Today was one of our more relaxed & casual days!

We decided to stay in Robe and after changing camp grounds, hit the beach for some R&R. Unfortunately, the sun didn’t get the message and after a hour, we decided to seek advice from the local tourist information centre and went out on a coastal walk to see an Obelisk acting as a lighthouse…:

Robe has an interesting history, welcoming over 15,000 Chinese immigrants back in the 1850’s when the gold rush hit, who then proceeded to walk 200 miles from Robe port to chase the trail and the dreams of wealth.

To recognise this Chinese influence, a monument to their arrival sits in the port.

The Obelisk, which acted as a lighthouse, minus the light in years gone by, now sits in splendid isolation on the rocks, away from human interaction due to the onslaught of the sea’s erosion of the porous limestone rocks that sit along the whole coast.

We enjoyed a pleasant couple of hours walk and wowed at the impact of the sea and the caves and bridged islands that have been formed.

As the sun started to take its toll, we made a tactical retreat to a wine tasting event in the centre of town.

After trying a number of whites, dry and sparking varieties, Michelle went for a Sav Blanc & Chardonnay blend, whilst Andy took the modern Aussie route of a sparking cool Cab Sav Shiraz blend. Magical!

This day time drinking was only ever going to end up one way… with a visit to the Robe brewery on the outskirts of the town. Its claim to fame is that it’s the only wood-fired brewery in Australia.

What a great set up, with the place readied for bands to play and for the party to continue into the evening.

Andy kept with his love of XPA and ordered a hoppy number, whilst Michelle went non-alcoholic and a water melon soda mix.

After all this day time drinking, it was inevitable that the evening would be more relaxing, as we chilled in the van and looked out over the calm ocean and planned tomorrow’s excursions.

Our next stop is Kingston, 30 miles up the coast, with a layover at a camel farm on the way for a camel milk coffee and ice cream!

Finally to help better understand where we currently are in South Australia, we’ve included a map below with Robe highlighted. It’s about 185 miles south of Adelaide and 500 miles west of Melbourne, with miles of beaches and parkland on either side.