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Situated on the banks of the Yannarie River this is now just a rest area. There was once a roadhouse here but all that remains are
a few curb stones and some concrete driveways.
For anyone who has stopped here and wondered what the old roadhouse was like, below are two photos of the place taken
mostly in 1974 before the roadhouse was closed (1992).
From the information we have seen, the roadhouse closed after the road was sealed and people started to bypass it. Romour is
that roo-shooters used it as a base for a while until a fire burned the place out and it was not worth re-building.
Located a little way off the highway is Emu Creek Station
which offers accommodation and has a campground.
We received the folowing informatiom and pictures from Tim Parish about Barradale that gives a bit more of an insight into the roadhouse
when it was operating.
"The road house was run by a farmer towards Carnarvon. He used the aeroplane to monitor his sheep on a reputed 2,000,000 acre
station. The power for the roadhouse was provided by a huge and noisy diesel generator. Staff worked 6 x 12 hour days.
There were three in the cafe, a chef, a mechanic and 2 forecourt attendants. The nightshift operator manned the shop and
provided "microwaved" burgers along with other snacks to travellers, kangaroo shooters and truckies. The Pioneer coach would
pass through early AM on its way to Port Hedland. If you stayed more than three months you were regarded as a permanent.
There was a van that did a weekly trip to Carnarvon for supplies and to collect the mail including (letters addressed to
Post Restante).
Anything to get away from the constant drone of the generator, days off could be taken by hitching a ride in a truck to
either Karatha north or Carnarvon south. Or just wandering into the peaceful outback and swimming in the nearby
waterhole in the Yannarie River. The hole was created by the Mainroads division to supply the water needs of the
highway construction gangs.
The Barradale staff used the roadhouse outside showers and toilets. When approaching a shower in the evening you
would listen for the resident frogs croaking. Silence meant that there was a snake lurking in the complex."
.jpeg "Looking north. Showers and toilets front left.")
Looking north. Showers and toilets front left.
.jpeg "Kitchen and staff")
Kitchen and staff
Sleeping quarters for staff
Overnight accommodation cabins and station plane
.jpeg "Barradale Forecourt")
Barradale Forecourt
A day off RandR
.jpeg "A day off RandR")
A day off RandR
A day off RandR
A waterhole on the station
The Pioneer bus refueling and changing drivers at Carnarvon around midnight
(carrying two new staff for Barradale Roadhouse another couple of hours away north.
The Roo shooters also culled wild donkeys. They would often have orders for orphaned foals back in Perth.
Pictures above (c) Tim Parish
(c) Chris Gore
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