Tues, 22nd July, 2025 Bush camp near Don Well to Bush camp near Hole In Rock, north of Meekatharra, WA

5.1 degree min in our camper though BOM said it was 2 degrees min so we are glad to have our heater and no need to rush outside.

Packed up and headed off under the blue sky and cold breeze. We followed the track around the hill. Spotted two vans on top of the hill then further along another two vans, a truck with water pods and an excavator - not something you should see on pending ground.

Rick rang so we sat for a while chatting with him. He is in Broken Hill and heading to Tiboburra to try his luck there with the detector. We had found a few bits when we went through there a few years back. I took photos of the maps from Doug Stone’s book so he could get his bearings. He had terrible 80k/h winds at Port Augusta and then went through the dust storm that had gone over Sth Aust but otherwise the trip has been good so far.

We drove into the camp area to apologise for parking nearby while we chatted to Rick in case they were wondering what we were up to. Steve chatted with a couple from near Eidsvold, Qld (Steve’s birth town). They are in partnership with a couple of chaps from Esperance and have this pending lease. They said it should be coming live hence they had the machinery ready to go.

We headed off their lease and onto the open Crown land that has no leases and followed the fence line south. It would lead down to the area we were on before on Killara Station. We went through a creek and saw some dig holes so pulled in. After a cuppa we went wandering. The breeze is still cold but it is ok in the sun. The only good thing about the cold weather is it keeps the flies in hiding.

Steve got a bit further over so after wandering for nothing I headed towards where he had been and got a bit near his. Nice of him to leave me one!! Then I got another nice signal and it was a big lead shot!!

A willy willy zoomed through but just missed me.

Back to the camper for lunch. I stayed in the camper reading and Steve took the 6000 for a wander.

He returned at cuppa time with a nice single crystal. The camper got to 20 degrees though it feels colder outside.

We drove down to where he found them and set up for the night.

A band of cloud is in the west - there is rain forecast in a couple of days. We made the most of the clear sky and got a fire going for drinks as the sun dropped behind the trees.

We are up on a rise so can just see the Hole in the Rock. I see on my map it is called Tunnel Hill.

Spotted a couple of satellites and cooked dinner outside but ate inside as the food goes cold too quickly.  

 

 

 

Mon, 21st July, 2025 Bush camp near Don Well, north of Meekatharra, WA

10.6 degrees min, mostly clear sky and windy. The rain had arrived at 3.30am, misty at first then very strong winds and heavier rain fell for a short while then the storm passed over us but the wind remained.

Fozzie sent a text about his gas HWS so we rang back. Chatted with Michelle for a while then Fozzie. They bought a van and the hot water was playing up so Steve went through the things to try.

I checked the BOM, max to be only 15 today which I agree with the feel of the cold wind and more clouds are coming over blocking any chance of warmth from the sun.

We went wandering and got one bit each by lunch time.

The sky has cleared now but still windy. Steve took the 6000 for a wander while I worked on my blog then read my book. No joy for him after another big walk. I put the heater back on as the cold was creeping back into the camper by drinks time. The old remote for the inverter won’t work with this new one so we ordered theirs using the $50 gift card they emailed me. We only had to pay for the postage.

Played cards then cooked dinner.

 

Sun, 20th July, 2025 Peace Gorge picnic ground, Meekatharra to Bush camp near Don Well, north of Meekatharra, WA

9 degree min, clear sky and windy. Forecast is for very strong winds today.

Into town for water and fuel. A lady pulled in with her van while we were getting water and asked me about a few things to see. She had done a trip around the coast up to Exmouth and now heading back to Adelaide. I told of some highlights to see on her way down to Kalgoorlie which she noted in her book. She had some funny stories too.

We stopped opposite the new sign to get a photo.

A very wide load then came towards us, 8.5m. A road train had to get off the road so they will have an interesting drive north. There were two smaller buckets at the servo heading north too.

We followed along slowly after the wide load listening to the pilot giving directions to oncoming traffic and sorting out the ones that wanted to get past them. The wind has picked up a lot so it must be interesting driving that wide load.

We turned off onto the dirt track back into the pending ground near Don Well where we had taken Rick. Decided to grid around where Steve left his last smiley face.

We parked up near it and pointed into the strong wind as it was rocking the camper.

Robyn rang from Mosquito Creek with an offer of a house site in Mandurah in case we were heading south again. They are all ok up there with more friends coming to visit etc.

We went for a wander getting blown about but the sun was still shining so it wasn’t cold. I got one bit nearby then continued gridding but no more. Steve did a big walk then got one on the other side of his smiley face.

Had a cuppa then went back to gridding. The gusts of wind nearly blew me over.

Clouds are coming over from the south west. Drinks inside of course with a game of cards.

 

Sat, 19th July, 2025 Peace Gorge picnic ground, Meekatharra, WA

7.7 degrees min, clear sky.

I stayed inside with the heater on writing up my blog so I could upload it while Steve went out into the cold to set up the washing machine for later.

After morning tea I ventured out into the sunshine - breeze is strong and cool but the sun was nice. Steve found the leak in the tyre and patched it.

After lunch had a lovely chat with Annalise. She was at her Mum’s place in Aloomba which doesn’t have good phone reception so couldn’t video chat. Beau is a busy boy and bubby is growing well too. I am looking forward to taking Beau swimming and for walks though he will probably run everywhere. Jon was home for a week before he flew to Bali for Ian’s ‘bucks’ golf weekend.

After a cuppa Dan rang with video so I had a lovely chat with Sophia and sang her a couple of songs that she does the movements too - Incy Wincy Spider etc. Looking forward to playing and dancing with her. She is so cute. Fran had sent through some photos of her and Dan at the Cairns Show. 

Steve had wandered off so I went to find him. He had met a couple from Mackay who have been travelling for 7 years. We chatted for a while till the sun dropped behind the hill and it got chilly.

Back to the camper for drinks and a game of cards. Jon rang after he finished work at the yard in Adelaide so we had a good chat. Rick sent a text that he was in Eucla.

Put the heater on for dinner and a movie.

 

Fri, 18th July, 2025 Bush camp off Meeka/Sandstone Road, south-east of Meekatharra to Peace Gorge picnic ground, Meekatharra, WA

5.2 degrees min, clear sky and light breeze. Heater on of course.

Packed up and meandered through the leases checking out the ground. Ended up at the live mining lease so stopped to ask how to get to another pending lease further south. The chap has been working here for years and is in the process of selling - lots of cleaning up to do around camp!! He gave Steve the directions and we headed off again to an old open pit mine area called Tried Again. He had said his friend wandered over the flats and came back with a few bits of gold.

We parked up on the salt/pepper ground, had a cuppa then went wandering. 

After lunch we went for a drive to check out the other leases. Lots of good looking ground so we might come back. We decided to go back to Meekatharra and around to Peace Gorge again to do the washing and put the inverter in. Steve also has to look at a slow leak in a front tyre too. There is rain forecast for Monday so need to be where we want to detect in case it is more than the predicted 3mm.

Set up in the same spot at last time.

I did my baking while Steve started making brackets to hang the inverter from. He had bolted the last one upside-down from the top of the storage box and maybe that didn’t give it enough ventilation as this one’s manual says not to have it upside down.

Drinks inside while we played cards.

Kaylene rang to say that Wendy’s mum, Heather, had passed away yesterday. I sent Wendy a text and will chat to her later as she will be busy getting things sorted. Sad but a blessing as she had been deteriorating.

 

Thurs, 17th July, 2025 Bush camp off Meeka/Sandstone Road, south-east of Meekatharra, WA

7.6 degrees, clear sky. Rick come back from his wander as we came out of the camper. The wind is cold but in the sun it is ok. No joy for Rick except for a piece of conveyor belt he can use to fix the mudflaps on the trailer. The ground is just red dirt so we decided to move on to where we had found nuggets on a pending lease further over.

This area is old dry blowing and scrapes so we all went for a wander. I got a couple of good signals near the truck but it was just old bullets. Continued wandering and was rewarded with one little bit. Nothing for Steve or Rick. Rick had hoped for one more bit to get him over 12g. Steve gave him two little rocks that had gold on them that someone else had smashed and left in a pile. He was stoked with his trip and to have found some WA gold too. He decided to head off now. I checked with Leinster and the van park was still open so we suggested he go there tonight so he can get his washing done and it’s a cheap van park compared to ones in Kalgoorlie. He will have about 10 days then to get across the Nullabor and up the centre and back across to Cairns so that shouldn’t be too bad. We said farewell and safe travels and to let us know that he got to Leinster tonight ok. I will see him and Kaylene in October.

After lunch I wandered for exercise as I only got one bit of rubbish. I watched a willy-willy work its way along the flat then up the side of the hill whipping up the dust as it went.

Steve went for a big walk to try and find where he found his big nugget when we first came to WA in 2016 as it was around this area. He didn’t find the spot but did get one little bit on his way back.

The wind had picked up so we stayed inside for drinks - no visitors to sit by the fire with tonight.

Rick got to Leinster and enjoyed a good wash, Molly had one too and he got his washing done so feeling ready for the big drive ahead.

I used the oven to cook dinner so we didn’t need to put the heater on straight away but by 9.30 it had dropped to 14 degrees so into bed to read our books.

 

Wed, 16th July, 2025 Bush camp near Don Well, north of Meekatharra to Bush camp, pending lease off Meeka/Sandstone Rd, WA

7.2 degree min, clear sky and light breeze. Sent Fozzie a happy birthday text for today.

Got a text from Aust Post to say our new inverter has arrived at the Post Office.

Rick had gone wandering early and had two bits in his jar by the time we came out of the camper. We all went wandering but only Rick was rewarded with another little bit. Just an old tin lid for me.

Steve did a big walk and found the spot he tried to find in the car yesterday. Others have been there too. He saw more holes further up the hill slope from where we had been - oh well.

I had sent an email off to ITechWorld yesterday after getting a promotion email stating the inverter we ordered is on sale for $50 less than what we paid. I got an email back this morning offering us a $50 gift card since the sale came the day after we ordered the inverter. Good PR for them and hopefully we will find something we can spend it on with their company.

We decided to head back to Meeka to get the inverter and Rick had some business emails to sort too so after lunch we packed up and headed back to the highway and down to Meeka.

Topped up the water and got a couple of things from the IGA then headed down the gravel road towards Sandstone to check out a couple of pending leases down there. Rick is planning to head off on Friday so this will save him a 100km towards heading back to Kalgoorlie.

We turned off into a new pending area as the sun was low in the sky and set up camp.

Got the fire going for drinks. The cold settled in so we headed inside for dinner.