Camping at Port Hughes

Port Hughes, on the east coast of the York Peninsula.  Not the Cote DÁzur, I admit, but beautiful in its isolation.  

Once a small and quiet fishing haven, frequented by keen fisherfolk, with their boats, fishing lines, crabbing nets, and shacks,.   Now it has become a holiday centre as well as a fishing resort.   There was a well equiped caravan park, spread over two sites, with plenty of very comfortable accommodation, plus large holiday homes, and sub divisions laid out for more housing, to cater for the holiday makers and retirees.   In fact, the housing areas now blend with Moonta Bay, so that it looks like one large suburb of the town of Moonta.

The caravan park was quiet when we arrived on the Friday evening.  This was not to last unfortunately.   Our cabin, two bedrooms and large lounge/kitchen/diner plus bathroom, was very roomy.   And airconditioned.   Although with five adults and four children, it did become a little squashed at times during the day.

The children, plus Scott, slept in two tents on the site opposite our cabin.   Well they tried to sleep on the Saturday and Sunday nights but the partying and loud talking around them resulted in very disturbed nights.  

Poor Elvis had to live on the other side of the fence, due to a 'No Dog' policy in the campsite.  The 'No Dog' policy was not made clear to us when we booked into the camping ground the previous week.

As he was a little dog, and well trained, he happily slept in the car at night, and was equally happy to lie in his bed, under a canopy, and view the world around him, during the day when we were back in the camping ground.    He could see us through the fence so was not completely alone.

We were surrounded by campers with boats, but this group arrived on the Saturday afternoon, quickly set up their tents, and barbeque, then the men went off to do a spot of fishing, leaving the women to sit around the campsite.   Mind you, that would be preferable to spending a few hours in a small boat, rolling about on the sea.

Our barbeque, as Elvis the dog was with us, was down on the seafront.    The gas barbeque was free, no coins, which I think was the usual case in Australia   We had plenty of meat of course, steak, hamburgers and sausages.    All washed down with beer or wine for the adults, and cordial for the children.

Walter posing in front of the shelter, enjoying his glass of wine.

Darren attending to the serious task, of cooking the meat without burning it.   And he did a very good job.

Our barbeque meal, eaten as the sun was setting.   What was not shown in this photograph was the very cool wind.    Unfortunately we had to pack up as soon as we had eaten our food as we were beginning to shiver.

The sunset, brilliantly red and orange as usual.

And the lights on the jetty, sparkling in the dark sky.

All ready for Australia Day.