Andrew and I met up with Fred, Eric and Shelley at Munno Para on Good Friday morning. We headed off towards Burra for an early lunch. Then we continued up the very quiet Barrier Highway to Yunta to meet up with Paul and Barb and to top up fuel tanks (cheaper than most Adelaide servo’s!). On to Olary then we turned off and stopped at the rail crossing to watch the Indian Pacific pass, and then continued on to Tikalina Station which has a small museum with lots of information and relics from Radium Hill, which closed in 1961.
We travelled along some dirt roads for a while. We passed a massive water tank on our right up on a hill then we were back onto bitumen which was broken and cracked, this was the start of the town.
There were stumps where the single men’s quarters were, the transportables had been taken away. All around there were bare concrete slabs and doorsteps leading to nothing, scrub was growing where the family homes used to be.A fairly large group of people were already camped where the school yard used to be. They were ex-workers and children who were born or brought up at Radium Hill in the 50’s. We set up just across and were told that at 7pm we were all to go to where the Drive-in Movie Theatre used to be for photos. So after a quick happy hour and dinner we headed off up the hill and were directed to park in rows by the men representing those who used to be the car park attendants for the Drive-in. Photos were taken of us all so they could be added to the "then and now" pictures of Radium Hill.
They then started reminiscing about all the ‘goings on’ and the films that were shown at the Drive-in. The projectionist told of having to cut out pieces of damaged film and splicing them back together and nobody ever noticed. We had a few interruptions of dull thuds as Paul seemed to find every piece of wire or rock in the dark to fall over, not once or twice but three times! (Can’t take him anywhere!).The next day Kevin Kakoschke, an ex-worker, who is an absolute wealth of information about Radium Hill, took us out at 9.30am to tour the town - swimming pool, hospital, church then out to the main mining site.
He told us all about the different buildings that were close to the mine - machine shop, fuel depot, admin, workshops, compressor house, crusher and how the ore was mined and transported with all his memories and stories, some funny and some gruesome. On the way back we stopped off at the dump and spent some time looking at rusty pots, pans, prams, chamber pots, children’s toys, glass bottles and an old car. Back to camp for lunch then out to Gall’s Well. We all got to have a go at water divining and I think it works! Even Fred the sceptic was having second thoughts that maybe there was something to it. Kevin also said by holding a small nugget of gold in each hand with the wires you can detect gold, but I don’t think he is a millionaire so I am not so sure about that one! We then looked around the ruins of a very old mining town called Luxemburg. 
Then back to camp, where numbers had swelled as 14 vehicles had arrived from The Riverland 4WD Club, who had set up camp on the opposite side. At 7pm we were invited across to the main camp for an evening of entertainment. It all kicked off with a Paddy Melon Bowling Competition, which at the right time of year could rival JC’s Off-Road Bocce! Paul bowled first and got 2 inches from the post, but the judges said they weren’t ready and disallowed the shot, which was a bit harsh. We all had 3 shots each, at the height of the competition there were paddy melons going everywhere. None of us got onto the winners podium but we put up a good fight. Next up were a couple of acts - 2 ladies dressed up and started up conga lines and another lady tap-danced. 
We then watched a movie from the 50’s about Radium Hill - families enjoying picnics, playing sport, the miners going down into the mines and all narrated by Kevin. Then it was back to the acts. A guy came on to do rope tricks, Andrew and I and another couple got called up for that. He tied mine and Andrew’s wrists together with the ropes crossed and we had to get them apart without untying them. After lots of stepping through and arms over heads we were still tied together. He quickly showed us how to get out of it and I’m still not sure exactly what he did. Andrew and I will have to get our ropes out and practice in private! When we got back to our seats Paul was going through his song lyrics, he’d got himself onto the entertainment schedule to sing! 
We were frantically planning with Fred, Eric, Barb and Shelley an extremely fast get away before Paul could perform, but before we knew it the evening had wrapped up with a raffle and fireworks and they’d forgotten him ... ahhhhh, oh dear, what a shame. Back at camp there was a heated discussion about finding South with the Southern Cross. Fred’s theory seemed pretty sound but Paul’s theory quickly lost credibility after we had picked it to bits.Sunday morning was another tag-along at 9.15am, this time we had a much larger group, with The Riverland Club joining in to make 23 vehicles, again Kevin led with commentary on the radio. We headed out to the Maldorky Hills and Maldigo Lake (which means ‘curse you’ in Spanish because it was salt water) and then gold prospecting.
We saw lots of feral goats with a comment over the radio from Fred, having seen a goat stumbling and falling over the rocks, about the similarities to a certain person driving a red Nissan. Maldigo Lake amazingly had water in it with a fair amount of bird life - Avocets, ducks, teal & a family of Black Swans. After that we went to look for gold. We all started keenly looking for large nuggets, but it turned out it would only be the smallest flecks seen with a jeweller’s eyeglass, none of us are giving up our day jobs. Then back to the lake for lunch, The Riverland 4WD Club left us there to do their own exploration of Radium Hill town. After a leisurely lunch we went back to camp via the small cemetery for a quiet walk around and read. At camp we had happy hour then took down the shade tent as thunder was heard and the wind picked up with clouds rolling in, but it was only a small dust storm, it passed & the sun came out. 
In the evening a film was shown on a large screen at the main camp but we elected to stay at our own camp and have important discussions once again about the Southern Cross. Ask Paul about the Emu’s bottom and finding south.Monday morning we were up, packing & fighting the flies for our breakfast. On the way back in between Yunta & Oodla Wirra a large road-train roared past and Paul told Fred he was stopping because of a lot of noise from his roof and also asked TEC Eric and Shelley to be on the look out for a tent! The tent was safely retrieved and Paul informed us the strap had snapped which Andrew translated for me as "Paul’s knot came undone".
Paul and Barb left us at Oodla Wirra to go back to Peterborough and we all went on into Clare to visit John & Kym.
We’ve had a fantastic time. I can only hope I can remember at least half of the information and stories Kevin gave us, that guy is amazing!
Thank you to Kevin Kakoschke and all the Radium Hill family for making us so welcome and thank you to Fred for a well led and interesting trip.Glow in the dark team:
Andrew and Sarah (tied in knots)
Fred (fearless trip leader and much more believable than Paul)
Paul "The Fall Guy" and Barb (has anyone seen my tent?)
Eric and Shelley (Eric’s Aunt and Uncle lived and worked in Radium Hill, he found their doorstep)
By Sarah
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