The Goldfields and Wildflowers of the West - Leonora, Australia
Leonora, Australia
We left Geraldton and headed inland easterly towards the goldfields areas of WA, and in anticipation of seeing many more fields of wildflowers, which were just beginning to bloom. It was a late season, and the varieties of wildflowers normally seen along the coast were few and far between whilst we were there. A Mullewa, which is renowned for its floral outburst, a disappointing display on the Main Street was all I could witness so managed a few photos of tin sculptured cattle, horses and a dog "running" across the street. Mt Magnet caravan park cost us $25 per night for 2 nights, with a couple of tourist drives warranted in the area. There is big mining works around here which was evident from the Mt Wannamboo lookout, with panoromic views of the open cuts and huge mining trucks looking like ants from the distance. There was or still is some mining happening on the hill as could be seen on a riggedty track we walked along the hiiside. Ross clambered down a short shaft to take some photos of what looked like an active seam of quartz and "yellow" stone !! The immediate area was littered with stone and rock rubble and lots of tin, and was possibly a prospectors haven or lease so we left without investigating further..... Continuing our drive and following the map to Lennonville, remnants of gold fossickers detectors unearthing all sorts of memorabilia such as tin products, broken china, bottles and whatever were strewn along the platform of the old railway. As it was getting late we decided to return to the old town site and surrounding area next day to spend time with the minelab detector, but our only find was heaps of tin, pipes and old rusted tools etc. When we first landed in Mt Magnet, we visited the Mines and Petroleum Dept to obtain a Miners Right Permit for $25, which provided lifetime prospecting rights on unleased ground in WA, and also some 10 graph maps, which we found almost impossible to decipher.. The rules and regulations and expectations of contacting owners if going onto station property, was quite bewildering, so we just decided to stop where we wanted to and have a "play around with the detector", and if we found the right color of rock, we'd be lucky !! and I gather this was the motto of most part time prospectors on the road. A few kms out of Sandstone, we set up camp away off the hwy and amongst the red dirt and "gibba wood". Luckily we had some reception and I was able to finish and post the previous blog. There seemed to be a few things to look at around Sandstone, so booked into the only caravan park in town for 2 nights at $20 per night. All the sites were red dirt and stones with the only grassy areas around the camp kitchen and gardens. A drive out the tourist drive was interesting as we saw the Old Brewery, London Bridge, Contradiction Well and some wildflowers. Sandstone is only a small town... No supermarket but they do have a basic supplies shop at the pub !! Ross spent some time prospecting whilst I caught up on washing and cleaning... Some things still have to be done... !!! We had maps of prospecting areas within about 30 kms of town, but couldn't find the abandoned township of Nungara, despite the many tracks into the bush and old mine sites and shafts. 140 kms along the road we came to the BHP Billiton mining town of Leinster, where the caravan park only cost $15 per night, and a 3 course meal at the miners mess was also only $15 each. Fantastic meal with heaps to choose from and the opportunity to chat to the miners !! They reckon they are "well done by", and after dinner each evening are able to pack up a doggie bag for lunch next day or the night shift. The whole town was one you could comfortably walk around and the now disused shop and office at the only fuel outlet in town, allows fuel to be obtained by card only where you have to estimate the dollar amount required. Gwalia is an old historic gold mining town, now basically being a ghost town, but houses the old museum and history precinct, which site overlooking an open cut mine. This mine is 1 km long by 300 mts deep and actually closed down as a working investment in 1963, but now operates as an underground mine to a depth of 1500 mts !! Hoover House was built in 1898 by Herbert Hoover, an American who was the mine manager when the open cut commenced, and who later became the 31st President of the USA.... Many of the old shacks in the town are still in their original condition, with meagre cooking utensils, car and garden parts strewn about. Onwards to Niagra Dam free camp for a couple of nights, and a drive to Kookynie, another old mining ghost town with only the pub as the continuing business !! The dam was originally formed as a means of providing water to the gold areas, but not really utilized as a bore was sunk nearby. A drive out to Lake Ballard from Menzies was warranted to see the Antony Gormley carbonized steel figures scattered around the dry salt lake at various intervals. The display of 51 sculptures called "inside Australia" was commissioned in 2003 for an arts festival, and are all derived from laser scans of Menzies residents. When we visited the lake, the bed wasn't white salt covered but red and sticky imbedded with sparkly salt crystals, probably due to a recent rainfall. Arriving in Kalgoorlie on a cold, windy and rainy day, my first impressions were indifferent. Very much a mining perspective with poppet heads on all horizons, and with a population of 37,000, I half expected a much busier town and larger buildings. The old buildings are mostly grande architecture of hotels built in the 1890's, and are very majestic. The Super Pit tour was much anticipated and actually, the only way to fully appreciate the enormity of the pit. The super pit runs further than the entire length of the Goldfields Highway incorporating the towns of Kalgoorlie and Boulder. An extension of the SuperPit is the Mt Charlotte underground mine, which is worked 24/7, and this year celebrates its 50th anniversary. The Kalgoorlie SuperPit .... .....This huge open cut is 3.7 kms long x 1.5 kms across and around 500 mts deep. .....It covers an area of more than 26,000 hectares incorporating over what was 260 individual leases, and the underground section is 1.5 kms deep. .....Operates 24 /7, 365 days.. .....Produces 800,000 oz (22 tonnes ) of gold a year .....Mning trucks cost $4.4 million each / 2300 hp / weighs 166 tonnes empty / carries a 240 tonne payload / fuel tank 3790 list / maximum speed 55 kph ..... In excess of 57 million ounces of gold have been extracted from the Golden Mile On the SuperPit tour we were lucky enough to be there for a blasting timed for 1430 hrs. All vehicles were up top n no one was travelling any of the many road systems below. Donned in safety glasses, hard hats and fluro jackets and perched at one of several viewing platforms, no warning but just 2 sets of explosions like fireworks, dust and dirt and it was all over.... Blastings occur regularly to deepen shelving of the open pit area, so allowing vehicles to navigate the long access roads to the underground tunnel. The mined rock is taken to the crushing and production plants and through several other operations over this massive field of activity. For over a century, there were more than 100 separate leases around the area, but in the 1980's, Alan Bond brought out all the individual leases, seeking to create one big company and one big pit to extract gold at a reduced price. The Bond company failed to complete the takeover but in 1989, KCGM ( Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines ) was formed to manage the assets and operations. This group only runs the project as it is owned by 2 international companies at 50% each. Another tour with a lighter side was the Bordello tour of a Hay Street establishment. During the early gold rush days, Kalgoorlie had a thriving male population, all in anticipation of finding their "gold booty". With the rush came the "ladies", and so grew the historical prostitution industry of Kalgoorlie. Containment in Kal meant that the girls had to live in the house they worked, and not able to venture into the town streets or any public places. There were many rules and regulations, and if broken they were dismissed from the town. There was big money to be made in the industry with a 50/50 split with the madam.. All this info was given to us by Carmel, the current madam, who has been here for 21 years, and we were shown a couple of the rooms in this particular house !! The brothel is one of two in Kalgoorlie still operating, but only 2 girls now and many less clients.. It was an interesting part of history with a humorous side as well. At the info centre soon after coming into town, we ran into Bev and Mal Darby from Warragul, Vic, whom we had met at several other destinations on this trip, and with whom we each booked these tours together. The next couple days in Kal were busy - visiting the museum and overlooking the city from 2 stories up, Mt Charlotte water supply which is piped from an underground tank containing 9 million liters and the Hannon North mining museum and SuperPit shop. Federal elections voting was attended early at Kalgoorlie, as we didn't know where we'd be on the 7th of September. My absolutely best purchase in Kalgoorlie was buying a 5.7 gram natural gold nugget pendant at Natural Gold Jewellers, and a 9cg chain from Angus and Coote for 30% discount. Ross continues not having any luck with finding gold with his detector, but has found heaps of old stuff mostly buried under dirt, including a 1954 halfpenny and another implement that may be an old surgical instrument, from an old military hospital site from the 1940's at Merriden. We weren't intending to come to Merredin, but on a bush camp at Karalee Rock, we accidentally sideswiped a tree whilst backing and knocked the awning on the caravan. Luckily Merriden had a van sales and repair centre, and when ithe damage was inspected by Stefan, and as the arm was bent and roller /awning damaged, we were told the gloomy tale that it was irreparable. CIL insurance contacted, claim number obtained and given the go ahead for the dealer to fit the awning.... I only wish it was that easy !! We arrived on Tuesday and waited in Merridin at the caravan park paying $32 / day, although we're given a couple free days in this week, waiting, waiting.. An awning arrived on the Friday, but was the wrong one so another dispatched that arvo, only to be returned to the warehouse, for whatever reason !!! Hopefully tomorrow ( Wednesday ! ) will be the day.. Hyden, about 160 kms south of Merredin, has Wave Rock !! We were intending to do this trip later from Albany, but with time to spare at Merredin, went for a drive on a nice warm, sunny day. Driving through southern wheat belt countryside, it was a fantastic sight to see wave rock which is a massive granite outcrop of rock with the "wave" being a giant" surf wave " of multicolored granite about to crash to the bush below. It's 14 mts high and 110 mts long, formed by gradual erosion of the softer rock beneath the upper edge, over many centuries. Colors of rock are caused by the rain washing chemical deposits of carbonates and iron hydroxides down the face, forming vertical stripes of grey, red and yellow. There's also a water catchment on top assisting the town water supply. "Hippo Yawn" is a single rock 12.6 mts tall, resembles a yawning hippopotamus, and Lake Magic is a large area of clear, salty water, with a gypsum base and surrounded by beach sand around the perimeter. We did leave Merredin on Wednesday after the correct awning was finally fitted, and bush camped for 2 nights before hitting the coast at Dongra. On route, between Perenjori and Three Springs, and with a mud map in hand, we finally found the amazing Wreath Flowers, growing in natural settings on a back gravel road. They are absolutely beautiful, in the wreath setting of greenery on the inside and pink, cream or red flowers encircling the outer edge. I'm still waiting to find a field of everlastings, which I believe are spectacular in various colours.