I’ve been to a lot of great camping destinations off the beaten track. They’re usually part of a lengthy road-trip with no schedules, tight time frames or deadlines.

But where do you go if you haven’t got time for a long road trip?

Where do you go if you want a less challenging trip?

And where do you go to get away from it all in a great place with an awesome array of things to do that doesn’t take forever to get to?

How DO you get started?

No camper? No problem! Start by checking out out the camper vans here on Gumtree!

Then choose one of my TOP 10 favourites – I’m calling them the best camping spots in Australia – and get your show on the road!

South West Rocks, New South Wales

Overlooking the exquisite beauty of Horseshoe Bay, down the road from historic Trial Bay Gaol and up the road from stunning Smoky Cape Lighthouse, the Horseshoe Bay Caravan Park is in one of Australia’s premier coastal locations.

The surrounding region is such a wonderland of rivers, rainforest, rocks and beaches it’s hardly surprising it once was (and still may be) former TV personality Ray Martin’s holiday destination of choice! But the fun doesn’t stop there – hit the main street and you’ll find one of Australia’s best bakeries!!

Broken Hill, New South Wales

For a taste of the outback without the LOOOOOONG distances, dirt roads and bull dust, check into the Broken Hill Tourist Park – the slag heap in the middle of town is a dead giveaway to what makes this place tick.

But its also home to a colony of artists whose work is full of outback light, colours and landscapes – you’ll find it hard NOT to bring home a souvenir!

Further afield there’s Silverton, where many movies have been set, and Menindee Lakes where the sunsets go on forever.

Lake Moogerah, Queensland

Who knew that a couple of days in the amazing Scenic Rim Region would turn into more than a week? Being surrounded by a superb array of stunning natural attractions, atmospheric small towns and fantastic fresh produce is enough of an incentive WITHOUT the added attractions of magnificent Lake Moogerah!

With one of the most scenic campgrounds in OZ, the Lake Moogerah Caravan Park is the perfect base from which to spend a day exploring – and then to return for the amazing sunsets over the lake!

Millaa Millaa, Queensland

I’d be able to pick Millaa Milla Falls (see first photo) on Queensland’s Atherton Tableland out of any waterfall line-up! And the Millaa Millaa Tourist Park on the outskirts of Millaa Millaa with Mt Bartle Frere, Queensland’s highest mountain, in the background is a stunningly scenic base from which to explore the southern Tablelands – a tropical paradise full of rainforest, waterfalls, townships and fantastic produce. Don’t leave without trying EVERYTHING!

Ormiston Gorge, Northern Territory

A stay at the Ormiston Gorge campground puts you in the box seat for superb sunrises; dingo sightings; short walks around the gorge; wonderful Outback colours and landscapes; and the ~7 km Ormiston Gorge and Pound walk – one of Australia’s BEST short (ish) hikes.

In my humble opinion!

Factor in day trips to Glen Helen Gorge, the Ochre Pits, other West MacDonnell Range gorges and Tylers Lookout, and you’ve got a destination worth visiting even without the stunning Mt Sonder (see first photo)!

Kununurra, Western Australia

Theres a lot to see and do in and around Kununurra, but we didn’t need to move from our Kununurra Lakeside Resort campsite on the shores of Lily Lagoon to see crocodiles, birds and some of the best sunsets in the Kimberley. But the Ord River produce is worth heading out for, and smart travellers will time their visit to coincide with the Kununurra Agricultural Show – who could resist the lure of the Melon Olympics and Cane Toad Races?! That makes the long trek to get there from almost anywhere SO worth it!

Kalbarri, Western Australia

If you’re visiting in spring, don’t let the stunning array of Western Australian wildflowers stop you from seeing the rest of Kalbarri’s attractions! Stay a few days at the Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park and explore the plunging sandstone cliffs, unusual rock formations, deep gorges, magnificent beaches and the wild Murchison river – but watch out! Those wildflowers will probably distract you there too!!

Angorichina, South Australia

Fewer people make it to Angorichina in the northern Flinders Ranges – they’re too busy doing Wilpena Pound further south. But take a drive on the wild side of the ranges and you’ll discover wonderful walks; four wheel drive treks through spectacular scenery; self-drive and guided tours of historic mine sites; and stunning rock formations – all within cooee of Angorichina Village, an ex-tuberculosis sanatorium, now campground with one of the most scenic settings in OZ!

Bright, Victoria

You CAN see autumn colours in Australia AND camp among them too at the Bright Holiday Park!

Bright, in the shadow of Mt Hotham, is a great introduction to Victoria’s High Country. The Autumn Leaves Festival and Wandiligong Nut Festival are full of regional delights, and nearby Mount Buffalo’s natural attractions are worth trekking up to its 1723 metre summit – The Horn – for!

Then there’s the blackberry pies at the Edelweiss Bakery in Bright’s main street …

Port Fairy, Victoria

Get three top towns for the price of one when you stay in Port Fairy’s Gardens by East Beach caravan park alongside the Moyne River – day trips north to Warrnambool and south to Portland mean there’ll never be a dull moment in this coastal paradise!

If stunning coastal scenery, beautiful gardens, offshore islands, lighthouses, wild beaches, interesting rock formations and birdlife leave you cold, then just kick back in Cobb’s bakery and watch the world go by!

Of course you don’t have to stay in the same campgrounds and caravan parks that I did. Half the fun of travelling is finding your own favourite places and making your own memories. Just do me a favour and tell me about them here!

Ready to hit the road and discover the best camping spots in Australia? See you out there!

Like these great camping destinations?  You’ll ALSO like my TOP 10 Budget Travel Tips to make your Road Trip ROCK!

Disclosure: This post was prepared in conjunction with Gumtree

The post Australia’s 10 BEST Camping HOT Spots! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

The last few kilometres were heavy going as I trudged back to camp. The bright daylight faded into twilight as the sun sank below the eroded peaks surrounding the amazing Wilpena Pound valley, centrepiece of South Australia’s Flinders Ranges National Park.

The evening coolness rose as we entered the campground.

While taking an 18.8 kilometre (11.7 mile) hike might not have been the smartest move for the world’s slowest hiker, the end was in sight. And the Wilpena Pound Resort campground was everything a campground should be. Beautiful setting. Excellent amenities. Quiet.

But the evening coolness wasn’t the only thing rising.

Jangling through the campground from an antique sound system on maximum distortion blared the not immediately recognisable English World War 1 favourite ‘Knees Up Mother Brown’ (google it for a truly scary experience) accompanying a happy hour for two in full swing.

Was I hallucinating?

Sadly, no. Just as incongruous as the ‘music’ in this arid and remote South Australian Outback park was the table complete with lacy cloth, vase of flowers and two wine glasses which, judging by the quavering vocal accompaniment, had been filled and emptied several times over.

It was going to be a LOOOOOONG evening.

Several hours before, we’d packed our lunch for the 6+ hour return hike to the Bridle – or ‘Bridal’ as it was spelled by the less informed – Gap lookout on the other side of Wilpena Pound. We’d seen the Pound – a valley 7 km (4.3 miles) and 14 km long completely surrounded by an ancient mountain range – from the outside where the jagged peaks formed an impressive and many-layered wall.

But the Bridle Gap Wilpena Pound track crossed through the great bowl of the Pound itself, our best chance to see the whole formation from the inside.  And get away from the crowds stampeding towards the area’s best known and most popular hike – the climb to St Mary’s Peak.

After a short-ish evening stroll of only 7.2 km (return) a couple of days previously, we’d looked across the pound from Wangara lookout, a short distance above the Hills Homestead where early pastoralists lived while using the Pound as a natural corral for cropping and grazing stock.

BUT … droughts and floods saw to that and now Wilpena Pound, named for an Aboriginal word meaning ‘Place of Bent Fingers’ or ‘Cupped Hand’, is now part of the Flinders Ranges National Park.

Leaving the homestead, the protected oasis of the Pound full of native pines and river red-gums, with glimpses of the Wilpena Range from the clearings was a world away from the late spring arid landscape beyond.

No surprise that the local Adnyamathanha people know it as Ikara – or meeting place, and no surprise the area was declared a National Pleasure Resort with organised tours and places to stay in 1945!

Once on the Bridle Gap track, the only other person we saw almost got an eyeful as I emerged from behind a tree after a squat.

After that excitement and with only a kilometre or so to go, we reached the other side and climbed the now-rocky track up the range towards what we hoped would be a vantage point for lunch.

Part of the legendary Heysen Trail that takes dedicated hikers through 1200 km of South Australia’s best scenery, the Bridle Gap Wilpena Pound track stopped conveniently at a rocky outcrop on the edge of the plain below.

Beyond awesome, even by the almost impossibly high Flinders Ranges standards, the staggering view stretched out in a 180º panorama over the wildly magnificent Bunbinyunna, Elder and RED Ranges – their superb scenery on display for us, and us alone.

The 9.4 km return trip across the pound to the homestead, then down along Wilpena Creek to the campground isn’t so arduous if you’re walking on air!

So, from the sublime, we descended into the onslaught of ‘Mother Brown’, and as the soundtrack switched to the ‘Siegfried Line’ (google it – actually, NO – don’t bother), the Grey Nomad couple, loudly and proudly from Western Australia, spontaneously burst into a tipsy song and dance routine.

As a strategy to scare up some happy hour drinking buddies, it didn’t seem to be working. And they seemed to be taking the occasional applause from our quieter neighbours around their campfires as encouragement to continue rather than as a reason to quit while they were ahead …

As the stars came out and the last vestiges of our pure and natural mountaintop experience slowly evaporated, the happy hour veterans soft-shoed to the maudlin ‘… we’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when …’.

We were at least agreed on one thing. That the sunny day to come would bring a new adventure.

Want MORE?

• Wilpena Pound
• Wilpena Pound Resort, South Australia
• Flinders Ranges National Park
• Heysen Trail
• Check out some flights and get to South Australia!

The post Walk the Bridle Gap Wilpena Pound Trail, Flinders Ranges appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Searching for Australian campsites or caravan parks that we won’t regret in the morning adds that little frisson of uncertainty that makes road-tripping round Australia so exciting.

Although sometimes it’s a little TOO exciting when darkness is falling and we’ve got NO clue as to where we’ll spend the night. That’s why we take time each trip on a reconnaissance mission for the next one! And that includes scoping out future campsites.

But sometimes, after a long day on the road, it’d be nice to find somewhere COOL to stay with the facilities we want and directions on how to get there.

And now I can with the FAAAAABULOUS new Explore Australia Camping Around Australia app (available for iPhone & iPad)!

I’d already picked out these 6 HOT campsites to stay at one day – but who knows how long before we re-visit them? And whether they’ll still be operating when we DO get there? Using the app will not only tell me that, but it’ll also suggest alternative Australian campsites to try if I find we’ve missed the boat!

And you can too!

So check out these 6 COOL Australian Campsites at the top of my list – then try the Camping Around Australia app from Explore Australia!

1. Caroline Pool, via Halls Creek, Western Australia

The unbelievably scenic Caroline Pool (pictured above) just south of Halls Creek would’ve made an ideal campsite IF:

• a) our camper trailer had high clearance (it doesn’t);
• b) we were ready to ‘ROCK’ along the rugged dirt track out towards Old Halls Creek (we weren’t);
• c) we hadn’t already travelled 367 km since leaving Wyndham that morning (we had); and
• d) we didn’t care about its lack of facilities (we did)!

Besides, any extra driving would’ve eaten into my photo time at China Wall, a 6 metre high quartz vein that bisects the landscape just like a miniature of its namesake!

But there’s always a next time, right? Although judging by the number of rigs already set up when we dropped in for a look, maybe the word’s already out!

MORE about Halls Creek

2. Yarrie Lake, via Narrabri, New South Wales

Whether or not the circular Yarrie Lake was formed by a meteor way back in the dim, distant past is kind of irrelevant if you’re looking for a peaceful and picturesque campsite with powered sites, hot showers, toilets and laundry facilities.

Oh, and a great birdwatching, water-sports, walking, relaxing and photography spot!

About 30 km west of Narrabri, the gateway to magnificent Mt Kaputar National Park, with its amazing Sawn Rocks it sounds too good to be true.

So next time we’ll check it more thoroughly for hidden flaws!!

MORE about Narrabri

3. Point Sturt, via Goolwa, South Australia

On the last leg of its long journey through three states from headwaters high in the Snowy Mountains, the mighty Murray River enters the Great Southern Ocean at Goolwa. But not before passing through Lake Alexandrina which, along with Lake Albert is the centrepiece of South Australia’s Lower Lakes region.

Near a water-bird wetland (aka ‘swamp’) and overlooking the dunes of the amazing Coorong National Park across the lake, Point Sturt is superbly situated to appreciate the 360 km²(138000+ acres) body of water.

And who needs facilities in a cool camping spot like this?!?!

MORE about Lake Alexandrina and Goolwa

4. Barcoo River camping area, via Isisford, Queensland

A long time ago, one of the most feared creatures on the planet started its quest for world domination right here in Isisford! Fossils of Isisfordia duncanii – also known as the mother of all crocodiles – were found nearby and are now on display at the Outer Barcoo Interpretive Centre.

But ancestral crocodiles aren’t the only attraction in this small outback township south of Longreach.

One of the most bizarre and intriguing town signposts I’ve ever seen greets travellers from the east before crossing the Barcoo to the campground on the other side complete with toilets. Showers are available in the town park – if you can get past the beautifully restored pub!

But Isisford is memorable for other reasons.  Because a few years ago, on our one and only day trip there, it was the very first spot EVER where I was given a Senior’s Discount.  INCORRECTLY, of course – I’m not THAT old!! But you knew that, right?!?!?!

MORE about Isisford

5. Borough Huts, via Halls Gap, Victoria

We just can’t seem to get past the Halls Gap Caravan Park on our regular visits to the Grampians – jewel in the Victorian National Parks crown!

Perhaps it’s the proximity to the Halls Gap bakery – the perfect destination for an early morning constitutional!

But every time we drive past the excellent Borough Huts campground on Fyans Creek around 10 km south of Halls Gap on the Dunkeld road, we vow to stay there.

Next time!

There’s a lot to be said for staying in the middle of the Grampians National Park right next to your very own scenic public toilet and within cooee of many of the excellent hikes and drives that make a visit to the park so memorable.

If only we could tear ourselves away from that TOO-FINE bakery …

MORE about the Grampians National Park

6. Devils Marbles, via Tennant Creek, Northern Territory

As well as the location of one of my favourite Scenic Public Toilets; a killer sunrise AND sunset photo spot; AND a site significant to the local Aboriginal people, Karlu Karlu – colloquially known as the Devils Marbles – also boasts what must surely be one of Australia’s most picturesque campgrounds.

However, ever since we discovered Wycliffe Well – Australia’s UFO capital – on our first road-trip foray north of Alice Springs in 2008, the Devils Marbles campground has always been left for another day.

BUT … it’d be handy to be right on site at sunrise and sunset to capture the magical light that paints the Marbles with classic Central Australian Outback colours.

And test out that Scenic loo …

MORE about the Devils Marbles

If you’d like to have around 3000 MORE Australian campsites at your disposal, check out the Explore Australia Camping Around Australia app (iPhone and iPad compatible) – and I’ll see you on the road somewhere!

And for photos of some of the GREAT Australian Campsites I and others have discovered all around OZ, visit my Pinterest Board – Cool Australian Campsites!

AND … check out my post about Australia’s 10 BEST Camping HOT Spots!

The post 6 MUST-visit Aussie Campsites appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

OK, so I’d been reading a photography magazine as we approached Lake Cullulleraine at the end of a long day on the road, and I was itching to try a few things out. So what if my camera was ‘only’ a point & click, and not one of the fancy-schmancy-hi-tech must-have gadget-laden-gizmos the mag condescended about.

Besides, I was in a BAAAAAAD mood.

We SO hadn’t planned for a four-day dash 2000 km (that’s a LOTTA miles) across the country for home only a few short weeks after we’d left.

We also hadn’t planned on the camper trailer’s broken spring.

Or the brake malfunction.

Or the hiking boot loss-of-sole emergency.

Or the killer storm that sprung us a leak AND turned our campsite into a make-shift mud-wrestling arena.

Nor had we planned on an escalating family misfortune, sucking us into its cruel maw and grinding us down with despondency.

Or the unforeseen injury that saw one of us barely able to move or drive and held us captive in a place where it seemed to never stop raining (split infinitive be damned!) …

No, this road-trip was doomed.  Nothing for it, but to cut our holiday short!

So now we were three LOOOOOOONG and dismal days on the road UP with – please goddess – one more day and a few hundred more kilometres DOWN ’til home.

Dropping like a post-poor-policy-announcement pre-election poll, the temperature plunged into single figures as we headed south into the cold and dreary gloom of the winter we’d almost escaped. The one cold-climate outfit I’d brought was getting an unexpected airing. Every day.

If only our washing machine hadn’t self-destructed just before we left …

And we’d passed the last bakery before the border.

Life sure wasn’t proving to be all RED Rocks and Rainbows on this dismal downunder day.

So in the late afternoon, after 3 days and ~1600 kilometres on the road, we pulled into Lake Cullulleraine exactly 5 weeks to the day since our first visit*.

‘Let’s try the other caravan park this time,’ Pilchard suggested in the interests of equality.

Too tired to argue, we turned off the highway towards the lake’s edge where a couple of other vans – a good sign – were already set up, with no barking dogs, blaring radios or blithering idiots apparent.

No obvious axe murderers or aliens either*. Actually, NO ONE AT ALL!!!

Had the secret rapture come early to this small lakeside settlement??

The sign at the entrance advised us to select a site, set up and the managers would track us down later. And so did the park resident who emerged from the cottage near the office to show us the ropes.

Finding a level, drive-through site with a bit of space between us and the nearest campers wasn’t too difficult.

So we pulled into a spot with plenty of space between us and our nearest neighbours, set up the camper trailer and headed for the lake to watch the sunset, pausing only to purchase a packet of chocolate biscuits – essential, given the circumstances – from the roadhouse and general store.

The lingering cloud under which we’d driven for several hundred kilometres throughout the day was breaking up as the sun sank through it towards the lake. Strategically placed trees, reeds – and even birds – silhouetted themselves photogenically against its glow.

I started playing with my camera settings.

Maybe that magazine was worth the bucks I’d paid for it after all!

As the sun sank slowly over the lake, the glow in the sky intensified and the reflections turned into an awesome colour palette beyond my wildest dreams through the viewfinder, my shutter button finger was in serious danger of developing a bad case of Repetitive Strain Injury.

And if the friendly local who wandered over for a chat as the sun sank lower hadn’t been an artist and photographer with expertise in Photoshop as proven by what he showed me on his i-phone, I probably would have shown him my snaps.

Maybe one day he’ll discover them here instead …

The (thankfully much later) southern dawn brought a whole new set of photographic fantasies despite the low-single-digit overnight temperatures, firmly placing Lake Cullulleraine into the ‘favourite place’ category.

Our short stay at the Lake Cullulleraine Holiday Park was worth every cent of the $25 I put into the honesty box with my business card just before we left – only moments before the manager appeared!

And so we set off for the South Australian border – and home.

With a clutch of (in my opinion) killer photos that had miraculously lifted my despondency and despair.

I’d found an antidote to the dark side of our Australian travel adventure.

My camera sings to me.

When I could actually understand the photographic code and lingo peppered throughout its articles, I learned a lot from the photography magazine.

But the artful and inexplicably ever-so-slightly-tilted lake horizon was mine.

ALL mine!

Want a Lake Cullulleraine adventure all of your own??  Of course you do!  But live too far away??  No problem – with Travel Associates the world can be yours!

And you can show me how to keep that horizon straight …

Want MORE?

•  Lake Cullulleraine: so COOL it’s HOT!
• Lake Cullulleraine, via Mildura, Victoria
• Lake Cullulleraine Holiday Park
• MORE Aussie Sunsets!

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The post Lake Cullulleraine and the Singing Camera! via Mildura, Victoria appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

The Evening Before …

I gripped the railing and looked through the deep shadows down the deep RED gash of Dales Gorge. WAAAAAY down. Late afternoon at the lookout meant the sun was long gone from the gorge floor.  Even though it had lit up the eastern wall quite spectacularly.

Ho Hum.

Another day in the Pilbara, another killer landscape …

A movement among the rocks far below caught my eye.

Two hikers, the size of ants negotiated massive rock slabs higher than they were.  They crossed vast tables of square-but rock, as they headed towards the imaginatively named Circular Pool.

Yes, that white speck at the waters edge in this photo really IS a person!

‘That’s where we’ll go tomorrow,’ Pilchard announced.

Say WHAT?? How in heck were we going to get down there when the map showed ‘cliff risk area’ symbols all along the gorge edge? Symbols whose warnings I was only too happy to heed?

That ‘killer’ landscape was taking on a whole new AND unwelcome meaning …

Hiking down Dales Gorge

The next morning, we picked our way along the goat track rocky path winding down the sheer cliff under the Three Ways Lookout and past one of those ‘Cliff Risk Area’ signs. I realised I didn’t have anything to worry about.

A strategically placed ladder made negotiating the really steep bits almost easy.

And if I DID slip and fall??

Well … it’d be hard to find a more picturesque location in which to receive a serious – or even fatal – injury. Or two. Or even die.

No, Karijini National Park was no place for a coward.

Set amidst the impossibly RED Hamersley Range and out in the deep heart of mining country, Karijini’s warning signs are for real.

Rangers and volunteers risk – and sometimes lose – their lives rescuing tourists who don’t heed the dangers.

I was watching my footing as we took the Circular Pool detour.  We crossed those same gigantic rock shelves we’d viewed from the lookout the evening before.

They weren’t as bad as they’d looked from above.

But I hoped the people at the lookout above didn’t throw anything down …

Blue Danger

After leaving the rock slabs, the river waters ran deep through groves of trees. Those red Red RED rocky walls towering high above, tinged every now and then with a dash of blue.

Blue?? In this location and in these rocks it took on a sinister meaning …

Only about 50 km away as the crow flies is the closed-down town of Wittenoom.That’s where crocidolite– otherwise known as the potentially deadly Blue Asbestos – was mined extensively in what surely must be Australia’s greatest industrial disaster.  It’s since been immortalised by Aussie Band Midnight Oil in their song Blue Sky Mine.

The mine was closed in 1966 for economic rather than safety reasons.  However, it is estimated that in addition to the 2000+ deaths from asbestos related diseases, the death toll will peak in the 2020s.

Were these crocidolite layers in the rock?? Perhaps not, but I was leaving them well alone …

Like I said. No place for a coward.

After the de-gazettal of Wittenoom, the nearby town of Tom Price*** inherited the ‘Karijini Gateway’ tag and is the closest provider of goods and services.

Hiking back up the gorge

Although only a small stretch of the 40+ km length of Dales Gorge is accessible, it’s a diverse and spectacular few kilometres.

The rocks and ledges that had first given way to the river and trees. Now they gave way to a series of cascades as we headed towards Fortescue Falls.

We negotiated the treacherous and slippery stepping stones across the river.  Then we climbed the natural rock layer steps and stairs to the top of the falls.  And then it was time for lunch – and a show!

With no bars or nightclubs within cooee, the falls and pool below had become an alternative outback meat market.

This walk definitely wasn’t for the faint-hearted as scantily clad travellers cavorted, strutted and posed with all their wares out on display!

The young man who climbed the amphitheatre’s rocky walls to take photos wasn’t necessarily showing off.

Not to me, anyway, although he seemed not to be plagued by the vertigo I would have suffered in his place.

But proving he was no one trick pony, I inadvertently captured him in a similar pose the next day at Joffre Falls.  Want to see him again?  Check out the link at the bottom of the post!

Time out for a swim

A little further up the river, we detoured to popular swimming spot the Fern Pool. En route to the clear, blue water and white bodies fresh from the cooler Northern Hemisphere climes, fig trees sprawl over the mossy rocks and ferns grow in the grottos. Fig leaves are optional …

Then it’s a steep climb up the track out of the gorge to the Falls carpark.

It’s possible my red face, gasping for air and frequent ‘photo’ stops showed the descending tour group what they had to look forward to after seeing the falls up close!  There are spectacular views of the falls from the vantage point above the trailhead if anyone wants to chicken out!

To complete the loop, we followed the return path along the Gorge Rim track back to Three Ways Lookout.  The tremendous view over the falls and river SO far below showed us where we were actually walking not long before.

Back to Camp

The Karijini Visitors Centre, set amongst yet another awesome landscape does a roaring trade in $2 hot showers.  Incomprehensibly, it was under threat from a cash-strapped government looking for mining royalties when we visited. After a few hours on the trail the shower is a perfect interlude before returning to the Dales Campground.  There you’ll find yet another scenic landscape with a late afternoon glow.  The light turned the WAY beyond RED rocks into a shade I don’t think I’ve ever seen before.

The plague of fears (heights, injury, death) I’d had at the start of this excellent walk faded in the afterglow of achievement.  We settled back into our comfy chairs for a meal from the best little café in Australia (see link below).

Maybe there WAS a place for this coward at Karijini after all.

We were done with Dales Gorge.

For now.

Want MORE?

• Red visits Joffre Gorge, Karijini National Park
• Tom Price, Pilbara Region
• Karijini National Park, Western Australia
• Pilbara Region, Western Australia

The post Walk Dales Gorge! Karijini National Park, Western Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I’m not sure why it’s never occurred to us to stop at Lake Cullulleraine, 58 km west of northern Mildura and deep in the heart of the Victorian Mallee.

Until now.

Only 3½ hours from Adelaide, Cullulleraine (as it is shown on more modern maps) is a perfect example of why it’s SO worth exploring places not so far from home, something us long-distance road-trip experts tend not to do.

So when we left home much later than anticipated, and spent an inordinately long lunchtime at the FAAAAABULOUS Renmark Patisserie Café/Bakery AND then crossed the border into Victoria thereby gaining half an hour, we realised we’d be getting to Mildura on dusk.

Something Pilchard swore we’d never do.

So we pulled in to the Bushman’s Rest Caravan Park for a drive by.

That’s a euphemism for ‘check and see if it looks like it’s full of psychos and axe murderers before we commit to staying’, in case you were wondering … and if it doesn’t pass the ‘whaddayareckon’ test, we – yes, you guessed it – drive on by!

Bushman’s Rest passed with flying colours, despite the sign in the amenities block … give me an alien over an axe murderer any day!  Although weirdly, there were no children in sight …

The manager then confirmed the ‘pass’ when, unprompted, he gave us a 10% discount!

Even without knowing he was speaking with Red Nomad OZ – although I guess this post will give the game away …

The huge lawned lakefront site with power and a view to die for as the sun started sinking behind the clouds, far enough off the Sturt Highway to muffle the traffic noise and with no one else much around may mean we never stay in Mildura again!!

It also meant we stayed an extra day. Even though we woke to heavy fog and winter temperatures.

A few kilometres north (although not enough to make any difference to the weather) is the Lock 9 weir, constructed in the mid 1920’s and one of 13 locks along the Murray River (or River Murray, depending on which school you went to, and how long ago).

Absolute virgin territory (ie neither of us had been there before), it’s a wild stretch where few houseboats venture.

Even if the sign at the lock warns of a different danger …

Although Lake Cullulleraine is 9 metres above the river level, there’s still a lot of floodplain in between the lake and the river that would have been inundated during the massive 1956 floods, the benchmark against which all floods in these parts are measured.  With 100 times the volume of water than that flowing through the river now!

The 184 hectare Lake, once an ephemeral wetland, has been topped up since the 1920’s to provide a permanent water supply for a post-war farming scheme in the Millewa district.

The 10.4 km walking trail circumnavigating the lake (8.6 km if you take the shortcut across a peninsula!) passes through a number of habitats, over the Supply Channel Bridge AND – most unexpected of all – past a now disused Scenic Public Toilet on a rise behind the old boat ramp.

From which that killer sunset is best viewed …

As we relaxed on the lake front after our 8.6 km stroll (yes, we took the shortcut!), the manager gave his miniature float plane a workout from the jetty directly in front – presumably in preparation for the upcoming R/C Float Plane event to be held at Bushman’s Rest in early July! Little did he know he – and his plane – would soon be appearing on my blog …

Albeit separately – my sports photography skills being insufficient to get a clear shot of the plane in the air!

As dusk fell, and countless Purple Swamphen gathered in anticipation of beating the possums to our leftovers, we knew we’d lucked out.

It had never before occurred to us to stop at Lake Cullulleraine.

But we won’t be making that mistake again – we’ve still got the attractions on the southern side of the highway to explore!

And there’s not an axe murderer in sight …

PS  Of course such awesome views deserve a second chance!  BUT … was our SECOND visit as good as the FIRST??  Check out what happened exactly 5 weeks later when we visited Lake Cullulleraine again HERE!

Want MORE?

• Our SECOND visit to Lake Cullulleraine!
• Bushman’s Rest Caravan Park
• Lake Cullulleraine, Victoria
• Murray River

The post Lake Cullulleraine: So COOL it’s HOT! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Live on the edge from just ten bucks a night.

That’s all it cost us for a powered site at Carrieton’s Horseshoe View Caravan Park with the Stay-2-nights-Get-2-nights-FREE deal.

While the special deal isn’t available now, the real cost is still a small price to pay for a chance to explore Carrieton South Australia. It’s perched on the edge of the vast expanse of the Minburra Plain stretching east with virtually nothing civilised to stop it until it hits the Barrier highway en route to Broken Hill.

Although that doesn’t really count as civilisation either!

Staying in Carrieton

Three hours north of Adelaide on the alternative route to the Flinders Ranges, Carrieton is a TOP Aussie town. It’s also a hidden jewel in South Australia’s mid-north which is often ignored in favour of the big ticket items further north.

But bypass Carrieton and you’ll miss some of the most intriguing and delightful Outback scenery in South Australia!

It’s no hardship to stay for 4 nights and get the full benefit of the Horseshoe View’s special deal. The superbly set up AND quiet little caravan park has everything.  It’s off the main road in the old school grounds purchased by the community when the school was closed a few years ago.

Not a camper? You’ll LOVE how the locals have converted the old school buildings into cottage and bunkhouse style accommodation.

Carrieton History

The locals are used to living on the edge. Yanyarrie Whim is on the outskirts of town.  It’s all that remains of the watering point on the 1800s North/South Stock Route and mining trail responsible for putting Carrieton on the map.

Partly responsible for keeping Carrieton ON the map these days are the annual December night Rodeo.  This event is one of the largest in South Australia.  There’s also the April/May Campdraft and Gymkhana.

The district’s low and inconsistent rainfall drove many from the land leaving only a legacy of stone ruins behind.  It’s on the wrong side of the Goyder Line, surveyed in 1865 to determine the boundary of viable cropping land.

Later, the Prince Alfred mine closed in 1907, the railway in 1981, followed more recently by the school.  Carrieton faced an uncertain future.

Now taking responsibility for keeping it on the map is a determined and forward-looking progress association.  They are refusing to let the town die.

Community owned and run, the caravan park is just one innovation to keep the town afloat. The excellent and well stocked general store – also a community initiative – means visitors can stay in town to purchase fuel or food.

But the REAL reason to base yourself on the edge in Carrieton is to explore this amazing and intriguing region of South Australia.  Many Aussies haven’t even heard of it, let alone seen it!  A selection of sightseeing options will make up several day trips.  Especially if you don’t forget to factor in some time to relax in the beautifully kept school grounds, and chat to the friendly locals.

So here’s one version of how to spend 4 days on the edge in Carrieton South Australia:

Day 1: Eat and Explore

Drive 44 km north to the Cradock Hotel for lunch. Sightings of the ghost of former publican ‘Lawrence’ aren’t guaranteed, but you WILL get a great meal served up with country hospitality!

When you return, explore Carrieton’s attractions like Yanyarrie Whim (see below) and the excellent 12 metre Mosaic Mural depicting the town’s history on the Public Toilets. YES, the Loo AND the mural are IN MY BOOK!

Ask for directions to the creek behind the caravan park and walk up the creek bed where massive river Redgums and high RED cliffs tower above you.

Then set up a date with the sunset over the Horseshoe Range …

Day 2: Ruins and Redgums

Take a picnic lunch and drive 20 km east on the Oladdie road to Johnburgh.  The superb mountain scenery includes farmland, many ruins and unusual rock formations.

After looking around almost-ghost-town Johnburgh, take the Belton turnoff and follow the marvellous Bendleby Ranges to the Weira Creek crossing.

The massive River Redgums are locally known as ‘widowmakers’ because a branch big enough to crush a house (or a person) can fall without warning …

After lunch, return to Carrieton via the Belton road – and watch for the clouds of pink dust billowing behind you on this oddly coloured road surface.

Oh! And the scenery’s not bad either …

Day 3: Lookouts and Landscapes

Drive 35 km south to Orroroo then further south via Pekina (check out the Pub and Coffee shop!); to Magnetic Hill, an intriguing natural phenomenon.

Return via Black Rock and take a detour to the Black Rock Lookout for superb views across the valley to the Pekina Range.  Take a walk through Black Rock Conservation Park to see what the countryside looked like before being cleared for grazing and cropping.

In Orroroo, the Tank Hill Lookout has superb views to the north and a superb cafe in the main street. Then check out South Australia’s largest River Redgum, the old Railway Bridge and the historic buildings in town.

On the way back to Carrieton, stop at Walloway, site of a nasty train crash in the early 1900s.  A little further north, take a look at the Eurelia railway siding for a sample of the area’s history.

For a total heritage experience, take a detour and return via the historic town of Hammond.

Day 4: Ranges and Rocks

Take another picnic lunch and drive 28 km west through the superb countryside of the rocky Horseshoe Range towards Moockra Tower. When the road gives out, hike to the Tower for splendid views over the Range and Willochra Plain to the west.

Back in Carrieton, after testing out the golf course circumnavigating the town, make another date with that sunset …

And thank me – along with the locals!! – for introducing you to this little-known wonderland. It won’t take much to make Carrieton part of your South Australian Flinders Ranges, Mid-North or Outback experience.

Although my stay in Carrieton South Australia undoubtedly assisted the local community in a small way, it didn’t take long to realise the locals were doing ME a favour by making it easy for me to stay and enjoy life on the edge!

Want MORE?

• Carrieton, South Australia
• South Australia’s Mid North
• Flinders Ranges, South Australia

 

The post Life on the Edge … Carrieton South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

It doesn’t matter where we are.

Or how far we’ve travelled.

Or how hot it is.

Or cold.

Or what time of day.

Whether it’s time for a snack, a meal, a nightcap, morning tea or midnight feast.

We can always drop in to Red & Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café!

Because it’s ALWAYS open.

For us …

… and serves up food just the way we like it!

With fresh, local ingredients.

Like food from our favourite bakeries.

Or fast food.

Or even good, old fashioned home-cooked meals.

But Red and Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café isn’t open to just ANYONE!  Its exclusive membership deals are just for two!

Usually.

BUT … there’s an occasional dispensation for a special guest, or a mate.

And the best thing about Red and Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café?

Against a fascinating and ever-changing backdrop – tropical, desert, coastal, inland, rocky, sandy, scrub, bushland, beach, mallee, lakes, rivers – the Café provides an oasis of stability.

Because no matter how dramatic the changes to scenery, weather or company, the Red & Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café Chairs have remained the same for nearly a decade.

So whatever adventures we’re having on the road, we come home to Red & Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café.

And our Café Chairs!

They’re not even close to being worn out yet, so if you’re out on the road and you see them (and us!), why not drop in and see if the Cafe’s open?!

Want MORE?

• Dales Gorge, Karijini National Park, WA
• Cairns, Far North Queensland
• Wyndham, Western Australia
• Lake Pamamaroo, Menindee Lakes, NSW
• Stonehenge, Queensland
• Waikerie, South Australia

The post Red & Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I don’t know what made us decide to stay overnight at the Victoria River Roadhouse as we pulled in for fuel, late on a Northern Territory July morning.

Perhaps we took the Grey Nomad’s experimental driving technique involving an inexpertly executed U-turn directly in front of us without warning as a sign to stay off the roads that day.

Perhaps the imminent full moon threatened the same thing.

Or perhaps the iconic Victoria River Roadhouse, nestled below the wild Victoria River’s magnificent escarpments between Katherine in the Northern Territory and Kununurra in Western Australia just looked too inviting …

Whatever the reason, we soon discovered we’d lucked out with one of the most spectacular campground settings in remote Outback Australia.

And 5 completely unexpected extraordinary experiences that make this remote outpost on the Victoria Highway WAAAY more than just a fuel and food stop.

So … what’s to do? Here’s how WE spent a stay of less than 24 hours at the Roadhouse!

1 Get a photo of … well, EVERYTHING!

From the iconic Roadhouse sign to the wild outback landscape to the moonrise over the escarpment* and sunrise over what is arguably Australia’s wildest river, it’s almost impossible to take a bad photo (although I did my darndest!).

BUT … here’s the catch. You won’t get good pix by spending all your time having happy hour in the campground or drinks at the bar.

Here’s my tip. Do the other things on my list, and the photos will take care of themselves!

2 Admire the landscape from the Escarpment Lookout!!

Heading west up the road and round the corner, a reasonable walking track (with some steep sections) winds up from the valley over the rocks and onto the escarpment.

It’s worth the effort for the staggering views over the Victoria River Valley, and down to the roadhouse and campground, nestled amongst the trees.

The fantastic array of wildflowers** were a pleasant surprise!

And because it’s in the valley between escarpments, the sun on the RED rock enhances the incredible view at virtually any time of the day!

3 Get close to Australia’s Wildest River!!!

If you DO try to get close to the river, don’t get TOO close – crocodiles are common in these parts. And while we didn’t see one on the Roadhouse stretch of the Victoria River, on our crocodile cruise at Timber Creek, a couple of hours west, we saw more crocodiles in a couple of hours than in the rest of both our lives put together!

The height of the old bridge compared to the new gives an indication of how much water flows through the river crossing during the wet season. The many campers who didn’t take the 5 minute stroll down onto the old bridge missed an excellent opportunity for those sunset or sunrise photos where the escarpment GLOWS!

A short drive south along a gravel road down to the river gave a different perspective. On the lookout for the crocodiles infesting the river, we weren’t expecting the buffalo*** that somehow wandered between us and our car …

4 Eat at the Roadhouse Restaurant …

… and have a real multicultural experience!

The pierced Nordic backpacker**** who rattled off her practised spiel as we checked into the excellent and scenic caravan park nestled between escarpment cliffs of the Victoria River Valley was only the first in a string of overseas tourists we encountered during our short stay.

An eclectic mix of staff representing a smattering of other European countries variously served us drinks, took our order, served our meal and cleared our table.

And the other diners weren’t all Grey Nomads on an extended happy hour, either! My shameless eavesdropping picked up at least 10 different accents from both sides of the counter in the small dining room – with Aussies way in the minority.

More fools them!!

5 Walk the Joe Creek Loop

The guidebook ‘suggests’ this walk is moderate grade, but I wasn’t so sure …  a steep, rocky track straight up the escarpment; a narrow path under a soaring cliff; gravel crumbling underfoot.

But the next day at Timber Creek, the one-legged man with crutches***** on our crocodile cruise told us he’d done it the day before and I felt like a big girl. Hardly surprising because I AM a big girl, but you know.

Difficult or no, however, this walk delivers the goods. Red rock, livistona palms, Aboriginal Art, natural amphitheatre glowing RED in the evening light. It even overshadowed the public toilet which sadly, wasn’t quite scenic enough to make the cut …

And if I can do it, and a one-legged man with crutches can do it, what’s YOUR excuse?!

This remote outpost in the Aussie Outback is the real deal. But like so many Outback places, the only way to see it is to stop and explore. Looking back, it’s hard to believe we spent less than 24 hours there – but I see at least one more 24 hour stopover in my future …

* I can’t guarantee a moonrise for YOUR visit!

** Nor can I guarantee wildflowers!

*** Wild buffalo might not appear!

**** And Nordic backpackers might not turn up for YOUR visit!

***** And I certainly can’t guarantee a one-legged man with crutches!!

Want more information?

• Victoria River Roadhouse
• Victoria River Region
• Northern Territory
• MORE Photos of the Victoria River Region on Flickr

Previous Post:  Mind over Madness … Joffre Falls, Karijini

NEXT Post:  Scenic Public Loo #29 – The Crocodile Cruise Conveniences

The post The 5-Experiences-in-24-hours Victoria River Roadhouse Action Plan! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Living Quarters? Hotel on Wheels?? Holiday Accommodation??? Nah, none of those quite fit. But if you’ve read Lonely Planet’s excellent guide*, you’d know our camper trailer would make a perfect mobile MICRONATION!

Our only constant when travelling, we’re cocooned inside at night when the world shrinks to the size of our living space. But, Brigadoon-like, we awake to new places, panoramas and vistas just waiting to be explored in the light of day! Beaches, rivers, the outback, deserts, rainforests, highlands, national parks, wet tropics, tablelands, lakes, cities, towns, mountains, plains – thankfully, SO many OZ picturesque and scenic locations still have public camping or caravan parks** nearby!

As my photos (both old and new) will show …

It’s true, that with a 3 x 1.5 m (9′ x 5′) living area and two extending bed ends for sleeping and storage the camper trailer’d be smaller than most other micronations – including ‘Lovely’ (a small flat in London) and even the Copeman Empire (a caravan in Sheringham, England). But – and I know this’ll come as a complete surprise to you – SIZE DOESN’T MATTER!! See? I’m shouting! It’s SO not a secret …

But when travelling with the southern grey nomads around this great land of OZ, you’d be forgiven for thinking that size really DOES matter! Roads heading north become clogged with a slow moving wagon train of 2-3 tonne giant caravans that when attached to a state of the art giant SUV become a rig bigger than some semi-trailers.

By comparison, our minimalist camper trailer appears more and more spartan with every year that passes since its 1998 purchase! But it still meets our requirements – portable and manoeuvrable, quick to set up, comfortable bed, table and lounge, cooking facilities, water, gas, outdoor area.

And it all fits in to this small space. We can take it almost anywhere. We don’t need help to reverse onto our site. Our carbon footprint is small. AND … perhaps most importantly – on balance, we’re not a danger on the roads***!!

So what’s the attraction of a big caravan? As far as I can tell they attempt to fully replicate the comforts of home. Because that’s why people travel, isn’t it? To have things exactly the same as at home??

I just don’t get it. Especially when the giant van is a gas-guzzling-overweight-high-energy-and-carbon-emission-difficult-to-manouvre-dangerous-to-drive-potential-lethal-weapon! Which it’s probably not such a good idea to start driving around at a time in your life when your reflexes are deteriorating. Just sayin’!

So here’s why I DON’T want these 10 ‘bonus’ extras I’d get by upgrading to a BIG van:

1. Bathroom and Toilet
Remind me again why spending my holidays cleaning the toilet is such a great idea when there’s a perfectly good amenities block that SOMEONE ELSE CLEANS?? (note – there’s probably nothing much you can say here to convince me!)(but try if you want to!)

2. Big water tanks
Carting 100+ kg of extra weight around when you’re in some of the highest rainfall areas in the country is a good idea because …???

3. Full sized fridge and pantry
Wouldn’t the extra 50+ kilos weight of supplies that I’m towing offset the savings I’ve made by stocking up at a big supermarket?? And no one EVER has enough fridge space! Despite having a full sized fridge in their van, many GN’s also have a portable fridge in their SUV – well, I guess you can never have enough cold beer …

4. Microwave and Barbecue
But I’m on holidays! I cook simple meals, and eat out for a treat! OZ is littered with free public barbecues in the most amazing picnic areas! And … there’s always a bakery if it all gets too hard …

5. Bigger bed
Why, when we’re managing to do everything that needs doing on our current bed??!!

6. Wardrobes
Have a look around in ANY tourist spot and play ‘spot the tourist’. What gives it away? Clothing!! Why not carry a week’s worth of ordinary, easy-care clothes and a couple of items for dress ups? Who needs a wardrobe for that??

7. Bigger lounge & TV
OK, when I’m visiting some of the most beautiful scenery in the world I’m either outside exploring or off on a day trip exploring. Why would I sit inside watching TV?

8. Airconditioning
I’m heading north because it’s cold down south. SO … I use aircon to make it colder than home in winter? Our windows open in any direction to catch the breeze (and we’ve actually got more window space than the average van) or we use a fan. A heater warms up our small space in about 5 minutes.

9. Luxury textures and fittings
Let me get this right. I’m travelling where there’s dust, sand, moisture, salt and/or heat. And I’m going to have a leather lounge? And granite benches?? And wooden cupboards/surfaces??? Yep, perfect for the conditions! AND see #1 re cleaning …

10. Livin’ the Dream
Our rig is devoid of signage (although that might all change if I achieved micronation status) unlike many caravans, whose owners are apparently “Livin’ the Dream”. And if watching TV with a whining pet inside a caravan with aircon on HIGH is livin’ the dream, who am I to argue?

In my opinion, these extra ‘bonuses’ can be a substitute for a) planning ahead; b) adapting to local conditions and c) getting the full benefit of the area you’re in.

And, the $60,000 odd (a fairly modest estimate) we’d save by NOT upgrading would buy a hell of a lot of site fees – actually 2,000 nights @ $30 per night, to be precise! Or halve that and factor in a commensurate number of bakery visits … but I digress!

And my credentials? We’ve experienced what most caravan owners haven’t – having once lived in our camper trailer for a continuous period of 18 months!

Of course I’ve got a long way to go if I decide to secede, and I don’t think I’d be competing with the Principality of Hutt River for it’s status as Australia’s best known micronation – but hey! A girl can dream …

* Weirdly, there’s a whole section about mad Aussies … go figure!!
** Trailer Parks
*** Ok, lots of big rig drivers aren’t either. So how do you tell those who are? Check the van/trailer for scratches, dingles, dents and small pieces of tree – a dead giveaway the driver has no idea of the size of the rig! The acid test is watching them actually reversing or driving around a tight corner …

The post Traveller SHAME Files #5 – The Kitchen Sink! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.