Hydro Electricity Scheme
Snowy Mountains

Freebie at Allen's Flat near
Beechworth Victoria

Morgan on Murray River

Hancock's Lookout Near
Wilmington in South Australia

German Tourist
Traveling Australia

Crab Catch Cowell

We departed Newcastle on Friday 30^th December 2005 making our way down the Pacific highway to Panania where we stayed with our friends Garry and Sue for a few days. It was good catching up with them both and their children. Sue, Michelle and Helen went to the movies one afternoon to keep cool from the 47^o degree temperatures that we experienced whilst in Sydney. It was that hot and constant that we could not get our caravan fridge temperature below 20^o, so we had to unload everything into Garry and Sue's fridge to save our supplies.

After leaving Sydney we traveled down the Hume highway in drizzling rain which was a great relief from the heat in Sydney We called into Berrima for a short break. Helen thought it was a quaint little town with lots of craft and antique shops. We then returned to the Hume Highway where we traveled through Goulburn and turned off to head to Queanbeyan, Cooma and then onto Jindabyne. We camped on Lake Jindabyne for a night and then the next morning we visited the Tourist information Centre where we gathered some brochures on the area. We walked around the town and shops before leaving for Thredbo. We could see Australia's highest mountain, Mount Kosciusko. After leaving Thredbo we traveled along the Alpine way to Corryong where we stopped for a short break. The road was quite narrow, steep and very windy but very scenic. We were in first gear a lot to get up the hills and first gear to hold us back getting down the hills.
We made it to Allen's Flat Reserve late afternoon where we set up camp for the night next to a lake where a fairly brisk breeze was blowing keeping the temperatures down.

Well we are on the road again heading to Beechworth which is a lovely historic town which has kept it's heritage character with a lot of old buildings restored to how they used to be. Beechworth is a very neat and tidy town with lots of old shade trees. Beechworth is probably best known for its Bakery and it's old timer lolly shop. Alan can vouch for both he gave them  both a working over.

From Beechworth we traveled on through Wangaratta, Benalla, Sheparton, Mooroopna where we went to SPC Ardmona factory outlet and then onto Echuca. While staying at Chris and Ian's lovely new home at Echuca, we went to the local speedway one night at Moama which was a good night.
We left Chris and Ian's on the 6th January 2006 and traveled on through Kerang, Swan Hill, Mildura, and Renmark where we stayed at a freebie with many other vans on the banks of the Murray River.

Saturday 7th January on we go passing through the towns of Waikerie, Morgan a small town on the banks of the Murray River very popular with water skiers, Burra, Terowie, Peterbough, Orroroo, where we received news that our mates dad had passed away, a sad night ahead. After stopping and getting our thoughts together we traveled onto Wilmington and camped the night at Hancock's Lookout. Hancocks Lookout over looked Port Augusta, Port Pirie and Whyalla. You could see those towns lights at night.

We arrived at Cowell on the Eyre Peninsular Sunday about 2.30pm 7^th January 2006.  We will stop at Cowell for 6 weeks catching Blue Swimmer crabs.

On one of our scenic drives we came across a German tourist traveling around Australia by camel and wagon with his dog. He was on his way to Port Lincoln.

Alan & Helen's Links