Bush Dwellers

Gary took me out to Norrie Station, an abandoned homestead about 20 km south of town. We discovered Ray and Jane living there as caretakers - two roadrunners like me with their buses, fixing the place up. It was fantastic! Ray is a real character - he paints rocks gold and then leaves them lying around to annoy the trespassing prospectors who rubbish the area (that's when he's not "movin' em on" with his rifle on his hip).

In the yard is a "briar patch" - a wire framed building with leaves woven into the walls. You run a sprinkler over the outside and it creates a big "coolgardie safe" - lovely and cool. Inside Ray's briar patch is a homemade spa created from an old cattle trough and local rocks.

The station dogs check out Gary's ute

The back of the old homestead

The briar patch and spa

The homestead garden - the thing that looks like a trampoline
is a wool-sorting rack, which was being used as a bed in the house

Ray and Jane - rough as guts, down to earth, really nice people

Gary

The scenic toilet

Old shearer's quarters

The obligatory blokey gathering around the back of the ute

The old "donkey boiler" - the hot water service! A 44 gallon drum
with a fire underneath, surrounded by bricks