Wed, 14th Aug, 2019 Bush camp, 50km south of Marble Bar to Bush camp near Western Shaw Mine, south-west of Marble Bar, WA

7.30am 20 degrees, cloudy sky and light breeze. Packed up and headed back to Marble Bar. Filled up the water tanks again. Had a cuppa while I uploaded my blog etc. Rang Mum and Dad to tell them about our experience with the earthquake tremors.

Had lunch there then headed down to Hillside Station to the south-west of Marble Bar. The wind has picked up and blown all the clouds away. Good wide gravel road.

As we crested a hill we had a great view over the Coogan River. Quite picturesque with the yellowing spinifex and green shrubs then the red/green hills in the distance.

Then we crossed it – wide and dry with beautiful big gum trees.

Passed the turn off into Glen Herring Gorge where we went for our wedding anniversary three years ago.

Continued on some new road we haven’t travelled on before.

Nearing Hillside Station we travel beside a long range topped with black rocks – naturally it is called Black Range.

Drove near the homestead but the gates were closed so we didn’t go in. Continued westward to our turn-off to some pending leases that Bevan mentioned. Interesting rock formations along the way.

Fairly good track down to Western Shaw Mine (abandoned but under a live mining lease) but then it deteriorated and as there was only one track on the Hema and the well-used track that was here was different we decided to park the van in a clearing near the mine. Had a cuppa – very windy and the clouds have come back over and look dark.

The Hema track disappeared into shrubs which we wouldn’t be able to get the van through so we went down the well-used track which lead away from our pending leases but eventually turned back towards them as we wound through the hills. A few drops of rain fell on the windscreen – hope it doesn’t decide to pour down as this isn’t good dirt to get stuck in when it rains.

Past more workings – dirt pushed up out of the creeks etc. Came to a fork in the road so we went left around the hill and found the camp that Bevan mentioned. Rod was there. His brother-in-law, Pete, has the live lease and their friend, Pete, has the pending lease on the west side with another chap from Marble Bar. There is a huge pending lease on the east side in the name of a company. This lease has recently been burnt – Rod said it was some careless campers – or maybe some leaseholder who wanted a clear area to detect!! Rod suggested we park up on some flat ground before the creek which is on the other Pete’s pending lease.

We drove back to the van and hooked up and got back to the spot just before 5pm. It was dark and gloomy and more rain drops have been falling but nothing heavy. Lots of wandering cattle about – there is a dam further along the track from us. There is a pile of rocks near us which is helping block the wind coming from the north with the storm clouds.

The view back up the track we came down.

The track goes across the creek and around to the other’s camp on the other side of the hill.

Had our drinks while we played a few games of Skipbo. Then cooked dinner inside as it still quite windy. A few more drops of rain fell on and off through the evening.