After spending a little more time in Victoria than we’d originally planned, we needed to adjust our travels slightly in South Australia.
The reasoning behind this was that we didn’t want to cut short our time in Western Australia, as it’s the farthest away and the biggest state.
Another reason was that the weather had been less than favourable while we were there, so we had to cherry-pick various locations depending on the forecast.
Unfortunately, this meant we had to cut out going to a few of the places we had originally planned to visit.
While not ideal, it did give us the incentive to return to South Australia at some point – which can be done over a Christmas break when the kids are on holidays.
Mount Gambier
The home of the sinkhole – Mt Gambier was a real treat and had plenty to offer travellers of all ages.
One of the sinkholes we visited, called The Sisters, was off the beaten track a little but a magical spot.
The slightly overgrown path indicated that not many people visit it and, the day we went, we had the place to ourselves.
This spot had two sinkholes next to each other – hence the name.
After scampering down a steepish rock edge, we were at the water’s edge – where my daughters and I jumped in for a much-needed refreshing dip.
The next sinkhole on the agenda was Little Blue Lake, which was much busier, with loads of backpackers, locals and tourists all enjoying the cool blue water.
This sink hole had a small floating pontoon and much easier access.
Probably the most well-known and visited sinkhole was the Blue Lake, which is on the edge of the town.
It was amazing to see the colour of this large lake, unfortunately you were not able to swim in it because it provides the town and surrounding areas with fresh water.
If you are visiting Mount Gambier, it is also worth checking out Umpherston Sinkhole, which is a sunken garden that was once a cave.
Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we didn’t get a chance to check out the caves in Mount Gambier, but I would recommend putting them on your list.
Kingston SE
After our slight detour inland, it wasn’t long before we were back on the coastal trail.
The coastline along southern South Australia is stunning, particularly on the days the weather plays the game.
Places such as Southend, Beachport and Robe are all sleepy little fishing communities, and while we would have liked to spend more time exploring them, we had to be satisfied with either day trips or passing through.
Cape Jaffa was another interesting spot – home to a massive new marina and boat ramp, with only a smattering of new houses.
Apparently, there were big plans for a new development, though for whatever reason, it didn’t flourish.
Out of curiosity, I checked the value the blocks here – I was shocked to see that beachfront land was a fraction of the cost it would be back home.
While one trade off would be that you weren’t near any big cities, I can see that as a positive too.
After venturing along the coast, a resting place for a couple of nights was the Kingston RV Park, which set us back $10 per night and had water at the front – where you could fill your tanks.
Situated right on the coast, this was a magic little spot, with the beach only a minute’s walk away.
The local pub also put on a decent feed – when we stay at a place for free or only a small fee, we like to support the town by buying a meal or two there.
While our van is fully set up for being off grid and we always have plenty of food, this is our thought process and a way of giving back to these little communities.
Continuing to impress us are the quality and quantity of the facilities – such as playgrounds and boat ramps – that these small towns have.
They put our Brisbane City Council to shame unfortunately.
Port Elliot Showgrounds
Our travels saw us head further up the coast towards Adelaide, though we made the call to not head into the city.
Our rationale for this was that we could fly down and spend some time there in the future, so instead we went to Port Elliot, where we based ourselves at the showgrounds.
For $20 a night, there was power and water, and there were toilets and showers if needed.
Around the corner from Port Elliot is Victor Harbour – where we ended up spending a little more time. Australia
When we were there, the town had a carnival and cycling race on, so there was a certain buzz about, which was welcoming.
One touristy thing we enjoyed was the horse-drawn cart over to Granite Island.
You can explore the island via its walking trails, and any exercise is gratifying after long days in the car.
You can also check out the sculpture trail and enjoy a relaxing break at the café that has a cracker view.
Kangaroo Island
As previously mentioned, not having a fixed itinerary means you can easily change your plans – most of the time.
Kangaroo Island was not on our list of places to visit but, after speaking to several fellow travellers, we thought we’d check it out.
Though, due to booking it at the last minute, we were not able to get the caravan on the ferry.
This meant an overnight stop in Jervis Bay, where we left the van for a few days as we had managed to book some ‘basic’ accommodation with our ferry ticket.
There is plenty to see and do on Kangaroo Island, so our plan was to try to see and do as much as possible.
The Raptor Domain was one unique place we visited – here you learnt about the different animals on the island, plus you were able to get hands-on.
This was a very exciting experience – it allows you to get up close and personal with some of the native wildlife.
Seal Bay Conservation Park also provided plenty of information about seals and the environment they live in.
We opted for the tour of the beach, where you could get to within 10m of the seals.
I saw some seals on my earlier fishing charter, but these were the first my daughters had seen, so they were very excited.
Lazing about on the beach, the cows and pups were super relaxed, and there was a little activity from a couple of the bulls.
If you’re after the perfect place for a pitstop, the False Cape Winery is a must.
We happened to be driving past the winery and decided to pop in to check it out.
And we’re glad we did – there was a beautiful deck overlooking the vineyard, making it the perfect spot to sample some of the local creations.
In addition to the farm animals, the kids can check out the half basketball court and other playground equipment, which keeps them occupied while their parents have some much-needed rest and relaxation.
A few other places that are worth visiting when on the island include the Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Oil Distillery and one of the local honey shops.
Unfortunately, we didn’t see any penguins, so I guess we’ll have to tick that off the bucket list next time.
Next month, our adventures head north and then west, as we make our way through more of South Australia and towards Western Australia.
To keep up to date on our travels and to see more photos, follow us on @bushnbeachadventures
