Meekatharra

Sunset Over Peace Gorge (The Granites)


We stayed two nights in Meekatharra. There's not much there, but I hate just driving on and on and on-I'm just not up to it mentally I don't think.

Meekatharra was another mining town and while there's one mine on the outskirts of town, I'd say most fly in-fly out to work it. At it's peak, the town had a population of a couple of thousand-now days it's about 200 and most are aboriginal. The school tries hard with competitions, give aways and animals, to get the kids to school, but it doesn't seem to work. The park owner asked a couple of kids outside the shop this morning why they woeren't at school and the older one (maybe 9 or 10) said "we don't go to school".

With the closing of the mines, the town is trying to promote tourism. They have produced a few good brochures and some well signed walks and drives around town. On our first night, we went out to the Peace Gorge on sunset, then back to the lookout just as it went down. The lookout is built on one of the mine tailings.

Along Meekatharra Creek



The next day we did a three kilometre walk along the Meekatharra Creek, looking at various points of interest along the way. It was a pleasant walk and we really enjoyed the way someone had written the material on the signs.

In the afternoon we took a drive out to the airport (which is built to service 737s if they need to be diverted from Perth)and the RFDS station, visiting a couple of old mines, the old hospital site, the BOM office and Globalstar on the way. Globalstar is one of three sites in Aus that transmit our mobile phone calls around the world via satellites orbiting the earth.

Globalstar


Along the Great Northern Highway


This morning we left just before 10 and drove to Mount Magnet. We stopped for a few hours in Cue where we took a walk around the town, had lunch then drove on to the old hospital ruins and th Gt Fingal Mine office.

Cue Police Station, Court, Post Office
Old Hospital Ruins



Cue was another important gold mining town and has some lovely old buildings in the main street. The shire building has a really good photographic display of the areas history that we took a look at.

Abandoned Offices of Gt Fingal Mine



Tonight we are in Mount Magnet. The park is small, friendly, very clean and cost us $18 which is so cheap. After we'd set up, we took a drive round town (5 minutes) then went to the IGA supermarket. It used to be owned by a couple (Des and Gaile) we met in Streaky Bay SA this March. They sold it over two years ago and I had to laugh when I noticed the register computers both still say "Hello Gaile". They were smart to sell when they did as all the mines have moved out now-the only mine left is 100ks down the road.

Tomorrow we are off to look at Walga Rock Art Site-the largest art site in WA.