2024 Glimpse
What a year 2024 was! I have been sorting out my photos and reflecting on the year that was. It’s my blog and I can reflect if I want to. We started the year heading to Blinman in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia towing our Jayco Lark camper. We were heading off to work at the Blinman Heritage Copper mine as tour guides as a working holiday. If I’m 100% honest, I didn’t even know where Blinman was and had to google it! For those of you who don’t know Blinman, it is the end of the bitumen in the northern Flinders Ranges.
On our way south we stopped in Dalby, Moree, Peak Hill, Mildura and Port Augusta (with a few other shorter stops enroute). This was by far our longest trip with the camper and we had to deal with a few issues including a broken 12V pump and then needed to replace the brakes in Port Augusta (this one was NOT a minor issue).
My first impression of outback South Australia was WOW! It is so dry and stark. That’s coming from a Queenslander used to rain and green landscapes. After a very short time, I began to fall in love with the stark and ancient landscape of the Flinders Ranges and outback South Australia. Not to mention the emus and kangaroos which are everywhere! I didn’t drive in the evening at all - it just seemed too dangerous - not to mention the amount of ‘road kill’ we saw every day!
I didn’t get to see anywhere near as much as I would like but, hopefully, we will get back there to continue exploring. There is so much more to South Australia than Adelaide and the Barossa Valley - although both of those areas are beautiful.
Meeting the amazing people of Blinman and surrounds was a privilege. They are so interesting, funny, resourceful and welcoming. It’s a little like a big ‘melting pot’ with people from all over the World calling the area home as well as the European back-packers doing seasonal work. Because I was working I felt more like part of the community - not simply a tourist where you get a “tourist” perspective. I enjoyed getting to know the locals and understanding the challenges of living in a remote area - a trip to the local shop or chemist is not simply “ducking into town”. Fresh fruit and vegetables are not readily available on a daily basis and growing your own is not always an easy option considering water shortages (tank water). There’s no school so it’s “distance education” or boarding school and that includes kids in prep. The closest doctor was in Hawker (about 90k) or there was the flying doctor who came to town every fortnight. Fortunately, I didn’t need to seem personally but for those who did, the RFDS is a godsend. You will see RFDS collection tins on the counter of most shops/hotels etc.
Pub Grub
There are plenty of unique hotels in the area and we did get to try a few including the Blinman Hotel, the Pub in the Scrub. For a time, this was my local and I must say they did stock a good variety of SA wines, including Clare Valley rieslings and a great pizza night each week. The lunch-time pies are also pretty good.
There is a pub in Hawker - Hawker Hotel (established in 1888) which we went to a few times for lunch - normally enjoying a schnitty! When we were there it had just gotten a new owner so they were still settling in. The hotel is worth a visit to enjoy some good ‘pub grub’. And, if you haven’t tried Flinders Gin - especially the one with Quandong and tonic - do yourself a favour as it’s awesome!
Parachilna Hotel - WOW - what can I say? The iconic Prairie Hotel certainly didn’t disappoint. They are famous for their F.M.G. (Feral mixed grill). If you aren’t a big fan of game or “road-kill” style food, there are plenty of other dishes on the menu including an amzing Quandong Pudding. I had the slow-cooked braised lamb braised lamb with eggplant babaghanouj. There’s also an on-site brewery and you can get a really good coffee! The decor of this place will really surprise you - the walls are adorned with indiginous art-work and interesting sculptures. Like many places in the Flinders Ranges you will meet people from all over the world working and like us, enjoying what the area has to offer.
Rawnsley Park Station - Woolshed Restaurant was a bucket-list item for me having read about their lamb tasting dinners before I even knew where it was. Calling the meals here “pub grub” is probably a bit harsh. The food was amazing and we had the lamb platter for 2 (cutlets, rump, saltbash sausages and braised lamb shoulder) as well as dessert including dessert and some lovely wine from the bar. Being a working sheep property, the lamb is all home-grown. The location and views from the verandah are stunning. Enjoying a wine overlooking the outback as the sun sets turning the landscape pastel pink was a highlight of my time spent in the Flinders Ranges.
There are so many other cafes, pubs and restaurants around that I am still yet to explore! These are just a couple of the places that I really enjoyed (and remembered to take photos!)
We spent a week in Bright where we rode some sections of the Murray to Mountains rail trail as well as a week at Cabarita Beach (northern NSW) where we rode the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Both of these areas are fantastic - especially if you are a Latte Rider like me. (One who enjoys riding as long as there is cake and coffee or wine at the destination).
Late last year we sold our camper with the intention of buying a caravan (with toilet and shower) and a lot less packing up. As we are getting older I think this is a necessity although we haven’t yet committed. The jury is still out on this!
I’ve put together a quick video summing up most of the highlights of our trip. We are not sure exactly what’s next so, watch this space.
