Australia here we come!

12/10/12

This morning we drove to Mt Lofty Summit in the Adelaide Hills. It was a better day but a bit hazy near the horizon. The view from Mt Lofty all over Adelaide is wonderful. There is a modern Visitors Centre at the summit and a great viewing platform.

We then drove back to the caravan park and had lunch. After lunch we caught the free bus into town and visited Ayres House. This is an historic building and was the home of Sir Henry Ayres, a former Premier of South Australia, in the 1800's. We took a guided tour through the house and were impressed how the rich people of that era lived. It would have been much different conditions for the majority at that time though.

We caught the free bus back to our waiting car and drove to Carrick Hill. We thought we were driving to another lookout but, instead, we found another historic and opulent house. We didn't enter as it was getting late, but we did plan on returning when we had more time.

We then drove to a disused quarry called McElligott's Quarry overlooking our caravan park. There is now a park and picnic area there with views over Adelaide. We left McElligott’s Quarry and drove up Old Belair Road and stopped halfway up at a viewing area. This spot overlooks our caravan park from the mountain opposite the mountain with McElligott's Quarry. We had a better view of the park from this site.

We continued up the mountain and came to Windy Point at the top. Here there is another viewing platform with extensive views of all Adelaide. Mary-Anne discovered a restaurant next to the viewing area and decided we should all go there for breakfast on Sunday morning. (Her daughter Jacinta had given her some money before we started our epic journey so we could all have a meal somewhere during our travels.) Mary-Anne had been searching for the ideal place for the last seven and a half months - finally she had found it. The breakfast eating area is under the main restaurant but has large glass windows that provide unending views over Adelaide while you eat. This was the place, and she put her foot down. There was to be no argument about it!!!!