We left camp at nine and headed up to the local Foodworks to do some restocking before heading down to the town oval for the Yirgan Agricultural Show. The oval was immaculate and there was a steady stream of attendees although a lot more were waiting up the street for the 10.30 parade, obviously the highlight of the social calendar in Southern Cross. We checked out the arts, crafts and cookery exhibitions at which the local schools had made great entries. Lyn Price (whoever she may be) dominated the craft and floral sections and no doubt the conversation around the CWA meetings for the next few months.
We refuelled and headed just out of town for a cuppa and to peruse the memorial signs at the old cemetery (open from 1881 to 1898 before the town’s cemetery was relocated) which recorded the names of the dead and their cause of death. Sad to see so many infants dying of what we would consider easily treated illnesses today – diarrhoea, gastroenteritis and the like. Particularly poignant we’re to infant girls, twins, who died at 6 weeks due to marasmus. This is a protein form of malnutrition often caused when mothers themselves have insufficient food leading to reduced quantity and quality of breast milk.
We hit the road again this time with a tailwind and travelled as far as Coolgardie where we have stopped in the less than pretty RV Stop to freecamp overnight before heading back to the Nullarbor Plain. Telephone service will be pretty hit and miss for the next few days so don’t know when the next update will come. I have to say I’m impressed with Apple’s new SOS satellite service available on their iPhone 14 Pros that allows you to log your location via satellite when out of normal mobile phone coverage and in the event of an emergency allows you to text 000 with details of your emergency along with your location.
