On the road to the Barossa Valley - road to Nhill

On Friday 14 March we left for our next cricket holiday, this time in the Barossa Valley in South Australia. Robin was to play in a team named SilverAshes3Nil in the Barossa Valley Vintage Cricket Carnival.

Eight teams of veteran cricketers took part in the carnival. Each team was to play four matches during the week, weather permitting. It was also a chance to explore another part of Australia.

We waited for the peak traffic period to finish before setting out on the first stage of the journey. The road was still very busy especially as we approached the city and the West Gate Bridge. Fortunately it was an easier drive once we reached the Western Highway. There were lots of trucks, including double trucks, on the road but we soon got used to them. Our first stop was at Beaufort, midway between Ballarat and Ararat. The Western Highway passes through the town. As we started to explore we kept seeing signs leading to the large, clean toilet block, next to the information centre, in the main street.

Across the road was a row of bakeries and cafes so we chose one to have an early lunch. It was very busy.

On the highway we had seen many three wheeled motor bikes on the road. Each bike usually had an older  rider and passenger and we later learned that they were meeting at Halls Gap for a gathering that weekend.

Around the corner from the cafe was the fire brigade building.

This signpost lists some of the many organisations to be found in Beaufort.

After lunch we continued along the Western Highway to Nhill.

On the road to the Barossa Valley - Nhill

Nhill is a town in the Wimmera, in western Victoria. Nhill is located on the Western Highway, halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne. It is 60 kilometres east of the South Australian border. The name, Nhill, is an Aboriginal term for 'abode of spirits' signified by 'mist over the water'. At Nhill we stayed at the Zero Inn Motel. In the nearby Grampians there is a Mount Zero.

In the evening we walked into the town. On the way we passed the Iona Digby Harris Aged Care Home which had some interesting characters in the front garden.

On one side of the highway is the railway line between Melbourne and Adelaide. There are also lots of silos for storing wheat and other grains grown in the area.

The storage facilities come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Turning into the main street there is a park in the middle of the street with shops on either side. The war memorial is in the park.

Also in the park is a statue honouring the importance of draught horses in this farming district.A plaque reads - Let all who stand here know that a major part of Australia's development was due to the toil of the faithful Draught Horse.

Turning down a side street we came to the Nhill Lake.

There are walking paths around the lake as well as hides to view the local birds.

We had dinner at the Farmers Arms Hotel. I ate part of a huge chicken schnitzel while Robin had fish for dinner.

On the journey back to Melbourne we stayed again in Nhill. On this occasion we purchased dinner from Mr. Le Cafe and Bakery featuring Vietnamese food.

 Stawell

On the way back to Melbourne we called in at Stawell so that I could visit the Stawell Athletics Track where the Stawell Gift is held each Easter.

My father regularly attended the Stawell Gift most years, initially as a sports' Journalist but then because he enjoyed attending the athletics carnival at Stawell.

On the road to the Barossa Valley - road to Tanunda

We left Nhill at 9 am and stopped at Bordertown in South Australia for breakfast.

Approaching the border we saw signs alerting us to bins in which to place any fresh fruit or vegetables that were not allowed in South Australia. We did not notice any signs designating the border on the trip to South Australia though we did notice a Welcome to Victoria sign on the side of the road when we returned.

Bordertown is 20 kilometres west of the border between Victoria and South Australia. Like many of the towns in this area large silos are near the railway station.

We had breakfast at the Morning Loaf Bakery.

Robin had an egg and bacon roll for breakfast while I ate a ham croissant. This was another bakery / cafe with lots of character.

In this case, the former police station building was part of the interior of the bakery. The toilet block out the back of the bakery continued the prison theme.

Nearby was a park with a small lake.

Back in the car, we continued along the Western Highway to Murray Bridge where we went for a walk along the banks of the river.

A plaque commemorating when Captain Charles Sturt rowed a whale boat along the river in 1830 is on the river bank.

It was a hot day and the temperature had reached 40 degrees by 12.30 when we were at Murray Bridge. We then continued our journey to Tanunda in the Barossa Valley, arriving mid-afternoon.

Barossa Valley - Tanunda part one

 We arrived at Tanunda on the afternoon of 15 March. Our accommodation was the Wine Vine Hotel.

Many of the car parking spots at the hotel had vines growing at the side.

However the plant outside our door was definitely dead.

The Barossa Valley was named by Colonel William Light in 1837. Light had been a soldier during the Battle of Barossa in Spain in 1811.

The hotel was a short drive from the centre of the town. The name, 'Tanunda', is derived from the Aboriginal word for waterhole. Prussian immigrants started settling in the area from 1842. Initially there were two settlements with German names which were changed during the First World War. Eventually the two settlements joined to be known as Tanunda.

After we had settled into our room we decided to explore part of the town. At each end of the main shopping area is an arch welcoming you to Tanunda and carrying the name of a major wine company in the area. Seppelt is the name on the other side of this arch. At the other end of the town is a similar arch carrying the name of Jacob's Creek.

Our first stop was the information centre where we collected pamphlets and ideas on places to visit when there was no cricket.

A small public library also operates in this space.

We had a short walk exploring the main street but then decided to explore the area properly when the temperature was not 43 degree. We did stop at Beans and Cream to enjoy an ice cream though it was a challenge to eat it before it melted.

That evening, Robin went back into Tanunda and purchased half a chicken, chips and coleslaw from Tanunda Chicken and Seafood.

On another occasion we enjoyed delicious butterfish, with chips,coleslaw and potato salad from the same cafe.

During the next week we had lots of opportunity to explore Tanunda.

 With its Prussian / German origins it is not surprising that there are many Lutheran churches in region.

In Murray Street is located St Paul's Lutheran Church.

Tabor Lutheran Church

Langmeil Lutheran Church.

Around the corner in Jane Street is St John's Lutheran Church.

One of the features that you notice when exploring Tanunda is how the older buildings have been preserved and repurposed.

The Tanunda Institute was established in 1869 and this building was constructed in 1879. It originally consisted of a hall, meeting room and library. A major function was to promote the learning of English among the German speakers.In 1920 the building was purchased by the Barossa News and printed newspapers until 1987. Since then the building has been used as offices.

Many examples of the town's history can be viewed as you walk down Murray Street.

View of part of a former flour mill.

Barossa Valley - Tanunda part two

 

The original Tanunda Hotel was built between 1845-1846 and was granted a licence in 1847. The hotel was rebuilt between 1905-1910. Additions to the hotel in 1945 caused it to almost double in size. We enjoyed two meals at the hotel while we were in Tanunda.

Across the road from the hotel is Four Seasons of Nosh, a cafe at the end of the old flour mill building. We enjoyed lunch there one day. I had a feta and pumpkin tart while Robin enjoyed a poached egg with salmon. However, when we returned another day they were closing early.

Many older shops line Murray Street.

Another cafe in Tanunda is Hustle.

Robin had a birthday when we were in Tanunda so we chose to have dinner that night at a restaurant named Knead. We began the meal with a serve of Sourdough with Parmesan oil. Robin then had rigatoni duck ragu while I had I had papardelle with mushrooms. To end the meal Robin had banana cake with chocolate sorbet, salted caramel and roasted macadamias while I had crème brulee with pistachio biscotti. We enjoyed this special meal.

In another converted stone building is The Raven's Parlour bookstore which has a large collection of books for sale. We purchased a book on the history of the Barossa Valley.

The Barossa Museum is open two days a week - Monday and Friday afternoons.

The building was formerly the post office and telegraph office built in 1866. The building has been used as a museum since 1972.

The Barossa Regional Gallery has been housed in the former Tanunda Soldiers Memorial Hall since 2003. Additions are about to be made to the building to expand the size of the gallery and allow for art and craft workshops.

A major feature of the gallery is the restored Hill & Son Grand Organ built in 1877 in London and installed in the Adelaide Town Hall. In 1998 it was decided that the organ would be installed in the memorial hall and the restoration project taking fifteen years was undertaken.

Photographs of soldiers from the region who died during war plus the Tanunda Roll of Honour are displayed on one wall.

A new updated version of The Barossa Cookery Book has been recently complied and in the galley was a display depicting some of the recipes in the book. A selection of the recipes from the original book have been used along with information about the lives of the women who submitted the chosen recipes.

The book therefore provides a social history of the region as well as a selection of updated recipes ideal for meals today.

Our final team get together was a dinner at The Clubhouse. It was a friendly way to end the cricket carnival.

Back in the main street is a shop selling a range of old-style sweets. We had to purchase a selection for the family.

In the main street is a small park with a rotunda.

On our last day in Tanunda we returned to Beans and Cream for lunch. After visiting the Art Gallery we returned for an ice cream.