Cruising the Murray

We had to pack up and drive to Murray Bridge for our cruise to be there at 10.45 am, we were an hour early! As we were under the bridge, it brought back some memories, our family were going to Adelaide and on the bridge when there was a bump, Dad stopped the car to look, it was a falt and too bad to continue driving. He changed it in twelve minutes and no one was allowed to get out and help as too many cars were driving past.
Warren remembered going home by train from school and all the boys would throw their empty drink bottles out through the pylons, couldnt do it now.

The cruise was excellent, so serene and lunch was pretty good too. After giving our lunch orders we were able to walk on the decks

The paddles could be seen through the ladies wash room.

The scenery was pretty special

With the weekend "shacks" on the edge of the river.

After three very peaceful hours on the river we took Maggie down to the big smoke, got set up and having a swim, when we saw this in the trees.

He was about twelve metres up above the laundry, that is his tree but is not always there.

Gumeracha Toy factory

I had seen pictures of this years ago and when I realised we were pretty close, 40 minutes away, it was put on the agenda to visit. It has the largest rocking horse in the world, I think.

The toys were incredible, all wooden and well put together. Luckily for us, our grandkids except one are too old for the ride on tractors etc. I did buy a nice chopping board for the van though, its a little one and of course wood.

Out the back there was a bush park with recused animals. We bought some food and paid our entry fee, $1 and proceeded to walk and feed the animals.

I was rather taken by this guys feathers and the colours were stunning too.

Warren feeding a kangaroo, at one time he put his front paw on my arm while he was eating. Very friendly.

They did have a couple of emus as well but they were behind the fence, I dont like emus.

PS Marion

Mannum is where the PS Marion is docked. It is one of the oldest paddle steamers and surprisely is still in use but only on special occasions.

This is the motor from one of the paddle steamers.

In 2001 there was an event and they got many of the skippers of the boats and the boats as well and they came down the Murray. It took 100 days and there was a short film about it and also the restoration of many of the boats.

We are going for a lunch cruise of this steamer on Tuesday from Murray Bridge.We couldnt get on a boat at Mannum so this is it. We drove down today to see where we could park two caravans while we are on the water. 

Hot Day

Phew! after the cool weather we have been experiencing, today was a surprise and it seemed to knock the stuffing out of us. About all we did was try to keep cool and we did some planning and booking.

We have booked a paddle steamer lucnh trip for Tuesday back in Murray Bridge, couldnt do a steamer trip from here. Also booked our next stop which is Adelaide for nine nights.

Warren tripped over a tap yesterday and luckily it moved otherwise I might have ended up driving, gulp!
He was checking out the lights on the van and stepped back onto a brick surround around a brace of taps. barked his leg up nicely, it swelled a bit but he said he was okay to drive. I did expect him to be a bit stiff today but no problems at all, thank goodness.

$50 and ferries

Today we traveled out to an aboriginal community township where this man was born and also buried. The church on the note is also there.

It was a very neat well kept community and we got a couple of waves as we drove in.

Unfortunately the gallery was not open.

Simple pleasures of feeding the seagulls before we packed up this morning.

We decided to ferry across the Murray

and had lunch in Tailem Bend watching others go across on the ferry.

Sheridan made scones in the caravan the other day and I was envious so I made muffins this afternoon, boy did they taste good.

This was the only one left but not for long.

Cheese factory museum and kite flying

Our caravan park is right alongside the Cheese factory museum and as the others missed the Warrnambool cheese factory we though this would be go to go.

It was interesting but no cheese.

A couple of old caterpiller tractors, dad had one and many a time I rode on one while dad was pushing out stumps. There was also a big blue fordson tractors that he had as well.

A cream separator that that been converted into a water fountain.

After lunch the boys flew kites, it was so windy though, almost too much wind.

A flock of pelicans have been fishing they are swimming up and down the lake and as one, they all dive down and get the fish. Unfortunately they have been too far off land to get a photo but fascinating to watch.

Robe and the Coorong

Fish for breakfast this morning again, this time I had a whole one as Warren had caught three.

We left Beachport and headed to Robe we ha been ivited to Bernie's for lunch and so Warren could return her computer. He had found it so jammed up with so much stuff that he had taken it and spent a fair bit of time cleaning it up.

We did a bit of driving around first, Warren had spent most of his summer holidays in and around Robe and there was a time when we were going to buy a business and a house there. 

The "new" lighthouse

Dennis and Maggie.

The obesik which we used to be able to walk out and around but now it has been fenced off as the rock has been eroded away from both sides and what used to be a wide pathway now is only about two metres wide. I was trying to get the splash of the waves, caught some of it but it was much higher at the peak.

The big Crayfish (or lobster) at Kingston, it used to be on top of a service station but has now been moved along a bit.