Julian & Ali Travels


Gwalia and Malcolm Dam		July 30 - 31 2025

		Ever onward. More mulga. The height, and density, varies considerably.

		Another mine. There are many. Too many to count. We are still surprised, and pleased, when we see renewables electricity. The towers are really vertical ... just a tilt of the camera. They are in a line, which surprised us, and made us wonder if the wind ever blows in that line ....

		No mountains or hills. Just mullock heaps and transmission lines.

		Perhaps Lake Miranda.

		Definitely mulga. We cheated and asked google.

		Big mullock heaps.

		This one reminded me of the black forest gateau we ate a couple of days ago.

		Leonora is the lowest price fuel we know of in all directions. We know the BP depot is $191.9. We backtracked a little to find this advertised one. Shell at $189.9. It doesn't sound much but between us we will fill up with about 600 litres.

		We became separated. The hand held radio not quite good enough. We found the Oka hiding in the main street.

		Water and dump point at the exit from Leonora. Gwalia about 4km to the south.

		Difficult to take pics. The open cast pit is still in operation. The company was Sons of Gwalia. A latin name for Wales.

		There's a portal in the bottom, haul cars can spiral their way underground to 1.9km below the surface. The plan is to dig deeper. The mine has been closed a couple of times. Now working again. Under new ownership. The price of gold is currently high.

		The original mine head for the underground part. Descend on rails at a sharp angle. For display only, it was moved as the open cut pit expanded.

		The mine manager's abode. Designed and built by Herbert Hoover (later US President) when he recommended the mine be commissioned and recommended himself as mine manager. He was here a few months, from May to November 1898, aged 23. He never lived in the house. No mention of wife or family. He married in 1899. Later visited the mine a few times.

		I thought the bricks a bit oversize.

		Adverts for Gwalia mention the mine managers residence, and have pics of the State Hotel. Built by government to reduce reliance on sly grog. In need of a bit of care.

		Hoover liked Italian migrant workers. They worked hard for less money. Part of his cost cutting measures. This is the Pink Camp. A typical dwelling. Built around two tents. Complete with fence from bed ends.

		From another angle, with the phone rather than camera. Two pics 1 minute apart. The sky overcast and threatening on one direction, clear in another.

		Martinazolli's Camp. Built in 1938. Italians were interned during WWII.

		Mazza's Store. Everything you wanted and needed, and no doubt some things you didn't.

		Patroni's Boarding House.

		Malcolm Dam is about 10km east of Leonora. We've filled with water and will do some laundry. The dam water is too far away, and too shallow, to use. Bird watching. Wood Ducks.

		Australian Shelducks

		A black faced woodswallow, unusually on the ground. There are few trees near the water, but presumably lots of insects.

		Paacific Black Ducks.

		Coots

		Swans

		Red Capped Plover

		A solitary Shelduck.

		Banded Lapwing

		A solirary emu saunters to the water's edge for a drink.

		A lone Australian White Ibis, a long way away.

		Another Banded Lapwing.

		Another Shelduck, with Wood Ducks behind.

		Pied Stilt. The water must be just the right depth.

Laverton to Bishop Rileys Pulpit		August 1 - 3 2025

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