Murry Princess Cruise days Two & Three

The Murray Princess under power at Walker Flat.

Some of the Cliffs that the Murray River flows past.

The Murray Princess at Craigmoor

The Murry Princess in the early morning light at Craigmoor

The captain dressed up for the cold, stears the boat from the docking station in the fog

Murray Princess – Days Two and Three.

With the clocks back half an hour on NSW time, I was no surprise that I was up at 4.45am and ready to start taking photos. A heavy fog had enclosed the boat and visibility was restricted to less that 50 metres. I dressed and went ashore, the only silly person on board except for the night watchman. I set up the camera and took a series of photographs of the Murray Princess as daylight tried to penetrate the fog. I had to be back on board by 7.15am ready for a 7.30am departure.

We left on time but visibility had decreased even further and to steer the boat. It was controlled from outside the bridge or wheelhouse using the docking controls This way we were able to see the river bank but very little else. The captain was totally rugged up and it could have been a terrorist at the wheel. By 9.00am we had reached the Port or Town of Murray Bridge and tied up on the north side of the bridge. The princess was too high to clear below the bridge.

Murray Bridge was known as Edwards Crossing up to the time the bridge was built in 1879. This was the first bridge built to cross the Murray River in South Australia and the place became known as Murray Bridge. After tying up, we went ashore for a short bus tour of the town. Leaving the bus at the shopping centre, we walked back to the boat via the main street. Before dropping down to the river we visited the Round House, built in 1876 as a residence for the manager in charge of building the bridge and at the approach of the bridge. From there we walked on to the bridge to get photographs of the Murray Princess. We were back on board by 11.30am and well underway by the time lunch had been served. The afternoon was spent leisurely cruising back upstream past Mannum to our overnight stop at Craignook where we arrived under flood lights from the paddle boat at 7.30pm. The river gums looked spectacular under the flood lights with the dark night background.

The Sunday morning sleep-in allowed me to stay in bed a bit longer this morning but I still managed to beat the sun up and take shots of the boat at its mooring. There was also a colourful sunrise but not as good as some we have had. Today there was no fog but the weather was still cold. After breakfast we started on a bush walk buy Coba turned around about 200 metres after leaving the boat saying it was too cold to be out walking. I continued on but the photography subjects were poor and lacking. I returned to the boat as they were about to bring in the gangway.

It was a couple of hours run up to Walker Flat where we turned around and started back towards Mannum. Around 3.00pm we arrived at our camping spot for the night and were meet by the “Dragonfly” a small boat that takes 20 people for a nature trip of about 20 minutes. Then it was back to the Princess for nibbles and drinks before dinner which was served at 7.00pm. Tomorrow morning it is back to Mannum where we will disembark at around 9.00am and all go our own way.

Return to South Australia

Reflections - A Black Duck at MurrayBridge Wetlands

Murray Bridge - First Bridge across the Murray River in 1879

The Murray Princess at Murray Bridge

The Murray Princess under lights tied up at Mundurra SA

Return to South Australia

It was 5.00am on Thursday morning the 20^th May 2010 when the alarm went off. It was time for a quick shower and to put the luggage in the car and head for Newcastle where we were leaving our vehicle. From there it was a three hour train ride to Sydney airport where we caught our flight back to Adelaide arriving at 2.30pm. We had just spent six days at home so I could go to work for three days. Our lifestyle is to travel in our car and caravan and come home once a month to work for three days and then return to the car and caravan to continue our travels.

After paying the car parking fees at Adelaide Airport, we set the GPS for Murray Bridge and drove around the southern edge of the city into the Adelaide Hills. We could not resist the opportunity to leave the expressway and detour through Hahndorf. It was just over a week since we were here and the trees had almost lost all their autumn leaves and the autumn tones that had been there, were now dead leaves on the ground, the colour drained from them. From there we followed the back road to Mt Barker where we rejoined the expressway. Arriving in Murray Bridge we booked into a motel for the night before a quick drive around the place and a visit to the Bunyip down beside the river. Dinner that evening was at the Riverview Hotel as the motel did not have a restaurant.

Next morning we had to repack our suitcase for the river boat trip before leaving the motel. Then it was back into town for some supplies and breakfast. Leaving town, we stopped at the Murray Bridge wetlands to check on the bird life and photograph a couple of the birds before heading north to Mannum. After lunching in Mannum, we spent some time walking down town and tracking back along the river to where we had left our car. This gave me some more opportunities for photographs.

At 2.30 pm we boarded the Paddle Boat “Murray Princess” and were shown to our cabin before we did an exploratory tour of the boat. After drinks in the lounge, we left the wharf at 4.30 and, driven by the large paddle wheel, powered out into the Murray River heading downstream. The sunset was again spectacular. Dinner was served at 6.30pm in the main dining room and at the same time we pulled into the river bank for the night at a place called Mundurra. The crew lit a fire using Malley Roots and after the meal people were invited ashore to share the fire. Leaving Coba in the cabin with a book, I went ashore with my favourite toy, my camera, and captured the Murray Princess under lights at night. She is a wonderful sight when she is lit up like a Christmas tree.

The Fleurieu Peninsula - Nothern Section

The beach at Horseshoe bay - Port Elliott.

One of the parks in Goolwa in South Australia.

The Hindmarsh Island Bridge at Goolwa.

Heidi Ing in the underground wine cellar of the historic Victory Hotel.

Fleurieu Peninsula – Northern Section.

Thursday the 13^th May 2010 and our last full day at “The Links” resort. We took the opportunity to visit the northern section of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Our first stop was McLaren Vale, an area very similar to the Branxton vineyard region of the Hunter Valley. After coffee at one of the Coffee Houses, it was on to Goolaw on the Southern shoreline. This is the point where the Famous Hindmarsh Island Bridge has been constructed to access Hindmarsh Island at the mouth of the Murray River. This was the bridge that was embroiled in controversy involving Secret Women’s Business with local aboriginal people.

From Goolwa it was down to Port Elliot and Victor Harbour. We then crossed the Peninsula to Yankalilla just north of Normanville where we were staying.

This evening we had arranged to meet with Heidi Ing for dinner at the Historic Victory Hotel which overlooks Aldinga Bay and the settlements of Sellicks Beach and Aldinga Beach. This hotel has an underground cellar and when you purchase a bottle of red wine you go down into the cellar and select the bottle that you want. Prices start with bottles for several hundred dollars and go down to twenty five dollars. You then take it up to the bar, pay for it, and they open and decant it for you. Heidi is doing the Janz family history for the family that arrived in Adelaide in the 1870’s and I am descended from the family line that set up their new home in Mackay in North Queensland. We are comparing notes and trying to tie the two families together. We believe that there is a tie there but to date we have not been able to find it. The information has come down through the line of descendents verbally but we are hoping to find documentation to confirm it.

Tomorrow we fly back to Singleton for a few days before returning to Adelaide next week to pick up our car and caravan to continue our trip.

Victor Harbour - South Australia

The One Horsepower Tram with Clysdale Power at Victor Harbour.

The Anchorage in Victor Harbour.

The Grosvenor Hotel in Victor Harbour.

The Whale Tail Fountain at Victor Harbour.

An old disused bridge at Glacier Rock west of Victor Harbour

Victor Harbour

It can be said that in South Australia all roads lead to Adelaide. It can also be said that those roads that do not lead to Adelaide lead to Victor Harbour. Driving around the Fleurieu Peninsula all road intersections have Adelaide one way and Victor Harbour the other.

Victor Harbour is on the southern coastline and the shore line of The Great Southern Ocean. Rocky Islands help to protect the coast line in this area from the large waves that come up from Antarctica. It is a popular summer holiday destination for South Australians. It is also the end of the rail line but I do not know if it is still in service. A tramline runs out along an old wooden jetty type bridge to Granite Island where there is a colony of Little Penguins. This tram is powered by a one horsepower Clydesdale, a truly reliable form of power for this tram. Southern Right Wales visit Encounter Bay which was named by Matthew Flinders in the “Investigator” after encountering French explorer Nicholas Baudin there. Whales are a focal point of the town with a whale centre to teach people about these large mammals. There is also a Whale Tail fountain in the park opposite. Leaving Victor Harbour we stopped at a place called Glacier Rock where there was an abundance of bird life.

Hahndorf - South Australia

Elm and Plain Trees line the road through Hahndorf.
Falling Autumn leaves make a carpet of colour

An old buckboard stands in the garden of a home in Hahndorf

The Old Mill in Hahndorf, now the front for a Motel

The German Arms Hotel in Hahndorf.

An old home in the main Street of Hahndorf

The Old Buckboard - Hahndorf.

Yours truly in an old german chair in Hahndorf

Hahndorf

I have always heard people talk highly about the old German town of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills. Today was the day we were to check the place out and we were not disappointed. Hahndorf tourist area is basically one long street which was formally the Princess Highway before the new expressway went it bypassing this community. It has not stopped the traffic from coming as it is one of the most popular tourist stops in South Australia as well as being a South Australian State Heritage Area. The 100 year old Elm and Plane trees lining the main street were dressed in their brilliant autumn colours for our visit and the falling leaves form a carpet of many shades where they had fallen. Light showers of misty rain which took turns with bright patches of sun to create the weather pattern for today, helped bring out the colours of autumn. Relics of the past were common site around the town which is proud of its German heritage. Many of the buildings are over 150 years old and are still in use today. We lunched on German food at one of the hotels that still cook and serve meals in the German tradition. One of the favourite sons of the town was Hans Heysen, a painter who made his name by painting bush scenery in South Australia, after whom the Heysen trail is named. We also visited Mt Barker nine kilometres down the road but for us Hahndorf was the main attraction.

Lady Bay

The Plaque to HMSA Hobart at Lady Bay
HMAS Hobart Anchor and Memorial at Lady Bay

The Old Mill at Second Valley

An Old home at Second Valley

The Old Jetty at Second Valley

The Old Limeworks at Rapid Bay

Lady Bay

One of the places visited yesterday was Lady Bay on the Spencer Gulf side of the Fleurieu Peninsula. This area is claimed by some to be the most beautiful part of South Australia. It was first explored by Colonel Light in the “Rapid”. Leaving Normanville the first point of interest is the memorial to “HMAS Hobart” which now rests on the sea-bed in Lady Bay. At the south end of the Bay is Second Valley which is a beautiful small settlement having two sections, one on the main road where the Old Mill stands and the Old Jetty about a kilometre away on the rugged coast. A short drive further on is the turnoff into Rapid Bay which is another forgotten place off the main track. The old Lime Mill stands on the coast where the jetty starts. Houses are from the past and the old store has closed. A pleasant place to visit.

Gluepot to Normanville

The old Truro Pub. Est. 1863.

Old Truro Building

The Old Bank of Adelaide building at Truro

The Old Queen (Murry River Queen) Paddle Steamer now acts as a Cafe.

The view of the water trough as seen through the opening in the Birdhide at Grasswren

Gluepot to Normanville

Leaving Gluepot we travelled to Blanch Town via Waikerie and booked into the Riverside Caravan Park to charge batteries on the power supply and to have a very welcome hot shower. This is where we will be leaving our caravan in storage for the next two weeks as we have accommodation booked at The Grand Mercure Resort “The Links” at Lady Bay near Normanville for the next five nights. I thought that we had packed a separate case for this part of the stay but Coba had to repack before we could leave for Adelaide.

Adelaide used to be called the City of Churches but I believe it is the City of Traffic Lights and none appeared to be co-ordinated. It was not uncommon to wait at one red light and when it turned green, have a light 100 metres down the road turn red. The roads were busy probably because it was Mothers Day and people were visiting their mums. On the way through Adelaide we visited Heidi Ing, formally Janz, who is doing research on the Janz family in Adelaide. This is the first time that we had meet although we had exchanged e-mails regarding family history. I did research on the Janz family in Mackay and I bought down my information and what I had gathered from others for her to copy for her records. (My Mother was a Janz).

Normanville is approximately 70 Kilometres South West of Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsular. We arrived mid afternoon and booked into our accommodation. Our unit is self contained so it was down to the local Foodland store for some supplies for our stay. The Resort is part of a Golf Course and does have a restaurant attached which we will use during our stay. Tonight however was eat in for us. Our room has views out over the water of Spencer Gulf and we were treated to a great Sunset. The evening was catching up on sorting photos from Gluepot that will continue for several days having taken hundreds of shots many of which will end up in the recycle bin.