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Published: October 31st 2011
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This entry covers our stay at Port Augusta - 20th Oct to 22nd Oct.
Hi Guys we have been out of range having fun at the beach for a while so now we are trying to catch up, this will probably happen a few times over the trip !
Arriving in Port Augusta (PA) which will be our base for the next 3 nights. PA is known as "the Crossroads", as major highways to the Northern Territory and Western Australia converge in PA along with 2 of the worlds great train journeys , The Ghan to Darwin and the Indian Pacific to Perth. Our first day was taken up with visiting the Wadlata Outback Discovery Centre, a must see attraction particularly if going to the Flinders Ranges. Trish and I enjoyed a good 3 hours walking through the multi sensory interactive displays. These displays details what the land means to the Aboriginal people and you experience the hardships to our explorers and settlers in this area, a must see on your list here. PA was established in 1852 and is between the Flinders and the Baxter ranges and at the top of the Spencer Gulf. This city was one
Port Augusta
'The Crossroads" of Sth Aust's major ports for wool, minerals and wheat and in fact the first 130 camels to arrive in Australia in 1859. Thomas Elder a Pastoralist took them up to Beltana station in the north Flinders Ranges (we have been there too !).
On our second day, the "Troll" was booked in for a service with Augusta Nissan which meant Trish had Time to 'do the shops' and Jack and I had to follow! Coffee of course was on the agenda and then we did some housework in the van and the usual laundry. A good catch up day, these are proving to be days for getting rid of stuff we really do not need.
With the Troll now in tip top order we headed off to the Sthn Flinders ranges to visit some towns we had not visited on our previous trips. The first of these was Quorn. The Bullock dray teams that ran supplies from the wharves of PA to the Nthn Outback areas satisfied thier thirst from the ample fresh water supply at Stirling North. When the bullock trains ended in 1912, Stirling North survived to become an industrial centre for the railways in
Quorn
Quorn Railway Station the 1950's. The original Ghan rail line ran through here until 1956, the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society now operates that same picturesque route from PA to Quorn. Quorn was the setting for "Sunday too Far Away" and iconic Australian film and since then many other films of note have been made in this area. No wonder as Railway Terrace's attractive street scape is lined with 19th century buildings. One of these was Emilys and old Drapery store, which when entered you stepped back in time!. complete with the original overhead 'wire' "cash shuttle system', the shelving and the counters in the store were amazing. So too was the coffee and the bacon and egg wrap for morning tea. Quorn may have been founded on the back of the narrow gauge railway servicing the north but it was also a thriving agricultural centre. Today however, it perhaps best known as the headquarters of the Pichi Richi Railway, one of Australia's top steam train journeys. We also felt that there was a distinct appeal for weekend tourists to visit from Adelaide.
Then we headed on to Willmington, a town that grew up around a Cobb and Co staging post and
Quorn
Railway Station a pub back in the 1860's. To this day the pub and a few fine old buildings have weathered the decades.
Travelling on to Melrose we were looking forward to visiting the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges sitting at the foot of Mt Remarkable. The town was established in the 1840's when copper was discovered in the region which seems to be a familiar theme with many of the towns in this area of SA. However, Copper soon failed and Agricultural pursuits particularly cropping and wool prospered creating a thriving Agricultural community. More than a century and a half after settlement, agriculture has diversified to include Canola, Olives and Grapes. Perhaps most noticeably the towns fantastic setting and historic appeal has been turned into a tourist mecca due to progressive residents. One of the shops was an amazing bike store run by a Californian guy from Fruita, Ca, USA, and don't forget the fantastic pub!
Returning 'home' via Horrocks Pass we made a 7 Klm detour to Hancocks Lookout. This was well worth the dust and detour because of the breathtaking panoramic view of Spencer Gulf.
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Matty
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"Next stop, Darwin"
It's not every day you see a street sign with the two options being Darwin and Perth! That is one serious crossroad. I am amazed at the history of the areas you guys have been too, and the facts and trivia are awesome! Penny wants to know what book you are getting it from, I told her that you just knew everything, our little secret ;) Quorn - what a funny name though! Is it pronounced "corn" or "kworn"? And what the heck is it named after? And what is an overhead cash shuttle system?? Still, a very picturesque little town and as you said, very fitting for an early Australian movie setting.