Sat, 20th Oct, 2018 Camp Beadelll, near Mount Beadell, Gunbarrel Highway to Mingol Camp, Carnegie Station, WA (exploring)

The sun is up before 5am (WA time). We got up at 6am, 16 degrees and cool breeze though you can feel the sun’s heat when you stand in it. All quiet here – no animals moving about at all.

Spotted 6 camels just up the track. I can count - the other one was further away.

Slow driving to Mount Beadell over a rocky-based track and then through the trees.

Big information board at the base of the mount about Len Beadell.

On the other side was a map and lots of Len’s drawings.

Climbed up the hill.

Near the top we noticed there was a track up the other side. We need the exercise and the track is loose rocks so I don’t want to do that again after the one at Desert Queen Baths!!

Checked out the replica of Len Beadell’s theodolite and the plaque.

I added a stone to the cairn.

Steve uncovered a plaque at its base.

Took a video and photos of the view – very windy up here. The straight as a gunbarrel highway continues.

Steve spotted a dingo where the 4WD track stopped so we went around the other side of the rocks and spotted him – marking his spot – how’s that for good timing!!

Found a rock hole but it opens up under the rock so it won’t hold water.

Walked down the 4WD track – glad we didn’t drive up it.

Continued the slow drive over the rocky and eroded track.

Back to the flats and ironstone gravel corrugations and many bypass tracks which are just as corrugated.

Onto hard surface rocky ground again.

Passed a couple of abandoned 44 gallon drums then stopped to check some aluminium sheet which Steve says is a kitchen sink draw from a camper trailer.

Continued bumping along then found the rest of the camper-trailer.

Along the track through a wide open are of spinifex. On the Hema there is a mark called ‘Decker Field’ but can’t see anything here except spinifex.

Steve checked a XW Falcon station wagon with 6 cylinder motor by the side of the track.

A low range appearing in the distance to our left.

Climbed up a gentle incline to Mt Everard.

The track then headed west.

Big goanna zoomed across the track.

Stopped at the turnoff for the Gary Highway which heads up to the Canning Stock Route.

Checked out another of Len’s plaques. No big gum tree around here so he used a 44 gallon drum.

Looking west on the Gunbarrel Highway then Gary Highway then east where we have come from.

We made a cuppa and read the visitor’s book which was supplied by Connie Sue Beadell – Len’s daughter. Shame to think that someone would steal the plaques. Connie runs tours over Len’s ‘highways’. Len did this section from Jackie Junction through to Carnegie during Sept-Nov 1958 making it the 60^th anniversary so we are doing it on a special year. Certainly a lot of entries in the visitors book this year. Last entry last year was 15^th October so we might be the last ones for this year. The first one was in March this year.

Nice cool wind. Continued west and Steve saw a flash of glass or something in the distance. Turned out to be a vehicle heading towards us. They pulled over so we stopped for a chat. A foreign couple doing the circuit from Wiluna to the turn off then up the Gary Highway then back down the Canning to Wiluna.

Slow going over more rock-based ground then back to the ironstone gravel and its corrugations.

Stopped at the exploration marker for the explorer, David Carnegie – looks like there should have been a sign on the star pickets.

Another dead trailer off the track. Spotted two camels and then an old HQ Holden on its lid as we approached Geraldton Bore.

Lots of gum trees appearing near the bore and we found a hand pump here. Parked in the shade of the trees to have lunch.

The original bore was drilled by the CRA Oil Exploration in April 1987 and then the Geraldton Historical Society put down this new bore in April 1989. The hand pump was installed in June 2007 to assist travellers to find water. Someone has modified it and left their pot behind.

By the way, did I say how much I love my step that Bob and Margaret gave me. It is just perfect for peering in the fridge and freezer over my table/shelf on the side of the truck.

Left the bore site and only went a short way when Steve noticed a plaque in a big gum tree. It was another of Len’s but it wasn’t marked on our map. Another plaque by Connie said the original plaque was lost a few years after it was erected in 1958.

More bypass tracks to chose from.

Continued west for a while then turned south-west. Two huge tyres mark the start of the Shire of Wiluna and the start of a very nicely graded road. Steve is zooming along at 60kph which is such a change after the slow crawling we have been doing.

Straight track still rolling over the ridges.

Turned west to Mungilli Claypan according to my map but the sign says Mangkili Claypan National Park – go figure.

Through a section full of gums – must be good water source about.

Reached the intersection of Eagle Highway which was constructed in the early 1980s for oil exploration. The southern section was renamed David Carnegie Road in 1996 which heads south to the Great Central Road and Empress Springs. Empress Springs was named by Carnegie during his 1896 expedition. His party were dangerously close to running out of water before an Aboriginal showed this water supply down inside a cave.

The grader driver has been having fun and made a sculpture.

The good road continues so we can officially say that this part of the Gunbarrel is actually as smooth as a Highway. I wonder if it was this good when Len made it.

Climbed up a rise then turned up the track to Mt William Lambert Lookout. Doesn’t look like a desert from here.

Walked up the track to the cairn and a plaque put here in 1959 by the National Mapping Survey Party.

Continued west past an ‘oval’, complete with footy posts.

Into sand dune country again with spinifex and low shrubs.

Past Mt Nossiter – great view from the crest with a willy willy going across the road.

We weren’t expecting such a good road after reading the notes in magazines etc so we will make good time back to Meeka and will catch up with Tom and Sandy before they leave. Will have to thank her again for her songs which I have been playing through the spare phone since the speaker I bought for $10 broke.

Running along between two sand ridges then around the end of one then back between two again to we reach the next end. We are in the Little Sandy Desert.

Big burnt section making the dunes stand out.

Spotted our first kangaroo, a small red, and it nearly ended up on our bull bar but turned away at the last moment, thank goodness. We were surprised at the lack of them, obviously they need too much water to live in the desert.

The dunes have finished and we are on open flat rock and sandy ground with low bushes and the ‘bigger’ trees in the creeks.

Lots of cattle droppings along the road which we commented on then a cow walked onto the road ahead of us then sauntered slowly across to a bore nearby. Must be the start of the Carnegie Station bores.

Back into sand hills again then a range appears to our right. Lots of hills are marked on the map and a lot of ‘lakes’ but of course they are dry.

Arrived at Carnegie Station Homestead which is the end of the Gunbarrel Highway. Got our finish photo.

Drove into the Station where they have camping spots and accommodation available. No one was about so we parked under the shady gum trees.

Steve put on the kettle while I went into the ‘campers kitchen’ and checked out the info on the walls as I had read they had info about Len and the Gunbarrel Highway here.

There is also info about Eileen Lanagan who was the first lady to take stock down the Canning Stock Route that we read about previously.

When I walked out Steve was chatting with two guys. Jim and his son, Brendan. Brendan has been working here for 3 years and Jim comes up fromVictoria for 6 months to help with the mustering each year. They invited us into the ‘kitchen’ for a cuppa and chat. Jim was most interested in hearing about the Canning Stock Route as he plans to do it next year. We had a great chat and he said they took off half the herd so there are only about 5,000 head here at the moment. They have a station closer to Perth where they take them to fatten up before they are exported live to Asia. The station is owned by the Snell Family and they also own the next station west, which we will travel through. Brendan went back to getting some cabins organised for some workers arriving with the boss tomorrow. We signed the visitors’ book and headed outside. Nice green grass which is covered in roo poo. We said we haven’t seen any and they said they need to be around water hence you see a lot where cattle are.

Steve asked what vehicles they used for mustering and he said helicopters, motorbikes and Jeep Wranglers which he took us over to the shed to see. I forgot to take photos of the homestead which was low set with plenty of trees and lots of old bits and pieces welded into the fence. Jim will head back to Victoria once the relief staff arrive. The boss is busy trying to get the hay cut etc down south.

Said farewell and we headed off – now on the Carnegie-Wiluna Road. An emu trotted across the road in front of us.

Spotted more roos with the cattle at the bore and a flock of galahs flew up out of the trees.

Across flat country. Another car ‘sculpture’ – an old Valiant.

Pulled into Mingol Camp which is an old drover’s camp to park up for the night. There is water in the waterhole and a few cattle and kangaroos about but they are on the other side.

A lonely hawk is keeping an eye on things. That might be his nest up there.

Lots of galahs, crested pigeons and bees are buzzing around the blooms in the trees.

There is another slab complete with bed frame nearby but the shelter has gone.

Our route for today – need two maps.

Our last night on the road in our ‘unit’. Back to our van tomorrow.

Steve got the fire going in the fireplace and hundreds of moths flew out of the chimney.

I could see across to the waterhole and spotted some kangaroos having a drink. Nice to hear all the birds chirping. A few cows are making noises about us being here.

Steve cooked our steaks on the BBQ while I cooked the vegies.

Lovely evening temperature. All quiet now except for the occasional moo of a cow.

Played Skipbo – need to get some practice for the girls versus boys game when we see Tom and Sandy. Though the way Steve has been winning maybe we should be husband and wife teams!!