Today we head north into more arid country to a salt lake with sculptures.

Mining is on a large scale over a big area. If you don’t see a mine, there are plenty of blue Mine Site signs on the roadside.

Dad Emu and some young ones.

During their early life, the young emus are defended by their father.

The eyes of an emu are protected by  translucent, secondary eyelids that move horizontally from the inside edge of the eye to the outside edge. 

Ruins at the Goongarrie Railway Siding

Goongarrie NP between Kalgoorlie and Menzies. It is a remote outback park on the edge of the vast mulga plains.

Fringed lily species with very small fringe.

Goongarrie road through she-oaks (Casuarina)

Eremophilas lined the roadside in places.

Grevillea of the Goldfields is … golden.

Welcome to Menzies – sculpture on the southern side of town

Cameleer sculpture at Menzies

Menzies Town Hall built in 1901. Menzies has a history of gold mining in the area since 1894.

Baker’s Oven in the ruins of Wells Bakery. The reason they closed down? They kneaded staff.

Salt lake on the road to Lake Ballard

Crusty salt layer

Low horizons – big sky.

Mulga country

Lake Ballard is 185km north of Kalgoorlie. There are red dunes in the day use and camping area on the southern side of the lake.

Lake Ballard is a salt lake that rarely floods (usually with cyclone events that make their way inland from the Indian Ocean). Banded stilts nest here during these rain events.

The Inside Australia art exhibition. In 2003, artist Antony Gormley installed 51 metal sculptures over an area of 10 square kilometres on the bed of the lake. 

Desert kurrajong beside the steep track up the hill.

View from the top

We leave the hill and walk further out on the lake’s surface.

Temperatures in the mid 30s, glare and flies makes for a harsh environment.

Tracks head off in different directions to the next sculpture.

It is the largest outdoor art gallery on earth. The artist wanted it bigger but it reached its statue of limitations.

More sculptures in the distance out on the dry lake with the mirage from the heat on the surface.

We managed to see 9 of the sculptures in over 2 hours on the lake’s surface. It would take a few visits or days to see them all.

Not all visitors appreciate the sculptures but the stark minimalist effect blends perfectly with the desolate environment.

Sand dunes on an island at the edge of the lake.

Dragon lizard

Hopping mice tracks

Thundery showers on the northern side of Lake Ballard

On our large circular path, we pass other sculptures and return to the day use area.

Each sculpture represented a local resident of Menzies, derived from the laser scans of the town’s residents. One local got a head of himself.

Lookout at Snake Hill west of Lake Ballard

We return to Menzies. Menzies Hotel (formerly Railway Hotel) built in 1902.

Driving through the Goldfields, we leave the road for another wide load.

Spinifex grass growing outwards form rings and unusual shapes.

Broad Arrow Tavern (1896). We were hoping for a cold drink after a hot day in the sun but it was closed for a WA Public Holiday. I could tell you something funny about the tavern but is it a bit of an Inn joke.

Old railway water tank from the days of steam at Broad Arrow.

Goldfields sunset.