Iron Knob

Our road trip started on the first day of the term 1 school holidays 2018, just after Easter. It could have easily finished then too. The Bureau of Meteorology forecast wet and windy conditions, but we were determined to leave. The family had been waiting three years for this trip and we weren't keen on a single night's delay.

On hindsight, travelling in the sort of weather we encountered that day was a foolish decision. The wind was frightening, the rain blinding and at times we were driving less than 70km/hr on the highway. Drew and I shared the pain. The caravan swayed, the windscreen wipers whirred and our hands ached from holding the steering wheel so tightly. It was a very uncomfortable few hours on the road.

We felt relieved as we pulled in to Port Pirie for lunch. We even saw a few rays of sun, despite the black presence of the clouds hanging threateningly. It seemed as if we had driven around the worst of the weather, although the town felt deserted, residents remaining in the safety of their homes. The weatherman told us that the storms were still raging back home.

The conditions improved steadily but the drive had been slower than we anticipated and had left us feeling drained, so we decided to stay at Iron Knob instead of pushing through to Kimba. Travellers on the road need to very quickly get used to unexpected stops, re-routes and detours.

We camped in the Iron Knob campground for the night, where you can stay for the cost of a gold coin donation. We were surprised by the amenities which were painted artistically.

We rode our bikes around the largely abandoned mining town. The kids were amazed by the spiny cactus plants that lined the streets. The mining museum had closed just before we arrived, but there was plenty of old equipment on display for Drew to demonstrate to the boys.

Worth a visit if you like quirky.

Visit date: 14 April 2018