Murray Bridge.
We stayed at the marina caravan park to catch up on washing, shopping and got the van tyre fixed.
As the name suggests this place is where a bridge crosses the murray river, most other places in SA do not have bridges across the murray river, they have car ferries. The SA government runs free to use car and truck ferries across . This is a 24 hour everyday service, taking 8-12 cars or a couple of longer vehicles at a time.
Our first car ferry with the van. We have crossed rivers on car ferries in QLD and Tasmania with this car but never towing the caravan. We end up crossing back and forth a few times as each place we visit is on opposite sides of the river, fun.
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Our first ferry is at Mannum , we went to see the falls , then to walk around the Mary Anne bird sanctuary. The Mannum visitor centre was closed for renovations so we did not get to see the paddle steamer Marion built in 1900 nor did we get to walk around the dock museum or the Randell dry dock built in 1876 for paddle steamers.We got photos from outside the gate, its a shame we would have liked to have a look and we may never be back this way.
Never mind we go on to Swanreach , across on the ferry and spend the night on the banks of the river.

There are also a series of locks along the river , built between 1920-1930 to make the south Australian section of the Murray river permanently passable. These were first used by paddle steamers to transport cargo, supplies, but are now used also by recreational craft.
Lock 1- The first lock from the river mouth is in Blanchtown. We went and had a look. Blanchtown is 138 km away from Adelaide.
Not far away is Brookfield conservation park a breeding ground for southern hairy nose wombats.
You drive around this park then walk, we had the van in tow so had to leave it at the first widest part of the track as it would not fit under or between trees. We did not do too much walking as it was very cold and wet.
The park covers 5534 hectares with just over half closed to the public where scientists and researchers study and protect the Wombats, fan tailed Dunarts and vulnerable Mallee fowl. The park has Red & Grey Kangaroos, Emu,many reptiles, 4 species of bat and many birds all through it all are protected.

Cadell
This is a citrus growing area it also has a wetland with bird hides and walking tracks. This area attacts ornithologists from all over. We were going to stay in thery camp ground at the sports ground but it was pouring with rain and keeping the birds hiding and it was to wet to walk so a decision was made to use this time to travel on to Burra. We could not see or do anything so why not use the time to get to somewhere we wanted to be .
This was a conservation park called Red Rocks just outside of Burra.

 
Red Banks
 
Palaeontologists say this area is a rich site for fossils as up until 65000years ago it was home to Diprotodons, a huge marsupial often likened to a giant wombat, that weighed between 1-2 tonnes. We walk the trail were they walked up and down gullies and hills and creek beds.
We spent a very wet night here on our own, no other campers. The only thing we found in camp to keep us company was an Echidna we named Ernie.

 

We moved on to Mt Remarkable National park for a couple of days, it had more people they as it was the weekend and close to Port Augusta. A shame we would have liked less company but wanted to see this area. We spent hours out walking the trails of the area.
Mt Remarkable stands 960m with red quartzite gorges, grassy woodlands and Mambray creek where our camp ground is. It has flush toilets and hot showers , you just need to have paid your park and camping fees. We did this at the start of our time in SA so we did not have to worry and it works cheaper to pay upfront for a few months .

 
We managed to get a radio station and heard the weather, where we are heading ,Port Lincoln has been having storms and flash floods in the area. We are heading this way to follow the coast around to Ceduna instead of going across country. We might get to see the whales on the way.

We only stop at Port Augusta to get fuel and then go on to Whyalla.
Whyalla
formally known as Hummock hill renamed in 1914 This was a departure port for iron ore discovered not far away in Iron Knob in 1901. It know has a large steel works and a Shale oil refining place that produces LPG.
We are here as when we were in this area 2 years ago to dive with the great White sharks and swim with Dolphins and the Tuna in Port Lincoln, we were to snorkel with the Giant Cuttlefish. Well they did not turn up for breeding in mass numbers for a couple of years but they are back this year .So we will spend the night out at Point Lowly for $5.00 a night and go snorkelling.
We call into the dive shop to hire thicker wet suits than our ¾ things. They fit us out with what we need especially me who feels the cold more. I get a thicker wet suit with hood, we both get strech body suits then wet suits, hood, gloves and boots and bigger flippers than ours to combat the waves and currents. Look at photo after I have been in and am so cold.
Because it takes so long to get dressed and we have to try on in dive shop we leave everything on and walk to carpark and drive out to where the cuttlefish are found.This is along side the fence line for the LPG producing plant along a dirt road with the caravan in tow as it too hard to do to much with all this stuff on.
 
 
A word about these Giant Cuttlefish.
They live for only 18months,breed in this time if they have matured enough if not may live for another season. They have 8 arms used for grabbing, moving, & camouflage.
2 feeding tentacles which can be used to strike at prey at amazing speed. 3 Hearts
No external shell just porous internal shell called cuttle. Can produce ink when threatened.
What they are really known for is the fantastic colour shows of dotted patterns and shapes using their skin as a canvas.They continually change colour and pulsate the dots to communicate and camouflage themselves.Their brains can change the background colour to match the sand or weed, or to display one colour on one side to a female and another to on the otherside to any rival males.
They can change at lightening speed its fun to watch. They are only here in June and July when the ocean temperature drops to 17deg c and the salinity [ salt] is not to high.
The cold water gradually gets through the wetsuit and I begin to feel cold ,we are in the water for 45 minutes and see lots of cuttlefish and their displays. We get out and I am so glad we have the van with us as we turned the gas hot water heater on just before we got in the water and can now have hot showers and a hot cup of soup for late lunch.


We take the van to camping spot not far from Point Lowly lighthouse. After a couple of hours decide we will get back in the water as we have unhooked the van it easy drive down there. I can not get a wet cold wetsuit back on so I will just watch as larry goes in again. While watching I see a couple of big fins, not fish but dolphins in to have a feed. I got worried at first until I relized what they were.

 
In the morning before moving we walk upto the lighthouse for a look.