Pinnaroo wheat silos, South Australia
No Comments »21st February, 2010; Category: South Australia
Wheat silos, Pinnaroo, South Australia
Pinnaroo is a rural centre in the eastern border districts of South Australia. It is a thriving small town with many fine facilities.
As you approach the town on the way to Ouyen in north western Victoria, or going the other way towards Adelaide, the most prominent feature of the town would have to be the towering wheat silos. This is a very productive wheat and other cereal grain growing district. During the summer months the area around the wheat silos are abuzz with activity as the farmers truck in the grain from their crops, ready for storage in the silos. Later it will be trucked interstate for sale or put on to trains heading to Port Adelaide on route for export to many markets overseas, or to local flour mills.
Wheat silos, Pinnaroo, South Australia
Wheat silos, Pinnaroo, South Australia
Wheat silos, Pinnaroo, South Australia
Pinnaroo in the mallee of South Australia
Mallee scrubland in Pinnaroo, South Australia
I recently had occasion to visit the township of Pinnaroo in the mallee region of eastern South Australia. The main road by-passes most of the town, so visitors just passing through rarely get a chance to see much of this charming and thriving country town. On this occasion I had to deliver a parcel in the main street. It was the first time I could ever recall seeing more than just the outskirts of the town while driving through.
Pinnaroo is situated in the mallee regions of the state. Mallee is the generic name given to a wide range of eucalyptus trees common in the area. They are also found in other parts of SA, as well as large parts of Western Australia, Victoria and western NSW. Typical of the mallee tree are the multiple trunks stemming from a large root called a lignotuber. This is more commonly called a stump, and can range from the size of a football through to a wheelbarrow or even bigger in older trees. These stumps, when dry, are prized as fire wood for their dense wood and long burning qualities. Sadly, large areas of mallee scrub have been cleared and burnt over the last 175 years and only remnant patches still exist.
In the photo above is one such remnant patch of scrub – right in the heart of town which is unusual but commendable. Most of the surrounding district has been cleared for farming. A typical settler farmer’s cottage can be seen in the photo below. Click on the photo to enlarge the image, and to see the old farm equipment left to rust near the farmhouse.
Further reading:
- Mallee tree (from Trevor’s Birding blog)
Old farmhouse near Pinnaroo, South Australia
Tour Down Under 2010
No Comments »17th February, 2010; Category: Clare Valley
A "cyclist" training for the Tour Down Under near Watervale
One of the funny displays someone had prepared to greet the riders in this year’s Tour Down Under was this fellow near Watervale. It seems he was really serious about his training regime for the big race.
An interesting thing happened while I was taking this photo. A journalist from the local Balaklava newspaper pulled up in her car, grabbed her camera and then asked me to pose by this “cyclist”. She then proceeded to interview me. A little story about me and a photo of me “coaching” the cyclist appeared in the paper two days later. My daughter was able to get hold of a copy and send it to me. Ah – my ten seconds of fame.
Tour Down Under 2010
No Comments »16th February, 2010; Category: Clare Valley
An interested observer of the Tour Down Under at Watervale
Observant spectators at this year’s Tour Down Under would have seen plenty of interesting sights along the various routes taken by the riders. I took this photo of one of the “spectators” in front of the hotel at Watervale, just south of Clare where the race started.
By the looks of it, he has spent far too many hours leaning over the front bar of the hotel. I certainly hope he didn’t try to join in the race with that bicycle of his hanging on the sign behind him!
Tour Down Under 2010
An interested observer of the Tour Down Under near Clare
Last month we went to stay with our daughter in Clare. We especially went to see the start of the 2010 Tour Down Under. The first stage of this year’s race started for the first time in the main street of Clare.
On our way to Clare the day before the race start we were amused by the various decorations people living along the route had prepared.
We were particularly amused by the “lady” in the photo above. Looks like she has had a terrible accident on her pink bike. Now she is trying to hitch a ride with one of the official riders in the race.
I wish her luck in that endeavour.