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Published: April 22nd 2011
Marg & I had decided we’d drive over to the
Fleurieu Peninsula, in South Australia, to wile away a week or so of the school holidays. So, early on
Tue 12/Apr/11, after a night of torrential rain across suburban Melbourne, we hit the road. With nothing booked & very little planned we were looking forward to some interesting times. It was not yet the SA school holidays so we didn’t expect too many problems picking up accommodation as we toured around. We took the Western Highway, being the more direct route and were soon through the wet weather still plaguing Melbourne. The drive took the best part of 10 hours with the odd stop here & there.
We had thought we might spend our first night in Langhorne Creek, the centre of the local wine precinct, but decided to drive on the extra 16km to the larger Strathalbyn when we saw the size of LC. Strath is a beautiful place – our first stop was opposite the most picturesque Soldiers Memorial Garden, with its manicured lawns & water ways. Settled in 1839 by Scottish migrants, it is well renowned for its antiques, with several antique dealers in its historic High
Street. There’s lots of old stone buildings with cast iron lacework, many of them heritage listed! We stayed at the historic Victoria Hotel ($110), but, in its newer motel extension.
Next day,
Wed 13/Apr/11, we whipped back to
Langhorne Creek to visit a winery or two, before heading further south. Langhorne Creek has a wine history dating back to 1850, known for its reds & most especially its Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The town is on the banks of the Bremer River, which flows into Lake Alexandrina, & frequently floods across the vineyards, contributing to the
terroir of the region. We made some tasting stops at
Angas Plains, where there was a particularly chatty wine tasting buff;
Bleasdale Winery, where we enjoyed self-service tastings & their historic memorabilia; &
Rusticana Wines where we also partook of an especially pleasing luncheon cheese platter while overlooking their vineyard & horseradish fields.
Next stop was Goolwa, where we arrived Goolwa in the early afternoon. We initially thought we would not get much in the way of accommodation but things came good & we scored
Sweetman Cottage ($105/night) for two nights, a large (could sleep 9) well-appointed house with all the mod cons.
Goolwa (~100km from Adelaide) is a historic river port on the Murray River near the Murray mouth & has a population of about 6000. "Goolwa" means "elbow" in Ngarrindjeri, the local Aboriginal language. Before 1837 the area was briefly considered for the site of the colony's capital but the treacherous waters of the Murray mouth for shipping made it unsuitable as a major port. Goolwa was Australia's first inland port (1853). Australia's first railway was built to connect Goolwa to Port Elliot and later extended to Victor Harbor, allowing goods to move from river boats to sea boats, so that neither had to negotiate the Murray mouth. The spread of railways to inland Australia put an end to the river trade and Goolwa's importance as a port. With the decline of the river trade Goolwa has became dependent on local farming and fishing & tourism. Goolwa is quite attractive with many old stone & other historic buildings. The port area has been refurbed & features the train station – still running the ‘Cockle Train’ to Victor Harbor;
The Steam Exchange Brewery serving some very fine product; Cruise Service to take you to the Coorong & cafes.
From the
mid-1930s the Goolwa Barrages were constructed to separate the fresh water of the River Murray from the salt water coming up from the River Murray mouth & prevent the salt water travelling further up the River Murray and polluting much needed fresh water. The 2008/09 droughts, the worst in Australian history, reduced the river to nothing much more than a channel and mudflats. This crisis prompted ongoing discussions with governments with the aim of releasing more water from upstream to ensure the survival of the river. In 2009 a temporary levy (called the Clayton Regulator) was constructed between Clayton and the north east side of Hindmarsh Island. The Regulator was put in place to protect the Goolwa Channel and its tributaries from the danger of acid sulfate soils from the newly exposed river bed which threatened to devastate the Lower Lakes region. The Regulator immediately increased the water levels between the Regulator and the Goolwa Barrage. In 2010 increased rainfall and water from upstream has allowed the Regulator at Clayton to be substantially removed & rainfall has replenished much of the river and lower lakes. Recent rainfalls & upstream flooding has meant the Goolwa Barrages are opened for the first
time in many years to allow fresh water to flow to the Murray Mouth. A sand dredger, brought in for ‘short term’ in 2001 to ensure the Murray mouth remained open, had had to remain & continue operations until just recently when the good water flows are pushing the sands through the mouth.
Got a chance to make the first of a couple of visits the
Steam Exchange Brewery located in the wharf precinct. Set in a warehouse with its stainless steel tanks, bottling line, bar area & sit down drink spaces, it provides a great ambiance to imbibe the in-house brews of
Indian Pale Ale, Steam Ale, Stout & Southerly Buster.
Thu 14/Apr/11. Still at Goolwa & enjoying the luxurious Sweetman Cottage - the major activity of the day was the 4½ hour cruise of the Coorong ($78 each). We were lucky to score this cruise as we had tried to book at the Info Centre & were told the cruises were totally full but on enquiring at the wharf were told a miscount on their part had got us a berth.
The Coorong is a national park and lagoon ecosystem in 156 km southeast of Adelaide. (Its name
could be a corruption of the local Aboriginal word kurangh = "long neck", or the word Coorang = "sand dune"). The western end of the Coorong lagoon is at the Murray Mouth near Hindmarsh Island and the Sir Richard Peninsula, and it extends about 130 km southeast. The park area includes the Coorong itself, and Younghusband Peninsula which separates the Coorong from Encounter Bay in the Southern Ocean. The Coorong has been cut off from Lake Alexandrina by the construction of the Goolwa Barrages (weirs) from Goolwa to Pelican Point during the late 1930s. The park was formed in 1966 as a wildlife sanctuary & it attracts many migratory species. The 467 km² also supports coastal dune systems, lagoons and coastal vegetation. One of the unique things about the Coorong is the interaction of water along its length, with sea water and Murray River water meeting rainfall and groundwater. The freshwater supports the fauna of the area while the sea water is the habitat for much of the birdlife. The waters of the Coorong are a popular venue for recreational and commercial fishers. The popular 'Coorong Mullet' and 'School Mulloway' are the main species. The Coorong was the setting of
Goolwa Barrage
Barrier to prevent the sea water travelling upstream & contaminating the fresh water. (Open at this time)the 1977 film Storm Boy.
On
Fri 15/Apr/11 we left Goolwa heading west, first to Port Elliot, for a bit of a walk, & then on to Victor Harbor. We secured lodgings at
The Anchorage Seafront Hotel ($80/night) before walking over to Granite Island.
Victor Harbor is about 80km south of Adelaide & is the largest population centre on the peninsula, with an economy based upon agriculture, fisheries and various industries. It is also a highly popular tourist destination, with the city's population greatly expanded during the summer holidays. Traditionally home of the Ramindjeri clan of the Ngarrindjeri people, the bay on which Victor Harbor sits was discovered by Matthew Flinders in the HMS Investigator in April 1802. Flinders was surveying the then unknown southern Australian coast from the West. He encountered Nicolas Baudin in the Le Geographe near the Murray Mouth several kilometres to the east of the present day location of Victor Harbor. Baudin was surveying the coast from the East for Napoleonic France. The ships returned to the bay and sheltered while the captains, who were probably unaware their countries were at war, compared notes. Flinders named the bay Encounter Bay after the meeting. In 1837
Captain Richard Crozier who was en-route from Sydney to the Swan River Colony in command of the Cruizer-class “HMS Victor”, anchored just off Granite Island and named the sheltered waters in the lee of the island 'Victor Harbor' after his ship. About the same time two whaling stations were established, one at the Bluff (Rosetta Head) and the other near the point opposite Granite Island. Whale oil became South Australia’s first export. The town of Port Victor was laid out on the shores of Victor Harbor in 1863 when the horse-drawn tramway from Goolwa was extended to the harbour. The last whale was caught off Port Victor in 1872. The town's name was changed to 'Victor Harbor' in 1921. Granite Island, which is connected to the mainland by a short tram/pedestrian causeway, is home to a large colony of Fairy Penguins which are a popular attraction on the island. The Cockle Train heritage railway operated by SteamRanger runs steam locomotive and other antique train services between Victor Harbor and Goolwa stations. Victor Harbor is the centre of the surf zone known as the "South Coast" to Adelaide & also offers numerous fishing opportunities.
Went for a 1½hr pre-brekky stroll
Coorong Cruise Boat
A 4.5hr cruise into the Coorong National Park took us to the Murray mouth, barrages & Coorong beaches - 'Storm Boy' territory! on
Sat 16/Apr/11, around Encounter Bay toward The Bluff in a walk & turn back around fashion. Had a self-catered cereal brekky in our room before checking out. Heading to Cape Jervis for a 2-night stay –
yes! I did say 2-nights – just ‘cause no-one does it, doesn’t mean it can’t be done. We had started this holiday thinking we would ‘do’ Kangaroo Island, perhaps spend a night there, but on discovering the not insignificant ferry costs ($90 per person & $180 per car return), decided we would need to devote more time to a stay there to justify the outlay. Next time - another trip to plan! Stopped at the Victor Harbor Farmer’s Market on the way out & got a few supplies. With 60km of driving ahead of us, we actually added to it by missing a turn-off & having to double back to stop at Parsons Beach so we could walk a section, 1½hr return, of the
Heysen Trail. This trail actually starts at Cape Jervis & follows the coast to Victor Harbor & then turns inland, travelling roughly due North until just beyond the Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges National Park – some 500-odd
Murray Mouth Dredger
Dredger was brought in for a seasons work in 2001 (to ensure the Murray mouth remained open) & only now is it sitting idle! kms. The drive to Cape Jervis was very attractive with rolling green hills & coastal glimpses. Toward the destination end there was even a bunch of wind turbines to be seen – looking quite majestic standing on the high ground along the capes northwest coast. Only 108km south of Adelaide & a population is around 300. (Matthew Flinders named Cape Jervis after John Jervis, the British First Lord of the Admiralty in 1802) We checked in to our accommodation, Cape Jarvis Station (the Huon Room- $130/night with breakfast), before heading down the southwest corner of the mainland to walk the first section (a 2hr return walk) of the Heysen Trail. Cape Jervis is a very small community with pretty much the one shop cum pub, most come here to catch the ferry over to Kangaroo Island.
On
Sun 17/Apr/11 after our B&E brekky at Jervis Station we made our way to Deep Creek Conservation Park. There was a self-service park access permit to purchase ($8.50) & a walks map to help us work out what walk we would tackle. We decided on the ‘Deep Creek Circuit Hike’ – a 7-hour, 10.9km trek featuring some of the best views on
Sea Balls
Various sized sea weed balls - rolled around by the relentless surf - decorated this Coorong beach. offer in the park combining rugged coastal & spectacular creek vistas. We started our walk at 10.30am & didn’t finish till 4.00pm with about ½ hr of down time to catch our breath. Quite a demanding trek with the track mostly only one person wide & sometimes even less than that! Incorporating sections of the Heysen Trail it had some really steep climbs & one particularly memorable descent; we lost the trail once or twice, had to double back to be reassured, & took on the steepest descent you can imagine. But, those views! Quite weary by the end of it all – had to lie around until dinner was got at the Cape Jervis Tavern (the one & only pub/diner/store in town).
Mon 18/Apr/11. Drive from Cape Jervis to McLaren Vale. Stops at Normanville for a beach walk, Myponga for a drink at the micro-brewery & Port Willunga for another stroll along cliff lined beaches. We were quite surprised by the number of wineries in the district & only managed wine tasting visits to
D’Arenberg, Coriole & Kays Amery Vineyards, but snuck in some beer tasting stops at
Vale Ale &
Goodieson Breweries.
McLaren Vale is a wine
region ~35km south of Adelaide with a population of about 2,000. It is internationally renowned for the wines it produces. The region was named after either David McLaren, the Colonial Manager of the South Australia Company or John McLaren (unrelated) who surveyed the area in 1839. Among the very first settlers to the region in late 1839, were two English farmers from Devon, Mr William Colton and Charles Thomas Hewett. William Colton established the 'Daringa Farm' and Charles Thomas Hewett established 'Oxenberry Farm'. Both men would be very prominent in the very early days of McLaren Vale. Although initially the region's main economic activity was the growing of cereal crops, John Reynell and Thomas Hardy planted grape vines in 1838 and the present-day Seaview and Hardy wineries were in operation as early as 1850. Grapes were first planted in the region in 1838 and some vines more than 100 years old are still producing. Today there are more than 88 cellar doors in McLaren Vale. The majority are small family-run operations and boutique wineries. McLaren Vale has a Mediterranean climate with four clear seasons & rarely experiences frost or drought. 50% of the total crush is to produce Shiraz but
other major wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay & Grenache.
Tue 19/Apr/11. Left McLaren Vale at 7.30am & were in
Hahndorf within an hour for a stroll & a coffee. A very pretty village, particularly with our approach along streets with trees full of leaves featuring the range of autumn yellow, golds & browns. This town was settled by Lutheran migrants & the German influence is very apparent with the traditional fachwerk architecture of the original surviving buildings & in the cuisine offered by the many shops & restaurants. (During WW1 Hahndorf had its name changed to Ambleside but changed back in the late 1930s).
From here we got serious about our journey home. An overcast day, quite conducive to motoring, got us home by 7.00pm despite various ‘go slows’ due to road works & the odd stop for a leg stretch.
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