Wed, 11th Sept, 2024 Bush camp on pending lease, north of Nullagine to Gravel pit near Marble Bar Road-Newman turn off, WA (Beau 6 months old)

22 degrees, cloud with a lovely full rainbow this morning to the west. I just couldn’t get it all in one photo though. The sun is just peeking around the hill in front of us.

Sent Beau a happy 6 month birthday message!

The wind has picked up. We went wandering with our detectors. 

Rang Malcolm when we were having a cuppa to see how they are going after all the rain. Their creek is flowing like a big river now and it is raining again! Definitely weird weather. He said that a plantation near Carrick got hit with the wind earlier on and all the trees are just smashed - just like a cyclone or tornedo had hit. Lots of places around Launceston are still without power. They had a great trip up to North Queensland and in between though the weather was hit and miss.

We just sat down to have lunch when a huge willy willy came hurtling down the side of the camper shaking it about but luckily it didn’t have a lot of dust with it so my clean camper is all good still.

We decided to head south towards Meekatharra. Hopefully Bob and Margaret can come up and meet us somewhere. Bob is replacing the wiring in their van hoping that will cure the power problem with the invertor.

Back into Nullagine and then south a bit to the turn off to Garden Pool. We have been meaning to check it out every time we are here so this time I got him to turn off. It is on the Nullagine River and there is a lovely grassy picnic area but no water. Obviously it is well used after the wet season as there are heaps of swinging ropes in the trees.

Continued along the track to the base of the hill and found some water. I think only the cattle are enjoying it at the moment - lots of hoof tracks along the edge.

I spotted a Black & White Crane (Jabiru) at the end and zoomed in on it.

Back to the Marble Bar Road and continued south. A few drops of rain from a dark cloud over us as we neared the Bonney Downs homestead.

Across the iron ore railway line then the lovely mesa hills appear as we near the iron ore mines.

Gina’s pink plant is working and there was a dump truck dropping its load as we drove past.

Long conveyor belt with transfer station and a big overpass.

Past the Roy Hill mining area then across the Fortescue River - not much water this time.

Stopped for a cuppa in the ‘rest area’ at Roy Hill turn off.

A few more drops of rain as we continued south.

Onto bitumen now for a while then we turned back onto gravel to check out Ethel Creek 18kms down the Jigalong Road. This also leads to the Talawana Track, cuts the Canning Stock Route near Well 25 - we went on it for a bit when we had to do the big detour around and up through Telfer Mine since the road was flooded at Well 25. Just read online that Andrew Forrest (FMG iron ore) has just bought into Telfer Mine to add gold to his assets as iron ore is having a big drop due to China’s influence.

You can tell we are heading towards a community, Jigalong, as there are so many dead cars in the bush by the road. Very flat country through here.

Wikicamps had ‘camps’ available here by the creek but not really. There was a bit of a clear area before we crossed the creek but it is soft red dirt and if there is more rain coming it isn’t a good place to be. Across the creek - all dry.

We drove onto a track heading along the side of the creek but didn’t find any ‘camp’ spots, just a dingo.

Turned around and back along the track and then across the dry creek again. There is a dead car on the bank edge of the creek as we headed back to the main road.

Dark clouds are building in the west. BOM says 0-3mm, possible thunder storm for Newman. A long train of iron ore loaded carriages was slowly making its way along the track heading to the coast.

We tried another spot by Kaglan Creek but it was soft red sand too so we continued on to the gravel pit just before the turn off onto the Great Northern Highway. Parked behind a pile of blue metal as the dark clouds built up over us.

Nice flowers out my kitchen window.

Got our drinks then rang Ray and Carol as he had messaged as to where we were. Had a lovely chat - they might get down to Woodgate in a few weeks after checking out a couple of spots to detect in south Queensland. The council has been trying to open up a fossicking area near Mt Morgan (Jeff had mentioned it to Steve too) so they are hoping it will be open so they can check it out.

As we chatted lightning flashed and thunder rumbled - lucky we are parked on some blue metal not the red soil. A few more flashes etc and then a light shower of rain fell so I closed up the camper as the wind was quite chilly too.

Cooked dinner and another shower of rain fell - not heavy luckily. The storm has moved on.

10pm down to 21 degrees with the camper closed up. Still cloudy.