Day 87—Thursday, 19th September (Mount Magnet to Mullewa 250kms)
Topped up again at the local service station, then did another walk in the town, with a visit to the bakery, which had been recommended by the park office. Only open three days per week, today being the last. Some sticky buns for morning tea appealed but no such luck, come back on Tuesday. Yeah, right!
As we’ve been progressing southwards, we’ve begun to notice wildflowers on the road verges and as we approach Mullewa, which is promoted as the gateway to wildflower country, we see them more regularly. Gum trees are noticeable by their absence. Road kill has reverted to wildlife, mostly kangaroos, which means plenty of crows and eagles to be seen. Maybe something to do with the changing landscape, we are seeing sheep and goats, lots of goats, which we assume are feral.
The Mullewa Caravan Park is council run and check in is in town at the Ampol service station and takeaway. We checked in for one night and made our way up the street to the park. This is another park with sealed sites, something we’ve come across starting at Newman. These sites were shaped so that the van was backed in with the door opening onto a grassed area which the awning overhung. Then on the other side of the van, there was sealed parking space for the car. So we soon got set up and got the chairs and table set up on the grass and enjoyed afternoon tea.
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| Onsite at Mullewa |
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| Opposite the Caravan Park |
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| Lots of Everlasting Daisies... |
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| ...and Other Wildflowers, this one Desert Raisin |
Day 88—Friday, 20th September (Mullewa 199kms bobtail)
After breakfast and a visit to the laundry, we visited the Information Centre, enquiring about the shy Wreath Flower and were told that we might find some on one of the two suggested drive trails. These were marked out on the town map and we were given some extra tips on where to look. On the strength of all this good news, we went back across the road and paid for two more nights at the caravan park.
A quick trip back to the park and bring the washing in and we were off. The Southern Circuit Trail was marked regularly by interpretive signs which we enjoyed reading, learning about the history of the area. Eventually, we reached the area suggested by the Information Centre but after a quite extensive wander, no Wreath Flower. Plenty of wildflowers but not the one we were looking forward to finding. We had taken sandwiches with us and we enjoyed these along with a cuppa at the road intersection where we were supposed to find our flowers. So, although a bit disappointed, we headed back to Mullewa. Still, the drive was pleasant, much of it on good gravel roads, through the wheat fields. We will try again on the Northern Trail.
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| First Stop on the Southern Trail |
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| Most Common, Seen Everywhere |
Day 89—Saturday, 21st September (Mullewa 199kms bobtail)
We planned to drive the Northern Circuit today and moved out quite early. First we decided to backtrack to the little town of Pindar, which used to be the railway hub, in the “old days” and we’d missed this section yesterday. Pindar meant a 40kms round trip back down the highway, it’s prominent feature being the huge grain handling shed. Our map showed the presence of Wreath Flower here to but not today!
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| The Grain Storage at Pindar |
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| Pindar Pub, Last Drinks January, 1975 |
Back in town, we decided to drive up to the town lookout but although long views were great, over the grain crops, the town views were obscured by tree and shrub growth. Then we set off on the circuit proper which the map noted as a 145kms drive and again, we carried lunch and the trusty thermos flask. There are thirteen points of interest along this trail, each one with it’s rusty steel sculpture and interpretive panel, explaining the history of the place.
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| Sculpture and Information on Tenindewa Stockyards |
The stops ranged from rusty old stock yards down the highway at Tenindewa which should probably have been sent to the scrap dealer long ago, to interesting natural features like the Bindoo Glacier Beds and the Pioneer Cemetery. About midway, we lunched on the banks of the Greenough River and soon after a 4WD track through Bindoo Hill Nature Reserve. We missed the Interpretive sign for the reserve but I sincerely hope it points out the need for 4WD!
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| We enjoyed a quiet lunch by the Greenough River |
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| One of the better sections in Bindoo Hill Nature Reserve |
Other points of interest were a carbon capture feature, where over a million seedlings have been planted out. Finally, the Pioneer Cemetery took our interest. It’s quite revealing to read dates and ages and realise how a hard life in the times, shortened the life span. Many graves were just mounds, without headstones, while others were quite elaborate.
Back in town, we visited the Church of Our Lady of Mt Carmel, built by the priest architect, Monsignor John Hawes. The building is classified by the National Trust and deserves to be. It's a shame to see all the windows being shielded on the outside from vandals but stepping inside we enjoyed them with sunlight streaming through..
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| Our Lady of Mt Carmel |
We had an early dinner so that we could relax and watch the footy, Swans vs Dockers? A tough assignment for the Swans and they were not quite up to it. In fact, for a while it looked like they weren’t in the same class. Well, roll on next season, hopefully they can come up again but it will be interesting to see the changes.
Day 90—Sunday, 22nd September (Mullewa to Coalseam Nature Park 55kms)
Well its been coming for a while but the late winter weather has finally caught up. Or maybe it’s us that caught up, travelling to far south. You might have noticed the changed sky lately, with clouds. Compare them to earlier photos in the north when the clear blue can be blinding. We woke to the sound of light rain and a blustery wind. After a quick bobtail dash into town to fuel up, we were ready to leave just on 10.00am.
The drive to Coalseam, although short, included 8kms of gravel and we made good time, checking in just after 11.00am. Coalseam is a small park, to small to boast a Visitors Centre but does have volunteer hosts, as at Karijini. In chatting to camp host Carol, we discovered that her grandmother was born in Korumburra and had relatives in Wonthaggi by the name of Whitworth. Small world! We also were sad to hear that the orchids had not had a good season and although Carol directed us to a site, we were too late.
Coalseam gets its name from the early discovery of coal along the Irwin River here. The coal was not of a high enough grade and distances were so great that mining became uneconomic and the miners drifted away, Quite a familiar story.
The park is made up of two “day use” sections, one of which also has camping sites. Of course no water and no power but generators can be used for a couple of hours in the morning and again in the afternoon. The camping area is at Miners Campsite and is well set up for day visits with picnic tables and bench seats and free electric barbecues. The campsite, takes it’s name the old mine shafts just across the river.
An only criticism would be that the campsite must have been an afterthought and the toilet block is situated in the day area, making a long walk for campers. Afterwards, Carol mentioned that they are expecting a second toilet block to be installed in the camping area sometime soon.
At the other end of the park, another day visit area is River Bend and as you’d expect it nestles in a wide bend in the river. Again, the area is well set up with picnic tables, barbecues and toilets. Here, we went for a long walk along the riverbed and had great views of the exposed layers in the cliff face where the river in flood has cut into the cliff, creating big overhangs. About five different layers are exposed, including black coal!
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| High walls at Riverbend Campsite with lookouts perched above |
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| On the Irwin River |
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| Layered wall in the gorge |
For a bit of a change of view, there’s a gravel road leading up to the rim of the gorge, with a pair of lookouts which give a great view of the countryside. After all that activity, it was time to get back to the van and put the feet up! No such luck, we’ve still got the mine shafts to visit, across the river. OK, now can I put my feet up?
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| The Riverbend from the Lookout |
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| Not quite feet up but taking a break |
Day 91—Monday, 23rd September (Coalseam NP to Morawa 103kms)
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| On the road again, did I mention the blue skies? |
Heading out of the park this morning, there was no need to backtrack as the road we came in on, continued on to Mingenew. An equally good gravel road for the first 8kms then back on the blacktop albeit narrow blacktop. We stopped for a walk around town at Mingenew, visiting the IGA for some fruit and the bakery for some sticky buns for morning tea. After a cuppa and bun, we visited the historical society’s museum. Mingenew has the largest bulk handling grain storage facility in the southern hemisphere but unhappily there are no high points where a decent photo can be taken, at least not accessible with a couple of tons of caravan on tow. So we had to make do with a drive onto the site and even then it didn’t do justice to the facility.
Heading off for Morowa, we encountered quite windy conditions and some light rain. The countryside flat with some undulations and occasional rocky outcrops. Lots of grain crops now as we move towards the Wheatbelt. We saw lots of sheep and some horses and the roadside is full of colourful flowers, mainly the everlasting daisys.
On arrival at the caravan park, the manager was absent but a notice invited new arrivals to pick a site and see him later. No problems, we were soon backed up next to a big concrete pad. After a quich lunch, we headed down town for a visit to the Information Centre. Here, we found a very helpful lady volunteer, who gave us a map and details of where to find the elusive Wreath Flower.
Day 92—Tuesday, 24th September (Morawa to Dalwallinu 253kms)
Neither of us had exact money, so we made a quick dash down the street and changed a fifty before placing the envelope as requested. Phantom manager, that envelope could have come from anyone! We also made a quick call at the Information Centre to say thanks, which was well recieved, especially since we were able to confirm that the flowers were still there.
So, eventually leaving the park, we headed for the Morowa Windmill Museum. Again run by volunteers, this time the museum has focused on windmills, with a whole shed full of them. Of course, there were still all the other bits and pieces, collected from around the area and relating to the towns history. Very interesting and a pleasant hour plus was passed.
Then off again, this time a morning tea stop at Perenjori. Here we also visited the Information Centre and again, we were given precise directions to another crop of Wreath Flowers. This meant turning east from Perenjori towards the Great Northern Highway, instead of staying on our southerly track to Dalwallinu. We could resume southwards on reaching the highway, for the same destination.
We’d actually been advised of this site back in Morowas Information Centre but hearing that it was an 80kms detour, and given that we’d successfully located a site in Morowa, thought it too far. However, the new information that it was more or less on our route to Dalwallinu, we changed direction.
The drive was in fact about 75kms to the flower site and only about 4kms further to the GNH. The change in direction was made worthwhile when we easily spotted the roadside Wreath Flowers growing in profusion. And, again in a site that’s graded every year! Once we’d had our fill and taken lots of photos, we moved the van to a better position and had our lunch among the Wreaths!
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| We found the Wreath Flowers growing on a 2kms strip, both sides |
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| Lechenaultia Macramtha |
Back on the road and as mentioned, a short drive to the Great Northern Highway then on southwards towards Dalwallinu. By now and with another hour or so to our destination, we considered an overnight stop at a rest area. One such rest area presented, just ten kilometres down the GNH so we pulled in to have a look. Therest area was huge and looked recently sealed and gravelled but when I inspected the toilets I was disgusted enough to change and drive on. This site also provided a dump point for toilet cassettes and this too had been vandalised and blocked with effluent overflow, quite disgusting.
So nothing for it but press on and check in to the Dalwallinu Caravan Park, where we scored a drive through that enabled us to stay hitched. Quite handy by then as it was after 5.00pm.
Day 93—Wednesday, 25th September (Dalwallinu to Wongan Hills 78kms)
After leaving the park, we found a spot to park the van in town, while we took a walk around. Dalwallinu is a neat little place, slightly off the highway, so the roadtrains and other traffic are not rushing through the main street. The shopping strip lies along one side and on the other side a nice little park runs the full length of the shops. The park fronted the old railway station, now a restaurant.
First up, a visit to the Chemist to top up my pill supply, then The Dally Butcher where we blew $90.00 on sausage, boerewors, chops, Dorey fillets, chicken thighs and a piece of corned silverside.
A visit to the Discovery Centre passed a very absorbing three quarters of an hour , reading about the history of the area. Of much interest, was a display on the Malleefowl by the local Mallefowl Preservation Society! Same story as in Victoria, loss of habitat, they’ve cleared so much land here in the Wheatbelt, whithout considering wildlife. One last stop on the way out of town, where the fuel bill approached $150.00, so little Dally did well out of us and by the time we hit the highway, it was well after 11.00am.
About ten kilometres south of Dalwallinu, we again left the Great Northern Highway for our next stop at Wongan Hills. Our route here took us through a vast area of salt lakes, many with plenty of water and those without edged with layers of white crusty salt. The lakes were often surrounded by wheat fields and at times the scenery as one or the other, salt lake or wheat field. We are truly in the Wheatbelt now and have been since Mullewa. The crop grown here is a short variety about 15-20cms high so the farmers don’t need the stockfeed available from the longer variety, which is cut and baled after the headers have done their work. We stopped for morning tea at the small town of Bullita.
Arriving at Wongan Hills about 1.00pm, we checked in for a two night stay, we’ve been told there are lots of wildflower walks in the area. Soon well set up on a concrete slab site, the site wide enough for the van with awning and the car alongside. Lunch was taken and then a visit to the Visitors Centre where we were given lots of information about the walks. We were also told of the local Nissan dealer, as another service is due.
By now, mid afternoon, we decided a walk at Gathercole Reserve, about ten kilometres out of town was feasible, so off we went. We had to drive past the Nissan place, so called in and were told they could do the service in the morning.
Carrying on out to the Reserve, we took the two hour circular walk. We were again mindful that the wildflower season has been a poor one, with lack of rain in June/July being blamed. The commonest flowers are still around in many places, sometimes like a flower blanket but the rarer varieties are less prominent. We did find one orchid, which was quite common at this reserve but overall we may have to come this way another year.
On the way back to the caravan park, we stopped off at the local IGA store for some groceries. This was a much bigger store than either Morowa or Dalwallinu, offering the full range expected at IGA. So, by the time we did get back to the van, it was time to think of dinner. Out came the Baby Q and we tried some of the Dally butcher’s sausages and chops along with fresh vegies from IGA. All good.
Day 94—Thursday, 26th September (Wongan Hills)
Early start and right after breakfast, Helen got the laundry going, while I took the Patrol to the dealer, who gave me a lift back to the park.
So, without transport, the nearby Christmas Rock Reserve beckoned. The entry just behind the park and another two hour wander through the reserve didn’t reveal anything we’d not already seen but it was a nice walk.
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| Salmon Gums on the Christmas Rock Trail |
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| Granite Kunzea (kunzea pulchell) |
Actually very interesting for another feature. The rock is a granite outcrop and channels have been created to harvest the rainfall, which is then stored in the town dam. Although we’d not seen as many varieties of orchids as we hoped, another visit to the information centre informed us that recent rains are expected to bring them out, maybe in a few days! Too late, next time.
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| Water harvesting channel |
Back at the van we enjoyed lunch and brought the washing in for folding and storing. After lunch, I would have been happy to lounge about and do some typing for the blog, maybe even a snooze. Not so Helen who decided after a while on a walk down the street. My excuse was, I was expecting a phone call and delivery of the newly serviced Patrol. As things turned out, Helen got her walk, I got some typing done and just got my head done for forty winks when the phone call came through. The garage picked me up and to my delight, not only serviced but well detailed as well, shiny as a new dollar coin. Well done Jolly & Sons of Wongan Hills. After returning to the garage and paying the bill, I got back to the van at the same time as Helen arrived back from her downtown walk.
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| Shiny Patrol at Wongan Hills Caravan Park |
So, now we’ve got wheels again, why not make use of them? A drive out to the town lookout at Mt. O’Brien was the answer. I’m really looking forward to getting home for a rest! Just a bit late for photography when we got there and a chilly wind but we sat in the Patrol and watched the evening news until sunset.
PS. Better reception up here than in the caravan park!
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| The lookout at Mt O'Brien |
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| Lake Ninnan in the distance (salt lake) |
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| Going... |
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| going... |
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| Gone! The sun sets on day 94 |
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