Lake Bolac

 Funny little place, we were just staying overnight before we went through Melbourne. Warren came back to the car laughing, apparently the caravan park manager was a very interesting character.

He was asked if he was police or government official as either of those were not allowed and would actually be fined $10,000. 

After Warren assured him that he was neither, then he could stay if he was a member of the community. Warren said that he wasn't and was told to scan an app on the wall and agree to the conditions and then we could stay, apparently there was six pages of stuff to read which he told Warren he could read it later.

Cost was $25for cash or $30 for card, Warren said that we usually didn't have much cash and then the guy said that was okay, he would only charge us $25.

Warren said that he wasn't sure if the guy was serious or trying to be funny.

It had been raining but we got set up in a few drops of rain before it came down heavier. Luckily I had two pasties in the fridge which we heated in the camp kitchen as cooking outside when it's cold and wet is not my favourite thing to do.

Seen at the entrance 

The lake.

Southend.

 We had to drive off the main road toget here, never been before but when Gary, my brother was driving the school bus, he used to pick kids up here to take to Millicent high school.

I guess it's a fishing spot with professional fishermen fishing for Cray's. We did a few walks to lookouts.

Murals

 Many buildings in country towns have murals painted on them. Some are excellent others not so excellent

.This one caught my eye for its quirkiness.

The building was still being used as a garage but no fuel.

Then there was this building, at first I thought it was a community o

Civic Centre but then I saw a sign, it is a Catholic church in the main street, unusual building and it's unusual also Tobe in the main street.

Ash Wednesday fires

 Fires went through this area several years ago, destroying houses and livestock, there were some lives lost as well either fighting the fires or were caught in the blaze.

It was good to see a statue near the hospital honouring the fire fighters.

I had to be in the photo to prove that I had been there but didn't need a face to be in shot, hence this type of photo.

Wind turbines

 These are massive. 

I am standing front of one of these blades, most are about 52 metres long.

We drove along the trail but there was no viewing platform with info, I had to use goggle. The turbines went along the coast for several kilometres 123 turbines in all. There is talk of adding to the number. The day we went though there only seemed to be one operating.

Millicent, play area

 It's called the domain and we wanted to take a closer look at a statue.

It was a dreary day hence the grey photo.

We walked further along and found an interesting play area.

Great area for the younger kids, tunnels, slides and steps. For the older sporty kids there were these.

Football goals at one end and soccer goal on the other, not full size. Tennis and basketball courts laid out as well hopscotch. Well thought out.

Bordertown part two

 I guess the other thing that Bordertown is famous or infamous for,  is a former Prime minister was born there. His father was a mjnister and they lived in the manse from the time of his birth 1929 until 1935 when his father was moved to a bigger place.

Bob was known for being the "peoples prime minister. Before polotics he was involved with the trade union and was instrumental in bringing wage fixing to Australia. 

A bust of Bob sits outside the district council office and the house where he lived in a small museum and there is a plaque outside declaring it Hawke House.

Rendlesham

 Its one of those places on the highway that you pass by but we wanted to check oyt a couple of things so we deviated. 

We were directed to the cricket club proudly known as the RCG.

We were looking for a picket gate.

The bitumen road soon turned to gravel and we were wondering if we were going the right way, then I saw cricket nets and a large shed. Yep, we were right. We stopped alongside the shed and walked down. It was a cricket pitch and there was the gate. Freshly painted with a shiny steel bolt, about eight stone steps lead down to it.

It is tradition to enter and exit to the field through the gate. Quirky or what? Made my day.

Kingston SA

 There are two towns in South Australia with the name Kingston. The other one is usually known as Kingston on the Murray.

It was the place we would head to in sumner for our beach day or weekend. Some families had beach shacks.  Warren was keen to have fish and chips for lunch, the cafe I saw was closed so we headed for the pub. There was a nice open fire but we ended up sitting in the window with the sun coming through. We had the pick of any table as we were the only ones there. 

We did have fish but opted for vegetables, nice hot and crispy. After we went fir a walk around town following murals.

Found a replica of the lighthouse being used as a book swap.

Bordertown

 The bigger town where I went to high school. There always was a degree of separation between the two towns, of snobbiness. Mundulla people were mainly farmers, blue collar workers whereas Bordertown were mainly white collar. 

Both teams had football teams and it was a fierce competiton when the two teams net.

Bordertowns main claim to fame was the gold route went through there and in the sixties, a wildlife reserve with white kangaroos was started and continues to flurish today. White kangaroos are very rare, 43 white joeys have been born in capacity. They are not tame and have approx five acres at their disposal. Currently there are fourteen kangaroos living in the enclosure, most are white.

Mundulla pt 3

 Two blocks away was the soldier's  memorial park. I found this a bit creepy when I was a kid as it is a full house block and full of big trees behind a fence. There were gates to go in, it was a bit of a dare to go in there at night. The fence has gone and some of the trees have died so it is not as imposing as it was.

Twenty nine soldiers from Mundulla lost their lives in the two WWs

Across the road is the council chambers of Wirriga, once the district combined and became Tatiara, the council met in Bordertown and the one room building was used as the tennis club until that dissolved. The tennis courts became two house blocks in the nineties.

Mundulla pt 2

 I spent my primary school days at Mundulla, there was an average of 97 kids in the years that I attended, this year there is 68 enrolled. Three teachers and each room that I was in had three classes in it. My grade had ten, six girls and four boys and in grade seven we had two more boys who had failed and had to repeat. One boy in particular never went on to high school, I think he repeated grade seven four times til he was old enough to leave. He was the bell monitor plus the inkwell monitor and he did a fair bit in the garden and in winter keeping the wood up to the fires. However, he became a very successful farmer in the district.

Across the road is what was known as the new hall. There was a small community hall but it wasnt big enough so fir several years townsfolk ran fund raisers to build the new hall. It was built in 1954, with no debt, later there was a covered walkway built between the two halls. My dad was one of the projectionists for the movies that were shown each week.

My home town

 Mundulla a very small hamlet where I lived from one year old to nineteen. We were given another adventure lab to prepare and I thought that Mundulla would a good place to have it.

There is the local pub, it was a residence when I lived there and was returned to hospitality around 2004. They serve meals and have accommodation across the road as a bnb plus three cabins.

Tailem Bend

 I have wondered how this place gof its name. It is on a bend in the river, thats the Murray river. Anyway this used to be a very poor cousin to Murray Bridge, now its come into its own as the highway has bypassed Murray Bridge and Tailem Bend is the first stop after going through the Adelaide hills.

Some enterprising soul also put up the money to run some motor sports so its come into its own. We stopped for morning tea/early lunch. Warren decided he needed more cereal as we were parked opposite a supermarket. 

He went one way and I went the other as there was a cache near a dog park.

I thought this was a real dog but not it was a statue, also one with its paws on the bench and corgi cocking his leg further in. No actual dogs using the park when I was there.

 B

Brownhill creek

 We stayed here six years ago when we went around Australia. Its close to the road south and easy to get to although we not that happy with the cleaning if the place. We were further inside the park which put us nearer the secondary toilet block. 

We spent most of the days out while we were there. There is a cafe onsite now, serving tge caravan park as well as walkers/runners who use the running tracks. The park is situated between two mountains? so the internet wasnt the best.

Warren and I enjoying hot chocolate and a cake at the cafe after walking along the running track.

Nice touch is a metal fireplace just down from the cafe

National parks people can be seen in the background doing some trimming of trees.

Cold, wet and dreary day

 Forecast was for rain so we decided to stay another couple of days. Nothing worse than trying to pack up in the rain.

But what to do on a wet and cold day, we went shopping of course.

Warren had only packed one pair of jeans. He has always used the comment when I worry about "did I pack that", there are shops there, where ever we are going so I told him him needed to buy more jeans.

Also had lunch.

Pumpkin soup, toast and coffee, nothing better on a miserable day.

He got his jeans and a quilted jacket and I bought another warmer jumper, I think we are set now for the weather.

Football

 We havent been to an AFL game for about three years and to see my team play was incredible. Val was always my favourite sister in law.

Getting the tickets in the last few days did mean that we were in the nose bleed section, still got a good view of the footy and then there are big screens around the grounds as well. 

It was Collingwood's captain's 350 game so special. It was a great game, rather nail biting with the lead changing a few times. Luckily my team held on and ran out winners by five points

Adelaide

 It was a short trip into Adelaide, only a couple of hours, we had stayed at this caravan park before so Warren knew where he was going, he had spent a few years living in Adelaide between school and work. 

We met two of his nieces for dinner, it seems funny saying that when they are not much younger than us. A good night with lots of chat.

Saturday we were going to meet Warrens sister for lunch but she had rang earlier in the week suggesting we meet at the football. She knows I am a pies fan and it was my team verse her team at ghe Adelaide oval. I didnt even realise we were there when they were playing. She was able to get tickets and we caught a train in. Warren went to his old school as he knew where we could leave the car. There didnt seem to be much parking only in the streets.

We were entertained by ballet dancers, I was cold with three layers on plus gloves. 

Lessingham north

 We had been to Watervale the day before and thought we would walk from there then Warren suggested that he walk between the two places and I could meet him there. I drove him up the Lessingham station, nothing there now just a sign and I went along the country roads to the west.

We each got two and then another six together. One very old one placed in 2002.

Our lunch at the Watervale pub, rather upmarket, we felt underdressed.

This was our haul, 22kms walked for 32caches, we did turn the green dot into a smiley near the cp on Friday morning before we left.

Alburn north

 We were finding caches along the way and realised that we had some in the middle that we hadnt collected, so we drove to Alburn and then went north to meet up with the track from day before.

The weather was getting a little nicer, not quite so cold as the first day.

Nice picnic spot.

Warren out in his shorts again.

Lessingham to almost Auburn

 Lessingham was the hamlet where we were staying and we walked up a long steep hill to access the trail.

Lots of peppercorn trees along the track

Mostly vines here with some horses.

This was a cutting alongside, it goes up about two metres

The magpie and stump

 This was a pub that was recommended to us, as we were cold, we were hoping that they would have wood fires. As an old pub, they didnt disappoint.

Warren and I both opted for the soup and toast. Not only were there wood fires in each room, there were also small air heaters around.

Photo or painting of the magpie on the stump.

Outside of the building, low porch but fine once inside proper.

Stone wall on the opposite side of the pub.