitors Centre. After purchasing a map, we drove to the Cape Willoughby Lighthouse. Our timing was perfect as the tour started 20 minutes after we had arrived. I bought an adult and children's Parks Pass for $72.00 that would give us access to 70% of what I had planned to visit whilst on Kangaroo Island. 

The tour was a great introduction to Kangaroo Island and its early isolation from the mainland of Australia. The lighthouse took 2 years to build using the local granite, that was split by hand, and was finally completed in 1852. It was the first lighthouse to be erected in South Australia, and was only automated in the 1980's. James had fun counting the stairs on the climb to the top floor, and it was extremely windy when we ventured outside and walked around the balcony - in fact too windy for me, especially so far from the ground. James keep teasing me about my phobia, but I didn't care, I had to venture back inside the lighthouse. James again counted the stairs on the way back down (101) and was incorrect by only one step...not bad.

After the Cape Willoughby Lighthouse, we drove to Prospect Hill (Mount Thisby). This tall sand dune was located in the thinnest part of the Island, and after climbing the 512 steps, we found ourselves amongst the clouds being blown from Pennington Bay to American River. It felt like we were standing in front of an air conditioner as we enjoyed the views, especially since it was 38° where we had started the climb. The steps down were easier then the steps up, but the truck was still hot as we headed back to Penneshaw. 

Back at camp, my disappointed grew as I realised that the place was full, yet there was only one washing machine and two toilets and three showers for the males. After a late lunch, James went and introduced himself to the kids playing in the sand dune behind our swags. I checked the map and sorted out places to see before James and I set off to the pub for dinner. It was a nice walk, and when we arrived, we found a very friendly atmosphere. James enjoyed his lemon squash and calamari rings and chips, while I enjoyed a beer, but not the over cooked porterhouse steak.

We headed back to camp after we had eaten and James played with the other kids again, before we headed off at 8.30pm to go on the penguin tour. A lot of penguins were malting their feathers at this time of year, and they weren't able to go to sea each day to fish. They were actually starving themselves until their feathers grow back and are re-oiled - about three weeks. We only saw about a dozen penguins on the tour as the sun had just gone down, and the majority of the penguins in this colony, returned from their fishing trips around 11.00pm.

Day Six Wednesday 31st December 2003 – Kangaroo Island:

It was another hot morning as we prepared for a big day. The LPG was topped up and we headed off to Seal Bay munching on bacon, egg and cheese foccacias. It was an hours drive to Seal Bay Conservation Park, but we arrived just in time for the beach tour. There were about 20 people in our group as we walked down to the beach, excited about walking amongst the breeding colony of Australian Sea-Lions. Warnings about staying together, and listening to the guide were explained before we removed our shoes and walked onto the sand. Scores of the sea-lions were sunning themselves on the beach, resting after being at sea for three days feeding. There were a few pups being trained by their mothers to swim and ride the waves, while a big Bull male looking for some loving, chased a young female around the beach. It was interesting to learn the habits of the sea-lions, as well as their threatened existence thanks to the savagery of early sealers, and the mighty Great White Sharks. The tour lasted over 45 minutes and was extremely insightful and enjoyable.

Next stop was a drive down to the Flinders Chase National Park, as specifically Cape Du Couedic, Admirals Arch and Remarkable Rocks. We stopped at the Vivonne Bay Cafe for lunch before reaching the Flinders Chase Visitors Centre just after 12.30pm. Here we had to show our Parks Pass before proceeding onto Cape Du Couedic. Here we viewed the lighthouse constructed in 1909 and considered to be Kangaroo Island's finest structure. Just below the lighthouse is a walkway that took us down to Admirals Arch. Here a large archway has been created over time due to the weathering of the rocks and limestone by the weather. It is also home to a large colony of New Zealand Fur Seals, who were enjoying themselves playing in the rough surf. It was a hot, thirsty walk back up to the truck, before we headed to Remarkable Rocks a short drive up the coast. James took a bit of a tumble on the path to the Rocks, that had to be patched, before we came upon the cluster of huge, weather-sculptured granite boulders perched on a granite dome that plunges 75 metres to the sea. Photos were taken and James had a run around, safely, before we headed out of Flinders Chase. 

Before returning to Penneshaw, we stopped at the Kelly Hill Caves, again just in time for a tour. Here we were taken below the surface to see a magnificent cavern filled with ornate calcite stalactites, stalagmites, and many other fantastic formations.

We returned to Penneshaw in time for James to have a quick play, and me a quick couple of beers before we walked into town to find somewhere to have dinner. The Old Post Office Cafe was open, and had vacancies, so here we stayed. As it was New Years Eve, a gentleman was strumming away on his guitar as James dined on fish & chips and a chocolate sundae, while I enjoyed a beautiful marinated porterhouse steak with mashed potato and a glass or three or local reds. After dinner the evening wind had picked up, causing the temperatures to drop, so we returned to camp. James played again before crashing into his swag at 10.00pm, while I relaxed over a bottle or Cope Williams Cab Sauvignon before turning in around 11.00pm. I was woken at midnight by the car horns, boat horns, screams etc, but as James was still asleep, I only wished myself a Happy New Year.

Day Seven Thursday 1st January 2004 – Kangaroo Island:

Today was a relaxation day. James played with his buddies before we drove up the street to buy some bread, ham, water, soft drinks and some bait from the little IGA Supermarket. 

About 11.30 James and I wandered down to the pier to try our hand at some fishing. The GPS hinted that I shouldn't expect much, but being James' first attempt at fishing, I was hopeful. There were another family at the end of the pier having a bit of luck, so that increased James' pulse rate. I rigged up both rods, and baited them with cockles, before I showed James how to cast a line. My line soon followed, as did the waiting.....and waiting....and waiting. This was too much for James' who had been playing with the reel on his rod without me noticing. This meant that when he wanted to check his bait, the line was all tangled around the reel - what a mess. After I had cut line, undone the reel, untwisted then cut more line, I was able to reset James' rod so that he could recast his line. It was nice to sit back and relax, and watch the ferries come and go as nothing much happened for the first hour. Then we hit a good patch. First I reeled in a Tommy Ruff, then James did the same, followed by James hooking a King George Whiting, and finally I hooked another Tommy Ruff. Two hours had now passed and we were getting hungry, so we called it a day. All fish had been returned to the water, as they were all too small.

After lunch James wanted a swim, so we ventured down to the beach, where James quickly got used to swimming at the beach for the first time. The beach was very safe with minor waves and a depth not going about 3 feet for 70 metres out. The water was also warm, so it made it hard for me to get James out of the water when I felt myself burning in the sun.

The rest of the afternoon was spent reading or playing before heading to the pizza shop for dinner. An early night was had as we had another day of driving ahead of us tomorrow.

Day Eight Friday 2nd January 2004 – Kangaroo Island:

We left Penneshaw around 9.00am and drove out to Cape Borda on the North West coast of the Island. The reason for this drive was to visit the Cape Borda Lightstation. Built in 1858, it is perched on the cliff, high above the vast ocean. If you headed west from Cape Borda, your next land fall would be Argentina! This lightstation was built to guide sailing ships arriving off the 'roaring forties' trade winds. The Cape Borda Lightstation is also unique in that it is short and square. This was due to the height of the cliffs that made it possible to beam the light a long way from a short building.

After Cape Borda, we stopped at the Parndana Wildlife Park where we saw lots of birds, Kangaroos, Tamar Wallabies, Koalas, Echidnas, Emus, Cassowaries, Crocodiles, Wombats, Feral Pigs, Deer, Water Buffalo and more. We also had lunch here in the shade of a fantastic picnic set-up, including a free barbeque if needed.

After Parndana, we drove to Kingscote as I was in dire need of jocks and shirts. Here we also drove around Reeves Point, the site of Old Kingscote. This heritage park has many reminders of the past including the first European Cemetery, early house sites, original jetty remains and a mulberry tree grown from a cutting brought out from England with the first settlers, and planted at Reeves Point. It was an interesting place, but not something James was interested in. 

On the way back to Penneshaw, we stopped in at the small town of American River where American sealers built a 35 tonne schooner in the late 1800's. The weather was hot, the cricket was on, and we were leaving tomorrow, so we stopped in at the Penneshaw Hotel for a couple of beverages and ended up staying for dinner before heading back to camp.

By the time James had said goodbye to all his mates, it was getting late. We have to be at the pier by 8.00am in the morning so it was a later night than I expected.

Day Nine Saturday 3rd January 2004 – Penneshaw to Horsham (Vic):

I struggled out of the swag when the alarm went off at 7.00am, and stumbled my way to the shower. When I returned it started to rain lightly as I rolled up my swag, packed away the chairs, woke James up, rolled up his swag, put the rubbish in the bin and checked the site before leaving this most pathetic Caravan Park for the last time. 

We were a bit late to the check in station, but it meant that we were the second last vehicle on the ferry. The return crossing was a bit rougher than the trip over, but we survived so that was OK. From Cape Jervis we drove to Victor Harbour for some breakfast and fuel, before heading back up the Peninsula via Strathalbyn to Tailem Bend. From here it was the same as the drive over, boring until we reached Bordertown. Another fuel stop and some nice fresh sandwiches for lunch, we continued onto Horsham.

I was a bit tired, so we checked into a motel, had a swim, went to McDonalds for dinner, before retiring to an air-conditioned room and vegetating in front of the television. It was an early night.

Day Ten Sunday 4th January 2004 – Horsham to Rowville:

I was woken at 6.00am by the sound of thunder and heavy rain, but didn't arise until 8.00. Breakfast arrived shortly afterwards, and that was downed quickly before we hit the road for the short drive home. The rain continued most of the way and I was glad when I turned into the home driveway at 1.30pm. The rain made it difficult to unpack, but I was in no rush.

This was a fantastic trip, soured only by the Penneshaw Caravan Park. James and I had a ball and saw lots of interesting places while meeting interesting and friendly people. I can't wait to return.

Total Kilometres Travelled: 2762.91 kms