We then continued on to Arno Bay where we set up with our vans on the waters edge looking out to the Ocean & Jetty...very nice. We can see a number of huge tanks out to sea where they place Tuna so as to fatten them up, these tanks are 80m or 120m wide. This caravan park has owners who look after their occupants with a number of different activities, fish cookups, pancake brekky's etc during the week. After lunch the Fab Four went for a walk out to the boardwalk, this is a walkway that meanders through mangroves and mudflats. It is by far the best walkway we have seen & walked, with a number of areas offset for fishing & seating.
It also heads out to the mouth of the river, we saw a number of good size fish within the Estuary but we are unsure what type they are..could be a type of Tuna. Here we saw Tezza, who is also staying here & he caught one Whiting. We then walked back to our sites for arvo drinks. The park also has its own coax cable connection which is great for us as we don't have to get out our antenna. TUESDAY 27 MARCH...Rans went for a walk into town & then the Fab Four went for a drive north stopping off at Red Banks, a nice area looking over some steep red banks...,we then continued on to Pt Gibbon.
There is a small, nice free camp ground here and also a jetty but again seaweed in 2-3m height and 5m depth. We drove to the local lookout for morning tea and saw what at first we thought was shark but turned out to be a dolphin. We then drove to Cowell passing 4 bunkers from WWII that also had 32m towers which have since been removed. This is also a nice town with 2 van parks, there is also a nice park down near the Jetty/boat ramps where we had lunch. The girls wanted to have a look down the main street & go to the local Op Shop but just as they got to the door... it had closed for the day, bummer !...12md. (Oh ! did the boys cop it, as though it was their fault for it closing!!) This town is close to the Hwy and would be a good place to stop, also here, is large Oyster Farms with so many oysters to buy... We then headed towards Cleve which is inland, stopping at the local weir, where there is not much water but another small nice campground. We then drove to Cleve where there is another free campground in town, this town looks like the pastoral towns of western NSW. We returned to the van park where we caught up with Di for arvo drinks/nibbles. WEDNESDAY 28 MARCH.......Rans received a text mess from Brett during the nite asking for Dads DOB so we just thought it was to tell someone at work....but it wasn't, as he rings this morning telling us that he was assaulted last nite at work & ended up in hospital with his knee in a brace. He was kicked by this bloke he chased and caught... the bloke is really small & everyone at work was giving him heaps...been taken out by a jockey!! Looks like he will be off work for sometime as its swollen heaps & pain full, needs a MRI to see what damage has been done... So here we are in S.A with Mum & Dad worried but he has some good Dr's...Dr's Jacque, Dr Jade & Nurse Adam. After breakie the Fab Four headed back to Red Banks for a fish. We pulled up and some local was having a cuppa & he said its a great spot for fishing & you will easily catch some...well he doesn't know our 2 boys....Rans Nil & John 1, which was just bigger than his bait.( the seagulls don't even hang around cause they know they won't get anything there !!). It was a good couple of hrs though, saw 2 dolphins swim by & Rans saw a Ray. After lunch the 3 girls had their hair done..with all grey gone.....for now. It was baked dinner nite with Lamb & Pork...yummy.. Bloody Beautiful.
THURSDAY 29 MARCH ....The Bewells headed off early this morning as they had to put van in for repairs from that accident last year. We headed off along with the Butlers towards Whyalla with us saying goodbye to them at the detour to Whyalla. We will probably not see them now for a while. We reached the van park which has nice views out into Spencer Gulf, we set up with the Bewells having a cuppa before heading into town to put their car in for a service. We then had some lunch at a cafe & then went for a drive around the sites of the town including the 2 lookouts with Hummock Hill giving us great views of the Gulf, the Steel Works & foreshores, we had a drive around the Mariner before heading back for drinks & dinner. Brett is doing OK.
FRIDAY 30 MARCH 12..HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM....HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT DAY SONxxxxx Today Rans puts his car in for a service & then we went for a drive nth to Fitzgerald Bay including the Lighthouse at Pt Lowly. The water here is the best so far in Sth Aust. There are a number of free camping spots along the water here, all the way down to the end of Fitzgerald Bay.
We also went for a walk through the Mt Laura Homestead which had so much old machinery, household wares etc, it was really interesting. We then returned and went & did shopping with Rans giving Woolies Liquor a good workout!! , returned for unpacking groceries, which took hrs & put away somewhere in the van...Mrs Rans does a good job. Some drinks whilst watching 2 games of footy. SAT 31 MARCH 12.....This morning Rans looks at getting a new TV antenna or pole but after a couple of hours looking etc we decide to stick to the same, then did some shopping before heading back for arvo, catching up on blog, paperwork etc. We also finalised our next part of our trip to Kurrumba...looks good.
SUN 1 APRIL 12...End of daylight savings. We headed off towards Port Augusta with us now doing a full circle as we were here on the 8th June last year or 9 mths or 297days ago!! We drove through Port Augusta coming to the Mt Remarkables Nat Park. The sites here are all a good size with fresh water & hot showers. It is a bit pricey for a Nat Park but they all seem to be going like that. After setting up we decided to go on a walk through one of the Gorges to Sugargum Lookout. 
The walk was 8km return with the last 500m very steep, well what a sight when we got to the lookout.....you couldn't see a thing for the growth of the trees, typical Nat Parks....wont cut down a tree !! not happy Jan !, anyway the walk was nice passing an old hut and seeing some Yellow Tailed Roos. enjoyed the beer when we returned & the shower. YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT BUT AFTER 10MTHS CAROL HAS SERVICE with OPTUS HERE BUT RANS DOESN'T ON HIS TELSTRA PHONE.... 
MON 2 APRIL...Us 2 get up and went for a walk up to another lookout which was fantastic, with great views up into the valleys, out into the Spencer gulf seeing across to Whyalla & also down onto our campsite, & it was only 2.5km return. We all then went for a drive to do the loop around the Remarkables/Flinders. We headed through the Pass coming to the turn off for Horrocks Lookout, so we drove out through the bush for 7km and came to a wonderful lookout which had great views of the Spencer Gulf. It is also a free camp spot which would be great. We then continued onto Wimington, then drove out to Alligator Gorge, a steep drive down to the carpark where there are 2 walks to lookouts & one through the gorge. A lovely area but just a lookout, not too exciting. We then headed to Melrose. This a great small country town with nic nac stores, a wonderful War Monument set in the bush, a big cheap camp area out at the showground and well kept gardens where we had lunch.
We then continued sth through Murray Town & onto Port Germain. Here they have the longest wooden jetty in Aus with it being 1.7km long, so from the carpark we walked 2ks out & 2 back. The tidal water was also a long way out & does come all the way back in the shoreline.
The walk was well worth it for the boys as there were 4 white pointers out near the end of the jetty.....No not the biting ones!! Young European Girls !! Just as we alomost got back to the end of the wharf Di & Terry arrived, it was lovely to see them again, so we spoke to them for a few minutes before heading off, but we were all so hot from the walk as it was 34deg we stopped at the pub for some beers & squash. We then made our way back to the site, but it was a very hot arvo with all campers complaining about the heat & the flies. So it was all doors/windows open tonight. TUES 3 APRIL.....We packed up & headed off towards Petersborough stopping at the huge Gum Tree at Orroroo for a photo shoot.
We then stopped at Petersborough for fuel lotto etc before stopping at Yunta for lunch. We then continued onto a free camp spot just outside Olary beside the Hwy & Railway but it had shade. The Indian Pacific came through later in the arvo & gave us a blast. The flies here were bad but it will be that way for a while now worse luck. The night was pleasant except for lots trucks flying past but we still slept OK.
WED 4 APRIL.....Headed off entering back into NSW a big "yippy !" from the girls over the two way. Arrived at Broken Hill & set up, then headed down to wash car, then we went to the shopping centre & we ran into Hully's mum Terri would you believe !. We then had lunch at same cafe as 307 days ago, then done some last minute shopping as there aren't too many Woolies for a while, though a few IGA's.Rans went for a walk to the local cemetry & saw Pro Hart's grave.
We have really noticed how green the outback has become since our last time here after all that lovely rain they had, even though places around the area are still in flood, it must be relief for all the hard working farmers. We will say goodbye for now & catch up with another blog soon. We are getting closer to home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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