We left our campsite at Lake Sampson just out of Kalgoorlie late morning and headed south towards Norseman.
We stopped in the small town of Kambalda West to top up on groceries before heading out on the return Nullarbor journey.
Next we stopped in Kambalda East at a great lookout where we walked a short distance to get a feel of the vast flat salt and mineral-rich landscape that surrounds the Goldfields. In the distance beyond vast pink mudflats we could see Lake Lefroy and further south Lake Cowan, with their shimmering white crystal salts shining under the stark blue sky.
We ate lunch at the lookout and continued south to Norseman, stopping at the town lookout (once again, as we were here back in mid April) to appreciate the panorama below of the Norseman Cooperative Gold Mine (NCGM) where as recently as Monday last week a miner lost his life in a tragic mining accident. We learnt of this at the Kalgoorlie Museum, where there is a memorial wall with the names of all miners killed in mining accidents in Goldfields mines since records began in the 1920s. Unfortunately, the wall and list of names is very big and it really makes you appreciate the human cost of this industry and spare a thought for the miners and their families. Mining in the early days was very tough, especially prior to the water pipeline being completed. But even today mining has a massive impact on communities and families.
It feels strange to be back in Norseman. Not just because we've been here before or even because we've seen so much across WA, north, south and west since we were last here. Last time we had our old caravan and it was just south of here that we had our accident on the Coolgardie Esperance Highway on April 15. It was a stressful time that ended well with the purchase of our lovely new home on wheels, but memories have come flooding back today as we relived that heartbreaking day. We are so lucky that it all ended well for us. Most importantly we weren't injured and we were soon able to continue our amazing adventures.
We stopped at the Norseman sports ground where you are allowed to camp for free for 24 hours. We sat outside enjoying the unseasonal late afternoon sunshine nibbling on cheese and olives and sipping some delicious white wine that we bought in the Swan Valley.
Made a simple pasta and pesto with chicken for dinner and we chilled out watching a series about Louis the Eighth on SBS.
Time to say good night. Can't believe the night is quite warm after several cool nights in the Wheatbelt. Oh well, we will enjoy what is probably the last warm weather until Spring time.
Night all xx