vineyards – IT'S ABOUT THE JOURNEY………..

The Road Trip continues with over 14,000kms clocked up so far, we are feeling a little weary but still eager to discover and revisit places in South Australia. Heritage towns definitely appeal and so we stopped at Burra – a small pastoral town in the mid north. It began as a mining township in 1851 and at one time supplied 5% of the world’s copper for 15 years. People came from Cornwall, Wales, Scotland and Germany to work in the mines which closed in 1981. It is a beautifully preserved town and it is here that the Burra Charter was adopted – this outlines the best practice standard for cultural heritage in Australia.

Beautiful autumn colours are everywhere.

The parks and gardens are relaxing and well maintained and tiny old miners’ cottages surround the lake in the middle of town.

As we drove on the farming practices changed from wheat and sheep to vines and olives. Beautiful trees line the highway and it is hard to believe this is the main thoroughfare to the city of Adelaide.

Another pretty little town is Myponga – a very strange name and not easily forgotten! Here we have a friend who grows olives and makes the most delicious olive oil and it is always a treat to visit.

This time we had a picnic by the newly named Lake John – in memory of an old friend who loved this farm and is no longer with us.

Delicious fare of cold chicken, salads, cheeses and, of course, olives!

Not far from Myponga is the attractive little town of Victor Harbour which is on the coast and where, from the waterfront, horse drawn trams cross the causeway to Granite Island, home to a wild penguin colony.

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The beach is covered in seaweed at this time of year – perhaps another gourmet experience if it could be harvested and marketed for our palates!

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However, the parks and beaches are wonderful for recreation and relaxation.

It was time to start heading north again and this time we drove along the Murray River seeing the views from the cliffs rather than on the water as we had done in a houseboat three years ago.

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When it came time for a break we stopped at the river’s edge for a picnic and enjoyed the peace of the river and the birds.

As we came closer to the New South Wales border, once again vines appeared and there were acres and acres of them as well as orchards and fruit processing plants.

This area is home to the Murrumbidgee river, a major tributary of the Murray River and the second longest in Australia. We found another quiet spot for a break here.

Now we are on the last leg of our trip and home beckons – but we have more than 1,350kms to go!

Another long, straight road awaited us for the next leg of the road trip – this time to finish with the Oyster Trail and get on to the vineyards. A nice combination – oysters and wine!

Last stop on the Oyster road is Cowell – a pretty little town on the eastern side of the Eyre Peninsula and situated on Franklin Harbour. The waters are sheltered and are very popular for fishing – and oysters. We found a shack close to the jetty which supplies oysters to various outlets in the town. On entering we found the proprietor busy shucking the oysters which had just come in from the bay – so without further ado we purchased a couple of dozen and together with fresh lemons and in a cardboard box, we found a table in the park and indulged for lunch! The verdict? Excellent!

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Our overnight stop on the way to the Clare Vallety Vineyards was the port town of Whyalla. Named Hummock Hill in 1802 by Matthew Flinders, the town’s name officially changed to Whyalla in 1902 which is an Aboriginal name possibly meaning “water place”. The steel industry here is over 100 years old but fishing is also of primary appeal. We were there just before sunset and went up to Hummocks Hill – a local lookout – to witness the change of colours.

The next day the road was clear and, for a lot of the way, was backed by the beautiful Flinders Ranges.

We drove through many little towns and villages but the one which captured us was Crystal Brook. This quiet rural service centre is in the heart of South Australia’s most productive sheep and wheat country and has retained its charming historical links.

Beautiful shady peppercorn trees line the main street and there are several art pieces in iron, reminders of the part the camels played in this part of the country in the early years.

The Clare Valley is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions where there are heritage towns, boutique wineries, galleries and beautiful scenery. We had booked lunch at the Skillogallee Winery where we had been before. The vineyards here are resting – grapes picked and wine made but the vineyards still looked beautiful.

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The road to the boutique winery is shady and winding at the end of which is the restaurant which seats both indoors as well as in the garden.

The menu features local produce with wine suggestions matched with each dish. Unable to resist the sashimi, I had, yet again, fabulous South Australian Kingfish and tuna served in a very artistic way.

Then came the wine tasting and purchasing – thank goodness we had a large car !

Staying in a little apartment in the centre of the town, we were perfectly placed for a choice of restaurants in the evening. And that is what you do in these regions – eat great food and drink fabulous wine!