South Australia

The Poem, Stop by Stop

1. 1Yarralumla, CanberraACT · departure
   Have you ever sat down and planned a whole trip?Took a quick sleep, thrown the kids in the pool for a dip…Quick ate some lunch and drove off post-midday,To spend the first night in a Roadside Motel in Hay?That’s just what we did, your mother and IWe do try to sit still, we really do try.But the open road beckons, calls us by nameTo waste a vacation at home, would be such a shame, shame, shame, shame.When COVID struck Brisbane, with a snap lockdown in towWe knew off to the Gold Coast we just couldn’t goSo we turned our sights West, off to wide open spacesTo South Australia to see lots of new places.
2. 2HayNSW · night one
   Even splitting the drive, we still have eight hoursTo get off by seven we take record-fast showers.The cafes aren’t open, the main street is stillBut only in Oz, 7-11’s make flat whites at the till.
3. 3The South Australian borderSturt Highway
   Haste does make waste—I should have been heeding,I’m caught passing a roadtrain and get a ticket for speeding.Now past the Vic cops, we cross into SAAnother rule following lot, we re-learn a lesson this day.Do not bring fruit or veggies in hereYou’d do better with cans of veggies or beer.The COVID threat seems remote on this hot, sunny day.But the fruit flies are real, throw those bananas away!
4. 4Cape JervisFleurieu Peninsula
   The drive takes us on top of a peninsula roadWe get to the holiday cabins and quickly unloadThe kids get a treat, a real cubby house!And thankfully not yet a trace of a mouse.
5. 5Ferry to PenneshawKangaroo Island
   A ferry by morning, then off to the zoo
6. 6Kangaroo Island Wildlife ParkKangaroo Island
   To feed mobs of wallabies and of kangarooSome were albino but none of them blueJust hold your hand flat, that’s what you must do.Jack holds a snake, a python of greenIf it was sitting in a tree, it wouldn’t be seenIt wraps round his leg, and holds to him tightJust take it off slowly, don’t put up a fight.The koala’s more cuddly, nearly seems tame.Rescued as a joey; Archie’s his name.He holds on so tight, with both of his thumbsTreating both my arms, like thin branches of gums.
7. 7Cape Willoughby & Seymour CottageKangaroo Island
   Get pizza quick, drive to the lighthouse at nightJack sees wildlife indoors, and gets a small frightWe have joined the mice at their partyThey were here first, we were the ones that were tardy.They’re on the bedspread, take the cot as their stableThey can climb well, and quite like the bedside tableWe try to take comfort that they’re small and we’re largeBut if we can’t control them, then we know who’s in charge.
8. 8Prospect Hill & the beach belowKangaroo Island
   Sunrise comes quickly, we survey the sceneIt’s not even seven and we’ve got the whole team.Our first stop is a climb--up Prospect HillWith the steps and the sun, we don’t feel a chill.The beach is a bit colder, we just dip our feetHot cross buns and a Kit Kat will make a sweet treat.The kids find a cave that fills halfway with waterWhen the waves come too high, we then pick up the daughter.
9. 9Seal BayKangaroo Island
   Off to see Seals—or Aussie Sea Lions—to be clearThe baby comes out to see us, seemingly with no fear.She waddles about, trying to get close to usWhen we walk away is when she ramps up the fuss.They’ll head from the beach to go hunting for daysDiving and searching in incredible waysEating lobster and squid and also some crabsComing back to the beach in dribs and in drabs.
10. 10A winery on the road homeKangaroo Island
    With protesting from Jack we still stop for a drinkA playground, new friends—so better than you’d think.The wine is impressive, especially for the costWe honk at the sheep going home, hope they’re not lost.
11. 11A vineyard above the seaKangaroo Island
    Sunrise and a walk, we’re done with this houseBack into the car, where there isn’t a mouse.A vineyard with golfing—now this is my style.It’s only a six iron, but it seems like a mile.We’re getting spoiled drinking wine over the seaThe kids do get some crackers and a fair bit of Brie.
12. 12Back across to Cape JervisFleurieu Peninsula
    Quick back to the Ferry, head north to the shoreReunite with the Kia to drive a bit more.
13. 13Semaphore ParkAdelaide Beachfront
    The kids get their wish—a bouncy pillow and poolMonkey bars and a slide—this place seems to rule!We’re close to the beach, hear the surf on the deckAnd you can even see sand if you just stretch your neck.Start out the next day with runs on the beachFive playgrounds, mini-golf, steam train—all within reach.But don’t make it quickly to head out the doorWe wait for each other then keep waiting some more.Kids finally get just what they have yearnedTime in the pool, and heated, we’ve learnedThen spoiled with go-karts on the holiday park streetPlayground, beach walk with cold, sandy feet
14. 14Adelaidethe city day
    Mama was hoping for a morning in the cityArriving by noon, creates frustration—just itty bitty.It’s raining now too so the options are fewBut we’ve parked in a garage, so we’ll find something to do.We find an odd playground, is it fossils of fish?Head for specialty pasta to fulfill mama’s wishThey fortunately find us a private wine cellarSo patrons can’t hear our 1 year old yeller.
15. 15South Australian MuseumAdelaide
    To explore natural history of the region aroundGems, boomerangs, even giant squids can be foundWith Adeline begging to stay sitting downMade to walk on her own would elicit a frown.
16. 16Port AdelaideAdelaide
    The next day to Port Adelaide, a few harbourside streetsJust small shipping vessels, one wouldn’t say fleets.To the railway museum to see a hundred odd trainRetired steam engines indoors, kept out of the rain
17. 17National Railway MuseumPort Adelaide
    You’d think the rails would be one standard sizeBut instead more like Macca’s three sizes of friesThere are gauges in small, medium and largeTook 100 years to agree one was in charge.
18. 18Jacob’s Creek, Rowland FlatBarossa Valley
    Now heading inland for 10am wineWe can sample the grapes, straight from the vineJack tastes Grenache and a bit of ShirazAdults do a tasting flight, and all of that jazz.175 years since the vines hit the groundJacob’s Creek heritage is the oldest we foundI like it ‘cause of course we share a nameAnd Jack does too, because his name is same same
19. 19Pindarie, GomersalBarossa Valley
    Lunch at Pindarie and fun on hay balesAlthough they are less happy because they make less wine sales
20. 20PenworthamClare Valley · Grapeview
    Now to Clare Valley for a dip in the poolUp to my ankles is enough to know it’s cool.We’re back for a nap, at least for CCAnd Lorelei writing songs about what she can seeA playground for the kids, to ride the flying foxA winery for the parents, six bottles in a box.A nap stop, pool drop, horses in the fieldOnly from afar to CC they appealed.Running up the driveway, playing frisbee in the yardA giant maze with eagle’s nest, wasn’t very hard.
21. 21Bungaree StationClare Valley
    We find Bungaree sheep station on a long dusty roadDole out hot cross buns so the kids don’t implodeThe oldest and largest, topping out at 100,000 headsSupplying wool to the world for fleece blankets and beds.
22. 22SevenhillClare Valley
    We spring for the oldest, despite sticker shock.Planted in eighteen seventy—just then a rootstockFirst for communion by a Jesuit PriestNow low-yielding grapes, making the most with the least!
23. 23Mini golf in the rainClare Valley
    A morning activity graced by the rainBut we brave the moisture so we didn’t come in vainWe put on our jumpers, so our bodies don’t shudderAnd all the kids get a ball and their very own putter.Jack goes for speed, making quick work of the courseHitting the ball without a bit of remorseAdeline and CC skip the 18th holeConcerned to lose their ball, oh where could it go?
24. 24Taylors, AuburnClare Valley
    A rapid, diverse tasting stop at TaylorOn the sign you would think we were approaching a sailorWe did a double take on the seahorse logo on the doorThen learned of limestone fossils on an ancient ocean floor.
25. 25HayNSW · the road home
    With twenty-seven bottles loaded in the carWe’re hopeful that our Kia, will take us very far.Heading east to Canberra with a stopover in HayOver a thousand k’s ahead of us, is much more than a day.A playground after sunset, then to grab some grubWasn’t super healthy, a classic Aussie pub
26. 26Yarralumla, CanberraACT · home
    One more stop, Giant Koala, a last meal on the road.Yarralumla, now home safely, before the rooster crowed.