Quorn and The Flinders Rangers

After Two nights at Fitzgerald bay it was into Port Augusta for stores and fuel then it was onto Warren Gorge.While at the Gorge I hop on my mountain bike for a look around which is the best way to see what is around so we can go exploring. As always ,I bit of more than i can chew and seeing a loop walk only about 5ks started up the hill ,walking most of the way and then decided it was to hard with the bike so hopped on and down i went.The ride down was unbelievable and fast having both brakes on most of the way it was touch and go but a lot of fun some times I forget I am getting older.The next day Mick (niknoff),Vickie P and myself set out on the loop walk and where rewarded with the most lovely scenery and some much needed exercise.

                                            the log book at the top

We where camped at the Gorge waiting for some more bushtrackers to show up but we heard that they where setting up camp at the Quorn race grounds in readiness for the muster so it was upanchor and in to Quorn. Quorn is a great friendly town with a strong community spirit . The muster was a great success with plenty of laughs ,how to demos,day trips,spit roast and the annual dinner which was all done by local clubs. One of the day trips we did was to climb the Dutchman's Stern which is 8.5k return walk and well worth the steep climb up.

                   

                               

                                                          the perverbiale brick shit house

                                           leaders even back then

                                           at the top of Dutchman's Stern

                                                 some of the vans at the muster

                                               Niknoff after a hard day

Ceduna to Whyalla

Arrived in Ceduna we have been here before so we know where to go.Headed straight to the caravan park on the water front such a lovely spot nice and close to the pub who buy the way do great meals, and a good chance to catch up with the washing and shopping.One night in any caravan park is enough no matter how nice so have left there and going to the wombat rescue house to pat the wombats.

Ceduna town beach

Ceduna town beach

So soft and cuddly

One of the big girls she was so playful and now its sleepy time

It was such a treat to be able to cuddle a wombat we didn't realise how soft and playful they were.Leaving Ceduna and heading down the Eyre Peninsula went through Smoky bay and could not get over how many oyster farmers there are. We continued on to camp at a beautiful spot called Perlubie beach where we watched the sun set with a glass of wine.Next morning we went for a lovely beach walk and collected some nice shells.

sunset at Perlubie

                                                      low tide at Perlubie
Leaving Perlubie beach we headed towards Streaky bay what a magic place but cant stay we want to make Venus bay tonight to catch up with a mate. Stopping for lunch just north of Sceale bay got chatting to a couple of local boys checking out the surf who filled us in on all the local knowledge.Moving on we stopped for a look at Point labatt seal colony then we went to Baird bay to camp the night another magic spot only 5 local residents very quiet place.

                                               lunch and local surf spot

Point Labatt

Sunset at Baird bay

Arriving at Venus bay found our mate was out of town so will catch up with him on our way back.Then on our way to Pildappa rock we past some really good farm land with good looking crops. Stoped and had a look at some rock called the haystacks quit amazing.Made camp at Pildappa rock and met some people from Geraldton (our home town) and a couple from Adelaide, we all had drinks together watching the sun set over the Gawler rangers, While we were sitting there Chris was bitten by some think an insect of some kind, but around midnight we were woken by Max (chrises husband) to say he was taking Chris to hospital as she was in really bad pain, he drove most of the night to find a hospital (Wudinna) and they treated her and said they thought it was a spider bite and now all is well.

Haystacks

Pildappa Rock

drinks at the rock

falcon at the rock

Nullarbor

As we have been to Kalgoorlie before and not wanting to get caught up in the race crowed we drove straight through, and camped the night at a nice spot just before Norseman.Norseman is one of those places you always drive through not bothering to stop and look around, so this time we decided to go to the visitors center and see what was there and found there is quite a bit to see.With map in hand we were of on the history loop.

                                             one of the old incline shafts

                                     cricket pitch from the early 1900

                                            one of the many old shafts this one was made in his back yard

                                              part of the old Eucla telegraph line

                                             Dundas rock where we camped

We have been across the Nullarbor a few times, already usually in a hurry, so this time we thought we would slow down and check out the scenery.Our first stop was Newman rock pool just for a coffee but would make a great overnight stop.Then off on our way again we came across a man on an old tractor towing an old tractor I think it was a Chamberlain it always astounds me the people that you see traveling some seem to do it so hard (on push bikes walking etc).The next night was a beautiful bush camp with plenty of bird life the budgies were plentiful nesting in every available tree hole they were really cute to watch.Back on the road again and on to the Australian Bight magnificent we camped here for the night with champagne in hand and watched the sun set really beautiful.While we were having breakfast in the morning the old tractor past us boy he makes really good time also about 25 motor bikes not to sure of there story. The next stop was a road side camp not to great a bit noisy so we are of again heading towards Ceduna.

                                           Newman rock pool

                                             the guy on his pride and joy

                                              the western end of the bite

                                                   sunset on the bite

First week on the road Home to Kookynie

Its great to be on the road again this time its South Australia the early plan was to go via the east Murchison gold fields and try to find that first gold nugget. But as we all know best layed plans come un stuck,, when we got to Yalgoo the dirt road to Paynes Find was closed ,and not wanting to be fined it meant we had to go on to Mt Magnet and then Sandstone. But first one little detour to Jokers Tunnel which we found quite interesting so we decided to spend the night.

there is light at the end of this tunnel

the history of the tunnel goes back to 1896 when a prospector found a small amount of gold and then it was sold to an Englishman and he brought 60 men out to dig into the hill and it ended up going right though  to the other side for on gold at all, hence the name Jokers Tunnel.

the other end

                                               looking from Jokers tunnel across the lake

                                            on the road from the tunnel to our camp

After a soft rainy night we left our camp to head straight into a great hail storm, we had to drive very slowly as we could not see to pull of the road the rain and hail were quite heavy.We finally arrived at Sandstone and a little way out of town we found an old mine site and set up camp for a very wet and windy night.When we woke the next morning the rain had gone so we went for a walk and found a really great spot and set up camp to do a bit of bird watching and prospecting. The bird watching was a lot more profitable.

                                                   Red capped Robin

                                           London Bridge a rock formation near where we camped

                                           The old state battery near Sandstone

                                           An old well on the Sandstone road
After three nights its time to move on so its of to Leonora via the old Agnew road. What a fantastic trip checking out all the history. We found it so amazing that some of these old towns had four or five pubs and even sometimes a brewery. It makes me wonder if our grand children or there children will go to places like Mt Newman Tom Price etc and find them as ghost towns in the future. On arriving at Leonora we drove out to Malcolm Dam on the recommendation of Fozzie and found it lived up to his standard, Great spot.

                                                                  Agnew

                                                     Malcolm Dam thanks Fozzie
Malcolm dam was only a one night stop then it was of to another dam called Niagara which is near a living ghost town named Kookynie. We set up camp at the dam and met some really nice people John and Delores and there daughter Bri who where also traveling with Russell.John was a prospector as well and he took Geoff out for the afternoon to give him a few pointers, They didn't have any luck but Geoff seems to be getting the hang of it. While Geoff was gone I had a great day doing not very much a little walk,a little cooking, and a lot of reading over a glass of red because it was bloody cold.

                                                   An old wreck at Kookynie

   Niagara dam was built in 1897 to provide water for the near by town of Kookynie, but it was never used as the mines at Kookynie had a lot more water than the town and the steam engines and the mines could use. It was also the reason for the minds closure as they could not keep the water out.