Kwolyin Bush Camp

Well, we were heading east from York, the plan being to visit Kokerbin Hill (Australia's 3rd largest monolith) and we would have driven right past it if it wasn't for Trevor.

Watch out..... its going to fall on your head.

As we were travelling along Quairading Road, somewhere close to the township of Yoting, a guy in his vehicle on a private road was waiting to turn onto the main highway as we passed him. John dropped back to channel 40 on the UHF just in case the guy wanted to speak to us……that was Trevor.   Well, Trevor did speak to us and we found out from him that we were not far from Kokerbin Rock and that there was a fantastic bush camp at Kwolyin. So, that is why, if not for Trevor, not only would we have driven right past Kokerbin, we would also not have known about Koberbin Bush Camp.

In 2008 the Western Australian Government instigated a program called the "Royalties for Regions" where they have focused on development that is supported with the reinvestment of mining and onshore petroleum royalties on regional projects.  Kwolyin was one of those areas that benefited. 

Under the Royalties for Regions program, the Bruce Rock Shire opened an excellent new bush campground at Kwolyin which has flush toilets, hand basins, camp kitchen with a gas hob, covered and uncovered picnic tables, gas BBQ’s and good water supply with plenty of water pressure.   It has been designed with individual caravan sites as well as group camping/tent sites.  

Kowlyin used to be a small town in the Wheatbelt region of WA which was settled in 1908. The townsite was selected in 1912 due to its position near a spring and the townsite was gazetted in 1913, the same year that the railway opened between Quairading and Bruce Rock.  

There seemed to be some rivalry between the next town, Shackleton… after all, Kowlyin had a pub  (hotel) and Shackleton didn’t.  The Kowlyin pub was a two story building of brick construction located on 1/2 acre of land opposite the Kwolyin Railway Station.  The closest other pub was Bruce Rock, so you can see why it was popular and a social hub.   The Pub opened in 1914 and was demolished after it was burned down in 1992. There was speculation that the owner was responsible but it could not be ruled out that some one else, perhaps from Shackleton was the culprit.  However, in January 2012, a cold case investigation saw a Port Kennedy man and women charged over the devastating fire.

Kowlyin Pub after the fire (file photo from the internet).  There is nothing there now. 

Kowlyin is now a ghost town….the only sign that it was once a thriving little town is the cricket pitch and the Church.  

Cricket Pitch

Shackleton, only seven kilometres up the road has survived well and is home to a number of people including artist Steve and his wife Christina.  Steve uses chicken wire fencing and discarded metal bits and pieces to design very interesting sculptures. 

When we called to say “g’day” to Steve at his Art Studio, he was working on his cafe called “Floe’s Place” which he hopes will entice more people to stop in the town.  Although we didn't go into the Art Studio, the garden is an artwork itself, full of interesting sculptures.  

Bank in Shackleton

Shackleton, was also home to the smallest bank in Western Australia.  Originally, the 3 x 4 meter building was the Bank of New South Wales before it became Bankwest.  It was also used as an aircraft observation centre in WWII and at one time was a child health centre. 

It was windy and cold along with a sprinkle of rain at the Kowlyin bush camp.  Nick and John set up a tarp as a wind break and collected firewood with the aid of John’s battery operated rechargeable chain saw.  I went looking for something that could be used as a wind break and came across some small sheets of corrugated iron.  I got Nick to come and get it.  He picked up one sheet and we both got a fright as the blue tongue lizard that was living under it demonstrated quite clearly that he was not happy about being disturbed.   Nick said it was a rather silly thing to do, picking it up with his hands as it could have been a snake.  He put the sheet of iron back as it was the lizards home and with a stick, looked under two other small sheets before picking them up and taking them back to the fire. 

 

Deb sheltering against the tarp keeping out of the wind and rain

Nick and John cutting up firewood

Nick tending the fire (note the small corrugated iron sheets)

We thoroughly enjoyed our bush camp there but pressed on the following day to Karlgarin.