Mount Bryan

Thurs 15^th May

We realised that today we would needed to sort out a few vehicle problems. George was still having difficulty with his electric brakes making the motor cut out, and we were having problems with a slipping belt that Thompson Motors, a Holden dealer, who charged us for fixing it, didn’t. So much for loyalty.  Our first port of call was Morgan where there was no mechanic. It was a pretty town with a car ferry to cross the river. Along the river bank was a tourist attraction under construction – a beautiful lawn and picnic area, a craft shop and some other buildings that will no doubt be utilised. We finally found help at Burra. The early settlers in Burra were Cornish and Welsh miners who dug their homes into the banks of the Burra Creek. Almost half the population of 4000 lived in almost 600 dugouts that extended along the creek for 2 miles. Chimneys were formed on the bank and these were enclosed by beer barrels cemented in mud and they looked like tree trunks. Most dugouts were only single rooms, and were often whitewashed and some were carpeted. Floods were the main hazard.  We camped opposite the Mount Bryan Hotel in a well maintained park with a good garden, a covered barbecue area and a gazebo. Near the town is a wind farm and on display was a 40 metre vane from a wind turbine.