27 December - Kalgoorlie Superpit, and the Nullarbor Begins!

27 December 2016 – 201 278

Kalgoorlie Superpit, and the Nullarbor Begins!

This morning we took a tour of the Kalgoorlie Superpit.  The superpit was begun by Alan Bond buying up the leases on many individual mines in the mid 1980’s – there are currently 260 mining leases included!   The superpit is huge!  The giant mine vehicles look like little matchbox vehicles when down in the base.  The spare tyres are roughly the size of a spare bedroom, with tread about 30cm thick – and they still get punctures at times from the sharp rocks!  The superpit is currently 3.6km long, 1.5km wide and 600m deep – that is one big hole!  We also got to see the milling and processing plant.  

https://www.kalgoorlietourism.com/

https://www.superpit.com.au/

After a picnic lunch, we headed south to Norseman.  

https://www.westernaustralia.com/en/Destination/Norseman/56b266bbaeeeaaf773cf959a

At 3:15pm we headed east on the Eyre Highway to start tackling the long stretch of the Nullarbor.  We stopped for dinner at Balladonia and then continued on.  

https://www.westernaustralia.com/en/Destination/Balladonia/56b267a8d5f1565045daad7f

Royal Flying Doctors Landing Strip on the Nullarbor

We have camped overnight at Baxter Rest Area.

http://www.campingnullarborplain.com/campsites-nullarbor-plain/baxter-rest-area-nullarbor-plain/#:~:text=The%20Baxter%20Rest%20Area%20is,and%20good%20mobile%20phone%20signal.