Probus members, plus friends & soon to be friends – a total of 28 set off from Wheelers Hill at 7:30 am. Our first stop for morning tea was at Malmsbury ( a place we have got to know well) where there is a pretty pond with lots of ducks & geese – well worth a stop if you are passing.
Lunch was at the Swan Hill RSL – a great 3 course feast – the first of too much food over the next 9 days. Berri Resort was our first night stop – it really set the standard for the rest of the tour. It is situated on the Murray River with many house boats & an ideal place for water skiers. Next day we feasted on Cornish Pasties for lunch at the old copper mining town of Burra where we were conducted on a tour of the historical Cornish mining town by Janet from the Tourist Information Centre. Then on through Horrocks Pass to Port Augusta for our next 2 nights.
Friday was a busy day with a visit to the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens & the Wadlata Centre showing our passing of time
from hundreds of thousands of years ago to present day – a great informative centre. The day finished with a sunset
dinner cruise aboard the vessel “Champagne” – plenty of drink, music & fun.
Next morning we boarded the Afghan Express Steam Train for a two hour ride to Quorn our bus crew had a scrumptious lunch
waiting for us before heading off to Leigh Creek, stopping for a rest at the Parachilna Hotel for a cold beer, coffee
or home made ice cream & viewing of their art gallery. The menu here listed all sorts of “Feral Food” such
as crocodile, emu, kangaroo & snake.
On the road again we visit the Leigh Creek Coal Mine for a mine tour, a BBQ lunch at the Copley Hotel, then on to the remote village of Arkaroola. (run by Doug Sprigg, the son of the renowned geologist, Reg Sprigg, who converted the old sheep station to the tourist resort it is today. The gravel road across to Arkaroola crosses several deep creek crossings & floodways which presented a serious challenge for our bus driver. (Ivan was not impressed!) At Arkaroola, many braved the cool night to view the heavens from their large Astronomical Observatory.
Next morning was one of the tour highlights where 14 brave Probians took their famous 4WD Ridge Top Tour, traveling up & down over some really rough tracks to reach the summit known as Sillers Lookout with 360 deg views across the Gammon Ranges & out to Lake Frome (simply beautiful!)
After lunch our intrepid driver took to the road again, heading south back to the Wilpena Pound Resort. We had to detour back to the highway at Copley as the direct route was unsuitable for the bus. With ideal weather, most of us took to the air in 4 seater Cessnas for a spectacular view of the Wilpena Pound & Flinders Ranges. Several of the group chose walking the many beautiful scenic walking tracks or 4WD options through many of the gorges in the area – all worthwhile! Karin Wolf celebrated her birthday in the evening with a gigantic birthday cake provided by Group Travel Marketing along with a few casks of wine for Father’s Day.
Now on the way home via the Clare Valley, we visited the Sevenhill Jesuit Winery where most of us chose to purchase some samples. Overnight at Clare, then a morning visit to Martindale Hall mansion where “Picnic at Hanging Rock” was filmed. Lunch was aboard the Murray River Queen paddle steamer at Waikerie, then back to Wentworth for our last overnight stop before traveling home for the last day. Apart from a flat tyre on one of the 4WD tours & a flat tyre on the bus, the holiday went without a hitch. Our thanks go to Group Travel Marketing & their representatives, Ivan the Coach Captain & Helen our hostess, for a great holiday.