McCulloch Family Giant Leap: Up and around we go to the Eyre Peninsula. First stop Whyalla.

Well after a not so good sleep, well actually the first bit was great but then in the wee hours of the morning I woke to the fridge clicking, which means the gas has gone out. I just assumed it had blown out or something and restarted it. Not long after I had gotten back to sleep, I was woken by Jason as the fridge was doing it again. Jason of course was smart enough to check the stove top and we were out of gas. This is a simple fix, you just go outside and switch over to the other full gas bottle, but why oh why does it have to happen in the wee hours of the morning. Couldn’t it have happened at say 7am?

Eventually we pulled ourselves out of bed and started to put away everything ready to move on. Just as we were about to hitch on in rolls a campervan! No wonder we miss out on the good spots when they are arriving at 9am and we still haven’t even left for our destination. It was exciting today as we were leaving the Yorke Peninsula, going back up to Port Augusta and then down onto the Eyre Peninsula. We decided to take the more scenic route which would apparently take longer but at the same time being a whole 3 km shorter. When we travel so slowly anyway it isn’t like a massive difference.

We thought we would stop in Port Pirie for morning tea and as we had forgotten to fuel up the day before, we knew we also had to stop to fuel up. How hard could that be? Driving along we soon realised there wasn’t really any servos on the side of the road so we just assumed there would be one in Port Pirie. Yes there were plenty, on the other side of the road with sharp turns into them. So we tried to do a lap of a block to come back the other way. However mindful of the small roundabouts we thought it was best to pull over and take off the Hayman Reece bars. This certainly allowed us to easily make the right hand turns on small roundabouts and pull into a servo.

As Jason was fuelling up I noticed that to get back onto the road we needed to be on was impossible as there was a stupid island in the road. So I thought maybe we could go left and around that block. Just to be sure I got Jason to ask as he paid for the fuel. I think he thought I was being silly, but he came out looking not as smug as he had been told he would have to do a U-turn down the road. Of course he was confident we could just pull into Beaurepairs across the road and use their carpark. Just pull in, reverse back and drive out. It was in fact actually that easy, except I did get out to just double check we didn’t hit anything.

Then as we went to leave I noticed two of the workers had come out to watch. Naturally I apologised for using their carpark and they said it was no problem, but that we could have just driven straight through as they had an exit out the other side, onto the road we wanted to be on. I just wanted to face palm myself as I couldn’t believe it. Though not being local how were we to know.

So after that drama we decided the coffee wasn’t worth driving more around town and that in future we really should fuel up the night before. It isn’t like the red centre down here. We just pulled over down the road to put the bars back on and we were out of there. It did look like a really nice place. Mind you about ten minutes out of town we joined the main highway. Guess what was there on the right hand side of the road – a massive big easy to use service station!

The rest of our trip was great and the kids were well behaved. Mind you they absolutely went through every activity and toy we had in the back seat. Each trip we start off with a clean floor in the car and everything is organised and in its place. However by the end of most trips it is a pigsty in the middle row. I even took photos to show you the difference between the start and end of our road trips. Still I don’t mind cleaning it all up. Only takes about ten minutes and if it gives us a peaceful three hour drive it is certainly worth it.

This is what the middle road of the car looks like after a 2 1/2 hour drive!

This is what it looks like at the start of a trip.

Our destination was Whyalla which looked like a bit of an industrial/mining town. We had found that the local football club allows you to pull up there for only $10 a night. No water or power but they have a shower and toilet and is right in town. Otherwise there was a $5 a night one but it was over 20km out of town. To me the convenience is certainly worth the extra $5 a night. There were only a few other vans pulled in so there was still heaps of room. Now the decision of where exactly to pull up came up.

Our introduction to Whyalla.

A train waiting to unload.

Honestly it is really hard to try and decide as you want to take into account the solar panels, where the sun rises/sets and of course the wind. We can never get it perfect as normally something gives. At least this time we have blocked the wind and we get sun on the solar panels until mid-afternoon. As for sun in the awning area, we couldn’t care less as it is too windy to sit out there anyway. Whyalla took us by surprise as to how big it actually was and very well designed in my opinion. Once we unhooked we decided to treat the kids to McDonalds for lunch and then get a few jobs done.

At the main lookout where there were bunkers during the war to protect the town.

Looking down onto the foreshore.

A creative statue on the foreshore.

Just boring things like fill up the empty gas bottle, buy some spare oil as Jason is particular as to the type of oil used when they service the car. Once all that was done, Jason dropped the kids and I back to the caravan to set up the remainder whilst he went in search of some water to top up our water tanks a bit. In the end our neighbour told him of a tap about 50 metres from the van, you just needed your own tap key. Jason had bought one before we left, so finally it came out of the packaging. Certainly beats driving to the showgrounds.

Hamish entertaining himself (he is a ghost).

Later one of the other mums and her son who was two popped over to say hello. They have been travelling for over a year and still haven’t made it to Western Australia. They were on their way over there but have been presented with a business opportunity here. She has studied vet science and spent most of her working life with dolphins. We were very grateful when she told us how on not so windy days (which apparently today was one) you can go down to the marina and watch the dolphins come in behind the boats.

Unfortunately neither our kids nor her son wanted to share their toys, so it was a bit of a disaster. She was also one of those parents. You know the ones who just seemed to know everything and if their kids behave badly it is because as she said ‘mirroring the others’ behaviour. So her son wasn’t sharing because mine weren’t! Interesting because when they first came over her son was pushing Kayla out of the road and not wanting to share my kid’s toys! I know my kids aren’t perfect but I really am not a big fan of those types of parents who are blind to their kid’s behaviour. I mean it would have nothing to do with the fact he is two and most kids go through this! Anyway I bit my tongue, but I won’t be encouraging any more play dates whilst we are here.

Statue of the loaded dog.

Eventually after some afternoon tea we headed down to the Marina to spot the dolphins. We were in luck as just as we arrived in came a little boat and low and behold a pod of dolphins were behind it. They naturally followed them right up to the boat ramp, so we got within touching distance to the dolphins. The kids loved it, especially when they swam under the pontoon. After a while the dolphins swam back out to sea and we made our way up to the lookout.

Why hello there.

I think someone is trying to hop into your photo Hamish.

They were so curious.

Our kids just loved it.

There we got to watch a ship being loaded with iron ore and then head back out to sea. Watching the tug boats turn it and get it back out to sea was impressive and in the distance we could see the next one heading in to be loaded. Meanwhile there was also a train waiting to unload all of its contents onto the conveyer belt that I am guessing takes it to the ships - very impressive. In the distance you could also see the metal smelter and you can do a tour of it if you want. Unfortunately it only operates three day a week and not on public holidays, so we won’t get to do it. Not that you can take kids under six on it anyway so only one of us would have been able to do it.

The ship has been loaded and is heading out to sea.

A different angle of the loaded area.

It was nice to have a good night sleep and start the day all refreshed. Mind you before we headed out on Sunday morning we decided to pull in the awning as the wind seemed to be picking up more so we thought we should put it in to be safe. Off to the Information Centre we went, but it didn’t open until ten so we returned to the foreshore area to have a nice morning tea and let the kids loose on the playground. You really have to give it to South Australia; they seem to have awesome playgrounds everywhere.

Once we were all refreshed we headed back to the Information Centre as it was there that we could do the Maritime Museum. It was only $12 entry for an adult and that gave you a tour of the Whyalla ship that used to be a mine sweeper in the war days and was the first war ship to be built in South Australia. We got to go all through the ship and the kids loved it as they got to ring the bell and toot the fog horn thingy. Okay that isn’t what it really is but I can’t remember its technical name. There is certainly a massive difference in the quarters of a sailor to an officer. Though I don’t envy any of them as the boat had a flat bottom so not to hit the mines, but this meant it had the potential to rock 45 degrees when in the open waters.

On board the Whyalla.

Hamish pretending to use the emergency steering.

Family photo back up top.

They actually let them have a play which was great.

Then there was also the museum which had a lot of history, a model railway and best of all, activities for the kids. So we took the bingo activity sheet and when we saw items, Hamish crossed them off. On returning to the Information Centre on our departure, Hamish was awarded with a certificate and a little prize. He just loved it, and it was such a great idea to entertain the kids and keep them interested.

Someone wanted to hop in the hammock.

Checking out the engine room.

Ringing the bell.

Proudly showing off his certificate in from of the ship.

Most of the rest of the day was spent trying to do a few jobs but the shops we needed were closed, so we will try again Tuesday morning before we head off. Jason went to book the next caravan park but luckily he read the reviews before he rang them. Someone had just posted a not so good one that morning in regards to people drinking heavy, swearing and leading to fights. We have no idea if they were travellers, or permanent residents so just decided it was probably best to skip it all the same. Instead we found another one not far away and a shorter drive from here.

Late in the afternoon we went for a walk around the area and did our next lot of exercises. I am certainly going to feel that tomorrow. I really just need to improve the diet. Mind you, I am aiming to take one for the team and lighten our load by working my way through our McLaren Vale wine collection! Think about it, every bottle of wine I drink could nearly be an extra litre of water we can carry! It is a tough life, but someone has to do it. My kids are helping too by eating us out of house and home or caravan in our case! I can’t keep up with them, but at least they are happy to munch on a carrot stick.

Monday being a public holiday for Australia Day meant that most of the local attractions were closed. The local council had an Australia Day celebrations on the foreshore that didn’t start until 3pm, so we decided that we could start school on Monday morning to ease our way into it and also take the pressure off us on Tuesday. We are moving further south, not far but still we would lose nearly four hours of the school day by the time you pack up, drive and set up.

Jason and I have decided to alternate the days that we are teaching and so I took on the first day. I must admit I was really impressed about all the details that Distance Ed provided. For example, I thought Hamish could cut paper quite well but after reading their handy hints on cutting, and then watching Hamish I could then correct the way he was cutting and he could cut out a square a lot easier and faster. My aim was to just get two sessions done, but as we were on such a role we ended up getting three sessions done before we went out.

Hamish all ready to start school.

Of course you can't start without a happy snap with your tutor!

So whoever isn’t teaching school is then responsible for making sure Kayla doesn’t distract Hamish. There are some lessons that she can be involved in, but some require a bit more concentration. It worked really well as Jason took Kayla out and did the food shopping in the morning which allowed us to get through two lessons by the time they got back. Then they went out after lunch to vacuum out the car in the afternoon so we completed the final lesson. It felt good to get through three lessons and also note which ones required more attention so to do those ones in the morning.

By now it was time to head down to the foreshore to enjoy the Australian Day celebrations. We really have to give it to the Whyalla Council as they wanted to do something that all families could enjoy, so they had live music, face painting and jumping castles all for free. Then they also handed out Australia Day flags and tattoos for the kids, again free. Really the only thing you had to pay for was the food. The kids loved the jumping pillows (all four of them) and it was well organised with the kids waiting in line for their turn. We were tempted to enter the sand castle making completion, but the wind had picked up and we were quite chilly.

Kayla getting into the spirit.

The kids loved the jumping pillows.

Of course Jason made damper.

So we decided to return to the sanctuary of the caravan and ended up having dinner there. Then just after 8pm we decided we should head out and go to the lookout to watch the fireworks. We knew there was another lookout but for the life of us we couldn’t find it. We just kept driving round and round and eventually asked a local for directions. We pulled up with about ten minutes to spare and by now Kayla was fast asleep. We had been trying to also charge our laptop using the invertor but it hadn’t been working and then made a weird noise before turning off. Once we pulled up Jason worked out that we had blown a fuse that was in the invertor so now we couldn’t charge the laptop again until we were plugged back into power.

Not anything major as Jason just noted the fuse needed, and would buy it the next day and as we were moving onto a caravan park we knew we could easily charge it when we go there. However in future we will have to be a bit more prepared as in a weeks’ time Hamish will be starting his on-air lessons so we will need to have the laptop fully charged before those lessons when free camping. We all (well other than Kayla who was sound asleep) enjoyed the fireworks from the warmth of the car. I really don’t know what has happened to summer down here in South Australia. Maybe if it wasn’t so windy it wouldn’t be too bad, but with the wind it is quite cool, even in the middle of the day.