• Awesomes
Mei – Jun 2022

Wheatbelt and Goldfields

Granite rock stars around Merredin
Kalgoorlie
Sculptures at Lake Ballard
Historic Goldfields
Coastal route back to Perth via Dongara
Baca lagi
  • Permulaan perjalanan
    21 Mei 2022

    Kwolyn Campsite and Kockerbin Rock

    21 Mei 2022, Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    It seems like the best way to start a road trip is to have breakfast with our dear daughter Kai. We were supposed to leave yesterday, but due to all sorts of commitments we left a day later, and being Saturday today, breakfast with Kai was possible.
    By
    It was a quick stop at York, which is now marked for a longer stay in the future. Then just over an hour's drive from there to Kwolyn campsite.
    Kwolyn was once a thriving town but now a ghost town. Only farmlands and this campsite is all that is left of of the town, with ruins left from a bygone era.
    As usual, we hit the ground running. No sooner had we set the tent up, before we were off on a hike to the nearest rock called Coarin Rock on the railway loop trail. This town even had rail once upon a time. There were also so many sticky flies, so much so that fly nets had to be deployed to put up the tent and stayed on for the duration of the hike too.
    As we still had an hour and the half of daylight left. Not to waste the good weather and the beautiful day, we quickly set off to check out another monolith called Kockerbin Rock. It is the third largest monolith in Australia.This time we did the circuit taking us to the summit and back. Beautiful views from the top but what was most fascinating was the gradual colour change of the rock to a pink hue as the sun was setting. The historic well was surprisingly large. Many concrete wells were built by large granite outcrops to catch the water runoffs.
    We were glad for pre cooked frozen meals as it was dark by the time we got back to our tent. It was chicken cacciatore, polenta and fresh lettuce from our garden before a spot of stargazing. This free campsite has flushing toilets, although we did not use their kitchen.
    Baca lagi

  • Elachbutting Rock Campsite

    22 Mei 2022, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We had breakfast decamped and were on the road by 9am. I thought that was pretty quick and efficient. We headed towards Eaglestone Rock. On the way we stopped at Shackleton where there is the smallest bank in Australia, open only on Fridays from 3pm-430pm. Then we visited the lack luster Bruce Rock and onto Totadgin Rock, where Charles Hunt conducted expeditions in search of water. After a short but informative walk, we headed for Merriden.
    Found the only cafe open for some lunch. Everything was shut in Merriden. Super sleepy town. After Merriden we visited Eaglestone Rock. We had planned to camp therebut after a little wander around the rock, we decided to head to Elachbutting Rock because this campsite is closer to the other Rock attractions and if the weather turned bad we could camp here for 2 nights to wait out the bad weather.
    The only complaint we have is that there are so many flies, so much so that one of the campers remarked that we could potentially be carried away.
    Baca lagi

  • Beringbooding and Bonnie Rock

    23 Mei 2022, Australia ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Storms were forecasted for today and yesterday but it ony drizzled last night. When we woke up this morning it was beautiful. We had blue skies dotted with the Simpson's clouds. So we decided to venture to Beeringbooding Rock before the weather came in.
    On the way there was a sign to Bonnie Rock townsite so we thought we'd go there first.
    Bonnie Rock was an old town built for Sandlewood cutting. It had 3 streets and a hall that was used for church services, school and dances. The highlight was that Ruby found the toilets with....hot showers. Alas, the shower water heater wasn't working. Nonetheless, I was determined to have a shower, despite the freezing water. Refreshed and revived. Ruby then braved the cold and had a shower too. The use of the shower just required a gold coin donation. Bonnie Rock townsite will be placed on our campsite list for future reference especially during wildflower season.
    Beeringbooding Rock has Australia's largest rock water catchment with a tank that can hold 2 million gallons of water . It was built in 1937 by labour from the unemployed in Perth for the farmers who were struggling with a lack of water supply. By the time the project was finished in 1941, all the farmers but one had given up and left the area. The network of low stone walls to channel water from the large granite rock of Beeringbooding to the tank is extremely effective, and the tank is still servicing the farms around the area. There is a large gnamma water hole called Kangaroo Pool. We could not find the aboriginal rock painting in the area. Lunch of cheese, pickled gerkins and crackers was had at the picnic table there.
    On our way back into our campsite, we stopped at the sign marked Walk Trails for Elachbutting Rock. It was a very short trail to a wave rock feature, the fascinating Monty's Pass and a cave beyond that.
    Baca lagi

  • Elachbutting Peak

    24 Mei 2022, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    After our explorations yesterday, we had a cup of tea with fellow campers, siblings Noel and Sue. They each have their own extremely well setup caravans, and are staying at this campsite for 10 days. They told us that we can get mobile phone reception at the peak, and at the top of the 4WD track. Noel showed us his special track to the peak, but the rain turned us back before we summited. It was incredible how a bit of rain made the rock so very slippery. We took refuge in our car to sit and watch the storm pass. A quick heat up of our pre cooked meal for dinner when there was a lull in the storm, and a fast hike up the 4WD track to check in with Kai. We were in our tent before 6pm, and the storm blew, galed, gusted and pelted down on us all night. Grace checked the tent pegs in the middle of the night and all was still secure. The rain stopped this morning, but the winds were still gusty.

    After breakfast, we met Noel and Sue when we walked towards the 4WD track again. They were so pleased to hear that we weathered the storm so well, and Sue told us that they are Christians, and had prayed for us last night. We wanted to explore further up the 4WD track, and managed to get to the summit from there. As the wind died down some when we got back to camp, the flies emerged. We decided to set up our shade tent to eat in peace without bothersome flies, and to have some shelter should it rain in the afternoon. Just in the time of writing this entry, the weather has changed from sunny to rain. Hoping the rain won't blow into our shade tent and we can sit here to wait it out.
    Baca lagi

  • Baladjie Rock and Westonia

    25 Mei 2022, Australia ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    We woke early and set off straight after decamping as we had a long drive to Kalgoorlie. We wanted to fit in Baladjie Rock and Westonia town as well because we were told that Westonia had a quaint little Hood Penn museum, before Kalgoorlie.
    We were so early and organised, we even had cold coffee prepared the night before, to have before we left the campsite and instant noodles when we got to Baladjie Rock for brunch.
    Baladjie Rock was a beautiful rock formation with lots of caves but we didn't stay long.
    We were so blissfully away from everything, we even forgot about wearing a mask, Covid, or any related issues. When we got to Westonia, the visitor's centre lady had a mask on, and told us that Covid has arrived in town and they were taking precautions. They even provided mask for the visitors if we wanted one. To enter the Hood Penn museum, you went in from the visitors centre which was also the town library and the council office, all at the same counter served by the only staff. The lady explained that it saved having volunteers risk being exposed to Covid. The museum was very good. It started when Hood at eleven started picking bottles and signs from the bush and taking them home to his mother's horror. This together with donations of antiques pertinent to Westonia became the collection of the museum today.
    We made it to Kalgoorlie by 4.30pm. Had a yummy pub dinner and now back at the accomdation.
    Baca lagi

  • Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie

    27 Mei 2022, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We are doing yesterday's and today's entry together.
    Yesterday, we had breakfast at DeBernales and a visit to Everett Butcher. An amazing butcher with about the best pies and sausage rolls we've ever had. Proper chunky pieces of steak in their pies. Then lots of mundane chores to catch up on in Kalgoorlie, like the washing, airing the wet tent, charging up devices and tool batteries and last but not least cleaning, vacuuming the car. Once we got all that done, we were just happy to sit and watch Netflix until dinner time. We had dinner at The Balcony Restaurant at the Palace Hotel where Herbert Hoover stayed before he was President of the United States of America. He was working as a manager of a gold mine in Kalgoorlie and became thoroughly smittened by a bar maid here. He infact was so besotted, he even wrote a poem about his tryst with her.

    Today was an easy going day where we decided to take a drive to Coolgardie which was once the third largest town in Western Australia during the Gold Rush years. Ruby and I were intrigued with the golden pipeline that delivers water from Mundaring in Perth all the way to Kalgoorlie, 650km of pipe. The project was commissioned in 1896 and completed in 1903, at a cost of almost $6million. It was much needed as water in the goldfields then costed more than whisky.

    There were churches, a mosque and a synagogue in Coolgardie. Coolgardie is also famed for the Coolgardie safe that was used to preserve food before the time of refrigeration. There was also a great museum in Coolgardie. Like Kalgoorlie, Coolgardie had very wide roads and beautiful architecture. After lunch we got a self guided audio walking tour of Kalgoorlie and Boulder from the visitors centre. We heard about the history, notoriety and fame of the buildings in the main street called Hannan Street, and tomorrow we will continue a few more buildings in Kalgoorlie and finish the Boulder part of the tour. We had Thai for dinner and are now turning in for the night.
    Baca lagi

  • Boulder

    28 Mei 2022, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today was the audio tour of Boulder and a visit to the Goldfields museum. Boulder was the town where the miners and their family lived during the Gold Rush whereas, Kalgoorlie was where the engineers and professionals lived and worked.

    The afternoon was spent in the museum.
    The museum had a gold vault. One nugget that was found in Boulder was 24kg. There was also the old British Arms pub and cottage decked out like in 1900s.
    Baca lagi

  • Lake Ballard

    29 Mei 2022, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Departed from Airbnb cottage at about 9am.
    Got petrol and almost 100km out of Kalgoorlie towards Menzies and Lake Ballard, Grace exclaimed that we forgot to buy ice. It is Sunday morning, and we don't know if anything will be open in little Menzies. Fortunately, a little pocket size general store trading from the side door of the hotel was opened, and yes, it sold ice.

    Lake Ballard is a dry salt lake. When we arrived, all we could see was flat red earth with a little hillock in the middle foreground. and shadows of Anthony Gormley's sculptures shimmered in the distance.

    We were determined to walk to all the 51 sculptures and greet each one individually. After walking about 6km around the lake, quite a bit of that in mud, we only acquainted with 28 of them. The ones closer to the shore where us humans start from are closer together, about 70-100m apart. However, the further away, the further apart they are. You can barely make out another sculpture in the distance when get to one. Walking back, we were wondering how to describe the experience. These words came to our mind:
    Ethereal
    Spiritual
    Serene
    Extra terrestrial

    By the way, the sun is not even set, and it's already freezing.
    Baca lagi

  • Gwalia and The Terraces

    30 Mei 2022, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We woke at the crack of dawn to climb up the hill and also hello to another 8 of our sculpture friends spanning 2.5 km between them. The dawn colours were amazing and viewing the sculptures at this time was quite different to the evening.
    Gwalia is an old mining town where Herbert Hoover was the mining engineer and manager of the Sons of Gwalia Mining Company. He designed and commissioned the building of Hoover House for his living quarters in 1936. It is now a restored ghost town by the Historical Society of Gwalia after the closure of the mine saw to the population walk out of the town leaving everything behind.
    The Terraces is a stretch of rock formation where the erosions have left a range of breakaways, that is caves, and beautiful rock formations. We are the only ones camped here. We are here for 2 nights. The drive in was long and not advisable after rains.
    Baca lagi

  • The Terraces

    31 Mei 2022, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    This is quite a magical place and we are the only ones here. Quite privileged and special.
    Came across enormous scats about 3cm X 2cm x 2cm when we were taking a walk on the ridge. Don't know who they belong to.Having a lovely day just exploring the caves and the views from the top of the breakaways.

    The skies were clear on the first night, and being so far away from any light pollution, we put every layer of clothing on and stayed up to star gaze. Clouds provide cosmic blanket, so temperatures drop further at night when the skies are clear. The second day and night was clouded over, but we were grateful it did not rain. In our exploration, we came upon a sign that said that collection of fire wood was permitted. So we obliged and built a warm fire. So even though the night sky was clouded over and showed not a star, we stayed up to fire gaze, sans layers. A camping milestone achieved in this campsite was the accomplishment of executing shovel poop. Not a feat to be trivalised by the experienced or inexperienced campers. Many considerations needed to be met. How to locate the best spot, comfort in squatting, how deep the hole, and it's size, and how to be neat about it all. Much discussion and planning was had before the event.

    We saw camels and goats on our drive out of The Terraces. Maybe the big turds belong to camels. However, some were found at the top of the rock. It'd be interesting to see how a camel would get up the loose rocky and sometimes steep slope.
    Baca lagi

  • Jundoo Dam Sandstone

    1 Jun 2022, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We decamped as soon as we woke up heading for Leonora for breakfast at the Food Van Cafe. We had a substantial breakfast of shared hamburger and a home made steak and onion pie, washed down with expresso and cappuccino in a nice china cup. We returned to this cafe as the multi-coloured hair lady presented our shared sausage roll in 2 separate plates with cutlery bundled in a cloth napkin, when we stopped for late lunch snack yesterday. I was so impressed that she bothered to do that for a $4 sausage roll shared between both of us when we ordered nothing else. Also, there were 2 men at a table outside the cafe, one was sobbing his big scruffy manly heart out to the other. The listener later came into the cafe kitchen, and it was obvious he was either staff or owner. Definately a very special cafe.
    Then we headed to Peter Denny lookout to set up our next camp but it was not the view that the write ups promised. Might have been more attractive if not for a fence between the campsite and the rocks, prohibiting any exploration. So we continued to Sandstone.
    Sandstone is a tiny town of population of 38 people with a very quaint pub that is a skimpy bar from 5pm. Sandstone was once a thriving Gold Rush town but when that went bust, sheep farms moved in. However, due to wild dogs, farmers had to change to cattle instead.
    Sandstone has a lovely and informative visitors information lady who directed us to a cafe for cake and coffee. Food was fabulous at this cafe but what's best was the owner sent us to a campsite that is not on Wikicamps and only 36km from Sandstone called Jundoo Dam.
    Jundoo Dam campsite is a great spot and helped us greatly as we didn't have any idea where to camp for tonight. We are the only ones here so we had a camp wash with delicate cups of water and tepid water warmed up in our cooking pot. It is amazing how clean we can feel with so little water.
    Baca lagi

  • Mt Magnet, Yalgoo, Coalseam NP

    2 Jun 2022, Australia ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    The ground at Jundoo Dam was impenetrable to the shovel, so it was decided to breakfast at Mt Magnet with the closest facility, an hour away. The highly rated Gems Cafe was shut till next week, and the only place open for breakfast was at the petrol station and truck stop, Swagman. We shared a Big Breakfast, and big it was. That and the delicious hot coffee set us up for the day, and we did not have lunch.

    We did the Tourist Drive of Mt Magnet which took through the geographical and historical sights . After The Granites, a breakaway rock formation sacred to the Aboriginals, we went onto Lenonville. I told Grace that it was a tribute to John Lennon, and she sang "Yesterday" or some insect song all the way there. She was not impressed when we approached a small stone platform with piles of rubble in the distance. Lenonville was an old gold miners town, featuring it's own train station, 5 hotels, a bank and 2000 residents in the turn of the 20th century, when gold was found. Like many of these towns, it died as quickly as it sprung with more tales of heartache and loss than success and riches. There was a solitary grave of an unnamed mother and child who died during the typhoid epidemic of 1902.

    Yalgoo is a tiny town with one of the first buildings of Monsignor Hawke's. It was a convent with a school attached. The convent building has been restored but the school is in ruins. Had magnificent views from the lookout.

    We planned to ask the Visitors Information Centres at Yalgoo and Mullewa if they knew of any free campsites not on wikicamps. However, Yalgoo did not have a Visitors Information Centres, and the one at Mullewa was shut due to unforeseen circumstances. It was 3.30pm when we got to Mullewa, and the youths of all ages were arriving at the park in all sorts of ways; bicycles with 2 or 3 on a bicycle, skateboards and scooters with kids running behind and jostling, and so much laughter. Not an adult in sight. Such a contrast to childhood in the suburbs of Perth. We proceeded to Miners Campground at Coalseam National Park. It's quiet here, with only 3 other caravans in this park of about 25 campsites. And, there's a toilet. Luxury.
    Baca lagi

  • Dongara via Mingenew

    3 Jun 2022, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Camping at Miners Campsite at Coalseam National Park was very comfortable. The wind had died down and our tent was positioned with great views of the range. Our warmest camp night last night at camp number 7.
    Remembering the yummy pies in Mingenew, we headed for this little town on the way to Dongara. The pies were nice but after Everett butchers in Kalgoorlie and Food Van pies in Coolgardie, the Mingenew bakery was a little disappointing.
    We arrived in Dongara to a beautiful studio accomdation, with views of the beach. Luxury of showers and washing machine, running water and flushing toilets is so nice and never taken for granted.
    Dinner will be at the pub and then sleep in a bed, in a warm room.
    Baca lagi

  • Dongara

    4 Jun 2022, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We went to Poppies Cafe for breakfast. A sweet little cafe in an old church, set amongst huge Moreton Bay Fig trees. We then bought some prawns, scallops and Red Emperor fish wings from Seaz Seafood Supplies down at the marina. It was prawns, avocado and crusty bread for lunch back at the accommodation. The rest of the day was spent resting after doing 2 loads of laundry.
    This is how wonderful it is to be in accommodation, as written in a WhatsApp message,
    "You know what!! You know what!!
    Talking about cold, 🫣
    We can just press a button, put the heater on, and heat. Heat in a few minutes.
    AND talking about 🏕️ camping,
    Here, we can drink lots in the evening, hot cups of tea, and then not scared.
    Not scared that we'd need to go to toilet at night.
    Just get up, and go.
    Got lights
    Not cold
    No need to unzip and venture into the cold and scary unknown dark.
    No need to dig holes!"
    When the wind blows, no flappy fabric sounds. The walls stay perfectly still. We realised that we have been pitching our tent to loosely, and that pulling it tighter and more taut before we peg it reduces flap. Much like our bodies, really.
    Running hot water. In fact, just running water!
    And no flies, ants, strange bugs and things that go bump in the night.
    All this rest is good, all the conveniences and luxuries much appreciated.
    But, where is all the fun?
    Happy to leave this 5 star accommodation and get back to our million stars camping tomorrow at Leseur National Park.
    Baca lagi

  • Dongara Irwin Inlet Trail

    5 Jun 2022, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Accessed the beach from our accommodation via 1km of 4WD track, then along the beach to Seaspray Cafe for elevenses/lunch.

    The Greek lady who owns the cafe lived in Singapore where she ran a fish and chip restaurant called Red Emperor. She also had another eatery in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, but lost it all, all $1.6 million when 9/11 happened, and many expats were recalled from SE Asia. We spoke Singlish, accent and all lah. She remarked about the mess kids are allowed to leave behind, and we decided that she should have a Messy Kids Surcharge. There was a single young lady in the table next to us who joined in this conversation, and being a teacher, she spoke with informed authority about "kids today". Greek lady then sat down and told us about her traumatic experience of being kidnapped in Singapore, and held in her apartment for 2 weeks until her big hunky Kiwi boyfriend came to her rescue and almost threw the kidnapper off the 16th storey balcony 😱. She screamed for boyfriend to not throw kidnapper, neighbours all gathered, and police attended. Unfortunately, boyfriend and her did not work out as she went loopy (her words) after the ordeal. We also heard of her Singapore friend who married a Texan oil tycoon who died from a massive stroke 2 days after she visited them. A most interesting lady, to say the least.

    We needed the long walk along the peaceful Irwin Inlet back to the accommodation to get over that experience and stories at the cafe.
    Baca lagi

  • Karda Campsite

    6 Jun 2022, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    After a hearty 11es at Seaspray Cafe, we took a scenic drive from Dongara through, Leeman, Greenhead and via a scenic drive in Lesueur National Park to Karda Campsite.
    After our meal at Seaspray I was on the lookout for a cafe for my second coffee.

    At Leeman, we found another campsite on the beach called Milligan Island that will be a good spot for next time. But no coffee. Found a lookout that helped guide ships with the help of "one tree". Unfortunately, the tree is no longer there. No idea how the ships are guided now!!!

    At Greenhead, whilst doing a cooks tour of the town, I spotted a "cafe open" sign. It turns out to be a really good cafe, called Greenhead Gallery Cafe, where Ruby had a custardcopita, and I had very good coffee.
    Must remember this cafe for the future but only open Friday Saturday and Sundays. Only open today because of the long weekend.

    We are now set up in Karda Campsite. It should be a very starry starry night.
    Baca lagi

  • Blown back to Perth

    7 Jun 2022, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We woke up to the wind howling, the tent shaking, and us warming ourselves with hot oat porridge and coffee.
    Once warm we decided to do the Lesueur Loop Trail. The walk was lovely, different wild flowers to look at, and beautiful views of the ranges.
    We were assaulted on the hike. Yes, assaulted I declare, by the wild wind. It had teeth that bit through our jackets, it whipped us, it repeatedly tried to push us over with its strong gusts, all the while relentlessly beating down upon us. Assaulted all through the hike we were.
    We then went to Jurien Bay for lunch. At lunch when we checked the weather, and that assaulting wind was picking up strength. So on the spur of the moment, we decided to drive back to decamp and come home. We had enough of being assaulted by the wind.
    Baca lagi

    Tamat perjalanan
    7 Jun 2022