Travel: Murchison, WA

By Colin Kerr

If you listen to the locals many will tell you that, even though they’ve been digging up gold since the 1890s, there’s still more of the precious metal in the ground than has ever been taken out.

An optimistic claim, perhaps, but who can really argue!

It is ‘colour’ of a different kind, however, that is attracting many people to the Murchison these days. It is not monetary gain they seek, but instead another rich treasure: the magnificent breakaway country scattered across this vast land.

Breakaways are generally what remain of the original landscape in the region. The hard, crusted tops of these rocky outcrops have served to protect the softer rock underneath.

The countryside around these rocky structures has been eroded by wind and rain over millions of years, leaving only rocky breakaway formations, still standing at the ground level that once prevailed.

Like many other wonderful locales around Australia, you can listen to others’ stories, perhaps have a look at a few photos they have taken, but it’s never quite the same as going there yourself and seeing it first-hand.

To take in the beauty and intrigue of these places, particularly if you have time to explore and stay awhile, is to bring a feeling of greater understanding and belonging, even if it is only for a few short hours or days.

In some of these remote locations you might even find that you are the only person there. The peace and serenity of having the whole place to oneself – just you alone with nature – is a wonderful feeling which has to be experienced to be believed.

As this is still quite a remote outback region, you will enjoy the fascination and appeal of ‘getting away from it all’ in many parts of Murchison’s fabulous breakaway country. The broad region known as ‘The Murchison’ or Murchison Goldfields loosely encompasses part or all of the shires of Murchison, Meekatharra, Yalgoo, Mount Magnet, Cue, Wiluna, Upper Gascoyne and Sandstone.

Cue, in the centre of the Murchison District, is 650km north-east of Perth on the Great Northern Highway – a fully sealed road passing through Wheatbelt and then the more sparse goldfields country along the way.

At the peak of the gold boom a century ago, towns like Cue had a population of around 2000 people (now only 600). The nearby sister town Day Dawn had around 3000 people (now nil). Wiluna had around 9000, which is now 450, and Sandstone 8000 (today it has around 180).

Caravan park accommodation is available at Meekatharra, Mount Magnet, Cue, Paynes Find, Yalgoo, Sandstone, Wiluna, Gascoyne Junction, Mount Augustus and also at Murchison Settlement.

Much of the Murchison is station country – when off the main roads and travelling on station tracks, always respect the property owners: leave gates as you find them (either open or closed) and seek permission to travel through or camp on their properties.

Clean up and take any rubbish away with you and most importantly, make sure campfires are never left unattended and are completely extinguished before you leave.

The practice of taking nothing but photographs and leaving nothing but footprints will ensure the next travellers through the area will be made as welcome as you are.

Like much other outback scenery, the early morning and late afternoon sunlight on these formations bring out their most vividly glowing colours – this is a photographer’s paradise!

The rugged, craggy outcrops look their most amazing at these times of the day: as the sun’s final rays disappear into the evening, reds, browns, whites and oranges all-too-quickly turn to black silhouettes in the moonlight, only to then burst into radiant life with the morning sun.

Around many of these formations there are some splendid bush campsites at which to stay overnight and take in both sunset and sunrise – a great way to ensure you are there when this magnificent country is at its most brilliant.

In geological terms, it is estimated that most of the rocky breakaway formations through the Murchison area are between 300 and 400 million years old.

Some call it ‘Breakaway Magic’, but words don’t seem to do it full justice – nature is often like that.

Once you have enjoyed the experience for yourself, it will be something you will long remember – such is the lure of ‘colour’ here in the WA goldfields.

Murchison Fast Facts
Murchison Roadhouse & Caravan Park (via Mullen): (08) 9963 7968.
Mount Magnet Caravan Park: Lot 397 Hepburn St; (08) 9963 4198.
Cue Caravan Park: Austin Street; (08) 9963 1107.
Yalgoo Shire Caravan Park: Lot 200 Gibbons Rd; (08) 9962 8033.
Alice Atkinson Caravan Park (Sandstone): Irvine St; (08) 9963 5859.
Wiluna Club Hotel Motel & Caravan Park: Wotton St, cnr Wall St;
(08) 9981 7012.

The best time to visit the area is from April to September. The area can be very hot during summer with temperatures exceeding 40ºC. Nights are quite cold at most times of the year.

Most roads in the district (in good weather) are suitable for conventional vehicles. However, after rain these are either closed or suitable for 4WD vehicles only. Check with local authorities before travelling.

Cue Tourist Centre: (08) 9963 1216.
Meekatharra Shire Council (Tourist Information Centre): (08) 9981 1002.
Mount Magnet Tourist Information Centre: (08) 9963 4172.