Fri, 30th Sept, 2016 Peace Gorge, Meekatharra to Bush camp on Big Bell Mining leases, near Cue, WA

Nicer morning 18.8 degrees at 7.30am though the van is all closed up. Watched Sunrise and heard all about the terrible weather South Australia is having. Sent off some texts to see how family and friends are surviving down there.

Leanne & Rick rang as they drove around Bathurst. It is only 7 degrees there at their 11am!! Nice and sunny and it feels nice and warm outside as we packed up and headed into town.

Topped up with water again. I went to check out a blue colour in the pool and it was the remains of two fire extinguishers contents – I wonder who used them!!

I went to the shop and got some lettuce, tomatoes and carrots – the bananas were solid green so skipped them. Notice outside said there is to be no take-away grog sales over the weekend as the police are predicting unrest – doesn’t sound like we should hang around town.

Steve went into the Mining Dept to get maps of Cue and Mt Magnet. The chap, Roy, suggested stopping at the Bluebird Mine out of town and getting permission to go onto their leases at Cue.

We did and after signing some paperwork we headed off with maps of their leases etc. That was easy – learning new things all the time – just have to ask.

On the bitumen passed Lake Annean and where we first detected so now onto road we haven’t travelled yet. Fairly flat with some small hills till Tuckanurra – looks like a few old mines around here too. Then through flat country with lots of shrubs and more wildflowers making it a colourful drive. Lots of pink ones near the dry Lake Nallan – it is a popular picnic spot after the wet.

Into Cue which was established in 1894. 

There are historical walks and drives to lots of things from here so will do some sightseeing one day. Stopped in the park for lunch and Steve chatted with some Gold Coast people. Tried the TV but no Channel 10 for Bathurst, only ABC. Called into the Info Centre and the helpful lady gave us lots of info, a clean up Australia pack (complete with gloves and tongs – we need new tongs for the bushcooker) and said to take as many books as we wanted from the bookshelves. I got a few good ones so will drop back my read ones later.

Drove out of town towards the historic township/mine of Big Bell then turned off and through the fence (we are on Austin Downs Station) till we found a spot to camp. Lots of pretty little flowers around us.

A warmer day though the wind has come up as we headed off to detect. I put on my cotton knickers, shorts and shirt and I still made the detector sound off when I held on my right side. My left shoulder complained when I used that arm so went back to the van to do my blog and read. Obviously my detecting days are over till I sort out this electrical thing with the detector and me!!

No gold for Steve either. Drinkies time as I closed up the van from the wind. Rang Jeff to let him know how we went at Ruby Well.

Rick & Kaylene sent a photo of dinner with Wendy, David, Andrea and Alan at their place, saying they missed us. That was so lovely – miss them all too. We rang back to say so.

The wind kept blowing as the sun set so decided to use the gas to heat the hot water tonight rather than try and light the fire. The temperature is dropping too.

Thurs, 29th Sept, 2016 Bush camp at Ruby Well Find Mine to Peace Gorge, Meekatharra, WA

7.30am 14 degrees and a cool breeze though the sun is warming quickly. Packed up and headed towards Meekatharra.

Got some water, fuel and gas then drove out to Peace Gorge so we could do our washing. Mr Goanna was there to greet us.

Set up camp then I got the washing going then cleaned inside. Steve used the extra water to wash the truck and van. Windy so it didn’t take long to get things dry.

Even though we are now in spring we are heading south to colder temperature so pulled out the flannelette sheets again!!

More campers came in so we went for a walk as the sun was setting to see where they were all camped. One chap said the van park is closed to vans and campers.  I did see a small notice on the fence – maybe they are getting around to fixing up the terrible power and water connections!! A lot of campers are heading to races further north on a station. Meeka had their races and festival last weekend.

Temperature dropped a lot as we chatted so headed back to get our fire going to warm up the water for our showers. Closed up the van as the breeze was very nippy!!

Got TV reception so enjoyed watching something different even though we had to put up with the adds.

Wed, 28th Sept, 2016 Bush camp at Ruby Well Find Mine, WA (exploring Peak Hill area)

Very strong wind all night and it is still blowing. Very cold too!! 8am only 13.8 degrees so we put the heater on – needed a run any case.

Lara texted to invite us for dinner tonight – crumbed roo steaks. Should be interesting. I did up a curry pasta salad to take with us.

The wind is very cold and the sun can’t get through it to warm us up. Put on jeans and jumpers and headed off to find Peak Hill. Lots of people have said to detect there.

Found the old township. Even has street signs.

Lots of old buildings and one lovely homestead. There is a huge open cut mine further over too.

Wandered around checking out all the broken bits and pieces. Beside one of the houses were some shafts.

Some old mining equipment.

Walked over to the homestead – no one home though the sign said it has been in the same family since 1899. Will have to google the township and get the story.

Drove down to the open cut mine but a fence stopped us getting too close.

New hills have appeared beside the big hole.

We had lunch sitting on the verandah of one of the falling down buildings. Trying to warm up in the sun as the wind is still bitingly cold.

Further down the road is an operating mine so we turned around and headed back to another mine. Lots of old tin shacks here and some big sheds. Looks like this was the processing area.

The well which provided the water for the tanks, though we think it might have been a mine shaft first looking at the headframe.

Further around was lots of old-timer rubbish.

Drove back down the road a bit and tried detecting for a while but there were lots of hot rocks sounding off and no gold. Headed back to Bilyuin Pool where we stopped previously though it was pouring with rain that time. Much nicer today.

That was where we camped.

Back to the van. I baked some Anzac cookies while Steve took the 2300 for a walk. He came back with a tiny bit, 0.06g, didn’t even take a photo!! Had our showers early then headed over to Ross and Lara’s for dinner. The roo steaks were great – not gamey or anything. Another great night chatting. We had only found 5.74 grams in total so he just took 1 gram as his 20 percent. Steve had given him some gas parts too. Said our goodbyes and will catch up with them at Quinns next year as they will be heading down there soon to detect that area.

The temperature has dropped a lot as we head back to the van – glad I brought my jumper.

Peak Hill, Western Australia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peak Hill is the name of a goldfield,^[2] locality and the site of a gold mining^[3] ghost town in the Murchison Region of Western Australia. The gold mine covers 2,162 hectares and consists of four open-cut mines, titled Main, Jubilee, Fiveways and Harmony.^[4]

In the adjacent region to the locality there are considerable non auriferous mineral deposits.^[5] Adjacent fields included the Horseshoe field.^[6]

Early exploration at the site occurred in the 1890s,^[7][8] when gold was discovered by William John Wilson in 1892.^[9] The townsite was gazetted in 1897,^[9] and the field has had varied fortunes even in early years.^[10][11] Before 1913, the mine produced some 270,000 ounces of gold.^[4] Peak Hill was also included as a location in a regional newspaper network of more outlying mining communities in the 1920s and 1930s.^[12]

The population of the town was 190 (180 males and 10 females) in 1898.^[13]

A Walker was the proprietor of the Peak Hill General Store until 1954, when he retired to his Daughter's Farm (Nee Campbell) McCourt Farm, Peppermint Grove Beach, South of Capel. Mr Walker was the last full-time resident of Peak Hill.

In the 1970s it was reduced to a ghost town with a few remaining residents, however in the 1980s activity resumed,^[14][15] producing around 650,000 ounces of gold.^[4] The mine became dormant again the 2000s.

Montezuma Mining Company Ltd purchased the mine from Barrick Gold and Rio Tinto in August 2007 for $1 million cash and $600,000 of environmental bonds.^[4] Montezuma negotiated an underwriting agreement with Cunningham Securities, a Perth broker, in January 2008 to raise money for further exploration. Montezuma is seeking up to $3 million to drill at four priority zones, hoping to recommence mining in an area that has historically produced over 900,000 ounces of gold.^[16]

Tues, 27th Sept, 2016 Bush camp at Ruby Well Find Mine, WA

6am 13 degrees and still only 16 degrees at 7.30 in the van. Clear sky and no wind – YET!

Headed off detecting again but I gave up after a while as I am too static and it is making the detector sound off all the time. I have the detector against my hip so as I swing it it rubs against me and sounds off like I have a target. Must have been building up as it was fine to start with but the last week or so it has been nuts. I have to hold it out from my body but that kills my shoulder and I change arms all the time but now my left shoulder is complaining. Must be time for a break!! Steve came back with one little bit.

By lunch the wind is back from the west and is very gusty.

Tried another spot to detect but had to put the headphones on as the wind was too bad to hear properly!! I got two and Steve found another one.

Drove over to Ross & Lara’s place to join them for drinks. Had a great time chatting that it was 8pm before we left. Lucky I had a stew in the Ecopot. Very interesting hearing about his detecting and roo shooting before that.

A lot cooler tonight and the wind is getting stronger.

Mon, 26th Sept, 2016 Bush camp at Ruby Well Find Mine, WA

7.30am 16.7 degrees, very windy from the east now.

I went back to my scrapes but didn’t get any more.

We went down to where Jeff had been detecting and I got two and Steve got one. Jeff had done a good job!!

The wind is whipping up a lot of willy willies today. One was heading to the truck so I rushed over to closed the back up as it whizzed by. Then when I was in the soft turned over soil another one came behind me so I just stood still and closed my eyes. It whipped up the dirt around me stinging my legs and filling my hair with dirt. Nearly through me off balance when it passed over and the wind changed direction.

Rang Mum and Dad for a chat.

While Steve was getting the fire ready another willy hit and tossed my chair backwards onto a broken stick cutting a hole in the back then flipped it completely over. Didn’t even move Steve’s chair which was right beside it. Didn’t realise till later when my fairy lights came on that the chair had caught the lights and broken the wires so now my strand of lights is only short!!

After dinner everything went quiet as the wind has stopped – yeah.

Sun, 25th Sept, 2016 Bush camp at Ruby Well Find Mine, WA (Faith’s 1st birthday)

Sun is rising earlier now, 6am though we don’t get up till 7.30 as it is still quite cool (15 degrees). Ross and his son called in so see how we were going.

Vonnie’s little one is one today – from the photos on Facebook she is a cutie.

Went out detecting back at my scrapes and I had 9 nuglets by lunch. Steve had wandered over and had found nothing then he got a signal nearby so he made the total 10!!

Back to the scrapes and I got another 7 giving me a total of 2.14 grams.

Steve got two better sized ones off the turned over ground giving him 1.12 grams so not too bad.

I rang Suzanne for a chat but she was at Isabelle’s birthday party so I said I would ring her back later. Got onto Sandra and had a lovely chat with her.

The wind has turned and coming from the west but isn’t as cold so we enjoyed watching the sky colour change while waiting for our shower water to heat up.

Sat, 24th Sept, 2016 Bush camp near Goodin Mine to Bush camp at Ruby Well Find Mine, WA

7am 15 degrees, clear sky but still windy. Steve spotted a kangaroo nibbling the leaves on the bush through the kitchen window so I got the camera out.

Packed up and headed back out to the main highway. Continued down trying to find the entrance to the Ruby Well Find Mine. Jeff had stopped in here on his way home and stayed for a couple of weeks detecting on the pushed ground that Ross, the lease holder, had done with his bulldozer. Ended up back on the Peak Hill Road so rang Jeff for directions. Had to drive back up the highway and found the gate in. Drove to the main camp area passed Ruby Well.

The original mine is behind the buildings. Ross’s wife, Lara, greeted us. She said they were pulling out soon and heading down to their other lease at Quinns. They have been here since Nov 2015 and have worked all the old areas over.

Ross and his son were working down the track so we headed down to say hello. They have pushed the piles of dirt back flat and were going over them again with the detectors. Chatted for a bit and he invited us to stay and detect on a 20 to him /80 to us percentage so we headed down the track to find a camp spot. We are not that far from the highway (on the other side of the hill) and we can hear the trucks going by.

We got out the detectors (and fly nets) and headed off to find some gold. I walked and walked but found nothing but rubbish. I was on some scrapes on my way back to the van when I thought “it’s amazing that the 2300 hasn’t found one bit” when I got a signal and it was a nice little nuglet. I continued along the scrape and got a little pin head one then some rubbish so headed back to the van. Grand total of 0.28 grams today as Steve didn’t get any gold.

No drinks by the fire as the flies are still bad up until the sun sets, then the wind is still blowing so had drinks inside. Rang Jeff to chat about where he had detected etc.

Closed the windows as the wind is quite cold.