20151016 SA York Peninsula with the Bennets

20151016 If you’re looking for a great holiday with many beautiful beaches, and lovely little towns full of history not to mention the wonderful antique, 2nd hand and boutique shops then look no further, the Yorke Peninsula is the place to be.  These quant country towns gives you a warm fuzzy feeling as you walk the streets and are greeted with a hello, how are you from the many locals not to mention the kids give a wave.  We were lucky to have stayed with friends at Minlaton so our stay was full of adventure and excitement, O! and of cause many, many drinks and laughter but I recon Caroline and I were more like giggling teenagers.

Our first night and the adventure begins with little George taking control as he drives us around the wheat fields exploring his future inheritance.

Tony shows us some of the old wares laying around the property waiting to be rescued, however he does have big plans to recover the items.

 We stop at the wheat fields for a family photo shoot of our dear friends Tony Caroline and there little man George.

I am just in ore of the surroundings and we were just in time for the sunset, this is a photographs haven.

Dad and son watering the wheat as Harold, the dog watches on.

Our stay wasn’t just exciting but also educational, well for me anyway as I had never seen a rabbit burrow before and this is the damage they cause, cute as they may seem but they are very destructive.

Just one more of the sunset over the wheat fields.
















Caroline cooked a lovely roast dinner then we settled in for a night of fun and laughter.

Caroline doing the Cha, Cha, Char, well! I’m not sure what she is doing but I think she missing the rose in the mouth.

Tony gets out his fake guitar, cheke out that face he certainly put on a good show.

Look out for the wooden spoon Des but it sure looks like they are having a great time. 

17-10-2015 Des went with Tony to work while Caroline and George played tour guides and took me site seeing.  the town of Minlaton was once called Gum Flats because of the large number of red gums growing in the area.

The Yorke Peninsula takes the shake of a leg with a foot, Captain Flinders described the Peninsula as being ‘Like an ill-shaped leg.

The Harvest Corner building goes back to the early 1900s when after a run of bad luck, Alexandre McKenzie left his farm just out of Minlaton to his son and moved into town to open a two story fuel and folder store selling hay and saddlery but when saddlery declined the firm engaged in upholstery, shoe and boot manufacture and repair, which became the district’s main shoe store.  Today the building is filled with local arts, crafts and produce and benefit from visitors information provided by the locals.

Minlaton was the home town of Harry Butler, a WW1 flying ace when in 1919 he flew from Adelaide to Minlaton, the first over-water flight in the Southern Hemisphere.  His Bristol M1C has been restored and stands with pride in Minlaton for all to see.

As we touring the Peninsula we thought we had better stop to leave the “men at work” some lunch, at least we made some effect and Tony didn't waste any time with putting the old fart to work.  This is the first time in 4 years since he worked and trust me every afternoon he was stuffed.

George just adores his Dad and grabs the opportunity to work at his side as Mum watches on.

Caroline’s parents’ home at Corny Point, once the family holiday home but after some renovation’s is now there permanent home, who wouldn’t want to retire in a location like this. That’s a million dollar view.

We venture on to the lighthouse at Corny Point and Matthew Flinders named this area because it looked like a corn on the foot of the York Peninsula.

The 1881 lighthouse and George is happy to pose for a photo in the doorway.

 Berry Bay where we stretch our legs and give George a run and he’s loving it.

We had intended to stop at the local tavern for a refreshing cold drink but how could we wake our little man, pinch him Caroline, just kidding.

Friends arrived for dinner and we sat around with our drinks “of cause” and laughed the night away then out of the blue I blurted out to Marty, you remind me of Jack Nicholson out of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and we all cracked up, thank god he has a great sense of humour.

19-10-2015 Today our adventure begins at Innes National Park where we drive around the big toe of the Peninsula and explore many inlets like Marion, Stenhouse and Pondalowie Bay and follow the history of the areas.

Before you is what is left of the site that in the 1913 was a productive Gypsum mining plant and at its peak the company employed 120 men. Gypsum – after being washed, roasted and ground was used in the manufacturing of plaster of paris and cement but by 1972 only six men remained and the population dwindled.

Historical Inneston grew from 1913 to 1930 and is an integral part of mining and pioneer history and the only surviving example of an early 20^th century gypsum mining complex.  There were once 36 dwellings that were homes for a 100 men and 30 woman when contact with the outside world was mostly by ship.

Above is what's left of Ethel when on 2nd Jan 1904 she passed too close to cape Spencer and hit a reef. It's hard to believe that was over 100 years ago and yet her skeleton is visible. My Mum's name was Ethel.

Pondalowie Bay fishing huts which are owned by many locals who had a 99 year lease but unfortunately this wonderful government is not renewing the lease so the huts cannot be passed down to the next generation, typical.

While dropping off a wood fire pizza for the boys lunch and look what I found, how cute is she.

The boys afternoon ritual, arr did you have a hard day boys.  While the men work the woman play ,he! he.

23-10-2015 After dropping lunch off for the hard working men Caroline takes me to Ardrossan for some girl time and check out the shops then an early lunch at a great café, and OMG, I had the best croissant with salmon, avocado, Spanish leaves and Aioli washed down with a great coffee, Yumo.  We found some 2nd hand shops where I brought some great cheap items then left for a quick trip to Maitland with more opp shops, just what I needed a girls day shopping.

24-10-2015  We pack a swag and head to a birthday party with a difference, in the middle of the property surrounded by wheat farms, a BBQ is dropped off along with tables, which are soon filled with all sorts of goodies and surrounded with esky’s and chairs. While the kids run themselves ragged the adults sit back to enjoy a few drinks and a good old chin wag with some light music in the back ground.

I am so loving this country living, the sunsets,  parties and the people.

All these kids did was run the around with their home made guns, we hardly saw them, that’s country kids for ya.

Our George doesn't mind posing for a photo for me.










25-10-2015  George turns up at our van and said, are you ready, what for we said, Dads taking us to the harvest, cool so we quickly got ready and piled into the car for another exciting adventure, unfortunately poor Caroline was laid up in bed sick.

Just when I didn’t think it could get any better and look what they throw at us, we scored a ride in these massive harvest machines while seeing firsthand how the process works, it was so cool.

The silos are hitched to the trucks and brought closer so the harvest machines so the tractor can syphon their load into them, this process is repeated until the job is completed.  In between all that the semis are also filled to transport the harvest to the silos ready for shipping.

We also got to ride in this huge tractor which drives alongside the harvester so they can dump their loads without stopping.

While all this is happening Harold sits on top of the esky keeping guard, now that’s a dog.

Watching Tony trying to change his tyre with Harold smothering him, every time Tony pushed him away Harold got even closer, we cracked up laughing.

After dinner we head to the shed for our last drinks with Tony, as Caroline was still not 100%, but we did have a relatively early night.

26-10-2015 Our stay on the Yorke Peninsula with the Bennet’s has been nothing but AMAZING, but again, all good things must come to an end as we pack up to hit the road but not before I take some last minute photos.

 Although it isn't completed this is the new abode and it only took him 4 months to build, he's a cleaver boy our Tony 

 Of cause we can't leave without a goodbye cuddle and a last photo.

To our dear friends Tony and Caroline and our little mate George, thank you for making us feel welcomed and for taking us on another wonderful journey, one Des and I will never forget.