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May 2012

We finally left Karalee Rocks and found ourselves heading closer to Kalgroorlie. A stop in Coolgardie to use the laundromat was a good excuse to have coffee as well and to even catch up on an email or two.

Coolgardie and onto a beautiful bush camp just out of town which we just loved. High up on a hill with views over the bush on one side and part of a mine site on the other, we had good TV and phone signals, and peace and quiet.

Kalgoorlie is a very RV Friendly town with large parking spots in an appropriate part of town, a dump point, a potable water tap and even a one night at a time free campsite next to the council. All of this was really handy because having had no time to do it previously we had decided to get our shock absorbers replaced. So while the new parts were being sent to town we kicked back enjoying the bush camp, took a side trip out to Lake Gwyn and Kanowna a ghost town before enjoying the town free camp.

Shock absorbers received and fitted (in an hour at KalMech), we headed out of town towards Menzies and the Gormely Statues at Lake Ballard.

A 50 km dirt road saw us arrive at Lake Ballard, a very, very large salt lake in the middle of nowhere. But with a campsite, dump point and water tank, we were set for a couple of days exploring.

The Gormely statues are made of steel and are shaped as per the laser translations created from photos of the locals at Menzies. Somewhat out of proportion in the appendages, but that may just have been the locals bragging.

The statues dotted across the lake make visiting them all quite a challenge and the sign warns to take water and to wear sunscreen because of the glare off of the salty surface, and with good reason.

A good pair of shoes is also required as the surface can often become rather slushy giving the walker an experience similar to walking on snow.

An island juts out from the salt and provides a solid viewpoint across the statues and to beyond.

A couple of nights camped out here was just fabulous, even with getting up at midnight to wander around the statues under the moon trying various things with the camera, all while the cold of the night bit hard and the dingoes howled.

So it was off to Niagra Dam to see what all the fuss was about. We had heard that many travelers were heading there because there was water in the dam. A terrific road right down to the site was fun to drive and on arrival we managed to snag one of the few water front sites at the top, with many other sites down below the dam wall.

Moving on from Niagra we visited a living ghost town (bit of an oxymoron there I think) but, there it was, a pub and a few houses just hanging onto life by the peeling paint on the walls. We dropped into Laverton for a look before heading out of town and finding a nice bush camp.

The 16th saw us heading to wards Leonora, stopping at Malcolm Dam for a look on the way into town. A quick trip into town for a look, some supplies and then it was a quick trip back to the dam to get a campsite before all the good ones went. As it turned out we found a spot on top of the dam wall overlooking the dam.

But as good as the view was, the storm clouds had built up around the back, and oh what a storm they brewed up - for someone. We only got a few drops but someone nearby really got a pasting as the dark, grumbling, electrifying clouds unleashed their fury, and then it was gone.

The next day we decided to take another spot down on the grassed area with the other campers, and what a great spot it was. Birds galore it was very pleasant sitting there spotting different types and looking them up in the book.

Leaving Malcolm Dam we found our way over to Gwalia where we spent a few hours wandering around the abandoned town. Gwalia was (and is again) a gold mine, but the miners of today have more comfort than those of the past. Many of the homes have been maintained as they were and they give a good insight to the town and what it was like to live there as you wander in and out of them. We were surprised at how many of the old artifacts were still in place and had not been pinched by antique hunters.

There is also a museum at the top of the hill, the jewel in the crown of which is the old Mine Managers house, built by Herbert Hoover when he was the manager and before he became the 31st President of the USA. We parked outside the fence and walked in but as we walked into the souvenir shop we were met with a very rude lady who only wanted to take our money. It appears that by just walking through the gate you are committing to visiting the museum and its out buildings. We didn't pay and left because she was so rude. To be fair, the sign at the gate says fees are payable past that point, but we thought it was to enter the museum buildings, not the grounds, but either way, rude people do not get our patronage.

Heading back into town we topped up our water tanks at the free tap in the tourist information bay and headed off explore more, but we had a choice of two different trails. We chose the Agnew trail which winds its way to Leinster via the small town of Agnew.

The road was dirt and as luck had it we met the grader in the first 10 km as they finished the road.They had started North and worked their way down, so smooth driving was the way. We stopped at all of the attractions as listed along the way, including one that had been a Cobb and Co stop, complete with concrete pool, now empty and hardly likely to hold water properly. A stop at Poison Creek saw us enjoy a beautifully quiet bush campsite. The next day it was onto Agnew and Leinster where we decided to try out the caravan park. At $15 per night for a powered site, free laundry and the ability to eat in the miners mess it was a great deal. So good we actually stopped for two nights!

Heading North once more we were headed for the town of Wiluna, but not before we camped at a very nice rest area called Lake Way Rest Area. Onto Wiluna and into an interesting town. The fuel pumps were locked up in a measure to combat drive offs and of course the tragedy of petrol sniffing. Town was very quiet and we were told later it was because all of the locals were off on men's business and initiation and that not long before that the Police has clamped down on street drinking, and the hotel lost its ability to prepare and sell food.

The Canning Stock Route starts/ends in Wiluna and we had hoped to get to a water pool a few kilometers along the track, and would have got there (according to a local) except for a river washout that was running about a metre high, so we turned back and headed back down the road towards Leonora. We could have taken the rest of the highway to Meekatharra but...the very rough dirt road was enough to thwart that.

Arriving at Leinster we decided to try out the caravan park which we found to be very, very good. We don't usually stay in caravan parks but at $15 per night for a powered site, free laundry and a small town complete with supermarket and fuel 100m away it was a good idea, so good in fact that we stayed 2 nights. Leinster may be a BHP owned mining town but it does not lack for anything and is well worth a visit.

Leaving the miners behind we were headed towards Sandstone and a rock formation called London Bridge. We stopped halfway at the Peter Denny lookout and enjoyed a bush walk and another billion star night. Just before we got to Sandstone we found the turn off to London Bridge and The Brewery.

The Brewery is a large cave in a huge rock where an Irishman produced beer and kept it stored in the cool of the cave back in 1907. We checked the cave out and had some fun with AJ parked there before we went on to London Bridge.

Leaving the bridge and heading into Sandstone itself we found a pleasant little town and one of its characters - Lady Di. Lady Di was running a sausage sizzle in the middle of town raising money for the school. She was a real character who by self admission, upsets the local council because she is passionate about promoting the town and making something of it, and they are just councilors. Lady Di's BBQ is a converted mining kibble and works an absolute treat. Full of sausages we took a tour around town before heading back out to London Bridge to camp.

My next photography lesson arrived while we were camped at London Bridge, and in the most unexpected way. We had finished our evening meal and a glass or two of a very nice red wind when two vehicles turned up, one parked facing London Bridge with its headlights on and right where I was going to go and try some night shots. So I watched to see what was going on and right before my eyes two men began setting up their camera's and tripods! So, over I went to see what they were doing.

Both men explained that they belonged to a four wheel drive club and that the club often puts up interesting challenges to see if someone can do them. The challenge was to buy and drive a vehicle from Brisbane to the Tip of Cape York for less than $1,300, and that after doing that they went from the most Northerly point of Australia to the most southern, then figured that they would do the furthest point East to the furthest point West. Having completed that they were now on their way home. Photography being their second passion was also along for the ride.

They took some shots of London Bridge and we chatted some regarding cameras and photos etc before I went back to the motorhome and got my camera. The end result was the shot below.

How did we do this? Well, the camera settings were: Manual/ISO800/F4/Exposure 30 seconds/Focal Length 27mm/AWB, then with the lens open we shone a torch (non LED bulb) across the scene like we were washing it with light, then when that was done a light was played along the underside of the bridge from the other side. 30 Seconds later the above was the result.

It's funny how things come back to you as I remember doing this sort of photography on a course with the West Australian Police once and the minute we started the above it all came flooding back. I just wish it has done it earlier.

The guys were up early in the morning for sunset photos and then they hit the road, as we did arriving in Mount Magnet where we got fuel and some supplies before heading out to the location of an old town called Lennonville. There is nothing there now except the remains of the railway platform and a dam, so we found a nice spot there to camp, rewarded later that afternoon with two Emu's coming down to the waters edge for a drink.

Another gravel road saw us arrive at the Dalgaranga Meteorite Crater, which if you had missed the sign, looks just like a large hole in the ground and certainly nothing to write home about. Moving on we enjoyed the smoothest dirt road we have had in a long time before coming into the middle of what looked like a farm, complete with house, shearing shed, tractor shed, workers quarters and sheep pens. The road going right through the middle of it all. We drove through and realised that the place was abandoned so we stopped to a look. Bullera Station was in fact in ruins, the house derelict and with animal carcasses in what was once someone's home. The shearer's quarters demolished and only the washhouse, butchery and shearing shed still intact. Someone had however driven a vehicle into the large doors of the shearing shed where the bales were filled, but, as you can see, it made for some great photography.

We spent a peaceful night here which allowed me to try some other photography, and the next day we drove onto Walga Rock (Walgahna) which is a very large lump of rock and which has some aboriginal rock art around its base.

Leaving the rock we ended up in Cue, a wonderful old town with plenty of history, most notably the Police Station, Courthouse, Post Office complex, all of which are the originals and are still used for their intended purpose, and the old Gentleman's club now the Council Chambers. There is also a two story MAsonic Lodge, built completely of corrugated iron, now a private residence.

Cue is also a very popular gold fossicking area and the caravan park, complete with the old Gaol in its grounds, full. A walk up and down he street, a visit to the old railway station now disused) were enjoyable. We filled up with fresh water at the tap in the car park opposite the Police Station and headed out to Nallan LAke where we had camped last year. On our arrival we found the place almost empty and the view from our old campsite rather different.

Last Year (2011) and This Year (2012)

The lake was almost dry this year thanks to the lack of suitable rain in the area. We took up a spot on the bank and enjoyed and photographed the bird life which was grateful for the small amount of water left. I estimated that there was less than 2/8 left and it was rather strange being able to walk right across to the other side without getting wet.

We spent a couple of nights at Nallan Lake before heading off to find the old town of Big Bell, an old mining town that once thrived in the area. On arrival all we found were the shell of the once proud two story pub, the shell of a church and the old railway station. My GPS did however have the streets still marked and we were able to drive around town on what is left of them.

Being all explored out it was then back to Cue for a water tank top up before we headed off Lake Anneen for a campsite.

We arrived at Lake Anneen to find it was also dry, so after negotiating a steepish rocky track up the embankment we found ourselves a nice spot overlooking the lake. We are only 100m off the highway but its fairly quiet so it should be a good night.

Joanne catching up on her letters home

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