Port Augusta is still arid but on our way to Clare, the country changes dramatically to a glorious green. It also started raining about Port Pirie and hasn’t stopped since.

A trip out to the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens is a pleasure. The grounds have a fantastic mix of arid zone plants from three states.

Gum blossom

Aniseed boronia (Boronia crenulata)

A local resident of the Botanic Gardens was itching to get somewhere.

Bookleaf gum (Eucalyptus kruseana)

Wattle bird at the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens

The Water Tower Lookout has great views across the top of Spencers Gulf to the POrt Augusta town centre and down the gulf. Spencers Gulf is a graben or rift valley – a complex downfaulted feature that has been flooded by the sea. Mountain ranges at the edge of the gulf mark the old fault lines.

Port Germein has the longest timber jetty in Australia at 1500 metres long. This makes for an excellent 3km exercise walk out into Spencers Gulf.

Sculptures and an old lighthouse at the start of the walk.

Rainbow over Port Pirie – the lead smelter is visible on the horizon under the right hand side of the rainbow.

Crested terns

From the end looking back to shore – it was a long way out.

We made it!

The long walk back.

The country quickly turns to grain and quality sheep country. The sheep stocking levels increase with more feed available.

Silos reappear at regular intervals around towns that are in close proximity to each other. This is Gulnare between Crystal Brook and Clare. It is a wet and cold Clare when we arrive mid-afternoon. 10 degrees, rain and 40km/hr winds make for a brisk weather change.

Sevenhill is the oldest winery in South Australia. It was founded in 1851 by the Jesuits priests to make communion wine. It still makes wine for the Catholic Church as well as for the commercial market. Its history and old cellars that are open to the public make it a fascinating place to explore.

Deciduous grape vines at Sevenhill

We are greeted by Maysie the cellar cat.

Maysie doing her rounds.

A steep staircase leads to an underground cellar.

This area is an active part of the winery with batch numbers on the casks.

An old bottle rack.

The underground cellar

We go the Clare Hotel for dinner. Clare has many old stone buildings. The fireplace inside was very welcoming.