station WA

---

WELL--- HERE WE ARE AGAIN--- ARRIVING AT ANOTHER CATTLE STATION ,NOT KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE MIDDLE OF WA !!!!!!
YES, WE SAW AN ADVERT FOR “CARETAKERS OF 1000,000 ACRE PROPERTY IN WA FOR 3 MTHS “ AND ARE NOW AT MT V-E-R-N-O-N 350 KM NORTH OF MEEKATHARA.( A BIT LIKE LIVING IN KERIKERI BUT YOU NEAREST TOWN IS AUCKLAND WHICH IS ONLY YHE SIZE OF KAWAKAWA, WITH A DIRT ROAD ALL THE WAY)
WE WILL SPEND THE NEXT FEW WEEKS GETTING TO KNOW THE 750 KM OF ROUGH STATION TRACKS THAT SERVICE THE 75 BORES TO WATER THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS 130 KM FROM END TO END.
WE ARE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY OUR ACCOMODATION WHICH IS A 1945 STONE HOMESTEAD , ALTHOUGH SPARSELY FURNISHED,IS COMPLETE WITH SWIMMING POOL, GREEN GRASS, AND MODERN KITCHEN.
OK WE WERE PROMISED INTERNET AND TV BUT DUE TO A FEW COMPLICATIONS THESE ARE A LITTLE LATE ARRIVING!!! THE MAIL/FREIGHT COMES ONCE A WEEK, IF THE BLACK BOX OR CABLE FOR TV OR INTERNET ARRIVES AND IT IS WRONG, OR IT RAINS, IT CAN BE A WEEK OR TWO BEFORE THE CORRECT ONE GETS HERE. OBVIOUSLY BY THE TIME YOU ARE READING THIS THE CORRECT INTERNET CABLE HAS FINALLY ARRIVED.
THIS IS A DECEASED ESTATE WHICH HAS HAD SEVERAL YEARS OF DROUGHT, AND ALTHOUGH SOME YEARS THEY HAVE PREVIOSLY MUSTERED UP YO 10,000 CATTLE THEY ARE NOW FAIRLY SCARCE AND THE EQUIPMENT IS FAIRLY RUN DOWN.
MY FIRST JOB HERE REMINDED ME OF WHEN I WAS IN BUISNESS EMPLOYING NEW OFFICE STAFF AND HAD BEEN TO BUISY TO GET ORGANISED SO THEIR FIRST JOB WAS TO GO AND BUY A DESK AND A CHAIR FOR THEM TO WORK FROM !---- MY FIRST DAY WAS GETTING A SUZUKI 4WD RUNNING TO USE AS A VEHICLE.
UNFORTUNATELY THE FIRST DAY OUT IN IT LOST ALL THE WATER ( CRACKED HEAD) AND SIEZED , AND ALTHOUGH RUNNING AGAIN I CAN SEE THIS COULD BE A LONG TERM PROJECT ALONG WITH THE OTHER 8 SUZUKIS USED FOR MUSTERING
AS WE HAD NO INTERNET THERE HASN’T BEEN A RUSH TO COMPLETE THIS BLOGG. 4 WEEKS HAVE NOW PASSED, WE GOT T.V. LAST WEEK, BUT THE BITS FOR THE INTERNET ARE STILL FLOATING AROUND AUSTRALIA SOMEWHERE ON TOLL FRIEGHT. AS A RESULT WE HAVE TO TRAVEL 80 KMS TO THE TOP OF THE STATION WHICH HAS A LITTLE POCKET OF CELL PHONE COVERAGE FROM PARAPARDOO TO CHECK OUR E MAILS.
DAVE AND KATHY HAVE CAUGHT UP WITH US FOR A WHILE. WE HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE MOST OF THE STATION, CHECKING THE MILLS AND TROUGHS ON THE WAY. THE LAND IS VERY DIFERERENT FROM OTHER PROPERTIES WE HAVE BEEN ON WITH ROCKY HILLS AND LARGE DRY RIVERBEDS. WE ARE SURE THE CATTLE MUST EAT STONES!!! MOST OF THESE EXCURSIONS INVOLVE 150KMS OR MORE. WE ALWAYS SEEM TO BE DRIVING HOME INTO THE SETTING SUN. CHRIS‘S TIME IS TAKEN UP WATERING LAWNS AND GARDENS OR CLEANING THE POOL WHICH IS MORE POPULAR AS TEMPERATURES CLIMB INTO THE MID 30S.
WE ARE SURE ENJOYING THE RELAXED LIFE WITH A BIG KITCHEN AND ROOF OVER OUR HEADS.

THE CONTINUING STORY ...............
WE TRIED TO SEND THIS BLOGG FROM THE ÏNTERNET CAFE BUT DUE TO MARGINAL RECEPTION WE GAVE UP IN FRUSTRATION KNOWING THAT IN A FEW DAYS TIME WE WOULD HAVE INTERNET AT THE STATION. BUT THIS IS OUTBACK !!! YES, THE NEW MODEM ARRIVED BUT UPON INSTALLATION AND TWO HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH TELSTRA IT WAS DEEMED WE NEEDED NEW COMPONENTS IN THE SATELLITE DISH. 14 DAYS LATER A TECHNITION ARRIVED, AN 1800KM RETURN JOURNEY, AND AFTER 6 WEEKS WE HAVE INTERNET. AS WELL AS THIS MILESTONE TODAY WE HAD JUST BOOKED OUR FARES TO NZ ON 13TH DECEMBER WHEN WE WERE TOLD THE SALE OF THE STATION HAD GONE UNCONDITIONAL, SO WE ONLY HAVE ANOTHER 5 WEEKS HERE BEFORE WE MAKE OUR WAY BACK TO MARYBOROUGH. THIS WILL GIVE US A PLEASANT LEISURELY TIME FOR THE 5,000KM TRIP.

---

Photos

COMPANY VEHICLE
AFTER 6 WEEKS AND A REBUILT MOTOR WE HAVE A RUNNER

THE LAWN MOWER
IN 39 YEARS OF MARRIAGE I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE!!

INTERNET CAFE
IT IS A 160KM ROUND TRIP TO COME TO THE ONLY PLACE ON THE STATION TO GET RECEPTION

BOUNDARY
NOTICE THERE ARE NO FENCES

THE D4
NOW WHICH LEVER WAS IT?

Comments

[Kathy and Dave]

Internet
You'll really miss the internet cafe!