Marg and Simon

Another day at Horseshoe Bend, and we enjoy a lazy start listening to and watching the birdlife go about its business. We have over 30 species counted so far, and we heard a Boobook last night.

It is interesting as we travel this vast country the interconnectivity that exists between states, regions through geology, vegetation, wildlife and historical figures. For example working at Eyre Bird Observatory (EBO) we were immersed in explorer Edward John Eyre’s deeds. The old telegraph station, research station (EBO) and location, Eyre Sandpatch, take their names from this intrepid explorer. And here 1000’s of kilometres away in another state Eyre was very active here as well. The heritage walk around the Wimmera River at Jeparit, just north of us, is named after Eyre. Similarly the Southern Ocean was our constant companion at Eyre and while exploring the Grampians we find the Southern Ocean once washed along the northern and western edges of the range, albeit 40 million years ago and it was the deposition originating from the Grampians and settling upon the Southern Ocean seafloor that became the sediment we walk upon today in the Little Desert NP. From Western Australia to Victoria we have been admiring Donkey Orchids and Caladenias. For months we lived amongst the mallee and just beyond the grand old River Red Gums along the Wimmera River mallee dominates.

We travelled to the Pink Lakes just west of Dimboola, the best we have seen to date, it was pink water and pink salt.

Travelling further south we visited Keith Hateley Nature Walk (Little Desert National Park) and walked a short trail admiring, and photographing of course the wildflowers. orchids galour. An active Mallee Fowl nest was also found.

Back to camp. Relaxing enjoying the warmth, A beautiful starry night.

It’s cool this morning but no rain. We head off to the MacKenzie Falls, this is a short walk providing excellent views and ample access to the wildflowers many of them orchids. The wildflowers are just beautiful and abundant. We see wallabies and the stand out bird was the Gang-gang Cockatoo.

It’s then a quick drive to Horsham to restock and have lunch. A friendly town with plenty of services.

Then onto Dimboola, a good community who have provided an interesting walk and bike way around the Wimmera River. The information Centre provided excellent information and service.

Camp tonight is The Horseshoe Bend Campground in Little Desert National Park on a meandering section of the Wimmera River. The campsite is quiet, plenty of native birds and it’s in a tiny section of the park not burnt out in Dec 24 / Jan 25. Just about all of the National Park to the west of here was devastated by those bushfires started by a dry lightning strike.

It rained most of the night but we woke to a chorus of birds and sunshine. We had breakfast accompanied by many Musk Lorikeets then ventured off to find dormant volcanoes and other geological features. Travelling through scenic farmland and steep hills, we are glad to see that many farmers have kept their ancient eucalypts on their properties, they are wildlife condominiums.

We find another memorial to Adam Lindsay Gordon a poet, and seems his horsemanship is respected and recorded as well.

It’s waterfalls today, Wannon and Negritta Falls on the Wannon River are both worthy of a visit, rain has meant there is a reasonable flow over the falls.

Lunch is at Hamilton and, like many country towns it seems to be struggling so any money that can be put back into these communities must help.

The last geological feature is the Grampians Mountains they are an awesome sight as we approach them. Magnificent peaks and cliffs. Parts of the park have been badly damaged by bushfires Dec 24 / Jan 25 but we still found Sundew flowers and Orchids as we walk the track to the Silverband Falls just south of Halls Gap.

Lots of exploring to do today.

Our first stop is the Blue Lake and other volcanic features. A massive caldera thankfully quiet, and is beautiful and blue. This caldera is fed by rainfall and the local water table. The lake has been providing potable water for the town since 1884. The neighbouring silent volcanoes are interesting to explore, alive with bird life and the Valley Lake has a conservation area electrically fenced off and protected from ferals, while kangaroos, wallabies, Bettongs, Potoroos and Bandicoot live within the compound, a real asset to the region and a safe haven for local wildlife and flora. Plenty of information boards around the lakes explaining the local characters of the region, Adam Lindsay Gordon, an outstanding horseman and poet was one. One of his poems to remember is, “Life is mostly froth and bubble, Two things stand like stone: Kindness in another’s trouble, Courage in your own.” His bust was placed in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey

Second stop is the information centre, very helpful and friendly staff, and it has a good display centre. The stories about the Lady Nelson are worth noting, she is considered one of the most important ships in Australia’s early history. This ship incorporated new technology, a centre board-keel. There are displays about volcanic activity in this region and fossils, great stuff to read.

It’s then off to visit sink holes and more dormant volcanoes. The Little blue Lake is a popular swimming hole but still a beautiful body of water providing a window into the water table. A quick visit to Mt Schank was fortuitous as we encounter many Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos feeding on the seeds found within the female cone of the exotic pine, Pinus Radiata. This volcano erupted 4,500 years ago meaning indigenous people likely witnessed the volcanism in this region. Mt Schank also reminded us how badly returned soldiers were treated, governments are happy to send the defence forces to fight battles but fail to adequately meet the cost of helping them when they return. Perhaps all governments need to factor those post war costs into their budgets before considering war as a diplomatic option, maybe it might encourage a softer diplomatic approach.

We explore the Port MacDonnell Coastline, very picturesque and popular with tourists. The Southern Ocean is sending forth huge breakers pounding the cliffs and adjacent islands. At Cape Northumberland at the ruins of the old lighthouse we could see seals and again plenty of coastal birds.

Ewen’s ponds are crystal clear you can see fish and water plants arising from the pond floor. Piccaninnie Ponds are equally magical but areas below the water disappear into darkness leading to discussion about how many water caverns are there that we don’t see as we drive and walk about this region. The sink holes are also the home of many unique and threatened species.

We walk to the beach where Piccaninnie Ponds flows into the ocean, this is the last time we will see the Southern Ocean for a while. The habitat here supports the Orange-bellied Parrot.

It’s a quick stop at the Umpherston Sinkhole (Balumbal) in town, a great asset to Mt Gambier and popular with locals and tourists.

We are back on the road again, It’s been great to spend time with family and friends unfortunately, we have missed seeing some, but it provides a good reason to be come back again soon.

The hills are beautiful, as good late winter rain has greened up the paddocks and combined with the majestic ancient eucalypts some hundreds of years old it paints a beautiful landscape.

We have visited local parks and historic sites including the old gold mining sites, Jupiter Creek near Echunga.

The old Bridgewater mill with its water wheel is a starting point for a number of pleasant bush walks where some native vegetation rehabilitation is underway, and wildlife is returning. Most notable species was the Rakali, Hydromys chrysogaster.

Tonight we are camped on the Murray River at Wellington, it has a good caravan park and one of the oldest country hotels in South Australia, the food was plentiful and tasty.

The days continue to be wonderful, a quick walk to the beach then off following the coastline along the western side of the Eyre Peninsula.

First stop is the Granites, Smooth Pool, then Fisherman Paradise and Yanerbie all beautiful coastline. We stop at Sceale Bay for a break and then onto the Seal Colony located at Point Labatt. The drive along Baird Bay is quiet and very picturesque.

We watched a pod of dolphins surf the big waves, they look like they were having fun.

Seagrass along this coast particularly in protected waters is very productive and we note many shorebirds feeding amongst washed up seagrass.

Final stop is Port Lincoln visiting family, we are offline until October.

A beautiful morning with waves breaking on the rocky reef, we sighted an Osprey on the nest with young situated on Mexican Hat (rocky island outcrop). Seals and dolphins patrolling the outer surf line with the seals moving into the inshore lagoon, all wonderful to see.

Onto Fowlers Bay, another beautiful remote coastal community we see a Wood Sandpiper tail feeding around the sabkahs. Whales use this bay, but it’s also important to shorebirds and seals. As we have seen in the past the beach is amply covered with washed up seagrass, great for small critters and therefore great for birds.

Back on the road and through Ceduna then to our camp site at Tractor Beach, south of Streaky Bay. There are only a few campers, plenty of migratory shorebirds, likely young Sanderlings who haven’t flown north for the nesting season but should soon be joined by their parents and others returning back to Australia. The interesting isolated stacks and headlands are also accompanied by equally interesting geology.