Tuesday, February 12, 2008

K.I., The Coorong &Southern Ports of S.A.

Kangaroo Island



Apart from a few burnt bits, Kangaroo Island has superb scenery.




Including many beautiful beaches.





There is plenty of wildlife and you can get right up close to:





Penguins,









Sea lions,








And about every other type of Australian animal.








Sometimes too close.










This pony ride turned into a gallop, but Josh hung on.










Most importantly! Chloe made a new friend called Jesse











The boys went fishing












And came up trumps, thanks to Josh.













The Coorong
















The Coorong is a huge lagoon at the mouth of the Murray but much of it was dry due to the drought.
















The drought meant we could get across to the dunes on the ocean side,

















Where we camped


















The Prado took on the massive dunes




















Without getting bogged






















And the beach too.






















Mount Gambier and the Southern Ports












Mount Gambier is close to the border – not a lot there except the Blue Lake – which is seriously blue.












Piccaninny Ponds and Ewen Ponds. These ponds are phenomenally clear and provide for a great dive. But they are very cold (15 degrees).
















The towns around the southern ports haven’t changed much in 150 years – which is kind of cute.












They are also crayfish heaven- although sadly, when we were there, it was too rough to dive badluck Craig.











The Blounts floating like corks in a salt lake that is 7 times saltier than the sea.














Coastal reefs (probably full of crayfish) around Beachport and Robe.














With little restrictions to 4wd’ing (unlike Victoria) the Prado cut loose.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Great Ocean Road

THE EASTERLY PART
The Great Ocean Road winds its way spectacularly along the coast of Bass Strait.



Koala bears occur here,And some other remnant fauna.






Bells Beach is on this part of the Great Ocean Road
but the Blounts preferred the smaller breaks.
Better than the old man already.


We were lucky enough to stay at Kades family holiday house at Wye River, in the heart of the Great Ocean Road



Kade and the boys cleaning the beach

Kade's place was overrun with wildlife.




THE 12 APOSTLES






Good photo material, even for amateurs.























Plenty of lighthouses around here












and blowholes too.
See them before they topple down – there are no longer twelve apostles and London Bridge has lost an arch.







THE WESTERLY PART








The petrified forest at Cape Bridgewater




























Must be some good crays around here somewhere.
Believe it or not!



























We did some bush camping around here and got a campfire going.