Day 68 – Clare Valley, SA

This morning it was nice to have a lie-in, and get up when we felt like it, although as Brendan said, we won’t miss the early morning wakeup call of a diesel car, somewhere near us, packing up and heading off to their next location, which seems to happen every single day.

After a pancake breakfast, we headed due south to the tiny town of Sevenhills Jesuit Monastery and Winemaking Centre. This is the oldest winery in the Clare Valley – and they have been making sacristy wine for churches all over Australia for almost 150 years. They have a beautiful old winery building, with attached guest houses and a huge cathedral St Aloysius also in the landscaped grounds. We had a look around the winery, and went down the stairs to the very old stone cellar, while the kids kicked a footy out in the lovely grassed area outside.

 

The winery tasting rooms came complete with a fluffy pussy cat curled up in its wine barrel basket.

On our drive through many tiny towns we enjoyed looking at all the buildings and gorgeous cottages which are beautifully kept, with iron lacework on sandstone, and sloping verandas and rose gardens. The vineyards are so picturesque everywhere you look.

We also called in at a well known winery Annies Lane, also a very old one, with beautiful old buildings, cellar, museum and gallery. Tried some lovely shiraz, and thought I should bring home a couple of bottles.

Our destination for lunch today was the mini golf centre at Auburn. After lunch in the café we all enjoyed a round of minigolf in the spring sunshine. The days are lovely, but the nights are very cool – down to just 4 deg last night, so it is preparing us for our return to Victoria.

Back into the town of Clare for the afternoon, although the main street is much like any town shopping street these days. We did enjoy a lovely afternoon tea in the town bakery – good weather for a hot chocolate today.

 

Back to the van park, for dad and the kids to play a bit of cricket (often on our families agenda for some reason!), while I strolled next door to the van park to the Information Centre, which has a variety of local produce for tastings and sale. I couldn’t resist some smoked pistachio nuts and some dill & mustard dressing – must stop all this produce tasting!