CRISSCROSSING AUSTRALIA- ESPERANCE TELEGRAPH FARM-PART TWO

( Excerpted from my book Our Summer in Australia & New Zealand. Amazon.com)

John Starr, the owner of Telegraph Farm is a man of great imagination and energy. He uses a portion of his farm less suitable for crops or grazing to raise flowers for export, especially to the Japanese market. He plants perennials, providing thereby a renewable product. The Japanese inspect every delivery and if even one insect is found, the entire shipment is denied delivery. In the fading light of the day we gazed over acres of beautiful commercial flower beds. John cut flowers for all the women on board, each leaving with a bouquet containing the Queen Protea, the star of the plantings.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Gwen finished preparing a meal using Telegraph Farm products, to be served boarding house style; venison, buffalo, ostrich, bowls of farm fresh vegetables, home baked muffins, and a selection of fine local wines, this being another of Australia's many wine producing regions.

Our stay at telegraph was informative, ending with a large Australian farm meal, and of course a wonderful alternative to the nine foot seas. Hang in the Gwen and John...Good on ya mate!

(Picture of farm raised elk and the queen protea)

CRISSCROSSING AUSTRALIA-Esperance & Telegraph Farm

(Excerpted from my book Our Summer in Australia and New Zealand Amazon.com)

Hi Elysee, I'm Joe Camel Hey, Anything for us Ostrich's?

After leaving Kalgoorlie we headed south towards Esperance a town in the Great Australian Bight of the southern ocean and about as far from everything as one can get. We were scheduled to visit the Recherche Islands which was the site of great whale and seal hunting grounds from the 19th century. The name for islands were taken from two French ships that explored the area in the early part of the 19th century, raising concerns in London about French colonization and causing the British to spur settlement in the region. Thankfully, due to nine foot seas, our excursion to the islands was cancelled. Instead we visited Telegraph Farm, much to our good fortune. That is a place we easily could have passed by and I consider myself fortunate indeed that we left the pods of seals to another time.

The farm's owners John and Gwen Starr are pioneers in methods of farm diversification as an alternative to raising sheep. Sheep farms in Australia are consolidating, where a minimum of 4,000 sheep are necessary for. The Starr's 1300 acres were becoming insufficient. Instead of giving up farming they went the alternative way.

Animal husbandry is the main feature of Telegraph Farm's strategy. John raises, breeds and cross breeds animals adaptable to Australia, while producing animals that are leaner and more compatible with today's increasing understanding of nutrition and health.

For example, John has both Indian and African Buffalo and their cross strains, the same for African Wapiti, Canadian Elk. and ostrich. These animals are not only leaner they have less impact on the land. For example replacing Herefords with buffalo. During a recent drought the less particular buffalo didn't require feed, being content to graze on the course three foot high grass weeds. Not only that, but being draught animals the buffalo's method of walking is gentle and does not dig up the turf the way cattle do.

John keeps camels mainly for the enjoyment of children as Telegraph Farm is also a center of learning for children for miles around. We had no idea the animals were mostly hand fed and when the door to the van was opened, and Elysee had a bucket of feed in her hand, she was astonished and pleased to come face-to-face with Joe Camel (More on Telegraph Farm in my next posting)

CRISSCROSSING AUSTRALIA-KALGOORLIE

The Kalgoorlie Pit. The largest trucks in the world go down there and never return until worn out.

(Extracted from Our Summer in Australia and New Zealand Amazon.com)

Having left the Indian Pacific cross country train at Kalgoorlie, before its final overnight run to Perth, we began day four of our journey back and forth across Australia, with a closer look at the town that epitomizes Australia's former Wild West.

The story begins with an 1892 gold strike in Coolgardie, about 25 miles from present day Kalgoorlie, to which thousands of gold crazed prospectors rushed. Thus when rumors circulated in 1893 that another "find" had been discovered somewhere to the east, about 50 out-of-luck "diggers" left Coolgardie to discover the location of this new mountain of gold. Among them were three hapless, unlucky Irish prospectors named Flanagan, Shea and Patrick Hannon. Hannon's horse became lame and these three lingered behind for the night allowing Hannon time to change the horseshoe. The story is that the lame horse pawed the ground and unearthed a gold nugget.That moment marked the beginning of the richest gold discovery in all Australia, and perhaps the world. Hannon, Shea and Flanagan were soon picking nuggets right off the ground. In a few days Patrick had about 100 ounces, and on June 17, 1893 filed a claim for himself and his two companions, instantly setting off another stampede.

By the end of the year 3000 "diggers" had moved into the area, one of the driest in the world. Many died due to the harsh conditions, water had to be brought 350 miles from Perth, a months journey. Whiskey was free, it was water you paid for.

Since Patrick Hannon picked that 100 ounces of gold off the desert floor over 49,000,000 ounces have been extracted from what is known worldwide as the Golden Mile, the most valuable piece of real estate on the planet. Moreover, it is estimated only half the gold has been extracted. In fact nobody knows. The estimate of future deposits always seems to replace that which has already been extracted.

ACROSS AUSTRALIA BY TRAIN: DAY FOUR

Re-boading the Indian Pacific to begin the run across the barren plain if the Nullarbor.

The conductor had given us a stern warning not to wander too far while in Cook, for once the refueling was complete the train would be leaving for it journey across the Nullarbor, and you don't want to be stranded in the middle of the outback. The Nullarbor (Latin in a way null being none arbor trees...i.e. treeless) is akin to California's Death Valley, but much larger in size. The Indian Pacific travels through this 160,000 square mile arid and treeless plain on the longest straight stretch of rail line in the world; not the slightest deviation for 286 miles. For train rides this is the longest day; a journey where the next meal becomes the highly anticipated event. Bring a good book. I dallied most of the day doing just that, reading the Fatal Shore, about Australia's convict experience; and talking with fellow passengers, mostly Australian, who were, fortunately, the type to make this trip an interesting experience as well.

At about 8pm, we arrived in Kalgoorlie, the site of a historic and immense gold field, and a mile stretch of the world's most expensive real estate. We left the train here, about 500 mils short of its pacific coast destination Perth. If you stay on the train overnight you arrive mid-day on the forth day. Instead we stayed the night in Kalgoorlie, joining a five day bus tour to the far south of Australia along the south sea road, and the Bight of

Australia, then turn north along the Indian Ocean and enter Perth by the "back door", via the Margaret

river wine country. Next I will tell the story about Kalgoorlie, Irish Luck, a US President, and the world richest mine.

ACROSS AUSTRALIA- DAY THREE ON THE INDIAN PACIFIC TRAIN

The hospital tried to stay alive by asking people to get "Crook" sick in Cook

In its "heyday" it cost $3 to play the nine holes. In 100 plus degrees?

After travelling all night from Adelaide we were awakened at 7am in time to prepare for entering the metropolis of Cook; population two. Cook was a town of 300 as recently as 1998; its sole purpose to service the National Railroad. The town boasts a school, swimming pool, hospital, post office and railroad service yards. It even has a golf course without a single blade of grass; a true links course with packed sand greens. The hospital had so little business that amid concerns about being closed by the government, people stopping over on the railroad were encouraged to "...get crook on Cook." (Crook being 'strine for sick).

When the government decided to get out of the railroad business in the '90s, privatizing its interests, Cook became an instant ghost town -an example of how changing government policy can have trickle down consequences.

Today Crook is used only as a changeover point for locomotive drivers, and a refueling stop after a long night run- just before the train starts to cross the Nullibor. This is the only reason we had a chance to stretch our legs. There's no platform, and steps have been placed at the exit doors. The conductor gives us all a stern warning not to cross the tracks, as passing trains in other directions likely will not slow down.. And above all be ready to board when the whistle blows- there are no overnight accommodations in Cook. Not a more desolate railroad stop in the world, with summertime temperatures about 155 degree, and a single digit of annual rainfall. We tried to find some remains of the golf course, but the site could not be distinguished, nature having taken it back. In a few more years there will be little left of this lonely reminder of times past.

Across Australia- Day Two on Indian Pacific Train

Sunday was spent between Broken Hill and Adelaide looking out at mostly barren plains.

That is when one isn't enjoying the lounge car. The bar is behind Elysee in the background.

Leaving Broken Hill mid-morning out train passed through mile after mile of flat bush country devoid of habitation and enterprise. After turning south towards Adelaide there is sufficient annual rainfall to allow viable agriculture. For the last 200 miles you pass through large wheat farms of 3000 acres or more, grazing cattle and many vineyards. We are in the state of South Australia, and Adelaide is proud to have been the first to seriously develop a wine making industry. Today South Australia leads all other states in wine production. Adelaide also leads Australia in automobile manufacturing, and is generally prosperous in many other areas besides agriculture.

Adelaide was settled in 1836, greatly expanded after the great gold rush of 1851, and the center of the city bears the markings of a wonderfully preserved Victorian city. An interesting tale.

Adelaide's main street is King William Street. When the King agreed to have the street named after him, he gave permission provided no street named after a commoner would cross his. This became no small problem as side streets were named after early settlers. Since there were a lot more of them than Kings the problem was solved by a cross street proceeding up to King William Street with one name and continuing on the other side with name of someone else. Ingenious!

We only had about six hours in Adelaide, took a city tour, and left about 6:30. Unfortunately, I left my camara on the train, so no pictures of beautiful Adelaide. Reboarding the Indian Pacific for a long night's journey north, then west along the barren plains. Dinner once more in wonderful period dining car and then off to the lounge car. Great way to travel. I highly recommend it.

Royal Flying Doctor Service

Beech King Airs equipped as ambulances. One is always on standby.

We are still in Broken Hill, stopping over on our cross country train ride aboard the Indian Pacific. That chilly Sunday morning the good people who run the Flying Doctor's Service were good enough to get out their warm houses and give a lecture and tour of this famous Australian institution. RFD's story is unique to Australia. Started by Rev. John Flynn of Queensland, in 1928, to bring emergency medical service to remote outback areas where there were only two doctors in over 2 million square miles. The operation we visited in Broken Hill dates back to 1938 and is entirely voluntary. It is free to patients with revenue coming entirely from donations. Today RFDs cover about 80% of Australia and treat about 160,000 people a year, conducting 17,000 evacuations from 16 bases.

The first RFD was organized in the Queensland town of Cloncurry, where there was a pioneer airline called the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service., Quantas. Yes, that is the origin of Quantas Airlines. Not even many Australians know that. Gee whiz!