Adelaide to Grampians

Southbound

Adelaide to Grampians - Apr, Sep-Aug: Wed, Fri, Sun May-Aug: Wed, Sun
Adelaide	Glenelg	5.45am
Adelaide	City (Call office for pickup locations)	6.00am
Keith	Bakery	8.45am
Horsham	Post Office	1.00pm

Adelaide Arriving in Adelaide we’ll take you on a quick orientation tour. Beautifully planned and laid out - you’ll find Adelaide a very easy city to get around. Adelaide was the only Australian colony that started with free settlers, not convicts. Settlement was originally made on Kangaroo Island, and then it moved to Glenelg and then to its present location. It’s thanks to surveyor Colonel William Light that Adelaide is a planned City. In 1836 Colonel Light designed the city along a clearly defined grid pattern with two major centres – Adelaide, now being the shopping and commercial hub and North Adelaide, now with its trendy bars and cafes.

Interspersed with gardened Squares, and surrounded by an abundance of Park Lands, more than any other city in Australia. It has a country town friendliness with an urban feel that is European.
The Adelaide Festival of Arts and the Festival Fringe bring the City a world-class extravaganza of cultural delights. These and other festivals, events and concerts dotted throughout the year, give Adelaide its title as the "Festival City".
The colony attracted many German settlers, who headed to the Adelaide Hills and the Barossa Valley and are responsible for the success of these famous wine-growing districts. Adelaide was the first capital city in Australia to get a direct telegraph link with Europe - this became operational in 1872. They got this privilege at what was undoubtedly great expense as they had to lay a land line all the way through the centre of Australia through countryside which had only once been previously covered (by that dude who obviously totally enjoyed getting off the beaten track by the name of John McDougall Stuart) - but they considered that it was worth it to prove that South Australia was flasher than Victoria or New South Wales. Beyond the city limits, a dizzying assortment of wineries, historic townships and unspoilt beaches lie less than an hour away.

Our Reservations guru and Adelaide native, Pasquale’s List of unique South Australian Icons he reckons you can’t leave town without trying:

Popeye Motor Launches
The very first of the Pop-eye fleet set sail in 1935 carrying 25 passengers for a short outing along the river Torrens. It was such a success that between 1948 and 1950 three new boats were commissioned to be built. These three boats are still in use today and trips along the river Torrens to the Adelaide Zoo are enjoyed by overseas, interstate and local visitors of all ages.

Balfours Frog Cake
The Frog Cake is the ‘Balfours Mascot’ and has been used in promoting the culture of the State. Introduced during the 1920's when tearooms were the height of fashion in Adelaide, the Frog Cake was originally made with green fondant, the chocolate and pink versions were introduced later. Frog Cake lovers have also created a demand for the Red Father Christmas Frog Cake and the Easter Yellow Chick Frog available during these festive seasons.

Stobey Pole
In 1924, South Australian James Stobie invented a steel and concrete pole to carry electricity and telephone lines, due to SA’s lack of suitable timber. Stobie Poles have other advantages too – they’re termite proof and have a life span of around 50 years. All Stobie Poles end at the SA border, with most other States preferring wooden telegraph poles.

Pie Floater
It looks like a bowl of green mushy gruel with a lump of something solid sitting in it. On closer inspection this absolutely strange looking mush turns out to be a hearty pea soup, with a meat pie turned upside down. Delicious? Many South Australians and lesser numbers of their visitors think so. It’s South Australia’s own culinary specialty, the ‘pie floater’.
The hearty meal is traditionally eaten at kerb side from a ‘pie cart’, the most famous being Cowleys’, which still stands alongside the GPO in Victoria Square.
These pie carts became a meeting place where cabbies, police, night watch men and other workers rubbed shoulders with theatre patrons in formal evening wear, musicians, politicians and businessmen..
Today the pie cart remains one of our most favourite of eateries and the pie floater’s curb-side consumption by people from all walks of life for more than 130 years makes it an authentic and uniquely South Australian culinary tradition.

Things to do:

Adelaide Zoo
Frome Road, Adelaide, South Australia 5000
Ph: (08) 8267 3255
http://www.adelaidezoo.com.au
> SKYCITY Adelaide
North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000
Ph: (08) 8212 2811
http://www.skycityadelaide.com.au
> Museum of SA
North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000
Tel: (08) 8207 7500
http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au
>South Australia Art Gallery
North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000
Tel: (08) 8207 7000
http://www.artgallery.sa.gov.au
> Haigh’s Chocolate Factory Tours
153 Greenhill Road, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000
Tel: (08) 8372 7000
http://www.haighschocolates.com.au

Things to do: Near Adelaide
Victor Harbour is the largest town on the Fleurieu Peninsula and is popular with the Adelaide locals, many of whom have weekenders there. It is located on the shores of Encounter Bay that got its name from a meeting between Flinders and Baudin back in 1802. The town has a notorious past as a whaling town, first established in 1837. Whaling operations lasted until 1864. Victor Harbour is a great place to spend a few days. While you’re there check out the Bluff, Granite Island, which is connected by a causeway. You can get to the top by chairlift or walk. There’s also whale watching during winter months and cable hang-gliding. For more info contact the Visitors Centre (08) 8552 4255 or Fleurieu Peninsula Tourism on Ph (08) 8323 9944.

The Barossa Valley is about an hour and a half drive north of Adelaide. The Barossa Valley is one of the best wine producing districts in Oz. The Valley has a distinct German feel to it, as the early settlers were, surprisingly, Germans. Prior to WW1 many of the original German names were changed to Anglo names to chill out the locals. After the war some were changed back, but most remained Anglicized. Whether you’re into wine or not, check out the Barossa Valley as the scenery and the culture is seriously outstanding. It is possible to have wine tastings at over 40 wineries (you may never leave the Barossa!)

Adelaide <> Melbourne

HIGHLIGHTS:
12 Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Grampians
OPTIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:
Helicopter flight over the Twelve Apostles
OPTIONAL HOP OFFS:
Melbourne, Geelong, Lorne, Torquay, Apollo Bay, Princetown, Port Campbell, Warnambool, Halls Gap, Horsham, Keith, Adelaide
LOCAL PAYMENT:
$75 – Accommodation: 2 Nights multi-share (inc bed linen). Meals; 2 x Breakfasts, 2 x Dinners Other: National Park Entry Fees, entry to Otway Treetop Walk
RECOMMENDED ACCOMMODATION:
> Melbourne – base backpackers St Kilda, Nomads Industry, YHA Queensberry Hill, Hotel Bakpak
> Adelaide – Cannon Street Backpackers, YHA Adelaide
DEPARTS:
from Adelaide –
Apr, Sep – Mar: Wed Fri Sun.
May-Aug: Wed Sun

Senior Victorian Guide, Kate Demchinsky, tells us about some rambling facts and lesser known points of interest between Melbourne and Adelaide.

Ford company – the Ute
1932 an anonymous farmers wife wrote to Ford to make a vehicle suitable for the family to go to church on Sundays and to take the pigs to the market on Mondays. Lewis Bant, 22 yr old Ford Motor vehicle designer took this letter seriously and in 2 weeks had the sketches of a famous utility car. The project attracted attention from Fords head office and Bandt was sent to Detroit for special viewing of the pro-type by Henry Ford himself. Henry Ford called it he “Kangaroo Chaser”

William Buckley
Although you wont see him, William Buckley spent 32 years living with Aboriginal people in the Geelong and Otway region after escaping from a British penal settlement at Sullivans Bay on the Mornington Peninsula in Dec 1803. It’s from his experiences we get the common Australian colloquial saying “Buckley’s Chance” meaning someone has no chance at all. This in itself is a contradiction because William Buckley adapted quite successfully and lived a long and adventurous life.

Rip Curl/Quick Silver
In 1969, Alan Green inspired by a dream, left the city and went to live in Torquay to go surfing but also made a living. Alan got $2,500 from his father as a loan, to make wetsuits and clothes for rip curl in a disused bakery. In 1970 he decided to leave the boards and wetsuits to Rip Curl and with partner John Law, formed Quicksilver to make board shorts, ugg boots and clothing i.e. with looser rapid drying material and snap buttons that don’t hurt when paddling were simple but innovative essentials. Greens mother used to help sew them up. He used to sell them from the back of his car on trips up the coast. Both green and Law are still major share holders in the public company and still live in Torquay and surf bells beach.

Aireys Inlet
Passing Aireys Inlet is the only lighthouse we see on the Great Ocean Road (Split Point lighthouse). This is the one children’s program “Around the Twist” was filmed at. English travelers may well remember it from this childrens TV series

Kennett River – Koala stop!!
Originally spelt KENNET, named after an English river. The second “T” was added mistakenly by the roads board when they upgraded the bridge in the 1960’s. Across the road from Kennett river is a great beach to go swimming (in summer) or just a quick stop and photo opportunity. There is a large population of wild and easy to spot (usually) population of Koalas here.

Apollo bay
July 10th 1932 Apollo Bay was the scene of one of the greatest shipping disaster witnessed. The coastal steamer casino, with a no of locals on board tried to berth at the town’s jetty. It was hit by freak waves and sank killing 10 men. This occurred in front of the towns folk gathered on the jetty who did all they could to save the people on the boat. The anchor from the casino is located outside the AB post office.

Otway Fly
High up in the Otway forest canopy are some steel spans and ladders that allow you to check out the forest from a bird's eye perspective. Entry is included for you on tour which is $12.50 worth of great value

12 Apostles
When the Europeans first settled in this area, there used to be 18 of them and they were called the “sow & piglets”. There were 12, now there is only 11 as almost a year ago one fell down. Many people don’t realise that there are 4 stacks that you can’t see over the headland. You can see these four stacks when you go to Loch Ard Gorge. The limestone in this area is tertiary limestone, said to be eroding at a rate of 2cm per year.

London Bridge
I’m sorry, but the famous story about the couple having an affair is not true (just fabrication). They were really a honeymoon couple that got stranded on London Bridge when it collapsed.

Warrnambool
It was caught up in the hysteria of a feared Russian invasion of the 1880’s and the huge cannon gun emplacements still stand on Flagstaff Hill. Visit the “naughty Angel” down the main street at the very end.

Things to do: Great Ocean Road / Geelong • National Wool Museum. Ph (03) 5227 0701 • Ford Discovery Centre. Ph (03) 5227 8700 • AFL Football - Kardinia Park, April-Sept Ph (03) 5225 233 • Serendip Sanctuary. Ph (03) 5282 1584 Queenscliff / Bellarine Peninsula • Half-day swim with Dolphins Ph (03) 5258 3889 • Marine Discovery Centre. Ph (03) 5258 3344 • Ferry - Queenscliff to Sorrento Ph (03) 5258 3244 Torquay • Surfworld, Australia’s Surfing Museum Ph (03) 5261 4606 • Scenic Flights in a Tiger Moth Ph (03) 5261 5100 Lorne • 4WD Forest tours. Ph (03) 5244 0944 • Bushwalking/swimming/fishing/ eating out • Bands at local pubs Cape Otway • Glow Worm Tours, 1 hr in rainforest Ph (03) 5237 7240 • Cape Otway Light Station. Ph (03) 5237 9240