Wildflowers and Westonia Trip Report
8th -15th September 2017
A small group of two vehicles met up at Beverley on Friday afternoon for the start of the trip. Ian and Cherrill, and Annice and George had left Armadale a little early to make an easy overnight stop at Beverley. On Saturday we then continued on to the Quairading Wildflower Reserve for our advertised meeting point for morning tea.
Not very optimistic about the wildflowers, we set out to explore the park and to our delight found it alive with wildflowers. Donkey orchids were in abundance with a myriad of colourful bushes and smaller plants. There were no everlastings but the iridescent Acacias more than made up for them.
It was on to Kwolyin campsite where we easily found a large camp spot for the two of us to park up together. According to the plans, we should have taken off to explore Kokerbin Rock that afternoon but with only ourselves to please, we elected to spend the afternoon, drinking, talking and playing cut throat Euchre...to the death. An evening of socializing around the campfire followed.
Having missed out on the Kokerbin Rock expedition we set off early next morning to the Rock. We rejoiced in the profusion of Acacias white, pink and blue bushes I did not know the name of. We skirted a bee swarm on a branch over hanging the track. A leisurely lunch and then onto the advertised camp at Eaglestone Rock.
Along the way we were delayed for “must have” photos and an unexpected meeting with a very large Echidna. He refused to pose properly for our photos and was very indignant that we should interfere with his daily business. Again, no Everlastings to be seen but the spectacular Wattles and Firebush with Canola in the background and colours so intense it almost hurt our eyes to look at it.
It was here we met up with Trevor and Wendy returning from Kambalda and a visit with their family. We all continued to Eaglestone and selected the perfect camp site and immediately set about making our campfire. After all, we now had a Pyromaniac with us. An extremely pleasant, if somewhat cold evening, was spent together.
It was now that I introduced the quiz for the week. Firstly a 4 day quiz of 25 questions each day. But this was different, because the answers to these quiz question were as George and I gave them. If a question was answered correctly but not as George and I answered it, then it was wrong. If George and I said 'don't know' then that was the right answer, even if someone gave the correct answer.
The highlight of the quiz must surely be from Trevor who when asked 'How many Imperial gallons in a Firkin'....said...'A Firkin Lot'. A chocolate bar for that answer. Then for added interest, each person was asked to collect as many objects of one colour as possible that would fit into a 8 x 6 paper bag. The prize here must surely be Wendy who collected 83 red objects that all fitted in her paper bag!
What Eaglestone lacked in wildflowers was more than made up for with the sensational coloured rocks. A centre for rock climbing and abseiling wowed us with the many spectacular out crops.
It was then off to Westonia via Chiddarcooping Reserve which was given the 'big A' as you can't even get into it. On the way, on Dead Horse Rd we found the only Everlastings of the trip thanks to Trevor.
Westonia is the quaintest most delightful community....no wildflowers but a delight none the less. The locals bent over backwards to be friendly...except maybe the publican who ignored Trevor when he tried to buy some take away beer before the pub opened at 4:30pm.
The tiny town is perfect with tubs of plants down the main street and facades put over the derelict buildings to make it look just like it did in the 1910s. Corrugated metal statements so popular in most towns nowadays, tastefully adorn the streetscape. The shire office is a mine of information and you can find out anything there, from what time the pub opens to where the cafe owners are (because their cafe was closed), to where to buy a bit for your gas bottle. We camped beside the Recreation Centre with hot showers and toilets plus a gym at our disposal 24 hours a day, all for $5 per night.
A visit to the Edna May Mine Lookout added interest as did the Sandford Nature Park. What a delight with sensational rock walks...orchids to satisfy any botanist, and of course Acacias to spare. A little surprise was a visit of a Mallee Fowl who lazily crossed our path and walked off and disappeared into the bush. Wendy showed us all just how well her new knees worked by walking with ease to the top of the rock. Acacias and Quandong in full fruit surprised us all.
Overall, a few more wildflowers would have added to the delightful places we visited, but it was not to be. None the less it was a relaxing, rewarding and enjoyable week.
Thank you Ian and Cherrill, Trevor and Wendy for sharing your time with us.
Annice and George
