It’s true! The town of Kimba on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula can rightfully claim the tag as being Halfway across Australia.

When you make it here, you are at the midway point from the east and west coasts of Australia, approximately 1700 kilometres from both Perth and Sydney, and for caravan travellers there are plenty of reasons to stop and rest a while.

For starters on the highway you can’t miss the Big Galah, a gorgeous 8 metre tall pink creation that sits outside a café, restaurant and gem shop. The galah was built in 1993 and has recently undergone a facelift to mark its 30^th anniversary. Its new vibrant makeover was created by local artists Karen Carr and Jill Pantiyasa, and it has travellers flocking in to grab a photo of the iconic cockatoo.

The two artists who are both Port Lincoln based, took a total of 31 days, to paint her (yes they confirmed the galah is she) and the plain and faded pink tone has been replaced with a modern multi toned and stylized pink patterned body and wings. She is looking very pretty and photogenic.

Kimba has a terrific off grid camp in town too, where caravanners can stay next to the town oval and sporting facilities for the price of a donation. The facilities are outstanding so it’s easy to be generous and leave a donation of cash in the collection receptacles located in a number of spots around the campground. Donation campsites are few and far between now so this one is a gem.

Facilities include two very clean ablution blocks that have toilets and showers, and there’s a fantastic, spacious camp kitchen with a bookshelf full of books to swap, left there by travellers as well as the local library.

Another building at the recreation grounds you’ll see is the mural covered Kimba Agricultural, Horticultural and Floricultural Society shed which is the organisation that runs the annual show.

The mural which was first painted in 2001, depicts the local history and it too was given a refresh in 2017, by the original artists John Turpie and Siv Grava, with support from another local artist, Steve Rigg. On another side of the shed you’ll also find a couple of paintings by artist Neil (Fonz) Swanson, which are tributes to local shearers and past Kimba show members.

These are just the start of the arty finds around town, which is only short walk of around 1 kilometre from the campground, so you don’t even have to unhitch.  Kimba is also known for its painted silo art created by Cam Scale, the first silo on Eyre Peninsula to be painted and only the second in the state.

The painting depicts a young girl looking wistfully to the future, surrounded by the agriculture that is synonymous with the area, and a colourful sunset. These working silos are stunning to see in daylight and also at night when they are illuminated by solar lighting.

The same artist is also responsible for another mural on the institute hall in town, which shows another statement of the town’s identity with a tractor in a field of canola. Continue walking down High Street and you will come to Workshop 26, a hub of local makers and creatives where you can buy goodies from a number of shipping container shops located inside the old tractor warehouse.

On the side of this building you’ll find another couple of beautiful murals that are just made to have fun with. The murals were painted by artist Nicky Create and they are just stunning, giving you permission to wear a pair of galah wings as you stand in front of the mural.

Across the road is yet another galah mural by Steve Rigg, called Love is in the Eyre, and there’s a lot to love about the Eyre Peninsula.

While you’re staying in town make sure to spend a little more money in town by popping into the Kimba Gateway Hotel, where you can enjoy a great meal with friendly service in comfortable surroundings and, you can even spy the painted silos from the hotel’s verandah.

Enjoy the colourful Kimba,

Glenys