Entry 3 – 2025 – May – Ceduna to Streaky Bay - Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
After two trial/shake down caravan outings and plenty of rest time at our home base, we were finally ready to resume our feel-good travels to various locations around Australia with our caravan in tow.
A couple of days prior to our departure, there was some work on our sons’ caravan to complete. Gifting our grand-children a birthday present and fun cooking up some hyper goodies.
Winter was officially almost upon us with only a month of Autumn left. Normally during this period of the seasons, we would be focused on a northern Australia destination with its rewards of a tantalising warmer climate. 2025 was to be a different year, where we would attempt not to wonder further than around 1,000 kilometres from our home base due to medical necessity.
We were in need of a different mindset, with consideration of what clothing to pack to survive the cold winter conditions. The thought of spending a whole winter season with its cold, rain-soaked conditions was horrifying.
We thought it was time for another look around the Eyre Peninsula. Our past explorations had commenced at the north eastern point where we would travel south west along the coastal regions. This time we decided to start from the north western area of Eyre Peninsula, as in the past we had run out of time to view this area’s offerings.
There was a stopover at the town of Kimba. It had a great camping area provided by the local council with about 50 other caravans/motor homes utilizing the location.
Arriving at our planned starting point the town of Ceduna, our first stop was at the Ceduna information centre. We were not expecting much to spark our interest, though we were hopeful. Even with our low expectations we were saddened by the lack of any enthralling points of interest. In town there was a museum and a lookout to view the working jetty operations. Nearly all the information provided by the centre staff was directed at promoting locations around 100 kilometres away. Many of these locations we had previously visited.
Ceduna did have several fuel stations, a large supermarket and many other services available. We walked about for a while viewing the central business areas and a wander along the esplanade looking at the ocean views and jetty.
It was school holidays and we were informed the local caravan parks were at near capacity. And sorry the much-publicized water filling station was out of order.
We set camp at Wittelbee Conservation Park located about 13 kilometres south of Ceduna. It was our preferred type of location. Remote and uncrowded.
We enjoyed 3 days at Wittelbee Conservation Park, with daily walks along the beach or along the tracks through the park.
The predicted weather forecast was for a storm front with thunder and strong winds over the next 3 days. We decided to seek out a protected location away from the exposed environment of Wittelbee Conservation Park.
Around 10 kilometres down the road was Laura Bay Conservation Park with a campground about 300 metres inland from the ocean. We left at first light, while the dirt roads were still dry. Though we could see dark clouds closing on us. We set camp amongst some low bushy trees at the Laura Bay Conservation Park camp ground.
For us it was another beautiful setting. We sat outside amongst the trees having breakfast, with a constant background noise of crashing clouds. The sky was getting darker and darker with threatening looking clouds. The rains arrived at the completion of breakfast. We spent a few hours within the confines of our comfortable caravan, watching the storm activities around us.
There was a nice walk to Laura Bay lookout with some informative signage. Another day we walked along a vehicle track to a location named, Dog Point, another lookout/fishing location. When we stepped out from the bush onto the headland overlooking the ocean, the ferocity of the wind made it difficult to stand up.
About half a kilometre out to sea was a rocky island. By eye it looked like there were a large number of birds or low bushes on the island. Zooming in with the camera showed 100’s to 1000’s of birds on the island and its surface very white, probably due to the presence of so many birds.
We were happy with our “gut feeling,” decision to relocate to a more sheltered camp location, from Wittelbee Conservation Park to the Laura Bay Conservation Park camp ground.
The windy conditions continued for three days, before subsiding.
The weather forecast was for another three cloudy days before a prediction of sunny skies. It had been five nights and four days since we had last experienced a sunny sky.
Our caravan is gas free. Our onboard batteries are providing power for all our modern life style needs, the same as if we were home. We had an induction cook top, oven/convection microwave, fridge, electric kettle, electric toaster, electric hot water, tv, washing machine, a daily requirement to recharge computers, tablets, phones, the requirement of night time lighting and much more.
Our batteries power supply is sourced from the energy provided by the sun.
Our battery power banks were showing 66% available power, indicating we most likely had 3 to 4 days’ worth of power remaining.
We were still acquiring knowledge about the capabilities of our new caravan.
In this instance we decided to spend a night at a caravan park, providing a 240-volt power boost to our batteries. We thought best to err on the side of caution. Just down the road a bit we booked into a caravan park at Smokey Bay.
With our batteries at 100% charge, we next set camp down the road a bit at Perlubie Beach. It was funny how this drive seemed to take ages. It had been our longest drive in the last week at about 50 kilometres. Wouldn’t it be lovely if all these beautiful camp locations were only a few minutes’ drive apart!
Perlubie Beach is another grand location. We noted the sun decided to put in an appearance, possibly due to our actions of spending a night in a caravan park to seek out an alternate power supply?
When we are camped at those special locations, we avoid drawing the window coverings, including at night. It is a beautiful feeling when you open your eyes first thing in the morning and you are welcomed by a grand setting, booming in through the windows.
Our first morning at Perlubie Beach we could feel the chilly, cold air upon the only part of our bodies not covered by our beautiful warm bed coverings. Opening our eyes we were greeted by one of those exceptional, fantastic settings.
The tide appeared to be out for ever. The bay was covered by a sea mist and there was a glow on the distant clouds, provided by the arrival of the morning sun, not yet visible above the horizon.
Poor Steve was instantly in action, thinking we need proof of this magnificent setting. He was more asleep than awake, grabbing the camera and bounded up the nearby sand hill. His body was in shock from instantly awaking and into full action.
Of interest the previous night staying at the crowded caravan park we had drawn our blinds for some privacy. We heard our neighbours moving about early and ignored their noise. When we opened our eyes, it was 9 am. Wow.
Perlubie Beach is another one of those exceptional, easy on the eyes, setting. It installs a sense of wellness and a great all-round positive atmosphere with most of your neighbours having a cheery disposition. There was the constant, “chatter with various fellow campers.”
Early each morning we would walk along our beach and could feel the benefits of the exercise on our bodies.
The weather bureau was forecasting a 180-degree change in wind direction for a period of time. We decided to change the position of our rig setup accordingly. The great weather conditions were holding up and we managed to extend for another night’s stay on our allocated site.
When the tide was out, many of our neighbours would walk by us. When the tide was in, they would paddle by.
It was the federal government election day and time to move. We savoured our time at Perlubie Beach for as long as possible. We stuck with our Perlubie Beach itinerary, spending our first hour of the day with our walk along the beach to the furthest point. On our return to the caravan, we sat outside admiring our view whilst having breakfast and a cuppa.
Once our morning routine was complete, only then did we consider packing up duties.
Twenty kilometres down the road we propped at the township of Streaky Bay. Our first chore was at the car wash, to remove all the ocean salt spray from the tow tug and caravan. The bare looking fridge was restocked with fresh food. We queued up in the long wait line and cast our votes for the government elections.
It was mid-afternoon by the time we had completed all of our tasks for the day. We decided to set camp at Streaky Bay’s RV Park for the night.
