Friday, Aug 2.

REST DAY.

Was up at 7 and off about my visits by 7.30. It was quite chilly as I cycled up Burt St into Boulder. Kalgoorlie and Boulder are adjacent cities merged as one. My target was Super Pit which towers above Boulder. There is a viewing point on the top of the mound and it was the first steep hill since Day 1 up Greenmount outside Perth.

 I was the only one up there at this early stage...none of the guided tours had arrived yet. Looking down into this pit is amazing; visible from outer space. 

This pit started in 1989 when all the surrounding leases were bought up and formed one company, KCGM, and proceeded to open a pit rather than the more expensive underground shafts. The pit covers an area that was peppered with shafts.

It

Due to finish in 2021, the pit will be 3.5 km long, 1.3 km wide and 500 m deep. Seeing the machines close up, they were massive (dumpers carrying over 200 tons) with tyres that must have decimated a whole rubber plantation. Looking down into the pit these machines were busy taking ore up from the blast area along a ramp to be taken to the crusher. They looked like Dinky toys. Drilling was also proceeding to prepare for the next blast. 

Before blasting, sensors are sent down to establish what old shafts are  in the area. I spent a very hour there before moving on.

Time to move on to Mc D to upload the blogs of the last few days. There, I met up with a senior lady ( a member of Karlgoorlie Lions Club) and she was most informative about the places I should visit during the day.

Having had a close relationship with Karlgoorlie Water Pipeline for the last 600 km I wanted to see where it finished. ( like an Agatha Christie thriller). The reservoir for Karlgoorlie is at Mount Charlotte above the city. It doesn't look very large but is now supplemented by 2 other reservoirs. There was a good information display about. I found out that C Y O'Connor wasn't a Limerickman but a Meathman from  Castleton. His achievement in bringing water to Karlgoorlie was as important as the gold.

 It takes 1 to 2 weeks for A particular of water to come from Perth to Karlgoorlie. Groundwater is available around here but it is 6 times more saline than sea-water. There is usually about 260 mm but potential annual evaporation is 10 times that. Being overground the water inside can vary between 15 and 50 deg C so special paint is used to reflect the heat. Again it was a most interesting here at the reservoir and looking across at the top of Super Pit and down on Hannan Street ( Main St , Karlgoorlie)

I went to the Museum for the exhibits dealing with gold and mining. It gave great credit to both groups of Irishmen who were responsible for both treasures, gold and water. The importance of water was illustrated by a notice from a pub of the gold rush days.

Down in the vault there was a display of 4 billion dollars worth of gold. Unfortunately my bag was full and we're limited to 15 kg anyhow. Both gentlemen in reception were most friendly and helpful. No wonder, one of them told me his grandmother was an O'Meara from Ireland....didn't know what part.

Hannan St was as busy as ever all day. It' so wide. Space doesn't seem to be an issue out here. There's so much of it. Some of the hotels/ bars had an old feel about them and advertised their various attractions. Touches of the prospecting days.

At present, I' sitting in the departure lounge of the airport using the wi- fi. Wi- fi spots around town aren't  hectic and very time consuming. I think I may have sussed out a way of keeping things more up to date. Got to live up to my reputation.

Also did the shopping for the crossing of the Nullarbor....not many shopping malls across there. Brought it home on the handlebars to our residence. The A- frame is most cosy and all facilities are there. Got some steak and onions for tonight and cook them up on the BBQ available to residents. Looking forward to that.

An enjoyable Rest Day and still I did 35 km on the bike...the best way to move around town. No charge here in the airport car park.