Picnic at Newland Head Conservation Park
Settler's Cottage in Newland Head CP
After our visit to Waitpinga Beach (see my previous two articles) we drove the short distance to the camping and picnic ground in the nearby Newland Head Conservation Park. This park is only a short distance from Victor Harbor and little over an hour’s drive south of Adelaide in South Australia. The camping ground is not big and can only cater for several groups of campers at once. The picnic grounds consist of several picnic tables.
Silvereye
A feature of the camping ground is the partially restored old settler’s cottage. This has a large verandah with some picnic tables and a BBQ for use by visitors. It was here that we had our morning tea of a cuppa and some biscuits. While we were doing that we were entertained by the local birds. Several Silvereyes were feeding in the bushes nearby and I managed to take the photo above. A family of Superb Blue Wrens came hopping around our feet seeing if we would drop a few biscuit crumbs for them. Several Red Browed Finches joined in the fun.
Click on the photo to enlarge the image.
Superb Blue Wren (male)
Waitpinga Beach, south coast of South Australia
Waitpinga Beach, Newland Head CP
After spending some time in Victor Harbor (see previous two posts) we drove on to Waitpinga Beach for a picnic morning tea. Waitpinga Beach is part of the Newland Head Conservation Park a few kilometres west of Victor Harbor in South Australia.
Popular Beach
It had been a long time since our last visit. This beach has been popular with anglers and surfers for many years. The beach is long and the coastline is spectacular. It also holds special memories of a very special visit we had there back in the 1980s. Ah, memories.
Waitpinga Beach, Newland Head CP
Click on the photos to enlarge.
Beautiful Beach:
The beach here is excellent for picnics and for spending time lazing on the beautiful sand. The sand is also great for children but the water is not really safe for swimming. While many do go swimming here the strong waves and the current make it unsuitable for children and those who are not excellent swimmers.
Hazards:
There is a further hazard. Several shark attacks in recent years have seen surfers lose their lives. While many South Australian beaches are relatively safe, there is always the ever present threat of shark attack. South Australian waters still hold the reputation as some of the most dangerous for shark attacks anywhere in the world.
Despite that, it is still far more dangerous to cross a road or to drive a car. Shark attack deaths account for only fifteen deaths in South Australia over the last 40 years. Just this week five people died in just one accident on a road not far north of this beach.
Travels in Nepal # 65 An Early Morning Birding Walk
Baby elephant
Next morning we were up early to go on a birding walk straight after breakfast. When our guide found out I was really interested in birding he made this special arrangement for us. On this occasion I was rather doubtful whether we would actually see anything, let alone some birds. The foggy conditions had worsened over night and visibility was down to about thirty metres at best.
Soon after leaving the hotel grounds we visited the Royal Chitwan National Park headquarters where I did manage to see and identify several species of birds new to me. Actually, Kamal, our guide, identified them for me. I could barely see them in the fog.
A little distance on we visited another elephant enclosure complete with several baby elephants. While the mothers were still tied up the babies were free to roam. One of them took a liking to us and in his curiosity he sniffed all over us. My coat still had baby elephant slobber on it when it was washed back home several weeks later.
Jade, the woman shown in the photo, wanted to take this little elephant home to Darwin with her. They are rather endearing at this age, I must admit.
How does one smuggle a baby elephant back to Australia? In your trunk, of course.
Travels in Nepal # 64 Crossing the Rapti River
Canoe crossing on the Rapti River, Nepal
After our visit to the Elephant Breeding Centre at Chitwan National Park we had to cross the Rapti River in a dug out canoe. The river was relatively shallow at this point but the water was flowing quite quickly. The canoe operator had to use all his skills to get us across without too much drama.
As you can see in the photo above the evening was still quite foggy and misty. The setting sun over the river gave a lovely effect I think. At dusk that night we were treated to some traditional Nepalese dancing in the gardens of the hotel. This dancing was accompanied by some very enthusiastic drummers. After this cultural display we were treated to a traditional Nepalese meal in the dining room. This was rice and dhaal bart, spicy chicken and vegetables followed by fried banana. It was all delicious.
Elephant Breeding Centre, Nepal
Travels in Nepal # 63 Elephant Breeding Centre
Elephant Breeding Centre, Nepal
After our canoe ride on the river in Chitwan National Park we went on an hour’s visit to the Elephant Breeding Centre. This is a government run agency attempting to breed elephants. It is open to the public every day and while it is a little depressing to realise that the elephants are tied up at night the centre seems to have the right motives and methods.
Elephant Breeding Centre, Nepal
I am no expert on elephant breeding and my comments are merely a reflection of those made at the time by our guide for the afternoon. The elephants are tied up in an enclosure each night to stop them raiding the nearby farming land and doing immense damage to crops. The village and farming communities rely on their crops to eke out a meagre living. Their attitudes to the elephants would quickly change if they were allowed to rampage through the crops at random. There is a big enough problem with the occasional rogue rhinoceros raiding the crops. One rhino came through a nearby crop that night and we saw the damage next morning.