South Australia - Diesel and Dust.... and
the family from England!
Steve, Aida and Bianca have joined us to tour South Australia. Steve is Kate's brother. We were very excited to see them after several years, and the boys were very pleased to see their long lost cousin.
The Blades also came to visit, and we all got together in Victor Harbor for a "no holds barred, winner takes all, fight to the death" game of volley ball on the beach.
It's a long way to come for a ball game.
Having told the visitors to expect hot weather, Victor Harbor presented us with temperatures around the low 20's.
Bianca, Mitch, Bronte, Dylan, and Callum, taking turns and sharing nicely.. like good children.
Christmas in Victor Harbor. Santa found us here,
"Do you think I can open these before the others come back?"
Santa arrives and we can get on with opening some presents.
Guess who's got an iPod....?
the family from England!Steve, Aida and Bianca have joined us to tour South Australia. Steve is Kate's brother. We were very excited to see them after several years, and the boys were very pleased to see their long lost cousin.
The Blades also came to visit, and we all got together in Victor Harbor for a "no holds barred, winner takes all, fight to the death" game of volley ball on the beach.
It's a long way to come for a ball game.
Having told the visitors to expect hot weather, Victor Harbor presented us with temperatures around the low 20's.
Bianca, Mitch, Bronte, Dylan, and Callum, taking turns and sharing nicely.. like good children.
Christmas in Victor Harbor. Santa found us here,
"Do you think I can open these before the others come back?"
Santa arrives and we can get on with opening some presents.
Guess who's got an iPod....?
Mitch and Bianca on the swing, with the OH&S inspector in the background. 
Back at the park, still sharing nicely and still in jumpers.
The cuddle... Richard loves a cuddle.
The sun comes out and Steve sights land, naming it Encounter Bay.
The headland overlooks Victor Harbor. This is on the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, looking south to the Southern ocean.
Matthew Flinders, the English navigator was circumnavigating Australia when he encountered a French vessel in this area. France and England where at war, but the meeting was friendly and Flinders and the French Captain Baudin, shared information about their trips. Flinders named the bay Encounter bay in recognition of the meeting.
Back at the park, still sharing nicely and still in jumpers.
The cuddle... Richard loves a cuddle.
The sun comes out and Steve sights land, naming it Encounter Bay.
The headland overlooks Victor Harbor. This is on the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, looking south to the Southern ocean.
Matthew Flinders, the English navigator was circumnavigating Australia when he encountered a French vessel in this area. France and England where at war, but the meeting was friendly and Flinders and the French Captain Baudin, shared information about their trips. Flinders named the bay Encounter bay in recognition of the meeting.The Armitages and Howes having one of many meals out. Steve and Aida share Kate's love of good food. Steve shares Richard's love of good wine...!
The cousins on the way out to Granite Island. This island is a nesting site for the fairy penguins and each summer evening after dark the penguins return from the sea to feed their young. The chicks appear out of the nests after dusk, looking for their parents. there are several thousand nests on the island.
The Clare Valley and the Riesling trail. Clare produces some of the best Riesling and Shiraz in country, and the locals will tell you that Clare receives more awards per acre than any other wine region.
Steve, Bianca, Mitch venture out for an early morning ride along the Riesling trail. This trail runs through the heart of the wine country on a disused rail line.
Even here the country is very dry, and hot, around 38degrees.
We cycled 24 kms of the Riesling Trail from Clare to Watervale.
Bianca, trooped on as it got hotter and hotter.
Seven Hills Winery run by the Jesuit Priests. This winery is quite famous in the Clare area.
Quorn in the southern Flinders Ranges is the picture of an outback town. Famous for it's hotels and the Pichi Richi Railway.
Quorn railway station. A bit of Cape Dutch influence.
Wilpena pound. This is a beautiful part of the Flinders Ranges. The surrounding country is very dry and hard. Many farmers tried and failed to farm this land in the 1800's.
Flinders Ranges
Inside Wilpena Pound. The pound is a large crater shaped plain completely enclosed by mountains.
Mitch, Richard and Callum venture out for a morning walk. The temperature reached 44degrees on this day. Kate was sick in bed with a stomach bug; the van has air-conditioning.
A massive River Red Gum, the bark of these trees seems to be fireproof, but the insides are not.
The pound was farmed from 1857 by the Hill family. The conditions of the government lease meant that the Hills were to run 120000 sheep on the farm and this combined with the dry climate devastated the land. Old man Hill tried again a few years later running only 20,000 sheep and had more luck. The Farmer then had a go at growing wheat, which worked well, but the family then had to spend several years building a road through the tight creek entrance to get the grain to market. At Christmas in 1905 in the middle of a drought the family were hoping for rain. The rain came, but in such abundance that the road into the pound was washed away. That was the end of farming the pound.
Wilpena Pound from Stokes lookout.
Flinders.. it is beautiful.. but it is no place to live.
New years eve in Wilpena resort at a few minutes to midnight. Mitchel has grown a pointed head, and Bianca looks the only normal one in the group.
Party girl.
It is the 2nd of January and sadly we have to say farewell to Steve, Bianca, Aida ( who is starting get better from the accident). They are off to Adelaide to catch a plane. We had a great time touring together.
Kate is feeling better...
The Howes in Wilpena pound at Wangara lookout.
The Howes say fairwell to Wilpena.
The River Red gums are spectacular; they grow to over 500 years in age.
This is the largest River Red Gum in SA, 11metre girth larger than the handspan of two boys!
Wheat fields near Burra.
The dry country near Petersborough.
This oversized Gull is the size of a duck, and only lives along the South Coast.
Emu in the Flinders Ranges. The is an abundance of kangeroos and emus here.
Red-barred Dragon - a native of the Flinders ranges, and only found here.
The cousins on the way out to Granite Island. This island is a nesting site for the fairy penguins and each summer evening after dark the penguins return from the sea to feed their young. The chicks appear out of the nests after dusk, looking for their parents. there are several thousand nests on the island.
The Clare Valley and the Riesling trail. Clare produces some of the best Riesling and Shiraz in country, and the locals will tell you that Clare receives more awards per acre than any other wine region.
Steve, Bianca, Mitch venture out for an early morning ride along the Riesling trail. This trail runs through the heart of the wine country on a disused rail line.
Even here the country is very dry, and hot, around 38degrees.
We cycled 24 kms of the Riesling Trail from Clare to Watervale.
Bianca, trooped on as it got hotter and hotter.Until
It was all going so well until an accident. Aida had a very nasty fall from her bike onto a gravel road. It took some help from a local woman who was busy selling honey when we presented the scraped and bleeding Aida on her doorstep, and a trip to the hospital to fix Aida. Aida sustained some cuts to her hands, back and legs, and a very nasty injury on on her elbow.
It was all going so well until an accident. Aida had a very nasty fall from her bike onto a gravel road. It took some help from a local woman who was busy selling honey when we presented the scraped and bleeding Aida on her doorstep, and a trip to the hospital to fix Aida. Aida sustained some cuts to her hands, back and legs, and a very nasty injury on on her elbow.
Sadly, all before we had had any wine.
Seven Hills Winery run by the Jesuit Priests. This winery is quite famous in the Clare area.
Quorn in the southern Flinders Ranges is the picture of an outback town. Famous for it's hotels and the Pichi Richi Railway.
Quorn railway station. A bit of Cape Dutch influence.
Wilpena pound. This is a beautiful part of the Flinders Ranges. The surrounding country is very dry and hard. Many farmers tried and failed to farm this land in the 1800's.
Flinders Ranges
Inside Wilpena Pound. The pound is a large crater shaped plain completely enclosed by mountains.
Mitch, Richard and Callum venture out for a morning walk. The temperature reached 44degrees on this day. Kate was sick in bed with a stomach bug; the van has air-conditioning.
A massive River Red Gum, the bark of these trees seems to be fireproof, but the insides are not.
The pound was farmed from 1857 by the Hill family. The conditions of the government lease meant that the Hills were to run 120000 sheep on the farm and this combined with the dry climate devastated the land. Old man Hill tried again a few years later running only 20,000 sheep and had more luck. The Farmer then had a go at growing wheat, which worked well, but the family then had to spend several years building a road through the tight creek entrance to get the grain to market. At Christmas in 1905 in the middle of a drought the family were hoping for rain. The rain came, but in such abundance that the road into the pound was washed away. That was the end of farming the pound.
Wilpena Pound from Stokes lookout.
Flinders.. it is beautiful.. but it is no place to live.
New years eve in Wilpena resort at a few minutes to midnight. Mitchel has grown a pointed head, and Bianca looks the only normal one in the group.
Kate is still sick in bed.
Party girl.
It is the 2nd of January and sadly we have to say farewell to Steve, Bianca, Aida ( who is starting get better from the accident). They are off to Adelaide to catch a plane. We had a great time touring together.
Kate is feeling better...
The Howes in Wilpena pound at Wangara lookout.
The Howes say fairwell to Wilpena.
The River Red gums are spectacular; they grow to over 500 years in age.
This is the largest River Red Gum in SA, 11metre girth larger than the handspan of two boys!
Wheat fields near Burra.
The dry country near Petersborough.
This oversized Gull is the size of a duck, and only lives along the South Coast.
Emu in the Flinders Ranges. The is an abundance of kangeroos and emus here.
Red-barred Dragon - a native of the Flinders ranges, and only found here.
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