Page 12 - Boca Exposure - July '20

Page 12, Boca Exposure
South Australia … A Beautiful Blend

By Don Kiselewski, MCC, 4, 1929. The line was
D.S., Palm Beach Gardens narrow gauge traversed
Travel Leaders by steam engines. Today,
I could not have said the line has had all of
it better: “the potpourri of the old ties removed and
South Australia will keep the replaced with ones made
traveling visitor experiencing of concrete, termite-
a myriad of life styles, resistant members. Until
cultures, sights and sounds.” 2006 the line ran only
The Australian state of north to the center of
South Australia is about one Australia, where land
and a half times larger than trains then carried the
our state of Texas; however, it has only about one-tenth of the freight north to Darwin and other destinations in the Northern
population, which ranks it fifth among the other divisions of the Territory. Since the land north of Alice Springs is flat and the
country. Located on the central south side of the continent, its road is straight, land trains made up of king-size rigs that
southern border is the coastline on the Great Australian Bight Cape du Couedic Lighthouse towed three to four full length trailers, transported the goods
portion of the Indian Ocean. South Australia shares its land and merchandise to the north. In 2006 this last portion of the
borders with the four other mainland Australian states and the from the elements, the locals live underground in homes drilled railroad was completed, and the 3,000-kilometer run between
Northern Territory. into the earth. Not only homes, but churches and other types Darwin an Adelaide is made twice a week.
In 1627, Europeans made their first sighting of South of occupancies protect themselves in this manor. Why, you South Australia’s diverse lifestyles, wine, culinary
Australia when the Gulden Zeepaert, a Dutch ship commanded may ask? Because, it’s the Opal Capital of the World, where offerings, wildlife and festivals are set within a colorful
by Francois Thijssen, cruised the coast and named the area, the precious stones are mined and processed. and easy going atmosphere, which truly make it “A
Pieter Nuyts land. However, it was Matthew Flinders and The extraction and capturing of the raw opals is done in beautiful blend.”
Nicolas Baudin who first mapped the coast in 1802. They two ways. First an auger drills a four-foot diameter hole in Don Kiselewski writes from his personal experiences,
changed the name to Terre Napoleon. the ground, brings up the sand, rock and (hopefully) some having traveled in 122 countries and cruised the oceans, seas
Thirty-two years later, the South Australian Act was passed opals. The hole can be 30- to 40-feet deep. If they hit a vein, and rivers of the world. Palm Beach Gardens Travel Leaders,
that established the state’s area, and more importantly that they drop a man into the hole to the level of the vein where he his family owned and operated agency, is located at Mirasol
the colony was to be the embodiment of British society and chips out the opal. This is how the area got the name Coober Town Square, 11360 North Jog Road, Building A, Suite 102-6,
“convict-free.” In this regard, South Australia’s origin was Pedy. When the aborigines saw the operation they proclaimed, Palm Beach Gardens. The agency has been serving the travel
unique. Unlike the other provinces whose origins were based “Coober Pedy,” which means, “white man in a hole.” needs of the South Florida area for over a quarter of a century.
upon convict settlements, South Australia was planned by The second and less glamorous way to get opals is by Contact him at (561) 694-9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
the British to be a center of civilization for free immigrants, noodling. The material that is brought up from the hole
promising civil liberties and religious tolerance. contains opal. That’s how they knew to stop drilling. This loose
Governor Hindmarsh proclaimed the province on material from the hole is hauled to a central location, where it
December 28, 1836. The British decided to do it by the is fed by conveyor into a small (air-conditioned) shed that is
numbers in populating the colony, establishing what was completely dark, except for black light. Opals will glisten in
known as systematic colonization. This was Edward Gibbon black light, so when the stones roll by they are picked off the
Wakefield’s theory, which was also employed in New Zealand. conveyor.
Nine ships carrying some 636 people destined to “christen” Everyone in Coober Pedy has a story of how they made
the colony had to make an unscheduled stop at Kingscote on it and lost it. Much the same as I would imagine the kind of
Kangaroo Island until the powers to be decided just where to stories came out of our California Gold rush. The people who
locate the city. Adelaide was finally chosen as the site. From live there are hearty. They have to be to exist! They deal in
this tiny beginning, Adelaide has grown to the state capital as opals and cash with their own particular blend of life.
well as containing the majority of the state’s population; the Embellishing the blend of the great outback wouldn’t be
balance of which has settled in the fertile southeast portion of complete without the mention of the camels. Yes, camels were
the state, along the coast and the Murray River. left over from the building of The Ghan. When the world
Adelaide is one of the key ingredients in the “beautiful famous railroad line from Adelaide to Stuart (today’s Alice
blend” of South Australia; a truly laid back city that enjoys the Springs) was constructed, there were no roads to transport the
simpler things of life. Oh, there is plenty of nightlife, sports and wooden sleepers (or ties as they are often called) to the middle
other high energy activities, but it is the simpler way of life that of the desert. So, with typical Aussie ingenuity camels were
sets it apart. Recognized as Australia’s Festival City, it hosts imported from Afghanistan to become the ships of the sand
the country’s premier art festival every March. This is but one to move the freight. After the initial construction, many were
of what seems to be never ending festivals and entertainment. turned loose and still roam freely throughout the outback. The
There are numerous venues throughout the city that can be Ghan got its name from the shortened version of Afghan. Admirals Arch in Flinders National Park
reached in no more than a 15-minute walk. The city itself is The Ghan made its first departure north on August Photos by Don Kiselewski
circled by parks so it’s 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. This resulted in
extra wide streets and as a bonus today, there is no such thing
as gridlock or a traffic jam. You can get almost everywhere
in the city in 15 minutes. The center of the city houses a
wonderful market with fresh meat and produce and, it’s just
a short streetcar ride from the center to the beach on the Gulf Do you know a family member,
of St. Vincent.
Just across the Gulf to the south lies Kangaroo Island, still friend or a neighbor in need of
another blend to the character of South Australia. The island
was sparsely populated with little productive use until the Home Health Care?
end of WWII. Returning servicemen were given homesteads
to work the land. In addition, the island was stocked with Get 4 hours of free care
native animals, except dingos, to serve as a natural breeding if you mention this ad
ground. Today, it is the animals that are the drawing card for
the island. Included in the plethora of animal life seen in their Home Health Aides / Certified Nursing Assistants / Registered Nurses to assist you with:
natural habitat are kangaroo, wallaby, echidna, koala, little
(Fairy) penguins, sea lions and even Ligurian bees, the only • Personal Care • Companionship • Respite Care • Alzheimers & Dementia Care
pure strain left on earth. The queen bees are shipped all over • Medication Management • Transportation • Meal Preparation
the world to beekeepers in little matchboxes. • Light Housekeeping • Grocery Shopping • Post Surgery Care
Grapes further add to the blends of South Australia, for it
is the Barossa Valley that produces the major portion of the
Australian wines we drink. They are world famous for the Complimentary In-Home Consultation
Shiraz, and it’s a good bet that next time you look at the label
of Australian wine that indicates a product of South Australia Care provided in the comfort of your Home, Hospital, or Facility
that it came from the Barossa Valley. Food and wine produce
the blend that makes this an excellent location to enjoy. We accept All Long Term Care Insurance Policies and Private Pay – Affordable Rates
If you are ready for rough and tumble, nothing in this world
could match the unique blend of Coober Pedy. Five hundred Family owned and operated. Boca Resident for 30+ years and Boca Pointe Members.
or so miles northwest of the urban city of Adelaide lies this
truly outback desert town. For those of you who have seen CALL TODAY: 561.740.8667
the movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, you can relate to my www.auracalshc.com
comments. It gets to 120 degrees in the summer at daytime and Florida Licensed and Insured NR# 30211558, NR# 30211706
close to freezing in the winter nights. To protect themselves