Before heading off into the outback, another bountiful district led us astray. It first announced its beauty with its flowering fields of canola, quickly followed by unfenced acres of orange groves and distant orchards of pink flowering stone fruit. The Riverland district of South Australia is blessed with good soil and irrigation water from the Murray. There are also more camping opportunities in this district as the bushland surrounding the Murray is a declared reserve, with large sandy banks and steep white cliffs.
Other distractions include historic towns, such as Strathalbyn, with well-preserved stone buildings dating from the 1850s, well-tended parks, dramatic churches, antique shops and cafes.
We obtained more supplies for our illusive outback trip : a large Kent pumpkin and a five kilo string of blood oranges, which juice so colourfully :’vampire’ juice. Roadside farmers’ stalls are numerous and economical.
Heading down further into the Fleurieu Peninsula, agricultural plenty gave way to other forms of oral fixation in the name of good restaurants.
Highly recommended is the award-winning Victory Hotel overlooking Sellicks beach. The menu here is excellent and the seafood local and fresh. I ordered half a dozen Coffin Bay oysters, which came with red wine jelly, an excellent foil to the salty sea hit. They were so good, I immediately ordered another six. ($25.00 a dozen).
These were followed by Myponga Beach salt and pepper squid, (e $15/ m$25.50 ) as fresh as a daisy; I was in fishy heaven and would happily have remained at this hotel for a few days to eat my way through the menu. If you are travelling in the district, don’t miss this place.
Nearby in Port Elliott, the Flying Fish Cafe does a roaring trade. Situated directly on the sandy beach, the views are worth the slight detour. The cafe is divided into two sections, the fish and chippery and the a` la carte restaurant. The fish is fresh and well prepared. It was a Tuesday lunch time and the place was jumping.
We didn’t make it to the nearby Star of Greece Restaurant in Port Willunga, and it’s probably just as well since our slight detour into the Fleurieu was taking much longer than we envisaged.
Due to the temptations offered along the way, the outback was becoming a place of myth and legend.
ALMOST ITALIAN 
Wow, the food looks really amazing. I’d love to eat these oysters!
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They were the best oysters I have ever eaten, Moritz, and that is a big call!
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Well, seems like I definitely have to visit that place. It just went on my “must see” itinerary!
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Another great tour Francesca. I like Port Elliot too. Those oysters sound perfect. Do try to get back to Star of Greece if you get back to that part of the world again. We haven’t been to the actual restaurant but love going to the kiosk part for an ice cream, beer, hot chips or all three! The views and vibe are amazing!
I love your second photo. Those old building are so beautiful.
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Thanks Jane. I was a bit peeved about not getting to the Star of Greece, given its fame, but the Victory was the best. No beach, plain decor, ordinary pub but wow, you should see the menu and the prices. They were the best oysters, ever! That squid had just been caught, no frozen crap. I love that old mill too. The Laucke family strikes again. I still buy their flour.
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I am suffering oyster envy, it’s a real thing you know. 🙂
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I understand your pain.
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Looks like a detour worth making! I love the balcony in your last photo… my dream house would have a balcony just like that.
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Detours are fun, if time allows. It took a long time to get to the outback. There are some lovely buildig in Strathalbyn- with sweet verandahs.
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Francesca, those photos are so tantalising, both of place and food! Strathalban is such a charming place… good coffee, too! But those oysters look divine! I am a recent convert to fresh Oysters after our visit to Port Lincoln and I am looking to get back to a place that has good ones… this looks like it! Have shown the photos to D so he can work on the plan…
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Good idea Ardys, a nice smooth run down the Stuart highway directly to tha land of Oyster. I found these ones so perfect, so briny, I had to lick the shells. Freshly shucked ( one must take care with articulating that phrase) Coffin Bay oysters are my favourite aussie oysters. Port Lincoln would be the home of many more. Hmmm, might head off to the market and see what has come in.
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Oh Francesca, I haven’t been in those parts for years! So beautiful… thank you for sharing your travels xo
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The beauty of the canola and the sky merited distraction and detour and I’m pleased the rewards were so worthy. Yum. I’m hoping to make a trip to SA next year with my friend Mrs S., and the Victory Hotel now will definitely be on our itinerary 🙂
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It’s nothing to look at from the outside, but the menu is worthy of a small detour. I hope you and Mrs S enjoy it as much as I did.
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Well you missed a treat at the Star of Greece. Whenever we get within cooee we dine there. It’s quirky and it’s good !! Leah lived in Adelaide for a few years so the McLaren Vale region became a regular weekend haunt for us. Love the whole region.
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I know, I did regret that but we had dallied so much: I think the Victory Hotel made up for it, though not in its setting.
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I love detours! We have a family nickname for them – σπιράλι (a made-up Greek word for spiral meaning a meandering way to get to your destination). I love the photo of the rape seed (canola) field – the brilliant yellow is always an uplifting sight, a harbinger of spring. Great countryside and lovely food.
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I like the idea of a special word for spiral meanderings. Along with detours, we sometimes indulge in road books- I read, he drives. A chapter a day along straight and tedious roads. And then there are the wineries with open cellar gates………
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I like road books – great idea to while away the time until those wineries open.
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Those oysters look delicious as does all of the seafood. And blood oranges definitely produce some great vampire juice!
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I’m drooling, it could be dangerous for my waistline following your blog, Louise
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Hahha, I hope not too much. We can always walk it off.
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Yes you are right. I’m enjoying exploring your blog. Are you an Aussie with an Italian partner who grew up here ? Is that the scenario? An you are in Melbourne?
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I am an Aussie who became obsessed with the Italian language and taught Italian for years in high school which was challenging at times! I am always thinking about Italy when I’m not hanging around in Asia. Yes, I’m in Melbourne too, lots of Italian influence here also.
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