Kangaroo Island Bushfires

Choking back tears, he told me “I looked out over the plain and howled. It’ll take a long time to recover, and it probably won’t be in my lifetime”.  

I was talking to David, a now-retired guide who had spent 15 years conducting eco-tours in Flinders Chase National Park and the adjoining Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island. He was telling me about his reaction to the horrific bushfires, started by lightning strikes, that burnt more than 46% of the island’s 440,500 hectares (1,700 square miles) over several weeks of the 2019/2020 Australian summer.  Two lives and 50 houses were lost in the blaze, numerous farms and businesses ruined and thousands of animals—both livestock and wildlife—perished.

I knew what he meant.  I had just seen the devastation he was describing for myself from the Bunker Hill observation point that looks out over the coastal plain. Over 72,000 hectares (278 square miles), or about 96% of the bushland in the park was destroyed by the fires, and it was a confronting sight.  

Kangaroo Island Today

Once covered in lush eucalypt woodlands and dense coastal scrub, the rolling hills and plains were open and bare where the understory and low vegetation had been burnt away. In many places, only scorched tree trunks remained, very different to the verdant forests I remembered from my only other visit to Kangaroo Island 15 years earlier.

The bushfires have had devastating environmental, economic and personal consequences for Kangaroo Island’s 4,500-strong population, and have forever separated its history into “before” and “after” the blaze.  Recovery on all fronts has been long, slow and hindered even further by COVID-19 restrictions. 

Despite the extensive fire damage, it’s easy to see why the national park still attracts many of Kangaroo Island’s 140,000 annual visitors. Nearly ten months on, the bushland’s regeneration is well under way.  A mantle of green is starting to cover the blackened ground and new growth sprouts from the burnt tree trunks.  

The island has become a land of dramatic contrasts. In the forest and farmland, the fire’s trail of destruction can end abruptly, leaving bare, burnt ground and untouched greenery side by side. Rocks, dunes and land formations are now strikingly bare where ground cover and the understory once hid them. In places, where the flames reached the sea, there is now an eerily beautiful juxtaposition of blackened vegetation against the island’s signature aquamarine waters.

Visiting the island now is not only a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness its regeneration first hand, but  also to assist community recovery by providing much needed cash flow to affected businesses and tourism operators.

Kangaroo Island, or “KI” (pronounced “kay-eye”) as it is known to locals, is Australia’s third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. 

Travelling KI’s 155 kilometre (96 mi) length is a journey through a stunning wilderness landscape with 540 kilometres (335 mi) of rugged coastline. Explore untouched beaches and dune systems, rivers and lakes, lush forests and oddly-shaped rocky outcrops. Diverse animal and plant life, fresh regional produce and friendly locals all add to the relaxed island vibe.  Despite the devastation of the fires, the attractions are all still here. A day or two will not be enough to experience everything the island has to offer.

How to get here

The fastest way to reach KI is a 30-minute flight from Adelaide, capital of the state of South Australia, to KI’s Kingscote Airport. Alternatively, take the ferry for a 45-minute ride across Backstairs Passage to KI’s Penneshaw, 22 kilometres (13.6 mi) from the closest mainland ferry terminal at Cape Jervis. 

From Adelaide, it’s a 90-minute drive through the Fleurieu Peninsula to cover the 100 kilometres (62 mi) to Cape Jervis at its south-western tip. Driving from Adelaide gives the option of taking your own vehicle on the ferry, recommended for those who wish to explore the entire island. Caravans, camper trailers and campers can also be taken on the ferry, although tours are available for those without transportation.

My travelling companions and I decided to drive from Adelaide and first explore parts of the Fleurieu Peninsula’s western coastline en route to the Cape Jervis wharf. As we only had a few hours before our ferry departed, a full exploration of the peninsula’s stunning coastline and picturesque inland region wouldn’t be possible. 

Instead, we chose a cross-section of attractions, including Port Noarlunga’s long jetty and red rocky walls above the Onkaparinga River mouth; the rolling vales and dramatic cliffs sweeping down to the sands of Sellicks Beach; the memorial to Australia’s only saint, Mary McKillop, in the Yankalilla township; the clear blue waters of Normanville beach; and Second Valley’s unusual coastal rock formations.

Backstairs Passage, the strait between Cape Jervis and Penneshaw, is known for its rough seas so choosing the best time to cross can be like picking a winning lottery ticket. According to ferry staff, our afternoon crossing was a rough one, but not as bad as the morning trip when most of a large school excursion group became violently sea-sick.  

A turbulent crossing isn’t always bad news though. For us birdwatchers, heavy seas can mean a greater chance of spotting ocean-going birds such as shearwaters, petrels and albatross, not usually seen this close to land.  The only trick is to stay upright on deck and hold the binoculars steady as the ferry heaves and rolls through the waves and cross-currents.

Kangaroo Island History

Discovery of stone tools, middens (ceremonial sites), campfire sites and cave shelters on KI are proof of Australian Indigenous occupation, thought to pre-date colonial settlement by up to 65,000 years. It is believed that a group of people remained on the island when rising waters separated it from the mainland 10,000 years ago during the last glacial period.  Evidence also indicates they left the island 2,000 – 4,000 years before European colonisation, although it is unclear how or why.

Indigenous people from the mainland knew the island as Karta Pintingga or “Island of the dead”. This is because during the Aboriginal Dreamtime, the period in which life was created, a Spirit Ancestor travelled to the island en route to the Milky Way and was followed here by spirits of the dead seeking the afterlife.

There is some doubt as to when colonial exploration of KI began. The generally accepted version starts in 1802 when Matthew Flinders landed here while on an expedition to map Australia’s southern coastline for the British Government aboard HMS Investigator.  He unimaginatively recorded it as “Kanguroo Island”, for its many kangaroos, a welcome source of fresh meat.

After leaving the island, the Investigator met French ship Le Geographe, captained by Nicolas Baudin. Although their countries were at war, the two captains exchanged information and later that year, Baudin mapped part of the KI coastline, giving many of its geographic features French names.

However, the discovery of an inscription on a tree in the Cygnet River locality dated 1800 and stating “The place for fat meat” indicates that the island was already known by then. To whom, and for how long is unknown.

Baudin’s crew later met some American sealers aboard the brig Union and passed on details of the island to them. The Americans had a quota of 12,000 seal skins, and so KI’s sealing industry began, closely followed by the arrival of whalers.

In 1836, the first free (non-convict) European settlement in Australia was established on KI by the British based South Australian Company.  Faced with many difficulties, most of the colony relocated to the mainland four years later, leaving behind a few settlers whose tenacity and ingenuity in surviving harsh conditions are characteristics still evident in the present-day KI community.  

Nowadays, KI produce is renowned for its quality and exported around the world. A variety of industries includes honey from the purest strain of Ligurian bees in the world; boutique wineries, breweries and a distillery; aquaculture and seafood; eucalyptus oil, lavender and olive products; oats and other cereal crops; along with livestock, sea salt, free range eggs and beauty products, all available from local outlets and shopfronts.

Penneshaw and the Dudley Peninsula

The ferry docks at the small town of Penneshaw, located at the island’s eastern end, a good base for exploring the Dudley Peninsula. Untouched by the fires, the peninsula’s natural attractions are a good introduction to life on KI. 

We spent a day exploring the three conservation parks along the Dudley Peninsula’s south-eastern coastline. From mid-May to late October, southern right whales and the occasional humpback whale can be seen from the cliff tops along this section of the coast. Blue whales, the world’s largest animal, can also be seen from the shores, although they are more likely to be found feeding in upwelling zones further offshore, where nutrient-rich cold water rises from the ocean depths.

Baudin Conservation Park, with its coastal hiking trails and historic sites, is only two kilometres (1.24 mi) south-east of Penneshaw, not to be confused with Baudin Beach to the south-west.

Lashmar Conservation Park, halfway between Penneshaw and Cape Willoughby, is noted for its fishing, swimming, birdwatching and canoeing.  There’s a popular camping area where the Chapman River, which flows through the park, enters the ocean at Antechamber Bay, with its beautiful sandy beach.

At KI’s easternmost point is the isolated Cape Willoughby lighthouse outpost, where South Australia’s first lighthouse was built in 1852. The lighthouse, attached museum and walking trails around the cape are now part of the Cape Willoughby conservation park.

Back in Penneshaw, watch the sunset over Christmas Cove.  Then take an evening tour to see little penguins (Eudyptula minor) coming ashore on the beaches and cliffs after a day feeding out at sea.

Hog Bay Road follows a string of beaches, including Baudin Beach, south-west from Penneshaw to Prospect Hill, right on the peninsula’s narrow neck where it adjoins the central and western parts of the island. Follow in Matthew Flinders’ footsteps and climb the large sand dune, KI’s highest point, for 360 degree views north across Pelican Lagoon to American River and south to Pennington Bay. These days, a 350-step staircase makes the steep climb easier while protecting the fragile dunes beneath.

American River

From Prospect Hill it’s a 10 kilometre (6 mi) drive north to the small settlement of American River.  After staying in Penneshaw overnight, we moved here for the remainder of our stay as it offers easier access to the rest of KI’s attractions.

The locality was named in true Aussie style for a group of American sealers who camped on the shores of Pelican Lagoon, an ocean inlet which they mistakenly thought was a river. Sunrise over the inlet can be spectacular, with black swans (Cygnus atratus) and other water birds plentiful.  

“Every morning I’d be given a koala to nurse for the day,” Kylie, an accommodation host based in American River, told me. “The next morning I’d be told that the koala I’d been looking after had died during the night. It was heartbreaking.”  She and her husband had only lived on the island a short time before the fires, and even though the American River community wasn’t directly under threat, the smoke was so thick they thought they’d have to leave. They and their neighbours spent some tense nights watching the glow in the sky and hearing horror stories about what was happening at the other end of the island.

Once the fires raged out of control and all visitors had returned to the mainland, Kylie volunteered to help out at the wildlife rescue centre, set up to care for the influx of injured animals rescued by locals and firefighters.

While exact pre- and post-bushfire numbers are unknown, it is believed that 80% of the estimated 50,000 koalas on KI perished.  About 40% of those treated in the centre were rehabilitated to be released back into the wild, thanks to the tireless work of volunteers and donations from around the world.

The Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge where I was a guest, is located right across the road from the American River inlet.  With comfortable and well-appointed rooms, an excellent restaurant and friendly, helpful staff, it’s also a good base from which to explore other parts of the island. Don’t miss sunrise over the inlet—the colours, reflections and waterbird silhouettes can be stunning.  Afterwards, treat yourself to the wonderful breakfast buffet in the restaurant.

Famous for its seafood, American River’s most well known (and possibly most visited) attraction is the Oyster Farm Shop. It offers a daily selection of fresh seafood including local oysters, abalini (baby abalone), marron (freshwater crayfish), King George whiting and calamari. 

Just outside town a hiking trail leads to the remains of the town’s historic fish cannery, established around 1890, but abandoned two years later as there was no way to store and keep excess fish. A short drive north-west of town is Redbanks, where multi-coloured cliffs tower above the beach.

KI is home to an endemic subspecies of the critically endangered glossy black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus), and the American River flock can often be seen around the town and nearby bushland. 

Kingscote and North Coast

Kingscote, located 38 kilometres (24 mi) north-west of American River, is KI’s largest town and commercial centre. The first free Australian settlement was set up at nearby Reeves Point, now a reserve with walking trails and historic sites listed on the South Australian Heritage Register. The Nepean Bay jetty is a well known fishing spot, and great for sunrise or sunset shots. Look for sea lions and dolphins in the waters, and if you are lucky, you may see a koala wandering Kingscote’s main street.

Explore the north coast’s secluded beaches from here, including the white sands of Emu Bay; the rocky portal leading to Stokes Bay; and the superb swimming and fishing at Snelling Beach. Parts of this region were hit hard by the bushfires, but much of the north-coast, especially the eastern end, is now accessible.

Snellings View, where I was a guest, makes an excellent base from which to discover the delights of the North Coast’s stunning coastal scenery—or just hide away and relax. With magnificent views over Snellings beach and the surrounding farmland from the deck, the open-plan lounge/dining area and both double bedrooms, this luxurious getaway is fully self-contained. Photos from a book produced by the owners show that the bushfires burned right up to the deck.

“I was wearing my mother’s engagement ring and a ring belonging to my late sister that day.  My other jewellery and belongings were obliterated in the fire,” Priscilla, a north-coast local told me, describing the devastating losses the day that she and her partner lost their home.  

“A year later, I’m still discovering things I didn’t realise were gone, and I feel the loss all over again. Luckily I had uploaded a lot of photos to Facebook because my hard drive and backup were destroyed.” The displacement of living in temporary accommodation without a permanent home to which they can return isn’t easy either.

Priscilla and her partner are now rebuilding, but the process is hampered by the logistics of living on an island. Returning to normal life is still a long way off but the support of the KI community, all of whom have been affected in some way by the fires, has been invaluable.

The South Coast

The South Coast road is known for its nature- and adventure-based attractions.  Although the fire reached the sea here, the stunning colours, white sandy beaches and rock pools of Vivonne Bay make it easy to see why this beach was declared  best in the world in 2003, and is arguably KI’s best beach location.  Spend a day swimming, surfing, snorkelling, fishing, hiking or canoeing the Harriet River which meets the sea at the bay.

Nearby is Little Sahara, a coastal dune system popular for sandboarding and tobogganing. Sand buggies, quad bikes or fat bikes are also on offer by tour companies, with guided walking tours and kayaking also available.

Further east, the Seal Bay Conservation Park’s Australian sea lion colony can be observed from the Visitor Centre viewing platforms. Take a self-guided boardwalk tour, or get even closer on a guided tour.

Flinders Chase National Park

From American River, we took the 105 kilometre (66 mi) drive south-west to the Flinders Chase National Park entrance, taking about 75 minutes. En route, the fire damage became progressively worse until we reached the Bunker Hill lookout mentioned above, where the worst effects of the fire can be seen.

In the far south-west at Cape du Couedic, the low coastal vegetation is intact, a stark contrast with other coastal sections of the park now blackened and burnt.  The Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, a five day trek passing through here, was badly damaged by the fires, but a modified version is now open. It is a rare opportunity to see bushland regeneration firsthand and view open landscapes not previously visible when covered by dense vegetation. Guided bushfire tours are also available.

Seals and other Wildlife

From the cape, a boardwalk descends into the cavernous Admirals Arch, a haven for the 7,000-strong long-nosed fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) colony living and breeding on the cape and Casuarina islets.  By the 1880s, fur seals had been hunted almost to extinction for their thick, water repellent pelts.  From 1900, various levels of protection have applied to the islets, and now the Western Kangaroo Island Marine Parks protect the waters these seals call home.

Wildlife is returning to the bushfire zone, although much of the habitat they relied on for food and shelter was destroyed. Rosenberg’s goanna (Varanus rosenbergi), a large monitor lizard, and the KI subspecies of short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus multiaculeatus) are able to bury themselves underground during bushfires in order to survive.

Weirs Cove

KI’s treacherous coastline and unpredictable waters have been responsible for over 80 shipwrecks. After lighthouses were built at Cape Willoughby and Cape Borda, the Cape du Couedic lighthouse was completed in 1909 after five ships and 79 lives were lost in the surrounding waters. Before road access to the cape, all lighthouse supplies—and visitors—were hoisted from the nearby Weirs Cove landing up a 92 metre (300 ft) high sheer cliff face to the settlement via a primitive “flying fox” winching system made of pulleys and ropes.

Remarkable Rocks

Ironically, no vegetation obscures the park’s most well known feature—the Remarkable Rocks—thanks to the bushfires. The tumbling pile of fractured granite blocks, weathered over millennia, sits on a large dome of exposed granite above a sheer cliff, clearly visible from Weirs Cove and the coast-hugging road. A coating of bright orange lichen renders some of the rocks even more bizarre. 

Featuring in films such as “Napoleon” (1995), and “The December Boys” (2007), the rocks have also starred in countless home movies and social media posts. Many visitors have their photo taken under the “Turtle Beak”, a piece of hollowed-out rock shaped like a hooked finger dangling above the rocky base.  Exploring the odd shapes and textures of the rocks can take a while if you’ve got a camera, and watching other people exploring the rocks can take even longer.

Although these were the only park attractions open to the public during our stay, I wasn’t disappointed.  Seeing the park’s recovery firsthand replaced the despair I had felt when watching the horrifying blaze on the news night after night.  I’m already looking forward to returning once more attractions have reopened.

Come to Kangaroo Island

Indisputably, the close-knit KI community is known for its resilience and courage, and for working together to preserve and protect the island they love.  After seeing the beauty that remains and regeneration in the bushfire zone, it is even more apparent that this island is a special place. 

While full recovery may take many more years, don’t leave it too long to experience its wonders.  Kangaroo Island’s attractions await!

Want MORE?

• More about Kangaroo Island HERE
• More about the Fleurieu Peninsula HERE
• The original version of this article first appeared in GlobeRovers Magazine July 2021. For more interesting travel stories check out GlobeRovers HERE.

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The post Beauty and Bushfires: Exploring Kangaroo Island, South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

STOP PRESS!  2020 Farina Bakery Update:  Due to COVID-19 the Farina Bakery South Australia will NOT be operating in 2020.  However, the Farina historic township and Farina campground will be open and can be visited in line with South Australian state government border closures and travel restrictions. 

The sign shimmered through the haze of dust and heat like a mirage. Or the product of too much wishful thinking. Or the BEST kind of fantasy …

Whichever it was, the Bakery Baking Today sign at the turn-off to the Farina Historic Township in the middle of the South Australian Outback just HAD to be too good to be true.

Where is Farina?

Because over 600 km (370+ miles) north of Adelaide, we were on the last stretch of continuous bitumen for several hundred kilometres.  Which kind of put us in the middle of nowhere!

We’d already passed Lyndhurst, a roadhouse and small settlement at the beginning of the tyre-shredding Strzelecki track.  That notorious stretch of dirt through the Strzelecki desert connects Lyndhurst with Innamincka, 469 km (291 miles) to the north east.  We’d driven a short distance along the track, but pulled out before all four tyres became punctured.

From Marree, there were only two ways out.  East along the Oodnadatta track, a 607 km (377 miles) dirt track through the remote Outback that joined the Stuart Highway at Marla.  Or the fabled Birdsville track to – you guessed it – Birdsville, 519 km (322 miles) further north.

Yes, we were on the outskirts of Australia’s Boys Own Adventureland.  A 4WD and/or motorcyclists’ paradise traversed by groups of three (WHY ALWAYS THREE???) blokes.  And on this day, we would, for the first time, visit the start of each of these iconic tracks.

Now, en route to Marree, we’d heard about Farina, a ghost town full of ruins.

Wasn’t it??

A Bakery in a Ghost Town

The white marquee rising incongruously above the partially restored stonework of the Farina ruins in the distance suggested otherwise.

As did the banner indicating South Aussie icon Laucke Flour’s personal interest in this little bakery in the middle of nowhere.

Clearly, further investigation was required, so I turned to Pilchard – but the car had already swerved towards the turn-off. No bakery-seeking-sensor required in THIS car!!

As we drew closer to the knot of vehicles gathered around the cluster of old buildings surrounding the marquee, the smell of freshly baking bread gave the game away.

Yes, there really WAS a fully functional bakery in this remote ruin. And judging by the roaring trade being done with the constant arrival of incredulous visitors from both north and south, a Back-of-Beyond Bakery was just what the doctor ordered.

A VERY Civilised Restoration!

In a masterstroke so civilised it should be made mandatory, the underground Bakery was the first building to be restored to full working order by the Farina Restoration Group Inc (FRG).

Ironic, given that Farina is, of course, the Latin word for flour. And the town was so named in expectation of it becoming the ‘Granary of the North’. Sadly, the unpredictable climate, remote location and lack of water ultimately meant its decline, despite its one-time position as the railway head for all northern lines.

But in one of those undeniably symmetric coincidences, Farina is finally living up to its name.  Now the Underground Bakery opens for a few weeks every year in the Australian winter months.  It’s become a focus for fund-raising, publicity and – of course – a completely unexpected opportunity for an excellent Back-of-Beyond Bakery pig-out.

This was one of those times that sacrificing myself for the sake of my blog became not just a duty, but a pleasure!

Farina Bakery Volunteers

Bron and Syd, volunteers from FRG that keeps the Bakery operational for a few weeks in May, June and July, expertly fielded queries, served customers and – in my case – mopped up the coffee I overturned in the excitement of finding this bizarre bakery.

All while posing for photos!

The FRG, now about five years old, was founded by Tom Harding.  Along with current station owners Kevin and Anne Dawes,he saw Farina’s potential as an historic site and set about restoring it as a tourist attraction.

Apart from partnerships with various organisations and professional stonemasonry, all work on site is done by volunteers – to volunteer in 2021, use the online registration form HERE.

Those who are planning a similar venture should not underestimate the effectiveness of having a Bakery drawcard!  Word of mouth has already worked its magic at Farina – as winter’s onset signals the start of the Outback Adventure season and all sensible travellers head north for warmth.

Judging by the number of vehicles out the front, most of them stop at the bakery, spending up big on baked goods and souvenirs.

Stay at Farina Station Campground

Of course it helps that Farina station has also set up the excellent Farina campground with barbecues, fire pits, toilets (look out for one of them in MY BOOK!) and hot showers.  All this luxury can be yours for just $AUD5 per person per night. It’s an excellent staging post en route to the rough stuff of the tracks further north. But it’s a destination in its own right with walks along the river and along the disused railway tracks.  The story boards along the way detail the history of the town’s rise, fall and restoration.

The Group’s volunteers stay on site in the campground for the annual restoration activities while the bakery is operating.  Some are reportedly the bakery’s best customers, and they work on a roster system to ensure the bakery stays open.

I almost joined up on the spot!

What’s on Offer?

Of course it also helps that the Bakery goods are absolutely top shelf.  The old Scotch oven in the underground kitchen turns out an astonishing array of sweet, savoury and plain breads and rolls; pies; sausage rolls; and pasties.  Oh, and the best cream buns I’ve ever had the privilege of tasting.

Martin, the baker du jour, dexterously whipped trays of superbly baked goods out of the oven while telling us he’d co-opted a few of his baker buddies to volunteer for a stint at Farina.

‘Well, they USED to be my friends,’ he laughed, while proving – at least to MY satisfaction – that 80 years of disuse didn’t seem to have affected the oven’s effectiveness.

The oven’s underground location probably also helped to preserve it.   One of the many storyboards around the ruins mentions the destruction of outside dunnies in violent storms.  And that, my friends, means no Scenic Public Toilet pic from the Farina ruins.

However, there IS an awesome dunny in the picnic area down in the campground to be found in my book Aussie Loos with Views!

But I digress …

One of the Driest Places on Earth!

This arid part of the South Australian Outback is the driest part of the driest state in the driest continent on earth.  As we drove to and from Farina, it was easy to see the hardships faced by the early settlers in these outback towns. After a long, hot and dry summer, today’s green and fertile pastoral country could be tomorrow’s dust bowl.

But the FRG’s hardy bunch of volunteers are putting Farina back on the map by offering their unique Bakery at the Back-of-Beyond experience!

And that puts it well and truly on the map for THIS Aussie traveller!

STOP PRESS:  The Farina Underground bakery will NOT be open in 2020 due to COVID-19.  However the historic township of Farina and the Farina campground will be open in line with South Australian border closures and travel restrictions.

Want MORE?

• Farina Restoration Group Official Website
• Copley things to see and do, Outback South Australia
• Lyndhurst things to see and do, Outback South Australia
• Strzelecki Track
• Oodnadatta Track
• Birdsville Track

* PLEASE NOTE:  The Bakery is only open for a few weeks in May/June/July.
** Oscar Wilde said it first, and best

The post The Bizarre Back-of-Beyond Bakery – Farina, South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Live on the edge from just ten bucks a night.

That’s all it cost us for a powered site at Carrieton’s Horseshoe View Caravan Park with the Stay-2-nights-Get-2-nights-FREE deal.

While the special deal isn’t available now, the real cost is still a small price to pay for a chance to explore Carrieton South Australia. It’s perched on the edge of the vast expanse of the Minburra Plain stretching east with virtually nothing civilised to stop it until it hits the Barrier highway en route to Broken Hill.

Although that doesn’t really count as civilisation either!

Staying in Carrieton

Three hours north of Adelaide on the alternative route to the Flinders Ranges, Carrieton is a TOP Aussie town. It’s also a hidden jewel in South Australia’s mid-north which is often ignored in favour of the big ticket items further north.

But bypass Carrieton and you’ll miss some of the most intriguing and delightful Outback scenery in South Australia!

It’s no hardship to stay for 4 nights and get the full benefit of the Horseshoe View’s special deal. The superbly set up AND quiet little caravan park has everything.  It’s off the main road in the old school grounds purchased by the community when the school was closed a few years ago.

Not a camper? You’ll LOVE how the locals have converted the old school buildings into cottage and bunkhouse style accommodation.

Carrieton History

The locals are used to living on the edge. Yanyarrie Whim is on the outskirts of town.  It’s all that remains of the watering point on the 1800s North/South Stock Route and mining trail responsible for putting Carrieton on the map.

Partly responsible for keeping Carrieton ON the map these days are the annual December night Rodeo.  This event is one of the largest in South Australia.  There’s also the April/May Campdraft and Gymkhana.

The district’s low and inconsistent rainfall drove many from the land leaving only a legacy of stone ruins behind.  It’s on the wrong side of the Goyder Line, surveyed in 1865 to determine the boundary of viable cropping land.

Later, the Prince Alfred mine closed in 1907, the railway in 1981, followed more recently by the school.  Carrieton faced an uncertain future.

Now taking responsibility for keeping it on the map is a determined and forward-looking progress association.  They are refusing to let the town die.

Community owned and run, the caravan park is just one innovation to keep the town afloat. The excellent and well stocked general store – also a community initiative – means visitors can stay in town to purchase fuel or food.

But the REAL reason to base yourself on the edge in Carrieton is to explore this amazing and intriguing region of South Australia.  Many Aussies haven’t even heard of it, let alone seen it!  A selection of sightseeing options will make up several day trips.  Especially if you don’t forget to factor in some time to relax in the beautifully kept school grounds, and chat to the friendly locals.

So here’s one version of how to spend 4 days on the edge in Carrieton South Australia:

Day 1: Eat and Explore

Drive 44 km north to the Cradock Hotel for lunch. Sightings of the ghost of former publican ‘Lawrence’ aren’t guaranteed, but you WILL get a great meal served up with country hospitality!

When you return, explore Carrieton’s attractions like Yanyarrie Whim (see below) and the excellent 12 metre Mosaic Mural depicting the town’s history on the Public Toilets. YES, the Loo AND the mural are IN MY BOOK!

Ask for directions to the creek behind the caravan park and walk up the creek bed where massive river Redgums and high RED cliffs tower above you.

Then set up a date with the sunset over the Horseshoe Range …

Day 2: Ruins and Redgums

Take a picnic lunch and drive 20 km east on the Oladdie road to Johnburgh.  The superb mountain scenery includes farmland, many ruins and unusual rock formations.

After looking around almost-ghost-town Johnburgh, take the Belton turnoff and follow the marvellous Bendleby Ranges to the Weira Creek crossing.

The massive River Redgums are locally known as ‘widowmakers’ because a branch big enough to crush a house (or a person) can fall without warning …

After lunch, return to Carrieton via the Belton road – and watch for the clouds of pink dust billowing behind you on this oddly coloured road surface.

Oh! And the scenery’s not bad either …

Day 3: Lookouts and Landscapes

Drive 35 km south to Orroroo then further south via Pekina (check out the Pub and Coffee shop!); to Magnetic Hill, an intriguing natural phenomenon.

Return via Black Rock and take a detour to the Black Rock Lookout for superb views across the valley to the Pekina Range.  Take a walk through Black Rock Conservation Park to see what the countryside looked like before being cleared for grazing and cropping.

In Orroroo, the Tank Hill Lookout has superb views to the north and a superb cafe in the main street. Then check out South Australia’s largest River Redgum, the old Railway Bridge and the historic buildings in town.

On the way back to Carrieton, stop at Walloway, site of a nasty train crash in the early 1900s.  A little further north, take a look at the Eurelia railway siding for a sample of the area’s history.

For a total heritage experience, take a detour and return via the historic town of Hammond.

Day 4: Ranges and Rocks

Take another picnic lunch and drive 28 km west through the superb countryside of the rocky Horseshoe Range towards Moockra Tower. When the road gives out, hike to the Tower for splendid views over the Range and Willochra Plain to the west.

Back in Carrieton, after testing out the golf course circumnavigating the town, make another date with that sunset …

And thank me – along with the locals!! – for introducing you to this little-known wonderland. It won’t take much to make Carrieton part of your South Australian Flinders Ranges, Mid-North or Outback experience.

Although my stay in Carrieton South Australia undoubtedly assisted the local community in a small way, it didn’t take long to realise the locals were doing ME a favour by making it easy for me to stay and enjoy life on the edge!

Want MORE?

• Carrieton, South Australia
• South Australia’s Mid North
• Flinders Ranges, South Australia

 

The post Life on the Edge … Carrieton South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Possibly the sign of a misspent youth, my ability to guess ‘whodunit’ has been well-honed over the years by detective and courtroom drama novels, TV shows and films.

But this sign, languishing with other unlabelled exhibits in a shed at Boulia’s Stone House Museum, gave my amateur sleuthing skills the chance for a REAL workout!

Who made it? Where was it located?? Why wasn’t it there any more???

Of course to someone with my well developed investigative powers, finding the answers was a doddle …

According to point #10, the sign was once located 48 miles – approximately 80 km – from Boulia. So it pre-dates the metric system – adopted in Australia during the 1970’s!

The sign gives answers to probably repetitive questions – or why would the sign have been made in the first place? But while they’re about living in a remote location – Boulia itself is deep in western Queensland’s Outback – the signwriter clearly had enough visitors to make the sign necessary, which indicates a stopover point on or near a main road.

And given that other exhibits in the shed near the sign included signs for various refreshments, an old bain-marie and bottles, the stopover point could well have been a roadhouse or hotel.

Deducing the rest was elementary easy. Within a radius of 80 km from Boulia, a map of the area indicated hotel ruins 78km to the east – with no other site meeting the parameters above.

Then – a quick look at the excellent Boulia visitors guide booklet confirmed the Hamilton Hotel ruins about 80km from Boulia towards Winton! QED!!  Or should I say ‘WooHOO’!

Hamilton Hotel Ruins, via Boulia, Queensland

Today these ruins are what’s left of the last stage from Winton to Boulia. Opened in 1897, the hotel closed in the 1990’s – with what was left after demolition salvaged by the Stone House Museum. Travellers can still stay at the Hamilton Hotel – it’s now a popular rest stop and free camp with a modern amenities block.

And the old windmill still provides an irresistible opportunity for another Outback cliché shot!

Windmill, Hamilton Hotel Ruins, Outback Queensland

If, like me, you just can’t get enough of clever signs, you’ll be thrilled to find a whole bunch of them over at ‘Signs, signs’!!  Head on over to check out the other contributors!!

The post Signs #17 – Yes … or NO!! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

As an antidote to the Atherton Tableland mist and drizzle, Irvinebank was working just fine. A few kilometres beyond Herberton, we’d crossed the range to clear skies, warmth, and a spectacular setting – another universe far, far away from yet another day of dampness. Just what Dr Pilchard ordered! Sadly, no bakery but the monster plate of chips accompanying the pub’s lunchtime fishburgers sure made up for it.

But that’s not what kept us there all day. This semi-ghost town was once so historically significant its influence was felt around Australia – if not the world!

Giving new meaning to ‘oral historian’, the Loudon House Museum volunteer gave vast historic knowledge ’til it hurt!  Having a low museum tolerance threshhold, I had planned to wander aimlessly, viewing an exhibit here, taking a photo there, pausing to read more about exhibits that caught my eye. Nothing doing. There were stories to be told, and by golly, we were going to hear them!!

Sparing nothing, the volunteer regaled us with historic snippets and fascinating anecdotes not just about Irvinebank, but also John Moffat, controller of up to 25% of Australia’s base metal trade in the late 1800’s, Irvinebanks founder – and its favourite son in whose home we now stood.  The two are inextricably intertwined, a phrase more commonly encountered in Mills & Boon than serious historical facts.

Owing more to Christopher Robin than the Book of Common Prayer, Irvinebank youngsters routinely asked for God’s blessing on John Moffat in their evening prayers. And well they might, given that most of the area’s population of 6000 relied on his wellbeing for their livelihood.

After establishing an extensive business empire, this reclusive mining entrpreneur married late in life – which MAY explain the master bedroom’s romantic outlook over the mine workings. But I’m betting his wife was unruffled by the continual noise and bustle of work that kept the mine, treatment works and tramway going a few metres from her bedroom window.  Previously employed as John Moffat’s housekeeper, she must already have become accustomed to these inconveniences!

But John Moffat’s – and hence Irvinebank’s – contributions to Australia’s fortunes weren’t just financial. Previous mine workers included Bill McCormack – former Queensland premier; and ‘Red’ (YESSSS!) Ted Theodore – former Queensland premier, Federal Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister. And with John Moffatt’s business success – despite his reputation for honesty and integrity – this town was a player in the Australian business scene.   BUT … a range of factors contributed to the decline of John Moffat’s empire – and left the town with the buildings he had contributed.

Tragically, there is no record to definitively state whether the Irvinebank locals preferred the Gladys Moncrieff performance to a live X-ray demonstration at the School of Arts Hall – both are listed on bills of entertainment.  And, as regular readers already know, I’m well versed in the destructive habits of Sulphur-crested Cockatoo – while I can’t readily imagine a chain of events allowing them access to valuable books, they nonetheless have virtually destroyed a number of them, now on display at the museum!

Tales of Irvinebank’s most famous Swedenborgian are set against the backdrop of the town itself.  But despite heritage listing and the remarkable preservation of many key buildings and features, it’s the anecdotes that brought the town to life.   Did I say the volunteer gave til it  hurt?  Yeah, but it was ‘good’ hurt!

Inexplicably, the free camp area on the town common – complete with toilets and hot showers – was empty during our July 2010 visit. With so much to offer already, the fishing’s good too, if the pix at the pub are anything to go by. And as a further inducement, there’s an annual John Moffat festival – in 2011, it features the ‘Hillbillygoats’!

Now if that’s not a drawcard, I don’t know what is!

The post Off the Tourist Trail #6 – Irvinebank, Queensland appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

What happens in a world where resources are divided equally, with equal opportunity for developing and managing them through good times and bad, and with an equal chance of success or failure?

No, I’m not paraphrasing ‘Imagine’, writing the manifesto for a great big new mining tax or plotting a new version of ‘Monopoly’!

But visit the Kanyaka Station ruins in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges – and instead of a utopia of natural justice, you’ll see the tyranny of equality first hand!

On the sometimes dry, desolate wasteland of the Willochra Plain, the ruins are what’s left of a station that in its heyday covered 365 miles² and ran 41,000 sheep.

A popular rest stop between Quorn and Hawker on the Blinman mines route, the owners even built the ‘Black Jack’ hotel nearby to cater for the many travellers demanding hospitality.

So how did this large, magnificent station become a large, magnificent ruin?

You are the government. What do you do? Well, the solution is obvious, isn’t it?? You resume the Kanyaka pastoral leases for subdivision into much smaller wheat farms, of course!

No, seriously!

This ‘policy’ offered a ‘solution’ to a growing demand for farming land, allowing more settlers a slice of the pastoral action and satisfying critics of a leasehold system that favoured the ‘rich’. In short, a mighty victory for equality!

Well, you know the outcome – the ruins speak for themselves. Kanyaka’s cut-down acreage allowed both pastoralism AND wheat farming to fail in equal measure – as they also did on the remaining subdivisions, all now unable to benefit from economies of scale.

And thus was equality finally achieved!

Want MORE?

• Kanyaka Station Ruins, Flinders Ranges
• 7 Days in the Flinders Ranges
• More of Red’s Flinders Ranges Adventures 

The post OZ Top Spot #5 – Kanyaka Ruins, Flinders Ranges, SA appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.