23-May-2004 -- Whilst visiting Murchison Settlement, which is 300 km by road north east of Geraldton, I took the opportunity to arrange a visit to the 26°S 116°E confluence.

After discussing the possibility with my brother Neil, who is a resident of the Murchison Settlement and is familiar with the area, we decided that a successful visit could be easily achieved.

In preparation, we first approached Daniel and Marie of Byro Station and after explaining the project obtained permission to traverse their station to reach the confluence.

Equipped with a GPS borrowed from Murchison resident Dirk Sellenger we left Murchison Settlement at 0910 on Sunday 23 May 2004 travelling north on the Carnarvon to Mullewa Road 103 km to Byro Station.

When we called at the Byro Station Homestead to seek advice on which station tracks could be used to take us to within walking distance of the confluence, we found Daniel and Marie to be out but they had thoughtfully left a “mud map” of the area hanging on the door indicating the tracks we should follow.

After leaving Byro we returned to the Carnarvon – Mullewa Road stopping to mark the position of the 26th parallel which is the boundary of the South West and North West Land Divisions of Western Australia. This little task was done on behalf of the Shire of Murchison so that an appropriate sign could be erected to indicate the division line.

A short distance further north we turned west off the main road travelling for some distance before turning south and then east at a cross road, which appeared to have once been the intersection of two important roads linking stations. We proceeded towards Earlier Hill until our GPS indicated that we were 2.19 km due north of the confluence. At this point we had travelled 147.3 km from Murchison Settlement.

After morning tea we marked the position of our vehicle and set off at 1150 to walk south to the confluence through Mulga country typical of the Murchison pastoral area arriving at the confluence at 1225.

This confluence is located near the southern side of Yarra Yarra Creek, a wide multi channelled dry creek which flows east to west at the confluence point. The creek system is marked by scattered Eucalyptus River Gums. Debris caught against the vegetation in the creek channels indicates a very strong flow during heavy rain events.

The width of the creek channel system in the area is approximately 220 metres and the altitude shown on the GPS at the confluence was 293 metres.

After taking our photographs we left the confluence point at 1255 arriving back at our vehicle at 1335 for a celebratory drink and lunch.