Tues, 13th Mar, 2018 Niagara Dam, near Kookynie, WA

7.30am 20.8 degrees, clear sky and still windy which is quite chilly first up in the morning.

Explored another pending area.

Wind settling. 3pm 31.4 degrees.

Steve went for a walk/detect while the rest of us rested in our vans in the shade – we’re not silly!!

I heard a voice yell out ‘hello friend’ so I called back hi then I realised it was Les from the other van but in fact a ‘local’. He had spotted Bob so I left him to it. He told Bob his sad story of just being out of jail and trying to get back to Warburton with his wife and baby and they were selling a woven bowl for $40 so he could get his family some food. Smart Bob was polite and declined and after a big hug the chap moved on as Bob said we were out and his wife was asleep!! He looked towards Les’ van but Bob said he was away so not to bother there either.

I was actually reading ‘Kidman : The Forgotten King’ which Margaret lent me. About Sid Kidman who ended up owning a large area of the centre of Australia (1880s on) to create a route to get his cattle and horses to ports for sale etc. Very interesting as we will be travelling through that area.

Steve came back – getting a lot of exercise. His GPS tells him how many kilometres he has walked. The wind has stopped so it is quite hot now but luckily we have good shade.

Another van arrived and they came over to join us and Les for drinks. Cam and his wife, missed her name, were from Brisbane but have lived in a lot of places with very interesting jobs. They are heading back to Burnett Heads to help his brother build an RV Lifestyle Village there so we might see them when we head back across to Woodgate. Recently they had been working on building up a piggery they bought in Tiaro – this is where some of Steve’s relations are from (The Meyers) and we had a reunion there years ago. Anyway they bought it from TPG who was the company that bought out Inghams Enterprises. What a small world. Bob and Jack had bought the piggery as they had seen in America the combination of piggeries and chicken farms but only the chickens took off here. They kept this piggery all this time because it was their first venture. Cam said they turned it around in three years because of the good genetics in the pigs there and they have just sold it to his niece and her husband to run. They were over the smell!! Will have to ring Mum.

Still had a little fire to sit around for dinner.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.

Mon, 12th Mar, 2018 Bush camp, near 45 Mile Well to Niagara Dam, Kookynie, WA (Niagara Dam)

7.30am 20 degrees with van closed up from the cool wind. Overcast and still windy.

Packed up to head off. Our new starter motor played up again. Will have to investigate at the next camp spot.

Headed back to Menzies where we stopped so I could get internet service to do my blog, Facebook, emails and banking and check the weather forecast too. All good though Thursday forecast for 39 degrees!! Margaret got a message that poor Gary headed north with his new caravan and the wheel and axle broke off – not a good advertisement for that company!!

Continued north up the Goldfields Highway. Stopped for a photo of the rock frog – not as good as ours on the Gillies Range.

Turned east to Niagara Dam. Stopped at the dam wall for a look and get the history information. The dam, completed in 1898, was built by WA Railways Dept to provide water for steam trains and the Niagara township. It became redundant a few years later when plentiful underground water was discovered at Kookynie. Interesting note about why the dam was called Niagara – named after a waterfall nearby that only flows after heavy rain. It is a good example of the outback dry sense of humour – naming a generally dry waterfall after its famous (and gigantic) namesake. The town took its name from the dam.

Another site which used the prisoners to repay their debts to society – a great idea.

Walked out along the wall. Margaret said when they were here once the water was lovely and clear and a lot higher and you could see the yabbies on the bottom.

We drove down to the bottom camp sites where we found shady trees to park under.

Steve went to move our truck and it the starter motor wouldn’t go. He did all this work to make sure we were good to go for the desert and we have broken down already!! Luckily I have reception so we got onto the chap we bought the new heavy duty starter motor from in Victoria and he said they have found that because it is heavy duty it draws more power and it needs a bigger relay!! He will freight one over for us to Leonora and in the meantime he told Steve how to get around it, which Steve did so we were able to get the truck going again.

In the afternoon we went for a walk – found the old dump!!

A huge ant’s nest and one of the inhabitants – nasty chappies.

Walked over to the breakaways.

Headed back then around the other side of the dam. Found the Debris Trap.

Around the other end of the dam.

Chatted with a couple from Brisbane in their bus and their daughter who works in Kalgoorlie then the next couple from Fremantle with their new motorhome.

Margaret had gone wandering with her detector. Les, a chap from Karratha, parked his van further over and came over to chat. Margaret came back with her ‘gold’ – a $1 coin. She is in the money!!

Steve walked over to chat with two guys who parked nearby and mentioned Bob was from Mandurah and the chap knew him. Got a little fire going (still windy) – our first one for 2018.

The guys, Reece & Russell, came over after dinner for a catchup. They have a lease north a bit but haven’t had any joy but are enjoying the challenge.

Russell spotted the Space Station crossing low on the horizon – very bright.

Strong wind still and quite cool so we closed up that side of the van for the night.

Sun, 11th Mar, 2018 Bush camp, near 45 Mile Well, WA

Still windy and overcast. 7.30am 20.5 degrees.

Steve and I went for a big walk further down the lease. Saw 2 scarlet robins, 2 very fast lizards, donkey & emu tracks but no gold. Just a few bullets, wire and aluminium.

Wind keeping it cool today. 11am still only 26.5 degrees.

I worked on my blog – lots of photos to sort.

While we were having drinks 4 emus walked towards the van. I managed to get one in a photo before they ran off. Bit blurry though.

Very windy night again and a bit chilly.

Sat, 10th Mar, 2018 Lake Ballard, near Menzies to bush camp, near 45 Mile Well, WA (Lake Ballard art)

Wind picked up about 2am that I had to close windows and doors etc.

7am 22.8 degrees, clear sky and still blowing. Emma’s birthday today but I have no phone reception here so will have to text her later.

Margaret was first out onto the lake to check out the ‘art works’. Don’t think she is too impressed!!

We walked out towards one of the ‘art’ pieces in our thongs but it wasn’t long before we were sliding so took them off and continued carefully in bare feet. As you cracked the surface the wet red clay oozed up between our toes. Made our own ‘footprints in the “mud”’ instead of sand.

The salt crystals looked like they were growing like little blades of grass.

Out to the first ‘female’. Not the most flattering artwork!!

Margaret had made it to the island hill and was making her way to the top – in bare feet as she left her thongs back at the edge of the lake – ouch.

Steve did his standard pose – hand on a boob!! I said hold her hand instead for a change!!

The wind is still gusty so off went his hat – needs a chin strap.

He tried it on the next lady!!

Then we headed towards the island to climb the hill – we have our thongs with us.

Looking back to our camp.

We had noticed little rocks as we walked up to the island and as we climbed and looked down those rocks became names.

Up the top – lovely view. Took a 360 degrees video.

Steve spotted a rock graffiti that someone had spent a lot of time on.

Zoomed in on another piece of ‘art’ and some more disappearing into the water as the lake goes further east.

Headed back down – amazing where some trees can survive.

Slid our way across to another ‘art piece’ – the man this time so it was my time to pose. I’m not touching that thing!!

The low sun makes a great shadow photo.

More art pieces heading in another direction.

Plenty of water in the big tank so took a bucket and towel and washed our very muddy feet. Had an early cuppa than headed off. Didn’t go far when I saw the Snake Hill Lookout sign so we drove up for a look. The shelter was built using prisoners who are paying their debt back to society – what a great idea. All these jobs should be down by prisoners so they can learn skills and respect so maybe they won’t be so keen to be in jail again. Bit of information and another great view of the lake.

Continued up the road to 45 Mile Well area near a big outstation camp on the corner of the Sandstone and Mt Ida Roads. Found a track into a clearing with some shady trees to park the vans beside.

No phone reception here either so there mustn’t be any good mines around here.

Went for a wander with our detectors but no joy – mainly ‘hot’ ironstone rocks and some bullets and wire.

After lunch I did some blogging and read while Steve went out for another wander. He has a Garmin GPS which he puts the co-ordinates in of the lease corners so he doesn’t get lost. Bob & Margaret have one too so they are all safe. I try to stay where I can see the van.

The nice breeze got windier so we rolled in our awnings – we know how it goes out here and if you leave it too long then it is a problem to roll them in as the wind just gets stronger and bigger gusts.

The wind continued bringing some clouds from the north but by dinner time we could see the stars and satellites again. We shared one tub of our icecream with Bob and Margaret as their freezer was struggling to keep it solid.

The wind got chillier so we went inside for a warm shower and closed up the van from the wind.