Great Eastern Highway’s coolest campsite - KARALEE ROCKS

Located in Yellowdine, between Southern Cross and Coolgardie is Karalee Rocks. Walls have been constructed on massive granite outcrops with the intention of channeling rain water. The walls and other channels eventually lead to a wood and metal aqueduct. That single structure carries enough water to fill a dam with a capacity of 48 million litres. This was used to water the thirsty steam trains of the Eastern Goldfields line but also the thirsty travellers on the original Goldfields Road. Before the dam, there was a rudimentary dam with a well built by Charles Hunt in the 1860s. This was part of an exploration and the original track being cut through the region, opening up more exploration and development for the region. A pipe also ran over 3km from the dam to where the train station would be built. Here, a settlement developed that endured until the 1970s as it was situated on the modern day Great Eastern Highway. One of the last survivors of this settlement was the Karalee Hotel. There’s a great video on the ABC about the final days of this pub. Check it out through a link below. My other channels: Perth and Western Australian history:    / @brendansodyssey   Retro Gaming:    / @retrogameon   Email: [email protected] Sources: https://www.goldenpipeline.com.au/pla... https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/public... https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public... https://visit.yilgarn.wa.gov.au/see-d... Photos: water tank: http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_... Station building: http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_... http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_... Tank and other features: http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_... Long view: http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_... Camp 1902: https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b230... Great colour photo of hotel late 50s: https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b221... ABC video about the pub: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=599...