Wed, 29th June, 2016 Bush camp, Yandal Station, NE of Leinster, WA

6.45am 10.5 degrees in the van.

7.30am 7.3 degrees outside when I went out to get the parsley for the scrambled eggs – still growing nicely in our little pots.

Rang Rochelle for her birthday. She rang back as she was out having morning tea with the Tuckshop girls.

Went for a walk then worked on my family tree photos – big job – glad I have all this time to be able to get it done.

Lovely warmer day – shirt and shorts again. Collected some more firewood – will get Steve to go over the holes where I pulled out the stumps in case there is some gold hiding under the tree.

More photos then after a cuppa I got the fire going to get coals to cook my Zucchini Slice in the camp oven.

The boys were back early – both sad – no gold for either of them today. Steve tried my tree holes and no gold there either.

Mike from Tassie sent a text of little nuglets they just got from Tassie near the area he took us. Steve rang him back to get all the goss.

5pm 24 degrees in the van. Grabbed our drinks and nibbles and went over to join the others for farewell drinks as they are heading to Menzies tomorrow.

Cooked the sausages in the lid of the camp oven and toasted some savoury bread with our zucchini slice. Not as cold tonight. 9pm still 20 degrees in the van and 14 degrees outside. Sad when we are calling that warm!! Bit of cloud down on the horizon.

10pm still 14 degrees outside -  no need for the heater tonight.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.

Tues, 28th June, 2016 Bush camp, Yandal Station, NE of Leinster, WA

6.30am 8.6 degrees inside and 3.8 degrees outside and windy.

8.30am the boys left and it was 10.2 degrees outside. Mum rang to say Jon had dropped off our postal votes for them to fill in – he had already voted. She will drop them off when they vote on Saturday. Had a lovely long chat.

Went for a walk up and down the track and walked further along the main track and up onto a plateau – top spot to camp too. Walked over to the other camp for a chat. Marg showed me all the gold that Brian has found since they arrived – very nice. Apparently this has been a very productive place over the years. One chap Steve spoke to yesterday said 20 years ago he got 62 ounces in one visit!! Now it is all the little bits that the newer machines are picking up and an occasional bigger piece.

Back to the van for a cuppa then I collected more firewood. Lyn had bought a cake mix so Jeff gave it to me to make up. Bit windy for a fire but I got it going and put rocks around the campoven hole to keep the heat in. Nice and warm in the sun that I had to strip off to t-shirt and shorts – so nice after being in longs and jumpers all the time. I got some coals ready and made the mix into cupcakes. Didn’t take long to cook in the warmed camp oven – they even have icing.

Kept the fire going and put on a stew – one of Roothy’s off the 4WD Action videos we have been watching.

Had lunch – the thermometer is in the shade on the side of the van and it said 19 degrees but it is warmer in the sunshine.

Collected more wood – there are heaps of dead trees that I can rock back and forth and pull out of the ground. The root and trunk give the better coals.

The boys came back – Steve with a sad face, no gold and Jeff was beaming – he had about 8 pieces.

Another lovely night by the fire. Stew was lovely and we had cupcakes for dessert.

8pm 11 degrees outside so time to head in and put the heater on.

NO PHOTOS TODAY

Mon, 27th June, 2016 Bush camp, Yandal Station, NE of Leinster, WA

7am 8.6 degrees in the van and 4.9 degrees outside but it is clear and sunny. Much nicer morning. We can cope with the cold if the sun is out shining.

Did my domestics – back to the days of the ‘pan man’ – dump the toilet contents down a hole!!

Rang Mum and Dad but Mum was out so had a lovely chat with Dad.

Went for a walk back along the track to the main track (about 10 minutes) and back a couple of times then up the knoll where the others go to get phone reception.

Great view. From left to right – the others camp then our camp in the trees.

Zoomed in on our camp.

The wind has picked up and is quite gusty. Got some firewood – good exercise!! Nice day alternating between family tree photos, my book and collecting more firewood.

Got the fire going early as I need coals for the campoven tonight.

Boys back, Steve got 3 little bits, 0.81 grams and Jeff got a nice flat piece, over 3 grams. Glad to see there are still some bigger bits out there.

Lovely night by the fire, not as cold. 7.30pm 11.2 degrees outside.

Sun, 26th June, 2016 Bush camp, Yandal Station, NE of Leinster, WA

7am 8.6 degrees inside but sunny outside. By 8am it clouded over and looked like rain – cold and windy 8.6 degrees outside. We were nice and warm in 19 degrees inside.

Steve headed off with Jeff in the cold – I stayed in the van though I did turn off the heater. Shouldn’t have as it didn’t stay warm for long. I worked on my photos for a while then rang Kaylene and Rick. Had a lovely long chat with them. Kaylene said Shane and Doreen live in Perth and flyin/out to a mine so will find Doreen on Facebook and make contact. Cold got to me so I climbed under the blankets and read my book.

16 degrees in the van at midday. The clouds have started to part and the sun is peeking through. The boys came back for a late lunch. No gold for Steve but Jeff had two little bits. They said it was hard going in the cold this morning trying to keep their hands and head warm.

Jon rang to say our postal votes ended up there. So much for filling in a form to get the postal votes sent to where you actually are!! Jon said he had put up some video of Bandit on the disc with him up at Tinaroo so will have to check it out. Had a lovely long chat with him.

Now the sun is out and warming so the boys headed off again. I sat outside in the sunshine reading my book, enjoying the warmth. The ladies from the other camp had been up the hill to get phone reception so they called in on their way back – zooming around on their four-wheeler.

4pm and the temperature has started to drop outside.

5pm it was only 8.6 degrees as the sun disappeared. Got the fire going and the boys came back. Jeff had two more bits and Steve got one, 0.36grams (we get two digits now with the new scales).

Malcolm rang from Brisbane on his way back to Tassie from Mooloolaba where the whole family enjoyed a week’s holiday. Supposed to be warm but he said they had 6 degrees overnight – the cold snap is right across Australia – except for Cairns that is. Mind up that is warm for him compared to when he gets back to Westbury! Lots of snow on the Snowy Mtns etc according to the radio news.

8pm 6.7 degrees outside. Inside to the heater and a hot shower.

Sat, 25th June, 2016 Bush camp near old Yandal Station Homestead to Bush camp, Yandal Station, NE of Leinster, WA

7.30am 9.5 degrees in the van, clear and sunny. Heater on for an hour for breakfast and to change – nice to warm up the clothes in front of the heater before putting them on.

A vehicle towing a camper drove past us down the track then turned around at the boggy section and went back again – we thought we would be all alone!!!

Boys went investigating. I had marked all the mines etc and our 40E boundary on the Hema so they can work out a place to camp. I uploaded my blog while I had good internet service.

Nice and warm in the sunshine – even took my jumper and boots off by lunchtime. The boys came back for lunch – found a caravan park!! 4 other vans on a 40E that covers our 40E – you pay the mines dept $25 and they ask the exploration leaseholder for permission for us to be on the lease and then we get a letter to send to the pastoralist letting them know we will be on the area – valid for 3 months from when you apply (note it takes 21 days before you get the ok!) It just provides you with permission to be in an area but no rights to it. Obviously more than one 40E can be over an area.

Packed up after lunch and headed up to where they are camped – there is another clearing away from them which someone has just left – even has a fireplace and wood all ready to go!!

I worked on clearing the bigger rocks to make a smoother path from the van to the fireplace and put the rocks along the edge so I have a pathway to follow. Got out my solar lights to light the path. After a cuppa the boys went wandering looking for gold.

No gold so we wandered over to chat with the others around their fire. They are from Albury, Wodonga and Yarrawonga in Victoria – two couples and two men. They are still finding small bits so it is still out there.

Back to our camp and got the fire going. Heated up the leftover stew for dinner and ate it by the fire. Very busy in the sky tonight – spotted 10 satellites – three nearly crashed!! Can see the glow of a working mine in the distance.

Fri, 24th June, 2016 Leinster Van Park, Leinster to bush camp, near old Yandal Station Homestead, WA

7am 11 degrees and overcast.

Rang Jon to see how his trip to the State of Origin went – he had a ball.

Mum and Dad rang to say they had received their birthday cards already – and naughty them, they opened them!

Rang Jenny to wish her a happy birthday. Unfortunately she wasn’t out having lunch but heading up to Mareeba for a funeral. There was a crash on the Kuranda Range so they had to turn around and head up to Port Douglas and go up via the Rex Range – nice day out for a drive!!

The clouds are shifting and the blue sky is peeking through. Steve got some fuel while I walked across to read the info boards. Part of the Leonora Loop Trail.

Packed up and headed off to our 40E area near old Yandal Homestead. An old drill head as we head out of town.

Leinster’s rock formation.

Headed down the main road towards Leonora for 30km then turned off and headed along a dirt mine road. Over a rise which gives us a good view over the land.

Another ‘The Granites’. Seem to be everywhere.

Looks like something is coming towards us.

It was a big truck from the mine at Melrose.

Crossing low area which is part of the big Lake Darlot system. There is water in this lake for a change.

Then we crossed a big flat area of Lake Darlot.

Now we have left the mine area the road isn’t as well maintained and is a bit boggy in places.

Turned north at the woolshed.

Arrived at Yandal Station’s old homestead site. Not much left now. When the mining company took over the land they didn’t maintain the buildings so they fell down. A few old cars litter the area.

There were palms here too – only this old trunk remains.

Gold was discovered here in the 1940s by a Yandal station hand nicknamed Nobby. There is one of WA’s largest exposed quartz reefs nearby called The Chimney. Will have to try and find it.

We continued along the track to find somewhere to camp. Met another chap coming out – he has been stuck in here since the rain came down. We continued on till we turned around at a bog hole. Found some scrapes nearby and pulled up. The road is quite wet so best to stop and then explore tomorrow without the van on.

The boys wandered off with their detectors while I did my blog. I can get good phone signal with the van aerial which is good. No gold found so got a fire going and watched the stars appear in the clear sky and the satellites go over.

Getting chilly so I headed in to cook dinner. 7pm 18 degrees in van and 10.6 degrees outside.

Got a couple of stations on the radio – one was the footy!! Steve went through the movie hard drive – we are running out of good movies!!

Thurs, 23rd June, 2016 Lake Mason Homestead, 56km NE of Sandstone to Leinster Van Park, Leinster, WA (London Bridge)

7.30am 8.8 degrees in the van and only 2.8 degrees outside – so glad we have our heater. Clear and sunny with a light breeze.

Texted Jon to see how he enjoyed going down to Brisbane to watch the State of Origin match.

Packed up and headed to Sandstone to see if our mail has arrived yet. Puffy clouds were coming over now and the wind has come up and is very cold.

Passed a big dam that the road had been diverted around but no signs about what the dam is about.

Sandstone is a cute little place, will have to come back and stay for a better look around. Called into the Post Office Agency but it was closed. I rang her the other day but she didn’t say that she is only open to 10.30am!! Rang her and she did find our parcel (new scales to weigh the gold) but the electoral postal votes haven’t arrived yet. There is a heritage trail to follow which we will do next time we come through here. The Post Office was built in 1908-09.

A couple of people had some fruit, vegies, sauces and bread for sale beside the Info Centre so got a nice big loaf, a couple of corn on the cob, capsicum and a lettuce.

I got a brochure from the Info Centre about Sandstone. Gold was discovered here in 1894 about 20km south-west of the township. The first townsite, Nungarra, suffered from water shortages and as a result Sandstone was established in 1906. For the next six years Sandstone had a population of between 3 to 6,000 people. It had 4 hotels, many cafes, stores and business houses, 4 butchers, 2 banks and a well-staffed police station. In 1910 the railway line from Mt Magnet was opened by the Governor but 10 years later only 200 people remained in Sandstone. The readily-accessible gold had run out and man buildings were relocated to other towns. Fortunately Sandstone survived as a centre for the regions’ growing pastoral industry. Pastoralism is now the mainstay of the district though tourism (especially gold prospecting) is becoming increasingly important. Mining’s influence fluctuates according to commodity prices, but is now generally of lesser significance than it was in the past.

Decided to have lunch at ‘London Bridge’ so headed out of town. The last of the four hotels of Sandstone – The National Hotel, was the smallest of the hotels. Built in 1907 by WA Richardson, using bricks fired in the local kiln near the Hacks Mine. The hotel has been in continuous use ever since.

Pretty windmill on the outskirts of town.

Followed a dirt track to a ‘breakaway’ which houses the ‘London Bridge’. Jeff took a photo of us under it.

Read all the info.

Jeff checked to make sure it wasn’t going to fall down on us!!

 Getting a bit narrow. Don’t think they could get a horse and sulky over that now.

Walked down the track on the other side. Steve was naughty and climbed up.

I went back up to get a better photo.

Looking around the breakaway.

Jeff went up to Steve so I followed them to check out the view.

Steve showing how narrow it is now.

As we walked back down we found another hole.

Enjoyed our yummy fresh bread sandwich sitting at the flash picnic table.

On the way back out we stopped to checked out the brewery site.

Only an ordinary picnic table here but they have the same BBQ set-up.

Read the plaque as the boys headed into the cellar area. The main building was on top of this breakaway, some 10-15 metres in height. Water from a well on the flat was pumped to an elevated tank, and from there it gravitated to the coolers and on down to brew in the vats on the main floor. Finally the beer flowed via pipes to the commodious cellar in an immense tunnel driven into the face of the breakaway. This underground cellar could be kept remarkably cool in even the hottest weather by means of a winze – a hole bored through the ceiling of the rock formation. The Brewer supplied local hotels until the railway from Mt Magnet opened in 1910, but in the face of competition from regular supplies of beer coming from elsewhere it was forced to close later in that year.

Looking up the ‘winze’.

Plenty of room in here. We are now sure if there was another hole dug where the concrete has been laid (another cellar?)

Back outside we climbed around and up onto the top of the breakaway.

The top of the winze.

Only some concrete slabs remain of the brewery buildings.

Great views across to the breakaway where the London Bridge is.

Walked back down – looking up at the breakaway.

Then down to the well – now covered with two grids. Dropped in a rock and it was a long way down. I am amazed at how they managed to dig it out etc. Our pioneers were truly amazing people.

Back onto the bitumen as we headed to Leinster. Passed the big gold mine area at Agnew. Leinster is a mining town – described as an oasis in the desert. Residents refer to the town as either the ‘home of the wedge-tailed eagle’ or ‘the jewel of the Northern Goldfields’. Leinster takes its name from the nearby Leinster Downs Station. The town was first established in 1976 as a company town supporting the nickel mine of the Agnew Gold Mining Company. Prior to mining activities, it was pastoral land. Lots of ‘dongas’ here.

Pulled into the van park and chose a spot. Pulled into the power and water and put on the electric HWS for later as it is quite cold. There are free washing machines and dryers but I am all up-to-date.

The fence was painted up with a mural. The town is now under BHPBilliton.

Walked over to the convenience store and paid our $20 for the night – just went up from $15. Prices were reasonable in the shop. Went for a drive to get fuel – opens in mornings only but there is a card thing for the fuel. Drove around checking out all the accommodation places – singles and family homes. There is a big footy ground etc. The sun was setting and just peeking through on the horizon under the thick cloud making the trees glow near the school.

Down a road near the van park was the drive-in cinema – not functioning at the moment.

Back to the van for a drink in the van with the heater on!! Drove down to the mess for dinner. Last time Jeff was here they walked in for free but there was a lady at the door this time so it cost us $20 each for ‘all you can eat’ dinner. Very nice but of course I ate too much!! The icecream was nice too.

Back to the van and cranked up the heater. Had a nice long hot shower and watched the ABC – the only channel we can get!! I uploaded my blog as I hadn’t been able to get on the internet at Lake Mason this time.