23rd October 2021 Katanning

We left Wagin on our way to Katanning it was a nice day so we made a bit of detour to Lake Dumbbleyung and was very surprised to find out the history of the place.

Neither of us new it was the lake that Donald Campbell broke the world speed record on water in 1964 with a speed of 444.7 kms per hour, he also held the land speed record of 648.43 km per hour which he achieved on Lake Eyre SA.

The boat, the blue bird was built as a replica to honour 50 years and is proudly displayed in the small country town.

Donald Campbell died in England in 1967 trying to beat his time, he was doing well over 500 kms per hour when the boat became airborne and flipped, he was knighted posthumously.

The water speed record now is held by Ken Warby, in 2016 he reached 511.1 on a dam in NSW.

The lake gets to 4 metres deep but in the dry it can become a salt pan, it is over 13kms long.

When we reached Katanning they were holding their annual show so the free stay area was almost full, we were lucky to get a spot.

We never went to the show just walked around town checking out the country town, we did go to the supermarket.

While we sat outside having dinner, it was getting dark to our surprise fireworks started at the showground, which was near us so we had dinner with fireworks.