A Penchant for Peninsulas

Fleurieu, Eyre and York Peninsulas

South Australia

April 1 to 20, 2016

Three peninsulas in three weeks. It's been a busy schedule but South Australia's coast has delighted us with its rugged limestone cliffs, seafaring history and fascinating wildlife. 

The Fleurieu Peninsula, south of Adelaide, was first. A lovely meander south towards Kangaroo Island and then east to Victor Harbour and Goolwa. Some random photos to set the mood. 

The Gulf of St Vincent runs the length of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Horseshoe Bay at Port Elliot

Hindmarsh Bridge at Goolwa. Do you recall the controversy when it was built in the 1990s involving indigenous claims of "secret women's business"?  

Where the Mighty Murray River meets the Southern Ocean at Goolwa.

It was then a quick scoot north to Port Augusta at the top of the Eyre Peninsula. 

A photo shoot at a pink lake along the way.
The colour is produced by algae that produces carotenoids, so Wikipedia tells me.

The Flinders Ranges loom over the tip of Spencer Gulf at Port Augusta.

Explorer Matthew Flinders abandoned his search for the inland sea at this point. 

South Australia's national flower the Sturt Desert Pea at Port Augusta's Arid Lands Botanic Garden. Stunning.

Recycled steel sculpture of explorer Edward John Eyre and his Aboriginal tracker Wylie. 

The Big Galah at Kimba on our way to Ceduna.
It's also the half way point across Australia from east to west.

The jetty at Ceduna on the Eyre west coast, part of the Great Australian Bight.

We spent one night camped on Perlubie Beach ...

.. with a few others.

 It was an unusually high tide overnight and a few campers had to do a mad scramble to escape the encroaching water. Fortunately, Myrtle was high and dry.

Streaky Bay. Our view across the bay from Myrtle. Gorgeous location. 

Smoky, Streaky and Coffin Bays have a big reputation for Pacific oysters but Garry is an oyster snob. If it's not a Sydney Rock it doesn't rock. So we had a good look around but it was all about looking and not tasting. As it was the oysters we saw didn't have great condition so there was little temptation.  

The marine life that really captivated us was the sea lions. The Australian Sea Lion is the most endangered marine mammal on earth and this colony at Point Labatt are very precious and special.  

Lots of lazy lumps digesting lunch.

A close-up of the fat fellow at the top of the previous photo.

Two pups huddle together while they wait for mum to return from her fishing expedition. 

One bub enjoys a suckle.

Zzzzzzzzz. Sweet dreams.

New Zealand Sea Lions party on the rocks just beyond the Aussie guys.

Murphy's Haystacks. A curious outcrop of wind-worn granite boulders. 

The Eyre's rugged limestone coast.
The Bight was relatively calm during our visit but its potential to turn ugly is obvious. 

Caves honeycomb the limestone coast. 

Where's your long board Gazza?

Playing silly buggers around an unsuspecting cliff-top sculpture.

Collision course: two bodies of water clash at Coffin Bay National Park.

Point Avoid in Coffin Bay NP. It was named by Flinders to reflect the hazardous waterway nearby.

 

Cape Barron Geese sauntering along the beach.

Pacific Gull takes in the view.

Other locals in the Coffin Bay NP 

Beautiful estuary dotted with islands leading from the Bight to Coffin Bay.

Looking back to Port Lincoln from Lincoln National Park. 

Another view of Port Lincoln. Note the wheat silos and loading facility. The Eyre and Yorke peninsulas are huge wheat growing areas. More silo photos to come. 

Garry with a sculpture of Makybe Diva, winner of the 2003, 2004 and 2005 Melbourne Cup. 

She is owned by Port Lincoln tuna fisherman Tony Santic. 

Steel City Whyalla.

A week after Arrium's financial troubles came to light, the town appeared sluggish and apathetic. Sad.

A quick hop across the Spencer Gulf and we were in the Yorke Peninsula. The first night was on a dorper sheep farm. Bought some lamb for dinner and enjoyed the sunset over Spencer Gulf.

The Yorke Peninsula oozes history, from the early explorers to multiple ship wrecks, from the copper mines to massive barley/wheat spreads. And then there are the historic buildings.

Yorke Butchery: Note the pig, cow and sheep heads.

Beautifully restored Port Pirie Railway Station.

Moonta Weslyan Methodist Church was one of 27 churches on the Copper Coast in the late 19th century. It can seat 1200 people. The region became known as Australia's Little Cornwall due to the influx of skilled Cornish miners to work the copper mines. 

A grand cathedral. In 1875 Moonta had a population of 12,000 but after the copper mines closed in 1923 the population declined to about 3000. The wonderful buildings are reminiscent of its former glory.

Moonta Mines Model School. Today a museum.

Ruins mark where the miners once toiled. The Hughes' Engine House pumped water continuously from the mine shafts from 1865 to 1923 and was recognised as an engineering marvel in its day.

A view of Richman's Engine House from the nearby 20m tailing heap. Where's Wally? 

The jetty at Port Victoria, once the fourth largest port in SA where the windjammers came to collect the grain harvest. 

This display board put the windjammers in perspective: twice the height of the town's Norfolk Pines, as long as the median strip (96m) and with a sail area of 3400 sq m (the equivalent of 13 double tennis courts). Extraordinary. 

Corny Point Lighthouse.  

Reflecting on the Spencer Gulf. 

Nestled behind the sand dunes at Innes National Park on the toe of the Yorke Peninsula.

Gulls galore at Pondalowie Bay in the Innes NP.

Pondalowie Bay from the headland.

A huge pod of dolphins hunting in the bay. Trigger finger not quick enough to catch them all surfacing.  

Chinamans Hat Island and Marine Park, Innes NP. 

The historic township of Inneston was once the centre of a large gypsum mine. It's now part of the Innes NP.

Silos silos everywhere. Grain reigns. 

The silos and loading facility at Ardrossan.  

Affectionate llamas.  

Ardrossan is also home to the Jump Stump Plough which revolutionised the way land was cultivated. A beautiful recycled iron sculpture of a draught horse pulling an early version of the plough.

A final view of the craggy limestone cliffs.

Our trip through South Australia to date. Fleurieu Peninsula is the smallest (the line from 87 points to it), Eyre Peninsula is the saggy V to the left and Yorke Peninsula the boot in between.

A selective tour of the peninsulas but a taste of all they have to offer - amazing vistas, abundant wildlife, rich agri-businesses and a marvellous history. 

Fare thee well until next time dear ones.