The Grampians...

We took an exciting camping trip a few weekends ago to the Grampians in Victoria. It is a huge national park that has a broad diversity of flora and fauna, wildlife, and rock formations. We did some great hiking, and saw some very neat rock caves painted with Aboriginal rock art. We also had a great campfire and enjoyed hanging out with our friends Ginger and Paul at the campsite as well. The park suffered a very extensive big bush fire about two years ago and it was very visible. So we made sure to use extra special caution when we put out our campfire. You could see the charred markings form the brushfire on trees, however, there was much new growth starting to happen along the forest floor. Luckily, none of the surrounding towns sustained any damage.

More information about the Grampions region can be found at online at www.thegrampians.com.au



Extensive view of the Grampions mountain range.



Kangaroos hopping away upon are arrival near Asses Ears pass.



Large yellow farm fields of canola grow all throughout this region.



Patrick, Kim, Ginger, and Paul at the base of the Pinnacles hike, before starting the climb up through the canyon.



Ginger and Kim enjoying a cool little waterfall stream.



Looking up to the sky through the burnt trees at our campsite.



Kim and I on the summit of the Pinnacles.



Kim showing of her bouldering moves.

Birdwood the Giant Rocking Horse...

We took an interesting daytrip a while back to the Adelaide Hills. We took a scenic drive up through the Torrens River Gorge up to do some hiking and visit the Chain of Ponds winery. We continued driving on and later came upon the silliest thing I have ever seen. It was a statue of a giant rocking horse in the town of Birdwood. It is apparently the biggest one of its kind in the world. It is built in the parking lot of an interesting shop called the Toy Factory which sells quality hand made wooden toys. There was also a small enclosed park in the back of the shop that had tons or peacocks, chickens, ducks, and other birds wandering and squaking all over the place. You could purchase small bags of feed to hand out to the animals. South Australia is truly unique, where else could you do a little wine tasting, climb a giant rocking horse, by some small wooden toys, and hand feed a few domesticated peacocks all within a few hours.




The giant rocking horse in Birdwood. I circled Kim in red in the bottom left to give you a sense of scale.



This sign show exact distances to Birdwood from various cities in North America.



I couldn't resist this photo. It's not everyday you come across five peacocks all perched together on a fence.

Glenelg Beach...

One thing we really like about living in Adelaide is the close proximity to the beach. Glenelg beach is a nice spot we go to fairly often. It is only a ten minute drive away and we can also take a train right there as well. Nothing beats walking on the beach in the late afternoon or evening and hearing the ocean waves roll up on shore. Since the ocean lies to the west, the sun sets over the horizon out to sea making for some amazing sunsets. We definetly will miss this when we get back to Denver!




Glenelg Beach in Adelaide.



Kim enjoying an evening stoll along the beach.



Interesting beach front apartments with a giant shark mouth for the entrance.

Deep Creek Conservation Area...

Recently we went and visited the western tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula. We went down through McLaren Vale and then along the coast to the tip of Cape Jervis. Cape Jervis is the launching point for the ferry that takes you out to Kangaroo Island. We stayed in a very nice B & B there and did some great hiking at the Deep Creek Conservation Park. The were a lot of hiking trails in the park, and the views were great. One of the hikes we did was on a ridgetop looking out to the ocean for most of the hike. It was however quite windy that day. On our way home we encountered a fairly large brush fire beside the road. The firetrucks and crew were there right away, due to the high winds, to contain it. We had to drive through this thick cloud of smoke to get around it, and we could smell the smoke right through the car. We definetly plan to go back to Deep Creek and spend more time there. It is only a hour and a half drive from Adelaide, so it makes for a great weekend getaway. There are numerous hikes you can link up for a two or three day backpack trip. Cape Jervis is also the start of the Heysen long distance hiking trail in South Australia that goes for 1200km up into the Flinders Ranges. It passes throught the Deep Creek Conservation Area after leaving Cape Jervis.



This was the view from our windy hike in Deep Creek along the Heysen Trail.






Sunset along the coast near Second Valley. They also had a great fishing pier out on some jagged rocks with neat abadoned colorful fishing shacks along the beach.

Map links with Google Earth!

Hello everyone, we have updated our blog with something very cool! You can now view our photos in relation to their location on google earth's satelitte image maps. Please follow the above link to our photo gallery, then click one of the photo albums and scroll down to VIEW MAP below the photo location map on the left hand side of the screen. That brings up the google earth map and you can see where we have been by clicking on the individual photos or using the controls on the map itself. Way cool and a lot of fun! Now you can see where we have been and were we took our photos! Google earth is awesome, easy to use, and very educational.

A Few Good Wines

Patrick and I have certainly been trying to enjoy the best South Australia has to offer on weekends. Sampling wines in the many wine regions South Australia has to offer. We have compiled a list for those of you who may be interested in sampling along with us. Do remember these are our preferences and individual taste does matter. This list is not difinitive and not all of these are distributed to the United States. As we visit more wineries before we leave we will be sure to let you know.

Adelaide Hills
Handorf Hill Winery:
We enjoyed all the wines here and the view from the deck was beautiful. We purchased the Rose and I don't particularly like Rose!
Also try the Sauvignon Blanc

Abby Rock:
Sangiovese

Shaw & Smith:
2004 Shiraz wone a few awards and so did the 2003
2006 Sauvignon Blanc
2005 Resieling

Moon Dog Acre
Moon Dog Acre Sav Blanc
Wisdom Creek Shiraz
Both of these were outstanding and easily available in the US. Interesting enough they say easerth australia on the bottle for marketing purposes, but they are actually in Adelaide Hills.

Mclaren Vale
Wirra Wirra:
Church Block

Shottesbrooke:
2006 Merlot

Hugo:
GrenacheShiraz Blend
We were able to try a lot of wine at this place and even some 12 year old bottles. The reserve wines from here were great! Any reserve from this place would be great and only gets better with time.

Penny Hill:
(home of whoop whoop)
Black Hen

School Block (I am not sure who makes this but we had at a restaurant and it was great!)

Clare Valley
Jeannert:
Chardonnay
Shiraz
Cowboys and Indians
(We are friends with the owner's sister and get to sample these often. We enjoy them all.)

Pikes:
Reiseling
Sauvagion Blanc

Seven Hill:
This is a beautiful winery started by the Jesuits. A Jesuit brother still oversees production today.
All their winese were good, but the area is best known for it's Reislings and Shiraz.

Coonawarra
This area is known for it's reds.

Balnaves:
Shiraz/Cab Sav Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon
(These will also taste better with age)

Rymill:
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

Bowen Estate:
2003 Shiraz

Zema Estate:
2004 Shiraz

Wynns Coonawarra Estate:
2005 Cabernet Shiraz Merlot blend

Hollick:
2004 Wrattonbully Shiraz
2005 Sparkling Merlot (This was great and the best sparkling shiraz we have had so far, great for brunch!)

Barossa:
Eden Valley (A place to taste many small wineries offerings)
Sorby Adams: Sauvignon Blanc
Torzi-Matthew: vintners 2005 Frost Dodger Shiraz

St Hallet
Any Available
Shiraz
Sparkling Red

Peter Lehman:
This is a large winery and should be easy to find in the states. They have great labels as well. The wine is good, but not my favorite.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Shiraz

Whistler: (Our friends enjoyed all their wines)
Reisling

Vinecrest:
2003 Merlot
2006 Semillon

Langmeil
2005 Sparkling Ondenc Cuvee
2007 Viogner
2006 Bella Rouge Cab Sav (a great summer red as it is easy drinking)
2006 Shiraz Viogner "Hangin' Snakes"

For those with expensive tastes:
2004 Shiraz "The Freedom"
2005 Jackman's Cab Sav

Bethany:
Steinbuch
Semillion
Riesling
Late Harvest Riesling
Cab Merlot
Shiraz Cab

Gibson:
2006 Loose End Rose
2005 Loose End Grenache Shiraz Merlot
2005 Loose End Shiraz
2004 Gibson Isabelle Blend
2005 Gibson Barossavale Wilfreda Blend
2004 Gibson Barossa Vale Shiraz
NV Loose End Sparkling MSM



This list is not comprehensive, nor is a list of the best wines of Australia. We are learning about wine and the production process and our understanding is improving. If you can find any of these and try them let us know what you think.

Home away from home...

Kim and I were sitting around talking the other night and when we realized that we have not put anything on the blogsite about our house and home for the year. So for those of you out there wondering about our house exchange, here goes. It is a nice house, with high ceilings, and a long and narrow design. It has two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen area, and one bathroom. There is also a small backyard. It is your typical Australian house. The neighboorhood is nice, and we are a short walk to a nice village street with shops, cafes, stores, and a library. We have a outdoor park and outside swimming rec center right next door. We are about 3 miles from the downtown square in Adelaide in the suburb of Forrestiville. Kim is 10 minutes away from her school. The house is also right on the train line, so we can get around easily on public transit, and Kim usually takes the tram to work and back. Most houses, including ours, in Australia do not have central heating, so it was a bit cold in the winter, however we had a small space heater that worked just fine. It is going into spring now, so the tempature is getting warmer and the weather has been quite nice lately.



Outside covered Patio



Living Room



Kitchen



Outside of the house and our car for the year



Dining room and office off the kitchen area

The Riverland...

Kim and I recently visited the central Riverland region for a few days with our friend Paul. The Riverland area in South Australia is made up of the small towns that sit along the Murray River. We went houseboating on the Murray River a few months ago, but on this trip we wanted to visit a different part of the riverland region farther east. We visited the towns of Bamera, Berri, Kingston on the Murray, and Loxton. We did some nice hiking in the secluded Katarapako Nature Reserve, and went canoeing on the Murray River the following afternoon. On the way back we stopped in the nice little town of Nuriootpa for lunch. It was a very relaxing couple of days.



Our drive through the Adelaide Hills out to Nuriootpa took us through some beautiful countryside.



The "Tree of Knowledge" has markers showing the flood levels throughout the years along the banks of the Murray River. The highest recorded flood in 1956 shows the water levels 20 feet higher than than today! Australia is currently in one of the worst droughts in its history.



A giant water pelican statue in the town on Loxton.

Sounds of the Didgeridoo...

I picked up a didgeridoo while we were in Carins a few weeks ago. It has been fun learning to play this native Australian instrument. Circular breathing is very hard, but I think with practice it will get easier.

Cape Tribulation...

Cape Tribulation was the last stop on our two week travels through Australia. We had gone from from Adeladie through the Outback up to Uluru, Alice Springs, then flew on to Cairns, Port Douglas, and the Great Barrier Reef. Cape Tribulation is only accessiable by a river ferry across the Daintree. The area is extremly beautiful with ancient rainforests, sandy beaches, and the rugged mountain peaks of Mt. Thorton and Mt. Sorrow. It is also a unique place in that the rainforest comes right down and meets the sea. Pretty impressive. This area is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The biodiversity of the area is stunning with only .10% of the total surface area in Australia that contains 36% of the mammal species, 50% of the bird species, 60% of the butterfly species, and 65% of the fern species found in the continent. It contains diverse swampland, mangrove forests, eucalpyt woodlands, and tropical rainforests.



Sun palms on the top of the rainforest canopy.



Magnificent ferns throughout the rainforest along the Dujubi Boardwalk.



We spotted a blue moth resting on a leaf.



Making our way out to Thortons beach we noticed the giant jellyfish warning sign! The jellyfish, or box jellies, inhabit the ocean waters from October until June making swimming treachorous. If you are stung you should pour vinegar on the burn and seek immeadiate medical attention. The stings can sometimes be fatal!



Little sand critters burrow in the sand and deposit tiny sand balls all over the beach. Like the tiny dots on the beach, Aboriginal people use painted dots in their artwork. This is called "The Dreamtime" and symbolizes stories about their ancestors, history, and culture.



We camped at a great spot, and had a short walk out to the beach. You can see where the rainforest comes right down to meet the ocean.



A hanging fruit bat inside the Cape Tribulation visitor's center.



We really wanted to spot a Cassowary in the wild. Unfourtanetly all we got to see were the road sings indicating to watch out for them. The Cassowary is a huge flightless bird, and can be as tall as 6 feet high. It has a hard shell like horn on the top of its blue head and neck. It is a distant relative of the emu. It is a very important bird in the rainforest habitat, as it disperses different tree seeds along the floor of the forest. I found this photo of the Cassowary in the wild online from Google images.

The Daintree...

We left Port Douglas feeling exhilirated. Our next destination was the Daintree. This is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and extends from the Daintree River north to Cape Tribualation. We stopped first in the small quiet town, Daintree Village. This was a logging town established around 1880 to transport Red Cedar trees down the Daintree River. They were logged for their strength, size, and versitality as a timber. The town now has has several small shops and a few cafes. Later in the day we took an awesome trip down the river and got to see amazing wildlife, including crocodiles.



The Daintree River forks at this point around Snapper Island.



Trees along side the riverbank form webb like roots and branches. This helps them adapt to floods during the wet season.



Saltwater Crocodiles are protected in this area and seen regularly. We got a chance to see one up close along the river banks sunning itself. These are very prehistoric looking creatures and very dangerous. There have been numerous documented reports in the Daintree River from crocodile attacks, many resulting in death, so we decided to pass on the afternoon swim in the river!



A snake neck swan resting on a tree branch.



A baby crocodile. It was about two feet long. Adult crocs can grow to be over 20 feet in length!

The Great Barrier Reef...

The Great Barrier Reef is truly the gem of Australia. We had a chance to spend two days out in the reef and see it up close. The first day we snorkled off the coast of Fitzroy Island while we were in Carins. The second time we took an all day cruise from Port Douglas with the tour group Haba out to the outer Reef, and we snorkled at two different sights. Kim took two half hour dives and got a chance to see a giant sea cucumber. Here are a few in depth websites about the ecology and marine wildlife of the Great Barrier Reef.

http://www.reefteach.com.au

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/earthpulse/reef/

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/

Some underwater photos we took of the reef. We saw several types of fish, and some amazing colorful coral. We also had a really interesting marine biologist on board who was a wealth of information.

Port Douglas...

We made our way up to the ritzy holiday resort Port Douglas. It is a beautiful town that sits out on Trinity Bay. It has nice beaches lined with non native palm trees. Port Douglas is a great place to head out to the Great Barrier Reef and we booked a tour to the outer Reef with the guide company Haba.



We caught a great sunset overlooking Dickson Inlet towards the rainforest mountains. It looks like someone is winking through the clouds.



The pier on the tip of Island Point.



Boats docked along Wharf Street in Dickson Inlet.



Palm trees line the streets and beaches. Four mile beach had long stretches of them along shore.