28th August 2014 – Coffin Bay & Point Lincoln

After a slow start, with a cooked breakfast, we headed off to Port Lincoln in David’s car.  At first impressions, Port Lincoln is well laid out , clean and impressive with its industry, commerce and facilities.

A visit to the Information Office to check out on what are the must do things in town and the area.  We decide on an Aquaculture and Sightseeing tour boat cruise for the afternoon.   Following a walk and drive around the extensive foreshore, and David & Barbara touching base with a contact who runs a local tackle shop, we head off to the Fresh Fish Place  to purchase lunch.

The three Fisherman’s Baskets were excellent and thoroughly enjoyed by David, Michael & Dot.   Barbara had whiting.  This place had a wonderful choice of fish and seafood to buy and take-away.

Our tour starts at 12.30pm in ideal calm seas, sunny conditions.  The 7.2metre boat takes 8 passengers on the tour.   Captain Pete is very informative and entertaining.   We are taken around a couple of bays, with the various millionaires’ properties pointed out, visit a seal and sea lion nursery, view  mussel farms, along with the kingfish pens.  We are treated to Bluefin Tuna Sashimi in a beautiful sheltered cove of electric blue water and white sand.  Various birdlife is observed, including the special ones of a white sea eagle flying above, a nesting pair of ospreys, cape barren geese and many other sea birds.

The tour concludes around 3.50pm and we arrive home circa 5.00pm all tired from the fresh sea air and very satisfied with our day.

Tonight we are off to the local hotel, for our last meal together with David & Barbara, as Dot & Michael head for home tomorrow.

David & Barbara are likely to spend a day or so more in the area and then possibly head to the Flinders Ranges for a visit before heading home.

This will be the last entry for this blog.

27th August 2014 – Ceduna to Coffin Bay

Dot &  Michael are rudely awaken around 5.00am by dripping condensation  from the inside of the tent roof onto their faces.  Wiping the inside of the tent at 5.00am is not fun, with the paper towels becoming saturated very quickly. No such problem in the caravan for David & Barbara.

We pack up and this morning Michael manages to have a shower plus breakfast before leaving.  Before we start Dot rings Coffin Bay Caravan Park to arrange cabin facilities for tonight….we don’t want to get there and find them all taken.  We are on the road just after 8.00am, with a target of 395klm for the day.

We travel through very diverse landscapes, from rolling hills, sand dunes & lakes, canola & grain crops, limestone littered paddocks and dry walls.

Our initial stop is at “Murphy’s Haystacks” , and unusual grouping of large stones up to 10m high…..some resemble the old style haystack shape.

We decide to stop at Elliston for lunch and a break from driving.   At the entrance to the town, there is a Cliff-top ocean view road that provides stunning views of the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula and the island off shore.  At different locations on the cliff edge are some interesting sculptures -  Easter Island Type Heads and human face.

We then find a bakery for some bacon & cheese rolls and off to make lunch.  Nice and fresh and tasty

Then off for the remaining 155 klm, which becomes demanding for the last hour, despite the the varying scenery. Dot & Michael use the car radio, via Dot’s ipod to do some French lessons to keep awake.

We enter Coffin Bay which is very scenic and are greeted by Western grey kangaroos grazing beside the office.   The campground is very large and well laid out with a range of basic and villa cabin accommodation, plus camping sites among the treed  and grassy areas.   David & Barbara are located not to far from us, but it is in a slightly sloping grassed area, which David says is not good because it upsets the drainage flows within the caravan.

We take a quick drive around the town and take in the views from the lookout ….spectacular.    Emus grazing beside the Esplanade [ Main street] into town.  We locate an oyster production house, where David orders a dozen unopened oysters for $8.00,….but with no change for his $10.00, David finishes up getting around 20.  At happy hour we all enjoyed watching David shuck the oyster shells, whilst getting a leg shower from the water coming from the shells. David’s eating of the oysters took about a tenth of the time it took to shuck.  The Yellowtail Bubbles was very refreshing.

We shared providing the cooking ingredients tonight, as tomorrow night we are dining out as it will be our last night together.   Cornish Beef sausages [ from Kalgoorlie] and vegetables, with some nice red wine.   After mains, Barbara gets the frypan out and cooks pancakes which we have apples & ice cream with.   Funny that David’s appetite was down after all those oysters.

24th – 26th August 2014 - Kalgoorlie to Ceduna across the Nullabor

Sunday 24/08/14 – We commence the long drive across the Nullabor.  We made good time reaching Fraser Range before lunchtime, so after a quick look we continue and stop at Balladonia for lunch.  The roadside and beyond is covered in small gum trees and wattles – some a mass of colour.

We continue onto the Caiguna Blowhole [approx 5klm before Caiguna], where we have a very good bush-camp, up to 3klm off the highway, which helped  minimise the road noise, especially from the road trains.  After 572 klm for the day we are glad to get out of the car and have happy hour after setting up camp.  The nights are very clear and quite cool.

 

Monday 25/08/14 – We pack up early and are on the road before 7.30am visiting the Blowhole 10metres from the highway, but some 5klm from the coast.  Another big day ahead as we intend to stop at Nullabor [SA], resulting in losing 1.5hours as we turn our clocks forward. We manage to cover 530klm plus the detours off the highway to view the Great Australian Bight.  We have been travelling through many klms of treeless plain.  Facilities at Nullabor are basically non existent for campers without a caravan.  We get in late in the afternoon to setup – [ground only allows tent pegs to go in approximately 2- 3 “] , and the required cookup of vegetables [& fruit] to negate the handover at the next day Ceduna Quarantine Inspection.   The sea mist rolls in after dark.

 

Tuesday 26/08/14 – We wake up to a tent saturated not only on the outside from the sea mist, but also on the inside from our breathing condensation.   Great fun packing up a saturated tent and ground sheet……we are getting over this.   In addition it is bitterly cold, so we visit the roadhouse for warming coffee and also have a bacon & egg toastie for breakfast.  Whilst we are doing this Barbara is baking a zucchini slice to use up the last of her fresh veggies, in order not to hand over later in the day at the Quarantine Inspection.

We finally move off circa 8.00am and head for the Head of the Bight, where we are told that there were circa 170 whales [ including calves].   There was a free campground, with facilities, at the entrance to the National Park..[better than the Nullabor Roadhouse.  It was brilliant morning with bright sunshine making visibility excellent, reflecting of the whales in the distance as they broached the surface, as well as their movement trails through the water.  The cliff tops has decking walkways which provide excellent views of the mothers and their calves cruising and frolicking in the waters directly below.  We also see dolphins fishing and playing around the whales,[once Michael puts on his polaroid sunglasses…blind beforehand], which were often in close groups of 4 – 6.  The markings on each are very distinctive.   Cameras were clicking and binoculars in use for well in excess of 1.5 hours…….what a great start to the day!!!!!

We make Ceduna mid afternoon, after 300 klm [ the last hour of driving demanding] and after the Quarantine check, a declined caravan park, we finally get a place at Shelly Beach Park.  Dot & Michael are looking forward to a cabin, due to a saturated tent in the  car.  However no cabins available, so need to erect tent to dry then set up.  Fortunately very sunny and in the mid to high 20s, so tent dries very quickly.

David has meantime gone into town to purchase a second hand spring set, which on his return he removes broken one and refits the purchase to the caravan, with very  minimal help from Michael.  As he starts to prepare to jack up the van, he identifies an internal flood due to a running tap, which needs to be cleaned up.  This subsequently blew fuses in the caravan and then the park for their site.  Once everything dried out, the matter was rectified at their park site.

While this was happening Dot was reviewing a couple of alternate caravan layouts of a Mt Martha and a Scoresby couple who have been stopping at the same parks since Southern Cross and the Kalgoorlie mine tour.

The campground is directly behind the dunes, with a section with power facilities on top of the dune viewing the beach and sea.  This area  can be booked.  The apartment/cabins are located in the same area.

Good camp kitchen facilities utilised for tea.

23rd August 2014 – Kalgoorlie & surrounds

Up early and off in David and Barbara’s car  for a round trip of  360 klm to visit and return from Lake Ballard, to the north.  Lake Ballard is a salt encrusted dried lake where an Englishman has created and erected 51 statues across the dried lake surface.  The statues have been modelled on local residents of nearby communities. We all take time and wander around taking in a percentage of the statues – adult  male and females, as well as children.

On the way and return we come across a number of historic gold mining towns that in their “ hayday” supported sizeable population, pubs and service stores.  The telegram boy would travel by push-bike for hundreds of miles to deliver a single telegram.

We arrived back in Kalgoorlie circa 2.00pm, where we book in for a tour by the Madame of Casa Questa, one of the remaining two brothels in Kalgoorlie. The 3.30pm tour is so popular that us four plus another couple are asked to come back at 4.30pm.  The Madame provides a historical insight of the industry and how it fitted into Kalgoorlie in the early mining days and was subsequently quarantined and consolidated in Hay Street.   It was very informative and entertaining, including a tour of the starting stalls and the “working rooms”.  Our tour went for circa 1 hour 20 minutes.

22nd August 2014 – Southern Cross to Kalgoorlie-Boulder

We were on the road by 7.00am  and made good time reaching Kalgoorlie around 9.15am.  Coffee drinks were had whilst we waited for the tour commencement and had discussion with other travelling Victorian caravaners who were booked into the tour.

The tour necessitated all participants to wear safety vests & glasses, long sleeve shirts & pants and closed footwear.  We were given a history of the gold finds as we headed out to the mine on the bus.  The tour bus took us into the mine at the top and indicated that in certain sections that there were miners & enormous dump trucks and shovels working up to 1.5klm below the surface, with their own road network to bring the ore to the surface. 

The pit is huge and at a depth of 600 metres, 1.5klm and 2,5klm across.  We were given an explanation of how they were developing the mine now and over previous years. We saw this later at a display centre with photos taken on an annual basis over the last 25 years. During an explanation of operations and the mine vista, Michael recognised and caught up with a couple of Rotary cricketers from Horsham who were also on the tour.

We returned to town central around 12.15pm with indications that a blast explosion of the mine face would be happening at 1.30pm.  We along with many others arrive at the superpit entrance pre 1.00pm, only to find the gates shut due to maintenance work to the entrance road, required due to rain overnight.  The gates to the superpit road were finally opened around 1.40pm, but the blast explosion had already occurred. We nevertheless get an alternate view of the superpit with the help of binoculars.  Ordinary work vehicles look like an ant compared to the huge dump trunks and shovels…binoculars give a better view.

We check into Swiss type chalet accommodation which is well appointed with all cooking facilities available for a family of 4.  After this we head off with David & Barbara to take in the views of the city and surrounds from a number of lookouts.

We are using this as a base for tomorrow to take in the city and surrounds.

21st August 2014 – Bindoon to Southern Cross

We experienced a very wet and windy night…….and it was great packing up the tent & tent fly this morning in the rain and on Monbulk type red soil.  The tent fly was put into a large plastic bag, similar also for the under tent tarp.

We were accompanied  by rain as we took  the scenic route through the hills as we headed eastward, through a range of small communities servicing the wheat and canola industries.  The canola is a mass of yellow at present.  The interesting town names include Tooday, Goomalling,

At a mid morning break at Wyalkatchem, we visited their Museum of Agricultural Farm Machinery.  We all found this interesting and all agreed that our forebears were very innovative in what they created to make work easier or more efficient.

Lunch break at Merredin [on the Great Eastern Highway] to get out of the car and stretch our legs.  It was something we both desperately needed.

After a break we pushed onto Southern Cross, arriving around 3.00pm, where a  number of calls were made to Kalgoorlie Information Centre to book a mine tour for tomorrow morning.  This will necessitate and early start by 7.00pm to get there in time for the 10.30 tour.

20th August 2014 – Dallwallenu to Bindoon

We are on the road circa 7.30am and head south to Wongan Hills with the aim of just a short day driving.  No luck with the caravan park having cabins/camp kitchen.

After viewing the range of  local flora in the cemetery, where a woody pear is in flower and very profuse, and a  number of unsuccessful telephone calls looking for accommodation, we head  north west to New Norcia.   New Norcia is the only monastic town in Australia run by the Benedictine Monks.  We book into a 2 hour town tour plus additional tour of the Museum.

The tour is fascinating, providing an insight into the establishment of this self sufficient town, originally by  Spanish monks in the 1830s  and their interaction and involvement of the local aborigines at the time.   The Abbott position continued to be appointed from Spain for the first 100 years.  Currently they produce bread, olive products, wine, fruit & vegetables not to mention their large land holdings with sheep and cattle husbandry.   The special chapels and school buildings for aborigines [stolen generation] as well as orphanages and borders are in the process of  being renovated or upgraded to meet various Government OH&S requirements.   It was a a very informative afternoon.

We drive south looking for a spot to camp, with rain threatening.   Eventually we arrive at Bindoon and set up camp in the dark around a Council cricket ground.  It was challenging for Dot preparing a pasta meal in the rain.  We all enjoyed this in David and Barbara’s caravan where it was dry.

19th August 2014 – Dalwallenu surrounds

We meet at the Visitors Tourist Centre at 9.00am, after a wet night.   This Centre is well appointed with heaps of information, plus a very helpful lass who advised on a number of special sites to visit.   This is a very attractive town well laid out and with lots of floral colour in the main street, either in the medium strip or in large pots on the footpath.  We were told that Dallwallenu and its surrounds hosts the highest quantity of wattle varieties in the world.

We  visit the bakery for lunch rolls and the IGA supermarket for some basic supplies for lunch or happy hour.   We were all surprised when a staff member served customers with their fruit & vegetable requests.

First trip was off to the Mia Moon Rocks and Reserve area where we spent 2.5 hours hunting for and finding a range of orchids….donkey, bee, white spiders, spiders and sun orchids in amongst the bushes and grasses.  There was always a squeal of delight with each find, though we were becoming a bit blasé with the Donkey orchids… We came across other travellers who had not found any in their visit to the area. 

Another lunch out of the back of the vehicles, and then back up the highway to Mt. Gibson area, where we had been yesterday viewing the wreath flowers. Approximately
2-3klm on further than we went yesterday the wreath flowers were in mass profusion.  The round trip of circa 160 klm was well worth it to see this display.

On the way back to Dalwallenu we called into the Jeddenburg Reserve [located above Wubin] and were treated to mass displays of pink, white and yellow daisies……..just as well the girls have digital cameras as we would have had no film left if they were using old technology.

The end of the day, we had either hamburgers or fish & chips for tea at a local pizza shop…. We were allowed to bring wine, but the business had no glasses…..so they provided a cardboard milkshake carton for us to drink the wine from…….the wine must have been good as the whole bottle was consumed.

18th August 2014 – Yagloo to Dalwallenu

We were on the road before 8.00am again, and our first stop on the road to Paynes Find was Joker’s Tunnel – an original gold mining lease in the area, resulting in a tunnel being carved  from one side of the hill to the other.  The tunnel is approximately 200 metres long, 1.25m wide and varying between 1.2m to 1.8m in height.  The site is a geological Trig Point for the area.  It was an interesting diversion.

The road was sealed for the first 70klm, then unsealed for the remaining 85klm.   It was a very interesting drive through a diverse range of terrain and soils, plus a variety of plants in flower, resulting in the the compulsory photo shoot for Dot and Barbara.  Finally we arrive at Paynes Find [a Roadhouse on the Great  Northern Highway plus remains of old mining operations including an old battery] for a coffee and fuel plus a chat with other travellers.

We head south towards Mt Gibson and turn off past a huge mine operation removing a very large hill….large road trains [4 trailers transporting the ore to a processing plant nearby] where we were advised there was a good display of the wreath leschenaultia.  We drove up the road for a kilometre or two and found a number of these small but impressive plants on both sides of the road.

We move off to a roadside facility and have a quick bite to eat for lunch. David assists a road-train driver to fix part of his load which has been rubbing against vertical side bars, resulting in the bag being split from rubbing and he is losing part of the silica contents.

We headed south and then back tracking to pick up the Goodlands Road to Kannine, from Barbara’s research from the various tourist brochures .   It is another sandy road, where wreath leschenaultias and other flowering plants are present.   We finally find the wreath flowers, after initial false alarms from signage.    It is another interesting drive, with many photo shoot stops.  We then come into wheat and pastoral properties and encounter sporadic rain showers.

We drive through Wubin, purely a road-train terminal & fuel stop….  Road trains going south are restricted to B Doubles [i.e 36.3m length], but going north they increase to 3 or 4 trailers [i.e 53.5m length].

Onto Dalwallenu and with serious rain happening and forecast to continue, Dot & Michael seek a cabin……but no cabin facilities  at the campground so it is off to town and manage to get a motel room for the evening, and evening dinner catered by the local pub.

We decide to make Dalwallenu a base for the next day as well.  

17th August 2014 – Wildflowers in the Yagloo District

We decided to use Yagloo as a central base to view the wildflowers in the area.  We set off early around 8.00am to undertake a triangle of the area.   Initially we took the road to Morowa, and we only had just turned onto the road and had to stop to explore and let Dot and Barbara take photos of carpets of everlasting daisies, and many others [refer to photo albums] .  Soon we were stopping again and again and again….the further we got down the road the better the flowers got.   We achieved 16klms in approximately the first 2 hours.

Continuing on we stopped for a very impressive purple bush on the roadside……unfortunately it takes some distance to slow & stop the car [necessitating a walk back to the plant]……and wow Dot opens the car door and right beside the car was the Wreath Leschenaultia we were seeking and on the other side of the road was a much larger one…what luck!!!!

Flowers were in profusion …white, cream, pink, purple, yellow.   We met up with some fellow travellers familiar with the area who recommended we turnoff onto Maddens Road, which we did and initially saw a number of larger shrubs/ small trees in flower…..pink/red hakeas, wattles to name a few.

Coming to a small place of Canna we took a  tourist drive through a  area with a profusion of low wildflowers….yellow, whites and pink.

From there we picked up the Morowa to Mullewa Road, where we encountered some wildflowers but extensive wheat plantings.  Arriving at Mullewa we drove past a unique Catholic church built in the 1920s by a Monsignor Howes, who designed and built a number of churches/chapels throughout the region.  We taken on a personal guided tour by guide Dolores, who was so proud of her church and its history.  She recommended the best position to take a range of photos of both the internal and external features of the Church and surrounds.  The stained glass windows were very magnificent. The tour was very informative tour and took nearly an hour

From Mullewa we headed back to Yagloo [124klm] and saw a range of plants, but not in the profusion of the morning.  On return to Yagloo we took a short drive around the town up to the lookout and a small chapel again designed and built by Monsignor Howes  circa 1920s.

We all returned to campground for happy hour, tired but very satisfied with our day, especially the morning where we saw 75% of the flowering plants.  We all feel very sad as Anne who had planned this trip up to 2 years ago, missed out on a wonderful sight.

After tea we had a great conversation with a camper from Bunbury who has been gold prospecting for a number of months. She was most informative and brought over a rock specimen containing a number of specs of gold  for us to see and feel.

Having trouble uploading photos, so they are still to  come.

August 12th, 13th and 14th Karijini

Got into Karijini about 4:00 and set up camp.  We are arranged into loops of camp sites – ours is called Grevillea Loop.  When we arrived we asked where David and Barbara would be, but they wouldn’t tell us due to privacy issues.  We gave them permission to say where we were and they are the campsite next but one from us.  I think Michael and I have one of the nicest campsites (no. 76).  We have some nice trees and some shade.  The ground is ironstone, very hard to  get tent pegs into it.

We decided to make an early start 8:00 next morning to avoid the heat, as it happened we were ready by about 7:30 and headed off.  There are a few gorges near the camp ground, the others are some kms away – 22 to 100.  We went to Oxer Lookout, Weano Gorge and Joffre lookout.  Weano Gorge was a class 4 walk.

Class 4:  These trails are moderately difficult and over variable surfaces – they require a good level of fitness.  Expect steep gradients and natural obstacles including rocks and shallow pools.

The other 3 managed very well, but I required a strong arm (Michael) to help me over some of the tougher parts.  Got back to camp before the heat of the day and had nice restful afternoon.

Happy birthday David!!!  Barbara booked for dinner at the restaurant as a surprise for David, we went up for happy hour and then surprised him by staying, very nice evening.

 

Got up early again next morning, leaving camp about 7:30.

We did

Kalamina Gorge (this was my favourite) although I was unable to go to the very end (the others did).  There was a lot of water to walk by in this Gorge, Weano was quite dry. 

The walls of the gorges are banded ironstone layered with a very dark rock which is almost blue.  David tried a small rock with his magnet and sure enough it is magnetic.  In places you can see where a huge collision between plates happened and the layers are buckled and twisted. 

Circular Pool lookout

Fortescue falls and Fern Pool

Three Gorges lookout.

Then we went to the Visitors Information Centre.

Michaels joke - “Looks like Sarah Lee has been here – layer upon layer upon layer”

 

 

11th and 12th August – Meekathara to Newman

Got away at 7:30 again.  Had a good run.  Crossed the 26th parallel at 8:30.  The only wildlife we saw was wedge tailed Eagles, risking their lives by eating dead kangaroos in the middle of the road.  A few poor creatures have not survived this behaviour.

Saw more wild flowers, the different species seem to be in small areas, then we don’t see them again.  Some are very widespread -  such as the ptilotis species

Decided to stop at the Kumarina Roadhouse for coffee and break.  There were 8 road trains pulled up.  6 of them carried massive tyres.  They could only fit 6 to a vehicle.  I  went up and asked one of the drivers about them.  Apparently they were for the big mining trucks, they cost $25000 each and they have 8 loads delivered a week.  Destined  for BHP.

Got into Newman about 2:00 and went straight to the information centre.  Huge mining truck there for the tourists to look at.  Got the gen on the caravan parks and went to sign in.   Michael and I took a ‘motel’ room for the night.  We felt that we needed a nice comfortable bed and convenient shower/toilet.  The camp kitchen was right behind us and so nice and convenient.  And….big surprise, the washing machines and dryers were free – usually $4 per machine.  Needless to say we did laundry- not exciting I’m afraid folks.

David had his back window repaired and M and I went to look around.  Went to the lookout just on the edge of town.  this looked towards one of the large mines (as well as over the town) and there was some information on some of the mining activities about.

Apparently BHP holds the world record for the following:

2001 WR longest ore train, 7.353 km long

Hauled 99,732.1 tonnes of ore 275 kms.  The ore could be weighed while it was on the track.

At the information centre we came across a mobile butcher, he travels in a loop around the area, appearing in each  town once a month, he was well stocked and had some interesting cuts of meat.

Left Newman about 12:00

 

Saw wildflowers spasmodically, but didn’t stop due to time, I’m hoping we see them again on the way back.

Got to Karigini around about 4

August 16th – Billabong Roadside Free Camp to Yalgoo

Left the campsite which is on the south branch of the Gascoyne River, [approx 146 klm above Meekatharra] around 7.10am and encountered lots of majestic wedge tailed eagles on the side of the road, feeding on mainly kangaroo road kill or soaring on the thermals.  unfortunately they are camera shy so no photos of them.  Early stop for fuel at Meekatharra and then onto Mt. Magnet, just catching the Information Office with 10 minutes to spare before it closed at 12.00 noon.

We got a good update on local wild-flowering locations, plus maps and directions for consideration over lunch in the park.  We decide to head to the small township of Yalgoo midway between Mt Magnet and Mullewa.  The flower display was slow at first but then erupted into a profusion of cream daisy flowers by the roadside. Further up the road, carpets of pink and purple flowers greeted us.  Dot and Barbara were calling to one another as they discovered a new variety for photoing.

White and yellow daisies, eremophilas and many other varieties delighted us at the compulsory photo stops.  

We finally arrive at Yalgoo and book into a recently renovated campground….Dot & Michael deciding to take a motel type room [no ensuite] as a break from the tent and sleeping on the ground.  The Council Managers also provided us with details of nearby wildflower locations.

 

Happy hour in the camp kitchen with the 4 of us,  saw a number in the park joining us, followed by  them watching Dot prepare the evening meal of steak from the mobile butcher at Newman plus vegetables.   We had quite an audience for our evening meal, and then there were oohs and ahs when we finished the meal off with individual “steamed” puddings and cream……yours are still in the car Anne & Geoff.

Discussion over the evening meal, we decide to stay 2 nights and use this as a base to view the flowers tomorrow.

August 15th – Karijini to Billabong Roadside Free Camp

Up early to pack up on very cool morning, and on the road by 7.30am and finally exited Karijini National Park boundary around 8.50am. 

New areas of Park on exit for us were very scenic.  Of course we had a few flower photo shoot stops.

 

Approaching Newman from the north west gives us a great view of the mountain of iron ore being mined.    David is getting low on fuel and limped into BP Capricorn……had just on 2 litres of fuel left in tank.  Arrive at Capricorn around 11.05am, and after refuel we head off to Kumarina making good time for a lunch stop.

This highway users would be 78% – 80% for road-trains, transporting much infrastructure to the various mines off the highway.  Some of the over-sized loads required us to stop and get off the highway onto the shoulder and beyond.

Pulled into the free roadside camp, with toilet facilities, around 3.00pm to set up camp. A big day covering 506klm.  This is a popular spot for other caravaners, plus oversize road trains with their escort vehicles,.  These have to be off the road before dark.  We are  w ell back from the road, but still heard the noise of the road trains.  Saw a large commercial airliner flying low on approach to a large  gold mine, some miles up the road, for drop off & pick=up of miners.

 

Barbara cooked a wonderful lamb roast for our evening meal, before the caravan battery was empty and the lights went out…..so off to bed

Sunday – 10th August 2014 – Leonora to Meekatharra

Leonora was quite a nice spot, with the campground nearly full.  It had very clean and well appointed amenities.

Last night in the camp kitchen, we met a number of interesting gentleman in their  late 6os+, who had been staying at Leonora for up to 6 months and prospecting for gold. One gent had a a couple of nuggets [1 oz  - size if 20cent piece] on a chain around his neck.  He got very excited at our interest and dragged out all his gemstone finds.  They travel all over Australia fossicking…..some so they can tick prospecting off their bucket list.

One gruff  gentleman who had been a Vietnam Vet told Dot he had collected 18oz, but not to mention it to, otherwise he would have a convoy in the morning trying to find out his fossicking location.

Sleep unfortunately was very fleeting last night, with a “mob” firing up outside the park area approximately around 10.15pm.   Initially the yelling and screaming sounded like a number of fights, but continued on until around 2.30am.  The night temperatures like the day temperatures are on the rise and often blankets are now dispensed with & sleeping bags are being thrown off.

Some maintenance work required to Michael’s Prado was required, before we left ……replace the missing nuts on the winch control unit on the bull-bar.  David quickly rectified this from MGs toolbox.

As we left Leonora up the wide main street, all the shop profiles are identical and look like out of the 1950s.

Another sizeable driving day, so we were on the road around 8.00am   The first stint was towards Leinister and up to Wiluna – the start of the Canning Stock Route and the GunBarrell Highway.  A profusion of flowers on either side of the  road delighted us especially Dot and Barbara……little round pink shrubs, yellows of the cassias and wattles, fluffy pink & mauve & white ptilotus, red hops [weeds], bright purple and blue flowers with a special pea plant featuring both depending on the age of the flowers.  Of course there were a number of obligatory stops for photos, often needing to walk back 300 – 400 metres for that plant seen as we speed part.

 

We also passed numerous mining operations, with gigantic mullock heaps, not to mention some of the huge mining road trains.

 

 

We stopped at Wiluna for lunch, and on the entry to the town is a statue of of an aboriginal couple who it was said were the last of the nomadic lifestyle……forced on them initially by tribal elders as they choose to “marry” outside tribal guidelines.   They were found in the desert nearly starving and brought back to Wiluna with Tribal elders approval  to live out their remaining days.  

 

 

 

 

The next section to Meekatharra [130 – 140 klm] was a mixture of tar and dirt approx 50/50…..and not as many wildflowers.  Arrived in Meekatharra, which is one of the largest towns in the area, around 2.00pm [MG glad to stop driving].

The Caravan park unfortunately is not very inviting with very basic amenities block in Atco portable.  the only blessing was we had a small patch of grass for the tent, but we were less than 30 metres from the highway.  The park is on the Northern highway, next door to a  Bulk fuel stop plus a Shell service station, which has a road train parking bay out front.  The road trains are up to 53,5 metres in length.

 

We had a lovely happy hour with the girls enjoying some nice bubbles, followed by some lovely salmon prepared by Barbara.

Off to bed for another early start in the morning, but sleep was very difficult and very fleeting  with road trains feeling like they were coming through the tent, as they changed gears to slow down and stop for fuel or just zoomed past.  This continued on for the bulk of the night with the road trains going in both directions

Saturday- 9th August 2014 – Tjukayirla to Leonora

Camping ground was not too bad….red dirt , clean amenities block with 2 Toilets & 2 Showers for both Ladies and Mens.  Plenty of hot water to wash off the red dust.  The Camp kitchen was a bit primitive with BBQ, sink and electrical facilities of toaster, TV, jug and dining tables.  The supply of a toaster, was an improvement on Yulara, where they wanted a $50.00 deposit for use of a toaster.  Barbara & David’s turn to cook and provided a nice meal of steak & vegetables.
The sky was illuminated with a near full moon…….plus the stars at twinkle time in the early hours of the morning are impressive.
What a start for the morning ……need to be up at 6.00am  in order to get way by 7.30am as we had a big drive in front of us.  Everything but my phone alarm had turned back to WA time.  Very dark when we got up and started packing the car and then breakfast only to realise that it was actually 4.30 am instead of 6.00am.













Time to kill, so shower etc and then off by 7.30am

Again the roads were in excellent condition, with near 160 klms covered in first 2 hours despite a few stops for photos, including a large circular patch of Sturts Desert pea.

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Again very interesting countryside with red and white sands/gravel in different places.  We made excellent time pulling into Laverton around 12.15pm, where David replaced his damaged trailer plug.  Time to pump up the tyres as we are now back on tar.

Profusion of wildflowers on the roadside between Laverton and Leonora, which resulted in the necessary photo shoot stop.

We passed a number of large Nickel/Cobalt mines on the way, with signs indicating road closure during blasting times.

Wildlife Encounters .....minimal again a few dingoes and wedgetail eagles, with one emu seen by Barbara & David only but no roos or camels despite signage for the latter.

Arrived at Leonora around 2.00pm and folllowing camp setup off to restock evening meal supplies for all.  Temperatures now in high 20s.   Fuel fill up at $1.65 compared to $2.30 - $2.48 on the Outback Trail

Good camp kitchen with plenty of Gold prospectors to tell of their
successes etc

August 8th – Warakuna to Tjukayirla

We decided to visit the Giles weather station to watch the balloon launch at 8.30am.  We arrived at just after 8.00am, and viewed from the car-park the grader used by Len Beadell to prepare Maralinga for testing by the British in the 1950s, for opening up the WA / SA outback with dirt roads eg Gun barrell Highway,and many others.

The information office had a sign of “No Tours Today”, so we visited the information office to see a history of this Giles Weather station….the site of which was chosen & developed by Len Beadell….he was also a talented cartoonist and a number of examples are on display on the walls.    Outside in the car park was Australian space junk….the remains of a Blue Streak Rocket launched in the 1964 but not found until 1980 some 50 miles south east from the Giles Weather Station.

 

 

8.30 was approaching and we were anxiously awaiting the balloon launch from an unknown position.      Then an aboriginal gentleman, Graham, wandered across to the information office, where we were told he was to conduct a tour of the facility  and take us up close to the launch site.  We met meteorologist James who along with our guide explained about the hydrogen balloon launch and the information it would be gathering. 

 

 

 

Then onto the field testing area to see all the instruments collecting data.  One instrument measures sunshine hours…basically it is a glass orb held in a frame which results in  magnification of the sun’s rays and burning on to a specially treated card, segmented into time/hours.

After this it was into the office to see the computer information being transmitted back from the balloon just launched.  The Balloon launch happens 3 times per day at the same Universal Mean Time [old Greenwich Mean Time]throughout the world.    We felt vey lucky and enjoyed the 3/4 hour at the Giles Weather Station…..you would have loved it GKW. 

 Then onto Tjukayirla, passing around a number of aboriginal communities, which we were not allowed to enter…..some of these had football ovals with green grass all over plus  light towers ringing the ground…..the green grass is a stark contrast to the rusty red soil.  The countryside was different to the previous day, but still impressive with many  wildflowers starting to flower.   The unmade roads are in exceptional condition overall, with grading work continuing on an apparent ongoing basis. 

We stopped at Warburton for lunch, where we transferred to WA time gaining 1.5 hours.   We arrived at Tjukayirla camping ground around 3.15pm  WA Time after about 6.5 hours driving.  We had met a Swiss Lady the night before who had travelled in the reverse direction and told us that it had taken her approximately 8.5 hours for the journey……she obviously had forgotten to factor the loss of 1.5hours as she transferred to NT/Central time.    

Wildlife count – Minimal with a couple of dingoes, wedge tailed eagles but no roos, emus or camels, though we saw camel footprints beside the road for during rest breaks or flower photos.

August 7 – 8 On the Great Central Road

Set off about 9, by the time we had said goodbye to Helen and Ian.  Lovely drive to  the Great Central Road, views of Uluru and Katajuta.

Got onto the road and -----corrugations.  About 20 k down the road David called us on the CB to say that they had broken their back window.  A stone had bounced off the caravan through the window.  We did emergency repairs with a tarp and headed off. This road is in pretty good condition apart from the first bit.  David and Barbara had been a bit apprehensive about the time they would take on this road, however, not to worry, for the most part we travel at 80kmh.

The weather is overcast – Oh dear.

We have a couple of spots of rain and cross our fingers that there is no more – there isn’t.

The country side is beautiful, lots of vegetation and interesting rocky hills. Quite a few wildflowers in bloom.  Not a lot of wildlife though.  We had lunch at Lassiters Cave and walked up  to have a look.  Great little cave, it would have been as comfortable as possible given his situation.

The weather is now lovely.

Headed onto Warakuna and booked in for the night.  It is a little primitive but the cookhouse is quite well set up and the toilets clean.  The staff were very helpful and gave David a big sheet of cardboard to use on his back, non existent window.  We have missed the weather balloon takeoff from Giles and disappointingly the lady tells us that they are not doing tours at the moment.  We decide that we have to go and see the balloon take off in the morning.  Apparently we will have to see it from the carpark.  Sigh.

My turn to cook tonight, hope it is satisfactory.

August 6th – Sounds of Silence

Last night was really great, Anne had booked “the Sounds of Silence” dinner for them and us.  Unfortunately they were unable to make the journey so Helen and Ian lucked out and got their tickets.  We were picked up at the camp site at 5:15 and did the rounds of Yulara picking up everyone else, we estimate 50 ish people.  We were driven to the top of a sand dune overlooking the rock and met with very nice cold glasses of Champagne (other stuff if you wanted it).  We waited there for the sunset, drinking as much as we liked and eating some interesting canapes, croc, kangaroo, salmon etc.

After the sunset we walked through the dunes (on a lighted track) to our ‘restaurant’.  The tables were round and set with tablecloths, candles etc.  There were gas heaters to keep us warm.  We sat with H and I and a family from Belgium and a couple from Texas.  In discussion’ he mentioned Germany, and the airforce.  They didn’t know David J though.  While we were settling in and getting to know the people on our table a man played a didgeridoo – so nice across the desert night.  Then 3 Aborigines came and did a couple of dances for us.  Then  - dinner

Menu

Pumpkin ravioli with a lemon myrtle infused beef broth – served with wattle seed rolls.

Buffet

Crocodile caesar salad

Kangaroo

Barramundi

Chicken

Lamb cutlets

Salads

Quandong sauce

The meats were marinaded in various flavours

We then had our talk about the stars, they had a telescope there and we could look at Saturn and it’s rings.  Even the walk to  the loo up a lit path up a sand dune looked special.

Then Desert – honestly can’t remember all of them , I had a little bit of everything – really lovely.  Throughout the meal we were plied with heaps of alcohol.  Then the bus arrived and it was hometime – Sigh.  Thank you heaps Anne, we loved he experience.

August 5th - Yulara

Housekeeping day for us today.  Helen, Ian, Barbara and David went off to explore Uluru.  We did washing, shopping, blog writing and car maintenance (just checking bolts etc)

Not as cold this morning.

We are off to  our ‘Sounds of Silence’ dinner tonight

August 5th – onto Yulara

Hells bells it was bitterly cold this morning.  When we finally got into the car at 10 to 8 it was –5 then.  Heavens knows what it was between 4 and 6 (isn’t that usually the coldest time of the day?).  Not a lot of fun when you have to get up in the middle of the night.  The inside of the tent was lined in ICE and Tony had ice on the inside of his windscreen and his water pump was frozen.  We couldn’t wait to get into the cars and drive off.

Drove to Erldunda for coffee and fuel and said goodbye to Tony and Jennifer.

Stopped at Mt Ebenezer roadhouse – they were advertising an aboriginal Art show, quite a nice little stop if you are hungry or thirsty.  We drove on to Curtain Springs for our coffee stop.

Got into Yulara about oneish and set up camp – it is getting very busy.  Helen and Ian arrived about three and for the first time we had happy hour.  Went to the Outback pioneer for tea and got a phone call from Barbara and David wondering where the place was, they had driven all the way to  Uluru.

We did the BBQ thing for tea, bought the meat, cooked it ourselves and had ‘all you can eat’ salad bar with fruit crumble and custard for desert.  We had crocodile sausages and emu sausages.  They had a singer entertaining us and the place filled up  very quickly.

Barbara and David arrived and we went back to their caravan for a chat.

August 4th - Algebuckina to Marryat

Went to have a look at the huge Algebuckina bridge built in 1862, this is the still the largest bridge in South Australia, the spans are massive steel works.  We climbed to the top and got a great view of the country around us.  Drove on to Oodnadatta for a look and some coffee, very nice little town population 250. Some very nice new houses opposite the pink roadhouse.

Drove back 46 Kms and took the turnoff to the Painted Desert.  The actual coloured hills are only about 5kms across, the rest of the desert (121 kms to Cadney Park on the Stuart Highway) is covered in gibbers and vegetation.  But…..the little bit of the sand you can see is astounding, red, yellow, purple, white, rust and grey we have never seen anything else like it.  You just want to stand there and gaze.  We climbed up one of the hills and took it in, in all it’s glory.

Stopped at Marla for a quick coffee.

Drove up the highway to one of the off road Parking places (Marryat) and put up camp for the night.  It’s was getting colder.

 

PS. I have better pictures on the Nikon, but I haven’t brought the cable.

August 3rd - day 3 Oodnadatta Track

Set out at out 7.30 this morning.  It was pleasant in the cabin – cold outside.  Stopped at Lyndhurst (beginning of the Strzelecki track to Innamincka) for fuel.  Tony knew that this was the cheapest fuel around – it is up for sale and closed!  Not to worry there is another one at the pub (that’s all that is left in Lyndhurst).  As we had pulled up to the first petrol stop, we noticed a car there with a young man in it.  Hehe, he quickly pulled in behind us at the pub – he had been waiting an hour for the other one to open, had not seen the for sale sign.

Travelled to Maree and stopped there to look at the old mail truck and the old Ghan trains.  We came across Mutonia Sculpure Park – Alberrie Creek (30k west of Maree )in the middle of nowhere.  Lots of metallic sculptures, spread quite far apart.  Robin Cooke is a mechanic turned artist and uses recycled aircraft and car parts  to create entertaining sculptures.

Got a really good look at South Lake Eyre – this is pretty big, the whole lake must be massive.  We couldn’t see any water, just kms of salt

Stopped at Cowards Springs for lunch – very nice little oasis in the middle of the desert.  Walked around and looked at the engine drivers cottage and the natural spa, Tony made some repairs to his Troopie.  This is an ideal camping spot if you travel this way.

Stopped at Williams Creek for coffee (population of 10).  Halfway point between Oodnadatta and Maree.  There was a large building just on the edge of town – Tony told me it was the yacht club – didn’t believe him and went to have a look – yep, the yacht club – no water for miles unless lake Eyre fills.

The track is in good nick, so we travelled at a reasonable speed.  The desert plains are very flat with low salt bush, grasses and gibbers (round polished brown stones).  We don’t see many people on the road, but quite few at all the coffee/loo stops.

We drove to the old railway bridge at Algebuckina Bridge and waterhole (across the Neales river).  Drove into  the bush and camped there for the night – it was cold.

Day 2 - 2nd August

Up early this morning – it was bitterly cold overnight –2C, so glad that we took a cabin.  We have decided to travel to Leigh Creek and take another cabin there tonight.  On the way we hear on the Radio that it was –5 at a place called Yunta (this is in the direction that we intend to travel).  I think we are in for a very cold trip.

Travelled through a lot of saltbush country, saw a few sheep grazing on the salt bush.  Apparently this gives the lamb a very nice flavour and is highly prized.

We stopped at Burra for morning tea and and ran into a couple we met several times on our trip to Cape York year before last.  They came over to our table and said that they thought we had met before, after a little discussion we worked it out.  They are off to Africa  (Botswana) this year, so Tony was able to give them some info.

Stopped at Peterborough for a loo stop, took the photos there

Had lunch just past Orroroo (or something like that).  Then off to Hawker where we stopped for coffee.  Finally got to Leigh Creek about 4:30.  We are ahead of our itinerary by several hours, time that we can spend on the Oodnadatta track, or in the painted desert.

Drove along the edge of the Flinders ranges for 70 or 80 kms, brought back memories for both couples, Michael and I fond ones, Tony not so – when they were up here earlier this year, their car was hit by an emu (it really did hit them – it ran into the side of their truck and dented the door and side panels.)

Ian Darvell rang us from Alice they had just come from Gemtree and said that it was really cold there as well, this further north than Alice, doesn’t bode well for the centre.

We walked into Leigh Creek township which was built (including school) and is owned by a coal mining company, very nice little township – pub, cafe and supermarket.  The cabins in the caravan park are quite nice and cheap as far as these go.

Day One – 1st August

 

Had an early start this morning – left at 4:40 and headed off to meet Jenny and tony at Calder Park.  Got there about  5:40, had breakfast and took off.  The weather was not

 

great, very cold and very windy.  We had a good run, getting to Mildura about 1:15.  Had lunch and gave Tony the bad news that no  fruit or vegetables could be taken into SA – he had done all of his shopping and had lots of the banned items – very unhappy with himself.

We headed out towards SA and had wind and rain, we decided that a cabin might be the answer for tonight.  We pushed onto Renmark and that’s where we are now, nice cabin, but it’s going to be very cold tonight –2C.   Michael has just told me that it will be very cold where we are going tomorrow as well.  We are prepared for a very cold trip for the most part, not what we are used to.

Nothing much else to say for today.  Hope you are all keeping warm.