Looking west from the east

I thought I would not get a blip in today. The weather was/is lousy and the day had very little left to offer. Quite a contrast from yesterday's sunshine. In desperation I followed some of my old training roads from back in the day; heading up Golden Grove and onto the One Tree Hill - Gawler Road. This does lead to the Para Wirra Park via a couple of nasty, steep climbs. The area takes its name from the 'One Tree Hill Inn' (licensed in 1851), the inn's name, in turn, referred to a giant red gum tree which stood nearby but was burnt down in 1890 and then cut down in 1934.

Europeans settled the area in the early 1840s, and the township was firmly established with the building of the One Tree Hill Inn in 1951. The settlement was located between Gawler and Salisbury, quickly becoming the meeting place of the surrounding rural community, including Gould Creek and Uleybury. A post office and general store were built in 1858 (still there) which featured a large cellar where produce including local wine was sold. In 1906, the Institute, which cost about £600, was built across the road from the post office, and became a town meeting place and recreation centre, which was expanded considerably in 1978 when the township hosted a National Road Cycling Championship. The Institute has been home base for many cycling races ever since and the area is well known and well ridden by Adelaide's racing cyclists. The roads around the area are very demanding for bike riders and so not often used by the recreational cyclist. Only the die hards with strong legs venture out this way.

The blip is the view looking west from One Tree Hill - Gawler Road which forms the eastern boundary of the area.