K.I.

 

South Australia is a pretty stunning place, generally, but after a short vacation on Kangaroo Island, I think I've discovered the jewel in SA's crown.

 

We stayed here, in a 100-year-old light-keeper's cottage, maintained and prepared by Parks SA. There was no television, but there was Jenga, Mahjong, and numerous visitor's books to keep oneself occupied during the cold, windy evenings.

 

In four days we managed to traverse 800km of an island that, at its longest point, is barely 200km across. We saw the lighthouses (of which there are a few!), Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, Flinders Chase National Park, as well as West, Stokes, Emu and Vivonne Bays.

 

We got up close and personal with Australian sea-lions, New Zealand fur seals, KI kangaroos, Tammar wallabies, and a couple echidnas - all in the wild. (We were not lucky enough this trip to see koalas or platypus, but that will keep for another time).

 

K.I. is a truly awe-inspiring place, a bucket-list kind of place to visit. Nothing disappoints, not even the wintery weather (which is, on average, ten degrees warmer overnight than the Flinders Ranges, and a couple degrees warmer during the day - even with the "roaring 40s" raging in!).

 

 



 

1) Cape Willoughby. 2) Snuggling Australian sea-lions at Seal Bay. 3) Seal Bay.

4) Cape du Couedic. 5) New Zealand fur seal (scratches an itch). 6) Cape Borda coastline.

7) West Bay as dusk. 8) Stokes Bay. 9) Silhouettes at Vivonne Bay. 10) Remarkable Rocks.

11) Sunbathing K.I. kangaroos. 12) The only platypus we saw! 13) Karatta Cottage, Flinders Chase NP.

14) Inside Karatta Cottage (entrance hall). 15) Inside Karatta Cottage (bedroom).

16) One of the many visitor's books. 17) Weir's Cove. 18) Admirals Arch.

The Place of Stone: Kanyaka Station

 

It was the Australia Day long weekend this weekend, which meant that we had a little bit of extra time up our sleeves to get out and about, and do a bit of investigating.

 

Yesterday we ventured out to the old Kanyaka sheep station between Quorn and Hawker, to have a look around, take the Bailey-dog for a walk (and a sniff!), and snap some photographs.

 

I find Kanyaka a particularly interesting location due to its rapid expanse in the mid-1800s, with 40,000 sheep being shorn at the woolshed in 1864 alone. But, the boom wasn't to last, and drought immediately followed with the loss of at least 20,000 sheep over three years. The isolation and the harsh conditions meant that eventually, Kanyaka had been to be abandoned, and its buildings left to ruin.

 

Their stone skeletons, however, remain.

Sydneyside

 

We've covered many miles these past few weeks! It has been both exciting and exhausting, though. I am now looking forward to some quiet time at home over the Christmas/New Year break.

 

Last weekend we were in Sydney for a few days. I was last there in autumn 2012, but it was Shane's first time to the harbourside city, so we spent most of our time doing a lot of touristy things and getting in all the major sites.

 

Being sub-tropical, Sydney has many grey skies at this time of year, but it wasn't the slightest bit cold. Both Shane and I enjoyed the slightly balmy (but not so balmy it was uncomfortable) weather, and the morning and evening rainstorms. It is certainly something we don't get to experience all too often in the arid Flinders Ranges!

 

If you are ever in Sydney yourself, I strongly recommend you try the amazing, authentic Thai food (which is available in abundance), take the ferry to Manly, and participate in The Rocks Ghost Tour.

 

 

(War Memorial & Hyde Park)

 

 

(Sydney Harbour & The Rocks)

The Miner's Cottage

 

On the weekend, Shane and I went to Burra for an overnight stay in a sweet little Miner's cottage that dates back to the mid-1800s. Burra was once a copper mining town, and people came from all over the world to try and make their fortune from the mines. The Cornish were masters in working the copper, so all over the town are the most adorable cottages that are so authentically Cornish you'd be forgiven for thinking you've been transported to Cornwall itself.

 

The last time we were in Burra was in July 2010, when we spent a weekend investigating the town. It is a wonderfully sweet place to get in some well-earned r&r. The last time we were in the town, we stayed in the original doctor's surgery, but was totally smitten with all the surrounding cottages, and I'd been eager to return and stay in a traditional miner's cottage ever since.

 

The cottage we stayed in was made up of four simple rooms. Through the front door we stepped into the living room, with the master bedroom to our right. Straight ahead another doorway led into the second bedroom, which had the kitchen-diner adjacent. Along the eastern side of the house was a small weatherboard extension housing the laundry, bathroom and loo.

 

The cottage itself was made of stone, and had orb ceilings in all the rooms except the master bedroom, which had wooden slats. The floors were polished boards and slate, and from the front veranda was the most gorgeous view of the rolling rolls that make up the Burra landscape.

 

Surrounded by geraniums, with birds in the trees and creatures scampering about in the garden, it made for a wonderful retreat.

 

If you are ever in the region, then I wholeheartedly recommend a stay in Burra. There is so much to see and do, especially if you are fond of history.

 

Vacationing

 

Isn't it nice to get away every now and then? To have a change of scenery and the opportunity to slow life's pace down a bit.

 

A few days by the seaside is a wonderful way to do it.