Kangaroo Island Adventure

I would like to apologies upfront but this is quite a long one, so get a cuppa first or if you just want to look at the photographs; then go here.

Kangaroo Island is such a special place that to try and write about our trip in just a few paragraphs would not do it justice and within my heart this has to be one of the most beautiful places I have visited. The step back in time which one takes when arriving is an integral part of the island’s character and something that needs to be enjoyed and celebrated.

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With the Australia Day long weekend the decision was made to undertake a visit to Kangaroo Island which is Australia's third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. It is 150km long and 57km at its widest. Kangaroo Island is rich in history. In 1802, British explorer, Matthew Flinders landed near Kangaroo Head on Dudley Peninsula. French explorer, Nicolas Baudin, followed soon after and mapped most of the island. Kangaroo Island (KI) became Australia's first free settlement, with sealers, escaped convicts and runaway sailors calling the island home.

Management at work only made the decision to give everyone a long weekend rather late in the month as the Thursday was the public holiday which then meant that the Friday off as well; this then made it worthwhile to so sightseeing. Finding accommodation so late in the month was the easiest part but unfortunately only a mid-morning ferry journey across the Backstairs Passage could be booked and an early morning crossing on the Sunday. Nevertheless it gave us two and half days on the island and when looking around at what we should visit one had the impression that it is more than enough time.

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Kangaroo Island is about 7 times the size of Singapore and for those of us that have been there it seemed like a doddle considering one would not have to deal with the traffic and relentless taxis which keep Singapore moving. How wrong that turned out to be.

We set off nice and easy on Thursday morning and being a Public Holiday the roads were relatively quiet and we got down to Cape Jarvis without a hitch. The weather did not look all that bad either but by the time we got to the ferry port there was quite a gale going through the Backstairs Passage to the extent that the ferries were running 30 minutes late. Quite a lot considering that the sailing time is only takes 30 minutes. Anyway we checked in and they confirmed that the ferries are running. It was quite a trip across and hats off to the captain who did a brilliant job steering the ferry through the rough seas where at times the horizon disappeared completely as the ferry went through the trough. Arriving at Penneshaw the weather started to change and with the sun starting to come out we headed across the island to Stakes Bay where we were staying for the 3 nights.

It was quite a surprise to find that the speed limit on the island is 110kph on the tarred roads as much of South Australia is 100kph. Not that 10kph means much but when one is used to doing 120kph in other countries it does seem like a crawl. That is a discussion for another time.

We arrived at Waves and Wildlife early-afternoon and after getting ourselves checked in; which entailed reading the sign on the office door, going to the unit and letting yourself in and unpacking. For the whole time that we were there we never saw anybody in the office or even had to deal with them. I can just imagine doing that in some of the other countries we have been to.

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Anyway, the sun was shining so we went to start having a look around. Now Waves and Wildlife is at Stokes Bay and it must have the coolest entrance to any beach anywhere in the world. Arriving at the car park you’re assaulted by a shoreline littered with boulders with barely a grain of sand in sight. Then you notice a small, unassuming sign suggesting a beach exists somewhere near the rocky headland to the right.  You follow it to a similar sign which directs you to a small opening in the rocks – where there might be a grizzly bear. After a short passage through a tiny tunnel there it is – the beach and it is stunning.

Maybe it’s the sheltered rock pool or the dazzling white sand or the rugged coastline off in the distance, but there’s something truly spectacular about Stokes Bay.

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Near the beach is The Rockpool Café and is most definitely recommended for a light meal. Unfortunately they are only open until 4/4:30 and then after that one is rather limited for any restaurants in the area as there are none. Supposedly Stokes Bar and Grill is at Stokes Bay and the best we could find was a roadside sign pointing towards the place but that was headed towards a heap of trees and a farm house without any signs or indication that it could be a place to eat. Anyway they do not have dinner serving and as we were out all day it did not really matter that much. Something that we have also not quite got used to in Australia is the complete lack of eating places around holiday spots; other than the hotels and pubs which all provide meals of some sorts.

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With a full belly we headed out west to explore the beaches and sights along the north coast. The first place we came across was Snellings Beach which is at the mouth of the Middle River and from Constitution Hill one gets a beautiful view back over the bay.

Next on the coast was another of Kangaroo Island's spectacular beaches, Western River Cove is a quiet beach, far from the maddening crowds. The road follows the Western River through the valley and at the cove it flows into the sea. The hidden sandy cove also has some stunning geological formations exposing the granitic nature of KI. With a bit of a walk around it is quite evident that this picturesque area is ideal for swimming, rock and surf-fishing.

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With the sun heading towards the horizon it was time to head on home and with most of the roads being gravel (quite loose on a number of stretches) and with abundant wildlife I did not want to drive in the dark.

When we got back to the chalet the advertised promise was kept and we had kangaroos grazing right in front of us. Being South African we came prepared for having the nightly barbie (braai) so having lit the gas fire it was simply fantastic to be sitting outside on the deck watching the roos while having a glass of wine and turning the meat until perfect.

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A glorious first day had come to an end and one went to sleep thinking about how lucky one is to have such stunning scenery around and to be able to experience it.

The next day we woke to cloudy skies and after a couple of cups of coffee and brekky we headed off to the Flinders Chase National Park. It was an hour’s journey along the tar road and within that hour we only saw two other cars. That is one of the things about KI which adds to its character is that you can travel for an hour and be the only car on the road.

Since the creation of the national park in November 1919, Flinders Chase has become a sanctuary for endangered species, some of them introduced from the mainland in the 1920s and 1930s. During the 1940s, 23 additional species were introduced, including Koalas (1923) and Platypus (1928).

It is a sanctuary for endangered species and home to a few geological phenomena.

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Remarkable rocks are one of the best known icons of Kangaroo Island. They are a collection of enormous eroded granite boulders sitting atop a giant dome of lava coughed up about 500 million years ago, boulders were formed by the rain penetrating the upper layer of the rock, decomposing it into separate boulders. Since then the wind, sea spray and lichen have since carved the chunks into what look like monumental Henry Moore sculptures perched 200 feet above a crashing sea.

The red colour of Remarkable Rocks comes from a tiny living plant, called lichen in contrast to the renowned Ayers Rock which also has a red colour but that comes from the natural colour of the granite which forms this world famous icon of Australia.

At Admirals Arch, located at Cape du Couedic in the Flinders Chase National Park one can only be amazed by the forces of nature. The viewing platform and boardwalk around a cliff face leads you to this spectacular natural rock arch, sculpted by weathering and erosion from the sea over thousands of years.

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The Arch is a remnant of the ancient cave that was broken by ocean waves and transformed into a natural bridge. Stalactites are still hanging off the top of the arch as the evidence of its unusual history. The arch presents a geological significance and designated as a geological monument.

On the rock platforms we saw the colony of New Zealand fur-seals which have made this home. These dark brown seals feed at sea but return to land to rest and breed. Breeding occurs in summer when males establish territorial areas encompassing a number of females. Fur-seal pups can often be seen playing near the rock pools beneath the arch.

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Unfortunately the weather was not at its best as can been seen from the photographs and we then decided to give the rest of the park a skip and as mid-afternoon was fast approaching thought it best to head back home. Now having never been someone to take the direct route the scenic route was chosen which took us along the southern coast. We also then gave Kelly Hill caves a skip and will do those with another visit.

We stopped in at Vivonne, a government proclaimed township of originally sixteen allotments. However, all but four allotments were ultimately resumed by the Crown as reserve. 1963 an estate of 220 allotments was established along banks of the Harriet River. In 1979, after investigation of the effects of erosion on the dunal system at Vivonne Bay, every esplanade allotment was compulsorily acquired by the Crown and these allotments now constitute a reserve.

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There is a general store located on the South Coast Road, which will cater for most needs. From here it was home and so a second day came to a close and we had seen some truly remarkable sights which will always be with us.

Day 3 was set aside for the seals at Seal Bay where there is a large colony of the Australian Sea Lion on the beach. This is one of the most popular tourist destinations on KI. In order to protect the colony, visitors are only allowed on the beach by paying to go on a guided tour.

The world population is estimated at around 14,700. Of these, 85 percent live in South Australia and the other 15 percent in Western Australia.

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Seal Bay supports the third largest colony of Australian sea lions with a population of around 1,000 - around five percent of the world's total.

The Australian Sea lion was nearly hunted to extinction in the 19th century. We can count ourselves lucky that places like Seal Bay exist today.

Females undertake three day fishing expeditions and, while we were there we witnessed a family reunion, when mum returns to the beach to be greeted by an excited pup. Also a couple of the big daddies were trying to make their presence known. Just being able to stand on the beach and look at these amazing animals 25m away was worth the trip to KI. Also the sun had come out so we had some glorious photographic weather. In fact thankfully we had our hats as the sun was quite vicious.

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From here we headed towards Kingscote the biggest town on KI. Originally established at Reeves Point on 27 July 1836, it is South Australia's first official European settlement.

It is home to shops, facilities and half of the Island’s population – a lively town that is often referred to as KI’s ‘commercial hub’. Personally I found Kingscote to be a bit of a disappointment, but then perhaps I was expecting too much and also being a Saturday afternoon not a lot was happening. So we had a bit of a walk around and after having seen the scenes over the beautiful Nepean Bay headed out towards Emu Bay.

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Along the route one passes the Lavender Farm which was worth the stop; but not for the lavender products, but rather that which we saw above us when walking to the car. Here was this little fella catching his afternoon nap in the fork of a blue gum tree.

Emu Bay is a small town of 97 allotments with an even mix of permanent and holiday homes. The town has no shops or mains water supply. Emu Bay is known as a popular swimming beach, and is one of few on KI where vehicles are permitted.

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A small jetty dates to 1918. Originally 109 metres long, it allowed ketches such as Karatta to tie up to load cargoes, while a nearby fresh water well serviced horses which pulled wagons down to the bay. Until the 1930s, grain, stock and merchandise were taken to and from KI from this jetty.

It was getting on towards late afternoon so we headed back to Waves & Wildlife along the north coast road. The road climbs to about 300m and we got these beautiful vistas over the island looking towards Kingscote and the Cygnet River Valley.

With the gas barbie going we were able to sit outside and enjoy the company of the grazing kangaroos as we thought back onto a day which had such a highlight of being amongst the seals.

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Now before we head home I must tell you about Parndarna which was our nearest town about 20km from the chalets. Parndana was established after the Second World War to support the Soldier Settlement Scheme on KI. The name "Parndana" means "The Place of Little Gums". It is located in the centre of the island and is home to a population of around 150, however most of this population do not live in the town, they are sprawled within a few kilometres.

Parndana truly comes alive in November when the annual Speed Shears event is held. Shearers from Australia and overseas compete in one of the richest shearing events in the world.

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With the dawn of day four we knew it was time to head back home. Waves and Wildlife where we based ourselves is a cluster of chalets set on 80 acres bordering one of KI’s most beautiful beaches, directly behind the cliffs of Stokes Bay beach with no roads in between. It boasts everything you imagine KI to be with glorious views over Investigator Strait from the front deck.

Much of the property remains natural bush land which is home to large mobs of the KI Kangaroo which graze around the cottages every evening and can be seen around grazing the property or resting in shade of the surrounding trees during the day and that is a wonderful memory that we will always have with us.

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Being an early Sunday morning journey out to be on the 10:30 ferry meant the road was quiet and we had some of our last views of this beautiful island before reaching Penneshaw which is where the ferry port is located. Penneshaw, the second largest town on Kangaroo Island, has a population of around 300, and is located on the north eastern tip of the Dudley Peninsula, on the eastern end of the island.

The ferry journey across the Backstairs Passage was very different from the crossing to KI. In complete contrast we had a beautiful calm sea with some great views towards KI and also Cape Jervis. It was with real sadness that one left KI and if the cost of the ferry crossing was a lot more reasonable we would be there on a regular basis considering the Cape Jervis is only 60 minutes from home; by direct route that is. But the $348 return trip must make it one of the most expensive ferry crossings in the world and that makes KI very expensive to weekend on.

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Thank you for allowing me to share this adventure with you and until the next visit be careful wherever you are.