Keith to Adelaide

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We were not the only people who felt the need for more space and comfort than even a good camper could provide. I wonder if they slept for about 12 hours like I did.

Sometimes you just need that little bit extra.

Breakfast at the Bakery was the first thing on the agenda for today. Next to the Keith Bakery is a Butcher’s shop and you can’t miss the animals out the front.

You need to be made of solid stuff in our business.

Only a concrete heart could stand looking at that sign day after day.

After Keith the next sizeable town is Coonalpyn and they are doing a great job of attracting passing trade using artworks. The silos are impossible to miss.

There’s a beautiful mosaic outside the Toilet Blocks.

Artist Mark Tye worked with local volunteers to complete the mosaic.

It took a year to finish the piece.

The tunnel under the railway line has walls covered in pictures painted by a variety of people from little kids to professional artists.

 

Tailem Bend is a town spread out along the main highway and most traffic doesn’t stop but a rhinoceros caught my eye.

The rhinoceros made us stop then we read the advertising material for nearby Monarto Zoo.

The bend in the river which gives the town its name.

The Punt or Car Ferry.

Hundreds, maybe thousands of Corellas were in the trees and on the grass.

So much fun to be had with a light fixture.

“What makes you think we’re up to something?”

Now we’re back home and our short jaunt is over but we’ve visited some new places we intend to revisit, preferably for a longer time. Hope you’ve enjoyed the ride.

Keith

A few years ago we went to Tasmania and stopped at Hall’s Gap on the way, I was so frightened by the winds buffeting the camper that I spent the night sitting in the car. Our new camper’s sleeping area is more enclosed with a solid shell but last night we barely slept because of winds again roaring up on us and hitting the camper. We heard a couple of cars leave the site during the night. Hall’s Gap is now off my map.

Why do you think there’s a chain embedded in the concrete slab?

Because we were so keen to get out of Hall’s Gap we packed up and left without breakfast. Dadswell Bridge looked like a likely place so that was our first stop.

The Big Koala is as high as a 4 story building.

Hundreds of Corellas

We thought we might stay the night in Horsham after we attended to some business but then decided it was far too early so we went on to Nhill. Having seen the movie, “On the Road to Nhill” I thought that might be a fun place to stop but the Caravan Park’s cabins were all filled with workmen and we both felt we needed a little extra comfort after last night. Our next try for a cabin was at Kaniva but the park there was only a designated camping area with an honour box for camping fees so no cabins there either. Bordertown was certain to have cabins so we drove on there. They did have cabins, the guy in front of us got the last one!

There were a lot of wide loads today including one with an escort, it all seemed to be farming machinery.

This machine was on a truck when we saw it on the road earlier.

Liked the name of the guy’s rig.

After missing out on a cabin in Bordertown we decided to have one last try in Keith, if that was a no-go we’d keep driving until we were home. Because of our lack of sleep last night I was hoping that wouldn’t be the case, fatigue and driving are a bad combination. Luckily we had no trouble getting a cabin and we can’t hear any wind at all!

Keith’s Scottish connection

Land Rover on a pole, a tribute to farmers who participated in the Trace Elements trials.

Mural on the CFS building

Electric car recharging bays, I’m surprised to see them here.

Andy Caldecott memorial – he was a local killed when competing in The Dakkar.

Hall’s Gap – The Pinnacle

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Our plan today was to investigate some of the interesting spots around the town. We intended to visit the McKenzie Falls but drove into the Wonderland Carpark, several walks start from there. We decided on the walk to the Pinnacle, a 2.1 km walk, sometimes when distances are quoted they include the return but this one didn’t.

Don’t forget to double that if you plan on coming back!

There were rocky paths:

Going up!

Going up!

Going up!

Going across.

Narrow paths:

Turn sideways.

Resting places, designated and otherwise:

I needed a cool spot.

Sitting, puffing, again.

Several people were texting at the Pinnacle

A Canyon:

Railings provided for this section.

Some weird rock formations:

Terrapin or Lizard?

Girl with a fringe.

Rows of treble crochet.

A Stack.

Monkey

Bart Simpson or maybe The Hulk.

Great Views:

The viewing platform in the top, right corner was crowded.

From the Pinnacle looking towards Hall’s Gap.

The Dam from the Pinnacle.

Looking over Hall’s Gap town.

Maybe not a great view for you but the Carpark was certainly one for us!

It astounds me that in the early days people worked cattle in this terrain. There was evidence overgrown by scrub.

Section of an old fence.

I was tortured on the way up and Alex was tortured on the way down!

After a quick stop for some food in Halls Gap we’ve come back to camp to recover, I wish there was a spa!