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.