Sat, 22nd Dec, 2018 10 Mile Outcamp, Tarmoola Station, 60km north of Leonora, WA

7.30am 25.6 degrees, gusty cool breeze and clear sky.

Unpacked the truck and sorted out the groceries and meat.

Put the insect mesh we picked up and finished off the two security doors we had picked up in Leonora. Steve will fix the old security door so all the doors and windows will have insect mesh on them.

Steve found a towel rail in the old caravan which he put up in the shower room. Starting to look like a nice little home now.

Had lunch and enjoyed our lychees. Clouds coming over.

Cleaned out the trough for the cattle here then headed off to check all the other spots. The other ones with solar panels had wiring problems too which Steve fixed this time as he brought tools etc to fix the other two we found on the first bore run. We could hear the donkeys in the distance. Mr Lizard posed for a photo and a few finches were enjoying the water.

Spotted a rabbit, a few kangaroos lazing on the track. Still plenty of green grass around but the track is dry now which is good. Fixed the other solar cables that were broken and then had to fix another one that the cows had just chewed. Steve said the cables were still wet and the cattle were standing around watching us.

The windmill ones were good. Flushed out a few troughs as they were full of algae. Took us 4 hours and the run is a 101km trip for the 10 bores.

Clouds blocked out the sun set and the breeze has stopped. 8pm 31 degrees in the van.

I realised I have forgotten to send Christmas cards – will have to send some via email and Facebook instead.

Fri, 21st Dec, 2018 10 Mile Outcamp, Tarmoola Station, 60km north of Leonora, WA

6am 21degrees, cool blustery NE breeze and a few clouds about.

Packed in the shopping bags while Bob and Margaret hooked up their van. Said our farewells – so glad they stopped in to see us. Will see them next year to go detecting somewhere else and hopefully find more gold.

We followed them out the track then headed off to Kalgoorlie. They are heading that way too but we can go faster without the van on. Good trip down. Stopped for a cuppa before heading into town. Picked up the sub tank and checked out the wreckers for a new mirror attachment but they didn’t have any. Steve’s fix-it job will do for the time being.

Did some shopping for bits and pieces. After lunch picked up the groceries. Got some stone fruit and ingredients for Rum Balls and fruit cake etc for Christmas. Even bought two mangoes and some lychees for us so we can feel like we are at home.

3pm headed back to Leonora. Drove up to the homestead to top up with fuel then we followed Kym and Glen back into Leonora to attend the Carols by Candlelight in the park. The lady handed out battery operated candles and they had the words on a TV screen so we call all sing along. Had a lovely time singing for an hour then we headed back home for a late dinner. Will unpack the truck tomorrow as we have all the meat in the fridge and the vegies etc in cooler bags.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.

Thurs, 20th Dec, 2018 10 Mile Outcamp, Tarmoola Station, 60km north of Leonora, WA

7am 26 degrees, clear sky, cool northerly breeze.

Updated my blog. Others in Leonora were visited by the yellow and black beetle. One lady said it was a Fiddler Beetle but it is usually only found on the east coast of Australia.

Headed off detecting again with Bob and Margaret. Track out much smoother after the boys attempted with the big metal grid they towed behind the truck.

No joy at the first place. Next spot was near the main homestead – Kym and Glen had gone to Kalgoorlie. Steve found a little nuglet so called me over. He went of wandering so I worked over the area around his nuglet. I got a loud signal which I thought was rubbish but decided to dig it any cast. It was a red rock. I didn’t have any water with me so I had to do a ‘Steve’ and put it in my mouth to clean it. I could see faint gold markings so I was very excited. Nothing else for the others so we headed home.

Had a cuppa then the boys relocated the fuel pod – Steve made a lower platform which was closer to the generator.

Margaret brought out a bottle of bubbly as they head off tomorrow. Will see them again next year and hopefully find more gold!!

Mum rang to say she saw Kathy and Judy. Poor Wayne is not doing too well and has lost a lot of weight. Will give them a call.

Lovely evening chatting – I put out a mozzie coil but they were too bad tonight. Sat chatting til 8pm then went into our vans for dinner. Even spotted a few satellites. 

Wed, 19th Dec, 2018 10 Mile Outcamp, Tarmoola Station, 60km north of Leonora, WA (Chev ute)

7am 24 degrees, light cool breeze, clear sky. The cows are back mooing around us.

I worked on my grocery orders online – takes a while comparing between Coles and Woolies.

Bob and Steve worked attaching the screen doors to the cottage – bit of a process with old doors and an old cottage but they did a great job.

We all had a cuppa and cake together  then I continued with my orders as I had to do one for Bunnings too to get the fly screen and spline.

After lunch I taught Margaret to play 3 to Kings and then Skipbo – very fast learner and very good!! Took me 4 games to manage to win one at Skipbo!!

The boys tried dragging the old grid to smooth out the track with the old ute provided here but the 4WD isn’t working in it. They took our truck then and got back here saying it did a good job except where the sand was thickest – then it just got bogged.

Jon rang. His friend has bought a reef boat and they were out near False Cape wanting to know where else to go fishing. Steve told him to try the wreck near Green Island as it is marked on their map and to get the marks off Pete when he gets home from their holiday at Exmouth.

After drinks Steve and Bob dragged the old Chev ute out to use as a garden ornament.

Steve pointed out a bower bird nest nearby.

Bob climbed in and Steve wired the door shut behind him. He is going to try and steer it as Steve towed it with our ute.

I videoed as it was funny watching the square tyres go round!! They made it. Parked it where the hay was.

Put the bonnet back on so it doesn’t look too bad!!

Lovely evening wandering around under the clear sky with a three quarter moon. Chatted a bit longer outside though the mozzies were moving in. Steve went into the cottage then called out that he saw a snake go into the kitchen. It wiggled its way up into the stove so Steve got the oven going to flush it out. Luckily it came out and they were able to remove it. We think it was only a python. Definitely need that fly mesh on the doors!!

Bob looked up and spotted at satellite which we realised was the Space Station as it was very bright considering the moon was out. Retreated to our vans as the mozzies were having their dinner – us.

Watched ‘Saving Mr Banks’ which was the story of the author of Mary Poppins and how she worked with Walt Disney to make the movie. I didn’t remember that the family in the story was the Banks hence the name of the movie. Pam Gogh (Travers) was from Maryborough hence they have the Mary Poppins celebrations there but it showed she and her family moved to Allora which is where some of Steve’s Geck ancestors are from – there is a Geck Street there. It was very good with Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks.

Tues, 18th Dec, 2018 10 Mile Outcamp, Tarmoola Station, 60km north of Leonora, WA

7am 20 degrees, overcast and cold wind. Packed our lunches and headed off detecting with Bob and Margaret. Sent a message to Glen if he wanted to join us with his detector but he had an appointment in town. We detoured through the homestead to show Bob and Margaret the area.

10am the sky is clearing, just puffy white clouds floating across the sky now. We went back to the same spot I got the little bits from the other day and we had some fun.

Went to another area but nothing happening here. An old camp area to explore and lots of piles of dirt from past work here.

I had put a note on Leonora Grapevine Facebook page about screen doors and a lady responded that she had two. We turned off and headed into Leonora while Bob and Margaret headed back to camp. The lady had purchased one of the old houses, which is very run down, very cheaply and is slowly fixing it up. Picked up two security doors which need new fly mesh and headed back to camp.

A chap flagged us down. He and his mate work for Round Oak and their vehicle was overheating so we gave them some water so they could get back to camp.

Drinks with Bob and Margaret in the shade as it had warmed up a bit. Lovely evening with a cool breeze.

Had dinner in the van then watched the last episode of ‘Harpers Island’ series which has been very good.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.

Mon, 17th Dec, 2018 10 Mile Outcamp, Tarmoola Station, 60km north of Leonora, WA

7am 24 degrees, clear sky & blustery cool northerly breeze.

Steve fixed the broken side mirror on the truck that he knocked off trying to sneak through a narrow track. I baked two banana cakes and a date slice – need yummies for Bob & Margaret and for Christmas.

Wind changed to south west bringing clouds over us. Black clouds appeared to the north but moved east so no rain for us.

After lunch Steve decided he would move the fuel pod to a different position and onto a lower platform – always trying to improve things.

Bob and Margaret arrived and parked their van beside ours. Had a cuppa and banana cake and caught up on what they have been up to. Margaret gave me a lovely wall hanging with a gecko on it that Bob’s aunty had made.

Spits of rain fell from a black cloud over us then it got a bit heavier as the wind picked up from the south west. Had to close up the van etc as it was blowing in sidewards. Margaret and I retreated to our van to hand up the wall hanging. The rain stopped and I opened everything up again. Checked the rain gauge, 3ml (if that is correct).

Margaret had rung earlier to see if I wanted any wine which was great as I can’t get the bigger wine casks in Kalgoorlie or anywhere here. Her daughter, Julie, had some bottles of chardonnay that she didn’t want so that went in my fridge too for Margaret and I to enjoy.

Sat beside the cottage trying to keep out of the cool breeze. We were worried about it being too hot here for Bob – we all laughed when he went and got a jumper!

6pm 25 degrees with a strong cold breeze.

I cooked dinner for all of us. Set up the table in the lounge as it was too cool to sit outside. Lovely evening chatting.

Closed up the van again as the wind was still blowing and cool when we went to bed. The sky is clearing and the stars are coming out again.

Sun, 16th Dec, 2018 10 Mile Outcamp, Tarmoola Station, 60km north of Leonora, WA (4 years & 4 months on road)

Hot night, 5am still 29 degrees. Clear sky and no breeze.

7am a light breeze has brought the temp down to 26 degrees.

Mum and Dad rang – Cyclone Owen isn’t going to bring them any rain. Looks like it will all go south though they did get a good drop last night.

Made lunch for our day out. Going to check out some pending leases south west of us. Checked a couple of wells that Glen and Kym look after. On the map one was marked ‘historical’ but there was no info there.

First pending area was around an old mine camp where there was an old shed, dead cars and lots of old machinery. The pending area didn’t have ‘good looking’ ground and there were piles of big rubber things that are used in mines. Looks like someone is burning them to get the aluminium out of them. Would make a terrible fire!

Continued south to Mount Stirling Gold Mine. Nice view from the top of a hill.

Drove around to the mine area and checked out a big cone thing where there were lots of old tailings.

Looking over the mine area where there are lots of old shafts and lots of bright green sample bags from an exploration carried out here.

Drove down to check out the shafts etc. You wouldn’t get me down there!

Steve found something glistening on the ground. Not gold but it is a mineral of some sort.

We continued south following the exploration track up and down hills. The next pending area was in hilly country but no salt and pepper (quartz and ironstone). We had lunch then Steve went for a wander – nothing, not even rubbish.

Continued on and out onto the Old Agnew Road. Stopped to check out the info about Boxer’s Well and the old Telegraph Line. The well was constructed about 1906 and has been refurbished since then.

Further south we found more info at the turnoff to Sturt Meadows Station. They used the old Boulder Picture Theatre to make a shearing shed when they started to run sheep here in 1930s. The shearers quarters were the old totaliser building from Coolgardie. Recycling at its best. They were both dismantled and moved here and rebuilt – amazing.

This spot was the township of Kurrajong in the early 1900s. There was a very wealthy gold mine nearby but the township never grew.

Nothing left here from the old days but some locals have left their old cars unfortunately.

The town well is nearby, closer to the creek.

We found the next pending lease and it was covered in quartz and ironstone. Found a shady tree to park beside and got out our detectors. I didn’t walk far and got my first signal which was rubbish. Another few meters and this time it was a nice little nuglet. I got 3 more little ones in the same area. Unfortunately Steve only found rubbish but it is a very promising place.

Drove down to Tarmoola homestead to pick up some bits and pieces. There is a creek near the main gate in and the lagoon is full. Some locals were here the other day enjoying the water. Kym says the water doesn’t stay in it for long.

Headed back home via the mine road - a road train had broken down at the entrance but the guys were under control.

Back home for drinks then I rang Margaret with directions to get here. They have already left Port Hedland and are just coming into Meekatharra. They will be here tomorrow which is wonderful.

  

I worked on my blog in the van as Glen had got the wifi extender set up for me yesterday.

Steve gave Kev a call, getting settled in their house.

Very still while we had dinner – 7pm 32 degrees, so had to put the fan on for a change.