![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gemfyreMarch 3 2011
3/3/2011 - Perth - Ninghan Station
It cannot be a benevolent God who invented flies. Why can't we just have scarab beetles and nice things like that to clean up the carrion? Flies are possibly the most annoying creature on earth.
Well, I'm currently looking at some big hill in the evening light, scattered with low scrub and wattle mallee and it looks very pretty.
A little earlier I got about halfway up Mt Singleton - the highest point in this region. I probably could have made it had it not been so late in the day - I didn't want to be coming back down that track in darkness, and I didn't particularly want to get stranded either if I busted a tyre on one of those rocks or something. The track up there is VERY rocky, you know that stuff they put on railway tracks? Think of that but more uneven on the ground and more oddly sized.
Ninghan Station will be okay for the night - hopefully I can get that Western Bowerbird in the morning, and Bourke's Parrots would be nice too. It took about 15 minutes for me to find anyone at the homestead though - the doors were open, the TV was on, but there was not a soul until I was about to leave and head to Payne's Find and some bloke showed up, told me it was $10 for camping, most of the tracks were water damaged, and that I could have a go at Mt Singleton, "Just drive that way," *gestures*, "Then that way", *gestures*, "and you'll see a sign that says "Singleton". I found the sign pretty easy, but if there is a mud map for the place, this guy didn't know about it. I haven't seen anyone since, just a friendly sheep in desperate need of shearing.
The 28s up here make all kinds of weird sounds, they keep making me think they're other parrots. And there are so many insects - I guess because of the water. Whenever something that I think is a bird catches my eye - more than likely it's a dragonfly or large grasshopper.
I have a tiny chip in my windscreen already - I noticed at Dallwalinu, not sure when it happened. I will keep an eye on it and maybe be able to get it repaired in Broome or something. I'm really looking forward to getting to Broome, I'm this weird paradox - I love the outback and solitude, but I also really like being around people. I guess the brief times alone make me appreciate that.
I headed off around 8:30 in the morning (a little later than intended, but I still had plenty of time) and made my first pee stopover in Bindoon. Unfortunately it's the wrong time of year for mandarines or else I would have bought a bagful.
I spent about half an hour wandering around New Norcia (I know because the chuch bell chimed twice while I was there - I'm guessing it chimes on the quarter hour). New Norcia is a town built in the bush - nearish to Moore River (which is currently flowing at New Norcia) - based around a monastery. All the old buildings are still there - it wouldn't exist without them. There was an orphanage there and a convent too. The monks still bake their famous bread there.
Pulled over in Walebing briefly and tried to send an SMS but it would seem the phone reception died about then.
Oh great, the sun has gone down enough that the mozzies have come out - but the flies are still around too! Gah!
I made lunch in Dallwalinu and got online briefly. Dally is quite a large town comparitively. I didn't eat my lunch there though - I went on through Wubin and paid 152.5c a litre to top up my fuel. I was going to buy a Powerade but at $4.90 a bottle I decided to stick with water.
I had decided to have my lunch at a "family rest area" up ahead. Now, when you hear "family rest area" what would you expect? Some bins? Picnic tables? Maybe even a long drop toilet or an information board.
All that was at this "rest area" was rubbish. I would have been better off pulling into any of the roadside parking bays - they all have bins and most of them had tables. I wandered around there a bit after eating lunch - heard a lot and didn't see a thing.
Just a bit north of the rest area I had to stop and take photos of the road ahead. I had finally left the wheatbelt and entered the rangelands. No more drab miles of wheat monoculture - ahead of me was lovely dark native bushland.
Seeing as there is quite a bit of water laying around I decided to pop into Mt Gibson to the lake we were at when it was realised that my car had a fuel leak. At that time there was some water in it and I figured there would be more now. Nope - bone dry. All I saw was one Splendid Fairy-wren going into eclipse plumage. I guess, it had rained the night before the last time I was at that lake. It hasn't rained for at least a few days this time around - I guess it drains fast.
And now we are back to Ninghan Station. The sun has just set and the natural light is dying, so I shall start dinner, then have a shower, then read a bit until I'm tired enough for bed. I plan to be up with the sun and be on the road as soon as I've had a good wander/birdwatch around the grounds here.
(H) indicates that a bird was heard but not seen. The lists are in alphabetical order - I would prefer them in taxonomic order) because that's what Excell knows. I guess, the alphabet has been around for thousands of years, whereas taxonomy changes at least every 5 years.
3/3/2011 (Stirling, Bindoon, New Norcia, Walebing, Dallwalinu, Wubin, Mt Gibson, Ninghan Station, Mt Singleton)
Australian Raven
Australian Ringneck
Australian Wood Duck
Black-faced Woodswallow
Brown Honeyeater (H)
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill
Corella (H)
Galah
Grey Butcherbird
Inland Thornbill
Magpie
Magpie Lark
Mistletoebird
Nankeen Kestrel
Pied Butcherbird
Rainbow Bee-eater (H)
Rainbow Lorikeet
Red Wattlebird
Regent Parrot (H)
Rock Dove
Senegal Dove
Silvereye (H)
Singing Honeyeater
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (H)
Splendid Fairy-wren
Spotted Dove
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Weebill (H)
Welcome Swallow
Whistling Kite
White-faced Heron
Willie Wagtail
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Photos from Day 1
3/3/2011 - Perth - Ninghan Station
It cannot be a benevolent God who invented flies. Why can't we just have scarab beetles and nice things like that to clean up the carrion? Flies are possibly the most annoying creature on earth.
Well, I'm currently looking at some big hill in the evening light, scattered with low scrub and wattle mallee and it looks very pretty.
 |
Ninghan Station View from my campsite. |
A little earlier I got about halfway up Mt Singleton - the highest point in this region. I probably could have made it had it not been so late in the day - I didn't want to be coming back down that track in darkness, and I didn't particularly want to get stranded either if I busted a tyre on one of those rocks or something. The track up there is VERY rocky, you know that stuff they put on railway tracks? Think of that but more uneven on the ground and more oddly sized.
Ninghan Station will be okay for the night - hopefully I can get that Western Bowerbird in the morning, and Bourke's Parrots would be nice too. It took about 15 minutes for me to find anyone at the homestead though - the doors were open, the TV was on, but there was not a soul until I was about to leave and head to Payne's Find and some bloke showed up, told me it was $10 for camping, most of the tracks were water damaged, and that I could have a go at Mt Singleton, "Just drive that way," *gestures*, "Then that way", *gestures*, "and you'll see a sign that says "Singleton". I found the sign pretty easy, but if there is a mud map for the place, this guy didn't know about it. I haven't seen anyone since, just a friendly sheep in desperate need of shearing.
| Sheep at Ninghan In desperate need of shearing. |
 |
The 28s up here make all kinds of weird sounds, they keep making me think they're other parrots. And there are so many insects - I guess because of the water. Whenever something that I think is a bird catches my eye - more than likely it's a dragonfly or large grasshopper.
I have a tiny chip in my windscreen already - I noticed at Dallwalinu, not sure when it happened. I will keep an eye on it and maybe be able to get it repaired in Broome or something. I'm really looking forward to getting to Broome, I'm this weird paradox - I love the outback and solitude, but I also really like being around people. I guess the brief times alone make me appreciate that.
I headed off around 8:30 in the morning (a little later than intended, but I still had plenty of time) and made my first pee stopover in Bindoon. Unfortunately it's the wrong time of year for mandarines or else I would have bought a bagful.
I spent about half an hour wandering around New Norcia (I know because the chuch bell chimed twice while I was there - I'm guessing it chimes on the quarter hour). New Norcia is a town built in the bush - nearish to Moore River (which is currently flowing at New Norcia) - based around a monastery. All the old buildings are still there - it wouldn't exist without them. There was an orphanage there and a convent too. The monks still bake their famous bread there.
 |
New Norcia - Church steeple This chimed on the quarter hour. |
Pulled over in Walebing briefly and tried to send an SMS but it would seem the phone reception died about then.
Oh great, the sun has gone down enough that the mozzies have come out - but the flies are still around too! Gah!
I made lunch in Dallwalinu and got online briefly. Dally is quite a large town comparitively. I didn't eat my lunch there though - I went on through Wubin and paid 152.5c a litre to top up my fuel. I was going to buy a Powerade but at $4.90 a bottle I decided to stick with water.
I had decided to have my lunch at a "family rest area" up ahead. Now, when you hear "family rest area" what would you expect? Some bins? Picnic tables? Maybe even a long drop toilet or an information board.
All that was at this "rest area" was rubbish. I would have been better off pulling into any of the roadside parking bays - they all have bins and most of them had tables. I wandered around there a bit after eating lunch - heard a lot and didn't see a thing.
Just a bit north of the rest area I had to stop and take photos of the road ahead. I had finally left the wheatbelt and entered the rangelands. No more drab miles of wheat monoculture - ahead of me was lovely dark native bushland.
 |
|
| Ranges up ahead Mount Gibson is among these hills. |
Seeing as there is quite a bit of water laying around I decided to pop into Mt Gibson to the lake we were at when it was realised that my car had a fuel leak. At that time there was some water in it and I figured there would be more now. Nope - bone dry. All I saw was one Splendid Fairy-wren going into eclipse plumage. I guess, it had rained the night before the last time I was at that lake. It hasn't rained for at least a few days this time around - I guess it drains fast.
And now we are back to Ninghan Station. The sun has just set and the natural light is dying, so I shall start dinner, then have a shower, then read a bit until I'm tired enough for bed. I plan to be up with the sun and be on the road as soon as I've had a good wander/birdwatch around the grounds here.
(H) indicates that a bird was heard but not seen. The lists are in alphabetical order - I would prefer them in taxonomic order) because that's what Excell knows. I guess, the alphabet has been around for thousands of years, whereas taxonomy changes at least every 5 years.
3/3/2011 (Stirling, Bindoon, New Norcia, Walebing, Dallwalinu, Wubin, Mt Gibson, Ninghan Station, Mt Singleton)
Australian Raven
Australian Ringneck
Australian Wood Duck
Black-faced Woodswallow
Brown Honeyeater (H)
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill
Corella (H)
Galah
Grey Butcherbird
Inland Thornbill
Magpie
Magpie Lark
Mistletoebird
Nankeen Kestrel
Pied Butcherbird
Rainbow Bee-eater (H)
Rainbow Lorikeet
Red Wattlebird
Regent Parrot (H)
Rock Dove
Senegal Dove
Silvereye (H)
Singing Honeyeater
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (H)
Splendid Fairy-wren
Spotted Dove
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Weebill (H)
Welcome Swallow
Whistling Kite
White-faced Heron
Willie Wagtail
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Photos from Day 1
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-03-27 11:41 pm (UTC)I detest flies. That is all.