Fri, 10th June, 2016 Lake Mason Homestead, 56km NE of Sandstone, WA (exploring)

7.7 degrees in the van at 7am. Put the heater on but it was only up to 11 degrees when we got out of bed at 7.30!! Back to heating up our clothes in front of the heater before putting them on – heaven. Steve put the thermometer outside and it was only 3.8 degrees but the sky is clear and the sun is out. Just a light breeze so ok if you are standing in the sunshine.

David and Majella headed off early – they must like the cold!! I rang Wendy to join her for a cuppa!! She was meeting Kaylene and Andrea for lunch.

We left at 9.30 when we had warmed up!! Followed another track up to Redcastle Well trying to find a mine around there according to Doug Stone’s gold book. Followed the track and ended up at Jeff’s mate’s mark so stopped there for a detect. Steve came back for lunch with one nice piece but nothing for Jeff. Not much rubbish though which was good. I read by book in the sunshine – the wind was cold when a cloud went over the sun though.

Boys back at 3pm and Steve had two more pieces – one a bit bigger which was nice. Jeff didn’t score at all.

Followed the track further to the boundary of the Lake Mason Station then headed back to the well to try and locate the mine. Doug’s mileage was way out as we found the track into the mine at 1.7km in, not 7km!! Someone has taken a prospecting lease over the mine site but no one was there so we had a look around.

Climbed up for a look. In the side was another cutting and you could see more shaft supports inside but it was a different one to the one at the top as Steve dropped a rock down the top one and I didn’t see it whizz by. Amazing how they dug these holes back then. Some exploration work has been done here recently as the pipes are sticking out of the ground and aren’t brittle.

Back to camp to get the fire and shower fire going. Dave had collected some big trees in his ute so we have plenty of firewood. They got 0.6g in 3 pieces in another area. Weighed Steve’s pieces and he got his gram for the day.

Another beautiful night under stars by the fire chatting. Saving on gas using the wood heater in the shower block and it has a big shower rose.

Watched a vampire movie – starting to run out of good movies to watch!! It had Sam Neill and Ethan Hawke – hope I don’t have nightmares now!!