Kimba / a view to the township from Whites Knob Lookout, Eyre Peninsula South Australia

            *Kimba was established in 1915.
Seventy-five years earlier, a nearby waterhole at Secret Rocks saved explorer Edward John Eyre and his mates from dying of thirst. Eyre was the first white man to walk overland from Adelaide to the Swan River near Perth in Western Australia.

On his way he explored three sides of the triangle-shaped Eyre Peninsula which now bears his name.
The sculptures at Whites Knob Lookout are a tribute to Eyre and the indigenous men he relied on to get him through. 

Kimba is a local indigenous word for ‘bushfire’. 
The recycled steel sculptures were finished in 2011 by artists Roland Weight and Marcus Possingham. 
*Edward John Eyre, born in England in 1815, is remembered as the first man to cross this continent from Sydney to the Swan River.  He was the first man to record his exploration of the three sides of the peninsula named in his honour.  Lake Eyre and the Eyre Highway are also named in recognition of his skill, perseverance and courage as an explorer.

In 1838 he led an expedition from Streaky Bay.  Passing through sandy terrain and scrubby vegetation, Eyre reached the Gawler Ranges where he identified Sturt’s Pea.  Water had been scarce and Eyre was glad to find a good supply at Baxter’s Range, near Iron Knob.  The expedition ended at Depot Creek, near Mt Arden.

In 1840 this trek was reversed by Eyre’s overseer, John Baxter.  Recent rain had ensured adequate water and the party was able to follow the tracks made by their wagons the previous year.  Meanwhile Eyre explored the eastern side of the peninsula.  It was very hard for the horses to penetrate the dense vegetation.  Feed was scarce and water more so.  About 45kms east of  Whites Knob Lookout Eyre found good grass and a spring of water.  He was so relieved that he named the place Refuge Rocks, “for such they were to us in our difficulties”.  At Port Lincoln, Eyre arranged for supplies to be shipped from Adelaide.

In 1841 Eyre left Port Lincoln and headed North West to Streaky Bay where he met John Baxter.  Arrangements were made to ship supplies to Fowler’s Bay and the party set out for Western Australia.  Poor feed and shortage of water so weakened the horses that they were not able to carry all the provisions wanted by the men.

Eyre was determined to explore beyond the Head of the Bight and was very aware of the difficulties ahead.  At Fowler’s Bay he sent non-essential supplies and four men back to Adelaide by ship.  It was at this stage that Wylie joined the expedition.  He was from King George’s Sound and had accompanied Eyre on previous trips.  Lack of water, scarcity of feed, difficult terrain and extremes of weather all combined to make this trek along the coast so arduous that men and horses perished. 

Fortunately for Eyre and Wylie, a whaling ship was anchored at Rossiter’s Bay and the two survivors were able to recuperate sufficiently to finish the trek to Albany.

Ref: Whites Knob story boards

Taken on: September 13, 2019

Sets appears in: • Eyre Peninsula South Australia September 2019

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Camera:	Panasonic DC-TZ90
Aperture:	f/4.4
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/1000)
Focal Length:	11.7mm
ISO:	160
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