We stopped at Point Lowly on the way to Port Augusta. It is 20km north of Whyalla & a great spot to free camp (sort of, $10). Sunrise is nice.
One of the locals having a sticky beak.
The Lighthouse & caretakers cottages.
We stayed at a place called Spear Creek, which is 20km south of Port Augusta. It is a working sheep farm. They run Dorper sheep @ around two to the acre. Dorper sheep came originally from South Africa & they can survive on salt bush & very dry conditions. They don’t need to be shorn, are disease resistant & have lots of twins.
This was interesting. To the left is the old power station which is being pulled down. It was the last coal-fired power station in South Australia. To the right is Sundrop Farms tomato production facility.
This is what it looks like from above. It produces over a 1,000 tonnes of tomatoes/month, mostly for Coles. It grows them hydroponically using desalinated salt water. The power for the desal comes from 23,000 mirrors that are pointed at the tower & produces up to 39 megawatts of power.
We caught up with Kim & Gwen for a couple of days (thanks for kicking our arse at cards girls) & went on the Pichi Richi Railway with them. It travels from Port Augusta to Quorn on part of the original Afghan railway route through the Flinders Ranges. The steam train NM25 was one of the original trains that was used between Port Augusta to Darwin. It was built in 1925 by Thompsons of Castlemaine, Victoria. It was in service until 1956. It was rebuilt in 1990.
The carriages were built-in 1925/1926 at the Commonwealth Railways Workshop at Port Augusta. They were used on the Oodnadatta to Alice Springs service up to the 1970’s. They were restored in 1999.
Heaps of these along the tracks Hayden.
It takes 2 hours to get up the hill to Quorn. The stop at Quorn gives time for lunch at one of the pubs & a wander around to look at the architecture.
Sunset over the Flinders Range & Spencer Gulf.
Quote of the Day
So pleased your visit to port agutta was ok
Didn’t spend much time in town!