Bordertown RV Park

A night at Bordertown at the RV Camp which is situated within walking distance to town. Situated beside a lake and nice walking trail, plenty of space for other travellers. 

1st time we have come across a card pay station, $15 per vehicle for the night. Pay with card and place receipt on dash of car.  Four other caravans came in during the afternoon, making a total of six counting ours. 

I walked into town via a short cut across the railway line and under the bridge, looking for a news agency to buy a birthday card for Tate our grandson who recently turned 11 but no newsagents in town, but fortunately the Post Office had a few to choose from. 

I took a few photos of the buildings, I bought a steak and lamb chops from the local butcher to surprise Vickie, but because we had no vegetables due to border restrictions they were put in the freezer, and the two cakes from the bakery, well the Vanilla slice was the worst I’ve had, 🤮 but Vickie’s ‘danish’ was ok. 

Onto Adelaide today and stay with our daughter for some time. 💙

 

Ararat Jail

After leaving Deniliquin we stayed a night at St Arnaud and then made our way down to Ararat to catch up with Vickie’s Sister Sue & Husband Greg. We had booked a site at the Acacia Van Park and a cabin for them. As most know I’m not a fan of Van Parks but if we have to stay in one this one ticked the boxes, very friendly staff, a small park, excellent amenities for those that need them and the cabin and site were a reasonable price, plus they allowed us to take up two sites so we didn’t need to unhitch the van. 

Sue & Greg had arranged to take us the the former Ararat Jail & mental Asylum J Ward … not to be committed but to do a tour. 🥴🤪

Ararat Jail operated from 1859/1887

J Ward - Hospital for the Insane 1887/1991

Jim was our volunteer tour guide and he did an excellent job in showing us around and telling us stories of some of the patients / prisoners. Some very sad and disturbing stories as an example was a six year old boy institutionalised and spent most of his early life. His life didn’t improve with him being jailed in 1982, due to possible release in 1991 the Govt were concerned his self mutilation and threats to kill they kept him locked up, he died in 1993 from swallowing razor blades. 

There were so many stories and so interesting we bought a book with all the information. The inmates were locked in their cell for 12 hours at night had their clothes removed and slept naked on a straw mattress with a heavy canvas cover to stop any possibility of suicide. 

There was Bill Wallace the oldest incarcerated person in the World, he was 107 when he died. 

A Frenchman Charles Foussard was the longest incarcerated person in the World with 71 years. 

Another well known prisoner was Chopper Read who was sent to J Ward after cutting his ears off. 

So many stories …. 

If your ever around Ararat Victoria we can recommend you visit. 

That night we all went to the local RSL and had a great meal and donated some $ to the pokie machines. 🥴🥴🫣🫣

 

Holder Bend Reserve - Murraydale

A night at Holder Bend Reserve just out of Waikerie was very pleasant and a very friendly duck who liked a free feed. 

 The next night we stopped at Pinnaroo RV camp where temperatures dropped to 1 degree over night 🥶 But cosy and warm in the Van & the Truma Gas Heater went on at 7am to keep things cosy. 

A walk into town and like a lot of the small towns we have come through most businesses look closed down. The Hotel was open but we didn’t bother and chose to have dinner in the van and watch some Netflix. The Starlink is very handy though expensive per month, I just compare it to an extra tank full of diesel a month. 

Tonight we have stopped along the Murray River just a few K from Swan Hill. It’s called Murraydale on WikiCamps. Directions say to take the right track but we decided to go left and found a nice flat area right beside the river. 

1st Night we have had a camp fire so it’s Curry Jaffles for dinner.

 

A few memories

 Seeing as how it’s our mate Kimbo’s  wedding anniversary with the love of his life Nerida and also his birthday, a little memory of a trip we all did together that I had published in a caravan magazine so many years ago.

Never Forgotten R.I.P.

Kim Greenwood

Happy Heavenly 70th Birthday Bro 🤠

Your in our thoughts everyday, if only our trips these days meant we were catching up with you at some outback place to continue our shenanigans .. 

Love & missed - Mick & Vickie