Page 10 - The Shores of Jupiter - July '20

Page 10, The Shores
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
country. Located on the central south side of the continent, its the 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 elements, the locals live underground in homes drilled into railroad was completed, and the 3,000-kilometer run between
Northern Territory. the earth. Not only homes, but churches and other types of Darwin an Adelaide is made twice a week.
In 1627, Europeans made their first sighting of South occupancies protect themselves in this manor. Why, you may South Australia’s diverse lifestyles, wine, culinary offerings,
Australia when the Gulden Zeepaert, a Dutch ship commanded ask? Because, it’s the Opal Capital of the World, where the wildlife and festivals are set within a colorful and easy going
by Francois Thijssen, cruised the coast and named the area, precious stones are mined and processed. atmosphere, which truly make it “A beautiful blend.”
Pieter Nuyts land. However, it was Matthew Flinders and The extraction and capturing of the raw opals is done in Don Kiselewski writes from his personal experiences,
Nicolas Baudin who first mapped the coast in 1802. They two ways. First an auger drills a four-foot diameter hole in having traveled in 122 countries and cruised the oceans, seas
changed the name to Terre Napoleon. the ground, brings up the sand, rock and (hopefully) some and rivers of the world. Palm Beach Gardens Travel Leaders,
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, his family owned and operated agency, is located at Mirasol
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 Town Square, 11360 North Jog Road, Building A, Suite 102-6,
the colony was to be the embodiment of British society and chips out the opal. This is how the area got the name Coober Palm Beach Gardens. The agency has been serving the travel
“convict-free.” In this regard, South Australia’s origin was Pedy. When the aborigines saw the operation they proclaimed, needs of the South Florida area for over a quarter of a century.
unique. Unlike the other provinces whose origins were based “Coober Pedy,” which means, “white man in a hole.” Contact him at (561) 694-9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
upon convict settlements, South Australia was planned by The second and less glamorous way to get opals is by
the British to be a center of civilization for free immigrants, noodling. The material that is brought up from the hole contains
promising civil liberties and religious tolerance. opal. That’s how they knew to stop drilling. This loose material
Governor Hindmarsh proclaimed the province on December from the hole is hauled to a central location, where it is fed by
28, 1836. The British decided to do it by the numbers in conveyor into a small (air-conditioned) shed that is completely
populating the colony, establishing what was known as dark, except for black light. Opals will glisten in black light,
systematic colonization. This was Edward Gibbon Wakefield’s so when the stones roll by they are picked off the conveyor.
theory, which was also employed in New Zealand. Everyone in Coober Pedy has a story of how they made
Nine ships carrying some 636 people destined to “christen” it and lost it. Much the same as I would imagine the kind of
the colony had to make an unscheduled stop at Kingscote on stories came out of our California Gold rush. The people who
Kangaroo Island until the powers to be decided just where to live there are hearty. They have to be to exist! They deal in
locate the city. Adelaide was finally chosen as the site. From opals and cash with their own particular blend of life.
this tiny beginning, Adelaide has grown to the state capital as Embellishing the blend of the great outback wouldn’t be
well as containing the majority of the state’s population; the complete without the mention of the camels. Yes, camels
balance of which has settled in the fertile southeast portion of were left over from the building of The Ghan. When the world
the state, along the coast and the Murray River. famous railroad line from Adelaide to Stuart (today’s Alice
Adelaide is one of the key ingredients in the “beautiful Springs) was constructed, there were no roads to transport the
blend” of South Australia; a truly laid back city that enjoys the wooden sleepers (or ties as they are often called) to the middle
simpler things of life. Oh, there is plenty of nightlife, sports and of the desert. So, with typical Aussie ingenuity camels were
other high energy activities, but it is the simpler way of life that imported from Afghanistan to become the ships of the sand
sets it apart. Recognized as Australia’s Festival City, it hosts to move the freight. After the initial construction, many were
the country’s premier art festival every March. This is but one turned loose and still roam freely throughout the outback. The
of what seems to be never ending festivals and entertainment. Ghan got its name from the shortened version of Afghan. Admirals Arch in Flinders National Park
There are numerous venues throughout the city that can be The Ghan made its first departure north on August Photos by Don Kiselewski
reached in no more than a 15-minute walk. The city itself is
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 of
St. Vincent.
Just across the Gulf to the south lies Kangaroo Island, still
another blend to the character of South Australia. The island
was sparsely populated with little productive use until the end of 747-PALM
WWII. Returning servicemen were given homesteads to work
the land. In addition, the island was stocked with native animals, 747-7256
except dingos, to serve as a natural breeding ground. Today, it
is the animals that are the drawing card for the island. Included
in the plethora of animal life seen in their natural habitat are
kangaroo, wallaby, echidna, koala, little (Fairy) penguins, sea
lions and even Ligurian bees, the only pure strain left on earth. 6698 Lakeland Court
The queen bees are shipped all over the world to beekeepers Panoramic lake views from this 4 bed, SOLD!
in little matchboxes. 3 bath pool home. Enjoy contemporary
Grapes further add to the blends of South Australia, for it design with floor to ceiling windows,
fresh paint inside and out, high end
is the Barossa Valley that produces the major portion of the appliances and much more.
Australian wines we drink. They are world famous for the
18898 Still Lake Drive
Shiraz, and it’s a good bet that next time you look at the label Remodeled 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home SOLD!
of Australian wine that indicates a product of South Australia with custom den and lushly landscaped
that it came from the Barossa Valley. Food and wine produce back yard and Tiki. Updated kitchen
the blend that makes this an excellent location to enjoy. and baths, impact windows, gas
appliances, stone accents, newer roof
If you are ready for rough and tumble, nothing in this world and much more.
could match the unique blend of Coober Pedy. Five hundred or Call for any Real Estate
so miles northwest of the urban city of Adelaide lies this truly Your Shores Specialist questions or needs
outback desert town. For those of you who have seen the movie
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, you can relate to my comments.
It gets to 120 degrees in the summer at daytime and close to
freezing in the winter nights. To protect themselves from the