Fri, 4th May, 2018 Well 12 CSR to Well 15 CSR, WA (exploring CSR)

6.30am 10 degrees, ESE cold wind. Packed up and when we started the truck up the Hema came on then went to a blank screen with some stripes down it. Just what we need. I pressed buttons but it wouldn’t do anything – couldn’t even get it to shut down. Luckily I have two maps and all my notes so we headed off again.

Three sand ridges in a row to start the morning off.

Back onto the flats between the dunes.

Up a rocky ridge.

Then onto the flat running beside a sand ridge.

This next section is marked on the map as ‘original surveyed location of the Canning Stock Route – approximately 5 miles wide’. It has been burnt so we can see a lot further.

Steve spotted a bustard but by the time I got the camera he had taken off – managed to get him.

Crested the top of a sand ridge so Steve stopped – abruptly that is – so I could get a photo. When you stop in the sand – you stop!!

Then again a few sand ridges later.

Steve found a new truck – a burnt out landrover at the turnoff into Well 13.

Headed into a grove of desert oaks where Well 13 is located.

The Dekkers were just packing up camp so had a quick chat. I said our Hema stopped and one of the chaps suggested resetting it. I had thought about that but when we did it with the VMS it wiped all the maps. He said to take the micro SD card out first. I did that and the Hema booted up again and we were back in action.

Said bye and drove further through the trees to find the well. Only a depression where the well was (at the front of the trough) and a couple of buckets are left now. Still very chilly at the moment – hence the jumpers.

Well 13 (25 feet, 7.6m)

Canning’s team found a native well about 1.5km from the present well site. He was unable to find suitable water near the native well and decided a site on limestone would be more suitable. This well was once about 8 metres deep. Between Wells 11 and 16 the Aboriginal guide, Gabbi, reached the boundary of his tribal land and decided to return to his people. Herbert Trotman collected letters from his men, sealed them in an empty cocoa tin and sent it back to Wiluna with Gabbi. He addressed the tin ‘To Postmaster, Willuna, Mulga Mail’. The mail reached Wiluna, was delivered and the tin given back to Trotman on his return to Perth.

As we were heading back out to the main track we heard the others chatting on their UHF that they saw a huge herd of camels so we will keep a lookout.

More track photos – rolling over little hills with a couple of bigger ones to keep Steve happy. Rocks, sand and spinifex so far. Easy driving. Didn’t spot any camels unfortunately though we can see their hoof marks on the track.

Next section is called Ward Hills. These were named after the Ward family of Glen-Ayle Station.

Stopped at Well 14. Steve did a bit of checking while I put the kettle on for a cuppa.

Well 14 (51 feet, 15.5m)

Drovers coming down the stock route were continually worried about the state of wells ahead. Aborigines often burnt them causing great difficulties for drovers who usually had to push the cattle on to the next well in the hope that it may be operational. Well 14 was in excellent condition when visited by William Snell in 1929 but now only a few scattered ruins remain.

A memorial for Mr Weckert who passed away here in 2003 fulfilling a dream of driving the CSR. There is a book to sign with a lot of signatures and lovely notes. I signed ours. I noticed there were 6 before us, 4 going north and 1 came south in April (8/4, 9/4, 2 on 16/4 & 20/4) then Simon (who we met back at North Pool – he was shortcutting via station roads to Well 9) on the 3/5, the Dekkers yesterday and us today.

Some more shots of the track and countryside. Through one open area then into some trees. Steve spotted an emu but he spotted us first and was off – ‘he can run the pants of a kangaroo’ – of which we haven’t seen. I just got his rear end heading into the trees.

Spotted some lumps in the distance and realised they were camels so stopped so I could zoom in for some snaps of these interesting creatures. They might be feral but I still find them fascinating. Looking forward to my ride in Broome along Cable Beach.

More of the ironstone corrugation and spinifex.

Turned off onto a track up to a ridge which is marked as a lookout on the map. Looking up at it and what appears to be a cairn.

Parked then climbed up the rocks. Fabulous view across the Little Sandy Desert and Trainor Hills though they don’t stand out too well. Neither do the sand ridges as they are covered in spinifex etc so the red ridges don’t show up. Took a video too of the view.

Found a hole down through the rock near the cairn.

Bit of a lopsided shot of the cairn – of course Steve had added another one to it while I was videoing the view.

Walked further along the ridge and found an interesting hole – goes down a couple of layers.

As we climbed down we passed a cave which had a tunnel that might meet up with the hole we saw. Good cubbyhole for animals.

On the next flat plain we spotted 5 camels in the distance. No sand ridges at the moment just lots of small corrugations on the ironstone stretches. A big herd of camels were near the track hiding behind some trees. They weren’t worried about us and stood around getting their photos taken!!

We crossed a couple of sand ridges then Steve heard a strange grating sound so pulled before the next one. One of the water tanks had broken away and it had pushed the guard down onto the tyre. Steve pumped the water across into the other tank as we had been mainly using that one so it was nearly empty. Then he tied it up and will fix it at our next stop which isn’t far away.

A bit further on we found someone’s dead trailer so Steve checked it out in case there were any parts he could use. Looks like others have had the same idea as there were bits cut out of it.

On to Well 15 where we will stop for the night so Steve can do the repairs and I can catch up on some blogging. 1pm 23 degrees and a cool breeze.

Interesting reading about the murder near here.

Well 15 (22 feet, 6.7m)

Aborigines were of great value to Canning in finding water and many of the CSR wells are near native wells. Little water was found in them but by boring holes to a much greater depth Canning was usually able to find a better supply from the same water reserve.

Ernest Giles passed to the north of this well during his east-west exploration of 1876. He was born in England in 1835. His parents migrated to Aust and he joined them in 1850, after completing his education. Giles sought a challenge away from town life and joined a party exploring land in NSW. In 1872, Baron von Mueller, the Australian Government Botanist, asked Giles to lead an expedition from Chambers Pillar in Central Aust to the WA coast. Although unsuccessful, the expedition added much to people’s knowledge of Central Aust. Giles’ next attempt started from the Overland Telegraph Line where it crossed the Alberga River north of the present day town of Oodnadatta. During this exploration a member of Giles’ party, Alfred Gibson, became lost and perished in what is now known as Gibson Desert. Giles successfully crossed WA in 1875 with a party equipped with 15 camels. He discovered Queen Victoria Spring in the Great Victoria Desert after 17 days of waterless travel. He reached Perth in November and by mid January started the return journey from the present town of Newman and reached the Overland Telegraph Line in August 1876. Giles became interested in gold mining and was known to be on the Halls Creek field in 1885. Prospectors often sought his advice during his last years as a clerk at Coolgardie. Giles died in 1897 and is buried in the Coolgardie Cemetery.

It has been restored a couple of times and they have listed the water depth on the inside of the lid.

My turn to raise some water for our showers. Steve took a video too. There are holes in the bucket dear Liza – we think some are leaking rivets but the one on the bottom is so the bucket dries out when between use so it doesn’t rust out. The tree roots are working their way in for a drink.

Lovely gums around here.

The Track Care group have installed a toilet here too which I checked out. They are not smelly as they provide lime to sprinkle of what you deposit!! Mr Spider was guarding the entrance.

Steve got to work on the water tank bracket repairs – lucky he brought his tools. A good Boy Scout – always prepared. All fixed and ready to go again.

Then he emptied 75 litres from the jerry cans on the roof into the main tank. Fuel economy has been good.

I got some blogging done. Parked in the sun so I could recharge the laptop once I had flattened the battery. Steve snuck a couple of photos of me hard at work – oh yeah the flies are still annoying!! Quite hot when standing in the sun but still cool when we are in the shade.

Under a tree nearby is a memorial to Mr Wilkins who was murdered near here.

I wandered around and found some old bits and pieces hiding in the brush.

Moved the truck so the wind wouldn’t flap the awning and set up for the night.

Lovely evening watching the satellites zoom across the stars. Tried my Sat Phone – works but no messages which is good.

About 8.30 it got quite chilly, 11 degrees, though the wind has stopped. Played a few games of Skipbo after a nice hot shower then into bed. We are sleeping well which is good. 

Map of this section of our trip.