Adelaide to Mt Gambier

 DAY 10 (4th May):  Adventures out into the Adelaide Hills!  We did a whirlwind tour of the Hills, stopping at all the important stops, most importantly the Chocolate Factory  :)  Unfortunately ran out of time to make any winery stops, although many weren't open on weekdays.
So, first stop, the BIG Rocking Horse at Gumeracha - tick Big Thing number 7 (I think) off the list.  The rocking horse itself is pretty awesome, the toy factory attached to it wasn't so much so, as over 50% of their stock was made elsewhere

 

 This is the big horse itself - its 18m high.

 

 There was also an animal farm there to walk through - we fed them.  The Kangaroo kept pawing for more food.  Kangaroos have quite sharp paws.  I didn't really know that.

 Another shot of the big ol' horse.  If you look closely, the kids are down the bottom, and yours truly is WAAAYY up the top of the head.  I even got me a certificate to say I did the climb - Woot!

 Second stop was the National Motor Museum in Birdswood.  This was a highlight of M's day!  I have to admit to finding it really interesting as well.  This car, for instance, had a steering column on a pivot, so if the road was bad, the driver could jump out, swing the steering wheel out, and run alongside the car so it wouldn't get bogged.  Not surprisingly, it was a one-of-a-kind.

 This one is in here for Mic.  Shiny..... fast.......vroooooommmmmmm

 Third Stop - Gorge Wildlife Park.  Lots of animals that you could get really close to.  AND we got to hold a koala.  And it didn't pee.  I've heard they do that.

It also had lovely eucalyptus-sy breath, and I had heard they didn't smell very nice at all.  Don't believe what you are told, i guess.

Some Animal shots - i had to put them in.  They had a really large population of albino wallabies.  And J wanted to take the kangaroo home - or at least get one of her very own.
Next stop was Melba's Chocolate Factory - nom-nom-nom-nom.  Could have spent LOTS more than what we did in THIS shop!

It also had some interestingly named chocolates.....

That was about enough for one day - we drove home through Hahndorf, which was really pretty, but had run out of time to do anything there.  Next time  :)

DAY 11 (5th May):  We were pooped.  We mostly stayed home.  And ate some chocolate......nom-nom-nom.......  Mid afternoon, after the kids nagging ever since we'd arrived, we decided to go to the pool and let them "go for a swim".  This was M's face:

 We had been in jeans and jumpers for the last few days, but it had to be done! 

 Pete putting in the hard yards.......

Did some laundry too.  This method of drying jeans doesn't work either.  Unless the wall of the tent is facing the sun.  Lesson learned......

DAY 12 (6th May):  Left the sunny days of Adelaide, and set off again on the trek.  We passed through Murray Bridge, which we had heard has a bunyip - wooooooo!  We found it.  Hmmm....... slight let down!  Luckily, a tour bus had stopped, and someone had put in a dollar already - this thing rose out of the water a few times, and roared at you....... we were OBVIOUSLY terrified.

 A better vista of Murray Bridge.....

Murray Bridge was also the place that we caved in and purchased a small fan heater so we could survive the nights.  Wussy West Coasters we are!
After the heater purchase, we continued on and stopped for the night in the Coorong, which is a beautiful place - all you can hear is the distant surf and birdlife.  Wonderful.  Would have liked to stay longer, except the sites weren't powered, so we froze our butts off.

 Th late afternoon drive in...

 Our campsite - how's the serenity?  There WERE a couple of other people there, but you would have never known.

Almost sunset........

DAY 13 (7th May):  Left the Coorong, and headed south-east down to Kingston SE.  Meant to find out what the SE stood for, and forgot - does anyone know?  Tell me, and I'll send you a postcard!  :)

 

 The highlight of any visit to Kingston, and of course the sole reason for our visit  :)  Although, we did walk out the jetty.

They also had an analemmatic sundial, where you stand on the month and see where your shadow goes - quite accurate.  Oh, and I take no ownership of the family in this photo.  Daddy said to do a "cool" pose.  The result speaks for itself.

We then headed out to Noracoorte, and the Noracoorte Caves, which were fascinating - they've found lots of fossils of the mega-fauna that used to live in Australia.  Amazing stuff.

 Some formations.......

 They can't explain how this thing got on top of this stalagmite - I suspect human involvement......

 Another formation - pwetty....

A recreated mega-fauna - get this - its a DROP BEAR!!!!  The Australian marsupial lion, which aboriginal folklore indicated would lie in wait up a tree and then drop down on its prey - the drop-bear was REAL!  :-D

 The fam heading down the tunnels.....

Above and below: the largest of the megfauna.  It was pretty big!

 After Naracoorte, we head off........through wine country......

 A sight for sore eyes!

DAY 14 (8th May): On to Mt Gambier, and a day of rain to boot.  Yay!

 

The Blue Lake.  A little disappointing, as it was too late in the year for it to be the brilliant blue (only happens between November and March).  And it was raining, so it was really just grey (hope you're reading this, Serena, and appreciate my rain wear........ and now, what song is in your head?)

The above and the following three were the Umpherston Sinkhole Gardens, and would have to be one of my favourite places that I been to so far.  When this guy (Umpherstone, I presume) found this sinkhole, which happened after the roof of a cave fell in, he decided to make it into a garden, and it's gorgeous.

The following ones are of the sunken garden in the middle of town.  Again, a sinkhole.

Then it was on to Portland, and thats it until next time folks!
Stay safe, P, K, M + J xx