Distance: 213 km
Fuel: 47 L
Today was a visit to Porcupine Gorge so I set off about 8.30am. After driving 20km I realised I had not brought my camera! Then after retracing 10km of that 20km I remembered the Olympus camera I carry in the glove box just for such eventualities. In the event I decided to return to the caravan park because I had also forgotten to clean the windscreen which was a mass of bug smears.
Jobs done I set off for a second time. The Tourist Information place had given me a sheet with information about interesting stops on the way so the journey of about 67km was broken up by many stops.
The first stop was Mt Beckford Sandalwood Hill where sandalwood was harvested for the Asian market. Unfortunately I couldn’t tell a Sandalwood tree from a metal post so that was that.
The Dingo Fence
My next stop was far more interesting – The Dingo Fence – or rather the remains of it. Sheep are no longer run in this area so the fence has fallen into disuse but the old wooden posts and wire have been incorporated into the newer property line.
Eaglehawk Gorge
This is actually the start of the Porcupine Gorge.
Unmarked Grave
Near the Eaglehawk Gorge was an unmarked grave the occupant is either a Chinaman making his way to or from the goldfields and who was run over by a dray OR is is an aboriginal girl called Minnie Waite who was either murdered or died of exposure trying to walk into Hughenden.
Mailman’s Grave and Bottle Ridge Lookout
I climbed this ridge. What a bugger! the track was hardly visible and rock strewn; and ideal place to break or twist an ankle. The ridge itself was no better a plateau of rocky ground but the view was pretty good.
The Mailman’s grave was a cross and a pile of rocks, he was murdered by the local Aboriginals and buried where he died.
The Whistling Bore
It didn’t whistle while I was there merely hummed at me. You can imagine the people who drilled it must have been annoyed when it didn't produce water and merely whistled at them.
Porcupine Gorge
There were a couple of lookouts, the first overlooked the steepest walls.
The second overlooked the Pyramid and there was a rim walk plus a 1.1km walk down into the gorge itself. As it was nearly midday and the path looked rough I decided against going down, I think I might have done if it had gone down into the first part of the gorge but I decided against it.
Back in Hughenden
It was about 2pm by the time I returned to the town I bought fuel ($1.59/L) and I had thought of driving to Richmond but the price of fuel decided me against it.
I had a burger at FJ Holden’s Café, it was a very good burger (once I removed the inevitable beetroot)
Surveyors Stake and Coolabah Tree
Frederick Walker and Sir William Landsborough blazed this tree when they were searching for Burke and Wills. The surveyors peg marks the original point from which the area was surveyed.
