All
fogged in at 6am, 18 degrees. Erica rang at 6am as it is 8am in Qld.
Katelin
and Sarah’s birthdays today. Will ring Katie later and send Sarah a facebook
message as she is still overseas.
While
we waited for the awning to dry off a bit Steve washed the van with the full
bucket of rainwater from last night. Looks a lot better than before. He then
modified a fuel drum we picked up near Cocklebiddy Cave so he can store his
firewood.
I
baked a slice and made more pasta salad and mixed together some more Nuts &
Bolts for happy hour. Then I rang the Tuckshop girls for a chat. They had just
been talking about me as Dot was in and wanted to know where I was. Dot had
done a bus tour in WA and said to make sure we do the Brothel Tour in
Kalgoorlie. Go Dot!! She is still doing well which is wonderful and all is good
with the other girls and Tuckshop is still making money. The new food regime
has been postponed which is great as it will create a big drop in income for
the P&C again like last time and it won’t stop the students from buying the
junk food from the Apex and Caltex before and after school.
Back
onto the highway for 25km to where a bend in the road ends the 90 Mile
Straight. The old Telegraph/Coach Road continues straight ahead heading for
Dundas. We continued on the next straight road another 25km into Balladonia.
Stopped
at the big Roadhouse at Balladonia. Lots of history here. An old boiler from a
mine at Menzies was moved here in 1962 to be used at the Roadhouse. The
Government recommended the Roadhouse be built to cater for all the travellers
crossing the Nullarbor to attend the 1962 Empire Games in Perth. Prior to 1962
all refuelling was at the Balladonia Telegraph Station (25km back where the
bend in the road was). We had seen a homestead but there was no signage or
anything on my map to say it was the site of the Telegraph Station. The
original roadhouse here was replaced in 1974.
Balladonia
is also famous for being crashed on by Skylab bits in 1979.
Inside
the roadhouse was a very informative museum – and free to enter too.
All
about the 3 Redex Trials.
Heaps
to read and lots of newspaper articles about the Skylab crash.
I
didn’t know that the aborigines had to apply to be Australian Citizens.
The
Stations around this area.
Camels,
Afghans and the Eyre Highway.
A
bit of the meteorite that crashed at Mundrabilla many years ago and was
discovered in 1968.
Nullarbor
Caves – shame we can’t go into the Weebubbie Cave anymore.
Very
interesting reading in the museum. As we came out ‘Willy’ and his wife were
having a cuppa. Grabbed our golf clubs and headed over to the tee for another
hit of golf. Bit of a narrow fairway. Didn’t do too well. Steve got 11 and I
got 10.
Had
some lunch and topped up the fuel before heading back onto the highway. More
straight road with rolling hills. We have been slowly climbing, we were at 230m
elevation at Balladonia.
Nice
a cool with all the cloud cover. Great view as we crest a hill.
We
are entering the Great Western Woodlands renowned for having the world’s
largest eucalyptus hardwood trees. There are more than 20 species. Passed a
blonde dressed in black dress, beanie and knee high boots walking east along
the highway. She looked ok but we thought it was strange to be walking in those
clothes – hope she will be ok. Reminded us of the Eucla Nymph story. Up to 390m
elevation now with Wyralinu Hill (part of Fraser Ranges) in the distance at
569m elevation.
Turned
off and headed in to Fraser Range Station for another round of golf. Originally
founded by John and Alexander Forrest on their expedition from Perth to
Adelaide in 1870, the property was settled by the Dempster Brothers in 1872,
making it the first sheep station to be established on the Nullarbor Plain. The
station, surrounded by crown land, stretches some 160km north west and is 25km
wide. The length of the station is punctuated by open grass flats. It was upon
these flats that shepherds moved sheep, each week over 100 years ago, from flat
to flat to eventually end up back at Fraser Range Homestead for annual
shearing. After shearing, the wool was taken by 16 strong camels and cart to
Point Malcolm on the Great Australian Bight, to be shipped to Adelaide for
sale. At this time Perth was a Penal Colony, Kalgoorlie and Norseman didn’t
exist and Esperance was merely a few houses on the beach. The range of hills
attracts rainfall of 330mm per annum making the area a virtual Australian dry
land Garden of Eden. The station is currently undergoing the change from Merino
to Damara sheep, a high quality of meat product, extremely lean, very tasty and
low in cholesterol. It is very nice and they have units as well as a caravan park.
As we pulled up so did an Ambulance. I said I hope you have just called in to
get an icecream but sadly they were there to attend to someone. There are walks
to do and they have sunrise and sunset tours as well. A few old cars line the
road and some mining machinery is further over. We had passed a sign about a
mine.
Parked
near the kiosk and walked through the park looking for the golf tee. A group of
emus or is that a flock, were picking their way through the bush. Looked funny
as a head popped up – he was in a ditch.
View
over the land as we walked up the slope to the tee. Another couple were going
for a hit too.
Nice
straight one except for the big tree in the middle and it is going downhill.
Got in a fairly good shot to start then went to pieces. I got a 10 and Steve 8.
Chatted with the other couple – he was hitting 4 balls to make it worthwhile.
Walked
back to the kiosk for a Connoisseur icecream which was delicious. The lady said
Fraser Range also does contract mining work and are currently working for the
new Nickel Mine (the one we saw on the way here). Wandered around the lovely
garden while we ate them.
The
units look old and the posts are old telegraph poles. Wonder where the chairs
came from.
1927
Chrysler Ago, traded for a camel.
As
we headed out we spotted the group of emus again.
Into
Dundas Nature Reserve where there are lots of large ‘lakes’ – flat open salt
pans.
Pulled
off into a rest area 16km east of Norseman. Followed the track further up the
hill passed another van to a nice spot beside some lovely Gimlet trees.
With
the sun starting to set I wandered around taking photos of the trees while
Steve got a fire going. The Gimlet trees had red smooth bark, others white and
others very barky bark.
The
sun set behind the trees about 5.30pm.
By
6.30 it was dark and getting chilly. Rang Gavin in Kalgoorlie to let him know
we are heading that way. Rang Katelin
for her birthday but spoke to Tim as Katie is with Greg and Tracy on the cruise
– what a fabulous birthday for her. Tim is doing well with his Uni studies.
The
moon is getting fuller. Something was in the trees or dirt that gave off beautiful green and purple flames in the
fire.
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