Western Australia's Goldfields - Kalgoorlie and Boondi Rock

Kalgoorlie

17 – 18 September 2018

We hadn’t decided whether to have one night or two in Kalgoorlie, but on arrival, we both agreed one would be enough. Getting there at lunch time meant we could get a load of washing done, as well as some shopping and sight-seeing in the afternoon and then move on to somewhere nicer. Kalgoorlie is unmistakably a mining town.

Although hoping to see some WA endemics all I found were feral Laughing Doves in the caravan park.

We went for a nice walk in Karlkurla Bushland Park – a lovely bushland park on the edge of town. Crisscrossed by walking paths, this seems to be well used by the locals. On the way home, we stopped for the obligatory look at the Superpit mine. It is enormous and a hive of activity. You can check at the visitor centre in town for the blasting times each day if you want to see that particular bit of theatre. We didn’t.

A very large hole.

After fuelling up, we set off early for the relatively short drive to our next campsite at Boondi Rock.

Boondi Rock – Boorabbin National Park

18 – 19 September 2018

After a short and unsuccessful search for a coffee shop in Southern Cross, we found our way to the campground at Boondi Rock. The only other campers were wearing fly veils so we knew what we were in for. We left the table and chairs inside the camper trailer tent and made our lunch inside. This campground is beside a dam, and looked like it might be a very popular spot but there was only us and one other couple so it was quiet and peaceful.

Information signs.

Red-spotted Jezebel

We did a bit of exploring, including a walk up the rock. There is a simple but very effective system of channels around the rock, consisting of short walls, which directs the rainfall into the dam. Very clever and not something we had ever seen before. The views from the top of the rock were fabulous and there were lots of flowering plants around, but not too many birds.

We came across a pair of Splendid Fairy-wrens on the rock.

Singing Honeyeater was one of the few species of bird around. They were very common through most of our trip.

Grevillea. We started noticing more wildflowers in the landscape.

Wild daisy

More flowers.

Water falling on the top of the rock flows down these channels to a dam.

On top of Boondi Rock.

Ornate Dragon

Part of the catchment system.

Lichen

We lit a fire, cooked a camp oven stew for dinner and once again we endured a cold night but the afternoon and morning were glorious. Unfortunately the number of flies around had us packing up after only one night.