A day in Sandstone.

Headed off to Sandstone this morning and had morning tea at Jundoo Railway Dam about 40ks from Sandstone. I don't know much about it so will have to Google it. It's about half full and there were a few vans camped there. We arrived in Sandstone about 11 .00 and after a wander around, we headed to the visitors centre and museum. We had a good chat with the girl who works there and after a look around the museum, we headed off on the Heritage Trail, a loop of about 20kms. First stop was the rainbow windmill, then off to the Brewery. Built in 1907 by Irishman J.V. Kearney. The beer was brewed on the upper level and then lowered to the cellar through a hole carved through solid rock, as was the cellar. This enabled the beer to be kept cool even on the hottest day. The next stop was London Bridge. This 'breakaway' is a unique natural structure of weathered basalt. In Sandstone's early years it was possible for a horse and buggy to cross the bridge but since then further erosion has taken place and now visitors are asked not to even walk across it. Next stop was the State Battery that was used to crush gold bearing ore from 1904 at Paynesville then from 1925 at it's present site up until 1982. Over this time it crushed 135,809 tons of ore producing 115,787 ounces of gold. Unfortunately it is in a locked enclosure inside a shed and because of the time of day, we could hardly see it with the naked eye and with a phone camera it was almost impossible. Next stop was the Contradiction Well which was one of a string of wells sunk by the WA Govt. in the 1900's to supply water for miner's and their animals. This one was about 100mts deep and water was retrieved by a windlass and bucket. Being Saturday by the time we got back to town everything except the pub was closed, so we headed off and are camped back in the same place as last night, though we did miss out on our stone sculptured fire pit.Read more