I have always found that the weekeners away with members of SACC are great fun, a chance to get to know the people who go on these events a little bit more and to enjoy different areas away from home.
This year we had 19 members and two Grandchildren go for the 200 Km drive up to Burra. Some booked into the historic Paxton Square Cottages and a group at the apply named Royal Exchange Hotel while our Grandchildren toting couple Ken & Lorraine Winen stated at the Burra Motel.
We drove from Strathalbyn in convoy with only one couple in their historically registered Mini Cooper, David & Vivienne Pegler the rest of us were in much later vehicles.
Our first stop was the lunch stop in Kapunda, MAP the miner country, where the first mining occurred in SA in 1844 when copper was found plus mining of Marble. We stopped adjacent to the Kapunda Museum which gives a wonderful showing of ” turning back time” on several levels and is one of the best period museums is SA, I feel, well worth a look (open between 1.00 pm and 4.00pm daily).
Then we drove onto Burra where we went our separate ways to settle into our respective accommodation for the weekend until gathering in David & Althea’s rooms for happy hour drinks n nibbles – always a special time to start the bonding into our new group.
Dinner at the Motel, Jumbucks Restaurant, that evening was a rather drawn out one but the food when it arrived was excellent.
Next morning as per the Althea Walsh prepared schedule saw us all assemble in the main square just before 10.00 am. We went to the Information Centre and paid to purchase a key which is used to open most of the exhibits in and around the town on what is called The Johnny Green Trail. One exception was to visit the Bon Accord complex which we did first as it closed the earliest each day. Next to the Burra Railway Station which has been extensively restore. After this we headed to the Monster Mine site and spent some time here, lots to see! The open cut mine now filled with water plus the rebuilt engine house and magazine building.
After lunch we eventually found the old Gaol which was a reality check and the amazing Unicorn Brewery Cellars and finally we visited the miners dugouts on the side of the Burra River.
That evening we had another happy hour and a meal at the Burra Hotel to finish off the day.
Sunday morning saw us gather in the Square after some had hearty breakfast at a café and then we set off to investigate Mintaro via Clare where we sat around for a late coffee stop to enjoy the lovely warm sunshine after a very cold morning ( 1 degree in Burra the previous night!). Mintaro is also a very historic township and some stayed to walk the maze and others decided to go their own way either locally or heading homeward.
All in all a very enjoyable weekend away had by all.
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