We had a quick chat to Tom while we were up the side of the hill, the only way to get service. Not really sure if we will be able to catch up with Tom while we are in the vicinity, between his roster and us getting away from the station.
There were two of these big buggers on the road ahead of us, at 10.5metres it would have been a while before we got past, lucky for us they pulled over to fuel up!
This was just after we turned off the highway towards Tangadee. We are about 100kms south of Newman on the highway and then about 100kms on the dirt heading west. Really out in the middle of nowhere :)
Joan and her sister Phillipa who is visiting from the UK.
This is May, about 13 yrs old, who stays at this station. Everyone was around for the first week but then they all left to go to one of the other properties up near Port Hedland. They are mustering up there at the moment before heading south again. They also own the property next door, Mt Vernon. This one is approx 450,000 acres and Mt Vernon is approx 1,000,000 acres.
Last Friday we went into Newman with Jade, a pommy backpacker who is working as a cook for a mining crew at Mt Vernon for the next few weeks. We did the shopping run with her and the truck was full of groceries. There were 4 very full trollies and the back of the truck was full of eskies, while the tool boxes looked like a mobile supermarket. We left here at 7.30am and got back at 5pm, we grabbed a few things for overnight and then drove to Mt Vernon, arriving there at 8pm. Then it was a case of unpack everything into the coolroom and then we stayed there for the night. A LONG day!!
When we head to town for our shopping at the end of next week, at least we only have to make it back to this station :)
We had a rainy day last Sunday, it drizzled all day really for only 10mls. Monday was freezing though and I don't think I felt warm all day.
Tuesday and Wednesday are the bore runs. The west side takes about 4 hours and the east side about 5 or so hours. May comes along for the ride and begs for scraps of course :)
The countryside changes a lot and there are so many creek beds and river beds. We said it would be amazing to see it all running but I wouldn't really like to be stuck here at the same time LOL
Wednesday we stopped in a creek bed and had our first campfire meal this trip. Tough job but someone's got to do it :)
Thursday mornings we have to meet the mail plane! The 'bull-catcher' is air-conditioned haha
The horse yards, sheds, verandahs, donkey heater, etc have all been partly constructed using pipes that were 'leftover' from a mine somewhere in the vicinity, so a great job of recycling!!
The hot water comes from the donkey heater so Bun has been busy collecting wood and chopping, handy on the cold mornings!
I've got some bread rising at the moment and after that's cooked, we are going to drive out to the Spring. It's a permanent waterhole that always has a certain amount of water trickling into it however sometimes there's a LOT. Hopefully I can remember how to get there as Bun hasn't been out there yet. We have to take a sat phone whenever we head off, just in case we get lost :))
We're not really sure how many weeks we'll be here, in depends on how long the mustering takes up north and whether they still need us around while they muster at Mt Vernon. We are keeping busy doing some yard work and tidying, maybe a little painting might happen too.
Josh and Kara are settled back in the Riverland now, they moved into a house down near the lake in Barmera and Josh started work on Monday at Morelli's.
Ben is off to the snow this weekend so hopefully he will enjoy the big snowfalls they've had this week.
Callie has decided that she would like to become a consultant with Thermomix too. I'm sure she will do well because she is loving it so much, she says 'it completes her life' hahaha
I'd better go check the bread dough so that's it for now.
Cheers
Anne
No comments:
Post a Comment