Took the ferry today from Cape Jervis to Kangaroo Island (KI). It was a quick 45 minute trip to cross Backstairs Passage.
KI is only 11.5 miles off the coast of Cape Jervis -- it separated from mainland Australia about 10,000 years ago (due to rising sea leves during the Pleistocene era)). Indigenous people did live on the island -- but they left about 2,000 years ago. It's the 3rd largest island in Australia -- about 93 miles long and 56 miles wide.
I obviously didn't do enough research on KI - I didn't realize how few roads were paved (only around 20%) -- so getting around took a lot longer than I expected (and glad that I had a compact SUV). I could have easily spent a couple of more days on KI.
My first stop was the Cape Willoughby lighthouse -- built in 1852 -- first one for South Australia.
Next stop was American River. Very pretty area. Good bird viewing (especially the pelicans). Stopped for lunch (abalini -- baby abalone -- very good).
And then I was off to try to find my rental cottage (SW part of the island -- near Flinders Chase National Park). It was a drive to get there (especially when I paid attention to my GPS rather than looking at a map -- ended up on a gravel road for 30 kms -- I should have stayed on the sealed road -- longer but would have been faster).
My cottage was on a farm -- about 9 kms off the main road. In it's own gated paddock -- never saw the owners -- and remote -- just off the "road" but only saw 2 cars pass by the house in 2 days. Nearest store -- 15 miles away (and it's a little general store).
The cottage was really cool (I think it's my favorite accommodation so far): water source -- rainwater in a cistern, electricity -- wind & solar-powered, propane for cooking, wood fire for heat --- no phone, TV, or internet (although there were 2 satellite dishes on the roof -- from what I can figure out -- they tried satellite and found it way too expensive for the rental unit).
And the best part was all of the wildlife -- tons of birds, wallabies, and kangaroos (and I even saw an echidna). In Australia, most of the animals are nocturnal -- coming out at dusk to dawn --it was just amazing to sit out on the deck in the late afternoon / early evening and watch everything -- at one point there were close to 20 wallabies in the paddock (eating grass and digging around).
weather: mostly sunny, 55 - 73F
kms driven: 295
miles walked: 3.0
Pic Notes:
KI is only 11.5 miles off the coast of Cape Jervis -- it separated from mainland Australia about 10,000 years ago (due to rising sea leves during the Pleistocene era)). Indigenous people did live on the island -- but they left about 2,000 years ago. It's the 3rd largest island in Australia -- about 93 miles long and 56 miles wide.
I obviously didn't do enough research on KI - I didn't realize how few roads were paved (only around 20%) -- so getting around took a lot longer than I expected (and glad that I had a compact SUV). I could have easily spent a couple of more days on KI.
My first stop was the Cape Willoughby lighthouse -- built in 1852 -- first one for South Australia.
Next stop was American River. Very pretty area. Good bird viewing (especially the pelicans). Stopped for lunch (abalini -- baby abalone -- very good).
And then I was off to try to find my rental cottage (SW part of the island -- near Flinders Chase National Park). It was a drive to get there (especially when I paid attention to my GPS rather than looking at a map -- ended up on a gravel road for 30 kms -- I should have stayed on the sealed road -- longer but would have been faster).
My cottage was on a farm -- about 9 kms off the main road. In it's own gated paddock -- never saw the owners -- and remote -- just off the "road" but only saw 2 cars pass by the house in 2 days. Nearest store -- 15 miles away (and it's a little general store).
The cottage was really cool (I think it's my favorite accommodation so far): water source -- rainwater in a cistern, electricity -- wind & solar-powered, propane for cooking, wood fire for heat --- no phone, TV, or internet (although there were 2 satellite dishes on the roof -- from what I can figure out -- they tried satellite and found it way too expensive for the rental unit).
And the best part was all of the wildlife -- tons of birds, wallabies, and kangaroos (and I even saw an echidna). In Australia, most of the animals are nocturnal -- coming out at dusk to dawn --it was just amazing to sit out on the deck in the late afternoon / early evening and watch everything -- at one point there were close to 20 wallabies in the paddock (eating grass and digging around).
weather: mostly sunny, 55 - 73F
kms driven: 295
miles walked: 3.0
Pic Notes:
- 1: cars queueing up for the ferry
- 2: Cape Jervis
- 3 - 4: Penneshaw (KI)
- 5 - 14: Cape Willougby
- 17 - 23: American River
- 24 - 35: Wilderness Valley Studio Accommodation
- 29: crimson rosella -- huge flock -- at one point there were 15+ feeding on the lawn
- 30: an echidna
- 31 - 33, 35: tammar wallabies
- 34: red wattlebird?
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