After a hearty farewell from Sandstone by the 'Spice Girl' we thought we would soon be in Geraldton and heading north but once again side tracked by our history interests and so....
We headed off to Mt Magnet, yet another small now but big in gold mining history and a few mines still working..quite large mines actually as we saw from a lookout.
After a visit to the new and very modern Info Centre we were advised of what and where to go and encouraged to head north to Cue just another 160 km round trip, so come lunch time a plan was made and detour OK ed!
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| Mt Magnet from the lookout..the white hole is the first gold mine in the town, |
On the back road to Cue some great 'Breakaway' formations, magnificent colours
Reds and silver blues, I really liked this one..
Growing amongst the hot rocks these small flowers similar to orchids, very precise markings on each petal.
I was somewhat distracted here as our grand daughter Amber now 9 was 'BUMPING" me..so I flicked her off a pic of these rocks and sat amongst them wishing for some gold! We messaged to and fro..technology is so great especially for these special moments..she is such a funny and creative texter!!
The courthouse , police station and PO of Cue, a very small town but the truck traffic was huge!! Then we checked our maps and realised it is the main inland route from Perth to Newman and the north . No wonder our overnight off road camp was so noisy...but we sleep thru it!
Cue has a small caravan park where hobby prospectors stay and do quite well we hear.
One of the stories told is prospecting at night in the cool and NO FLIES, but advised to take a starters pistol with you to scare off wild dogs...
There is also a large mining camp owned by the same owners of the Leonora & Laverton Caravan Park we stayed in. Accommodation for around 200 mining staff but no evidence of a car park for that many people..all FIFO ie fly in fly out.
The Shire Office ex 'Gentlemans Club' has a great photographic display of past years.
Other than that a very small town with a little craft info shop, the ownwer managed to sell us some fly cream, everyone seems to complain about the flies out here! So in the rain showers back 80 Km to Mt Magnet then westward..this time...
Evening stop YALGOO.. very small indigenous mainly town.
It was at Yalgoo we became aware of the remarkable one Anglican turned catholic priest Monsignor John Hawes: Hawes designed and built numerous churches around mid west WA..he is worth a google!
Yalgoo, a very small church, Hawes physically helped build the churches
Camped out of Yalgoo..we could see the light at the end of the tunnel, Jokers Tunnel, gold mining late 1800's 100 meters thru hill..more tough men stories...
a wee bat on the roof of the tunnel
We were able to walk thru 100 metre tunnel and with a torch saw many coloured rock formations...those men were crazy gold fevered gamblers!
At Mullewa more Hawes structures... I remember this was a Saturday and Kim told us she and Linda had bought the unit next to their home..well done we are very proud of them. x
Check out the colour of the rock at Mullewa.
Another overnighter at Teindewa, near an old stock well and an area where today and that night trains shunted constantly out of Gladstone..116 haulers per train and often there we 3 trains in sight.
A nice afternoon nature walk for Mick and I, warm at last...
A wide track made by the most vicious large black ants we have ever seen!! they attacked!!
No idea what makes these tracks we found no critters!
GERALDTON pop 40,000 on the west coast at last..and some shops!
Sunday check in to caravan park for 2 nights. Sunday arvo in Museum, excellent, the sailing ship Batavia History, and HMAS Sydney history and much much more...
I was feeling somewhat sad this day my Uncle Bill from Shepparton had passed away...he was my dad's bro inlaw and a very nice uncle to me.
The Geraldton Hawes designed and built church
Tuesday..yet another sad day for me..now doubly sad and homesick my Uncle Graham passed away, my mothers brother from Broadford..this country is too big!
Not much chatter today...
At Lynton Station near Port Gregory..how windy do you reckon this place is. We viewed Sanford House, Sanford was the first governor in WA but only lived here for a few years, a prison labour camp was also here for a mine 2 days walk away, it also lasted less than one year. Lots of hard labour but in the wrong and isolated area.
Sanford House, in restoration mode..would have been a majestic home in it's day. There was a school group in and bad sun position for photos...
The nearby convict 'village'..convicts were sent here to provide labour for the mines. Over 9000 convicts were sent to Aust..
More info re the settlement.
KALBARRI
On to Kalbari and it's National Park..much has changes and regulated. .the cliff viewing areas have designated lookouts and boarded walkways..guess our environment is quite fragile as there are many Aussie and International tourists travelling.
South of Kalbarri
a nice lunch stop over then into Kalbarri...
Camped at the lead smelter which was part of the history of what we had previously seen at Pt Gregory/ Convict labour settlement..it too was constructed with the convict labour but only used for a year...
A decision was made not to head into Denham /Monkey Mia...been there done that enjoyed it before, cannot do it all so will close this blog just south of Carnarvon at Gnomesville,
high up on a mesa lookout..where I had some quiet time..thinking...of June and family, of Jan and family and of our friend Heather, her mum had just passed away in Echuca....bad week...
Some info for those who like such stuff..
Wang to Carnarvon, 6894 km travelled.
$2013, fuel costs. 29.2c /km
15.2L/100km and 6.4km/L
Good as it gets Mick calculated,
goodnight from me
and Mick who is sleeping and who will be 70 when he wakes up!!!
PARTY TIME.....
Some wonderful photos. I am enjoying your blog.
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