Kalgoorlie Super Pit

Super Pit tour, Kalgoorlie

In Kalgoorlie we joined a bus tour into the open cut goldmine called Super Pit.

It's a mighty big hole in the ground, three kilometres long, more than a kilometre wide and not quite a kilometre deep. The operation runs 24 hours a day and yields about 60 kilograms of gold a day.

From the lookout the monster trucks look tiny.

One of the survey markers

There are survey points all around the pit. All are computer monitored continuously so that any movement in the cliff faces will be instantly known. Every vehicle is constantly monitored as well. Safety is paramount.

Old underground mine debris

The pit is an amalgamation of 80 separate mining operations and as the open pit is excavated they find the old tunnels that contain all the bits of wood and metal that were left underground. It all has to be separated so as not to disrupt the conveyor  belts and crushers. The company sells it and donates the proceeds to local charities each year. They also have a reclamation program, trying out various methods of planting mullock heaps.

Reclamation of a mullock heap. These were planted out several years ago.

This plot was planted about 20 years ago.

Our guide's gold ear ring

The Super Pit company embellished the clock tower with gold leaf .

All in all an interesting tour but this and the numerous other open cut pits in the goldfields region are doing an enormous amount of environmental damage.

Borroloola

At Daly Waters we turned east onto the Carpentaria  Highway. It's called a highway but the traffic is delightfully sparse. It's a sealed road but for many kilometres it's a single lane so whenever we passed a vehicle going the opposite way we slowed almost to a stop to prevent windscreen damage - most other travellers are courteous and do the same.

Carpentaria Highway

Grey-fronted Honeyeaters and White-throated Honeyeaters taking advantage
of a tub of water beside a tank at a rest stop.

Open woodland all the way to Borroloola but never boring because it changes as the underlying geology changes. Only one building in nearly 400 kms, the Heartbreak Hotel at Cape Crawford. Several rest areas along the way. Some drought tolerant cattle, because we were driving through cattle stations.

Brahman cattle

And a mine I never knew existed but apparently there was a lot of kerfuffle here when Peter Garrett was the Environment Minister. It's the McArthur River zinc mine, one of the largest in the world. When I get home I'll have to do some more background reading.

McArthur River Mining, near Borroloola

We drove to Bing Bong on the ocean where the loading facilities for zinc from McArthur Mining and iron ore from somewhere up near the Roper River. We were talking to other grey nomads out there who said that last year they enjoyed a walk along the beach near the zinc-loading works but this year they couldn't because of the iron ore conveyor belt. Things have changed. The vegetation near the port has certainly changed, from green to red because of the dust.

Several large front loaders busily moving iron ore from one place to another.

Iron ore on a conveyor.

A truck arrives at the zinc storage shed at the port.

Mangroves and mud flats now inaccessible.

Dust-covered vegetation

At Borroloola we saw the big bridge over the McArthur River, and on a shed we noted the measurement markers for the anticipated flood levels. It reads 13 metres. If the water reaches that level the bridge is under water. That's a lot of water!

McArthur River, Borroloola

Flood marker above bridge height, Borroloola.

We also drove to King Ash Bay on the McArthur River estuary where the Borroloola Fishing Club has a campground, shop, mechanic, fuel and a clubhouse with a restuarant and entertainmant for the campers. A lot of people from all over Australia come up here each winter and stay a few months to fish and soak up the warmth.

Mangrove-lined McArthur River estuary, King Ash Bay

McArthur River estuary

Batten Point

I had no concept of what Borroloola would be like apart from a vague idea that it was an Aboriginal town. Which it is. But a lot of things about the area have surprised me.