Melbourne to Adelaide: Robe to Meningie

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After a good night's kip, the noise of our neighbours brushing their teeth @ 7.30am suggested that the walls between motel rooms were not particularly sound proof. Seeing no peace for a lie-in, we went with the flow and fell out of bed early.

We strolled down (well actually I hobbled - as the bites on my feet are still quite tender) down to the bakery and, after some deliberation, purchased a couple of Ned Kelly’s for breakfast. These are the Oz equivalent of Cornish Pasties - egg, bacon, meat and tomato baked in pastry. An interesting experience, but probably not one we'll choose to repeat.

Mid-morning coffee was taken at Kingston SE in a beauty salon* that had successfully diversified into supplying the local’s coffee. From then a fairly boring drive through the salt flats towards Meningie - Doug (Port Fairy) had accurately predicted the potential for boredom on this stretch. We briefly stopped of at Pelican Point for a few minutes of bird spotting.

On reaching Meningie we were confronted with a near dormant town, although clearly an area swarming with wild life. The motel was clean but basic and our room boasted a ghastly coloured brown carpet. After a baguette at the Cheese Museum (the town's only tourist attraction) we went bird spotting again. We headed off to Long Point (5 km down a rough road) to find pelicans and an old chap fishing while enjoying a warm beer - he immediately engaged us in conversation about his ancestors from Limerick. This was indeed fortunate because this delay meant that our drive back co-incited with three kangaroos crossing the track - I quickly grabbed the camera only to photograph the spot where they had been!! Maybe Meningie is not so bad after all we agreed and congratulated ourselves on seeing our first live kangaroos!!

Kate's Thoughts

The Pelicans and Kangaroos were truly spectacular. Well worth the detour. We are about to head off to the only reasonably civilised restaurant for dinner and I am planning on trying some of the local fish. We are really lucky (I hope) as this restaurant at the Cheese Museum is only open Wednesday and Saturday evenings! More of our gourmet meal later.

Just got back! It was lovely-we ate local Mullet (pan fried) with pesto and tartar sauces on the side- we had both because we couldn’t decide which! It was also accompanied by a very varied and tasty salad bar and of course chips!

Judging by the numbers of locals there for a meal we made the right choice.

PS *never thought I would get John in a beauty parlour! Shows what the draw of a cup of coffee can achieve!

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Photos

Kangaroos
A spot just vacated by 3 kangaroos

Pelicans at Jack Point
Pelicans at Jack Point

Pelican at Meningie
Pelican at Meningie

Heron in Meningie
Heron in Meningie

Comments

[Williamandstephanie]

Pleased to see we are getting lots of photos as requested (is this all of them though or are there more to see when you get back?!). I particularly like the photo almost of kangaroos! Did you see the giant lobster in Kingston?

[Martin]

Beauty Parlour
Yes, getting John into a beauty parlour was truly unexpected but, surely, pointless? Martin