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| Clambering up the rock |
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| Overlooking the camp from the top of Mollerin Rock |
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| Camp #1 Mollerin rock |
Next stop was my old home town of KOORDA. Only a short trip on the black top about 60 clicks where we spent one night. We got into o town nice and early so we could set up and have a good look around and show the kids and mum where I spent my childhood and we managed to have a kick of the footy on the oval. We splashed out and had tea and a few beverages at the old Koorda hotel that night and the Kids had there first go on one of the old pub table gaming machines. The town is just the way I remember it. The next morning we had made an appointment to look through the old hospital museum in Koorda and we also needed to grab a few supplies from the supermarket so we were up early.
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| Koorda caravan park |
Following the Wheatbelt way we headed the Bencubbin then onto Beacon where took a short detour to look at a some ruins of where a local farmer had what would of been hard work beck in the day built a Stone sheep yards from the adjacent rock.
Then we continued on our way through Beacon to heading north were we left the blacktop on got our first coat of dust on everything. We're heading for Billiburning Rock (# 11 on the Wheatbelt Way) another great free camp with good facilities. Three designated camp areas with fire pits and composting toilets.
From there we back tracked to Huckster Road we we pulled over under a shady tree for lunch. We were greeted by a flock of Black cockatoos flying around us while we ate. Yep the is the Wheatbelt. We continued on to we come across the state barrier fence were we turned and follow the track coming out near a small siding called Bonnie Rock an old historic townsite and siding.
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| Roadside stop - Lunch |
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We continued on the Wheatbelt Way onto Beringbooding Rock. This once was the water collection and storage the local area and shows what is achievable with some guts and determination.
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| Stock well not far from camp |
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| Teaching the boys about Quandong's |
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| Camp fires every night in our new firepit. |
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| 4WDing with the boys. |
Our days at Elachbatting Rock camp have come to an end so after packing up we headed out again towards Hyden and Wave Rock. We decided to try and find the rabbit proof fence again and travel along it again while heading to our destination. We retried another 40km (guessing) of zig zagging our way down back roads and at one stage stopping to ask the local grader driver for directions. Merredin was a quick detour for fuel and lunch then back to the trail and more of the RPF , finally arriving at Hyde and then a short stint just east of town to our abode for the next few nights Wave Rock Caravan Park. Yep we chose to lux it a little and we got the ensuite.
A short easy walk (to warm the kids up) was Hippo's Yawn and back the the park.
The main attraction WAVE Rock is directly behind the park and an easy walk and as we found out extremely slippery when wet.
Hyden is a great little country town, check the bakery as we did Yum and the metal sculptures across the road from the main drag. After having a little fun and learning bit more about the area cathy spotted the second hand shop that was filling fast with visitors to the area and yep even got a few little bargins.
Another site thats close to Hyde is the Mulka's Cave and the humps. We got to visit and witness Mulkas cave and read his story but as is was precipitating fairly heavy we didn't get the the humps this time. Mulka's cave was a great and kids found all the ancient paintings very interesting. on our return to the park we crossed the road to let the kids loose in the wildlife park (ha ha ha) and this also was interesting. We had never see an albino kangaroo let a lone 3 of them, the boys also got to get close up to the koalas, albino possums, lots of colourful birds, Wedge-tailed Eagles, Wombats and even some prehistoric creatures , yep Christopher was in his element Dinosaurs ... On our way back to the park so the boys could play n the playground we stoped of at the toy soldier museum, that was interesting but bit hard for me to read a lot of the info as I had forgotten my glasses.
Our time at Wave Rock & Hyden was over and now we were heading to Merredin via Kulin and n the way we checked out the Tin House Highway and all the comical Tin Horses and there strange characters along the way. While in the Kulin we we found another but little tractor museum with all sort of fascinating vintage machines and an awesome old Ford Ute. From here we went through Kondinin and stoped over at Narembeen for lunch at the local Roadhouse ,which I would recommend to anyone as it was an awesome feed then afterwards we went through the Grain Discovery centre attached the the Roadhouse Where Cathy and the Boys got more of insight into farming and where it has come from to todays modern times. continuing on through Bruce rock we arrived in Merredin where we had booked into the Merredin Tourist Park for the next few days. the MTP has good facilities for Campers and not far from the town centre. Both Cathy and I are still shocked at the amount of overnigtht campers that setup spend one night then move on the next morning. While in Merredin we explore the Merredin Peak trail, learnt a bit more about our WWII History with the Old Army Hospital site and the Military Museum (must see) and the boys enjoyed the Railway Museum and oh course we had to go the local playground.
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| Merredin Tourist Park Camp |
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| Local Rock Slab water channel |
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| CAT 15 |
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| We're off Dad |
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| Yep even allowed to hold the replica |
If your even in Merredin then I would Highly recommend a visit to the Military museum and the Heratige rail museum also. Both are within easy walking distance to each other. Small entry fee but goes towards helping keep these awesome places full of histry open. From Merredin we rejoin the Pioneer Pathway and head for Nungarin where I had heard about this museum there in an Old Australian Military building. So we pulled into this great little country town and scoped out the Nungarin Heritage and Army Museum and then spent the next 3 hours looking over all the historical items and chatting to the locals. What a great place, another I would highly recommend. After a quick pit stop it was off to Trayning for Lunch. The only memories of Trayning I can recall are nearly knocking myself out when I ran flat out into a cloths line as a kid at my uncle and aunties place. Oh and Grandad's old Valliant coming to grief on the way there.
Back on the Pioneer pathway and off to a place where I spent my younger years filling my brain with what my Teachers though was good stuff. Wyalkatchem (Whiley) was were all three us Bowens attended High School from Koorda via the bus every DAY ! So I showed the Family around the town and yep spent time in that hospital also .. then we stopped at the CBH Museum to soak up some more history of the area. It had changed a lot since I was last there as a teenager but some of the display were still there. This is also one I would recommend stopping at. off gain and onto Minnivale to set up camp for the night.
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| Couldn't resist. next photo is why. |
Minnivale is an old CBH rail siding & township were now days there are only a handful of building still standing, a great little church (no we didn't go in) and some ruins of the old Bakery. An awesome little Camp where we could of spent a few days but we were only there for the night.
The next morning we woke to an absolute superb Wheatbelt morning and that's exactly why we love our camper and getting out there. So after letting the canvas dry out we headed into Dowerin, home of the Dowerin Machinery Field Days and Rusty the Dog. After a quick stop at the local IGA we headed for Toodyay.
We had never been to Toodyay before so this was all new country to all of us. I had read about a bush ranger called Moondyne Joe so we head to the old Goal to investigate further and check it out. They have some great displays & information boards form the early European settlers in the area & lots of info about the indigenous stories & artifacts on site.
We wound our way to York. York is WA's oldest inland town first settled in 1831. I had been told by some friends that we should check out the Motor Museum while here and I was so glad we just made it before closing.. Like 4 kids in a candy shop, cars, cars more cars and bikes... Happy dad. Then we went for a walk around the bustling little town center and oh look we found an old Pub. Oh well we should wet the whistle then I suppose hey mum :)
Our Three little Superstars.
Unfortunately this is then end of our Wheatbelt tour . I have had the time of my life on this trip and I think / hope everyone else did too. So much to see and do. We were now heading to Perth were we were booked into the Big4 Caversham where we will reside for a few nights to get some shopping in before heading Back to Geraldton - work :(
Till our next adventure Stay safe on the roads and get out there and see Australia.
Bowen05
