We're out early this morning, we're off to the Gracemere livestock market and from there, we're off to the gem fields on some mountain or other. We're just going out the door, when Lin asks which way. I dash back in, punch up google, take a quick look at the brochure and print out directions. We're off.
The cattle markets about nine K's from Rocky, so by nine fifteen, we've parked the car and heading in. The auctions taking place round the pens and as we make our way over, its clear to see, we could be a little under dressed. Me and Lin in shorts, me in a vest, Lin in a flowery thing. Them, Sunday best Jeans, All in checked shirts, Polished cowboy boots (even the kids) and going to church Stetsons. If they played spot the tourist, everyone would be a winner. We stand and listen for a while, the auctioneer is trying to break the land speed record with his mouth and sounds like he's just shoved a hot roast potato in while trying to call a full house on his bingo card. God knows what he said, but seems like after he'd finished, some skinny git would paint a couple of the cows rumps blue with a roller, seemed a nice colour blue too, wouldn't mind a bedroom in that shade, perhaps its what was left over when he did his...... Anyway, we watch this going on for a while, not having a clue whats going on. It must have shown, cos the guy beside us (Kevey) turned and asked us if we understood whats happening, then explained it all. The cattle was being sold by the kilo, only you don't know how much they weigh, that comes later. The person bidding may only want two of the cattle in a pen of ten, so he lets the auctioneer know and they paint the two cows. After being sold the animals go off and get weighed, so if you bought a cow at one fifty a kilo and it weighs in at four hundred kilo, your down six hundred bucks. Not so good if you thought the dam cow only weighed three hundred kilo. Still, life can be a bitch. All the cattle seem to be Brahma's, Now these are the biggest fuc*ing cows I've ever seen, some almost as big as shire horses. Handy really, don't even have to bend down to milk um. We're told these are the best cattle for the area "good hardy stock". I look at Lin and she's standing there like rock, "whats up ?", seems she's don't want to move in case its taken as a bid and we end up looking for a home for a job lot of six Brahma's. I can just see um, roped up behind the bike, that'll keep me speed down. I let her know you got to register to be able to bid and I can see her relax. Next she asks if they sell the bulls somewhere else , I point out a "cow" with a backpack between its legs and a walking stick in the middle of its belly and let her figure that one out for herself!
Gracemere Stockyards....dont worry these are all being sold to go on to farms .....
Off to be weighed...after being sold..
Being sold ...
Ready and waiting to be sold ...
The cowgirl rounding up the sold ones and moving them on to be weighed...
The cattle markets about nine K's from Rocky, so by nine fifteen, we've parked the car and heading in. The auctions taking place round the pens and as we make our way over, its clear to see, we could be a little under dressed. Me and Lin in shorts, me in a vest, Lin in a flowery thing. Them, Sunday best Jeans, All in checked shirts, Polished cowboy boots (even the kids) and going to church Stetsons. If they played spot the tourist, everyone would be a winner. We stand and listen for a while, the auctioneer is trying to break the land speed record with his mouth and sounds like he's just shoved a hot roast potato in while trying to call a full house on his bingo card. God knows what he said, but seems like after he'd finished, some skinny git would paint a couple of the cows rumps blue with a roller, seemed a nice colour blue too, wouldn't mind a bedroom in that shade, perhaps its what was left over when he did his...... Anyway, we watch this going on for a while, not having a clue whats going on. It must have shown, cos the guy beside us (Kevey) turned and asked us if we understood whats happening, then explained it all. The cattle was being sold by the kilo, only you don't know how much they weigh, that comes later. The person bidding may only want two of the cattle in a pen of ten, so he lets the auctioneer know and they paint the two cows. After being sold the animals go off and get weighed, so if you bought a cow at one fifty a kilo and it weighs in at four hundred kilo, your down six hundred bucks. Not so good if you thought the dam cow only weighed three hundred kilo. Still, life can be a bitch. All the cattle seem to be Brahma's, Now these are the biggest fuc*ing cows I've ever seen, some almost as big as shire horses. Handy really, don't even have to bend down to milk um. We're told these are the best cattle for the area "good hardy stock". I look at Lin and she's standing there like rock, "whats up ?", seems she's don't want to move in case its taken as a bid and we end up looking for a home for a job lot of six Brahma's. I can just see um, roped up behind the bike, that'll keep me speed down. I let her know you got to register to be able to bid and I can see her relax. Next she asks if they sell the bulls somewhere else , I point out a "cow" with a backpack between its legs and a walking stick in the middle of its belly and let her figure that one out for herself!
Gracemere Stockyards....dont worry these are all being sold to go on to farms .....
Off to be weighed...after being sold..
Ready and waiting to be sold ...
The cowgirl rounding up the sold ones and moving them on to be weighed...
Turns out we had a really good morning, but time to move on and round about one we headed out to Mount Morgan for a bit of fossicking. So twenty minutes down the road, we're standing in the information bureau asking were we go for a bit of fossicking, "wrong mountain mate, that's Mount Hay, bloody miles from here.....". Great!!! in my hurry this morning I grabbed the wrong brochure. "OK, so what ya got here?".... "goldmine tour ?, great, book us on". Next thing ya know, we're on a tour bus, getting the run down on the town and local area, then up to the open cast mine and into the old managers house/ pay office/ museum. It ended up being a very good two and a half hour tour, not bad for a last minute thing.
All good things must come to an end and so its time for home and finally get there just before five, which is good cos we're supposed to feed the dog at four. Dog fed, Lin makes a really wicked Shepperd's pie which gos down a real treat and in Lin's case really quick cos she got craft night tonight and shes running late. Anyway out the door by seven. Eleven o'clock and in she comes with a smile from end to end, had a great time. Some days are good, some days are great....
The chapel in Mount Morgan Town
A bush fire well on its way to being a problem...but we've got used to seeing these now...
A view across the valley, take on the way to the mine...it seems strange that you go up into the mountains to go down a gold mine...
This is a water catchment pit put in place to try and reduce the amount of acid from the mine running through into the towns water. The mine is owned by the government now , so they have the expensive job of making sure the towns water remains good...
This is the gold bullion safe house used in the 1900's and no one ever successfully broke in !!!!
This is the management offices... its now a museum...
An ariel view of the mine taken many years ago...
.
John.... 'Not' being the manager... in your dreams Smith...
The old gold mine...
A view across the open pit...
Back into town...
A view across the valley taken while driving home down through the mountains..
A great day comes to an end....love to all...
All good things must come to an end and so its time for home and finally get there just before five, which is good cos we're supposed to feed the dog at four. Dog fed, Lin makes a really wicked Shepperd's pie which gos down a real treat and in Lin's case really quick cos she got craft night tonight and shes running late. Anyway out the door by seven. Eleven o'clock and in she comes with a smile from end to end, had a great time. Some days are good, some days are great....
The chapel in Mount Morgan Town
This is a water catchment pit put in place to try and reduce the amount of acid from the mine running through into the towns water. The mine is owned by the government now , so they have the expensive job of making sure the towns water remains good...
This is the gold bullion safe house used in the 1900's and no one ever successfully broke in !!!!
This is the management offices... its now a museum...
An ariel view of the mine taken many years ago...
.
John.... 'Not' being the manager... in your dreams Smith...
The old gold mine...
A view across the open pit...
Back into town...
A view across the valley taken while driving home down through the mountains..
A great day comes to an end....love to all...
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