Elliston and Venus Bay

Elliston is a wonderful little sea side town of just over 300 people, which swells to over 2,500 during peak times. With just the basic facilities in the way of shops, it makes up for in its beauty and pristine beaches, and magnificent coast line cliffs.  A walk along the beach at sunrise is something special, and one just has to take the opportunity to see the wonderful colors in the sky and I was lucky enough to capture this image with the moon still setting in the distance.

Elliston Beach At Sunrise

The Elliston Jetty is one of the only steel framed jetties in the world and the posts are embedded into the sea floor, some 140 metres down, a true engineering feet of its day.  The jetty was used to load wheat, which was loaded by hand from the beach, and the bag handling machine, such as it was, is still there today.

Without a doubt, one of the most outstanding features of Elliston is the view from the cliffs.  The huge sand stone cliffs rise from the sea and create a color sensation.  The waves crashing in gives off a mist that continually rises around the coastline, with an almost seemless endless fog.

Elliston Coastline

Waves Crashing In

'Dutch Clogs'

These little Dutch Clogs, are pre-historic stones, found all round the coast, and are caused by some sort of a weevil, that has existed for thousands of years.  We found them for sale in a couple of shops along the way for over $20 each!! We have a couple with us and our little birds like playing with them in the bottom of their cage.

Ellsiton Jetty

But for those with an artistic slant, one of the many reasons to visit Elliston is for it's Sculptures on the Cliffs.  A 12 km drive takes one around some of the most spectacular coastline one would wish to see, and along the way there are a number of sculptures.  The sculptures are created every two years, and another one appears along the cliff top.  To many to show, here now, but some of the more unusual ones are shown here. 

'The Thongs'

'The Surfie'

A short drive from Elliston to Venus Bay, one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.  Would loved to have spent more time there, expecially at sunset or sunrise, but just to walk around the lovely beaches and enjoy some fresh fish and chips on the beach was joy enough.  The pelicans (my favourite birds) were plentiful and it was just a wonderful to be able to get this photo.  Nature is an amazing thing, and not often do you get to share a moment like this.  A baby pelican feeding off its mother.

Brekkie Time

More, More

 Along the road, you come across a old ghost town of sorts, Colter - with just some ruins remaining, an old church and a a really interesting cemetery. But a really unique feature is a road side hot bread shop, where you can buy just about any sort or bread, or rolls for just $3.50 all for an honesty box.  Realy worth the visit and nothing like sitting back, later that night and heating it up in the oven and having it with slathers of butter and vegemite.  The sticky buns, were pretty good too.  The Old Church (below is just a wonderful piece of early german architecture.

Colter Church

George North's Grave

A little further up the road is the cemetery, which is entered via an avenue of olive trees.  In the cemetery is buried George North (not his Greek name) who was the first Greek to settle in South Australia,  He came here at age 22 and made it is home and went on to have 11 children.

Snail decimating a flower

The jetty at Venus Bay is one of the few jetties in Australia that has a bend in it.

Venus Bay Jetty

 If you time your visit right, the fishing boats offer fresh seafood straight off the boat. Just near the jetty is a free camp, and there were quite a few motorhomes camped there.  Amongst them, some friends from Leeton, so its a small world.

The Cliffs Of Venus Bay

When we are out and about driving around we see some strange things, but this would have to be out there with them.

Anyone Need A Tinnie?

Driving back towards Elliston we called in at Talia Caves. What a sight it is and one of the truley remarkable places we have visited.

The Stairs Down To The Caves

The Entrance To The Woolshed Cave

The Beautiful Colored Rocks Outside The Caves

The Woolshed cave was just spectacular and with the tides the waves crash on in creating huge echo's and the noise is just amazing, like nothing we have heard.  The second cave called 'The Tub, wasn't quite as spectacular, but we later found out that there is a way down into it, and that would have been worth while. Still all in all an amazing geological phenomenon, as certainly worth the visit.

It was a great visit to Elliston, but Venus Bay will be on the list for a re-visit at another time, but for now it was time to hit the road and head on further west and over the Nullabor.

Newlands Conservation Park

One last photo - this one of Newlands Conservation park, found on the drive out from the caves. The sand has a pink coloration caused by carotene, and just makes a spectacular scene.

Hope you have enjoyed our visit to Elliston and keep tuned for our ventures across the Nullabor, which I am endeavouring to catch up, now that we are in Kalgoolie and have access to decent internet.

Take care all.