Wed, 24th Apr, 2019 Bush camp near Yerilla, east of Menzies to Niagara Dam, near Kookynie, WA

7am 24 degrees, clear sky and no wind.

Packed up and continued north to Kookynie. Stopped at the Hotel but it wasn’t open yet for Ray and Carol to check out the aboriginal spear with a telescope sight lens on it hanging over the bar.

Headed west along the road to Niagara Dam – all bitumen now. Parked on the top side this time as we aren’t looking for shade like we were when we were here with Bob and Margaret.

There is no water in the dam – maybe they let it all out as we heard the dam was weak.

Good cave over there.

Got phone reception here so sent Susan a belated birthday message. Kym texted that she and Glen are now caretaking at 10 Mile where we were – Rob and family are at the main homestead.

Went detecting on some pending leases on the other side of the railway line. Tried around some old shafts where we noticed someone else had recently been digging holes. Carol called up to say she found a bit as Steve headed back to the truck from his big walk so he slowed down and managed to find two bits near each other. We found out Carol’s was over the other side of the shafts so Steve figures he has to slow down more! Unfortunately they were the only two there as I went over the area well with my detector too.

Headed back for lunch. Drove down to the dam wall and went for a walk along it. View of the dam from the wall.

Chatted with a couple from Canberra doing a quick trip. Heading across the Great Central Road to Alice so they can cross the Simpson Desert back to Birdsville. She said the rivers are rising again over there from the rain from the cyclone that was in the Gulf so they aren’t sure if they will get to do the Simpson yet.

After lunch headed back to the pending leases. Steve went around the hill from where we were and found a bit so we moved around there. There was a lot of work carried out here near some shafts – rows of pushings with a dozer. That other person has been here too and there are holes everywhere. We got a lot of bird shot pellets so hopefully he got just as much. I managed to find two little bits on the rise but that was it. Not making wages at this rate!!

Home for drinks as the sun started to set – the flies aren’t as bad then so you can keep them off with a fly swat flicking around.

I rang Mum and Dad – all good there. They attended Bev’s funeral today. Dennis visited them which was lovely. He is doing well even though he misses Rhonda so much.

Closed up the van as it is cooling off now the sun as gone down. The wind is picking up again. 11pm 20 degrees with the van closed up.