22/5/2022 – Sunday – 125km

As we were packing this morning another Kimberley Karavan pulled up to say hello, it was Peter & Di whom we met at Melrose & had dinner with on the last night. They were driving past, saw our van & decided to drop in, we exchanged a few thoughts on where we plan going then headed off.

Driving south from Minlaton we took it easy, around 80km/hr along very straight & good roads. On either side vast empty paddocks, that (hopeful) will soon have barley or wheat growing in them.  It is very dry here, could do with some of the rain from the East coast.  It is a pleasant drive & before long we reach Point Turton, a beautiful little town (I mean very small). We drive along the ocean front road with great views out over Spencer Gulf. As we pull up at the Point Turton wharf we spot Peter & Di setting up the van in the caravan park next door so we wander over & have a brief chat & Garth is there as well, set up in a prime position looking out over the sea. Next we walk down to the wharf & walk out along it, chatting to the fishermen & fisherwomen as we walk, they are having mixed success. We are surprised at the number of houses in this small locality, most with great ocean views.

We then follow the coast on a dirt road through Point Soutar & along to Corny Point, more vast plains of cultivation on the inland side & great ocean views the other, with hardly a vehicle & with the road in good condition. From Corny Point settlement we drive out to Corny Point & the lighthouse, a silent sentinel looking out over some nearby rocky shoals. We park at the side of the road & walk out to the lighthouse about 200 metres, there must be a lot of strong winds here as a pine tree planted in the 1890s is growing very low & parallel to the ground. All the vegetation is low shrubs. The views up & down the coastline are pretty, with cliff faces as we look south & low rocky beachfronts as we look east.

The drive to Marion Bay is on bitumen with empty cultivation fields again stretching away from both sides of the road. It doesn’t take long to reach our destination & find the van park where we set up near another Kimberely Karavan. As we are starting to set up a couple started chatting with us as they are interested in an off-road van so we showed them how it is set up & then showed them inside. Afterwards it is clothes washing time & we take a short walk over to the beach, it is cold so we head back & hang the washing out. Next we take a drive around this small town & end up at the jetty where we put our coats on & walk out to the end of the Marion Bay Wharf. There are huge piles of seaweed heaped on the shore, more than a metre high, as far as we can see in both directions along the beach. There must have been very strong winds recently.

Back to the van & time to prepare dinner. Another great day.