Our Big Lap around Australia started last Tuesday with The Duke hitting the road from Melbourne to Mildura for the night. It was supposed to be a quick slip across from Victoria into South Australia at Renmark-Paringa. We made sure we had our COVID-19 quarantine travel pass but we hadn’t paid close enough attention to the food quarantine requirements. A thorough inspection of the van by a uniformed quarantine officer revealed 5 limes and 1 avocado and Sally was escorted to an interview room to ‘please explain’ (a report has been sent to SA police to determine my punishment…). Lesson learned and we are carrying nothing but packaged, cooked or tinned food into WA tomorrow!

I’ve gathered three highlights from each of the 6 areas/towns we stayed in and around below. And also captured our first week of cliff-top walks and cycling, sunsets and adventures in this 6 minute video.

This Riverina country is bursting with produce thanks to the rich red soil and the mighty Murray river. So the highlights around here include: 1. Art Silos at Paringa, 2. The Black Stump at Paringa and 3. The mighty Murray as it winds through Renmark and many of the agricultural farms.

Port Augusta

This busy service town isn’t as pretty as some of its coastal counterparts but it packs punch with its exhibits and Arid Botanical gardens. So the highlights here are 1. The Wadlata Outback Centre and the truly fascinating Tunnel of Time exhibit that reveals how Australia was formed. 2. The Arid Botanical Gardens. 3. The Redcliff walk – from the same area as the botanical gardens.

Kimba

We didn’t stay over in Kimba but we stopped for a break and had to include three highlights worth stopping for. 1. The Kimba silos. 2. The half-way across Australia marker and 3. The really big cockatoo!

Elliston

It was so nice to hit the coast – just in time for sunset in this cute town. We even managed a good meal and a game of footy at the local pub. Highlights for here include: 1. The historical Elliston Jetty. 2. The Little Bay clifftop walk and a little further up the road, the Woolshed caves a stunning red and ochre rock formation that also sports a cool cave (be warned its about 12 km in on a rough dirt rd – there’s Talia caves further on but we were bumped out!)

Murphy’s Haystacks

Whilst this is not a town it is definitely worth a mention as these Inselberg rocks are just so fascinating that you must stop by on your way from Elliston to Venus Bay.

Venus Bay

So many treasures in this little seaside town tucked into a secluded bay but my top three picks are: 1. South Head Walk. 2. Foreshore Caravan park. 3. Sunset from the Lookout.

Streaky Bay

It’s getting drier the further west we head – so much so that this town has its own desalination plant! We enjoyed 1. Streaky Bay Islands Caravan park – quiet, spacious and with killer facilities, 2. Streaky Bay beach and its blazing sunsets and 3. Cape Bauer 39km loop drive (we rode) and the Whistling rocks, blowholes and Hally’s Beach.

Ceduna

This was our last stop before the big Nulllabor crossing and this town equipped us with all out needs. It’s a big service/industrial town with a big gypsum and salt mining industry but it also has a few highlights worth mentioning: 1. The Ceduna golf course and the start of the Nullabor Links. 2. Pinky Point picnic spot and lookout and the handy navigational signs 3. The Ceduna pier at sunset – oh and the very Derwent Green foreshore!