Another
beautiful sunrise.
The
bay is calm and a few boats are on the water. Steve wanted to take this buoy
home to add to his Cowley Beach collection!!
The
shingle ridge behind our van.
Rang
Anita for her birthday – nice to catch up with her.
Lovely
temp this morning – no jumpers needed!! Headed off back to Whyalla then we
turned north towards Iron Knob – good straight road. Everyone is friendly as
they all wave, even the truckies.
Iron
Knob and Iron Monarch mines in the distance. Big excavator on top.
Pulled
into Knobbies Park for a cuppa. Great campground here with a big camp kitchen
and seating area. Lovely dunny mural.
Drove
around to the Info Centre to find out about the mine tours. The centre is in
the old worker’s mess hall when they mined here. The mine tour driver, an old
local, said he could take us straight away as he can’t be up on the hill around
1pm as they are doing a blast. First we signed the insurance forms and watched
a short DVD on the history of the area. BHP was first granted iron ore leases
at Iron Knob in November, 1899. Mining began at the original Iron Knob quarry
in 1899, and then from the main Iron Monarch quarry which opened in 1914. The
ore from Iron Knob is mainly hematite, with an iron content assayed at up to 70
percent, or more. An average of one million tonnes of iron ore per year was
taken from the open-cut Iron Monarch mine. At its peak there were 3000 people
here. Over the years, other mines in the Middleback Ranges were opened to meet
demands: Iron Baron in 1933 (we saw it in the distance on our way here); Iron
Prince and Iron Queen in the 1970s, and Iron Duke in 1990. Mining at the Iron
Knob site temporarily ceased in April 1998, but in 2012 redevelopment work
resumed by Arrium Mining on the Iron Monarch and nearby Iron Princess quarries.
The blast today is at the Iron Princess quarry. There is a large amount of
high-quality ore here still to be mined, and expectations are now for a long
production period of 10 to 20 years. Onto the bus (just us) and off we went.
The Police have a camp here for ‘children with issues’ which has now grown into
a camp for all schools too to do orienteering etc. They use some of the other
buildings from the old BHP days.
In
the beginning the miners had to hike up the hillside to go to work on the mine.
They wanted a better set up or more pay so they went on strike. Eventually the
mine gave them a little bit more but they still had to climb the hill. As time
went on they got carts then cars to transport them up the hill.
We
drove straight up to the lookout. Warming up quickly here – glad it don’t have
my long sleeved shirt on. Great view back over the highway heading to Port
Augusta. The army have taken more land around here too and he said there was a
military exercise here recently so he could see all the tanks etc from up here.
They like the terrain as it is like Afghanistan etc.
The
Iron Princess quarry is under part of the golf course and on the other side of
the highway to Kimba so they had to change the highway (big gates block the
entrance to the old highway) and remake the golf course to here.
The
old Iron Knob quarry. There is still very good ore here but they have better
ore in the Princess so they just stays here for ‘later’.
A
few information boards tell the stories. Amazing to think one man shovelled 70
tonnes of dirt in one day.
The
aboriginal story of the hill in the middle of the golf course. Apparently no
one can walk on it now but as our guide tells us he used to take his kids up
there for picnics years ago before it was ‘aboriginal sacred ground’.
He
said this is there Ayres Rock but we think it is more Mt Conner which is on the
way to Ayres Rock. Can’t remember what he said its name was.
Looking
back towards Whyalla where all this ore was transported to.
Headed
back down passed an old gravity ramp – one carriage of ore came down pulling
another one back up. Then it was tipped into the rail wagons and off it went.
Iron
Monarch further to the west.
The
townspeople (now only about 100) built a monument to the old BHP days.
Our
guide had lots of stories about everyone in town – the ones who have stayed
have lived here all their lives, known as Knobbies. The town area is freehold
while the rest is under the mining lease. When BHP left they had to remove most
of the buildings etc. The old servo died when they rerouted the highway –
interesting toilet names.
The
old highway going nowhere.
The
other old digger which was run by electricity – it towed a bit cable around
behind it. Whenever it dug a big shovelful all the lights in town would dim. It
replaced the old steam shovel then it was replaced by the diesel hydraulic
ones.
Back
to the Info Centre where we checked out all the info and displays. The local
geologist for BHP donated all his rocks etc.
1pm
came but we didn’t feel anything of the blast – it is only a small ripple now
compared to the big explosions of the past. Most of the houses here are built
of corrugated iron rather than stone as the explosions used to crack the stone
walls.
The
old swimming pool built by BHP was to be closed but the community lobbied for
it and won but then it leaked so they had to fill it in anyway!! Dawn Fraser
swam in it once.
Glad
we don’t have to take these tools with us.
How
to make steel – the little pellets they export.
Back
to Knobbies Park for lunch then we headed towards Kimba. Passed the old highway
entrance into the quarry. Sometimes, depending on where they are blasting, they
have to close off the new highway and send the traffic through the old one
(hence the big gates).
Around
the other side of the quarry.
Into
Kimba which is famous for being halfway across Australia and has the Big Galah.
Edward Eyre passed through here in 1839. In 1905 free settlers came to the
area. The railway line reached Kimba in 1913 and the township was declared in
1915. From 1924 to 1929 Kimba gained a hospital, institute, school, police
station, post office, hotel, banks, shops, garages and the town and district
prospered. Twenty-three one-teacher schools were erected throughout the
settlement. Permanent water had always been Kimba’s biggest drawback until 1973
when water was piped from Polda. A separate pipeline was completed which now
carries water from the River Murray. The first crop of wheat was sown in 1908
on 20 acres of land which was ploughed with a horse-drawn five foot plough.
Free
camping at the Recreation Reserve so we headed in. A few vans here already. Had
a cuppa then unhooked and headed off to explore. Great mural on the Show
Pavilion.
Up
to White’s Knob with its huge tower and Edward John Eyre Sculpture.
Directional
marker – looking over the town.
A
path lead down to some caves which are a natural limestone rock formation and
have been used by locals for picnics and camps over the years.
Back
down to the Golf Course – not much grass here. Stopped to ask a couple of chaps
if they had old balls we could use for the Nullarbor trip. They went into the
clubhouse and came out with a little bucket full but didn’t want any money.
Always pays to ask nicely!!
Drove
around town following the tourist drive. Big wineglass water tower next to big
reservoirs.
A
rock and tree celebrating when the Polda pipeline was completed.
Nice
display about the Gawler Ranges which we will explore when we return in a few
years.
The
8 metre tall Galah. Dad had a book on all the Aussie Icons so I am slowly
ticking them off. We went into the shop to check out all the gemstones on
display.
Stopped
at the museum which was closed. A chap was just coming out so I asked if I
could take a photo of the old ‘Pioneer House’. It was built around 1908 when
the Haskett Bros grew the first crop of wheat on a natural plain south of Kimba
and has been relocated here by the volunteers who run the museum. They have
been slowly building the displays over the years since they opened in 1971 and
now have 17 buildings. Unfortunately it won’t be open again until Tuesday.
Nearby
is the Halfway across Australia sign which we will get a photo with the van
tomorrow. Kimba is the middle point from East to West, from coast to coast, as
the crow flies. The history sign looks historical!!
Across
the road were all the big grain silos beside the railway line.
Wasn’t
happy hour time yet so we headed off to get some exercise on the Roora Reserve
Nature Trail – I had noticed in the brochure that there were sculptures along
the way!! It climbs up to Whites Knob.
Not
sure if they meant this building!!
Rewarded
with our first sculpture of an emu. It is done the same as the Loaded Dog.
Nice
walk in the shade as it has been a lot warmer today.
One
of the drains used to collect water.
Wally
Wombat gave Steve a ride.
There
is a dam over there somewhere.
Steve
nearly stubbed his toe on Mr Snake.
There
was another bird sculpture so we thought it might be on the Bird Walk Trail. No
birds but lots of ants and the only echidna.
Out
to the main track again and there was the bird.
Back
along the main track and Steve found some friends.
Got
our exercise for the day, now it is time for a drink. Back at the van where
another van and managed to squeeze in beside us and the other van already
there!! Some people like the caravan park style – squashed!! Hope they don’t
snore too loudly!! Another couple were having a drink so we headed over to join
them. They were originally from Staffordshire but have been in Adelaide for
nearly 20 years and are heading to Streaky Bay for a month of fishing. Their
van neighbours joined us and they are from Bundy and heading for Exmouth to
compete in a kayaking challenge. Had a great time chatting and exchanging
stories and places to go. Fun being the early birds into a camp area to watch
the late comers set up camp.
Remembered
I hadn’t taken a photo of our camp yet. See our ‘close’ neighbour!!
Lovely
sunset colours in the sky.
Watched
the last half of the Clipsal 500 V8s as we hadn’t gotten around to finishing it
with Leanne & Rick. Seems so long ago that we got drenched at the track!!
Cooling
off now.
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