ROCKPOOL CAFÉ: Kangaroo Island in South Australia

They call it Kangaroo Island's North Coast Road, but the most traffic you're likely to encounter out here is of the hopping variety. And a word of warning if you're heading towards Stokes Bay keep an eye out for a little terrier who might easily send some traffic your way. On the north coast the pace of life is slow and the locals find plenty of time to just chew the fat and swap a few yarns. It's the same at the nearby Rockpool Café. It started out as a small kiosk near popular Stokes Bay, and over time it's reputation for local KI produce has proved a real winner.

"Where have you come from?"

"You have come a long way. Do you like the idea of sampling the local produce?"

"Very nice, very good. Have some of that cheese the local feta"

The attraction here is the local produce, like the sheep cheeses and Stokes Bay itself although it's a wonder anyone was ever able to find it. It takes some doing to locate the entrance into what is an intricate little tunnel that winds its way through massive boulders. The story goes that the tunnel only went so far. A couple of farmers who'd recently returned from World War II wanted to get through to the other side and a few sticks of spare gelignite certainly did the trick.

"And this is what they were after - a unique access way between slabs of limestone, leading to a little piece of paradise known as Stokes Bay with an amazing little rockpool - the perfect swimming location for small kids".

For Jenny Morris, the north coast offers the perfect lifestyle. When she's not out here catching a few local whiting, she's in the Rockpool Café serving them. Here customers are on the seafood diet - see food and eat it. Most of what you order here is local, dollops of honeycomb, local olives, local feta cheese and yoghurt and of course whiting, yabbies and crays, even if some of the islanders get a little blasé.

"We take these for granted a little bit, because we can jump out and get our own, but the local produce is pretty good".

Stokes Bay is situated at the midway point on the north coast between Middle River Homestead and Kingscote which means it's a long way from anywhere but that didn't stop her from offering something different when she first arrived as a trained nurse from Darwin.

"I just came here on a holiday and fell in love with Kangaroo Island and decided that they needed something like this so that's what I have been doing".

"But you hadn't been involved in the café business before?"

"No, no"

"So this was a quantum leap for you?"

"Yer huge, yer it was a risk, it was a big risk. And I just listened for the first years to what people wanted. When visitors came in and just what they were saying that they wanted to try on the island to eat, something different".

"And getting everything to Stokes Bay is a bit difficult"

"I was going to say, I mean Stokes Bay is not on your main highway is it?"

"I actually get all my supplies. Nothing is delivered".

Which means her increasingly popular Rockpool Café platters require a fair bit of travel. The Café is on the North Coast Road at Stokes Bay about 38 kilometres west of Kingscote. During the winter months it is open from 2pm until 4pm and in summer from 10am until 10pm. It is part of Sealink's Taste of KI Tour, which you can book on 8553-1122. Or you can contact the café direct on 8559-2277. For more information email info@postcards.sa.com.au