FROM NEWMAN TO THE COAST

We headed off from Newman and travelled along the Hammersley Range through Karijini National Park towards Tom Price and Paraburdoo. We didn't actually go into Tom Price as it was off the main road, but we stopped at Paraburdoo for fuel and went for a walk around. In that short time, Steve got offered a job driving the school bus but we declined for the sake of fishing. It reminded us very much of Rawson in Victoria. A little planned town, well maintained but the busier times have gone so 70% of the shops are empty.

When we parked the bus, there was a small old van near the Servo that they obviously use at various times for selling Fast Food. Here is the menu on the side.

We then headed out of town and we thought this sign was quite appropriate, our buses namesake .

We camped at a spot called "Beasley River Rest Area" approx 170 km east of Nanutarra Roadhouse (Nanutarrra is another rip off roadhouse according to other travellers). When we first drove into the Beasley River Rest Area there was already a few campers there near the toilet block, so we decided to head further in towards the dry river bed. We found a great spot, just a pity there was no water. It was very relaxing and we decided to stay here a couple of nights.

Steve did his good deed for the year while we were here. An old bloke and his wife drove in with his commodore and old caravan and drove straight out onto the dry riverbed - and you guessed it - he got bogged. Steve pulled him out with the Nissan and they were very grateful.

After a couple of days of R&R, we headed further west towards the coast. On the way we came across this creek and we thought it even more appropriate than the last one. Someone must have been looking into the future when they named this creek - as this was the first time we travelled this road - (met a Wandy -- get it) - LOL.

We decided to stop at Barradale Rest Area which was situated near a river. This rest area was huge it was like national Lampoons vacation with all the motorhomes living next door to each other. We set up camp (that means pulled out the chairs and drinks - LOL) and were sitting outside when another bus pulled in. We watched them park and Steve and I were thinking - that bus looks familiar - and it was - it was Liz and Trev who we had met at Alexandra 2 years earlier. You can't go anywhere in this country without bumping into people you know or they know someone you know. Liz and Trev had been working on the harvest south of Perth for CBH and were heading up to Port Headland as Trev had a job.

The next morning, Steve went for a walk down to the river and came across a waterhole that was being dive bombed by hundreds of Budgies. They were swarming in a huge flock with perfect syncronisation moving in and landing on the water with split second timing before shooting off again. While they were buzzing around it sounded like a huge propeller on an old plane winding up and down.

BHP MT WHALEBACK MINE

We decided to do the tourist thing at Newman and see the Mt Whaleback Mine. Mt Whaleback mine was established in 1968 and is the biggest single-pit open-cut iron ore mine in the world. See the picture above of how it was in 1969 and below what it looks like today.

It is more than five kilometres long and nearly 1.5 kilometres wide. They blast it then excavators scoop up to 70 tonnes of iron ore and load it into haul trucks - which can carry as much as 240 tonnes - to be transported to the primary crusher. The crusher breaks down boulders of up to 1.5 metres in diameter into lumps about the size of a football. It is then transferred to a secondary crusher, where it is broken down into grapefruit-sized lumps.
From there, it is sent to stockpiles ready for loading on to trains, up to a rate of 14,000 tonnes per hour. Waste rock from the mine, which is low in iron content, is retained for use in rehabilitation. It really felt like we were doing a tour of the SEC but it has big haul trucks instead of dredgers.

BACK TO PROSPECTING

We headed for the Gascoyne River (Middle Branch) camp where we stopped on the way up. Half way there, I realised I hadn't bought enough milk so we decided to stop at the Kumarina Roadhouse. Well, that was the first time we had stopped there and it will be the last. I bought 2 litres of long life and 2 x 500ml fresh milk (thats all they had) and for that 3 litres of milk - it cost me $15.00. Talk about rip off the travellers. They are stupid for doing it as word travels fast amongst travellers on the road and they are just doing themselves harm.

We finally arrived at the river and set up camp - it was bloody freezing. The temp dropped down to about 25 degC. We had a few thoughts and discussions and decided - bugger this, it's too cold too soon and started heading back north. We thought we could go back to Newman, go across through Paraburdoo and the Pilbara across to the coast, take our time and travel south that way.

MUNJINA EAST GORGE LOOKOUT

We decided to head for Munjina East again, and stop for a couple of days and just chill after all the dramas with the fuel pump. It is a great spot. We drove the bus in further this time as it was daylight and we had a fantastic camp site. We just lit a camp fire and kicked back for a couple of days with awesome scenery looking out over the Gorge.

HEADING SOUTH

Well, we thought we would start heading back south and do some more prospecting. When we got back out to the Highway the speedo decided to pack it in. It didn't really worry Steve as the bus usually sits nicely on 80 to 85 kph. Steve decided to get under and have a look to see whether the cable had detached itself when we stopped at the Sandfire Roadhouse for fuel. When he got under there, he didn't find out what was wrong with the speedo cable but he found fuel squirting out of the fuel pump.




We weren't sure how much we were loosing, but after a quick calculation of how many kms we had done and when we had last filled up, and reckoned we could keep moving as we were still averaging good mileage. We stopped that night at Pardoo Roadhouse caravan park. After some discussions with a mechanic, we decided to go back to Indee Station (the other side of Port Hedland) and we would park there until we could fix it. We got to Port Hedland about lunch time on Thursday and parked the bus at a road train stop and jumped in the car and went hunting for a fuel pump. Now, you would think that in a place as industrialised as Port Hedland that this would be an easy task - But wait, we are in Western Australia. After consultation with our mechanic( Jock )back home, and being shunted from one shop to another, we finally got a fuel pump. I think it was Fifth time lucky.



We had to get an electric one but Jock had told Steve how to wire it up so everything was hunky dory. So, with the grocery shopping done and fuel pump in hand, we headed out to Indee Station (60kms). We got there okay, and Steve set his sights on fitting the new fuel pump. He succeeded with not too much drama, and everything was goiong to plan and we decided we would head off the next day, Saturday. We got everything packed up and the bus started beautifully, and we headed out the gate. And out the gate is as far as we got, the bus just stopped. Steve climbed under the bus again, and he could smell a burning smell. The electronic fuel pump had burnt out as it was a 12Vpump and the electrical system for the bus batteries is 24V. Once we realised this, I went into the homestead and started ringing around and do you think anyone had a 24V fuel pump in stock - NO. After a bit of discussion between everyone, it was suggested that we buy another 12V pump and also buy a voltage converter. So off into Port Hedland we went, Saturday morning, now about 10.30am and it would take us an hour to get there. After shopping around AGAIN, we found a 12V pump and a voltage converter but the converter itself was going to cost over $300 the fuel pumps had already cost us $140 bucks each. We decided to have a cup of coffee and a rethink. Steve decided to ring our boss Tim from the farm at Geraldton and see if he could get one and send it up to us. He came up with the great suggestion to just buy the 12V pump and wire it into the 12V cigarette connection. So that's what we did. Steve got it all sorted and wired up and we were ready to go - once again. But, NO, the fuel wasn't coming through. After much frustration and calling on all people available, a german backpacker who was mechanically minded saved the day. He bled this and that and got all the air out and finally, just after dark, the bus started. ( Feeling the right dick after all these cock ups or should I say lessons on road travel) we turned it around and went and parked it back at the station and we would start again tomorrow.

87 SNAPPER STREET, PORT SMITH LAGOON

We decided not to go any further north at this stage and headed to a place just south of Barn Hill Station called Port Smith Lagoon with the intention of finally getting the boat wet and doing a bit of fishing. We weren't sure what to expect.

The caravan park is in the middle of Biddyadanga Aboriginal Land. It is a 20km drive in on dirt road so we just took it very slowly. We had booked in for two nights until we sussed it out. On arrival they told us to just let them know if we wanted to extend our stay but preferrably within the next 24hours. We drove up to our site (No. 87), parked the bus, and went and extended our stay to a week. The park is set up very nicely. The sites are huge so you don't feel hemmed in with good shady trees and the ammenities are clean and spacious.

The lagoon is 600 metres away and is another story in itself. The tide movement is unbelievable and a bit tricky to work out. If you go down to the lagoon at low tide you can walk for miles on the sand but you must keep your eye on the time as when the tide turns, it races in. You can be standing on sand and within a couple of mins it is up to your knees. We put the boat in the water and left it moored there for the time we stayed. This meant that we had to work out when the water would be the same height each day so that we didn't have to try and drag the boat to the water. We didn't venture out into the open seas, we just moved around in the Lagoon (which was huge when the tide was in). There was also some really great cliffs just up from the Lagoon where you could fish from.

This is where Steve caught his big Trevally.

The assortment of fish was unreal, the water was so clear it was like an aquarium around the Mangroves. We would sit in the boat and just tease the fish with the bait just to watch them. We caught Cods, Angel Fish, Javelins and Barracuda. Most of them we had to throw back as they were too small or protected. We were hoping for a Mangrove Jack but were unsuccessful our neighbour Mark caught a ripper but he ate it LOL.

Every Thursday night they have a Fish and Chip night. It costs $5 (which goes to the Flying Doctors) and you get a couple of bits of freshly caught fish and chips. Then once everyone has been up an paid and had their feed, you can go up for seconds free of charge. They do a great job, the first night there was prob about 200 people there and you could still get seconds. They venture out and catch a heap through the week and other people also donate fish they don't want themselves. They also have live music and games. All in all a good night. If there was one place in WA we would buy into, it would be Port Smith.

Their was a family camped next to us for a while and Wally had them conned. Mark, Carol and their daughter Sarah from Australind near Perth. They had been on the road for approx 4 months and were on their way home. They missed their dog, so our three were getting plenty of cuddles from Sarah. Steve would have stayed there for a month and we probably should have as we got too far south too early and it started getting a bit cool, so we crept North again and across to the coast.