Paul booked us into Rustico at Hay Shed Hill for lunch to celebrate our 39th anniversary. The on line booking system had a box that could be selected if a dog friendly table was required. We decided to give it a go….
It wasn’t overly warm so, expecting to be outside, we rugged up warm and set off for Rustico at 511 Harmans Mill Road, Wilyabrup, Margaret River. I took charge of Mr Tilly while Paul went inside to find out which of the outside tables was allocated to us.
Lovely views over the vines, but a bit chilly – never mind we were rugged up!
Paul returned with a look of total surprise – our table was inside in the warm. In we went, passing the doggie treat table, to a fully enclosed patio with ceiling heaters.
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.
Breakfast 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…..
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!
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.
The ruins of the hotel
Crumbling ruins of the church now left to the graffiti artists.
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.
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….
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.
How do they grow in such seemingly barren red earth
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.
Some of the old, beautiful buildings still in use
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….
I do hope that one day Western Australia sees fit to re-purpose this beautiful old town
Soon I’ll tell you about two of those possible destinations for tours – fascinating places.
Life of Riley - on whatever 