Tues, 7th Jan, 2025 am Bush camp near Jingemia Cave, north-east of Watheroo to Eco Van Park, Three Springs, WA (Carnamah history & Big Tractor)

The strong wind is back. Only got down to 26 minimum. Clear sky.

My 8am it was up to 33 degrees. We packed up and headed back to the main road. Mr Fox ran across in front of us again.

Nice view across the property here called ‘Happy Valley’.

Continued northward on Midland Road. Unfortunately the wind is on our nose now so there goes the fuel economy.

Passed a big clear lake then lots of dry salt lakes in Marchargee Nature Reserve.

Into Coorow, est 1893. Would be very busy in the wildflower season. All quiet at the moment. Checked out the info at the Lions Park. Missed the first marker of the Midlands Route as we didn’t see the display as we drove through. Will do the Wildflower Way on the way back but without any wildflowers to look at! Very interesting about how the community worked together.

Cheap fuel here so we topped up (174.9c/l). The wind is still head on.

Continued northward through more grain country. Into Carnamah - I had marked this place as a new Big Thing was opened here in October last year - The Chamberlain Tractor.

First though we took the road around to Macpherson’s Homestead.

Read the info board. There are McPhersons on Dad’s side and there was a Duncan who was born in the same county, Inverness, town of Ardersier in 1793. This Duncan was born 1818 in Alvie in the Badenoch area of Inverness but his father was Aeneas. Could be a relation! We are looking at the other side of the house from what’s in the photo. There is an outbuilding off to the side that has collapsed.

The Midlands Route info was by the house.

Some other people came out of the house and an elderly chap, George, asked if we would like to look inside. He and his wife are the contact for those who wish to see it or the Museum in town. Good timing. The volunteers have done a fabulous job restoring the house and have received lots of items to decorate it with. An artist is working from the kitchen area at the moment so we can’t have access to that section. Plenty to see as it is.

The lady gave me a brochure with all the history.

There was another stone building further over and lots of old machinery to check out.

Looking back to the house, the lady said she thinks this is the front as it has the double doors.

The others were heading to the Museum with George and his wife so we go there too. Another photo before we headed off. Certainly was a grand place and still is.

Back into town and around to the Museum. Everything is beautifully presented and any item donated or on loan has been documented and labelled. There are so many interesting items and lots brought back memories of our own childhoods - pedal car, knuckle bones from sheep, my favourite childhood author. A Captain Cook plate - we are still watching the series of his voyages.

A section on the war and jigsaws made out of enlarged postcards.

More things out the back. Steve remembers the old truck signal arm and was impressed with the scales and the weight it says for our heights - we are all good, ha ha.

We give the museum 10 out of 10 for how everything is displayed and the interesting items and for the enthusiasm of George and his wife. We thanked them and left a donation.

Drove around to the Big Tractor - can’t miss it and had a cuppa in the shelter shed whilst we read about the Chamberlain Tractor etc.

Steve looks so little to the 11 metre high structure made of 36 tonnes of steel - including the steel tyres. Steve said they should have a real one beside it as a comparison.

Some more information. Another photo from further back.

A bit of history on the info board near the shelter shed.

A further along was the Midlands Route info. Amazing how they financed things in the early days. Build a railroad in exchange for land - certainly a good way to open up the state.

The Grain Man - the farmer with his bagged grain. The sign was metal so hard to photograph. It said - The pioneer farmers harvested their crops with horse drawn headers. Grain was collected in jute bags and the tops stitched before being carted to the railway siding. Each bag was weighed and recorded over single bag scales then lumped manually into huge stacks beside the railway line, ready to be sent to flour mills and the ports for export.

Walked across the main road to a lovely mural.

On the walls of the Corner Store is some history and photos.

Some more photos across the road.

Wandered up Macpherson Street. Love the old street lights with a modern twist - solar panels.

Nice mural with extra animals on the stump.

Continued along learning the history of the town from the plaques etc. More farming items outside the Museum too. There is a Tractor Museum just out of town - there were lots of different brands of tractors working the fields.

Carnamah Heritage Park - a record of people, past & present, who have contributed to the social and economic life of Carnamah.

Murals and another old tractor - Hart Parr from Charles City, Iowa, USA.

Continued up the street then turned around at the mural and headed back down the other side.

Back to the camper for lunch.

Headed back a bit then along a road to the west to the Yarra Yarra Lakes Lookout. The wind nearly blew me over when I got out to take a photo. It still feels cool too which is nice. Brilliant white lake and it goes for miles.

(Continued to next blog)