The road out of Lake Ballard was as dry as a new nappy even after the massive storm and downpour last night. By the time we hit the sealed road we had been throwing dust up for the last 10klm. Today's plan is to head to Leonora, just over 100klm north on the Goldfields H'way, however, we have been told not to miss a counter lunch at Kookynie Pub. To get to Kookynie we need to turn east off the Goldfields H'way about 40klm north of Menzies onto a pretty good sealed road.
 
We pass by a couple of Indigenous properties as we travel this really picturesque and quiet road. On the way to Kookynie we turn south to visit Nigara Dam, built in the early 1900's to catch water to fill the new steam trains on the new line feeding the outback goldfields. The dam wall is concrete, very rough as would be expected out here from that time, about 70 metres in length and probably 15 metres high. This spans a natural rock gully that extends several hundred metres back from the wall with some deeper holes throughout. The dam is fed by several shallow creeks over hard rocky shelves, making this a catchment capable of retaking almost all the runoff rainfall during the wet season.
 
Niagara Dam has quite an extensive free-camping area to the side of, and below the wall. Normally this would have enticed us to stay a day at least, however, a tag-along group of about 22 motor-homes and caravans was in residence for the evening, so, we're out of here.

9klm up the road is the historic site of Kookynie, once a thriving township along the Goldfields rail line, it is now reduced to predominately empty land block some with a rock wall or two and a plaque giving the history behind the place. There is a handful of houses and an iconic pub left operating, but with a town population of just 17, this is not a patch on the community that was. As promised by many, Margret, the Publican, holds court from behind the bar, all 5'2" of her. Quite the character Margret has an opinion and position on all subjects and is a wealth of knowledge on the region. The bar is tiny with 6 bar stools and possibly another 8 patrons standing would constitute a full house. Sadly, Margret's husband who is the cook is on a supply run to Kalgoorlie and therefore no lunch available.

Heading north the road is once more a very good, recently graded, gravel road covering the 80klm to Leonora. We travel through a few properties sighting some mobs of cattle occasionally, which is a rarity in this harsh, sparse landscape. A few gold mines litter the countryside from time to time but in general we are left to quietly traverse and enjoy the wilderness feeling of the outback.
 
As soon as we come into Leonora's 60kph zone we find a turnoff westward to Gwalia, yet another ghost town, yet this a standing museum where at least a dozen of the original iron houses/huts, a few workshops, hospital and general store still stand and are maintained in the state that they were inhabited, almost. Mainly the "homes" are two or three rooms including the kitchen and bedroom(s), the floor rough cut boards or dirt, the ceilings less than is comfortable and consisting of more tin, running water and plumbing, well not really. The hospital is enough to make you weak in the knees just visiting, but the General Store is a grand affair and by far the largest of the original structures, though a slightly more modern pub is the largest building in the town.
 
The town owes its existence to a a mine, the Sons of Gwalia, and a mighty hole in the ground it is, 1.5klm across and 450 metres deep. Once a prosperous gold mineshaft in 1896 was under the management of a young American engineer, Herbert Hoover, who went back to the USA to become the US President. Hoover built himself a grand house high on the hill overlooking both the mine site and the shanty town of Gwalia, the home was then used by a succession of managers until today it is now a very popular Bed & Breakfast and open to the public during the day.
 
Around the Hoover House a trust has set up a mining museum through which we walked and spent an hour or so. Outside the grounds a very large flat car park has been provided in which 24 hour camping is permitted, and a vast sunset is ensured. The sunset does not disappoint as the photos show, however, the wind across this bald hilltop camp prohibits us from spending too much time outdoors. As darkened falls the mine immediately below us lights up and the nightshirt begins, but inside our Lotus Inn we hear nothing above the howling wind.