NEWSLETTERS | Classic Clippings

March 1986

The Five Valleys of Clare

The "Clare Valley'' is a term that has been in common usage for over 20 years; and it is surprising to find that most people believe that it is one single valley. In fact it comprises five separate valley systems, and to illustrate the point further, when it rains in the "Clare Valley" half the water goes to sea at Port Wakefield, and the other half at Port Broughton; these two points being separated by some 50OKm of coastline.

The illusion of the single valley is most evident to the mainroad traveller who, from Auburn to Clare, finds himself flanked by north - south running ridges.

From the south he enters the "Clare Valley" just south of Auburn in the valley of the River Wakefield. just north of Auburn the Wakefield veers off to the east, past Taylors Winery and towards Mintaro, whilst the main road follows a tributary of the Wakefield known as Eyre Ck.

The central source of all of these valleys is Mount Horrocks, the highest feature of the "Clare Valley", just east of Penwortham.

The main road reaches its highest point between Penwortham and Sevenhill. (It is a little known fact that the formation of the Clare railway, which has its summit nearby, happens to be the same elevation as the railway line at Mount Lofty.) Beyond Penwortham the main road follows the valley of the Hutt River which runs north to the Broughton.

The bitumen-road traveller misses the two most attractive and unspoilt valleys of the system. The Skillogalee Creek actually runs through Penwortham, but then runs south and parallel to the main road to join the Wakefield beyond Auburn. To the east and north is the Hill River which runs north, parallel to the Hutt, for some 50 km before the two join to form the Broughton.