Trevor's Travels

Walking the Riesling Trail, Clare

No Comments »9th July, 2011; Category: Clare Valley, Hiking, Walking

Along the Riesling Trail near Clare, South Australia

I’ve been a little tardy in getting up these photos from Easter earlier this year. Over the long weekend we stayed with our daughter who teaches in the local high school. During our stay we went for a daily walk along the Riesling Trail. This walking track used to be the old railway line. It now has a new life as a tourist attraction in its own right. People visiting the wine growing region can walk from Auburn to just north of Clare. Access to many of the region’s wineries is quite easy from the trail.

I’ll share more photos in coming days.

Walking the Riesling Trail, Clare, South Australia

No Comments »1st July, 2011; Category: Clare Valley, Walking

Riesling Trail, Clare, South Australia

This series of posts is somewhat overdue. During Easter in April of this year we stayed for a week with family in Clare in the mid north of South Australia. On each day of our stay we went for a half hour walk along the Riesling Trail.

The Riesling Trail is a 27 kilometre walking and cycling trail through the Clare wine region area. It runs from the small town of Auburn in the south through the Clare Valley and ends just north of Clare township. It passes through vineyards and farming country, with many fine restaurants and wineries within easy reach of the trail.

The Riesling Trail is very easy walking and cycling, for it used to be the railway line through this area. The sleepers and rails are no longer there and have been replaced by smooth gravel.

On our first walk we tried to ignore the cold, damp conditions. I was delighted to get a good photo of a beautiful butterfly as well as some very interesting fungi.

For more details of the Riesling Trail, click here.

Along the Riesling Trail, Clare, South Australia

Vanessa kershawi, Australian Painted Lady

Fungi along the Riesling Trail, Clare, South Australia

Edithburgh Nature Reserve

No Comments »27th June, 2011; Category: Birds, Botanic Gardens, Holidays, Parks and Gardens, Photos, Plants, Yorke Peninsula

Eucalyptus erythrocorys (red-capped gum), Edithburgh Nature Reserve

On the last morning of our recent holiday on the Yorke Peninsula we stopped for about an hour to wander through the Edithburgh Nature Reserve. This reserve, set up and maintained by a local community group, has been a focus of ours every time we visit the small coastal town. The reserve is at the western end of the main street and is open at all times to the public. Several excellent gravel paths suitable for wheelchairs meander through the reserve.

The reserve is not great for checking out a wide range of Australian Native Plants which interest my wife, it is also a good place within the town to see many of the local bush birds. Being only about 500 metres from the coast it is also possible to record a few sea birds flying overhead. My brother in law used to live opposite this park so we know it and its inhabitants quite well.

Apart from the birds I also enjoy the challenge of taking photos of wildflowers. I’ve dedicated this post to the plants in flower that we saw.

Calothamnus quadrifidus (one-sided bottlebrush), Edithburgh Reserve

Grevillea flower, Edithburgh Nature Reserve

Hakea laurina, Edithburgh Nature Reserve, Yorke Peninsula

Edithburgh Nature Reserve, Yorke Peninsula

Corny Point Lighthouse, Yorke Peninsula

No Comments »25th June, 2011; Category: Holidays, Yorke Peninsula

Corny Point, Yorke Peninsula

Corny Point on Yorke Peninsula can be a lovely spot on a fine day. On a stormy day it is entirely a different matter. On our recent holiday there we could barely get out of the car, the wind pushing against the door was so strong. I then had trouble standing still in the gusting wind for some photos. Never mind. It was all part of the adventure. We still enjoyed the spectacular scenery and wild waves.

Corny Point, Yorke Peninsula

Emus on parade at Stenhouse Bay

No Comments »23rd June, 2011; Category: Birds, Holidays, National Parks, Yorke Peninsula

Emus, Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula

On our recent holiday on the Yorke Peninsula we had lunch at Marion Bay, visited the visitor centre of the Innes National Park and then continued on driving through the park near Stenhouse Bay. We stopped many times to admire the scenery, take photos of landscapes and seascapes and check out the bird and plant life.

One species of bird virtually came to us. A small flock of 5 juvenile Emus wandered along the side of the road quite unconcerned that we were only metres away. They are certainly unafraid of vehicles passing by as this happens many times every day in parks like this. They just went about their business finding their lunch.

This group consisted of juveniles probably about 18 – 24 months old. The female Emu lays up to about a dozen eggs in a shallow nest on the ground. The male then incubates the eggs and looks after the young for up to 2 years after hatching. The birds we saw were over half grown and independent of the father, so I’m guessing they’d have to be at least 18 months old.

Emus, Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula