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Dec 4th:
we arise
early and get into Kal, check where the tourist office is and go out to
the Superpit lookout.
This is one big
hole in the ground that makes 280 Tonne trucks look like Tonkas. The
wind is blowing a gale and cold. The signs at the lookout are very
informative and explain the basic working and equipment used.
We then drive
around to the Mt. Charlotte lookout. This site also has the towns water
supply reservoir on top of it. They are in the middle of beautifying
and making it tourist friendly. There are interpretive signs being
erected and paths being upgraded.
The Australian
Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame is next on the hit list. We end up
spending the whole day there. They have the history of mining in
Australia and Kal in general. Different minerals and their placement
throughout Australia, how they are found, mined and the economic
benefits to Australia.
We journey down to
the infamous Hay St., the home of the "horse stall" brothels. Whilst
waiting for the guided tour, yes guided tour, of Langtrees we have a
cuppa. There used to be 23 in this street but now there are only 3 and
only one has the traditional girls on show in the window.
We are joined by
an older and a younger couple and 3 young ladies for the tour. The tour
guide is not a working girl but she does know the business and no
question phases her. She answers all questions candidly and matter of
factly. It is an interesting tour but they don't have any free samples.
I am disappointed.
We head out to
Kanowna after having a cuppa with the other couple. They come from Sth.
Gipplsand. It is amazing the amount of people we have met from
Gipplsland on our travels. Who is milking the cows, that is what I want
to know? For those unfamiliar with Gippsland, it is a large dairying
area.
Kanowna is where
we Kamp for the night. Sorry folks, couldn't resist.
Dec 5th:
We go out
to the Kanowna Belle mine and the lookouts there and learn some more
about mining at their plant viewing platform.
We return to Kal
and go to The Town Hall. We tour the building, truly magnificent and it
is free. It is on to Boulder Town Hall to have a look at that. It was
grand once but has been sadly neglected and it is showing.
We go on The
Golden Mile Railway. This train stops at the old mine power station for
40 minutes so you get a good chance to wander around. The noise and
heat in this place would have been fantastic. Huge diesels running even
bigger generators. (insert male grunts here)
We return to
Boulder and go over the road to have a lemon squash in the bar of The
Metropole Hotel. When they were doing renovations a little while ago
they discovered a tunnel in the cellar that led to one of the mines.
They have put a glass cover over it. Conjecture surrounds these shafts
(there are a number around the town apparently). One theory is that
with 6.00 o'clock closing a few of the boys would stay on after closing
and when the police raided the men would disappear down the shaft and
go home. Another theory is that the miners would pocket some of the
gold being mined and bring it to the bar to cash it in.
We have lunch at
Hammond Park. In a place that is so dry that every step raises dust
this place is an oasis. Green and quiet with clean facilities it is
nice to sit and just watch the peacocks parading.
We return to The
Superpit for the 1 o'clock blasting. We wait until 1.30 but it is no
go. I don't know if I can take many more disappointments. No bangs in 2
places.
We go to the WA
Museum and take a tour and wander around looking at the exhibits.
We leave
Kalgoorlie and head towards Esperance to the south. We have tea in a
rest area and wait for night to fall. We camp at a rest area about 18K
out of Esperance.
There is 2 times a
day I really don't like driving. It is the twilight as the sun is just
coming up or going down. I try to be having breakfast or tea at this
time of day until it becomes full light or total dark.
Dec 6th:
We
trundle into the Tourist Office and walk around the craft village that
surrounds it. We then go on the Great Ocean tourist drive. This is a
great way to see Esperance from all angles and the coast nearby.
We have a look
around Mermaid Leather after lunch. They make articles out of fish
leather. Interesting effect.
We had intended to
camp down at Cape Le Grande National Park but after looking around and
being and feeling sandblasted by the windswept sand we headed back to
the campsite of the previous night.
Dec 7th:
We get
into Norseman and have a cuppa with another motorhoming friend, Isabel.
I enjoy the banter and the debate as we have differing views on some
things.
We go up to the
Tourist office and wouldn't you know it? There is a market on. Julie is
off like a flash. They have nice steak sandwiches.
We drive up to
Beacon Hill lookout and do the walk, read the signs and descend to the
Bullen Decline info board. With that read we go to Pheonix Park and
have lunch. They have some interesting mining equipment that is well
labelled.
We call in on
Isabel for another cuppa and start really heading east and the home run.
We camp in another
rest area approx 60K west of Madura.
Dec 8th:
We get
going early and stop at Madura Pass lookout. We have a cuppa at Eucla
and look at the old telegraph station, Travellers Cross and the Eyre
memorial lookout.
It is hot and as
usual we have a quarter wind that is using fuel and causing the truck
to run a little hotter. My arms are aching from keeping the truck
straight.
We fuel at Border
Village and pay the most we have had to for fuel, $1.25/litre.
We continue on and
have a look at the Bunda Cliffs.
Between Nullarbor
and Yalata we detour to the head of the Bight. Pretty speccy view.
We camp at a rest
area about 25K east of Penong.
As usual while
driving the mind goes off into its own little world and starts thinking.
The mining
industry may have been the economic resurrection of Western Australia
and South Australia but one wonders of the other costs. Trees to fuel
massive boilers have been stripped from hundreds of Kilometers around
with probably no chance of ever growing again. Holes in the ground and
mullock heaps everywhere. The landscape has been changed with whole
hills being removed and probably changing weather patterns because of
it. To the mining industries credit they are addressing the problem now
with rehabilitation programs in place. I am not a "greenie" but it does
make you wonder. There has to be a balance somewhere and I think they
may be getting close. I hope so.
Dec 9th:
We
collect our "we crossed the Nullarbor" certificate from the Ceduna
tourist office and head south again towards Streaky Bay.
We stop for a
cuppa and drive around S.B. We stop at Murphys Haystacks and move on to
Elliston for lunch. We dine with 2 motorhomers that have an imported
Hino bus that is very nicely fitted out. We look around Elliston and
the Ocean Views and arrive in Port Lincoln.
At the T.O. we
book in for The Fresh Fish Company and The Seahorse Farm tours.
We book into
Kirton Point caravan park and stay the night.
Dec 10th:
They
don't have enough numbers to do the Fresh Fish tour, the other one is
OK but not until the afternoon. We go to the Axel Stenross Museum. No
luck here either as it is closed Wednesdays. We wander around the boats
outside and then go to the Pier Hotel for lunch. Such extravagance but
very nice. Julie reacquaints herself with the pokies.
We do the Seahorse
Farm tour and although I was reluctant it was very good. What do they
farm them for? I wondered too. For aquariums. Obvious when you know.
We leave Port
Lincoln and check out Tumby Bay. I try to get through Cowell without
Julie waking up but she has a sixth sense about these things and awakes
as we enter the town.
"Where are we?"
she asks.
"Ummmmm, Cowell,"
I mumble.
"There is a jade
display here," she states. "I wouldn't mind seeing that"
"Yes Dear."
You can't win so
why bother.
The weight of the
truck increases some more.
We camp about 50K
out of Whyalla.
We have been away
for 5 months. It has gone quick.
Dec 11th:
We go
into the tourist office and book a steel tour on the morrow. We take
the tour of the 'Whyalla'. This Corvette was the first ship built in
the Whyalla shipyards. It is another good tour. The Maritime Museum
that is attached to the T.O. is worth doing as well. The exhibits
pertain to The Whyalla and the shipyards that built it. No superfluous
junk.
After lunch we
check out the other attractions around the town.
Hummock Hill is a
lookout that gives great views across the Gulf. This was used as a gun
emplacement during WW2 and the old emplacements are still visible.
We then go out to
Point Bonython, Point Lowly and Fitzgerald Bay with the intention of
staying out there the night. Nice views but no shelter so we head back
towards Cowell and camp at a rest area 15K from Whyalla.
Dec 12th:
We have a
lazy start and wander around the shops and have lunch at the T.O. while
waiting for the tour bus.
The bus duly
arrives and about 12 of us head out to the steel works. The guide used
to work at the plant and he explains that he rarely gets back on time
and is always late. He explains everything and waits for certain
processes so that we get the full process. This is a working plant and
we have to wait. You are allowed out of the bus at strategic points and
you really get the feel, smell the smells and feel the heat.
I reckon that it
is one of the, if not the best tour of the trip.
We are supposed to
be back at 3.00 but arrive at 4.00. He was true to his word.
We have a cuppa
with some more Victorians and then head for Petes place in Port Augusta.
We have tea with
Pete and Liz and park in their driveway.
Dec 13th:
We go down to the
Tourist Office which has Wadlata interpretive centre attached. In my
opinion this is a must see particularly if coming from the East and
heading north. It gives a good overview of the exploration and
development of the area from here to Alice Springs and other parts.
We go up to one of
the lookouts and return to Petes place.
While Pete and I
do what we do best, tell lies and bull***t, Julie and Liz go out on the
town to check out the Christmas lights on the houses.
Dec 14th:
Woomera is on the
itinary today and we make our way there. It is deserted and is rather
eerie seeing all the empty buildings. There are a few permanent
residents but they must have been out. The last time I was here (30
years ago) you needed permits to enter and there were people everywhere.
The sign says that
the museum is open until 5.00PM so we wander around the missile park.
We go down to the Museum and are informed it closes at 2.00PM. The
museum is worth seeing as it gives the history of Woomera and the
development of rockets after the WW2.
We head back to
Port Augusta and have a cuppa with Pete and Liz and bid them farewell.
We point our noses toward the Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound.
We pull into a
rest area about 15K from Wilpena and are having tea when a 4WD pulls
in. The driver is one of the local cockies (landholder for the ones who
don't know). He informs us that they are culling roos in the area and
it would probably be prudent to move. I am about to say that they must
have lousy eyesight. If they can't tell the difference between an 8
Metre truck and a 1 Metre roo they shouldn't be doing it. I keep my
mouth shut and we move to another spot about 5K from Wilpena. A nice
spot.
Dec 15th:
We drive into
Wilpena visitor centre. The Rangers inform us that the gravel roads in
the area are rough and after talking to other people who have done them
it is confirmed.
We catch the
shuttle bus out towards Wilpena Pound. Unfortunately (for me anyway) it
stops about 1K short of the Pound. I contemplate going straight back on
the bus but I get "the look" and get out.
We go to Hills
Homestead and the climb (scale would be closer) up to the Wangarra
lookout. We amble back to the bus stop and await our chariot to return
to our van.
We have a late
lunch and then head towards Burra via Hawker, Orroroo and Jamestown.
This road is shown as unmade on most maps but has just been bitumened
all the way.
We camped about 5K
from Burra.
Dec 16th:
I have
been through Burra many times and never stopped. It is one place I have
always wanted to have a good look at due to the old buildings.
First port of call
is the Tourist Office where we get a key to access the locked sites and
the booklet for the Heritage Trail. We walk the town part and then set
out on the drive part. This is the best way to get the history of the
place and is very thorough in its commentary. If you do this tour make
sure that the mining museum is open at the mine. When we did it, it was
closed (naturally).
The temperature is
rising and is getting hot. We were glad to get to the cellars under the
old brewery, they were nice and cool. It took some threats, cajoling
and physical effort on my part to pry Julie out.
We head out of
Burra late in the afternoon and camp about 40K from Broken Hill.
Dec 17th:
It is
stifling in Broken Hill even at 8.00AM. It is cloudy and looks like
rain and the humidity is steadily rising as well as the temperature.
Broken Hill has an
identity problem. Governed by NSW but closer to Adelaide and SA they
keep SA time hence the early arrival at the T.O. We had set our clocks
forward the day before.
While waiting for
the T.O. to open we wandered around the Lions Park opposite. I also
notice that there is a dump point at the bus wash attached to the
tourist office but you need a key.
B.H. normally has
a guided town heritage tour as well. Not at this time of the year
because it is too hot. No kidding. We purchase the guidebook and set
off.
The blocks in BH
are huge, being about 300 metres long and there are 4 of them. The most
logical way to do the walk is down one side of the street and return
along the other side. There is a catch. The tour runs on 2 streets. A
total of about 4K. Stop laughing you lot. We do one street and decide
to do the other one later.
We book into The
Broken Hill City Caravan Park. This park is almost a perfect park. The
sites allow a van with annex and enough room for the car as well. Our
truck looks small in them. They also cater for big rigs with trailers.
The sites are not grassed due to tight water restrictions but have pine
chips. Some are bitumen. They empty the bins every day and the place
looks neat and tidy. Easy to walk on and level. They have no permanents
and the maximum length of stay is 6 weeks.
If Margaret River
is wineries then Broken Hill is art galleries. They are everywhere. Pro
Hart and Jack Absalom being amongst the most well known.
Dec 18th:
Julie and
I have tried about 5 times to get to BH. Circumstances have prevented
us from getting here so we decide to stay about a week and wear
ourselves out. We start doing the tourist bit.
It is hot with
clouds.
We go up to the
Miners Memorial on the Line of Lode and admire the view whilst having a
hot chocolate. Very politically correct and yuppie. The Memorial lists
all the miners that have lost their lives over the life of the mine.
We have lunch at
Sturt Park and then have a look at the Big Picture. This is housed in a
gallery and mint. They have jewellery as well. Also housed in the same
complex is the BH Chocolate Factory. Talk about confusion time for
Julie, she did not know where to look. I suggested outside but I got
"the look".
The big picture is
a Diorama on canvas showing all the main features in a radius of 200K
of BH.
I escape from here
with card intact and no weight added to the van.
Pro Harts gallery
is next. The gallery also contains other artists work and although I am
not a fan of Pro Harts paintings I do like some of his sculptures. Some
of the other artwork is interesting.
We return to the
caravan park. It rains finally but is still humid. A group of fellow
campers gather at the outside BBQ and a few of us talk until 1.30AM. It
is still warm.
Dec 19th:
It is
still hot and going to get hotter according to the weather forecast.
We do the Delprats
Mine tour. It is cool in the mine and we look like miners with our
helmets and headlights on. It is a good tour and I am glad we did it as
the mining here is different to the underground mining of gold. Gold is
in a narrow seam and the drives and shafts are generally smaller. In
silver mining the drives and shafts are much larger.
We had hoped to
also do a tour of the South Mine but there were insufficient numbers to
run it. Joys of being in the off season.
We collect the key
from the TO for the sculpture park and return to veg out in the CP for
the afternoon.
The weather bureau
got it right. It is absolutely stifling.
Near sunset we
head out to the sculptures and dine as the sun slowly sets. Not a
spectacular sunset but very pleasant. The sculptures were part of an
international Symposium of sculptors and some are brilliant. Others,
well, not so brilliant in my opinion but what do I know.
The view over BH
at night is pretty good from here with the Miners Memorial lit up
behind.
We go back to BH
and admire the decorated houses with lights on as we go up to the
Miners Memorial to see BH from this side.
The wind is
howling and dust is being raised everywhere.
It is interesting
to note that the clouds during the day are not white but pink bordering
on orange because of the dust trapped in them. Those that live in the
outback areas are used to this but Julie and a lot of others in the
park had never seen this. I hope that they don't get too close (clouds
that is).
It is on to the
Musicians Club for the two up. This is played the right way not the way
that casinos play. Julie finds it boring and seeks out the pokies. I
win at two up and lose it on the pokies. We meet another couple from
the park and it turns into a good night.
Dec 20th:
A day in
town sussing out the shops and going to internet shop and checking a
few things.
We return to the
CP late in the afternoon and stay there.
It rains and the
cooling effect is immediate.
Dec 21st:
Julie is
not feeling well so we stay in the park and have a lazy day and do
nothing except update emails and put stickers on.
The weather is
perfect temperature but windy. It gets windier and there is a mad dash
to pull awnings in everywhere with some needing help with awnings that
had ballooned. The wind gets stronger throughout the night and the van
moves and shakes.
Dec 22nd:
Silverton
is on the agenda today, but first we have to attend to a problem with
the laptop.
Every now and then
a key at random won't work. Makes typing a real chore. We go to the
local Toshiba agent and he informs us that it won't be fixed until
after Christmas. Not happy Jan! I can fit the other keyboard so problem
fixed. Not so! There is no PS connector on the computer so he informs
me that we need a USB/PS adaptor and all will be kosher. Does he have
one? Nope, so we go to a couple of other shops and finally get one.
We extract the old
keyboard from storage and fit it. Does not want to play. Keyboard must
have been shaken up too much. Answer: buy new keyboard.
We do the other
street listed on the heritage walk. We leave for Silverton.
At lunch (in
Silverton) I connect the new keyboard. It does not want to play either.
We do the tourist
thing around Silverton checking out the Hotel and galleries. We had
lunch at Penrose park which also has camping (fee) and then go out to
Mundi Mundi lookout and Umberumberka Reservoir.
We return to BH
and return the keyboard. I buy another one that has a driver disk with
it. I fit it, install the drivers and I look forward to using it.
Wrong!! It does not want to play either.
It is about
55degrees in the van parked in the carpark. I am about 65 degrees and
getting hotter. Only common sense (and the cost)prevents the computer
and keyboard becoming another UFO. While Julie returns the keyboard
because I would not be very civil, I calm down.
I go into the
classic lotus Yoga pose, breathe deeply and mumble 4000 OMS.
Julie returns and
I decide it has to be something else. Adaptor faulty perhaps. I return
to the shop where I bought it. I take the computer, keyboard and
adaptor in with me.
I ask if they can
look at it. Not today, maybe tomorrow. I explain the trouble in full
and one of the techys listening says that a keyboard with a PS
connector will not work with a USB adaptor. I need a USB keyboard he
says. He goes and gets a used one (the only one they have), plugs it in
and VOILA it works. He smiles the smile that I give some of my
customers and I realise how they feel.
I buy the keyboard
(my turn to increase the weight), bow, kiss his feet as befits a Guru
of his talent and slink out of the shop very happy.
Had I got the
right information in the first place a lot of aggro and hair would have
been saved.
We return to the
CP and I start getting all this up to date .
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