Mount Barker
2 - 5 November 2018
We had called in to Mount Barker on a previous trip to have a look at Laratinga Wetlands and thought it would be nice to spend a bit of time there, so we made that our next destination. After a morning at the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens we stopped for a picnic lunch at Crystal Brook then drove towards the Adelaide Hills. The wind continued to blow hard throughout the day and was still very strong when we arrived at Mount Barker.
The strong winds made setting up the awning on the camper trailer quite a challenge but once the job was done we decided to make a trip to Laratinga Wetlandst to kill some time. We had to get used to a different sunrise/sunset pattern now that we had travelled east into South Australia and daylight savings time. In WA we were woken by sunrise just after 4:00am, in SA the sun wasn't getting up until closer to 7:00am, but was staying up until about 8:00pm. Resetting the body clock would take a few days.
While in Mount Barker we visited the wetlands each morning and evening to be able to catch the best light. We were fortunate to have lovely weather for each day of our visit with only gentle breezes after the first night. Laratinga Wetlands in on the outskirts of town and is a really popular spot with locals walking, cycling, running and walking dogs. There is a network of paths and lots of seating throughout - oh, and heaps of birds.
 |
| Hoary-headed Grebe |
 |
| Pink-eared Ducks are often very shy so I made the most of this situation. |
 |
| Yellow-billed Spoonbill. |
 |
| Grey Teal |
 |
| Grey Teal |
 |
| Chestnut Teal |
 |
| Black-tailed Native Hen |
 |
| Black-fronted Dotterel |
 |
| The next generation of Black-fronted Dotterels on the way. |
We also did the tourist thing and went to Hahndorf, a short drive away. This was an opportunity to pick up some more gourment delights as we had eaten all the goodies we bought in Margaret River. Hahndorf wears its German heritage with much pride and it is easy to spend a few hours browsing along the main street.
 |
| Worth every cent! |
We made one last visit to Laratinga Wetlands before setting off for Bool Lagoon, just past Naracoorte.
Bool Lagoon - near Naracoorte
5 - 6 November 2018
After a short morning at Laratinga Wetlands we headed for Bool Lagoon, just past Naracoorte We had hoped to visit once before but were informed at the Visitor Information Centre that, at that time, the lagoon was dry. I checked and discovered that this time, there was plenty of water so we planned a visit.
We set off along the freeway, through Keith where we stopped for a picnic lunch, then on through Naracoorte. The hot weather continued and it was over 30
° when we arrived mid-afternoon. Visitors must pay a $10 per vehicle entry fee, and camping ($10 per person per night) must be booked and paid online. We found the campground easily and set up in the best shady spot we could find. The campground is right beside Hack's Lagoon. Unfortunately the reeds were so high you couldn't actually see the water, but there were definitely birds around.
There are a number of short walks within the park and, despite the heat, we walked a short distance along Pat-Om Walk, an easy Grade 1, partly along boardwalk. Shortly after the boardwalk ended the track became overgrown so we turned back. It looked like the perfect place for snakes. From there we drove down to the Tea Tree Boardwalk. This 1 kilometre return walk snakes its way across the water of Bool Lagoon to a bird hide.
 |
| Lots of birdlife but very few photo opportunities. Sharp-tailed Sandpipers from the boardwalk. |
We only stayed at Bool Lagoon for one night and enjoyed being the only ones in the campground. That doesn't happen very often! In the morning we set off for Portland, in Victoria.
No comments:
Post a Comment