Clare Valley

We visited the Clare Valley, at the beginning of March, just before the Covit-19 virus caused a lock down in South Australia.   Shops, cafes, museums were putting social distancing markers into place and the camping ground closed its office, and hand sanitisers were everywhere.   We had a huge container of hand sanitiser in our caravan, and a smaller one in our car.   It was a very nervous time, and people everywhere were on edge.   At the beginning of the following week everything was closed, people were told to work from home, and those of us that were over 70, or vulnerable to infections, told to self isolate.  Scary times.

When looking at the photographs I realised just how bright and sunny it was, now that we are in the middle of winter, with a low sun and dark hours.   When we were in the Clare Valley it was early autumn, seems a long time ago.    

It was also very hot there, with temperatures reaching more than 30 degrees, and extremely dry.

When I think of all the wine areas that we have visited, the Clare Valley would have to be our favourite.   So far we have toured the Coonawarra area, which was very scenic, the Riverland, the Barossa Valley and the Clare Valley.    The cold and wet weather did not help when we visited the Coonawarra and Barossa Valley.   To be honest I am not sure why we liked the Clare Valley more, perhaps it was the fact that there were some fascinating places around there.    And less touristy perhaps.

I like the wines from all areas though!

A view of an old stone building at the end of one of the side streets in Clare.

Now I cannot remember the names of these two old buildings.   One was the court house, I think.

Our favourite cafe in Clare.   Excellent coffee and delicious cakes.

We were lucky to be able to use a tent spot on the grass for our caravan, so we had an area to ourselves.   The caravans on the handstanding areas were very close together.   A lovely camping ground, set amongst eucalyptus trees and with excellent facilities.   

There was an area on the other side of the dry creek which was very open, and lots of space for camping.  Also a lovely space to take Piper for her early morning walks.

The park surrounding the camping ground.   All very pleasant.

Although there are many good red wines produced in the Clare Valley, their main focus is on Riesling wines.   One of the most fascinating wineries was the Sevenhill winery, a few kilometres south of Clare.  This visit was definitely a step back into history.  It was established by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1851, and was the oldest winery in the Clare Valley.  There were vines there which were planted  before 1860 and which still produce some of the best grapes.   These vines were the same variety that were destroyed by phylloxera in France. New South Wales and Victoria.

The winery is still part of the monastery, and includes St Aloysius' Church, Crypt, The Marian Shrine, St Ignatius of Loyola Shrine, The Way of the Cross walk and two stone columns in recognition of the traditional custodians, the Ngadjuri people. 

The college building was once the first Catholic secondary school in South Australia, and included a boarding school from 1856-1886, and a Jesuit training school during the same time.  It is now used as a parish administration & retreat centre.

A view of the winery, cellar door and museum, with a spacious and shady lawn in front of it.

We visited Burra, one of the most fascinating places we have visited so far, although the temperature must have been in the mid 30s when we were there.   And dry and dusty.   But so much history, and places of interest, and being there for one day was not enough time to really absorb it all.   

I have just re-read 'Discovering Historic Burra' and realised that we did not see all the historic sites that were in the town.   So I think another trip is definitely needed, perhaps in cooler weather.

Burra was surveyed as a copper mining town in 1851, and it became Australia's largest inland town.   The town was named after Burra Burra Creek, which had earlier been named by Afghan cameleers and was Hindustani for 'great great'.

The mine operated from 1845 until 1870, first in underground mining and then by the open-cut method.   The people working at the mine were mostly from Cornwell, England.

Another interesting aspect were the number of small townships that make up the town of Burra, namely Kooringa, Redruth, Aberdeen, New Aberdeen, Llwchwr and Hampton.    Each small township was started by different groups, sometimes the government, sometimes mining companies and sometimes land developers.

We paid for 'The Burra Passport' which gave us a key to the different historical locations   We had to return the key when we finished the trail.

The Burra railway station built in 1883 (replaced a wooden one built in 1870) which has been restored.   The rail services to Burra stopped in 1885 and the line closed in 1998.    We sat on a bench on the platform waiting for a train that did not arrive to take us to Adelaide.

The only decent photograph (below) that I took of two buildings (enginehouse and winding house) at the Burra Burra mine.  It was hot, dry and dusty.   Luckily we could drive around the area in our airconditioned car.   

The Paxton Square Cottages, built in 1849.   They were originally built for miners, who were living in dugout homes in Burra Creek.  They have been restored and used as visitor accommodation.

One of the cottages has been set up as a museum.

Another room in the cottage.

The floors were made of polished mud, and the photograph below showed the floor in the back room which needed urgent attention.

The dugout homes on the edge of the dry creek bed.   They were very small and airless.   At least it was shelter from the heat and cold.   However the homes along the main creek bed were flooded in 1851, which must have been devastating for the people who lived in them.

Redruth Gaol was erected in 1856.  When it closed in 1894, it was renovated and reopened as a Girls' Reformatory.   The girls who were imprisoned there were a lively lot, from the description of some of their exploits.

And before I forget, the film 'Breaker Morant' was filmed in Burra.

We drove around the surrounding countryside which was interesting in itself.   

For those people who may have watched 'Picnic at Hanging Rock, you will recognise the building below, which was used as the girls' school.   Although the story was set at Hanging Rock, near Mt Macedon in  Victoria, they filmed the school scenes at Martindale Hall, near Mintaro, in the Clare Valley.   

The village of Mintaro was very pleasant.   We had a short walk around it, and could have taken many photographs.   The local pub.

The house/store opposite the pub.

We were reluctant to leave Clare, but realised that we needed to get back to Adelaide, as further restrictions were predicted to be in place by the following Monday.   We will definitely return some day, and continue where we left off.   

I am sure there is much that I have left out of this blog too.

The photograph below is out of sequence.   St Aloysius' Church at the Sevenhill Winery. 

Next week, a trip to Coober Pedy.   Our first experience of the near outback.

A quick visit to the Barossa Valley

Finally a blog.   And thank you to everyone who commented on my last blog, and my apologies for not replying to your comments.   Time just slipped away.   Too many distractions.    The main distraction being the purchase of e bikes, plus walking dogs, cycling, birthdays, gardening, and coffee with family members.   Life as a retiree is very busy.

Also Blogger has changed its format, and I have had to get my head around it all.   Much improved, but not so user friendly.

We did make a short trip to the Barossa Valley, at the end of May/beginning of June, ten days after campsites opened, as the message was to travel to places in South Australia and support the local economies.   A great idea except that pubs, restaurants and cafes were only just opening again.  A little bit of a repeat experience of Kangaroo Island, without the sea sickness. 

There was very little open in the Barossa Valley so difficult to spend money, other than on coffee and food at the local bakeries.   Most wineries were closed, as were distributors, so we did not purchase any wine.   There were signs to say the opening hours for restaurants were at the weekend, and the cabins at the camping ground had been used the previous weekend.   Pubs were still firmly closed.

It rained most of the time we were there.   And very cold.  Still it was great to get away for a few days.

The main street of Tanunda.

It was strange to be in the Barossa Valley without tourists.   No bus loads of people, no grey nomads in their large caravans, no people staying in hotels, motels or cabins.   No tourists on the streets, just us and the local people.   We basically had the place to ourselves.

A beautiful little Lutheran chapel in Tanunda.

Coffee outside in the cold.   We had Piper with us, but the cafes were small so no seating inside anyway.  Great coffee and friendly staff.

Walter and Piper all alone on the street.   Luckily there were  verandahs.

So what to do in the Barossa Valley, in wet weather, and very little open.   We could not visit the lovely little furniture shops, due to one person having to stay outside in the cold with Piper.  There were only a few wineries open, and sitting outside one, in the cold and rain, did not appeal to us.   

We decided we would drive around the area, which turned out to be a very interesting option.   We put the electric seat heating on in the car.   We were very cosy.   Piper was happy to snooze in comfort on the back seat.

We visited all the towns ending in 'unda', Tanunda, Kapunda and Eudunda.   The meanings of these towns all refer to either water holes or water springing out of the ground, so I am guessing that that is the connection with the end of the word.

On one day we drove through Springton, Eden Valley and finished in Angaston, where we ate the most delicious take away pizzas in the car.   The view, of an overgrown building lot, was a little dismal. 

The countryside was very green and the heavy clouds and mist added to the lushness of the land.

More green pastures.

The entrance to Tanunda.   Advertising Jacob Creek of course.  Jacob Creek country.   

Piper in our caravan, too wet to go outside.   She managed very well.   There was a park opposite the camping ground, where she loved to chase a tennis ball.  Thank goodness I brought my Wellingtons, as it was very wet underfoot there.

A view, from the road, of the camping ground, and luxury cabins.  There were two other caravans there, plus the permanent vans, all very quiet.

On the day we drove to Eudunda the sun came out for a couple of hours.   We drove through green fields, and rolling hills.   It was very picturesque.

The township of Eudunda used to be the centre for the sheep grazing properties around it, but now the land is used to grow grain crops.   

There was no train arriving in Eudunda, and it was sad to see the silos, deserted railway station, and water hose, which all sat forlornly in the sunshine.    Luckily there was sunshine and blue skies at that point.

The main street of Eudunda, mostly deserted, except for the bakery which had a queue of people waiting to be served.  All keeping a safe distance from each other.   We bought pasties there, eaten again in the car, and they were delicious.

A deserted street.   An interesting cafe/bookshop was next to the bakery, but we stayed in the warmth of the car.    Although the sun was shining there was a bitter wind blowing down the street.   I would have loved to walk around the town, in order to see all the old buildings, but it was just too cold.

Kapunda, once a successful copper mining town, established in 1842.    Although we did not stop there, too cold,  it looked an interesting town.

The eight metre tall statue of Map Kernow, a traditional Cornish miner.

A view from our caravan door of a very waterlogged camping ground.   The toilet block was modern, and with lovely hot showers, but it was not a heated building.   I do miss the heated ablution blocks in the UK.   Due to Covid-19 restrictions every second toilet, shower and hand basin was blocked off.

The good news was that we managed to live in a small pop top caravan for three nights, and two days, without too many arguments.   

So now we are looking forward to taking it out again, hopefully without the rain.

A slight case of sea sickness

Come to Kangaroo Island, they said.  Support the economy after the terrible bushfires.   We will  greatly reduce the price of fares on the ferries, Sea Link said.   

So we decided to go for the day. It was after all, only a 45 minute journey for a 16 km crossing.   What could go wrong.  

For a start, the weather was cold, wet and miserable, which was unusual in early February.   It turned out not to be the warm and sunny day that we expected at that time of year.

And secondly, the strait is hazardous, narrow and dangerous, with strong currents coming from different directions, tidal swells and steep breaking seas.  It is known, interestingly as Backstairs Passage, which is a courtroom term.   And so named in 1802 by Matthew Flinders.  

And thirdly, the ferries are catamarans, and we know from experience that they pitch and roll around in rough seas.

We had fond memories of a trip made in August 2006, when Darren took Walter, Margaret, and a 4 year old Jay, and me to Kangaroo Island for a few days.   We stayed in a lovely apartment, and travelled around the island by car, enjoying all the lovely areas, with Darren acting as a tour guide.  Although it was a rough crossing, the ferry appeared to be just pitching in the waves.  Or perhaps we were better sailors in 2006.

On the day in February, we sat at the front of the ferry.   Another mistake!   On catamarans one should sit at the back.   Interestingly the one we took in New Zealand from Bluff to Stewart Island, another very rough crossing, the captain told passengers who were not good sailors to sit at the back, and the company also supplied ear plugs.   The advice was to put a plug in the ear opposite to the dominating hand.   Apparently it works.

No advice when boarding the Kangaroo Island ferry, just plenty of sick bags around, always a sign that the crossing was going to be rough.

And it was.   Within seconds the ferry starting pitching and rolling, both at the same time.   'Rocking and rolling' the captain said to the passengers.   We disappeared from the front of the boat very quickly, out into the fresh air at the back.   Trying to keep our balance as we staggered along the passage was difficult, and we must have looked a sight.

Walter had a miserable 50 minute boat trip, standing in the small space at the back of the boat. I ended up going up onto the top deck with plenty of fresh air around me, even though the pitch and roll was worse up there. I kept my eye on the island in front of me, as watching the horizon only made it all worse.   Getting one's line of vision is important.

It was such a relief to arrive in Penneshaw, 50 minutes later, not 45 minutes as promised in the advertisement.   Five long minutes!

We got off the ferry, shakily, but relieved, and waited for the land to stop moving, or our heads to stop spinning.

The view of the terminal as we left Cape Jervis, on the southern edge of the Fleurieu Peninsula.   It was raining.  

The view of Penneshaw as we neared the port there.   The sea was a little calmer by this stage.   And compared to the hugh swells in the English channel, the waves were never that high anyway, but it was what goes on under the surface that counts here.

Penneshaw.   So pleased to see the wharf.

Now the fourth mistake we made was to assume that there was something to see and do in Penneshaw.   We had already checked that a tour would have to be pre booked, and there would be no buses to and from the main town, Kingscote.   They only run first thing in the morning and in the early evening.

But we thought there might be some shops in Penneshaw.   Well there were very few, as we found out, and as school holidays were finished, most venues were closed.   There were two cafes, the supermarket, Post Office, pharmacy and one pub open.   The ferry had been full of people, but they dispersed very quickly.

So first off, a cafe, to recover from the trip.   And the strong and excellent coffee certainly helped considerably.   Excellent service and good food there too.   Not that we even considered that.

Then we visited the Post Office which had second hand books for sale, so we bought a few books.   Then to the pharmacy where we looked at all the sea sickness remedies for sale, and there was a whole shelf full of boxes.   I think they have plenty of sales here in this line.

The last shop we visited was the supermarket where we purchased some Kangaroo Island honey.

We were having trouble spending our money.

But what to do now, we had walked around the town, and still had a couple of hours to fill in before lunch at the pub.

When we walked around the bay we noticed a walking path around a quarry which advertised a sculpture walk.    And it was very interesting too.

A view over the bay at Penneshaw.

Walter looking much happier now that he was on land.

Canvas accommodation, which included bathrooms, in the camping ground.   Very impressive.

Quite a deep quarry.

The view back towards the jetty.

Some of the sculptures.

A small wallaby hiding in the bushes.

We spent the rest of time on Kangaroo Island, in the pub, where we had a lovely fish lunch, no alcohol for us though.   After lunch we sat in very comfortable chairs and slowly sipped our coffee, and read our newly purchased books.   It was very pleasant.

The view from the pub.

Finally we caught the ferry back.   Walter took some sea sickness tablets and sat at the back of the ferry.   I stood on the deck at the top, and altogether it was a much better trip back.  Perhaps the currents in the water were going the way we were travelling.

It took days for us to recover our sense of balance.   Walter reckoned the effect from the taking the tablets was worse than feeling seasick. 

We vowed never to travel to Kangaroo Island again.

In all fairness, it was assumed that people would use the cheap ferry fares to take their cars across with them, and stay for a few days on the island.   Even though many of the tourist places were destroyed and consequently closed to visitors, there was still plenty to do and experience.

Where does time go to!

It has been nearly three weeks since I last wrote a blog, each day passes by very quickly and yet I seem to just float along, without achieving much at all.   Amazing how one can fill a day, without actually doing anything.  And then I wonder where the time goes to! 

Time to get moving!   The first item on the list was this blog, then two more blogs about our travels before we were all required to stay at home, or close to home.

Darren and I spent 10 days on a front garden makeover, and definitely I was very busy and involved in that.    I have also cleaned out our sheds, and washed the windows and patios..   I have weeded and pruned the garden, and then realised that enough was enough there.   I have killed all new citrus trees, through giving them citrus fertiliser when I should not have done so.   I must learn to leave well alone with some plants.  

I know that I should be focusing on fitness, strolling along with Piper does not equate to improving my fitness levels.   I tried an online exercise course, and hurt my foot, not seriously, but it caused me to lose interest.   I know I should cycle a few times a week, but have not done so.   It is going to be a shock when the U3A walking and cycling groups start up again, I will definitely not be the fittest person.

Travel wise.   We should have been leaving to travel to the Netherlands at the end of May, but that has definitely been put on hold for at least a year.   We were so looking forward to catching up with Aaron, Kylie, Mia, Abi and Raphy.

However, we are now allowed to travel within South Australia, and camping grounds have opened up too, so we are definitely planning to see some of the state, places like Coober Pedy and Port Lincoln.   Areas we have never visited when we lived here during the 1970s and 1980s.

Onto the photographs, some of them were taken last August, before disappearing into the archives.

I have cleaned our garage out, and put all our camping and caravanning gear up onto shelves.  Only my bike remains at the back of the shed, and so far we have not hit it with the car.   We put our twenty year old Honda in the garage, due to spending a couple of thousand dollars getting the rust cut out of it.   Instead of travelling we spent our money on the car!   And it looks good too, and there is no danger of the boot door falling off anymore.   Although old, it is a brilliant car, and a really good work horse type of vehicle.   

The caravan has been moved to the paving on the other side of the lawn.   Walter backed it up brilliantly.   I have lost confidence, as I jack knifed the caravan and hit the back corner of our Kia, and now it needs to be fixed.   I completed a caravan towing course in the UK but reversing a big heavy British caravan is quite different to reversing a light weight pop top caravan.   It should be easier I know.   But my brain does not accept this.

A photo from the past, last July in fact, when Darren brought all his pieces of watering equipment, and we laid it out on the benches.   So much stuff from Darren's garden business days.

I sorted all the smaller bits and pieces and put them into boxes for him.

And now they are in our tool shed.   And I have had a big clean up in here too.  It is all so clean and tidy.  For how long?

Last July we put dripper hoses through the back and side gardens, all put into shallow trenches and held down by hooks.   Hard work.

And then we covered them with a thick layer of organic compost.

One year later most of the plants are growing well,, except for killing three kangaroo paw plants, a protea tree, and recently a kaffir lime tree.   Mostly due to the area not getting enough sunshine, and a bit too much citrus fertiliser on the kaffir lime.   It has also taken me a year to realise that much of the back and side gardens are in shade for seven months of the year.

All our pipes are hooked up to the multi pipe connection which I brought from the UK.   And the automatic timer also came with us.   Both systems work brilliantly here.   Every three days during summer the garden is given water, without me thinking about it.   Love it.

And we found the sprinkler system which had been put into the grassed area, but no longer worked.   Now that we have replaced some of the parts, we have a fantastic sprinkler system.  And lovely green lawns.

Even if we cannot grow our own citrus trees (so far I have killed three lemon trees, and three lime trees) we have access to the most delicious lemons which hang over the fence.  I guess we contribute to some of the water that runs under the fence and ends up in the lemon tree roots. 

Darren and I had a clean up of pot plants at his house.   All looking spick and span there now, and happy plants with more space to grow.

Darren made a wooden box, so that Jay had some plants outside her window.

And while we are on the subject of houses and gardens, a view of Scott's block of land where he will have a house being built soon.    All very exciting.   Great views of the coast too.

And now we have shops opening, plus restaurants and cafes able to have people sitting inside and outside eating food and drinking coffee.   Limited numbers but still a great improvement.   I never got used to walking and drinking coffee at the same time.   Coffee needs to be sipped slowly in a relaxed way at a table.  Life is definitely getting much better.