Locations: Mingenew, Morawa, Perenjori, Latham, Wongan Hills, Bencubbin, Westonia.

Regions: Midwest and Wheatbelt WA.

Dates: 29 September- 3 October 2024

Temperatures: – 5-31, sunny, windy with scattered showers

Sunday 29 September 2024

Temperature: 5-23,crisp sunny morning

Starting km’s: 10166

We are up early but choose a slow start to the day, lingering over coffee and watching all the post AFL news before heading off.

We leave Mingenew and head East to Morawa, about 60 km’s and on the Wildflower Trail.

Once at Morawa we stop to find the Widimia wildflower trail which is beautiful with swathes of colour. A nice walk of about 3km’s to stretch the legs.

The drive today is lovely with lots of flowers bordering the road and fields of ripening wheat, barley and canola stretching as far as one can see. We pass Koolanooka and then pause at Bowgada Nature Reserve but there is no walk here.

We continue on to Perenjori where we camp for the night at the recreational centre in old tennis courts.

Monday 30 September 2024

Starting km’s 11,164

Temperature: 12 – 28 cool overnight, sunny

We are up and out for a walk early in Perenjori in search of coffee as we have run out of milk. We walk the Main Street admiring the pub and a community garden while we wait for the coffee shop to open at 8:30-am.

We are away by 9:30am, heading for Wongan Hills, 180 km’s South East and see lots of flowers, pink, yellow, red, white and purple along the road this morning.

We stop at Latham to see the community garden but sadly it’s not seen much love for a while and the flies are next level.

Continuing on our next stop is at Buntine Rock for a walk and more wildflowers.

Rob heads to the top of the rock to catch the local views before we head off again.

We then stop at Dalwallinu for a shower at the visitors centre. I forgot the $2 coin for the hot water so it was cold one! Very refreshing!

Later we pass the Big Bike sculpture at Ballidu before camping at the RV stop at Wongan Hills.

Tuesday 1 October 2024

Starting km’s 11953

Temperature: 11-32, windy, sunny

Today we are traveling from Wongan Hills to Mt Marshall camp which is just outside Bencubbin.

We head out through Cadeux, and Korda where we enter the “Wheatbelt Way”

Lots of fields, wheat, canola, barley and lupins surround us and then we pass through Cadoux, home of the 1979 earthquake.

Storms are predicted for later in the day with strong winds. We arrive at Mt Marshall and camp, being mindful of not being under trees.

We experience a brief storm with wind and lightning but not a lot of rain at about 6pm but otherwise it’s a quiet night

Wednesday 2 October 2024

Bencubbin to Mukinbudin

Temperature: 11-21 rain 1-4mm

We start the day with a quick walk up Mt Marshall which has stunning 360 views of the surrounding countryside and we can see there is a bit of rain about today.

Then we set of for a tour of the Bencubbin area before me move on.

We visit the historic Pergande Sheep yards and old homestead, then Waddouring Dam, and an old oldwell at North Trayning and Gnamma holes.

The over cast day moves to a rainy day increasing, so we head back to camp and hitch.

With rain and wind increasing we head towards Mukinbudin. Planning a bush camp just past there but decide instead to camp up in Mukinbudin town RV camp and settle in for a rainy afternoon.

I cook up a storm and we watch some tv.

Thursday 3 October 2024

Temperature: 8 – 18 shower or two, then clearing to sunshine

Starting km’s: 12108

We stop briefly at Pope’s Hill soldier settlement just outside Mukinbudin for some photos.

We arrive Westonia and make camp at the excellent caravan park, run by the council, lovely and clean, with a great camp kitchen. It is also right next door to the mining camp where my niece lives we are catching up for dinner later.

We take a walk out through the Main Street, checking out the faux historical shop fronts and old vehicles, as well as the museum and general store that are operating. It’s a charming Main Street!

We continue on walking out of town out to the Edna May mine lookout.

We catch up with Lucy for dinner at the local pub, enjoying an excellent schnitzel!

We will spend a few more days at Westonia before heading further South.

Stay safe and take care. Love to all.

Maryann and Rob xx