WAy outback art, Wave Rock and a canter along the Tin Horse Highway

[oz_mark]

The story about how the water initially failed to appear at the other end, and the consequence? Or is that apocryphal?

The part about the initial failure of the water to arrive was not true - he died before it was commissioned.

 

[RooFlyer]

There are a lot of nice rocks all around there.

Sure are. When I worked in the Murchison district, many years ago, we used to go out to one of the big high rocks on a Saturday evening to watch the sunset sipping excellent wines in refined company chugging beers. But maybe that's not what you meant.

 

[JohnM]

It's interesting Michael Portillo and Griff Rhys Jones who have done railway series of Australia in the last couple of years both visited the two up and obviously made it sound and look a lot more glamorous than it is.

I thought the same.

It may have been a quiet day when we went.

However, TV producers will dummy things up to fit the narrative.

 

[JohnM]

The story about how the water initially failed to appear at the other end, and the consequence? Or is that apocryphal?

I don't know.

Did you dine at the Balcony restaurant at The Palace Hotel? MrsDaver6 and I thought it was excellent!

We went to check it out on the Sunday night (second of the two nights in Kal.) but it was closed. In fact, the whole Palace was closed that night.

 

[Daver6]

We went to check it out on the Sunday night (second of the two nights in Kal.) but it was closed. In fact, the whole Palace was closed that night.

Bummer. Worth seeking out IMHO.

 

[Black Duck]

Sure are. When I worked in the Murchison district, many years ago, we used to go out to one of the big high rocks on a Saturday evening to watch the sunset sipping excellent wines in refined company chugging beers. But maybe that's not what you meant.

Yes and no. I quite like sitting at the top of the rocks having a drink (wine preferably ) at sunset but its usually just the 2 of us so not refined company. Many years ago I don't think my dad would have had any company as he worked alone for long stints and called in to check out the rocks on the way home. If he had a drink it would have been Scotch for sure.

 

[JohnM]

The part about the initial failure of the water to arrive was not true - he died before it was commissioned.

The engineer who conceived the scheme, C Y O'Connor (C. Y. O'Connor - Wikipedia), was vilified over it and committed suicide the year before the pipeline was completed (Debunking the myths surrounding the mysterious suicide of CY O'Connor).

 

[JohnM]

Yes sorry - realized I had spelt it wrongly and should have edited. There are a lot of nice rocks all around there. My father used to do work out that way back in the 70's and was always saying about much nicer ones than Wave Rock. That was before it had the fences and people. Took me a long time to get out to look. Victoria Rock is nice too on the way between Coolgardie and Hyden.

What was your father working at out there?

My son's sandalwood operation before the current location was about 80 km S of Coolgardie near Burra Rock, which is not far from Victoria Rock (Victoria Rock | Explore Parks WA | Parks and Wildlife Service).

 

[JohnM]

Monday morning and heading back W along Great Eastern Highway before turning S towards Hyden along Emu Fence Rd. First, a stop at Karalee Rocks, the site of a historical water catchment for the steam railway to Kalgoorlie (Karalee Rocks - Golden Pipeline). The explanatory signs were shiny and very difficult to photograph.



Crossing the Goldfields pipeline on the way back out to Great Eastern Highway, and the vermin-proof fence after turning S towards Hyden.

 

[JohnM]

Then Wave Rock.



It is used as a water catchment.



Hippo’s Yawn, about 1.5 km along the outcrop from Wave Rock.

 

[JohnM]

Moving along towards Kulin and the Tin Horse Highway, which we scoped part of in the afternoon and the rest the next morning. Kulin has a bush races (Kulin Bush Races) in early October that has gone on for 25 years and spawned the whimsical Tin Horses. Unfortunately, this year’s event is a victim of Covid-19 and has been cancelled. My brother went last year and said it’s a blast.

 

[JohnM]

Kulin is a small town but it has a very nice B&B. The only evening meal option would normally be the pub. But we were there on a Monday night and we discovered that the pub is closed on Mondays. No worries; I slipped down to the IGA and bought some food and we cooked in the B&B’s great kitchen.



After finishing the Tin Horse Highway viewing, it was the 3 h run to PERfection and the end of a pleasant few days.

 

[Black Duck]

What was your father working at out there?

My son's sandalwood operation before the current location was about 80 km S of Coolgardie near Burra Rock, which is not far from Victoria Rock (Victoria Rock | Explore Parks WA | Parks and Wildlife Service).

My father did building renovations, painting etc as government tenders for the Public Works Dept. He did an awful lot of the small schools and hospitals around the wheatbelt and up a bit north of Kal and over to Esperance. Had his work vehicle and a small caravan and did anywhere from a couple of weeks to months. Worked on his own apart from the odd school holidays when one of my brothers helped him. He got a lot of extra work on farmers homes when he was in an area. He was a really hard worker. Often ended up with an animal or bird for company that he had found hurt. So when he got home we often had a new member of the household.

He came from the highlands of Scotland but loved the country around the rocks.

 

[OZDUCK]

Thanks for another nice diversion.