Sat, 9th Apr, 2016 Davenport Creek Back Beach carpark to Cohen Rest Area, near Penong, SA (Cactus Beach & Point Sinclair)

Lovely sunrise through the clouds – a bit chilly outside as it was 16 degrees in the van.

Back up the good dirt road to the good dirt Denial Bay Road heading to Penong. My map said straight ahead though there was a turn off that said Eyre Highway 11km so we kept going straight. Unfortunately the road was not as maintained but we got there in the end. Drove into Penong and parked at the ‘being developed’ Windmill Museum. They have used gypsum for the road, which is mined around here.

Lots of windmills here.

Some of the locals decided to save the windmills that provided them with water all these years and are now being replaced by solar powered pumps. The Museum is due to open in September this year.

Each one has a plaque telling its history.

The Comet is huge.

The shelter shed looks like it was made from an old windmill too.

Drove back to the picnic area for a cuppa. Heaps of other vans had pulled up on the roadside. One couple just came back and hooked their van up. They had been down to Cactus Beach and said it was easier to go down without the van unless we want to camp there which is $15/person/night!!

Checked out the info in the picnic area. Lots of great photos too.

Unhooked the van and headed down the road we had just come into town on thinking that was the way to Cactus Beach, according to my map!! Got down the road and realised it was the salt and gypsum mines. Looking over part of the Cheetham Salt Mine.

A big gate stopped us going any further. The gypsum mine covers are huge area.

Put ‘girlie’ on then and headed back into town. Stopped at the town entrance to check out more windmills.

Through town past where we had left the van then we turned off to Cactus Beach. The road was pretty good. Passed all the gypsum piled up in rows behind a wall of top soil.

Next was Lake McDonnell, a salt lake which looked very pink today in one direction but blue in the other reflection the sky.

Great sand dunes behind the lake.

Turned into Cactus Beach camp area and beach access car park. This area is a surfer’s paradise and is privately owned.

Walked out the boardwalk to check out the surf. Lots of people waiting for the best wave.

A few more were out front and more down the other way.

Walked down the path to the beach edge – not a nice sandy beach area.

There is a surfer in that wave somewhere.

Drove further down the road to Point Sinclair and Port Le Hunte jetty. Narrow road down.

Nice picnic area, even two comfy chairs for us to rest in while we eat our lunch.

Part of the old wooden trucks that carried the wheat bags down the jetty to be loaded.

Someone has been planting lots of nice plants under the sandstone cliffs.

A sad story of a young boy taken by a white pointer. The swimming enclosure has now been installed.

Some more information further along the jetty.

Grabbed our rods as another Qld couple had just caught a whiting.

Steve caught 3 KG whiting before I managed to get a yellow fin whiting. Lots of other annoying little fish too eating our prawns. Enough for dinner tonight. Steve filleted the fish down near the boat ramp area where there were some planks near the water – he was not happy when a wave came up and got him. Lots of sea grass here too.

He threw the carcasses in the water and then a couple of sting rays moved in to clean up the scraps.

The remains of the ‘Cecelia’.

Up the top of the hill looking over the rocky cliffs then around to the white sand dunes.

Back to the campground which is tucked into the shrubbery with more dunes in the background.

Passed Penong School.

Lots of road train trucks zooming by as we hook up the van again. Had a cuppa then went around to the Windmills Par 4 golf tee. Got out our two clubs and a couple of balls.

Check out my style.

Oops missed the ball – so I moved it closer to the edge!! It went flying.

Steve’s go.

He went into the ‘rough’, I got it nearly to those trees in the middle.

He got it out but then hit a tree on the next hit.

Next hit (8^th one) got it closer to the green.

The Windmills.

I got it onto the green but then it went straight off the other side. Then I managed to get it to stay on the green.

Steve got his to stay on after his second attempt. We were having a great laugh.

Now for the putt into the hole.

We both got it in two goes so we did the Par 4 in 14!! Not bad for non-players.

Headed west again passed the old Woolshed but it was after 4 so we missed checking out the Museum. 11 km up the road passed the site of the Cohen School was a big rest area well back from the road. Found a spot for the night. Flat farm land on the other side of the fence.

Yummy whiting for dinner, and enough for a 2^nd night too. Quiet night with just the occasional truck zooming by.