PORT WILLUNGA - FLEURIEU PENINSULA SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Monday 12th March  We left Beachport with our next destination 4 hours away at Port  Willunga Big 4 Tourist Park.  We passed though Robe, Kingston (where we saw The Giant Lobster), Tailem Bend and on to Port Willunga on The Fleurieu Peninsula.  The scenery was stunning with a back drop of the Adelaide Hills along the way.  The colours of the landscape were amazing – yellows, browns and greens of the valleys and undulating fields and the striped tiered effect of the surrounding hills.

The tourist park was very big with large sites. There were lots of permanents living behind the casual area.  It was very well maintained with beautiful tubs of flowers on the verandah by the office.  There were 2 peacocks and 4 peahens wandering freely around the park plus a penned area for ducks and geese.  Several times we had to stop the car as there was a peacock in the way not taking a blind bit of notice of us.  They came right up to the caravan, so we had to make sure they weren’t around before we let Sally out.

Our nearest beach was Maslin Beach – a 10 minute walk across the pathway opposite the caravan park to steep winding concrete steps down to the beach.  What a stunning view standing at the top of the steps and looking across the ocean with the hills to one side creating a calm bay.  This was the “clothing optional” end of the beach which was in fact the first unclad beach in South Australia.  We drove further along to the next car park which led on to the dogs on leash area and further along the dogs off leash any time area.  Sally loved it there as there were plenty of stones to throw for her and she had lots of doggy friends to say hello to each visit.

We spent the next 2 days enjoying the sunshine and beaches and going for lots of walks.

Thursday 15^th – Tuesday 16^th  I flew to Sydney and caught up with friends and family and had a wonderful evening celebrating Paddy and Mary Joyce’s 50^th Wedding Anniversary on  17^th March held in The Officers Mess at Victoria Barracks, Paddington.  What a magnificent place with dark wooden paneling and leather chesterfield lounges in the Ante Room.  The dining room had silver place mats and 3 crystal glasses at each place setting.  The tables had silver candelabras which all added to the magnificence of the place.  A perfect historic venue for their celebration.  It was a real honour to be part of their special occasion.

Wednesday 21^st March   We went for a drive around the surrounding areas of Port Willunga, stopping off at Myponga Reservoir.  We went up the winding roads leading to the lookout across the entire valley looking down onto the dam.  It was quite a view and much larger than I imagined. It took 4 years to build and was completed in 1962.   It holds 26,800 megalitres of water and is presently at 71% capacity. It provides 5% of the water needed by Adelaide.  The Dam was searched in the early 1960’s for the missing Beaumont children and 2 other missing women.

We also drove through Sellicks Beach, Normanville and Second Valley, stopping off at Rapid Bay to check out the place as we were going to stay there for a few days.

Maslin Beach our local at Port 'Willunga

A Visiting Peacock

Another stunning view of Maslin Beach

Myponga Resevoir

Peacocks wandering in the park

Rapid  Bay

We were struck by the beautiful coastline literally stretching for miles in front of us and by the intense colours of  the water.  The landscape was also amazing with undulating fields and hills and changing greens, browns and yellows everywhere.  From Rapid Bay we drove to Cape Jervis where the Sealink Ferries go across to Kangaroo Island where lots of people go camping to see all the seals, birds and wildlife on the island.  Dogs aren’t allowed on the island, so unfortunately we can’t visit there.

We took Sally to Aldinga Beach every day which was a beautiful spot  with plenty of doggie friends to play with. 

Friday 23^rd March   We left Port Willunga and headed south with an hour trip to our next destination Rapid Bay.  It’s a big park by the ocean run by the local council where you can stay for $6 per person per night.  It’s got very clean toilets that are maintained daily and the grounds looked after by a caretaker that also collects money from you each evening.  There are undercover bbqs and a playground and its a popular weekend attraction for fishing off the recently built $3,000,000 jetty, boating and scuba diving to see the rare Leafy Sea Dragons a big attraction for the divers.  The beach is mainly fine stones.  When the tide is out there’s flat sand to walk along.  The park is surrounded by pine trees and dark stone hills with a few caves in one corner.  It’s a very peaceful place away from the hubbub as there’s nothing around, except for The Old Mill pub about 15 minutes drive onto the main road. You have to bring in all your own supplies and water.  People still live in the area.

The park has a replica anchor set in a stone monument to commemorate the first landing by Captain William Light on 8^th September 1836.  He landed in the bay in his ship “The Rapid”.  He stayed in the area for a few days and planted a garden plot that flourished.  The soil was very rich and supported many of the new settlers to the area.

The first white male child to be born on mainland South Australia was at Rapid Bay on 7^th November 1837 and the first while female was born on 2^nd January 1837

In the1950’s the area was a flourishing limestone quarry where 150 men were employed and it was necessary to work two shifts each day to ship the 60,000 tonnes of limestone that the quarry produced, until 1981 when it closed.    It’s sad walking up the street to the quarry and looking at the deserted houses where the quarry workers used to live.  It’s almost like walking through a deserted film set.

We’re really enjoying our time here and chatting to other people staying here.  There are about 12 other caravans and campers around.  Richard’s been fishing a few times and caught a few squid that we’re going to have for tea tonight..

Next Week:  We’ll be going to Victor Harbour for 7-8 nights, then on to Snow Town where bodies were found in vats inside a bank a few years ago (should  be an interesting visit).  We have to go there as it’s Easter and everywhere is fully booked/overly expensive with a 4 night minimum stay/don’t take dogs over Easter (after Easter they’ll be very glad for us to stay!!!).  

Thanks for reading our latest blog.  Hope everything’s going well in your lives (email us and let us know) and that you’re not working too hard.  Bye for now Marian, Richard and Sally.