In Australia a duvet is called a doona. I don’t know why, we just had to be different on that one. They say a rose by any other name smells just as sweet. Well in my, not so humble opinion, I’m here to tell you that the duvet, or doona, or whatever name you give it, is just frustrating!
Located 48 kms west of Cue, Walga Rock is definitely a worthwhile day trip when in this area. At 50 metres high, 1.5 kms long, and approximately 5 kms around the base, its reportedly the 8th in size of the monoliths in Australia. In case you’re not familiar with what a monolith is, its basically one very big rock. I’ve heard conflicting reports on where this one is in the order of size, including one local report that claims it’s second to Uluru – but research indicates 8th is nearer to the truth. The rock itself is impressive as you approach it, and there’s a track that runs around it’s base, and it’s definitely worth the drive around to see it from all angles. I believe it’s relatively easy to climb too, but I can’t vouch for that.
Continue readingBreakfast out with the family first thing this morning, then we were on our way.
It’s good to be home!
Having been unmotivated to write now for longer than I care to remember, I’ve used this holiday to try to force some writing motivation. I set out with the intentions of trying to post a blog every day of my holiday. I skipped some days, but then I posted two on other days. know a lot of my posts have been a bit wafflie, and for that I apologise. However, the forced motivation has worked I think. I’m pleased to say I think I have my writing mojo back again…..
Mingenew to Perth
Tonight we’re in Perth. Tomorrow we will be home – and I feel a need for a Staycation. Apologies to all of you who have no choice but to stay put in your own homes, but right now, home is where I want be. We’ve travelled far to many kilometres in to short a time. I’m feeling it, Mr Tilly is feeling it, and Paul, who does all of the driving, is definitely feeling it.
I love Broome, and I love the Wildflowers, and I love road trips. We’ve been retired now for eight years though, and we still travel as if we’re making use of annual leave. I don’t know how we’re ever going to manage to slow down, but we’re going to have too. 5000 kms for the trip, plus incidental driving each day, in less than 5 weeks – madness!
A picture paints a thousand words, so I’ll let my pictures do the talking:
And now before the light fades I’m off to see if I can find some orchids….
The historic town of Big Bell lies 27kms west of Cue. Now a ghost town in ruins, in the early 1950s the Big Bell gold mine had 470 men on its payroll, and the town supported over 1000 people. There were 160 houses, a big hotel, a picture theatre, and a dozen shops. Plus there were a further 40 houses, and 130 two-man huts on the mining leases.
The town was first established in 1936. Mine production was suspended during the Second World War so as to free manpower for the war effort leaving only 15 people employed by the mine in 1944. When the war ended the mine returned to full productivity, before ceasing production in 1955.
Now all that remains is the shell of the hotel, the shell of the church, and the concrete pads from a lot of the houses. Chicken wire, barbed wire, broken glass, and pieces of tin litter the ground. The wildflowers are slowly reclaiming the land that was once theirs. The town has been abandoned for as long as I’ve been on this earth. I definitely won’t see another 66 years, and I doubt that at the current rate of decay , Big Bell is likely to either.
Flowers are taking over with wild abandonment.
A billboard on the way out provided a bit more history.
The crumbling remains from the era of Gold, an interesting place to visit when in Cue. I only hope the township of Cue doesn’t follow suit.
Cue to Mingenew
We left Cue at around 7.30 am, stopped for a cuppa in Mullawa, and arrived in Mingenew at about 12.30 pm. Fields of wildflowers stretching for miles into the distance show definite promise for tomorrow’s self drive tour of the special wild flower spots in the area.
We set up as quickly as we could, then took a walk into town to find the famous Mingenew Bakery. Meat Pies and sweet tarts for lunch – yikes talk about an unhealthy lunch. Tasted good though. The caravan park has fish and chips on for dinner too, so as my old mum would have said – “May as well get hung for a sheep as a lamb”! We’re nearing the end of this trip, and I’m just a bit over cooking.
We’ve planned out our route for tomorrow. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll have some spectacular flowers to show you, so be sure to watch this space….
Karalundi to Cue
A short travel day today of only 172 kms. The nights are getting cooler as we move further south, so it was nice to be able to lay in bed a bit longer. It was around 9am when we hitched up to leave.
We were held up behind a two of the massive sized mining loads. With our two way on we could talk to the escort vehicles, and listen to them as they controlled the traffic in both directions on the road – fascinating. Approaching vehicles were told long in advance to move off the road as two 5.5 metre wide loads were approaching. The escort to the rear of the loaded trucks, who we were directly behind, instructed us to come closer. We listened as he liaised with the lead vehicle in the convoy, who eventually told him there was a flood lane coming up so we would be good to go. He signalled for us to pass. Yikes! There wasn’t much room, and not a lot of length to the available road. I swore a bit, Paul kept calm. The guy in the support vehicle complimented Paul on his driving skills – yikes again! What if he wasn’t such a skilled driver, what if I’d been driving. Note to oneself, never offer to drive on the mining roads.
As we neared Cue there were more and more wildflowers lining the roads. In the next few days these are clearly going to be showing themselves in prolific abundance, so these were just a bit of an appetiser.
We arrived at the Cue caravan park at 11am. This has to be the best value caravan park around. Individual ablution cubicles, a good laundry, campers kitchen and TV room. Plus an outdoor fire pit with wood supplied, all for $20 a night (seniors rates).
Cue, once know as the Queen of the Murchison, now has to be one the saddest towns around. In the late 1800s Cue, a town built on gold, was booming, with a population of around 10,000. Such was the wealth of the area that some of the most grandiose buildings seen in rural Western Australia were built there. Many are still standing to be admired today. During its hey day the town boasted 11 hotels, but as the fortunes of the town began to fade in the early 1900s, so did the town. By the 1940s the population was less than 1000, and has continued to fall since. In the 2016 census only 194 people called Cue home.
Today there are rows of shops boarded up and falling into disrepair. If any town is deserving of being made into an historical, tourist town then Cue is. It makes me think of the book, A Town Like Alice. It’s a town I’d love for some wealthy entrepreneur to take a fancy too. Perhaps the old vacant hotel could be turned into luxury accommodation. A good restaurant with a good chef, and a couple of classy, countrified cafes. A country life emporium selling soaps, candles, dried flowers, and all manner of home wares, and an old fashioned, type of Draper shop but one that caters to today’s market. Put a museum in for some added interest, and add a few tours to some of the local places of interest. Ah, I’m dreaming again, I know. But it’s such a shame to see a town once so great that it was given the Royal title of, The Queen of the Murchison, and now it’s almost derelict. There’s potential here I’m sure….
Soon I’ll tell you about two of those possible destinations for tours – fascinating places.
Newman to Karalundi
After getting fuel we were on our way before 8.30. Our destination for the night, Karalundi. An uneventful 4 1/2 hours of travel, with relatively flat vistas, but clearly we’re approaching some serious wild flower country. A few different varieties are starting to bloom along the roadside, but as yet there hasn’t been any wow! factor displays. The best are yet to come….
We’ve by- passed Karalundi several times before. This time we thought we’d call in and check it out. Rick, true to the two signs behind the counter, gave us a warm welcome and checked us in. With WA being so busy this season it was like a breath of fresh air to be greeted warmly without the tired, jaded reception that’s becoming usual.
Later in the day I was talking to the Kez (Rick and Kez run the caravan park). Kez was most informative when asked about the history of Karalundi. I hope I remember this all correctly. The place first opened in 1954 as a Seventh Day Adventist Mission for aboriginal children., and was closed approximately 20 years later. With government funding it again opened in 1987, this time as a boarding school for aboriginal children. The school provides education for children from primary through to secondary school, with a religious based (Seventh Day Adventist )curriculum. If I remember correctly the number of children currently boarding at the school is 37.
I’m not sure when the caravan park was added. It’s small, with power and water for approximately 20 vans, and a large unpowered area for many more. I gather It is slowly being developed and extended. I hope it doesn’t get too big, it’s perfect as it is. The ablutions are clean with roomy cubicles, a shower curtain to stop your clean clothes getting wet, and lots of hooks. The camp kitchen is more than adequate, with two big barbecues each with a hood, and much more. Someone had lamb cutlets sizzling under the hood of one when I looked, yum! Everything in the kitchen was spotless including the barbecues, and I know how hard it is to keep a barbecue with a hood clean. Two on site chalets are available, a one bedroomed unit that will sleep three (queen bed, and pull out single sofa bed), and a two bedroom chalet that sleeps five (queen room, two single beds in next bedroom, and a sofa bed). Both chalets have an ensuite. I didn’t see inside the chalets, but I’m sure they’ll have that same clean, homeliness that’s apparent wherever you look. A sense of pride is evident throughout.
We spent the afternoon giving the caravan a good clean, I think I have managed to get most of the red dust out. With clean sheets, towels, and the floor clean and free of dust and grit, I slept soundly overnight. I don’t know about you, but if my house, or caravan starts to feel grungy, I feel grungy too. Paul rolled out the awning and gave that a good scrub too.
There’s a cafe on site, as well as a few basic supplies for campers. From all of the WIKI reviews the Angus beef burgers are up there with the best. We purchased two yummy vanilla slices for our afternoon tea, and ordered two beef burgers for dinner, which Rick and his two children, Riley and Ali, personally delivered to our caravan. They were absolutely delicious. We’d spied a communal pit earlier in the day so we wandered over for the evening to join the other travellers. It’s always nice to sit around a fire pit and swap a few yarns and travel tips with fellow travellers.
We’ve left the hot weather behind now, so I’ve stowed my summer clothes under the bed, and hung up some warmer clothing in the wardrobe. We’ll be home early next week, so the washing can wait till we get home, and I think this will be the final big clean for this trip while on the road. Much as we love getting away on big road trips, it’s always just as exciting to get home again. But we have a few wildflowers to see first…..
Life of Riley - on whatever 