Even though large scale mining has been at Leigh Creek since the 1950s the town today is a modern one built in the 1980s when it was decided to move so the mine could be expanded. As such the town looks like one of those modern mining towns with lots of similar quickly erected houses but with plenty of trees planted to soften the landscape and heat. Current population is around 600. The house here is of course a remnant old building not one of the new ones.
We passed through Bakers Swamp without noticing anything. Then reached our last dot on the map for this trip - Larras Lee and saw this. The roadside monument says: In Memory of WILLIAM LEE (1794 - 1870) of "Larras Lake" a pioneer of the sheep and cattle industry and first member for Roxburgh under responsible government (1856 - 1859). This stone was erected by his descendants. --- 1938 --- This is a repost from a few days ago. Thinking I would use this for this week’s Taphophile Tragics post I dug a little further into William Lee’s story, it’s a very colonial Australian one. William was born of convict parents, living his childhood years around the Sydney region. In his early 20s he was issued with some government cattle, recommended as a suitable settler and granted 134 acres at Kelso near Bathurst. He was one of the first in the area and did well. A few years later he was granted a ram and an inc...
Sad to see the slag heaps in the top photo, but what joy that you included a windmill.
ReplyDeleteI had a chocoloate paddle-pop in new Leigh Creek when we passed through. I've had CPPs in many outback towns, I fear.
I am in the process of booking my trip to Cape York from 10 - 22 May next.
The slag heaps remind us of this town's heritage - they might not be 'scenic' but they are a part of what makes the town what it is!
ReplyDeleteHappy travels!!
I'm with you Red, without the slag heaps there would be no Leigh Creek and I find mining operations rather awesome.
ReplyDeleteJulie, if I was travelling in the summer I'm sure I'd have been eating plenty of CPPs too. As it was we settled for something warmer for your lunch.
Cape York sounds like a heap of fun. One day, when we retire we will be heading up that way for the winter.
I can see that the slag heap is the heritage of the town, but the land was there before the town, and the slag heap is a negative.
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