15
degrees this morning with clear sky. Nice and fresh after all the rain.
Headed
back to Lake Douglas to check what Jason and Kate were up to. Stopped off to
find the memorial to the two policemen shot in the old days when they were
tracking down illegal gold prospectors. We drove down the Binduli Mine haul
road as per the sign to find the memorial. The big rock had little flecks of
gold in it.
Jason
& Kate were hanging around for bit more so we headed back through
Kalgoorlie. Will have to do the Kalgoorlie Town Hall tour next time.
Went
back to Mt Charlotte Lookout to finish reading all the signs.
Another
walk went around the base of the hill. Water was the liquid gold.
Mount
Perry reservoir with Mount Perry open cut mine beside it.
Another
road train rumbles by.
More
info boards.
Kalgoorlie
was originally called Hannans as it was known as Hannan’s Find when Paddy and
his mates found gold here.
Amazing
to think of all the hard work involved in digging out the top of the hill to
put in the reservoir.
Onto
the Goldfields Highway heading north. Passed the Two Up place. Next game is
Sunday so will have to time it for next time we are back in Kalgoorlie,
probably when we are heading south for the summer!!
They
have good signs letting us know where there are mines and other information.
This is the old Gidji Gold Processing Plant that the Super Pit used to use. I
got the smoke stack!!
Paddington
Gold Mine is right beside the highway.
There are new hills popping up everywhere - the old tailing dumps.
Stopped
for a cuppa at the old railway township of Goongarrie. Part of the Golden Quest
Discovery Trail. Someone had kicked in the back door.
We
were reading about it in Steve’s gold book and it mentioned a lone grave. I
wandered around but couldn’t find it. Further down the highway we saw it on the
opposite side but we didn’t stop.
Another
small mining operation, Sand Queen Mine.
Long
straight roads again. Just passed a dead emu, roo and now a cow.
Into
Menzies where I spotted another Quest board and then some more silhouettes and
information boards.
Hard
to imagine this sleepy little place used to have 13 hotels, 3 banks, 3
breweries and 4 churches after gold was discovered here in 1894. The Post Office had a staff of 26 and the
school had 205 pupils. The population grew to about 10000 but by 1910 had
dwindled down to 1000 as gold production fell. There were two resurgences of
gold mining, both of which contributed to brief boom times. Today there are only 70 people living here. Now
they are ‘mining’ its heritage and they have done a wonderful job with their displays.
“This
trip? Building iron, bags of flour, and cases of tinned dog, all going to Mt
Malcolm.” – Ahmed , the Afghan cameleer, one of dozens who plied their trade
from Menzies.
Lots
of locals telling their stories.
“Telegram
for Jimmy McGuigan at Mt Ida? Hmm… it’s only 65 miles – I’ll be there for
lunch…” One of many bicycle couriers who
delivered mail all over the goldfields.
“Get
cracking on the bellows, me lad – this iron’s gone cold!” Bob, the blacksmith, who had his workshop
here in the early 1900s.
The
Town Hall with its clocks at long last.
Continued
along the street reading all the stories etc.
“My
lungs are giving out – but the only work to be had around here is underground
…” In honour of the underground miners from all eras of mining.
Lovely
War Memorial area with a fabulous mural.
The
Post Office.
More
information boards – lots to see and do out here.
The
Lady Shenton Hotel.
“How
on earth do I STOP this infernal machine?”
Local mining warden, William Owen, test riding the first motorcycle in
Menzies.
Not
the nicest job to have.
The
Menzies Hotel.
“Step
inside, you handsome man – my sheets are clean and my prices is keen …” The red
light lady.
The
Railway Hotel.
The
Pioneer Store.
Bushtucker.
“Oh,
I wish this wind would stop! As soon as I hang out the washing it’s dusty
again!” A tribute to all the women who lived here in such harsh conditions 100
years ago.
Butcher’s
shop and Tea Rooms.
“A
one-pound white, straight from the oven – that’ll be seven pence please.” Baker
Barnes, a well-known identity in early Menzies.
At
the end of the town was an old roadhouse which is covered in posters and number
plates – what a great tourist opportunity here if promoted well, but obviously
it didn’t work out for the current owners.
Last
story.
“Carry
him carefully, young Joe Wright – the fever is enough for him to deal with
…” Matron Andrews, first nurse appointed
to Menzies Hospital in 1895.
“What
on earth made you think you could rob the Post Office and get away with
it?” Constable Samuel Evans, one of the
first policemen posted to Menzies , 1895.
As
the sun was starting to drop we headed off – still a couple of things to see
when we return.
32kms
further on we pulled off into a rest area. It was right beside the road but we
followed a track further into the bush for our camp for the night.
Very
flat red dirt but plenty of firewood for a nice fire. Watched the satellites
pass overhead. 18 degrees in the van at 10pm.
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