Tuesday, January 20, 2015

South Australia Vacation-Day 2, Part 1

Day 2 started off with a nice run in the morning…so cool to see koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, parrots, etc. on a morning run!  We packed up our things and headed out to Flinders Chase National Park.

Some pretty birds having their morning bath at the caravan park.

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After stopping by the visitor centre, we went for a bush walk.

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We spotted a couple more koalas up in the trees.

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On 8 May 1899, the May family was playing cricket here when a shipwreck survivor staggered onto their property. The survivor had traveled nearly 40km in rough country for the last 14 days when he found the May's Homestead.

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This was the May’s Homestead, which Charles May built in 1893 to house his wife and 7 children.

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Hallie enjoying the ride

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Hallie and Kyla walking, running and finding wildlife together

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From the Visitor Centre, we drove south to Cape du Couedic. The loss of 71 lives from three major shipwrecks in the late 1800s led to the building of Kangaroo Island's third lighthouse. Construction to the Cape du Couedic light began in 1907. The light was first lit in 1909 with visibility to 27 miles seawards.

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The cottages near the lighthouse

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We started our hike down to the New Zealand Fur Seal lookout and Admiral’s Arch rock formation.

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From a headland to a cave to an arch to an island...the focus of wave energy over millions of years caused the formation of the Casuarina Islets and Admirals Arch. The roof of the arch will eventually collapse and form the 3rd Casuarina Islet.

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From here, we drove a short distance to Weirs Cove. Supplies for the nearby Cape Du Couedic Lighthouse were brought in through Weirs Cove. The supplies had to be hauled up the cliff from the jetty below through this man made cutting in the sheer cliff face. Initially the stores had to be carried up by the lighthouse keepers along a path that zig zagged up the 300ft cliff face. Then a pulley system that was initially powered by two horses, was installed. Both supplies and people went up the cable pulley system - imagine hanging from a single cable as you are being winched up this cliff face!

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From 1907 to the early 19302, most supplies came to the light-keepers and their families only every 3 months. Everything, from food to fuel, was stored until needed here in this storehouse. There could be no replacement of goods until the next steamship arrived. The front room was segregated into three separate compartments - one for each of the three families manning the lighthouse.

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Alaina journaling about the trip Smile

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