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.