Travelling South Australia
The truth is that many people do not really travel much for relaxation in their own region or state. In that we are no different. We tend to head interstate for our major holidays. I suppose most people are the same. With the advent of dearer petrol prices, the trend is for people to take holidays closer to home. The cost of travel has become a real issue for many.
Last weekend was a long weekend in South Australia with a holiday on the Monday for the running of Adelaide Cup. This is “the race that stops a suburb”, said one wit in the letters to the editor section of “The Advertiser”, our state-wide daily newspaper. He was referring sarcastically to the world famous Melbourne Cup, a horse race that literally does stop a nation. On that one day of the year, a horse race is THE most important thing happening. Just shows what terrible gamblers we are here in Australia. I shouldn’t say “we”; I’ve never had a bet on a horse race in my life. Sure, I’ve occasionally been a part of an office sweep, but gambling no. Mugs game I reckon. The only ones to win are the bookies and the horses.
Because it was a long weekend our daughter took the opportunity to fly to Sydney to visit her brother and sister in law. She also spent a day with English friends who have recently moved to live there. That left the problem of Nancy, her pet dog. We’ve looked after this lovely pooch on many occasions. Dog sitting we call it. Looking after the “grand-dog” is another expression used often (as we don’t yet have any grand children).
So we travelled to Clare in the mid-north of South Australia for the weekend. It’s just over a two hour drive. There are several different routes to take. Most take you through the beautiful Barossa Valley, arguably Australia’s premier wine growing region. The Clare Valley itself has a growing reputation for producing fine wines.
It was a relaxing weekend. We watched a few movies – our daughter has an excellent collection of DVDs – and I did a lot of reading and writing. It’s quiet staying at her house; no one knows we are there so the phone doesn’t ring often. Only three times in the five days we were there; one was our son and another was our daughter.
Note to self: we must have more short breaks like that.
Links:
- A short break in Clare – from my Birding Blog.
- Birding while Travelling – also from my Birding Blog.
St Kilda, South Australia
Today we had some business to attend to north of Adelaide. After this was completed we travelled on for a few minutes to St Kilda. We had heard many positive comments about this location but over the years we had never made the effort to visit.
On arrival we had morning tea with our daughter before she travelled back to Clare in the mid-north of the state. It was a sunny day with a gentle breeze, although it did get windy later. It was one of those wonderful spring days we often get her in South Australia.
St Kilda Playground pirate ship
Next to the picnic ground is a wonderful playground with equipment suitable for all ages. One of the features is a wonderful pirate ship, complete with cannons. We were amused to see at least one group of children dressed up as pirates using the ship and playground to fight a mock battle. What a great idea of the parents concerned as it was obviously a special birthday party theme.
After a wander around the playground, picnic grounds and the nearby foreshore to check out the birdlife, we had a picnic lunch.
Castle in the playground at St Kilda
Gluepot Bird Reserve part 3
Bush scene at Gluepot Bird Reserve.
Gluepot Bird Reserve in South Australia has been set aside for the protection of a significant number of endangered and threatened species of birds. The habitat consists mainly of mallee scrubland, but there are many species of flora present other than the various forms of mallee trees. (Mallee trees are a form of eucalypt tree.)
Wildflowers at Gluepot Reserve
There are many different types of smaller plants from ground creepers through to large bushes, including acacias (commonly called wattles) and eremophilas (emu bushes). One can also find a range of daisies and many other types of plants. When I was there last year the area had received above average rain in autumn and winter. The bushland was like a natural garden, with flowers everywhere. This, of course, is wonderful for the birdlife. Honeyeaters in particular thrive in such conditions.
Flowers at Gluepot Bird Reserve
Related articles:
Gluepot Bird Reserve part 1
Gluepot Bird Reserve
Last year I travelled to a very special place. About an hour’s drive north of Waikerie in the Riverland area of South Australia is Gluepot Bird Reserve. Gluepot was once a sheep station in what is predominantly mallee country. It is called Gluepot because the various tracks through the property become like a gluepot after even a small amount of rain. Some become impassable after twenty or thirty millimetres of rain. Fortunately this amount of rain only occurs several times a year.
A few years back the property came on the market and was quickly purchased by members of Australia’s largest Birding organisation, Birds Australia. It was already known how rich the bird population was on this sheep property. It has now been established that there are more than a dozen bird species present at Gluepot that are either threatened or endangered. It is one of the few strongholds anywhere of the rare honeyeater, the Black-Eared Miner.
Sunset at Gluepot Bird Reserve
I had been wanting to visit Gluepot for sometime but just hadn’t got around to it. The very first course to be offered there was on developing one’s skills in nature photography. Craig Ingram was the facilitator and I enrolled hoping to learn more about using my recently purchased digital camera, the latest Canon Powershot 2S IS. The weekend was particularly good and I learned many hints on photography.
I will share more photos taken on that weekend over coming days.
Related Links:
- My photo gallery (including more shots taken at Gluepot)
Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens
5 Comments »3rd July, 2006; Category: Adelaide Hills, Botanic Gardens, Parks and Gardens, South Australia
Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens
The parks and gardens of Adelaide are a delight to visit. We have, over the years, visited quite a number of them. One of our favourites would have to be the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens. These gardens are under the care of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens which are right next to the CBD in Adelaide. The Mt Lofty section is in the wonderful Adelaide Hills, about a half hour very pleasant drive from the CBD.
Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens
Steep Climb
The gardens have been established on the sides of Mt Lofty, the highest mountain near our state capital, Adelaide. There are two car parks, one at the top and another at the bottom. So the less fit will arrange to go with friends, leave one car at the lower level, drive to the top in the other car and walk down to the lower level. One then only has to walk downhill before repeating the process with the car shuffle in the reverse order.
Photos
Over coming days I plan to post more photos taken in these beautiful gardens.
Related articles: