WanAus 206 - Iron Knob ICEM Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australia
By WanderingAus on 15-Oct-11. Waypoint GA3482

Cache Details

Difficulty:
Terrain:
Type:	Traditional
Container:	Small
Coordinates:	S32° 43.247' E137° 8.897' (WGS 84)
	53H 701333E 6377625N (UTM)
Elevation:	159 m
Local Government Area:	Pastoral Unincorporated Area

Map

Whodunit Geocache

Description

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN WRITING IMPLEMENT!!!

I've Cached Everywhere, Man is the largest cache series hidden in Australia. It is made up of the locations made famous by Lucky Star in the song "I've been everywhere" in 1962, lyrics by Geoff Mack, as well as other towns mentioned in verses made up by geocachers. Iron Knob is the one hundred and fifty-fourth place mentioned in the song, at line four in GCA Verse 7 by Trigg-A-Nomics. Having travelled through Iron Knob at least sixteen times over the years I finally found a cache there, and could then place an ICEM cache there too. (I won't place an ICEM cache in any place where I haven't found a cache of some sort first - my rule for me only).

GCA Verse 7 by Trigg-A-Nomics
I've cached in Tarlee, Marree, Waikerie, Yongala,
Coobowie, Terowie, Nangwarry, Barmera,
Woomera, Virginia, Wudinna, Kyancutta
Alice Springs, Spalding, Iron Knob, Curramulka
Pine Creek, Leigh Creek, Tennant Creek, Oodnadatta
Taperoo, Jabiru, Buckleboo, Orroroo!

Iron Knob is a town in South Australia on the Eyre Highway across Eyre Peninsula. At the 2006 census, Iron Knob and the surrounding area had a population of 199.

Iron ore was originally mined here for use as flux in the copper smelting industry. The iron ore was of such high quality that it started an iron smelting industry as well. It is referred to as the birth place of the steel industry in Australia. It gets its name for the fact that it has a large amount of iron ore and was a major contributor to Australia's iron industry.

Quarrying for iron at the town ended in 1998. Even though the mine was closed the town remained active.

In March 2011 OneSteel Whyalla announced plans for opening Monarch Mine and Princess Mine, to be fully operational by 2012. At a well attended Community meeting held at Iron Knob Angie Stokes and Don Dart, representing OneSteel Whyalla, informed the people present of the area to be mined as well as other relevant details. Don Dart explained that it was at this stage a 10yr plan involving repairing the railway line from Whyalla to Iron Knob, removing the problem of trucks carting ore to Whyalla.

This has put smiles on the faces of old timers in Iron Knob and I am sure past residents would think this was also good news for the community.

The cache is a small Sistema cliplock container. Contents are logbook and a pencil. My thanks to James0116 for replacing the container, allowing me to Unarchive the cache.

Swaggies are not tradeable items. Please feel free to take them without making a trade, but please leave a note in the logbook and your online log, and do log them online. Grounspeak Trackables (geocoins and travel bugs) can NOT be logged into this cache, or any other GCA cache. Please don't drop any Grounspeak Trackables in this cache, and if you find any in this cache please remove them and log a "Grab it from somewhere else" log for the trackable.

Congratulations to
Bunya
on the First To Find.

Logs

08-Dec-23

dezzabills

After spending a few days in Gawler it was time for to drive my mums (well my car now) from Gawler back to Perth. This was day one travelling from Gawler to Streaky Bay on a 5 day 3,100km adventure.
And there are hundreds of signs saying do not drive tired so geocaching helped with that.
Found lots of caches on the trip.
Thanks for the cache and making me get out and stretch WanderingAus. cache is still in great condition even when it was 45 whilst i was there
. Clapping

Rated: for Overall Experience

12-Jun-23

James0116

great cache

replaced cache container for the owner as it looks like it has disappeared

thanks for the cache

James0116

09-Mar-20

Everlasting

no luck so DNF from me

08-Aug-18

hhheddy

Passing through from the west (Perth) on our way to Jindabyne via Adelaide, Melbourne and Canberra. I know its a round about route but we have relative to visit along the journey. I looked for the cache and discounted the lid of the original container unbeknown to me that the new container was hiding beneath. It took the young fellow to say is this it!. Signed the log and replaced as found. Many thanks for the cache, it made a welcome break from the car during the long drive.

Rated: for Overall Experience

10-Mar-18

The Morris

Mr Morris was heading from Bendigo to Lake Gairdner to see the Dry Lake Racers a trip that started last year but they didn't quite make it. The camped here for one night before heading out to the station. Yhere's quite a collection of containers gathering here - maybe it will be like the thong tree.

TFTC WanAus

02-Nov-17

four-fun

After a bit of a drive today I finally reached here and found my first GCA cache for the day Mr. Green

Its getting to be a long way between drinks!
Was a little surprised to see the remains of two old caches here as well as the replacement.
Signed the logbook then went and did the nearby virtual before heading of for another couple of hours drive to my nights stop
Cheers & TFTC WanderingAus

06-Sep-17

Jeremiah Bullfrog

found a broken lid and broken film canister, so replaced it with what we had in the car. visited the museum and we were on the road again. TFTC

09-Jun-16

ahomburg

Out and about in iron knob today, found this lonely little cache. thank you.

19-Dec-15

Team Robins

S32° 43.247' E137° 8.897'

Quickly grabbed this one as we stayed nearby ... Walking around Australia for Prostate and Breast Cancers Very Happy

Rated: for Overall Experience

11-Aug-15

2y'stassies

Today we travelled from Whyalla to Iron Knob so had to look for this cache. We found a film cannister that was becoming brittle under the remains of a small sistema lid. The log is signable but shows signs of having been wet and muddy. unfortunately we did not have a replacement cache with us. We like to find ICEM caches when we are travelling and hope one day to have found them in all states of Australia as they form the only trail of linked caches around Australia. We own 10 ICEM caches in Tasmania.
Thanks for placing this cache WanderingAus

23-Apr-14

Mistraluna

Found this one on the return trip from the Oz Mega 2014 event.

Thanks WanderingAus

Rated: for Overall Experience

26-Mar-14

FelixII

On our way to Murray Bridge for Oz Mega we stopped by this cache. Iron Knob had all the major entry points under road maintenance so it was hard to get to this one. But we made it.

A bitumen mixer truck was sitting in the rest stop doing it's thing.

Cache is damaged and could use some TLC. Confused

TFTC WanderingAus Laughing

Only our second find on an ICEM cache.

Rated: for Overall Experience

13-Oct-13

firesafe

We were headed to the West Coast for the Googs 2013 trip grabbing a few along the way.

Found the lid only so put a replacement in place. TFTC. Very Happy

Rated: for Overall Experience

25-Apr-13

albida33

South Australia 2013 with Sol de Lune. We headed off on 12/4 and arrived home on 28/4. The trip was to visit the SA series so more time could be spent at the Mega itself next year. We did a huge variety of caching around Murray Bridge, the Mid North, Yorke Peninsula and Whyalla Region. Apart from one wet night and two wet days we were able to spend heaps of time caching.

The container needs some help

Thanks.
Albida

25-Apr-13

Sol de lune

Found with Albida during our 2 week caching spree around South Australia. Not much of the cache left though and I expect either a muggle or an animal has had a go at it. The lid and other bits and pieces were placed at an obvious spot at GZ, so hope it remains ok til you go past on your next trip this way WanAus.

With the nearby GC's, still worth the trip out during our stay at Whyalla.

Thanks WanAus......

Rated: for Overall Experience

07-Apr-13

partnersincache12

TFTC. will write more later

30-Dec-12

winglen

Found with McPhan on our trip further west. Worth stopping in IK as there were a few caches in addition to this one, and because it has such an interesting history. Thanks WanderingAus.

30-Dec-12

McPhan

Just another chance for winglen and me to get our GPSrs to say the mane of this town in unison. The planning for this part of the trip wasn't supposed to go off the main drag but I couldn't resist grabbing a couple of Iron Knob's caches Speak to the Hand

.

TFTC and the Dano.

20-Dec-12

mratt

Quick stop to grab this cache and the nearby virtual. Heading through on our way from Canberra to Perth for Christmas. TFTC.

14-Jul-12

beetles2

A great spot to stop and get 2 GCA caches easily. Would love to have time to check out Iron Knob but have to be in Melbourne Tuesday so guess we'll have to come back. Thanks.

26-Jun-12

emeraldflame

found @ 14:10 with mum and dad (ross47)

Quick find on our way through to Perth.

TNLN TFTC

Rated: for Overall Experience

26-Jun-12

ross47

A quick find @ 14:10 in the company of the geowife and emeraldflame as we head towards Perth.

Thanks to WanderingAus for the cache. TNLN

Rated: for Overall Experience

31-May-12

ROSS1957

Found it on my way back to Perth after a 12 day trip around the
Eyre Peninsula.
TFTC

Rated: for Overall Experience

29-Mar-12

Chwiliwr

Called in on the way east to the mega.

Thanks for the cache.

07-Nov-11

Bunya

Thanks for all the details provided in the cache description about ICEM and the town itself.
Took turtle, left silver gecko.
Thanks for the cache, WanderingAus.

Rated: for Overall Experience

15-Oct-11

WanderingAus

WanderingAus wandered by with the WanderingMrs (aka SWMBO) on day 142 of our annual Climatic Refugee trip. The WanderingMrs had determined through the wonders of the Information Superhighway that there was over a week of line dancing at the Wentworth Services Club, so after a couple of cold, wet and windy days in Horsham, and a night in Ouyen, we made our way to Curlwaa and booked in for five nights.

Once the line dancing competition was over the WanderingMrs was ready to head for home. After a night in Waikiri and a night in Jamestown we headed for Port Augusta via a roundabout way, and after three nights in Port Augusta we were finally on the last almost straight leg of our trip.

We pulled in to Iron Knob for a morning tea break, driving up to the town and taking advantage of the facilities but disappointed to find even the roadhouse was now closed. Talking to a local it seems the nearest shopping is at Whyalla.

We ended up having our morning tea near GA1286 Iron Knob by richlink, so I quickly walked over, took the requisite photo for that cache, then placed this cache.

Ready to roll, enjoy.