Fri, 13th May, 2022 Harriet Creek Rest Area, east of Pine Creek to Margaret Diggings Fossicking Area, Emerald Springs, NT (Heritage goldfields trail)

Light shower of rain about 1am.

Cloudy sky now as we got up and packed up. The other couple headed off giving us a wave and toot as they went.

We headed back towards Pine Creek but turned off before onto the Heritage Goldfields Trail.

We stopped and read the first info board about Esmeralda Station that used to be here. Only a few old fence posts are left that we can see.

Further along we spotted a shed covered in vines further over in the bush. On the Hema it says Esmeralda Farm. I spotted a little sign in the creek saying Frances Creek Mine.

Further along we had to turn left as there is an active mine further ahead called Frances Creek Mine too.

We are back near the Springhill Road Fossicking Area - the grass is still here but fallen over but still makes for hard detecting.

Stopped for a cuppa in a clearing off the road which is the first one we have seen. Continued on through this creek.

Got to where we turned around last time. Back across the causeway which still has water over it.

Here’s the last photo I took of the creek at the end of March.

A crew is doing some work on the railway line that we are running alongside of. We gave them a toot as they all turned to check out the camper.

At the turn off of the Springhills Road (which we travelled up last time) we continued on following the heritage trail with the railway beside us.

Still cloudy with some dark clouds too. Across a dry wide creek - no name on the map though.

Found some history at last. Parked by the old railway of Burrundie. Still cloudy but the sun has come out making it very humid and hot. Lots of interesting history to read.

While I was standing there a train came by giving us an extra toot as he went by. I am amazed how they can double stack the containers - must be a nice flat railway line.

An old well.

We didn’t bother walking to find the old magazines but noticed an old chimney across the road that might have been the fettler’s house as he was still here into the 1970s.

We had lunch then crossed the railway line. A bit further on the road continued to Mt Wells Mine which had no access so we continued alongside the railway line again. We have been criss-crossing the underground gas line too.

We are passing lots of impressive ant hills too. I took a photo of some as we crossed the railway line again.

Across Saunders Creek - not much in it but at least it had a name. Lots of bamboo beside it.

Spotted a goanna but it was a water monitor as it didn’t like us being there and headed straight into the water.

Across the Margaret River. Not much upstream but it was flowing well on the other side of the causeway. Heaps of bamboo here.

The road is wet in patches so they must have got some rain out of the dark clouds.

We stopped at Grove Hill Heritage Hotel which has lots of old relics about. Unfortunately it has closed its doors to the public. We read the info and took some photos. Steve’s dream - unfortunately the paint has worn off this specimen!

Continued on to the T-intersection. A heritage trails sign for Ban Ban Springs indicated right so we followed. But after we crossed the railway line we met this sign so decided it was best to turn around here.

Headed back towards the highway and passed the next intersection which would have taken us to Brock Creek Mine but that has a locked gate across. Back to the Stuart Highway. The dark clouds are overhead and dropped 3 drops on the windscreen then we passed under them.

Just before Emerald Springs Roadhouse we turned off the highway onto a bush track to try and find our way into the Margaret Diggings Fossicking Area. We didn’t try last time as the grass was so high. There is still grass here but it has fallen over. No one has burnt this area unfortunately. Needing to fill in our days waiting for the fridge we may as well be off the grid and hopefully lucky with our fossicking!

The track is narrow and rutted out in areas so we slowly crawled along with Steve getting out at times to check the track. Someone has been in before us and pushed the grass down around some obstacles. Spotted three good sized grey kangaroos.

The sky has cleared now. We eventually came to an intersection where someone had put old relics in and around the tree.

Steve went for another big walk and found a clear spot near a dam for us to camp for the night. We are at the end of the track on the Hema on the dot marked Margaret Diggings. We set up camp. Nice view of the dam.

Steve went for a walk up the hill and found the main mine workings which I will check out later. There seems to be old metal floats on the edge of the dam. Might be old army items left behind or bought cheaply to float the pump and cables on for the mine up the hill.

We had our drinks overlooking the dam listening to the birds busy in the trees and the ducks on the water till the mozzies arrived and we retreated into the camper. So glad we are comfortable in the camper as we have spent a bit inside with all this hot weather.

As the sunset we heard some dingoes ‘talking’ to each other.

We just have phone service in the truck so Steve put the aerial onto the camper to have the phone inside. Jon had texted - all good, he was going off for his first night shift.

All quiet here though we can hear the trucks on the highway when the breeze blows this way.