...and so our vacation begins!

We have arrived!

Yes, after our journey across The Backstairs Passage via SeaLink we have arrived on Kangaroo Island.  We started planning the journey in January and at long last we are here!

We departed the ferry without any problem and headed straight around to Kingscote to have some lunch overlooking the sea before driving to Emu Bay.

at this point we were surprised at how mild the weather was. We were sitting here by 11.00am on Monday 21st April and even though it was a little cloudy the temperature was 23deg.

Even though we had filled up with fuel near Victor Harbour the previous day we decided to top before driving to Cape Borda. We paid $1.68 for fuel at Victor Habour and here it was $1.72.5.  We were later to come across fuel at $1.88 per liter, so were lucky we topped up in Kingscote before proceeding inland.

We did a drive around to Emu Bay and by this time the clouds had cleared and it was just one of those magical autumn days .....

All the main roads on Kangaroo Island are in excellent condition, but it is wise to keep the speed well down as we came across a few cyclists as well as wildlife.  There are a few 'hills' but overall the main roads were well maintained.

The island is 155 klms long and 47 klms wide with 509 klms of coastline, so it takes - on average - 2.5 hours to drive from Penneshaw to Cape Borda, mainly because the final 30 klms driving into the cape is on gravel road with much corrugation!

But every klm is well worth the journey ....

Kangaroo Island has tough quarantine laws. When you are packing, leave any honey and all bee-handling equipment at home.

Pets are not allowed in national and conservation parks.

Potatoes, yes potatoes, must be in new, unopened packaging. Destroy any peels or unused potatoes. Please don’t bring vine cuttings or grapevine soil here. Ensure your vehicle, boats, camping gear and hiking boots are free of mud and seeds.

Kangaroo Island, it’s truly something special.


NEXT ..... getting to Cape Borda!


Useful URL's...

Tour Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island (South Australian Tourism Website)

SeaLink Website

SeaLink Timetable

Boarding the Ferry

What is available on board

Help for those that suffer from Motion Sickness



my previous blog posts on this particular vacation are:

Crossing via SeaLink

staying at Cape Jervis Station

crossing the Mighty Murray by Punt

Beachport Jetty

stopping over in Mt Gambier

planning the journey to Kangaroo Island

our thoughts on staying at Cape Borda!

stay tuned for the blog posts on staying at Cape Borda, visiting the many bays, the roads of Kangaroo Island and much more!




.

Kangaroo Island via SeaLink

There is no bridge to get to Kangaroo Island which is just off the mainland of South Australia, so you need to fly or go via ferry!

The easiest is of course the ferry ... so you need to book via SeaLink which departs from Cape Jervis for Penneshaw every day.  There are up to 12 ferry services each day, but do check the timetable especially during busy holiday periods.

SeaLink’s two modern, air-conditioned car and passenger ferries, Sealion 2000 and Spirit of Kangaroo Island take just 45 minutes to cross Backstairs Passage between Cape Jervis and Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island.

on board the Sealion 2000

Both ferries are twin-hulled catamaran ferries complete with air-conditioned lounges, comfortable lounge or café style seating, a licensed café serving great cappuccinos and fresh snacks, outdoor viewing decks, wheelchair access, disabled toilets and baby change facilities.

 

The ferry terminal at Cape Jervis is open from 8:00am thru till 7:00pm between September and April and from May to August it is open from 8.00am till 6.00pm

There is a cafe serving coffee and snacks, free WiFi, restrooms, tourist information and booking services.

Boarding the Ferry:

When you arrive at the Ferry Terminal with your vehicle you must wait in the designated area. Decide who is going to be the driver before obtaining the boarding pass.  If you are towing a caravan, trailer, camper etc you will need to reverse the vehicle onto the ferry so it can be driven straight off at the other end.

a car with a trailer & kayak is reversing onto the ferry

On arrival at the terminal, the passenger will need to go to the Check-in Counter in the terminal with the booking number to obtain the BOARDING PASS.  Do this as soon as you arrive as it will be busy if there are coachloads of passengers arriving in from Adelaide!

foot passengers boarding the ferry

The passenger will need to walk on to the ferry, the driver of the vehicle is the only one permitted to be in the vehicle when boarding.

getting ready to depart

SeaLink also advise you to take out insurance for the crossing. The Ferry can be cancelled at a moments notice due to bad weather etc and it would be an expensive journey if you did not have insurance to cover you for accommodation and or another Ferry Ticket!

Our ticket cost us $428.00 return. That included two adults, one small car and our insurance.
We found it to be a pleasant 45 min journey both ways.

arriving at Penneshaw

the vehicles, trailers etc start to disembark

Useful URL's...

SeaLink Website

SeaLink Timetable

Boarding the Ferry

What is available on board

Help for those that suffer from Motion Sickness



previous blog posts on this particular vacation are:

staying at Cape Jervis Station

crossing the Mighty Murray by Punt

Beachport Jetty

stopping over in Mt Gambier

planning the journey to Kangaroo Island

our thoughts on staying at Cape Borda!

stay tuned for the blog posts on staying at Cape Borda, visiting the many bays, the roads of Kangaroo Island and much more!

.

crossing the Mighty Murray by punt .....

Located 105 km south-east of Adelaide in South Australia, Wellington is a small settlement on the banks of the River Murray. Like Tailem Bend, prior to European settlement the area around Wellington was home to the Ngarrindjeri people. They made bark and reed canoes and lived on the fish and the animals which came to the riverbank.
Originally established as a private enterprise in 1839, the Wellington Punt was the earliest and most important ferry crossing on the Murray River.

The Wellington ferry was a vital link on the Great Eastern Road to Victoria, being used by travellers, stock and the mail service.
In 1849 the South Australian Government took over its operation and constructed a new ferry landing which, in the early 1850s, served the escort coaches bringing gold to Adelaide from the Victorian goldfields.
The Wellington ferry was busy. Reports for February 1852 indicated that a total of 1234 people and 1266 horses and bullocks, pulling 164 carriages, crossed the river during that month. Total fees collected were £64. During October to November of the same year the punt serviced 3000 passengers, 361 carriages and 2777 draught oxen.
The early ferry services unreliable and sometimes dangerous and out of action for several days at a time. Sand drifts from the Lake region caused extreme concern and often became a barrier to the crossing. Recurring floods also interfered with the ferry service.
At least four Wellington punts have sunk during a crossing. Perhaps the most notable was in 1958 when the ferry sank with a truckload of cattle and three cars. The divers who later recovered the vehicles reported that there were other derelict punts on the river bottom.

and it takes no more than 10 minutes to cross the other side and you are on your way again!

Wellington Ferry

Ferry service operated by SA Department of Transport

Phone   (08) 8532 8111

Email: dtei.enquiries@sa.gov.au

Website: http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/

Previous blog posts:

staying overnight at Mt Gambier

The Beachport Jetty

useful URL's ....

Wellington on the Murray River

The Historic Punt Crossing at Wellington




.

stopping over in Mt Gambier ......

We recently had a one night stopover at Mt Gambier on our way to Kangaroo Island.......

Mount Gambier is the second most populous city in South Australia with a population of 25,200.

Located on the slopes of the mountain of the same name in the south east of the state approximately 450 kilometres south-east of the capital Adelaide and just 17 kilometres from the Victorian border, it is the most important settlement in the Limestone Coast region and the seat of government for both the City of Mount Gambier and the District Council of Grant.

The peak of the inactive volcano, the first place in South Australia named by European explorers, was sighted in 1800 by Lieutenant James Grant from the survey brig, HMS Lady Nelson, and named for Lord James Gambier, Admiral of the Fleet. The peak is marked by Centenary Tower, built in 1904 to commemorate the first sighting, and at 192 metres above sea level the landmark is the city's highest point.

The city is known for its geographical features, particularly its volcanic and limestone features, most notably its Blue Lake, parks and gardens, caves and sinkholes.

There is much to see in the area and well worth spending the time to do so. Unfortunately we only had the one night prior to continuing on our journey towards Kangaroo Island.

The blog post we did in February on 'planning' our journey to KI is located HERE.

I was anxious to see the accommodation we had booked at THE TOWER INN and to see if the expected 'customer service' was still there.  We had also received an email a few days prior to arriving to say they were "looking forward to our visit" and if there was anything else we required to let them know.

So this type of 'extra service' is quite foreign to Australian travel and it was a nice touch..... on arrival the receptionist was very pleasant and helpful and on entering our room it was as we 'expected' as we had booked the "Superior Deluxe Queen Suite" at $130.00 pn.  During May & June the price for the same room is $118.00, we paid the 'extra' due to it being Easter.  Our room was quiet, very clean, comfortable and well appointed with all the facilities that were available in the room which included a microwave, iron etc.

We would recommend staying here as it is quite central to the township and tourist attractions as well.
Helpful URL's ...

planning our journey to Kangaroo Island

Mt Gambier Tourism

The Tower Motor Inn


next blog post will be on staying at Cape Jervis Station!

Cape Borda Lightstation on Kangaroo Island.

most of these amazing images of the Cape Borda area are from the Flickr site

After living overseas for about 6 years we are trying to reacquaint ourselves with life in Australia and what it has to offer. We have already seen quite a bit of the country having done two trips "around Australia" over the years. 

But the one place we have not been to is Kangaroo Island.

Booking accommodation for the trip to Kangaroo Island was not simple, easy or cheap, as seen in one of my previous blog posts .  But first of all the priority was accommodation on the island as our plans included the Easter and Anzac Day break. We would worry about the rest later!

I spent all morning going through TripAdvisor for accommodation of any kind ... there was nothing available. Probably because I was quite specific as to the dates.  We are to leave on Saturday 18th and return on Saturday 26th April.  We wanted three nights / four days on the island itself, with a couple of nights traveling either way.

The nights we were wanting were Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday.

absolutely nothing available.

at any price anywhere.

Well that is apart from the Luxury Southern Ocean Lodge where their rooms START at $990.00 for a twin room PER PERSON PER NIGHT and they advertise it as:

"Rates as quoted are PER PERSON PER NIGHT and include all dining, open bar with premium wines and spirits (cellarmasters list additional), in-suite bar, signature experiences and island airport transfers"

but that was a little beyond our budget.

Would be rather amazing to stay there though!

by the way, the top price is $1800.00 PN PP in a twin room. But if you wanted just a single room for yourself, the cost would be $2700.00 per night with a minimum of two nights! Remember it does include all meals and an open bar.

They do get amazing reviews at TripAdvisor.

anyway, I digress .....

accommodation on Kangaroo Island, oh yes, where was I?

We tried the National Parks of SA (South Australia) website as well and nothing came up. I had tried the accommodation page all morning, so gave up ready to hit the phone and computer again in the afternoon.

Lo and behold, put the same dates in and up popped Cape Borda Lightstation!

images from Flickr and the National Parks of South Australia

location of Cape Borda Lightstation on Kangaroo Island

There must have been a cancellation, so whoever you are, thank you!!

On the National Parks website they 'advertise' Cape Borda Lightstation as:

Set within Flinders Chase National Park, Cape Borda Lighthouse is perched on cliffs overlooking Investigator Strait. Located on the north western corner of Kangaroo Island, this unique square lighthouse was built in 1858 and is steeped in European history.

To discover the maritime history of the area you can take a tour of the lightstation. The lighthouse area features a restored signal cannon, a museum and kiosk where refreshments and souvenirs are available. Don't miss the daily cannon firing on the 12.30pm tour.

After exploring the lighthouse, enjoy a stroll along one of the walking trails around the park including the Cliff Top Hike. This short trail through a picturesque rock garden takes you to a stone lookout that provides an ideal vantage point for spotting whales and dolphins.

and for the accommodation it has:

Flinders Light Lodge - Cape Borda

The beautifully restored Flinders Light Lodge is an ideal romantic getaway for couples or retreat for families. This gracious stone homestead comfortably sleeps up to six guests in three bedrooms with one queen size bed and four single beds in two rooms, living and dining rooms, kitchen, and veranda with views of Cape Borda Lighthouse.

Set within the Flinders Chase National Park, Cape Borda offers a special kind of peace and tranquility. Enjoy stunning sunsets and spectacular views across Investigator Strait.

Explore the park's walking trails or join a tour of the lighthouse and discover Cape Borda's maritime history. Phone +61 8 8553 4410 or email kiparksaccom@sa.gov.au if you experience difficulties making a booking.

We can accommodate 2 infants (under 4 years old) at no charge including complimentary cot and High chair loan, please call or email to add infants and requirements to your booking.
 

of course I immediately booked the three nights that were available. 

I checked the Flickr site for images of the area of Cape Borda and came up with quite a few here, and yes, I can definitely see us here for three days of photography, peace, quiet, reading, walking and whatever else comes our way!

When looking for places to travel to I always use Flickr to give me an idea of what the area is like and what we can expect to see (as seen in the first image above)   .... it is as good as using TripAdvisor to verify accommodation!

Also had another look at the TripAdvisor reviews for Cape Borda Lightstation. It looks as though everyone has been happy with their stay and am sure we will be too..... even the 30klms of corrugated road will not deter us! Well that's what we are saying now, stay tuned and we will let you know on our return at the end of April. :)

the 30klms of corrugated road we are to expect!

After booking our accommodation, I had to make sure we were able to board the SeaLink Ferry .... the booking process was quick and easy, though we did find the cost of the ticket rather expensive at $428.00 in total for two passengers and our vehicle. It did however include QBE Travel Insurance for the ferry journey which covers cancellations etc. But still the actual ticket costs $184.00 each way for a 45 minute trip!

What I will add here is that the Ferry ticket to Tasmania (in total) for two adults in a cabin, plus a vehicle is just $479.00!

images from the SeaLink Website

We did notice some accommodation places included the ferry ticket in their pricing, so if you are able to get that, then do so!

We have now booked all the accommodation for our journey to and from Kangaroo Island but will tell you about that in our next post.

Apart from all the reading, walking, eating and sleeping I intend to do, I am so hoping I can manage a photo or two just like these by Egui from Flickr:

another amazing image off the Flickr site by Egui_

so yes, stay tuned or subscribe to my posts or follow me on google+ and hopefully you will get to see photos like the above later on in April. 






.