Favourite thing to do in Adelaide/South Australia...?

[RachelP]

We took our 2 and 4 year old kayaking at Garden Island last weekend to see the dolphins and it was such a magical experience it reminded me of all the kayaking we used to do as a couple before the days of stinky nappies and sleepless nights!! We had some amazing times, especially the camping and kayaking 3 day round trip from Loxton, along the Murray, Katarapko Creek and back along the Murray. Can't wait to do the trip with the kids when they are older.

 

It got me wondering what other people's absolute favourite thing to do in SA is?

[John Browning]

Well there's always the Trail of the Lonesome Platypus, Flinders Chase, for the curious

 

or nearer home: perhaps afternoon tea amongst the resident Poteroos of Warrawong

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

I used to love taking my energetic Boxer down to the local beach and letting her run free. I used to take her twice a day, complete with grandchildren in tow!

 

I went away at Christmas to Renmark. First time I have ever been to the Riverland but it certainly won't be the last. Loved the place, people and facilities. It has been so many years since I last experienced the camping experience and the big 4 at Renmark was truly wonderful especially with 4 grandchildren...great experience. I am amazed just how much there is to do in South Australia...just look how many episodes of 'South Aussie with Cozi" there are on tv!

[RachelP]

Well there's always the Trail of the Lonesome Platypus, Flinders Chase, for the curious

 

or nearer home: perhaps afternoon tea amongst the resident Poteroos of Warrawong

 

Have you ever seen one (a platypus)?

 

I'd forgotten about Warrawong - I have written it off as closed down but it got taken over didn't it?

[RachelP]

I used to love taking my energetic Boxer down to the local beach and letting her run free. I used to take her twice a day, complete with grandchildren in tow!

 

I went away at Christmas to Renmark. First time I have ever been to the Riverland but it certainly won't be the last. Loved the place, people and facilities. It has been so many years since I last experienced the camping experience and the big 4 at Renmark was truly wonderful especially with 4 grandchildren...great experience. I am amazed just how much there is to do in South Australia...just look how many episodes of 'South Aussie with Cozi" there are on tv!

 

The Riverlands is gorgeous - if you get the chance to do a houseboat holiday it's a fabulous thing to do! Did you take the grand kids to the Monash Adventure Park? It's well worth a visit, they even sell coffee there:wink:. There are a few great playgrounds in the area:smile:

[Lazy Cow]

Have you ever seen one (a platypus)?

 

I'd forgotten about Warrawong - I have written it off as closed down but it got taken over didn't it?

 

I'd like to know too!

 

We saw a couple of platypuses (much smaller than I thought they'd be) at Warrawong, on one of their twilight walks.

 

I thought Warrawong had been handed back to the Ngarrindjeri, but was being administered by Zoos SA. It wasn't too long after that that Zoos SA closed it down. I didn't really understand how that worked at the time, so it would be lovely to find it had reopened.

 

The 'Net seems to indicate it's still closed, but is it?

 

LC

[John Browning]

Have you ever seen one (a platypus)?

 

I'd forgotten about Warrawong - I have written it off as closed down but it got taken over didn't it?

 

 

platypus...well certainly, but they always seem to appear when you least expect it ....... let's see:

 

 

- once at a friends property in the NSW Highlands

 

- once in the Eastern Alpine area of Tasmania, peering down into a Corrie

 

-twice on Flinders Chase (-but not where you might expect, of course)

 

 

which averages about once every ten years of bushwalking

 

 

They are just about the shyest animals around, and they really hate any kind of noise....even the clicking of a camera will spook them

 

 

If you really want to see them up close, try the Heathcote (?) Animal Reserve out of Melbourne -excellent display

 

 

Warrawong was still operating (but under the Management of Adelaide Zoo, as i remember) the last time I checked. Hope it hasn't folded.

 

They also reckoned they had the world's only Platypus breeding in captivity...but that's an interesting way of using the word captivity, and I'm not sure how reliable their viewing Gallery is.

 

If i went back there it would be to do the Evening Tour again, rather than spend an hour or two on the off- chance of seeing the platypus .

 

They also used to do a dawn tour, and had an excellent restaurant and Luxury Camping available

 

 

John B

[RachelP]

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platypus...well certainly, but they always seem to appear when you least expect it ....... let's see:

 

 

- once at a friends property in the NSW Highlands

 

- once in the Eastern Alpine area of Tasmania, peering down into a Corrie

 

-twice on Flinders Chase (-but not where you might expect, of course)

 

 

which averages about once every ten years of bushwalking

 

 

They are just about the shyest animals around, and they really hate any kind of noise....even the clicking of a camera will spook them

 

 

If you really want to see them up close, try the Heathcote (?) Animal Reserve out of Melbourne -excellent display

 

 

Warrawong was still operating (but under the Management of Adelaide Zoo, as i remember) the last time I checked. Hope it hasn't folded.

 

They also reckoned they had the world's only Platypus breeding in captivity...but that's an interesting way of using the word captivity, and I'm not sure how reliable their viewing Gallery is.

 

If i went back there it would be to do the Evening Tour again, rather than spend an hour or two on the off- chance of seeing the platypus .

 

They also used to do a dawn tour, and had an excellent restaurant and Luxury Camping available

 

 

John B

 

I think we may need to wait until the kids are older to do the quiet thing! We did go to Warrawong a few times many years ago in the days when we could be quiet for a while but we didn't see a platypus. We also did the Evening Tour and really enjoyed it. The last time we went the restaurant was less excellent than the first visit. It does look as if it's now closed which is a real shame:sad:

[John Browning]

...no one's mentioned Cleland Wildlife Park yet. Cuddly Koalas on our own back doorstep, with just about the best aviary in the State.

 

Also, I wonder if the Butterfly Park is still open near Murray Bridge?

 

 

JB

[Mazza227]

We have only been here for a few weeks, but we have been trying to see as much as we can and make the most of our weekends as a family.

so far we have done Cleland, carwick hill story trail, Hahndorf and bird in hand vineyard, port Adelaide dolphin cruise. Had the most lovely weekends so far experiencing these places. Want to do mount lofty and a waterfall over that way, but been told to wait until we get a bit more rain! Any other advise on where we shod try, our girls are 9&7 years Old?

[John Browning]

Now we've had the "Break", as soon as the "Follow Up" arrives ( - due in the next few days ) :

 

maybe Black Hill Conservation Park and Wildflower Garden? It's practically in our own backyard, and no one ever goes there:

 

-frilled lizards, native orchids, kangaroos & koalas, all the usual stuff, and then some, plus a section given over to dry landscape gardening in the old quarry.

 

It's also a good time of year to get up to The Native Plant Nursey at Belair (the cost of admission for a car is given back on your purchases

 

JB

[RachelP]

We have only been here for a few weeks, but we have been trying to see as much as we can and make the most of our weekends as a family.

so far we have done Cleland, carwick hill story trail, Hahndorf and bird in hand vineyard, port Adelaide dolphin cruise. Had the most lovely weekends so far experiencing these places. Want to do mount lofty and a waterfall over that way, but been told to wait until we get a bit more rain! Any other advise on where we shod try, our girls are 9&7 years Old?

 

The Waterfall Gully to Mt Lofty walk is lovely, pretty busy though. We did it recently and the waterfall was running - I did it with my 4 year old and it took us 5 1/2 hours round trip!

 

Some other nice places to go with kids:

 

• Hallet Cove Conservation Park - next to the beach with rockpools to explore
  
• Snorkeling off Noarlunga jetty
  
• Watershed Cafe at Mawson Lakes - there is a wetlands walk there
  
• Cycle along Linear Park - coast to city or vice-versa
  
• Deep Creek Conservation Park, out of Adelaide but a beautiful place with campgrounds (if you're keen on camping Mambray Creek is apparently a fantastic place to go and camp, we haven't been but are attempting to go sometime this year!)
  
• Bonython Park has a great playground and the walk/bike-ride/scoot from there to Elder park in the city is lovely. There is a nice cafe at Elder Park and some pedal boats
  
• Morialta Conservation Park is great - short walks or longer ones. Koalas often seen and a cave to climb up to.
  
• If you have any fondness for trains, there are several mini-train parks around Adelaide (we prefer SASMEE near Goodwood Rd) - ride around on steam trains and drink terrible coffee!
  

 

Can I come with you....???!!

[snifter]

I've been thinking about this for days now lol And in true unable to make my mind up fence sitting fashion I am still not decided

 

I love some of the things people have listed here so far. I've done many of them.

 

I think what I'm going to do is tell you about a 'date' I had with my husband quite a few years ago and share all the places we visited that day and evening as I have such fond memories of it still, well over a decade later (and lo, most if not all of the places still exisit).

 

Day started with a wander round the central market for breakfast. Husband used to live a couple of streets away from it so it was a daily haunt for us. Then we headed out from the CBD and drove down south to Victor Harbor.

 

 

We walked round Granite Island and then over to the Bluff where we walked out as far as we could. A little while later we were back in the Warland reserve at the hot dog stand. Lunch was consumed and blooming good scoff it was too. A German wurst stand, in Australia, run by a guy from Manchester (he had been here about 30 years at that point).

 

 

 

Then we headed off to Coorong National Park and the Murray Mouth. I had wanted to see this river, any part of it, since I was a kid and seeing where it finished was wonderful. Walked a fair ways that afternoon.

 

 

Then we were pretty wiped out but wanted to see the pelicans coming in to the barrage over in Goolwa before dusk. Stunning sight to see and they still do this although depending on the time of year the barrage may be shut so you can only watch from the shore line.

 

 

We stayed there a while, watching so many of those stunning birds coming in to feed and left when it was nearly dark. Headed back to Victor Harbor for a fish and chip supper on the sea front and wandered over to Granite Island.

 

[RachelP]

I've been thinking about this for days now lol And in true unable to make my mind up fence sitting fashion I am still not decided

 

I love some of the things people have listed here so far. I've done many of them.

 

I think what I'm going to do is tell you about a 'date' I had with my husband quite a few years ago and share all the places we visited that day and evening as I have such fond memories of it still, well over a decade later (and lo, most if not all of the places still exisit).

 

Day started with a wander round the central market for breakfast. Husband used to live a couple of streets away from it so it was a daily haunt for us. Then we headed out from the CBD and drove down south to Victor Harbor.

 

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We walked round Granite Island and then over to the Bluff where we walked out as far as we could. A little while later we were back in the Warland reserve at the hot dog stand. Lunch was consumed and blooming good scoff it was too. A German wurst stand, in Australia, run by a guy from Manchester (he had been here about 30 years at that point).

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9699[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9700[/ATTACH]

 

Then we headed off to Coorong National Park and the Murray Mouth. I had wanted to see this river, any part of it, since I was a kid and seeing where it finished was wonderful. Walked a fair ways that afternoon.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9701[/ATTACH]

 

Then we were pretty wiped out but wanted to see the pelicans coming in to the barrage over in Goolwa before dusk. Stunning sight to see and they still do this although depending on the time of year the barrage may be shut so you can only watch from the shore line.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9702[/ATTACH]

 

We stayed there a while, watching so many of those stunning birds coming in to feed and left when it was nearly dark. Headed back to Victor Harbor for a fish and chip supper on the sea front and wandered over to Granite Island.

 

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Sounds like a wonderful day! Maybe you should recreate it for an anniversary I've been told the Coorong cruise from Goolwa is fantastic, I'd love to do that one day....

[Sylvian]

Kayaking... dolphins...

 

Rachel, if my daughter reads this I will never, ever hear the end of it... short of telling her there are unicorns on the island you couldn't get her any more excited.

 

If I see her booking her own flight later today I will know why.

 

S

[RachelP]

Kayaking... dolphins...

 

Rachel, if my daughter reads this I will never, ever hear the end of it... short of telling her there are unicorns on the island you couldn't get her any more excited.

 

If I see her booking her own flight later today I will know why.

 

S

 

She will love it!! You might enjoy yourself too...

 

We used to go on tours/hire with http://www.adventurekayak.com.au/ and loved it so much we soon bought our own kayak! You only see the unicorns in the early morning....

 

We may see you out there one day!

[RachelP]

Kayaking... dolphins...

 

Rachel, if my daughter reads this I will never, ever hear the end of it... short of telling her there are unicorns on the island you couldn't get her any more excited.

 

If I see her booking her own flight later today I will know why.

 

 

S

 

PS - you probably shouldn't tell her about Temptation Sailing in Glenelg, they do sunset tours and swim with the dolphins tours, they are a responsible operator too.

[Sylvian]

PS - you probably shouldn't tell her about Temptation Sailing in Glenelg, they do sunset tours and swim with the dolphins tours, they are a responsible operator too.

 

Oh wow! We promised her years ago she would get a chance to swim with dolphins before she was too old to really appreciate it (not that I think you can be too old... I loved it at 35!). Temptation Sailing has already been added to the Australia 'must do' folder.

 

Thanks Rachel