Scenes of Angaston, Barossa Valley
Angaston, Barossa Valley, South Australia
When travelling to Clare in the mid north of South Australia we often drive through the lovely town of Angaston. This delightful mecca for tourists and locals alike is in the wine region of the Barossa Valley. On a recent drive through I stopped to take a few photos rather than just drive straight through.
Angaston, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Angaston, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Angaston, Barossa Valley, South Australia
A tribute to the Clydesdale Horse
Tribute to Clydesdale horses, Angaston, South Australia
When travelling from home through the famous wine region of the Barossa Valley here in South Australia we regularly go through the old town of Angaston. This region was settled by German settlers escaping religious persecution in their home lands and included my forebears in their number.
We often stop in the park at the western end of the main street to have a break or a cuppa and sometimes even lunch. The bakery in the main street is also a favourite stopover place. The park has a wonderful tribute to the Clydesdale Horses which provided essential help for the local farmers and businesses in the early days. I’ve featured this statute in the photos on this post. At the bottom of the post you can read more about these wonderful animals from the plaque next to the statue (click to enlarge).
Tribute to Clydesdale horses, Angaston, South Australia
Tribute to Clydesdale horses, Angaston, South Australia
Tribute to Clydesdale horses, Angaston, South Australia (click to enlarge)
Inneston, Yorke Peninsula
Inneston Lake, Yorke Peninsula
During our recent short holiday on Yorke Peninsula we visited the Innes National Park. It had been many years since our last visit to this scenic and rugged part of the South Australian coast. In the middle of the national park is the historic town of Inneston. The village was once the home to over 150 people and was a bustling, industrious town.
The town was established in 1913 to house the miners working in the nearby gypsum mines and production factory. Many of the local salt lakes were rich in the mineral which was transported mainly to Adelaide via Stenhouse Bay. In the state capital city it was used primarily in the building trade.
After the mine closed the town rapidly deteriorated as people moved away. In more recent times some of the original buildings have been restored and are used as accommodation in the national park.
You can read more about the history of this town on the Flinders Ranges Research site here.
Part of historic Inneston, Yorke Peninsula
Part of historic Inneston, Yorke Peninsula
Part of historic Inneston, Yorke Peninsula
Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula
No Comments »9th June, 2011; Category: Adelaide, Historic places, National Parks, South Australia, Yorke Peninsula
Stenhouse Bay jetty, Yorke Peninsula
Stenhouse Bay on the southern end of Yorke Peninsula in South Australia was once a thriving port. It was established in 1913 when gypsum was mined in nearby Inneston. The rock, once treated, was used in the building industry as plaster of paris and cement. Many older homes in Adelaide have plaster ceilings made from gypsum mined in this area. The mining works closed in 1972 and many of the houses in Stenhouse Bay and Inneston were demolished. Some still remain and are used by the national park rangers, either for staff accommodation or for hire for tourists. I’ll show some photos of them in a few days.
Stenhouse Bay jetty, Yorke Peninsula
Shipwreck Trail, Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula
Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
The southern coast of Yorke Peninsula in South Australia is a rugged coastline and has been the cause of many ship wrecks over the years. The rocky coastline, combined with the wild winds and raging seas surging up from the Southern Ocean and all the way from Antarctica, is a potent mixture.
At various places along the coast there are lookouts over the sites of various ship wrecks, like the one where I took these photos at Stenhouse Bay. In fact, there is a well established Shipwreck Trail visitors can follow along this coast. One of the signs is shown below. Some of the wrecks are open to divers as well.
The Investigator Straight is the body of water between the southern coast of Yorke Peninsula and Kangaroo Island to the south. It is named after the ship Investigator, captained by Matthew Flinders, an explorer in Australia’s early history. A staggering 26 ships have been wrecked in this small body of water between 1849 to 1982 with the loss of 70 lives.
Shipwreck Trail, Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia