Michael Perry Reserve and Willowbridge reserve walk 6/2/18

Today was a warm day and our planned walk with the group was cancelled, so we decided to do a local walk a bit later in the day.
We hopped on the Walking SA website and found the walk along second creek that goes up into Michael Perry Reserve from Hallett Rd as far as the fence into the Boral Quarries.

Walking up as far as we could go to this fence we passed an old pump and stone shed used for pumping water in the old days, before turning around and heading down the hill.

In the warm day the running water and shady track were rather pleasant. Finding a geocache along the way made it even better.

We enjoyed looking in the back fences at the yards, and dreaming about what it would be like to live along a creek like this.

There are still some lovely old properties (with large yards) in this part of the suburb. We looked in the gate at Ivymeade (built in 1850) and lived in by Captain Hancock (of Moonta mines fame) at one stage, with fancy driveway and with arcaded lower verandah. (Thanks to google we could see what the house looks like from below)

From the road you can see the back of the house and tell it is quite grand. Only 16 rooms with 3 cellars and 6 bedrooms. (and a studio) 

We've discovered this old building below  (Now the "Ruth Tuck Art School") on Hubbe Court, but didn't realise that it was partially built from the walls of an old irrigation tank which was part of the original property "Undelcarra" and used for watering the orchards to the west.

It was apparently later used as a swimming pool before being adapted for it's present use. I'd love to see what the building is like inside. The reserve it sits on is beautifully kept (by Burnside council I presume)

The old Undelcurra house still stands on a huge allotment at 58 Lockwood Rd and sounds like it is still pretty fancy.

Other sights of interest along this pretty walk were:

Tunnel under the road

pretty metal cutouts on the information sign

An unexpected grave.  Apparently this unreadable stone is for a child,  Maud White, who died in 1841.  There used to be wattle and daub huts along this part of the creek apparently.  Hard to imagine now in this fancy, leafy suburb. 

A really cute and friendly guy along the way

An old gum tree entwined with an even older fig tree (see above and below) 

yes - that thin gum base is the one supporting that very tall tree which disappears above the fig through the branches in the photo above.

These people have shared their yard (or annexed the reserve) so that lovely green lawn and pretty garden borders the path here. What a lovely sight.