Jun 4, 2013 - A bit further west

26 May - Today we've made our way to Ararat where we've found a good spot at Green Hill Lake for a few days. The lake is quite pretty with lots of black swans on it. We will probably spend a couple of days yere. 27 May - After a very informative visit to the Information Centre we set off for a drive to Halls Gap and The Grampians. Before we got there we drove through Moyston and Pomonal before detouring to Mackenzie Falls. It was about a 1klm walk to the falls which were very pretty but would have been nicer with a bit more water flowing...

Feb 14, 2012 - It's not all roses

Well here's a short entry to let you all know that it's not all roses here: 1. many things are challenging and take alot more time than they should because a. we have to find out what the shops are, b. we have to google a location so we can pop it into the GPS then we have to get to it before 5 o'clock (except on Thursdays which are late shopping days) 2. products are labelled differently...so shopping takes longer because the labels and brands aren't familiar and if you don't know the store...well you have to find where things are 3. shops...

Feb 12, 2012 - A Great Weekend

What a fabulous weekend. We went down to Victor Harbour to stay with Carol and Greg, who arrived home from Canada on Friday. We had tea with their friends on Friday night....and I realized that when Carol talked about Friday tea in Canada...I had visions of her friends having tea (the drink) but here in Australia, dinner is often called tea or evening tea...and it certainly was not accompanied with 'tea'!!! Carol got a good laugh when I shared my thoughts and realizations with her...turns out her friends are not teetotalers!! Greg played...

Sep 2, 2011 - A Little Nostalgia for Viv :)

I(Viv)felt very nostalgic visiting Victor Harbor. I have very positive memories of staying there for holidays as a child. The sound of wind whispering, sometimes roaring, through the Norfolk pines even now evokes memories of the mansion we stayed at for an annual family conference. My father, brothers and I used to get up before dawn to go rabbit-shooting on The Bluff, west of the town. I can't believe we did that! How no humans were shot is beyond me - maybe no-one went for early morning walks then? We had the privilege of watching four...

Aug 18, 2011 - Goolwa

We rose early today as the Cable Guy was coming to fix the TV antenna. He discovered that there was no power getting to the Amplifier so we now have a Gerry rigged system but at least TV is viewable again… Then a pleasant drive to Goolwa where I found the Oscar W at the wharf alongside the Micro-Brewery and the all-important craft shop on the railway station, yes yesterday’s Cockle Train was supposed to be steam hauled but the crew slept in so the rail car was pressed into service. Anyway back to the Oscar W; the paddle steamer Oscar W was...

Aug 17, 2011 - Victor Harbour

The Cockle train was a fizzer despite the improvement in the weather. The service today was to be provided by a rail motor so we decided to keep our AU$24.50 and instead caught the tram out to Granite Island. Mr Gnome and I rode on the upper floor and in a word I’d describe the trip as brisk or invigorating, I guess it could have been raining. The line has been extended and now runs as far as the Kiosk/café/bistro (2 course lunch AU$9.50). I climbed up to the lookout and admired the view… Great steps. So after looking around we caught the...

Aug 16, 2011 - Victor Harbour

Hmmmmmm so I don’t feel like singing at all though the weather suggests a rousing chorus of “Singing in the rain” would be in order…. Here we are in lovely Victor Harbour, we saw a brief glimpse of a horse drawn tram trundling across the “causeway” (we suspect the poor horse was named “Daphne” [named in honour of Mrs Benaud???] as the sign said that Daphne was doing the shift) through the rain and we retreated to the safety of the souvenir shops, it would only be those of robust constitution to ride on the open top deck out to Granite...

Feb 4, 2010 - Fleurieu Peninsula

We set off for Jonah’s hospital visit early in the morning (ok, so 8:25am isn’t really that early...) to accommodate the peak hour traffic, which incidentally, is nothing like Sydney peak-hour. It’s more like the middle of Mulgoa Rd at midday, almost serene, traffic moving constantly and efficiently. The RTA in Sydney could learn a few things from the Adelaidians about city planning and infrastructure. When we got to the examination room, the six of us herding in and almost filling the space, Jonah had his bandages removed. We almost felt...

Nov 27, 2009 - Day 129 – Kangaroo – Victor Harbor – 30,000 plus K’s

The van park we stayed in on Kangaroo island has an area they call the ‘Koala walk’. Honestly spotting koalas in trees is not an easy sport. Add the complication of a one year old kicking and kneeing you in the back from his backpack and it is even worse. We finally managed to spot two koalas at a fair range, but as koala’s sleep 22 hours out of 24 it looked like they were both asleep In the car and we drove up to the north coast of the island, specifically up towards Kingscote. First stop was a lavender farm, - lots of lavender smelling...

Nov 25, 2009 - Day 127 – Murray Bridge to Victor Harbor – ‘Panda-monium’

Despite my bravado of the other day where I claimed it was no issue to pull a caravan along the main street of Adelaide at lunchtime, we still decided this morning to take the van directly to Victor Harbor rather than take it back into Adelaide airport and attempt a pick up. In the process we drove through three wine regions without stopping. A new personal best I believe….even if it was only 9am. After a game of drop and run at the van park we headed back up to Adelaide to pick up Al’s mum. How many Mother in law jokes do you think you...

Jul 22, 2009 - Victor Harbour SA Days 8-9

Have really taken to this idyllic little town of Victor Harbor. Yesterday we rode along the forshore to a old horse drawn tram (last one left in the world) to take a trip out over the historic bridge to Granite Island. Out there we had a guided Penguin Tour with a very passionate and informative guide, who knew just where to shine her special torch to see the little fellas getting mobbed by their young as they fed them after a days fishing. It was all going well until she got out some penguin pelts for the kids to feel, and Nathaniel cried...

Jul 20, 2009 - Victor Harbour SA Days 7-8

With a massive headwind all the way from Robe we had a long driving day to cover the 200 odd kms to Victor Harbour. We drove through the Coorong coastal park (where Storm Boy was filmed). The country is so bleak and wind swept. Michelle's comment was "the movie was depressing- but this landscape is something else. " Three tanks of Fuel later, (we are a case study in Global warming) and a roadside lunch with the kids exploring the Coorong Scrub looking for Mr. Percival, we arrived in Victor Harbour.