Wiluna back to Derby

2008-10-23 Wiluna Marble Bar

This was a day with a long haul north, 750 km from Wiluna to just north of Marble Bar. More than half this distance is over bitumen road. The countryside however is as desolate as the Ann Beadel and Gunbarrel HWY’s. There is a bit more traffic, certainly on the bitumen. This has mostly to do with the mines, it is WA’s mining area. After the first 300 km or so the mulga woodlands gave way to low hills, coming closer to Marble Bar the terrain was flat again. ON this whole distance of 750 km there are three settlements: Newman which I bypassed, Nullagine which is just big enough for one bent in the road and then Marble Bar, maybe 500 people. I planned to camp in Marble Bar on the caravan park, but this was closed, so I continued north and found a reasonable camp site along the highway.

2008-10-24 Marble Bar to Derby

From Marble Bar I took a dirtroad shortcut to the Northern Highway. By looking at the map I expected a bad track, however it was well graded all the way. Once on the Northern Highway it was only another four hundred something kilometers to Derby where I arrived around five o’clock in the afternoon. I was welcomed and left to myself to find a place to camp. I ended up in one of the humpies, free standing single rooms.

I will stay here for several weeks to help on the station.