Hi everyone, I hope you and yours are doing well.
When we last visited South Australia in 2013, we were amazed to see a mass of windmills clustered in a paddock along the edge of the Eyre Highway. Known as “Windmill Flat” the 26 windmills are located on the eastern edge of the town of Penong, 75 kilometres west of Ceduna, on the edge of South Australia’s grain growing region and the Nullarbor Plain.
Wells were first sunk between 1868 and 1884 and the windmills pumped water from the Anjutabie water basin and were important for the town on Penong.
Being on the edge of the Nullarbor Plain it is not surprising that water is an issue for Penong. Wells were first sunk between 1868 and 1884 and windmill bores were later sunk to pump water from the Anjutabie Water Basin. Each windmill is privately owned supplying water for domestic and stock use.
The above photo is from 2013. When we travelled through Penong in 2019 a few changes had been made.
In 2000 a “windmill museum” idea was hatched by Tim and Jenny Hardy and Bob and Jill Oates over a few Friday afternoon drinks. Tim started sourcing the plans for an 8 foot Riddle wooden windmill (designed by William Riddle) and many months later he had built a complete replica (you can see it in the collage above).
The word soon spread and people started delivering or offering windmills of all descriptions and states of repair. Bob and Tim decided to try and restore a windmill of every type that had been used throughout Australia.
A historical 35 foot Comet Windmill was discovered by three locals from the “Windmill Warriors” group on an outback trip. One of the biggest windmills ever built in Australia, with a span of 35 foot, the Comet was capable of drawing one million litres of water per day from 152 metres underground. Only 15 of these windmills were ever constructed, and only two erected outside of Queensland. The windmill was transported to Penong on two semi-trailers from Kultanaby Station near Kingoonya in outback South Australia, and restoration of Big Bruce began.
The Windmill Warriors erected the first
restored windmill in 2015 and by the time of the official opening in September
2016 there were nineteen windmills on the site, including Big Bruce.
The windmill museum is an interesting stopping place for visitors. Some of the windmills include an Adelaide Challenge Windmill from the late 1800s donated by Anna Creek Station near William Creek, and a seven foot windmill on wheels. An ingenious construction built by farmers from scrap metal, the windmill could be moved from one underground tank to another.
These days solar power is replacing the use of windmills, so the windmill museum preserves and celebrates an important part of farming history.
Where is it? Corner of West Tce and Government Road, Penong, 75 kms west of Ceduna.
Free entry. Donations can be placed in the
donation pillar.
More information @ ABC.net - windmills brought back from the grave
Morawa Museum.org.au - Australian windmill manufacturers
My article about the Penong windmill museum was published in Curious Australis column, On The Road magazine, April 2020.
Windmills and a golf course, this would tick our boxes for a visit to the area. How fascinating, such an important part of farming history, Big Bruce is well named.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day!
Wren x
...Jill, what a fun place, I'd love to visit in person. Thanks for taking me along to see the sights.
ReplyDeleteThe windmill museum looks like a fun place to explore.
ReplyDeleteTake care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.
Very enjoyable post ... it is good that the windmill museum preserves and celebrates an important part of farming history.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Those old windmills standing together against the vast Nullarbor landscape feel both practical and strangely poetic, a tribute to the resilience and ingenuity of the people who lived there.
ReplyDeleteGood morning! I was thinking of you last week, wondering how you were getting on... I’m delighted to be reading another post about Australia.
ReplyDeleteThe windmills are impressive, and their different designs are fascinating too. Wow... it's fascinating indeed.
Thank you very much for your kind words in the comment. And thank you for your contribution to MosaicMonday
Greetings by Heidrun
I love how the idea of the museum came about ;-) It looks like a fun place to visit. We went once to a wind museum in northern France - a similar idea on a much smaller scale.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous shots
ReplyDeleteI am at the linky today🇹🇹
HERE
much love
I love windmills. They have similar windmill farms here in the USA that are quite popular. I have yet to go to one.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child, windmills were the popular choice for ranch and farm water wells. Now, its all about solar powered centrifugal pumps.
Things that go round and round like the windmill are just mesmerizing to watch. I love the pinwheels that kids always love to have, and now they have the large ones for yard art. Looks like an interesting place to see.
ReplyDeleteStunning shots, these are amazing! Thanks for sharing and for taking part in #WeeklyWonders.
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