Page 368 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

366  SOUTH A USTR ALIA

1Yorketown century, however, it
was a busy sea port
* 685. @ n 29 Main St, Minlaton
1800 202 445. with large clippers
and windjammers
Yorketown is the commercial loading grain bound
centre of the earliest settled for the northern
area on the southern Yorke hemisphere. The last
Peninsula. It lies at the heart of time a square rigger
a region scattered with nearly used the port was in
200 salt lakes, many of which 1949. The story of
mysteriously turn pink at various “Red Devil” fighter plane in Minlaton these ships and their
times of the year, depending on epic voyages is told
climatic conditions. From the 2Minlaton in the Maritime Museum,
late 1890s until the 1930s, salt * 770. @ @ n Yorke Pennisula located adjacent to the jetty.
harvesting was a major industry Visitors Information Centre, 29 Main St About 10 km (6 miles) off
in this part of South Australia. 1800 202 445. the coast lies Wardang Island,
Approximately 70 km (40 miles) around which are eight known
southwest of Yorketown, at the Centrally located, Minlaton is a shipwrecks dating from 1871.
tip of the Yorke Peninsula, is the service town to the surrounding Divers can follow the Wardang
spectacular Innes National Park. farming community. Minlaton’s Island Maritime Heritage Trail to
The park’s geography changes claim to fame, however, is as the view the wrecks, each of which
from salt lakes and low mallee destination of the very first air has an underwater plaque. Boats
scrub inland to sandy beaches mail flight across water in the to the island can be chartered,
and steep, rugged cliffs along southern hemisphere. Pilot but permission to land must be
the coast. Kangaroos and emus Captain Harry Butler, a World War I obtained from the Community
have become accustomed to fighter ace, set off on this record- Council in Point Pearce, the
the presence of humans and are breaking mission in August nearby Aboriginal settlement
commonly seen, but other 1919 from Adelaide. Minlaton’s which administers the island.
native inhabitants, such as the Butler Memorial houses his 1916
large mallee fowl, are more Bristol fighter plane, “Red Devil”, E Maritime Museum
difficult to spot. believed to be the only one left Main St. Tel (08) 8834 2068. Open
There is good surfing, reef in the world, as well as displays 2–4pm Sat, Sun, pub hols. & 7
diving and fishing in the park, detailing Butler’s life.
especially at Browns Beach, the
wild Pondalowie Bay, Chinamans 4Maitland
Creek and Salmon Hole. Other 3Port Victoria * 1,050. @ @ n CHATT Centre,
beaches are considered unsafe * 345. n 29 Main St, Minlaton 3 Robert St, Maitland (08) 8832 2174.
for swimming. Also in the park (08) 8853 2600 or 1800 202 445. ∑ maitlandsa.com
are the rusting remains of the
shipwrecked barque Ethel, Lying on the west coast of the Surrounded by some of the
which ran aground in 1904 and Yorke Peninsula, Port Victoria most productive farmland in
now lies with part of its hull is today a sleepy holiday Australia, Maitland lies in the
protruding through the sand destination, popular with centre of the Yorke Peninsula,
below the limestone cliffs of anglers, swimmers and divers. on a ridge overlooking the
Ethel Beach. In the early part of the 20th Yorke Valley and Spencer Gulf.

Vast expanse of the salt lakes in the Yorketown region
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp491–2 and pp522–5