Saturday, 2 August 2025
We were on the road again today, re-packing the truck and departing Dunkeld by 9.30am with the SatNav set for the TRYP Hotel in Adelaide. On the whole it was lucky that we spent yesterday in Dunkeld climbing to the summit of Mount Sturgeon because this morning the cloud was taking longer to clear and the top of the mountain was shrouded in fog. Yesterday was a perfect day for it.
Syri loves a direct route even if that means you spend half your journey driving on the roads less travelled!! Leaving Dunkeld it wasn’t long before we turned off the Glenelg Highway onto the C188 towards Cavendish where we made a quick stop to photograph the Bunyip Hotel. While we were on the top of Mount Sturgeon yesterday morning we were given the tip that they do a good meal at the Bunyip Hotel. Something to keep in mind if we are over this way again?
We crossed the Wannon River and found ourselves on the Henty Highway for a short distance before turning left onto the C188 again, now heading for Balmoral. We made a quick stop at Balmoral to stretch our legs then, after a short distance on the Natimuk-Kaniva Road (C214), we turned left again onto the Harrow-Balmoral Road (C204). We could have continued to Kaniva to join the Western Highway there but … Syri had another route in mind.
We soon made another stop in the small town of Harrow on the banks of the Glenelg River. Bernie feels certain that he has never been to Harrow before but I visited many (MANY!) years ago when an uncle of mine (Mum’s brother) used to run the general store/post office in Harrow. I think I was in early high school so I’m talking half a century ago. OMG, where did those years go?!!
After using their public facilities and taking a few photos of the historic buildings in Harrow, including the oldest surviving log gaol in Victoria, we were back on the road and heading for Edenhope, where we joined the Wimmera Highway (B240). Not for long though with Syri directing us briefly onto the Kaniva-Edenhope Road and then Patyah Road … a single lane of bitumen with soft shoulders. Thank goodness Bernie only had to put the left side of the truck onto the soft shoulder a couple of times to make way for oncoming traffic.
We travelled past Dumbopperty Swamp and Lake Bringalbert before turning right onto the Apsley-Natimuk Road and then left onto the C213. Finally back on a numbered road heading towards Frances, just over the border in South Australia. We turned right onto High Street to cross the border, just before noon, as we made our final approach to Frances. Hmmn, not much of a ‘Welcome to SA’ crossing the border here. Looking back to the T-intersection there was a big sign welcoming eastbound travellers to Victoria though!!
There didn’t seem to be much in Frances apart from some grain storage silos. As we made our way to Frances Road to head towards Bordertown we found that it was morning again with our phones connecting to a South Australian tower and flipping over to Australian Central Standard Time. Just south of Bordertown we turned onto Naracoorte Road which took us into Bordertown’s town centre. Although it was barely noon (for the second time today) we made this our lunch stop at the Morning Loaf Bakery.
After our lunch it was time to feed the truck. We made our way to Dukes Highway (A8) where we turned left towards Adelaide. Bernie had asked Syri to find the BP Servo for us but when we arrived it was a Shell OTR. Previously linked with BP, OTR is now integrated with Shell-branded fuel following a takeover by Viva Energy. Oh well, the truck needed diesel so Shell V-Power Diesel it had to be rather than BP’s Ultimate Diesel. Needs must.
From here it was the standard run to Adelaide. We stopped to stretch our legs at Keith where we photographed the Jeep on a Pole that was erected as a tribute to the pioneering spirit and courage of the men and women who participated in the AMP Land Development Scheme. At Coonalpyn Bernie photographed the art silo – again – since we have passed this way several times since the silo was painted in 2017. Despite the hope that the artwork would save Coonalpyn by attracting tourists, the town now seems to be officially dead with premises that operated bakeries and cafes now boarded up or converted to private residences. How annoying must it be to have signs in your windows saying CAFE CLOSED TWO YEARS AGO THIS IS NOW A PRIVATE RESIDENCE??
At Tailem Bend we hit the Princes Highway (A1) and the Mighty Murray. Crossed the Murray River at Murray Bridge and joined the traffic heading into Adelaide on the M1. We motored through the hills (I got bored and snoozed a bit!) past Mount Barker and Mount Lofty and into downtown Adelaide where we checked in at TRYP Hotel about 4.00pm.
Bernie took the truck to the Wilson Car Park around the corner while I wheeled our gear up to our room. With it having been a big driving day we headed out for a late afternoon walk up to Rundle Mall, along the mall and then looped back around to the hotel on Pulteney Street.
We arrived back in our room at about half time in the Gold Coast Suns vs Richmond game. Bernie turned it on to watch the second half but probably wishes he hadn’t with his beloved Tigers suffering a humiliating 84 point loss. A result best forgotten.
At 7.00pm we wandered along Pulteney Street to meet our Adelaide based friends at Hut & Soul, an award-winning Asian restaurant serving Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine. Our group of six opted for the ‘Feed me Rijsttafel’ set menu. A lovely evening catching up with good friends while enjoying delicious food.
Steps: 11,262 (7.69kms)
