Whyalla

We decided to camp at Point Lowly, about 35km from Whyalla, on the coast neat Port Bonython.  We set up camp and ventured into Whyalla to do some exploring.  Port Bonython is a large gas refinery run by Santos.

Whyalla was once the centre of BHP with its steelmaking and shipbuilding.  These days it's had a major makeover following BHPs departure in the 1980s/1990s.  The Visitor Centre pays tribute to the shipbuilding industry with the HMAS Whyalla being used as a museum.  We booked into the Steelworks Tour for the following day.

The old BHP single men's quarters has been converted into a craft precinct with all manner of crafts haven facilities there.  We saw woodworking, embroiderers, spinners, weavers, quilters, beaders, jewellery makers, all manner of paper craft, toy makers etc etc etc.  We were lucky the day we were there as it was Market Day and the crafters had their wares available for sale.  We drank coffee and listened to a local singer in these lovely surroundings.  This precinct would be the envy of many craft groups in other places.




Also located in the precinct is the Steelcap Gallery which has hundreds of photos taken in the BHP days.  The gallery is staffed and managed by ex-employees and visitors are asked to identify anyone they know in the photos.  We looked for Robert's uncle but didn't find him.

The next morning we arrived at the visitors centre at 9.15am for our tour of the One-Steel Steelworks.  We spent a couple of hours in a small bus with a knowledgeable guide who explained everything to do with the operations (he used to be an internal auditor so would know everything worth knowing, and some...).  
The site covers 1,000 hectares and has about 1,300 employees.  It operates 24/7.  We saw everything from ore arrival, smelting in the blast furnace (unfortunately there was no "pour" when we were there), the coke ovens (we saw the red hot coke being pushed into the train containers prior to quenching with 65,000 litres of water) and steelmaking.  It was all very interesting.

After the tour we drove to the lookout at Hummock Hill for great views of the city.  The facilities here were opened by Queen Elizabeth on her visit to Whyalla in 1966.

Whyalla has many statues and this one depicting Henry Lawson's poem "The Loaded Dog" is found outside the Vet clinic.