Southern Safari – Day One

Preparations for this trip around southern Western Australia has been going on for several weeks.  The plan was to visit a couple of outback locations and also do some fishing.  I don’t like paying when free is an option and had been carefully studying the maps to find suitable overnight locations.

We have just replaced the garage roller door and managed to increase the vertical clearance by an additional 40mm which provides sufficient clearance for the camper trailer without having to deflate the tyres.  Jan checked the clearance as I very slowly towed the trailer through the garage and onto the driveway.  Apparently it was a very tight squeeze.

Last of the packing done and I headed south to Costco where I would fill the Isuzu and five 20 litre jerry cans with the cheapest diesel in Perth.  After that I headed east on the Great Eastern Highway. 

The destination for the day was Lake Baladjie, some 360km from home.

 

Left arrow – Perth.  Centre arrow – Merridin.   Right arrow – Lake Baladjie

The plan was to stop for a late lunch at the town of Merridin.  Last time I passed this way was with Ken after completing the Holland Track and I had noticed the Merridin Railway Station.  This time I intended to stop and have a look.

Aiming for maximum fuel economy I attempted to maintain an average speed of 90km/h avoiding 6th gear as it places too much demand on the engine when towing.

  Lunch stop

Old Merridin Railway Station is interesting but it’s no longer used.  The new station is adjacent, smaller and bland.

Signal box

I never got to see the front of the station as it’s now a railway museum and museums are not free in Australia.

You might wonder why I took this next photo.

It was the writing on the old water tank.  Kalgoorlie is the largest West Australian city east of Perth.  A gold mining town with plenty of thirsty miners

I do like traditional Australian hotels

Even the post office was interesting

Merridin has a SubWay!

Time to get back on the road and continue east.  Occasionally a pipeline appears beside the road.

 In 1892 gold was discovered west of Kalgoorlie which led to a gold rush with people travelling to the region from the eastern states and overseas.  This rapid increase in population created a serious shortage of available water and so a pipeline was built to deliver water from Perth.  The original pipe was smaller and water was pumped using steam powered engines fired by locally sourced timber.  This had the effect of deforesting the route.

I left the Great Eastern Highway 20km east of Merridin and headed NE. I’d planned the trip to ensure it started at the end of the school holidays hoping to have Lake Baladjie to myself.  It didn’t quite work as a number of ‘grey nomads’ had the same idea!

Campsite

Luxury.  The local shire had install a flush toilet at the end of the track.

The location is known for two main reasons.   The large salt lake, which covers approximately 8,400 hectages and Baladjie Rock. This large granite outcrop has been sculpted by the elements over time, pockmarked with caves, overhangs and fractures and is peppered with ponds.

Being a lazy cook I decided to heat my evening can of spaghetti and sausages by standing the can in a billy half filled with water.  The fire would heat the water and the water would heat the contents of the can.  I could then use the hot water to wash up. 

The biggest problem here were the bush flies.  Millions of them!  Fortunately I’d remembered to bring my head net.  If you don’t want to share your food with the flies then you need to cook after dark and before dawn whilst the flies are still in bed.

Tomorrow should be interesting as I’m heading well off the beaten track.