Melrose, South Australia, AustraliaWe sadly left our friend Pamela Joan H this morning after our second stay with her. We have had an enjoyable 2022 Easter together. Memories of our stay will remain with us always. My snap of Hoggy Farmhouse as we went up the rise, does look like a wave goodbye in the car mirror!
Our journey today is not very far. We are heading north on the Horrocks Highway to Melrose. Our first stop was at Laura for a photo shoot. The first snap was of the CJ Dennis Sculpture 1876 - 1938, who was born in Auburn SA, but resided in Laura during his formative years. Those years when the brain and body is developing and it is said these years can affect a child's physical development, mental development and success in life. That's a good reason to fund a sculpture of CJ Dennis, famous for the verse novel of 'The Sentimental Bloke'. The sculpture was placed in Laura in 2011. There is also a sculpture of An Early Colonial Family in the main street. Placed there in 2016. Laura is known for its Folk Fair which was first held in 1980.
We stopped at Wirrabara and enjoyed another pastry from the bakery! We were also delighted to be able to purchase the gift of PJ Stayathome for our friend Pam from the Wirrabara Visitor Centre. I did get scolded when I sent the 'Thank You' message informing her there was a gift waiting for her when next she visited Wirrabara.
We had arrived at the small town of Melrose by just after 11.00am. It is at the bottom of Mount Remarkable and is the 'Oldest Town in the Flinders', established in 1853. Peter had booked into the Kui Caravan Park for one night. I think it is Council owned and managed by a very welcoming couple. The lady said she knew a Peter Batten in Kalgoorlie in early 2000. Not this one!
There were kids on bikes everywhere and young families camping in the park or on the creek bank alongside. Melrose has become a town that attracts mountain bike riders, with lots of bike trails in the Mount Remarkable area and a very good bike shop in the small town.
After lunch we headed south again on the highway to turn east to Booleroo Centre. We thought there was a Centre of some sort there, but it is the name of the town. We were on our way to find a Goyder Line marking and to again visit Magnetic Hill. It is eight years since we were very intrigued by what seemed to be happening with the supposed magnetic pull of the Cruiser up the rise! And although I say that we were intrigued, we actually did believe it was happening and used the terminology that it was a real hoot! I have even kept the video I took on my phone for the last eight years!
Back to the township of Booleroo Centre. There is a nice area when you enter the town from the direction we came from. It is obviously managed by volunteers and the roses were lovely and well cared for. The area is a tribute to the Railway Days with pieces of memorabilia placed around the area. The weathered display panel informed that there was division within the community and haggling with Parliament re the rail line and it took 20 years before it was completed in 1910. The line was officially closed in 1990. The centre of the very wide main street contained a number of model sheep and a dog keeping them rounded up! It was a tribute and the display was to the importance of sheep to the economic viability of the area; from the early days of the pastoral runs in 1845 to the settlement of the Hundred of Booleroo in 1875 to the present and no doubt into the future. We have seen many display panels with reference to The Hundred! At Rawnsley Park The Hundred was explained as a relic of the Anglo-Saxon times. There is uncertainty if it relates to the area that could support 100 soldiers or 100 families, or an area composed of 100 units of a certain area. In SA it is commonly believed to contain approximately 100 square miles. They were created and surveyed for agriculturists to provide land for them to grow crops.
The aim of our travel this afternoon though, was to find the tribute to George Goyder. We had been told it was near Pekina. We found Pekina but there was nothing left there but a few information panels telling the stories. There are remains of the 'Animal Pound' 80 metres from the road. As we also wanted to visit Magnetic Hill again we continued on towards Orrooro. We were so pleased we were looking for two tourist attractions this afternoon.
We found the Commemoration of 150 Years of Goyder's Line closer to Orrorro than Pekina. Not that we had realised it would be anything like we found. Pam's Librarian friend had informed her that there was a Goyder Line marking near Pekina. The Commemoration was celebrated with the opening of this tribute on 6th November 2015. The communities of Orrorro, Carrieton, and surrounds organised the recognition of Goyder's Line. The tribute commemorates those early pioneers who settled in the district, the hardships they endured, the resilience displayed and the legacy upon which the district was settled. There was a list of the towns in the area. It is noted that many of the towns have diminished as they were not sustainable, both below and above the line. There were four cairns with positive information telling the Goyder story. And we loved the corrugated iron cut-out of Goyder and his horse. We were so pleased we had found it. Peter is pleased I can now put South Australian George Goyder to bed, as the saying goes!
Now to find Magnetic Hill. We turned around in Orrooro as we needed to go back through Pekina to find it. This time it didn't have the magic of 2014. There were lots of people there and they now have a display panel that explains that it is an optical illusion and there are four such places in Australia. It was much better when you believed it was happening! I showed my video to one couple and they enjoyed my video more than reading the sign. They didn't even give it a go with their car! Peter did give it another go. The stones on the road are much larger now, so it wasn't such a hoot! Peter decided it was a tourist attraction and likened it to a magician. The art of illusion and the lay of the land has provided the magic. Magnetic Hill done and dusted, we were soon back in Melrose.
Back in time for a walk around the small town. We particularly wanted to see the accommodation placed in the old vehicles at the back of the hotel. We found the two old trucks at the back of the North Star Hotel. There are two hotels in Melrose and it seemed as though the North Star was the most popular. Lots of people dining on the evening of Easter Monday.
Sandra H
2022-04-26
Wow that accomodation sure looks like something different. Incredible creativity that sure will draw in inquisitive tourist! 👍🏼😃
shirley and barry
2022-04-27
sounds like you are still enjoying the trip we had 8.6 mils of rain last night the weather has cooled down now i was talking to Maureen yesterday and she said she would like to get your blog enjoying
Jenny
2022-04-27
Yes, that give away sign was at Magnetic Hill when we revisited in 2019, but friends we were with hadn't read it. They thought it was a 'hoot'. That accommodation looks pretty nifty. The rain has been good and I've even pulled out my winter pj's tonight. Good luck with the bowls.
Wendy
2022-04-28
Hello to you both I am enjoying your history lessons and pictures on your blogs. Enjoy your bowls.
pamandpete
2022-04-28
Thanks for the best wishes with the bowls Jenny. We have been in the winter pj's for a while here! I hope my history lessons are interesting enough Wendy. Hard to know how much to record, but I do enjoy putting a story together of where we have visited.
Viv
2022-04-28
That accommodation sure looks interesting :-)
Maureen
2022-04-29
Thanks Pam & Peter I do enjoy your information & Photos of your travels. Keep safe Maureen & Kevin
Pamela J
2022-04-29
It was sad to wave you off but I think you may be back one day. Glad you found the Goyder Line monument and had a laugh at Magnetic Hill. It is a delight to just amble up the eastern side of the lower Flinders - as you have discovered. Travel safely.