Return to Rapid Bay

Last Saturday, with a slight touch of spring in the air, we set off for Rapid Bay on the lower west coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, about a one-hour drive from home. We'd visited before, in 2017 when we'd newly arrived in South Australia. Had it changed? We'd find out.

At first glance it almost looks like a Pacific island - green, rocky, uninhabited ... 

In fact, there is little here except a cluster of houses built in the 1930s for those working in the then-BHP's limestone quarries, and a caravan park. This park sits in splendid isolation and is lucky to occupy such a gorgeous spot. I remember it being crowded when we were here last in mid-summer.   

Further along are the remains of the old quarry machinery - a blight on the landscape and a reminder of how a pristine environment hasn't got a chance against money. Hopefully, evidence of this past can eventually be removed and the area restored to its natural beauty.

We headed for the very long jetty we could see in the distance.  This jetty replaced an old rotting one, used when mining was at its height; remains of this jetty can still be seen. 

To me, these posts looked like crosses ...

... so I tried an experimental shot.

And a pink and grey galah stopped by.

A new(ish) jetty runs alongside the ruins of the old jetty.

The area between the two jetties is now a protected marine sanctuary and a top diving site - especially for people wanting to glimpse the endangered leafy sea dragon - as this sign explained.

I loved these sculptures.

In between the fish is a sign explaining the legal size required for the various sea life you can catch hereabouts, including King George whiting, garfish, herring and blue swimmer crabs.
It was a peaceful spot with no-one else around.

Time now to head for the beach.

I felt very Famous Five as I spotted some deserted caves. 

This is as far as I went.

Steve got to work.

And I managed to get this butterfly.

Time to head back. Not a soul to be seen.

The end of a lovely day. And we reckon not much had changed since our last visit - except that some of the rocks and tailings from the quarry operations seem to have been cleared away. So we could heartily agree with the comments that Colonel Light (South Australia's Surveyor General) said when he stepped ashore from his ship the Rapid in 1836: " I have hardly seen a place I like better'. 

On the way home we stopped in at my favourite nursery in the heart of the forest near Deep Creek where I indulged myself in a few purchases while Steve ventured into the nearby bush which has the largest number of remnant stringybark trees in South Australia. 

I'd love it if anyone can identify what this lovely plant is. I forgot to ask the people at the nursery. 

It looked so sunshine-y.

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