August 8th

The day has been clouded with rainfall becoming heavier. The Holland Track has also deteriorated which has caused progress to be slow as we slipped through water and mud holes. Despite all this we have had an
interesting day visiting various rock holes and rock formations. We considered it important that we visited
Thursday Rock on Thursday!!
The last rocky outcrop we actually drove over.Krackouer Rock was very rough but interesting to cross.
Again the trees have been a feature. Low bush undergrowth really highlights the beautiful trees.
Today's woodlands featured Salmon Gums and Ribbon Barked Mallees. The beautiful salmon colour of the
trunks of the Salmon Gums was spectacular. The contrast of the Ribbon Mallees with their long streamers
of bark ribbons was magnificant.

The Holland Track was designed as a short cut for miners walking from the coast to the Coolgardie and
Kalgoorlie gold fields. John Holland, a resourceful bushman, chose three other experienced bushmen and with five good horses and a light dray and they left Broomhill in April 1893. They arrived in Coolgardie in June 1893. They had blazed a track more than 500 kilometres in length. Much of the original track has now disappeared under clearing and cultivation. The track we are following is as close to the original one as possible.
The northern end is wide and makes for excellent travelling, but for most of today we have travelled much
more slowly on a two wheel track. We hope for a dry day tomorrow as we are camped in very wet conditions this evening.

EC has travelled the deeply rutted tracks with ease and we are warm and dry inside.

Spectatular tree trunks

Glowing Wattle