The Extraordinary Tourist
Memories. The Museum of My Life.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Road Trip Day 18: 9th June 2007
For many people a visit to their parents home, years after having left for an independent life, brings back many childhood memories, artifacts and a history of growing up. Coming from, what is usually described as a 'broken home', the history of my early years and previous lives can be found not so much in my parents homes but in my sisters home.
The way my family split to eventually go their separate ways has gradually turned Rose's home (where I'm staying whilst in Perth) into a living family archive - though I'm sure it doesn't feel that way to her.
There is so much of my families history either still in use or stored in Rose's house that for me it's like coming back to a personal museum of our life. For example, Roses kitchen table and chairs are older than me. I think they were the very first table and chairs my parents bought when they arrived in Australia from the U.K. The chairs have been recovered once in nearly 50 years and are looking like they could use new covers again.
There are examples like this all throughout, from the coffee table in the lounge (probably as old as the kitchen table) to the cutlery in the kitchen draws (knives, forks and spoons as old as the table and still in use).
The earliest family photo albums are here. Almost as soon as I arrived I had to look through these because I knew they had pictures of Rose and I at the beach in Whyalla before we moved. I wanted to see if the beach was how I remembered it.
 It's funny how, when you look at old photos you generally don't notice the detail in the backgrounds however, when you're looking specifically at the background it's surprising what you see. Here is a photo of Rose and I at the beach in 1974. If you can peel your eyes off my stunning sun hat, take a look in the background. Notice the steam train? Until now, I never knew we had a photo with the steam train in it - which is why I was never quite sure about if it had been on the Whyalla foreshore or some other beach. This photo proves my memory to be correct. There is my steam train.
Rose's house has so many artifacts that connect us with Whyalla but it isn't just that period of our lives you can see. Her shelves feature one or two examples of my art from my High School days. She also has most of my furniture, LP records, books, computers and more that I left behind when I departed, bound for a new life in South Australia.
In the backyard is a four car garage that use to be my studio. This is where all my paintings pre the year 2000 are stored. More of my stuff that I couldn't take with me is here too.
I'm generally not one to live in the past but it's nice to be surrounded by memories and to retrace your family history. Remembering where you grew up and how you became who you are.Labels: history, memories, museum, road trip 2007, Whyalla
Whyalla Foreshore Steam Train Found!
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Road Trip Day 12: 3rd June 2007
 Whist visiting the Mt Laura Homestead Museum, Rose and I spotted this Steam Locomotive - the only one in the museum - and thought just maybe it was the one I remember playing on at the foreshore as a child.
On closer inspection of the information board we were amazed to learn that it is in fact the very same steam engine! I was even more surprised to learn that this locomotive is more than 100 years old (I bet it didn't get a certificate from the Queen).
Bought new by BHP in 1891 it was used to cart ore along the tramway between Iron Knob and Whyalla. It has a fairly busy history but the key dates for me are that it was placed on the Whyalla foreshore in 1962 where it remained until 1983 when it was moved to the museum. Back then it was all painted black rather than green as you see in the photo. In fact it was the green paint that made me think it couldn't be the same train at first.
Not being able to find any trace of where this train stood on the foreshore during my current visit to Whyalla made me half wonder if I was just imagining a train there based on some other memory. Having found my child hood 'play equipment' (Rose and I used to climb all over this train) it's kind of good to know it now has a good home. It didn't rust away and get sold for scrap.
Whether we like it or not connecting and catching up with fond memories of the past has something of a comforting feeling. It's kind of like catching up with friends you haven't seen in a long time and learning that they're doing okay.Labels: history, museum, railway, road trip 2007, train, Whyalla
White's Mine and Doll & Bear Display.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Road Trip Day 5: 27th May 2007 (Morning)
Kevin White's Mineral Art and Living Mining Museum and Betty White's Handmade Doll & Bear display is an unlikely pairing of themes and subject matter but makes for an interesting experience for the whole family.
Located in Broken Hill, a slight detour off the road to Silverton, visitors are greeted and then directed to view a short video that covers the history of mining in the region (up to 1983... leaving you to wonder if some of the future projections made in the video have come to pass). The video gives a good over view of the Broken Hill story to a trip to the town could easily begin at White's Mine.
 Betty was our guide for Kevin's replica mine museum. She did an excellent job pointing out the contrast between early mining and the mostly machine driven, push button technology used today. She made the point that when people talk about the 'good old days' of mining, the only thing 'good' about them is that they're gone. Such was the appalling conditions early miners had to work in.
A feature of the mining museum is Kevin's mineral art. Images made entirely from finely crumbled mineral rock. Kevin has, what seemed like, hundreds of artworks created this way ranging from mining scenes, to iconic Broken Hill buildings to important events and stories in Australian history.
An unusual feature of this museum is that you are encouraged to take photos of the exhibits. Betty and Kevin understand that there is a lot to take in so they are happy to let you snap away.
 Betty's collection of Home made dolls and bears is exceptionally large, filling up the other half of the museum. Her collection consists of dolls she has made and dolls she has collected. There are dolls of all sizes and made to many different themes from wizards to barber shop quartets.
The White Museum also has an extensive gift shop featuring a number of unique mining souvenirs that you can't buy elsewhere.Labels: art, bear, Broken Hill, doll, mine, Mineral, mining, museum, places, road trip 2007, travel
Eudunda. Birth place of author, Colin Thiele.
Friday, May 18, 2007
 South Australian author, Colin Thiele's three most well known books are 'Storm Boy', 'Blue Fin' and 'Sun on the Stubble'. Well at least those three are the ones I know.
A visit to the town of Eudunda, South Australia, is pretty much a celebration of the man and his life (Colin passed away in 2006) with the local site seeing trail highlighting important locations from the author's past.
One could be forgiven for thinking that Eudunda has little else to offer in the way of historic displays but the town's Family Heritage Museum puts a rest to that. There is much more to the town's past than the famous author.
The museum reveals a wealth of personal histories of many of the town's families and the lives they lead. It's possibly one of the biggest historical artifact collections within the region. Some of the life size, figures are clearly, lovingly home made by not so skilled artists however they give the display something of a more personal touch that might be missing if professionally constructed manikins had been used.
Whilst there isn't a lot to see in Eudunda, it certainly is a picturesque town that can cater for a pleasant morning or afternoon of sight seeing. Don't let anyone tell you it's not worth the trip.Labels: author, Colin Thiele, Eudunda, heritage, museum, places, travel
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