We had three days stop-over at Leonora, another old gold-mining service centre, the city stands today as a major supply base for several mines around the area, busy FIFO airport, busy cross roads where mining trucks and mine supply vehicles hold sway. What could have been average stay, we happened to have arrived at the weekend of the first Sunday in June, Western Australia Foundation Day, Leonora was about to be invaded by cyclists and athletes from all over Australia.
First, the Leonora Golden Gift, a foot race around the main street with several thousand dollars of prizes, apparently has a long history and attracts runners from all over. Just so happens that we were able to watch two of Australia's Olympic hopefuls, cross the line to take out both the male and female first places. Hopefully it was a fine lead up to London for both.
The other event is relatively new, only been going a few years, a cycling classic race. Originally a race from Kalgoorlie to Menzies, the race has been extended to take in a second day for the ride from Menzies to Leonora. Again, entrants from all over Australia cycled the 140-odd k for a prize and personal achievement. From the commentary as the peloton arrived in town, local riders didn't disappoint. The final sprint around town was quite exciting, to see that the athletes were able to find reserves of power for the final few hundred metres after the long climb from Menzies. A fun weekend, busy in town, we were camped at the town sports ground, a great view of the Saturday night fireworks and far enough away from the music to be able to hear in a more comfortable environment.
Leinster-Mt Magnet
Our next phase of our tandem drive north was first to Leinster, a purpose built modern small township that serves a local mineral mining community. Visit to the shop and top up fuel, a nice little place that seems quite welcoming to travellers. Fuel had to be obtained from a self serve, card in the slot servo. Bad luck if you needed fuel on a public holiday without a credit card, but handy for us, cheaper than we were likely to get for a while.
We next free camped west from Leinster at a nice stop-over, Peter Denny Lookout. This camp site has a lovely aspect over the break-a-ways, coloured craggy cliffs where weather and water has eroded the land creating a spectacular amphitheatre with view across the vast outback WA. Kangaroos grazed below as we watch again, a spectacular sunset to be followed by brilliant star-studded night, the "clouds" of the Milky Way clearly visible above. We observed a man-made satellite passing overhead, the third night running and we wondered if it was the International Space Station.
Next morning, further westwards to the small town of Sandstone, this proved to be a bit of a surprise place. Again, built around the gold rush days and early pastoral settlement, there was a good exhibition of historical photographs and paraphernalia of old. Included was an interesting article about a famous murder mystery which involved the author of the well known Detective Bonaparte novels. (Arthur Upfield). Not the author doing the deed, but someone who apparently heard him explaining how to get rid of dead bodies in one of his novels. The alleged murder was suspected of several killings, disposing of the bodies in a fire mixed with animal bones to cover up the deaths. The man was caught out, tried and eventually hanged in WA. This could well be a good example of the old adage of truth being stranger than fiction.
Further westwards, along a good sealed road, we arrived around mid afternoon at Mount Magnet, the junction of the Great Northern Highway. Had a quick visit to the information centre to suss out some of the mining and pastoral history and considered our next stop for the night.
Lake Nallan, about 40k north allowed for two days camping. We had stayed here before in 2006 and the lake had been full, not so today, a small lake at the camping end was all that remained. Inhabited by 5 black swans, several pelicans, numerous other water birds, we couldn't work out what they fed on as there was no sign of fish or shrimp. One unique resident was a single Australian Bustard; shy, he kept away from our side of the lake.
Click on the link below to view some more photos.
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