Joining of the Rails 100th Anniversary Update
Submitted: Sunday, Oct 15, 2017 at 17:31
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Member - Stephen L (Clare SA)
Hi Everyone
Well work has commenced at the site and we are now getting a few campers arriving to get a
good spot.
This is the very first photo of the new memorial to be seen, with one of the organisers, Leon Ashton standing in front of one of the new memorials.
The road up has been graded and in first class condition, so please join us to be part of Australian history.
Cheers
Stephen
Leon in front of the new memorial
Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Oct 16, 2017 at 20:58
Monday, Oct 16, 2017 at 20:58
Well this post is finally back on line........
The weather today was hot out here reaching 41 and a friendly breeze to add to the atmosphere.
There has been a steady crowd gathering all day and now outside, it is just perfect, with not a breath of wind.
The passenger train that came through tonight slowed right down for everyone to get some good photos.
It's been that hot, that no was had a campfire, which is a pitty, as there was a large amount of wood brought in for the event.
The air strip was graded the other day and so far 2 plane have landed. Dick Smith will be flying in mid morning and so will a lot more day trippers.
As hot as it has been, the crowd of people has made the atmosphere just great and there is a complete range of ages, people will into their eighties who once worked out here on the Railways through to younger people that just love the bush and want to be part of this historic event.
More new tomorrow.
Cheers
Stephen
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Oct 17, 2017 at 08:02
Tuesday, Oct 17, 2017 at 08:02
Monday night was topped off with a free concert which added to the atmosphere.
As everyone went to bed there was not a breath of wind, but it sure made up for it during the night, with a very strong wing taking vengeance.
Dawn on the day and people are stirring and the
toilets are getting a good work out.
The new memorials on site, ready to be officially unveiled today at 1:45pm by Dick Smith
Our proud Aussie Flag flying at the site
The passenger train slowed right down last night for everyone to wave at each other
The free concert last night
Dawn at the site of the Big Day
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Oct 17, 2017 at 21:52
Tuesday, Oct 17, 2017 at 21:52
Tuesday 17th October 2017
Well what a day.
The wind did not let up during the morning and seemed to just get stronger, along with a very fast rising temperature.
My marshalling duties started at 8 am with fellow EO Member Peter G from
Tamworth. Our shift finished at just after 11am and during that time, we were now getting a very steady flow of day visitors for the day and the day
parking area was filling quickly. the wind was now beyond a joke and many people had one thing on their mind....to pack up and head off after the event.
The time was now fast approaching and so was the temperature.... it was now
well over 42°
well before 12 noon. The official ceremony was spot on time and after many speeches, it was time for Dick Smith to unveil the official new
plaque on the southern memorial.
The crowd was fantastic, with many hundreds of people venturing to this very remote spot on the Nullarbor to witness the 100th Anniversary and the unveiling at the very time when the rails were joined all that time ago.
A train was in place, just as it was for the 50th Anniversary
Every man and his dog travelled to witness this historic event
Fiona and I over at the memorial on the Northern side of the railway
Things were very busy prior to the event
Bob and some of the students from Yalata Primary School came for the event
Some of the crowd with the train in the background
Welcome to Country from one of the local Aboriginal Elders
Dick Smith addressing the crowd
At the exact time when the rails were joined 100 years ago, Dick Smith unveiled the plaque
The first public view of the new plaque
Dick Smith by the plaque
Now everyone was invited to view the new plaque
4 EO Members form Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia to witness the event
The new memorial and the train, just as it was 50 years ago
AnswerID:
614401
Follow Up By: Member - Paul B (WA) - Saturday, Oct 21, 2017 at 20:40
Saturday, Oct 21, 2017 at 20:40
Great photos and story Stephen, nice to meet you there along with Pete & Chris. We're now
home in Kalgoorlie after a very interesting trip. Found some nice campsites, saw some interesting things, met some nice people and drove on some terrible tracks!
I do think it would have been much better if the blokes that built the railway 100 years ago had joined the tracks somewhere there wasn't nasty little prickles everywhere and where you could dong pegs into the ground but them's the breaks!
The wind on top of the heat was a bit of a shock to the winter/spring weather we'd been used to but my party of offroad/outback virgins were all stoked to have been there and are extremely grateful to the wonderful people who worked so hard to put the show together.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Oct 22, 2017 at 07:37
Sunday, Oct 22, 2017 at 07:37
Hi Paul
It was sure great to meet you and your good wife. Thanks for making the big drive over to be part of this special piece of Australian history.
I was only speaking to Leon yesterday morning about the success of the day and what a great turn up of people for such a hot and windy day . When he was speaking to the CFS volunteers that were on site, they told him it was 43 at the time if the ceremony .
Once again, thanks for driving over for the event.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
885119
Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Wednesday, Oct 18, 2017 at 09:45
Wednesday, Oct 18, 2017 at 09:45
Well what a memorable few days at
Ooldea.
A very special thanks to the very dedicated few that persisted in making the special event happen.
It is the quiet ones that made it happen and a very special thanks to Leon Ashton from
Quorn and my great friend, Murray Collins from
Ceduna that persisted to get it off the ground.
The west coast is always a very special place to visit and if you are very passing through, please take time to visit the many interesting out of the way
places to see.
Now to head back
home and see more
places.
Here are a couple more images of our drive over to the west coast....
The Kimba Silo's are worth a photo if you are passing through this great little town
One of countless little rock holes that saved many explores
The coastal scenery is just unreal
The new windmill park in Penong is worth a visit
With the help of Murray, we finally got to see the final resting place of explorer Richard Thelwall Maurice
This lonely grave of a great Explorer
Remote Nullarbor camping
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew L1 (SA) - Thursday, Oct 26, 2017 at 06:32
Thursday, Oct 26, 2017 at 06:32
The big
Comet windmill use to be on the railway line on
Coondambo Station east of
Kingoonya
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Oct 26, 2017 at 08:12
Thursday, Oct 26, 2017 at 08:12
Hi Andrew
We knew where it was located, having seen it in a very sad state of repair when Rick still owned
Coondambo.
Fiona spoke with Julie yesterday and showed her a photo of it now restored and she was happy to see it like that now.
It looks great Andrew and we were very surprised to see it in the
Penong Museum.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
885236
Reply By: Pete G - Sunday, Oct 29, 2017 at 14:36
Sunday, Oct 29, 2017 at 14:36
Fellow Readers
Thankyou Stephen for your postings. It was great to attend and meet fellow EO members.
As others have said the weather gods had their bit of fun with attendees - still that's the Outback. And those pesky little prickles (note to self - sock savers next time).
For me the event was a culmination of the contribution of my grandfather who worked on the line construction as a ganger and my own various experiences over a 40 yr period. It was poignant to take in the location and consider the wonderful nation building work that took place and the scale of that, without the benefits of mechanization travel and communications we take for granted today. And too boot it was done in the middle of WW1.
Special thanks to all who contributed to make the occasion happen without the benefit of any direct government funding, ARTC for the monuments, Dick Smith and Arkaroola along with the Australian Rail Museum and many other in-named contributes in both finance and time. Special thanks to the "Dunny Man" for the unique experience of odor free Portaloos - it shows it is possible.
The lack of Politicians had an upside in that it allowed an ambience and unfettered enjoyment of the moment to prevail by those who really appreciated the unique opportunity without having press crews and politicians take the limelight. Perhaps there was a lot of washer cutting in the halls of power with pending constitutional matters and the sheer difficulty of actually getting to outback Australia - I mean a small plane landing on a small dirt strip with significant cross winds and no frequent flyer points, limo or Qantas or Virgin Club at the airport - really (being sarcastic LOL) . Anyway we did not have to sit too long in the sun listening to boring speeches.
I attach the following taken at sunrise
Ooldea_01
Ooldea_02
Ooldea_03
Regards
Pete_G
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