The Wheatbelt – 13 & 14 November 2009

From Kalgoorlie we drove through the wheat belt. At this time of year the vista is of rolling golden fields.

We stopped at Merredin at the ‘Ave a Rest Campground’. It was very clean and attractive but the 94 is the main East West Highway and road trains kept rolling through the night so complete rest wasn't happening.

We went to Merredin the next day, a very attractive little town.

It was the home of The Kalgoorlie Brewing and Ice Company started by James Cummins. When he died his daughter Alice Mary Cummins became the major shareholder.

At this time the company was in dire straits due to competition from larger brewery's. Alice developed German Top Style Fermentation and had success with Hannans Lager.

We saw the Railway Museum. This has very good artefacts and also includes a very good museum of Pioneer Women.

We visited York for lunch. This is a town which no longer has a reason for being so it is filled with alternatives. We had a very good lunch at the Old Mill.

We travelled via Northam to see the famous white swans. This is a colony introduced from Britain and the only surviving colony of white swans in Australia. Australian swans are black.  Presumably the original white swans were stolen from the British Crown, the owner of all swans in Britain.