We have a new travelling companion, Bailey the wonder puppy!! 

We stayed a week in Dubbo and another 10 days in Maitland.  The weather has been a bit damp, so we just bunkered down and watched Netflix!!!!  

Another wet patch is heading our way this weekend (we are now at Taree) but we did manage a trip into Newcastle and today we went to Harrington and Crowdy Head, so getting a bit of touristy things in between the wet bits.  Newcastle foreshore walk was really lovely - quite a long walk, but well worth it. 

It is lovely to see such green lush grass, fat cows, and flowing rivers, but, enough already!!!!!!  

Newcastle from the foreshore walk

Bit further along the walk

The other side of the foreshore walk

Bit of shark bait......

The Manning River at Taree, before the next lot of rain!!!!

Crowdy Head - lovely spot.

 Peterborough is another town full of history - this time Steam Trains!!!  (John and Barry - you would love it!!!) We had a great guided tour of the old train roundhouse and got to climb over the amazing locomotives and some carriages that retain the charm of the olden times - have to say, 1st class is way better than 3rd class!!!!!!

We then moved on to Broken Hill and another history lesson.  The honour wall for all the miners killed over the years was very moving.  And some years were a lot worse than others.  Very sad......

Silverton is another historic town.  We went to the Mad Max museum and unfortunately they did not allow you to take photos in most of it, but the memorabilia in the place was amazing!!  The old gaol in Silverton was also a place full of history (old crap)!!!

We are now at Nyngan, a little town between Cobar and Dubbo.

Round house and round thingy they turn the trains around on

You get to see them from beneath

As well as on top

First Class

First class

Dining carriage

Broken Hill

Honour wall of those who lost their lives in the mines.

Quirky

Interesting

Silverton Locals

Mad Max museum

Lots of movie stuff

Silverton Housing estate

Overflowing Bogan River Weir, Nyngan

 Burra is an amazing little town.  Lots of history.  Large old copper mine and all the things that go with it.  They have kept the history alive and built the towns economy around it - successfully!!

We went underground to an old brewery storage cellar, went to the old mine itself, the old miners cottages, two old jails and the old pumping station.  Very interesting and very well preserved.

The miners wanted a site of their own to build their own houses in the style of back home in England, and to live away from the mine, and although they are now in ruins, it would have been a very beautiful spot to live.  Named Hampton Village. Lots of restoration going on at all the sites.

Just some of the many photos.....

Burra Town House

Main window - St Mary's Anglican Church

Looking over Burra from Hampton Village

Hampton Village

Hampton Village

Big sheep country

One of the many cherry trees

Winter in SA - Almond tree

Exercise yard - Redruth Gaol

Redruth Gaol

Overlooking the old smelter yards

The old pump station

Old copper mine

Burra railway station

Lots of old crap

New Burra Fire Chief

Burra lockup

Old Brewery cellars - went on forever!!!!

Old miners cottages, now visitor accommodation

Old miners holes - they used to live in there!!

We spent 5 relaxing weeks at Venus Bay, catching fish/squid and enjoying the mostly mild weather.  We then headed off to Elliston intending to continue following the coast around the Eyre Peninsula, but unfortunately the weather turned nasty so we decided to head inland across to the other side.

We came across an amazing little town called Cleve.  Some friends from Karalee met up with us and we spent a few days enjoying the company and even a few days of nice weather.  Thanks Rick and Maree, we really enjoyed your company! The locals were amazing, stopping in for a chat, seeing if we approve of the newly opened camp kitchen (biggest I have ever seen)!!  The town was preparing for its 'Field Days' (Ag show) and one local farmer stopped in for a chat and told us he was in the lions club who were operating the donut stall.  To our surprise, about half an hour later he turned back up with a 'sample' pack of fresh hot donuts - and they were pretty damn good!!!!

We stopped in at Cowell on the east coast of the Peninsula and then started to head back up to Port Augusta, with a stop at Whyalla for some retail therapy....

We are now travelling south again, East of Adelaide through the Clare valley and the scenery is just amazing.  Lots of hay/canola/sheep fields and an amazing number of crumbling historic stone farm houses.  All the little towns have old federation style houses and most of them have a place to stop for the night.  The farms then give way to some pretty impressive vineyards in Clare itself, and then back to the farms.  Just beautiful.

Next we are going back up north to Burra and then some more little towns before we head out to Broken Hill.

Entrance to Venus Bay

Venus Bay - view from Caravan Park

Venus Bay locals

Arno Bay

Arno Bay

Cowell

Cowell

Whyalla Jetty, yep, round.....

Whyalla Jetty

Not so pretty side of Whyalla

Lowly Point Lighthouse

Start of the farm country

More farm country (there are a LOT more photos!!)

They build straight roads in SA!!

One of the many ruins

More farms

more farms.......

more ruins........