We left the Clare Valley to drive to the Barossa Valley. The wineries were on a larger scale than the Clare Valley, and we saw a few pine plantations. We saw a sandwich board advertising farm sales of cherries. We bought three kilograms of cherries, knowing that such a treat doesn’t last long in a family of six. Definitely seemed like a good place for slow family travel!
We kept driving; eventually we came to the Murray. We waited to cross the Murray on a car ferry at Walker Flat. We checked the car for coins, wondering how much it was going to cost. We were most surprised to find it was a free service, and then worried about how steep the hill was after we got off the ferry. At the top of the hill, the lookout gave amazing views over the Murray River. The sandstone cliffs on one side and damned floodways on the other made the Mighty Murray seem even bigger than in had at Murray-Kilkayne National Park.
Purnong was further down the Murray, and we camped next to the Murray car ferry there. The middle of the campsite was muddy, and we found out later that it was a water basin, that a motorhome had got stuck in for nearly a week after it had rained while he was camped there. The ferry was a 24 hour service, and Lucy delighted in going over it with Daddy to ride her bike on the other side.
The mosquitoes at the Murray were terribly fierce. Mum and Edmund got eaten alive. As several members of our families swell up in welts, we were terribly swollen and uncomfortable after a few days there.
A severe storm warning was on the Murray, as news came through of catastrophic floods around Queensland. We decided to move to the other side of the river, so as not to be camped so close to a gum tree in a storm. However, the storm passed over Purnong with only a few drops of rain.
It was quite relaxing watching the car ferry move from bank to bank on its pullies. We also watched the house boats cruising along the Murray. It was quite another thing to watch these magnificent boats cruising along the wide, brown river. The deep, rustic horns that sounded as the boats approached the car ferry added to the magic.
At night, thousands of small frogs populated the riverbanks. It was a shame they didn’t eat more of the mosquitoes. Their small brown bodies croaked merrily during the night. On the last night, Dad caught a frog for each kid. Particularly Lucy loved her frog and cherished it all day. When we went to leave, the girls cried bitterly at having to release their frogs.
Latest posts by Amy and Jarrad (see all)
- While in Sydney - January 24, 2013
- Festivals Around the World - January 23, 2013
- Off to Sydney - January 18, 2013
About Amy and Jarrad
