Sat, 3rd Feb, 2018 Lions Park, Katanning to Memorial Park, Boddington, WA (exploring)

Quiet night for a town camp. Clear sky and light cool breeze.

Rang Kaylene and Rick for a chat. She has survived the first couple of weeks back at school. Rick progressing. Jakob heading to Townsville tomorrow to start work at the hospital.

Up and down rolling hills to Kojonup (est 1837). Into ‘up’ country now.

Checked out the historical spring as we enter Kojonup. Nice pool below it with a big rock area on one side.

Nearby was the old Post Office, built in 1897. Extensions were added when it was converted into the headmaster’s residence but they have since been removed. It is now home to the Historical Society.

On the other side of the spring was the Military Barracks, built in 1845.

In the park was a map of surveyor Alfred Hillman’s Track from King George Sound (Albany) to the Swan River Settlement (Perth) and the new Albany Highway.

A tree showing footholes the aborigines used to climb the tree. A tribute to the 8 aborigines who showed Hillman where to find water.

Drove down the hill to a park which is a very popular stop for travellers.

Great info about the Kokoda trail, Brigadier Potts and the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels. Great brass engravings but hard to see now.

Across the road was an information board.

Good aerial photo of the lovely rose garden maze nearby which tells the stories of three ladies for three countries – aboriginal, English and Italian. I went for a quick wander through.

Not many lovely roses at this time of the year but I found one nice one.

On the other corner of the intersection was a very big Wool Wagon – should be on the ‘Big’ list.

The old railway station was down the road and it now a 24hr RV rest stop though you have to get a free permit from the Council. All these have been for ‘fully self-contained’ vehicles so we are glad we have put in the grey water tank. It holds two day’s washing up and shower water which is all we need, then we just dump it in the dump points provided.

Headed back up the hill past the Kojonup Memorial Hall and the Royal Hotel (1926).

Continued north along the Albany Highway. Started off a really good bit of road but went back to a bumpy narrow road after a while. Through Arthur River ‘town’ which is nowhere near the actual Arthur River! A couple of houses, the hall, a store and of course a church is all that remains of a once thriving settlement with a police barracks and gaol (1866), Mt Pleasant Inn (1888), a post office, blacksmith and trading post. These services closed when the Great Southern Railway line at Wagin opened in 1889.

Past a huge piggery – we knew what it was by the sink. Boy it was bad. Steve said that would turn you off bacon and ham for life.

Travelling through mostly grazing country now.

Lunch at Williams which is beside the Williams River. The river is one of the two main tributaries of the Murray River (the WA version of course), which feeds into the Peel Harvey Inlet. No much water under the bridge at the moment. Though I found a good photo in the brochure of the river flowing. Williams is one of the oldest settled areas in WA. It is named after the Williams River which was crossed by Captain Thomas Bannister in 1831 whilst leading the first overland expedition from the Swan River Colony to King George Sound and was first shown on an 1833 map. It is commonly believed that the name honours King William IV of England. The first European settlers to the Williams area were Joseph Harris and Randall Phillips in 1836. After the building of the Albany Highway by convicts in the 1850s, Williams became an important stopover point for passengers and changing of horses and became the main centre in the district.

Found a shady spot under a huge tree as it has warmed up a lot today and there is no wind for a change. Clouds are coming over too.

Drove across the bridge to get some fuel at the servo beside the Hotel which is being refurbished. In 1870 Alfred Quartermaine was granted the district’s first licence for the Williams River Bridge Hotel. Also known as the ‘Old Pub’, this was the oldest recorded building in Williams originally built by Quartermaine in 1850 of stone and pug with a roof thatched with grasstree rushes. This building was largely rebuilt by George Brice in 1905.

Went back across the river then turned west to follow the road along the Williams River around to Quindanning. Passed a few fields of small sunflowers. So nice to see some colour instead of the brown fields at the moment.

Lonely little Marling cemetery with no church.

Crossed the long bridge over the Williams River at Quindanning which has a quaint Inn and a lovely stone church.

Followed the road past the Saddleback Mining Operations of the Boddington Bauxite Mine. At the Mine there is the longest overland conveyor belt. We could see the workings on the hillside.

Lonely old cottage before we passed the turnoff into the main Mine Site.

In the distance we could see the other side of the bauxite operations called Marradong.

Turned north to Boddington at the cross-road and drove down to a lovely Memorial park beside the Hotham River. It is a 48 hour RV Stop with a great view of the river.

Checked out the Info Board. Boddington was established in 1912 and is named after Henry Boddington, a shepherd who grazed his sheep on the banks of the river in the late 1800s. The Shire had an area of 1920 sq km with around half of that being State Forest. The BHP Bauxite mining operations commenced in the late 1970s and the gold mine reopened in 2006.

Next to it was a big hunk of bauxite.

Another information board.

Great sculpture of a rodeo rider. The Boddington Lions Rodeo is held annually in November. It is recognised as the largest rodeo in WA.

Walked along the river bank heading downstream to the weir.

A sad reminder.

Interesting fish sculpture near the weir.

The fish ladder.

Continued on along a board walk through the paperbarks but it just went to the back of someone’s property so we turned around and headed back past some beautiful Salmon Gums.

Back past the Town Hall and old School.

Some interesting artwork in the school grounds. We had passed a paddock on the way in that was full of metal artworks too.

Decided to stay here for the night so backed into a nice spot beside another couple with Queensland numberplates and made a cuppa.

Rang Rebecca but she was on her way out so will chat with her another day. Rang Wendy and we had a lovely long chat. Dave is going to try and get his little ute ready to compete in the Targa Cairns in September. We will be there to see it which will be great.

As the shade moved we moved so we were overlooking the river. Nice afternoon relaxing and listening to all the birds. Lots of red-tailed black cockatoos flying and squawking.

Had drinks as the sun started to set and I could see it would be lovely so grabbed the camera and went down to the river. Just perfect colours on the clouds.

As Steve put the chairs away the other couple came out of their van so we had a chat. They have just bought a house near Bundaberg.

Nice quiet evening.