WAy outback art, Wave Rock and a canter along the Tin Horse Highway

[JohnM]

A week or so ago it was once again time to hit the road in WA – the PERfect bastion of Covid-19 freedom.

No pox-ridden Easterners allowed.

This trip, over five days, followed this route:



Target destinations were Antony Gormley’s ‘Inside Australia’ sculptures at Lake Ballard in the Goldfields (Antony Gormley’s “Inside Australia” - Lake Ballard), Kalgoorlie, Wave Rock at Hyden (Wave Rock - Wikipedia) and the Tin Horse Highway at Kulin (Tin Horse Highway).

My elder son’s sandalwood harvesting operation is currently located about 90 km SW of Lake Ballard, so the first day’s travel was PER to his camp for a very chilly night under clear outback skies. Day two was showing PJM the sandalwood harvesting (already covered here: Briefly escaping the intra-state WA travel restrictions), then to Lake Ballard, on to Kalgoorlie for two nights, then to Kulin for one night via Wave Rock.

Cosy campfire Friday night and stoked up the next morning.



Later in the morning, views of Lake Ballard from the Snake Hill lookout.



The art installation has 51 sculptures spread over about 10 sq km. The signage says it’s a 5-7 hour mission to see all of them – by foot as no vehicles are permitted on the lake. There had been some rain (maybe around 5 mm) a few days before and the lakebed was sticky mud where most people walk a circuit of about 15 sculptures near the parking area. So there are many more way, way out on the lake!

The bulk of the lake has a less-disturbed salt crust that is drier and not sticky on the boots.

 

[JohnM]

 

[VPS]

I hope you're not including us South Aussies in those pesky Eastern States

 

[JohnM]

I hope you're not including us South Aussies in those pesky Eastern States

I couldn't possibly , but St. Marko certainly is...

 

[oz_mark]

I didn't know about the Tin Horse Highway !

Must get out to Lake Ballard one day too ...

 

[JohnM]

Then a 2 h run into Kal.



Next morning, we visited the Museum of the Goldfields. It’s part of the WA Museum, so fully professional. Well worth a visit.

The entry walkway, with a mock-up of a turn-of-last century sandalwood harvester’s camp. No Landcruisers sent to die then.





The vault holds, IIRC, $4M worth of gold.




The main hall.

 

[JohnM]

Massive amounts of timber were cut from the Eucalypt woodland around Kalgoorlie/Coolgardie for mine props and fuel, especially for distillation of water at the 'condensers', in the early days. As the SuperPit grew and swallowed many smaller diggings and shaft networks, huge amounts of timber were removed.

They would have been stuffed if it was a true arid desert out there.



Claude de Bernales was a major figure in the development of deep mining at Kalgoorlie in the early part of the 20th century when the surficial deposits ran out. Anyone familiar with Cottesloe in Perth will know the Cottesloe Civic Centre (Cottesloe Civic Centre - Wikipedia) which de Bernales bought in 1911. This is a reproduction of his elegant offices.



And in the grounds of the museum, some historical buildings and reconstructions.



The famed Metters stove (Metters Limited - Wikipedia). My gran could cook anything to perfection in one of those. And the outhouse. Torn-off newspaper or Womens’ Weekly squares anyone?



Paddy Hannan’s nugget discovery kicked it off for Kal.




Some views along Hannan St. Wide enough to U-turn your camel train before the advent of power steering.



Then to the SuperPit.

 

[tgh]

I have been down a few holes but that one trumps 'em all…...

 

[JohnM]

I have been down a few holes but that one trumps 'em all…...

It's big, that's for sure. That's a haulpak, not a ute, on the ramp to the right for a sense of scale.

 

[oz_mark]

I have been down a few holes but that one trumps 'em all…...

It's big, that's for sure. That's a haulpak, not a ute, on the ramp to the right for a sense of scale.

As someone that used to live in Fimiston, can I say it wrecked the neighbourhood !

 

[RooFlyer]

PJM in the travel business?

Museum of the Goldfields. It’s part of the WA Museum, so fully professional. Well worth a visit.

Love to ... all done since I was last there (hmmm ... would you believe 1985 ). Does the Museum celebrate the starting stalls?

As someone that used to live in Fimiston, can I say it wrecked the neighbourhood !

Ever go to the Boulder Block? I got there a few times, but only have hazy memories of it

 

[oz_mark]

Ever go to the Boulder Block? I got there a few times, but only have hazy memories of it

I've had one or two drinks there. Lived just a hop, step and jump from the Fimiston Post Office, so it wasn't a long journey there! Just had to get across the road!

 

[JohnM]

PJM in the travel business?



Love to ... all done since I was last there (hmmm ... would you believe 1985 ). Does the Museum celebrate the starting stalls?


Ever go to the Boulder Block? I got there a few times, but only have hazy memories of it

No, no (but there is one that opens as a tourist attraction: QUESTA CASA - Australia's Oldest Brothel) and no (Gold at the Boulder Block Hotel — Gold Industry Group).

 

[JohnM]

After a spot of lunch, a drive to Coolgardie, c. 40 clicks S (Coolgardie, Western Australia - Wikipedia). An amazing history, much of which is unfortunately lost in the shadow of Kalgoorlie (Kalgoorlie - Wikipedia).



The old station. The rail line now passes several Km N of the town and is a requested stop. I can remember changing trains here to go to Norseman, to the S, as a kid to stay with my gran during summer school holidays.



We then headed back to Kal and about 10 km N of town to the famed two-up. It now only operates on Sunday afternoon. Frankly, a disappointment.

Forget the image of hundreds of burly miners rowdily calling “Come in spinner!” It was a mere shadow of that and I won’t say any more about the clientele. The minimum bet appeared to be $50; I swiftly put my $5 back in my pocket.



On the way back into Kal, we went up to Mt Charlotte, the site of the reservoir into which pours the water from the famed Goldfields water pipeline for distribution into Kal (Goldfields Water Supply Scheme - Wikipedia). It’s an internationally recognised feat of engineering.



Sunset over Kal. from the 4th floor of the Ibis to round out a pleasant and interesting day.

 

[Black Duck]

That's a nice route for a trip. I like Lake Ballard and the sculptures. I was there a couple of years ago and that mud certainly wasn't dry. Ended up serveral inches taller for a while.

Wave Rock is usually mobbed. I prefer McDermott Rock a bit further out but on the way from Coolgardie to Hyden. The Tin Horse is nice too. Looking forward to your photos.

 

[JohnM]

That's a nice route for a trip. I like Lake Ballard and the sculptures. I was there a couple of years ago and that mud certainly wasn't dry. Ended up serveral inches taller for a while.

Wave Rock is usually mobbed. I prefer McDermott Rock a bit further out but on the way from Coolgardie to Hyden. The Tin Horse is nice too. Looking forward to your photos.

Aaahh, yes, McDermid Rock (MCDermid Rock Camp Ground).

Been there briefly on the way from Hyden to Norseman back in '16.

 

[VPS]

It's interesting Michael Portillo and Griff Rhys Jones who have done railway series of Australia in the last couple of years both visited the two up and obviously made it sound and look a lot more glamorous than it is.

 

[RooFlyer]

It’s an internationally recognised feat of engineering.

The story about how the water initially failed to appear at the other end, and the consequence? Or is that apocryphal?

 

[Daver6]

Did you dine at the Balcony restaurant at The Palace Hotel? MrsDaver6 and I thought it was excellent!

 

[Black Duck]

Aaahh, yes, McDermid Rock (MCDermid Rock Camp Ground).

Been there briefly on the way from Hyden to Norseman back in '16.

Yes sorry - realized I had spelt it wrongly and should have edited. There are a lot of nice rocks all around there. My father used to do work out that way back in the 70's and was always saying about much nicer ones than Wave Rock. That was before it had the fences and people. Took me a long time to get out to look. Victoria Rock is nice too on the way between Coolgardie and Hyden.