Wed, 10th Feb, 2016 Queen Victoria Jubilee Park, Williamstown, SA (exploring Port Adelaide & Semaphore)

7am 24 degrees, sunny. Said bye to Eric and Sue as they were heading off today. Got lots of great campsites for the Nullarbor and WA from Sue last night.

Headed off through the Adelaide Hills (around 310m elevation) through all the open fields, will have to see it again when it is green. Great maps in their information booklets.

Crossed over South Para Reservoir – bit worried about their water storage around here – very low!!

Past the burnt forestry areas near Kersbrook.

Found the water pipe – I think it is the same one we followed up here from Mannum.

Crossed over the Torrens River – only a dribble amongst the reeds.

Found out why – further up was a weir. Hey, got a photo (in review mirror) of me taking the photo.

Through Gumeracha, famous for its big rocking horse – it was huge. There is a toy factory here and an animal park.

A couple of signposts – found Townsville 1881km away but no Cairns.

Turned around and headed back towards Adelaide following the Gorge Road, crisscrossing over the Torrens River, which was on a puddle here and there. Continued on with little peeks through the trees at the top of the Kangaroo Creek Reservoir.

There is supposed to be a lookout around here so we stopped at a park area off the road but the view wasn’t very good. Could just see the water and the dam wall. Very low. Had a cuppa as there was road work lights ahead.

The road works were opposite the actual lookout – the guys were abseiling down the cliff face fixing mesh to stop the rock falls.

At least Steve had to drive slow so I could get some photos.

Way below there was enough water released to look like a river.

Long spillway on the other side.

Continued down the narrow road following the edge of the river, crossing over it, then we were at the same level.

Spotted a sign behind a big gate where a pipe went over the river. It was an aqueduct installed in 1872 to connect the Kangaroo Creek Reservoir with the Hope Valley Reservoir . Originally there was an open channel till it cross the river but that was replaced by a pipe in  2008.

I noticed they have a leak too.

Programmed Kate to take us to a trailer place to check out van hitches at Cavan. Diesel at the lowest we have seen 97.9c/l at Liberty and 101.3 at Coles Express then we would get a further 14c/l off with our docket and gas bottle exchange. Decided then to head across to Port Adelaide for a look. Drove around the historic precinct but couldn’t find a park so went across the bridge (centre lifts up for boats) over Port River to Semaphore for lunch by the ocean.

Long esplanade but the beach is on the other side of sand dunes so we just had our lunch in a picnic shelter with the chap mowing the grass for ambiance!!

Walked down the path beside a tram line – unfortunately it runs on Sundays from Semaphore Jetty to Fort Glanville.

Headed out on the long jetty – realised why as it is very shallow for a long way. The jetty was completed in 1860 primarily to accommodate Pilot, Quarantine and Customs services. Later it was used for seaside holiday activities. In 1873 the jetty was extended to 652m in length, though today it is only 585m.

A few fishermen at the end watched by the hopeful pelicans. One chap pulled in a nice Blue Swimmer crab.

The girls are a long way out and are not wet yet!!

Looking back along the jetty.

Blue Swimmer measurements – interesting you can keep females just not ones with eggs.

The Semaphore Story.

Nice view back up Semaphore Road, one of Adelaide’s widest boulevards.

Crossed over to check out a sculpture called Midden.

Up the steps to the Time Ball Tower, built in 1875. Daily at 12.57 the black ball was hoisted to the mast head and then dropped at 1pm by electric release from the Adelaide Observatory, signalling ships to rate their chronometers, vital navigation instruments. The service ceased in 1932, replaced by wireless telegraphy. The tower was restored in the 1990s. The ball drops at 1pm daily – missed it!!

Walked down through the shops – this one brings back memories of going to the movies at the Odeon in Cairns. It was originally the Wondergraph Picture Palace built in 1920. It became the Odeon in 1952.

Of course we had to stop at the Ice-creamery!! We had a Baileys and hazelnut one though Steve got an extra scoop of macadamia with his!!

Headed back to the wharf area passed the Customs Boarding Station, completed in 1883, it housed officers performing customs and quarantine checks (till about 1917) on newly arrived ships, which were sent to Torrens Island Quarantine Station when appropriate. Saved from demolition in 1978 and is now a private residence.

Further down the road was the Maris Palais, built in 1922 by a private enterprise. It had a beach kiosk, bathing pavilion and a large dance hall. It was renovated in the 1990s.

Walked around the amusement park (only open on weekends and school holidays) that houses a vintage carousel - hidden behind corrugated iron walls so we couldn’t see in. The largest in Australia, built in 1928. Horses carved by Melbourne craftsmen with modest ornamentation and driven by an electrical lift motor and gearbox it was the envy of steam-driven carousels.

Near the jetty was an anchor as a memorial to all the seamen who lost their lives. Behind that was the Great War memorial clock which was unveiled in 1925.

Headed back to Port Adelaide past some art work. At first I thought it was just graffiti then we realised it was a crocodile.

Back over the bridge.

Found a park near the First Commercial Inn.

Port Adelaide was officially established in 1840, only four years after the foundation of the State. Port Adelaide played an integral role in the colonial development of South Australia. The first migrants though, wading through mud of nearby ‘Port Misery’, had a daunting start to a new life in the fledgling colony. By the 1870s however, wharves were built, solid stone warehouses and homes were erected. Grand old Customs House 1879-1987 which also housed the Marine Department, Surveyors and Harbour Masters.

Down to the wharf and the Lighthouse, built in 1869.

Looking back over Birkenhead Bridge we crossed over. No dolphins swimming around. The inner waterways are home some 20 dolphins that live here and others visit as well. There are tour boats to see them, which of course they love to follow or swim in the bow wave.

The newer bridge all the big extra long semis travel over.

Lots of cleared area along the wharf – slowly filling up with apartment buildings. Nice art work on the fences.

On the wharf bollards were some notices about seafaring things – this one was interesting –Whistle up a Wind.

The Dockside Tavern opened as the Britannia in 1850 and was rebuilt on the same site in 1898.

A memorial for the SS Admella which was wrecked on Carpenter Reef in 1859.

The last surviving trading Ketch in South Australia -  ‘Falie’.

A huge mural on the side of an apartment block.

Continued along the wharf to Dock 1 where we saw what I thought was the Ark!! It is the Clipper ‘City of Adelaide’. The info chap had just locked up but he chatted to us telling us her story. She was built in 1864 and brought many immigrants to South Australia from England, Scotland, Cornwall, Ireland Germany and Scandinavia over 23 return voyages. She is the world’s oldest composite clipper ship (wooden hull on iron frames). Purpose built to carry passengers and cargo to and from Adelaide, hence her name. With the arrival of steamships, she was sold into the North American timber trade, where she worked for 6 years as a cargo ship. For the next 30 years it was an isolation hospital near Southampton, England, before being taken over by the Royal Navy and used as a drill ship, and as a Naval Volunteer Reserve Club rooms on the River Clyde in Scotland. In 1989, she was moved onto a private slip in Irvine, Scotland to be restored. Unfortunately the Scottish Government wouldn’t find repairs to an English ship. She was rescued by the Australian volunteers and brought to Port Adelaide in 2014. She was transported to Australia on a Heavy Lift Ship. The 600 tonne load was then lifted by giant cranes onto the ‘Bradley’, a Brisbane barge. They are now waiting for the State Government to grant them land so they can restore her and have her on display as part of a seaport village. A group of volunteers are going to be working on her for the next 10 years or so. Will be interesting to see how she is progressing next time we are in Adelaide.

Lots of jellyfish bobbing by.

On the other end of the apartment building was another mural and one down the bottom.

Walked back through town checking out the old buildings. The Royal Arms Hotel was built in 1878 and renovated in 1907. It was reported that almost every room had a telephone and that the ‘hot and cold baths are of newest kind’.

St Vincent Chambers, 1883, built for Hon. Alexander Hay, a successful merchant, pastoralist and politician.

The Railway Hotel, 1856, was the 2^nd railway hotel, opening the year the Adelaide to Port Adelaide railway was completed.

The Bank of Adelaide, built 1885.

Big warehouse looking building housed a sail-maker and ship chandler from 1870.

The Port Admiral Hotel, originally the first Railway Hotel built 1849, is now closed but there were great posters on the windows.

Went into the old Police Station which is now the Info Centre. Completed in 1860 to house the Customs, Police and Courts. Externally it has changed little since then, though the original slate roof has been replaced with iron and a central dome removed. Chatted with the chap about the festival starting on Friday called ‘The Fringe’, showcasing lots of different artists etc throughout Adelaide and suburbs.

He said to try Garden Island area for the dolphins.

Passed the historic Wool Stores.

Then into the ‘Port’ side of things with lots of containers etc.

Signs along the road say this was the area of an Internment Camp. Torrens Island Power Station. The towers cross over Garden Island then across Barker Inlet heading north.

Stopped at the boat ramp at Angas Inlet and made a cuppa and waited for the dolphins – they didn’t come!! Good jetty to fish from.

Back across the bridge from Garden Island looking back on some old ship wrecks.

Got stopped at the railway crossing and waited for the slowest, longest freight train of shipping containers to pass. It had 4 engines pulling it, the first one had Qld Rail on it. Stopped at the Foodland to get some milk. Across the road was the Town Hall, completed in 1866.

Programmed ‘Kate’ to take us home so she took us over the first bridge then back over the newer bridge onto the Expressway. The railway line runs beside.

Passed some wetlands then salt ponds.

Up and over the traffic.

Up One Tree Hill Road into the hillside to lots of wineries.

Then turned back to Kersbrook and then back up to Williamstown and to van.

Rang Mum and Dad for our weekly chat. She was very happy with a win at the pokies so she and Val will have fun tomorrow. Rang Tracy and Grant to wish Grant well for his operation and I was a day out as he was in hospital and had just had the surgery and Tracy was waiting to hear that he was back in his room.

I had taped The Chase to get the ‘double your money’ codeword for Sunrise Cash Cow and one of the questions was where is a giant rocking horse – we got it right, as we had been there today!!

Lovely colour in the sky as sun sets.