Day 47 Nuttbush Retreat to Bulla

Clear skies and sunshine although a little cool and I wasn’t quite early enough to see the sun come up over the horizon

But I did enjoy the idea of giving our van a halo

Some photos of the views around our van





Took this photo very similar to the one I posted in our 2018 Travel‘s blog

Not very obvious here but looking across through the clear skies to the horizon noticed some wind turbines.

A little bit more of a story about these later

After packing up we went for a little bit of a walk out of the entrance



And across the highway along a small road running parallel to the highway

To read the signs that had been all along fenceline since we left the Iron Knob region. Seems there is a vast area of land for military use

Walked back in through the back of the Pandurra property







We called in to the reception to say goodbye to Deb and to say thank you for taking us in at such short notice yesterday 

Chatted to both Deb and her husband Richard who was out the front watering and who is the chef that cooked our dinner and baked the goodies some of which we purchased for our onward travel consumption

Deb and Richard have moved on from somewhere outback where they ran a service station for several years and moved here a few months ago to restart up Nutbush retreat which is part of the Pandurra station but is managed separately to the station.

They came into it to restart it after it was closed down for the entire Covid pandemic

On leaving Pandurra Station we travelled along the Eyre highway beside the wind turbines





On arriving at the turbines we drove up to the gate to read about the Lincoln gap windfarm which I had written up about in my blog of 2018 which at that time was a project with no turbines and the project was in its infancy









Back on the highway passing the junction that we had taken earlier in our journey that took us on the Lincoln highway

Heading towards Port Augusta with the wind turbines all along the hills beside us





Also passing the massive powerlines that we had detected when we had driven past in 2018 which were obviously in preparation for taking the power from the wind turbines

I took this wiki camps image because it showed the names of all the hills where the wind turbines are located

Passing beautiful green rolling hills which it certainly wasn’t like when we travelled through here in 2018

Crossing this railway line that is in use

Driving next to the water pipeline

Past more beautiful countryside making it a much more interesting drive with the road turning around the hills as opposed to a dead straight highway



We pulled in at a rest area where there was a bit of a look out



And a continuation of the huge long fenceline defining the military range and target area

Looks like someone had had a feast of seafood here

There were good views from this spot across the hills





Continuing on along the side road that we had taken, we passed two things of significance that I took a photo of -  one is the milage recorded against the pipeline adding to our mystery of what this is a distance to or from

The other point of significance is the red flag because we had read if there was a red flag flying somewhere it meant that there was firing taking place there

Passing this sign we surmise that this is to do with the military activity here

Continuing on this road towards Port Agusta along side this continuing pipeline

We spotted another distance sign, this meant that we were further along the line towards its start

On reaching the outskirts of Port Augusta from the side road that we had travelled in on there was no sign telling us the way to go. fortunately the navigation in the car highlighted to turn onto the highway

Continuing on over the bridge into Port Augusta where we noticed there was construction and in fact it appears that they’re building a whole new lane over the bridge



Passing through on the outskirts of Port Agusta

Over the railway line



Past the edge of the bay

And past another fenced off area that said no authorised person past this point

Bypassed Stirling
Flinders ranges visible on such a clear day

Continuing now on the Augusta Highway

Past the windfarm



Past the sundrop farm







Continuing on the highway south east

Views of the road in to the mountains



Past the turnoff to Mt Remarkable where we had been a few weeks ago

With the hills in the distance

A bit of traffic along this section where there were  a few vehicles vying to overtake in the overtaking lane

Past the turnoffs to various places and attractions







With Port Pirie in the distance



And starting to see signs of where we planned to stop for our lunch







We pulled up behind this other AOR van that we had seen previously but could not remember where





Bought a yiros that we ate here having also purchased a few items such as some jams and some frozen buffalo and frozen camel



Then there was another AOR van also in the car park



Continuing on



Past other turn offs







And other interesting sites











Turning off the A1 onto the Goyder Highway



Past Crystal Brook where we had been on our way out on our journey


And continuing on the B64 towards Burra












Taking photos of scenery and places we pass along the way





Turning onto the Horrocks Highway for a short distance





Stopped at a rest area for a break and had a look at this memorial that the Horrocks Highway was named after

We had pulled up next to this field of wheat and with these yellow flowers around the edge that we thought may be canola





Actually looked them up on the app picture this and it appears it is not canola but is called wild rape and canola is also called rape

Continuing back on the Goyder Highway







Travelling past a huge water pipe again



Pretty drive through the hills



We had noticed a sign to Bundaleer reservoir

And as we drove over a hill we noticed this body of water which we presume is the reservoir and is where we think the pipe is coming from



Driving through rolling fields

And sheep paddocks

And Rocky outcrops

Turning onto RM Williams Way





Passing Spalding



And back onto the Goyder Highway again





Following the pipeline again

That suddenly disappeared over the hill

More sheep in the paddocks





More pretty green hilly countryside to pass through





More wind turbines on the hills







And massive  powerlines obviously to take the power generated by the wind turbines

Next turning onto the Barrier Highway towards Burra





Noticed a side track next to the road and saw on the navigator that it was called Mawson Trail which actually ended up stopping just here
Next point of interest thanks to WikiCamps was Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust Cover - Homestead

Good views from the roadside to get a photo of this

We eventually arrived at Burra a town that we had never heard of before and knew nothing about

We turned into the town on the barrier highway

Past some historic old buildings



I had noticed on WikiCamps that were there was a Heritage railway station

So we headed for there to check it out

Spent quite a bit of time exploring the well kept restored station

We had heard that there also was a Coppermine in the town so we went trying to find the drive to it we came across this operating mine



But realised that there was an historic Coppermine elsewhere that we had no idea was in existence here in Burra

So we drove past the historic museum

To explore the area around the old copper  mine

We spent a long time driving around and going to lookouts and walking around the mine.

We had no idea about the size and the effort that had been put in to the restoration and the preservation of the site.

We first of all went to the town look out took photos of information and photos of the relevant sections of the town referred to in the information









We then drove up to the mine look out where there was this information with some old photos of what the mine was like









We took photos of the mine from the mine look out













And then drove down to the entrance of the main part of the mine



It was there that we discovered that what we should have done was gone to the information centre and got a special mine pass so that would give us access to unlock the gate and drive around the mine and unlock the entrance to the engine room that had a museum inside

However we decided that we would just walk around some of the main areas

Most of the areas that I have included here are self-explanatory based on the fact that they have information boards in front of each of the areas





























We managed to find some of the malachite in amongst the rocks on the park













Lots of these plants in the area around the Minesite I loved the colours of them















Found some more bits of malachite

























Discovered why there was a sign along the heritage Trail of an image of a person holding a Hammer and a chisel

Here he was on the top of the peacocks chimney stack which was at the main entrance into the mine site

Driving back down out of the Minesite took these photos of these signs



Driving back through this area of Burra we had already decided we would need to spend the night here and so decided to head towards the Bon Accord hotel as WikiCamps had flagged that there was camping out the back





Finalised our HEMA map tracking for the day

Set up camp out the back in a beautiful grassy paddock







Went inside the hotel for drinks

A beautiful heritage hotel with a very elegant interior



And with a pianola in the main restaurant

Yeah of course I have to have a go would you believe playing boléro

The stool that I was sitting on was on wheels so I kept moving backwards as I was peddling  so I couldn’t pretend to be playing as I had to hang on to the edge of the piano

Bill  had ordered red wine to have with our meal guided by the lady behind the bar as to what wine to have.

We liked it so much that we decided to purchase some bottles.

They explained to us that this wine was part of a batch that was supposed to be being sent to China but in fact never got there because of the ban China imposed on our wine exports