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
Passing through Glenelg after checking out some accommodation, we saw the Big Billy Buttons. Hallett Cove has evidence of an Australian ice age about 280 million years ago. The rocks in the surf are glacial erratics – huge rocks carried by a glacier from another location.This piece of granite has been transported by glacial activity … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 13 – Hallett Cove
A day trip south from Adelaide through the southern hinterland including the famous McLaren Vale wine district and the northern Fleurieu Peninsula. On our way out of Adelaide, we saw The Big Hands at Centennial Park Cemetery symbolically showing you can go up …. or down. And don’t forget to do a will – it’s … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 12 – McLaren Vale
We are now in Adelaide, capital of South Australia and consistently ranked in the world’s ten most liveable cities. The city centre is ringed by parkland and has a mix of historic building and not-so-high highrise. University of Adelaide South African War Memorial on North Terrace (also known as the Boer War Memorial) is dedicated to the South … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 11 – City to Semaphore
A day exploring the lower Murray River, the Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Hills. A cold and bleak start to the day as we leave the best accommodation of our journey so far. The Murray Bridges bridging the Murray at Murray Bridge. Murray Bridge has a population of over 20 000 people. Like many towns … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 10 – Murray River Cliffs
Today a big day in South Australia with big things, big lakes, big river, big cliffs and big wetlands. Coots on Lake Cullulleraine – an artificially expanded lake that was once an ephemeral wetland that filled when the Murray River flooded. Darter (male – they are much darker than the female and with the chestnut … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 9 – Big Day in South A
A day looking at some of the highlights of the Mallee District of Victoria. Before leaving Swan Hill, we check out the Murray River bridge. This bridge is a historic, heritage-listed timber and steel lift-span bridge built in 1896. It was the first lift-span bridge on the Murray River to let paddle steamers pass. We … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 8 – The Mallee District
First up today is a walk around the Port of Echuca, once a busy and vital port for paddlesteamers on the Murray River. The multi-level wharf caters to level changes in the river. PS Adelaide A barge used to transport River red gum logs Barges historically transported wool bales before road transport took over. Bee … More The State We’re In 2026 – Day 7 – Echuca to Swan Hill
