Prelude

After three days’ rest at Ceduna, we relocated around the top corner of the Eyre Peninsula to Smoky Bay, a very popular fishing spot. A few days fishing off the very windy jetty produced a “feed” of fish and a squid. The historic jetty was restored about a decade back, with the help of donations including the one in the photo below.

Jack’s back in the past, again!

Making his way from Esperance, Western Australia to Lockington, Victoria, mid Friday afternoon on 21 September 1984, Jack’s new Ford Falcon Panel Van broke down just a few miles out of Wudinna. Stranded in Wudinna for a few days pending vehicle repairs, Jack was happy to attend the Rodeo on the following Sunday at the Wudinna Showgrounds. Now, here we are, forty years later, utilizing the Wudinna Showgrounds RV campground a stone’s throw from that same rodeo arena.

With a district population of about 1200, this typical wheatbelt town is dominated by huge grain silos and old railway sidings. Nevertheless, Wudinna is a great place for “Rock Hopping” and is the gateway to the Gawler Ranges National Park situated north of the town. An impressive mallee town with good shopping and very well-maintained parks and recreational facilities.

Polda Rock

Early white settlers built low walls to channel the runoff from Polda Rock into a large dam which was first use as a water supply for the township of Wudinna. Even today, the local council still uses this runoff water on parklands, ovals and sporting facilities around the town.

Mt Wudinna

Mt Wudinna, about twelve kilometres out of town, is one enormous chunk of granite holding claims to be the second largest monolith in Australia, Uluru being the largest.

The climb to the top requires a reasonable degree of fitness and is perhaps a level 3 grade hike.

Sit down and enjoy the view!

Amazing granite formations shaped by millions of years of harsh Australian weather.

The Australian Farmer

Back in town, just off the Eyre Highway is the awesome statue, “The Australian Farmer”. This impressive granite sculpture stands at 8 metres high and weighs about 70 tonnes.

Seventeen years from its initial inception the final unveiling was 2009, after two years carving by the artist, Marijan Bekic (with the assistance of his son, David).

Truly a magnificent artwork, profoundly honouring the way of life the Australian Farmer and acknowledging the families, the good and bad seasons, the grain, the sheep and finally the top sphere representing the sun, onto which is engraved, “Thank you God”