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Long trek to Rawlinna brings reward

Far from everywhere: Daisy Leming, from Estonia, and Katie Musgrave, from England, at work in Rawlinna. Picture: Mary Meagher/The Kalgoorlie Miner

For a gaggle of keen country folk, the pace at the Nullarbor Muster was a slow crawl until mid-morning on Saturday.

A scrappy game of Aussie Rules football skirted the central corrugated iron shed while those being punished for burning the midnight oil slumped in camp chairs and blearily surveyed the stony landscape.

Chatter around the dwindling campfires centred on the weather, chiefly the odds on a downpour.

Those who set off early on Thursday were greeted with a sea of mud along the Trans Access Road, the remnants of the slow-going journey clung to once-shiny four-wheel-drives like molasses.

But much to the relief of Friday's crowd, the bright autumn sun and a keen breeze meant latecomers avoided the usual quagmire generated by untimely showers leading up to Rawlinna's annual hoedown.

An enterprising duo was praying for rain, however, hoping a flurry of muddy boots would boost business at their makeshift shoe-cleaning stall.

Jared Campbell, 10, explained how his mum thought up the boot polishing scheme to help him fund a school trip.
Together with his 12-year-old mate, Riley Clothier, they banked $100 by midday.

Jared’s grandma, Jill Campbell, was close at hand, greeting every second man and his dog like a long lost friend.

Mrs Campbell is a life member of the Nullarbor Muster Club, the inaugural secretary and a self-proclaimed outback historian.

“In the early days we camped out in exactly the same way,” she said.

“But there were more sing-alongs and guitars and laughter.

“I think everyone still loves getting out and camping, the crowds always come, it’s a unique thing to do in WA.”

One well-known character made his final journey home to Rawlinna on Saturday, his ashes scattered at a roo-shooters camp on the outskirts of the once thriving railway town.

Talk among those who knew Johnny McShane well described him as a “great bloke” who grew up as the son of a fettler and later became a roo shooter and the father of two “beautiful” Rawlinna-raised children.

He was delivered home by family and friends who reflected on his life over a few ringside beers.
Just metres away in the newly built ablution block, Katie Musgrave and Daisy Leming were tending to toilets and grubby concrete floors.

From Britain and Estonia respectively, they drove from Perth to Kalgoorlie-Boulder where “the farmer picked us up”.

“This is as far as I’ve ever been from civilisation,” 27-year-old Katie said.

“I can’t believe this many people made it down that road.”

The backpackers-cum-cleaning ladies said around 1000 outback hopefuls applied for the Rawlinna cleaning job, and they were more than chuffed to make the cut.

“It’s the nicest job ever,” Daisy said.