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Published: August 3rd 2013
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Exmouth and the Amethyst
Its scrubby flat ground covered in Termite mounds that greet us coming into Exmouth. Next day we do the market and have a look at the town, then go out to the Naval Installation to see the Harold Holt Naval Base. The ULF towers were built during the 60s in a joint venture between the Americans and Australia to listen for submarines. There are 13 towers in all and the highest one is a fraction higher than the Empire State Building.
We go up to the Vlaming Head Lighthouse where you can see for miles, and go and look at what remains of the SS Mildura that was carrying a cargo of bullocks that was shipwrecked off the point of North West Cape in 1907. We are on the furthest piece of land west, in all Australia.
Next day we travel down to the Cape Range National Park where we see the departure point of all the dive boats taking people out to the outer reef to dive either with the whale sharks, snorkel the reef, or view the coral. Or just plain "go fishin". Had I not been such a poor sailor, I
would be on the whale shark boat, and I’m glad I’m not, as its very grey sky and choppy out there.They send out a plane to find the whale shark.and you are dropped down right in front of the whale sharks mouth, it would be a great experience!
We continue on to Turquoise Bay where it’s absolutely beautiful, the sky has cleared and there are heaps of people on the reef snorkeling. This place lives up to its name as the sands are white and the water is truly turquoise. I go in on the Drift side, but have to curtail my swim a bit as I have no fins to keep me out there with the fish but it’s wonderful what I do see. There are turtles and lots of varieties of fish there.
We travel up to Manutara Roadhouse next day with a landscape as barren as you can get, and where the price of petrol is $1.95.9, a litre, we are captives of the oil sheiks behind the counter. There is no fuel for the next 168ks at Karratha, but we turn off to Mt Tom Price. We have come through so many different types
of scenery, from sand dunes and low scrub, it’s wonderful to come along this stretch and see the mountains. The road stretches away between rocky escarpments, and the ghost gums stand out against the rusty red of the rock. The recent rains are still visible on the sides of the road which have turned the land into a rare green for this time of year. Heavy slabs of rocks are sitting on top of the land as if piled up there by human hand.
We catch up with our fossickers who are waiting for us at House Creek, they are surprised to see us so early, we have done the 330 ks in reasonable time. On the way to the station the scenery is again spectacular, and we are soon turning in to the station gate. The homestead is a lovely old building, built in the 1880s out of stone with a very nice arched door greeting any visitors. The wide verandah must have sheltered many people over the years in this climate. The original cottage stands next door. Trucks of every caliber sit nearby, as they cart their own cattle to Perth.
We are soon on the
track to the amethyst diggings, going over several washouts, luckily the road is solid. It’s a bit hairy in places and our fossickers are out of the vehicles cutting back branches that are over the track. The terrain is amazing, it’s all spinifex, and just acres and acres of rock. We go as far as we can and make camp, then it’s out of the vehicles and looking for firewood which is easy to find here. The diggings are two and a half ks away and a scouting party goes out, they bring back some specimens. Of course I get the fever and can’t wait to get out there with the pick. The Milky Way sparkles overhead as we sit around the campfire tonight, we are hundreds of miles from anywhere, and here on this huge station, in a place that is so unique.
Up early next day and we are on the way to the mine, its 4wd, there are plenty of washouts, we ride over spinifex, and the branch trimmer has a bit of work to do too. The site is situated on a dry creek bed and has been excavated years ago and we are digging
the overburden. Crystals glint in the morning sun everywhere you look; we pick up some from the ground as the big rains have washed away the dirt revealing the amethyst. We pick a likely spot and the digging begins. Its interesting work as you dig out a crystal, smooth away all the dirt and see if it’s cracked or broken, do you have a perfect star point or not. Everyone finds some good specimens, have something to eat and drink lots of water, and then it’s back on the patch. Dig two holes, one for each foot, and get into the swing again. We are like gophers, tunneling into the heaps looking for the perfect piece.
I don’t know whether anyone has had a more unlikely birthday, in a most unlikely place, but it’s mine next day. We go out again to the mine, and as I dig I ponder on how the old miners did this work in the summer time as today is very hot. It is beyond me how they did it, and we can only stay a couple of hours before I expire from the heat. Not before I have found some more though!We have
got as much amethyst as our little van can carry.
After a drive over the plain in the Vitara looking at the rock formations it’s time to retire for happy hour. The sunset is lovely and we have a great birthday get together around the campfire tonight.
Tomorrow we head for Paraburdoo
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