VICTOR HARBOR
 Bluff

Return distance : 1.5 km; Time : 90 minutes

At the southern end of Victor Harbor stands a bare hill called Rosetta Head, popularly known as The Bluff.  The Bluff is 100 metres high, and is a good place for whale watching between May and October.  It also turns out to be the location of a surprisingly interesting walk.

We start from the unsealed Jetty Road, where a set of steps rises up the hill.

Then there are even more steps.  This looks like being a candidate for Australia's most boring walk!

Arriving at the T-junction we find the remains of the old Coolanine Mine.  This was sunk in 1863 in an unsuccessful search for an economic deposit of copper ore.  Perhaps they didn't dig deep enough, but no, we are told that the shaft has been filled in.

We turn left along the Rosetta Track, and reap our first reward – a nice view back over Rosetta Bay.

Further to the right is a view over Wright Island to Victor Harbor, with the causeway across to Granite Island.

The Rosetta Track winds around the Bluff, and then turns right for a steep climb to the Summit.  The best view is looking back!

The ground cover starts to get more interesting ...

... and we come to the first of the rounded granite boulders which are a feature here.

There used to be a trig on the summit, but it appears to have walked.

Down the other side is an extended view of the coastline with Petrel Cove in the foreground.

I wouldn’t have thought that the south-western side of the Bluff would be more sheltered, but the coastal growth thrives here.

We walk down towards Rosetta Point.

The granite boulders are very attractive with their touches of coloured lichen.

Returning to the loop trail, there are plenty of photographic opportunities.

Now we descend with Petrel Cove in view.

This is one of several attractive signs along the way.  I would have been very annoyed to have prepared this sign and not noticed until too late the spelling mistake!

Early morning and late afternoon are good times to spot the local residents.

There is this lovely find as well.

Now down to Petrel Cove.   The rocks are beautifully coloured here, and the surf can really pound in.

The colours on the rocks are just brilliant.

But many of the rocks are decidedly unfriendly.  West Isalnd can be seen through the gap.

We leave the Cove.  I can't imagine anyone choosing to swim here.

Continuing around the car park at the top of the Cove we look back to the Bluff and Rosetta Point.

There is a variety of pretty coastal succulents.

From here the Heritage Trail continues around by the coast, shortly joining up with the Heysen Trail.  Walkers more energetic than I might decide to set off for Cape Jervis, 60 km away.

But instead, we take a last look at Petrel Cove from the top of the west bounding headland, before retracing our steps to the car park, and returning to our starting point via the mine.