The day started with a lovely blue sky, some white clouds and a warm wind.
So we planned to drive west along the Coorong with the end destination being Pelican Point. We did not get there as the track was too rough, and the thought of getting stuck, with a dog in the back seat, in a National Park made us think that it would not be a good idea to continue driving on the track.
However, it is very difficult to know where the Coorong National Park begins, as often there are no signs. And it is quite difficult to see the boundaries between farmland and National Park. But we have worked out that anything near the water or in scrub land is probably National Park.
I also realised today that I gave incorrect directions in a previous blog. Younghusband Peninsula (the line of sandhills) has the Southern Ocean on the other side of it, then to the north side there is the water (stretches about 140 km) and the land.
Therefore we cannot drive north or south along the edge of the water, which is how I described the trip yesterday. Of course one must drive East or West. Sometimes I wonder about my sense of direction!
Our first stop today was at Long Point jetty, which was constructed in the early 2000s and has been upgraded since then. It is used by professional fishermen and as a stop for the tourist boat from Goolwa.
The long drop toilet stands proudly on top of the hill.
This part of the track was very smooth and wide, but once past the shacks it deteriorated somewhat. I tried to take a photo of some of the shacks, which are small and made out of bits of timber and corrugated iron. Some are very well made.
We did pass another track which could have taken us to Pelican Point. On the map it showed a heavier line. But too late by then as we had changed our minds about the destination.
The next little settlement is called Narrung which I believe was once a busy little place. Now it is a collection of houses, with a church and hall. The photograph below shows the large shop that is now a home.
A few miles from Narrung there is a ferry which crosses the short channel that connects Lake Alexandrina with Lake Albert. A very short ferry ride, but interesting all the same.
The weather changed drastically this afternoon, first the strong wind, then the heavy clouds, followed by rain.
Raakkan (once called Port MacLeay) is the home of the Ngarrindjeri, and is a beautifully kept small settlement, with a school, a shop, community hall and parks. And houses of course.
There is a view of Lake Alexandrina, the barrages and Mt Barker away in the distance. Unfortunately we missed the signpost for the viewing area. Not our day.
When we arrived we were intent on finding an old church, seen in the photograph below. It was built in 1868 by a Ngarrindjeri stonemason called William McHughes. Another famous Ngrrindjeri man is the author, inventor and political leader, David Unaipon, who appears on the Australian $50 note.
Outside the front gate of the Caravan Park there is an old Dairying Company building, which now houses a Cafe/Restaurant/Bar. We had coffee there last Saturday and tonight we decided to go there for dinner.
We both ordered Coorong mullet, caught the previous day, which was absolutely delicious. We left only a few chips on our plates.
Walter waiting patiently for his dinner.
We were lucky to be given a table with a view of the outdoor eating area, the grass area where I threw the ball to Piper, and Lake Albert. The weather was terrible.
Ever onwards.
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