Kernewek Lowender

The following photos are from last week at the Kernewek Lowender Festival on the South Australian Copper Coast (Moonta, Wallaroo and Kadina areas).

 Michael was being a naughty boy again and got a thrashing from the Headmistress

 Grand Bard of the Cornish Gorsedd

 Dressing of the Graves

 Maypole Dance

 Flurry Dancing

 Calling the Quarters

 Edward overseeing the Gathering

 The Gathering of the Bards

Adelaide

Currently in Adelaide - heading back to Wallaroo/Moonta area for the Kernewek Lowender Cornish Festival on Tuesday - weather doesn't look promising (20mm of rain expected!).
Read about the week's acvtivities at: http://www.kernewek.org/

After that, we're headin NORTH to the warmer weather . . . .

Rapid Bay, SA

We moved from Murray Bridge to Victor Harbour on Friday 3 May and stayed til Tuesday 7 May.  Very nice seaside town quite big with pretty views and walks.  The weather was not at all kind to us – cold, overcast and windy with some heavy rain thrown in for good measure.  We went fishing in a couple of different spots but didn’t have any luck at all and it was a bit too windy to stay out for very long anyway.  A very lazy couple of days reading and doing crosswords and stuff.  Michael has started to make bracelet and key fobs out of paracord – see if he can sell a few??  Quiet celebration of Michael’s birthday on 6 May.

Moved to Rapid Bay on Tuesday 7 May – and the weather is beautiful (although that is going to change on the weekend).  The scenery along the way reminded us of the Bega Valley – lush rolling hills, cattle, sheep and not many people.  The camping area is spectacular – right on the beach with large hills/mountains on either side.  There is not much here – the nearest shop is a general store at Delamere about 10 kms away.  It’s an interesting place – there are only 3 permanent residents left now.  There was a limestone mine operating here but that closed in 1982.  There are about a dozen old stone cottages that used to be occupied by the mine workers that have been empty since the mine closed.  They look well-kept from the outside but the campground caretaker told us that they are trashed inside.  The guy who owns the land around here won’t allow them to be rented out.  There are a couple that the mining company allow employees to use as holiday homes – the rest are just falling down – it’s a shame.  We’re here til Tuesday next week and the weather is forecast to turn nasty on Sunday (and it did!).

 

Our current 'home' by the beach

 View from the front porch


 Home for the last week

 Housework!

 View from our front porch . . .

 Kangaroo Island

Hahndorf and Strathalbyn, SA

Spent Wednesday playing tourist in Hahndorf which is Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement established in 1839.  Lots of German bakeries, pubs and shops.  Also home to Beerenberg orchards where they make the yummy jams we all know – yes we did buy some and well as some freshly picked strawberries.  The surrounding countryside is very pretty – rolling hills and stone farm cottages.

Today we went to Strathalbyn – the antique capital of SA.  We agreed that this town has more pubs than any other town that size that we have seen – one on just about every corner it seemed.  Browsed through some antique shops – some very organised and others looked like someone backed a truck up and emptied the contents straight into the shop.  Very pretty with a lovely park with a river running through in the centre of town.  Two fun days of playing tourist!!!!

 Couldn't keep Col away from the pastry shops . . .

 Strathalbyn Park

Old Tailem Town

Spent the morning at Old Tailem Town, Australia’s largest pioneer town.  There are over 100 buildings dating from 1860 to 1960 which showcase what life was like for the settlers of South Australia during that time.  Very interesting and it was amazing the number of things we both remembered from childhood – like the big tins of Arnott’s biscuits that the grocer used to keep on the shelf and desks with inkwells in the school room!!!  Showing our maturity but at least we still remember.

Swan Reach

We arrived in Swan Reach on Tuesday 23 April and set up camp in the free camp area on the other side of the Murray to the town.  Passed through some beautiful country on the way through the Barossa – lots of rolling hills and valleys.  I had no idea this area around the Murray River was so spectacular – the river cliffs are huge and full of colour.  Swan Reach itself is a pretty little town but half of it appears to be for sale.  The pub was put into receivership and closed today – great timing!!  Very relaxing spot – tried some fishing, drove around town (had to catch a ferry across the Murray – tres cool).  Got up early and went to the Dawn Service on Anzac Day and then to the RSL for breakfast.  A good turnout and it was great to see lots of young people there!

Decided to move camp over to the oval where the Country Music Festival is happening on Thursday.  Not too many people there yet but it filled up on Friday during the day.  The festival itself was really good – lots of young girls with very big voices. Tracey Raines and Claypan were good as well as a young girl Chiara Rodrigues – amazing voice.

We didn’t stay for the gospel session on Sunday morning (?) and we packed up and left to the sounds of ‘Amazing Grace’ . . . .  Arrived in Murray Bridge early afternoon and we’re here for a couple of days to charge everything and catch up on washing and other domestics.  We’ll do a bit of sightseeing around the area – lots to see and we’ll use this as a base.

 The magnificent Murray River

 Full Moon over the Murray