May Cottage: Kangaroo Island region of South Australia

For many years the western end of Kangaroo Island was almost totally isolated. Very few ventured into the thick, impenetrable scrub except for those who ran the Cape Borda Lighthouse and its sister light at Cape Du Couedic. The lights occupy prominent positions in Flinders Chase National Park because every so often a ship would crash into the coastline. Some onboard made it safely ashore - some didn’t.

By the 1890s determined farmers had made their way to the west and on the road leading into the park you pass the open clearing where they grazed sheep. Now it’s Cape Baron Geese that welcome visitors to the area.

Charles May was the original pastoralist at what was known as Rocky River Homestead.

“They had some sheep running here and some crops as well. Of course, they needed accommodation so the cottage that is here now once had seven rooms. That was where the May family lived and the little one further on was built as the family grew for a couple of the boys.”

Later, the cottage where the May boys bunked down became the overnight accommodation for the mailman who made regular fortnightly trips from Kingscote. Now - May’s Cottage and what the locals call - the Postman's Cottage are available for very inexpensive holiday rental. While Postman's is pretty basic, you're surrounded by wildlife, much of which is very accustomed to the passing tourist.

“They had a ‘home paddock’ around the houses and this area which was quite fertile was cleared and up until the 1950s they were still cropping here and, of course, with the beautiful soil they had very good crops.”

“The Cape Barron Geese have obviously benefited from the cleared areas too. They're a grazer and they come to feed on the grass. The noise they’re making shows they’re pairing up and getting a bit of the mating instinct. They are also aggressive to one another - they are saying ‘this is my patch of dirt and you can move on”.

Photos in the nearby Visitor Centre give some idea of just how many animals the May family and others trapped prior to the area being declared a National Park. They were on their own - except for an occasional shipwreck survivor - like the one who wandered in following the downing of the Loch Sloy.

“Eventually he came across the Mays, who, on a Sunday afternoon were having a nice quite game of cricket. The alarm was raised and it was one of the sons - a fifteen-year boy who got on his horse. The only communication (with the outside world was through Cape Borda) so he rode up there and raised the alarm. They contacted Adelaide and started a search. They found the other two shipwrecked sailors. They did find the other one who'd been left but unfortunately had died.”

If you're staying at May Cottage or Postman's you'll need to bring linen or hire it from National Parks and Wildlife. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au