Trucking Iron Ore to Wyndham Port
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Wyndham is where WA's most northerly port is situated, just over 3040 k's from Perth. During the dry season it's a scene of bustling activity as huge livestock road trains deliver cattle to the export facility and even longer road trains deliver iron ore to a dump for loading onto barges. Unfortunately the livestock activity has grounded to a halt due to the knee jerk reaction by our Government and remains that way even though the ban has been lifted. What they haven't told the public is that no further export is allowed until the regulators have had their day of glory. Thankfully most of the first round muster have been shipped before the shit hit the fan. Wyndham is only 100 k's from Kununurra where my camp was set up for the next show, one of the best in the country too I might add. The trip to Wyndham for the day is always enjoyable as it is rich in history, almost like a vintage village in fact. A must do, in Wyndham is to drop into see Pixie in her shed where she has all sorts of things for sale. She is a real character and sits back in her chair with legs crossed and resting on the counter as she rolls a smoke answering questions about her tiny towns history.
Wyndham Port.
Temporary Iron ore load out, Wyndham Port
Temporary Iron ore load out, Wyndham Port
Views from the lookout above the town are spectacular even though the haze nearly blocks the view to Cambridge Gulf where the ships navigate their way between islands out to the ocean.
The red brown iron ore is dumped by road trains on a pad beside the temporary loading facility and conveyed onto barges then later loaded onto ships in deeper water. Not an ideal situation and from all accounts a rather expensive venture.
Tidal sand flats on the King River road, Wyndham
On the outskirts of Wyndham a track leaves the main road and crosses the tidal flats on over to King River, the Prison Tree, Diggers Rest Station and then joins the Gibb River road. I had read about the Prison Tree so turned down the track to take a look.
I'd travelled about 25 k through and around huge ranges and finally reached King River. I pulled up for a smoke to enjoy the solitude, the silence and the magnificent scenery. All that was shattered suddenly as the bloody phone rang. I couldn't believe I was getting service way out here. It was Jock on the phone from our factory in Byron Bay, he was wondering where to send the next shipment of stock. So much for getting away from it all but it was good to hear from him regardless.
Station country near Wyndham
Prison tree Wyndham
Prison tree Wyndham
As I turned down onto a side track to the Prison Tree it was obvious many had visited the site before and chose to leave their mark, what a pity. I tried to get Sass to jump into the tree but no ammount of encouragement would entice her to do so, not that I blame her, the tree made an eerie sound and a fowl smell came out of the hole.
Prison tree
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- Wyndham race track.
- I'll bet there has been some wild turn outs held at this race track over the years.
- Next year I'll try to follow the Ord River down from Lake Argyle down toward where it flows into the sea.
- Until next time.
- Steve and Sass.
