Sun, 21st Feb, 2016 Margaret & Gary’s, Marion Bay, SA (Coast drive to Edithburgh)

Sunnier morning. Wind from the north so the sea should be calmer today. Leanne & Rick rang from Broken Hill. Helped Gary and Margaret clean and pack up for their drive back to Adelaide. It was so nice to have a few days with them. Will catch up again before heading off to WA.

A lot hotter today. After lunch we headed off towards Edithburgh along the scenic route on the edge of the foot to the heel. Love the maps they have for each area.

First stop was Meehan Hill Lookout.

Walked further along and we are looking back over Marion Bay.

Down the other side of the point was a great beach.

Along the road to Hillock Point property. They allow people to drive down to the beach and camp but it was closed when we pulled up so we kept on with our sightseeing.

Next was Kangaroo Island Lookout – which of course was just looking across Investigator Strait to Kangaroo Island – bit hazy but could just make it out in the distance.

Continued on to Foul Bay. There is a Council camp area here but it is well back from the beach. Found a sign about our little Pygmy Possum.

Next one was Sturt Bay – only small camp areas in the sand – no room for our van. Walked down onto the beach to look out over Sturt Bay.

Travelling beside open fields. Diamond Lake – another salt one in the distance.

At Mozzie Flat – not a very inviting name – was info about more shipwrecks. Room enough for us with a walkway down to the beach.

Into Port Moorowie for a toilet break – nice picnic area with different plants labelled. Getting hot enough now to put on the air conditioner.

Nice beach.

Zoomed in on a lighthouse in the distance at Troubridge Point.

The town sits onto of the cliffs – scanning around the coast to the lighthouse.

Through town then down to McEacharns Beach.

The concrete & steel power poles have been covered with tiles.

Past another salt lake.

Kemp Bay (another Council area) is surrounded by cliffs. Plenty of room to park at the top and there is room down the road for a couple of vans. We drove down to have a cuppa and chatted with the family from Shepparton.

These signs are part of the Walk the Yorke trek. They have also put in picnic tables under shelters and water tanks. Love the dolphin surfing photos.

Drove back up to the cliff top, fabulous view – will come back here for sure.

Along the coast to Suicide Point to a lookout and info about the wreck of the ‘Clan Ranald’.

Someone has stolen the anchor.

Looking east to Troubridge lighthouse then back to the west.

Troubridge lighthouse was built with custom made special wedge shaped clay bricks. Its design is resistant to high winds and earthquakes, as in the early 1900s numerous lighthouse fires were caused in the region from small earthquakes. It is 32 metres high.

Over the back is the Wattle Point Wind Farm.

The road winds along the coast.

Up to the lighthouse for a look.

Great story about the locals helping the survivors of the ‘Clan Ranald’.

Fabulous view.

Down past the wind farm – all in rows. It was opened in June 2005. It is unusual as it is located on flat ground. One of the largest farms in South Australia with 55 turbines. They stand 67 metres high and each blade measures 40 metres in length.

All the land here is covered in rocks which the farmers have spent many years picking up. There are piles in paddocks or along fence lines. A few have made rock walls from them. Otherwise the rocks are crushed and used for road base.

Into Edithburgh and down to the wharf. Zoomed in some big silos and salt piles in the distance on Giles Point.

Looks like a good place to catch squid.

Back around to the other side of the bay.

The moon is out just above the sun, which is hidden by a cloud.

Edithburgh is famous for its salt lakes. Great murals.

One of the rail trolleys used to catch the salt down to the ships.

Grand home – must have been for the head of the salt company. Lots of history to explore here next time.

Walked down the main street past the Museum. Closed at 4pm. Great mural.

On opposite corners are the two old hotels – Edithburgh Hotel established 1878 and the Troubridge Hotel Motel established 1873.

Found the anchor that was missing from the Clan Ranald lookout. They brought it back to restore it and decided to leave it here in town.

Info about the historical jetty.

Getting late so we headed home on the main road. Past a couple of the many salt lakes around here – one looked pink.

So flat and open.

Moved across to let a skink cross the road. Then a cat crossed over. Next it was a peacock – then I looked back into the farm and there were geese and chooks everywhere. Someone must have left the gate open.

Through Yorkstown – another one to explore next time. Into Warooka then down to Marion Bay. Stopped at the boat ramp – a charter boat had just come in with a group of men in their blue fishing shirts. I had seen them touring yesterday with their team fishing shirts on.

Went for a walk along the jetty built in 1899 – breeze a bit cool now after such a hot day.

A great brochure from the Info Centre about farming on Yorke Peninsula. Another one showed all the different crops so we now know what we are looking at – well when there is a crop, not the stubble there is left now.

Back to the van to cook yummy King George Whiting for dinner. Rang Kaylene and Rick for a chat. Quiet night catching up on my blog. Still night which is a change from the past few nights.