A town painted red
I am visiting my old home town in South Australia, the place 'Where the Outback Meets the Sea'. Visits always make me nostalgic because it's where I spent my entire childhood - and where my immediate family members have remained.
This visit, I was surprised to find myself looking at many familiar landmarks through rose-tinted glasses. Since I was last here, many buildings in the old section of the town have changed their colour into a pretty shade of PINK!
This is the facade of the Civic Building showing pink streaks from the iron ore powder which drifts across the city every day. It comes from the loads of ore that are trucked in by road and rail from mines in the hinterland.
Roads, gutters, pavements and walls - they're all slowly becoming red toned as well.
The once blue window sills on the closed hotel opposite the court-house haven't been dusted in quite a while ...
It is easy to understand why red is the colour of choice for any new roof...
Paint anything brick red and you're one jump ahead!
That's no doubt why the formerly white-painted court house has been re-decorated of late.
On the foreshore this toilet block has a section of fresh new brick-work on the left - in clear contrast with the stained sections on either side.
Bushland adjacent to the industrial centre has become a dusky pink too.
This is a patch of salt-bush that would usually be grey.
I rather think that a clothes-line full of 'Persil white' washing might be a thing of the past.
No wonder that a growing number of local citizens are beginning to see red!
At least they have a target! What an interesting and 'coloful' town. I hope the visit and the memories flow well.
Posted by: Tabor | September 23, 2006 at 10:27 PM
I think that is so nice to make a visit to home town!
Love the colour of the building, too!
Posted by: Sonia | September 25, 2006 at 08:02 AM
About 30 years ago (I can't believe it was that long ago) I worked in Bendigo Victoria with a girl from Whyalla and always had an urge to go and check it out. Now since pink is my favourite colour i think I will have too. Enjoy your stay.
Posted by: kerrin | September 25, 2006 at 06:25 PM
Are you watching 'Two Men in a Tinnie" on the ABC Tuesday evenings at 8pm? It's a great half viewing...a trip down the Darling to the Murray. Fascinating programme. I love it.
Posted by: Lee | September 29, 2006 at 12:23 PM
Unfortunately Lee, I've been missing out on those Men in their Tinnie on Tuesdays - usually because of competing attractions on SBS. But hopefully the series will come out on a DVD at some stage.
Posted by: Jude | September 29, 2006 at 10:25 PM
Jude, that ore dust is terrible - and people are breathing it, scary...
I must get your husband to send his tree-fellers here, I have one gum that the experts keep telling me should come down, but to my eye it is not tall enough or heavy enough to do serious damage... yet... I hate cutting trees so subterfuge would be needed here too.
Men in their tinnies is well worth a look, I cannot believe what has happened to the rivers though - how can that have been allowed to happen?
Posted by: DellaB | October 01, 2006 at 09:54 PM