Reedy Creek - a special place

[Jupiter]

I thought I'd shre a few images I took at a favourite place of mine near Adelaide. it's a bit of a well kept secret, not many South Australians know about it which is surprising but not a bad thing either. I know people here appreciate nice stone and the granite there is breathtakingly beautiful.

[johnw]

An extraordinary place Jamus and love that granite, reminiscent of coastal Nova Scotia without the fog.

johnw

[Jupiter]

Nice photo John, looks very much like a lot of our coast in South Australia which is dominated by granite outcrops. Reedy Creek is far from the sea but the same lovely weathered stone.

[Robert]

Jamus,

From your photographs, I can see that indeed Reedy Creek is a special place. There are very few trees, is this how it is naturally? Here in the Central Valley of California (extremely long, hot and dry summers) there are many native trees (mostly oaks, cottonwoods, and willows) near any sort of year round water source. Before modern human development the Central Valley had open plains (full of herds: deer, elk, prong horn, brown bears, etc.), oak savannah, riparian habitats near rivers, and huge marshes such as the Butte Sink (full of migrating birds in the fall and winter).

What beautiful country. Makes me want to get out and explorer the area!

I hope that this site is not far from your home and you can visit often. What a place to meditate and enjoy!

[Jupiter]

Hi Robert, it's about an hour and a half drive East of where I live so we don't get out there all that often. My daughter Isabel who you see in some of the pictures has developed a passion for rocks, minerals and crystals, so I took her there to hunt for gems. There are pretty little garnets in the creek if you sit and sift through the sand and gravel.

The lack of trees is very unnatural I'm afraid. It was clear felled for grazing over a hundred years ago and running sheep on the country prevents the return of the natural vegetation. There are some lovely big river red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) in the creek and the odd sheoak (Allocasuarina sp.)

[Robert]

Jamus,

Thank you for the species names on the trees! I am familiar with Casuarina (as I remember, stricta), Sheoak. It was once widely planted here in California and there are some large trees still around. Allocasuarina is new to me.

What a wonderful place to take your daughter. Too bad that it so far from your home. Despite the changes it still seems like a fantastic place to visit.

Most of the great oak forest and native bunch grass prairie in our Central Valley are gone too. Even the remnants, that are now protected are highly degraded. The herds of elk and deer are gone (a few are still around). The brown bear, on our state flag, is extinct in California. Prong horn are extinct from the valley, however there are still some in far Northeastern California. Most of the Butte Sink has been drained and is now farmland (mostly rice), however there are 2 wildlife refuges in this area for the migrating birds.

Yes, sadly it is just how it is.    However it is very good that there are still places that our young people can go that are open and still have a part of nature. 

[Hoy]

Jamus,

be careful! One of my daughters also took a fancy for minerals, stones and rocks and now she is studying them wholetime


A lovely place    Is the rock shaped by running water alone or has the place once been glaciated?

[Jupiter]

That's a good question Hoy, I really don't know but there is evidence to be seen of glaciation in South Australia here, so it's possible both actions were at work...

Here are a few native plants I photographed on the day.


Linum marginale is our native flax


Glycine clandestina, the twining glycine


The blanket fern, Pleurosorus rutifolius is quite rare and it's always nice to find a plant tucked into a rock crevice

[Jupiter]

At the coast not far from us here you can see signs of glaciation on this exposed rock shelf on the clifftop.

[Hoy]

I just read about Selwyn Rock, Inman Valley, which is south of you? That cliff also shows glacial striation similar to your last picture. Clearly evidences of glaciation!


I like that fern

[Jupiter]

Yes it's a beauty Hoy. I have a little one in my rock garden which I found in an old quarry. It wasn't in a native vegetation setting so I don't feel bad for relocating it to my place. 

[arillady]

I have always meant to visit Reedy Creek as I have heard that it is stunning - especially when the waterfall is falling. I could just walk some of the creeks near here and see some lovely scenery.

[Robert]

I just read about Selwyn Rock, Inman Valley, which is south of you? That cliff also shows glacial striation similar to your last picture. Clearly evidences of glaciation!


I like that fern

Trond,

How did you find out about these locations?   Selwyn Rock, Inman Valley 

[Hoy]

Trond,

How did you find out about these locations?   Selwyn Rock, Inman Valley 

Robert,

It was easy, I just looked for 'glacial striation' and Australia

[Jupiter]

Hi Pat, if you ever want a guide please contact me. I'd be very happy to meet you there and show you the sights.

Robert the internet has answers to many questions, the trouble is knowing which questions to ask it!