An 11 day adventure from outback to ocean
A taster of the south, covering areas over 3 states – Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.
The Christmas holidays were coming up, and it was time to choose a new and exciting travel destination. As recent arrivals to Melbourne, the world was our oyster (well, at least the Southeastern part of Australia was). With so many possibilities, I began looking into locations that would be great for a summer road trip. There are a handful of destinations that I have always wanted to see above all others, and I noted that one of those places was kind of nearby – well, close by Australian standards. That was Broken Hill, the area where Mad Max 2 was filmed. Using that as a starting point, I crafted our perfect itinerary within the given timeframe and with all the ingredients of a great holiday.
Itinerary:
Day 1. Melbourne to Mildura
Day 2. Mildura to Broken Hill – 2 nights stay
Day 3. Silverton
Day 4. Broken Hill to Port Augusta
Day 5. Port Augusta to Port Lincoln – 2 nights stay
Day 6. Port Lincoln area
Day 7. Port Lincoln to Adelaide
Day 8-9. Adelaide
Day 10. Adelaide to Coonawarra
Day 11. Coonawarra to Melbourne
Day 1. Melbourne to Mildura
Mildura is a small city situated on the Victorian side of the Murray River. The river provides a pleasant setting for observing houseboats and paddle steamers, which offer regular tours. I definitely think that hiring a houseboat is on the cards in future! It looks like it would be such a fun adventure.
The first leg of the journey from Melbourne to Mildura was 546 kms – around 6 hours drive. Keep an eye out for Silo art, as you pass through the country towns along the way.
It was sitting here by the riverside, where we first began to discover the ‘stone pile’ monuments that Australia erects to commemorate rather dull events in its history. This particular monument celebrated the moment that some random ship captain passed by the spot. That’s right, passed by – he didn’t even stop! It was dated ‘about 22nd Jan 1830’, so the date is shady also. It has now become our tradition to find and make fun of monuments dedicated to dull things!
The accommodation was basic, but the town had all necessary amenities. Overall, it was fine for a stopover.
Day 2. Mildura to Broken Hill
It’s 296 km to Broken Hill, about a 3-hour drive from Mildura. Cross the river border into NSW and make sure that you fuel up before leaving. After Wentworth, it’s 266 km (2.5 hours) along Silver City Highway with minimal stops—just a teacup tree, bra tree, red dirt, and a looong straight road!
Arriving at Broken hill we viewed historical mining equipment and viewed the area from the lookout at Junction mine site. I wanted to photograph the sculptures in the Living Desert state park at sunset, but it was getting too dark by the time we arrived.
We stayed at Broken Hill Outback Resort and found it to be exceptional. The accommodation options included clean, modern cabins as well as facilities for pitching tents or campers. A small family of goats roamed freely around the property. Due to the extremely hot weather, we spent time relaxing in the spa bath with a beverage, enjoying the remarkable view of the outback scenery and hills through the large bathroom window. It was an experience I would gladly repeat!
There is a restaurant available on site; however, we chose to cook our dinner on the barbecue that was included on the back deck of our cabin. This was Tony’s first experience barbecuing in Australia, and it was a hot one as the day’s temperature exceeded 30 degrees. He threw some sausages, onions and prawns on the barbie, while enjoying his favourite Pacific ale – a classic Aussie experience!
Day 3. Silverton
The Mad Max 2 museum and film location is out at Silverton, a 20-minute drive from Broken Hill. On the way there, you will see why the locals have given the road a nickname of ‘The 100 dips’.
I was excited about finally getting to see the museum and the surrounding area. Mad Max 2 was one of the films that first introduced me to the post apocalyptic genre as a kid, along with Waterworld and The Tribe (a New Zealand series). I instantly loved the aesthetic and have been a huge fan ever since. I find the blend of rusty, derelict settings, salvage and creation from ruins, and new plant life among decayed textures very appealing. Naturally I’m drawn to those kind of places – you can see my urbex photography from around the world HERE.
But back to the museum… The second (and best) movie of the trilogy was filmed in this area, so inside the museum you get to see all sorts of paraphernalia associated with it, including behind the scenes photos, costumes, original and replica vehicles, props…even the gyrocopter and the interceptor are there on display! The owners of the collection are very friendly and great to have a chat with.
You can also buy souvenirs – we bought a fridge magnet for our collection and a replica of the music box that Max gave to the feral kid.
Before planning your visit, verify the operating hours as it may be closed during certain months.
Continue a bit further North of Silverton and the Mundi Mundi plains is the filming location. The owner of the museum told us where to find the area where the tanker rolled in the movie, whether or not we actually found it is another story… We did however find the rotting corpse of a dead emu, Tony says he can still smell it to this day! (Hot Tip: Don’t roll car window down next to dead emu)
Silverton isn’t a very big place, but you can also explore a Historical Gaol & Museum, visit an eccentric art gallery, take a camel ride and stop in for a drink at the pub. Drive further afield to take a tour of a historic silver mine.
The Historical Gaol & Museum is worth a visit if you enjoy looking at relics from the past such as old photos, cameras, gas masks, food packaging, clothing, animal traps…many nostalgic items and also curiosities that I’d not seen before. The doll and mannequin expressions are hilarious – keep an eye out for a policeman that looks like Freddy Mercury!
Day 4. Broken Hill to Port Augusta
Today’s journey would take us around 5 hours (or 413kms) from Broken Hill to Port Augusta.
There are a few small rural villages on the mostly straight road following railway line. The line crosses at some point – be careful, as there was a fatal accident involving a train and a truck the day after we passed through.
Apart from a quick stop at the border sign for South Australia and a biosecurity check (to make sure we weren’t carrying any fruit or veggies through), there isn’t much to see for most of the trip.
Closer to the Port Augusta end, near Black Rock, we took a detour to ‘Magnetic Hill’ which was a very strange experience. You park at the spot on the hill next to a sign which gives you the instructions: Turn off ignition, select neutral and then take your foot off the brake. Next thing you know, your car is rolling up hill by itself! Or so the illusion seems…
Port Augusta itself is a nice little city by a river. We didn’t see much of it since we were tired after the drive and just ended up relaxing at our motel.
Day 5. Port Augusta to Port Lincoln
Continuing down the Eyre Peninsula to Port Lincoln takes around 3.5 hours (342kms).
Points of interest included a shoe tree, Whyalla jetty with its cuttlefish mosaics (see real life giant cuttlefish here in winter!), Cowell with its awesome murals and public toilet art gallery (you can buy the paintings too!) and some more silo art at Tumby Bay.
The Tumby Bay jetty was on my list of potential snorkelling spots as well as Louth Bay further south. For some reason we decided to continue, I think the tide was possibly too low on that occasion.
Port Lincoln has a calm main beach adjacent to a grassy, tree-lined park and located just across the road from the pub where we were staying. Theres a long jetty for fishing and an enclosed sea pool connected to it, for those who are afraid to brave the open ocean. The ocean around the end of the Eyre Peninsula is well known for its Great White sharks (my dad kept on warning me about them before I left for the trip!) and you can take a trip out from Port Lincoln on a specialised shark cage diving tour. My dad’s friend used to run one of those back home in NZ, but very few companies are allowed to do so these days.
Both Tony and I would looove to see a Great White up close, so we will have to return one day. I just need to get up the courage…I’m not at all scared of the shark, but I heard that the boat journey can be quite rough and I have the phobia of sickness and being stuck in places I can’t get away from. Not great for someone who likes the ocean, but I am gradually getting less anxious about going on boats and have not had a bad experience yet (apart from the anxiety).
Day 6. Port Lincoln area
There are so many rugged, remote scenic areas to explore on the southern tip of the Eyre peninsula, at Lincoln National Park and Whalers Way Sanctuary. Both require an entry fee and Whalers Way has a code to open gate once you’ve paid online. To make the most of the area you will need a 4wd, which unfortunately we didn’t have.
On route we saw a koala by the road, stopped to check on it, and shooed it towards the bushes. Google Maps mentioned a nearby koala habitat, so it must have gone for a wander. Hopefully it got back alright.
We had the opportunity to visit Pelamis Point and Cape Wiles, which offer stunning ocean views featuring monolithic rock formations in the sea. The power of the waves is truly impressive, and seals can be observed at the right time.
A pity we couldn’t risk going any further along the sandy track in our hire car, as there are sheltered bays, impressive rock crevasses, blow holes and rock pools for swimming in.
Travel a bit further west (by main road) and you will hit Coffin Bay with its oyster farms and Streaky Bay at the start of the Great Australian Bight.
At the end of the day we returned to Port Lincoln, stopping at Shelly beach on the way, to watch the sunset.
It was New Years Eve and Port Lincoln waterfront is a great spot to watch fireworks. They set them off from the jetty at 9.30 and Midnight. At the earlier session families sit on the beach to watch or grab a seat over the road outside the pub and have a drink.
Our accommodation was just across the road at the Grand Tasman Hotel, which is a typical Australian style pub with Verandah around the exterior. I recently had a debate with Tony about these, when he said that Australia doesn’t have ‘pubs’, they have ‘hotels’. Yes, many of them do say ‘Hotel’ on the outside, so that during the colonial era travellers knew where they could stay. But you will always hear a local call it a pub. No one says, “let’s go down to the hotel for dinner!”
We sat up on the verandah to watch the midnight fireworks. All and all Port Lincoln is a great place to be for NYE, as you get a relaxing ‘holiday’ atmosphere that isn’t crowded.
Day 7. Port Lincoln to Adelaide
The full-day drive to Adelaide spans 656 kilometers, taking approximately 7 hours. The initial portion of the journey retraces the route up the Eyre Peninsula. Upon reaching Port Augusta, head south. Consider making stops in towns such as Port Germain to visit the Big Thong, or detour into Port Pirie. The route primarily features countryside scenery, with a few small towns along the way.
Lochiel is known for its distinctive pink lake, Lake Bumbunga, which features viewing platforms and informative signage about the area. Watch out for the ‘Loch-eels’ which lurk in the lake! The lake typically remains dry during the summer months, allowing visitors to walk on its surface, as we did. The pink hue of the lake is due to carotene, a chemical resulting from the interaction between salt and the bacteria residing in the lake. Proceeding through the countryside past several additional small towns will ultimately lead you to Adelaide.
We stayed at the Morphett Arms Hotel (yes a pub!) once we arrived. The dining areas were trendy and modern with good food. The accommodation was basic, but the location was convenient situated between the city and beach.
Day 8 and 9. Adelaide
During the next two days, we explored Adelaide. We went snorkelling at Port Noarlunga too; see my blog Port Noarlunga – Aquatic Perfection in Adelaide for more on this excellent snorkelling spot.
We love to look at street art and there is so much to see in Adelaide, including giant murals around the Port – a trendy area filled with cafes and restaurants. Maps are available with street art trails to explore in various locations around the city and outskirts. Notably, one wall in the city features hundreds of matchbox cars, aligned vertically over 2 stories high.
Rundle Mall, Adelaide’s main shopping street, is a hive of activity lined with shops, arcades, sculptures and street entertainment. Tony spotted a ‘geek’ shop and went in for a look at the figurines. We only had a brief stroll through the area, but there looks as though there are many points of interest to investigate on a longer stay.
We visited Garden Island Ship Graveyard and Dolphin Sanctuary, which is ideal for boating and fishing. Paths through the estuary’s mangroves lead to rusty old ship skeletons, or an easier (less muddy) option is to kayak the waterways.
Another goal was to try a pie floater in Adelaide. I first heard about the delicacy in a lonely planet guidebook during my trip around Australia in 2006, and decided that I wanted to have one when I eventually visited Adelaide. Eighteen years later, and I saw a bakehouse with a big ‘Pie Floaters’ sign on the roof. However, when we went inside, we were told that they only offer them in winter. Gutted! So, I had to settle on a sausage roll instead.
Another location that I have been eager to visit is Somerton Beach in Adelaide. Years ago, I became intrigued by the story of the Somerton Man, an unidentified individual who was found deceased, propped against the rock wall along Somerton Beach. What captivated me the most about the story was the series of mysterious events surrounding the death, such as the cryptic note that was found with him, his encounters and the possibility that he was a soviet spy. Back in 2013, I was part of an online community that would discuss the theories surrounding the case, however drifted away from it as new topics captured my interest.
Interestingly enough, the case was solved in 2022. It’s a fascinating story to delve into and if you want all of the unbiased facts, I recommend the book: ‘The Unknown Man: A Suspicious Death at Somerton Beach’ (written by the police investigator involved in the case).
Apart from the significance of the area, Somerton is a nice, surf beach with white sand and pine trees. Located nearby is Glenelg, an attractive area featuring a paved café strip adorned with trees and water features. The area includes a Ferris wheel and a beach club next to a jetty. A nice place to chill, particularly at sunset and the ice creams are great!
Day 10. Adelaide to Coonawarra
We headed out along Princes Highway, through the Adelaide Hills and countryside, past Mount Barker, on the 379km (4 hour drive) to our next stop in Coonawarra. There are many little towns and villages to explore off the freeway if you feel like a stop.
Located just before Tailem Bend is the Old Tailem Town Pioneer Village. This site features historical buildings to explore—some of which are reputedly haunted—and an abundance of history. The village comprises 110 buildings that have been relocated from various sites around the state, creating the largest pioneer village in the Southern Hemisphere. These old homes and businesses are furnished to reflect settler life from 1860 to 1960. The village contains numerous historical items, decor, automobiles, and equipment set in a shaded environment, complete with a soundtrack from yesteryear. You can easily spend several hours exploring the site. It is a quiet and uncrowded destination with an admission fee of $28 per adult. See more at https://www.tailemtown.com.au/
They even have paranormal investigations that you can do at night with Adelaide Haunted Horizons, which would be really cool to take part in. Although, I did capture something strange on film myself… and it just so happened to be at one of the haunted hot spots! When we visited, we didn’t realise it had a haunted history. Days later back at home, I think I read about it when I was looking for some information to add to one of my home holiday videos. While editing that same video, I noticed a shot where I was walking towards the pub filming… the door suddenly opened outwards on its own, as if welcoming us in. Weird!
Driving south through the countryside, past more silo art and small villages, we arrived at our accommodation for the night – a tranquil and relaxing glamping site at Coonawarra Bush Holiday Park. My first glamping experience offered various options, including bell tents and luxury bubble domes. Our accommodation was a stargazer tent equipped with a comfortable bed with an electric blanket, fan, tea-making area, and your own personal dunny out the back. Additionally, there was a fire pit, lounge chairs, and a telescope for stargazing. A shared kitchen was also available. There is a small shop at the reception that sells local wine, which Tony purchased. If staying longer you have the option of hiring a bike and taking yourself on a tour of the wineries nearby, although I imagine that wouldn’t end well for some people!
The park is surrounded by vineyards and bushland, featuring a nature trail at the back where visitors can observe wildlife such as wombats, echidnas, birds, and kangaroos. During our sunset walk, we encountered kangaroos and discovered a wombat burrow, although we didn’t see any wombats. Once again, the sunset was spectacular. After the bush walk, we returned to our campsite which looked pretty in the dark with fairy lights draped around the tents. We sat on the lounge chairs, toasted marshmallows, enjoyed the wine, and admired the stars. Another great day.
Day 11. Back to Melbourne
The drive back to Melbourne covers 453kms and takes about 5 hours, crossing the Victorian border and passing through small towns like Edenhope and Horsham.
Just before reaching Horsham, we noticed an imposing rock formation and decided to take a closer look. It turned out to be Mt Arapiles, with free camping, a haven for rock climbers. This rural part of Victoria has numerous state and national parks, including the Grampians, which I’d like to visit. These areas offer waterfalls, diverse landscapes attractive to photographers, and even some sites with Aboriginal rock art.
Dadswells bridge is a must stop destination as it is the home of not just the Big, but the Giant Koala! You can get an ice-cream (if the refrigeration is working – which it wasn’t when we dropped by) or food at the cafe. We didn’t go into the guts of the koala, but apparently there is a small gift shop selling a few items and some farm animals out the back. It’s a bit dated and the reviews on google aren’t great, but it’s good for a Koala selfie/leg stretch.
The rest of the trip was continuing on through rural Victoria passing the towns of Ararat and Ballarat and then arriving back into Melbourne. Overall a really good trip, with lots of amazing memories once again!
