Thurs, 24th July, 2025 Bush camp on pending lease, north of Meekatharra, WA (Erica’s birthday)

Light rain through the night. The wind is back, min of 12.5 degrees.

Thinking of Erica on the day of her birth. Time just flows on.

Another shower of rain with very strong wind like a storm front gave the camper a shake. It settled down a while till the next scud came through. We had a relaxing morning reading, still in our warm pjs with the heater going.

I made fresh pumpkin soup for lunch to warm us up. The wind is still blowing and the rain comes and goes but not too heavy.

A bit of blue sky appeared then another shower. More blue sky by the late afternoon and no more rain. We didn’t got outside at all so we didn’t get any mud on our shoes. Forecast is for clear sky tomorrow and with the wind it should dry up the ground.

 

Wed, 23rd July, 2025 Bush camp near Hole in the Rock to Bush camp on pending lease, north of Meekatharra, WA

8.2 degrees min, heater on of course. Overcast and cold wind as we packed up to try and find a spot to sit out the rain forecast for the next two days. Only a few mms but that can make it boggy for driving in this red soil country.

We headed back to the Crown land as we don’t want to be on the pending lease when it goes live. We found some interesting ground and Steve went wandering. I stayed in the camper - too cold for me.

No joy by lunch time. A few drops of rain hit the camper then the sun came out. Steve continued his wandering, I kept reading my book! I did get some exercise though and walked up and down the track for a while. The sky has cleared a bit to the east but dark clouds are coming from the west.

After a cuppa we decided to go somewhere else for the night. Back through the groups lease - still hasn’t gone live - they must be frustrated.

Onto another pending lease and set up near some old pushes. It was cold and a sprinkle of rain started so we headed into the camper so I didn’t take a camp photo.

The rain pitter pattered on the roof into the evening. Not heavy which is good.

 

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.