Tin Horse Highway in WA offers roadside laughs, sculptures and an iconic Outback drive for RVers.
Quirky Outback Road Trip: Tin Horse Highway, WA
At just 15 kilometres long, this Outback highway is probably one of the shortest there is … but this is more than made up for with the colour, interest, ingenuity and creativity that lines the way on both sides of the road.
Tin Horse Highway WA: Where Art and Humour Meet
Out here in the vibrant Western Australia wheatbelt area at Kulin, just under 300 kilometres south-east of Perth, the town's popular bush race meeting held at the beginning of October each year has brought out an unexpected creative talent in the locals living along the road leading to the racecourse.
Kulin Bush Races: The Spark Behind the Sculptures
With the race track 15 kilometres east of town in a picturesque setting near Jilakin Rock (a huge granite outcrop overlooking the track) and alongside Jilakin Lake – a natural salt lake that is especially appealing when full of water – it is, indeed, a splendid setting for the annual event that usually attracts around 4,000 visitors for this action-packed bush event.
With a view of promoting their beloved races, Kulin resident Mary Lucchesi started enthusiastically encouraging local farmers to build horse statues in their paddocks en route to the track.
Unique Roadside Attractions Australia Can Be Proud Of
Mary had seen the interest that scarecrows had brought to the south-west town of Balingup and thought the concept was worth a go here in Kulin. Records show that Anne-Marie Carmody and Serge Lucchesi built the first couple of 'horses' and from there, it seems everyone suddenly had a tin horse idea and got to work in friendly rivalry to outdo their neighbours.
RV Trip Western Australia: A Laugh a Kilometre
Creative works of 'horse art' were soon beginning to appear in a quirky open-air gallery on either side of the road en route to the track.
Like farmers everywhere, the property owners around Kulin could always put their hands on farm junk – odd pieces of metal, pipes, drums, kerosene tins, star pickets, push bikes, car bonnets, doors, mufflers, old plough discs and the like – from around their farms. With a creative flare and talent previously untapped (and using their bush welding and painting skills), they set their minds on creating a unique, unexpected and entertaining array of Outback 'horsie' sculptures in all manner of shapes, sizes and poses along the road.
Some are standing alone, some are pulling ploughs, others are in groups; there's a family riding a Harley; some are drinking at a bar; and others are dancing or playing golf, hockey, darts and tennis.
There's one up a tree, one in an aeroplane, one on a rocket, a couple playing backyard cricket and even a team of horses playing football – truly ingenious! At last count, and growing each year, there were around 100 humorous horsie creations now in place in paddocks and on the verge along the highway
Quirky Tin Horse Highway Drive: A WA Icon
This is indeed a seriously entertaining drive and a real laughing matter every kilometre along the way! The highway has become a popular WA icon in its own right, regardless of the bush races it set out to promote.
When next in WA's wheatbelt country, whether or not it coincides with the colourful Kulin Bush races, laugh your way along the Tin Horse Highway as you enjoy the quirky verge-side entertainment that the folk around Kulin have created. It is also a popular alternate route for travellers on their way to or from WA's famous Wave Rock at nearby Hyden.
Plan Your Visit to the Tin Horse Highway and Kulin Bush Races
Tips
- The Kulin Bush Race weekend (held in October each year) starts on Friday night with an art and craft exhibition. Saturday has the horse races, entertainment and fireworks … and as a real treat you can purchase a 'Nag Bag', a Kulin Bush Races showbag packed full of goodies. Sunday's Great Aussie Revival Breakfast winds up this most enjoyable weekend.
- A camping area with hot showers and toilets (including disabled facilities) is available at the racecourse during the Bush Race weekend. And Kulin Caravan Park is a free overnight camping area (72 hours maximum) for fully self-contained RVs near the Visitor Centre with a new (free) shower and toilet block. Nearby at the Kulin Aquatic Centre is Australia's biggest water slide.If you're in need of a camping area within a different location, the CMCA Traveller always comes in handy.
- The Tin Horse Highway (Kulin to Holt Rock Road) is fully sealed from Kulin except for the last few kilometres (good gravel) into the Jilakin Race Track, 15 kilometres east of Kulin. https://kulinbushraces.com.au.
