20230503 SA Naracoorte, Padthaway to Keith

20230502 Heading to Naracoorte and there’s nothing but vineyards as far as you can see, roses and wind turbines, now I know about  the roses at the end of the grapevine’s but I’ve never seen wind turbines in a vineyards before, what could that mean.

Wind Machine Operation

This raises air temperatures around cold-sensitive perennial crops such as grapes, Wind machines are not the same as wind turbines, designed to create electricity from wind energy, using wind machines is one method of protecting horticultural crops from cold injury.

Wind machines pull warm air down from high above a field, blowing it downward and outward, pushing away cold air near target crops and replacing it with warmer air.

Turning up at the Big 4 caravan park in Naracoorte, only to be told booking in time is 11am, well I’ve never herd of that before, I thought you could book into a caravan park any time, but after she gave me a lecture she let us in early as there was heaps of free camp spots, then why even mention it.

We made the most of our stay and did a huge wash of not just the cloths but the van, but first up Des and I needed a good long shower.

A total of 8000 pounds was donated by the citizens of Naracoorte and District to build the lake which was officially opened on November 2, 1961.

Naracoorte Central 

Located right in the centre of town in Naracoorte, South Australia, this mural celebrates the endangered population of local Red Tailed Black Cockatoo'

Over looking Naracoorte is St Andrews Presbyterian Church (1874) 

The impressive mural on the front of the Police Station

$13,000 for this mural thanks to the taxpayers.

We only stopped for lunch so I took a few photos, The Main Street in Padthaway.

This unique marker at its entrance symbolises the town's agricultural enterprises, opened in 2001, the Padthaway Marker was constructed by a team of Gallery 54 Penola artists using locally quarried green granite. Converging lines represented by trellises dominate the landscape with sheep, crops, flood irrigation and vines supporting the different phases of the town.

On our way again we passed Willalooka and onto the town of Keith, one of Desie’s favourite sayings: have you ever herd of Keith manic, from Guatemala, who sends bricks to sleep, obviously something he’s picked up on on of his many travels. There’s free camping at the 24/7 Shell and truck stop that has Steak chips, salad or veggies for $17.95, the cheapest we’ve seen so far, but too many trucks to camp.

In 1889 the town was officially proclaimed and named after Lord Kintore, the Governor of S.A who was also known as Lord Keith because his ancestral home in Aberdeenshire, Scotland was called Keith Hall.

After driving around the town we stumbled onto a church hidden in the back streets and quietly tucked ourselves at the back where no one could see us. Ever afternoon we grab a beer and walk the grounds but then we noticed a car parked in the church. We sat in the van very quite like naughty children waited for him to leave, which he didn’t, we’ll be fine were in the lords hands.

Found this on our walk a Landrover on a Pole - the Desert Conquest, it obviously means something.

The Circlework Water Feature in the main street is to celebrate the cycle of water through the Australian landscape with particular reference to the region's high table and extensive irrigation industry. A poignant reminder of how important all forms of water are to this area.

The mural depicts two firefighters, their truck and and bulldozer (used to clear a firebreak).

We didn’t want to push our luck so we had a light breakfast the left Keith heading to Tintinary to check out the free camp around a lake.

Goodbye From Keith