Monday, 12 April 2026
With a whole day to spend having a look around Renmark we didn’t get up early this morning. We had a leisurely breakfast in our room before driving into town to visit the Visitor Information Centre shortly after it opened at 9.00am. We had a rough idea about what to do – River Walk, National Trust property and (at least one of) the Murray River cliff lookouts – but we wanted to check our plan with someone with local knowledge and pick up a tourist map.
Kristy helped us out by confirming that our plan was exactly what she would suggest for a day in Renmark. She added a couple of further suggestions that we could check out – the Paringa Paddocks section of the Murray River National Park and Lock 5, co-located with the Bunyip Barge. She sent us on our way, armed with the all important tourist map marked up with pink highlighter, so that we could find everything.
We returned to the car to collect our cameras and head off on the Matulick Riverfront Trail and then our day went a bit pear-shaped. Bernie was taking his camera out of his camera bag on his side of the car and he thought he had attached it to his shoulder strap BUT when he let it go it fell to the ground hitting with sufficient force to separate the lens from the camera body which saw the lens roll off under the car. Oh, dear! Not the actual words that were said.
The lens was retrieved from under the car and … it’s write off. I gave him a hug and said if that’s the worst that happens on our holiday we won’t have done too badly??! Rather than take no camera on our walk he decided to attach his 100-500mm lens. I went back to my side of the car to organise my camera and … I dropped my camera on the ground. Of course, I only did it to make Bernie feel better about being a klutz. I was lucky though, and neither my camera or lens broke on impact.
Feeling a bit downcast, we decided to walk it off along the riverfront walk. We enjoyed our walk along the Mighty Murray River, the river red gums, the houseboats and the birdlife, despite the weather being a bit overcast (to go with our mood). By the time we returned to the car Bernie had decided that our next stop would be at the Harvey Norman store in Renmark to see if he could buy a replacement lens. Unfortunately that was a no, because they did not have the lens in stock. Bernie asked if it might be available at their store in Port Augusta and the sales rep agreed that they might be able to help.
Back at the car Bernie Googled ‘Harvey Norman Port Augusta’ only to find out that the store is in Whyalla … which is not at all on the way to Woomera where we have accommodation booked for Tuesday night. Bernie is really excited about photographing Uluru so was keen to sort out his camera before we get there, which led to us thinking that a detour via Adelaide might be the best proposition. Surely, they’ll have stock in the city?
Anyway with that plan forming in our mind, we drove to the National Trust property ‘Olivewood’ on 21st Street. The property, built in 1889, was the home of Charles and Ella Chaffey. With Charles being one of several brother who immigrated from Canada to help establish irrigation colonies in Australia, the home was built in a Canadian log-cabin style. The Olivewood homestead it set in an extensive garden that features an avenue of mature date palms – Beware of falling fronds – an olive grove, together with a replica of the Chilean olive crushing mill that was in use in the 1890s and several sheds housing items that provide a snapshot of Riverland life.
The grounds of the homestead are also home to the Argo Barge. The wreck was salvaged, returned to Renmark and restored by dedicated volunteers as an important part of the area’s heritage. The barge was built in Mannum in 1915 for use as a permanent pumping station. In its day it was the largest barge to operate on the Murray River.
From the homestead we drove back into town to find some lunch. We enjoyed lunch at the Renmark Bakery and Patisserie when we passed through last year, so returned there today for a bite to eat. With the Adelaide detour now decided, Bernie thought it prudent to telephone the camera stores in the city to check that they had stock. Damn, there has been a sale on Canon lenses and they are sold out of the lens that Bernie really wants. However, there is another lens that he will make do with, that they are setting aside for him to collect tomorrow. His plan is to use that lens for the holiday and then trade it in on the lens the same as the one he broke later on. Besides which, it has occurred to us that we might be able to claim the lens on our travel insurance?? It can’t hurt to ask and, fingers crossed, they might pay out??
Trying to set the whole cameras debacle aside for the time being, we drove out to Lock 5 to check out the lock, the flood level marker and the flow meter and photograph the pelicans and cormorants attracted to the outflow from the weir. I guess the fish are a bit stunned after being flushed through the weir and make easy pickings for the birds? I also noticed a sign beside the lock saying that the lift bridge opens at 9.30am and 2.30pm daily. Ooh, I said, we might be able to see the bridge operate when it opens at 2.30pm?? Bernie was skeptical saying that there didn’t seem to be much traffic on the river that would warrant the bridge opening this afternoon.
Anyhow, next on our list was to head to Paringa Paddocks which was going to put us very close to the bridge and well positioned if it opened at 2.30pm. We drove in to the point closest to the bridge and there were a couple of families fishing. Some of them seemed confident that the bridge WOULD be opening … in 27 minutes. That gave us time to drive down for closer look at the weir on the other side of the river from Lock 5. We are such nerds but we love a good weir, especially the bird life that is attracted by the outflow.
And, as it crept closer to 2.30pm, we made our way back to stake out the historic Paringa Bridge. Just before 2.30pm a houseboat came under the bridge, heading down river, and it seemed Bernie might be right that the houseboats could navigate under the bridge without it being lifted. Then we noticed three houseboats heading upriver and they were definitely not going to fit under the bridge. Right on time, the bridge platform started to lift and three houseboats made their way underneath to continue their journey upriver. It only took a few minutes so very little disruption to the vehicular traffic that had to wait for the river traffic to pass underneath the lifted section of roadway.
After that excitement (the kids in the family group told their dad they thought it was BORING!) we drove over the river again to make our way to the Murtho Forrest Reserve. There was a fantastic ‘Golden Hour’ photograph of the Headings Cliff in the Visitor Information Centre this morning so we had high hopes for a spectacular view from the lookout. It was OK but we were not lucky enough to get the amazing afternoon light that we might have hoped for.
Done with our sightseeing for the day, we headed back to the motel via Woolies with a plan to buy a pineapple and some kiwi fruit for breakfast tomorrow morning. When we found the kiwi fruit fixture, there were gold kiwi fruit and red, yes red, kiwi fruit but no green kiwi fruit. But we leant something, they have now engineered (selectively bred?) red kiwi fruit. Who knew?? We then found a five pack of green kiwis BUT not a pineapple to been seen. Oh well, we’ll just eat the rest of the mixed berries that we have and hope for an abundance of pineapples and kiwi fruit at a Woolies in Adelaide tomorrow? We are going to have to get much less finicky about our fresh fruit variety and availability going forward, ha, ha.
Dinner at the Renmark Club. Bernie had a beef schnitty and I was able to order a half beef schnitty. Perfect! Now we are planning an early night ahead of an early start in the morning since we are going to be on the road for about an hour longer than planned, now that we are detouring via Adelaide.
Steps: 11,313 (7.66kms)
