7.30am
12.9 degrees, clear sky. Someone said that ‘in’ on the end of the water means
‘water’ in aboriginal language – there are lots around the wheatbelt and lots
of water areas too.
Rang
Erica and Terry to check they are alright with all the rain and flooding – all
good there. Sent David and Amanda a text too as Maryborough will get some too.
Leanne and Rick rang for a chat which was lovely – they are holidaying on
Sunshine Coast and reckon their dam will be full when they get home.
Said
farewell to the others as they headed off. Got another camper to take a group
photo of us on Bernie’s phone and she sent it to us on Facebook. The people you
meet make travelling so much fun.
Heidi
and Mark left. Hopefully we will find them somewhere on the goldfields.
We
wandered over to the Shire Office to check out the information boards. The hall
is another heritage building.
Fabulous
info boards telling the story of the Tin Horse Highway and so much more. There
are more tin horses heading west but we are heading north so will skip those
one.
Inside
were a few more info boards and old photos.
Back
to the van and we headed off. Passed Butler’s Garage (open on Saturday
mornings), built in 1930s, houses the Kulin Museum – a collection of vintage
cars, farm equipment and machinery.
Headed
north to Kondinin. It was first settled in 1909 and surveyed for selection in
1910. Found some more scrap metal sculptures at the Men’s Shed and some good
artwork.
Stopped
at the park. Great information board. There is another big rock (Yeerakine
Rock) with the same water catchment scheme created in 1927 nearby. Also Lake
Kondinin is about 5km west and is great for waterskiing and windsurfing. In the
middle of the golf course is another rock (Woorkakanin) that had a catchment
wall and it supplied the water for the steam trains.
Big
mural of J.S. Roe’s expedition of 1848-49.
More
info about Roe.
Followed
the Centenary (1910-2010) mosaic pathway around more metal sculptures.
A
new shed houses a couple of horse-drawn wagons and an old plough was outside.
Colourful
murals and more metal sculptures as we continue north.
Into
Narembeen for lunch in the shade of the tall salmon gums near the railway
siding as it has warmed up now. Lots of flies too.
Across
the road to the Grain Discovery Centre which is in the servo. Noted that diesel
is only 127.9 here where it was 130.9 at Kulin. Great displays and lots to read
in the centre. Lots of TVs and Ipads to watch short videos on too. Nothing
mentioned the different burning off practices though.
Great
farm house display too.
Steve
checked his weight!!
Headed
up the main street. The pub that created this township.
More
history information.
Across
the road to the Machinery Museum.
Beautiful
old wool press.
A
chap drove up to chat and said that all the machinery is functioning after
restoration by the chaps in the Men’s Shed. He offered to show us their latest restoration
project. The KL Bulldog tractor is nearly finished then they will start on the
truck.
They
are using an old service station – 1950’s American style building. Originally
the site was the second primary school.
Continued
back down the other side of the street.
Pretty
red flowers.
Mosaic
mural on the side of the Post Office.
The
Lions Club’s town clock.
Site
of the original store now houses the Historical Society.
Next
door was the Public Hall – built in 1939, another one like the servo.
Further
down the road was Spotters Post building which was built in 1942 for the
purpose of spotting enemy aircraft during WW2.
Back
to the van for a cuppa when Malcolm rang for a chat. He had a great run at
Baskerville Raceway with his car and broke the 41 year old record for his
class. The track has been recently resurfaced and was so fast and smooth. He
was very happy. He will be racing in the Super GT class when the V8s are racing
soon at Symmons Plains, Tassie. Shame Fox TV doesn’t show the support races.
Headed
north on the long straight road towards Merredin. A car passed us on the
bitumen and threw up a stone that hit the windscreen in the bottom left corner.
Really – I was thinking about getting a new windscreen as we have had the crack
in the centre for ages.
Spotted
some of the Collgar Wind Farm’s turbines – there are 111 turbines over 18,000
hectares which supply enough power to supply 125,000 homes.
Turned
west onto the Great Eastern Highway back to Merredin. The Golden Pipeline
beside the road that sends water from Perth to Kalgoorlie.
Diesel
is 136.9 here, should have topped up back at Narembeen!!
Free
camp beside Merredin Peak, another granite rock with water collection walls.
Nice spot.
Had
a drink outside with the flies – will have to try Rick’s cream he gave us. Rang
Kaylene and Rick again as last time they had just come home from Townsville.
Jon
texted that he had found his bike so I rang him back. So glad he has got it
back.
Walked
up the rock as the sun started down. After a hotter day it is very pleasant
now. Climbed up to the top of the dam and found a long channel that takes the
water off the rock down to the dam which was used for the railway steam trains.
Floodgates
at the rock end of the channel.
A
bridge took us over the catchment wall onto the rock.
Looking
back out the van.
Walked
up further – very big rock.
Lovely
sunset from up here.
Continued
along the path. More people further over on the next rock. There is a trail to
follow.
Nice
view from up here.
Foundations
of a reservoir for the WW2 Army Hospital erected below in 1942/43. Water was
pumped up from the Railway Dam to the reservoir then down the other side to the
hospital.
Across
to the other hill top. As it was getting late we headed back.
The
red-tailed black cockatoos were making a racket in the gum trees around the
van.
Got
TV reception but there was nothing of interest to watch so back to the movies
on the hard drive. Lovely warm evening as we ate our KG whiting for dinner.
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