17-MAY-2016
Easier pathway for hiking
On our way back to the car park, the path is wider & more even. We're in the Alligator
Gorge where we were in yesterday's photo.(see Next)
17-MAY-2016
Alligator Gorge hiking and camping area
There is a spectacular walk through Alligator Gorge to The Narrows, the point
at which the walls of the gorge are closest to each other. The trail loops back
to the start via Blue Gum Flat picnic area. Mount Remarkable National Park
is home to a mosaic of diverse habitats with arid zone plants and animals
mixing with species from more temperate regions.
Bordering on the Mount Remarkable National Park the beautiful Alligator Gorge is
a 10-minute drive from Wilmington.
[Wiki]
Here you see Dick walking ahead of me and our friend Trev ahead of Dick.
Our other friends
opted out of the hike as both have heart problems.
17-MAY-2016
A northern hotel-motel
Wilmington is a town in the Mid North region of South Australia. The town is located in the District Council of Mount Remarkable local government area,
305 ks (190 mi) north of the state capital, Adelaide. At the 2006 census, Wilmington had a population of 220.
Originally named "Beautiful Valley", Wilmington is a farming community, known for sheep, wheat and barley,
but more recently the temperature conditions and rainfall have contributed to the increasing popularity of the planting of olive groves.
Wilmington is a popular place to stay due to its proximity to the tourist areas of the Flinders Ranges, most notably Wilpena Pound. It was established as a stop over route
for grain and wool being delivered by horse and cart from Port Augusta on its way to Adelaide.
The historic Wilmington Coaching Stables on Fourth Street survive and are listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.
[Wiki]
Our impression was that although this was a pretty area, this town hadn't fared as well as Orroroo where we had lunch.
We just stopped for a drink before driving the last leg of the daily jaunt.
17-MAY-2016
Gumtree Cafe or Take-away
Prior to European settlement, Orroroo was the home of the Ngadjuri Aboriginal people whose domain was the area to the east of the Flinders Rangers.
The name Orroroo is believed to have Aboriginal origins, but the true meaning of the word is uncertain. The name was first used by an early pioneer
who conducted a nearby coaching house which served travellers on the Burra-Blinman track.
In 1844, the first Europeans to settle, John and James Chambers, took up the Pekina Run which covered 320 square miles.
They did not receive a millimetre of rain during the 17 months that they lived there. As a result of this drought, they sold the Pekina Run for £30.
Orroroo is the service centre for a predominantly farming community with the main products being wheat, sheep, cattle, pigs and a kangaroo processor.
A local curiosity is nearby called "Magnetic Hill", which is a gravity hill optical illusion.
[Wiki]
We stopped here for a bite of lunch, attracted by the offer of free Wifi.
17-MAY-2016
Under the shade of the mallee
A typical sight when one leaves the cities and towns are the mallee trees, they
cast a different shadow as you can see in this image. Our friends are waiting
for us to finish looking at the old church.
17-MAY-2016
St. Catherine's, Pekina
With the large number of Irish settlers in the Pekina area, St Patrick Day was celebrated each year. In 1879 there was a procession,
started in front of St Catherine's Church, winding its way to M. Clark's paddock where a picnic was held catered for by J.R. Opie. This was followed
by a ball at the Pekina Hotel where the dancing was kept up until the early hours. Proceeds of the day went towards the purchasing of a bell for the church.
The foundation stone of the Pekina St. Catherine Catholic church was laid on 6 October 1875. It was looked after by Father Nevin from Port Augusta
who took up permanent residence in Pekina in 1876. From 1881 Father James Maher, who was consecrated Bishop in 1896 remained at Pekina for the next
twenty-four years until his death on 20 December 1905.
Several of the early settlers and some of the clergy are buried at the local cemetery.
notes from Flinders Ranges Research.
We thought the church looked a lot neater than the last time we came here, maybe it
is still in operation!
17-MAY-2016
Abandoned home
Just one of many in this area... the fact that this one is looking so good must
reflect on the original owner and his building skills. Notice the self-seeded pepper
trees commonly grown throughout the warmer areas of the state.
17-MAY-2016
Ghost Town of the north
European settlement in the Pekina district began in earnest in 1846 when Price Maurice brought
3000 sheep to the district. The Pekina station, "one of the most profitable sheep runs" in
South Australia, became a stopping-point for coaches on the run between Blinman and Burra.
In 1871, the station was resumed and broken up for closer settlement. The region was settled
by German and especially Irish migrant farmers. Problems with drought, rust and locusts in
the 1880s meant the town grew slowly with only around 75 residents at the beginning of the 20th century.
Pekina's Irish Roman Catholic heritage has seen the district nicknamed "Vatican Valley".
[Wiki]
Its a town on a road that passes through, if you blink you would miss it. We called in because
one of our friend's parents lived there many many years ago.
17-MAY-2016
Flinders Mobile Library
Mobile library providing public library services to Mount Remarkable, Northern Areas
and Port Pirie Council areas visiting the following towns fortnightly:
Appila, Booleroo Centre, Georgetown, Gladstone, Gulnare, Koolunga, Laura, Melrose,
Murraytown, Napperby, Port Germein, Redhill, Spalding, Wilmington, Wirrabara, Yacka.
A pity the Geotag isn't working or I could show you where these little towns were.
A fortnightly visit when the library parks in the main street of Melrose. Flinders refers to the
Flinders Ranges area, north of the city of Adelaide, South Australia.
I posted this particular photo for my dear friend Laine who is going through a difficult
time right now.
16-MAY-2016
Working in the paddock
I nearly missed catching the man working because he turned off the motor not long after this photo
was taken... I was hoping he was going to loop around and come back towards me,
but no luck there. Had no time to set up the Canon, just grabbed the Lumix.
16-MAY-2016
Trees in a paddock
Photo taken on our "mystery tour" on a dirt road near Melrose. It was mid-to-late afternoon
and the light was delightful and so was the weather... we were so lucky to have warm
dry days for our short holiday in the area.
16-MAY-2016
Sheep on the hillside
Showing John how our sheep look here in Oz. Taken on our "Mystery Tour" the first
full day of our short holiday here in Melrose.