Eyre Peninsula and Tunarama

On the Australia Day weekend Port Lincoln hold the annual Tunarama, a festival over 4 days to celebrate the tuna industry in Port Lincoln. The weekend has a lot of activities which include a street parade, a local produce market, art, music and cultural entertainment and the famous tuna tossing event. Approx 25,000 people enjoyed the experience this year.

Rosie and Bill took us in for the Saturday parade and we stayed for the Tuna tossing. We caught up with Rosie and Bill's daughter who had a prime spot under a shady tree to watch the parade which consisted of mainly local clubs and businesses floats, all of which entertained us and the younger generation with lollies thrown their way.

One of the many floats in the street parade, this was a Variety Bash float called Runaway Brides

This may look like a large tea pot, but was actually a caravan. 

This was one bad boy John Deer tractor

The female winner of the tuna throwing competition

The Tuna tossing was a first for me and quite a different event - in short you throw a tuna weighing approximately 20 lbs as far as possible (quite a few different throwing techniques to achieve the longest distance).  In the past a few Hammer Throwers have won the event. There were 2 divisions, male and female with the winners being presented their trophy by the Prime Minister, Malcom Turnbull. This year, both winners had come from out of town and did an amazing job of throwing the tuna. The female winner throwing greater than 12m and the male throwing more than 18m.

From Port Lincoln we said our goodbyes to Rosie and Bill and headed along the west coast of Eyre Peninsula. Our first stop wasn't that far along, we stopped at Coffin Bay for a couple of days with Jenny and Frank. As we had visited Coffin Bay previously didn't feel the need to look around  but just enjoyed catching up with Frank and Jenny and being a 40 degree day, enjoyed being inside with airconditioning! They have built a lovely home and I enjoyed participating in tasting Fank's home brew Whisky, which was really good. Was lucky enough to be given a bottle to take with us and with Helen not being a fan of Whisky, I had it made!! We also enjoyed another feed of whiting and I was able to do a couple of early morning bike rides into the Coffin Bay National Park. We had a great catch up and thanks to Frank & Jenny for their wonderful hospitality.

Leaving Coffin Bay we travelled on Flinders Highway en route to Elliston. Called into Cummins Lookout where there is a memorial to Leo Cummins, Cray fisherman, who lost his life when a boat was wrecked. Had the sea on one side and Lake Hamilton on the other.  Stopped at Lake Hamilton Eating House which was used as a stopping place for coaches & travellers passing through until 1880s (built 1851-1857). Also stopped in at Locks Well but didn't stay long as caravans had to park in top carpark and it was a long way down to the beach.

View along coast from Cummins Lookout

Lake Hamilton Eating House, was used as a stopping place for coaches and travellers built in 1851-57

Little Bay Elliston

 Arriving in Elliston we HAD to stop at the Bakery for lunch (great bakery), then called into the local pharmacy to introduce ourselves to Helen's 2nd cousin, the pharmacy is known for its opening hours being from 12.30pm to 5.30 pm because he allows the morning for a surf. We then settled into the Elliston Waterloo Bay tourist park where we will stay for a couple of nights.

In the mornings I went for a bike ride around the coast - great bike track, then later we went for a drive around the area. First drove down Esplanade and around Little Bay Clifftop drive - fantastic scenery. Back into town drove to the jetty (one of the few screw-pylon structures), however it was closed due to storm damage then walked up the lookout, drove out to golf club (bit neglected) then back to donate more money to the bakery!  Drove the Anxious Bay Clifftop drive which was great - a few sculptures, great cliffs, nice bays. Ate our bakery delights on top of a cliff overlooking the surfing area (Black Fellows) then back to town again. What a good drive with spectacular scenery.

Waterloo Bay, Elliston is on the southern side of the bay.

Elliston Jetty, damaged by the storms

Elliston lookout overlooking Waterloo Bay, showing the damaged jetty.

Thong sculptures took my fancy. ...... tooo big though.

After Elliston we headed east stopping at Lock where Helen put some flowers on her paternal grandparent's grave which the family had recently restored. Had lunch at Cleve then camped at Yeldulknie Weir approx 5km east of Cleve.  Really nice camp area and well maintained by Lions Club who planted over 3,000 trees when originally setting up area for the locals to enjoy. Now opened to campers - donations appreciated.

Locks Big Thing - Wheat Lumping Scene. Lock Centenary Monument

Yeldulknie Recreation Area and reservoir 

Continued on Birdseye Highway to Cowell, then onto Whyalla for stocking up and refuelling. Stopped for a night at Fitzgerald Bay only to find Lyn and Graham still in "our" camp spot so camped down the track a little, was ok for one night before we continued on our way to Adelaide.

Resident lizard sunning on the timber rail.

Koppio Smithy Museum

The Koppio Smithy is a great museum. The thing that impressed me was that the collection contained a lot of every day things that we had seen as children growing up. From the ornaments we had seen on shelves either at home or relatives houses to magazines dating back to the 1950's which you could carefully flick through and remember the fashions or TV programs.

The collection had a strong farming influence from the area which I thought was also unique and a credit to the local community and the Jericho family for their donations. The large collection of stationary engines,  tractors and other machinery used around the farm was fascinating. Items on show were donated by families from the area and volunteers have restored items to original condition.

When you entered the store you step back in time immediately with the old cash register sitting on the front counter.

The Museum is set in the Koppio Hills and houses the original Blacksmith shop and a 2 bedroom cottage known as "Glenleigh" which is a lovely thatched cottage from 1890, the 1 teacher school (1934-1970), 1910 Pt Lincoln tailor shop, Heritage Hall showing a wonderfull collection from the home of the Jericho family, plus a range of display sheds housing tractors and farm machinery, stationary engines, Shearing, Grain and Hay story, vehicles and a Print Room.

The collection of memorabilia donated by the Jericho family

A great collection of 1960 mags.

The blacksmith's shop and cottage was built by Thomas Brennand in 1905. This was the perfect place for a blacksmith as it was the crossroads to all of the district. Also being the local Post Office, it was a great gathering place. The Brennand Family donated 2.5 acres of their farm to the National Trust. Locals restored the blacksmith shop and cottage and it was opened to the public in 1968.

Bank of Adelaide & White Flat Post Office - reportedly the smallest in the State 

One of the many restored wagons on display.

So many tractors, at a guess in the 100s - Hart Parr tractor featured. 

A great collection of stationery engines

This Hornsby 7hp 1910 amoung the large to small collection

The old classroom with original desks and inkwell.

We met a couple of young girls in the class room and I told them how the boys would get the girls pigtails and dip them in the ink wells (not me of course!!). I don't think they believed me and had a look of disbelieve as the left the room - what an earth is this old man talking about!!!)

Helen's Auntie is pictured in this photo of the 1924 Poonindie class which is displayed on the wall in the school room

The barb wire collection was good, not as extensive as the collection at the Spalding Hotel though.

The Brennand Cottage 1903

Main bedroom in the cottage

Helen and I spent a good couple of hours at the Museum and we thoroughly recommend to visit if touring the Eyre Peninsula.