Eucla and Fraser Range Station

OMG it was freezing cold last night and even colder this morning on the Bight. The icy cold wind was blasting unrelentingly from the inland and battered our camp all night. This morning we were so cold it was painful packing up our gear, our hands and fingers hurt so much. Needless to say we were away early, warming ourselves up in the car. It would be a longer drive today, some 680 kms to Fraser Range Station, which is half way between Norseman and Balladonia, 100km east of Norseman and Eucla Station is on the way. We ventured out at Eucla, quite brave given the cold. Rugged up with four layers, beanies and gloves, we walked to the old Telegraph Station and then the 2 kms to the old jetty beach. So beautiful. The sun came out, the water sparkled, we made sponge sculptures, collected flotsam washed in by the sea and laughed at the galahs who in turn laughed at us. Finally warmed up after our walk we continue west.
As we get closer to Fraser Range we notice how the Nullarbor has changed. The area is covered by gorgeous eucalyptus forest salmon gums. The vegetation is now dense and granite hills begin to pop up. It’s along this range of hills that we come to Fraser Range Station. The Station was originally founded by John and Alexander Forrest on their expedition to Adelaide in 1870 and first settled by the Dempster brothers in 1872 making it the first station to be founded on the Nullarbor Plain. It’s on these grassy flats surrounded by dense forest, that shepherds moved sheep each week, over 110 years ago, from flat to flat to eventually end up back at the Fraser Range Homestead for annual shearing. Now it’s mainly cattle which roam free and are eventually trapped with water which is scarce in these parts ( the unsalty kind)!
We joined the Sunday roast dinner in the old stone kitchen, and made some lovely new acquaintances. Each day and night so different from the previous.Read more