I am going to transpose my blog writings on this wonderful spot. Hope you enjoy. 

LAKE BALLARD WA. 5/6/2015

Yesterday was a quiet day in the lovely little town of Menzies. A day of catching up on washing, ironing, and generally doing not much at all. I even managed to sit out in the sun, during the afternoon and read my book. I have not done that for a long time, as we have been fairly well on the move, or too cold. 

I met the chap parked up across from me, an interesting character. He is a gold prospector and has been for many years from the sounds of it. He has himself all set up with three different detecting machines, his 4WD set up for camping out in the bush, a caravan that he lives in at a CP while he is scoping out the land around him. By all accounts he is quite successful at his chosen hobby, or career. Not sure what it was actually. He did show me photos of some of the larger pieces of gold that he had found and of course was keeping very close to his chest where and when he found said nuggets. I learnt about a different way of life, certainly not for me but for this chap, he loved it. 

Up early this morning, to pack up and ready to move on again. Fuelled up, and headed out towards Lake Ballard. First stop was the Menzies Cemetery. What an amazing place and so full of history. There are many graves there, a lot belong to infants and children or those cut down in the prime of their youth. Apparently Typhoid almost wiped out the town in the 1800's so that could account for the number of graves. The grave stones were made of quartz, and many made from tin, all turned and patterned. Certainly a very interesting walk through. 

The road to Lake Ballard is a really good one. It is bitumen for some of the way and then a wide dirt road leads you for the next 50k or so. The road is smooth, very few corrugations, flat and an easy drive. In fact at one point I looked at the speedo and it was sitting on 95, so thought I had better take the foot off a little. We were passed by one 4WD, who seemed to be going at a great rate of knots. Caught up with him at the lake. I think he must have explored the lake like he was driving as when we arrived he and his wife had been on the lake and were having morning tea and ready to head off again. 

Now we are here, we are parked up and will stay the night. Maybe even two, not sure yet, depends on the flies. They are swarming, I think they have not seen humans and have decided we make a good way of hitching a ride around the lake. Thank God for the head nets. 

The sand is red, the lake is white as it is a salt lake, there are small hills around with a vegetation of Sheoaks, and small salt bush. A few wildflowers but not many, a little early for them at this stage. It is quiet, with the only sound to be heard is the wind blowing through the trees. In fact as Fran said, " It almost sounds like the ocean", and it does. This is bliss, and the kind of environment that I enjoy being in. 

SO, WHY ARE WE HERE?

Well we have to in part thank Richard, the school teacher at Fraser Range for telling us not to miss this area. The lake is large and has a number of sculptures of the 51 residents who once lived in McKenzie. It is called Inside Australia. They were commissioned in 2003 and the Sculptor is a chap by the name of Antony Gromley.  

We will explore these tomorrow morning at sunrise. It is now midday and with the reflection off the salt it is too hot to venture out there. I have been told that the sunsets here are magnificent so I am looking forward to that, and also the sunrise in the morning. Will have to set the alarm so I don't miss it. 

This afternoon will be another of rest and relaxation, reading and catching up on not doing too much at all. 

As they say in the classics, I will be back!!!!!!!

Well I am back after a wonderful relaxing afternoon. Fran and I had a bite of lunch, watched people come and go, most of them stayed less than 30mins, and upon deciding that it was too hot to venture out, retreated to our respective MH's and whiled away the afternoon. I ended up having about 2 hours sleep, after starting to read a new book, I was actually shocked when I woke up and realised the time had gone. 

Being after 3 and the bite gone out of the sun we put on our walking boots ready to hit the salty surface of the lake.  We were also heading out for sunset shots. We investigated the first few statues and realised that they actually all look the same, except if they are in male or female form. I am sure if the sculpture was here he would be horrified to hear me say that, however I am guessing this is what is classed as  modern art. If I happened to be one of the 51 people that these figures were suppose to represent, I would be rather disappointed. I now realise why people did not stay for long. There seems to be an obsession with the genitalia  of the male form and the breasts of the female form, and little else. I thought maybe there would be some sort of plague for each one or at least an information board at the lake giving a story and background but there is not. 

I think that the powers that be perhaps need to start to promote the lake, the serenity of the area, the sunsets and sunrises that make the whole place magic. It is a well set up area with toilets that are so clean, a dump point, water tanks, fire pits and BBQ's. There are also tables and seats for picnics, so a great spot to spend a night or two. 

We did walk around a bit on the lake, and then headed to a rocky outcrop to view the sun setting on what could only be described as an island. It was spectacular. The colour of the rock changed, the colour of the salt pan changed, as the sun dipped in the sky. As we headed back to the shore line, the whole environment kept changing, the soil becomer redder, the grasses becoming greener. The whole sunset experience is one that can only be experienced in the outback. 

As we sat eating our soup, which was a gift from Sheree and Roy, the silence of the outback was bliss. No wind, no stirring of anything, just the stillness of the evening, the quietness of the outback. The stars came out to play then. With no lights on and the sun completely set, it was a magical wonderland. The stars here seem brighter, more of them, the twinkle larger. The universe opens up, and one starts to feel how insignificant one is. The stuff that we worry about, really means nothing, this is what life is. Being at one with the universe, living and breathing the freshness of a new night. A falling star burnt across the sky, a wish made, and a silent prayer sent giving thanks for the extraordinary life that I have and live. 

SUNRISE

Words really do fail me this morning as I sit having watched the extraordinary sky this morning as the sun was making its way to greet a new day. I had been told to be up about 30mins prior to sunrise and I made it my business to see why. All I can say that 30mins extra sleep could do no more for me than watching the spectacular vision  that was played out before me. It truly was a spiritual experience and one that bought tears to my eyes. The sky celestial in it colour, cloud formations, and the stillness and quietness of the surrounding bush and desert. All I can say is I am very lucky and blessed person to bare witness to this wondrous sight this morning. 

I am writing this as I witness the sun now rising higher in the sky and I start to feel its warmth on my face. The sky now is a grey steel colour, having lost the deep red and oranges of the pre dawn. There were so  many different colours in the sky I did not know where to turn next to capture that next photo. The sky behind me was azure blue with the clouds a light pink, like fairy floss. As if the angels had spread their wings to envelope me in their light and protection.  Not so spectacular now, yet still amazing. It gives promise of another extraordinary day in my extraordinary life.  While the sun has now taken the bright sky away, it has left me looking over the lake at the statues that stand in it. They are alien in form and yet I feel they have a life of their own and if looked long enough they would come to greet me. They do actually look like people this morning from a distance. 

The thing that amazes me the most is the lack of noise. There was a small warble of magpies as they greeted the sun,  I seen them fly off and now nothing but silence. No wildlife, no birds, just the sun, the sky, the lake and myself. 

Having made myself a cup of hot milo and I am now starting to see tiny birds fluttering around the bushes near me. Taking their morning drink from the dew on the leaves. I have no idea what kind of birds they are but are so tiny and fragile. I am guessing they are some kind of Wren, yet not like the little Blue Wrens over on the East coast. They are amazing little creatures and yes they are a blue wren, I have just seen what I would assume as being the male, a navy blue bird. They make the loudest fluttering sound as they jump from branch to branch. A sound almost like that of when we use to peg a piece of cardboard to the spokes of our bikes. 

Well that is the sunrise over and done. I will now load up my photos and see what I have actually captured, I only hope I have done the universe's work proud. 

We will move on today, further North and see what this country has on offer. I wish I could grab a cup of this, whatever it is, and give it to each and every one of you. For me it is a sense of deep peace, I hope that those all may be reading this are able to gain a glimpse of it.