Better than JohnM's WA mid-west circuit

[Daver6]

Having had two interstate holidays canned in the last few months due to Covid, we were in need of a holiday. Every man and his dog in WA is either in the South West or Broome. So Mt Augustus is something I'd been wanting to check out for a while now. Unfortunately it's more than a day's drive from Perth, so not just a weekend trip. So a week off work and this should be the perfect opportunity and it coincides with the wild flowers too.

A bit of info on Mt Augustus here Mount Augustus National Park - Wikipedia or for those who prefer the visual aids...

Now I know @JohnM has done some outback exploring in his time (I think about the same time and Burke and Wills based on his age), I consulted with him for some ideas on things to do and places to see. This map gives you an idea of our planned route, going in an anit-clockwise direction



As it turns out, @JohnM is going in the reverse direction and there is a good chance our paths might cross for a night or two around Cue. Time will well. You can follow his journey here A circuit around the WA mid-west but why would you...this one will be much better

 

[VPS]

Have fun - take lots of photos for me.

 

[Major]

I could be wrong but I don't think there are any vineyards in that area.

 

[Daver6]

I could be wrong but I don't think there are any vineyards in that area.

That's why @JohnM is going ahead first to check.

More seriously, wine supplies will be carried in the car. That's what the car fridge is for. Additionally, we'll be spending two nights in the homestead at Homestead Stay – Wooleen Station where one of the listed features is "A cellar of West Australian wines". All is not lost. If I do get too thirsty, I'm sure there will be plenty of Bush Chook available.

 

[HokitikaGold]

Classy - suited to JohnM

 

[Deleted member]

I’m guessing it’s not an ideal caravan trek experience!

 

[craven morehead]

Is it very far .... Cue?

 

[QF WP]

Signed up for the ride..

 

[RooFlyer]

Damn .. if you headed east at Geraldton, you would have gone through my former home - Mt Magnet! (Sorry to intrude with pics, but I'd love to get back to the outback of WA)



... and its epic cricket matches (to be clear .. I'm holding the camera at Second Backstop! )



Edit: I see you will be going through Mt Magnet on your way south. I might put in some requests for some pics; I wonder if my old place (1983-85) is still there?

 

[MyAustralia]

Having had two interstate holidays canned in the last few months due to Covid, we were in need of a holiday. Every man and his dog in WA is either in the South West or Broome. So Mt Augustus is something I'd been wanting to check out for a while now. Unfortunately it's more than a day's drive from Perth, so not just a weekend trip. So a week off work and this should be the perfect opportunity and it coincides with the wild flowers too.

A bit of info on Mt Augustus here Mount Augustus National Park - Wikipedia or for those who prefer the visual aids...

Now I know @JohnM has done some outback exploring in his time (I think about the same time and Burke and Wills based on his age), I consulted with him for some ideas on things to do and places to see. This map gives you an idea of our planned route, going in an anit-clockwise direction

View attachment 226229

As it turns out, @JohnM is going in the reverse direction and there is a good chance our paths might cross for a night or two around Cue. Time will well. You can follow his journey here A circuit around the WA mid-west but why would you...this one will be much better

Sorry, you and many others.
Try being in Victoria.
Heaps of vouchers. Used some but prob wont operate due covid.
At least its for our own good. Its the people who break all rules , that has caused much of the problems. Just irresponsible and selfish.

 

[HokitikaGold]

Sorry, you and many others.
Try being in Victoria.
Heaps of vouchers. Used some but prob wont operate due covid.
At least its for our own good. Its the people who break all rules , that has caused much of the problems. Just irresponsible and selfish.

Hi there MyAustralia, I understand your pain with the current Victorian situation. I really do. But I feel this is not the place to express that. I, like you, have had all possibilities of travel curtailed, so for now, I am loving this whole "trip report" thing on AFF - I can "go along for the ride" which is so much better than nothing

 

[Daver6]

Damn .. if you headed east at Geraldton, you would have gone through my former home - Mt Magnet! (Sorry to intrude with pics, but I'd love to get back to the outback of WA)

View attachment 226261

... and its epic cricket matches (to be clear .. I'm holding the camera at Second Backstop! )

View attachment 226263

Edit: I see you will be going through Mt Magnet on your way south. I might put in some requests for some pics; I wonder if my old place (1983-85) is still there?

Absolutely! If you don't want to post publicly here, send me a PM and I'll see what I can rustle up.

 

[HokitikaGold]

Absolutely! If you don't want to post publicly here, send me a PM and I'll see what I can rustle up.

No! I want to see pics of everywhere.

 

[HokitikaGold]

Is it very far .... Cue?

I can just see it, now that these two have gone quiet. They will organize a small plane to do a huge "Q" in the sky, and take photos, from very afar. That will truly be a huge, far, "Q" to us all

Bloody west aussie neanderthals.....

*mutter mutter* may their petrol turn to water, and their water turn to cheap merlot....

 

[cove]

I am onboard to follow up on your trek. Have not been out in the goldfields since the early eighties.

 

[HokitikaGold]

I am onboard to follow up on your trek. Have not been out in the goldfields since the early eighties.

A "wise man"

 

[Daver6]

Been back a week and I should get on with this TR. Was quite shocked earlier in the week to read this story https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09...unt-augustus-tourist-site-police-say/12670098 about the deaths of three people on the very hike we did. While very shocked, I'm not overly surprised. I'll cover the hike and why in a bit more detail when I get to this point of the trip.

We were away for a total of nine nights, but it seemed like a three week break. Had a blast.

 

[Daver6]

First stop was a night in Northam, only a short one hour drive out of Perth. We knocked off work after lunch on a Friday and made the short drive there.

The car for the trip was MrsDaver6's BMW X1. One small issue. Those clever German's thought that in Australia, no spare wheel and run flat tyres would suffice. If you're doing well, you can get a few hundred kms out of a run flat at 80km/h on sealed roads. They assume that some little outback down will of course stock replacement tyres for 19" wheels. So we had to source a spare wheel and a second hand tyre in case we had any issues like @JohnM. Of course, there is no convenient place to store the spare, so here we go



Just outside of Northam there are some painted silos at the CBH terminal. Unfortunately there really is no where convenient to stop and admire them. We we very quickly told to move on. Seems a bit short sited the lack of viewing area, but managed a few snaps.




Then to check in at your hotel, which was the rather recently opened, and very delightful Farmers' Home Hotel Luxury accomodation Northam in the centre of town, situation 30 metres from the Avon river. We dropped our backs and went for a stroll around along the river. This is where the famed Avon descent commences.



Upon returning to the hotel, it was time to blow the froth of a coldy. We went to the wine/coughtail bar at the hotel, but they suggested we should checkout our room again first. A rather pleasant surprise awaited. A belated birthday gift. What a lovely touch.



We decided to hang on to the bubbles and had a beer downstairs while watching the sunset.



Then back to the bar with the bottle and enjoyed some tapas for dinner.


We didn't go too hard as we had a long drive the next morning to Cue.

 

[drron]

Yes the Europeans certainly don't think we drive their cars out of the big cities.Was the same for our Merc.I did worry with our drive to Western QLD as their are no dealers anywhere west of coastal cities.If we needed a new tyre it would have been hanging around until one arrived from Brisbane.

 

[kookaburra75]

... and its epic cricket matches (to be clear .. I'm holding the camera at Second Backstop! )

View attachment 226263

Typical scene when a Geologist organises a cricket match. If it had been a Surveyor, each position on the field would be marked by a can of beer. I too was in and around Cue in the mid 80's, although after having met @RooFlyer in real life, we obviously hadn't crossed paths back then.