A LITTLE UTOPIA ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON

A Sunday well spent brings a week of content’…well isn’t that the truth! Yesterday I had the most delightful time with the huz (keep it clean) and I feel compelled to share it with you. Have you ever been to ‘Waterfall Gully’ or ‘Utopia’? Well after 21 years residing in south Australia neither had I!

After a hellish week of crazy weather and rain the huz and I ventured just ten minutes outside of the city to Waterfall Gully. I love finding new (to me) activities to enjoy here in Adelaide and our visit to Waterfall Gully was so delightfully quaint and good for the soul it won’t be our last.

When local business owner Kelly Markos messaged me about the recent closure to the walking trails at Waterfall Gully she was a little frantic. The closure due to recent flooding rains would dramatically impact her business. Kelly and her husband Justin run Utopia Restaurant and café and rely heavily on the adventurous (and hungry)people who love to use the surrounding bushwalking trails.

Although I’ve followed ‘Utopia’ on social media for a few years (amazing wedding and events) I had never actually been because you know, I’m not really the bushwalking type 🙂

I had planned to give a shout out for ‘Utopia’ to encourage locals to keep supporting the local business despite the flood damage in surrounding areas but then I thought, why not go and ‘actually’ visit. Why not indeed!

So the huz and I headed out for a Sunday afternoon adventure to visit Waterfall Gully. On arrival I knew instantly I wanted to share this with you all. Waterfall Gully took me back to my childhood growing up on Mt Tamborine in the Gold Coast Hinterland.

In the days when kids left the house after breakfast and ventured home just before tea time I got up to some crazy stuff. My childhood was spent exploring creeks and rain forests and sliding down waterfalls until the arse of my cossie was threadbare.

We chased scrub turkeys, lifted the lids on the nest of the trapdoor spiders, climbed trees and swung from vines just like Tarzan. Leeches were commonplace and muddy shoes and feet were washed in creek beds before heading home in time to watch Molly on Countdown and some yummy dinner.

Waterfall Gully took me right back to those childhood memories. The recent rains meant the waterfalls were gushing with water and the surrounding gardens and rainforest was lush. Sure, there’s some obvious signs of water damage from the floods but I’m sure the local councils will have it looking fabulous again in no time.

We headed up to ‘Utopia’ restaurant and shared a starter of sliders (I hadn’t eaten all day) and then ordered what we had really come for…Devonshire tea.

For ten dollars per person you get a cuppa and a massive scone. We ordered a pot of tea ‘for two’ and I asked for extra cream (always) and I gotta tell you it was a beautiful experience. Our own moment of Utopia.

Sitting outside with the waterfall in view and the scent of the flowering trees was heaven. While the sunshine streamed through the trees it was still a bit chilly but the attentive staff had us sorted, offering complimentary blankets to rug up. Now that’s service!

If you live in South Australia or are headed our way do yourselves a favour, put on some walking shoes, grab your wallet and sense of adventure and head to Utopia at Waterfall Gully, it really is special.

THE DETAILS…

You can find Utopia Restaurant HERE

I’m wearing XL  ‘Santa Monica’ top $109  from ‘Adrift’. s-xl. Find it HERE (current code CURVY25. Receive 25%off NEW STYLES until 1/10/16)

Scarf from ‘Amazing Scarves’. ‘Navy forms’ $27 Find it HERE

Til next time

Jen X

*Some items featured in this post were sent to me for editorial consideration in line with my disclosure policy