Coolgardie (2 of 2)

Coolgardie

 

The old Railway Station, built in 1896 and closed in 1971 after the Trans Australian railway line was relocated north of the town, is now a transport museum.

Warden Finnerty’s Residence, built in 1895 for the man whose job it was to lay down the ground rules for the miners, has been restored by the national Trust and is open for inspection.

A unique reminder of Coolgardie’s early days is the Gaol Tree, to which prisoners awaiting trial were changed before the town’s first lock-up was built.

Coolgardie Cemetery and the Old Pioneer Cemetery illustrate the dangers faced by the pioneers—not just the ordeal of distance by the risks of primitive mine shafts, unsanitary conditions and lack of water or bad water.  It was written that at the time “one half of Coolgardie was busy burying the other half”.

Ben Prior’s Open Air Museum, one of the most unusual museums in Australia, has an assortment of relies from Coolgardie’s pioneering days including machinery, mining equipment and the large covered wagons used by the more fortunate prospectors.

The Coolgardie Battery, just out of town, is the last of the many gold treatment plants built to extract gold from the rock dug out by the thousands of small prospectors.  Tour of the Battery include the thrilling sight of gold bars being poured.

Visual source:  pleasetakemeto

 

 

Westonia

Westonia

 

Just off Route 94, the small town of Westonia 310km cast of Perth gained its name from Alfred David Weston, a sparetime prospector who stumbled across gold in 1910 while on his way to the Goldfields.

Weston’s discovery sparked a rush of prospectors, and the ruins of just one of the many gold mines, the Edna-May can be seen 1km outside the town. 

The historic Edna-May Tavern is Westonia evokes the simple architectural charm of an earlier age.

Sandford Rocks, one of the many granite outcrops throughout The Golden Way, is a popular picnic stop just east of Westonia.

Visual source:  jocom

 

 

Northam (1)

 

Northam, the largest town in the Avon Valley, is the valley’s commercial center and adventure playground. 

Northam is at its busiest on the first weekend of August every year, when hundreds of intrepid power boaters and canoeists—trailed by tens of thousands of spectators—flock to the town for the start of the Avon Descent.  The partying begins of Friday night ahead of Saturday’s early morning start to the 133km white-water classic.

Getting to Northam is easy—by car, Westrail or private bus, or by rail on Westrail’s “Prospector.”  And once you arrive, there are many distinctive ways to see the town and its surrounds—by aeroplane, hot-air balloon, bicyle, bushwalking, camel, canoe, glider or horse.

For an unforgettable aerial experience, hot air balloon flights and gliding training or joy flights are abailable from Northam Aerodrome, along with flying and hang-gliding training.

Those who prefer being closer to the ground may like to hire a bicycle, follow the heritage trail of Northam’s historic buildings or go bushwalking through the rolling hills along disused railway lines.

Or, for the ultimate outback-style trip, go trekking by camel from the Blue Gum Camel Farm along bush trails—and park your camel at a local tavern while you have lunch! Horse-riding enthusiasts can choose horseback bush trail rides or lessons from Linzil Trail Rides.

Photo courtesy:  abc.net

Lake Grace

 

First explored by John Septimus Roe in 1848, Lake Grace gained its name from the shallow salt lake 8km to the west.

The restored Inland Mission Hospital, established in 1925 by John Flynn, is the last A.I.M. Hospital in Western Australia.

To the east of Lake Grace is the starting point for Holland’s Track, which was cut by prospector John Holland in 1893 in his rush to get to the gold-fields at Coolgardie.  The wheel tracks left by the wagons of the prospectors who followed Holland can still be seen.

Newdegate, 50km east of Lake Grace, is a picturesque town noted for its springtime wildflower displays and a two-day machinery field event each September.

Lake King, further east across a large salt lake, is the starting point for a sand track which crosses Frank Hann National Park on the road to Norseman and the Eastern States.

The Roe Heritage Trail which retraces part of J.S. Roe’s explorations in 1848, begins south of Lake King and covers natural reserves, historical sites and panoramic views from a granite formation, Mr. Madden.

Photo courtesy:   abc.net.au