Some colours of autumn from my city, for Cee’s FOTD .
Tag: Adelaide
Parade of Light
Each year, from mid-Feb to mid-March, Adelaide hosts the second largest Fringe festival in the world. In 2018 this included a Parade of Light. I’ll select some for Becky’s pen-ultimate challenge day.
beginning with lighted trees near outdoor eating
then projections against heritage buildings
And ending with laser lights through dry-ice clouds.
Which way, in the city of Adelaide
For sonofabeach’s which way challenge this week,
Amarygia parkeri
A rare hybrid from the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide, for Cee’s FOTD.
Pinking about Adelaide
Views of Adelaide for Becky’s month of squares – in the pink.
Grevillea
A change of flower for the day – the grevillea. They grow very easily on the plains in Adelaide, Australia,
with hot summers and frosty winters. Very hardy and bright.
They come in different colours and arrangements; a mess of pollen and nectar that attracts birds. There are over 70 species native to Australia (http://www.oznativeplants.com/plant/Grevillea.html)
Hand-in-hand in Hahndorf
Having heard so much about Hahndorf, we made use of a free Autumn weekend, got in the car and headed for the hills of Adelaide. A reasonable crowd heralded the town’s popularity and the colours, smells and quaint heritage buildings promised varied recreation.
Our first stop was the Hahndorf Academy, established 1857 and now housing a museum with early artifacts, a shop selling handmade goods and an art gallery featuring works of Hans Heysen and various Aboriginal artists. Fabulous designs, textures and patterns.
It wasn’t long before we found our favourite diversion, an antique/curio shop, down a wide lane,
before the famous fudge shop, of which people had told me.
Which set us thinking about lunch. We ate at Otto’s Bakery, famous for it’s vanilla slice, but there was no shortage of options, indoors or out, and plenty of traditional German fare.
The Alec Johnston park, with a large playground and grassed area, is central, if you have children who need to burn off some energy.
Then it will be back to bric-a-brac at Grass Roots
Sidewalk sales
Hahndorf
soap or honey
sacraments at St Paul’s Lutheran
a smidgen of history/folklore
follow a chair fetish?
appreciate Autumn
admire old architecture
and make time to visit a winery
cof
cof
sdr
We spent 4 hours in Hahndorf and it went very fast. If you are coming to Adelaide, be sure to put it on your itinerary. You might even stop at Lofty National Park on the way.
Safe Travels.
Sequel to Morialta
A rare event! Rain in Adelaide. So, with visitors from Western Australia in tow, we headed back to Morialta Falls and did the same trek. There’s no need to lead you through the same, but I’ll use photos to show the difference 10mm of rain can make to colour and effect.
before
after the rain
dry day
rainy day is clearer
Koala 2
Perhaps my first blog on this waterfall could have been Prequel to Precipitation at Morialta. So many more water shots could be taken, and you see both falls from more vantage points. The path was at times slippery.
Walk safely, with the map downloaded on your phone (although it’s only very general) and take water because even in the rain you get thirsty.
Waterfalls of Adelaide – Morialta.
So, I’ve decided to do a series on Adelaide Waterfalls, for three reasons: Winter is approaching, there are only three of them, and they’re accessible sights of Adelaide.
Morialta Falls, like Waterfall Gully and Horsnell Gully Falls, is 10km from the centre of Adelaide, along good roads.
There are several carparks, allowing you to either walk long the creek to the main base, or to start from the latter. We had my niece with us, who has done two walks here, so we were competently led along the Falls Plateau Walk and returned via the Second Falls Gorge Track. If you were limited for time or had no desire for trecking, the direct path to the falls is very flat and takes about 10 minutes. There are warnings that it can get muddy and slippery.
The uphill paths are narrow but in good condition and the start was very steep for about an hour, which was only 2km! There were rest stops where you can also get some nice views.
resting benches
Giant’s Cave off in the distance
dramatic vallleys
Then it’s onward and upward, past xanthorreas, to see what the viewers ahead can see.
Escarpments, the lower track and the city of Adelaide in the distance.
Parakeets dashed into the thicket, hid among ghost gums and xanthorrea.
Until, finally, the rugged cliffs of the first falls appeared below, nestled in a harsh ravine.
You approach the falls from behind, almost on top of it, and the aspect is beautiful.
Anticipating greater things, and an easier, more downhill climb, we headed for the second falls, which soon became visible.
From one of the many bridges and lookouts, we had great views. The valley is impressive.
We were keen to see the Giant’s cave and face the first waterfall, so we took advantage of the de-cline, checked our route once more and made for the correct track, admiring the views along the way.
Within a short time we were at the mouth of the Giant’s cave, with its functional stairways and nooks for young and old to enjoy. Our final destination was before us and the main path, here, is very wide and suitable for wheelchairs, prams, the not-so-ambulant and groups of people. It is a short walk, with steep natural walls and century-old constructed walls.
At last! We were facing the first falls. Or trickle.
We’ll have to see it in Winter and compare the flow, but the sight was majestic, nonetheless. We made our way back to the car, but this time being a little more aware of nature. The park is quite well-known for sightings of wildlife and today was no exception.
idyllic setting
water duck
koala 1
white faced heron
Koala 2
If you’ve heard about ‘drop bear’, this is a close up of the culprit.
Apparently there were roos (kangaroos) but we didn’t see them. The entire walk took us 2 hours, with all of our stops and photos. A couple of Richmond FC players ran past at some stage and they definitely wouldn’t have taken that long. It was an overcast day and only about 23C but the demands of the first stretch did make us thirsty. So be prepared.
Morialta Falls is part of Morialta Conservation Park. You can download the maps for free on your smart phone and know exactly where you are (I discovered later). Morialta was the name given to the park in 1972. Prior to that it was a National Pleasure Resort in 1915, after being donated to the Government by James Reid Smith in 1912. He had purchased it in 1901, but in 1870 Angora goats were introduced to the area, following attempts at mining and grazing. It has an interesting history. The original owners are not named, but I think they would be the Kaurna People. Park management still works with Aboriginal people in the development and maintenance of the area.
For the driest State in the driest Continent, I think we’re doing very well to have waterfalls!
Why! I might just see the one near Victor Harbour and make it a ‘Waterfalls in South Australia’ series.
Safe Travels. Visit South Australia and bring water and a hat. Watch out for drop bears.
Can you do 4km uphill in under 60 minutes? The Waterfall Gully challenge.
Walk or run, it doesn’t matter. There are forums dedicated to people comparing their PBs and quoting both uphill and downhill times. Beginning at the carpark, situated at the base of the pretty, 18m first Waterfall, the medium difficulty track is quite steep in some parts and, with renovations going on at the moment, sometimes slippery with gravel. I had heard so much about this challenge and family members and work colleagues set themselves the task, so I decided to find out what it was all about.
From the carpark you can see the first falls in one direction and in the other, Utopia restaurant, described on http://waterfallgully.com.au/ as “…a beautifully preserved, century-old stone chalet which boasts the unique title of Australia’s last remaining heritage ‘tea room’, and the nation’s only restaurant set beside a natural waterfall.”
It doesn’t open on a Monday, so I cannot give an account of the interior or menu from a first hand point of view. But it is certainly picturesque, as are the old pathways and buildings that I remembered from over 50 years ago.
Let’s hit the trail! It is incredibly steep at first, mostly stone steps, and I wondered what I had set myself. However, that only lasts about 50 m so push on. The lookout is worth a quick stop (unless you are going for your PB).
The second waterfall is 600m from the lookout over the first. There is a setting where you can stop and admire the scenery before pressing on towards the mark, which is Mount Lofty Summit.
- second fall
At this stage I considered the time and the unknown length of the rest of the walk. I confess, I headed back to the carpark. However, I have every intention of making it to Mount Lofty (highest mountain in Adelaide region – 710km above sea level?) and seeing the panoramic views of Adelaide. The Mount Lofty Summit restaurant and cafe is well-regarded and boasts amazing views – I’ve seen them. I just can’t take good photos of it!
Take the challenge!
Head for Cleland Conservation Park, 10 km from the centre of Adelaide. The falls are best in Winter and Spring when they flow fuller, but even in Summer, or at the end, as you can see, there is water flowing. If you make it to the top and then down again and have some energy left, why not visit Cleland Wildlife park, where for a fee you can be up close or interact with kangaroos, koalas and other native Australian animals.
There are seven waterfalls in Cleland Conservation Park, apparently, the largest being in Waterfall Gully. The Gully was declared the State’s first National Pleasure Resort in 1912, some 30 years after it was established as a popular recreation and picnicking spot.
Safe Travels. Rest when you need to. Take a hat and water.
