River rambling

It was a cloudy day, but the sun was shining through in intermittent shafts of brightness and warmth. There was just a hint of a breeze. A perfect day to take a stroll along the Hindmarsh River a couple of ks from home. The river itself begins in the Mount Lofty Ranges and flows 23 kms south to enter Encounter Bay near Victor Harbor. There are a number of walks along its banks. For history-minded readers, it's named after Sir John Hindmarsh, the first Governor of South Australia.

We decided to take the 'Beach and Lagoon' walk that begins near the railway line, and follows the river's final push to the sea; we've done it a few times before but it always looks different depending on the weather and the light. We step over the lines and walk down a few steps until we are on the boardwalk that meanders through a paperbark forest. The recent rains have made the ground soggy, but we are well protected on the walkway. It's rather eerie, with the twisted ghostly shapes looming on all sides with branches forming a canopy overhead.

I love bark and the way it peels and reveals different colours and textures, so I'm always on the lookout for interesting shots.

We escape the forest and stroll along the walk beside the Hindmarsh River where it ends its journey and enters the sea.

It's peaceful. There's a couple walking on the beach. You can clearly see where the river joins the sea. In the background is the causeway that links Victor to Granite Island.

There's a bunch of seagulls enjoying the brief warmish weather ...

... and Mr Percival ...

We divert and follow the signs that lead us around a lagoon. It is so pretty with the still waters creating perfect reflections.

I'm not sure what this plant is but its deep pink stems (or are they flowers) made a nice contrast with the deep greens, greys and browns of the trees.













A duck swims serenely along, then all of a sudden ...

... ... breaks into a frantic flapping as it washes itself amidst a flurry of froth and bubbles.

 My patient rewarded me with this view of a honeyeater (I think).

We had almost completed the circumnavigation of the lagoon, so one last photo. 

We then retraced our steps back over the railway line, under a railway bridge and walked further upstream. The banks of the river here are thickly lined with melaleucas and other plants so it's impossible to wander down to the shoreline.  But the path is easy to negotiate, if a little muddy.

More bark for me to get excited about.

Winter-flowering wattle always adds a sparkle to the bush.

We walk as far as a bridge, marvelling at the reflections, even on this dull day, then turn and head back to the car.

But one last photo for Steve. 

This is my photo of the native hibiscus he was photographing.

A really lovely, calming walk. We'll probably do it again in the summer.