BLINMAN AN OUTBACK GEM

I’ve spent about 60 years travelling around Australia – professionally and privately, and I’ve never come across a town quite like Blinman. Located in the central Flinders Ranges, 500 kms north of Adelaide, the town sign claims it as South Australia’s highest town, at just over 2,000ft above sea level. .. interesting when you consider that sea-level is less that 100km away at Lake Torrens.

The attractions surrounding Blinman, are many and varied. Starting with the drive from Parachilna, you travel from near sea level for 32 kms to a couple of thousand feet above sea level to Blinman. Late afternoon or early morning, with the sun behind you, it is one of the Outback’s most scenic drives. Within a couple of hours, you have Wilpena Pound in the south, Arkaroola and the newly proclaimed Ediacra-Nilpena National Park, (containing fossils of world interest) to the north. The accommodation in the area varies greatly, but it is the town I want to focus on. 

Current population is 28 people.

Blinman was settled in 1862 after copper was discovered by Robert 'Pegleg' Blinman. The first settlement was located 3 miles south of the mine, now referred to as  'South Town'.

Things were soon moved up to the present site adjacent to the mine. The mine was active for around 45 years, before copper was mined out. The ore was carted by camel to Port Augusta for shipping. Pastoralism was the main industry, with tourism growing every year. 

It is the Land of the Adnyamathanha who are based at Neppabunna and Igawata, with various traditional tourism enterprises in the region.

Station Accommodation in Australia, began in the Flinders Ranges, with Merna Mora, between Hawker and Parachilna, the first to set up this activity. Most of the Stations around Blinman have tourist accommodation, some with 4-wheel drive tourist tracks as well. 

When I began my safari business in 1966, I was based in Hawker with Jeff Findley's 'Back of Beyond Tours'. In the quieter periods, I was working on Oraparinna Station and we would often visit Blinman on weekends. Ken McDewie had the Pub then and I remember the Pub the night before he sold out. The bar was full and Ken was squirting the patrons with beer. The elderly C.P. Edwards - a long time resident - had the custom of placing his bowler style hat upside down on the bar. He had his back to the bar, talking, when McDewie filled it with beer. Minutes later he said his "Goodbyes", and put his hat on his head. With beer streaming down his neck, he walked out the door, seemingly oblivious. A night to remember!

In 1990 I moved my Flinders Camel operation from our camp in the Bumbinyana Range at Merna Mora up to Blinman.  I acquired 100 acres behind the pub for a camel - and therein lies a story recorded elsewhere. I had a long association with the late John Reschke (who carted my camels to and from the desert for many years) and Brian Reschke from Mt. Falkland (The Gap) Station, near Parachilna. At the time, this land was under "annual licence", with a rent of $10 per year. I had once retired a camel, giving it to Brian, down at The Gap, who had ambitions of riding it down to the Para Pub (Prairie Hotel), and letting it bring him home (a pipe-dream, but a good one!) Brian thought it was a good swap - more than generous I thought, but I didn't argue.  This became my base for Flinders Ranges Camel Treks for many years. Though I was never a resident, I have spent a lot of time there until the present day.

The Blinman Pub (North Blinman Hotel) has to be my favourite bush pub in Australia, including the Birdsville Pub that I owned for 6 years. The Blinman Pub is now owned by David and Caroline Secluna, who also own the Angorichina Tourist Village, between Blinman and Parachilna. Both are excellent and well-run businesses. Prior to that, the publicans were Tony and Maureen Coutra for many years. Some time ago, Tony began making delicious pizzas and that tradition has been carried on to this day. Friday night is Pizza Night and, forgive my enthusiasm, I have never tasted a better pizza in Australia. 

Apart from the Pub, the main street has a variety of dwellings, private and commercial. Starting from the west end, on the southern side, there is a private dwelling, the old police cells, old police station, tennis court, the mine office, old post office, the late John Branches’ house, the pub units, and old butcher shop.

On the northern side from the west end, is a restored miners’ cottage that can be rented, the old school, an old miner’s cottage (pine and pug), the bakery, and pub. At the end of the town there is a small park and tiny church.  Half a km further on is the old Blinman mine (a lot of ‘olds’!)

This has been turned into one of the Flinders Ranges best known and well-run tourist operations. A guided tour is available through the winter months.

The town is beautifully located on the west end of a ‘high plain’ with Trig hill rising up to the south, with a gum creek between it and the town. The land rises away to the north of the town with the spectacular Mt. Patawerta on the north-west skyline, resembling a broken-down map of Australia. The trig point cairn on top of trig hill served as a war memorial for local diggers, and was erected years ago by the local school kids.

Irving and Karen Cains have been there longer than any current residents, arriving in 1986. Living in the old post office, opposite the pub, Karen is the local ‘postie’, driving down to Parachilna to pick up and deliver mail three times a week. She is also an accomplished photographer, and involved in many town activities.

To call Irvine a ‘Jack of All Trades’, would be to very much under rate him. He can make and fix most things. He is an expert on local mining history. He alone did all the timber refurbishing around the mine. Without him, the tourist mine operation would be non-existant. His other passion is Landrovers and Rangerovers – evidenced by the many in his yard. For a number of years, he hosted an annual Landrover weekend in the area, with hundreds coming from all around Australia. He is currently doing up the old butcher shop, collecting a lot of machinery and mining relics.

Blinman is outside a council area, (much to their relief!) but rubbish disposal and other services are dwell catered for locally.

Its not just my opinion, but the Blinman Bakery is arguably one of the best in Australia. Operated by Amy Coutra. All goods are made in the area. Coffee is also top-notch. Operating most of the year, the building has been recently refurbished.

Just out of South Town, Ryan and Natalie McMillan operate Flinders and Beyond Camel Treks, in the winter months, and their camels are as well cared for as any in the country.

Several kms out on the Parachilna Road, Kristian Coulthard (an Adnyamathana man) and wife Gabby, operate their business ‘Wadna’. It specialises in traditional aboriginal artifacts, made by Kristian on sight and jewellery and hand sewn bags by Gabby. The variety of their work is exceptional and they are hard put to keep up with the demand. Kristian also operates local cultural tours, covering the full gamut of the Adnyamathana culture.

Along with Jeff Morgan’s Gallery at Hawker, these two businesses would be described as ‘world class’.

Once a year the hall becomes an Art Gallery with local and other artists exhibiting Flinders Rangers art.

For many years, The Blinman Outback Cookoff, was a popular event held at the eastern side of the pub. Inspired and organised by well known Adelaide artist, George Aldridge, it was a fun weekend with busking and bush poetry as well.

The Blinman Gymkana has been an annual fixture for many years, in the late spring, and like many outback towns, Blinman has a golf course.

The late John Branch is probably Blinman’s best known identity, since Pegleg Blinman died. He was the son of an earlier Post Mistress and had a small (for the area) sheep property on the east side of town. I knew him well in the latter part of his life. A very amiable person with a dry sense of humour, and a batchelor all of his life. He very rarely left the town and most nights would find him sitting on his stool on the southern end of the bar. He was also caretaker for several stations when the owners were away. Greatly missed when he passed away around 10 years ago.( see poem}

The main street of Blinman can be a street of extremes. During high tourist season, it is difficult to get a park and you need to watch yourself crossing the street. Whereas in the middle of summer the street can be totally devoid of cars. Rabbits, euros, emus and ‘rolly-pollys ‘– can be the only traffic using it.

But whether a local or visitor, Blinman holds a special place in the heart of many Australians.

Branchy

Now Blinman is a Flinders town,

The highest in the Sate

It’s way up north of Goyder’s Line

And it’s lost a special mate.

John Branch spent all his life up here

He was Blinman’s favourite son

He ran his sheep out back of town

On a Flinders Ranges run.

He was one of Nature’s gentlemen

With his dog in his old brown ute.

He would poke on past the Camel Farm

On his way to Mootootoo

Or out to caretake Ango

With some station jobs to do.

But most of all he will be missed

As you enter the pub’s main bar

His smiling face under battered hat

Sipping his favourite jar.

The Blinman locals all drink a toast

As you give up life’s long race

Over the hills and across the flat

To your final resting place.