Crystal Brook to Kimba

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Well that wasn’t too bad, was it? A few freight trains sped past us yesterday afternoon, all with too many containers to count. I heard a long one through the night, but John said there were two. Obviously it wasn’t a big issue.







As we left Crystal Brook this morning we found what we think was the brook – just a shallow green ditch and not the flowing crystal clear waterway of yesteryear that gave the town its name.







It is not a great distance from Crystal Brook to Kimba – just 255kms – so we had a nice steady drive joining the Stuart Highway near Port Pirie and then up to Port Augusta at the top of Spencer Gulf. A quick refuel and we were on our way again, making sure to turn left onto the Eyre Highway heading towards Perth and Western Australia.







When we were in the planning stages of this holiday John was looking at various websites sorting out where we may go and what we might do. He came across the Kimba Shire Council’s page and from there navigated to the Tourist Information section where he found the heading “Grey Nomad Program”. Sounding like it might be of interest he discovered that the local Council encourages caravaners to stay a while in their region with the enticement of free accommodation for 7 nights – now that is something you cannot overlook! He spoke to the relevant people to learn that if we volunteered 2 days of our time assisting some way in the local community that this would be exchanged for the free accom. We have always enjoyed contributing back to our community so we agreed “why not”. Cutting a long story short, we will be spending our time at the local museum which appears to be set up as a pioneering settlement – it has been suggested that I might be able to help with some data entry/admin work whilst John’s handy skills could be put to use helping to build and erect a new shed. We don’t start “work” until Wednesday so further details later.







Free accommodation? Well, they sent us to the Recreation Reserve where we met with a “meet and greet” lady named Marilyn and signed some paperwork for the community volunteer program. She showed us where to set up and then proceeded to activate a padlocked power point so we could plug in and then tap into the potable water supply, as well as supplying us with coins for the shower. In effect, we are free camping but with perks! Lots of other vans here within the well appointed rec reserve, but we are the only ones with 240v. Nice.







Kimba is located in the South Australian wheatbelt and has a population (township and surrounds) of just1500 people. It is “Halfway across Australia” and it’s local indigenous name means “bushfire”.

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Comments

[Mum]

Enjoyed.
Lovely to read about the start of your adventure.