Wed, 12th Nov, 2025 48hr RV Stop, Streaky Bay to Augusta Van Park, Port Augusta, SA (sightseeing Poochera & Kimba)

8 degrees this morning. No wonder the neighbours had their diesel heater running all night. We should have had it on too but Steve didn’t think we had any diesel in it as it is supposed to be warming up! It was still only 10 degrees when we got up for breakfast. Clear sky.

Packed up and headed back through town and back onto the Flinders Highway then onto the Streaky Bay Road and across to Poochera on the Eyre Highway (another new road to mark off). Missed a ‘point of interest’ - huge tree root in a shed.

Across the highway and into the little township of Poochera to check out the ‘giant’ ant while we had a cuppa. Well it is giant compared to an ant’s size.

It’s warming up quickly so we could take off our jumpers. Tom & Sandy continued on to Kimba as he needs phone reception for a doctor’s call tomorrow and they only have ‘city-type’ phone reception. Said goodbye in case we don’t meet up with them again before they head off to Geelong.

Good use of an old stove for the BBQ in the picnic area. Lots of information too. Gateway to the Gawler Ranges which we still have to explore one day.

Checked out Peter’s Humpy. He made from old kerosene tins - you can still see the engravings of the company names. It was locked up but I could zoom inside with my camera.

Lots of old machinery here too and we found more in the shed also coated with kero tins.

A gate from the dingo fence.

Timeline mural on the side of the Museum. Will have to come back for a better look.

Wandered into Dusty’s Art Gallery for a look. Great emus on the side. Lots of interesting art work - some on board but most on corrugated iron. Chatted with Dusty for a while. He is a chef by trade and still does cooking for stations when mustering is on etc. He has a degree in art and has artworks all over the world now. He does some pen sketches of paddle steamers etc that have such fine detail but they aren’t sort after in Australia now. He said he does them for a company in Sweden who then enlarges them, put them in frames and sells them to the Americans for a lot more than he gets paid. It takes about 100 hours to do one and he gets $500 for it so not a very good hourly rate but he enjoys it. He does paintings for people on request - a lot of deceased animals as memorials or iconic places etc. We got a nice Christmas present for Terry.

Back onto the Eyre Highway. Passed Minnipa - more big silos like in Poochera. It is also a gateway to the Gawler National Park so will visit one day.

Continued on to Wudinna to check out a chainsaw carving called Gus. They also have the beautiful Farmer’s Sculpture which we did see when we came through in 2016.

Some interesting things to see and do around here.

Continued on - some harvesters are working a few fields. Pulled into a rest area to read about the Goyders Line which helped settlers in the late 1800s work out where to grow crops etc. Chatted with a couple from Geelong who were having their lunch amongst the flies.

We continued on another 10km to check out the John Darke Monument below Waddikee Rock and have lunch in the camper away from the flies. The ‘soak’ he and his party rested at.

Short walk down to the monument then up the path to the top of the rock. Not sure if that’s the peak behind the trees. Nice view from here any case.

Back onto the main road - nice view as we roll down the hill.

Message from Tom & Sandy - they continued on to Port Augusta and are at a little van park out of town so we will catch up with them there.

Into Kimba which we stayed at before and did some walks. There is a new mural on a silo now so we went in to check it out. I love all these artworks that are on display for everyone to enjoy. The detail is amazing.

Wandered along reading the history plaques.

Great play on their name - I’m Kimba.

Some interesting plants as we wander up the street to check out the mural on the side of the Soldiers Memorial Hall.

This one is amazing. All the colours come from individual photos of people and things of Kimba.

Another mosaic from tiles nearby.

Lovely lantana flowers. Steve remembers chew on the flowers as a kid.

Back to the truck and around to the Halfway Across Australia sign and the Big Galah who has had a new paint job.

We stood here with Tefa and the van on 1^st April, 2016. Looking back on the photos I realised we were in front of the information board sign further along the road. Oh well - nearly the same.

Found some new friends too.

Continued on through a conservation park which only has shrubs and small gums for miles. Sad to see a dead emu by the road then a dead crow which you don’t see very often as they are the most road savvy of the birds.

Back into open salt bush country. The peg markers are still going from when we crossed the border into SA - now at 865km.

Across our first ‘creek’ in a long while - called Pine Creek, dry of course. Quick cuppa at a rest area before Iron Knob which we explored in 2016. Fancy picnic table and chairs.

Natural bush on hill on left and mined hill to the right as we near the Iron Knob turn off.

Passed the turn off to Iron Knob and Wyalla which we had done so this section of road is new so another one to mark off.

Still salt bush country - open and flat.

A big wind farm comes into view. As we get closer we notice that none of the blades are turning (50 of them) and it is certainly windy enough for them to be used. Maybe they don’t need the power. Spotted some sheep, then cattle and goats.

Over the Port Augusta-Wyalla rail line. Nice view of the long range ahead, South Flinders Range I think.

Into Port Augusta and around to the Liberty Servo with the cheapest fuel (172.9c/l) as we have a big fill up this time.

Across the top section of the Spencer Gulf.

Turned onto Flinders Range Road and around to Augusta Van Park. Nice little park and plenty of room. Set up in a non-power site then found Tom & Sandy further over. 

I took my washing to the laundry as there is still plenty of heat (29 degrees) in the afternoon sun to dry it all. $5 for a load which is all I had.

Joined Tom & Sandy for drinks in the shade of a big pepper corn tree near their van. Unfortunately it was dropping its seeds so we all got peppered.

Got our BBQ dinner stuff and joined them in the camp kitchen for dinner then a few games of Skipbo. We have been hanging out for a game but it has been too windy and cold all the way across. Played girls vs boys and the boys won 2 games to 1.

Clear sky overhead as we headed back to the camper to get our stuff for a shower.

Nice shower in the amenities - I will give my hair a good wash in the morning too. Nice quiet park except for the occasional train that passes by the park.

Going to be a warmer night with a min of 18 in the early hours so we are very happy with that.