Kangaroo Island is the third largest island in Australia. Tasmania and Melville Island are bigger. Reeves Point near Kingscote, the island's largest town, is the first place of settlement for South Australia back in the late 1800's.
"The sheep are only in the milking stalls for 8 minutes so they don't have time to get bored, that's for sure".
It was milking time at Island Pure, a sheep dairy on Kangaroo Island's Cygnet River. In the last days of Autumn 2008 we were the only tour participants that afternoon. The white coated dairy hand punctuated all sentences with "that's for sure!"
Outside, those sheep awaiting their turn to be milked, stared at the intruders with mild curiousity, happy to share the long shadows from the shed, their winter coats providing more warmth than the unseasonal warm sunshine required.
Island Pure is the value added product of the sheep farm, producing a range of 100% pure non blended sheep's milk cheeses such as Feta, Haloumi, Kefalotiri, Ricotta, and Manchego as well as a thick creamy yoghurt.
Our first point of call since our late morning arrival by Sealink catamarran from the mainland was to our accommodation. Kegrah Cottage at Kingscote is an 82 year old weatherboard with much of the original decor but we were to want for nothing.
After stocking up with a few supermarket essentials we quickly learned that a mapless existence is fraught with problems. Whilst the crazed patchwork of red dirt roads necessitate a slower speed, the paved roads covered with much roadkill require vigilance. Many of the land animals such as kangaroos, Tammar Wallabies, echidnas and Heath Goannas can be seen by the roadsides and on the road.
The island is home to the Kangaroo Island Kangaroo, Tammar Wallaby, Brushtail Possum, Short Beaked Echidna, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Western and Little Pygmy Possum, endemic Sooty Dunnart, Bush and Swamp Rat, six bat species, six frog species, Heath Goanna, Black Tiger Snake, Pygmy Copperhead, Australian Sea-lion and New Zealand Fur-seal, all native to Kangaroo Island. The koala, platypus and Ringtail Possum are introduced species and still thrive today.
We found Clifford's Honey farm more by luck than good management. We were able to view the Ligurian bees in a glass hive. Ligurian bees are believed to be the last remaining pure stock of this bee found anywhere in the world and were imported from one of Italy's smallest regions in the 1880's. Ligurian bee is highly valued for its ease of management and industrious honey, pollen and propolis collection. In fact there is a wide range of products available including, cosmetics made with honey and beeswax, 12 different flavoured honeys and Jenny Clifford's famous honey Icecream.
As the sun retired for another day the pelican feeding got underway at the Kingscote foreshore. The habitual display allows locals and tourists to get up close and personal with this large bird before it soars off into the sunset.
And as the island falls into darkness another attraction begins. With few ground lights the night sky is clearly visible and provides a perfect opportunity to observe the constellations of the southern hemisphere. Whilst at the ocean's edge the little fairy penguins day begins. They call, swim, and forage for food. Those females looking for love stop by the eager male's ocean view apartment and upon inspection of his housekeeping abilities decides or not whether to move in.
Just as the autumn sun sets early in this part of the world so it rises late so you'll not find much open before 9am. Sometimes the heavy fog that rolls across around 5pm may not lift until almost 10am. But the Island Beehive can keep you entertained until then with their glass beehive, enormous range of honey products and best of all freshly baked scones.
A must see is the Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch locate down the far south western corner about an hour and a half's drive from Kingscote. This is the setting for the movie December Boys starring Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter). And there's not just sea carved land forms. The rocky shore is home and breeding ground for the Australian and New Zealand Fur Seal. You can't get as close to them as you can the sea lions at Seal Bay but with their odor you probably wouldn't want to! At Seal Bay a guided beach tour will get you as close as possible to these endearing creatures. Our group consisted of five and enabled us to enjoy a very interactive, amusing and informative 45 minutes with a dedicated local.
Also located on that south western corner, Southern Ocean Lodge at Hanson Bay opened early in
2008. As luck would have it, an open day for locals had been
scheduled for the last day of Autumn and we were treated to the grand
tour of all its facilities. A gobsmackingly beautiful sweeping view of
the ocean from all of the 21 richly appointed suites and the main lounge
Kangaroo Island is not a place that you can knock over in 3 days. Sure you'll see the highlights but you'll miss areas like the splendid rolling hills along the north coast.
It's bigger than you think! One thing's for sure, we'll be back!
