Cobdogla Irrigation Museum

These days the "Loveday Flyer" takes visitors around the Cobdogla Irrigation Museum, but in 1921 she was one of two 24 gauge locomotives that were used in the development of the area. Cobdogla sits on a section of the Murray between Loxton and Waikerie and during the massive irrigation of the area during the first part this century became a hub of activity. The trains carried pipes and concrete and removed sand and stone until the job was finished in 1922. After rusting in a playground she was restored and has added another role to a fascinating life of service. Bill Hewitt-Dower is President of the Cobdogla Steam Friends, a group that keeps the Museum going. It started as the result of the state's 150th anniversary in 1986 when the old E&WS decided to restore the site. Part of the restoration included what is called the Humphrey Pump - named after it's English designer Hubert Alfred Humphrey. A simple explanation is that the Humphrey used a controlled explosion of gas to work a giant piston that resulted in water being pumped from the Murray onto agricultural lands. "It has to be unique, there is only 13 built in the world and only one in the Southern Hemisphere. So as you can gather it's something special."

A few times a year the pump is fired up and witnesses say the earth really moves when Humphrey goes off. There's a few other ground shuddering machines at Cobdogla, like the Fowler Crane Engine built in England in 1920 and brought to South Australia. It was one of five for heavy artillery against the battle to irrigate the land. It's another example of the work of the Cobdogla Steam Friends Society. The Museum includes an impressive history of the area run by the National trust and it backs onto the Cobdogla Station Caravan Park. The best time to visit is during operating days and the next one is on Sunday October 5th, that's in three weeks time. Cobdogla is about two and a half hour drive from Adelaide. Caravan Park sites are $15 and $48 for cabins. For more information email: info@postcards.sa.com.au