Port Augusta/Wudinna

Pandurra Station/Wudinna

We headed out from the Flinders Ranges and arrived in Quorn mid-morning for morning tea. A quiet but pretty town. The ladies at the information centre were very helpful.  We moved on to Port Augusta and the Spencer Gulf. We stopped for supplies as this would be the last large town we would see in a while. I must say the left hand sweep out of Port Augusta onto the Eyre Highway heading for Perth WA was impressive. We got a glimpse of how massive this land is as we headed west through the Baxter Ranges to our farm stay stop at Pandurra Station about 40km west of Port Augusta. The farm was 400 square miles that had been partially converted to a caravan park.  It was very quiet but had all the amenities. We really enjoyed the stay.

The next morning we continued heading west towards the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula. We passed Iron Nob which had a massive iron ore pitt operated by BHP.

We stopped at Kimba. A small town claiming to be the halfway point from east to west of Australia (not sure about that). Also Kimba is the home of the giant Galah, which looked like it had seen better days. I wanted a photo of myself with the Galah but  Fiona vetoed the idea. She reckoned the home of the giant Galah was Beecroft NSW. I am sorry I did not get the shot, it would have been funny.

We headed for Wudinna, a farming town that was in the middle of the harvest period, which is the granite capital of Australia. We decided to stay for the night.  After some schoolwork for the kids, it was time for a swim and dinner. As usual, you just seem to meet and talk to people in the caravan parks. One couple invited the Georgia and Andrew to come and see their baby cattle dog they had picked up from Perth. They had a big caravan with all the extras. They live in Echuca Victoria 9 months of the year and in the winter months  take the caravan to Broome WA and spend the winter there.  Apparently a whole herd of them go up there every year at that time. They continue to travel around everywhere. What a life!

We then went out to Mt Wudinna, the second largest monolith (presumably behind Ayers Rock) in Australia. It was this giant granite outcrop that really did remind me of Ayers Rock when you stood on top of it. The vastness of the wheat paddocks and of the land is staggering out here, photos cannot capture it.

All in all, two great little stops. Next , Streaky Bay on the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula.