A bit of a down day today with my fellow traveller not feeling great. But I took a quick trip just north of the city centre to see The Big Scotsman. Scotty is a 5 metres tall bravehearted soul standing near the Main North Road. He has been at the motel here welcoming weary travellers … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 14 – Scotty
Passing through Glenelg after checking out some accommodation, we saw the Big Billy Buttons. Hallett Cove has evidence of an Australian ice age about 280 million years ago. The rocks in the surf are glacial erratics – huge rocks carried by a glacier from another location.This piece of granite has been transported by glacial activity … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 13 – Hallett Cove
A day trip south from Adelaide through the southern hinterland including the famous McLaren Vale wine district and the northern Fleurieu Peninsula. On our way out of Adelaide, we saw The Big Hands at Centennial Park Cemetery symbolically showing you can go up …. or down. And don’t forget to do a will – it’s … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 12 – McLaren Vale
We are now in Adelaide, capital of South Australia and consistently ranked in the world’s ten most liveable cities. The city centre is ringed by parkland and has a mix of historic building and not-so-high highrise. University of Adelaide South African War Memorial on North Terrace (also known as the Boer War Memorial) is dedicated to the South … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 11 – City to Semaphore
A day exploring the lower Murray River, the Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Hills. A cold and bleak start to the day as we leave the best accommodation of our journey so far. The Murray Bridges bridging the Murray at Murray Bridge. Murray Bridge has a population of over 20 000 people. Like many towns … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 10 – Murray River Cliffs
Today a big day in South Australia with big things, big lakes, big river, big cliffs and big wetlands. Coots on Lake Cullulleraine – an artificially expanded lake that was once an ephemeral wetland that filled when the Murray River flooded. Darter (male – they are much darker than the female and with the chestnut … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 9 – Big Day in South A
A day looking at some of the highlights of the Mallee District of Victoria. Before leaving Swan Hill, we check out the Murray River bridge. This bridge is a historic, heritage-listed timber and steel lift-span bridge built in 1896. It was the first lift-span bridge on the Murray River to let paddle steamers pass. We … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 8 – The Mallee District
First up today is a walk around the Port of Echuca, once a busy and vital port for paddlesteamers on the Murray River. The multi-level wharf caters to level changes in the river. PS Adelaide A barge used to transport River red gum logs Barges historically transported wool bales before road transport took over. Bee … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 7 – Echuca to Swan Hill
The morning is spent on the floodplain of the Murrumbidgee River with the highway never far from the river for about 200km. A short drive south from Griffith to Hanwood brings us to McWilliams Wines and its Big Barrel. By the way, what did the contestant of the Griffith Edition of The Bachelor say to … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 6 – The Long Paddock
Today we explore the Riverina area with Griffith as our base. Donald Mackay was an Australian businessman and anti-drug campaigner from Griffith. Concerned about the growing illegal drug trade in his local area, and learning of a large crop of marijuana in nearby Coleambally, Mackay informed Sydney drug squad detectives, resulting in several arrests and the conviction of four men. … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 5 – The Riverina
Today we do another section of the 643km long Kidman Way named after Sir Sidney Kidman (1857–1935), a prominent pastoralist who built a massive cattle empire once owning several properties along this route. At its peak, the company was the largest private landowner in Australia, controlling over 3% of the continent, with over 68 stations and … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 4 – The Kidman Way
A south-west run today through outback New South Wales. Cotton is the major crop around Dirranbandi. Our second visit to the Hebel Hotel – officially opened in 1894 as a Cobb & Co changing station before later commencing operations as a hotel. Outside the pub are a number of old posts; these are the original … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 3 – Good to Go to Goodooga
