EUSTON, NSW - POPULATION: 462

THURSDAY 27 - FRIDAY 28.2.2014: First stop Euston - lovely little village. Stopped outside the local club and had the customary poodle exercise by the great Murray River, although it must be stated that the dogs did not fully appreciate the river's significance! The greater Euston area, including Lake Benanee was first settled on the site of the new allocation of land ("on run"), at that time called Boomiarcool Station (1846). The run was later called Euston Station. From the 1850s the land surrounding Lake Benanee was devoted to wool production and irrigation began to be established around the lake to sustain fruits, vines and vegetables. We had a beautiful stay at the Lake Benanee Rest Area 15km east of Euston.

Madison and Shayden had a 'free' run on the beach. Talk about souls possessed, they ran that much that it will take another week for both to recover. Shayden is running in his bandage as old man wart body has one wart that required protection from the elements!

RENMARK - POPULATION: 7,491

WED 26.2.2014: Had a scenic drive through Renmark and visited the Angove Family Winemakers (McLaren Vale). Dating back to 1886 when Dr William Thomas Angove arrived in South Australia from Cornwall, England with his wife and young family to establish a medical practice in Tea Tree Gully twenty kilometres northeast of Adelaide. Drove the "beast" through the raceway arch and headed for the Victoria/SA Border Rest Area 25km east of Renmark and parked in what felt like the middle of the Sturt Highway - m-a-n-y b-i-g trucks all night long! 

BERRI - POPULATION: 7,500

B-I-G ORANGE AT BERRI

TUESDAY 25.2.2014: Berri is a town in the Riverland region and is primarily an agricultural town on the north bank of the Murray River. It is the original home of a juice company, Berri Ltd. The name "Berri" is from the local Aboriginal tribe, Meri, meaning "a wide bend in the river". The area was first explored by European settlers when Charles Sturt navigated the Murray River. Its first impetus for settlement came when paddle steamers came down the River Murray and a refuelling stop was developed. This was to become Berri. Stopped at Berri as part of the reconnaissance for our return trip. Visited the Information Centre for future activities and decided to see if Leading Edge were in town. No, but PTS (Pipos Technology Solution 08 8582 4200), was recommended. Well, what a difference Customer Service makes - backed up the computer $50.00 instead of the $250.00 quoted at previous Leading Edges and by the time we returned the next morning the computer was on its way to Toshiba and we were advised that it would probably arrive home before we did. As we had not purchased the computer from PTS they really were under no obligation to assist other than with the backing up of the data - excellent service.    

Stayed overnight at Martins Bend Campground 3km east of Berri - beside the Murray River, barbecues, dump point. Stunning, we will be returning (30 day stay at no cost).

 

 

 



OVERLAND CORNER

SUN 23 - MON 24.2.2014: Set off for Renmark - drove 40km and spotted the Overland Corner Historic Hotel sign. To date SA has boasted many historic sites which have resulted in a plot of land with a plaque indicating the historical information. Onwards to the plaque or at best remnants of what was once the local "watering hole". There are instances where it is s-o g-o-o-d to be proven wr, wr, wr, wr, incorrect! What a little oasis.

Bushrangers, overlanders, ghosts and a beer! The Historic Overland Corner Hotel is both pub and living museum. The hotel was built in 1859 on the site - 'Overland Corner' - which had become a popular resting place for drovers.

Timed our arrival perfectly with Sunday afternoon entertainment in the garden. Even better was the fact that we were able to fall out into the carpark and stay indefinitely. Down a dirt road some 700 metres on was another area where you could stay by the great Murray River. When James Chambers arrived in Adelaide in 1837 he established Cobdogla Station and with the Overlanders passing through in need of a drink and supplies he convinced the Brand brothers from Kent to build the pub. Between the miners and overlanders it’s not surprising the pub did particularly well. To build a stone pub you need a quarry and for the Brand Brothers, thankfully that wasn't too far away - in fact it was right next door. Not only did they build it next to a quarry but also the quarry was used for quarrying quite a lot of homes around Barmera and further south. Fossils are still evident in the quarry walls.


THE MIGHTY MURRAY!

BURRA - POPULATION: 978

SATURDAY 22.2.2014: Burra is a pastoral centre and historic tourist town in the mid-north of South Australia. It lies east of the Clare Valley in the Bald Hills range, part of the northern Mount Lofty Ranges, and on Burra Creek. The town began as a single company mining township that, by 1851, was a set of townships (company, private and government-owned) collectively known as "The Burra". The Burra mines supplied 89% of South Australia's and 5% of the world’s copper for 15 years, and the settlement has been credited (along with the mines at Kapunda) with saving the economy of the struggling new colony of South Australia. Had a lovely barbecue in the park, then the puddles had their daily exercise. Next stop the Burra Mine that was first worked between 1845 and 1867 as an underground mine to a depth of 183 metres. From 1870 until closure in 1877 it was worked by the revolutionary open cut method.

Episode 3 - The Final Border Saga: Thought that with careful planning we had conquered all the food restrictions in place for the transition from the WA to SA border - haaa, all hail the naïve travellers! Carole rang Biosecurity SA (24 hour service), to determine the exact conditions - could not help! Of course we had restocked our food once passing over the border and of course we had not kept one single receipt of purchase! Bring on the 'instant kitchen' - in a two hour turn around we were able to produce three cooked meals, blanch and freeze vegetables and utilise 80% of our produce in some form. The quarantine restrictions are based on random vehicle searches, but we were not prepared to risk the fine. The 'Domestic Godesses' climbed back into the front of the house and set sail for Morgan East rest Area 25km east of Morgan - big refreshment on arrival!

GULNARE - POPULATION: 95

FRIDAY 21.2.2014: Have to mention the scenery as you drive round this wonderful country. Hours can pass and the land will be flat and unimpressive then you turn a corner and come across a mesa or features that seemingly just appear. Set up for the evening at James Horracks Monument Rest Area some 5km north of the turnoff to Gulnare. John Ainsworth Horrocks (pastoralist and explorer), passed through this district on his expedition to the N-W of Mount Arden. Gulnare Plain had been named by Horrocks 5 years previously after a favorite dog.

WHYALLA - POPULATION: 20,088

SATURDAY 15 - THURSDAY 20.2.2014: Still raining and we had planned to stop at Cowell, but were unable to find the motorhome park so instead continued to our next scenic Leading Edge stop at Whyalla. Whyalla is the third most populous city in South Australia after Adelaide and Mount Gambier and was founded as Hummock's Hill in 1901 by the Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP). The settlement consisted of small cottages and tents clustered around the base of the hill. The Post Office opened in 1901 as Hummock's Hill and was renamed Whyalla on 1 November 1919.

Have taken up residence at the Stuart Park (Weeroona Bay Football Club), $10.00 per day for an unpowered site. Sunday entertainment - blast from the past with softball at the park and even a hamburger from the kiosk! S-O, occupying one's time in Whyalla - washed the laundry, dogs, motorhome (rained the next day), rugs and finally ourselves! Had haircuts (human and poodle), plus went shopping. Meanwhile back at Whyalla Computer Centre (Leading Edge), not too much was a happening! Having arrived on their doorstep on Monday morning we returned for an update on Wednesday - had not been able to look at the computer. Rang back in the afternoon and were advised that the computer needs a new mainboard - could take up to 2 - 3 weeks to come in - Strike 2! Decided to collect the computer and move on although the suggestion was made that we could return the computer to Broome where it had been purchased. Would not advise doing business with Leading Edge as their after sales service certainly leaves a lot to be desired. In pursuing the 'Leading Edge Adventure' we have missed many of the attractions on offer when travelling the Eyre Peninsula. As such the decision has been made to return home and visit South Australia at a later date.

LOCK - POPULATION: 290

FRIDAY 14.2.2014: Spent last night in the car park of Murphy's Haystacks which is situated at the Eyre Peninsula. The 'haystacks' are formed from ancient granite Inselbergs dating back 1,500 million years. (The name Inselberg comes from German 'insel', meaning island and 'berg', a mountain). Local legend reports that Murphy's Haystacks acquired their name from a Scottish agricultural expert who saw the landmark which to him looked like haystacks. Denis Drinan Murphy owned the surrounding land at the time so the pillars and boulders were named "Murphy's Haystacks".







Carole supervised the poodles supervising the sheep, then the "rains came!" Decided to set sail and beat the storm.

Most travellers pursue scenic drives such as The Flinders Highway, but we thought we would be different. Contacted friends Judy and John for details on our nearest Leading Edge stores so that we could have the computer attended to. First Stop - Lock Leading Edge (have to say this route was far removed from the planned journey). The chap advised that it was in our best interests to take the computer to Whyalla as their store would speed up the process by sending the computer to Adelaide for repairs - Strike 1.

Lock is a town in the centre of Eyre Peninsula. It is Eyre Peninsula's main grain storage hub as it is surrounded by a predominately farming community, with emphasis on cereal crop production. Stayed at the Lock Caravan Park ($10.00 unpowered site).