7am
11.8 degrees in the van but the heater warmed it up to 15 degrees in half an
hour so we could get up to have breakfast. The sky is overcast and there is a
light breeze.
On
with the big coats for a walk around. Our camp spot.
Lots
of bits and pieces to check out in the shearer’s kitchen area.
Phil
had left a history and map of the area inside. There were also books to swap so
I found three and swapped them for the ones I had already read.
Nearby
were the shearer’s quarters – bit drafty.
There
was a shower block with a big water heater. Will get that going later and have
a shower in there tonight to save our gas.
Only
the chimney remains of this building.
Wandered
over to the homestead.
The
washroom and laundry.
This
homestead was built in 1948 and you can pick the eras of time that renovations
were made.
Pressed
metal everywhere – to think it is in vogue again.
They
have the same tiles in the bathroom as Mum and Dad have at home.
Fake
brick wallpaper around the fireplace.
Outside
was a gazebo area where they would gather in the summer to get relief from the
heat. There was water run over it and down the sides like a Coolgardie Safe.
The
yard’s fence was lined with brush to stop the sand blowing across the yard.
Around
the other side of the house were three rooms that didn’t have access into the
house – visitors, servants or workers?
Walked
around the homestead to check the house well which a windmill is still pumping
water into.
Not
much left of the machinery shed except some foundations and the service pit.
Near
the shearing shed was another well.
Looks
like they are trying to restore it.
Back
to the van for a cuppa then headed out to try and find one of Phil’s detecting
spots. Across the airstrip on another track out to the main road.
Found
a track leading in the right direction. Stopped to check out this creek area.
The water must wash down over the rocks then dropped into this area and eaten
it out.
Further
up the track we found a few shafts.
Nice
view back over the land to the homestead.
Rocky
outcrop.
Continued
further up the track and found a few more shafts. Then the track pettered out
so we drove back to the shafts to have a detect. One side had a rock wall and
the other was a timbered shaft.
No
gold only lots of bits of metal. Back to the van for lunch. Will see if Jeff
knows how to get to the spot when he arrives later today. The sun is out now
and the clouds are disappearing.
Another
couple arrived, David and Majella from Gympie. They both detect. Chatted about
places to go etc then Jeff arrived. Got the fire going in the shower block
heater and started the fire in the fireplace so we could keep warm while we had
happy hour.
Had
a nice long hot shower in the shower block early before it got to cold outside.
At least the breeze had stopped as the walls don’t go all the way down to the
ground!!
Lovely
clear sky again. Chatted for a while around the fire then headed into the van
for dinner at 7.30. It was still 18 degrees in the van as I had it shut up and
the sun had been shining on it all afternoon.
Worked
on my blog while Steve watched ‘Dawn of the Dead’. Didn’t put the heater on and
by 9pm it was starting to get very chilly.
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