Renmark to Waikerie

Leaving Renmark we travelled a long distance – 22ks to Berri!! It was time to go to a caravan park to do some washing, fill the water tank and have a shower (after three days). It was nice to have all the lights on and get the internet without having to worry about flattening the battery.
The area we are in now what is called the Riverland and it is follows the Murray along it course. There are lots of small towns dotted all along its winding path and they are short distances apart. I guess in years gone by the settlements were all along the river so they always had water and then the paddle steamers became such a significant industry that the towns grew but now they are all in decline.
The caravan park was right on the riverfront so we were able to explore the town on our bikes with no mishaps!! It was lovely to ride along the riverfront and see all the houseboats.
It was overcast the next day as we headed to Barmera where there is a large lake that you can drive right around. It was raining as we left town but by the time we got to the other side of the lake the sun was shining but it was very windy. We could see where the rain was and as it turned red, we realised it was a dust storm so we were lucky to miss it. We decided to camp by the lake as it was sheltered there and very picturesque. That night the skies cleared, the stars shone but it was very cold. You could see the lights of the town across the lake as well as six others in the distance. Next morning there was a stunning sunrise.
The next morning we went to see The Overland Corner Hotel which was a stop off point for all the “overlanders” – those droving cattle overland to Adelaide and later those travelling to the NSW gold rushes. It also became a staging post for coaches which attracted bushrangers and other undesirables so before too long a police station was built. The pub is now a heritage building and next to it is a large area of Wetlands which is being regenerated. I went on a very interesting Heritage walk where I saw an old limestone quarry. There were shells everywhere – evidence of the being a sea here long ago. Next was an old cemetery with child graves, a bit further on some old copper mines- you could see where the holes were dug. The path climbed up the hill to a lookout overlooking the Murray wetlands and then wandered down to an old ochre mine where the aborigines traded ochre as far afield as the Flinders Ranges. It was such an interesting walk with a diversity of landform. By the time I was back from the walk it was time for the pub to open so we had a quick look around, had a cup of coffee and then headed to Waikerie.
There is a beautiful foreshore at Waikerie as the Lions have been very active in beautifying the area. It is a lovely hilly town and we sat in the sun and had a delicious coffee. After picking up some groceries we headed to our campsite. It was right on the banks of the river with a superb view of big cliffs. We met a local who was going for a walk and we had a very interesting chat about life on the Riverland.