Australia’s
third largest island is just off Adelaide in South Australia and we had a ferry
booking across to Kangaroo Island (KI, the shortened form prevalently used)
departing at 7p.m. on the 28 Dec and
returning the afternoon of 31 Dec 2013.
However, we were encouraged by the lady in our Murray Bridge Caravan
Park to extend our trip as it is an expensive outlay and the three days would
only give us a taste. Peak time of year to extend - we managed to push through into
another day! We anxiously left Getaway
in the Murray Bridge storage area and hoped the sun would constantly shine and
keep our solar powered fridge and deep freeze in good order. $14.00 - half
price to keep on site, against $3.00 per day to store. Although it was a 2.5 hour road trip
down to Cape Jervis and the ferry terminal we left early that morning with the
intention of enjoying the coastal route down the Fleurieu Peninsula with a
lunch stop in Victor Harbour. We had covered this route with our brand new
caravan back in April 2006 in the company of our friend Joe and Mona Skehel
from Lincolnshire. It was a blustery day and with plenty of time to spare we
walked across the causeway used by a horse drawn carriage to Granite Island to
do a quick march around the hiking track before lunch in SKV people watching. Despite
taking our time we still landed up with hours to spare. It was as well we had
books to read as the wind certainly wasn’t letting up and the sea was running a
strong swell.
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The
45 minute trip across the water was enough to make a young boy sick in front of
Lea and whether she imagined that distinctive smell or not it was enough to
make her feel peculiar and turn her stomach. Book held high to block any
further vision it was a relief to reach land. We certainly didn’t fancy trying
to cook supper in such windy weather that we promptly stopped outside the ferry
terminal and bought a most tasty Isola pizza of pumpkin, mushroom and feta to take away.
Although we’d been keen to find a council campground we decided in view
of the weather to use the Penneshaw Caravan Park. That stung! And to make
matters worse a group of girls turned up at 11p.m literally neighing with
laughter as they noisily erected their tent barely a metre from SKV with their
car lights blasting though. George, ever the deep sleeper, didn’t stir until
morning and was taken aback to find a tent that close to our vehicle and
immediately wanted to clear out of there. As a result, we were away well before
7a.m and ate our breakfast at Christmas Cove overlooking the Backstairs Passage between KI and the
mainland.
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We
soon became acquainted with the ‘Kangaroo Wave’ as we passed other vehicles...
If they waved they were friendly locals; if not they were tourists. As we
travelled the north coast we stopped at the different campgrounds to size them
up. All quite small and very busy with only an odd open site available. By night
fall we had covered a lot of ground following the different roads down to the
northern coastline. Approaching American River there were plenty of SOS signs
to encourage folk to slow down and Save
Our Swans as black swans cruised the inlet. At the town’s entrance a
nautical display topped by a bronze Pelican introduced us to Pete the Pelican
used to demarcate the scenic trail through the seaside settlement. George had a
mulberry tree on his mind so we were soon through to Kingscote to find Reeves
Point, the historic site of the first official European settlement in South
Australia.
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George
loves Mulberries while Lea can only recall a family of four young girls
simultaneously suffering mulberry pie poisoning with dire results! Reeves Point,
large and picturesque parkland with walking paths and interpretive signs was a
lovely recreational place with great views and revegetation of local species
underway.
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Between
visiting Emu and Stokes Bay we came upon
a strange sight – at the gate it said visitors were welcome to come in and
enjoy the over 50,000 lights! Unsure, we drove in to find an empty car park so
we ended up none the wiser.
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No
miniature, this was a huge white castle with many turrets. Outside, different
features caught our eyes amongst which, this Viking boat.
We
could not understand why there was no mention of this fairy tale wonderland and
why anyone would go to such detailed lengths in the middle of nowhere with
nothing to explain it all. Some turrets appeared to have been formed from that
polythene piping with bits carved out. Eventually George was to ask a guide at
Admirals Arch whether he could throw any light on the castle we’d seen. Turned
out a 75 year man lives there with a passion for building things and putting on
a Christmas light pageantry. This year his special show was cancelled due to
rain but he is happy for folk to drive in at night and see his Christmas lights
at no charge. We were sorry not to have met this imaginative character.
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Travelling
the main road we came across the odd dead kangaroo and many freshly killed brush
tailed possums but had no sightings of any kangaroos out in the rolling
farmlands covered in golden grasses or densely forested ravines. We were to be
reminded of Western Australia and Tasmanian habitat many times throughout our
trip especially as we enjoyed stunning views across the sea; walked the white
sands beside turquoise waters with amazing clarity on secluded beaches and
coves.
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A
steep gravel road took us down to Western River Cove and we found a most
unattractive campground perched on the top of the hill – no shade although it
overlooked a footbridge over the river and a little sandy track ran beside it
through to the pretty cove.
Lea
stands on the eastern flank of the rocky headland to Western River Cove.
Lunch
time! A family had gathered in the
trademark council Picnic shelter and we decided to find shade back at the top
of the mountain overlooking farmland before taking a very corrugated road
through to Harveys Return in the north western corner of the island. A rustic
campground with secluded sites amidst shady sugar gum woodlands and Yakka
(grass trees/ blackboys) that we had to ourselves for most of the afternoon. We were interested in the camps odd name. We
discovered it referred to ‘The Return Road’ between the Lighthouse at Cape
Borda and Scott Cove. Back in the 1850’s, “Yatala” the lighthouse schooner used
Scott Cove as a landing site to resupply the very remote Borda Lighthouse every
three months. The stores had to be hauled up a steep incline and eventually
these difficulties were recognised by the powers that be and the Lighthouse
keeper given a horse and capstan to assist (horse drawn winch). We were amused
to read that back in 1858 ‘a wayward underkeeper’ allowed the horse to stray
and stores had to be man-hauled once again until a year later double rails were
laid up the cliff from Scott Cove. That evening we did the Harvey Return Hike following the original route used by the three
Cape Borda Lightkeepers. Below the site of the capstan the trail is very steep
so walkers were warned to descend carefully. Just as Lea peered nervously down
three young girls came scrambling up while their parents took constant
rest-stops. With trusty walking stick in hand, Lea followed her husband down at
a far slower speed and it was well worth the clamber. Time and erosion has
taken a heavy toll on the track with few remnants of the rail remaining. Scott Cove had a tiny sandy beach set within
the most amazing outcrops of tightly folded zebra striped schist boulder rocks
thinly embedded in some places with crusty crystalline. This was geological
designs in nature at their best.
Next
morning Lea prepared to walk the old cart track along The Return Road to the
Light house at Cape Borda 4.5kms away and was disappointed when George decided
time was against us and best to go in SKV (9kms by road and very corrugated).
We stopped at the well kept tiny cemetery and gained a poignant insight into
the harsh realities of life in those early years. The first grave site was required
for the Lighthouse keeper after he tumbled over a stump and pierced his eye. While
the seven year old son of another keeper fell to his death from the lighthouse
cliff; an infant battled Scarlet Fever in this remote area and sailors drowned as
they unloaded supplies at Scott Cove.
Cape
Borda Lighthouse. Notably it was here we saw a single and on the face of it, habituated
KI kangaroo, a markedly darker sub species of the Western Grey.
From
the Lighthouse we enjoyed the Lighthouse cliff-top hike through the rock
gardens into the thick surrounds of stunted vegetation to the Lookout giving dramatic
views over the cliff edge.
On
our return, we spent time in the museum where the words FEAR GOD AND HONOR THY
QUEEN definitely required a mention as it captures another aspect of that era ...
A light keeper at Cape Borda named his children for each letter...
Florence 4/8/1868
Ethel 28/11/1871
Alice 30/6/1873
Rose 27/7/1874
Gertrude 23/4/1876
Olivia 30/9/1877
Deslandes 3/4/1879
Alf 1/6/1880
Norrie 26/1/1881
D’Arcy 15/7/1883
Hilda 6/4/1885
Octavious 6/11/1886 ...Wherein, his poor
mother Mary, died giving birth to him.
The
Light keeper remarried in 1900 and although his new wife presented him with
twin girls; she appears to have refused to complete the ‘letters’ as they were
named Ella and Stella!
Returning
along the so called Playford Highway – nothing but rough corrugations, we
turned south to visit the Flinders Chase National Park. We checked out the two campgrounds before
entering the National Park Visitors Centre to find out whether we could ‘book’
a site. Nothing in the pricey main camp and pleasingly site 8 (the very site
that had appealed to us) at Snake Lagoon was open. With a place ensured for the night, we worked
through the wildlife and historical displays at the centre and after a quick
lunch back in SKV we set off for Cape du Couedic. Here, we were captivated from our first
viewing of the lighthouse extending across to The Brothers – two Casuarina
Islets.
From
the lookout above the colony of New Zealand fur seals we looked across at the
Casuarina Islets and the mainland boardwalk down to Admirals Arch.
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We
were intrigued at how heavily weathered the wooden viewing platform had become –
the grain within the timber had become distinctly furry! George asked a Guide attending
to a party of American guests what
accounted for that. Salt spray! Normally a very strong salt bearing wind
funnels through the Arch making photography difficult and depositing a salt
that steadily eats away at the wooden structures. Admirals Arch was a highlight!
This
was the other highlight - the wind
sculptured Remarkable Rocks set on a large granite dome with a backdrop of
rugged coastal scenery.
Busloads
of tourists poured in to visit this famous landmark and from a distance we
equated them to ‘meat ants’ scurrying all over the rock. Fortunately by the
time we had wandered down, there were not quite as many. On returning to Park
Headquarters we stopped for a shower ($4 each) in the main campground before
heading back along the deeply corrugated gravel road (so much so the whole
headlight had dropped out of someone’s car) back to Snake Lagoon campsite. Came
time to cook supper and the gas stove would not work. Had we run out of gas or
the jet had blocked. Fortunately we had some left over rice and chopped up
cooked chicken that had steadily defrosted over the days – so that saved the
day. After supper we’d took the Snake Lagoon hiking trail expecting to come
across the lagoon. Nothing! George suggested the wetlands, lying alongside our
campsite, was the dry lagoon. No kangaroos came to graze on this potentially
prime feeding area.
4
a.m. .- Lea bolted upright in bed trying
to clear her head of a lion growling – Where was she... Africa? As she clarified the noise she began to think
the ongoing grunting that continued to reverberate around her must be a feral
pig! She woke George, with “LISTEN” and after a long pause followed by the
silence of the night – he said it was a koala. This had us both considering the
habitat on and off for the rest of the night. Were the specific trees that
koalas eat, in our vicinity? By morning
we had decided that Snake Lagoon, a wetland area probably did have the right
gums. We had a good look round but saw nothing in surrounding trees.
Koalas
were introduced to KI in 1920 and apparently the population numbers grew so
fast they ate the island out of house and home. By 1977, Parks Wildlife began a
sterilising program and some koalas were used to restock areas on the mainland.
It had been implied in brochures that you wouldn’t have to try too hard to spot
a koala on KI but for all our trying - we’d seen nothing until hearing the deep
guttural grunting and growling of the night and even that we questioned! Further along the south coast, near Hanson
Bay, was a ‘Koala Walk’ in a Wildlife Sanctuary - $6 a head. Not quite the same as coming across koalas in
the wild but we were keen. With necks craned upwards we steadily walked the
avenues searching the forks and bowers of each tree. Koalas tend to spend 20
hours of their day asleep... Naturally, our sightings spotted them hugging the
tree fast asleep in typical koala positions. Then we struck lucky with a mother
and joey remarkably close on a sprawling gum, although the rising sun was not
in our favour. This agile little creature was keen to show off his acrobatic
abilities with some heart stopping moments. He/she had just reached the age of
learning to be independent and was the cutest little thing as it clambered over
his seemingly exhausted mother. We were entertained for a good hour before we
reluctantly withdrew and went in search of others - 9 in all but the others all
in repose. Lea spoke to a carer and he confirmed we’d definitely heard a male
koala – as they will ‘roar’ when advertising their presence in a new area
especially below a tree.
Koala
walk
Thereafter
we moved steadily down the south coast popping down the side roads to the
different beaches. We walked along many just to enjoy the wonderful cerulean
colours of the clear waters and the rugged rock formations. We had brought
bathers and yet not once had we put them on despite such inviting waters-
Southern Ocean just too cold for us! Vivonne
Bay, once voted Australia’s Best Beach, was picturesque with crayfish boats
bobbing at anchor. Further east, we came to the Seal Bay Conservation Centre.
Tours were expensive and as Lea had enjoyed close encounters with sea lions in San
Francisco she was happy to give this a miss and retired to read her book
leaving George to weigh up a tour onto the beach ($26) or the board walk ($12).
He chose the latter and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the setting of the lookout,
the very substantial board walk constructed and watching over 100 sea lions
lazing on the beach, some lying in the shade below the boardwalk itself.
Seal
Bay
On
reaching the Murray Lagoon road we were
surprised to see a road closed sign on one half- was it or wasn’t it? We
disregarded it and continued on only to find a very high water table at Curley
Creek walking trail so we returned to go
inland for a couple of hours. In the last working hours of 2013 we decided to
visit two places that interested us before heading further round to the eastern
section of Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park to find ourselves a quiet camp for
the night.
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Our
interest in visiting a Eucalyptus Distillery was sparked back in 2012 when we
passed through Inglewood, South Australia and pondered the words Eucy Museum.
On the other side of Inglewood we had spotted a strange looking contraption and
turned back for closer scrutiny. It was the Eucy Museum and although closed we
were able to ascertain that it was a historic eucalyptus distillery – on a far
bigger scale than we were to see at Emu Ridge.
Kangaroo Island’s major industry in Eucalyptus Oil began around the
1880’s and peaked in the 1930’s to become Australia’s first true export. Sheep
farming steadily took over the island as it was easier work and better money.
Now, 90% of the country’s Eucalyptus oil requirements are imported! In 1991, in
a turn of the wheel of fortune, Larry and Bev Turner of Emu Ridge looked for an
alternative form of income to sheep farming and rekindled an interest in the
distilling of Eucalyptus oil from the narrow leaf mallee. They have steadily
increased productivity and harvest to produce fragrant oil, 100% pure.
Far
back in 1885, Kangaroo Island was declared a Bee Sanctuary as it was ‘home’ to
the famous Ligurian Bee. Thus our next stop had to be Clifford’s Honey Farm to
discover what the devil a Ligurian Bee was! We came across an example of an introduced
species which has proved to provide successful and valuable service to the
country. Surprising us further was the fact that Australian native bees do not
produce commercial honey. Hence, the importation in 1881 of a very placid,
gentle bee producing fine honey; arriving from the region of Liguria, in
Northern Italy. Australian honey bees are all descendants from those bees
brought in from Europe. Kangaroo Island even exports Queen Bees all over the
world for breeding with more aggressive species in an effort to try and calm
them. Furthermore, Ligurian Bees in Italy have all interbred with other species
and thanks to the isolation of Kangaroo Island – the only genetically pure
population in the world are to be found here. After the informative video in
the interpretive centre and watching the Ligurian bees in a glass beehive do
the waggle dance on a very hot afternoon we decided to try Jenny’s original
honey ice-cream and while chatting to her discovered that all the unexpected
bodies of water we had noticed as we travelled towards D’Estrees Bay was the
result of very recent heavy rainfall in the Cape Gantheaume area and many roads
were closed. That accounted for why we
couldn’t get to Murray Lagoon and we definitely would be unable to access the
camp sites at Wheaton or Wrecker’s Beach. Jenny suggested American River. We
had our doubts but returned to find one site remained on the small narrow
campground and it wasn’t on the waterfront. Then we noticed a band would be
playing over the road for New Year – we departed in a hurry. Not only would we complete our
circumnavigation of KI, Lea thought our chances of a quiet camp site may be
better over at Antechamber Bay. However, the road that would take us across the
Dudley Peninsula was immediately opposite Browns Beach – we popped in there for
another look. There were three or four tents well spread out with a shady spot
that suited us well as it seemed increasingly hotter despite the evening hour.
We stayed! Spent a relaxed New Year’s Eve reading – even our cold meal out of a
tin went down well in view of the heat. Just before sunset (9p.m.) we walked down
to the beach and discovered a brand new shower block had been completed in time
for the peak season. We had noticed that all the council campgrounds not only
have a fine large shelter with electric BBQ overlooking beaches they also
provided picnic tables around the
grounds ; some with a roof tops. We were even more impressed with the Council’s
new addition of two showers to basic bush camping at Browns. Hot
inside SKV, Lea restlessly tossed around before falling asleep. A night so very
quiet, we were totally unaware of the year’s change over until we awoke next
morning to overcast skies and drizzle.
As
soon as we’d eaten our breakfast we made for Cape Willoughby Lighthouse followed
by a trip to Lashmar Conservation Park where we checked out the camp sites at
Antechamber Bay, They too, would have suited us last night. To close off the
round trip of Kangaroo Island our first stop back in Penneshaw had to be a cafe
for a warming and very welcome cuppa – much appreciated as we enjoyed sweeping
views of the island and mainland. In the remaining hours we walked down to the
Fairy Penguin Centre and across Hogs Beach to Frenchman’s Rock where Mathew
Flinders found fresh water. Soon after
departing, his ship met up with the French explorer Baudin in the Geographe and they told him where his
crew would find fresh meat (kangaroo) and water on newly named ‘Kangaroo
Island’ in honour of the roos who’d provided their first fresh meat! While waiting for the casks to fill with
water from the spring, a French sailor produced the first graffiti on a nearby
rock carving ‘Expedition de decoverte par
le commandant Baudin sur le Geographe 1803’.In later years, a white dome was
built over it for protection until it was deemed necessary to move it to the
Adelaide Museum before being returned to the KI VIC. A replica placed on the
actual site.
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Hog
Beach at Penneshaw, with the Ferry Terminal at the far end. Lea inspects the
replica stone under the white dome.
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As
we began KI so we ended with lunch at Isola Pizza Parlour before catching the
ferry back to the mainland. Despite
being overcast and drizzly we had calm seas for the ride back to the mainland
and completed the round trip of Fleureau Peninsula back to Murray Bridge by
5.30 p.m. Pleased to find Getaway and
the solar panel in good order after a grey day.
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