-- From Perth to Kalgoorlie

The strolls during the weekend were completed it was necessary to take again problems to be solved. The first stage was the French consular agency for sending documents of renewal of my driving license to the Prefecture of Toulon. The employee called the consulate-general of Sydney which refused in spite of my insistence and the precedent of the embassy of Kuala Lumpur. Each embassy has its procedures and does not derogate from it. To have the photocopies of the driving license and the medical certificate certified one needed also the agreement of Sydney. For all these steps I remained nearly two hours at the consulate. I should return a day after to take the documents signed by the honorary consul. I remember that in Kuala Lumpur the procedure lasted less than one half an hour.

On the way to HSBC branch I stopped at the consulate-general of Japan to inform me of the procedure of entry my vehicle and of the conditions of travelling during my stay in the Japanese islands. I was accommodated by a Australian young woman who listened to me and took copies of the carnet de passage en douane by promising to call me.

To withdraw an important amount of money HSBC branch required of me to come during the opening hours of the French agency in Draguignan. Alas when I returned have regard with seven hours the time lag it was not possible, the French agency opens at 9 a.m. and the Australian agency closes at 4 p.m. Finally I found an arrangement with the “Call Center” in Paris. The same request had been treated with much more celerity in Jakarta.

Conclusion in one day I solved two problems and I informed a third one. There remain much more before leaving Perth. To travel it is also that, administrative time and much of patience. Cycling I took pictures of Perth CBD, City Business District.

On Tuesday December 22, it was still a day devoted to solve some problems and to organize the revision of my truck for the control by the MVR on January 11, 2010. I also went to the international airport at DHL to hang sending by ACF, carnet de passage en douane, by AMEX, new credit card and to dispatch documents of renewal of my driving license to the Prefecture of Toulon.

The last day spent inj Perth in 2009 was still devoted to going last ounce to the bank, then to the consulate of Japan where the Young woman already met gave me all information to enter my vehicle into Japan and finally to look for a Licensing Inspection Centre most suitable to control my vehicle. I went initially to that in Welshpool where I paid the fees inspection and where it was advised me to go to that in O' Connor less charged. I was going to present me to it to take my marks on January 11, 2010. I finished the day by looking for a switch of plug board in the body broken down by a short-circuit. After having visited several specialized shops, I did not find any still a problem outstanding.

Poinneers' Pathway

Well I could leave Perth the 24/12 in all peace. I moved towards the east to visit the Golden Outback and the main mining city Kalgoorlie. For that I took the Pioneers' Pathway which strolled by twisting between coldly harvested cereal fields. I stopped in two farmers' villages. Toodyay, whose first mention was made in 1836 and which still preserves some buildings dating back to 19th. In an incongruous way a Citroen C5 was in majesty in front of a antic hotel, Freemason's Hotel.

Goomalling was announced by far by its spherical grain storage. The city goes back to 1903 after the completion of the railway line.

Then I arrived at the stage of Dowerin where I was welcomed by Rusty the Tin Dog. Australians are fond of this type of animal representation. I bivouacked in the centre town in a deserted Caravan Park.

On X'mas Day I continued on the Pioneers' Pathway crossing villages of completely deserted farmers in this feast day. Thus Wyalkatchem on side road is composed of some houses of which a hotel and food shops. Two walls were covered with murals painting out the past of the village.

By arriving at the junction of Great Eastern Hwy I took the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail. The town of Merridin did not have any activity. I continued up to Burracopin where I bivouacked in Centenary Park at the foot of the Golden Pipeline opposite the Tavern.

Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail

Australia's Golden Outback
Golden Quest Discovery Trail

Australia's Golden Outback is rich in experiences. Western Australia's south-east is an little populated region, of an extreme aridity and little fresh water. This landscape of vast extended of red dust is inhabited by small aboriginal communities and mining companies. In 1887 gold was discovered in Southern Cross. Then in 1892 Arthur Bayley found in one afternoon 554 ounces of gold -16,8 kg- at Fly-Flat found which became Coolgardie. After this discovery began a great movement of people -A Great Goldrush-. Thousands of people came on foot pushing wheelbarrows from Fremantle to Kalgoorlie in search of fame, fortune and gold. They followed Pioneers' Pathway. In little time more than fifty towns emerged in this red desert. From these early times remain some buildings in about 25 sites of the Golden Quest Discovery Trail through Goldfields where ghost towns were formerly thriving communities. Kalgoorlie, built by Paddy Hannan in 1893, is the survivor of this heyday.

Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Kalgoorlie and its Boulder neighbour was amalgamated in 1989. In this last weekend of the year 2009 the city was almost deserted, truce of the sweetshops, except some imprudent tourists. The main street of the two cities, Hannan St and Burt St, has an unusual width, it dates back to the 19th century to allow trains drawn by 100 camels to be able to turn. WA had imported Afghans and their mountings. The Kalgoorlie's emblem is a red iron elevator's structure of the miners in top of Hannan St. A  Paddy Hannan's statue, emblematic prospector, is in front of Visitor Centre. Buildings of which architecture is the most representative of this era are public buildings, hotels and… brothels, for example Questa Casa. In Boulder Miners Monument was set up in the honour of all miners of the goldfields.

The following week I journeyed the Golden Quest Dicovery Trail.

Previous page

Next page