A country lunch

Oh glorious summer! Well, my idea of summer - a lovely 28° with sunshine, a hint of a cool breeze and a blue sky. Too good to waste indoors so we decided a lunch in the country was the way to go.  And as we hadn't been to Normanville for ages decided that this would be our destination. Once a thriving seaport town developed in the 1850s and named after Robert Norman (coincidently, my neighbour's great-uncle), it's about 40 minutes north-west of Victor Harbor. Today, it's a laid-back town with a smattering of heritage buildings, a couple of great cafes, a nursery, a hotel, some businesses, shops and a wonderful setting on the Gulf St Vincent. 

We spotted this sign ...

and another one ...

So in we went - where I had a delicious lime milkshake!  The food was yummy, the service great and the old building in which the cafe is housed was lovely and cool. 

The cafe is housed in what used to be the post office, telegraph station and customs house. It's an 1863 addition to the single storey police station and court house (seen as the single story building to the right of this photo) and incorporated a second storey for domestic quarters. A verandah was added in 1871.

We checked out the original building as we strolled along the main street, imagining the busy comings and goings here in the past. 

The Normanville Hotel has been a fixture in the street since 1851. 

Who could resist a second-hand bookshop AND a nursery, side by side? 

I always love these little community libraries.

We even spotted a horse in the carpark!

Now it was time to head for the beach. The huge expanse of water seemed endless. 

Next stop - Albany W.A!

I don't think anything could sum up an Aussie family summer scene better than these photos.

We walked along the coastal path. Lovely views of the dunes which are protected under a heritage rule.

And finally, where the Bungala River meets the gulf. 

And a good spot to relax for a while.

Driving back through the countryside was the end to a lovely day.

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