Page 18 - Abacoa Community News - July '20

Page 18, Abacoa
South Australia … A Beautiful Blend

By Don Kiselewski, MCC, The extraction
D.S., Palm Beach Gardens and capturing of
Travel Leaders the raw opals is
I could not have said done in two ways.
it better: “the potpourri First an auger
of South Australia will drills a four-foot
keep the traveling visitor diameter hole in
experiencing a myriad of the ground, brings
life styles, cultures, sights up the sand, rock
and sounds.” and (hopefully)
The Australian state of some opals. The
South Australia is about hole can be 30-
one and a half times larger than our state of Texas; to 40-feet deep.
however, it has only about one-tenth of the population, If they hit a vein,
which ranks it fifth among the other divisions of the they drop a man into the hole to the level of the vein where
country. Located on the central south side of the continent, he chips out the opal. This is how the area got the name
its southern border is the coastline on the Great Australian Coober Pedy. When the aborigines saw the operation they
Bight portion of the Indian Ocean. South Australia shares Cape du Couedic Lighthouse proclaimed, “Coober Pedy,” which means, “white man
its land borders with the four other mainland Australian in a hole.”
states and the Northern Territory. meat and produce and, it’s just a short streetcar ride from The second and less glamorous way to get opals is by
In 1627, Europeans made their first sighting of the center to the beach on the Gulf of St. Vincent. noodling. The material that is brought up from the hole
South Australia when the Gulden Zeepaert, a Dutch Just across the Gulf to the south lies Kangaroo Island, contains opal. That’s how they knew to stop drilling. This
ship commanded by Francois Thijssen, cruised the coast still another blend to the character of South Australia. The loose material from the hole is hauled to a central location,
and named the area, Pieter Nuyts land. However, it was island was sparsely populated with little productive use where it is fed by conveyor into a small (air-conditioned)
Matthew Flinders and Nicolas Baudin who first mapped until the end of WWII. Returning servicemen were given shed that is completely dark, except for black light. Opals
the coast in 1802. They changed the name to Terre homesteads to work the land. In addition, the island was will glisten in black light, so when the stones roll by they
Napoleon. stocked with native animals, except dingos, to serve as a are picked off the conveyor.
Thirty-two years later, the South Australian Act natural breeding ground. Today, it is the animals that are Everyone in Coober Pedy has a story of how they
was passed that established the state’s area, and more the drawing card for the island. Included in the plethora made it and lost it. Much the same as I would imagine
importantly that the colony was to be the embodiment of of animal life seen in their natural habitat are kangaroo, the kind of stories came out of our California Gold rush.
British society and “convict-free.” In this regard, South wallaby, echidna, koala, little (Fairy) penguins, sea The people who live there are hearty. They have to be
Australia’s origin was unique. Unlike the other provinces lions and even Ligurian bees, the only pure strain left on to exist! They deal in opals and cash with their own
whose origins were based upon convict settlements, South earth. The queen bees are shipped all over the world to particular blend of life.
Australia was planned by the British to be a center of beekeepers in little matchboxes. Embellishing the blend of the great outback wouldn’t
civilization for free immigrants, promising civil liberties Grapes further add to the blends of South Australia, for be complete without the mention of the camels. Yes,
and religious tolerance. it is the Barossa Valley that produces the major portion camels were left over from the building of The Ghan.
Governor Hindmarsh proclaimed the province on of the Australian wines we drink. They are world famous When the world famous railroad line from Adelaide to
December 28, 1836. The British decided to do it by the for the Shiraz, and it’s a good bet that next time you look Stuart (today’s Alice Springs) was constructed, there
numbers in populating the colony, establishing what at the label of Australian wine that indicates a product of were no roads to transport the wooden sleepers (or ties
was known as systematic colonization. This was Edward South Australia that it came from the Barossa Valley. Food as they are often called) to the middle of the desert. So,
Gibbon Wakefield’s theory, which was also employed in and wine produce the blend that makes this an excellent with typical Aussie ingenuity camels were imported from
New Zealand. location to enjoy. Afghanistan to become the ships of the sand to move the
Nine ships carrying some 636 people destined to If you are ready for rough and tumble, nothing in this freight. After the initial construction, many were turned
“christen” the colony had to make an unscheduled stop world could match the unique blend of Coober Pedy. Five loose and still roam freely throughout the outback. The
at Kingscote on Kangaroo Island until the powers to be hundred or so miles northwest of the urban city of Adelaide Ghan got its name from the shortened version of Afghan.
decided just where to locate the city. Adelaide was finally lies this truly outback desert town. For those of you who The Ghan made its first departure north on August
chosen as the site. From this tiny beginning, Adelaide have seen the movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, you 4, 1929. The line was narrow gauge traversed by steam
has grown to the state capital as well as containing the can relate to my comments. It gets to 120 degrees in the engines. Today, the line has had all of the old ties removed
majority of the state’s population; the balance of which summer at daytime and close to freezing in the winter and replaced with ones made of concrete, termite-resistant
has settled in the fertile southeast portion of the state, nights. To protect themselves from the elements, the locals members. Until 2006 the line ran only north to the center
along the coast and the Murray River. live underground in homes drilled into the earth. Not of Australia, where land trains then carried the freight
Adelaide is one of the key ingredients in the “beautiful only homes, but churches and other types of occupancies north to Darwin and other destinations in the Northern
blend” of South Australia; a truly laid back city that enjoys protect themselves in this manor. Why, you may ask? Territory. Since the land north of Alice Springs is flat
the simpler things of life. Oh, there is plenty of nightlife, Because, it’s the Opal Capital of the World, where the
sports and other high energy activities, but it is the simpler precious stones are mined and processed. South Australia on page 19
way of life that sets it apart. Recognized as Australia’s
Festival City, it hosts the country’s premier art festival every
March. This is but one of what seems to be never ending
festivals and entertainment. There are numerous venues CAMPBELL AND KARLIK, P.A.
throughout the city that can be reached in no more than a
15-minute walk. The city itself is circled by parks so it’s ATTORNEYS AT LAW
green and open in any direction just a few blocks away.
When the city was designed, the requirement for the
street width was determined by the radius required to do
a “U” turn with a double team of horses pulling a wagon. Wills • Trusts • Estate Planning • Probate
This resulted in extra wide streets and as a bonus today,
there is no such thing as gridlock or a traffic jam. You Taxation • Real Estate • Corporations
can get almost everywhere in the city in 15 minutes. The
center of the city houses a wonderful market with fresh

Diane L. KarLiK

Tel: (561) 625-5220
3450 Northlake Boulevard Suite 210 Fax: (561) 625-5201• Mobile: (561) 797-5004
Admirals Arch in Flinders National Park Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33403 EMail: dlkarlik@aol.com
Photos by Don Kiselewski