Fri, 27th Sept, 2024 Gwalia Museum RV camp, near Leonora, WA (Museum and town cottages)

It rained through the night but not heavy rain so all good. 17 degrees min with the camper closed up. Overcast this morning but no wind and more light showers coming over.

I wandered over to get a photo into the big ‘hole’ of the mine but couldn’t see the bottom.

We are up on a rise and look down over the old township of Gwalia. The houses have been relocated and restored here and we wandered through them when we explored here on 24 May, 2017 so I had taken lots of photos and got information back then.

The old Engineers House is a private residence now - just to the left of the museum. You can see it in the old photo too.

Just got that photo when another shower of rain came over.

Decided to have morning tea at the Cafe in Hoover House so headed in through the Museum which is entrance by donation. I forgot to take my camera so didn’t get any photos though we had explored it all when we visited last time. Had a lovely time chatting over coffee and some yummy cakes in the beautiful home.

Headed back out just as it started to rain so had to race back to the camper. Will come back after lunch with my camera.

Dried off and had hot soup for lunch to warm us up as another rain squall came over us and rocked the camper.

Sun out again so headed back into the Museum. Great photo of the mine pit.

Read a few of the stories first.

They were working on the headframe restoration when we came here last.

Outside we headed up the slope. Checked out the view of the pit from the platform first. The ute looks so small. Then some trucks passed each other on the haul road.

Genesis Minerals took over the St Barbara mine in 2023. Lots of info about the trucks on the mural.

Stopped at the finished headframe.

Checked out a few things in the old Assay Office area. Watched a video showing a computer drawing off all the shafts, ventilation etc of the mine - amazing. Great time line information display too.

In the Mine Office we found the old shaft display made in 1938 in London. Amazing work compared to what the computer does now.

Interesting clock on the wall - must show the days of the month too but we couldn’t work out how it changes for the different months.

The sky is a bit clearer so we decided to walk down through the old restored cottages. Got our umbrellas just in case. Checked out the boarding house first. Wandered through the different cottages noticing the timber boxes that were used as floor boards and all the other old bits and pieces used to make up their homes. We dodged a few rain squalls as we could hide in the cottages as they passed.

Threw Cheryl in jail for a bit!

A car pulled up and an elderly chap said his family (Biggs) lived here from 1942 up on the corner - there is a plaque but no house. He chatted about how these buildings were brought in from outer areas and restored here. I said he needs to get someone to write his stories etc. He said he is on one of the ‘local’ boards in the Museum but I missed that one. Very interesting chatting with him.

Wandered down to the old hotel - all boarded up now.

As we came out of another cottage where we hid from another shower of rain we noticed a lovely rainbow as the rain headed away from us.

More rain coming if you look in the other direction though.

Found the Biggs Family plaque.

Continued up the hill to another cottage.

Another shot of the dark clouds coming over the cottage with a lonely telephone pole.

Back into our homes just as the storm hit but it moved over us quickly.

Bob and Margaret and Meow, their old cat, arrived at 4.30pm - drove through lots of rain on and off. They set up beside us and as the dark clouds have moved on we got out our chairs and chatted the rest of the afternoon away with them and Gary and Cheryl.

The breeze was quite cool and the sky has cleared as we headed back into the camper for dinner.

The wind picked up and started buffeting the camper at 10pm but no more rain.