Sat, 1st June, 2019 Bush camp near Gunbarrel Highway, east of Wiluna to Bush camp south of Peak Hill, WA

6.30am 6 degrees inside and only 2 degrees outside. First day of winter!! A few wispy clouds about. Put the heater on of course then waited till it got over 10 degrees to get out of bed.

We packed up and headed back into Wiluna then westward to Meekatharra. Topped up the fuel and water and had lunch at the park. Syd and Muriel arrived so we headed north and then turned off onto the track to Peak Hill. It was an old gold township that Steve and I visited back in 2016. Big open pits, mining equipment and the remains of old brick buildings.

Ray hadn’t been able to get onto the geologist yet where he had permission to detect so we parked up on some pending ground south of Peak Hill. The wind is still cool but the thermometer says it is 24 degrees in the van.

Had a great afternoon chatting. Syd and Muriel’s surname is Boundy and they are from Cairns area so I asked if they knew Les Boundy who was my high school maths teacher. He is their cousin – what a small world. Muriel (nee Cornish) nursed at Atherton Hospital where Mum had been a nurse but of course a few years after Mum. She lived near the Peeramonth Pub and mainly knew people in Malanda. They now live in Woodgate too which is where they know Ray and Carol from.

Lovely sunset colours on the thin clouds but I didn’t bother getting my camera – how many sunsets can I take!!

After dinner watched a very funny movie with some of the actors from Love Actually.

Fri, 31st May, 2019 Bush camp near Gunbarrel Highway, east of Wiluna, WA

6.30am 8 degrees, cloudy and no wind. Put this heater on this morning.

7.30am 14 degrees so much nicer for breakfast. 3 layers on to detect as the cold wind has come up now.

There is are long lines of ironstone/greenstone exposed on the slope near the van where Ray and Carol and others had found gold previously. Steve and the others went wandering with their detectors while I stayed around the van. I got a few bits of rubbish then a little bit near the back of the van then heaps of alfoil that must have blown out of the fireplaces nearby.

Steve came back with one little bit too so we celebrated with 2 cookies for morning tea. We are getting desperate that we celebrate getting such small bits of gold.

The sun is warming us up so I could take off my flanny now as we continued detecting. No more for us but Ray and Carol got a few bits.

After lunch we all went over the hill to where Ray had found a nicer bit but there was no more so we decided to pack up and head off tomorrow. Ray had heard from friends that they are in Meekatharra so we will catch up with them there.

Another lovely evening chatting around the fire then inside for dinner and movie.

9pm 13 degrees – going to be another cold night.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.

Thurs, 30th May, 2019 Bush camp near Jundee Mine, east of Wiluna to Bush camp near Gunbarrel Highway, east of Wiluna, WA

7.30am 10 degrees, clear sky and gusty wind. It was down to 5 degrees outside this morning. We thought we would be a bit warmer coming north but the cold front has come up this far too. Should have put the heater on this morning but slowly the sun started to warm up the van.

Detected a few different spots but found nothing other than one old shallow shaft where I found the end of the old timer’s pick.

Had lunch then decided to go back to where we were first parked on the quartz to try that new country Abe talked about.

Detected till afternoon cuppa with no joy. Steve and I went for a drive further up the lease to check out the ground but it was either big lumpy quartz or flat sand and spinifex and there weren’t any tracks off the road to be able to get the vans in. Back to Ray and Carol. We decided to head back out as we didn’t feel like this was going to be a profitable spot for our detecting. Ray and Carol had camped near a creek near the turn off onto the Gunbarrel Highway so we headed back there. We got phone signal as we drove along and Malcolm rang but the signal soon disappeared. 

After we had set up camp we rang Malcolm back as we had phone signal here. Freezing down there, didn’t get over 10 degrees all day.

We chatted about movies while we sat around the fire, trying to remember actors names (needed the tablet and Google) and having a great laugh about different movies we have watched.

After dinner while we were watching a movie, Tom and Sandy rang. Great to hear from them again. It was 2 years ago yesterday that we met them on the mining lease. They would be in Meekatharra next Thursday if we were there then but I think we will be on our way north by then.

Wed, 29th May, 2019 Bush camp near Jundee Mine, east of Wiluna, WA

7.30am 11.6 degrees, clear sky and gusty wind.

Ray heard from the geologist so we drove up the haul road to the main administration area of Northern Star operations. There is a huge processing plant nearby where they process the ore they are pulling out of the open pits.

Met Abe, Senior Exploration Geologist. He was very helpful and said their operation is mainly on a long belt of greenstone but they have just started an open pit in granite ground hence they have just taken up a heap of granite country where we have permission to detect on. He is keen to hear what we discover. The head geologist suggested we try Area 7 which is the old Jundee Mine open pit as some other people have picked up nuggets along the haul road.

We drove down to the open pit – even has a waterfall!

Drove back up the track and found a spot to park up.

Went wandering with our detectors while Ray and Carol drove up the road to try some other spots. Unfortunately we found nothing – hardly any rubbish either. The ground looks good but maybe it is deeper than we can find with the detectors.

Drinks around the fire with a lovely clear night. Erica rang from Muttaburra where they have found some lovely different agate – more rocks for Terry to haul home in the van. She will tumble them when they get home. They had fun doing the Guinness World Record at Barcaldine though Terry said there was a punch up over someone’s LED lights being stolen. I put Steve on the phone so he could chat with his parents too.

Dinner then movie with the van closed up as the cold is creeping in now.

Tues, 28th May, 2019 Malcolm Dam, near Leonora to Bush camp near Jundee Mine, east of Wiluna, WA

7.30am 15 degrees, overcast and no wind. A few drops of rain fell on the roof of the van.

Drove into Leonora to top up water and fuel tanks. Rang Mum and Dad for a quick chat to say we are on the move again.

Headed north towards dark clouds and more drops of rain. The rain got heavier as we neared the turn off into 10 Mile Outcamp. Kym and Glen will be leaving there soon too.

Topped up with fuel at Leinster and bought a hot chook and buns for lunch as the rain has found us here too. Not enough to wash all the dirt off the van though.

Continued on to Wiluna where we stopped for a cuppa near the Alfred Canning silhouettes marking the start of the Canning Stock Route. It was just over a year ago that we were here about to start the CSR.

Drove east on the Gunbarrel Highway past the signs that we posed at the end of October when we came back that way. We turned up a track to Lake Violet Station then continued on into the exploration leases that Ray has permission to detect on.

Found a track that lead to a tower so we parked up for the night. Will see the geologist as the mine tomorrow.

Had a quick drink outside as the sun went down. Cold wind so we didn’t stay out too long as we weren’t worrying about a fire tonight.

Hot shower, dinner and movies – so glad we have so many to watch to pass the time.

Mon, 27th May, 2019 Bush camp near Jubilee Hill, 50km south of Laverton to Malcolm Dam, near Leonora, WA

7am 10 degrees, clear sky and strong wind.

Packed up and headed back to Laverton. Had a cuppa then checked the Post Office for any mail as we had our 40E permits going there. The nice lady said she will redirect them to Nullagine for us.

Continued on to Malcolm Dam in time for a hot lunch as it is still cool and windy. Parked in the same spot as last time.

Did all my internet stuff and Steve caught up on the Supercar race recently at Barbagallo. Saw a Facebook post about the Guiness Record Erica and Terry were in. 857 RVs rolled along the road past a check point for an hour to record the longest line of moving RVs. Erica and Terry were 343^rd in the line up. They also set the record for the longest continuous line of LED lights. Will look forward to hearing all about it when they have phone service again.

Rang Jon about mail he received and had a nice chat with him and Jess.

Rang Rebecca too. She and Clive had a great time in NZ with their granddaughter, Ava and with Ingrid and Aidan. She will send me some photos soon.

As it was still cold and overcast we stayed in the van for drinks and played Skipbo – Steve won today.

Leftovers for dinner then movies.

Sun, 26th May, 2019 Bush camp near Jubilee Hill, 50km south of Laverton, WA

Wind got stronger in the early morning.

7.30am 11.5 degrees, mostly clear sky with wispy clouds in the north-east.

I had said to Mum when we were chatting that she should learn how to text on her mobile so when we have bad phone reception I can send them a message or two. This morning a text came through so I replied and we went back and forth a few times so she can get some practice.

Ray and Carol went off to where he got a sunbaker yesterday. Steve changed the shafts on his detector and redid the tape around the coils.

The wind has changed to a gusty northerly now. I slowly walked up and down the track near our van and got a little slither of gold. I asked Steve if it was smoko yet as the gold fairies only seem to be giving me one bit of gold each session. He said 15 more minutes so I continued gridding. As I walked back to the van I got a signal and another little bit of gold went in my jar. The gold fairies are being nice today. (Might sound like I have been too long in the bush with all my gold fairy talk but you have do something while I am swinging my coil and I may as well ask them to take me to the gold – no harm in that is there!!)

Steve pottered about packing up as we are leaving here tomorrow. I continued up and down the track and got another signal – yeah. Chatted with the fairies again and as I headed back to the van I got one near where we stack the wood. I made another cuppa to celebrate. The wind has settled and the sun is warming so I could safely remove my flannelette shirt now.

Half hour to fill in before lunch so I tried right beside the van and was rewarded with a nicer piece. Maybe my gold fairy has been sick and is now better as the last good day I had was when we first arrived.

Ray and Carol came back with two little bits so after lunch they headed back to that spot. I did some baking and Steve went for a drive to detect a different spot.

After smoko I went for another wander around the van and got a piece near the fire place then one under where we sit. I also got one where Steve parks the truck and one on the other side of the van – pays to check your own campsite. I needed one more bit so we had a gram each, then we both qualify for ice cream tonight. As I went out to try for it Steve came back with a small nuglet so I didn’t have to look for any more.

We drove over to Mark and Heidi’s camp to say farewell. Hopefully we will catch up with them in SA to do some fishing.

Last drinks by the fire which was nice now the wind had stopped blowing.

After dinner I cooked golden syrup dumplings, a recipe I got off Carol, to go with our ice cream – yum yum.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.