Sunday. August 18.

Day 22.         Rest Day.              Port Augusta.

Nice to have a Rest Day after coming out of the Outback. To celebrate that, we had a group breakfast in the camp kitchen. Here in the Big4 Caravan Park, the camp kitchen is top class. Everything's provided for the residents whether they are in cabins or camping. And it is kept immaculate. The best by far that we have been in. The place is so busy....and it's wintertime. People get such value out of their campers and caravans. never a need to put them up on blocks for 10 months.

The breakfast was something else. Talk about the Full Irish! And everything was polished off. We're only replacing burned calories.

Even before we set into the breakfast at 8 am, I had my washing done and hanging out. All I required now was sunshine and a drying breeze.

Today, Paul returned to Sydney for his mothers funeral on Tuesday. We all signed condolences cards for him and his family. He hopes to rejoin us in Clare on Wednesday for the rest of the cycle.

My first visit was to the Water Tower Lookout near the caravan park. It was built in 1882 to hold water for firefighting in this end of town. One hundred years later it was restored as a tourist attraction. Now, one views Port Augusta and Spencer Gulf from inside the water tank. 

I went to All Saints Church for 10.30 Mass. Yesterday evening, I called ther to enquire re times of Masses and happened to meet the priest, Fr Paul Crotty whose folks have a connection with O Brien's Bridge in Clare and we chatted. Today, at the end of the notices, he wished 'Richard from Tipperary' all the best and safe travelling as he cycles from Perth to Melbourne to Sydney, and thanked me for joining the congregation for Mass.

After Mass, I paid a visit to the Wadlata Outback Centre and spent a few hours there. It was most interesting dealing with the origin of the continent separating from Antarctica; the Aboriginal life; the European settlers and explorers; life in the Outback and the mining of minerals in the present day. hard to take it all in.

In the centre of the city (pop 15,000) businesses were closed but in the central park some preachers were setting up. Wharflands Esplanade is now a recreational area where once ships were loaded with grain, wool and sheep from incoming trains.Two bridges span the Spencer Gulf at this point with the old one safer for cyclists.

I returned to Cabin No 142 for lunch and a rest before hitting out for the afternoon. I used the bike for all these visits- so fast and easy to hop over barriers and to park.

It took a 2 km spin out the Stuart Highway to visit the Australia Arid Lands Botanic Garden. This is 500 acres devoted to walks through areas of desert loving Eremophilia growing in the wild and also a Visitors Centre. Just inside the entrance, visitors are asked to give way to other creatures. 

In this Botanic Garden is located Matthew Flinders Lookout where he stood in 1802 surmising that the Spenser Gulf would lead him in search of the inland sea. It was Flinders that first used the term 'Australia'.

While I was in the Visitor Centre, a heavy shower of rain passed through. The day had been fine without being summery. As usual, wind blew up in the afternoon and tended to chill. Forecast for tomorrow is 15 deg with westerly winds.

Only Woody and myself in the cabin tonight with Paul gone home. 

Next section is very short with only 2 days till Rest Day in Clare.

.....and thank God for a lovely day.