Camping at Lake Ballard

We have wanted to go camping at Lake Ballard for some time. We had to wait till Brett’s roster had time off and we were all pretty excited. 

Lake Ballard was beautiful, as expected and we are glad we went but you could say, things did not go according to plan.  Let me start at the beginning.

Ready to leave, or not

We awoke pretty pumped, ready to set off. Brett had come off night shift and wanted 4 hours sleep before leaving. Miss B, who like the rest of us, is NEVER sick (travel makes you healthier) had woken saying she did not feel well. To her shock and I wish I had photographed her face, as she realised, she did not feel like eating breakfast!  Holy dooley, Brett and I should have realised at this point, things were out of sync.  

Packing down the motorhome is like routine, we did it in record time, then it wouldn’t start. You heard me, the motorhome wouldn’t start.  So, I took the battery down to be hit with a full charge (thankful for sexy beast – hilux, for our new followers, a second vehicle comes in handy at times like this). 

Battery issues

Over the years we have had sooo many battery issues we know how to look after batteries. Even when we store our rig every time we come back it has started first try.  Also we have a battery jump start which didn’t work either. (Alarms should of been ringing at this stage).

Even though connect the solar panel to the battery every now and then and disconnect it when we are stationary for any length of time. Let us continue as this is only the beginning.  Collected the battery, now given a 100% health check and charged up ready to go. We were on our way!

Where are we going, I do know, when we will get there, I ‘m not certain

Lake Ballard is approximately 200km north of Kalgoorlie.  Setting off much later than we had anticipated and with Miss B under the weather we stopped for dinner at a free camp, just out of Menzies. Early to bed we were hopeful that Miss B would wake feeling a bit better and it was just a 24hr bug thing. 

Next morning, Miss B had a temperature albeit not high, but as she is never sick, it is noteworthy. On our way out to Lake Ballard you come off bitumen and onto corrugations for about 23km. After we and the motorhome, had been shaken to bits for 16km we were unfortunate to have a rock hit the side wall of our front passenger tyre and blew the tyre. 

Pulling over to change the tyre, the roads are nice and wide so no danger and very happy to report EVERY person who went past slowed to make sure we did not need assistance. 

Once the new tyre was on however, we were not happy with the tyre pressure so had to go all the way back to Menzies over the corrugations to pump it up.

Feeling a bit frustrated at this point, that we do own a compressor, but it was in sexy beast, who is normally with us at all times, but not this time.

Chasing air

Heading back into town, there is no air at the only service station which is closed other than for fuel by card payments.  Debating our next move, we pass a man about to cross the street who we ask about the chances of getting air and he directs us to someone who can help (thank you kind gentleman).

At this point we are so determined to make it Lake Ballard but also very anxious not having a spare tyre on board. Stubborness wins out and we head back across the 23km of corrugations.  Thankfully, we arrive in Lake Ballard free camp, with all tyres in tact.  Menzies Tourist Centre, if open when you visit, offers a video on the area that is recommended to be viewed prior to your visit to Lake Ballard.  The centre was closed on both our visits to Menzies so we can not comment.

 

Lake Ballard outdoor gallery

Lake Ballard, blue skies, salt plains and ‘Inside Australia’ sculpture gallery.  We parked up and went for a walk out on the salt plains. 

Truly a photographers paradise.  Special note for those of you who do like photography, they can have spectacular sunsets and sunrises at this destination.  Not while we were there but well worth noting if you are planning a visit.

Nature is amazing, we are in the Northern Goldfields in Western Australia.  The salt plains are about 70 miles long and 30 miles wide and we are approximately 51km west from Menzies.  

Antony Gormley an artist from UK began his famous outdoor gallery ‘Inside Australia’ in 2002.  Scanning 51 residents of Menzies with a three dimensional, animation and special effects laser scanner, on it’s way to Sydney from California.  Scanning each body to create a map of half a million digital coordinates. The sculptures now stand erect, spread out over the desolate sodium crust of the salt pains, each unique. You are in the middle of Yilgarn Craton, one of the oldest bits of the surface of the earth.  Between 2.9 – 3.5 billion years old.

Cast in an alloy containing molybdenum, vanadium and titanium, materials found in the Archaen rock of Western Australia.

Flora Fauna

Among the arid landscape surrounding you, you will find Mulga trees, family of the Acacia species.

A variety of Samphire’s, ground hugging succulents often edible (don’t recommend you trying to eat them).  During our visit we saw a rock wallaby or similar on the small hill (that a has reception at the top of it, if you stand on your tippy toes, hold your right hand in the air and your tongue out the left side of your mouth).

Nature is amazing

Something we couldn’t show you while we were there, that is absolutely AMAZING.  In 1995 severe tropical cyclone Bobby came across from the Pilbara, north west Western Australia. He dumped over 400mm of rain over the goldfields, a VERY rare occurrence.  Filling the inter connected lake system (500km from the nearest seashore) comprising of lakes Barlee, Marmion and Ballard. As a result of this event, within days the perfect conditions were set for the coastal wading birds, Banded Stilts.

We are talking tens of thousands of Banded Stilts, who are not your usual wading bird. They only nest in colonies and always put their young into creches.  They are very particular about where they breed.  Where they choose to breed, must be a recently flooded salt lake.  This is because their chicks are partial to a special type of brine shrimp, trillions of eggs which lie dormant under the salty crust of the dry lakes, waiting for a big rain to hatch. For more information about this amazing event check out the website which includes a podcast with great audio on the event.  A fantastic worldschooling discussion for travelling families.

Camping at Lake Ballard

There is a free camp situated right on Lake Ballard.  This can get very busy in holiday periods.

Suitable for most car and caravan rigs, motorhome and definitely camper trailers. 

There are multiple spots to set up camp generally small areas though, not drive through.

Drop toilet, bins and a dump point on the way in make this a great free camp spot. 

You will be accompanied by a few thousand flies but hey, this is the outback! Don’t forget your fly nets.

Getting hotter

Not Lake Ballard, perfect temperature in April, hot in the days – DO NOT forget to take water with you. Talking about Miss B this time.  Her temperature was heating up. Luckily I carry homeopathic remedies and was able to keep it under control, with the added help of a sports cool towel, invaluable. 

So we made the decision to head back earlier, erring on the side of caution.  When fulltime travelling safety first always. We were after all, limited to no reception, 200km from Kalgoorlie.

Setting off very early on Thursday morning, we were nearly back to sexy beast in Kalgoorlie and the engine light came on with a fault code on the dash. We were within 300m and after a quick forum check on the fault code, found it would be safe to ignore temporarily and got home.  

Can’t wait to explore the region further once we sort out the motorhome.  Life’s never dull!!  Happy to report Miss B is back to her old self and regained her appetite, much to her relief!

Not the perfect trip we had envisaged and we did not get to see everything in the Northern Goldfields we had planned to, but, there is always next time.  It truly is a beautiful part of Australia to explore.

If you loved this post, don’t forget to check out our post on Gwalia Ghost town, just down the road another not to be missed Australian outback destination.