Sunday Drive.

Sunday was earmarked for a drive north to Palana. We hadn't really explored this part of the Island yet and the weather was glorious. I packed some sandwiches and fruit and off we headed in the Forester.

Once we hit the gravel roads the landscape was flat, farming land with cattle and sheep dispersed throughout. We were really exploring as we decided to drive an alternate route to the map but guess what we didn't bring the map. Well, you can't really get lost here so we headed in "the" direction and enjoyed the drive.

Heading into Palana, the landscape returned to bush, elevated land, scattered with granite. As, we took the turn down onto the beach at Palana, we were presented with a beach that stretched out for miles and the dunes glistened among the foliage. Amazing!

We spent some time exploring the beach and rocks where we came across this little red starfish.

Parking the car at a vantage point. 

We were a bit intrigued when we came across a few of these anchor points in among the rocks behind the Forester in previous picture. We also came across this ?bridge ? trolley full of smaller rocks.

We decided that there must have been a wharf or boat ramp here at some point. We will endeavour to research this further.

After having our sandwiches we headed home taking another route. Over the Island there are many little abandoned dwellings/homes from days gone by. I am personally very intrigued by these little places often imagining what they are like inside, who were the people who lived in them, and what was life like for them. 

Heading of on another dirt track we came across a little house in a secluded little spot that was actually accessible by foot. It was also For Sale. A we headed into the property, the gate welcomed us with "Eden". So there I was imagining this little house was actually someones ideal place to live and their own piece of paradise. Walking up the little path, overgrown garden beds could be deciphered as daffodils, agapanthas and such stretched up in between the overbearing weeds.

The house was simple from the front. One wooden door, two net curtained windows and a small  "mat".

Once we walked around the back there was a little washroom obviously for doing the laundry and a quaint little verandah out back. The place showed signs that someone had lived there more recently. Austar attached to the side, solar panels mounted on the outhouose and under the verandah was a large battery pack that Bruno said was "had it". 

Looking inside the windows the house was 3 very small rooms - living, kitchen and bedroom and there was still furniture and such inside, as if someone just got up and left. As we stood on the back verandah here we could here running water. Bruno set out to find where it was coming from and alas just down the back of the house was this:-

I was falling for this house and if circumstances were different in many ways it would have made a great weekend escape. What a shame that it has been left in such disarray and hopefully someone will come along and do it justice. I think I will go and enquire about the cost and find out some of its history, just for interest sake. 

It brought back many childhood memories for me. The strongest one being of my collection of  "Little House on the Prairie" books, most  particularly the one, "On the Banks of Plum Creek".