Day 183 – Whyalla – Thierings on Tour

This morning we got some reprieve from the rain as we got ready, yay! The girls also enjoyed having brekkie in the kitchen whilst watching a bit of TV as a novelty. It’s been nice not having the TV, although they do watch shows on the iPad in the car occasionally or on rainy days.

We explored the foreshore and soaked up some sunshine before it was time to head to the visitors centre for a Chris and the big girls to head to the Steelworks tour.

This is the last remaining steelworks in Australia, the only place that produces railway track sleepers and it’s currently in administration. So if no buyer is found soon all the rail steel products will have to be imported, which would be sad as it employs a few thousand people in the area. Since the 1800s when iron ore was discovered in the area there has been mining and steelworks in Whyalla. Between 1941 and 1978 the shipyards built 66 ships, 1 oil rig and 2 barges. The HMAS Whyalla was the first ship to be built and it luckily returned to the museum for us to visit when Chris and the girls returned.

The HMAS Whyalla was a minesweeper during the wars, which meant that it was only in the water a maximum of 3m, making it very bouncy on top with sway of up to 45degrees for the boat – basically a very uncomfortable ride. There were around 85 people onboard as standard, making for very crammed and basic conditions. Think 2 shared toilets & showers for 60 of the general crew. They also had to sleep in hammocks in what can only be described as a giant and hot room.

We got to see the engine room, the explosives room, the guns at the top of the boat as well as the officers’ quarters, the kitchen and of course the captain’s “office”. The girls loved wearing the hat and steering the ship and a favourite for Jazzy – ringing the bronze bell as loudly as possible!

The museum was really interesting as well with many model boats, a miniature train track and lots of marine life fossils, bones and taxidermy.

Then it was back on the road and heading north along the Stuart Highway towards Coober Pedy. We made a few stops to stretch our legs and run around, but the final stop for the day was Lake Hart.

The rest area was a patch of dirt really, but walking out onto the lake was cool – it was salt for days! The girls loved running around, playing in the dirt and enjoying some space to run around and make as much noise as they wanted.