Day 13, 4th May
A feature of the Nullabor is that due to the fact that there are no doctors between Ceduna and Norseman, the area is covered by The Flying Doctor Service, 1200klm. There would have been at least 6-8 landing strips on the main Eyre Hwy to accommodate this. Clearly marked with Large Zebra Crossings at each end about 500mtrs apart. The side of the road is cleared to allow for the wingspan and turn around at each end. Any serious cases would be ferried by ambulance to the nearest strip to be treated as they are fully equipped for any emergency. Those who rode in La Bella Italia with me would remember David White from Broome who joined us on that trip was a pilot with the RFDS. Where are you David?
It was our intention to have one more stop before Norseman, but to decided to drive the whole way. This is our biggest drive so far, almost 500klm.
We fuel up at Cocklebiddy, some food and on our way. Evidence of the recent fires that swept through this region earlier this year. This is at the western edge of the Nuallabor, and suprisingly, to me is full of mature eucalypt trees around 10-15 metres in height. It is the largest temperate woodland in the world larger than England & Wales. Thousands of species of plants, 50 different species of mammals, frogs, & hundreds of different reptiles and birds. Thanks google, I never knew that, I thought it was all desert and mallee scrub out here.
At Caiguna another first, the longest straight stretch of road. Thank goodness for cruise control, great fuel economy with a small tail wind, average 17 lt/100 klm. 90 miles later, yippee there’s the bend, don’t get too excited, another 50klm of straight road.
GWW. Our Indigenous people have been in this region for 22,000 years
At Ballodonia, when the space station Skylab broke up on re-entry in 1979, parts were discovered 14 years later near here. Here it is cleaned up.
Pull into Norseman, (pop 600) cloud building late in the day, decided to book into a caravan park ($30), so we can do some serious washing of clothes etc. Not cold, but rained most of the night, which was welcomed by all the locals, as this is the first of the winter rains.
Norseman started life as a mining camp. When gold was discovered in 1892 it was known simply as the ‘Dundas Field’ and the town which sprang up was simply called ‘Dundas’. By 1894 it was known as ‘Norseman’ and had, reputedly, been named after a horse, ‘Hardy Norseman”, owned by a prospector named Laurie Sinclair. It has been claimed that ‘Norseman’ kicked at a large nugget on a site which Sinclair later pegged and discovered a substantial reef. Today Norseman, the horse, is honoured by a statue in the town.
Day 14, 5th May
The next day an easier drive to Esperance of 200klm. Everyone on the radio clearly joyful for the rains, 50mm here 65mm there, now we can plant the winter crops of hay and canola etc. As we approach closer to Esperance green fields are evident, larger trees and fauna more typical of the eastern coastal states. A surprise to me was the average rainfall from May-Aug is around 80-100mm a month, which is higher than Melbourne!
Despite threatening clouds, no rain on this section, have a bite to eat in the Pier Hotel, big hamburger with the lot, not had one of these for ages, egg, beetroot, bacon, pineapple, tomato, lettuce, it was about 6 inch high. Only thing missing in a pub is a milkshake or thick shake to go with it. $18 with chips, great value.
After some shopping and final set up for the night in the local town (pop 14,000) showground, we have a tourist road drive late in the day before sunset. Wow what incredible beaches, granite formations and local surrounds.
Sunset 5.08pm time to go home play Sequence or a card game, tiring stuff traveling and sightseeing.
