DAY 2 - KALGOORLIE TO NULLARBOR

DAY 2 KALGOORLIE TO NULLARBOR ROADHOUSE

Up early with a liquid breakfast (brekky on the Go – Not beer) and booked a taxi to the air port in the dark. Lovely clear sky beautiful 25 + degrees we soared into the daybreak at 7.08 am.
Flew out around open pit a few times whilst Sarah took many deep cut photos.

With 2 hrs flying over scrubby low bush we saw goats, camels, cows on our way to Kanandah Station - 2.5million acres. We did a pass over the long strip which looked fairly rough at one end. All looked clear until we were on the ground then horses and kangaroos were seen running beside and over the strip as we landed.

Mark Forrester and Martin (German packpacker) met us at the hangar. Sarah and I drove to the house – a lovely old brick building with huge high ceilings, bright huge rooms and were met by Karen F. (who was very pretty with dark hair and looked far too young to have 18yo twin boys + yr 9 daughter & another yr 7 son) who showed us hospitality for the rest rooms and then drove us back to the field to photograph the Stinson and joined us in morning tea. We had a great chat about the station – their station life – they had come down from Carnarvon 7 years ago, their Cessna 180 which was able to fly them to Jandakot in 3.5 hours. A trip that had taken us 6.5 hours.

We departed from the long far end of their strip “looking out for roos” successfully and turned E once again. Next stop Forrest! How could some one name a town of 5 houses within the Nulla scrub “Forrest”. The history was that the beautiful long bitumen strip and domed hangar were built for the first Trans Australia flights in the DC3s. The cute little “Departure Lounge“ was beautifully planted with bushes and set out with picnic tables. We were met and served by Lyn and Darryl who were the most hospitable re-fuellers I have ever met. Home made biscuits accompanied the free tea or coffee as well as cold water to fill our bottles. Their aviation interest was refreshing and their attitude to managing the accommodation and refueling was delightful. After numerous photos we were once again on our way across the Null – arbor.

Now we had hit the real Nulla – the only growth was about 30-45cm high and all there was to see were a few puddles from the recent rains. We flew alongside the rail line and deviated slightly to get photos.