Mon, 22nd June, 2015 ‘Waanyarra’, Dunolly State Forest

Another cold morning, 5 degrees in the van and 0 outside. More frost on the ground and lots of condensation in the van. It is the Winter Solstice – shortest day of the year. The fuel didn’t pump through again even with the conditioner and a towel over it. There was ice on the towel!! The conditioner is for cars so maybe he needs to put a lot more in for the small pipes of the heater. Steve poured some hot water over the connection on the fuel tank and it ran fine – must be just too small a pipe. Rang the chap we got the heater off and he said he hadn’t heard of any issues – we must be the only nomads in the freezing weather!! He was going to send us a new connection but Steve wants to try taking the connection out and just having a hose, so will see how that goes first.

Steve was digging out some clothes when he felt the back of the cupboard and it was wet. Where the van curves down at the front there mustn’t be as much insulation and it was freezing. One of my shirts actually had ice on it. Pulled everything out and checked them – only had the one wet one. Put everything in bags and are going to leave the doors open, hoping the heater will keep it dry and I will keep and eye on it. We have to wipe the Four Season Hatches’ metal surrounds each morning as they start to drip. Looking forward to warmer climate!!

11am it was only 8.5 degrees outside but sunny. Went for a walk to find the puddling ring near here. Good example and it even has the canal where the water drained into the creek. Even had the hole in the middle where the pole would have been. No water race etc so not sure where they got the water from though to put into the puddler.

Drove into Dunolly to get some water and see the chaps at the Metal Detecting Shop. I checked out the Museum which wasn’t open but they had replica nuggets in the window – if only he could find one like these.

This is the Leila nugget found at the Poseidon Rush on 3^rd Jan,1907 weighing 675 oz.

The Viscount Canterbury nugget was found at Berlin near Dunolly weighing 1121 oz 10 dwts and found at a depth of 15 feet.

This one is only 91 oz but was found at Tarnagulla in August 1996, so they are still out there!!

The other window of the Museum had a collection of interesting items for people to guess that they are.

These are the answers.

Bet the girls would love to have their hair dried under this hairdryer (circa 1920).

Outside was an old Post Office Receiving Pillar (c 1860s). There are two more in the street.

Beside that is a monument with an anvil on top of it. That anvil was used to break up the Welcome Stranger nugget on 9^th Feb, 1869, as it was too big to be weighed on any of the scales. It weighed 2332 ozs.

Across the road was the Royal Hotel – note the date at the top says ‘Rebuilt  1894. Will have to get a walking history map and come back for a wander.

Beside the Museum were a park and an info board about the Town Hall. Amazing to think of 60,000 people digging around in the dirt back then.

There was also the old info board like ones I saw in Tarnagulla.

I was freezing so headed into the Miners shop to find Steve – the man let me warm up beside his heater. He had a coil Steve had been wanting to get, on sale, so I said he could have it – aren’t I nice!! If he finds a big nugget with it, I will be happy. Chatted about where to go etc and admired the ‘brag’ wall of all the nuggets people have found etc. Need to get Steve back and that detector covering the ground!!

While Steve filled up the water tanks I walked around to the Info Centre and picked up some more brochures on the history of the little towns around the area. Clouds have come over as we headed back to our van. Drove up Nuggetty Gully to check it out so Steve will come back and try his luck here. I got tea prepared and soaked some fruit to make my Easy Fruit Cake tomorrow. Unfortunately Steve came back empty handed.

Alan and Diane from Burnie texted to see how we are going so I rang him back for a chat. They have been having freezing temps in Burnie too and they are near the sea!!

The weather forecast is for 8 degrees overnight as rain is predicted and it will be overcast so won’t get to try out our pipe replacement on the heater. Will have to wait for freezing again.