Blog 3 – Sunday 5th July Fraser Range plus  Saturday 4th July Kalgoorlie and Thursday 2nd July.

(Friday  - Kalgoorlie – Menzies  - Kalgoorlie to come)

Sunday - Kalgoorlie to Fraser Range Station

Here I sit on Sunday evening in a cosy van parked at “Fraser Range” which is a station between Norseman and Balladonia. I have next to no signal though, which usually I would think is a good thing but just as we pulled into the station, an enquiry came through for a booking at our Walpole Cottage. To answer it, I tried to ‘hot spot” connecting with Moose’s phone which is connected to a higher gain aerial but that didn’t work. Next we tried the big guns, Moose’s “G Spotter” (honest that’s the name on the box) which is a very high gain directional aerial. This involved Moose attaching the box to a long pole, opening the roof hatch and sticking it through. Besides a lot of giggling nothing else was achieved – it wasn’t high gain enough. Eventually the wind blew the right direction and I managed to get an answer out into the universe.. No idea if I’ll get one back. We plan to stay here a few days then head out across the Nullarbor.

Bonnie has a boyfriend, a brown kelpie who seems quite taken with her – think he needs a certain operation. He’s a little crazy which matches her crazy mode but happy once told to behave lie down and watch Moose set up the van.

This morning was a bit of a slow start. After brekky we packed up the van in Kalgoorlie. As any caravan traveller will tell you, this is when other travellers come out and ask you where you are heading, where have you been and all sorts of travelling questions. This morning was no different. Next to us a family piled out of a motorhome, well actually 2 families. I’m not quite sure where they all fitted. Turns out they are farmers and Bonnie had attracted their attention. She had been sitting inside the open door of the caravan, watching all that was going on. They wanted to know if she was tied up. We assured them she wasn’t, they oohed and aahed what a fantastic dog she was. I had to confess that she was on her best behaviour after just moments earlier taking off to the van next door and getting told off for it. She earnt back her “superdog” status when she calming climbed into the car and sat there waiting for us to finish.

We decided to top up the fuel before heading off. While Moose dealt with that I grabbed some milk for the fridge, a choc chill and smoked nuts for Moose. Carrying my stash, I headed over to towards the coffee machine only to be confronted by a sign with large Red print warning the machine was ‘OUT OF ORDER”. I wanted to throw myself onto the floor and throw a complete toddler tantrum but I pulled myself together and informed Moose there would be need of another stop. He took this on board, then promptly drove in the opposite direction from Kalgoorlie central, to the bypass. As I threatened to throw his flavoured milk out the window he assured me there would be shops in this direction. Lucky for him, not only did the Boulder BP truck stop appear shortly after this conversation but they made REAL coffee. I had a grin splitting my face and Moose lives to see another day. On a completely different note: the radio presenter is discussing a “Silverback” Gorilla in a Japanese Zoo which is causing an influx of female visitors. Apparently he has impressive abs and pecs that he has taken to showing off by posing in stances similar to a model.

We have been zipping along a fairly empty road which has thick scrub on either side. A mix of salt bush and medium height trees (about 6-8 metres high). They are the trees that have dark brown bark which sheds to reveal beautiful smooth orange trunks. There were a couple of “wide load” trucks and the odd caravan but mostly it was just us.

We drove through Kambalda which basically comprised of a road house as far as I could see, though a little further down the road the sign for Silver Lake Nullarbor Golf course popped up. Widge was next town, which was slightly more exciting than Kambalda, it had a cemetery, a small caravan park – very small; as well as a Roadhouse. A letter to the shire of Dundas may be required as this road needs some work. Approaching Norseman, light sprinkles of rain hit the windscreen. Signs leading into town advertise each and every shop in town, one of which is the IGA with a café attached. These last two indicate they are open 7 days a week. The main street is absolute empty of anyone shopping. The IGA and café closed at lunch time, guess there wasn’t room on the sign to add that! We give Bonnie a run around a park and head back to the BP roadhouse that welcomes you into town. This place is an impressive place to stop. Good food, good coffee and comfy seats plus free wi fi. We even managed a shopping spree, a special something towards crap Christmas Garments – be afraid Tomas & Yak, be very afraid.

In our younger days as a family we made this trip across to Adelaide every second year for Christmas. This stop would often form a memory of something stupid happening. You know the kind of thing that at the time isn’t that funny but years later it makes you laugh. Yak at one point found a mangy knitted teddy under the bed in the budget hotel next door. Another story was when Jessie had to throw a donut at me. I’d gone too long without food causing me to shake meaning I needed to eat immediately rather than wait for dinner to be plated up. Becoming extremely snappy, Jess picked up the donut and threw it at me saying “eat this!” This was followed 5 mins later by Jessie bursting into tears because they put gravy on her chips – she was pregnant at the time!

The weather has changed to icy causing Moose to change into jeans and a warm jumper for the first time this trip. Now fed and milk supply replenished we head towards the Nullarbor. I lift my eyes from the magazine I’m reading and low and behold there appears to be water hiding behind the trees. I ask the all-knowing Moose what that could be. He answers “Tasmania”. Should have known better than to ask him.

We arrived here at Fraser Range station about 3.30 pm. Set up the van, played with aerials for phone signal and had dinner. Moose has taken himself to bed while I’m sitting watching tv and trying to tidy this blog up. There is a community fire pit along with a 3 course dinner for $30 each with an open invitation. I think we might take them up on it tomorrow night.

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The past few days have been flown by so I’ll give you a quick catch up starting with

Thursday 2^nd July 2015 Karalee Rock

Moose was up early for a walk with the Bonnibus. I slept in, to about 8 then lay listening to the bird calls breaking the silence. Moose returned with a very happy dog and excitedly told me of their climb up a hill and Bonnies epic 5 foot jump across a canon   - because she didn’t want to walk on a grated walk way. Lovely possible Bonnie emergency averted. I managed to nearly knock myself out on the overhead cupboards that sit directly above our bed. This meant I needed to have my breakfast made for me, to allow time for me to recover! 


On recovery Moose escorted me on a walk to show me the water catchment wall and engineering used to build the dam that we were parked next to. The history oozed out of this masterpiece, Steel plaques told the story of how it was built and left me wondering about the life of the families who moved up this way for the work. It was constructed in the late 1800s and used right up to 1971. Granite retaining walls were cut by hand – really is worth a look at. Plus the free campsite is well looked after. In winter you can have a campfire. Beautiful and serene. If you fancy more info click on the link below.



 http://www.yilgarn.wa.gov.au/about/karalee-dam/

Bonnie Wild dog

It’s been quite the day for Bonnie, who has managed to fulfil all sensory areas to claim “Wild dog” Status. Listed below are the requirements:
Exercise - there was much running, swimming, climbing of hills and dam walls, plus leaps of impressive widths.
Socialisation – She befriended a kelpie which had the same energy as she does.
Sniffing - so many smells wild life, dogs, plants and if lucky food scraps
Problem solving – as she did not like the grided iron bridge she worked out alternative ways to reach the other side of a 5 foot (1.524 metres). This included leaping the distance or walking along the wooden edges of the bridge.
Freedom / Any time we looked out, all that could be seen of Bonnie was the white tip of her tail.

Returning from the walk, we packed up and hit the road. As we drove along I noticed the surrounding bush was low lying. It seemed to be mainly salt bush with straggly, blackened sticks poking. Timber electricity poles ran along the right hand side of the road while the golden pipeline was on the left.

Moose was in his element declaring how well our van was being towed as compared to the one in front of us. Oh he was in heaven, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Bonnie is in her usual traveling mode – unconscious.

As we drive along our musical entertainment is provided by Moose’s iPod and it always amuses me how crazy the random mode chooses it’s selections. For example we can be listening to ABBA – “knowing me , knowing you” then BAM it’s Led Zeppelin.  Just about cracks the windows.

Road signs warned we were coming into Coolgardie. This did not stop me being impressed by Coolgardie’s main street. The road could fit a four lane highway easily or a block of flats or two across its width. The street was deserted which is a shame as the old shops and buildings really looked inviting. We had planned on visiting a coffee shop but found a “closed” sign hanging limply at an angle, on the door. Off to the roadhouse for us. My bottom lip was trembled but I stayed strong. Thankfully the roadhouse’s service and coffee had improved since my last visit.

 

Once coffee and lunch was over we drove on to Boulder where we encountered our 1st set of traffic lights since leaving Perth. Of course they were red. There were new housing estates everywhere. The town has two caravan parks. It seemed crazy to see suburbia in the bush. We picked up some fuel and drove on to the big smoke – Kalgoorlie. The shopping centre has a huge Woolworths which provided our dinner ingredients for the next few days. Bonnie played guard dog in the van or rather caught up on nap time. It seems strange to see so many men shopping.  Once we reached the check out, to my delight, there were real people on the tils rather than those automatic job stealing computers.  There were queues – everyone does a BIG shop in Kalgoorlie. It’s a huge, busy mining town. Old buildings join with the not so old stretching the Main Street to a long colourful one.

Next stop Menzies. As we left Kalgoorlie I couldn’t help thinking I’d like to visit it properly sometime. It seems to be hiding some tempting stories and I liked it. The scenery changed again with the bush being broken up with mountains made from the red tailings (soil which isn’t profitable) from the mine. These officially are called dry stacks. The soil on the road side has turned dark red. The Scrub was of medium height with the odd gum tree raising above it. Clouds had subsided giving the sun free range to blind me. Moose being taller doesn’t seem to have the same problem.

While Moose drives along, I am balancing a book and 2 giant balls of wool on my knees, you see, I am teaching myself to crochet. Last week I bought the most leery colours of the cheapest nastiest acrylic all the better to make crap Xmas presents out of my samples. I have mastered the original granny square and now on to others. Today it is "large Mesh" which later I will surface crochet over. For those who do not know what “Crap Christmas” is let me explain. Each Christmas the adults in our family choose a theme for the following year. The main part of the theme is the present has to be crap-useless, ugly, laugh inducing and cost as little as possible. This year is “something to wear”. Oh the mind boggles.

Phone coverage petered out once we left Kalgoorlie but returned when we were about 11 km from Menzies, a whole bar which is just enough for me to check my face book and receive texts. One of which, is Jess telling me I need to come back for a coffee de brief with her.

Menzies welcomes us with sculptures which hint at the history of the town. Again wide roads, sparsely populated with buildings. We found the caravan park I can’t say it’s pretty but it is clean and the people friendly. We set up the van although Moose drove himself mad trying to find out why his inverter is did not work.  He crawled under the van following the path of wires to see if he could find the problem. Being on a powered site meant it wasn’t an immediate problem but it being Friday tomorrow and then the weekend it might prove difficult to find an auto electrician any time soon. I on the other hand, fought with uploading photos onto my blog. Moose declared he doesn’t like me doing my blog – I yell at my computer too much! Ha the air was blue when he was hunting down wires. Hopefully the uploading gets easier as time goes on. While waiting for the magic of technology I casually glanced out the vans window to see the most beautiful sunset with every tone of orange imaginable – sorry the camera couldn’t really do it justice.

A quiet night and a good sleep proved good preparation for the next day which I have left for the next blog – otherwise you may have needed a second coffee to read this all the way through.

Wire hunter Moose and bumbling blogger Moz signing out x