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Published: October 26th 2014
Most travellers feel they have finally returned to civilisation on reaching Norseman after a westward crossing of the Nullarbor. While Norseman is still a desert town, its importance cannot be understated. It has been a centre for mining and transport from its first settlement. However, life there has been and still is an historical rollercoaster of mines opening and shutting, rail dominating the town and then having minimal impact.
Our journey onwards from Norseman underlines really how desert like, or better, how poor the land is agriculturally. It was not until we got close to the town of Southern Cross, at least 2 hours drive, that we could see close to the road good agricultural production. There are many part time lakes in the area, switching between salt beds and large billabongs depending on the season. Another reminder is seen in many of our photos of above ground water reticulation pipes. All the towns of the gold fields and many of the wheat belt towns get their drinking water all the way from Perth, 800ks away.
However, the number of mine sites in the area is amazing. Gold has dominated, but iron ore is also
extracted in this area. Now the sites may be there, but the number that are active has dwindled seriously, removing 200 jobs from Norseman. There are rumours of another mine opening, and that could just as easily bring 200 jobs back to town. Another case of history repeating it self.
Before reaching Southern Cross we stopped briefly at Coolgardie. This is definitely a historical mining and commerce town. Sadly, it is rather a reminder of yesterday rather than an inspiration for tomorrow. But there in lies its interest with a gold museum and all sorts of old time machinery. We found a camel there too, but it was crafted rather than born and bred in the area.
We had planned to stop at the little wheat fields town of Westonia where the community, according to the brochures had provided a cheap overnight camp for motor homes and the like. Well, the recently printed brochure was well out of date. It looked to us as if a building had been erected on the site.
So, plan B required a slight back track and a freebie park at the little town of Burracoppin.
Tommy got us there and we found the spot that was in the brochure. One recommendation was to dine at the Tavern across the road. This certainly is a good looking country pub. As I was walking across to check out the pub, a couple of local women were enjoying Reds at 5 on their front deck, called out and asked if I would like to buy the pub and reopen it so they could come each afternoon for a little socialisation.
Oh well, baked beans and sausages replaced the notion of a counter meal, and of course was much cheaper!
Burracoppin was a really important point on the map for several years. An elderly resident told me that at its peak, about 2000 people lived here. It was a railway station, but more importantly, the base from which the rabbit proof fence was built. That construction was supported by a camel farm just about opposite the pub, stores and supplies were distributed from here, and of course there were the supporting services such as schools. But most people lived in tents, so there is no remnant of the bigger community.
Next morning (Saturday) we asked Tommy to take us to a ghost town called Bonnie Rock. He was determined to go east and then north, while Rob Rob who was navigator for the morning was insisting on heading west and then north. Marg Marg, expert in such matters, adjudicated, and Tom Tom protested much but finally conceded that there was another very good route to take.
Brochures for the area speak highly of the little towns we were to pass through, but we must emphasis the word 'Little'. Many have populations of 400 or less, so the few shops tend to be many shops compressed into bits of everything stores. A chemist? No. Nearest Dr could be 200ks or more. The further north we drove, the harder things have become for the locals.
These towns are very friendly and tidy, trying hard to get tourists to come and stay a while, have provided fun things to see and do, and given free access to several nature reserves. But they struggle against forces greater than you and I.
While stopped at Mukinbudin, we talked to a retired farmer of the district. His
family had farmed there property for over 100 years when he retired. He built himself a lovely home in Mukinbudin, but no one wants to buy there anymore. Several of the farms in the area after several years of failed crops, have been taken over by the banks. those farmers are bankrupt, and there is a real sense of helplessness.
Currently rail ships the grain (wheat and Barley) out to major distribution centres, and if that should stop, the viability of the region would die with it. We drove past many good looking crops, but as we went north, the crops looked sparse. The land is fertile, just the lack of rain is destroying the farms.
And that is the history of the little ghost town of Bonnie Rock. The only working building there is a grain collection and fumigation plant. Everything else is gone except for a little hall and the rural fire brigade building.
Tommy had trouble finding our next stop, Beringbooding Rock. There is no town, but an interesting history that goes back thousands of years. The Aboriginal People struggled with lack of water just as todays cropping
Road train overtakes us
This might look dangerous, but with all drivers using UHF radio, the road train passed us and the caravan.farmers struggle. At Beringbooding Rock, there are two or three gnamma holes. I don't want to sound knowledgeable, because until last night as we planned our journey, neither of us had a clue what they were. I had visions of a goanna nest. Marg thought they may have been some local animal burrow.
Gnamma holes are water reservoirs found in large granite outcrops and rocks. Water soaks down through cracks and crevises and can be accessed at various points. These holes are rather like natural wells. We have photographed the biggest one here called The Kangaroo Hole, but there are other smaller ones as well. With the smaller ones, the aboriginal people built wood and leaf covers over them to keep animals from fouling the water.
This same rock under the pastoralists with government funding, built a dam around the lower levels of the rock, and fed the water into a huge water tank. Why was this built? Because, after three years of little or no water or rain, the local farmers were going bust. (sheep farms) By the time the tank was built to service the local farmers (about 100), they had all
Encountered Road Works
West of Coolgardie - from Dash Cam given up and walked off the land. The nearest surviving farmer was 10 miles away.
Now the huge tank supplies water for the flushing toilet in the camp ground. I don't think we will even make a dent in the supply.
There is another significant granite rock about 30ks away, Elachbutting Rock. This rock is nearly as big as Uluru in circumference, but no where near as high. It is worth a visit to see The Rainbow Falls rock face. There are several interesting shapes and outcrops here too, so well worth the visit.
Some things happen in life that you do not usually share with anybody. Today that was really true. While at Beringbooding Rock, we spoke to folk that had stayed the previous night at Elachbutting Rock camp. They confirmed that there was a modern pit toilet there, and the camp site was well laid out etc. So M visited the said pit toilet and the relief on exit was obvious. Of course I was encouraged to visit said loo as well, and after doing a photo shoot, made my call. When I lifted the lid on the loo,
the largest huntsman spider jumped off the underside of the seat down into the pit. On exiting, I asked M if she had seen the spider. Oh yes, but I wasn't going to tell you!
We returned to Beringbooding Rock Camp (with flush toilet) for the night and were chatting to the previously mentioned campers. On hearing our huntsman story they blushed and admitted that same spider had been on the job while they were there too.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Restoration
I'll bet there right person could restore this one. Wouldn't that be fantastic.