Sun, 8th May, 2016 Meekatharra Van Park, Meekatharra, WA (Town Walk and Eastern Loop Drive Trail)

14.4 degrees at 7am with clear sky. Got out the jeans and jumpers!!

Jon texted to wish me a happy Mother’s Day. Of course a mother’s work is never done so I headed over to put a load of washing through – only $2 a wash here. Looked up the area we are heading to so I can get the GPS co-ordinates of the ‘live’ leases to put on the Hema so Steve knows where he can go. On Google Earth I looked at the Blue Bird Mine south of Meekatharra. The bottom pit was the one we peered into the other day.

Angled the view to closer to the ground – good fun Google Earth.

After a cuppa walked along down the road to follow the Town Walk trail. All very quiet in town.

This one is supposed to be about H & R Bell, Trucking Company!!

Next door looks like an original home. Same style as my great grandfather built in Woodford in 1882.

The next one was modern with artificial grass – smart thinking.

This sign needs replacing.

Turned down the ‘Church’ street.

The original school.

Shame the old Court House has been left to fall apart. Looks a lovely old building.

This pile of rocks was glittering in the sunshine – not from gold but from broken bottles!!

Steve could hear kids laughing as we could just make them out sliding down Tank Hill on those fence panels we saw the other day.

A new sign for Paddy’s ‘Smithy’. This is the same as the one we tried reading while doing the Creek Trail.

Across the road is the Picture Gardens – will have to ask tomorrow if it still opens.

Cute little take away.

One of the many Hotels.

Continued down the main street.

The site of the old bakery that is supposed to be still operating but I’m not sure!!

More Hotels.

Amazing to think of how they delivered the mail.

A few more boards to read as we head back towards the van.

Below the headframe were four mosaics showing the changes of Meekatharra from aborigines to gold discovery, camels and then open cut mining.

Missed this one at the info bay about another mine and Government Battery to the south.

Back to the van for lunch, still only 17 degrees in the van. Dan rang for Mother’s Day too – lovely to hear from my boys. He had just been racing his drone in Mareeba. Steve rang Erica for Mother’s Day – I am ringing Mum tonight. Chatted with Terry too.

Drove out towards the airport to find the start of the Eastern Loop Drive Trail that we did part of the other day. Sun’s a bit bright on the sign. Steve spreads his coat to cast a shadow for me. First one is the old hospital site – nothing left but a concrete slab. 

Further along was a lookout over a small part of the Paddy’s Flat Mines.

Steve doing his bit for the blog – blocking out the sun while I photograph.

Now this one was very interesting – it’s so hard to get our heads around how phone calls just happen!!

A better picture of the longest mail run truck heading off in 1933.

Heading around to the airport which is very long, being made for the American Airforce in WW2.

Stopped at the Bureau of Meteorology to read about the weather balloon. Will have to ring up to see if they still do it.

Around to the airport.

Nearby is the RFDS. They do tours too.

Followed the trail markers onto a dirt road then around the airport to the other end to another info board.

Nice new sign here.

Continued along the dirt track through open country till we were nearly at the Wiluna - Meekatharra road. Crossed over the raised dirt of the old railway line that went to Wiluna.

Next stop was the Racecourse. Tammy Fraser’s comment helped make Meekatharra famous.

Further back towards town we turned off to the old stockyards. The railway came to here and it was a very important centre for transport so much before trucks became the popular mode of transport.

A very sad stockman story – I wonder what happened to his lady-love.

The old weigh bridge and railway stories.

Passed the turn off to the cemetery, the old battery and the tanks that we did the other day and back onto the main street and home to the van.

Wind still cold but the sun is on the side of the van so it is up to 21 degrees in the van at 3pm.

Rang home to wish Mum a happy mother’s day too. Chatted with all the family as she was also doing birthday cakes for Jon and Dan for their birthdays. She will get some photos and put on Facebook for me. Do miss them all. Joc and John were there too and have had a wonderful adventure with Janet and Geoff.

Cold creeping in so put on the heater while we watched the other V8 race in Perth.