Sun, 31st Aug, 2025 Bush camp on pending lease near Murrin Murrin Nickel Mine, east of Leonora to Bush camp near Mt Flora, east of Leonora, WA

6.2 degrees, clear sky - so glad we have our heater.

Sent Valerie a happy birthday message for today. Will catch up with her in October.

No cold wind this morning as we packed up and continued along the pending lease. Through a lot of dry creek beds then found a track to the next pending lease we wanted to check out. We pulled up near a creek where we could see lots of old scrapes and a few open dig holes. Some people are so rude that they don’t fill them in - just grab and move and some leave their rubbish in them too. We take the rubbish with us - clean up Australia and always fill in our holes and leave our ‘calling’ card of a rock cairn or smiley face if we find something ‘golden’.

Set up camp among lots of pretty purple wildflowers.

Went wandering. I filled in a couple of holes after checking them but only found rubbish and hot rocks elsewhere.

Steve found a spot across the creek on the flat that has been chained with lots of open dig holes. Warming up without the chilly wind.

After lunch I went over there and cross-gridded but nothing for me. Steve did another big walk and came back with a little flat piece from further north on the crown land. At least it was gold.

Lots of post on FB about the big Celebrate being Australian marches taking place in the capital cities trying to bring home the message to immigrants to be happy to be here in our great country - don’t try and make it what you are escaping from.

Up to 28 degrees in the camper at cuppa time so opened up the windows.

Cooled down quickly though as the sun disappeared behind the hill but there is no wind so we got the fire going and enjoyed sitting outside for drinks for a change. One thing with the colder weather there hasn’t been as many flies but as soon as the warmth starts they are back.

Spotted a few satellites as the stars appeared with a half moon. Back inside for dinner.

 

Sat, 30th Aug, 2025 Bush camp on pending lease near Murrin Murrin Nickel Mine, east of Leonora, WA

6.9 degrees min, clear sky and windy again.

I wandered along from camp while Steve did the big walk. I got a sound over someone’s hole - always good to check. I scraped the loose dirt back expecting to find a bit of rubbish but the noise continued - no a distant target sound but it got me interested. When I scrapped back more I hit harder ground and the sound became very distant - gold. I called Steve up but he was too far away so will dig it out when he comes back. I continued wandering but no other targets. As Steve headed back to camp I met him at my deep hole and he agreed - good signal. He had a scrape with his pick then decided we need the hammer and chisel which he walked back and collected, along with Rick’s homemade pick he had given us. The ground was solid so the pick just bounced off so out with the chisel and hammer. After a couple of hits he pulled out clumps which I checked over the detector coil and one screamed. He broke it down and out came a wonderful surprise - ice cream celebration tonight. Left a very big smiley face made of quartz rocks. My biggest piece since I started detecting. 

After lunch Steve put his big coil on and went wandering. He came back with one but only a 1 gram nugget but at least he got something.

It has warmed up out of the wind when we had our cuppa. Steve went back to his spot with the chain to grid it but didn’t get any more - what a shame. Still we are very happy with our 2 nuggets for the day. I was cooking his favourite chicken wings any case and with ice cream for dessert we enjoyed our celebration.

Fri, 29th Aug, 2025 Bush camp off Old Agnew Road, north-west of Leonora to Bush camp on pending lease near Murrin Murrin Nickel Mine, east of Leonora, WA (history)

6.8 degrees min, clear sky and no wind.

Packed up - the cold wind is back. Headed back out to the gravel Old Agnew Road. Clouds are coming over as we headed towards Leonora.

Another history plaque at Boxers Well. A ‘horse’ was used to pull up the water. Still a couple of telegraph poles standing.

Continued on to Kurrajong - nothing here but flat ground now. The Outback Graves people have been doing a great job putting up this plaques.

Drove across the road to see the ‘lady’ and then the well nearer the creek.

Further down the road we pulled into 8 Mile Well. Amazing life of the drovers. The snakes story reminds me of all the frogs on the pipe in the water tank at 10 Mile Camp on Tarmoola Station - I didn’t want to drink that water either.

Back on the track. Listening to a pilot advising trucks etc to pull off as they had two 8m wide loads heading south.

The clouds have blown away as we turn onto the Goldfields Highway and head into Leonora. Topped up with diesel and water. Uploaded my blog then rang Margaret as they are coming to Kalgoorlie to meet us and attend the racing with Steve. Will be great to see them both again. Gave Daniel a call too but they were out shopping so we didn’t do a video chat.

After lunch we headed east on the bitumen towards Laverton to check out some newer pending leases. We turned off onto a 2 wheel track and meandered our way along. Found my first Sturt Desert Peas for this year. They are so lovely and different.

Followed the fence line track and met a couple coming out with their van in tow. They had just been in to a spot that has been worked over. Very helpful suggesting some other places to try too. We went in to try our luck any case. There were plenty of dig holes and chain lines but you never know. Set up camp.

Had a cuppa then went wandering. Only found a few bits of rubbish.

Still windy and cold so inside for drinks then dinner.

 

Thurs, 28th Aug, 2025 Bush camp off Old Agnew Road, north-west of Leonora, WA

5.9 degrees min, this is too cold for nearly Spring! Blue sky and a band of cloud on the horizon.

We packed up and moved to another pending lease nearby following 2 wheel tracks. Found where the others were camped, not on their own lease! We turned around and kept exploring then decided to try around some old drill holes.

After a cuppa we went wandering. I was heading back to the camper when I got a signal and it was a bit of gold. Further along I got another one so I went back to the truck to get my chain and started gridding. Another one as the wind picked up - quite chilly but there is some warmth in the sun.

At lunch it was 21 degrees in the camper, forecast of 18 outside.

Continued gridding but only got rubbish so I went back to the camper and baked some Anzacs. Steve got more exercise as he did another big walk. The app is good as he can see where he has covered with his walks.

After a cuppa Steve went back out, I typed up my blog. The wind is still blowing but the camper is closed up so it is staying warm.

Too windy for a fire and it’s too cold so inside again for cards and drinks.

Heater on for dinner and a movie.

 

Wed, 27th Aug, 2025 Peter Denny Lookout Reserve, east of Sandstone to Bush camp off Old Agnew Road, north-west of Leonora, WA (history)

7.1 degree min with a heavy fog outside at 7am.

8.30 the fog has lifted so we packed up and continued eastward. No wind for a change. We are following the clouds with the sun and blue sky behind us.

Passed a chap walking on the other side towards the traffic, towing a trailer. I wonder what his story is.

Only one wind turbine is slowly turning of the 5 near the Agnew Gold Mine as there is no wind. As we got closer another one started to turn.

We turned onto the Old Agnew Road and pulled up for a cuppa at the headframe & stamper (made in Kalgoorlie) display. We have visited this before but I thought I would take some photos as it has been a few years. They moved these here in 1991 to create the display - man that would have been a huge job. Look at the wooden spokes on the big wheels. The Agnew township was gazetted in 22-9-1936 - not much left now.

Interesting story about transporting a gold bar.

Wandered around the display.

The gold mine has their accommodation village just off the road as we continued down the gravel road towards Leonora.

The old bull has had a hard night by the looks of it. The girls are waiting patiently for him to get his wind back!!

Passed through the old township of Lawlers - only one building left. We had wandered over the old homesites previously looking for bottles etc. No info board here.

We had come down this way with Bob & Margaret to detect on a pending lease off the Pinnacles Road. We haven’t driven the rest of the Old Agnew Road before so another one I can mark off in my map book.

Continued on, crossing lots of dry creek crossings with concrete causeways, otherwise it would be a very sandy crossing. The same low shrubs and some gums in the creeks. Tuffy grass everywhere.

We stopped when I saw a ‘historic well’ sign pointing to a track. We followed it for a bit then realised that it was just a station track. On the Hema it said there was a soak by the road so we turned back and then noticed an old cattle grid. It was covering the well - they need to do a better sign! Doesn’t look like there is any water in the well now.

Down the road a short way we pulled off to read some more info at Poison Creek.

Steve said - ‘look out, there’s a camel!’ Haha.

I walked down to the creek bed and saw a little pool of water but didn’t walk the 500m back to the main pool.

Crossed the creek and continued on. Next stop was the Boundary Fence. Interesting reading.

The road split and looks like major road work too. Only two signs though - one pointing around a big pile of dirt saying ’Thunderbox Mine’ which we knew is near the main highway and the straight ahead one said Bannocksburn Mine - what happened to the Old Agnew Road then. We went down the Bannocksburn one then realised it had turned away from the old road and was running beside the Yarraloola to Kalgoorlie Gas Pipeline so we turned back and tried the other one. That one just went around the corner to a major haul road so we turned back and decided to just head to the other mine. A mine vehicle came towards us so we stopped and asked the chap. He said it was all being realigned for the mine and to just stay on this one and we will go around the mine and back onto the Old Agnew Road. A sign at the junction might be a good idea!

We went past the big ‘hills’ of the mine then found the old road again.

Tried to find a track into the pending lease we are looking at. First one took us down an old airstrip but the fence was still intact so we couldn’t get out the other end. The fenceline track was very boggy so we continued down the road.

Stopped at another history board at Doyles Well. We read about it at Agnew - the chap lost the gold bar through the rusted floor here but he got it back. Amazing to think there was a big house/hotel here (only a section of mud wall is left) with a big swimming pool which is still there but no water in it for a dip! It was also the telegraph centre and the Cobb & Co horse change spot. Not sure where the actual well is.

Further along the road we found another track in. This one was ok and got us to the first of a few pending leases that we can explore. We came upon two vehicles so pulled up for a chat. The lady said they have leases around here but like to come exploring on pending for a change of scenery. We drove back a bit and set up camp. The others headed off to the north.

I put the lamb shanks in the Ecopot while Steve went off for a wander. Only a few bits of rubbish when he returned for a cuppa.

He went out again - I worked on my blog. More clouds crossing the blue sky with the cool wind blowing. The sun is shining on my window so it is nice and warm in the camper.

Steve clocked up 5km for no gold - at least he gets exercise.

Read our books while we had drinks as the sun dipped and the sky turned golden as the sun set. Still a cloud band on the horizon.

Put the heater on and had our showers before dinner.