20150926 WA Bromus Dam to Norsemam

20150926 We camped at Bromus Dam for a few days, which wasn't much of a Dam but the location was in the bush and the men could go yabbing.  the area is part of the Great Western Woodlands and is the largest remaining area of intact Mediterranean climate woodland on Earth, covering almost 16 million hectares (about the size of Enlgand), now that's pretty impressive.

Our camp for a few days and right behind our van is a big fire pit so I'm off to collect heaps of wood.

The yabbie man at it again but isn't having much luck.

That"s the 

biggest yabbie so far and trust me he hasn't caught that many but at least it gives him something to do.

We meet this elderly couple, Tony and Olga from Holland who had been on the road for over 40 years, although they did settling down for 10 of those years but didn't like it.  They never go to caravan parks and only ever free camped, a man after Desies heart.  He had many stories to tell and trust me he told them, at one time I said to Olga, does he ever come up for air.  He was a bit annoying but it bothered Des (Mr Have a Chat) more than me, only because he couldn't get a word in.

Des found this Tepe while collecting wood, good this could be his new home for the next few days if he pisses me off and I could even light it while he's asleep, he!he!.

Check out this kid, she was so contented crawling around the ground eating dirt and at one time all the adults were off packing up the car and just left her with no one watching over her, now that's country people for ya.

29-09-2015  Norseman the  town named after a horse and legend has it that one crisp winters night in 1894 prospector Laurie Sinclair tethered his horse to a tree outside his brothers tent.  In the morning he found his horse lame and on inspecting it found a sizeable chunk of gold-bearing quartz stuck in his hoof. Laurie grateful to his horse called his find after it and the name of Norseman was also given to the mining town that sprung up as a result of the find. Legend or not Norseman can be found in mine registration records today.

The original photo of Laurie Sinclair and his horse Norseman.

This monument stands as a reminder of how Norseman was once a thriving mining town and how the town got it's name.

I wonder how these towns still exist as I strolled the town or whats left of it as many shops are closed down, , I suppose if it wasn't for the  gold mines they probably wouldn't.

The centre piece on the roundabout as you enter the town is a reminder of the important roll the camels played in the history of the miners.

The first camel to be imported into Australia came from the Canary Islands in 1840, then in 1860 there were 24 more brought out for the ill-fated Burk and Will experdition and they were exclusively one-humped camels.

The mine from the lookout which apparently is Australia's longest running gold mining operation.

The gold mine on ground level, looks a bit like a pyramid I thought.

Ge! the price of food has certainly rocket since those days.