7am
19.5 degrees, clear sky again.
Packed
up and headed back to Laverton. About 20km out got some texts from people
trying to ring us - Kev & Linda, Margaret and Mike Harding.
We
came into Laverton from a different direction which took us onto the Great
Central Highway, known as the Longest Shortcut, which goes from Laverton to
Winton, Qld. This bit is bitumen and by 2025 they plan to have the whole lot
bitumen. There is a restriction at the moment – we are a 4x4 but we aren’t
under 3 tonne!!
Spotted
a wedgie but he flew off by the time I got the camera going.
Pulled
into the Long Vehicle Park and made a cuppa while I got onto the internet to
check if the area we are heading to is still pending and check emails etc. Rang
Linda, Margaret and Mike back. Then rang Mum and Dad to check in and say we
were back in phone range again.
A
car pulled in beside us and it was John and Chris we had met at Leonora. They
haven’t been having much luck either and the area near Malcolm Dam we were
detecting has gone live now too so there aren’t any good spots to go nearby for
them unless they take out a 40E on exploration leases. John said the Kin Mining
(we thought was owned by Chinese) is owned by Trevor Dixon (seen his name on a
lot of leases) and he is struggling to make his interest payments to the
Canadian Mining finance company. Interesting!!
Sent
Leanne a birthday text for today – having a nice time in Brisbane. Sent Suzanne
one for tomorrow as we mightn’t have phone service in the next camp spot as I
am getting texts from Telstra saying they are working on the network in the
Laverton area – big brother knows where you are!!
Had
lunch and got some fresh fruit and veg from the supermarket. Headed back on the
bitumen towards Leonora. Turned off to check out the Murrin Murrin Nickel Mine.
There is a lookout onto of one of the ‘hills’. Huge setup. Panned from left to
right.
Continued
west then turned on the track to Minara Station. There is a big area of pending
ground, though some of it has just gone live, around the Cement Tank Well. We
found a track that took us up into the hills and parked up just as the sun was
getting low in the sky.
Didn’t
have phone reception in the truck but once I put up the aerial in the van I
just got it and another text from Telstra telling me they are working in the
Minara area too!! Sent Virginia and Geoff a text to tell them how we went and
where they are now. They had a lovely rest at North Pool near Wiluna which is
near the 1st Well on the Canning Stock Route. They are at Peace
Gorge at Meekatharra now and even managed to find a couple bits of gold.
Another
lovely evening to sit around the fire and watch the stars appear – and one
satellite – always a competition to see who can spot one first.
We
aren’t far from the main road so we can here the trucks rumbling along
otherwise it is very quiet.
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