…and ferns.
However – as later posts will reveal – although “the greenery” is lovely, what makes this particular forest’s “floor” so amazing are its non-photosynthesizing, legless, living beings.
One CommentTag: South Australia
…where the walking is easy, and highly rewarding.
Much of the “Adelaide Hills” and Fleurieu Peninsula is “highly picturesque”.
However, only a very tiny portion even remotely resembles its “natural” or “original” state.
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The featured image was taken at 4.19 pm on 20 June 2023.
We were standing on a rocky headland, adjacent to (and southeast of) Blowhole Beach; the photo looks south-southwest, across Backstairs Passage to Kangaroo Island.
With sunset less than an hour away, there was not enough time to “explore” the actual Blowhole Beach, but we were able to potter around the rocky shores immediately east of it, before heading to the 4WD track – our safer uphill option, should darkness fall before we had “conquered” Cobbler Hill.
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When I took the featured image it was 4. 03 pm, and we had walked the greater portion of the steep track down from Cobbler Hill to Blowhole Beach.
You can see Blowhole Beach on the right hand side.
Kangaroo Island’s northern edge provided most of the photo’s horizon.
You cannot see a blowhole, because Blowhole Beach has none.
However, over umpteen thousands of years, countless humans have stood on or above this beach and witnessed the “blow” emitted by whales, breathing.
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The featured image looks across to the Cape Willoughby lighthouse which sits atop Kangaroo Island’s eastern edge.
We were standing on the nearest part of mainland Australia.
Mainland Oz is “our” world’s largest island; and smallest continental landmass.
Relative to the mainland, Tasmania is tiny – less than 1% as big.
Tasmania is, however, by far the biggest other Australian island; it exceeds the next ranked – Melville Island – by more than ten times.
Kangaroo Island is a little smaller than Melville, but much bigger than any other of Australia’s more than eight thousand islands.
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Both photos from same morning and location as previous post, but taken 8 minutes later…with self and ‘roos both on the brrrrrrisk outside of Goondooloo Cottage.
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In South Australia’s Deep Creek Conservation Park, those who hire Goondooloo Cottage can expect to see Western grey kangaroos, just outside the walls and windows.
This is especially likely in the first and final hours of daylight.
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Once aloft, a wedge-tailed eagle generally appears “effortless”.
However, on the ground, wedge-tails are quite “clumsy”, and getting airborne again is decidedly (and obviously) effortful for any eagle in flattish terrain.
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The wedge-tailed eagle is Australia’s largest raptor.
It is one of the world’s largest raptors, and is almost certainly the most abundant of any of the world’s big eagles.
Wedge-tails range across almost all of Australia.
They are, however, very “difficult”, photographically speaking.
Until the fifth afternoon of June 2023 I had never taken a “successful” photo of an airborne wedge-tail.
One CommentAs previously reported, I think that – within the so-called “First World”, at least – South Australia is the world leader in poor signage on roads and tracks.
Often, necessary signage is non-existent, or impossible to read until/unless one is within a metre or less of the ludicrously tiny and/or long-faded signpost.
Not uncommonly, signposts are entirely illegible.
Very often, signage is maddeningly inconsistent.
Picture yourself in rural or “outback” South Australia – or even in a near-Adelaide place where you have dared to “get off the freeway”.
Your intended destination is bigger than Woop Woop but much smaller than Adelaide.
At the first relevant turn-off you are pleased to see a legible sign which points to “bigger than Woop Woop…”
However, none of the next six crossroads carry any legible signage whatsoever…or their legible signs make no mention of your destination.
What should/could have taken you 30 minutes and 40 kilometres, instead devours 70 minutes and 90 kilometres.
Another South Australian specialty is the placement of “No Through Road” signage only at the relevant road’s dead end.
Having traversed thousands of SA kilometres over 68 years, I had assumed that South Australia’s signs – and their oft-ludicrous absence – had long-since exhausted their ability to surprise me…
As I recently discovered, in a “remote” place, I had underestimated them!
The relevant sign was very well crafted, easy to see and read…and utterly superfluous.
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