Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 89 – Magnetic Attractions

One of the delights of returning to places on the road is that there is always something new to see or missed on previous journeys.

Leaving Port Augusta, we follow the coastal plain and ascend the range through Horrocks Pass.

We take a detour to the top of the Southern Flinders Ranges east of Wilmington to Hancocks Lookout.

Views west to Spencer Gulf and beyond.

Blue-tongued lizard

They are called this because….

…of the blue tongue.

Just outside Orroroo at Black Rock is Magnetic Hill where cars go uphill under no power…or do they?

One of several signs pulling us there.

In approaching Magnetic Hill, drivers are instructed to turn their car’s ignition off, select neutral, and not activate their brakes.

Vehicles will go uphill (or appear to go uphill). As there are a few hilly horizons, an optical illusion is caused by the perspective of the road through the hills. We gave it a go but I am not sure if the experience was a positive or a negative.

I am sceptical about the magnetic phenomena but I was attracted to this lovely woman.

The Big Magnet – this is a big local attraction. The road to the right – the car rolled towards the magnet.

It was hard to leave.

We followed the tracks to Peterborough.

Some of the lovely old buildings in Peterborough.

Outside town is a large private cactus garden with many species….

…even a cactus with attitude!

Lookout north of Peterborough

Mallee ringneck parrot

Another half hour on South Australian roads, another stone ruin…

Family Footsteps – the Barrier Highway to Broken Hill was traversed by our Matthews ancestors in 1884 when they travelled by wagon from Burra to Broken Hill. The journey lasted between 2 and 3 weeks and they lived at Silverton for a time before moving to Broken Hill. It is a much easier journey today.

Water tank from the age of steam trains.

The Barrier Highway

Approaching Yunta

Yunta Hotel established in 1899

A native hibiscus that was common on the roadside as we neared Manna Hill.

Countryside near Manna Hill

We were lucky to be travelling over the dicey terrain in this part of the world – The Big Dice near Manna Hill.

Billy Button daisies

And on small things are even smaller things.

Paterson’s curse is a noxious weed that now covers millions of hectares of land from WA to northern New South Wales). It is estimated to cost Australian sheep and cattle producers $250 million annually through lost productivity in pastures, control costs, and wool contamination. It replaces desirable plants. Paterson’s curse contains alkaloids which are toxic to livestock, particularly horses, though sheep can graze it for a time. Prolonged grazing of Paterson’s curse is harmful, even to sheep, because the alkaloids eventually cause liver damage.