Thurs, 16th June, 2016 Lake Mason Homestead, 56km NE of Sandstone to Quinns Lake bush camp, 50km S of Meekatharra, WA

22 months on the road.

6.30am 11 degrees and overcast – glad I did the washing yesterday. Packed up and headed back towards Meekatharra. Decided to check out Quinns Lake area as everyone has been going there and still getting gold. We are waiting for our postal voting papers to arrive at Sandstone so have a week to kill.

Turned off the Meeka-Sandstone road and headed towards Nowthanna Hill along the fenceline.

Went along the base of the hill – lots of interesting rock formations and quartz blows.

Found a spot with phone reception and set up camp. Clearer sky here.

When we were putting the awning a part broke in the handle. Steve got it to work but will have to order a new handle now. The fridge shelf that broke along the Murray collapsed again – should have got a new on in Adelaide but forgot about it as Steve’s mending job had worked well so far.

After lunch we headed off to explore. Jeff had to go back into Meeka. Drove through the ‘township’ of Quinns – or what’s left, which is a windmill over the Government Well and lots and lots of broken bottles and tins and rubbish everywhere. They were a messy lot in the old days – the tins are a detectorist’s nightmare.

Drove down to the edge of Lake Quinns – like Lake Mason – no water.

Lots of lovely green grass growing after all the recently rain.

Drove through the main mining area – another example of their mess left behind. This was obviously in later years since there are 44 gallon drums everywhere.

Even a dunny.

Found a channel which lead to a quartz vein at one end.

Someone has just been detecting here.

Walked across the top above the vein, looking down into it.

Further along was another shaft.

Pretty little flowers are appearing. We saw an ant carrying one of these flowers near our camp. He looked like he had a big headdress on.

Down the other end was another channel which was in line with the other one. This one was much deeper and there was water at the bottom.

Steve found a drill sample on the ground. Solid rock.

Continued on along one of the many tracks around the place. Found three other campers. One couple I had met in the laundry at Meeka Van Park. They have been coming here for the past 4 years and always find gold. Got a 7g piece on the hill behind their camp the other day. They said the mining lease owner (the area had been pending till the other day) called by and said he was bringing in dozers on Monday so they were told they had to leave by tomorrow. We heard this story a month ago when we first stopped at Meeka Van Park.

Back to the van for a cuppa. Steve went off detecting while I checked out the area on Tengraph etc to work out where all the live mining leases were so we know where we can camp etc.

Jeff got back and then Steve came back with no gold though he found this lovely rock while collecting firewood. It has a ripple effect and is shiny.

Got a nice fire going and enjoyed the beautiful clear night around the fire. Going to be cold tonight.