Winning Station {Visiting Again}

After hearing that mustering was happening when in Exmouth Justin decided that he wanted to head back to Winning for a few days to check it out.



We arrived on Tuesday just after lunch and the place was deserted.  Pop had just come back from running errands in town, Nana was sick and everyone else was out at the yards drafting cattle.  That said we did get greeted by the cute puppy dog and her new lamb friend.  We set up in our normal spot and pottered for the afternoon.  Eventually I headed over to shower then got tied up by the tongue chatting with Aggie for ages {Justin had to come looking for me, he thought I was having a rather long shower}.

Wednesday it was school work time for the smalls & I while J headed out to the yards with Blair to see what was happening.  There was cattle to move, cattle to load and a heap of others things.  I did some baking then helped Aggie with the extra guests that she had for lunch.  Then it was time to start getting dinner ready for the heap of people coming/staying/arriving/eating that night.  What a day, I was well and truly buggered as was the rest of the family, we didn't even start dinner until just before 8pm.


Thursday was mustering and J headed out early.  We decided that we would meet them at the yards for lunch, well they hadn't arrived so we went looking for them.  Kyla and I got into the bull buggy {think big bars, no doors, no windows} to head back to the yards to load another lot of cattle.  Watching/helping load the cattle was a great experience and I am glad that I got a chance to do it.  I really do know now where the term 'Stubborn Cow' comes from because they certainly don't follow instructions/the leader or do as you really wish they would.

All too soon it was time to leave and head off to Cheela Plains to do some work {damn not having a money tree somewhere to draw on} and see some other wonders on our travels.

Exmouth {Ningaloo Lighthouse Caravan Park}

Lighthouse Caravan Park is where I decided to book us into. It is 17km north of exmouth and a lovely spot out of the way and close to the national park. It was the cheapest at $51 per night for all of us.

We arrived on the Saturday afternoon and first on the list was afternoon tea with my Grandparents who had decided to meet us for a night. We had a great afternoon and they left not long before it was time to get ready for dinner. I was so looking forward to a wonderful hot shower and the heat didn't disappoint but the salt water most certainly did, and for what it cost a night I was more than a little disappointed!

Dinner at the PotShot Hotel Bistro was amazing on Saturday night and well worth the splurge and a good thing that we had just that managed to secure work on a station 80km from Parabadoo.

Sunday the weather wasn't on our side so we stayed in for the morning, had morning tea twith my grandparents before they left to head back to Winning {and we decided we would head there after an extra night at the caravan park as J wanted to see a muster} and the afternoon we drove to a few spots to take a look around. Shop wrecks, points and the old lighthouse.

The first Sturt Desert Pea we've seen 

The extra night meant that Monday we got to go out and check out the National Park and we must go back to do it properly. I think at least a week we would be ale to actually see and experience most of it and it is definitely something that has to be booked in advance as it is a booking system for camp sites and it was fully booked already when we arrived.

Tuesday some supplies, fuel and off back to Winning again {I secretly couldn't wait}

Warroora Station {Station Stay}

From a few nights to a full two weeks, tells you how lovely this location is {and also how lucky we are to be able to make this decision}.

When we arrived at Warroora we got one of the last few spots on what was called 'The Ridge' as we arrived at the beginning of school holidays, something we will need go remember in the future given our lack of booking into places. We had a lovely spot, perfect to see the sunset over the ocean, close enough to see it, to hear it and take an afternoon stroll.

We set up our camp, had a late lunch and then went for a lovely walk along the beach until the sunset before our eyes. Lucky we had both reef and sand near us and Kyla had a wonderful time looking at all the shells and rocks along the beach.

Our days where spent exploring the station and all of the amazing places that they had on the coast, all of the camping grounds they had, the cliffs, the reef, the sandy beaches it really did have it all in that regard. We saw turtles swimming past while walking the beaches looking at the amazing shells. Everyone had a fish and on one of our last days J caught something worth keeping and we had an amazing feed of fresh fish.

We meet a lovely couple a few days after we arrived who were on holidays from Perth and all four children had a great time playing together. Lucky for us {or the kids} the day before they left we had a camp move in next to us from SA who had two little boys and well hit it off, exchanging details and spending an afternoon at the beach together.

Most exciting, other than the turtles was being able to see the whales frolicking off the other side of the reef. We really do need to invest in some binoculars.

A few trips to Coral Bay to check out what it had to offer and to get some water & fresh baked goods but if I am honest it was far to busy a place for us and I felt the scenery at Warroora to be much better.

Next stop is Exmouth for hot shorts and a quick look before we move on to somewhere else.

Winning Station {Visiting}

Never listen to the GPS!

According to that it was going to take us 10 hours to get to Emu Creek Station, we got there in quite a few less. In fact we made it all the way to Winning Station in just under eight hours. To say that Nana & Pop where surprised to see us would be an understatement given I hadn't been able to call them as the public phone had been playing up.

We had a lovely afternoon tea with everyone o the verandah before finding a lovely spot by a dry creek to set up our camper, for at that point {and even now} who knows how long. Aggie, whom we meet in Geraldton with Nana was getting ready to head south for the week so it was quick chat with her while she finished getting organised.

Kim {Aggie's husband} organised a lovely BBQ for us all and it was nice to chat to him and Blair, but also to catch up with Nana and Pop.

The next few days while Kim was still here we pottered around. J helping Pop out in the afternoon after he had helped me with the smalls school work. The kids had a wonderful time exploring everything that the station had to offer and I enjoyed the down time.

Meat House

Front of the homestead {this is the store}

Old Shed

The Cottage

Big old tire swing

On the weekend we went for a drive out to the 'lake' which is much bigger than you would imagine. Justin and Kyla even took off their things to put their feet in the water {read mud}. A little drive around the station, even across the highway to drive up Winning Hill, see the dam for house water and then headed home for dinner again.

Sunday afternoon saw us driving over to the other station owned by Kim & Aggie, called Marilla. This homestead hasn't been lived in for more than 10 years but I had a wonderful time taking pictures around the place. You can just imagine what it was like in it's 'hay day' or even what it was like 10 years ago. The shearing shed, shears quarters, the dinning room, kitchen and even meat house.

A few more days of school work followed with relaxing afternoons. I even managed to design, cut and sew some appliqués on some tops in between schooling, pottering and knitting.

The past week and a half have just flown by and Saturday sees us disappearing before it gets support busy with school holiday returns, mustering helpers and move visitors. We really did have a wonder time and are very thankful to Kim and Aggie for letting us borrow a small space to make our home.

Next stop Warroora Station, back to the coast.