Along the Eyre Highway for work

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 04:50 PM

Ok I've been MIA from TD for some time now... new baby as you all knew plus I have actually been working in a new position at work which is basically a "pilot program" until the end of the year. Without boring you all to death with the details I'm currently training people who are or want to become volunteer ambulance officers, that being the case head office wanted me to drive out along the Eyre Highway which is WA's link to the rest of Australia and a very isolated location and since no one has been out their in the past 12 months they were very keen for me to do it sooner rather than later.

The ambulance service (funded through the government) has 4 ambulances situated along the hwy basically at selected roadhouses (truck stops) which are manned by staff at these places and since I love pictorials on TD I thought I would take some snaps along the way and share my trip.

**Disclaimer** many pics were taken while driving at 120kph so aren't the best shots I've snapped in my time

So.... basically I left Monday morning and got home Thursday arvo, the trip was a total of 1800 km's!

Here's my work vehicle (and everything I need for training in the back)

First stop (really only for a few pics) was Kambalda which is about 40 km south of Kalgoorlie.

Lake Lefroy - usually dry but with some heavy rains a few weeks back it actually has some water in it (hasn't had water in it in the 2yrs I've been here).

While up at the lookout an Iron Ore train was heading south to the Esperance Port for export to China.

Mining is booming in WA but unfortunately for most towns its "fly in flyout" Kambalda is no exception and with the boom of Nickel mining they have just finished building over a 100 "single mens quarters" (boy they gettin flash these days

).

Also at Kambalda is an old underground Jumbo which is used in Nickel mining.

**Nawty** · 11-09-2008, 04:59 PM

Eyre highway....thats accross the nullabor right ?? Thought it had a different name for some reason.

Passengers dont look to comfy in the back.

I've been across that highway 3 times now. Very boring long drive. One time in the middle of the night came across a small rise in the road and at 120k's there was a herd of camels in front of me, just missed the last one by the skin of nut sac.

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 05:29 PM

A bit further down the highway I thought this was very strange

It's like it has just uncoupled from the rest of the train and was left behind

I thought I would take a few shots along the way to show you how the scenery changes, this area is known as the "Western Woodlands"

A fire went through here last year, I reckon it would still be eerie driving through here when it's a full moon

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by Nawty

Eyre highway....thats accross the nullabor right ?? Thought it had a different name for some reason.

Passengers dont look to comfy in the back.

I've been across that highway 3 times now. Very boring long drive. One time in the middle of the night came across a small rise in the road and at 120k's there was a herd of camels in front of me, just missed the last one by the skin of nut sac.

Yep Nullabor, thats the one.

I reckon if I wasn't in a truck it would need to be a bloody good reason for me to be out there at night.... them camels sure do keep those ambulances out there in business

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 06:02 PM

Next stop is Norseman which is 193 km from Kalgoorlie, this is also the start of the Eyre Highway.

Some camels in the middle of town

Parked at a roadhouse was someone's new pride and joy, I see these rigs around Kalgoorlie heaps - usually pulling 4 trailers of diesel at a time for the local mines

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 06:20 PM

So I turned left at Norseman and headed east

These signs (and another one I'll put up later in the story) are a common site along the way.

Another area which has been through "natures cleanup"

Already the scenery is starting change.

**Bung** · 11-09-2008, 06:21 PM

Interesting to see around Kambalda again, I used to work at Forrestania nickel mine. never knew they were running iron ore out of Esperance! (Also used to work in Pt Hedland)

So that's probably why I drink so much beer!

Great job you are doing as well in a hard place, literally a life saver.

Green on the way.

**melvbot** · 11-09-2008, 06:47 PM

Nice to see some more outside Thailand pic threads.

Those roads look really boring to drive down, all straight and tree lined. How do you stay awake on a long trip? Ive done plenty of LD driving and its boring as hell when youre driving through England with other idiots to avoid and stuff to look at.

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 07:09 PM

Ok my first "official" stop was the Balladonia Roadhouse which is 400km fro Kalgoorlie.

I was really impressed with this place and infact it was probably the nicest place I stayed at on the whole trip. Its also actually owned by Sandalford Winery and even had a nice pool area and an awesome bar (obviously with an extensive wine selection).

This place also had quite an interesting museum too showing the history of Balladonia including the camel trains, construction of the highway itself, the telegraph stations (which was what the link between east and west before the highway) and plenty of SKYLAB

In the glass cabinet in front was even a fine from the local council for littering (to NASA) which for for $400

**Nawty** · 11-09-2008, 07:09 PM

^^You gotta get into the 'zone'

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by Bung

Interesting to see around Kambalda again, I used to work at Forrestania nickel mine. never knew they were running iron ore out of Esperance! (Also used to work in Pt Hedland)

gee it really is a small world on TD. I can't believe the amount of people that have been to the same places

cheers for the green to

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 07:23 PM

^^ true that!

I reckon if I didn't have my iPod cranked it would have been a whole different story... boy my singing kicks arse

**JoGeAr** · 11-09-2008, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by cimboc

an old underground Jumbo which is used in Nickel mining

Arai na?

Excuse me, a what?

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 08:00 PM

Now I'm not saying that I had had a few to many but while walking back to my motel room from the bar I just happened to notice a jet stream going across the night sky next to a half moon. It looked so awesome I decided to get the camera out of the car to try to get some shots, only problem was... I didn't have the tripod and my hand wasn't to steady

anyways needless to say things didn't go to plan

So I hit the road early with another long day of driving ahead of me.
Along the 700km highway there are strategic airstrips for RFDS to land in an emergency. Basically the sides of the highway have been cleared further off the road and some "runway" marking placed at each end.

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 08:32 PM

Now maybe I'm just a big boy at heart but I love trucks

and there sure is plenty on this stretch of road. In fact in 6hrs of driving I passed over 140 of them

Now who doesn't this this is a sweet rig

One thing famous about the Eyre Hwy is this

146km of straight road was a good opportunity for me to put the steering lock on and get some shut eye

oh and more changing scenery

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by JoGeAr

Originally Posted by cimboc

an old underground Jumbo which is used in Nickel mining

Excuse me, a what?

Perhaps Bung would be better at answering this as I'm not really a full bottle on mining but basically it used to drill out the rock face underground. I think it has diamond tip steel rods that with air pressure drill into the rock for the explosives to go into?? how'd I go Bung

**cimboc** · 11-09-2008, 08:59 PM

Alright these are the last pic's for the night... Its been a long day and I ready to hit the hay.

My next work stop was Cocklebiddy

Thankfully I wasn't paying for fuel out here

oops almost forgot thankfully like the RFDS strips they also have emergency phones strategically located along the hwy as there is no mobile cover out here

**MeMock** · 12-09-2008, 04:37 AM

Nice thread cimboc, good to have you back.

Whats with the helmets in the truck? Is that in case of a riot by the locals?

140 trucks? Did you count them?

I have done that road a couple of times. The highlight for me was pulling off the road and sitting for hours with my legs dangling over the edge of the Great Australia Bight 100m up. Did you get pics of that?

Oh, and did NASA pay the $400 fine?

**cimboc** · 12-09-2008, 06:43 AM