Week 2 - Southend to Cape Banks SA 

Friday December 12th, 2025, we have completed our first two weeks of life on the road.

Our week-long stay by the sea in Southend proved to be the perfect opportunity to relax, reflect, and ease into the rhythm of full-time travel. It was a chance to unwind and prepare ourselves for the adventures ahead.

While we’re no strangers to caravan travel, transitioning to full-time living is a whole new experience. Finding our groove has been a process, and fine-tuning everything from the van itself to our daily routines is taking time. But with patience, we’re confident we’ll soon become a well-oiled machine.

Our next stop was a three-day stay at Cape Banks bush camp, about 4 kilometers from the quaint seaside town of Carpenter Rocks. Nestled at the southern edge of Canunda National Park, this spot offered dramatic coastal views, excellent fishing opportunities, 4WD tracks, and scenic walking trails.

One of the standout features of the site was the Cape Banks lighthouse, built in 1883. The tall, "very" orange structure stood proudly on the headland overlooking our campsite. Being an operational lighthouse, we were treated each night to the soft, rhythmic glow of its flashing signal—a magical touch to our evenings.

The rugged coastline here is breathtaking, with beaches strewn with smooth, sea-carved limestone rocks. Nature’s artistry was on full display.

A highlight of our time was observing the local seal colony, perched on two large rock formations off the headland. True to their nickname, “pups of the sea,” the seals delighted us with their playful antics in the water, though their clumsy movements on land never failed to amuse.

The area is also home to a healthy population of Copperhead snakes. With the warm weather and abundant scrubland, their natural habitat was thriving. While we stayed vigilant, the snakes seemed more intent on going about their business than bothering us.

We even tried our hand at sea fishing. To our surprise, we managed to reel in what we believe were salmon. While they weren’t exactly culinary delights, the experience itself was an entertaining one.

Another highlight of our stay was meeting a lovely couple from Newcastle who were embarking on their own “Big Lap” around Australia. Over a few glasses of wine on the headland’s observation deck, we swapped stories and waited for the promised Aurora that was supposed to light up the southern sky. While the Aurora turned out to be a no-show, the connection we shared with fellow travelers made the night memorable.  

Now it’s time to bid farewell to the coast, wash away the salt air, and head inland.  

As we mentioned in our previous blog, we're still getting to know our new caravan, "Lottie."   After two weeks completely off-grid—using a range of 240-volt appliances and even running Starlink through the inverter—our power levels have impressively stayed above 93%. Lottie is proving to be a true champion!