Fri, 5th Feb, 2016 Showgrounds RV Park, Murray Bridge, SA (exploring the Lower Lakes and Coorong)

Lovely sunny morning, 22 degrees and no wind. There is a high over SA so we should get a few nice days now. Drove into town for fuel and gas.

Down the west side of the Murray, on the river flats, to Wellington.

Stopped beside the old Court House next to the ferry for a cuppa. Chatted with three couples touring on motorbikes heading to Tassie. A plaque about the gold transported in the 1850s.

Found another River Boat Trail sign, needing a clean too.

The old and new ferries.

Flood level post – 1956 up the top and 1931 at the bottom.

The brick wall built to stop the shifting sands in the old days.

The original bell used to summon the ferry.

Downstream a bit the Murray River enters to the top of Lake Alexandrina.

Onto the ferry – cute little sparrow.

Upstream.

Nearly across – the old ferry landing next to the new one.

Stopped to check out the info booths just after we got off the ferry – one for each area around here.

Today’s tour area. 

Back onto the Princes Highway that we came down to Tailem Bend on yesterday. Sand hills in the distance.

Turned off the highway to run along the southern end of Lake Alexandrina. Passed a group of old buildings set down by the lake edge. Just after that was this great view at the crest of a hill.

No trees around here.

Just before the Narrung ferry was Point Malcolm lighthouse – Australia’s only inland lighthouse. Seven metres tall and opened in 1878 and operated til 1931.

The old buildings we saw were Poltalloch Station.

Walked up the track to the lighthouse – someone is watching us.

The house is being renovated but we can walk around the lighthouse.

Great view around over Lake Alexandrina, over the ferry crossing to The Narrows at the start of Lake Albert.

Our truck down beside the reeds.

A few carp mucking around the rocks below us.

Back to the truck and onto the ferry. Only a small one called Pelican, each one has a river bird’s name. Aptly named as there are lots around.

Looking through the Narrows into Lake Albert.

Nice free camp area near the ferry.

Through the little township of Narrung to Raukkan – birthplace of David Unaipon, inventor and author, whose image, along with the mission church of Raukkan, appears on the AUD $50 note.

The Point McLeay Mission Church was built in 1868 and has been restored and is still in use. There is a gallery with historical photos next door but it was closed.

Up on the cliff top was a monument to Captain Sturt, 1830, erected by descendants of the Lower Murray Tribes in 1930.

Down to the lake edge where the old jetty was.

Across the lake to Point Sturt.

Back to Narrung then turned south-west towards Loveday Bay – white sandhills in the distance on the Younghusband Peninsula.

No road into the bay so we headed down to Mark Point in the Coorong National Park for lunch. Cold and windy so ate lunch in the car with a beautiful view but a bit smelly with the decaying seaweed.

Continued further west along the edge of the water past a commercial fisherman’s camp, ‘Rumbellows’. He has lots of friends!!

End of the road just before Pelican Point – easy to see how it got its name. Zoomed in on all the pelicans. The Tauwitchere Barrage further on has a hand operatred lock. It is the longest barrage too.

Back along the road to Mark Point again then we followed the bush track through the campsites.

Stopped at one which is out on a point – very smelly here and a couple of dead pelicans too. Walked out onto the point for a view further east along the Coorong then across to the white sand which looked spectacular against the blue sky and water.

A bit further along was an old water soak, windmill, reservoir and trough.

Map of this area.

Passed a lot of fishermen huts as we headed down to Long Point. Looking west then over the huts.

East – the Coorong goes for miles. Good jetty here in another of the National Park camp areas.

Back up Long Point Road to the main road and around the southern end of Lake Albert. Lots of dairy farms. All the locals waved as they drove by – very friendly.

Stopped at Meningie on the edge of Lake Albert which was established as a staging post and service centre for the surrounding graziers. Serviced by paddle-steamers from Milang, it formed part of the original Adelaide-Melbourne coastal route used by the early stage coaches.

Had a cuppa under the picnic shelter – we gave it a 10 out of 10 rating for the way it was built, giving shade on one side and open on the other depending what you want – we wanted sun!! The picnic table and chairs were curved making the table a very comfortable backrest as we looked out over the lake.

A bird watching platform. The pelicans liked it too.

Into town to the Lions Jubilee Park. Ants Redgum Gallery, Millicent carved this tree in August 2015.

Another River Boat Trail board. The last one!! They have been great to read.

A plaque on a rock to remember four airmen killed when their plane crashed into Lake Albert while they were training.

An unusual escape vehicle for bushranger John Francis Peggotty in the late 1800s. His body and the gold is somewhere in the sandhills of the Coorong. Maybe Steve should get out it detector!!

The Pelican Path is a collection of post with information about the history of the area and the Lower Lakes and the River Murray.

Continued around to the War Memorial area – great mural.

Drove up to the lookout. Bit hazy to get a good photo over the lake.

South towards the Coorong National Park.

Onto Princes Highway as we head north again. Stopped at Pink Lake just beside the road. This salt lake is coloured by the red-orange pigment beta carotene in the water. The colour didn’t come out in the photo as good as it was to the eye.

Just as we headed off from the lookout a snake slithered across the road. First one we have seen for a long time – thank goodness. There are only two types around here.

Headed back up through Tailem Bend. Two full days exploring the bottom end of the River Murray to finish off our 3 months excursion. Has been wonderful.

Back in time for happy hour – chatted with our neighbours for a while. One chap asked if I was having ‘sky wine’ – he explained that at a winery when the kids want to try a wine he gives them sky wine – water!!

The Sprintcar World Series are on tonight at the speedway so we are all listening to the roaring engines – Steve said he could hear F500s as well. Can’t believe it has been a month since we were with the Underwoods at speedway.

All quiet by 10.30pm. The wind has died down too – a bit warmer tonight.