Located on the Eyre Highway, west of Port Augusta, SA, Kimba is a small country town where the locals encourage you to stay a while and not just drive on to your next major destination.

We had been made aware of a Grey Nomads Volunteer Program operating in Kimba, and decided that next time we were in the area we would stay for a while and participate.

Kimba is a designated RV Friendly Town, so there are three camp areas, the pick of which is the Recreation Reserve where you will  find clean ablutions with a coin operated shower, potable water and a dump point. These facilities are free of charge, so please be generous and leave a donation to keep this great initiative going. There is also a caravan park in town for those who prefer the additional facilities.

The way the volunteering scheme operates is that in exchange for at least two days of volunteer work, you get seven nights accommodation at the Recreation Reserve, complete with a powered site and coins for the showers. Not a bad deal!

After first making contact with the visitor information outlet by phone, we were met by a couple of very friendly locals, and taken down to the Kimba and Gawler Ranges Historical Museum.

A warm welcome to town

LIFE IN THE SHED

Formed in 1971 and run by volunteers, the museum gives an amazing insight into the incredible resourcefulness, spirit and determination of the pioneering farming and grazing families who settled in this area at the end of the 19th century.

Pastoral leases were first granted here in 1872 and the area has gone on to be one of South Australia’s major grain belts.

There is a huge variety of farm machinery, old trucks and tractors, ‘Clancy’ the old fire engine, and a great display of tools used to build and maintain the properties during those pioneering years.

Intact buildings include a one-teacher school, the Haskett Brothers pioneer house built around 1908, the old store and an old telephone exchange.

During the early years of white settlement, the availability of water was a big issue. To help with this, government funds were made available to build sheds so that rainwater could be collected and stored in tanks.

Ever resourceful, the settlers would often build lodgings under the sheds and for many this was home for a number of years.

You can imagine what life might have been like for some of these pioneering families at the museum’s Settlers Shed.

Informative displays provide a slice of colonial life

LEND A HAND

Understandably, to operate and maintain a museum like this takes quite a lot of effort, and this is where you, the traveller, can make a huge difference. No particular skill is required, other than a willingness to get involved and have a go!

We had so much fun that one week quickly turned into several. The advantage of staying longer is that we were able to see small projects through to their end and meet some incredibly friendly people, plus getting to know the area a whole lot better.

Now, keep in mind that the arrangement is for two days labour, in order to spend seven nights in Kimba. You may not end up in the museum, however, as there are other projects in town that also need support.

We have been on the road full-time since 2009 and quickly realised that the best way for us to get to know an area is to stay a while and really immerse ourselves.

So, we are certainly glad we stayed a while in Kimba. If you do decide to stop on your way through, there is plenty to explore around this area.

Smack bang in the middle of the continent (more or less)

A settler’s cottage reconstruction at the muesum

OUT AND ABOUT

Kimba is the eastern gateway to the Gawler Ranges. Spectacular and remote describes it best for us, and it’s well worth the effort to drive out there. There is also no shortage of very impressive granite rock formations in the area.

Closer to town, a short walk from the Recreation Reserve, is the Roora Reserve Nature Trail. This trail was first developed so that the local football teams could have somewhere to run other than the side of the road. Just a 6km return trip, the walk features plant identification signs, life size animal sculptures and info on key features. Toward the end of the trail at White’s Knob Lookout are the huge Edward John Eyre sculptures.

Even if you don’t end up working at the History Museum, a visit there is a must. But if you are into rocks (minerals and fossils) then you have to catch up with Barry and Jodie Schubert at Minerals on Eyre. I’m no rock hound, but I was very impressed with the massive collection on display – more than 2400 specimens collected over the past 20 years. The nearby Arie’s  Garden is an amazing display of permaculture at work, with an abundance of food-producing trees, vines, vegetables and flowers. It relies solely on rainwater for irrigation.

Old traditions such as blacksmithing survive at Kimba

PLENTY OF CHOICE

If you like a decent feed, then a trip out to the Dark Peake Hotel is worth a look, or visit the Kimba Districts Football and Netball Club on Thursday night for a great $10 schnitzel. If you like a good curry, then a visit to the roadhouse is definitely on the cards, and the local pub knocks up a great feed as well and is a handy way to meet some locals.

After a couple of visits to Eileen’s café, you will soon be asked ‘the usual?’ when you walk in for a coffee. A visit to the local butcher’s shop is a must for some of the best meat and gourmet snags you will find anywhere. Having tried all locations I can highly recommend each of them!

There is plenty to see and do around the district and the Kimba ‘welcome to our place’ brochure gives plenty of information to guide you on your explorations.

If you are travellers searching for a wonderful country experience, happy to give a little to get a lot in return and want to spend some time in a small, welcoming community, then consider staying a while in Kimba.

They want you to visit; they want you to stay; they want you to enjoy this beautiful part of South Australia; and everyone goes out of their way to make you feel a part of their community.

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Written: Sun 01 Jan 2017
Printed: January, 2017
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