A wander along the main street of Kapunda

Early this morning I had a very bad dream.   I was teaching a primary class with an OFSTED inspector sitting on a chair taking notes.   The lesson was not going well.   Luckily I woke up and realised that firstly I no longer have to worry about OFSTED inspections and secondly I am out in the countryside in Australia.   

And for people living in Australia, OFSTED, is an acronym for the Office for Standards in Education, and now they have added Children's Services and Skills or perhaps that was always there.  OfSTED is deadly, negative and punitive.  A team will come into a school to inspect it, and observe lessons and then give a rating, or fail the school.   All in all I survived four Ofsted Inspections in the nineteen years I was in schools in England.   And I never even want to think about them again.   

But I did this morning.   And why?  I think it was due to Henley Primary School's 100th celebration and I spent some time going through the photos that were taken on the day.   Our children went to Henley Primary School in Adelaide.   Schools must have been on my brain, I think.  But OFSTED?  

Our first port of call this morning.   Coffee.   A lovely little cafe, with home made cakes, but we resisted and only bought one biscuit, which we shared.   This little cafe is for sale.

We then walked along the main street, which was bathed in bright sunshine.   Not the best for good photographs.

There were many beautiful old buildings, with modern cars in the front.

A deserted street, so often the case in country towns.    And too many empty shops.   I guess the shopping complex 23 km away draws the shoppers.    

Sister (now a Saint) Mary MacKillop started a school in Kapunda.    She came from Penola, in the South East.

The main street has many murals, which gives the town quite an appeal.    The painting below portrayed some of the countryside that Sir Sidney Kidman (1857 to 1935) owned and operated as part of his cattle properties.    He was known as 'the Cattle King' and was an Australian pastoralist and entrepreneur.   In front of the painting was a bust of Sir Sidney Kidman.

I am not sure what this painting is about, too busy taking photos.

A scene depicting the main street of Kapunda.

I could not resist having my photograph next to this man.   Made of wire I think.  

The football grandstand, with its iron lacework.   Must be quite old, I think.

A beautiful sunset tonight, and tomorrow will be a warm day, I think.

Tomorrow we are going to follow the Heritage Trail, by car.