The Murray River at Mannum, South Australia
No Comments »24th November, 2011; Category: Caravanning, Historic places, Mannum, Museums, South Australia
Murray River, Mannum, South Australia
The river town of Mannum is less than a half hour drive from our home in Murray Bridge. This popular tourist town is quiet with a good range of facilities including an excellent caravan park and several hotels. The picnic area at Mary Ann Reserve on the banks of the river is a popular spot. It is also where several touring boats moor, including those which provide meals, short trips of the river and longer week long cruises.
An excellent Tourist Information Centre which features the historic nature of the old Mannum River Port which was in its heyday in the paddle steamer era of the late 1800s.
Murray River, Mannum, South Australia
Silver Gulls and the Murray River, Mannum, South Australia
Sydney Great Steam Train Expo 2011
Sydney Great Steam Train Expo, Central Station
On the first weekend of our stay in Sydney earlier this year our daughter in law arranged for tickets to the Sydney Great Steam Train Expo. Apart from being able to look through some very historic carriages our tickets included a 75 minute steam train ride through the suburbs of Sydney. It was a wonderful trip and enjoyed by all the family, especially my 2.5 year old grandson. (He plays almost daily with his own train set.)
Over the coming week or so I will be showing the photos taken that morning. I won’t bore you with my writing; I’ll just let you enjoy the photos.
Sydney Great Steam Train Expo, Central Station
Central Station, Sydney
The statue of Curio at Marrabel
Life size statue of Curio at Marrabel, South Australia
I’m not into the world of rodeos and buck-jumpers, but I do admire the one-and-a-half life size statue of the famous Australian horse Curio shown in the photos on this post. This wonderful piece of art work stands at the northern end of the main street of the little town of Marrabel in the mid north of South Australia. We often pass by this statue on our way to visit our daughter in Clare.
Curio was evidently a buck jumping horse to be reckoned with, one that unseated every attempt at riding her for eight years. No rider could stay seated on the horse for more than 3 seconds until a famous day in 1953 when Alan Woods successfully rode her for ten seconds. He is also featured as part of the statue which is based on a photo taken during the famous ride.
The tiny town of Marrabel holds a well attended rodeo every October and has done so since 1935.
You can read more information on the sign shown below (click to enlarge) or on an article on the Marrabel Rodeo website.
Sign about the horse Curio at Marrabel, South Australia (click to enlarge)
Life size statue of Curio at Marrabel, South Australia
Life size statue of Curio at Marrabel, South Australia
Rose garden, Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage
Rose garden, Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage, Nuriootpa, South Australia
The Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage between Angaston and Nuriootpa is a mecca for people interested in craft, especially quilting, My wife and daughter like to stop and browse through their stock when we pass by on our way to the mid north, or coming home to Murray Bridge.
I like looking in this historic cottage too, but I also enjoy the wonderful rose garden between the road and the cottage. Yesterday I showed some photos taken there last summer. Today I want to share a few more photos of the magnificent blooms.
Rose garden, Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage, Nuriootpa, South Australia
Rose garden, Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage, Nuriootpa, South Australia
Rose garden, Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage, Nuriootpa, South Australia
Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage
Rose garden, Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage, Nuriootpa, South Australia
We often travel to the mid north of South Australia to visit family in Clare and Peterborough. We have a number of alternative routes we can take to get there, all of them going through various parts of the wine growing region of the Barossa Valley. Between the towns of Angaston and Nuriootpa is a small historic cottage now occupied by the Barossa Quilt and Craft shop (see photo below). My wife regularly likes to stop for a short break and look at what they have in stock. Meanwhile I admire their lovely rose garden out the front of the cottage.
A few months ago I was passing the cottage by myself, but actually stopped, turned around and went back to take photos of the rose bushes in full bloom. It was an intoxicating blend of colour and perfume in the bright summer sunshine. I just had to share it with my readers.
Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage, Nuriootpa, South Australia
Rose garden, Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage, Nuriootpa, South Australia
Rose garden, Barossa Quilt and Craft Cottage, Nuriootpa, South Australia