Perth

This is the sign that has greeted us all over the CBD when we walked the streets plus this one was all over Kings Park and the Botanic Gardens as well.  We were very close to Parliament House, helicopters hovering everywhere, plus the grounds of the gardens were crawling with cops, half the park closed off to the public, security fencing etc. just because there was a function in the restaurant in the gardens.   Lots of very hot, very bored cops, spoke to one who is here from Adelaide, just for CHOGM.   Police have come from all over Australia to protect the dignitaries.!!!!!!!!!!!

Some views of Perth that we could take from Kings Park & the Botanic Gardens, access was limited so we couldnt get many good shots.   These are the skylines of Perth, where the two rivers, the Swan and the Canning meet.  Looks as big as Sydney Harbor.   Kings Park is a stunning park overlooking the City, it has dozens of walks, sculptured gardens and natural bush trails.  Perth is an absolutely beautiful City.  Very clean, little rubbish or graffiti, spotless trains, cheap and easy to negotiate, they run on time and with little waiting time between timetables.   We have done the CBD, the Royal Mint, the Fire Brigade Museum, the National Motor Museum, the beaches, the gardens, a market (think Vic Market) art & craft villages, wineries, a nougat factory (yum), and the Zoo.   The zoo was terrific.  Very pretty and nicely laid out. Lots of zookeeper talks at various animal enclosures during the day, gave you a good insight into the zoo and its animals.   We had 3 days of rain or drizzle to contend with, but it has now warmed up, thankfully.  Today, Friday, is a public holiday, people out everywhere having picnics, swimming at the beach etc.   More markets to visit tomorrow, Hot rod show on Sunday, Rick cant wait.

The Tin Horse Hiway

This is the dog cemetary at Corrigan.  Being dog lovers we couldnt go past this little spot.   It was lovely to wander around and see the memorials people had placed on their best mates resting place.  This was both a happy and kinda sad stopover.

 The tin horse hiway in the wheatbelt.  Farmers outdoing themselves with sculptures at their front fences.   I think I took probably 40 or so photos on one 20km stretch alone.  Unfortunately for us, it was bucketing down with rain, some of the "sculptures" impossible to take cos of the rain and the dangerous road conditions.  But we had fun checking them out.   Some very clever blokes, with too much time on their hand perhaps.   Or just lots of beer, lots of talk and off to the shed and the welders.

The road to Perth

We have been travelling thru the wheatbelt on the road to Perth.  We had some crappy weather, drizzly and overcast and so we didnt really feel like doing much sightseeing.   We are now in Perth in the Swan Valley winery region.  Booked into a caravan park for 7 days.  Probably the worst time to come to Perth with CHOGM and the Queen.  Security is tight but we will try and do as much as we can in the CBD before SHE arrives.  More in the coming days.

From the Goldfields to the Wheatbelt

Supposedly the Hippos Yawn

The Mechanic at Hyden

From Kaqlgoorlie we headed out to do a Goldfields town loop, that did take in Gwalia.  The gold mining towns of Menzies and Leonora sounded great.  The tour brochures promised heritage lined streets, lots of old buildings etc.  We found very little to excite us.  Most of the buildings are either gone (just signboards) or are closed and boarded up.   In one street, 11 of the heritage buildings were shut down with only the hairdresser and butchers now open.  Both these shops were also boarded up just the front doors open to the street.  Lots of aborigials here, not sure if thats the reason or the fact that there are huge amounts of mine personnel living in temp accommodation and Im assuming head into Kalgoorlie as soon as they have time off and spend their $$$ there.   The drive is very boring, a lot of gold mines on both sides of the road, the wildflowers still amazing though.   Was disappointed  by the whole 3 day trip and glad to return to Kalgoorlie.  Camped up for a couple days in a park in the heart of Kalgoorlie (great spot set aside by the Council)  catching up with friends and then we headed back towards Perth.  We have diverted a little south thru the wheatbelt and are now at Hyden visiting Wave Rock.   Will travel a little further south before going back towards Perth.  Perhaps we will see the Queen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gwalia

 Gwalia is a ghost town in the Goldfields.  It was a thriving gold mine town from 1897 until an accident in 1963 in the mine saw the mine close down and the town desserted.     From 1700 people to just 40 in 3 weeks.    Even into the 1950s the residents still lived in these corrugated iron, earth floored houses. All the buildings are still here, sadly weather and vandalism have taken their toll.  It was an interesting walk around the place seeing how the early pioneers lived and the way all the buildings were constructed.   Lots of good stuff here to keep you interested for hours.

The hotel closed in 1963 and just sits empty.

One of the dozens of homes still standing

This beautiful house, now sitting in the grounds of the Gwalia museum was once the home of  Herbert Hoover the 31st. U.S. President    He was a mine manager here in WA in the 1800s.  The house still contains original furnishings and furniture from his time. It took 2 years to build.   He lived here until sent to China by his employers.

Young and good looking according to this portrait.

The Gwalia mine was the biggest and deepest underground mine in Australia.  With the price of gold nowadays, the mine is now in operation once again.

Kalgoorlie Streets

Just a few of the old buildings of Kalgoorlie.  Way too many to put on my blog but its lovely to walk the streets and see the heritage buildings in such good nick, apart from those damaged in the earthquake in 2010.

Kalgoorlie Rally

We have just spent 7 days at our motorhome rally in Kalgoorlie.  Here is an aerial photo of the site.  There were 800 motorhomes and around 1400 people here.  It wasnt the best rally we have attended, not enough on site to do or see, the trade stands few, the entertainment boring, except for the Goldrush Ball and then the entertainment was outstanding, food outlets virtually non existent, seminars not well attended etc.   It was prob. an achievement to have that many attend from all corners of the land.  Just wish it had been more exciting and interesting.   Perhaps we expected too much, Im not sure. The Open Day is usually huge at our rallies, a fantastic money spinner for the local charities.  We didnt see many locals at all that day.  There was a huge custom car show on (Rick missed out) and the local elections, both of which prob. kept people away.   In saying all of the above we were extremely busy anyway.  There was lots of catching up with friends we had met along the way to the rally and those we have met at previous rallies over the years.   In fact, we barely saw anything of Kalgoorlie until after the rally.   We did a 2.5 hr. Superpit tour of the large gold mine on the perimeter of the township, a 25 min. joy flight (I was packing myself until we were back on the ground) over the Pit, the rally site, and the whole of Kalgoorlie and a tour of the oldest working brothel in WA.  All of the above were equally fantastic.

Coral & Yve waiting for the tour. It was 2hrs. long.  Mother & daughter own & run it.  It was such a good tour, I couldnt stop recommending it.  Our hubbies werent interested in going.

The Superpit.   It was enormous from the ground but when we went over it in the plane it was unbeleivable.

These trucks can hold up to 300 tonnes of rock per load.   They look like matchbox cars from above but are awesome up close.    

The Kalgoorlie Golf Course, all red earth and greens.

 Our "neighbours" at the Rally were Coral & Terry from the Gold Coast.  We had met and camped up with them previously.  Great couple, but Rick and Terry hit it off cos he is a hot rodder.   Former panel beater who does up cars for himself and others.  He showed Rick photos of his cars and Rick was in awe.  They were glued to the hip for most of the rally and almost every happy hour.  Oh how Rick wished he lived near Terry.

We left the rally Monday morning, camped up at a free camp in the heart of the township and decided to start looking around.  Unfortunately it was very hot, arnd 36 and we gave up by lunchtime and headed back to the bus.   We are museumed out,  and there are two biggies here, so I think we will give most of Kalgoorlie a miss.   The town itself is full of beautiful old buildings which we love.  In 2010 there was an earthquake here that has damaged a number of buildings quite significantly.  Lots of scaffolding around them, either undergoing repairs or complete restorations.  Coles, Woollies, K Mart, Target all here so its quite a big city compared to all those we have passed thru on the way here.   In 1970 when we were here last it was a mess of a place to visit.

We are currently about 260kms from Kalgoorlie camped on the banks of the Menzies Dam at Leonora.  Doing a bit of a Goldfields Loop thru some old, abandoned, ghost like towns that will lead us back down to Kalgoorlie in the next few days.   We will sightsee a little more there and then head back towards Perth, detouring here and there to see  some things we missed.  No plans past this point.

Kalgoorlie Rally

Its the last day of the rally.   Will post pics etc. once we are out of here and camped up somewhere, although it seems many are heading to the same camp spots and towns we are.   We have been in Kalgoorlie 7 days and have barely seen it.   We need to stay and look around here, or return here over the next week.

Coolgardie cont.

Some of the beautiful old buildings still being used in the main streets of Coolgardie.  This is the RSL

The Information Centre and the Goldfields Museum

Just a private house

Below are a few cars we spotted in backyards in Coolgardie.

This town's museums are chockers with displays.  You can spend hours in each one of them.    The Pharmacy museum has so many displays of complete medical/dental/pharmacy items.  Collected from 18th and 19th centuries.  Once again lots of products we remember as kids.  The kids medicines often advertised that they contained Cocaine, Alcohol and Marijuana!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

It looks like a crappy little spot you would drive straight thru but its worth spending time here, in fact we will return after the rally and do a bit more of it.  The Shire have opened up the oval for camping until Nov. so it will be busy once the rally is over.

Thats it for now, the rally starts tomorrow and we will, hopefully, be busy at the site, doing tours and some sightseeing.   Have booked a Super Pit tour of the mine, a joy flight over Kalgoorlie and a Brothel tour.  More next week.

Coolgardie cont.

Some more photos from the Tin Shed.

Quite racy for its time.

Probably wouldnt be acceptable in this day

Inside the Tin Sheds entrance

In the backyard of the Tin Shed.  We could have this little car if we wanted, but it will just be too hard to get it home.

Some of Maurices trucks outside the Tin Shed