DNLAROUNDOZ: 9th March - Victor Harbor

Another picture perfect day, so we head off to Victor Harbor on the Fleurieu Pennisular. They have a horse drawn Tram crossing the cause way to Granite Island, but wouldn’t you know it, the bridge is under renovation and the tram is not working. We can still walk across it though and do the Granite Island Nature Walk. They also run penguin tours in the evenings here, but I am hoping to see one during our walk. The walk should take about 45 minutes, as usual it takes us about twice that long. No penguins today, though I did try my hardest AND I lost my best Jacaru hat, it blew off into the water!

The causeway to Granite Island, looking back to mainland

The closest we got to seeing penguins today

Now I got up here, with not much effort, but getting down was another matter. I was hoping no-one was looking. My Darl had to help me out, I could just see myself taking a tumble, but my Darl saved the day, he reckoned he had my arse in his face all the way down.........noooooo!

We watched this little guy hovering stationery for quite a few minutes, then down, down he went closer to the shrubs, then he dove in disappeared then flew off with a little mouse in his clutches...awesome.

That's my Darl over there, climbing rocks again.....

We ate our picnic lunch on the park lawns the wind was getting up so we took a bit of shelter behind the police commemorative stone, we were sat where once the Police Station was. Had a drink at the Crown Hotel, a bit of a wander round the streets then headed over to Goolwa via Port Elliot. At Goolwa we drove over to Hindmarsh Island to the point of the Murray Mouth. Dredging of the river mouth operates 24/7, costs on average $6 million per annum and they dredge an average 600,000 to 1 000 000 m3 per year. That’s a hell of a lot of sand.

The Clydesdale stables at the causeway, they are having a break for few months

Victor Hotel and Crown Hotel overlooking park where we had lunch

The Murray Mouth

Cape Barron Geese, avoid swimming unless their young in danger

We then drove over to the Goolwa Barrage – fresh water on one side, sea water on the other. The gates were open and we could see the fresh water running into the sea water. Bird life was plentiful, the most birds we have seen on a water way – gulls, pelicans, ibis, black birds (not sure what they were). The Barrage itself is quite an amazing structure, the gates have to be unlocked to let boats through. There are several barrages along the group of isles in this bay keeping the fresh and sea waters separated.

Goolwa Barrage

Above and below some of the bird life around Barrage

Gates where they let the boats through

Heading back to Mt Barker we took the scenic loop via Clayton Bay, Milang (on the banks of Lake Alexandrina) – a lot of cute little, colorful holiday cottages here, just like back at Port Gregory and Hossack in WA. Then we hit serious vineyard country, pity it was after 5 and all the cellar doors were closed, via Langhorne Creek and we pulled up at Strathalbyn for a stroll down the main street, of pubs, cafes, antique shops – would like to come back and browse in the shops, all looked very neat and in order. Had a drink at the Peter Pan pub and a great pizza at Ruffino’s before heading home, another great day out!