The morning promised another cold and wet day with even the poor kangaroos looking decidedly soaked. Packed up in a thankful lull in the rain and sloshed our way south to Port Augusta to visit the bakery and head south for Whyalla. Decided to use this as a base to explore the Eyre Peninsula. Driving into Whyalla was a bit surreal, could have been driving into Port Kembla, swear they had the same town planner and architects, including smoke stacks and steel works. Booked into a small caravan park on the beach but didn't take up one of the shore front sites as there was a gale warning for all coastal regions, electing to take a site with some protection from the cabins. The storm front thankfully did not eventuate though it tried hard and stayed overcast for our stay. The kids immediately got lost on the gigantic jumping mat, bit like a giant trampoline at ground level kept afloat by air compressor.
Whyalla has spent a lot of time trying to clean up the area with BHP touting many environmental projects and several tourist initiatives along the foreshore, including a very good restaurant on the esplanade with a gigantic playground next to it. Made for a very pleasant lunch on Friday.
Off to the steel works tour, which is basically a bus ride around the plant with commentary from the driver, Jack marvelled at the gigantic machinery, got to see coke being pored and the slag dump but the steel rollers were not running due to a fault so missed out on them. Did the tour of the Whyalla - the first steel ship built here - a mine sweeper, again Jack heaven with all guns still in place, though Morgie enjoyed startling all the golfers on the adjacent course by repeatedly sounding the ship's horn.
Jack has been nagging about a model to build all holidays so did a quick trip to Toys are evil to grab him one. He has completed it in less than 24 hours with him only calling halt as we threatened to drive off without him to do thing.
Visited the indoor leisure centre in the afternoon for the kids to burn off a bit of energy in the heated pool. Bit disappointed that the water slide wasn't working but they managed to kill 2 hours whilst I supervised behind a book.
Found a drive in bottle and bird shop, attached to the local pub - (not what you are thinking) - join one que to get your grog then go around and join the next for your take out. Couldn't believe the que for the food outlet, went out the car park and down the street at 8 on Friday night. I actually parked the car and went in to order - great Yiros, couldn't believe the amount of orders they were pumping out - doing phone order as well. Definitely a licence to print money but mighty hard work as well, the poor behind the grill didn't stop running for the brief time I was there, and they had 4 vats just for chips going.
Have done a bit of sorting and am sending home a bag of stuff we don't need with us but want to keep. Whyalla boasts the largest regional shopping centre in South Australia but it makes Shell Harbour look like a megalopolis. Went to post it Saturday morning, but enquiries were met by an incredulous response of "post offices don't open Saturdays". At 945 could have driven down the main street like a maniac, even mounting the curb and not risked hitting anyone - it is like a ghost town.
The big thing in town for Saturday (but not before 1000) was the craft markets - so off we went with plans to dump and run if it was a bit of no go. It is the old steel works quarters set up with permanent craft guilds from wood work, jewelry, cakes, quilting, weaving and all handicrafts. They have some amazing items including a pair of slippers non of us could work out, tissue box covers that confound all design and the piece de resistance being a fly can cover knitted with face, arms and legs and woolly hair, think I insulted the ladies when my response to Jack's can we have one was "get a life" - he did think it was a cover for a coffee cup to keep your drink warm. Basically they open once a month to have a work fest and sell their excess, some things were quite poor quality but also managed to pick up some lovely pieces for Christmas presents that will be quite unique.
Morgie purchased herself a hand knitted beanie and a woven scarf all from hand spun wool, Jack continued to promote his image and bought a black balaclava, Gordon surprised me with a lovely necklace and I can't mention other items in case the wrong person is reading. Morgie also hand died herself a silk scarf which we need to remember to pick up tomorrow when it is dry.
The general food was abysmal with poor instant coffee and dodgy bacon rolls the best on offer but cakes and sweets, butterfly cakes and profiteroles to drool at, managed to limit it to a few baby toffees and Anzac biscuits, though may have to grab some on the road treats when I pop in for Morgie's scarf tomorrow.
This took up a surprising amount of the day so only managed to pop out to Iron Knob - the actual name of the town where they mined the iron ore till late 90s for the steel mill. The advertised information bureau and tours were not evident so did a quick look around town - great commando course but this was all locked up and humorous public toilet but that proved the highlight so headed back to the wetlands in Whyalla for a bit of a stroll.
The kids want to go to the zoo to see the Pandas and to Haigh's chocolate factory so aborting our plans to swim with the seals and cuttle fish - the water is only 12 degrees to head off to Adelaide - our final stop before Kangaroo Island.
Whyalla has spent a lot of time trying to clean up the area with BHP touting many environmental projects and several tourist initiatives along the foreshore, including a very good restaurant on the esplanade with a gigantic playground next to it. Made for a very pleasant lunch on Friday.
Off to the steel works tour, which is basically a bus ride around the plant with commentary from the driver, Jack marvelled at the gigantic machinery, got to see coke being pored and the slag dump but the steel rollers were not running due to a fault so missed out on them. Did the tour of the Whyalla - the first steel ship built here - a mine sweeper, again Jack heaven with all guns still in place, though Morgie enjoyed startling all the golfers on the adjacent course by repeatedly sounding the ship's horn.
Jack has been nagging about a model to build all holidays so did a quick trip to Toys are evil to grab him one. He has completed it in less than 24 hours with him only calling halt as we threatened to drive off without him to do thing.
Visited the indoor leisure centre in the afternoon for the kids to burn off a bit of energy in the heated pool. Bit disappointed that the water slide wasn't working but they managed to kill 2 hours whilst I supervised behind a book.
Found a drive in bottle and bird shop, attached to the local pub - (not what you are thinking) - join one que to get your grog then go around and join the next for your take out. Couldn't believe the que for the food outlet, went out the car park and down the street at 8 on Friday night. I actually parked the car and went in to order - great Yiros, couldn't believe the amount of orders they were pumping out - doing phone order as well. Definitely a licence to print money but mighty hard work as well, the poor behind the grill didn't stop running for the brief time I was there, and they had 4 vats just for chips going.
Have done a bit of sorting and am sending home a bag of stuff we don't need with us but want to keep. Whyalla boasts the largest regional shopping centre in South Australia but it makes Shell Harbour look like a megalopolis. Went to post it Saturday morning, but enquiries were met by an incredulous response of "post offices don't open Saturdays". At 945 could have driven down the main street like a maniac, even mounting the curb and not risked hitting anyone - it is like a ghost town.
The big thing in town for Saturday (but not before 1000) was the craft markets - so off we went with plans to dump and run if it was a bit of no go. It is the old steel works quarters set up with permanent craft guilds from wood work, jewelry, cakes, quilting, weaving and all handicrafts. They have some amazing items including a pair of slippers non of us could work out, tissue box covers that confound all design and the piece de resistance being a fly can cover knitted with face, arms and legs and woolly hair, think I insulted the ladies when my response to Jack's can we have one was "get a life" - he did think it was a cover for a coffee cup to keep your drink warm. Basically they open once a month to have a work fest and sell their excess, some things were quite poor quality but also managed to pick up some lovely pieces for Christmas presents that will be quite unique.
Morgie purchased herself a hand knitted beanie and a woven scarf all from hand spun wool, Jack continued to promote his image and bought a black balaclava, Gordon surprised me with a lovely necklace and I can't mention other items in case the wrong person is reading. Morgie also hand died herself a silk scarf which we need to remember to pick up tomorrow when it is dry.
The general food was abysmal with poor instant coffee and dodgy bacon rolls the best on offer but cakes and sweets, butterfly cakes and profiteroles to drool at, managed to limit it to a few baby toffees and Anzac biscuits, though may have to grab some on the road treats when I pop in for Morgie's scarf tomorrow.
This took up a surprising amount of the day so only managed to pop out to Iron Knob - the actual name of the town where they mined the iron ore till late 90s for the steel mill. The advertised information bureau and tours were not evident so did a quick look around town - great commando course but this was all locked up and humorous public toilet but that proved the highlight so headed back to the wetlands in Whyalla for a bit of a stroll.
The kids want to go to the zoo to see the Pandas and to Haigh's chocolate factory so aborting our plans to swim with the seals and cuttle fish - the water is only 12 degrees to head off to Adelaide - our final stop before Kangaroo Island.
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