Baymore Reserve, Modbury

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Baymore Reserve commences at the side of the 804 North East Road, Modbury, where there is a small parking bay for visitors. It is on a bus route and bus stop number 38 is placed conveniently next to the park. The park features children's play equipment and several undercover picnic tables. There is also a basketball ring.



A small creek runs up one side of the reserve. I wondered which river this might be and did some research. Dry Creek is marked on the map until about Kelly Road, where it is split into two tributaries. One comes from the north and becomes very shallow, probably completely dry in summer, hence deserving the name Dry Creek! The other branch passes under North East Road, and eventually appears to connect with a small lagoon behind Reservoir Road.



There are a few trees along the roadside and along the creek banks. A couple of mounds of grassed dirt shield the reserve from the road, and bike tracks lead through the area. Small bridges connect the park with nearby streets and housing. New plants are currently being cultivated to make the reserve more attractive.

We walked along the bike track until we reached the O'Bahn, where buses passed over our heads. Using one of several tunnels under the O'Bahn we were able to cross to the other side, where the track appeared to continue all the way to Reservoir Road in one direction, and back to Grand Junction Road in the other direction. Dog owners were out exercising their dogs, as dogs are allowed on a lease. There is a sporting club located along Heysen Avenue, although It didn't look as though the public could access the toilets.



Towards the entrance of the reserve, just off bus stop 38, are several rows of grape vines being cultivated into a mini-vineyard. The vines appear to be in commemoration of the farming history of the area, but there is no plaque explaining this fact.




There is also a small stone ruin which is clearly historical but remains unidentified. Is this the old stone cottage of Robert Symons Kelly who, according to the Tea Tree Gully Historical Society, bought a section of land in 1847, and named his farm 'Modbury Farm', after his birthplace in Modbury, Devonshire, UK? Or is it the remains of a building or outbuilding belonging to Robert Milne, one of the first counsellors of Modbury who had a farm at Dry Creek? Could it be the remains of a cottage built by an unknown settler who struggled to make their mark alongside those who are more clearly remembered? Or even the residence of a squatter who left Modbury to follow the excitement of the gold rush? ( http://ttghistoricalsociety.org.au )

#dog_friendly
#modbury
#northern_suburbs
#parks
#playgrounds
#walks
%wnadelaide