Kalgoorlie November 2017

Wow it is almost a year since we did our last blog.  Must be time to fill you all in on what is been going on in our lives.  

Where to start!  Tui worked right through last Christmas, night shift, and as we were parked in our Mates, George & Vicki’s yard, we joined them in their Christmas celebrations.  A very pleasant day even though Tui spent most of it asleep in Tiki Tourer. He had to start at 5am New Years Day so a very quiet New Year for us.

Australia Day Tui was once again working but Jude went with George & Vicki to Centennial Park.  Gold coin donation Breakfast, Bacon, eggs, sausages etc.  Then there was entertainment and of course the Citizenship ceremony with a few Stalls as well.  George & Vicki’s granddaughters had to have the traditional Australia flag Tattoos

In February Jude started a part time job at Taking Shape (or as it used to be called TS 14+) just a few hours a week, mainly covering lunch breaks.  However as she is covering other staff while they are away, sometimes works almost full time.  A bit of a roller coaster as hours can change on a daily basis.  Taking Shape is a fashionable women’s wear store, Australia and New Zealand wide, that caters for sizes from 12 to 24.  Jude bought her first TS clothes well over 10 years ago as she loves their style, making it pretty difficult not to spend her hard earned money, not that the pay is very good, Lol.  It has however given the opportunity of meeting people in the community.

You may all be asking “Why Kalgoorlie?” Well we ask ourselves that all the time, but it is quite a nice place to live with lots of friendly people and not too much hussle & bustle.  The decision was mainly made because Tui had been given the job at the Super Pit, as we mentioned in a previous post. With the down turn in the Perth Property Market, having to reduce our rents on our properties and also 2 vacant for some time, it was time to settle for a bit and build up the finances. Well that was the plan.

Kalgoorlie-Boulder is Australia’s largest outback city, and one of the most famous goldmining centres on the planet.  In 1893, when Paddy Hannan and his mates happened upon alluvial gold near Mt Charlotte, no one could have predicted that, just a decade later, the twin boom towns of Kalgoorlie and Boulder would be home to the fabled ‘Golden Mile’, reputedly the richest square mile on earth and one of the greatest concentrations of underground mines ever established. Some amazing old buildings, several of them being Pubs.

There are heaps of Kiwi’s living here and we have quite a few Tourists and Grey Nomads passing through on their annual migration.  North for the winter, south for the summer.  With our experiences traveling and also our Kiwi heritage, Jude has found it very helpful when building a rapport with her customers. 

After spending nearly 6 months at George & Vicki’s we decided it was about time we got out of their hair and found our own space.  We looked at a few options. Caravan Park (not really our scene)  renting or buying a property.  After doing the figures it was actually cheaper to buy a house than rent. So once again we bit the bullet and bought a house.

The place we have bought really suites us.  It is a lot smaller than our Kinross house but all we need.  3 x 1 Brick & Tile, large shed for Tui, swimming pool and a 1012m2 block to accommodate Tiki Tourer, Trailer and hopefully some visitors.

Of course it wouldn’t be us if we didn’t have renovation plans.  Tui has planned a big patio the full length of the house out the back.  There is a real mix match of pavers so we managed to get 140 sq metres of pavers from a Salvage yard so that they will all match.  They arrived last Thursday but there will be a bit of earth works to do before we can lay them. Big job!!

Also on our plans, is to probably get a 20 ft container and convert it into an outside shower and laundry.  We already have the outside loo.  It will be great when we have our traveling friends stay as they will have their own amenities.

Then next on the agenda is the pool area.  Glass pool fence, a Pergola and a big tidy up of the pavers. Jude has already got quite a few plants going in pots.  We are not going to have many garden beds, although have 2 small ones out the front.  If we do leave we can just sell the potted plants and have an easy care property. Tui has already done quite a lot, edging for the front gardens, fixing and painting fences, general tidy up and those things that seem little but take time.

Jude went to water her hanging plants one morning and low & behold found a bird nesting in one.  Pretty tricky trying to water the plant without disturbing the nest with 2 eggs inside.

Inside the house is almost sorted, although some boxes still need unpacking and once the outside Laundry and shower are complete we will need to re tile the inside Laundry & Toilet.

A trip to Perth to tidy up our Selkirk Drive house for new tenants ended up with us sleeping in the shed one night on top of all the mattresses (Princess & the pea, Lol).  Bit tricky for Jude to get back down when nature called.  We had Pizza in the empty Patio for Dinner with a couple of drinks. Yes, Tony your LED lights are still all good.

Then next trip, OMG the big move from Perth.  As most of you are aware we had all our furniture as well as Tui’s stuff (all good) packed in our Kinross shed.  Amongst which were 3 lounge suites (only one fits in this house).  We decided just to ship the whole lot over and sell stuff we don’t need.  We have managed to sell 2 lounge suites but still have heaps to get rid of.  Consequently Tui’s shed is rather full. We said to each other how did we live with all the fast rat race in Perth?  Everyone is in such a hurry no one talks to each other any more, and the traffic!!!  Well 2 container loads later, Jude drove the car back and Tui followed the next day once the shed was empty.  Then the unload, exhausting!!

Another little purchase Tui has made is a Cross 8 Holden Ute.  A bit more practical than the Calais.  As luck would have it the people he bought the Cross 8 off took the Calais.

The Husaberg has been out of the trailer a couple of times, with the girls driving out to Broad Arrow Tavern and meeting up with the boys for lunch.

Tui has also managed to find somewhere to fly his Microlight but has only been up once and as it was a bit blustery he didn’t get any aerial shots.  His Ute over heated on the way home and as Jude hadn’t heard from him was getting rather anxious.  However several containers of water delivered to him and he finally made it home.  He has now installed a new water pump in the Ute.

It is amazing what Kalgoorlie has to offer apart from it being steeped in history.  During the summer months they have free open air concerts at Centennial Park.

A spur of the moment day we headed up to Leonora, 237 kilometres north of the city of Kalgoorlie . As we left pretty late in the morning we decided to take the Loop road, passing through Menzies, out to Niagra Dam and Kookynie,  into Leonora and back down the highway.  Unfortunately we missed the famous Lake Ballard with its 51 sculptures over an area of 10 square kilometres on the bed of the lake.  

                                     Number Plate Service Station, now closed.

We decided that Niagra Dam would be a good camping spot, except for the flies.

Onto Kookynie.  The name of the town is believed to be an aboriginal word which means ‘water hole’ or ‘spring’. From being a busy town with a population of around 1,500 in 1905, Kookynie has become a ghost town with around 77 inhabitants in 2006, decreasing now to 11, we understand.   The Grand Hotel in Kookynie has its own resident horse who walked into a bar a few years ago, kept coming back and has since been adopted as the eleventh member of the town.”He’s not the town horse, the horse owns the town,”

Leonora is the service centre for the mining, exploration and well established pastoral industry. Gwalia Ghost Town & Museum is a must see but unfortunately time was against us so that is another must go back to. There is a free RV Site just outside the Mine precinct gates. You must register your vehicle with the Museum for an overnight stay.   Caravan parking is only permitted when the Leonora Caravan Park is full to capacity. It was a quick Burger from the Service Station, then back to Kalgoorlie.

Kalgoorlie hosts quite a few National Championships in all sorts of things.  One Sunday we stumbled on the Model Car racing and the model Plane Champs.

Every third Sunday of the month, Boulder has it’s market day.  On these days you can register for a free “Super Pit Tour”, which goes right into the Pit. Also they have a free tour of the Boulder Town Hall & Council Chamber, now not in use since Kalgoorlie & Boulder have merged.  Really worthwhile doing.  This beautifully preserved historic hall, with pressed tin ceiling and wrought iron balustrades, was opened on the 23rd of June 1908. It became famous as the host venue for celebrity performers such as Dame Nellie Melba and Eileen Joyce.  

The Goatcher curtain is amazing with a beautiful seaside scene and has amazing curtains painted on the side. It is claimed to be the last remaining stage curtain in the world painted by Philip Goatcher and looks just as though it was made of fabric.

We haven’t been away in Tiki Tourer all year & Jude is really missing the traveling lifestyle.  Had a few issues with the air on Tiki Tourer, but think Tui has it sorted now.  What will the next 12 months bring?  Who knows.

Although it is only November we doubt if we will get another Blog done before Christmas so we would like to wish you all a very merry festive season and hope that 2018 brings all that you wish for.  Until then ” laugh more, live longer”.