the accommodation at Cape Borda ......

Way back in January (2014) we decided on a vacation to Kangaroo Island, but what we didn't know at the time was that you are also able to stay in the Lighthouse Keepers Cottages while there!

we stayed in the FLINDERS LIGHT LODGE, the one next door is for the Ranger. There are two small cabins over the back area for low cost accommodation options.

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.

yes, we could see the lighthouse from the back door of the lodge

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.

so how could we resist?

But it was not until we were on the SeaLink Ferry going across to Kangaroo Island that we realised you could also book the accommodation through them and get a discount on the fare.

It was well worth staying there the four days / three nights as it is just so relaxing and you can still go for some lovely long walks or even take the car to one of the bays.

Remember though, there are no stores close by, so take what you need for the length of time you are staying.  We purchased most of our food items prior to departing home and topped up with fresh bread & milk at Kingscote.

We spent the first 24 hours staying around the lighthouse just reading, playing music, talking and generally resting. The Ranger actually said to us that we 'broke the mold' as everyone else gets up and takes off for the day and he never see's anyone just staying around to enjoy the peace & quiet!

We really enjoyed our stay and would happily return at anytime.

Everything we needed was provided, the kitchen was fully equipped with large refrigerator, gas stove, microwave, all the utensils etc.  The bedrooms all had towels, clean sheets, bedding, pillows and a heater.  We stayed there in late April and did not need the heater on overnight.  Though we did turn it on early morning in the bathroom!  We expected it to be cold and brought along an extra doona / duvet, extra jackets, boots etc but did not need any of them. I think we may have been lucky!

The lounge area has plenty of old magazines and books, so if you are going to stay there, take along a few books that you are comfortable leaving there. We had extra shampoo, conditioner and liquid soaps left over from previous stays at motels, so we left them in the bathroom. We also left kitchen items like coffee / tea / jams / long life milk etc.  There are sure to be guests that arrive and not have everything with them!

fully equipped kitchen

lounge area

bedroom

bedroom

bedroom

bedroom

from the kitchen looking down the hallway to the bathroom

we found the accommodation clean, dry, warm and comfortable. It is not 5 star, but then we were not looking for any resort either. Flinders Light Lodge had everything we needed including peace and quiet!

Highly recommended if this is the style of accommodation that would suit you.


Useful URL's..


National Parks of South Australia - Cape Borda


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:


The many moods of Cape Borda Lighthouse

Driving to the west coast of Kangaroo Island

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 further blog posts on the kangaroo's, visiting the many bays of Kangaroo Island and much more!


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The many moods of the Cape Borda lighthouse!

Cape Borda is a headland with a lighthouse on the west coast of Kangaroo Island, South Australia and is situated 70 km (43 mi) west of the town of Kingscote. It is named after the French mathematician, physicist, naturalist, sailor Jean-Charles de Borda (1733-1799).

The Cape Borda lighthouse was built in 1858, and is the third oldest remaining in South Australia. It is also the only square stone lighthouse in South Australia. 

The various images on this blog post were taken by myself while we were staying at Flinders Light Lodge which is part of the Cape Borda Lighthouse Keepers Heritage Accommodation.  An amazing place to stay which allows you to see the lighthouse at various times of the day and shows her many moods from dawn to nightfall.


The lighthouse was built to guide sailing ships arriving in to South Australia off the Roaring Forty trade-winds and into the Investigator Straits and on to Adelaide.
In the early days supplies had to landed by boat and hauled up long steel railway at nearby Harvey's Return.

The small cannon was put in place to be fired during fog to signal ships of danger before the introduction of radio. It was also believed that due to the Russian scare the placement of the cannon was symbolic of a small military presence, and therefore seen as a deterrence to invasion from possible enemy ships! Indeed one of the reasons for building the lightstation in that position was to be a lookout for Russian ships.


In late 1999, NPWSA restored the cannon and test-fired it at Midnight 2000 as part of a global exercise of time-signals at maritime locations around the world. The cannon was found to be Y2K compliant and has since fired every day at the traditional hour of 1:00pm.

Its focal plane is situated at a height of 155 metres (509 ft), the light characteristic is a group of four white flashes that occurs every 20 seconds. The lightstation was automated in 1989 and is still fully operational. In 1999 the original fog signal cannon was restored, today it is fired daily at 12:30 hours.

The lightstation and surrounding cottages are looked after by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources while the top floor of the lightstation and the light itself is the property of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

Visitors are able to go on tours of the lighthouse and stay in the surrounding cottages. Which is what we did and the next blog post will be on staying at Cape Borda!

Most of the above information on the lighthouse is from the following websites and Wikipedia.


Useful URL's..

National Parks of South Australia - Cape Borda

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:

Driving to the west coast of Kangaroo Island

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 further blog posts on staying at Cape Borda, visiting the many bays of Kangaroo Island and much more!


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driving to the far west coast of Kangaroo Island...

The roads are in excellent condition for driving around most of Kangaroo Island ..... well certainly the main roads are.  There are also many gravel roads within the National Park areas and other more remote parts of the Island.  It is wise to drive with caution at all times. Apart from all the wildlife, there are cyclists, bushwalkers and many tourists traveling and especially the tourists from overseas that are unfamiliar with our roads, in particular the gravel roads!

So please drive with care and at a safe speed at all times.

Another 'suggestion' is to make sure your vehicle has enough fuel to travel at least 300klms ... KI is 155 klms long and about 47 klms wide. So if you are driving to Cape Borda, do make sure you have enough fuel for a return journey as there are only about two fuel stations (none anywhere near Cape Borda) and are very expensive at $1.89 per liter (April 2014)

There are fuel stations at Kingscote and Penneshaw.  The booklet that the Tourist Center give you lists where the fuel stations are located.

Driving from the east to the west coast will take approx two hours, if not longer. The road is well maintained until you reach the gravel section which is about 30 klms out from Cape Borda.

There is no easy way to 'ride the corrugation'.  If you have a 4 x 4 vehicle, then put it in 4 wheel drive and drive over the corrugation where possible. If driving a normal vehicle, slow down and watch for the extra rough areas. This section of the road will slow you down, but it is still a reasonable road ..... we have driven over far worse, that's for sure!!

Pull over and slow down when you see an oncoming vehicle ..... hopefully they will do the same.  It means less dust and less stones being thrown up on either vehicle.

When reading this blog and seeing these images, you might decide to not travel to Cape Borda due to the road conditions.  But it is well worth the trip and the road is really not that bad at all.  The images are here so you can decide for yourself as we found it difficult to locate photos such as these when we were in the 'planning stages'.  Hopefully these will help others!

Do make the effort to travel to Cape Borda, it is worth every single bump and every single kilometer.

 

 Watch out for the wildlife ... here we see a snake!

Even though it is only a few klms from here to Cape Borda, take the time to see some of the lookouts etc that are close to the main road .....

or stop by the cemetery just before reaching Cape Borda .....

 

back on to the main road and five minutes later you can see the Cape Borda Lighthouse!

That view alone makes the 30 klms of gravel road worth the drive!




NEXT BLOG POST ..... staying at 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!



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overnight on a sheep station!

Cape Jervis Station on Main South Road is set out in a beautiful rural setting. Settled in the 1840's, it was and still is an operating sheep station.

There is quite a variety of accommodation available there but as it was Easter most of it was booked out, so we had to take the King Room (as a B & B) in the main homestead.  I think if I went back there I would consider taking one of the self contained units or "The Stables". 

Their website has many photos of what is available and as it is situated on the main road in Cape Jervis it is ideal to stay over if catching the early Ferry across to Kangaroo Island.

They also have powered or unpowered sites available with hot showers and flushing toilets set on a grassed area overlooking the ocean.

The budget accommodation is a self contained cabin or a room much like a motel room, both with ensuite bathrooms.

There are four B&B rooms on offer where you can book just a room or inclusive of breakfast as well.

They also have cottages ranging from romantic cottages made for two overlooking Kangaroo Island, right through to a two bedroom two bathroom cottage perfectly suited for two families wanting to travel together.

Most of the cottages have full kitchens and BBQ's.

We stayed in the main homestead in one of the B & B rooms and the cost was $175.00 pn including a cooked breakfast.

The next morning it is just a short 5 minute trip into Cape Jervis to top up with fuel and board the ferry to Kangaroo Island.

I say 'top up' with fuel as you can purchase fuel in Adelaide or Victor Harbour depending on which way you come in, but its cheaper to fill up at Cape Jervis at $1.66 than on the Island where it is $1.76 to $1.85.


Cape Jervis Station


previous blog posts are:

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

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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. 






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our one night stay at Newstead .....

driving to Newstead a couple of weeks ago , we stopped in Creswick for our usual break at Le Peche for a hot chocolate and something delicious to eat!

The delicious, lemon meringue tart!

We have never been disappointed in any of the foods or drinks they serve.

From there we drove north via Smeaton including a wander around Andersons Mill before continuing on to Newstead.

Andersons Mill at Smeaton.

You may have already read in my previous blog post about the issues with booking a weekend away.  Sad but true, it is not simple, easy or low cost!

So after a lot of time spent on the phone trying to obtain accommodation anywhere in the region, we managed to book into Whispering Gums Motel at Newstead.

The following is the review I did for Trip Advisor:

This weekend was to have a look around Maldon / Newstead areas of Victoria. Tried to locate accommodation in Maldon, but due to some sort of festival (Vintage?) nothing was available, so called Cameron at WG Motel where he had one room left. :)

I was not expecting a full 5 star motel (it has a 3 star RACV rating) so WG was as we expected. A little on the tired side, but not detrimental to our stay. We were not expecting a resort nor there to 'wander around the garden' or go swimming anyway!

On arrival Cameron was very helpful & informative with what we could do, where to eat etc.

The room was no larger than we expected, having the usual DB, sofa, bench space etc. We were also welcomed with chocolates (always a winner!) But It is rare to find a motel with the added 'extra's' that are often needed but rarely seen.... WG Motel had it all.

Apart from the usual tea / coffee / sugar / milk / kettle, refrigerator, there was:

a toaster,
chopping board,
Microwave, Iron,
Ironing board,
flyspray,
flashlight,
spare globe,
glasses & mugs,
tea towel,
hairdryer,
shampoo / shower creme (good quality)
extra blanket & pillows
large screen TV & DVD player

so the room was well equipped.

We don't have any 'complaints' as such, but things we noted were:

room was stuffy so we opened the windows. Unfortunately our 'neighbour' was a smoker so we had to close the windows and turn on the A/C (never like to use them) and this was no exception ... it started out OK, but it ended up being a 'rattler' and so we turned it off and opened the windows again. Had to put up with the smoker instead of the rattly A/C!

Glad we always take a "soy travel candle" to burn, we don't like using aerosol air fresheners & the candle is always a winner to create a warm fresh smell in the room (always get a good quality soy candle) as the bedding had that slight dusty / musty smell. Again, am not complaining... it's just that we are a little on the fussy side with our bedding. Especially as we have managed Motels / Hotels etc ourselves and we travel often. I often wonder why some Motel Managers do not open windows to 'air the rooms' when they know that they have guests coming in .... especially when there are only 5 rooms? (am I expecting too much?)

The bed was a DB and John found it a little on the short side for him, I was OK with it though.

Bathroom was clean and spacious. Shower was excellent. Full pressure and plenty of hot water. The shower creme supplied was of good quality (not the usual cheap runny liquid!)

Towels were large clean and white - love good clean white towels!

Large TV screen & DVD player worked well. No problem at all. We brought along a TV series we had been meaning to catch up with and this weekend was the perfect time to do so.

We had a good nights sleep and were looking forward to having a bit of a sleep in, something we rarely get to do! But alas, 'twas not to be as our neighbours were up and leaving by 6:30am. Banging the wire door constantly as they went in and out their room, talking loudly and generally being thoughtless. This has nothing to do with the management, so no blame to them... but making note of it here so that hopefully the reader maybe reminded to also be a little considerate when staying in a Motel. :)

Thanks to Cameron for a comfortable stay, thanks also for the info on where to eat, special thanks for the chocolates and yes, we will come again!

Chocolates are always a nice addition!

Clean bathroom with good quality shampoo etc

bed area and sofa

the room was a little over the top and 'too busy' for our taste,

am very happy that I always take the 'travel' candles to cut out the musty smells

so yes, that was our one night stay at Newstead a couple of weeks ago!

Become one of our many followers to keep up to date on any travels we manage to do, places we get to see etc ....


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