Kangaroo Island III

Cape Willoughby & False Cape vineyard (day 26)

Another fine day, but much more windy. We headed to Cape Willoughby with its lighthouse and keeper's cottages, this time close to our base on the south eastern end of the island.

Why such an interest in lighthouses? Well, my dad worked on lighthouse maintenance while living in Adelaide for many years and used to visit these ones regularly - their remit was for lighthouses in SA and the NT. This one was slightly different to the other two because it had the remnants of a museum (resources from the other two were lost in the 2020 fires) and is in the process of a make-over ... an information centre and cafe is being built that will house the museum, and then all 3 cottages will be refurbished and become available for hire.

On our way to Cape Willoughby I was struck by an unfurling grass tree (called yakkas here) by the side of the road. I couldn't resist a picture, framed by the landscape and sky, showing the unfurling and one entirely unfurled. I always thought they simply grew straight up? 

The road down to the lighthouse opens  to a fantastic vista through the mallee trees to the southern ocean beyond. In the single photo of the lighthouse notice the whale bones between the lighthouse and the white border stones.

The cloud wisps almost look like beams from the light!

Some items in the museum cottage

There is a track down to a nearby cove allowing remnants of pioneering buildings and wells to be seen. This also offers wide vistas back along the coast in a northerly and westerly direction ...

North towards Pink and Moncrieff Bays.

West across Windmill Bay

Along that same pioneer track there were quite a few big western grey kangaroos - mostly lying low to the ground staying out of the quite strong wind. Can't help sharing some of the photos - even lounging they look BIG.

Devil's Kitchen - when the southeries blow the waves
rage higher than the vantage point (ranger fact).

The final photos of this post are across False Cape vineyard and cafe grounds where we had lunch on our way "home". A nice relaxing spot out of the wind with some really nice stew and some fine wines to sample.