Leaving Port Vincent and the Yorke Peninsular

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Bit sad leaving today, this was really a magical stop for us, where we met a lot of really great people including a 96 YO and his 88YO wife from Adelaide, still pulling a van and living the dream, there is still hope for Neil and Faye yet !! (only joking 😊 But.......

It was not all that bad as we were loaded with fresh Salmon fillets caught that morning by Vincent and his Welsh mate, Owen, from Porthcawl. Fish for dinner for the next few nights, thanks lads and sorry to the the rest of you. not !

We headed north to Maitland, which is the geographical centre of the Yorke, on a ridge with views of Spencer Gulf to the West and the grain rich Yorke Valley to the East. Maitland is the main service and shopping centre for the Yorkies', having every facility of a major town. Again we saw many fantastic heritage buildings, including the Yorke valley Hotel's facade which has not changed since being built in 1877. Compared to other towns we had seen on the Peninsular Maitland was now proclaimed by us as the official capital, overtaking Yorketown.

North again, on to Moonta and a coffee stop Trish hoped ! We found a great coffee at Henrys On George in a fantastic town. Moonta's origins in 1860 began from a copper discovery by a shepherd that grew into the Moonta Mining Co, that soon became one of the richest copper mines in Australia. This led to a flood of skilled miners from Cornwall affectionately known as Cousin Jack's and Jennies (Donkeys ???) Their influence is obvious throughout the town. Again, many fantastic buildings to see and good shopping.

Onto Kadina, which we discovered, shock, horror, is the largest town on the, Yorke, large enough even to have suburbs ! So, the newly crowned capital (by us) of Maitland has been lost already to Kadina.

In its hayday Kadina had a boom town population of 20,000 and when copper mining finished, farming took over (Barley etc). Shopping, according to Trish, is up to 'Big City" standards, no light statement I might add, and worthy of our newly proclaimed 'capital". Shame she had no money or time !!!

Further North on the uppermost end of the Peninsular, close to the southern Flinders Ranges is Port Broughton. A reputation for big Snapper and fishing in general drives this holiday town.

Next was Port Pirie, just an hour south of Port Augusta and our destination for the next three days. The town has historic links with Trans Continental Railways, in fact Trish and I came through on the Ghan a few years ago. An industrial centre and it shows with the lead smelters and wharf infrastructure to accompany it.

Our day ended on arrival in Port Augusta..safely.

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Photos

Moonta
Henry on George...our coffee spot in Moonta

Moonta
Cornish Pasties

Comments

[faye gronow]

awesome!!!!
hey you two happy wanderers. Just going thru your blogs and following you 'trail' in our atlas book.!!!! so we are with you, enjoying your writings Mike( not quite the same as being there but will do for now!!!!!) love the story of the elderly couple as you said following their dream how wonderful. hope we are as active when we get to that age!!!! enjoy your stay in Port Augusta. i read on and see the 'bujet! bujet!' is still happeneing Trish as the comment says 'pity no time or money to shop in Kadina'!!!

[Matty]

Cornish pasties or sausages?
It's very funny to read how you went from one big to another and another! I hope you enjoy Port Pirie over the next few days xoxo

[faye gronow]

like moonta
thanks for photos of Moonta. i wll be able to tell our friends (who had the holiday shack there) that i have now seen Moonta. can understand why they loved it so much and not far from Adelaide.you talenst amaze us mile not only the great reporter but the papparatzi too! great photos.