Goodbye Cheela Plains {Work}

Hard to believe that at the end of this week, Friday, we will be moving on from Cheela Plains.  A place that has been our home for a month, where the kids have had a great playmate and we have meet some wonderful people.

We have half contact with a station near Onslow, Koorrdarrie so Friday we pack up and head there to discuss what work they would like done. Surprisingly enough on Wednesday Robin said she had heard from her neighbour and they also want some work done so one the way we shall stop oat Wyloo and have a chat to them.

This week has been busy finishing things off, washing, attempting to pack down, school work, a trip to town, dinner with everyone and sausage making {which was it not great to watch but they are great to eat}.

  

Reflecting at our time here we have learnt a lot, seen a lot and meet some great people. Steve and Maree who are from Victoria traveling, although have been in Parabadoo for the better part of 18 months; Bob and Gwen a lovely retired couple from South Australia who did some cleaning; Robin who arrived this week, a French man who came to do some Woofing and then of course there is the Pensini clan.

A great group of people on a wonderful property.

Karratha {Visiting}

An impromptu visit to Karratha happened over the weekend & I am very glad that we did it!

I promised a good friend that I would visit her this year while we were up this way, time was getting away from us and I was so close that I decided I would head over for the weekend with the smalls {in the end J came with us too}.  Sadly I thought that it might not happen as something broke in the car on the Monday & given we are really in the middle of nowhere I didn't think we had a chance of it being fixed in time.

Well the part arrived late Wednesday afternoon and by midday on Thursday the car was finished.  We quickly loaded the car and headed off on our trip up and over to Karratha.  It was a relatively quick drive and there is certainly so road works happening between Cheela & our final destination, yet again the GPS let us up the garden path {or rather the path to the airport}.

Thursday night saw me sitting up till all but midnight chatting with C over a few drinks.  Friday everyone was up early and her husband came back from his night shift.  We had a lazy start to the day, then took the smalls down to the local skate park for the morning.  J and B headed out to get the hardware supplies we needed to finish the work at Cheela, while C & I hung out at home chatting.

Friday was also C's birthday and it was lovely to be able to have a celebration with her over dinner with some more of her friends.  It really was a wonderful night, full of food, laughs and the most amazing cake {a combined effort}.

 
Saturday saw some sore heads and a ride in the fire stations old Bedford.  The afternoon was shopping for a few items, including some more tops for the smalls as the ones they currently live in are a lovely shade or red, permanently.

Saturday night we headed to Damper to watch the sunset and enjoy a picnic dinner.  It was a lovely afternoon/evening and watching the sun go down over all of the boats was breathe taking.

Sunday was a big cook up and I headed out to the food shopping {excitement plus} ALONE.  A quick snack for the kids as B rushed out the door to a fire call and we packed up to head back to Cheela.

The weekend flew bye but as corny as it sounds the memories of it shall last.  It truly was a weekend that I wish could be replicated often. 

Cheela Plains Station {Work}

What a a beautiful place, ranges, plains, gorges and hills. All in the one place, well 188,000 hectares of space.

We arrived at Cheela Plains after a stop at what is most certainly the most expensive road house we've seen yet. Nanutarra most certainly live up to it reputation, even more so than I expected. So glad we didn't need fuel, we only stopped to collect plumbing supplies for the station. As we drove up the short driveway you can see the homestead nestled at the bottom of a hill over looking the valley and plains. It is a well thought out home made using sea containers, beautiful, practical and in a perfect spot.

Set up and in need of a food refill we headed into Tom Price on the Sunday for supplies. So far from Perth and of all people to see we saw my parents, who had not long finished the Canning Stock Route and where off to Karajini for a few days {then coming to see us at the station}. talk about the cliche mining town, I've never seen so much hi vis gear in the once place.

Monday saw Justin starting work on what would soon turn into an ablution block. Having just arrived it was simply a leveled plot of red dirt, or rather bull dust.

Tuesday my folks arrived to spend two nights with us and it was lovely to spend sometime with them. A break from school work for all of us {very much needed} and some exploring of the station while J worked his butt off.

We went out to the stations gorge/water hole and after first missing it and doing so 4WD, just myself and the smalls we found a simply stunning spot where we spent a lovely warm winters afternoon. Mum and Kyla took a swim, although I'm not sure how they could bring themselves to sit as it was so cold, while the rest of us relaxed, took pictures and just enjoyed the scenery and sounds that surrounded us.

Thursday saw it time for my parents to leave and we headed {with J} out to check out one of the springs on the station. It was another lovely spot full of water, amazing shaped rocks, reeds and plenty of bird life. Given it didn't take as long as we thought we then made out way back to the out camp and then onto the old abandoned Big Sarah Mine.

It was an interesting drive out there, taking in more of the landscape that his Cheela Plains and when we got there what an interesting set up. One that simply showed that the person with the lease just up and left, leaving nearly everything behind. We spent a hour or so exploring the buildings and old mine shafts/holes that scared this once used gold mine. I'm unsure when they move/started there but they left in 2004. We said goodbye to Mum and Dad who then headed to Exmouth for a few days before heading onto Winning Station to surprise Nana & Pop {my Mums parents}.

The week flew past and it was time to head into Tom Price again for supplies, worked well actually as the Nameless Festival was also on that weekend.  We had a great time wandering around, eating yummy burgers & ice-cream and seeing what was on offer.

The time really has flown by and Thursday sees us heading over to Karratha for the weekend, a break for us all from our home for all but 3 weeks {only just worked that one out}.  We will be going over in the car only and then back to Cheela for a few days to finish off the job & work out where to next.