50 Main St, Hahndorf SA 5245, Australia +61 8 8388 7324 Website 9:30am – 5pm Adelaide Campervan Hire

employellie (contributor)

Well everyone else seemed to know about the German village of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills except yours truely. We went with a tour group but I am told you can easily go by the local bus.

Hahndorf is the oldest German settlement in Australia and very nice it is too. We strolled along the
main street…passed by the home made icecream and headed for the beer tasting at the local pub. I tried three different varieties of German beer and all were pretty good.

Quite a few little shops tempted me to take home some souvenirs.

An aside…I have just learnt ‘Hahndorf’ means ‘Rooster’ so I wonder why the name was chosen…

Well thanks to mindcrime who read my review I know now that what the tour guide told me was incorrect….not for the first time has that happened but I am not an avid researcher
So courtesy of mindcrime
“according to wiki the town was settled by Lutheran migrants largely from in and around a small village then named Kay in Prussia, many of whom were aboard the Zebra arriving on 28 December 1838. The town is named after the Danish Dirk Meinhertz Hahn, captain of the Zebra.”

gristfog (contributor)

HAHNDORF
Visiting Adelaide!!!. What a great Aussie city this is.. There are many things to see and do when in Adelaide and if you have some spare time a great thing to do is visit Hahndorf.
Located not far from Adelaide and a pleasant busride this is really a nice way to spend the day. Hahndorf is a Town of German origins (est.1839)and settled very early in Adelaides History by Lutheran Germans avoiding persecution in their homeland.
The town is quiet, pleasant to explore and squeaky clean . There are many fine german buisinesses especially the restaurants that provide Germanic Faire and nothing has been lost in clinging to their German origins while being great Aussies. The food I found to be excellent along with the german beer .
I came up to Hahndorf to especially get some “Bratwurst mit Kartoffel Salat”.. (Bratwurst sausage with potatoe salad) and a few german beers. Try some sorbet Ice cream at the OLde Ice Cream shoppe..or a “bum burner” sausage Hot dog… I wasn’t dissapointed.
Hahndorf is the oldest permanent German settlement in Australia.

bowenslanging (contributor)

This was a plus for the trip – we got to pick our very own strawberries while me & my gang were in Hanhdorf.

The farm dates back to the 1830s when the Paech family settled down in Hanhdorf. It is still owned by the Paech family. The farm grows strawberries, sweetcorn and mixed vegetables but had since expanded to include sale of home made style jams, pickles, chutneys and sauces.

Strawberry season is between October-May so by the time we arrived in April, the best batches were already gone….but even that, did not dampen our spirits as 4 grown-ups were springing among strawberry beds eager to pick out the juicest of them all. The strawberries were fresh, sweet, juicy and succulent as we managed to find some over-ripe ones, not that we mind at all. Several we just popped straight into our mouths as the farm had assured us that they do not use any chemicals on their plants. We just don’t get to eat FRESH strawberries like this back home! We managed to cart 2 large containers of strawberries, provided by the farm for free, back to our apartments, which we would wolved down with plenty of ice-cream! I remembered that we paid about A$2 each for about 1kg worth of strawberries, which was DIRT-cheap when compared to the stuff we had to pay for air-flown in from other countries.

Entry to the strawberry patches requires A$2 per pax.

The farm also has beautiful rose covered walkways. The perfume of red roses was just intoxicating.

Don’t miss out on the strawberry jams (but what else) and the rose petal jams as well!

uranusglabella (contributor)

What can I say about this historic German town in the Adelaide Hills? Charming, lovely, seductive – made for a great day out of Adelaide – especially on the weekdays when you need not contend with the weekend crowd!

Many of Hanhdorf’s inhabitants were descendants of Lutherans from Prussia (now Germany), escaping religious prosecution in the 1800s. In 1838, they reached Port Adelaide, and the kind hearted Captain of their ship was so concerned for their livelihood, he sought out this piece of land for their settlement. In gratitude, they name the township Hanhdorf, in honour of the kind Captain.

There are many old buildings lining the streets, stately old homes, charming cottages and ethnic restaurants, all exuding a different kind of European charm, one that is rich in Bavarian heritage. Come here for German food (like sausages and sauerkraut) and beer, but of course. Don’t get me wrong, it is quite a touristy place, but one that had not overdone it in zest. Plenty of art and craft galleries, wineries and ethnic grocery shops exist peacefully, all while trying their best to charm you into parting your money from your wallet/purse!

Think I took Metro Bus service 840 from the city (via day-trip ticket) and the journey lasted about 40 minutes.

starcaramel (contributor)

This is a photo taken at the quaint little German/Australian tourist town of Hahndorf, in the Adelaide Hills.

There’s not quite as much German charm in the town as there used to be in years gone by, but it is still nice, and there are many quality Australian shops as well.
There’s a lot of history here too, in the old German buildings. I especially recommend the museum.

I really enjoy the bakery, especially the German one, the handmade boiled sweets shop, ice cream parlour, the leathercrafts shop, souvenir shops – truly we spent a
whole day just exploring one side of the street!

(My brochure says there are more than 100 venues in town to browse, and I can well believe it…it’s a very long street and packed with shops to browse or buy in)

The German people who immigrated here to the Adelaide Hills and the Barossa Valley in the 1830’s played a very important role in the development of the area (which if you’re interested to learn further details of, you can read more in the Travelogue at the bottom of my Adelaide pages)

arenasneer (contributor)

This is the largest regional Art Gallery in South Australia. It has a gift shop, artists in residence, and works on display by the famous German immigrant artist Hans Heysen (he became one of Australia’s most famous artists)

It is also home to the German Migration Museum, which I really enjoyed.
You can see many writings, books and relics from the German’s early days of settlement history in the region.

Latest Images of Hahndorf, Adelaide

 Glenelg SA 5045, Australia Canberra Campervan Hire

diamoxmoonbeam (contributor)

Glenelg is Adelaide’s premier, at least in terms of visitor numbers, seaside resort on the shore of Holdfast Bay/ Gulf St Veincent about 10 kms from the City centre. It is named after Lord Glenelg, then Britain’s Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.

In terms of history, while Adelaide main port was established at Port Adelaide in 1840, Glenelg was the site of South Australia’s original mainland (Kingscote on Kangaroo Island was settled earlier) European settlement on 10 November 1836. On the 28 December 1836, under the “Old Gum Tree” a proclamation was read by the State’s first Governor, John Hindmarsh, which announced that the government and State of South Australia had been established, that the law would be enforced and that Aboriginal people would be protected.

Prior to the 1836 European settlement Glenelg and the surrounding area was home to the Kaurna Aboriginal people though two outbreaks of smallpox, which had come down the River Murray from New South Wales, had killed the majority of the Kaurna population prior to 1836.

Since the early days Glenelg has been the place where Adelaideians have come for fun and relaxation. It continues to be so today and is now a very developed seaside resort offering the visitor all that he or she could want from a seaside resort.

It has a fantastic long white sand beach which is a major hit with sun worshipers and fitness fanatics – the latter of the type that like to ensure others know they exercise. I am not a sun worshiper myself, but do very much enjoy a walk along the beach. I also greatly enjoy walking out along the 215 metres long jetty which is also a popular spot for fishermen. A sign along the jetty detailing the legally minimum size of fish that can be retained covers some 30 or more fish varieties which, presumably, it is possible to catch here. I have never seen anyone with any fish on this jetty!

Glenelg has ample accommodation from backpackers to 5 star hotels and a wide variety of restaurants, sufficient to meet everyone’s tastes. Jetty Road offers enough shopping opportunity for the average beach goer and has less stringent shopping hours than more conservative Adelaide.

Significant development has occurred in Glenelg since the 1970s and indeed the rather ugly looking Atlantic Tower, replete with revolving restaurant, was not only Glenelg’s tallest building when built in the 70s but it was also Adelaide’s tallest building. Numerous other high rise hotels and apartment blocks have been built since. All this development is rather a shame I feel but given the large crowds Glenelg attracts I clearly hold a minority view.

Since 1873 a train/ tram-line has connected Adelaide to Glenelg and until mid 2013 the odd rickety old red H-Class trams, circa 1929, continued to ply this route. The old tram ride was a tourist “must do” in itself. In mid 2013 the last of the old trams were replaced with ultra modern European Bombardier trams. Not withstanding the loss of the old trams (though there is talk of introducing “new, old trams” whatever that means) catching the tram to Glenelg is still the best way to get there in terms of public transport.

I certainly recommend a side trip to Glenelg and in this regards invite you to have a look at my Glenelg page to see what it has to offer.

bradshawexplain (contributor)

When in Adelaide take a tram to Glenelg beach for the day..enjoy the ambience of the area..I had a leisurely stroll on the beach..and as it was a nice winters day sat and had coffee and apple struedel by the beach in a local cafe.there are so many early and modern houses along the waterfront here…in the main street are many shops and restaurants to enjoy..also at the tram terminus there is an exhibition “The Bay Discovery centre”in the local historic Town Hall of life from early settlement to today.Also see here the “Rodney Fox shark experience”.
The tram journey is a short ride of about fifteen to twenty minutes from the city..
Catch train at tram terminus at Victoria Square near the fountain in the City..

AlertEach (contributor)

A tram (trolley bus) service runs from the centre of Adelaide to a beautiful beachside town called Glenelg.
It only costs AU$2.10 and you can purchase your ticket from the conductor on the tram once the journey begins.
The trams are made mostly from wood and leather which is quite unusual these days in this world of chrome and plastic we live in.
The tram ride is a good opportunity to meet locals and see where they live as you venture through suburban Adelaide towards the Indian Ocean
The trip takes about 30 minutes each way

Glenelg itself has a younger vibe than Adelaide city. There is a strong beach/surf culture with restaurants and retail shops to match. Plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants also.

cometdew91 (contributor)

Pristine white sand; emerald green waters – that was what were attracting all the city-dwellers and visitors to these beach town, about 30 minutes away from Adelaide by tram. Come on a weekend and it would be jammed tight with merry-seeking and merry-making folks. It was almost like stepping into a carnival as everyone seemed to have just landed from a planet that had not seen the daylight of sadness and frustration.

Me & my gang spent about an hour on the sand, just sitting there and watching the world go by. Breathe the salty twang of the air; absorb the screeching of the gulls and sun-block yourself up for the sun!

For those who wanted more than just sun-sand-sea, you would find a flea market around Town Hall on the weekends, where local folks would display a sea of arts and crafts (paintings, hand-made jewelries etc) and other craps and non-craps for you to buy. Mingle and see what the locals has on offer for you. My lady friends had a swell time picking apart the bargains.

Getting around Glenelg is easy. Main street is Jetty Road (where all the shops, cafes and restaurants are) and you can travel along Jetty Road, completely FREE via the Glenelg Tram all the way from Moseley Square terminus to Jetty Road stop 19. Jump on and off the Tram at your leisure and never pay a cent!

Getting to Glenelg is easy: Take the Tram!

wiggaletters (contributor)

Glenelg beach is a hive of activity at most times of the year.
Its a great beach, where you can swim,fish or just sunbake.
Jetty Rd offers fantastic shopping, so dont forget to take your
wallet!!!!
There is an abundance or restaurants and cafes, so eating out is
definitely not a problem. Choosing what you want could be though!!!
For an icey cold beer, try the Grand Hotel right on the foreshore.
Getting to Glenelg can be half the fun…Try catching a tram in Victoria Square
and travelling there…The old trams are still running, and they are great fun.

Latest Images of Glenelg, Adelaide

 Frome Rd, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia +61 8 8267 3255 Website 9:30am – 5pm Adelaide Campervan Hire

candiddad (contributor)

Adelaide Zoo is not that large – it’s a city zoo within easy walking distance of the central business district – but it is well worth a visit.

The biggest draws are of course Wang Wang and Funi, the only giant pandas in the Southern Hemisphere. There is a large area devoted to the panda exhibit, and keeper talks are informative about pandas in general as well as the personal foibles of Wang Wang and Funi. Funi, who was a mascot for the Beijing Olympics, is something of a diva, apparently.

As visitors to Australia we were also interested in the native wildlife, particularly the wombat and the Tasmanian devils, which we would not have an opportunity to see when we visited Kangaroo Island later.

Other animals at the zoo include giraffe, lion, meerkat, lemur, squirrel monkey, penguin, chameleon and hippo.

One particular oddity about this zoo is the way that the toilet block is built into the parrot enclosure. It’s slightly unnerving to go about your business under the beady eye of a hyacinth macaw or cockatoo.

Open from 9.30 to 5.00 p.m. every day. Entry costs $32 for an adult, $18 for a child or $85 for a family of two adults and up to three children. Or if you are going to visit the sister zoo, Monarto Zoo, you can save by buying a two zoo pass.

mousellinebox (contributor)

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT THE MOST VENOMOUS SNAKE IN THE WORLD LOOKS LIKE, THAT JUST HAPPENS TO LIVE IN AUSTRALIA?

Well, here at the Adelaide Zoo, they have a good collection of Snakes and other reptiles.

The Australian Inland Taipan is on display, a Snake with the most toxic venom of any land snake in the world.
One bite from this fellow is enough to kill about 100 humans, or 250,000 mice! Luckily, he isn’t seen very often, so there hasn’t been any fatalities recorded, though it could potentially kill an adult human within 45 minutes.

The second most deadly in the World is also Australian, and quite common, infact, I often see 2 – 3 each summer in my garden. It is the EASTERN BROWN SNAKE
Just 1/14,000 of an ounce of its venom is enough to kill an adult human. This Snake is fast moving, aggressive under certain circumstances and has been known to chase aggressors and repeatedly strike at them. Even juveniles can kill a human. They react only to movement, so stand very still if you ever encounter one in the wild.
For me, it was interesting to see the Green Anoconda who enjoys a meal of one dead rabbit every four to eight weeks.

The collection they have is excellent, the displays are well done, and it’s definitely worth a visit.

dressbarney (contributor)

In 2008, Zoos SA signed a cooperative agreement with China to help secure the long term survival of Giant Pandas.
On 12 May 2008, the Wenchuan earthquake devastated the Sichuan province in China. The quake destroyed the Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre, which was home to around 280 Giant Pandas including Wang Wang and Funi. Wang Wang’s mum, Mao Mao, did not survive the quake. Funi has a twin brother called Fuwa.

Wang Wang, born on 31/08/05, is very laid-back and a placid boy. He loves to sleep!
Funi, born on 23/08/06, is very active and playful and often makes excited mewing noises at feeding time. She is also very intelligent, curious and loves to explore.

Wang Wang and Funi now call Adelaide Zoo home. This was our main reason for coming to the Zoo.
Lucky for us, we were early, and there were less than a dozen people at the exhibiit.
Another bit of luck, was both the Panda’s were in the outdoor area of their compound, enjoying some activity. They were moving around, eating, and NOT SLEEPING! It was great!
A volunteer is on hand to answer any questions you may have.
It really was an excellent exhibit, very well done, with plenty of viewing area.

The entry to the Panda exhibit is included in the general entry price.
Wang Wang and Funi are the only Giant Pandas in the Southern Hemisphere and the first to live permanently in Australia.

They are lovely, and a must see

gaffpare (contributor)

Adelaide Zoo first opened on 23 May 1883. The Zoo was named the Royal Zoological Society of South Australia after a Royal Charter was granted by King George VI in 1937.

The Adelaide Zoo has changed over the years. Instead of Cages, most of the species are grouped together as they would be in the wild, with the enviroment how they are used too. This makes it much more enjoyable for the animals and the viewers.

I found Birds were still mainly in cages, and one of the few that have remained in the same place, are the Flamingo’s, still where they were in 1885, with two of the original Flamingos still alive!

I loved the new Asian Aviary Boardwalk. Here, I could stand and watch the White Cheeked Gibbons, Langurs, Siamangs and Malaysian Tapirs and more, just like they were in the wild.
When you see the lovely vegetation and setting these animals are residing in, I couldn’t help but think how lucky they were!

arraylily (contributor)

If you love the zoo then you will get a kick out of the new behind the scenes tour. Several to choose from and they range in price from about $40 to $400. Its a great way for the zoo to raise money & the tour guides said they have several people everyday. We did the Big Cat one. It was really exciting! We went behind the lion & tigers enclosures to release them from their sleeping quarters. We stood only a few feet and although there was a cage between us my heart still speed up. At one stage the tiger made eye contact & gave me several roaring warnings to back away. He then swiped the cage with his enormous claws. Needless to say I backed away!

If you love and respect animals then this is a great way to have a unique experience that is both positive for you and the animal – unlike those awful places that drug them, pull them around in chains, allow tourists to lie all over them before retuning them to some hideous enclosure. The tiger at Adelaide zoo was once kept in a private zoo. His life was a very miserable one. His teeth were filed down and his living enclosure was bad. His was abused. The keeper told us that if you put a crate in his enclosure he will walk straight into it. This is not the behaviour of a healthy tiger. But now he lives in Adelaide and has a brand new enclosure that allows him to wander around & even hide from the public eye if he wishes. He ever has a heated rock for sunbathing, a swimming pool & in the sky above him he can see orangutans swinging from his closure to theirs. Its not the jungle but then again hes not some rich wankers toy anymore.

Money raised goes to improving the zoo. Well spent!
On the tour we were given lots of info on the cats. Toured the keepers work area. Were shown the mechanics of the enclosures. Explored the area (It was great the touch a huge tiger paw print left in the sand). We released the cats. Feed the lions & see the gibbons show off to their keeper. I had a ball!

Available Days Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday. Time 8.30am
Length 1 hour Cost $135pp

saharapeso (contributor)

“POP-EYE” is the name of a Boat that cruises Torrens Lake and the Torrens River.
These Boats have been operating as long as I can remember.
It doesn’t matter whether you are an Adult or a Child, you will enjoy this way of reaching the Adelaide Zoo.

POP-EYE operates on Weekends, during school holidays, and on public holidays.
The Cruise is about 40mins.
DEPARTURE……ELDER PARK, which is below the Festival Theatre..

In Summer, Cruises depart on the hour, Monday to Friday 10 – 4pm
Weekends 10 – 4pm Every half hour
Saturday & Sunday…. 10am to 4pm Winter ( June to August) 10 – 4pm Every half hour.

COST IN 2012….
Round Trip: $12 Adults / $6 Children under 16
Elder Park to Zoo – one way: $8 Adults / $4 Children under 16
Zoo to Elder Park – one way: $4 Adults / $2 Children under 16

Latest Images of Zoo, Adelaide

 34 Barossa Valley Way, Tanunda SA 5352, Australia +61 8 8563 0288 9am – 5pm Adelaide Campervan Hire

operarad (contributor)

We had a fantastic time on this tour, I loved it!
We got off nice and early, picked up from different hostels around Adelaide and our first stop was to a greasy spoon to line our stomachs and see the worlds largest rocking horse.
First winery was Jacob’s Creek, there’s only a dried up river bed, no creek, so began our wine tasting nice and early around 10.45……
Next was Richmond Grove Winery which was in a lovely setting and we got to go around the factory, in the cellars and bought a bottle of wine to share at lunch. We had a Aussie BBQ Lunch in the grounds of the winery which was lovely, fresh kangaroo, salads, saussages, burgers, more than enough.
So feeling very merry our next stop was Tanunda to look at the sweet shop. Next was Bethany Winery and finally another which by that point I can’t really remember much appart from there was about 20 wines to try and I did my best.
On the way back to Adelaide we stoped at a bottle shop and stocked up for the ride home, the driver kept us very merry throughout the trip, we were dropped off at a bar in Adelaide and carried on from there……
We got a few bars in, which I can’t really remember either.
Incidently my Aunt and Uncle did this tour about a month ago, so it’s not just for young backpackers.

entirecupboard (contributor)

Barossa Valley is a wine region in South Australia. You will find a lot of vineyards and farms/factories who manufacture Australian wine. As I am not drinking wine, it is still a visit worth. You can visit one of those many farms/factories.

I went to Seppeltsfield Winery. This winery is on hour’s drive from central Adelaide.
You can have a heritage tour. The tour goes through the gardens, palms and heritage buildings. The duration is 45 minutes (including tasting). It will cost you $10 per person. These tours are daily at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm. When you are a group of 10 persons or more bookings are essential.

Fax: +61-(0)8-8562-8333; email seppeltsfield.cellardoor@seppelt.com.au
Open 7 days 10.30am – 5pm

General information about Barossa Valley, look at this website:
https://www.barossa.com/

chotsub (contributor)

Took a day-tour into the Barossa Valley via Prime Mini Tours. It was A$48 each circa 2001.

Gave new meaning to the word “Family Tree”. As we reached into the town of Springton, the coach dropped us off to see an “oddity” – the Herbig Family Tree – someone had actually carved out their family history into a hollow gum tree trunk. Inside the hollow trunk, not only could you get to know the Herbig family a little better, you could also catch valuable glimpses of the lives of early settlers of the area from the many photographs.

This hollow tree trunk was actually a ‘home’ for Johann Friedrich and Anna Caroline Herbig and two of their 16 children until 1860 when it got too small. Being poor, living in the hollow trunk saves money. Both of them will go on to have 16 children. Somewhere along the line, Friedrich will save enough money to buy land that he could call his own and build a house to accommodate his expanding family. Friedrich died in 1886 but Caroline would live on till 1927.

The next stop was for lunch at the Barossa Junction Resort. The meal is included as part of the tour. I remembered most of the members of the tour went for the “Kakadu Trio” – Pan-fried trio of kangaroo, crocodile and burrumundi.

ricosulfur (contributor)

If you want to sample some great Australian wines then take yourself on a wine tour. The Barossa Valley is the second closet wine region to the CBD (after the McLaren Vale).

I recommend researching this part of your trip quite a bit. A day trip is fine, but a day or two would be even better.

Taking turns as driver can mean you could spend a couple of days tasting wines and seeing the local sights. Otherwise there are many tours operating that you could join.

“The Barossa offers the combination of a rich European heritage and the fresh vitality of Australia. Premium wines, fine restaurants, magnificent old churches, wineries and cottages, traditional music, butchers and bakers, all in a peaceful rural setting where each season accentuates the beauty of the vineyards and the undulating hills.”

skypeallocates (contributor)

Decided to go to Barossa for the Queens bday hols as I needed a breather away from work.

Barossa is around an hours drive away from Adelaide. SA is the major wine growing state and Barossa being the main area for grape cultivation and wine making.

Depending on whether you take a tour or go on your own, a wine tour usually has sampling a wide range of reds, whites and fortified wines.

This pic was at Langmeil Wines – and the vines behind is one of the oldest vines in the region – being more tha 140 years old.

thawwing (contributor)

Took a day-tour into the Barossa Valley via Prime Mini Tours. It was A$48 each circa 2001.

4 Winery visits were included in our itinerary. Unfortunately, none of us are wine lovers so we just went along for fun, unlike folks who were there really to sample the wines and see what they might want to buy. We opted for this cheaper tour since we aren’t connoisseurs. Good wine would have been wasted on us.

The 4 wineries then (circa 2001) were:

Chateau Dorrien: Had my first pictures taken with grapes here.

Orlando Wines: Home to “Jacob’s Creek”.

Miranda Wines: They have this pink Shiraz that was made from red grapes that had the skin peeled off. Very novel.

Chateau Yaldara: Amazingly preened and landscaped grounds. The most pompous of them all. It really looked obstentatious – great for photography!

Latest Images of Barossa Valley and Wineries, Adelaide

 Morialta Falls Rd, Woodforde SA 5072, Australia +61 8 8336 0901 Website 8:30am – 8pm Adelaide Campervan Hire

clonegristle (contributor)

Morialta falls, located in the Adelaide foothills, is a favorite spot for most Adelaidians. The site was originally home to the Kaurna aboriginals. They gave the area its name Morialtra which means “ever flowing” Unfortunately Adelaide’s settlement force these native people from their lands and there a very few of the Kaurna people left.

Morialta was proclaimed a resort in 1913. It covers over 650 hectares, is centered around fourth creek and has 3 falls. The 3 falls have the simple names of first, second and third falls. The falls, surrounded by nature bush, are a haven for bird and animal life. There are also many wild flowers and native plants to be found in the dense bush and in the cracks and crevices of the red rock that makes up the gorge area.

The first fall drops down the cliff face 30 metres. Walk the trails to the base of the waterfall which takes about 45minutes return or try the more strenuous First Fall Plateau Hike, with stunning panoramic views of the Adelaide plains, this takes you to the top of the falls.

To see the falls flowing at its best visit is winter and early spring. Visit in the summer months to take advantage of the cool breezes that come down from the surrounding hill sides.

The park does have picnic areas with electric BBQs, drinking fountains, a small playground, trail maps, toilet facilities and a walking trail for disabled. The gates open at 8:30am and are closed about 20 minutes before sunset. There is a small fee charge at the gate.

derrybooks (contributor)

Boulder bridge is one of the areas set aside for rock climbing in Morialta Conservation Park. There are heavy duty rings for climbers to use. Parking is along the Morialta road side. Its easy to spot where to park because this is a very popular place for climbers. From there you follow the path down to the cliffs. Stop at the shoe cleaning area so you don’t bring in any unwanted plant-life. Once you are down the bottom of the cliffs there is a small dirt track running along the base. From here you can see the bridge. There is however strictly no climbing on the bridge as it very fragile.

flugrecord (contributor)

This walk takes you up to the First Falls plateau. It takes 1 1/2 hours. Its a great walk to take in autumn and winter as the falls are feed with the rainfall.

The park has a $5 entrance fee if you wish to drive your car in or you can park at the parks entrance for free and walk in.

cloudykernel (contributor)

In Morialta Conservation Park, just 10 kilometres to the northeast of the city, Fourth Creek has left its unique mark on the landscape in the shape of deep wooded gorges and a trail of tumbling waterfalls.

A walk along the creek to the falls remains the park highlight. Bird life abounds, with a chance of seeing herons, fairy-wrens and rosella parrots. Other areas of the park are designated for rock-climbing and abseiling.

appliedhiatal (contributor)

Outdoor Adventure skills and Rock About regularly run a basic skills climbing course. The course is designed to give you an introduction to the skills and techniques involved in rock climbing and abseiling. My husband has taken 2 of their course and found them both to be a lot of fun and very informative. He has come away feeling confident in the skills he learnt.

processesusing (contributor)

Visit the falls in the winter months. There is plenty of water in the river which attracts animal and birds, especially Rosella parrots who like the moist environment. The park is very green at this time of year. The golden wattle is present and is striking against the green background.

gracefulbeam (contributor)

There is a visitors information area at the park with signs telling you of the various wildlife, facilities, walks you can take and lookouts. You can also find the public toilets and emergency phone here.

tucanasuit (contributor)

Morialta is a conservation park about 15 minutes north-east of the city. It’s good for bushwalking. Its most distinctive features are the red rock cliffs, some of which have been designated for rock-climbing and abseiling. In wetter months there are also waterfalls.

Just outside the conservation park – after you drive out on the road leading into it – is a park with playground, barbeques etc – good for a picnic and filled with people on public holidays when the weather is fine.

Latest Images of Morialta Conservation Park, Adelaide

 North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia +61 8 8222 9311 Website 7:15am – 5pm Adelaide Campervan Hire

yorktonadze23 (contributor)

There are three Botanic Gardens in the Adelaide area:

The Adelaide Botanic Garden
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, and
Mittunga Botanic Garden.

The now 125 acres Adelaide Botanic Garden which opened to the public in 1857, at the Eastern end of North Terrace, is the most accessible of the three. That doesn’t mean you should just go there. They are all very different and each very much worth a visit.

The Adelaide Botanic Garden is packed with things worthy of your time. You could easily spend a day in here. Allow yourself at least 2-3 hrs and more if you want to eat. Take a map from the information stand as you enter the gardens and just stroll around.

Inside at the Garden

The Palm House – A restored Gustav Runge designed Victorian glasshouse imported from Bremen, Germany in 1875. It is thought to be the only one of its kind still in existence. Contains a collection of plants from the island of Madagascar.

Bicentennial Conservatory – Designed by South Australian architect, Guy Maron and built in celebration of Australia’s 1988 Bicentenary. It is the largest single span conservatory in the southern hemisphere and contains a lush display of lowland rainforest plants from northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the nearby Pacific Islands. Keep and eye out for noisy pitta birds, stick insects, spiders and centipedes.

Amazon Waterlily Pavilion – built in 2007 and as its name suggests its contains a beautiful selection of Amazon waterlilies which grow up to over 150cm diameter.

Santos Museum of Economic Botany – opened in 1881 this is the last purpose-built colonial museum in the world. The building features high ceilings, ornate Victorian detail, historic cabinet displays and a classical Greek-style exterior.

Outside at the Garden

Mediterranean Gardens – plants from the five Mediterranean climates around the world:
• south-western Australia
• South Africa
• central Chile
• California
• the Mediterranean Basin

Australian Native Gardens – showcases innovative and artistic ways of using native plants at a domestic scale

Classground – Experimentation area and in my view one of the nicest parts of the gardens – don’t miss it.

International Rose Garden – over 5000 roses

National Rose Trail Garden

Eremophilia Garden

Cycad and palm displays

Cactus and succulent Garden

Garden of Health – demonstrates the use of plants to heal and promote health and wellbeing in western and non-western cultures

Economic Garden – herbs

Australian Forest

Wetlands

Avenue of Morton Bay fig trees – oldest in Australia.

The garden also includes a lake, various sculptures, bandstands, rotundas and ample seating all of which add to creating the perfect atmosphere for a pleasant and peaceful visit.

Tours

Guided tours depart from the Visitor Information Centre at Schomburgk Pavilion at 10.30am daily (except Christmas and Good Friday).

Free self-guided tours of Adelaide Botanic Garden are also now available on your iPhone or android phone. For more information or to download the MyParx app, visit http://myparx.com/go/app/

Opening hours : Opens Mon-Fri 8am , weekends and holidays 9am. Closes – around dusk – varies from month to month. Access to buildings generally 10am – 4pm. Check website below for specific details

Facilites – The Garden contains two restaurants/kiosks and a garden shop which also sells plants and seeds. Restrooms are available at various locations at various locations.

Admission Fee : Free (Including the Bicentennial Conservatory which formally had a charge).

This is the last of my “North Terrance” reviews. I invite you to return to my main Adelaide page now and leave a comment as I greatly appreciate the feedback. Should you wish to read my reviews on another area of Adelaide you can follow the relevant link on that same page.

figuresopen (contributor)

The Botanic Garden is a pleasant place to spend some time. For visitors like me from the northern hemisphere, it’s particularly interesting to watch the (mostly unfamiliar) birdlife, which includes Rainbow Lorikeets and Eastern Rosellas. We were visiting in the winter time, when the gardens are perhaps not at their best, but they were well worth a visit. I’m just sorry that we didn’t get to see everything.

The Amazon Waterlily Pavilion houses the massive Victoria amazonica waterlily. I had seen these giant lilypads before, but not with information plaques describing the lily flowers as a ‘nightclub for beetles’, complete with an hour-by-hour description of the goings-on. At 5.00 p.m., as darkness falls, the lily fills the air with heady scent (a mixture of tuberose, banana and pineapple) which is “guaranteed to attract beetle business” apparently. By 8.00 p.m. the beetles are arriving on the easily visible white flowers, and proceed inside for “food, drink and dancing.” I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

The Palm House, originally built in 1877 and restored in 1992 is one of the last of its kind anywhere in the world.

Another glass house, completed in 1989 to celebrate the bicentenary of Australia, houses endangered rainforest plants.

With recent UK court cases in mind, I was slightly amused to walk up Murdoch Avenue, lined by giant fig trees and sponsored by News International – being led up the garden path by the press once again.

There is a Kiosk Café where you can get tea and coffee, sandwiches and cake, a proper cafe, Café Fibonacci, as well as a rather nice restaurant for formal dining.

Free Admission

quackof (contributor)

125 ACRES OF BOTANIC GARDENS………………
A lot of walking, or perhaps just choose what you are interested in.

If you have children, then bring along some bread, because in the centre is the large Lake and the Restaurant or Simpson Cafe, both overlook the lake. I always find it a beaut area to spend some time. We were here in May, and the Autumn leaves were quite lovely.

The International Rose garden is a must see in Summer when over 5,000 roses are in full bloom. January & February is the time to come and see it at its best!
It’s a chance to see Australian bred roses, single roses, heritage roses and pillar roses, Hybrid Tea and Floribunda Roses.

If you are interested in Australian plants, you will find them in the Australian Native Garden. They are quite different to flowers you find in other parts of the world.

The Amazon Waterlily Pavilion is a glass palace for the Victoria amazonica waterlily.
Fairly new as it was built in 2007 to replace the Amazon Waterlily’s original residence, the Victoria House. The original pond from the Victoria House remains as the centrepiece of the new pavilion.
Open 10 – 4pm daily

So you can see, there is plenty to keep you occupied here.
I hope you have a chance at least for a quick look!

mingedakota (contributor)

After visiting the Zoo, why not take the short walk to the Botanic Gardens like I did. NO need to go to the North terrace entrance, instead, follow the pathway along Plane Tree drive which runs alongside the Botanic Park.
You come across the ornate entrance gate to the Botanic gardens, and the lovely historic gate house. This leads along Moreton Bay Fig road, where the massive Moreton Bay figs line each side of the road.

If you want, you can walk straight through the Botanic gardens, and come out at North Terrace.

Another option, is to walk along Plane Tree drive to the Bicentennial Conservatory to see the lush lowland rainforest plants from northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the nearby Pacific Islands.
A lower walkway takes you across the forest floor and an upper walkway into the canopy of trees and palms. Birds, insects and more are here to create a balanced ecology.
It is the largest single span conservatory in the southern hemisphere.
I have been before, so didn’t go on this visit. When I went last time, I thought it was very good.
Remember, it is quite warm inside, because they create humidity for the plants to grow.
FREE ADMISSION

Opening hours….Daily 10am-4pm (5pm during daylight saving).

The Adelaide Botanic gardens are FREE OF CHARGE.

OPEN….Weekdays – 8am…….Weekends & public holidays – 9am
CLOSING TIMES…..December-January – 7pm……February-March – 6.30pm
April – 6pm….May – 5.30pm…June-July – 5pm….August – 5.30pm
September – 6pm……October-November – 6.30pm

Ticketed car parking is available in Plane Tree Drive off Hackney Road.

Free guided walks….Depart from the Visitor Information Centre at Schomburgk Pavilion at 10.30am daily (except Christmas and Good Friday).

muonuk (contributor)

Built as the name suggests to celebrate Australia’s Bicentenary which was in the year 1988.It is the largest single span conservatory in the southern hemisphere. Inside the conservatory are lowland tropical rainforest plants from northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the nearby Pacific Islands. There are two levels to view the plants, a ground floor walkway and a bridge to see above the dense foliage. The whole building is run by a computer that monitors the temperature to keep it at the proper humidity. There are over thousand water nozzles that keep everything suitable damp.

Daily 10:00am — 4:00pm (5:00pm during daylight saving).
For group bookings please contact (61 8) 8222 9311.

Admission:
Adults $4.30
Child/Concession $2.30
Family $10.00
(2 adults and accompanying children under 15 years old)

highlandset (contributor)

A little peace and quiet in the city, I tried to visit every botanic gardens in every Australian city I went to.
Adelaide was great for sculptures, there was one round every corner, plus a few green houses too, ponds, lots of local and national planting and lots of information about the gardens on boards around the place, yo can go and see the huge Victoria water lily in a purpose built green house.
It was established in 1854 on a 41 acre site, they acquired another 84 acres north of the Garden in 1866.
Opening hours
Weekdays 7:15am. Weekends and public holidays 9:00am
Closing times vary throughout the year.
Admission charges apply for the Bicentennial Conservatory, otherwise entry is free.

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shardvenus (contributor)

Adelaide is often referred to as the Festival City because of the disproportionately large number of festivals it has compared to Sydney, Melbourne and other Australian cities. Two of these festivals are held, back to back, at Brighton in the later half of January each year – the Brighton Jetty Beach Sculptures and the Brighton Jetty Classic. The Brighton Jetty Classic is an open water swim while the Sculpture festival (fashioned on similar events at Cottesloe Beach in West Australia and in Sydney – Bondi’s Sculptures by the Sea) is a display of around 80 sculptures, some along the Brighton Esplanade set against the beautiful backdrop of the Gulf St Vincent and the balance within the local Surf Life Saving Club.

As I have attended neither event I do not presume to review them and my comment is by way of introduction to one sculpture, as depicted, which was part of the sculpture festival in 2011. All the sculptures displayed during the festival are new pieces of work and are for sale and this is how the local council acquired this piece, ‘Person Sitting on Bench’, by local artist Ty Manning.

Readers familiar with Australia will be familiar with “Ironmen” – who compete in ‘Ironman’ competitions which, when done at the beach, combine the four main disciplines of surf lifesaving into a single race; swimming, board paddling, ski paddling and running. Well, this is the ultimate Ironman as this person (sex unknown) is made from recycled metal. While I like the overall sculpture I think the addition of the portion of fish and chips on newspaper (all metal, off course) on the persons lap is a nice tie-in with the sculpture’s seaside location. All in all, I feel it meets its aim, as stated on the accompanying plaque, of capturing the simple pleasures of life by the seaside. You judge for yourself.

As you can see from the images attached it was Christmas time and the sculpture was suitably adorned to mark to festive occasion. Someone had also added a hat atop the sculptures metal hat.

When the sculpture was bought there was the usual barrage of complaints that typically accompany the display of public art. Here there was a particular emphasis on how the sculpture had taken up, and thus wasted, half a park bench, denying those in need of a rest a seat. This line of attack quickly died down when complainants were reminded that the park bench was actually part of the sculpture and that, in fact, additional seating was now available for those in need of a rest on the esplanade!

sweepten (contributor)

The Arch of Remembrance has pride of place in Brighton, on the foreshore right in front the jetty. Indeed, it is a grand and formal entrance to the jetty.

Rather different than the standard WWI memorial, this arch (or rather the original one) was designed by J. D. Lyons of Prospect (an Adelaide suburb) who won a competition run by The Town of Brighton and was constructed in 1926 to remember the 114 people (of whom 22 died) from the Brighton area who served in the ‘war to end all wars’ (WWI).

As we all sadly know, WWI didn’t end all wars and two additional bronze laurel wreaths were added to the front of the Arch following WWII with later additions on either side to remember those who served in or died in Malaya (1945 – 1960), Korea (1950 -1954), Borneo (1962 – 1966), Vietnam (1962 – 1973), Malaysia (1964 – 1965), Gulf War (1990-1991), East Timor (1999 – ), Afghanistan (2001 – ) and Gulf War II (2003-2011).

The large central bronze plaque on the front of the Arch is the insignia of the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F), better known as the Australian Army “Rising Sun” Badge.

Those with a good eye for detail will note that the dates recorded (within laurel wreaths on the front of the Arch) for WWI are 1914 to 1919. While WWI officially ended on 11 November 1918, members of the armed forces were not demobbed out of the services until their return to Australia which would not have been until some time in 1919. As such their service to Australia continued until 1919, the date recorded on the Arch.

As intimated above, the arch you see today is a copy of the original 1926 Arch which was damaged in a storm in 1963. My final picture attached was taken (though not by me!) on the day the original Arch was opened in 1926. It is from the resources of the State Library of South Australia. The current Arch was constructed in 1964.

brunocassius (contributor)

Brighton is one of a number of seaside suburbs along the beautiful Gulf St Vincent and a personal favourite of mine, though as all the coastal suburbs differ slightly they are all worth a visit should you have time. Most visitors, being time poor, will opt for one or maybe two stops along the coast.

My reviews on this page and my separate pages on Glenelg and Semaphore will hopefully give you a taste of what lies between Outer Harbor to the north and Brighton to the south of the Lefevre Peninsula – a distance of around 30kms. While it may not be an option for most visitors, cycling along this beautiful white sand beach coastline is the best way to see it.

I digress, back to Brighton.

Pre-European settlement, this area was dominated by large sandhills and long sandy beaches. While the former have made way to roads, houses and other developments, the later remain. Even the original Aboriginal inhabitants of this area, the Kaurna people, enjoyed a paddle in the sea and would visit the area in the summer time.

In 1833 Colonel William Light, first Surveyor-General of the Colony of South Australia and thus responsible for the design/layout of Adelaide generally, surveyed the Brighton area which was assigned to wheat and grape growing before it became a place of retreat for wealthy city professionals. With the advent of the car and railway (which now terminates at Grange, a few kilometres up the coast) the small settlement here grew quickly becoming a popular day trip destination for Adelaideians seeking that famous Aussie tan though, off course, in the early days beach attire was not what it was in the 1960s and later.

Hotels and guest houses soon opened as did shops, cafes and ice cream parlours along Jetty Road. The Roaring 20s was the heyday for Brighton. Art deco, as a form of architecture, reigned supreme in Brighton (as it still does today, to a greater extent than other similar vintage places along Gulf St Vincent). Further advances in cars actually lead to a decline in Brighton’s fortunes for a time while punters headed further afield. In recent years, however, as people have become less time rich there has been a resurgence of interest in Brighton which has duly been tarted up and has again assumed its role as the trendy place to be seen wining, dining and promenading.

In more recent times, the Jetty has also had a facelift, paid for by a local telecommunications company as evidenced by the thinly disguised mobile phone tower on the end of the jetty.

In addition to relaxing by the beach, promenading on the esplanade or visiting a café (the oddly named ‘A café etc’ with it Marilyn Monroe theme on Jetty Road, depicted in picture 3, is one of the more popular cafés here) do have a look at St Jude’s Cemetery – final resting place for many early South Australian pioneers, Sir Douglas Mawson – famous Antarctica explorer and a rather eccentric priest – the Reverend Alexander Macully. While on the Esplanade do take a minute to remember those who have died in various wars and conflicts – you can’t miss Brighton’s very distinctive Arch of Remembrance. For those with more energy to burn, head south for a walk along the cliffs and trails down the coast.

felinechracaig (contributor)

In another review on this page I alluded to the fact that the area around Henley Beach and Grange was formerly highly prized farming land by virtue of the existence of rich alluvial soils. The large expanse of alluvial soil was due to the fact that the Torrens River, until 1934, stopped short of discharging into the sea, being stopped by the bank of sand dunes which runs along this part of the coast. Unable to escape, the river regularly flooded leading to fertile soil in the area.

The increase in roads and buildings in the catchment area in the late 19th and early 20th century made things worse and flooding became more regular.

In 1934 a channel, Breakout Creek, was dredged to let the river freely flow into the sea.

Upstream, about 2kms from the coast, is the Breakout Creek Wetlands constructed (in two stages, 1999 and 2010) to restore the area’s natural habitats and slow the River Torrens down, permitting sedimentation and absorption of nutrients thereby improving water quality before its discharge into the Gulf St Vincent.

Breakout Creek Wetlands now, in addition to providing a home for numerous native plant and animal species, including fish, frogs, birds and invertebrates, is a beautiful area to wander around and enjoy the plants and animals. Birds you might spot here include swamp hens, mallards, cormorants, moor hens, coots, pelicans, herons, egrets, silver gulls and black swans. In my short visit here I saw most of these.

While visiting the Wetlands, don’t miss the the nice arrangement of mosaics on the left river bank, approaching from the coast – see my separate review.

The Torrens Linear Trail (a cycle/walking trail) runs through the Wetlands and it was during a ride along the Trail which runs almost 40kms from the Adelaide Hills foothills to the Coast that I came across the Wetlands. If you approach from Henley Beach it is a short, almost flat, ride by the river (Breakout Creek) along which you will almost certainly see some horses on the riverside agistments. This, as you can see in picture 4 attached, is quite a pretty ride (or walk) providing a nice diversion from the hustle and bustle of the coast, especially on holidays or at the weekend. The Wetlands are about 2 kms in from the coast so, all up, about 4kms from the centre of Henley Beach via the coast and river path.

One word of warning though, do watch out for the monster as you pass under Tapley’s Hill Road (picture 5)!

While not advised, you can get to the Wetlands by walking/riding along the busy and comparatively boring Henley Beach Road ( a couple of kms from Henley Beach) but in so doing you miss half the fun. If driving you will, of course, have to use the road.

idolizeddiva (contributor)

One of the most enduring art forms over the last few thousand years has been that of mosaics, which I simply adore.

I had no idea that these mosaics existed here on Henley Beach Esplanade until I came across one heading north on a bicycle ride along the Esplanade. Then I came across another and then another.

In all, along this Sea Creature Trail, there are thirty beautiful sea-life mosaics, all created by over 80 community members in association with a local arts centre – The Changing Canvas – which, incidentally, runs various types of art workshops and training, should you be interested. For amateur work, these mosaics are of an amazingly high quality made all the more palatable by being set against a beautiful beach and ocean backdrop.

An unexpected, though welcome delay, at the beginning of my bike ride to Outer Harbor. I should add that the mosaics are easily accessible on foot from the jetty heading north along the esplanade towards Grange which itself is only about 20 minutes walk from Henley Beach.

mammarypill (contributor)

Henley Beach (named after Henley-on-Thames in England) is an Adelaide beachside suburb which, as the name suggests has a beach, and an excellent one at that, part of a 30km plus beautiful white sand beach which runs from Outer Harbor south to Brighton and beyond. Henley Beach is one of many seaside resorts on Gulf St Vincent and one of my favourites – genteel yet modern.

The rather well healed surburb, from a visitor perspective, is centred around a small square, Henley Beach Square which is pretty much lined, on three sides, with restaurants. These include Estia, a quality Greek restaurant at which I had lunch – highly recommended (picture 4). Less than fifty metres south on Seaview Road is a branch of Royal Copenhagen Ice Creamery and Dessert Bar – delicious and a firm favourite of mine. Royal Copenhagen ice-cream can also be procured at Brighton, Glenelg, and Semaphore. Alas the Adelaide City store is, like the parrot on Monty Python, is no more.

Talking of eating, which I don’t do a lot in my reviews, I also recently ate at another restaurant in Henley Beach, Evida Café at 269 Seaview Rd (not on the square). While having decent sea views, from its window seats, we had to wait ages for what was overpriced and poor quality food.

Like all the other resorts along the Gulf St Vincent, Henley Beach has a nice jetty – great for a walk and it becomes a welcome refuge (under it) from the sun on a hot day. Sadly gone however, lost in a storm in 1945, is the old Henley Beach Pavilion (picture 5) with its three floors of Devonshire teas, fine music, and ocean views which used to adorn the end of the Jetty.

Also gone is the tramway and railway line which used to connect Henley Beach with the city centre. The train now terminates at Grange about 20 minutes beautiful walk, north along the esplanade. Along this highly recommended walk, just as you leave Henley Beach you will come across some (in fact 30 of them along the way) beautiful mosaics. See my separate review – Mosaics on the Rocks.

A great way to get to Henley Beach is to cycle there from the city centre, around 15kms one way (or from the foothills of the Adelaide Hills – approx 37 kms one way – if you are up to it), along the River Torrens which meets the sea a couple of kilometres south of Henley Beach Square. See my separate review on the River Torrens Linear Trail. If you don’t want to ride back to the City, ride up to Grange Station and take the train which permits bicycles – concession fare during peak times, free in non-peak times.

Henley Beach is a lot quieter and more refined (if I may use that word in a non pretentious way) than Glenelg a little further to the south and has better dining options than Semaphore to the north, but less of historical interest. It’s really a matter of what you are after and even your mood on a particular day – all the resorts along Gulf St Vincent have something different to offer and are very worthy a visit.

americatrees (contributor)

As I indicated in my more general review on Grange, the Grange Land & Investment Company set about developing the village as a seaside resort in the 1870s-80s. In addition to building a hotel and the jetty, the company (or rather an associated company) planned on building 24 three story terrace houses, the Marine Residences, on the esplanade. As it happened only 8, those you can still see today, were built. These three story terraces, extremely rare in Australia, were modeled on similar residences popular in British seaside resorts such as Brighton at the time.

The terraces, designed by architects Bayer and Withall, were built between 1882 and 1883 using stone thought to have been ballast carried by sailing ships. One of the first residents of the “Marines” was Arthur Harvey, joint owner of the Grange Land & Investment Company, who lent out one of his rooms to the Anglican church for services until a church was constructed in 1885.

As you can see from my pictures the terraces are well preserved and retain most of their original features such as a corrugated galvanised iron roof, rendered brick chimneys and beautiful balconies decorated with cast iron balustrades, columns and lace.

These luxurious terraces are sought after homes and rarely change hands. In 2012 it is thought that No 1 (the one originally owned by Arthur Harvey) sold for $2.45million. They cost £1,050 when built in 1883.

siriustoys (contributor)

Grange, formerly a village separate from Adelaide, is now one of a number of seaside suburbs to the north of the city, along the beautiful coast of Gulf St Vincent.

Once one traverses a small amount of vegetated sand dunes one gets to a beautiful white sand beach. Bring your own shade, sunscreen and lots of water. There are ample access points along the esplanade and there is direct access from the small commercial part of Grange by the jetty.

Grange is named after the 1841 cottage of the same name, owned by famous Australian explorer Captain Charles Sturt.

In the 1870s, 380acres of land, owned by Sturt, was secured by speculators Frederick Bucknall and Arthur Harvey.

They, via their Grange Land & Investment Company (later Grange Railway & Investment Company), set about developing Grange as a seaside resort – to that point its rich alluvial soils had only attracted farming folk to the area.

Development as a resort was slow due to lack of reliable transport links with Adelaide.

This soon changed and a horse tram service via Henley Beach commenced in 1882 and a railway service via Woodville commenced in the same year.

The Company also built the Marine Residences (separate review), the jetty (1879) and the hotel.

Significant private development ensued and today Grange is a popular, though quiet and peaceful, resort with sufficient remnants of early streetscape to provide interest in addition to the obvious beach and coastal walk/ride attractions. There are sufficient eating options here and Henely Beach, offering a lot more, is only about 2.5kms walk away – a lovely coastal walk.

Make a day of it and visit both!

An easy excursion from Adelaide. If you have access to a bicycle you can take it here on Adelaide Metro train service which in any event provides the most direct and fastest (25mins) public transport service to Grange from Adelaide Railway Station.

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salmonblue08 (contributor)

This beautiful piece of Victorian street architecture, one of a two, was cast by Handyside and Co in the UK in the late 1800s and was originally located in front of the Jubilee Exhibition Building on North Terrace. The artistry is first class so do have a close look.

In 1908 the fountains were given to the Adelaide City Council by the South Australian Government. One, the larger of the two, is now situated in Creswell Gardens adjacent to the Adelaide Oval. This one, the smaller and better known of the two, was moved around various times until it settled in its present location adjacent to the entrance of the Adelaide Arcade on Rundle Mall, in 1976 when the Mall was officially opened. The Victorian arcade should not be missed – have a look at my separate review – The Adelaide Arcade.

Plans were afoot to once again relocate the fountain in 2012/2013 but public protest thwarted this and the fountain was still outside the Arcade when I last visited in late December 2014. The Mall’s Balls were also saved and, again, were firmly in place, though moved a few metres, when I visited! (See my separate tip –Pigs and the Mall’s Balls before jumping to any conclusions please).

The water flows solely from the top of the fountain in a cascade effect to the central bowl and thence to the ground level basin. Interestingly when the then Premier Don Dunstan officially opened Rundle Mall at this fountain it flowed with champagne.

As you pass by have a look but more importantly have a taste. You never know your luck!

I should warn you though that if you are unlucky and its water that’s flowing, Adelaide’s hard water has a reputation for being the least tasty in Australia though I have never had any problems with it.

While I do not have a photo of it, the fountain looks especially good when lit up at night so if you are staying in the local area do pop into the mall for a look after dark.

nastyhero (contributor)

Rundle Street is Adelaide’s main shopping street, the western and longer part of which is pedestrianised and forms Rundle Mall. It runs parallel to North Terrace where museums, universities, etc are located.

There are number of arcades on the mall and all the major Aussie stores can be found there – David Jones, Myers, Harvey Norman, etc – along with smaller local shops and eateries. About half way along the mall you should visit Regent Arcade – named after an old ex theatre on the corner – a beautiful heritage style interior, with over 30 specialty shops including a good selection of cafe’s and a couple of small antique shops. Next to Regent Arcade is the beautiful Victorian Adelaide Arcade. See my separate review on each of these arcades.

For those with a sweet tooth visit Haigh’s chocolate store at the West (Hindley Street) end of the mall on the intersection with King William Street (Beehive Corner). This is the oldest family-owned chocolate manufacturing retailer in Australia and the chocolates are great. Short guided tours of the factory, situated about 5-10mins drive from the shop, are available – see Haigh’s website for details http://www.haighschocolates.com.au/.

You don’t need to be into shopping to come here. I have included it under things to do, as opposed to shopping tips, as I rarely visit the mall to buy anything. It is very popular at weekends when lots of good buskers descend on it. Half way up, every Christmas, you will find a merry-go-round – always popular with kids.

The mall features a few interesting pieces of street architecture/ adornments which you can read about in my separate review.

A tourist office is located on the mall – a handy spot to find out whats on in town and around Adelaide.

This is the place to go for people into people watching.

hove+bold (contributor)

If you want, after you come out of Rundle Mall, continue across Pulteney street and along Rundle Street East and into the cosmopolitan East End District. More historic buildings, leading designer labels, gifts, home wares, jewellery, camera shop and much more. If you turn into some of the side streets, here you will find some South Australian fashion shops, and perhaps something different to wear back home! There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and wine bars and outdoor alfresco dining.

This end of Rundle street is where the Botanical Gardens, The National Wine Centre and Rymill Park are located. It’ also where festivals or events like the Adelaide Fringe, the Adelaide Festival, Clipsal 500 V8 Car Race, Tour Down Under, East End Jazz Festival and several international Film festivals are held.

prestonvocal (contributor)

Rundle Street used to be a very narrow street, quite a dangerous street for pedestrians, so it was good when it was decided to make it a Mall.
Rundle Mall opened as Australia’s first pedestrian street mall in 1976. Since then, Australia has lots of Mall’s.

Even if you haven’t shopping to do, a walk along the Mall is quite entertaining. People are here everyday of the week, Buskers entertain the crowds, there are fresh fruit and flower stalls where office workers buy by the piece. Plenty of retailers, arcades, boutiques, Banks, ATM Machines and eateries make it a great place for a stroll and to pass time!

The ‘Mall’s Balls,” officially “the Spheres,” is a well known landmark in Rundle Mall and now is used as a meeting place.
These two large stainless steel spheres are balanced one on top of the other. Erected in 1977, they were donated to the City of Adelaide to mark its 1977 centenary.

General trading hours are….Monday – Thursday up to 7pm
Friday 9am – 9pm …Saturday 9am – 5pm …Sunday 11am – 5pm
Different shops may have different opening and closing times.

kieldervacuous (contributor)

This large mural on the corner of Frome Street and Rundle Street was first painted in the 80’s and then was redone, with several artistes contributing to it to give a sightly new futuristic theme in the 1998. Carol Ruff and Barbary O’Brien painted the original mural in 1984. The theme of the piece was the link between the older and younger generation through play. The new version includes symbol-isms of Adelaide heritage such as the Mt Lofty towers and up dated graffitied canvas school bags that so many Adelaide’s school kids use. In the newer version the old man’s ice cream has melted to show there has been a space of time.

I was sixteen when the first mural was painted and I always enjoyed seeing it. It was a reminder of that time in my life. As I got older it remained the same except it had faded a little. When it was painted over in 1998 I was very disappointed and felt a loss but today the 1998 version has taken it place and again has become something special to me. I not only enjoy the present mural but also remember what lays beneath it.

traligillcashew (contributor)

Adelaide’s Rundle Mall is famous for its street architecture which began with what is known locally as the Mall’s Balls.

The 4m tall structure, erected in 1977 and officially entitled ‘The Spheres’ by Bert Flugelman, consists of two large stainless steel spheres with a diameter of 2.15 metres, balanced one on top of the other. This is a popular meeting space so if someone tells you to meet them at the Balls in the Mall you will know what they mean.

Other street adornments include:

A bronze sculpture of a group of life-sized pigs, officially known as ‘A Day Out’ by Marguerite Derricourt . The four pigs – Truffles (the standing pig), Horatio (the sitting pig), Oliver (the pig at the bin) and Augusta (the trotting pig) – are depicted in lively poses as if they were walking in the street, greeting shoppers, and sniffing out a bargain – be careful you don’t trip over the bloody things! The pigs arrived in 1999 and I can’t help suspecting that they were inspired by a set of sheep in altogether more compromising positions located in the centre of Canberra and which have been around somewhat longer.

The ‘Girl on a Slide’ sculpture by John Dowie. A much smaller sculpture of exactly as the title suggests. Installed in 1997 as a small discovery piece – the idea being that you come across it by accident.

Santa Claus – by wabat. Only appears at a certain time of year .

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 Cleland SA 5152, Australia +61 8 8278 5477 Website 12am – 11:59pm Adelaide Campervan Hire

cutsgom (contributor)

With only a few exceptions, and this is not one, I am personally not a fan for zoos or small wildlife parks. That said visitors to Australia and children in particular will enjoy this park.

An “open zoo” within Cleland Conservation Park and close to the summit of Mount Lofty.

The aim of the park is to let you get up close to native Australia animals. The park has 35 hectares of open bushland habitat where visitors can interact with Australian wildlife. Having entered the park and armed yourself with a bag of animal feed (fee in addition to the park entrance fee) you are pretty much free to wander around at will among the safer of the animals – kangaroos, lorikeets, emus, wallabies etc. Less safe ones (and the more reserved) are available for inspection in their enclosures – including nocturnal animals such as bilbies and bats, as well as venomous snakes and native lizards.

Onsite facilities include a café, gift shop and free bbq’s. Picnics are permitted.

Koalas – the parks additional money spinner

Photo holding Koala – A$30 (in addition to entrance fee). Daily “holding” sessions including professional photo run between 2pm – 3.15pm. An additional session is available on Sundays and public holidays between 11am – 11.45pm.

General Koala “close-up” sessions are included as part of the entry fee and occur twice daily between 11am – 12pm and 2pm – 4pm – take your own photos.

If temperatures rise to 32 degrees C – koalas are not on show.

Opening times

Open daily (except Christmas Day) from 9:30am – 5pm.

Admission fee

Adults: A$20
Concessions: A$16
Children: A$10
Family: A$50

Discounted admission fee – Cleland has a voucher in the Adelaide version of the Entertainment Book for 25% off entry prices and RAA members receive a 10% discount.

Access – via car or bus

By Car – from the city (20-30mins) take Glen Osmond Road to the South Eastern Freeway, take the Crafers turn off and head up Mount Lofty Summit Road, travelling past the Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens and then turn left and continuing until park is reached.

By Bus – Adelaide bus(route number 823 from Crafters Ramp (stop 24/24A) noting very limited service for this bus). A number of buses from city stop at Crafters ramp eg 840, 860, 863 and 864. Refer http://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/ for route details.Allow an hour with a carefully timed connection – best connections with 864/864F for which, I understand, it waits. If necessary.

chloevomit (contributor)

When in Adelaide the majority of visitors want to get up close to Australias local wild life..well here at the CLELAND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY this is a place where you can pat a Kangaroo or a koala..great photo opportunities to be photographed up close with all animals..There are daily keeper talks on various wildlife..There are Koala closeups and hands on..11.00 AM to 12 noon daily also at 2 00 PM till 4.00 PM daily..walk amongst many different kangaroo and wallaby species even rare rock wallabies..walk in bird aviaries..just walk slowly and quietly for best photo results..
open daily from 9.30AM till 5.00 PM except Xmas day..

treedango (contributor)

I visited Cleland Wildlife Park a few days into my visit to Australia in April 2006. I was taken there by a couple of locals after telling them that I had never seen a kangaroo!

This wildlife park is located near Mount Lofty Summit, about a 20 minute drive from Adelaide, and is a great place to get up close to the native animals.

Upon entering the park, you can purchase bags of animal feed with which to feed the various animals in the park. You are free to wander around at your leisure and to get right up close to the animals. Having kangaroos, wallabies and emus eating from my hand is an experience that will live with me forever.

The animals that you can see at the park include:

Western Grey Kangaroos;
Yellow-footed Rock Wallabies;
Red Kangaroos;
Tasmanian Devils;
Dingoes;
Koalas;
Emus;
Potoroos;
Bandicoots;
Bettongs;
Cape Barren Geese;
Dama Wallabies;
Kangaroo Island Kangaroos;
Swamp Wallabies;
Wombats.

There is also an “Ocean to Outback” house which houses a selection of snakes, lizards, small mammals and insects.

At certain times of day you can watch the animals being fed (that is, those animals that you can’t feed yourself). Feeding times are as follows:

Lorikeets: 12:30pm
Tasmanian Devils: 2:00pm
Dingoes: 2:30pm
Swamp aviary birds: 2:45pm
Pelicans/waterbirds: 3:00pm
Bush birds: 3:15pm
Snakes/reptiles: 1:30pm (Sundays only)

You can have your photograph taken while holding a koala for a cost of 12 AUD.

Opening times

Open daily (except Christmas Day) from 9:30am – 5pm. No entry after 4:30pm.

Entrance fees

Adults: 13.50 AUD
Concessions: 11 AUD
Children: 8 AUD
Family: 36.50 AUD

rocky08 (contributor)

The views from up at the lookout are wonderful. Seriously wonderful. There are suit with all age, you can take you family to acknowledge how beautiful the natural are!
There is a restaurant and souvenir shop. You can feed and close with lovely animal, and also you can hold koala for once in your life before you go back to your country…

jirryclark (contributor)

These beautiful parkland’s are situated just 12km from the city center and offer magnificent views of Mt Lofty and the scenic Waterfall Gully. Highlights are the new Ocean to Outback Interpretive Center which is an interactive journey through South Australia’s diverse landscapes. There are daily animal feeding presentations, koala close up and handling sessions and 90 minute guided nocturnal wildlife tours.

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tartcodes (contributor)

Victoria Square is in the centre of Adelaide’s one square mile grid and part of Colonel William Light’s blueprint for the new City of Adelaide in the mid 1830s. If you venture away from North Terrace and Rundle Mall you will come across it as thousands of locals do on a daily basis as city workers and commuters.

While the square has a number of interesting statues, a fountain and some of Adelaide’s grandest buildings – including the General Post Office, Courts of three levels, the (former) Treasury and the Cathedral Church of St Francis Xavier – surrounding it, I have never been able to warm to it, as I do to squares and small parks in other towns and cities. Far from being able to relax here, I get restless and want to move on. It’s too planned for my liking.

As such I recommend it as a place to visit to see other things rather than an attraction in itself or a place to linger.

In an attempt to make it more palatable as an attraction in itself, over the years the square has gone through a number of refurbishments – most recently in 2013 when things (the Three Rivers Fountain and the Statue of Queen Victoria) were moved around a bit, new grass/paving laid, a new road constructed through the centre, etc. Despite these works, it remains a busy traffic intersection (and a stop for the Glenleg tram – this is a positive, actually) and it still lacks sufficient shade – until newly planted tree grow- ambiance and warmth (of the non heat variety). On a positive note, following the 2013 refurbishment, it does have a nice suite of toilets and undesirable drunks that used to congregate here have been moved on making it feel much safer.

The square has be laid out in such a way that it can accommodate, and it does accommodate, large cultural events (such New Years eve celebrations) and public meetings.

It actually has two official names, Victoria Square and Tarndanyangga.

It was named Victoria Square on 23 May 1837 (a year after the proclamation of the Colony of South Australia) after Princess Victoria, then heir presumptive to the British throne. Victoria became Queen less than a month later.

Prior to European settlement the area was known as Tarndanyangga (“The Dreaming Place of the Red Kangaroo”) and the square, then a dusty, treeless paddock, was a central meeting place used by the local Kaurna Aboriginal people. In recognition of this, from 2002 the square was formally granted its second official name, Tarndanyangga, by the City Council.

On 12 July 1971, the red, black and yellow Aboriginal flag was flown for the first time – in Victoria Square – in support of land rights for Aboriginal people. Since 2002 it has flown permanently alongside the Australian flag in the centre of the Square.

My photos attached attempt to depict the square as a whole. I have written separate reviews, on this page, on the statues and the fountain within the square and on some of the buildings around the square.

ascendbumf (contributor)

I should state upfront, lest people who have visited this fountain prior to 2014 think I have lost my sense of direction, that this fountain is at the southern end of Victoria Square and not the northern end, having been moved in a 2013-14 redevelopment of the square.

To commemorate the visit of Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh in 1963 the local council decided to build a fountain. After much debate local artist and prolific sculptor, John Dowie, was engaged to design a fountain worthy of their Royal Highnesses.

In describing his fountain in the Advertiser newspaper on 22 February 1967 Dowie said:

“‘It’s an ancient tradition for fountains to honour the gods of the rivers that feed it. We have no river gods, but the water feeding this fountain will come from the Murray, the Onkaparinga and the Torrens and I decided to make it symbolic of this’. The rivers are represented by human figures and birds: ‘I made the two lesser rivers female figures (a woman and a black swan for the Torrens and a woman with a heron for the Onkaparinga). These are the cultivated areas, so I made the women European. But the old substantial Murray is male and had to be Aboriginal’. The Aboriginal man holds an ibis.”

While I quite like the granite and aluminum fountain and think that it adds substantially to the ambiance of the Square, Prince Philip, when he switched the fountain on during a subsequent visit to Adelaide on 28 May 1968 was not so sure. He commented:

‘although there is not material advantage in having a fountain, it will give future citizens a great deal of pleasure, and no doubt a great deal to argue about’.

and later reputedly referred to it as a ‘monstrosity’ – a the view shared by the council gardener at the time.

evasivekorki (contributor)

The subject of this statue requires no introduction. It is Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 to 1901, Empress of India from 1876 and Queen of her dominions, including the Australian colonies, from various dates to 1901.

This statue of Queen Victoria, which takes pride of place in the centre of Victoria Square, named after her while she was still Princess Victoria, was chosen by South Australian brewer, parliamentarian and philanthropist Sir Edwin Thomas Smith while on a visit to England in 1893. This statue, by English sculptor Charles Bell Birch, is a replica of one in the entrance hall of the Imperial Institute in London at the time. Both were based on the design of one Birch had earlier produced for the Maharajah of ‘Oodeypore’ [Udaipur] in 1889. While the Adelaide one was cast in London it incorporates copper from Wallaroo Mine in South Australia.

The statue was unveiled at 4pm on Saturday, 11 August 1894, a time carefully chosen by Smith to permit attendance by the largest crowd possible yet not clash with the football or racing of which he was also very fond.

The statue is very simply inscribed ‘Victoria R.I.’

Readers familiar with the current British Queen’s ‘signature’, Elizabeth R, may wonder why Victoria had an additional I appended. R.I stands for Regina Imperatrix meaning Queen Empress. The latter signified Victoria’s role as Empress of India, a title which the current Queen, Queen Elizabeth does not have. Victoria’s official title from 1 May 1876 to her death on 22 January 1901 was ‘Her Imperial Majesty, The Queen-Empress Victoria’.

On Victoria’s death the statue was draped in black as a sign of mourning. My final picture attached, courtesy of the State Library of South Australia, depicts the statue in its mourning drapery on the day of the Queen’s funeral.

While I indicated earlier that the statue was in the centre of the square it is actually slightly off centre, to the south, though the average observer would not notice. It was moved from its former exact central position in 2013-14 to make way for the road which now crosses the square, built as part of a major redevelopment of the square at that time. The re-positioning of Queen Victoria caused much amusing Council debate. When two councillors proposed that the statue be relocated to the northern end of the square, facing up King William Street towards the Town Hall (on the face of it a very plausible suggestion), the mayor protested and said it would be “farcical beyond belief” and “completely undignified” if people in the square only ever saw Queen Victoria’s “derriere”.

As it is now, your positioning in the northern or southern part of the square will determine whether or not you sight Her Majesty’s ‘derriere’.

cynicaljubilant (contributor)

This rather pompous looking statue is of Charles Cameron Kingston somewhat detracts from his achievements and lifestyle which were anything other than highbrow or pompous in nature.

I must say that on first seeing this statue I had not heard of Kingston and wasn’t going to bother writing a review. I make a point of not writing reviews on statues unless the subject is well known (to me at least!) or unless there is an interesting story to tell. With Kingston, having now read up on him, it is the latter. Do let me tell you about this interesting man.

Kingston, a barrister by profession, was elected to the South Australian parliament in 1881 where he served as attorney-general three times and as State Premier from 1893 to 1899.

It was under Kingston that, in 1894, South Australian women became the first in the world to win the right to vote and to stand for Parliament. In the same year registered trade unions won the right to enter legally enforceable industrial agreements with employers, on behalf of their members.

Kingston, a keen supporter of the federation of the Australian colonies, assisted in the drafting of the Australian Constitution and helped get it through the British Parliament. Having secured federation in the form of the Commonwealth of Australia, Kingston displayed his colours (this time in the Federal Parliament – in Melbourne before it moved to the Capital, Canberra) as a staunch nationalist. He pursued strong protectionist policies for Australia and set up a crippling tariff system. He was also a ardent supporter of the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 – the infamous White Australia Policy – something which remained contentious for many decades thereafter.

Kingston, who the Advertiser newpaper in 1916 christened ‘the declared foe of all class privilege’ was not averse to a bit of scandal which left him shunned from polite society but popular with the masses.

In 1873 he almost had his application for admission to the Bar refused when a brother of Lucy May McCarthy, unsuccessfully, objected on the ground that Kingston had seduced Lucy. Kingston married Lucy later in the same year though was subsequently not averse to the favours of other ladies.

In 1892, just before becoming State Premier, he was named as co-respondent in a society divorce and was arrested in Victoria Square for when he turned up with a loaded pistol for a duel with a member of the Legislative Council who had denounced him as a ‘coward, a bully and a disgrace to the legal profession’. Well who wouldn’t?

He was also the subject of assault on two occasions though in both instances his counter attack proved superior to that of his assailant. One of these attacks took place, again in Victoria Square, in 1895 when the Adelaide Manager of the South Australia Co. whom he had allegedly insulted, took to him and drew blood with a riding whip. Kingston wrested to whip from his assailant and returned the favour and later told the press: ‘Who can now say that I have not shed my blood for South Australia? “What a pity”, my capitalistic friends will say, “that there was not more of it”’.

Kingston was, when it suited him which was often, vindictive, rude, intemperate, obstinate and more. A senior official in the Colonial office referred to him, in 1896, as ‘perhaps the most quarrelsome man alive’ while the State Governor, the Earl of Kintore, in a private letter to the head of the Colonial Office cautioned that ‘in dealing with Kingston you are dealing with an able but absolutely unscrupulous man. His character is of the worst; he is black hearted and entirely disloyal’. Charming.

Kingston died in 1908.

It is rather touching, don’t you think, that Victoria Square – the venue of some of his more colourful escapades – was selected as the location for his memorial? Incidentally, where he now, in bronze, stands atop his marble and granite pedestal, he looks down Groote Street to his former, working class, constituency of West Adelaide.

The statue was designed by British sculptor Alfred Drury and cast in London. It was unveiled on 26 May 1916 with speeches referring to Kingston’s role as a patriot and statesman. No mention was made of some of Kingston rougher edges or his preference for the dueling pistol over the ceremonial sword which he now carries while, most inappropriately given his hated of privilege and the fact that he had refused a knighthood, dressed in the attire of a privy councillor . The reason for the attire is that Kingston was, in fact, a privy councillor.

Around the base of the pedestal are a number of bronze reliefs two of which depict important events in his political career while the third depicts his father, Sir George Strickland Kingston, also a politician and the first Speaker of South Australia’s House of Assembly.

I trust I have managed to portray a little of the flavour of this colourful gent such that perchance you come across him in Adelaide you will not pass by in ignorance.

mournejam (contributor)

With a name like John McDouall Stuart it will come as no surprise to my reader that this chap was of Scottish extraction. He was, indeed, born in Scotland in 1815 and emigrated to Australia and Adelaide in January 1839.

A surveyor by trade, Stuart got a taste for exploration on Captain Charles Sturt’s 1844-45 expedition and subsequently undertook six major inland expeditions of his own. Stuart’s primary focus from 1860 onwards was to cross Australia from south to north – a task that I found arduous enough when I did a similar trip nearly 150 years later using a combination of luxury train and air conditioned four wheel drive vehicle.

On his first attempt in 1860, Stuart made it to the centre of the continent only to be turned back by Warumunga people at a place now called Attack Creek. A second attempt a year later also failed.

On his third attempt, which he commenced on 25 October 1861, he succeeded in reaching the Indian Ocean sightly to the east of modern day Darwin, getting there on 24 July 1862. This journey, however, exerted a great health toll on Stuart who was, for the final five weeks of the return trip to Adelaide, carried on a stretcher, having succumbed to the severe bout of scurvy. Stuart, shortly after this trip returned to the United Kingdom where he died in London on 5 June 1866.

The simple inscription on this stature of Stuart refers to this third successful trip:

John McDouall Stuart
Explorer
Adelaide to Indian Ocean 1861-62

This Italian (Carrara) marble statue of the explorer was jointly funded by the Royal Caledonian Society and the State Government. It was designed by William Maxwell though, dying in 1903, he did not see the final statute unveiled in Victoria Square on 4 June 1904.

Though hard to make out from my pictures, the New South Wales trachyte pedestal features a globe showing Australia and, on it, the epic route across the continent taken by Stuart.

Sadly, the unveiling of the statue was marred by controversy as none of the four surviving members of Stuart’s final expedition attended the ceremony, in protest against Maxwell’s design. They argued that the statue bore no resemblance to Stuart and was a mere artistic representation and ‘for the public and posterity we would like Stuart to appear as the typical bushman he undoubtedly was’. They were equally, if not more, upset that the names of the nine members of Stuart’s party were relegated to appear on the side of the memorial as opposed to the front.

The 2,834km long Stuart Highway, which today connects Adelaide (or more correctly Port Augusta) and Darwin, is an enduring memory to Stuart and approximates the actual route he took on his epic journey.

My final picture is a 1904 photograph of the unveiling of the statue, courtesy of the Royal Caledonian Society.

muffledboy (contributor)

A walk in Victoria square is a very pleasant way to spend some time.
As I walked around, I found quite a few statues of famous people. Located in the centre of the square, with traffic and pedestrians whizzing past her, was Queen Victoria. The square was actually named after Princess Victoria on 23 May 1837. Less than a month later the King died and Princess Victoria became Queen.
I noticed the statues were located on the corners of the square. A few I saw were Right Hon. C.C. Kingston, a Statesman who was born in S.A. His statue was built in 1916 with public money.

The famous Australian Explorer, Captain Charles Sturt was standing on a marble pedestal with his hand up to his face, looking into the sun. This was also paid for by the public in 1916.

John McDouall Stuart, another great Australian Explorer, has a statue that was erected in 1904. This was a little different, as it was white, instead of bronze.

My last statue was of an important person I had ready many times about when researching S.A.
He was Sir George Strickland Kingston.

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