The mountain after which this station is named is a mesa (from Latin mensa meaning
table, in Spanish mesa is a table) and is the American English
term for tableland, an elevated area of land with a flat top and
sides that are usually steep cliffs.
The mesa was named Mt
House after Dr Frederick Maurice House, born in 1865, England, dying
here in WA 1936 in Gnowangerup. His descendants
still live and farm in the area today! In April 1901 he left
with a Government exploring party, to explore the last extensive area
of unmapped land in Australia - a rugged triangle of country in the
north west Kimberley. House was the doctor and naturalist for the
team. While on this trip, Mt House was named after him, he discovered
the Black Grass Wren, and he took the first photographs of sites of
Aboriginal paintings at Manning Creek and other sites.
So with this in mind - it
was time - I decided to climb Mt House.
I had hoped to be able to
trot over to the base of the mountain on a horse but unfortunately
(for me) this is a station that is currently not in possession of
horses. However I found an old bicycle which was once a fine specimen
with gears but is now in a very sorry state. Some simple repairs and
I got her going. Riding her is reminiscent of learning to ride my
bike in the 1960s. In those days first bicycles were gear-less unlike
the first push bikes Marinus and Savanna had, which were so geared up
as to be almost in the league of the Le Tour bikes! So my
trusty steed took me over some challenging roads to the base of mesa
House!
As you know weekends are
tedious dull here! So this activity was a Saturday filler. It took
me about 5 hours from setting off at 6.30 and returning at 11.45.
Gee it was fun. I felt I was the only person in the world. Typical
of Australia, she presents vistas grand, enormous and uncluttered.
Climbing up was a scrabble through an eroded and overgrazed landscape
becoming so steep that only a mountain goat would venture there. So
the grass re- emerged and was as tall as me and cut like paper! You
know paper cuts can sting and bled! Then came the steep cliffs which
presented some great bouldering. Descending was exhausting and the
equivalent of a workout in the gym with the focus only on squats
probably sumo squats! 
I've just read all six of your entries and it looks like you're having a fantastic adventure! (As well as learning how to cook for the stations hands. We'll have to compare trifle recipes some time). I really hope that this lifestyle suits you and that you look forward to returning for another stint. I am certainly really impressed that you have jumped at this opportunity!
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