Adelaide emulates Dar es Salaam

Heading out on our dog walk on 24 May, I heard a loud clapping noise coming from the powerlines above our accommodation.  It was a pair of Crested Pigeons which on first sighting were doing the usual chest-puffing tail-raising display behaviour.  Then they moved closer together and appeared to strike each other with their wings.  

 This happened several times.  I've never seen them hit one one another before and wonder if they were making love or war?

Moving on down the road a sight resembled the start of a joke "How many tradies does it take to ...?"

From the conversation we could hear it seemed they were working out how to tap into the power line for some purpose.

We had a pleasant walk around the suburb without any great excitements to report.   After finishing our breakfasts we headed off towards McLaren Vale.  I carefully (I thought) consulted Google Maps as to the route and we headed off towards South Rd where absolute chaos was occurring.

There were massive roadworks in situ (but of course no work happening.  We spent  about 5 minutes stationary wondering what all the Plodmobiles were doing- at least 4 were visible: a number usually only seen outside a McDonalds with a special on jumboburgers.

 Eventually one of the plods wandered over and stopped cars in our lane from turning right on to South Rd (first red arrow in image).  So we headed a bit up towards Flinders U and did a u-turn, blue arrow, intending to turn left onto South Rd (second red arrow).  Also blocked by the fxxxh.  So after a minimum delay of 20 minutes,  back to Marion Rd and on to the expressway.  (I have since checked Google more closely and that is where we should have gone all along: dooohhhh!)

However we have no idea what the problem was.  There seemed to be more plodmobiles a little further down South Rd so possibly a prang down there.Why were the stupid cops (sorry about the tautology) allowing through traffic on South Rd but blocking turns from Sturt Rd?  Given the amount of delay and the number of cops involved why is there no coverage of this in any media.  Welcome to South Australia!

Basically the whole thing reminded me of the traffic jams in Dar es Salaam approaching the Selander Bridge (although the cops there were better organised and more helpful).

We eventually made it to McLaren- in time for lunch which was a pepper pie and a Kitchener bun.  The pie was pretty good, rating 8 on the official scale.  They lost a point because it was all mince - no steak in sight - and the crust was a tad over-cooked so got a zero for that category.  We had a look round the houses of the Vale but what we could see where all modernish basic dwellings so cut our losses and headed for Johnson Rd and the Pirramimma winery.

This is a long established family winery in the area and we have found it to sell pretty good wines at reasonable prices with no bullshit.  They seemed to to want $5 a head for tasting (offset against purchases) to dissuade people just coming out for free booze.  We weren't asked for coin, and did buy 2.5 dozen bottles so it wouldn't have been an issue anyway.

The vines looked attractive.

 On our way towards the beach we came across some Ibis posing nicely.

Its unusual to get both common species so nicely aligned.

 Then on to the Maslins Beach area.  Here is the walk we did.

This was taken at the Northern turning point and looks down on the beach where naked persons can be observed in warmer weather.  There is a reason we only go there when its cold!  The focus is the interesting geology of the cliffs.

 As we descended to the beach on the Southern side of the headland a couple of dolphins were visible.  Or at least their fins were visible.

 Some more cliffs.

 The lowest level on the cliffs was saturated with small shells.  If this level survives erosion for a few million years so archaeologists are going to get very excited.

 After another visit for sister-nattering we headed home down Brighton Rd.  continuous traffic pouring up the hill towards Christies Beach.

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The Roads to Many Places ....

.. only some of which one wished to visit.  And indeed some of those one did wish to visit beforehand have now switched to the 'avoid if at all possible' list.

I knew we had a long drive today, and when it seemed that the sprinkling of rain around 5:30 had ceased we were pretty much up and at it.  Said sprinkle hadn't really made things damp so just breakfast and pack up and outtathere by about 7:20.

The sprinkles returned as we headed towards Naracoorte but nothing too serious.  The sky being heavily overcast made for more pleasant driving than going straight into the sunrise.  We duly passed through Naracoorte and got back into Victoria, with a mild curse as we lost 30 minutes due to time zone.  (We had a desire to fit in a winery visit at the end of the day, if possible and getting to Rutherglen before 5pm was going to be a stretch anyway.)

In effect the first 450kms were going to be the second half of the drive to Robe but in reverse.  So we got a look at the back side of Mount Arapiles, which was nowhere near as impressive as the front side!

Passing onwards we entered Horsham and the eagle-eyed navigator spotted a lurking sign which got us through that burg very efficiently and on the road (designated B240) towards St Arnaud. About 20km out of town I was having difficulty with some pelican in a Volvo causing me to slow up.  As I overtook he swung off the road - in the mirror he was stopping, probably to answer a phone call telling him to take his tablets.  A few minutes later I noticed that the road had switched designation to the B200.  Que?

A u-turn followed and we then noticed a minor road signed to Murtoa, which was on our route so we headed down it, passing through the metropolis of Jung (population 100).  We eventually got to Murtoa (probably going 10 km extra) and found that it had a population of 1,000: there is obviously a need for some Freudian analysis of the obsession with round numbers in this area.

We didn't bother with Lake Marma this time, but did admire the graffiti at the skate park (Sigmund could wonder why the artist - signed off as Ruby, and thus either female or very much in need of Siggy's services  - only included blokes in the art.

A flowering eucalypt was impressive as was the flock of about 100 (round number disease had struck me as well) Musk Lorikeets feeding therein.

So we headed on back towards Bendigo.  This time we paused to take a photograph of the piles of red rocks a few kilometes West of that town.  (There seemed to be a large quarry nearby, according to a hoarding so perhaps this is an area of unusual geology?)

We stopped briefly in Bendigo to hunt up a pie (see below and then go to the pottery as we had a need for new coffee cups.  Here are some kilns.

The pottery area is an artistic hub and a metal sculptor had got examples of her work on display.

Onward, onwards.  At this point we had options on our route.  Google maps suggested going back through Violet Town to the Hume Highway and along that for a while and in to Rutherglen.  This was a lot more repetition so I thought we could go via Shepparton and Yarrawonga for a more interesting trip which was only slightly longer.  You have remembered the time constraints haven't you?

It became obvious that the A300 was a much more major road but not a problem.  At least not until we got to the outskirts of Mooroopna.  This is a suburb of Shapparton and it became apparent that whoever planned the roads here had not taken the phone call about keeping their tablets in the correct sequence.  Not quite gridlock at 1530, but gridlock could be anticipated,  Also the 60/50- kmh limits seemed to stretch for about 20 kms.

Eventually we got to a major intersection with none of towns listed being Yarrawonga.  Checking a map it looked like Benalla was the best bet so off we went.   Frances then drew my attention to Benalla being on the Hume, so we had gone about 30km out of our way and through a town that was a definite contender.  (The competition being for the spot where the tube will be inserted if the Earth needs an enema.)

From then on things improved and we got to Rutherglen in time to swing in to Rutherglen Estates to get a case of their Shiraz/Durif blend.  Then on to the caravan park where we took an unpowered site - largely to avoid the crush at the powered sites.  Due to operator incompetence the van was parked on a bit on an angle which caused a little grief in my brain (where was Siggy when I needed him?).  Then about 1800 an E grade garage band started up somewhere in the area and boded not well for the night.

However, I was knackered after a 10 hour drive and went to sleep about 8:30 (by when the garage band had stopped) and had a good night's kip.
Bird of the Day:  Noisy Miners at Rutherglen.(see below)
Plant of the day:  Grevillea Robusta, all along the way.(see below)
Creek name of the day Dunmunkle Creek
Oddity of the day:  A sign advertising 'sheep scanning services'.  What on earth is this about?  It turns out to be about pregnancy testing!
Striking thing of the day:  Bendigo Pottery
Pie rating:  A bakery in North Bendigo.  They only had plain pies but the crust and meat:gravy ratio were both good.  Since they made no claim to spiciness it is not a big loss that this wasn't delivered.  Overall pretty good, just a point down on Holbrook etc..

The next I morning I took a snap of a Grevillea robusta (Silky Oak) growing nearby - they are a very common and impressive planted tree in this part of Victoria.

We were visited by the local horde of Noisy Miners.

After a walk round Lake King we headed off to Warrabilla Wines.  As it was a tad early we called in at Lake Moodemere to see what was going on.  Rowing was the main deal but I noticed a ski-boat drive in, possibly explaining the lack of waterbirds on the Lake.

Our credit card took some damage at Warrabilla, and Tammy met the owners Red Heeler pup (only about 6 times her size).  We were able to fit the purchases in the car!

As we still had a little room in the car we also swung into Chambers Wines to top up our stocks of their produce and headed for home, which we reached at 1545.  En route I noted a massive migration of butterflies - possibly Caper Whites - between Holbrook and about Gundagai.  Apparently this is a normal event, and the butterflies have flown about 1000km before getting here.

Bird of the Day:  Yellow Billed Spoonbill.
Plant of the day: Oleanders on the dam wall behind the Rutherglen Bowling Club
Creek name of the day Murdering Hut Creek
Oddity of the day:  .Driving along the Hume Hwy, about 100km from Canberra in fine weather at 25^oC and hearing the Canberra weather offered as 14^oC and overcast.  When we got home, that is just what it was!
Striking thing of the day:  River Red Gums on the banks of Lake King at Rutherglen..
Pie rating:  Holbrook Bakery plain pie.  Very pleasant and similar comments to the Bendigo entry.  

The (Old) Road to the Coorong

Today we went North from our base at Robe.

Before setting off we went for a stroll to incite some desirable behaviour in the small dog, and saw a couple of interesting birds, so I will start with a small bird thematic section.  The first is a Red-kneed Dotterel: there were two in the area but I couldn't get a twofer.

 A little further a Great Egret posed on a seaweed enhanced rock platform.

Much later in the day, after leaving Kingston SE, we crossed a drain which was full of about 200 Banded Stilts. My 'mobshot' didn't work, but this shows the needed features

There were also a good number of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Chestnut Teal  plus a few others.

After our days travels we returned to the area of the morning's photos.  There was a Black-winged Stilt ...

 .. 2 Fairy Terns ...

  ... and 2 Pied Oystercatchers.  (I am endeavouring to find out the story of the flag.)  The good folk from the Bird and Bat Banding Scheme have advised that the bird with the leg flag was banded as a chick on 4/1/2013 at Carpenters Rocks (about 100 kms SE of Robe.  Looking at details in HANZAB that is a reasonably long distance for the species but that entry includes one movement of 470km, so they can fly long distances.

Going back to the timeline, our first stop was at Cape Jaffa Wines, who had got a very high rating for their Epic Drop.  This was close to sold out, but if folk ask for it a few bottles can be made available.  We tasted it, and immediately ordered some.  It is a snorter of a wine.  So were a few others.  The boot is beginning to get full.

Of course Tammy was welcome in the winery and we were taken on a tour.  We'd got there a bit before opening but the charming financial manager showed us around.  On being asked where they got the stone for the building ...

... he explained that they had quarried out the barrel stores, both small ....

... and large ...

... and put the stone to good use.  A great example of their sustainable philosophy.  Chatting with the winemaker (and owner of two pooches who had exchanged sniffs with Tammy) she explained how these eggs worked to make biodynamic wine.

Here are a couple of tourists and their small dog.

We swung into a mega-development of a marina and McMansions and it really looked horrible.  No gardens for the mansions and a pretty boring coastline.  Do we want a floating gin palace in the marina?  No we don't, so on to Kingston SE - the SE is needed to distinguish it from Kingston on Murray.

They had an interesting sculpture Park including the sundial in the background of the seal, which works on the shadow of the visitor rather than a gnomon.

I liked the crab.

Not too keen on the Big Lobster!

I was also not too keen on the prices at the only servo in town, so we only took 20 litres to get us where we needed to go that day.

The old Post Office was quite attractive...

... and the beach interesting with a Caterpillar D6 piling up the seaweed.  If they can sell it fpor mulch they'll make a motza!

Heading North we saw a sign to "The Granites".  If you look at a large version (by clicking on the image) you can see the big rocks in the surf.

By chance this had led us to the Old Coorong Rd which we followed North, looking for birds.  There were few around, but the salt lakes were interesting and attractive.

The dominant flowering plants were Melaleuca sp ...

.. and Clematis sp.

Bird of the Day:  Again several contenders. In the end the huge flock of Banded Stilts got the nod ahead of the Fairy Terns (even though the latter was only my second tick of the species).
Plant of the day: Clematis sp..
Creek name of the day  No contenders..
Oddity of the day:  A very tough call.  The Big Lobster got on the red carpet due to much Bad Taste scoring.  However the oddest thing was a recently deceased Echidna Frances found beside the drain near our camp.  It was definitely n longer with us but didn't seem to be road kill: how it it achieved this status< 
Striking thing of the day:The barrel stores at Cape Jaffa did it for me,  The salt lakes of the Southern Coorong gave it some strong competition.
Pie rating:  Bakery in Kingston.  Again a pepper-steak pie. Ticked all the boxes but had a little too much gravy so slightly behind the real leaders  (For the benefit of any gourmet readers I will note here that Polly's Fish and Chip shop in Robe gets a very high rating, although of course nothing to do with pies.), 

The Road to Coonawarra

It actually starts off as the end of the Road to Robe, but in the opposite direction.  We decided to do this on our first full day as the weather was somewhat below ordinary (intermittent drizzle and moderate wind) and thus driving to wineries seemed a better idea than walking or looking at birds.

The main thing about the Road from Robe to Penola, and thence Coonawarra, is that it was very flat and rather straight.   So fuel consumption was astonishingly even once the car warmed up.  The uptick at the end was pulling in and out of wineries,)

 The first winery was Patrick, which was a tad upmarket but the serving staff were very friendly and they allowed Tammy in.  We acquired a 97 point Pinot Noir.

The association of roses with the vines was consistent through the area.  Indeed, Penola seemed tobe making a feature of decorative roses in the street.

Next stop was Leconfield for a Cabernet Merlot.  Again Tammie was welcome.

We then drove up this avenue to Rymill, where we acquired a dozen 2013 Shiraz at quite a reasonable price for this area.

We called in to Zema but their offering to Frances was both a tad pricey and rated as OK.  Since they wouldn't allow Tammy in, we didn't fuss them with an order.

Penola has a few famous people associated with it.  It was the stomping ground of Adam Lindsay Gordon, a horseman and poet, commemorated with this bust.

 It was also a place where St Mary McKillop lived for a while, as a member of the household of the founder of the settlement.  It is astonishing how many places have some claim to her.  (The founding of the area was rather like that of Mayland, Essex where I grew up, in that the original squatter gave smallish plots of land to his workers.)

On getting back to Robe we called in at the brewery where I acquired  a few samples of the product and had an interesting conversation with the brewer.  He filters the beer through straw and the major fermentation happens in a milk storage tank!  It did seem like good brews however.  A review will be posted later.

We then went for a walk from the Jetty towards the lighthouse.  This was notable for nice scenery and disgusting wind.  The sea was very blue!

Some gnarly cliffs, explaining why the area is called the Limestone Coast.

Sea arches are not confined to Victoria!

A lighthouse of a very modern design.  A tad surprising as most navigation now is driven by GPS.

A swathe of what I call Scaevola sp.

A detail of the above.

Iam pretty sure this is a bean (family Fabaceae) but can go no further.  Perhaps my Eyre Peninsula books will have the answer?  Plant of the day.

Bird of the Day:  Australasian Gannet.  Common Sandpiper was a competitor and Brush Bronzewing would have won if I had seen it rather than just heard
Plant of the day: Purple pea with Scaevola a runner up 
Creek name of the day  Biscuit Flat Drain
Oddity of the day:  Tuesday was closed day for several businesses in Penola.
Striking thing of the day: Natural arches in sea out from the Obelisk.
Pie rating:  Bakery in Penola; Pepper pie.  Good flaky but not dry crust.  A lot of meat with a very good peppery taste.  Possibly a little too much liquid.  Equal to Holbrook.