Awoke to a grey overcast sky which was a surprise as it was not cold overnight at all and no dew on the cars/caravans this morning however by 10am the clouds had largely gone.
First job was a little shopping to buy necessities such as soap and the all important Telstra SIM card.
Then it was time to visit the town’s reason to exist, the Super Pit.
It was a massive hole the machinery looked so tiny yet it too was on a gigantic scale.
I wanted to look at some of the nearby mining towns that had gone though boom and bust, they proved to be a bit of a disappointment. The area is littered with working mines but these old places have completely disappeared. At Broad Arrow all that remains is a cast iron water tank.
So it was back to Kalgoorlie to take in the sights.
From the town reservoir lookout there were signs of mining in all directons.
The town is actually two towns Boulder has its own CBD.
There is something for everybody.
Category: Western Australia
30th April–Caiguna to Kalgoorlie
Distance: 562 km
Fuel: 56 Ltr
Long way to go today so started pretty early.
First up was 146 km of the longest straight bit of road in Australia. It certainly was straight but it was not flat no steep hills but undulating.
Astute observers will notice that the wombat has been replaced by a large chicken.
Virtually at the end of the long straight road I stopped at Balladonia Roadhouse for ice and a coffee to fortify me for the task of turning the steering wheel. The coffee wasn’t bad at all, just don’t drink the water.
The drive to Kalgoorlie was uneventful and relatively uninteresting there were no particular sights or points of interest. the trees got more dense as I got further from the Nullarbor so it wasn’t unpleasant countryside. I listened to the new Harper Lee audio book which passed the time nicely.
Am wondering about the Esky – Ice costs at least $4 a day (a day and a half max) a lot more in remote places but all it carries is milk, sliced cheese and marg. I think it would be cheaper to buy fresh and throw it away than keep buying ice. On the downside – no cold beer. I notice most people seem to have a portable fringe in the back of the ute.
29th April–Nullarbor to Caiguna Roadhouse
Distance: 555 km
Fuel: 52 ltr
As usual after a shower packed up and took off west. After about 60km turned off for the first lookout over the Great Australian Bight. Spectacular scenery, towering cliffs.
More kilometres, more cliffs.
Crossed the WA border and went through the usual Quarantine check and time change. The latter was just before lunch time so lunch kept getting further away, I was getting hungry.
Topped up with petrol at a roadhouse for $1.61/ltr, good job I did because at the Cocklebiddy Roadhouse where I had originally intended to stop it was $1.74. Not impressed with that and the fact that with the clocks going back meant it was only 1pm decided to push on another 70km to Caiguna. A good move fuel was 2c cheaper.
Booked in and checked the map – previously I had intended to stay at Norseman for the night before moving on to Kalgoorlie but with the extra 70kms under my belt decided that tomorrow will go straight to Kalgoorlie.
Still no phone reception so used a Telstra pay phone to ring the caravan park to book for two nights (it was a 1800 number)
Still plenty of daylight left so drove to the Caiguna Blowhole about 5km down the road. Not an exciting sight but interesting.
There was a definite wind coming out of the ground.
Had a meal at the roadhouse but on the way back to my caravan in the dark had a fall. Silly really normally carry my phone and use it as a torch but because it is useless at the moment left it in the car, Dumbo!
OZ Camper Travels 