The caravan is packed and ready to roll. We are ready for Victoria. The real question is: is Victoria ready for us???

Point Malcolm

Our first stop was Point Malcolm lighthouse. It is famous for being the only inland lighthouse in Australia. It is between Lake Alexandrina and Lake albert. It is also the shortest lighthouse in Australia at just 7 metres tall. It was quite interesting, and we happened to be there at the same time as a local lady who was there with a visiting friend, so she could tell us some other interesting bits and pieces.

Meningie

We took the ferry across to Narrung, because we could. Then around Lake Albert to Meningie for lunch. We learnt about the bushranger who was famous mostly for the fact that his mode of transport was riding an ostrich!!

KIngston

Onto Kingston, where we booked into the caravan park and due to the wind, didn’t bother with the awning. Set up was pretty quick, so we set off to see the sights. The Café Jaffa lighthouse is next door to the caravan park.

Obviously as this is not Café Jaffa, it has been decommissioned and relocated. It was previously 8km offshore., where it was manned for 101 years. We managed to be standing at the gate reading the signs when a lady walked up and unlocked the gates. She said, “I’m doing a tour in a minute if you’d like to join us?” As we had nothing else planned and we are all about making the most experiences available as we travel around, we said yes. Sutts was very brave and came along even though he does not like heights. We nearly lost him climbing the first set of steps being buffeted about in the wind, but once we got inside it was not so bad. The lighthouse was manned by three families in a two months on and one month off rotation, with two keepers on duty at a time and one onshore. The lighthouse is not especially big, and I would have hated to live out there! Imagine trying to raise a bunch of children in a tiny house miles offshore, surrounded by ocean in every direction, and sharing that space with another family, no privacy whatsoever. The children would go stir crazy cooped up day and night. The fresh supplies (food and water etc) would be brought out once a week, provided the weather was favourable! And it often wasn’t! Once arriving at the lighthouse in a boat, passengers had to grab out at the 6m ladder and climb up as quick as they could to avoid being squished against the boat as it rose and fell with the waves! Boy, they were tough in those days! The tour guide told us about the ruins of the original light house cottages at Cape Jaffa. So, we added that to tomorrow’s list.

Still very windy, so we cooked in the camp kitchen, along with a social group of 17 – they are a friendly bunch, but it’s a lot of people in a little spot, so after tea, we faffed about and discovered that we could squeeze our little camp table and one chair into our caravan for a few rounds of cards. Early to bed for everyone.