Barmera  South Australia

Barmera is a thriving citrus, grape and orchard town on the banks of Lake Bonney, 221km north-east of Adelaide. Things, however, weren’t all that orderly round the lakeside in the 60-odd years between the first settlement and the gazetting of the town in 1921.

The settlement grew round the Overland Corner Hotel, a watering hole for drovers whose regular clashes with local Aborigines led to the establishment of a police station to keep the peace. The old stone pub is still standing under the protection of the National Trust alongside old graves and copper mining relics.

A popular fishing spot, Lake Bonney has also hosted several attempts on the world water speed record. An obelisk records that English swashbuckler Donald Campbell hit 347.5kmh in 1964 before aborting his record run.

A short drive west from the town takes you to the Coddogla Irrigation and Steam Museum which boasts the world's only working Humphrey Pump, which played a vital role in early irrigation ventures in the area.