23 to 29 November Western Australia (North)

 Wednesday 23 November

Marble Bar - Karratha

I woke at 0630 and emerged from my tent only to discover that it was 0530 - explains why I saw the remnants of dawn!  I had slept quite well despite the constant sound of straining diesel engines from road trains hauling their heavy loads even though they were some distance away.  There had been a heavy dew and I waited for the tent to dry before packing up.  I left at 0815 and refuelled and had breakfast before leaving Marble Bar.  It was a refreshing 27⁰C.

It’s Daphne’s birthday.  An emotional morning flooded with good memories whilst riding. 

The first 80 kms I rode through interesting hills but the remainder of the road west was flat until I rejoined the Great Northern Highway. 

One feature of the Marble Bar road was the number of dead cows littering the roadside.  An animal even of that size is no match for a 60 metres long road train carrying iron ore.  I stopped in Port Hedland to refuel and eat lunch.  I had an interesting chat to an Irish guy who was born in Wexford.  He owned a plant hire business in Perth and was subcontracting to one of the mining companies.  He was staying in a workers’ village on the Marble Bar road which I had remembered seeing.  He explained that a pipeline was being built to bring water from a bore near Pardoo, where I had stayed a couple of nights previously, to a mine near Marble Bar, a distance of several hundred kilometres.  Two further pipelines are also being built running from the mine to Port Hedland, another several hundred kilometres.  The idea is that the water supplied to the mine is mixed with crushed ore and the slurry sent down the pipe to Port Hedland where the water is to be extracted and sent back to the mine in the parallel pipeline.  An incredible undertaking and a massive capital outlay but designed to save the constant stream of road trains currently employed.  There are a number of new roads around Port Hedland which confused my TomTom.  At one stage I could see the road I needed to be on only several hundred metres at the end of a closed troad.  The new road took me 2 or 3 kilometres in a circular route to get to that same spot!  At a rest area I met a guy on a bicycle.  He was a professional photographer and was cycling around Australia capturing images with the intention of publishing a book.  He had left Newcastle, just north of Sydney, in June and was on his way south.  He was due back in Sydney in March having also cycled around Tasmania.  His first name was Petar and his parents had migrated from Croatia hence his unpronounceable surname.  We had an interesting chat about life on the road and particularly his difficulties facing long stretches of wilderness at slow speed and limited resources.  I have subsequently looked at his Twitter account @petarbphoto and his photo clearly illustrates the amount of weight he has lost during his ride.  He also has a website petarbphoto.wixsite.com.  Oh, and he is deaf.  As I continued towards Karratha the landscape improved as I crossed several ranges and high plateaus.  Not far before Karratha was an interesting and attractive small town called Roebourne in which sat prominently the old gaol, once the second largest prison in Western Australia.  I reached Karratha at 1700 and booked into a good motel which was adjacent to a large pub.

432 kms travelled.

Thursday 24 November

Karratha

I phoned Northwest Honda at 0815 to enquire whether my tyre had arrived.  It hadn’t but I was advised to try again after 1030.  I walked the 2.5m kms into town and although hot under the sun with the low humidity it was reasonably comfortable.  I had a haircut and chatted with the middle aged female barber who at the age of 21 had worked for 18 months in Blenheim Palace as a housekeeper.  When I said that the village of Woodstock beside which the palace is situated is very attractive she said that I was the first person she had met in Australia who knew of it!  I phoned NW Honda again and discovered that the tyre had arrived and arranged for fitting that afternoon.  I had an interesting conversation with Linda, the owner, whilst the tyre was being fitted.  Yet again I heard stories of the conflict with indigenous people, and youngsters in particular which appears to cause so much bad feeling.  The dealership had only one mechanic and he dealt with all things Honda including motorcycles, outboard engines, generators among others.  Incidentally, the bill came to $275.45 (£154.40) made up of tyre - $176, Express freight - $25, fitting - $74.50.  I had loaded the washing machine in my room before departing only for it to leak water and start flooding the floor.  I had turned it off and placed towels on the floor.  On my return I discovered that the filter had not been reinstalled correctly and was loose in its housing.  I tightened it up and tried again.  Another flood!  So I did hand washing and rigged a line on the patio area outside to dry it.  There was a breeze and with the high temperature it was all dry within a couple of hours.  I ate the Marble Bar noodles for dinner.

Friday 25 November

Karratha - Tom Price

I left at 0820 @ 32⁰C and low humidity, a very pleasant start to the day.  Although half full I refuelled to top up the tank.  I joined the road to Tom Price and immediately encountered a sign saying that no fuel was available at Millstream, about half way and part of my fuelling plan.  TomTom said it was 385 kms to Tom Price but the roadsign stated it was 322 kms.  I debated over fuel capacity and consumption.  I carry an additional 5 litres, say 140 kms, so I decided to go for it rather than the safer in terms of servos but much longer route.  It was a really interesting ride through the Millstream Chichester National Park and finally the Karijini National Park, all part of the Pilbara.  I traversed a number of ranges with many different characteristics.  At least 2/3rds of the route is unsealed and most was very corrugated with exposed rocks.  I reduced the tyre pressures after a short while and followed previously received advice to travel between 60 and 80 kph which tends to make progress over the bumps less uncomfortable, this of course whilst standing on the footrests. 

I saw only two other vehicles on the road in 3 hours.  The road is flanked by the Rio Tinto railway, the longest private railway in Australia, for much of the way and I saw several very long trains carrying iron ore.  I heard from a Rio Tinto engineer that the first train of the day carries enough ore to pay for the day’s mining operation and the remaining trains' contents represent profit.  I reached a junction with confusing signage and fortunately chose the right road.  After Hamersley Gorge, about 50 kms from the end of the unsealed section, there was more traffic from mines with trucks creating enormous dust clouds which reduced visibility for some distance and covered me and the bike with a red blanket.  The final 25 kms to Tom Price was sealed.  I stopped to refuel and chatted with a guy who had been in the town since the beginning of the year.  He sang the praises of the area recommending in particular a visit to Hamersley Gorge and he offered me a room in his home.  I wondered what his partner would have thought of this and declined.  I checked into the motel, a budget room for $185!  Clearly in a mining area!

342 kms travelled.

Saturday 26 November

Tom Price

Back to the unsealed road for the 50 kms to Hamersley Gorge. 

Access to the gorge from the car park was by a very steep and uneven path but I was rewarded with amazing rock formations and a pool at the bottom, although I didn’t swim.

Sadly, there was very little water flowing over the waterfall. 

I stayed there for a while before climbing back to the car park.  I was impressed by three young women on a day trip from Port Hedland who were changing a wheel on a 4x4 having suffered a puncture.  I offered assistance but they had already completed 80% of the job. I rode back to Tom Price, and being a Saturday I was delighted that I encountered no trucks on the road to blanket me with dust again.  I rode down the Nunbarra road passing amazing escarpments and impressive scenery.

On return to Tom Price I checked the bike over and reinflated the tyres.  I booked accommodation in Exmouth.

200 kms travelled.

Sunday 27 November

Tom Price - Exmouth

Disastrous start to the day.  I appear to have lost my beloved Swiss army penknife!

I left at 0845 @ 33⁰C.  I selected a route which would be on sealed roads all the way.  I stopped at Paraburdoo to refuel (although only 79 kms since last topping up the next stretch is long with no fuel until Nanutarra) and for coffee.  As I started off again I glanced at TomTom and saw that I still had in excess of 500 kms to go.  I hadn’t worked out the distance for once and had merely glanced at the map to find Exmouth.  So, because I had already booked accommodation in Exmouth my average speed had to be increased if I was to make Exmouth before nightfall.  The landscape was very interesting with numerous escarpments and ranges separated by plains and plateaus. 

There seemed to be a never ending series of these ranges but they made for good riding with gentle bends and hills.  As I crested one hill something small and black was floating in the air behind the screen and beside the instruments.  Almost immediately it flew off to one side and as it did so I noted that it was round with a hole in the middle.  I looked down and saw that one of the screen well nuts was missing.  I retraced my steps, stopped, and walked down the road in the forlorn hope of spotting it. Needless to say I didn’t find it but I monitored the bolt as I rode and it didn’t appear to move.  I refuelled again at the Nanutarra Roadhouse and set off into a strengthening wind after joining the North West Coastal Highway.  The road crossed what appeared to be a series of large red sand dunes with sparse vegetation and approximately 1 km of flat land between each one.  After 115 kms I turned off on to the Burkett Road towards Exmouth and the wind seemed to be behind me for a short time.  The final one and a half hours was over rather bleak, featureless and what looked like moorland as the road descended to the arid coastal flatlands.  (The Carnarvon Xeric Scrub is recognised as one of the world’s 238 global ecologies for its important desert ecosystems.) 

By this time I was experiencing strong crosswinds and was concerned about fuel consumption despite the additional fuel I carry.  The temperature dropped quite rapidly from 42⁰C in Nanutarra to 32⁰C in  Exmouth when I arrived at 1750, three quarters of an hour before dark.

611 kms travelled.

Monday 28 November

Exmouth

I had a relaxed start to the day.  I went for a long walk to Town Beach and back.  I noticed that a number of bars/cafes/activities were closed for the summer.  I called into the information centre to enquire about snorkelling tours.  There were not many available the recognised season having ended at the end of October.  There were two likely activities which I selected, a half day kayaking/snorkelling and a full day to Muiron Island.  Both had minimum numbers to run so I had to await confirmation.  I visited the museum and Ningaloo Reef Centre.  All very interesting, particularly the growth of Exmouth as a result of the US ULF aerial site established at the beginning of the cold war to enable communication with USN submarines.  I booked a further night in the motel in anticipation of a Wednesday tour.

Tuesday 29 November

Exmouth

Fantastic start to the day. I have found my Swiss army penknife. As some will know, I can be like a dog with a bone sometimes. I had been fretting over losing the penknife and just couldn't believe that I would be careless enough to lose it. So I decided to dig deep in my tank bag and emptied it completely. The main compartment has a rigid removeable lining and lo and behold, the penknife had slipped behind it.

As I left the motel I spotted a couple of emus skulking in the shade of trees by the entrance.

I washed the bike at the local car wash and greased the chain.  I bought a pack containing M5 nuts to secure the screen bolt although it hadn’t appeared to have moved.  I rode to the end of the peninsula where the ULF aerials are sited, now operated by the Australian Navy, and continued to the other side.

I went to see the wreck of the Mildura, a ship carrying cargo and cattle, which came to grief in 1907.

A little further on I rode up to the Vlamingh Head lighthouse.  Interestingly this lighthouse was established as a direct result of the Mildura wreck.  On the day she went aground a committee deciding on locations for new lighthouses in Australia was on the last day of deliberating their final list.  Vlamingh Head was not on the list but on hearing of the disaster the committee added it and subsequently had to raise additional funding.

I rode further and turned back when I reached the Tantabiddi Boat Ramp.  I returned to the visitor centre for lunch and to enquire about the tours scheduled the following day.  Both had been cancelled due to lack of numbers.  I was offered a half day snorkelling tour with View Ningaloo in a semisubmersible glass panelled boat.  I opted for it and discovered it was due to leave Tantabiddi Boat Ramp at 0915 the following day.  I went back to my accommodation to check over the bike and adjusted the chain.  I had a long interesting conversation with a young couple who were visiting from New Zealand.  The bloke of Chinese descent and born in Perth is a medic conducting research into arthritis and his partner from Guyana has a PhD in economics and is conducting research in the same university.  I asked them how they were able to be on holiday when universities are still in session. Apparently, as they are researchers they are not tied to their university operating dates!  I went to an Italian restaurant attached to a nearby caravan park and was served the most enormous pasta dish.  Of course I ate it all but regretted doing so for the rest of the evening.

12 to 22 November - Western Australia

 Saturday 12 November

Timber Creek - Warmun

I left Timber Creek at 0900 at 32℃.  The sky was bright and clear and the scenery was terrific.  I rode a steep hill to the top of the local lookout and saw a phenomenal landscape: multi-coloured rocks, escarpments, rivers and mountains. 

Once I returned to the highway I rode numerous bends and hills all the while surrounded by extraordinary views.

I left the Northern Territory and entered Western Australia where I had to turn my watch back 11/2 hours. I diverted to Lake Argyle, the largest fresh water lake in Australia.  Apparently it is home to 24,000 fresh water crocodiles but that doesn’t appear to deter watersport enthusiasts of which there was much evidence. 

I had lunch in the resort and filled with petrol @ $2.45 a litre, quite expensive I thought and there was a sign on the pump apologising for the high price but explaining that there was additional cost in transporting it to such a remote location.  (I subsequently discovered that petrol in Western Australia appears to be more expensive than elsewhere anyway.)  I rented a cabin in the Warmun Roadhouse and whilst there I met an Army helicopter pilot, Matt, who had bought a second hand Honda Monkeybike in Perth and was riding it back to Darwin.  He had constructed a tray/rack on which he had loaded a jerry can of petrol and his swag/kit.  Apparently, when he started out he didn’t have the jerry can but instead had a coke bottle full of petrol hanging from his neck (Monkeybikes have a very small petrol tank).  When he left Perth he also had a surfboard and surf kayak attached to each side of the bike, both of which he had subsequently disposed of.  Needless to say the rear suspension was bottomed out before he climbed onboard.   I quizzed him on the route he had taken because I would be doing it in the opposite direction.  He gave me advice, particularly concerning security from indigenous miscreants on the stretch between Warmun and Broome.  In the event I found his warnings overly cautious.  As we were talking outside our adjacent cabins two indigenous youths without helmets on a small motorcycle circled the car park in front of the accommodation which prompted him to question the security of our bikes overnight.  Paradoxically, he locked himself out of his cabin and as the owner couldn’t find a duplicate key, Matt remembered that he had been unable to secure the bathroom window from the inside and so, with the help of the owner’s stepladder, Matt removed the flyscreen and managed to gain entry through the small window.

505 kms travelled.

Sunday 13 November

Warmun - Fitzroy Crossing

I had a disturbed night’s sleep and was up at 0530.  I departed at 0645 at 34℃.  I had to turn back after about 6 kms as I had forgotten to drop off the room key!  Matt was about to leave so said farewell.  The terrain soon changed to savannah with occasional rocky outcrops, but the road was undulating with long straight sections.

 

On reaching Hall’s Creek I wasn’t stoned by local indigenous youths and the servo was open and dispensing fuel.  The day before Matt had told me of youths throwing stones at passing traffic and that the servo was closed because of vandalism. 

A

He had told me similar stories of Fitzroy Crossing and had recommended staying in the Crossing Inn which was 2 kms out of town and therefore more secure and as a result I had booked a budget cabin at the exorbitant price of $200.  On arrival, after filling the tank at the local servo, I discovered that they did not serve food on a Sunday  and that the bar would not be opening “because there are not that many people booked in and it's not worth opening”!!!!  On top of that the room was abysmal being well used, smelling of cigarette smoke, with a decrepit chest of drawers with half the drawer handles missing, and laminate peeling off the walls.  I returned to the servo to buy supplies for evening sustenance.  I went for a walk to the river disturbing numerous wallabies on the way. 

Overall, the day had been good for spotting wildlife - wallabies, brumbies (wild horses) and dingoes.

445 kms travelled.3

Monday 14 November

Fitzroy Crossing - Cable Beach (Broome)

Up early after a good night’s sleep despite abysmal accommodation.  I left at 0700 @ 33℃.  I had a pretty unremarkable ride along quiet roads for the most part.  It’s still the Savannah Way following the Great Northern Highway. 

Termite Mound - 3 metres high

It is interesting how many single lane bridges there are on this highway.  I saw quite a large burn alerted by smoke rising in the distance.  The temperature reached 39℃ at one stage but as I reached within 20 kms of Broome the temperature gradually dropped to 32/33℃.  I rode around Broome before heading to Cable Beach, just a few kilometres away from the centre.  I had discovered an apartment to let in the Blue Seas Resort in a complex with a swimming pool just outside the front door.  A bonus was that it was on the ground floor and only metres from where I was able to park the bike.  I rode to a supermarket to buy supplies and on return swam in the pool.  I ate in and watched a movie.

I had decided to take a break in Broome and booked the apartment for a week.  It’s now the off season so prices are affordable, in this case just over £500 for the week.

430 kms travelled.

Tuesday 15 November

Cable Beach

When I unloaded the bike on arrival at Cable Beach I noticed that part of the rear rack had fractured.  I had purchased a 5ltr water container to replace the punctured bladder and on the journey from Darwin it had shifted and the whole weight was concentrated on one small corner, hence the fracture.  I rode to a welding company (thanks Google) near the port and I was told that it could be welded.  The rack and pannier rails needed to be removed and while they offered to lend me tools I decided to return to use my own (having carried them for so long their use would go some way to justifying the aggro).  Rack removed and pannier rails refitted I returned to the workshop/yard (where their normal work was large industrial fabrication) and the work was done by James.  The boss declined payment saying he thought I was crazy undertaking such a ride.  His parents were from Belfast and we had a chat about his experiences some years before when he visited the UK.  I gave James $20 for his efforts and left satisfied.  I went to the local hospital to enquire about a Covid booster as they became available at home just after I left and there had been a spike in cases in Australia in recent weeks.  I was directed to a vaccination centre in a shopping mall in town but on arrival discovered it was being dismantled having just ceased operating.  I was given the number of the clinic in town which had taken over the task and I phoned and made an appointment for the following day.  I returned to my accommodation, reinstalled the rack and pannier rails, typed some of this blog, went for a swim and had the most delicious braised cow cheeks for dinner in the Divers, the local pub/bistro.

Wednesday 16 November

Cable Beach

To Broome Health Centre for Covid vaccination.  Had coffee at Cable Beach general store and booked a Sunset Camel Ride.  I took a long walk along the fabulous beach and although there were large gaps between bathers I suddenly realised that I was the only one clothed.  It appears that the area north of The Rocks is well known for nudist bathing.  I turned about and on return observed more of the same, albeit from a distance. 

The camel ride was between 1700 and 1800 and was most enjoyable with a glorious sunset enhanced by a little cloud. 

I found the seating on the camel a little uncomfortable with my legs spread widely apart stretching the inside of my thighs.  I guess so many weeks straddling the narrow bike seat might have reduced my flexibility.  Or I am just getting old!  Interestingly, the camels are caught in the wild and are trained over a period of 18 months for the role.  As one of the handlers said, “Why breed them when there are tens of thousands of them running wild.”  In fact there is a healthy industry exporting live camels from Australia to the Middle East, and Saudi Arabia in particular.  I ate in the apartment following a refreshing swim.

Thursday 17 November

Cable Beach

I had signed up for a tour to the Willie Creek Pearl Farm.  I was collected from my accommodation at 1010 for the bus ride to the farm, a distance of 30 kms, the final 13 of which was on a very corrugated and sandy unsealed road and a salt pan.  There were only 5 of us on the bus and we had an interesting dialogue with the driver who, it turned out, had worked at most of the facets of the industry.  We received a most comprehensive explanation of each stage of the process by a worker at the farm and I began to appreciate how labour intensive is pearl production.  It was fascinating to see the delicate operation of inserting a ‘seed’ (actually made from Mississippi shells: don’t ask how that was discovered to be the ideal medium) to the regular raising at sea of the shells for cleaning over the two years it takes for the pearl to be formed.  There is an edible byproduct called pearl meat which sells at $160 a kilo.  We had been given a sample oyster at the beginning which one of the party had been carrying, including on the boat trip around the estuary/lagoon, and the idea was to open it and retrieve the pearl from within.  Needless to say Murphy’s Law was in operation and there was no pearl inside! 

Light refreshments were provided and I was back in Cable Beach by 1600 to enjoy a refreshing swim in the pool and a chilled evening.

Friday 18 November

Cable Beach

I bussed into town and had a good walkabout.  I looked around the quirky outdoor cinema which has been a feature of the town for many years. 

Interestingly, whereas in other towns I have visited the shopping areas have wide sun shade canopies spanning the pavement, in Broome they are narrow covering only the immediate frontage of shops.  It is clear that the town’s existence is due to the pearling industry, both the earlier oyster shells used in the production of buttons etc and latterly the cultivation of pearls.  The original jetty has been reconstructed but is now surrounded by mangrove swamp but which in its heyday was cleared to permit pearling luggers to unload their catch as illustrated by the adjacent photos.

Traditional Pearling Lugger

I bought a map of Western Australia and some cycling shorts in an attempt to ease bum ache.  In the bike shop I was served by a young fellow who was working for several months to fund continuation of his Australia tour in a 4 x 4.  He was from Noosa in Queensland and had sold his “beloved Himalayan” to finance the trip.  Yet another loyal Himmy (ex)owner.  I had a tasty lunch in a Vietnamese restaurant and caught the 1602 bus back to Cable Beach.  As elsewhere in the north I noticed that in the park in the centre of town there were groups of indigenous people gathered sitting on the ground in the shade of the park trees.

Saturday 19 November

Cable Beach

I rode into Broome to visit the well publicised weekly market. 

The stalls sold mainly items of craft, jewellery and clothing together with a few street food outlets.  I rode around the town and the beach area and spent two hours in the very interesting museum.  Following a tapas lunch I rode to Garthaeume Beach to see the archaeological dinosaurs’ prints in the rocks.  I used the ramp to the beach used by 4x4s and whilst able to traverse a rocky area I came to an abrupt stop when I encountered deep soft sand.  With the back wheel spinning and with me paddling I eventually managed to extricate myself and regained terra firma.  Never did get to see the dinosaur footprints and I appreciate the benefits of 4x4 vehicles in some situations!  Returned to the apartment, continued typing the blog, went for a swim and enjoyed a chilli for dinner. 

Sunday 19 November

Cable Beach

Typical Sunday routine.  Lazy start, domestic chores in the morning and walk to the pub for lunch.  After lunch I walked a long way on the beach in the opposite direction to Wednesday (no nudists today). 

On return to the apartment I dozed on the sofa in front of the television.  As it became cooler I prepared for the next day’s departure, checked tyre pressures and greased the chain.

Monday 21 November

Broome - Pardoo

I left at 0920 @ 32℃, overcast but a pleasant temperature.  I headed to Roebuck and then joined the Great Northern Highway to head south.  The scenery was pretty unremarkable being very flat and covered in scrub but with several obvious flood plains along the way.  There were two very long stretches of roadworks which entailed waiting stationery for lengthy periods awaiting an escort vehicle. 

Parking areas were unsealed with red sand/dust underfoot.  I met a strange chap at one rest area.  As I arrived I noticed him lying down on top of one of the picnic tables under a sun canopy with his motorcycle parked alongside.  I parked a short distance away and he walked over to speak to me.  He was of a similar age to me I suspect and looked slightly dishevelled.  He said that he was from Broome, and was experimenting with travelling light in anticipation of riding to Melbourne, some 5,453 kms, to visit his son.  He said that he was planning to stay at this rest area for a couple of days and had just water and half a dozen muesli bars for sustenance.  He then proceeded to tell me the story of his life, all pretty fanciful, before insisting that I look at his motorcycle, a dilapidated and corroded old Honda Shadow.  I managed to extricate myself and continued with a following wind which did wonders for fuel consumption, for a change.  I had been racing before rain clouds all day and as the forecast was for high winds and rain overnight I opted for a cabin at the Pardoo Roadhouse.  It felt very remote, which it is of course, and everything was stained by the red dust which seemed to be swirling around continually, understandably given the wind at the time.

454 kms travelled.

Tuesday 22 November

Pardoo - Marble Bar

I was up at 0630 after a good night’s sleep despite the noise from the very strong wind created in the trees and creaking of the cabin structure.  I filled the tank at the roadhouse and was seduced by a bacon and egg roll and coffee and eventually left at 0845 @ 32℃.  The first 60 kms was pretty flat but this changed to a series of rocky outcrops and hills.  I turned off the Great Northern Highway and immediately encountered numerous 60 metres long road trains hauling iron ore from mines to Port Hedland.  Again the terrain was pretty flat, this time for 80 kms before I encountered a series of ranges which were very scenic with different coloured rock and gentle curves in the road, which suits road trains I guess.  Most of the other traffic, although sparse, appeared to be connected to the mining industry.  

I was riding into a strong headwind but I was taking it easy, in terms of speed anyway.  I reached the small township of Marble Bar with around 410 residents, rode up and down the main street and decided to stay in the caravan park.  Although still windy no rain was forecast so I opted to camp for a charge of $14. 

I was the only visitor, there being two permanent caravan renters.  I had a long conversation with the site owner who told me that the town population fluctuated depending on the time of the month.  When the indigenous population received their monthly allowance many travelled to Port Hedland and only return to Marble Bar when they are low on funds.  I telephoned several places in Port Hedland to enquire about a replacement rear tyre for the bike but with no joy.  One place recommended a Honda dealership in a town called Karratha, 230kms from Port Hedland and 429kms from Marble Bar.  I telephoned Northwest Honda and was told they could order a tyre of the right size and that it might be available form fitting on the Thursday as an order was about to be placed and express delivery could be used (an additional $25 I discovered subsequently).  I asked them to go ahead.  I walked to the general store to buy makings for supper and on the way saw a Christmas tree being installed and decorated outside the village hall.  The first seasonal sign seen, discounting the normal very early supermarket promotions. 

I went to the apparently famous pub, the Iron Clad Hotel, and had an interesting conversation with a couple of old fellas who were complaining about wasted spending of public money.  I had passed a sign pointing to the Sporting Complex on the outskirts of town which apparently is an old racecourse and a disused sports field.  Apparently the local authority had recently spent $80K on toilet facilities there when the racecourse is used for only one day a year!  A middle aged woman came in and it transpired that she was a geologist who was visiting for a short time to work with a gold mine.  One of the old codgers said that he and two chums had been out in the bush the weekend before prospecting for gold.  However, they had found nothing, chiefly because they had spent more time drinking beer than prospecting but that they had enjoyed a great weekend anyway.  She said that prospecting for gold was a very common pastime locally and that she followed a television series called Aussie Gold Hunters which I had watched in the UK.  Food in the hotel that night was a BBQ, cook your own because the landlady was on her own and couldn’t be bothered to cook, although she would provide some salad.  One local customer came and left saying she could do that at home!  A local woman had started the day before serving food from a van in the evening in the adjacent car park so I had a look and came away with a very tasty lasagne and salad.  No cooking of the earlier purchased (tinned and dried) supplies.