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We start this report having just spent the night at the Cocklebiddy Roadhouse. Our first stop this morning was at the Caiguna Blowhole, a short distance west of Caiguna and just off the main drag.
All caves breath to some extent, when the pressure/temperature of the air within, changes from that of the air and conditions outside of them. Due to the entrance of this cave being relatively small compared to the size of it underground, air is drawn in or expelled at quite some velocity at certain times. One not far from here has had it’s air speed recorded at over 70 ks per hour!!
You can see how that constant movement of air through the entrance has worn the surrounding rock smooth over hundreds of thousands of years.
One young dude parked his van too close to the hole during one period of vast air movement, his surf board was ripped of his car and then smashed into this nearby tree. Part of the board disappeared into the distance while the other half was firmly lodged in it’s branches, so take care when visiting!!!!!!!
A useless fact is that the caves on the Nullarbor breath more rapidly than anywhere else in Australia!
At Balladonia I wanted to take a 4 wheel drive track to Cape Arid National Park on the coast. It would take quite a few hours on some suspect tracks to get there but it was going to be worth it. Getting there mostly on the bitumen would mean another 500ks or so, so this was by far the best option for us plus it was all dirt Whoo Hoo, “BUT”
Bugger!! for when we got to it, It was closed, the recent front that had come through had dumped a fair bit of rain on it further south and that was that.
We didn’t hang around and pushed on towards Noresman, the weather had improved a lot with the sky now cloud free and the forecast for the days ahead to be sunny and a constant 28 to 30 degrees.
Beside the road we stopped a couple of times to capture the unique area/vegetation we were now driving through.
The common name for those trees is the Salmon Gum, it has a smooth pale grey bark that is shed in summer, that reveals the salmon coloured new bark, where it’s name came from. Luckily for us those lovely colours where every where for us to enjoy.
And then the absolutely poop hit the fan, our holiday was basically shut down/ended. We were about 150 ks out of Noresman when we heard that some states proposed closing or limiting access across their borders.
We knew we may have been on limited or borrowed time with this trip, and as we didn’t want to be stuck anywhere too far from home we decided to get to Norseman, fill up with juice, grab a few supplies and then head back towards S.A.
We had a day or so before we would have had to isolate for 14 days on entering there, but as home was where we should probably be now, now that things had ramped up a bit. Once in SA no matter what restrictions they or Vic placed on their borders, we would be able to drive home.
Only 20 minutes or so in Norseman and we were heading east not west!! We had done so well to avoid that crappy weather and now we were driving back into it.
We again passed the closed Balladonia Track that heads down to the coast, a photo this time for when we past earlier I was so disappointed I forgot to take a pic.
Where did our warm sunny day go!!
We stopped at the heritage listed Balladonia Telegraph Station, it was built in 1898 operating until 1927, it was then closed due to the telegraph line being rerouted at that time along the Trans Australian Railway Line, which had opened ten years previous.
The Telegraph Station complex was ringed by an extensive array of drystone walls, they were considerably older than the Station itself being built around a woolshed (early 1880s) that was part of the Balladonia Pastoral Station at the time.
When it was opened, publicity at the time extolled it’s virtues saying;
“It has an operating room, 37ft by 15ft, battery room for 1,000 cells, store rooms, and quarters of eight rooms for officer in charge, operators and linesmen; with bathrooms and stores, and verandahs all round. Water supply of 6,000 gallons in tanks and sheds for camels. The existing woolshed has been converted into temporary offices”.
In 1903, it was reported that Balladonia was manned day and night and needed three operators to provide a continuous service.
In this pic you can still see some of the poles that carried the telegraph line.
Around the building there were many items that took our interest.
Looking inside was easy but walking around was quite dangerous so we didn’t do a lot of that.
It was time to push on, how many travellers who have driven the Nullarbor and in particular this stretch of road, would have driven it in both directions, all in the one day??
For tea that day we called in at Mundrabilla Roadhouse, I took these pics there as we waited nearly 40 mins for a bag of chips each, no not busy as we were the only customers there the whole time!!
Did a bit of driving that day, we ended up at Border Village Motel (we rang through earlier when we knew where we may be able to get to) and were lucky to get the last room available.
Just under 1200 ks driven, well 1187 to be exact, we had still seen a few things along the way but the main thing was we were now in S.A. and we had a roof over our heads as it was raining.
Funnily enough but our neighbours in the next room were a couple of ageing bikers, yes the same dudes we had beside us Cocklebiddy that morning. When he saw me he commented on it being another tiring day, with the weather and distance travelled etc. Believe it or not but I couldn’t burst his bubble by telling him that we had done another 900 ks more than him to still arrive at the same spot Ha!!!!!!!
Roughly halfway between Border Village and the Nullarbor Roadhouse is a turn off that takes you to Koonalda Homestead (no sign posts). I really wanted to take Jen there, but the enormous amount of rain that had fallen over the last day or so in the region, had me wary whether that was possible!
Driving on wet outback tracks is usually a no no due to the damage that can be done to it’s surface, but as it had been so dry for so long and the rain so recent I thought it may be able to be done without too much concern.
The tracks base was quite firm so we pushed on, ready to bail if conditions worsened.
The Homestead and associated out buildings were constructed out of old railway sleepers that had been used on the Trans Australia Railway line which was about a 100 ks to the north.
Some of the rooms were still partly furnished, making it easier to imagine what life must have been like out here at such a remote location.
It originally started out as a sheep station in the 1930s but when the Eyre Highway was put through around 1950, they realised there was more money to be made from selling petrol etc as the road was only a few hundred metres to the south of the Homestead. That road/track has been long abandoned with the main road now about 20 ks further to the south.
If you ever wondered how a bowser worked, this should show you.
Inside the servo was this, don’t worry as I used a part zoom to keep the preferred 1.5 metre social distancing rule.
One of the features of this spot is all the abandoned cars that are in a sort of graveyard next to the homestead. When the owners diversified their business to take advantage of the new road traffic, they also provided a service to the state government (and drivers) by retrieving broken down cars and trucks along the route. Those vehicles were far less reliable then plus the road was little more than a track.
It was absolutely fascinating seeing the old cars etc, all had a story to tell, so much history. Neither Jen and I are are car buffs type people but it was so interesting.
Part of the complex that I hadn’t been to before was the stations shearing shed, built in the early 1930s, it is located about a kilometre north of the main buildings. You can see that they had to make do with whatever material they could lay their hands on, to build the stock yards.
An exit point for the sheep once they had been shorn.
It was terrific walking around inside, so much history, you could just about here the blades clicking and sense all the activity there would have been when it was operating.
They must have shorn a few sheep here over the years for the sheep poop under the floor wasn’t that far from the floor level itself.
Now bare with me here as I try to explain the significance of where we were now about to go. The Koonalda Cave roughly 7 ks north of the Homestead precinct, is one of the most important caves of it’s type in the “WORLD”
What has been found inside literally changed the course of history, and not just that of Australia.
Prior to a study of the Cave in 1956, the earliest date for human occupation in Australia was 8,700 years ago. That study and archaeological research dated finger markings at Koonalda Cave back to 22,000 B.P. (before presence) and occupation evidence to around 30,000 BP. Later when radiocarbon technology was all the rage, this was 100% confirmed transforming the scientific community and the publics’ understanding of Australian and World prehistory.
But could we get there??
Jen was loving this??
Believe it or not but even though that sign said 200 metres to the cave we couldn’t find it so after maybe half a k or more we back tracked and went straight ahead and came across it quite easily??
Now before I show you the cave, I’ll show you a humorous moment (well for me it was) When Jen was getting dressed that morning it didn’t dawn on me at the time that maybe her selection of footwear may not be appropriate.
Jen making her way from the car towards the cave!!!!!!!!
I thought she looked pretty spiff that day, but by the end of it her footwear certainly didn’t!!
And at last, the Cave.
From the Net.
“Koonalda Cave is of outstanding heritage value to the nation for its role in transforming our contemporary understanding of the extraordinary age of Aboriginal art, archaeology and occupation in Australia. The place is of great importance for its contribution to the history of Aboriginal occupation and is of particular significance for the Mirning people”.
“Koonalda cave contains exceptionally well preserved markings and evidence of silica mining by Aboriginal people. The cave was the first site identified in Australia that had Aboriginal ‘art’ in an area beyond the reach of natural light”.
At the edge of the cave, looking right and then left.
Jen at the time didn’t know just where she was standing.
This cave being so significant, access to it has been restricted, so even if you abseiled into the main opening, you are physically barred from going any further.
For your interest I have downloaded some pics from the net of the finger flutings and tool marks within the cave.
Rain threatened and then started to fall so now to get back to the bitumen without any issues.
A brief stop for fuel!!
If you click on the next pic there is a short clip of us making our way towards the main highway.
That night we took a room at the Nullarbor Roadhouse, it was raining solidly and all available accommodation further on was booked out. The next day the WA .SA.border was to have far stricter conditions placed on those wanting to cross it so we were happy to get what we did.
The current Roadhouse came into use 1976, the bed in our room was so worn, soft that we felt it must have been made and or used well prior to that Ha!! No matter how we tried to sleep we couldn’t help but roll into the centre and bump into each other. Just as well it was a cool night, worst nights sleep ever Ha!!
This report has covered what had been a pretty busy couple of days, but hey it’s a trip/holiday with Col.
Col and Jen.
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The worst day above ground, is a whole lot better than the best one under it. Live life to the fullest while you can.
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Topic: Pre Carona Trip, Across Oz & Back (Pt 4)
