Bilyuin Pool

 

Around 70k north from Meekathara is a permanent pool of water in the Murchison River system, called Bilyuin Pool, this was our next place of interest to see.

On finding the pool, we camped up at a nice spot by the water. A family of ducks glided by in the water and soon after a pair of black swans came in for a splash down landing not far away. What a bonus. Other birds chirped around us, an oasis in a parched land. Water, the giver of life, without it this would be a lifeless depression in the scorched earth.

Soaking up the tranquillity, we hung about for three days, then, with the patchy reception on the phone we got a message from, who else but my sister, they were heading our way and wanted to know if we needed anything. Whilst shopping in Meekathara, I had forgotten to buy a roast, Din was hanging out for a roast dinner, so we asked them to get a roast beef for us. She texted back, are you sure, 2kg one was $76.00. Dins craving was strong, to hell with it we said, get it.

They arrived and handed over the precious beef, on inspection it wasn’t encrusted with gold as I had expected. Next morning a fire was lit and camp oven, veges and meat were prepared. When enough coals were present, the meat, in the camp oven was placed on a bed of coals and a shovel full placed on the lid.

By lunchtime the meat and veges were cooked and I was stirring a good quantity of home made gravy while a damper was finishing off in the smaller camp oven on the coals.

Dins cravings were at last satisfied, the meal was a hit, loved by every one. Just because you are roughing it in the bush doesn’t mean you have to do without.

Another day lazing by the water and it was time to move on. Thanking us again for the wonderful lunch, my sister packed up and left before us. They were heading west, to the coast, and then around towards NT and Darwin. We were going North to Newman and then Marble Bar. But first a detour to a former gold mining town called Peak Hill.

Peak Hill is now a collection of stone ruins beside a fenced off open cut mine pit.youu can drive around the old buildings and imagine the bussel of life in those times. We pulled up at the edge of the old pit and I scaled a couple of dirt mounds and was confronted with a huge tiered hole with a ominous dark pool of water in it’s depths.

This old mine had long been abandoned, but will probably be reworked in the future. On we went and some ks down the track came to another pool just off the road. Waterside camps are rare around here, so this was our next camp.

Another good stay, onward to Newman, a mining town not unlike all the others, although handy for resupplying, having a supermarket and all we need.