One of the regular road trips I do is travelling to Perth.
I was born in the Perth area and moved to Melbourne soon after. I’ve lived in the Melbourne area most of my life, though I have spent many years working in the country (usually just Monday to Friday, because of family commitments). Consequently I have family and emotional commitments in both Perth and Melbourne and travel between the two. Currently my sister lives in Adelaide, so I generally call in there on my way over.
I did the trip for a few years over the new year period with my parents, but now usually do it alone. Sometimes I carry a friend for part of the way and very occasionally I will pick someone up and give them a lift for a distance.
In the last five or so years I have driven over regularly (in preference to flying) and so have developed a “system”.
It takes seven and a half hours driving from home to my sister’s home in Adelaide. This is sitting on the speed limit, using the cruise control in DOUG to make sure I don’t consistently speed (I can’t afford the fines and couldn’t bear the loss of licence). However, it takes around eight and a half hours, as I stop in Beaufort, Kaniva for some lunch and Coonalpyn when I travel the Western Highway (Route 8). I arrive in Adelaide eight hours after leaving home (because of the half-hour time difference).
Now I spend a day or so there, more to do things around her place than to rest. After all, for me, Melbourne to Adelaide is just a reasonably short cruise.
I leave Adelaide usually just after 7:30. I fill up with petrol on my way out and then drive north on the Port Wakefield Road (Route 1). I’m in Port Augusta around 11 and call in to have an early lunch. This is one of the two food stops I normally make. After this I have to stop in Kimba, a pleasant settlement roughly half-way across Australia. A unique feature is that from the turn-off from the Whyalla-Port Lincoln Road onto the Eyre Highway, the character of driving changes, as it becomes usual to wave to other drivers – which can be a full wave, a hand movement from the wheel or occasionally just a finger (but not the middle one!). Then it is a straight run to Ceduna with a stop along the way if needed.
At Ceduna I fill up at Coles Express (Shell) for the last discount fill until Perth. If I feel hungry, I’ll have an ice cream and get another 2 cents per litre off. By the way, there is no Coles store in Ceduna!
From Ceduna it is a quiet run through two small towns and past an aboriginal community until I reach the Nullabor Plain. Here there is little vegetation other than grasses and shrubs and it remains the same until near the border. The cliffs provide spectacular views to the south, and whales can be seen at the Head of the Bight (although I rarely call in unless showing such views off to visitors) and from the lookouts, between May and October. At the border there is a quarantine station, so it becomes a mandatory stop. As I don’t carry fresh food or fruit, it’s a formality but it does break the journey.
During most of the year, the time then goes back an hour and a half. During summer, as Western Australia does not have Daylight Saving, time goes back two and a half hours (not a hundred years as for Queensland). This allows me to travel to Mundrabilla and fill up with petrol at a price considerably less than at the other settlements. Eucla now has a similar price, so during the majority of the year I fill up there as Mundrabilla would be closed by the time I arrive, but I prefer to use Mundrabilla if I can as it set the lower price first.
Depending on the season, it becomes dark before the border or after Mundrabilla. Between the border and Balladonia is a popular area for kangaroos. They are protected south of the highway but not north of the highway – but the best grazing is north of the highway. Depending on the time of year, there can be a few kangaroos (in which case I cruise through the night and pull over when I’m tired), many kangaroos (in which case I drive slowly – about 80 km.hr – with as much light in front of me as possible or then can be huge numbers. In that case I pull over and sleep until just before dawn, when I start again slowly until I can see the kangaroos have gone back to resting. The definition of few is only one or two per ten or so kilometres. Many is a few each kilometre. Huge numbers mean they may be shoulder to shoulder, a few deep, for hundreds of kilometres. The most I have seen on one trip would be in the region of a few hundred thousand. Travelling in the daylight means there are only a few, if any, visible, but the road can be littered with carcasses from the evening before. Even dead on the road they are a hazard, as their hip-bones can be high and hard enough to damage engine and gearbox sumps and stop the car there and then. Alive, they can simply dent panels or cause fan, radiator or engine damage (so again, you won’t be going anywhere) or they can be hit on the hop and come through the windscreen (very serious or fatal when the large hind claws scratch at your abdomen). Simply put, they are best avoided. That’s why there is a large bar on the front of my car.
Other hazards include wombats (often fatal, as they cause a car to lift on one side, roll onto its roof, skid and catch fire), camels (which are the right height for the body to go straight through the windscreen and there isn’t enough room in a car cabin for tat and people – and people lose), cattle (very dangerous to hit at any time) and emus. So it is not a simple drive, nor one for the faint-hearted. Even so, most people drive over and back with nary a worry.
Irrespective of the above and the time, I end up in Norseman for breakfast. This is not much more than an hour after driving straight for 146·6 km (90 miles) – the road has no bends at all, but the terrain is undulating so you rarely get to see a whole lot of road in front of you.
From Norseman the route turns right (north) for an hour and a half to reach Coolgardie. This imposing town now has very few inhabitants, but has many very large stone and brick buildings, reminders of its gold-mining background. It has two important connections for me – an aunt was born here in the early 1900s and an ex-student of mine and her husband run the camel farm just outside town (on the Perth side). Depending upon conditions, time and prices, I may top up at Norseman or at the new discount outlet in Coolgardie, but I would usually stop at Coolgardie anyway.
After this, I stop in Southern Cross for a comfort break before settling in for the final few hours into Perth. With recent roadworks, there are good dual-lane carriageways from The Lakes into the Perth metropolitan area. It comes as a shock after so much driving with so few cars to hit the Great Eastern Highway and Roe Highway intersection and have to wait for a few cycles of the traffic lights to go onto the Roe Highway. Then it is a good run (or not, if I arrive in peak hour) around to the Reid Highway. The travel time since Adelaide has been about 26 hours. Within a few minutes I am at my aunt’s nursing home, which I enter surreptitiously with my passcard and then greet her – and she knows that she will be out at least every second day, and usually every day, until I leave.
I depart and go around to a friend’s place (my father had her father as his first employer when he arrived from England in 1922) and stay there until I leave – between eight to sixteen days later.
On the way back, I leave about 7:30 a.m. and top up with fuel in Midland (my birthplace). I stop in Meckering, top up with fuel at Boddalin (cheapest fuel until Adelaide) and then pause again in Southern Cross for refreshment. Then I’ll top up at Coolgardie and Norseman, and then traverse the Eyre Highway in reverse. It would be rare for me to get to Mundrabilla before it closes, so I’ll often pull over and sleep until dawn and arrive as it opens in the morning. Otherwise, if I’m in a hurry, I’ll put some petrol in at the Border Village (at up to 20 cents per litre more than Eucla or Mundrabilla, but it’s open all the time).
Then it’s straight through to Ceduna and the quarantine check there. A slow fill-up and perhaps something to eat and then I’m off, with a comfort stop in Kimba and Port Augusta (for food) and I’ll be back in Adelaide somewhere between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m. This time it’s to sleep in a bed. The next day may be just unwinding or perhaps doing odd jobs, but certainly passing news of Western Australia and Perth friends occupies a lot of time. Depending on my timetable, the following (or next) day I travel home, leaving Adelaide around 7:45 a.m. and filling up with petrol, stopping at Coonalpyn, Kaniva, Horsham and Beaufort on the way home before arriving about 5 p.m.
All up, the total travel is around 67 hours and 6600 km. Average speeds are around 90 Melbourne-Adelaide, 100 Adelaide-Ceduna, 106 Ceduna-Norseman and 100 Norseman to the outskirts of Perth. Fuel use is around 60 litres to Adelaide, 70 to Ceduna, 55 to Mundrabilla, 55 to Norseman and just under 70 to Perth. I love and enjoy the drive and see new things each time. Occasionally I will take a passenger for part of the journey and rarely one for the whole journey (but only one way). Apart from late-night radio which I listen to from Perth, Adelaide or Melbourne (depending on the time of night), I generally listen to music or audiobooks, on the iPods through the car radio.
I’ve had some interesting experiences, including having to destroy an injured joey, putting petrol into cars which have run out (I carry spare fuel, water and food), carrying messages for broken-down vehicles and carrying drivers to/from vehicles to get spare parts.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Mackay
After a lot of procrastination, I decided to take a trip and visit a number of family friends who I had not seen for a long time, finally making true (for some) my threat to catch up with people after I had retired.
Leaving home on Friday, I drove up through the Newell Highway and arrived at Dubbo that evening. I had already been there recently, so was able to find where to eat (Hungry Jacks, of course) and fill up (Shell, as the Woolworths/Caltex was closed by the time I arrived). Even though I was still well awake, after two hours out I pulled over and had a sleep. My new Snuggle blanket proved to be effective and was easy to use. Not long after dawn I was off again (early rising is a side-product of having windows uncovered) and had a good run north and entered Queensland not long after. I pulled over to have some breakfast and was surprised by how interesting the small country towns were. This happened in quite a few other towns as I progressed north. Roma, with a Woolworths Supermarket, didn’t have a Woolworths/Caltex petrol outlet (but should by now). I used up my last voucher for four cents off at the local Coles Express, and my others (Woolworths/Caltex) were rapidly passing their use-by date (a hazard of travelling in more remote areas).
An interesting side-effect of rapid change was at Peak Downs where my SatNav insisted I turn into the private mine entry rather than follow the large signs telling me how to travel to Mackay (further north and then to the east). I persevered and followed the correct signs and eventually the SatNav and the roads agreed.
I arrived in Mackay at 8 p.m. on Saturday and, after having some tea, caught up with Maureen. She had been a WAAF at Laverton and dad had given her away when she was married. She and her husband practised with Fran and I, taking us on holidays to a farm at Serpentine (Victoria) when we were very young. I wonder now whether an ulterior motive was that mum and dad got time by themselves with us away for between three days and a week. She is now living in a small unit and is very fit, walking in the ranges and assisting training those wanting to train for the Kokoda Track in her spare time. I was able to stay with her for two days – the first when she suggested a morning walk, I innocently said yes and about twelve kilometres later rued the fact I wasn’t wearing walking boots. Later we went to visit her youngest son but he was out. We had a look at local spots, including lookouts and beach places, while waiting for him to return. We finally caught up with him and his family, and I marvelled at the change over forty years.
The next day we went up to the high country nearby and looked around, as well as having lunch at a popular spot for hang gliders to launch from. It was a fantastic view, marred by smoke from fires – a common feature all the way down as far as Sydney.
I had the pleasure of being able to install and leave a set-top box so Maureen could watch more channels and still use her TV – and continue to use an older, cheaper TV until digital TVs drop in price.
The next day I departed and headed south. After taking a day and a half to get up to Mackay, I had planned to take two weeks to return. My first stop was to be Hervey Bay, to catch up with “Grandma”. I wasn’t in too much of a hurry so I was able to slowly drive through some small towns, marvelling that Queensland is by far the most decentralised state in Australia and so has more large towns and cities than elsewhere. The standard of driving appalled me, when I saw not only cars but also a B-double overtake on double lines – the B-double had to suddenly pull back in and its second trailer nearly took out the car it was overtaking (the car was travelling at the speed limit!).
At Hervey Bay I decided to try out the YHA offering. I’ve belonged to YHA for over two years, initially taking membership out as insurance while travelling overseas in case I couldn’t find reasonably-priced accommodation. The price and room was acceptable (I’m not yet into dormitory rooms unless I have good earplugs) so I booked in for two evenings. I called up to the home where “Grandma” lives and soon found her at the dinner-table. Within a few moments it was, “Laverton, next door, yes! Doug!” and I arranged to pop in and see her the next day. After tea I called in to visit a couple who I had met in Scandinavia while on tour last August. We caught up with things and discussed the “newly wed and nearly dead” population composition of Hervey Bay and its rapid growth.
The next morning I caught up with “Grandma” and was able to tell her about my trip, what had happened with the family in the meantime and was given the tour of her home. Being older, she tires more easily now so I departed before lunch. I had some and then spent the rest of the day looking around Hervey Bay and talking to others staying in the YHA hostel.
The next morning I headed off and called in to see a family friend (Max) in Tin Can Bay. He had just lost his wife and his little dog had just recovered after losing a back leg in a car accident. We had a good chat and looked around after morning tea. Then I headed off towards Brisbane. I arrived in Brisbane in the early afternoon (I didn’t realise how close it was) and then called up one of Maureen’s sons and his family. I was lucky in that Brian was home and so was Judy. I dropped in to see them and caught up on a lot of family news and was glad to see they were all in good health and going well. Soon I bade them goodbye and called in to see some more neighbours – they were house-sitting (and dog-sitting for their oldest daughter, who was over in Disneyland with her sister and their children. I was very pleased to see them, because Doug had some ill-health but was now recovering from leukaemia. Anne was well, but Doug had very good news – he had a new baby! It was a blue diesel Jaguar and is now his pride and joy. After catching up with news, I headed off south.
I had some tea on the way out of Brisbane after some fun and games trying to decipher the signage at the new roadworks. Within a short time I was out of Queensland, but starting to feel tired. I called in off the main road to Mullunbimby and found a place to stay. The next morning I set off and was in Ballina in the mid-morning. I knocked on the door – no answer. I called up and still no answer. I called Stan and he came around, and found Lynette well and truly asleep. I went off and got DOUG washed (apart from being filthy, he had dust from two storms on him). The Laserwash did a good job, getting the bugs off the front. I ran into Jen’s hubby, Bill, there. He already knew I had arrived because Stan had told him. Then I looked around the town – the first time I had done so, and it proved very interesting. Naturally there were beach areas, but quite a few other scenic and interesting places – including the giant prawn (faded but still there). I returned in the mid-afternoon and now Jen was home. I settled in and started to catch up with all the news, with contributions by Lynette as well, plus my latest news on “Grandma” and passing on the news about Fran and family. That evening I caught up with Stan and Bill and finally with the school news from Zac (Jen and Bill’s son).
The next day was spent around their home and doing some local travel. That evening we had tea in the local RSL club – very good food and reasonable. The next day Stan and I went to Lismore to scout out a model aeroplane field. We found that, then had some morning tea there. As we weren’t far away, Stan suggested visiting Nimbin and returning through Byron Bay. (Memo to self: check and refuel if not absolutely sure of the distance going to be travelled) We arrived in Nimbin and had a look around – it’s not quite a “flower power” town as it was, but it’s still more alternative than mainstream. We were fortunate enough to run into a Moke rally and saw some wonderful examples. Then we headed off to Brunswick Heads and had some lunch – but not at the pie shop, as that closed for the day just as we drove up to it! Then it was down to Byron Bay and more foreign accents than I had heard since I was away. After some ice cream, we briefly visited the lighthouse and then went south. On the coast road south I ran out of petrol on the way up a rise. I considered the options and decided to drop 11 litres from a drum I carry (just in case). When we returned to Ballina I filled up and found that the water capacity of the tank is 78·5 litres. We did some shopping on the way home and then had a quiet evening.
Next day I packed, said goodbye and left. I had planned to get to Sydney but with roadworks and such, and calling in to say hello to Wendy (in Crescent Head), who I met on my Scandinavian tour, I ended up spending the night at Raymond Terrace in a reasonably-priced motel. I was able to arrive in Sydney mid-morning and rang David, a minister who I had not seen since the late 1980s. I intended just to say hello, but ended up having morning tea with them and then agreeing to stay the night. They had to head off to appointments, so I went to visit friends (no, they weren’t home) but ended up visiting Katoomba. I found it had changed considerably in the 43 years since I had last been there.
During the evening I was able to show David and Barbara many pictures from my overseas travel and we also caught up with much news. The next morning was the same and, too quickly, I had to say goodbye and head off to Hornsby and lunch with Lin and Sue.
I was able to find Lin’s home easily and met them there. It was interesting as we had met in Turkey on one tour and then again in Egypt on another tour (within a few days). It really is interesting how I find I can slip into an easy friendship with people after a short time, but I suppose it is similar interests and backgrounds. I ended up replacing a gas fitting and a carpet edge before an enjoyable and laid-back barbecue lunch. Again, too soon, I had to say goodbye and head north up to Glennifer. However as I had delayed so long, again I had to look for accommodation – which I found at Bulahdelah.
The next day I headed off again and went through Bellingen before I arrived at Peter’s place in Glennifer. We chatted about travelling (he was just back from Morroco), the festival in Bellingen and then ended up having lunch. Again, finding time went too quickly and pleasantly, I was off late and heading south. I went through Sydney and got some tea and ended up stopping by the roadside about midnight. The Snuggle is very good! Where I stopped there were two caravans, but when I awoke in the morning there were four caravans and five cars.
I arrived in Braidwood at about 9, looked at yesterday’s Melbourne papers (I really miss them while in Australia, but overseas it doesn’t worry me at all) and caught up with Marilla and David. After saying hello, I went out to the farm, unpacked, showered and changed and then they were back for lunch. We spent the rest of the day catching up with news.
The next day we were into Goulburn for a celebratory lunch and church service. The following day we attended a sustainable-farming lunch and information session – interesting and informative. The following day I said goodbye, refuelled in Queanbeyan and was home that evening.
Leaving home on Friday, I drove up through the Newell Highway and arrived at Dubbo that evening. I had already been there recently, so was able to find where to eat (Hungry Jacks, of course) and fill up (Shell, as the Woolworths/Caltex was closed by the time I arrived). Even though I was still well awake, after two hours out I pulled over and had a sleep. My new Snuggle blanket proved to be effective and was easy to use. Not long after dawn I was off again (early rising is a side-product of having windows uncovered) and had a good run north and entered Queensland not long after. I pulled over to have some breakfast and was surprised by how interesting the small country towns were. This happened in quite a few other towns as I progressed north. Roma, with a Woolworths Supermarket, didn’t have a Woolworths/Caltex petrol outlet (but should by now). I used up my last voucher for four cents off at the local Coles Express, and my others (Woolworths/Caltex) were rapidly passing their use-by date (a hazard of travelling in more remote areas).
An interesting side-effect of rapid change was at Peak Downs where my SatNav insisted I turn into the private mine entry rather than follow the large signs telling me how to travel to Mackay (further north and then to the east). I persevered and followed the correct signs and eventually the SatNav and the roads agreed.
I arrived in Mackay at 8 p.m. on Saturday and, after having some tea, caught up with Maureen. She had been a WAAF at Laverton and dad had given her away when she was married. She and her husband practised with Fran and I, taking us on holidays to a farm at Serpentine (Victoria) when we were very young. I wonder now whether an ulterior motive was that mum and dad got time by themselves with us away for between three days and a week. She is now living in a small unit and is very fit, walking in the ranges and assisting training those wanting to train for the Kokoda Track in her spare time. I was able to stay with her for two days – the first when she suggested a morning walk, I innocently said yes and about twelve kilometres later rued the fact I wasn’t wearing walking boots. Later we went to visit her youngest son but he was out. We had a look at local spots, including lookouts and beach places, while waiting for him to return. We finally caught up with him and his family, and I marvelled at the change over forty years.
The next day we went up to the high country nearby and looked around, as well as having lunch at a popular spot for hang gliders to launch from. It was a fantastic view, marred by smoke from fires – a common feature all the way down as far as Sydney.
I had the pleasure of being able to install and leave a set-top box so Maureen could watch more channels and still use her TV – and continue to use an older, cheaper TV until digital TVs drop in price.
The next day I departed and headed south. After taking a day and a half to get up to Mackay, I had planned to take two weeks to return. My first stop was to be Hervey Bay, to catch up with “Grandma”. I wasn’t in too much of a hurry so I was able to slowly drive through some small towns, marvelling that Queensland is by far the most decentralised state in Australia and so has more large towns and cities than elsewhere. The standard of driving appalled me, when I saw not only cars but also a B-double overtake on double lines – the B-double had to suddenly pull back in and its second trailer nearly took out the car it was overtaking (the car was travelling at the speed limit!).
At Hervey Bay I decided to try out the YHA offering. I’ve belonged to YHA for over two years, initially taking membership out as insurance while travelling overseas in case I couldn’t find reasonably-priced accommodation. The price and room was acceptable (I’m not yet into dormitory rooms unless I have good earplugs) so I booked in for two evenings. I called up to the home where “Grandma” lives and soon found her at the dinner-table. Within a few moments it was, “Laverton, next door, yes! Doug!” and I arranged to pop in and see her the next day. After tea I called in to visit a couple who I had met in Scandinavia while on tour last August. We caught up with things and discussed the “newly wed and nearly dead” population composition of Hervey Bay and its rapid growth.
The next morning I caught up with “Grandma” and was able to tell her about my trip, what had happened with the family in the meantime and was given the tour of her home. Being older, she tires more easily now so I departed before lunch. I had some and then spent the rest of the day looking around Hervey Bay and talking to others staying in the YHA hostel.
The next morning I headed off and called in to see a family friend (Max) in Tin Can Bay. He had just lost his wife and his little dog had just recovered after losing a back leg in a car accident. We had a good chat and looked around after morning tea. Then I headed off towards Brisbane. I arrived in Brisbane in the early afternoon (I didn’t realise how close it was) and then called up one of Maureen’s sons and his family. I was lucky in that Brian was home and so was Judy. I dropped in to see them and caught up on a lot of family news and was glad to see they were all in good health and going well. Soon I bade them goodbye and called in to see some more neighbours – they were house-sitting (and dog-sitting for their oldest daughter, who was over in Disneyland with her sister and their children. I was very pleased to see them, because Doug had some ill-health but was now recovering from leukaemia. Anne was well, but Doug had very good news – he had a new baby! It was a blue diesel Jaguar and is now his pride and joy. After catching up with news, I headed off south.
I had some tea on the way out of Brisbane after some fun and games trying to decipher the signage at the new roadworks. Within a short time I was out of Queensland, but starting to feel tired. I called in off the main road to Mullunbimby and found a place to stay. The next morning I set off and was in Ballina in the mid-morning. I knocked on the door – no answer. I called up and still no answer. I called Stan and he came around, and found Lynette well and truly asleep. I went off and got DOUG washed (apart from being filthy, he had dust from two storms on him). The Laserwash did a good job, getting the bugs off the front. I ran into Jen’s hubby, Bill, there. He already knew I had arrived because Stan had told him. Then I looked around the town – the first time I had done so, and it proved very interesting. Naturally there were beach areas, but quite a few other scenic and interesting places – including the giant prawn (faded but still there). I returned in the mid-afternoon and now Jen was home. I settled in and started to catch up with all the news, with contributions by Lynette as well, plus my latest news on “Grandma” and passing on the news about Fran and family. That evening I caught up with Stan and Bill and finally with the school news from Zac (Jen and Bill’s son).
The next day was spent around their home and doing some local travel. That evening we had tea in the local RSL club – very good food and reasonable. The next day Stan and I went to Lismore to scout out a model aeroplane field. We found that, then had some morning tea there. As we weren’t far away, Stan suggested visiting Nimbin and returning through Byron Bay. (Memo to self: check and refuel if not absolutely sure of the distance going to be travelled) We arrived in Nimbin and had a look around – it’s not quite a “flower power” town as it was, but it’s still more alternative than mainstream. We were fortunate enough to run into a Moke rally and saw some wonderful examples. Then we headed off to Brunswick Heads and had some lunch – but not at the pie shop, as that closed for the day just as we drove up to it! Then it was down to Byron Bay and more foreign accents than I had heard since I was away. After some ice cream, we briefly visited the lighthouse and then went south. On the coast road south I ran out of petrol on the way up a rise. I considered the options and decided to drop 11 litres from a drum I carry (just in case). When we returned to Ballina I filled up and found that the water capacity of the tank is 78·5 litres. We did some shopping on the way home and then had a quiet evening.
Next day I packed, said goodbye and left. I had planned to get to Sydney but with roadworks and such, and calling in to say hello to Wendy (in Crescent Head), who I met on my Scandinavian tour, I ended up spending the night at Raymond Terrace in a reasonably-priced motel. I was able to arrive in Sydney mid-morning and rang David, a minister who I had not seen since the late 1980s. I intended just to say hello, but ended up having morning tea with them and then agreeing to stay the night. They had to head off to appointments, so I went to visit friends (no, they weren’t home) but ended up visiting Katoomba. I found it had changed considerably in the 43 years since I had last been there.
During the evening I was able to show David and Barbara many pictures from my overseas travel and we also caught up with much news. The next morning was the same and, too quickly, I had to say goodbye and head off to Hornsby and lunch with Lin and Sue.
I was able to find Lin’s home easily and met them there. It was interesting as we had met in Turkey on one tour and then again in Egypt on another tour (within a few days). It really is interesting how I find I can slip into an easy friendship with people after a short time, but I suppose it is similar interests and backgrounds. I ended up replacing a gas fitting and a carpet edge before an enjoyable and laid-back barbecue lunch. Again, too soon, I had to say goodbye and head north up to Glennifer. However as I had delayed so long, again I had to look for accommodation – which I found at Bulahdelah.
The next day I headed off again and went through Bellingen before I arrived at Peter’s place in Glennifer. We chatted about travelling (he was just back from Morroco), the festival in Bellingen and then ended up having lunch. Again, finding time went too quickly and pleasantly, I was off late and heading south. I went through Sydney and got some tea and ended up stopping by the roadside about midnight. The Snuggle is very good! Where I stopped there were two caravans, but when I awoke in the morning there were four caravans and five cars.
I arrived in Braidwood at about 9, looked at yesterday’s Melbourne papers (I really miss them while in Australia, but overseas it doesn’t worry me at all) and caught up with Marilla and David. After saying hello, I went out to the farm, unpacked, showered and changed and then they were back for lunch. We spent the rest of the day catching up with news.
The next day we were into Goulburn for a celebratory lunch and church service. The following day we attended a sustainable-farming lunch and information session – interesting and informative. The following day I said goodbye, refuelled in Queanbeyan and was home that evening.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Dubbo
For a number of years I had passed through Dubbo, either going to or returning from somewhere. It had been literally of passing interest, but had gained more after the establishment of its open plains zoo. It had been of more interest since Werribee (my home of twenty-five years) gained its open range zoo. The final reason which made me decide to visit was an incident in New York last year. I had just got off the train form Washington and had to find which train to take to get to the hotel I had booked into. While enquiring, I heard another Australian accent – and the owner heard mine. Miki, who was going to a hotel near mine, was from dub and it pained me to admit that I had only passed through.
Now, well over a year later, I had a few days and made the decision to visit. It was confirmed when an ex-student who I had got back in touch with emailed me that she and her husband had returned from overseas with their newly-adopted son.
I left home on Sunday afternoon, having repacked DOUG for the trip. I took the opportunity to call into a friend’s place in Shepparton to drop off a bib – to see if it would do the job required of it. As it turned out, Cyril was awake and recognised me, Fizzy put the bib on and was delighted, and I had a good discussion with her son, who was visiting. As I intended to be in the Blue Mountains in the morning, I departed in the early evening.
I let the TomTom SatNav do the planning for me, so headed over to the Hume Freeway and was vert soon through Albury. Night had come and then I entered into the nearly 125 kilometres of roadworks along the Hume. Changing speed limits, altering lanes and poor markings were topped off by semi-trailers and B-doubles well and truly exceeding the speed limits and tailgating me. After a few stops along the way, I pulled off at a stop not far south of Goulburn. I put the radio on, wrapped up in a blanket and leaned back on a pillow, then dropped off to sleep.
Memo to self – check the forecast and when the temperature is to be below zero, use a track suit and sleeping bag, if sleeping in the car.
After waking a few times, wondering why my feet had no feeling, I set off again at just before 0700. I arrived in the suburbs of Sydney and found somewhere to have breakfast, then to refuel. It was a good run to the Blue Mountains then, as I was going against the traffic (up until then I was going with the traffic and it was fairly heavy). Within ten minutes or so of arrival at my ex-student’s place, I called to warn/prepare them.
I arrived around 0930. Fortunately they were up. I got to meet hubby (Simon) and new son. After a quick admiration of Morris Minors, it was into the house and chatting with Donna. Time went very quickly, as like with other ex-students from my early years, we are of the same generation now. It is amazing how similar stories of the previous generations become.
Nearly two hours passed in what seemed like a few minutes. After immortalising a memory (taking a photo doesn’t quite have the same ring to it) I was on my way. The route TomTom chose for me (the same as Simon and Donna suggested) was very scenic and, despite wanting not to spend time sightseeing along the way, I did stop to admire the scenery a few times.
I arrived in Dubbo just before 1700. I had already selected a motel to stay in, and was able to book in and soon settled in. As Australian motels have toasters, I was able to arrange to have my tea and toast with Vegemite for breakfasts (why aren’t toasters an option in cars?), and then drove to the Information Centre to plan my next day in Dubbo. That would be the Zoo, and it opened at 0900, so the rest of the day would depend on how I went then. On the way back to the motel I got some tea and had that while watching TV and reading up on Dubbo. I did notice that the motel was full (and remained so the next night too).
I woke at 0600 and promptly went back to sleep. I finally rose at 0700 and had my breakfast and then, after showering and dressing, I headed out to the Zoo.
At the Zoo, with an imposing entrance, I was the second in line. Expecting a long wait, I was very surprised to enter at 0830. My YHA card gave me a good discount (I must remember to check what discounts I can get in the future) and within a few minutes I was on the circuit.
There was a large area for each animal group, certainly far better than traditional zoos (including San Diego), but not as large as the open range zoo at home. There were a wide range of animals and they certainly looked to be enjoying their lot well. Resting, grazing and wandering are not like the pacing and irrational behaviour seen in many places. The construction, with moats and fences, combined with small car parks made access easy and photographs devoid of fences in most cases. In common with long-distance travel, we visitors moved in packs and so it was common to meet the same groups in most areas. One, a father and three children from Brisbane, were a frequent co-visitor – and the children got an unexpected lesson when complaining of the cold and I emphasised the importance of layering (and how it had worked for me), and had the father mention that he had said it already but got disdainful replies. I should add that it was quite cool, most likely just above zero at first. One elderly couple had a more adventurous wife, while the more active husband was reluctant to explore around to get the best view of animals.
I spent nearly three hours going around, which for me was a long time. I went to get an ice cream for a late morning tea, saw a peacock strutting in the outdoor café area and encountered monkeys near the al fresco area. Memo to self – don’t frame photos on the move when the path is next to a lake!
I left the zoo and had some lunch on the way back to the motel. I parked and then went for a photographic walk around the town. There weren’t many empty shops, there was a wide variety of items available and most people appeared to be friendly. I did notice a beautiful pink building, beloved by my sister. Towards the end of my walk and entering the sports ground, I did notice that someone had removed the point posts and, for some reason, nailed one each across the goal posts.
A pipe band hall grabbed my attention – and reminded me of the remark about Scots gentlemen; those who can play the bagpipes but don’t. It also had a playground, which made me wonder how young the players were.
After a 2·7 kilometre walk (as I was using a GPS to stop me getting lost) I was back at the motel. I read a little, then watched some television. A news item which grabbed my attention was that the population of Dubbo at the time was 40 306 – growing and quite large, surprisingly so for me as a visitor.
After a good night’s sleep I rose earlier and packed, left by 0700 and was out of Dubbo on the Newell Highway. I had assumed that I would continue on route 39 as the quickest way home, but was directed along the Goldfields Way from West Wyalong to then travel on the Hume Freeway. On reflection it most likely was the quickest way, as from just north of Albury to only a few kilometres from home I would travel on freeway conditions all the time. On route 39 I would encounter many towns, corners and lower-standard roads.
I stopped in Albury for lunch and was home about 1700, in plenty of time for my meeting in the evening.
I had managed to catch up with two friends, see different scenery and find that Dubbo was large country town with many attractions including a world-class open zoo. Very enjoyable and I hope to be back on my slower, meandering touring in the future.
Now, well over a year later, I had a few days and made the decision to visit. It was confirmed when an ex-student who I had got back in touch with emailed me that she and her husband had returned from overseas with their newly-adopted son.
I left home on Sunday afternoon, having repacked DOUG for the trip. I took the opportunity to call into a friend’s place in Shepparton to drop off a bib – to see if it would do the job required of it. As it turned out, Cyril was awake and recognised me, Fizzy put the bib on and was delighted, and I had a good discussion with her son, who was visiting. As I intended to be in the Blue Mountains in the morning, I departed in the early evening.
I let the TomTom SatNav do the planning for me, so headed over to the Hume Freeway and was vert soon through Albury. Night had come and then I entered into the nearly 125 kilometres of roadworks along the Hume. Changing speed limits, altering lanes and poor markings were topped off by semi-trailers and B-doubles well and truly exceeding the speed limits and tailgating me. After a few stops along the way, I pulled off at a stop not far south of Goulburn. I put the radio on, wrapped up in a blanket and leaned back on a pillow, then dropped off to sleep.
Memo to self – check the forecast and when the temperature is to be below zero, use a track suit and sleeping bag, if sleeping in the car.
After waking a few times, wondering why my feet had no feeling, I set off again at just before 0700. I arrived in the suburbs of Sydney and found somewhere to have breakfast, then to refuel. It was a good run to the Blue Mountains then, as I was going against the traffic (up until then I was going with the traffic and it was fairly heavy). Within ten minutes or so of arrival at my ex-student’s place, I called to warn/prepare them.
I arrived around 0930. Fortunately they were up. I got to meet hubby (Simon) and new son. After a quick admiration of Morris Minors, it was into the house and chatting with Donna. Time went very quickly, as like with other ex-students from my early years, we are of the same generation now. It is amazing how similar stories of the previous generations become.
Nearly two hours passed in what seemed like a few minutes. After immortalising a memory (taking a photo doesn’t quite have the same ring to it) I was on my way. The route TomTom chose for me (the same as Simon and Donna suggested) was very scenic and, despite wanting not to spend time sightseeing along the way, I did stop to admire the scenery a few times.
I arrived in Dubbo just before 1700. I had already selected a motel to stay in, and was able to book in and soon settled in. As Australian motels have toasters, I was able to arrange to have my tea and toast with Vegemite for breakfasts (why aren’t toasters an option in cars?), and then drove to the Information Centre to plan my next day in Dubbo. That would be the Zoo, and it opened at 0900, so the rest of the day would depend on how I went then. On the way back to the motel I got some tea and had that while watching TV and reading up on Dubbo. I did notice that the motel was full (and remained so the next night too).
I woke at 0600 and promptly went back to sleep. I finally rose at 0700 and had my breakfast and then, after showering and dressing, I headed out to the Zoo.
At the Zoo, with an imposing entrance, I was the second in line. Expecting a long wait, I was very surprised to enter at 0830. My YHA card gave me a good discount (I must remember to check what discounts I can get in the future) and within a few minutes I was on the circuit.
There was a large area for each animal group, certainly far better than traditional zoos (including San Diego), but not as large as the open range zoo at home. There were a wide range of animals and they certainly looked to be enjoying their lot well. Resting, grazing and wandering are not like the pacing and irrational behaviour seen in many places. The construction, with moats and fences, combined with small car parks made access easy and photographs devoid of fences in most cases. In common with long-distance travel, we visitors moved in packs and so it was common to meet the same groups in most areas. One, a father and three children from Brisbane, were a frequent co-visitor – and the children got an unexpected lesson when complaining of the cold and I emphasised the importance of layering (and how it had worked for me), and had the father mention that he had said it already but got disdainful replies. I should add that it was quite cool, most likely just above zero at first. One elderly couple had a more adventurous wife, while the more active husband was reluctant to explore around to get the best view of animals.
I spent nearly three hours going around, which for me was a long time. I went to get an ice cream for a late morning tea, saw a peacock strutting in the outdoor café area and encountered monkeys near the al fresco area. Memo to self – don’t frame photos on the move when the path is next to a lake!
I left the zoo and had some lunch on the way back to the motel. I parked and then went for a photographic walk around the town. There weren’t many empty shops, there was a wide variety of items available and most people appeared to be friendly. I did notice a beautiful pink building, beloved by my sister. Towards the end of my walk and entering the sports ground, I did notice that someone had removed the point posts and, for some reason, nailed one each across the goal posts.
A pipe band hall grabbed my attention – and reminded me of the remark about Scots gentlemen; those who can play the bagpipes but don’t. It also had a playground, which made me wonder how young the players were.
After a 2·7 kilometre walk (as I was using a GPS to stop me getting lost) I was back at the motel. I read a little, then watched some television. A news item which grabbed my attention was that the population of Dubbo at the time was 40 306 – growing and quite large, surprisingly so for me as a visitor.
After a good night’s sleep I rose earlier and packed, left by 0700 and was out of Dubbo on the Newell Highway. I had assumed that I would continue on route 39 as the quickest way home, but was directed along the Goldfields Way from West Wyalong to then travel on the Hume Freeway. On reflection it most likely was the quickest way, as from just north of Albury to only a few kilometres from home I would travel on freeway conditions all the time. On route 39 I would encounter many towns, corners and lower-standard roads.
I stopped in Albury for lunch and was home about 1700, in plenty of time for my meeting in the evening.
I had managed to catch up with two friends, see different scenery and find that Dubbo was large country town with many attractions including a world-class open zoo. Very enjoyable and I hope to be back on my slower, meandering touring in the future.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
DOUG
DOUG is my cruising car.
He is a Holden VZ SV6 Commodore (Holden is the local GM company, VZ is the model range, SV6 is a six-cylinder higher-performance engine) sedan with the five-speed automatic transmission. He was first registered on 14 December 2004 and came equipped with five 16" wheels (not four and a space-saver), limited-slip differential, leather interior with side airbags, heavy duty towing pack, tinted windows, two extra power outlets and six-stacker CD player. Since then he has got a flat left-hand mirror (originally convex, useless) and a bull bar with shoo roos and driving lights. Normally he has an electric fridge in the back, behind the driver's seat (to keep drinks and food cool) and a TomTom SatNav on the lower windscreen.
I carry twelve litres of water and twenty-two litres of petrol with me, as well as tools.
He has covered 200 000 kilometres by June 2009, is on his third set of tyres, is capable of at least 240 km/hr (as determined in the Northern Territory before speed limits were erroneously imposed) but can get around eight litres per hundred kilometres (over 35 mpg for those who are older).
He is comfortable for sleeping in, either in a sleeping bag or wrapped in a blanket.
Photos of him are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougmullett/sets/72157618907560886/
He is a Holden VZ SV6 Commodore (Holden is the local GM company, VZ is the model range, SV6 is a six-cylinder higher-performance engine) sedan with the five-speed automatic transmission. He was first registered on 14 December 2004 and came equipped with five 16" wheels (not four and a space-saver), limited-slip differential, leather interior with side airbags, heavy duty towing pack, tinted windows, two extra power outlets and six-stacker CD player. Since then he has got a flat left-hand mirror (originally convex, useless) and a bull bar with shoo roos and driving lights. Normally he has an electric fridge in the back, behind the driver's seat (to keep drinks and food cool) and a TomTom SatNav on the lower windscreen.
I carry twelve litres of water and twenty-two litres of petrol with me, as well as tools.
He has covered 200 000 kilometres by June 2009, is on his third set of tyres, is capable of at least 240 km/hr (as determined in the Northern Territory before speed limits were erroneously imposed) but can get around eight litres per hundred kilometres (over 35 mpg for those who are older).
He is comfortable for sleeping in, either in a sleeping bag or wrapped in a blanket.
Photos of him are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougmullett/sets/72157618907560886/
Birdsville Track
I began my trip from home Friday 18th June, but after a day of checking things, I finally left Adelaide about 10:40 on Sunday 20th. This was not due to sleeping in or spending too long packing, but rather waiting until the Melbourne papers were in and the Newsagent open. I had o good run up the highway to Port Augusta. The Flinders Ranges were on my left (east) for most of the way. They are a very old range, and like peoples’ faces, they are worn down, losing any unique features and appearing in folds. Australia is a very old continent. It has risen up, been eroded down and its soil washed away. It is very large, but sparsely populated away from the few large centres. Many places on maps are settlements with few living there, while others are just roadhouses, with no permanent population.
I called in to Hungry Jack’s at Port Augusta for a late lunch. I left after refuelling DOUG at Shell and headed off up to Marree. The first section was winding, slow and hilly between Port Augusta and Quorn. The road straightened up and was smoother, becoming straighter after Hawker. I stopped here for a comfort break and also to telephone the family in Adelaide (the last place I would have a mobile signal). From there I had a really good run up to Lyndhurst. I was stopped just before Leigh Creek for a random breath test by a police four-wheel-drive headed the other way. The sun set while I was between Lyndhurst and Marree. I was able to get some good photos. I arrived in Marree about 1815 and tried the Drover’s Rest caravan park for a cabin, but it was full due to Lake Eyre flights. The owners were very helpful and pleasant. I headed around to the Marree pub and as soon as I pulled up, I was recognised by all of those outside the hotel from my registration (not licence in Australia) plate. After saying hello, I went into the bar, found that the last room was a single and available, booked in … and found I had left the power adaptor for the laptop computer in Adelaide. That messed up future plans, as I would have to return via Adelaide, when I had wanted to return via Broken Hill and Mildura. After looking around the hotel and speaking to a few others, I retired for the evening.
The next morning I was up early. I knew others had been up because the floorboards creaked, so there was no sneaking around and certainly no anonymous funny business. The facilities were communal, but the water was hot and there was enough. So cleansed of the day before, I dressed for a day out and wandered down to look at the town – before, at and after dawn. I looked at the sunrise and got some atmosphere shots, then looked at the museum and then spoke to some others outside the hotel. A pilot, doing helicopter charters, said he had one seat left for the late morning, and offered it to me at a reduced price, so I agreed to go on that and meet him back at the hotel at 1020 (which is when I thought the flight was to leave, but apparently it was for 1400 – but I found that out later). The charter flights over Lake Eyre from the pub were operated by a company from Phillip Island, Victoria. Well after dawn I wandered around the town again for more photos, then went back and packed up, planning to leave late in the day. By 0900 I ventured further into the town and found the school. Looking at the outside I ran into the woman from the pub who had booked me in the night before – she is a teacher aide at the school. After a quick chat, she invited me to look around – so I did. The senior part of the school had just left to go to Oodnadatta for a sports meeting (for the week!) and the juniors were just having their assembly. I spoke to some other teachers before they went in, photographed more of the school (and the MCG – Marree Cricket Ground) and then wandered back to the pub. Here I found out – that the flight I was going to go on was actually for 1400 and that it had been cancelled. Cutting my losses, I headed out for Birdsville.
The first section was sealed (bitumen) – for around one hundred metres. Then it became unsealed. Technically it was formed earth, as no extra material (gravel, bluestone) had been placed on the surface. A grader had simply gathered the soil together, then made it smooth (or relatively so – corrugations were a common feature). The scenery was small shrubs, with the occasional tree, and quite flat. Any watercourses were visible as lines of trees, growing either in the bed of the river/creek or next to them. However, don’t get over enthusiastic. These watercourses are ephemeral and only flow when there are rains. Usually this is many kilometres away, in Queensland or New South Wales. Sometimes they will flow as far as Lake Eyre (as at the moment) but more often they will just peter out in the middle of nowhere. Often there is water under the surface, and so in desperate times a deep hole in the river bed will yield water (not much and not clean, but drinkable in an emergency) the next morning – a soak! Crossing these watercourses can be simple, with a small drop into the bed and a small rise up the other side, or larger drops and rises and beds many kilometres wide! The firm soil on the plains is replaced by sandy or loose gravely material in the beds. This can make it interesting driving through them.
Soon the surrounding countryside had sandhills visible. It was easy to see how early explorers could have difficulty crossing, and lack of features would make navigations by landmarks very hard. Also, small hills and mesas popped up, eventually looking like breakaways as layers of gypsum gave a brown and white striped appearance.
After around two hundred kilometres from Marree, I passed Coopers Creek, which was a campsite as well as crossing facilities when a flood occurs. There are no bridges because of the remoteness and the low traffic density.
From here on, gibbers were evident. They are smallish but sharp-edged stones, difficult to walk over and problematic to drive over. As the roads use local material, these gibbers are on the road and can cause damage to tyres (as I found out later).
After another few kilometres I arrived at Mungerannie Roadhouse. It was in the afternoon and I ordered a hamburger for lunch, eating it there and being met by … two pilots from Marree (and therefore Phillip Island), who had driven up with fuel for a stop up the road. After chatting with a few others (including a girl from Sheffield, England, who was working there), I headed off, with not much over three hundred kilometres to go.
The scenery was interesting but not too varied, but driving was slow. Wheel pads had been worn, but this created mounds of stones between them – and some stones were sizeable, approaching one hundred millimeters in size. Resting on crowns of up to two hundred millimeters put them at the height of my car’s sump, gearbox and fuel tank. Driving was mainly trying to avoid them, so it was about eighty kilometres per hour most of the way.
By dusk I was still about seventy kilometres out of Birdsville, but the road was sand on a clay base, so I went a bit faster. Just when I thought I was going well, a car ahead left so much dust that I had to slow down and travel at the same speed.
I got to Birdsville just after 1800 and stopped at the Birdsville Pub. There was room at the inn, but the tariff was higher than I expected – to be precise, it was about the same cost as a hotel room in NewYork! I went to the caravan park and got a room for a more reasonable charge. After unpacking at getting things ready, I went to the “camp kitchen” to sit and write. I wrote three postcards (my own) and finished one letter. I ended up having a chat with the other couples who were reading and talking there. After that, I went off to bed.
Next morning it was up and over to have a shower, back to get dressed and have a cup of tea. After a walk around the park, I sat in the “camp kitchen” again and ran into some more interesting characters, including a couple from Northam who had been waiting to a gearbox part before they could go on. At 0830 I packed and left. Down the street I posted the letter and postcards so they would have a Birdsville postmark and then called into the Birdsville Bakery to get something for breakfast. I took a photo of the pub, but beware – photos depicting a lonely pub are wrong, as there is a large, modern airstrip opposite in one direction and a petrol station (and the post office) opposite in another direction. However, what I got was not to my taste and nothing to write home about – so I won’t. I filled up with petrol (much cheaper than at Marree or Mungerannie) and then headed off back to Marree. The plan was to get to Marree and spend the night there, then look for a sightseeing flight. I was stopping for photos along the way and started at the Birdsville Racecourse. Just after was a sign for the beginning of the Birdsville Track. I headed out a little slower, seventy-five kilometres per hour so I could stop when I wanted, quickly. Also … DISASTER – a warning message came up on the panel – check power train! (I did check and it was still there, but the message stayed)
All was going well for a time and I passed Mungerannie early, so didn’t stop in for lunch. I stopped at a number of places and was only about an hour out from Marree at 1450 when … DISASTER! The sound of the car had altered and I pulled up to find my rear right tyre was flat, from a cut right on the edge of the tread. Fortunately I carry a full-size spare, so it was take a blanket out from the boot, unpack everything (the spare is underneath) and get the equipment and tyre out. Then came the problem of undoing the wheel nuts, but as I had taught the kids at a school where I had run a course in car care, I stood on the handle of the driving tool (can’t call pressed steel a spanner) to loosen them. A couple from Adelaide stopped and the man kept raising the jack for me as I finally replaced the tyre. Another couple pulled up, but one car had just gone by without even slowing, covering me with dust. I repacked the boot, shaking the dust off and then did the same with the blanket, ruing the fact that if the car had slowed, I wouldn’t have to do that.
My plans suddenly altered. No spare meant I had to be more careful driving (OK) but also that it would cost me to replace it, so no spare cash for sightseeing flights. After I arrived in Marree, I filled up with petrol and decided I would go back to Adelaide (and my sister’s place) for the night. As dusk fell I headed south to Lyndhurst and ultimately the sealed road. Just after Lyndhurst, I came across a few kangaroos, most of whom cleared the road (I have three shoo roos on the bull bar) but a joey just stood there. I had to stop and yell at him to move (he was only about eighty centimetres tall). It started to shower, then rain, so travel was a little slower than expected.
I arrived in Port Augusta about 2030 and had dinner, then headed off to arrive at my sister’s place about 2345.
Trip over!
Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougmullett/sets/72157620397339826/
I called in to Hungry Jack’s at Port Augusta for a late lunch. I left after refuelling DOUG at Shell and headed off up to Marree. The first section was winding, slow and hilly between Port Augusta and Quorn. The road straightened up and was smoother, becoming straighter after Hawker. I stopped here for a comfort break and also to telephone the family in Adelaide (the last place I would have a mobile signal). From there I had a really good run up to Lyndhurst. I was stopped just before Leigh Creek for a random breath test by a police four-wheel-drive headed the other way. The sun set while I was between Lyndhurst and Marree. I was able to get some good photos. I arrived in Marree about 1815 and tried the Drover’s Rest caravan park for a cabin, but it was full due to Lake Eyre flights. The owners were very helpful and pleasant. I headed around to the Marree pub and as soon as I pulled up, I was recognised by all of those outside the hotel from my registration (not licence in Australia) plate. After saying hello, I went into the bar, found that the last room was a single and available, booked in … and found I had left the power adaptor for the laptop computer in Adelaide. That messed up future plans, as I would have to return via Adelaide, when I had wanted to return via Broken Hill and Mildura. After looking around the hotel and speaking to a few others, I retired for the evening.
The next morning I was up early. I knew others had been up because the floorboards creaked, so there was no sneaking around and certainly no anonymous funny business. The facilities were communal, but the water was hot and there was enough. So cleansed of the day before, I dressed for a day out and wandered down to look at the town – before, at and after dawn. I looked at the sunrise and got some atmosphere shots, then looked at the museum and then spoke to some others outside the hotel. A pilot, doing helicopter charters, said he had one seat left for the late morning, and offered it to me at a reduced price, so I agreed to go on that and meet him back at the hotel at 1020 (which is when I thought the flight was to leave, but apparently it was for 1400 – but I found that out later). The charter flights over Lake Eyre from the pub were operated by a company from Phillip Island, Victoria. Well after dawn I wandered around the town again for more photos, then went back and packed up, planning to leave late in the day. By 0900 I ventured further into the town and found the school. Looking at the outside I ran into the woman from the pub who had booked me in the night before – she is a teacher aide at the school. After a quick chat, she invited me to look around – so I did. The senior part of the school had just left to go to Oodnadatta for a sports meeting (for the week!) and the juniors were just having their assembly. I spoke to some other teachers before they went in, photographed more of the school (and the MCG – Marree Cricket Ground) and then wandered back to the pub. Here I found out – that the flight I was going to go on was actually for 1400 and that it had been cancelled. Cutting my losses, I headed out for Birdsville.
The first section was sealed (bitumen) – for around one hundred metres. Then it became unsealed. Technically it was formed earth, as no extra material (gravel, bluestone) had been placed on the surface. A grader had simply gathered the soil together, then made it smooth (or relatively so – corrugations were a common feature). The scenery was small shrubs, with the occasional tree, and quite flat. Any watercourses were visible as lines of trees, growing either in the bed of the river/creek or next to them. However, don’t get over enthusiastic. These watercourses are ephemeral and only flow when there are rains. Usually this is many kilometres away, in Queensland or New South Wales. Sometimes they will flow as far as Lake Eyre (as at the moment) but more often they will just peter out in the middle of nowhere. Often there is water under the surface, and so in desperate times a deep hole in the river bed will yield water (not much and not clean, but drinkable in an emergency) the next morning – a soak! Crossing these watercourses can be simple, with a small drop into the bed and a small rise up the other side, or larger drops and rises and beds many kilometres wide! The firm soil on the plains is replaced by sandy or loose gravely material in the beds. This can make it interesting driving through them.
Soon the surrounding countryside had sandhills visible. It was easy to see how early explorers could have difficulty crossing, and lack of features would make navigations by landmarks very hard. Also, small hills and mesas popped up, eventually looking like breakaways as layers of gypsum gave a brown and white striped appearance.
After around two hundred kilometres from Marree, I passed Coopers Creek, which was a campsite as well as crossing facilities when a flood occurs. There are no bridges because of the remoteness and the low traffic density.
From here on, gibbers were evident. They are smallish but sharp-edged stones, difficult to walk over and problematic to drive over. As the roads use local material, these gibbers are on the road and can cause damage to tyres (as I found out later).
After another few kilometres I arrived at Mungerannie Roadhouse. It was in the afternoon and I ordered a hamburger for lunch, eating it there and being met by … two pilots from Marree (and therefore Phillip Island), who had driven up with fuel for a stop up the road. After chatting with a few others (including a girl from Sheffield, England, who was working there), I headed off, with not much over three hundred kilometres to go.
The scenery was interesting but not too varied, but driving was slow. Wheel pads had been worn, but this created mounds of stones between them – and some stones were sizeable, approaching one hundred millimeters in size. Resting on crowns of up to two hundred millimeters put them at the height of my car’s sump, gearbox and fuel tank. Driving was mainly trying to avoid them, so it was about eighty kilometres per hour most of the way.
By dusk I was still about seventy kilometres out of Birdsville, but the road was sand on a clay base, so I went a bit faster. Just when I thought I was going well, a car ahead left so much dust that I had to slow down and travel at the same speed.
I got to Birdsville just after 1800 and stopped at the Birdsville Pub. There was room at the inn, but the tariff was higher than I expected – to be precise, it was about the same cost as a hotel room in NewYork! I went to the caravan park and got a room for a more reasonable charge. After unpacking at getting things ready, I went to the “camp kitchen” to sit and write. I wrote three postcards (my own) and finished one letter. I ended up having a chat with the other couples who were reading and talking there. After that, I went off to bed.
Next morning it was up and over to have a shower, back to get dressed and have a cup of tea. After a walk around the park, I sat in the “camp kitchen” again and ran into some more interesting characters, including a couple from Northam who had been waiting to a gearbox part before they could go on. At 0830 I packed and left. Down the street I posted the letter and postcards so they would have a Birdsville postmark and then called into the Birdsville Bakery to get something for breakfast. I took a photo of the pub, but beware – photos depicting a lonely pub are wrong, as there is a large, modern airstrip opposite in one direction and a petrol station (and the post office) opposite in another direction. However, what I got was not to my taste and nothing to write home about – so I won’t. I filled up with petrol (much cheaper than at Marree or Mungerannie) and then headed off back to Marree. The plan was to get to Marree and spend the night there, then look for a sightseeing flight. I was stopping for photos along the way and started at the Birdsville Racecourse. Just after was a sign for the beginning of the Birdsville Track. I headed out a little slower, seventy-five kilometres per hour so I could stop when I wanted, quickly. Also … DISASTER – a warning message came up on the panel – check power train! (I did check and it was still there, but the message stayed)
All was going well for a time and I passed Mungerannie early, so didn’t stop in for lunch. I stopped at a number of places and was only about an hour out from Marree at 1450 when … DISASTER! The sound of the car had altered and I pulled up to find my rear right tyre was flat, from a cut right on the edge of the tread. Fortunately I carry a full-size spare, so it was take a blanket out from the boot, unpack everything (the spare is underneath) and get the equipment and tyre out. Then came the problem of undoing the wheel nuts, but as I had taught the kids at a school where I had run a course in car care, I stood on the handle of the driving tool (can’t call pressed steel a spanner) to loosen them. A couple from Adelaide stopped and the man kept raising the jack for me as I finally replaced the tyre. Another couple pulled up, but one car had just gone by without even slowing, covering me with dust. I repacked the boot, shaking the dust off and then did the same with the blanket, ruing the fact that if the car had slowed, I wouldn’t have to do that.
My plans suddenly altered. No spare meant I had to be more careful driving (OK) but also that it would cost me to replace it, so no spare cash for sightseeing flights. After I arrived in Marree, I filled up with petrol and decided I would go back to Adelaide (and my sister’s place) for the night. As dusk fell I headed south to Lyndhurst and ultimately the sealed road. Just after Lyndhurst, I came across a few kangaroos, most of whom cleared the road (I have three shoo roos on the bull bar) but a joey just stood there. I had to stop and yell at him to move (he was only about eighty centimetres tall). It started to shower, then rain, so travel was a little slower than expected.
I arrived in Port Augusta about 2030 and had dinner, then headed off to arrive at my sister’s place about 2345.
Trip over!
Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougmullett/sets/72157620397339826/
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Summary
After relating my adventures during 2008 while travelling around the world (including Tasmania, U.S., Canada, England, France, Spain, Andorra, Italy, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, China, Mongolia, Turkey, Egypt and New Zealand), I'm now home-bound.
I will be travelling a little at first, then more later when I (finally, if and when the GFC finishes and investments become worth something again) purchase a motorhome to tour my home country in some style and comfort, and certainly at leisure.
At the moment I will detail such trips as my usual excursions to Adelaide and Perth (taken in my Commodore, DOUG) and one-off trips to visit old (not necessarily aged!) and new friends and occasional new places.
The first will be Birdsville (I hope) as the weather is cool and the road is supposed to be dry and passable by all vehicles.
Photos will be posted on Flickr in the collection Birdsville.
Any questions can be directed to my email and I'll answer as soon as possible. I am very familiar with my own country and its peculiarities, so I may gloss over or assume that people know things unfamiliar to them. If there are questions, I'll answer them in detail in another, later entry.
I will be travelling a little at first, then more later when I (finally, if and when the GFC finishes and investments become worth something again) purchase a motorhome to tour my home country in some style and comfort, and certainly at leisure.
At the moment I will detail such trips as my usual excursions to Adelaide and Perth (taken in my Commodore, DOUG) and one-off trips to visit old (not necessarily aged!) and new friends and occasional new places.
The first will be Birdsville (I hope) as the weather is cool and the road is supposed to be dry and passable by all vehicles.
Photos will be posted on Flickr in the collection Birdsville.
Any questions can be directed to my email and I'll answer as soon as possible. I am very familiar with my own country and its peculiarities, so I may gloss over or assume that people know things unfamiliar to them. If there are questions, I'll answer them in detail in another, later entry.
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