Route Map

I did say the previous post was going to be the last but I think it is always good to have a map to show the route taken.

We drove to Adelaide to meet the rest of the convoy members and travelled to Alice Springs.  From Alice Springs we all made our own way home to various parts of Australia - some travelled alone and others travelled with members who lived in their area.  Our return journey from Alice Springs was in a smaller convoy of 7 vehicles.  Hugh, Gary, Jim and I left the group at the southern tip of Lake Eyre on the Oodnadatta Track and travelled home via Roxby Downs and Woomera.

Final Post

Since leaving home on the 27 July 2015 we have travelled a distance of 6,238 miles or 10,039 kilometres and averaged 12 to 13 miles per gallon.

The 45 year old International truck was comfortable both as a vehicle to travel in and our accommodation.  We had no mechanical problems or break downs so the old girl served us well.

We would like to thank Bob and Paula Kenny and all the others involved for organising the trek and making it so successful.   The trip covered areas that we have not been to before and some that we have. 

It was an opportunity to renew acquaintances with people that we had met on previous treks and form new friendships with those on this trek.  We hope that they all had a safe journey home and those that were unwell make a speedy recovery.

Home

Friday 11 September 2015

 

No early rising for us this morning as there was no hurry to get on the road again.  This was the final day of our trip and we only had around 100kms to travel. We enjoyed our stay at the Beverley Caravan Park and will definitely return again. We chatted to some people in the park who wanted to know about our travels.  Quite a few guys of Jim's vintage have been involved with International trucks either in the military, National Service or on a farm and like to come up and chat. One couple in their senior years had decided to sell up in Margaret River and put an offer on a house in Beverley yesterday. They preferred the small town feel of Beverley and felt that Margaret River was growing too big for their liking. 

 

We drove to Perth via the Talbot Road which is an alternative route and avoids going through York.  It certainly looks spectacular at the moment with the undulating paddocks green with wheat or bright yellow with the canola crop.

 

Great Eastern Highway was quite busy or perhaps we have been in the outback too long and have forgotten what it is like to drive in the city.  We pulled up at our front door around 11.00am and it was a good feeling to be home. 

 

The minimum amount of unpacking was done as we were feeling quite exhausted.  We had been on the road for over a week without any extra rest day so it was good to slow down and take time out.  The bonus was that the West Coast Eagles v Hawthorn final was being broadcast on TV and the Eagles won.

Disappearing Australian icon - the windmill

 

 

There is a bird's nest at the top of the windmill at Mt Dare Hotel

Sunrise and sunset in Central Australia and not to forget the moon

 

 

 

 

 

Creek crossing at the Dig Tree

Unpublishable pictures

 

Gary having his foot spa in the woolmix solution in his PURPLE bucket. He then gives his socks a birthday and washes them in the same water!!

 

 

Ric digging out the Blitz Radio Van at the Finke River

 

The Unimog getting prepared to tow Jim out of the sand at Lambert the geographical centre of Australia.  We wanted the visit to this place to be memorable!!

Jim hiding behind the stearing wheel.

Anthony winding up the tow rope before any pictures could be taken!! He was far too slow for the paparazzi.

 

Steve getting towed out of the sand at Lambert.

 

Sam and Lorraine's trailer turned on its side on the Plenty Highway

 

Swisse Inne-ternational

 

Ice on the windscreen

 

 

Lake Eyre pictures

Steam train water tanks at Beresford Ruins

A device that changed the hard water into softer water so that the water was more compatible to the boilers on the steam trains

William Creek

Lambert - Geographical Centre of Australia

Shearing shed at Cordillo Downs Station

 

Innamincka pictures

 

Innamincka Hotel and Trading Post and Dougie on his penny farthing bike

Transport Hall of Fame pictures

Nullarbor pics

Great Australian Bight and Eucla

Jim under the peppercorn tree in Beverley

No poetry today but good memories of sitting under the 100 year old peppercorn trees during his school years.

Beverley - last stop before home

Thursday 10 September 2015

Last night we made it to Lake Johnston on the Norseman to  Hyden road for an overnight stop. We have camped here previously and find it a nice spot on the edge of a salt lake.  There are concrete tables and chairs and  fire pit. There was just another couple in a caravan and us so it was very quiet and peaceful. Jim and Pat came over and introduced themselves and said they had seen our convoy in Birdsville. It was the second time that day that someone had said that they had seen us in Birdsville. A chap from Bunbury was in Norseman at the service station when we were refuelling and he said the same thing.  

 

We travelled to Hyden for our  morning tea stop mainly on an unsealed road. Repairs are being done where the road had been damaged by the storms in July. We could see why the road had been closed and we had to take an alternative route at the beginning of our trip. It was sad to see that a fire has destroyed quite a large area of the bush and it will take some time for it to recover. The grevilleas were in flower and quite a number of other bushes but nowhere near the showing when we last went through. The closer we got to Hyden the windier it got and the old vehicles were getting a hammering. A visit to the Hyden Bakery is a must if you happen to venture out that way. Gary does lead us astray at times! ! He knows every bakehouse from here to Queensland I'm sure.

 

We had decided yesterday that we would stay overnight in a caravan park rather than make it too long a day by driving all the way home.  We farewelled Gary at Corrigin and made our way through strong winds and rain to Beverley.  When we returned from our trip to Alice Springs in 2005 we had similar weather conditions.  We are camped by some 100 year old peppercorn trees in the Beverley Caravan Park. It is Jim's old home town where he was born and went to school. These old peppercorn trees hold special memories for him as this is where his old teacher used to sit the school kids under the trees while he read them poetry by AB (Banjo) Patterson. The old school yard is now  part of the caravan park.        

 

We went for a walk through the town and were impressed by the amount of improvements that have been made to the town since our last visit. There appear to be some innovative people around who are doing something to the town to attract  visitors.

Norseman

Wednesday. .9 September 2015

An early stop on Monday afternoon so that we could cook up all our vegetables before we went through the  quarantine check point at the Western Australian border. We find it difficult to sit around too long after the sun goes down and find ourselves going to bed with the birds. The campfire warms your front but your back can get cold. We have never beaten the birds up in the morning though!!

 

We reached the border around morning tea time and had the truck inspected by a pleasant young girl. Jim had to open a couple of boxes, the fridge and the front cab and we were cleared to enter West Australia. Even with all the warning signs along the road before you get to the border people still try to sneak in band items. The couple in the van in front of Gary had a fridge full of fruit and vegetables and quarantine was busy writing out their fine.

 

We lunched at Eucla and enjoyed the view of the ocean as we went through the Eucla Pass. Several times during the day we had views of the Great Australian  Bight. Magnificent cliffs but too dangerous to get too close to the edge as they are being eroded away. We travelled more kilometres yesterday as we gained extra time as we headed westwards. We found a good spot to camp (just a pity that too many people before us had also found it) and had dinner with the setting sun. A kangaroo bounded off down the track as we pulled up and was there this morning with his mate to observe us from a distance.

 

Our body clocks are still on South Australian time so we were up well before the alarm this morning. Gary had the fire going and the billy boiling by the time we surfaced. All the training has finally paid off!! We managed to leave camp by 7.00am as we are hoping to camp at Lake Johnston which is west of Norseman. The Eyre Highway is such a busy arterial road from the West to the East. An enormous amount of road trains loaded with freight, caravans, cars, motorbikes and even bicycles. It has been an interesting drive as the vegetation has changed from desert scrub to blackbutt and gimlet. There has obviously been a bush fire through part of the bush as the tall trees are mere dead sticks and the new bushes are lush and green and quite plentiful. The fire/smoke/sun can all play a part in germinating the seeds.

 

We passed by Caiguna and stopped for lunch at Balladonia . Got beaten to the only table and chairs by a  couple. in a. little red car who saw where we were headed so accelerated and passed us to get there first.  Nothing like a bit of road rage in the car park at the Balladonia Roadhouse!! Not to be out done we got our own table and chairs down from the truck. It is starting to feel as though we are nearly home as we drive through trees that are familiar to us. We both love the colours and shapes of the Goldfields trees. We are just 28kms from Norseman so hopefully I can update  the blog before leaving town.                                                                       

       

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Eyre Highway east of Nullarbor Roadhouse

Monday 7 September 2015

Ron left just before Jim and me this morning. Gary had to go to the chemist so he stayed back until it opened then caught up with us further down the road. Apparently there is an outbreak of conjunctivitis in the town so the chemist shop was very busy. Because we have been to so many towns in the last couple of months we have forgotten what the towns were at the beginning of the trip. The countryside is looking nice and green after all the rain this winter. It is nice to be driving on black top - sure don't miss the dust and rough roads. Tonight we had a big cook up of all our vegetables as we will be going across the border tomorrow and any vegetables, fruit and honey will be confiscated.  Just the 3 of us around the campfire tonight. We have a nice warm campfire burning and a red sunset to enjoy. Life is good.

Ceduna

Sunday 6 September 2015

 

Well there were lots of supporters who were very happy with the footy results and they were letting everyone know at 2.00am as they walked past the  caravan park. I think it was only when it started to sprinkle that things quietened down. The wind blew during the night so it was not the best nights sleep we have had. In the morning  it was a bit too cool for a swim - a pity!!

 

We drove towards Ceduna along the Flinders Highway - an interesting drive with ocean views at times. Smoky Bay tried to tempt us with some oysters but as neither of us likes oysters we passed by. It will be a visit next time.  Once we turned  back onto the Eyre Highway we had strong  winds which made it hard going for the truck. It was just a short drive into Ceduna where we stayed at the Airport Caravan Park east of the town. It was then time to catch up on the chores. A couple of loads of washing done and the truck dusted inside as best as one can without all the modern conveniences. All very boring but jobs that had to be done. Jim and Gary did blokey things under the bonnet and underneath the truck in preparation for the journey home.

 

I ran into an old school friend who lives in the park. I haven't seen her since our high school reunion in 1989 and she hasn't changed a bit. We all had dinner together that night in the dining room at the park cooked by Steve the park owner.  We were also joined by an elderly couple in their 80's (Rolly and Geraldine) who were going to Broken Hill for a school reunion  with Rolly's old school mates.

 

Earlier in the afternoon Gary fired up the pot belly at the camp kitchen and the boys watched the news on TV in comfort. Jim and I had gone for a drive around Ceduna and were very impressed with the town. People living along the beach front have beautiful ocean views. The main industries around this area are salt, minerals, fishing, grains, farming, shipping and tourism.   A nice town to stop in and have a look around. While we were at the service station Ron Devenish pulled up to have a chat. He was returning to the west from  Alice Springs and decided to stay in the same caravan park as us.

Streaky Bay pictures