We knew about Kulin because Heather Ewart has done a Backroads programme about the town. From Gorge Rock you take the road towards Kondinin, then turn left onto the Tin Horse Highway. They have a bush race meeting each year and the Tin Horse competition became quite a thing. We didn’t see the rest of it on the other side of Kulin, but felt we knew it a bit because that was the way Heather came to the town.

The town free campsite is located centrally, screened behind bushes and trees from the Main Street. There are toilets and free 3 minute showers, water and a dump point. And a charging point for electric cars. But, that’s not the coolest camping option. How about a caravan park where you choose what to pay, depending on how happy you are.

We stayed in the free camp by preference and bought some groceries at the local IGA after walking around the town this morning as our way of giving thanks. The woman on the checkout looked and sounded like the bride in the Backroads programme, but I was too shy to ask if it was she.

We arrived just a little before sunset last night, so didn’t get a chance to go for a walk. This morning we explored the Main Street and a couple of the town’s famous landmarks, the swimming pool slide and the big recreation centre. A local farmer died and left a million dollars to the town. They got together and decided on what they wanted. The children wanted a water slide and they purchased one second hand and volunteers trucked it from Queensland. Sport is important in the town and the big recreation centre with a clubhouse was what people wanted.

We were adopted by this dog, who was quite friendly. As we walked along she would go ahead, then look back to make sure we were following. She is tagged, so we knew she wasn’t a stray. When we got back to where she picked us up her owner whistled and she ran joyfully to him.

After our walk we filled up with water and dumped our cassette before heading off to have lunch in Kondinin. We just wanted to see what the town was like.

We shared the drive back as far as Brookton where we are spending our last night for this trip. Our plan is to drive home in the morning, hoping to be there before the worst of the promised ‘once in a decade’ storm. The weather has been warm and sunny during the day with quite cold nights and there is no sign that the weather is about to change.