2013 #5 Port Lincoln to Kalgoorlie

We left Port Lincoln on Tuesday morning heading toward Kalgoorlie in WA.  This is a very long drive with nearly 1600 km being mostly on the Nullabor Desert.  It all looks pretty much alike, even right here to Kalgoorlie where we arrived on Friday.  I seem to have lost most of the week as it was a case of putting the foot down and just going as fast as we could.

Our first stop was Ceduna, a lovely spot on the Great Australian Bight. Along the way we called in to Streaky Bay.  We stopped at Eucla, which was just inside the WA border and handed over most of our fresh food.  It was 400 to Ceduna, 500 to Eucla and 600 to Fraser Range Station.   Norseman is where you hit your first taste of civilization.  They had the most beautiful freshly cooked food.  Along the way we collected frig magnets, diesel fuel, and some photographs.

We enjoyed the eagles which are breeding well due to all the heavy rains they have had. Everything was as green as can be, that is until we reached Kalgoorlie, then it kind of got rather dry again! Crossing the Nullarbor, the Eagles were sitting on their nests about a metre above the ground (no trees much of the time so they nest on the ground) and they are catching the rabbits which are also breeding up while conditions are so good.  Many of the eagles are having a feast on the road kill, usually kangaroos, sometimes a dingo or a wombat. Just when we wanted to stop and get a photo, a huge prime mover with two or three trailers would come by and the eagles would fly away.  We also saw the Port Lincoln ring necked green parrot, about 20 of these.

At the Head of the Bight we had a perfect day and saw about 35 large whales, most with infants. They were twice the size of the whales we see at home and they all just hung about on the surface of the water, having a good rest and occasionally blowing through their blow hole.  They were dark in colour, looking a bit  like a submarine.

We did enjoy our night at Fraser Range (sheep) Station.  Everyone was really enjoying being in such a beautiful place, there are 62 bird species there and it was just a special place for us caravan tourists.  We woke to thick fog which stayed with us most of the morning. The sheep station runs for 200 km in length. Last night a helicopter with a huge orange ring hanging down below came and hovered over one of the nearby hills.  Yes, it was from a Geotech company surveying the property for minerals.  Apparently they have found nickel and other things but the farmer has no share in this, the mining rights are already with the Geotech company the farm staff told me!!  It was a cosy and friendly place indeed.

We arrived Kalgoorlie, Friday.  Time to shop at last, skimping for three days since handing in our fresh food.  The church was large, friendly and very multicultural. We found beautiful green parrots in a tree near our van, so Graeme enjoyed taking their photos.  Mum, dad and juvenile. They had a comfy home in a nearby Gum tree and it had two entrances.

Sunday we photographed old buildings, many from 1800’s, even early 1800’s. We also photographed the Super Pit – an amazing sight to see. This is one of the World’s largest open cut gold mines being 3.5 km long and 1.5 ks wide and 360 metres deep.  Apparently the blasting is really something to see.  You can drive right to the top of it and watch all the action.