Kalgoorlie

Thurs 30^th

The final two holes were played this morning at Kalgoorlie golf links which was voted an excellent course. At the end they were presented with a certificate recognising their achievement. Everyone went their own way for the morning and then in the afternoon we came together to go to the brothel. The Madam showed us through and told us the history of brothels in Kalgoorlie. She bought the business 23 years ago when her husband died and she needed to do something to survive. Originally brothels were spread around throughout the area, but then they were all moved to Hay Street, an industrial area, so that Kalgoorlie would become more family oriented. The working girls had to live in the brothel and were banned from going to any public area in the district. They were not allowed out of the brothel without the Madam being with them. Now there is only one brothel with two working girls because there aren’t so many men here without families. The prices were fairly eye popping (about $280 an hour, although you could get short term, 15 minutes for $110. Since the rules have been relaxed and working girls are allowed to advertise and solicit, there is a huge increase in STD’s and there are strains that don’t respond to antibiotics. In brothels it is mandatory that condoms are used, but this isn’t the case with many of the street girls.  The Madam’s spiel was very entertaining as she told not only the history, but shared lots of anecdotes. We were shown the Starting Gates, where the first contact is made, and then a typical room. We also saw domination room with its collection of handcuffs, leg ropes, whips and lots of other interesting objects.

 

Some of us also went out to the large open cut to the viewing platform. The depth is incredible and the different colours of the soil and rock are spectacular. There are roads everywhere wending their way back and forth around the many levels. On them were huge trucks of stone which looked like matchbox toys from where we were standing. We were lucky enough to be there when they were blasting. The noise was deafening as it thundered from down in the hole and bounced and echoed off the sides, then there was the sight of all the dust and the wall coming away.

Over The Nullabor

Tues 27^th

It was a fairly uneventful day with the only stops for fuel and golf. Balledonia is where parts of the Skylab fell to Earth. We spent the night at Fraser Range Sheep Station, a farm that is really capitalising on the number of campers on the road. It has powered sites, and amenities on a par with most caravan parks. There were lovely hot showers, although they were coin in the slot at $1 for five minutes. The site cost us $30, but we all needed to take a little time to recharge our batteries, do some laundry and solve those little problems that happen when you are travelling long distances.

Wed 28^th

Our first stop was Norseman, a town of about 1000 – the biggest place we’ve seen since Ceduna. Fuel was down to161.9 so filing up wasn’t quite so painful. The golf course was a little out of town and the landscape looked like a wasteland with large clay pans, areas of water erosion, salt pans and some skinny trees. We had lunch at Kambalda and then continued on to Kalgoorlie where we are staying in a free camp in the main street on the edge of town. We found a big (huge actually Woolworths where we were able to replenish our supplies. At last we were able to get fresh fruit and vegetables.

Baxter Camp

Mon 26   

 

It was an uneventful day today. At Madura the next hole, Brumby’s Run, was played.  It was a par 3 hole and just after Woody and Bernie hit off, crows swooped down and took their balls. They had neglected to spray them with smelly stuff before they started. There is quite a rise coming out of the Madura pass and the view across the vast plain is interesting with all the shades of grey and green of the vegetation. The Cocklebiddy Eagle’s Nest was the next hole and finally the Cajuna – 90 Miles Straight named after the world’s longest straight road that begins at Cajuna and ends near Balledonia.  Fuel sure was dear - $2.20. Naturally we didn’t buy it there. We got the cheap stuff at $2.02.  We had planned to stop  where there was a large fresh water tank so that some of us could top up their water tanks. As we approached there were 3 caravans already there with long strings of washing flapping in the breeze. Unfortunately the tank was dry and the area didn’t look too flash so we moved on. We free camped 30km further on at a good roadside camp with a clean toilet about 60 km west of Cajuna. The night was pitch black and there was a stiff breeze blowing (our first  for the trip) so we decided not to light the campfire and have an early night. By 1:30am I had had my night’s sleep and finished reading my book before drifting off to sleep again.  The next time I woke at 5am I couldn’t convince myself I didn’t need to go to the loo so I headed off into the blackness with my trusty torch which had a range of about 2 metres. The only way I could find the toilet was by walkng on the white line into the camp. When I came out I missed the road by that much and wandered off into the scrub. All the waving of the torch for 360⁰ was to no avail. The ground looked the same and the rest was black. Eventually I found the loo again and was able to adjust my angle of approach to the road and make it safely back. Mick was dead to the world and none the wiser.

W.A.

Sun 25th

 We slowly drove out from our camp – it was barely a track with big rocks and sharp stones to negotiate – not one of the officially designated roadside camp spots. Once on the highway we had an easy run on the long, straight road. For a while we travelled with another group of five vans. They were on their way to Leonora to go gold prospecting. They didn’t seem interested in sharing the spoils. One of the women said she had found a 14 carat nugget in the caravan park. At Border Village we were thoroughly searched for contraband fruit and vegies. Luckily we had cooked our vegies in advance, but they took our oranges, lemons, cucumber and tomatoes – no more salads for a while. In all there were 3 holes of golf played at different places – Border Kangaroo at Border Village, Nullabor Nymph at Eucla and Watering Hole at Mundrabilla.  The one at Eucla involved a drive of a few km on a dirt track to a big oval with the golf hole, shooting ranges for guns and archery as well as roofed areas, toilet, barbecue. (Not as flash as it sounds) I didn’t think there’d be enough locals at Eucla to either use or maintain such a facility. We called the road out a steeple chase because there were several water obstacles to go through. At night we camped in a designated campsite 26 km east of Madura and even found enough wood for a campfire. Near us was a long drop toilet. Mick helped a bloke fish his sunglasses out with a bit of wire. He had leant forward to lift the lid when his glasses fell down the hole. Mick was holding the torch and trying not to look. The bloke said, “It looks gruesome down there.”  They managed to get them out and Mick suggested that he might need someone else to wear them for a while after they were cleaned up. “Not me!” said his wife. Usually city slicker Mick won’t even go into one of those toilets. He either hangs on till we get to a garage with flush toilets or goes bush with a shovel.

The Bight

Sat 24

After a fond farewell we went into Nundroo where the next hole of golf, Wombat Hole was played. Our next stop was at the Head of The Bight where there is a boardwalk down to the cliff edge and viewing platforms to watch the whales and their calves. We were a little early in the season but there were some whales sighted in the last few days. The interpretive centre is operated by Leon’s sister Claire and her husband Terry. We told them we had already paid Leon to get in – they didn’t believe us. Still it was worth a try. It only cost $7 anyway. We all went down to the platforms and were lucky enough to see a couple of whales spouting in the distance. We also saw a dolphin surf in on a wave. Everyone but Treas, Jan and I went back to the vans for lunch. We were quite happy looking out for more whales and were lucky enough to see a couple in a bit closer. There was a mother and her baby and we saw her roll over on her back. That is what they do when they don’t want the baby to suckle. We saw her surface several times as she drifted slowly closer and then along the coast to the east. We saw another big one swimming out to sea and it was moving quite quickly.

Our next stop was Nullabor Station where the golfers played the next hole, Dingo’s Den. We didn’t fuel up there – petrol was $2.09.9  a litre and diesel was just a little cheaper. We only paid $1.67.9 back at Nundroo. Luckily we had been warned. It is also outrageously priced at Border Village. We ended up on the edge of the Bight parked along the edge of the high cliffs and looking down on the water and cliffs below.  Mick talked George through putting up his awning. It was a lovely sunny and still day and we sat in our camp chairs, soaked in the view and sang a few songs before having dinner and an early night.

Coorabie Farm Stay

Fri 23 

Because we enjoyed ourselves so much we decided (on Jan’s suggestion) to spend another night and to see if we could buy a leg of lamb to cook in the camp oven, This was quickly arranged and Deb and Leon donated a big leg of lamb and eight large shanks in return for us cooking dinner for them and their two friends (Mudcrab Mick and Merve) who had invited them for dinner. In the meantime, Leon gave us a mud map of some interesting things to see. We started with the town hall that was the mail depot and contained the honour rolls. Beside it was the school that has been closed for several years. Our next call was the cemetery where we read the headstones. We followed the dirt road for several km until we came through the sand dunes and onto the coast for views of Wandilla Beach, a spectacular beach with good surf and not a surfer in sight. We continued on to Mexican Hat and looked in vain for the whale footprints we had hoped to find. Here the sea was relatively flat. After that, the map wasn’t so easy to follow because there were several tracks and it was hard to tell which one to take – or even if it was a track. We continued on with it getting fainter and fainter, degenerating to stony outcrops alternating with loose sand.  Eventually we came out where we were meant to be on the road from Fowler’s Bay back to Coorabie.  On the way we stopped to look at some ruins that Leon had told us about.  The track went for quite a distance with ruins on each side. It used to be the headquarters of a huge run that extended all the way to Streaky Bay. We stopped and looked at what used to be the cook house. The old fireplace was still there although it is nearly down. Just up from that were the remnants of stone walls and wooden fences of the sheep yards.

 

We had a quiet afternoon around the campfire while the men cooked the lamb in a huge camp oven on a special purpose built frame. We all contributed the vegies we would have had confiscated at the W. A. border and Deb made a chocolate pudding. Twelve of us sat down to a delicious meal in the dining room and then finished up around the campfire. We had a completely enjoyable day thanks to our friendly hosts Deb and Leon and I’m sure we will return in the future.

Fowlers Bay

Thurs 22^nd 

 

 

Our first event of the day was when Bernie & Jan got lost because they lost sight of Woody’s van, and their Navman was set for Port Augusta. Of course Jan and George were following them.  Our first stop was at Penong where the third hole of golf, Windmills, was played. On the eastern edge of town were 26 windmills that pump up the town’s water. We continued on towards Nundroo, but took a side road down to Fowlers Bay where it was suggested that we might see whales.  It is a small town of 16 that was named by Matthew Flinders when he surveyed the coast.  We had a walk along the pier and enjoyed looking at the seabed through the crystal clear water, but there were no whales.  Apparently there are two that have just calved, but they are around the next point.  Instead of going out the way we came we took an unmade road that was quite rough and corrugated. The land was very flat with low growing red tinged vegetation. At Coorabie we found a farm stay and decided to check it out. He owners have lived in the area for their whole lives and have a farm of 20000 acres of arable land where they grow crops and run merinos, 50,000 acres in all. We were well set up with power supplied, spotlessly clean showers and toilets, a kitchen/dining room that was fully equipped (it was an old classroom that they got free and had transported there and set up for $16000) and an excellent outdoor area with large fire pit, Webber, spit, barbecue and all sorts of extras hanging around it - like tasting forks, jaffle irons, camp ovens etc. and plenty of seating. Jan made a batch of delicious scones and we enjoyed Devonshire tea around the big dining  table. The owners, Deb and Leon Kloock, came from across the road where they live and we spent a couple of enjoyable hours chatting, making sure we had everything we needed and getting wood for the large campfire.  They were extremely friendly and excellent company. Leon’s sister and brother-in-law manage the whale watch interpretive centre at the Head of the Bight.  He also gave us directions to a huge sinkhole – I wonder if we are brave enough to go near the edge?

Ceduna Stopover

Wed 21^st  May

Today was a rest day. Everybody had things to fix (nothing major) and larders to stock. We found the fish factory that we had previously been to about 15+ years ago and bought fresh fish. We got flake (never nicer than when it is fresh, rolled in seasoned flour, cooked on the barbecue and drizzled with lemon and/or vinegar).  I kilpatricked a dozen oysters (they were huge and juicy) and Mick had some mussels. We shared the flake and oysters and have enough flake and mussels for another meal. Tomorrow we will cook a corned beef in the dream pot and that will give us dinner and a few days of cold meat. There are plenty of shops in Ceduna and a large Foodland (quite expensive) for supermarket stuff. They say Ceduna is from the Aboriginal Cheedoona  (I don’t know how they know that given that Aborigines don’t have a written language) meaning a place to sit down and rest. It is right on the beach and has a fishing industry as well as being a service centre for grain and mining industries. Aquaculture is also significant and the town has a huge oyster festival every year in October. Down by the wharf is are huge piles of salt. In Ceduna is the start of the world’s longest golf course with the first two holes and the other holes in different stopping places along the Nullabor until you reach Norseman where it ends. You get a card that is stamped at each hole completed and there is a certificate at the end. We stayed in the Shelly Beach Caravan Park. It is very well set up with all public areas well insect proofed. The camp kitchen is excellent with two roundish rooms, one with the barbecues and sink and the other with a stove, microwave wood heater (sure didn’t need that)   a central table and bench seats and tables around the edge – perfect for a group dining together.

Ceduna

Tues 20^th May

After successfully negotiating he track out we made our first stop at Murphys Haystacks - a number of rock formations that were mistaken for haystacks back in the early days.  Our next stop was at a sea lion colony where there was a viewing platform on the cliff. From there we had a wonderful view down to a rocky outcrop with a number of rock pools, flat rocks and sandy patches. There were hundreds of birds and lots of sea lions. Most of them were sunning themselves and sleeping although there was one that seemed to be keeping watch. Occasionally one would get up and go into the water. After a while there were several sea lions making loud noises as if to sound an alarm. Immediately almost all of them became alert. Some went into the water, some came out. (Was the signal for change of shift we wondered.)  The only ones that didn’t stir were the biggest and probably the oldest ones (old age pensioners perhaps). Just as we drove into Streaky Bay one of the u-bolt holding on our level rides wore through and broke. As we were right outside a Mitre 10 store, Mick strolled across and replaced it. We had lunch overlooking Streaky Bay and then continued on to Ceduna where we have booked into the Shelly Beach Caravan Park for a couple of nights. We have to take care of a few small problems, shop and play the first two holes of the Golf course across the Nullabor.  Woody’s caravan battery wasn’t holding its charge today so he is anxious to solve the problem before heading out. He rang a chap in Ceduna who called into the caravan park this evening after he finished work. He has some new batteries coming in tomorrow, so if he gets one the right size he’ll bring it in and install it. He then spent the next hour yarning to us – that’s the country way; everyone’s in too much of a hurry in the big places.

Bush Camp

Mon 19^th May

Mick and I got up early to watch the sun rise over the sea. We sat down on the steps and watched as the sky gradually changed colour. It wasn’t a brilliant sunrise because there was a bit of cloud obscuring it. Nevertheless it was time well spent as we had the beach to ourselves. The tide was nearly out and the sea was very calm. We looked for dolphins but must have been too early for them. We broke camp and travelled a few km down to Arno where we had a pleasant walk along the mangrove boardwalk - an easy walk over tidal mangroves and down to the beach. It was well signed and had regular stopping places with seats to rest as you looked down on the different vegetation and water life.  Our lunch was in Lock, a small town which is celebrating its centenary this year. They have established a lovely park with a large sculpture dedicated to the lumpers. They are the people who lumped the bags of wheat around and stacked them. We ended the day in a bush camp near Elliston. We had to go through a gate on a farm and follow the yellow signs for 3km of the lumpiest, rocky track you can imagine. We saw lots of animals such as horses (big and small) highland cattle, donkeys etc. Eventually we got to a fenced clearing and set up camp. It felt like we were at the end of the world, but we were treated to a brilliant starry sky and saw lots of satellites on the move. – Oh, the serenity!

Port Gibbon

Sun 18^th

The name of the day says it all. We were lucky to get fuel in Wilmington. Then we looked for a supermarket in a number of towns, but the best we could find was one in Cowell that opened from 10 till 12. We got there after one. After some lovely whiting and chips for lunch we continued down to Port Gibbon. It wasn’t easy to find, but after a couple of u-turns and several km down a dirt road we found it. We then continued along the track parallel to the beach for some km and saw several excellent camping areas with great access to the beach – all occupied and too small for our four vans to fit. So we did another u-turn and found our campsite which the book said had a shower and toilet. The shower was actually a tin shed with a hook to hang your bush shower and the toilet was a long drop. We had just parked our vans after much shuffling round to get them level when another group arrived and they had four vans too. They were all fishermen from Werribee. Soph, one of them was an electrician who used to do some work for your family.  Our campsite is quite near the beach. From it there are some steps (or a drive) going down to another flat carpark with a picnic table. From there, were more steps going down to the beach. We watched the fisherman fishing from the beach until a dolphin came along and chased all the fish away. We watched it swim around for a little while and then we focused on a young lad who was eating his dinner at the table. He was a 19 year old Pom on a working holiday who had a job since Easter on an oyster lease. He said that he inherited some money so he spent it coming to Australia and buying a care which he lives in. He goes back to England later this year.

Murray Town

Sat 17^th May 

We spent a pleasant and restful day in Murray own waiting for our friends Jan and Bernie to arrive.  We had power, a camp kitchen, excellent hot showers and a clean ablution block. We had the whole camping area to ourselves and had parked in a hollow square, leaving the fourth side for Jan & Bernie. That was until another van arrived and wanted that space – “First come best dressed,” he made the mistake of saying. Needless to say we soon found him somewhere park.  In our space was a big tractor rim for a fire and we found some logs for the brilliant fire we had at night. In the town (one shop) was a lovely old hotel that has been closed for years and is now under renovation and  open as a coffee shop, with the hope of regaining the licence in the future. We strolled up to it and had delicious hot coffee/chocolate and home-made apple sponge /honey roll. Heather, the proprietor is obviously a brilliant cook. If you are ever in Murray Town, do yourself a favour and drop in for coffee and cake.

Gaol Break

Fri 16^th May   

Today we had only a short distance to travel to our next expected stopover at Murray Town.  It was a most scenic drive along secondary roads through an old crater that was covered in a patchwork of the different browns of paddocks under cultivation, strong greens of crops already growing, patchy brown and green of crops just striking, golden stubble from crops that have been harvested with new green grass coming through and sheep grazing. All along the tops of the hills were wind turbines – hundreds of them.  We stopped at Gladstone and went through the old gaol. It had to be closed in 1975 because the prisoners thought they should have toilets rather than buckets and it would have been almost impossible to put them in through the huge stone floors and thick walls.  The cells were small and dingy and certainly would have deterred me from spending involuntary time in them.  Nowadays you can bring your own bedding and stay in a cell overnight should you choose – not for me! Some of the outside paths were made of huge slabs of slate.  The gaol was constructed between 1879 and 1881. During World War 2 it was used as an internment camp for Italians and Germans and for a short while was under the command of the Army and used as a military prison.  In 1979 the gaol was used in the movie Stir which starred Bryan Brown.

Mount Bryan

Thurs 15^th May

We realised that today we would needed to sort out a few vehicle problems. George was still having difficulty with his electric brakes making the motor cut out, and we were having problems with a slipping belt that Thompson Motors, a Holden dealer, who charged us for fixing it, didn’t. So much for loyalty.  Our first port of call was Morgan where there was no mechanic. It was a pretty town with a car ferry to cross the river. Along the river bank was a tourist attraction under construction – a beautiful lawn and picnic area, a craft shop and some other buildings that will no doubt be utilised. We finally found help at Burra. The early settlers in Burra were Cornish and Welsh miners who dug their homes into the banks of the Burra Creek. Almost half the population of 4000 lived in almost 600 dugouts that extended along the creek for 2 miles. Chimneys were formed on the bank and these were enclosed by beer barrels cemented in mud and they looked like tree trunks. Most dugouts were only single rooms, and were often whitewashed and some were carpeted. Floods were the main hazard.  We camped opposite the Mount Bryan Hotel in a well maintained park with a good garden, a covered barbecue area and a gazebo. Near the town is a wind farm and on display was a 40 metre vane from a wind turbine.

Herron Bend

Wed 14^th May 

Well, have you got your map? Tonight we are camped beside the river at Herron Bend. We had a delayed start because just after we left Manangatang this morning Jan & George had a problem with their electric brakes immobilising their motor (that’s what I was told, sort of) So they went back to fix it while we and the Woody’s   found a spot to park and have an early morning tea. We went up a side track and found a nice flat place to turn. The sky was blue, the sun was shining and the kettle was boiling – what more could you want.  In the meantime the problem turned out to be a loose earth wire and was easily fixed. We had lunch in Murrayville, eating heaps of fruit and cucumber so we wouldn’t have to hand it over at the border. The roads looked very cheery with their borders of autumn-shaded gazanias open to the sunshine. I wonder if they are a noxious weed here because they sure cover a large area.  We navigated to a campsite at Lake Bonney Reserve which looked great in the book. Unfortunately I think the photo had been airbrushed or photo-shopped because the spacious lawn leading down to the lake’s edge was actually a loose sand track and there wasn’t a level spot big enough for our three vans. To add to the difficulty, you would need to be a mountain goat to get to the toilet, and never in the middle of the night!  It was a mild evening with a full moon shining on the river.  To get to our campsite we went down a track beside the pub for about a km and a bit. It looks like a flood plain and there is nothing but a bit of lignum and some scrubby trees, although there are quite a few different wildflowers when you look. Would you believe we found a power-box to plug into.  This is our second free campsite with power.

Still in Manangatang

Tues 13^th 

Nick and Woody cooked our breakfast on the barbecue in the park. We enjoyed some beautiful mushrooms that Mick picked yesterday. Just down the street is a Mallee Garden which is dedicated to the memory of the pioneers. It is quite unique with winding pathways which are bordered by low hedges and walls constructed of Mallee roots. The stump garden commemorates how the early pioneers sold Mallee stumps while they were waiting for the wheat to grow. The memory shapes are covered with objects that were selected by the local community. There were old coins, horseshoes, marbles, shards of china, lots of different badges, and many other artefacts that were significant in the past. Opposite our camp is a food shop that sells roast chickens - if you order them two hours early. Manangatang seems to be a small town struggling to stay alive. Many of the shops are either closed or only operate part time. It has been so lovely sitting in the sun here that we decided to stay another night.  After tea we watched a police patrol catching trucks as they whizzed through town. It didn’t take long for word to get out and the traffic moved much more sedately.