When I was kid and I went to the beach at Glenelg we would invariably walk past the Rotunda on…read moreColley Reserve on our way. My brothers used to tease me everytime we were near by telling me a mean an old witch lived underneath the Rotunda and whatsmore she was after me! It took me years to overcome that fear. I have to admit now I'm a big girl and I've realised the witch probably wasn't real but I still stay clear of her 'front door' aka the opening to the right hand side of the stairs that's covered with galvanized iron. There are stairs leading down to something down there and I wonder what it is that's down there underneath the rotunda? Serious stuff now. The rotunda is state heritage listed and can be hired for weddings, baby namings and all kinds of private ceremonies. It actually sits in pride of place between Colley Reserve and The Beachouse and is surrounded by paving and Glenelg's famous Norfolk Pines. The pavers around the Rotunda are actually called the Bay Sheffield Walk and commemorate the names all of the winner of the Handicap footrace that's held each year on Colley Reserve. Lovingly restored by the Holdfast Bay Council and Commonwealth Government back in 2001, the work was done to commemorate the anniversary of Federation. It is simply one of the jewels in the crown at Glenelg beach. If you've never been there I suggest you go and just sit there watching the sunset for while - just be careful the witch doesn't put a spell on you!

The Old Gum Tree, also called The Proclamation Tree is a historic site from 1836. Here the British…read moregovernor announced the Government of the colony of South Australia. A ceremony is held each year at the site on Proclamation Day, with the current Governor reading the original speech. The tree itself, probably a red gum, had died by 1907. Its decayed outer surface was encased in concrete in 1963.

For those who love a little history, this is the "site of the original reading of the Proclamation…read morefounding South Australia on 28th December 1836" as described by the City of Holdfast Bay. Of course the Indigenous Australians found it long before that but for those who enjoy White Australian history, there's a re-enactment every year as part of the Proclamation Day ceremonies. For those who love playgrounds, this isn't a bad little set up for suburban streets. It's fully fenced and would suit older children as well as toddlers for a while. It's not the biggest playground in the world but for the space, they've managed to fit in some fun stuff. There's also some shade built into the playground itself which is always a nice touch seeing as City Councils don't like to provide shade. For those who love electronic toilets, there are those here too :D *Dogs allowed* *Fully Fenced* *Some shade* *Drinking fountain*

We had a great evening for my sons birthday…read more Easy to book online $98 for four adults You can book for a package to have a drink and platter for two ( I have booked this for a gift for friends) they where very impressed I will be booking again possibly in the summer months for the dolphin cruise

My husband and I opted for the dolphin swim on Temptation, as it sounded like a great experience. I…read morechose it primarily because it's an interaction with wild dolphins, and the crew are marine biologists, which meant there would be a baseline respect for the animals and their habitat, above any stressful shenanigans. And there was that, which I appreciate. Honestly, my biggest disappointment with this cruise had to do with the crew. 1) This is a crew of marine biologists who spent exactly 0 time talking to us about the dolphins, their habitat, or any of the other creatures in the area. That's probably a fascinating ecosystem, teeming with life, but I couldn't tell you anything about it. We spent way more time above water than in the water, shivering in the wind as the captain motored around looking for dolphins. Did both mates need to spot the dolphins? I think one of them could've talked on a PA system and imparted some education for both the dolphin swim and dolphin watch folks, and improved this experience vastly. I've been on a *lot* of marine watch cruises in my life and there's always been someone imparting education about the whales and dolphins and their habitat- education inspires people to become stewards of the environment, and it also passes the time. For the life of me, I don't understand why these guys chose not to do that. 2) The ship was in really poor shape. No working toilet, no space to change, no info beforehand about what to bring (so we didn't have towels and didn't have a private space to change, consequence of which was that getting into and out of our wetsuits was miserable and embarrassing). 3) Crew were sniping at each other. I get that it's been a long season and you're ready to be done, but it's a small boat and you've crammed it full of people who are now walking on eggshells around you. Please be aware of the tension that causes. 4) The optional USB drive photos are...above water! I guess that was obvious? Not to me. I assumed that a crew member would be in the water with us, taking underwater photos (since several of us, myself included, didn't see a dolphin despite being in the water with them). In fact, the photos are of some dorsal fins off the prow, and random people on the boat. It was a waste of $20, for me, but at least the USB is shaped like a dolphin, which is cute, I guess? 5) Crew instructions about being in the water don't account for speed and turning. I was trying to stay inside the lines as instructed but the captain was turning in a constant circle, which made that impossible. My husband was trying to stay afloat but the speed of the boat while being towed meant he had to kick himself at a downward angle in order to not bob to the surface. We all found ourselves having to break "the rules" and cause visibility issues for other people on the line simply to stay on the line. I feel like there must be a better way to do this. Fewer people in the water, maybe? Speaking of going in circles- I'm sure it was lovely for the folks on the one line, who got to see the dolphin pod for however long it was, but for those of us who didn't get to see a single thing, because were were on the outside of that circle the entire time, it sucked. And that's compounded when every time you pop your head up in defeat, a crew member is yelling at you about where the dolphins are. Dude, I *know* they're right there. But between the distance, depth, darkness, and other entire line of people between my and the dolphins, I cannot see a thing and you yelling at me like I'm an idiot doesn't help. Overall, I was disappointed with the experience as a swim and as a sail. It was hard not to see opportunities for improvement, based on previous sail experience, and be frustrated that those opportunities weren't being acted upon. I can only hope the conservation efforts the company does are more cohesively thought out and better executed.

Inside the grounds of Sacred Heart College at Somerton you'll find Paringa Hall, a lovingly cared…read morefor, former private home now under the auspices of the College. Paringa Hall was the home of former pastoralist James Cudmore. He named it after one of his sheep stations in the Riverland and there are references to his profession all over the house with ornate carved sheep's heads on display. Not only did Cudmore have plenty of sheep but he obviously needed a big house because he and his wife Margaret had nine children before they moved into Paringa Hall ... and then another four during the time they lived there! Built in 1882 and designed by the prestigious Edmund Wright (who also built the Adelaide Town Hall, GPO and Brougham Place Uniting Church), Paringa Hall is the kind of house that speaks of great wealth. It is classical and ornate and has a three story central tower and matching bay windows at either end of the house. The interior is as ornate and showy as the exterior and there are seven bedrooms and twelve fireplaces inside. Sadly, the Cudmore's lost all their money through drought and hard times on the land but they managed to remain in the house until both James and Margaret died in 1912. In 1914 the Marist Brothers bought Paringa Hall as part of their proposed college on the site. The Hall is used regularly as part of school life but it is open for tours on Sundays and Wednesdays (by appointment). If you're interested in seeing inside you should contact the school directly.

Who reviews wind turbines?! I DO!!! I walked past this place on an afternoon stroll. Normally i…read morewalk to Henley Square but i decided to shake things up and go to Glenelg. The turbines were kinda loud- i could hear them over my ipod and the toilets were shut! Boo! But i am an environmental lover so I support their existence! Go environmental conservation! Also the beach is beautiful still!