Corinium Roman Villa & The Leafy Sea Dragon Festival 2009: Keith visits the Fleurieu Peninsula region of South Australia
Just an hour or so south of Adelaide, Corinium Roman Villa is about 10 minutes up a beautiful valley from Yankalilla. The rammed earth pillar on the top of the ridge is the only hint of the unlikely surprise down the driveway.
Snuggled neatly into vast glacial valley in the rolling ranges between the sea and the Inman Valley - the Corinium Roman Villa is the fruition of a long held dream for Paul and Sue Elliott.
Paul Elliott: "We knew what we wanted to build, we wanted to build a beautiful bed and breakfast and we found this view on this lip of land in a valley and we though this must be the place. This is the place."
And what a location - no matter the season, the views are stunning in every direction. Seventeen hectares of rolling hills and for the Elliotts, it's all very reminiscent of Tuscany.
Sue Elliott: "We had a holiday in Italy about 12 years ago and we came back to Melbourne to our city jobs and thought we need a sea change or tree change. We loved the buildings of Pompeii and they seemed so simple and practical. They are beautiful simple buildings. It inspired us so much that here Pompeii and rammed earth came together. In this landscape it sits so well."
The result is three self-contained so-called villas surrounding the traditional central courtyard. The perfect place from which to explore the Fleurieu - or then again, you could just stay put and enjoy the quiet.
Paul: "Why rammed earth? Well, there are buildings in Europe going back two and a half thousand years and they're still standing and we decided that might be a good material to build it."
With walls 400 mills thick made from locally quarried material, the result is a roman inspired building that sits timelessly in the Australian landscape.
But once we get past the villas there's another story inside - a Postcards exhibition as part of the Leafy Sea Dragon Festival. And what a collection of postcards from around the world - all with their own story to tell.
Each postcard is a slice of history - some timeless - others more reflective like the oldest in the collection - a solemn funeral card of one William George Gray who died in 1895 - aged just 33.
For Paul, collecting Postcards began when her inherited a writing bureau from his late mother. Paul: "I opened the draws and I found a collection of coins and photographs. But there was also a huge collection of postcards - 2,000 of them!"
With the addition of more than a thousand on loan from enthusiastic locals, the collection has grown to three and half thousand postcards - all of which are on display now as part of the 2009 Leafy Sea Dragon Festival.
Our official marine emblem, the Leafy Sea Dragon is only found in South Australian waters. Divers from around the world converge on places like Rapid Bay to spy on these marvels of the deep so it's fitting they lend their name to the ten day biennial arts and cultural festival with exhibitions and events held throughout the Yankalilla district.
You can experience the week long festival for a day or if you want to stay a little longer why not try the Corinium Roman Villa. You'll find it at Nosworthy Road in the Inman Valley - just a little inland from Yankalilla.
The Leafy Sea Dragon Festival is on now and runs until next Sunday April 26 2-009. It's open most days. If you have any furhter questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
Corinium Roman Villa
2 Nosworthy Rd
Inman Valley
Ph 8558 8259Leafy Sea Dragon Festival
Until 26 April
www.leafyseadragonfestival.comPublished 19th April 2009
