Kulin could be just another small farming town in the West Australian Wheatbelt but it offers much more to travelling gypsy families like us! For starters, it has the longest outdoor water slide in the southern hemisphere - an immediate attraction for 3 water-mad kids. Perhaps more interesting for those of us a little more mature is the lure of the Tin Horse Highway.
As Kulin's marketing brochures declare..."The Tin Horse Highway is a laughing matter!" The main highway either side of Kulin has become the scene of much horsing around! (boom boom) What initially started as a bit of fun by some local farmers to draw attention to their annual race day has grown into a major regional tourist drive. The collection of over 100 horse 'sculptures' that sit proudly in paddocks are truly fantastic. Some make you laugh out loud with their cleverness, others make you groan as you realise the intended pun. Some are more an engineering marvel while others probably need a little more artistic input to meet the standards set by their peers. All utilise the bits'n'bobs left lying idle in farms across the country - old drums, rusted exhausts, off cuts from pipes, old tyres...the 'artists'' ingenuity is only limited by their imagination. I've included some of our favourites in the photos below - i hope they give you a giggle or two!
Kulin was also noteable for its caravan park where "you pay what you think it's worth"! We were expecting something below par but they had the best bathrooms we've come across so far - exactly like you would have at home. The park also offered power, water, a laundry and concrete slabs to park on. The facilities were cleaned every day by the 'caretaker' who was employed by the council to collect your money, offer a friendly welcome and keep the park clean and tidy. She did all of this perfectly. We were only 50m from the shops in one direction and 50m to the water slide the other way. The town was so laid back and quiet - even the dogs and kids seemed to chill out easily !
Next to the caravan park was a jumble of buildings bearing the sign 'Camp Kulin'. We learnt this innovative 'camp', established in 2013, offers a range of generalist camp programs but more impressively, provides scholarship camps for children affected by childhood trauma. These scholarship camps are by far the most sought after and possibly the most important work provided by Camp Kulin. There are currently more than 400 kids on the wait list for a scholarship, which is evidence of the Camp's success and reputation. The Camp's Manager is a highly motivated young person who has, in only a few short years, brought national and international attention to their incredible work.
Well done Kulin!
While we were there, the town hosted a 'slide-a-thon' to raise money for Camp Kulin. Teams of 6-10 people competed for the national title of 'slide-a-thon' champion. Many came in fancy dress, others were clearly kitted out for serious competition. Fun was had by all!
We enjoyed Kulin's hospitality for 5 days (longer than anticipated) and were headed to Albany until a worsening toothache determined a detour to Perth was required to source some urgent dental work.
