Eden Valley Church, South Australia

Church at Eden Valley, South Australia

Sometimes when we travel from home in Murray Bridge, South Australia, to our daughter’s home in Clare, we travel through the small rural community of Eden Valley. Every time we see the Lutheran Church just off the main road through town we admire this beautiful building. I’ve often commented that I should one day stop and take some photos. On a recent trip I did stop, but I still messed up the shot. The lovely church appears to have a lean on it to rival that famous one in Italy.

Not so.

Trouble is, I didn’t get out of the car but merely grabbed the camera, twisted around in my seat and “click”. I didn’t check that I’d composed the photo properly and so the bell tower appears to have a definite lean. It doesn’t; I’m the one leaning. Next time I must get out of the car, compose the photo carefully and then shoot.

Eden Valley is only a small community on the edge of the world famous Barossa Valley wine region. There are many vineyards and wineries in the district, as well as orchards (apricots, peaches, cherries), sheep and wheat farms and a some cattle as well.

The Whispering Wall, Barossa Reservoir, South Australia

Whispering Wall at the Barossa Reservoir in South Australia

On our way to the Yorke Peninsula during our holiday last week we stopped for lunch in the picnic area of the Barossa Reservoir. This dam is between the towns of Williamstown and Gawler in the Barossa Valley wine region. This is a delightful spot to picnic and very popular with tourists and locals alike.

The dam wall was constructed between 1899 and 1902 in the shape of a parabola. After construction it was discovered that the dam had a unique acoustic effect, leading to its common name of “The Whispering Wall.” A visitor can stand at one side of the dam, speak softly towards the wall and can be heard quite clearly across the other side, about 140 metres away.

Barossa Reservoir in South Australia

Whispering Wall at the Barossa Reservoir in South Australia

Barossa Reservoir in South Australia