It was both windy and warm overnight. The breeze created by open windows caused our blinds to rattle but that was not a problem. We both slept well and decided to get up when the alarm sounded at 7:00am.
Today was another free day so we decided to watch the 10:00am departure of a train that runs from Goolwa to Victor Harbour. The Cockle Train travels along the oldest steel railed railway in Australia dating back to 1854 when it was constructed to provide a link between the river Murray and the ocean wharfs at Port Elliot and later at Victor Harbor.
The railway starts each day at the Goolwa Station, in the historic Wharf Precinct alongside the River Murray. After crossing the main Goolwa to Victor Harbor Road, the line heads off across the plains to Middleton, picking up or dropping off passengers on request, and then to Port Elliot where it reaches the Encounter Bay coast.
After leaving Port Elliot the train climbs to the top of the coastal cliffs and passengers then experience some of the most picturesque coastal scenery on the Fleurieu Peninsula, with nothing separating you from the beach below and a perfect view of the Southern Ocean.
After a 30-minute journey the train arrives at the Victor Harbor Station which is in the centre of the town. The locomotive is detached from the carriages and turned before re-joining the carriages for the return journey to Goolwa.
There are several versions of this train and today the trip was provided by a diesel locomotive. We photographed the train at the station and took video of the departure.
After leaving the wharf area, we purchased some biscuits that were on special from Foodland. These biscuits are not available in NSW.
After returning to the caravan park, we returned to Goolwa and purchased a replacement kangaroo whistle, glass cleaner and a bug solution that is used in the window washers on the Navara.
We joined our branch members for happy hour before purchasing another pizza for tea.
The evening was spent watching television until we retired to bed around midnight.