Renmark to Blairgowrie

January 22 to January 29

  

The Murray, Lyrup

Sunday we were deciding where to head to escape the afternoon heat and the predicted 39⁰C for Monday. There is a low cost camp at Lyrup, about 15km out of Renmark, right on the Murray, next to the vehicular ferry. Lyrup is one of the original 12 small agricultural towns which sprang up in 1894, when the SA Government created a communal land system. Lyrup was the site of the first grape plantations for Angove wineries, back in 1914.

South Australian Border, familiar trucking company

This low cost ($5 per night) camp has four power outlets for caravans or motorhomes available, on a first come first served basis, with a maximum three days stay. For the lucky ones, the power outlet is complimentary. We arrived at lunchtime, and were VERY fortunate to secure a powered site. It certainly makes those hot afternoons (2pm to 9pm) a lot more bearable in the air conditioning (I think we’re getting soft).

The mornings were still quite pleasant so we explored the town and walked and cycled the tracks along the Murray, leading to numerous permanent-looking houseboats moored amongst the reeds and willows.

30 Metre high wheat silo mural, Brim

Tuesday we left Lyrup and drove east, having a coffee at the Victorian border as we headed to Mildura. A familiar branded “B” Double parked next to us at the border, check the photo. Once in Mildura we stocked up on essentials and drove to Kings Billabong, a free camping area on the Murray about 10km out of town.

We camped near Psyche Pumps, an important site in the history of the irrigation of the region. In 1877 the Chaffey Brothers purchased the entire “failed” Mildura Irrigation Colony from the state government, and developed a series of pumps and lagoons to lift water from the Murray and irrigate some 33,000 acres. 

Giant Koala, Dadswells Bridge

The Psyche Pumps were the first of the series built, and are still steam operational, being run regularly by the historical group. The region still produces 98% of Australia’s dried vine fruits, 75% of table grapes and 69% of almonds.

Wednesday we drove south through wheat and sheep country for a couple of hundred kilometres, passing through numerous small country towns. We stopped for lunch at Brim, at the lake just out of town. After lunch and a walk around the lake, we decided to stop for the night as it is a low cost camp area, and very peaceful.

As we left on Thursday we stopped at the wheat silos in Brim to admire the mural paintings. Painted last year, they are the first in a series of five rural wheat silo sites which are to be painted and become a tourist drive. As you can see from the photo the 30 metre high artwork is spectacular and the series will become a terrific tourist drawcard.

Hallowed turf, Stawell Athletic Club

We travelled south to Horsham before spending the rest of the day in the Grampians. This rugged mountain range are very popular with rock climbers and bush walkers. We walked the Beehive Falls trail, although the falls were unfortunately dry. We visited the “Giant Koala” at Dadwells Bridge before stopping down the road at Canadian Gully, a pretty lake with abundant birdlife.

Look at those guns!

Friday we visited Stawell, famous for the Stawell Gift professional foot races run every Easter. Central Park and the Stawell Athletic Club Museum were fantastic, with artefacts dating back to the first race in 1877.

From there we drove to Ararat, and visited the Aradale Asylum and J-Ward. Ararat was the home to institutionalised mental patients in Victoria since the mid 1800’s. Aradale was a purpose built township of some 70 buildings to house and treat “the growing number of lunatics in the colony of Victoria” (their words, not mine), while J-Ward was a high security modified jail for the “criminally insane”. Both these institutions were still operating until the late 1990’s. Unfortunately we couldn’t tour Aradale, but did a guided tour of J-Ward. It was both interesting and depressing to hear how they treated mental illness in the not too distant past. Friday night we stopped at a rest stop at Shelford, about 70km from Geelong.

Inside J-Ward, Ararat

Saturday we drove to Geelong and Queenscliff and on to the vehicular ferry to cross to the Mornington Peninsula. We have come this direction to stop in Blairgowrie at Margaret’s for a few days R&R (and chores, mail collection, etc.) before continuing around the coastline.