Day 211 - Minlaton to Adelaide

Toady was our last day on the Yorke Peninsula and we did have to complete the run up its eastern coast to Port Wakefield.

Before leaving Minlaton we had one last task and that was to visit the Harry Butler Red Baron Memorial.  Harry Butler was born in Minlaton and was an aviator who flew in the War and who performed aerobatics locally.  He is remembered for his air mail run from Adelaide across Gulf St Vincent to Minlaton on 6 August 1919.  It was the first over-water flight in the Southern Hemisphere.

031114 The memorial for Harry Butler

031114 The Dehaviland monoplane "The Red Baron" Harry Butler
used for the first air mail flight from Adelaide to Minlaton

It was a mere 51 kilometres from Minlaton to Ardrossan on the eastern coast and then another 40 kilometres to Port Wakefield at the head of the Gulf.  The coastline is not very exciting but there was the inevitable stack of silos at Ardrossan and a Cheetham Salt Factory at Port Clinton.  

031114 More silos at Ardrossan on the Yorke Peninsula

031114 Cliffs at Ardrossan

031114 The main street of Ardrossan

The head of the Gulf is very flat with marshy salt flats everywhere, and the tide was out, as usual.

031114 The head of St Vincent Gulf

By the time we reached Port Wakefield the traffic had begun to increase and by the time we reached Adelaide's outskirts it seemed like we were in a time warp, heavy traffic and traffic lights.  The Gnome knew we were in for a shock when we changed direction at the road signs at the head of the Gulf.

031114 The signs are too big for little Gnomes

The last 20km through Adelaide suburbs was a bit of a "nightmare" with frantic traffic, frequent traffic lights, railway crossings and bad roads, which made it seem like we were riding a bucking bronco.  Thank goodness for the air-conditioning and a patient navigator.

All that aside, it was good to reach our caravan park, which is at Marion, and a pleasure to see some beautiful flowers to soothe our furrowed brows and calm our fractured patience.

031114 Beauty in the caravan park in Adelaide

031114 More beauty in the caravan park in Adelaide.  

Tomorrow's task?  Avoid traffic if we can.