#3: [19-Nov-13]

#1: [19-Nov-00] (incomplete)

02-Jun-2001 -- I first attempted this confluence with my kids last year. Maria and Steve Salvarinas' property is at the end of Roberts Road, just north of Mogumber and west of New Norcia. The town of Mogumber is very small, and was once the site of the Moore River Aboriginal Mission, which featured in The Rabbit Proof Fence. New Norcia is well-known for being the home of a large, still active monastery. It's definitely worth a visit for its museum, and to buy some nut-cake!

This time, Maria was home and, after explaining what on earth I was doing and giving her a copy of the Degree Confluence letter, she indicated a road down towards the confluence, 1.4kms from the house. Maria warned me that after some recent, much-needed rain, the paddocks were likely to be boggy, and offered to come and look for me if I hadn't returned in an hour. I gratefully accepted - Roberts Road is unsealed, and I had noticed driving in that even the little rain that had fallen made the surface quite greasy.

It was a much easier walk than I had anticipated - after passing through one gate into the sheep paddock, I was able to drive just 720 metres away from the point and stopped near the cattle yard. You can see the track beside the fence in Pic 3. The sheep stayed well away, but probably watched with (sheepish?) grins as I navigated a couple of barbed wire fences. The rest of the way to the confluence was unspectacular, and after finding all the zeros and taking the required photos, I retraced my steps and went back to let Maria know I had finished and to thank her.

The trip back along Roberts Road was more exciting - two emus decided to race me, following the fenceline inside the paddock. I cracked up laughing - they looked so earnest! I stopped - so did they, and I managed to get a couple of photos of them while they grunted and tilted their heads as if wondering whether or not I was dangerous.

Luckily the threatening clouds held off, and it didn't begin raining until I was well back on sealed roads. On the way back through Mogumber I stopped for lunch at the Tavern and had a chat with the barman and a customer about the confluence project, then headed home.

It was really satisfying to have a successful visit this time. It was the last confluence within a normal day's driving from Perth, and the next ones will require more time and planning.