Places near Portland we hope to visit over the next two days. Portland Bay is the only deep sea port between Adelaide and Melbourne offering a sheltered anchorage against the often wild weather of Bass Strait. It services the grain and timber industries as well as the local aluminium smelter. Alcoa Portland is Australia’s third largest aluminium smelter, with a capacity … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 25 – Portland
Telford Scrub Conservation Park protects remnant native vegetation in a region that is now mostly extensive pine plantations and dairy farms. A track meanders through a swamp gum woodland with an understory of austral bracken fern … …. before continuing north over vegetated sand ridges through a brown stringybark open forest. Grey fantail on a bracken … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 24 – The South of South Australia
Today we travel about an hour north of Mount Gambier to Naracoorte Caves, a World Heritage cave system. Bool Lagoon near Naracoorte is one of the largest and most diverse freshwater lagoon systems in southern Australia. This seasonal wetland is home to a wide range of wildlife and provides essential drought refuge for 150 species including … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 23 – Naracoorte Caves
A day in Mount Gambier visiting a local physio followed by a look at the volcanic and limestone features around the town. Cave Garden in the centre of town. Cave Garden / Thugi contains a 30 m deep cave. The cave was initially used as a water source for the town. Cast in Blue artwork near … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 22 – Mount Gambier craters and karst
Robe was described by a local as a quaint drinking village with a fishing problem. There is also a lot of history. Robe was founded in 1846 and became South Australia’s second-busiest international port, after Port Adelaide. Robe’s trade was drawn from a large hinterland that extended into western Victoria, and many roadside inns were built to … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 21 – The Limestone Coast
We leave Murray Bridge and take a back road to Wellington before a ferry crossing, one of two for today. Wellington Court House complex was built in 1859 and has become a landmark in the township. It contains two courtrooms, two rooms for the magistrates and constables, a telegraph room and the two old jail … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 20 – The Coorong
We depart Adelaide on another grey day with light showers. We will stay at Murray Bridge with a day spent in the small towns of the Adelaide Hills away from the touristy areas like Hahndorf. We travel up the North East Rd…. …past reservoirs. The Inglewood Inn was established in 1857. The Old Coach House … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 19 – Adelaide Hills
A circuit from Adelaide to the mouth of the Murray River and Victor Harbour. Laratinga Wetlands at Mount Barker Hardheads Springtime nest building for this Coot – sticking to the plan. Pacific black duck Grey teal Red wattlebird Adelaide rosella Historic Laucke Flour Mill at Strathalbyn – people say swallowing flour, eggs, sugar and water … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 18 – Mouth of the Murray
Visiting Port Adelaide today, no not the great AFL team but the port where branches of both our families arrived here in the 1840s and 1850s. We arrive in Port Adelaide anticipating all the history but are greeted by frogs; lots of giant inflatable frogs. It made our day ribbiting. Why are frogs so happy? … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 17 – Port Adelaide
At the base of the Adelaide Hills is Rostrevor House, now part of Rostrevor College. This grand residence was our Great Great Great Uncle Smith Reid’s home in Adelaide on my lovely wife’s side of the family. Smith Reid started with nothing but began a small newspaper company in Far North Queensland building his business … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 16 – Rostrevor and Morialta
Genealogy South Australia at Unley, just south of the city centre, is a leading resource for South Australian family history information. We both have family ancestry in South Australia from the 1840s to the late 1800s so took the opportunity to expand our knowledge. There is an extensive library at the centre. I was in … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 15 – From Genealogy to Glenelg
A bit of a down day today with my fellow traveller not feeling great. But I took a quick trip just north of the city centre to see The Big Scotsman. Scotty is a 5 metres tall bravehearted soul standing near the Main North Road. He has been at the motel here welcoming weary travellers … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 14 – Scotty
