Australia So Much to See
Coolgardie Esperance Highway two kilometres north of Esperance CAUTION water over road.
23rd June 2015
Leonora Laverton Road, 30 kilometres east of Leonora EXTREME CAUTION water over road.
22nd June 2015
Rain in the Gascoyne area has created hazards for motorists.
Flooding on the North West Coastal Highway approximately 30 kilometres north of Overlander Roadhouse can be traversed with CAUTION via a detour.
18th June 2015
Sad new today and a great loss for tourists and a disaster for the people and businesses of the small town of Winton. The Matilda Centre which contained a series of displays, much of it irreplaceable, and housed the visitor centre was burnt down overnight.
The key room of the centre, dedicated to Banjo Patterson and the story of how the much loved Australian song Waltzing Matilda was written, succumbed to the blaze.
The Qantilda room contained many original documents and artefacts from the early history of Qantas airlines. The Winton chapter of Qantas began when the birth of Qantas was announced on 16th November 1920 in Winton with the initial registration of the company “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd”. Subsequently the first Board Meeting was held at the Winton Club on 10th February 1921.
Also destroyed in the fire was a new exhibition set up in time for ANZAC day this year to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the departure of the ANZAC troops from Australia, which was memorial honouring the district's 620 Anzac soldiers and contained with much original material.
The Art Gallery, which housed periodic displays often featuring famous works of Australian artists, was currently featuring the annual John Villiers Waltzing Matilda Outback Art Show awards. This 2015 competition featured a total of 53 works selected to be finalists in category one, painting, and seven works selected to be finalists in category two, three dimensional works. For a glimpse of art will never be seen again,see photographs of the winning art. All items were for sale.
This comes at a time when nearby Lark Quarry is being refurbished and is due to open soon, and will not only be a great lost to all who visit the area, but to those in Winton who provide services to these tourists and visitors.
Winton is a small town in a rural area that has paid the price of years of droughts and poor seasons. With many other displays in the town, the Matilda Centre was the key attraction.
What did we see? We were fortunate to visit Winton, including the Matilda Centre and Lark Quarry.
The Visitor Imformaiton Centre will operate from a vacant shop in the main street in the meantime, while hopes and plans of a new centre are made.
18th June 2015
The Great Western Highway is closed between Lithgow and Bathurst.
The Mitchell Highway is closed between Orange and Bathurst.
O'Connell Road and Duckmaloi Road are closed heading into Oberon.
The Great Western Highway and Bells Line of Road are also closed between Sydney and Lithgow.
The Hume Highway is closed at Berrmia due to extreme snow and ice conditions.
Snow is affecting the Hume Highway between Mittagong and Yass.
Tourist developments on the Gibb River Road and Kalumburu Road in the world renowned east Kimberley are making this remote and beautiful area more accessible for visitors. Environment Minister Albert Jacob said work on about a 200 kilometre section of road, which is the main access route to the Mitchell Plateau, Carson River Station, Drysdale River National Park and Kalumburu, had provided improved facilities for tourists while maintaining conservation values. “This infrastructure is important because it will help to draw more tourists to some of the region’s remote natural wonders,” Mr Jacob said. “The Mitchell Plateau is a spectacular area with incredible waterfalls such as Mitchell Falls and Surveyors Pool, amazing rock art and tropical fan palm forests”.
“The work on this wilderness road is part of the State Government’s $81.5 million Kimberley Science and Conservation Strategy, the largest ever targeted investment in the Kimberley. Through this strategy, we are creating Western Australia’s biggest system of marine and terrestrial parks and providing opportunities for nature-based tourism and Aboriginal employment.” An $800,000 redevelopment at King Edward River Crossing, or Munurru, has seen the installation of a new day-use area and access track, upgraded car park, hybrid toilets with disability access and sunshades. This development has also provided work for the Wunambal Gaambera traditional owners who have undertaken works at Munurru and also installed a boardwalk around the historic Mermaid Tree and conducted associated weed control in Prince Regent National Park.
The Kalumburu Road has also been upgraded and interpretive signage, hybrid toilets and day use facilities provided at the Gibb River and Kalumburu Road junction. Since 2011 the State Government has spent more than $5.8 million on upgrading facilities to enhance visitor experiences at many locations in the Kimberley such as Purnululu National Park, Windjana Gorge National Park, and Geikie Gorge National Park.
20th July 2015
Mamukala wet lands walk is now OPEN
Ubirr: Magela Creek on Oenpelli Road road to Ubirr is open to high clearance 4wd at 0.2 metres and fluctuating. Ubirr is now open from 8:30 am to sunset.
Merl campground, Muirella campground and Mardugal campgrounds 1 and 2 are now open. Two Mile Hole is now open.
Old Jim Jim Road is OPEN
South Alligator ford is at 0.50 metres and open for high clearance 4WD only
Updated 19th July 2015
