Gilroyd Station

Gilroyd is the second lease held by the Community. The trip between the two properties as around 30 mins. Along the way we come across one of the big road construction vehicles.

(Left - move over!!)

(Right - plains studded with rocks - it is hard to imagine how anything could survive.


(Left - there is lots of dust around)

(Right - the entrance gate at Gilroyd Station)



(Left - the cars are parked and then a walk over to the homestead, which is certainly not of the old construction style of bricks, etc)



(Right - the clothes line - every day should be a drying day.


(Left - an enclosure between two parts of the station)


(Right - the main homestead - possibly a temporary building)



(Left - the main bedroom!!)



(Right - some of the outbuildings - consideration is being given to making these over to work camps who could visit the Station)




(Left - another of the trials of life out here - the occasional willy-willy stirring up the dust.)

(Right - more out buildings and the gum trees)

Towrana Station

Towrana Station is one of the two station leases presently held by

Mungullah. It is some two hours east of Carnarvon.

(Left - the road out)

(Right - A sign post - but I'm not too sure just how helpful it would be!)

I understand that these various leases, along with a lot of others, came about when the indigenous people were moved off their lands and the country divide up into these leases, which were then available for intending farmers to lease.

(Left - approaching the old homestead)

I also understand that over time many of the leases have failed and the Government has had to resume a lot of them. I believe that Towrana was one that was taken back by the Government

and then passed over to an Aboriginal Community (Not Mungullah), who also couldn't make a go of it. It then fell into very bad decline.

Mungullah cannot afford to keep both leases and so is looking for someway to pass it over to someone else.

These are photos that I took on the day of the visit.

(Left and Right - parts of the original construction - using the local soil

(Left - the road away - moving on to Gilroy property)






(Below - I have attempted to give you some idea of the roads here - click on the arrow head)

Out in the Boondocks

The Mungullah Community lease two station properties. I believe that this was to try to maintain some connection with their original tribal situations and/or conditions.

(Right - this track is evidence of the local feral goat population - which sometimes can be useful in harvesting for goat meat -

unfortunately that market goes up and down!)

The two leases are some couple of hours inland from Carnarvon. I

did not expect that I would get to see them - for two reasons - the first being that I did not have a vehicle which I felt could be reliable enough to make the trip out and back (actually I was quite right on this count, as the chaps would borrow it when they had to take a work party out to one of the stations, and on one such trip it broke down. Fortunately they were in a group with 2 vehicles so were able to tow it back - however that ended my usage as they couldn't afford to have it repaired!!), and secondly I figured that there would not be any signposts to mark the way!! And I was right on that count too, as the day I went out, my driver, who has been out many times got "lost" a couple of times!!

One day the local Sheriff told me that he was driving out for a meeting with the chap who runs the Gilroyd lease property, and would I like to go for the ride. Naturally I said yes. This was the last Friday I was at Mungullah, as I finished up the following week.

The Sheriff loves the country out here and occasionally goes out camping. Nearby there is a lot of work being done in building a new gas pipe line for the WA Government, and occasionally one comes across magnificent leveled roads and very wide as they need to have sufficient truck width and then that is multiplied by three to place road shoulders sufficient IF they get the possible rain storms!! Of course one also comes across some of the giant road building plant.

Sunset at the Beach

In an earlier blog I showed some pictures from a sunset. That one I walked down specially to see and photograph.

This particular one occurred when I was walking home from a visit to have a meal out at a restaurant. My eating place was right across the road from the beach.

The beach is not really a swimming place, but its location is great.

(Left - the sun has sunk from view and the colour is gone, but the setting is still great)

Our Community Hall at Mungullah

One of the very nice things we have at Mungullah is a Community Hall. This was provided in a grant from Government a few years back.

(Right - the Eastern side of the Hall opens up to allow more access)

The Hall sits on Community land and is used for a variety of purposes ranging from educational or activity programs for children of the residents to Community Meetings.

(Left - the doors slide back, providing good access)

(Right - one of the Community sits on a bench awaiting the start of the Meeting)

I was shown the interior at one stage but was also proud to be part of a community meeting held in the building to discuss some local matters. I was the only non-indigenous person amongst the 32 people there.

(Left and right - setting up for our meeting)

Entertaiment at Carnarvon (the Airport)

My work hours are "about 9-5" Carnarvon time!!! I found this out when the truck that I had been provided with broek down and I was given lifts to and from work each day.

(Left - the airport grounds entrance)

Whilst I had been told to be ready at 8.30am in the mornings, I could be picked up anytime in the next hour!! Depending on how keen my driver was to get out of bed. So that was "Carnarvon time" - when we get there - we have arrived!!

(Right - this mural on the terminal wall is quite comprehensive in the depiction of the town of Carnarvon)

Also without any vehicles at weekends I was severely limited in where I could go to for sightseeing. Actually I thought that the condition of the vehicle was such that I wouldn't have been game to go far out of town, as whilst my mobile phone worked in town, I wouldn't have been game to go too far out of town as the reception would drop off immediateley!

(Left - the OTC dish is quite visible from the airport)

So after walking round town a few times, and visiting the beach and the one mile jetty, about the only thing left was the airport.

(Right - the dialy flight arrives from Perth)

This is actually located within walking distance of the town center - so I decided to visit to see the activity. The problem is that there is only one plane each day, so I had to pick that, and went out to see the arrival and departure of the daily flight to Geraldton and Perth.

(Left - the airport has two terminals - an old one and a newer one built with some Government subsidy - but the aircraft still parks nearest the old one!!)

The airline is AirWest and they use Fokker Friendship aircraft. So here are some pictures of my day's entertainment!!!

(Right - the highlight was this - no airbridges here, so the passenger needing assistance is loaded onto a pallet, with enclosed sides and then lifted on a forklift into the rear door of the aircraft!!)

(Left - then the regular passengers are allowed to board)

Sunset at Carnarvon

Carnarvon is on the coast, and was a regular port of call for vessels on the west coast trade runs. That has long since passed, but the sunsets over the beach are really majestic.

Here are some samples - not every night mind you, but I was lucky to catch one.

Around the Beachfront at Carnarvon

Entertainment in Carnarvon is not really that great - especially if you don't have transport. Anyway, on one of the occasions that I did have wheels I took these pictures - a bit around town, but mainly around the seafront.

(Left - this tower sports the "welcome" sign to the visitors.

(Right - this road leads to the seafront)

(Left - a small boat harbour is available for the pleasure craft)



(Right - plenty of masts)













(Left - tied up in port is the local prawn fleet. I was not there for the "season", but was told that they have lovely prawns here. I was also told that this fleet of prawn boats is up for sale)