Second Valley first 

Weathering the storms of time

It’s good that after living here for three years… there are still wonderful places to visit for the first time.

Second Valley perhaps set the precedent  for obvious place naming so prevalent in South Australia (e.g. Mount Lofty, Kangaroo Island, Diagonal Road, etc.) After British surveyor general and Adelaide founder Col William Light first set foot on mainland South Australia at Rapid Bay (named after his ship), Second Valley was… er… the second valley he encountered. Second Valley retains that wild pioneer ambience. Rolling hills lead down to a tiny horseshoe bay encapsulated by rocky prominences of geological distinction, not dissimilar to Northern Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway or Scotland’s Staffa (of Fingal’s Cave fame). The old jetty is a popular fishing spot, whilst a gap in the railing leads to a track hewn from the rock to another small bay where you can access a rocky island via a causeway. The island has the most impressive rock formations and harbours weathered remnants of the pioneer past: a rusting winch, remains of moorings and traces of former maritime endeavour.

Second Valley is situated in the Southern Fleurieu Peninsula, about an hour and a quarter from Adelaide by car. We stopped at the Smiling Samoyed craft brewery in Myponga on the way. Just before the town of Yankalilla a sign to Allusion Wines led us along a winding dirt track to their cellar door.  Although the Southern Fleurieu region is not nearly as famous the neighbouring McLaren Vale, the vines benefit from the cooler sea air. We were particularly taken with the Cabernet Sauvignon which showed greater complexity  and gentler tannins than many of its rivals with a delicate vanilla finish. Hidden away in the hills, surrounded by beautiful countryside (pictured above), a visit to Allusion is highly recommended. On site accommodation offers the prospect of a secluded weekend retreat or an overnight stopover en route for the nearby Kangaroo Island ferry.

It’s good that after living here for three years and visiting for over a decade that there are still wonderful places to visit for the first time.