8am
27 degrees, clear sky and light breeze. Not too noisy last night with the
passing trucks.
Continued
on to Laverton. Interesting entrance sculpture as we headed into town.
Stopped
at the Info Board park to read the history and what there is to see here.
Nice
clean town with a few locals gathering outside the Art Centre and some in the
park near the Hotel. We went into the Information Centre which also houses the
Explorers Hall of Fame. This is also the start of the Longest Shortcut from
Laverton to Winton, Qld which Bob and Margaret will be taking later in the year
to join us for the trip up Cape York. Apparently they are planning to make it
all bitumen by 2025 – now where’s the fun in that!!
Inside
we watched a short movie of explorer Lord John Forrest with his aboriginal
guide Tommy Windich and their journey to Mount Margaret (near here) from Perth.
Tommy was famous also for being the tracker who found Moondyke Joe who escaped
from Fremantle Gaol and Toodyay before that. Then we heard them and other
explorers talk (via statues) about their adventures.
Others
of interest to us, as we are going into the country they had explored, were
Giles and Eyre.
Laverton
is named after Doctor Charles Laver who cared for the sick as well as looked
for gold and was instrumental in getting a lot of things happening in Laverton.
Continued
along the path reading lots of interesting bits and pieces, like about the
cameleers and RM Williams. Will have to check out the concrete tank he built in
nearby Mount Margaret.
This
area is also famous for all the sandalwood that was cut over the years for
overseas markets. Now only a few people have the permit to cut it.
Information
about gold and nickel which is mined around here. Some specimens are on display
– only a couple of little nuggets though.
Had
a nice coffee and cookie in the café. Picked up the history walk brochure then
headed down the street to check out some old buildings.
First
past the Desert Inn Hotel.
Into
the park opposite to check out Dr Lavers and his bicycle and other plaques
around the base. The boys commented on the spoke-less wheels.
The
Coach Hotel which is hopefully on the agenda to be refurbished soon.
On
a big rock nearby was a plaque about the East Brothers – interesting bit of
history.
Continued
on – bit hotter today but the breeze is pleasant. Found the Police Station
precinct with a lovely home for the police constable. A lady has been staying
there in her van to protect the area as it has been restored. Some local kids
set light to the bathroom area so the Council decided to get a caretaker in. It
has been beautifully restored.
The
gardens outside are so green compared to the surrounding countryside.
Through
the gate to the Police Station, it closed in the mid 1970s – just a room really
with the outhouse nearby and the gaol a short distance away.
We
offered to pay the lady some money to keep the boys locked up but we decided
they are handy to have around so we let them out again.
Prisoners
have left their marks and some interesting artwork too.
Even
the toilet has art.
Headed
back to the vans for lunch. Geoff & Virginia have arrived so they will come
with us out to the pending area after they have a look around.
We
drove around to where the railway station house was but the yard was full of
machinery etc so you couldn’t see the house which is now a private residence.
Up
the road to where the Courthouse was moved to, near the school oval. Looking a
bit worse for wear. Peered in through one of the broken windows.
The
school oval is lovely and green. Bet they don’t have any nasty prickles in
there like the ones we encounter in the bush!!
Headed
back out of town and up the Erlistoun Road to a pending exploration lease.
Found a track in and a place to camp with some trees to shade the vans from the
western sun – in for a few hot days, 33 plus and a nice open area for our fire
and to watch the stars and satellites from.
The
flies disappeared – yeah – when the sun went down and we settled in to watch
the satellites but a big cloud was building in the west which slowly came over
us blocking our view. About 8pm we heard a rumble and some flashes of lightning
then smelt the rain coming. Back into our vans just as the rain came down – a
nice drop too. Steve put out a bucket to catch the water off the awning.
9pm
it was all over and we had a pleasant temperature to go to bed with.
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