This is a load out system where the tram on a 2ft gauge was on the top bench and would tip its load into the wagons of the train on the 3ft 6in gauge tracks.

This is not far from the township of Ballara. Ballara seems to have been  a rail head for the mine and the township closer to the mine site  - Hightville

Follow the red star pickets the notes said. The track did get a bit hairy and narrow it was after all following the old 2 ft gauge tramway.

We did find the tunnel. It is about 70 m and means the tram didn't have to climb over the last bit of the range to haul the ore out of the mine on the other side. I am sure we would not have fitted through.

A detour to find this quartz wall before we head to Fountain Springs for the night.

As far from the bitumen as we would go on this sojourn into the less travelled roads. Fountain Springs is a place we did find while Ann was teaching in Mt Isa. We even come in here in Ann's Morris 1100.

While not a fountain there is a permanent waterhole fed by a spring at base of that fault in the fountain range.

We camped for the night.

Fountain Springs

Further south along the Fountain Range is another fault this time not with a spring but as you will see there is some temporary water.

As a permanent supply of water this spring was known by the cameleers and used to be part of the cobb and co coach route.