Relaxing @ Robe

We've spent the last couple of days relaxing at the charming little fishing port of Robe, situated on Guichen Bay on the Limestone Coast.  Robe is one of the oldest towns in South Australia, founded by the colonial government as a seaport, administrative centre and village only ten years after British settlers formally established the Province of South Australia.

Robe has an interesting history.  During the Victorian gold rushes of the 1850s, over 16 000 Chinese landed at Robe to travel overland to the goldfields, in order to avoid the £10 per person (more than the cost of their voyage) landing tax imposed by the Victorian government.  These crazy immigrants then walked the 320 kms to get to the goldfields at Ballarat and Bendigo!

There was dissention in the ranks about whether we should actually leave Mt Gambier at all yesterday.  Some of us just didn't want to do the pack-up again.  Considering we've done the pack/unpack scenario 77 times since leaving Perth, the general lack of enthusiasm came as no real surprise!  Majority rules, however, so we all pitched in, packed up our little wagon once more and hit the road. 

Any grumblings about packing up were soon forgotten 50 kms up the road as we passed through the small town of Millicent.  Jack let out a woop when he spotted the local playground and the car exploded with screams of joy as Bruce did a U turn and pulled in alongside Millicent Mega Playground.

 

There was heaps of play equipment AND a skate park.  Plenty to keep the boys occupied while Bruce and I made lunch in the van.  With no real agenda, we stayed awhile.  When the boys had worn themselves out we hit the road once more. 

We hadn't planned on staying at Robe, which was only another 80 kms up the road, but we couldn't pass up the appeal of the local caravan park.  Robe Holiday Park is a family friendly park with a jumping pillow, camp kitchen and great TV/games room.  A power and shower stop where kids stay free.  Gold!

We settled in to our lovely grassy site barely a stone's throw from the jumping pillow.  The weather hasn't been great, but it hasn't bothered us in the slightest!  The boys have jumped to their heart's content, and the Uno and Monopoly sets have taken a pounding!

We experienced a wild storm over night.  It seems crazy that as we are enduring the driving rain and the icy winds in Robe, there's a catastrophic bushfire burning further  north in the State.  Sadly there has been loss of lives, properties and many  hectares of bush land. 

Jack has developed a taste for grilled mushrooms!

 

The storm passed, as did a few more games of Uno and another 10am breakfast.  We saw a break in the weather and risked taking the bikes out for a ride along the coastal track into town.  This involved an hour long ride along the rugged and pristine coastline of Guichen Bay, enjoying the beautiful turquoise waters of Fox's Beach, Hooper's Beach and Town Beach before arriving at the Robe Marina. 

 

Of course we made the obligatory playground stop but the icy wind coming off the Southern Ocean soon drove us away.  Drove us right into a great local café, actually, for a hot coffee, or in the boys' case a caramel milkshake.  Perfect to warm the cockles of their hearts.

 

Back at the ranch, the boys made friends with the kids whose parents own the caravan park, and Jack made use of the camp kitchen by single handedly baking a perfect custard cake!

 

Grandma would be so proud!

Not to be outdone, I treated the family to some fine dining this evening. 

We've had such a lovely couple of days here, that we've decided to stay a little longer.  The park is booked solid over the weekend but the lovely owners have managed to squeeze us in, and thrown in a free night's accommodation as well.  Woohoo!