Finally, we’re heading west! After a extended stay back home in Mildura and killing time in Melbourne whilst our van was in getting some things repaired, it is finally time to really start our trip and head west, to places that we’ve not been before!

We left rainy Melbourne/Ocean Grove and made our way through the back roads via  Horsham where we stopped to see Corey’s Great-Uncle and Aunt, a welcome stop as we were all well and truly ready for a break! We knew we’d be covering some miles in the first few days so we could get past Adelaide and onto the Eyre Peninsula and the girls were over it big time!

After our visit, we continued on and made it to Bordertown just before nightfall, and as I set about getting dinner sorted, Corey had a chat with the neighbours (Essendon supporter, just as Hawthorn & Essendon were about to kick off their round 1 match!) and took the girls for a ride on their balance bikes.  Miss B comes rushing back (in usual dramatic fashion) to tell me that Miss A had a ripper of a stack on her bike!!!

Only a few tears, Miss A is a hard nut to crack and was quite proud of her scabby chin which she proudly proceeded to tell us that she got when she fell off her bike!

We awoke to a brand new day and to cuddles in bed – my first as a 38 year old – eek! Yep, birthday day was upon us and our first on the road.  Sadly, it was going to be spent racking up the kms as we pressed on to Adelaide, but we were lucky to stop in at the Coonalpyn silos, painted by Guide van Helten, the same artist that did painted the Brim silos.

Another awesome effort and you could see that it was well worth it for the small township of Coonalpyn with the only coffee shop and bakery in town both filled with tourists.

We grabbed a coffee and the cakes we’d bought from Bordertown and celebrated with a morning tea by the silos. Happy birthday to me!

We continued on to Adelaide, checking into the Highway 1 Caravan Park and heading out for dinner – partly because it was my birthday and partly because it was so late and no one could be bothered cooking!

After a good night’s sleep, we were up early again to get over to the Eyre Peninsula.  By the time we got to Fitzgerald Bay, it was time to chill out a bit and so we did, spending two nights in this beautiful, calm bay just a few kms from Whyalla.  Parked up just by the beach we saw some beautiful sunrises and sunsets there!

The next bay around was at Point Lowly which featured another beautiful white lighthouse and some really interesting tourist information boards about the early settlement, fishing industry and current industry of gas and crude oil.

Other than the three corner jacks which were spread throughout our campsite, we had a great time at Fitzgerald Bay!

The next day it was off to Tumby Bay! We got in after lunch to some light rain but decided to go down town and grab some groceries and check out the jetty. So pretty but sooo cold! 

I’m hoping it’s not a sign of things to come and we’re heading into freezing weather already!!!

Do you ever rack up the kms and spend long days in the car to get to your destination? When you find a great campsite, do you ever check for three-corner jacks? (We will be next time!!)