We enjoyed our 3 days and four nights in Newman. Like I said, I really enjoyed the park and the town had more than enough services to satisfy us.
On our second day we took a drive out to the local water supply Opthalmia Dam and then on to Kalgan Pool. The dam is very pretty and a 4WD track up a steep little hill gave gave excellent views of it and the surrounding country. We got a great look at a mine blast across the dam while we were there.
Opthalmia Dam
After stopping at the dam, we headed back the way we came and on to Kaglan Pool. We turned right onto an excellent road we'd got a permit for and travelled along the railway line as we were supposed to, but couldn't find the road under the railway line. On and on (and on) we travelled, until the rail line stopped and the mines finished and the aboriginal land started. So back around we went. Reading the map, we crossed at one of the two level crossings and took a hard left and headed to the pool. The sign to the pool was missing, but "that happens". We drove about 15ks but instead of heading to the hills, we seemed to follow the railway line. Finally we arrived at a GATE. As it happedned an ambulance had just gone through and the driver was shutting the gate. He waited for us and when we explained we were lost, said that he'd guessed that. We said we'd turn back but he waved us through explaining we'd better be careful as we were going through an active mine site, but it would put us on the Marble Bar Road in moments. It did and we realised we'd taken a wrong turn coming out of the dam and forgotten that that bit of the Marble Bar road was sealed unlike the good mine road we'd found!
So, once again we headed out along the Marble Bar Road, made the right turn under the railway line, found the sign to Kaglan Pool and managed to lose our way again and end up up in the hills on a degraded overgrown 4WD track.
It Looked OK, But Wasn't a Couple of Ks Later!
So back again to the railway line where we eventually found the second sign to the pool. Off we went only to decide after 13ks of huge corregations and a boat motor banging around in the back, to turn around, go home and have a glass of wine.
Yesterday we decided to go see the Aboriginal rock etchings 73ks back towards Tom Price. We stopped along the way at Silent Gorge-it really is silent and the colours in the rock were amazing.
Silent Gorge
The art site isn't sign posted (not unusual for Aboriginal sites we've discovered)except by a pole with a pink ribbon tied to it, but we'd spotted the turn on the way in to Newman on the day we arrived. Well, guess what, there'd been roadworks in the area, the pole and its pink ribbon had been knocked over and we missed it. It wasn't until we were 13 ks down the road we thought to check the speedo (just talking and looking around), turn round and go back.
Rock Art Site
It was well worth it. We were the only ones there, the etchings were easy to access in one small area and were amazing. We sat on a large river boulder, ate our lunch and just looked at etchings that have been there for tens of thousands of years.
This morning we packed up and drove the 420ks to Meekatharra. We both agree we have never seen so many trucks, passed so many over width trucks or had move off the road and stop as massive mine trucks and equipment were driven by us. I think we saw a new mine being outfitted today. We have seen trucks of all sizes , mine equipement of all sizes and shapes, rail trucks, rail truck wheels, and dongas being hauled. We saw trcukloads of small vehicles too-new mini busses, 4wds, fire trucks, ambulances. It makes the days we've travelled across the Nullarbor seem quiet almost! After visiting a few mines, it's been amazing to see all the pretty colours new equipment comes in. I don't think it takes too long before everything turns basic brown. It was a big day for road kill too with the road littered with dead roos, cows and eagles.
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