** NOTE: I tried too many times to upload images but the blockchain system failed me...completely. All I have is words, and they fail to convey what this place looks like! Maybe it is because the photos are in HEIC format (from my iPhone) and not JPEG - does anyone know what the problem might be?
In January this year I went to Mannum on the River Murray, South Australia as a day trip with Mother. A trip to the riverland wouldn't usually be on my list of places to visit, but it turned out to be quite interesting.
For instance it was the place of a terrible flood in 1956. Mother remembers Father going up to the river to fill sandbags in preparation. Back in those days, they knew the flood was coming because they had heard about the huge amount of water coming down the river, but they couldn't do anything to stop it. So, the inundation came and it flooded right up to the ceiling of houses and shops near the river.
Mother and I took the hire car for a spin. After a stop-over to see some waterfalls in the far distance, we dropped into the Information Centre in Mannum (which is where I saw just how high the river had flooded all those decades ago). We walked the main street and swapped memories and found the best spot for a coffee and cake.
The other thing that amazed me is the number of new houses up there. I mean huge properties and they're all designed to allow the car and boat to the stored under the house (Queenslander style) while residents can enjoy a BBQ on the balcony overlooking the boat ramp/small pier and river outlook. The development area (called Mannum Way) has its own community of river dwellers who must love water sports and all the associated fun, risks and noise that comes with that. You can buy a large block of land for AUD98,000, and create a house design from there!
This photo shows a marina or parking space for the houseboats that cruise the river! The house boats are often for holiday trips but also for people who live on the boats and travel up and down the river. That must be an interesting lifestyle.
Then It was time to explore some more!. We crossed the river on the free ferry and took the river-side route towards Walkers Flat. We didn't actually go all that distance, but we got the general drift of how things were. We stopped and talked to some folks who told us about places where you could still camp for free. Otherwise everything is regulated and controlled now, for our own safety of course. That reminded me of the good old days when we used to go up the river, pitch a tent, hire a dingy, and just make our own fun. Freedom! The freedom we had as kids was awesome.
The day ended with a coffee and ice cream of course and time just sitting in the park by the river and watching people enjoy their water sports. The kids were still jumping into the water and the adults sitting around chatting, or climbing into their speedboats to show off to the onlookers. Time passed and we had to leave and return to Mount Barker, but at least we were richer from the stories and the fresh air!
Mannum turned out to be quite magnificent as a day trip and rekindled loads more memories than I expected.
