Today was a day of big things – big fish, big ant, big rocks, big farmer, big galah, big trucks, big flocks and big paddocks.

A big fish – before leaving Streaky Bay, we visited the local Shell station to see the great white shark replica of the exact size caught with a hand line at Streaky Bay in 1980, believed to be a world record catch at the time.

Poochera is famous for its rare ant but we were more excited to see a flock of Major Mitchell cockatoos. These are a different race to the ones we saw near Cobar – slightly smaller with less vivid crests and colours – still a spectacular sight especially in flight.

This one even did a rendition of the Hokey Pokey for us.

We finally found the Big Ant – a big thing displaying the rare prehistoric ant found locally.

The town is ant mad with ant themes everywhere. Guess what the male toilet door said?

We did a detour for 18km of gravel road off the highway to Pildappa Rock – a granite monolith. There is an easy walk to the top.

Where’s Wally?

A Pittosporum found in more arid areas of Australia – a relative to rainforest plants of the same genus.

Also outside Minnipa is Tcharkuldu Rock. It provided great views over the extensive sheep grazing lands and wheat fields.

Both monoliths we visited had rock gutters to divert rainwater runoff to neighbouring properties.

Every town has huge silos on this section of the Eyre Highway – this one at Wudinna.

Wudinna also has the Big Australian Farmer statue. This impressive sculpture is carved in local granite and features a stylised farmer with wheat and sheep included in the design.

Sturts Desert Pea flowering at the Australian Farmer statue.

Two-toned roads are all the rage in South Australia.

Stone ruins are a common sight throughout South Australia.

The town of Kimba is halfway across Australia and is home to the iconic Big Galah – at 8 metres high it is a very big bird.

The highway passes through endless mallee woodlands.

A view approaching Iron Knob. Near here we saw a solitary emu. Emu count today: 1

Old tailings of the massive Iron Knob mine are visible from the highway.

Iron Knob is the brithplace of the Australian steel industry.

A big truck at work.

A red-flowering gum at Iron Knob.

Between Iron Knob and Port Augusta is a huge military training area. There are thousands of these signs running along the fence.

The Eyre Highway looking toward Lincoln Gap outside Port Augusta.

Sunset as we arrived in Port Augusta for the night.