Beautiful Australia

A farm stay

During our trip through the very wet western regions to Castlemaine I received a call from Kyle. “How you doin’ Mum? Where are you?” When I explained our situation and that we were about to spend our second last night with family he said, “You can park the van up at the farm tomorrow if you like. I cook a mean roast, the fire will be going and the house will be warm.”  What an invitation, how could we resist? 

So, after accompanying Lynda to her op shop duties and then having a short wander around town Will picked me up and off we headed on our almost final leg of the journey.  It was lovely to have a go slow day and with such a short leg we managed a stop for a cuppa and then a bit later a stop to smell the sea air!  The sun had decided to grace us with its presence, the rolling green hills looked glorious and it was nice to feel close to home – how blessed to have such diverse beauty on our doorstep. 

Where's my breakfast??

There was an anxious moment as we passed the sign post to Fish Creek, poor Will, he was sorely tempted, but as our house sitters had been told we wouldn’t be home until Friday we honoured our word and arrived at the farm.  We were greeted with hugs, stories of the day and an animal or two to make us feel really welcome.  Hokey, the young calf, followed whoever feed her and Dude was happy with a pat from one and all.

To quote Will ‘a mean roast lamb’ was cooked for us, the fire was magic and the company very special.  We left Kyle and Dude and buckled down in the van for our final sleep of this adventure.  We were dry, comfortable and a little nostalgic that another wonderful holiday was coming to an end.  At the same time thoughts of home had been coming more and more often.  As I'd wandered around the different towns smelling the spring flowers I'd wondered which of my flowers would be blossoming and what would my garden look like.  So with only one more sleep I knew the answer wasn't far away.  And what a glorious answer I found!!

 A riot of spring colour

Back in time to enjoy my tulips

 

Water, water everywhere!

My morning started with a walk along the Mighty Murray. As I watched the pelicans float and glide and wake to the grey skies I was reminded of our stay at Murray Bridge twelve months before.  After breakfast and farewelling our hosts we headed off to look around Mildura.  “What is it you want to see?” asked Will, who, with his nose headed home was finding it hard to play the tourist.  “I just want to get a sense of the town, see the Grand Hotel where I believe my parents honeymooned and look at the waterfront.” So off we went.

I noticed the Grand Hotel, it looked nothing like the photos I’d seen of Mum and Dad standing out the front many years before.  Due to a misunderstanding of directions we managed more turns and roads around the town than was expected and then ended up at Loch 11.  As we wandered towards it Will pointed out a houseboat cruising down an arm of the river and sure enough the captain completed a U-turn and ended up in the Loch.  It was interesting to see the gates close, water rise and the boat float out back on its way, and all in a very timely manner.

So we too started making our way to our next destination – Sea Lake. Having heard about it I was determined to catch that magic photo, with the sunlight just right and just a spot of water to make it really spectacular!  As it had already been raining in the district for days I was guaranteed some water, the chance of having the sunlight right was very slim as we’d decided to head to Will’s sister’s place in Castlemaine for a guaranteed dry night’s sleep and good company but still I was determined to try and Will was determined to get me there. 

When we arrived we dodged the rain drops and made our way to the viewing platform.  The salt lake reminded me of Lake Mokoan many years ago – shallow but full of choppy waves!  No salt pan to be spied, no flat surface for a reflection!  Oh well, there’s always next time.

Our watery day was not yet over.  We had lunch and made our way towards Wedderburn with the iPad on my lap opened to the Emergency Alert page and the Road Closure website.  We watched as each puddle and full drain got closer and closer to the road edge until Will said, “Water over the road signs.”  My heart sank as I’ve always strongly believed you shouldn’t drive in flood water, every newsbreak Daniel Andrews was telling us not to drive through flood waters and here we were about to do it with the old van in tow.  “That’s a VicRoads truck ahead, he’s checking it out.  I can tell from what he does and where he goes if it’s safe,” said Will, “no stress!”  OK, so only one of us was stressed!  After at least five water crossings we made it through the Charlton area with dry feet and no mishaps.  One more spot of water just passed Marong and we were home and hose!

Woomera to Gol Gol

We made our way to Port Pirie but not before a look through the Woomera Rocket Range Museum as well as the Town Museum. It really is a fascinating place.  We saw maps of just how long the rocket range is (all the way to Western Australia and the Indian Ocean) and learned that some of the people who first made the calculations as to the speed and distance travelled were women.  This surprised me for those times.  We also saw a ‘town pass’ which you needed back in the 1960s if you were going to enter the township.  It surprised me how recently Aboriginal communities were just coming into contact with white Australians as Len Beadell who surveyed the roads in that area was still the first white person many of the locals had met.

By morning tea time we were back on the road.  We once again got ourselves slightly twisted around in Port Augusta but eventually found a fish’n’chip shop and enjoyed lunch in the local park watching a bus load of Victorian High School students play hide and seek. We also bumped into Joe and Lynn again which was lovely. 

By 3.00pm we’d been met by and welcomed into David and Liz’s home.  (Hadn’t been expecting to dine with an Order of Australia recipient, but there you go! Liz received the award for her work in preserving the Australian Transport History) Straight away talk of cars and trucks abounded.  Will occasionally saw fit to interpret for me – ‘Kate a 360 is a car, not a truck’ I was well and truly back to being an ‘amateur’ again as it was very hard to keep up when I was the only one who hasn’t eat, slept and breathed vehicles all my life. 

David and Will headed off to visit some restored vehicles that David has worked on so I took the opportunity to have a walk around Port Pirie.  The house wasn’t close to the water but I did get a lovely look around the local golf course and both some of the new and old housing areas.

We had a lovely evening together with David regaling us with stories of the old days in Port Pirie and beyond.  We heard of trips to Ayers Rock as it was called in those days with a coach load of school children and being bogged for days! Each time David thought of a new story he’d break into a smile before he even began telling it.  He had us in fits of laughter as he shared stores of the mischief the men on the railways would get up to. 

Next morning we visited a mate of theirs, Keith.  Guess what – he eats, sleeps and breaths trucks!!  We had a look at some of the great restorations he has done and a dig through the graveyard.  David was sure there was a door or two that Will needs, but no luck, they had already been used on some project or another.  Not to worry, David is ‘looking into it’ for Will.  I’ll bet there will be an extra door or two on the load when David delivers the D-Line from Alice to Kyabram for us in March.  After a cuppa and more stories we headed off, with a stop at the bakery and a view of the water for lunch.  

ext stop, Renmark!  Another wonderful night with Trev and Vina!! And rain, lots of rain!  We’d enjoyed sunshine until late in the afternoon but it rained late into the evening.  We were pleased to have a dry bed but placed the cup in its usual place just in case the leaks were back. Next morning after a leisurely breakfast we bid goodbye to Trev and Vina with a heavy heart and for Kate a wet backside!! Seems the van didn’t leak anymore so the Patrol had stepped up to take its place.  A leak near the windscreen saw Kate’s seat, floor mat and camera all wet to varying degrees.  Luckily the camera was least wet!!  Will consoled Kate by drying the camera on the windscreen vents – ‘like we do with the laser light at work’. 

The wet continued all the way to Wentworth.  We had a look around the still machinery items on the river bank and then made our way to the pub for lunch. I’d heard there was a grey Fergie in the bar and sure enough there is.  There are also plenty of photographs around the wall of the 1956 flood.  When I was asked if I was in one of the photos I replied, “No, don’t think so, I just like the old truck!”  Time for a better beauty crème obviously!! After a look at where the Darling and the Murray meet and a wonder up to Loch 10 we headed East to Gol Gol, next stop Liz and Frank’s.

Frank and Will spent the afternoon looking at restored trucks and I took the opportunity for a quiet walk along the NSW bank of the Murray.  Ducklings, budgerigars, pelicans and kookaburras were just some of the bird species I spied.  I really must get a small book for bird watching! I also spotted a house boat meandering its way up the river before I turned and headed back to Frank and Liz’s.  Just after I arrived Liz returned home, followed not long after by Frank and Will.  We spent the evening reminiscing about last year at the Hall of Fame and hearing about their trip overseas and listening to rain continue to fall. Another lovely evening in the home of new friends!!

Wentworth - he started as a cook
on a paddle steamer and then
became a wealthy land and business owner

Wentworth Pub in honor
of tractors saving town from flood

 

Morning shot at Marla

We headed off from Marla looking forward to the opportunity to pop into one of our more regular stops in Coober Pedy, Beaurepaire.  Seems that overnight, as the tyre cooled, most of the air had escaped around the small screw Will and Gary had spotted in our tyre prior to leaving Alice.  “Not to worry,” said Will, “We’ll pump her up and see how far we get. I can put the spare on anytime we need.”  So off we went, both with high tuned hearing waiting for a sign of things having gone wrong.  We stopped and pulled off quickly after hearing a ‘pop’ from the back of the car.  No, nothing!  Tyre still inflated and nothing else amiss.  We had heard a similar noise another day as dried mud hit the road surface so we hoped that was all it was and continued on our way.  Thankfully we’d left Marla early so we made it to Beaurepaire by 11am.  It tickled Will’s fancy that the owner of the business remembered our vehicle from twelve months ago, when he had told us the tyres were nearly stuffed and wouldn’t get us far.  He was pleased to see he’d been wrong!

Wedge Tail Eagle

After a satisfying lunch at the road house, one of the best souvlakis I’ve ever had, we headed off to see how far we would get and that’s when we began our new game.  “Look, a lizard” said Will.  And off we went lizard spotting.  Last year we didn’t see one on any road, yesterday we were averaging one ever 5kms for about 80kms.  Will pointed out how dark under their chin they are and we talked about how much they look like the orange stones along the road, when I got over excited, claiming to have spotted one – “Oops, I corrected, “that’s an old boot!” 

A lizard playing chicken!

Of course we were also spotting road trains, and when on occasion I’d snap a photo and realize it was just a B-double I’d quickly demonstrate my new found understanding and state, “Just a B-double, I’ll get rid of that photo!”  Will’s not working with an amateur this year (well, only some of the time).

We were aiming to stay the night at Glendambo when Will got a second win.  So a top up of fuel and an ice-cream later we were back on the road and headed to Woomera.  I’d been told of a nice country camping spot nearby but as one of us is still learning about bush camping we chose to stay at the caravan park in town. 

 

When I asked for information about the places to see the receptionist looked at me, pointed to the map and said those two places are it!  I’d have never guessed she was a local who has chosen to live her entire life here.  Regardless, Will and I wandered off on the ten minute walk to see the outside display of weapons and rockets that have been launched from here.  The walk around town reminded us of Oodnadatta in the feeling of desolation that went with the place, however, that was very much where the comparison stopped.  Woomera is clean, well presented and has had money spent on it! There is an outdoor pool, theatre, paved footpaths, swept roads, new cars and not a junky yard in sight.  There are plenty of large two story dormitory style accommodation blocks empty and becoming derelict but there isn’t graffiti or vandalism to speak of.  We wondered about the town’s history and recent use so made our way to the bar at the caravan park to see if there was a local to chat with.  The bar manager was more than happy to chat with us, as long as we waited for the ads and half time of the NRL match he was watching!  He was a very funny man and eventually began to explain more and more about the town.  Its population has dropped from 7000 to 120 give or take a few.  The school has ten students enrolled and the town is now a RAAF town, as of January this year.  There are four private business in town, of which the caravan park is one.  The other businesses all service the community. You can’t buy a home unless you are a company who needs it for a worker who services the town and if the home has occupancy less than 30 hours a week you have to up the living hours or move out.  This creates some business for the caravan park as for example the worker who drives the street sweeper machine for certain months to keep the runway at the airstrip clean stays on sight as his company can’t meet the living requirements so can’t purchase a house.

After a few drinks at very reasonable prices, (they haven’t put their prices up since they opened nine years ago) we headed back for a dinner of curried sausages and a quiet night.  And Will needed to make a call about his prized new truck.  He rang David to let him know that the purchase had gone through and that at some stage he would need it carted home, and also to ask about the K4 door David mentioned he might have.  Before we knew it a genuine and keen invitation to come and stay the night (or three or four, whatever you want!) had been issued.  Neither of us could refuse so our plans to go to Spear Creek and travel a similar way through the Flinders Rangers have been swapped for a night at Port Pirie and an adventure into unfamiliar places.  Let’s wait and see what happens!



What a difference a day makes

Last night we went to sleep with open windows and curtains as the still warm night air had seeped into the van, not to mention the zillion bugs!  No breeze kicked up until around 3am so until then it was just a sheet covering us. 

After leaving Birdsville at 9.00am we pulled up at the service entrance to the Hall of Fame to pop in to farewell everyone.  Will and I commented on how different this year felt, last year we were farewelling the crew from the campfire, this year it was the nine remaining volunteers that hugged us, wished us well and told us how pleased they were to have met us. Different from last year, but just as moving.  

We headed south and all went well.  The wind was against us slightly from time to time but we managed to hitch a ride in the slip stream of a road train just outside Erldunda, after having stopped to chat with Will’s brother in law who’d rung.  He asked how long until we arrived home, Will started the ‘auction’ with 4 days, I said 14, 6 was the next cry, 10 was heard above that.  Our brother-in-law laughed and wished us well with our negotiations.  A little down the track Will said, “I’d like to ring the boss tonight, I think I should start work Monday week.”  So calculations were made and compromises reached –seven more nights on the road should allow for the sight-seeing that has been planned, the catching up with friends and a sense of ‘holidaying’ provided all goes well and no more vehicles are purchased. LOL!

The rest of the trip was uneventful but beautiful.  The landscape was a riot of colours, mainly yellow, pinks and mauves.  But then, every now and then, once we crossed the S.A. border there would be a massive splash of brilliant red and black! Yes, the Sturt Desert Pea was out in all its glory!  Last year I had to work hard to find it, hidden in the back blocks of Oodnadatta or in a council garden in Alice Springs, but this year it was all along the highway in all its glory!  But could I snap a shot of it as we sailed past at 100km an hour, I think not, it was just as elusive as a dolphin was years ago at Rockingham Bay!

Tonight we can hear the road trains, coaches and sounds of the Marla Roadhouse through our closed windows as I snuggle under the doona to keep me warm. The TV at the roadhouse said there is plenty of rain down south and temperatures in the high teens. We looked at each other and checked if we really were heading in the right direction, we decided we were.

Our last day in Alice Springs 2016

We’ve had our last full day in Alice Springs for 2016!  And what a warm one it was!  Will spent his morning clearing the new old truck (Hmm, we’ll have to come up with a better name than old truck as we already have the ‘old, old truck’, ‘the old truck’, ‘the wreck’ not to mention the Transtar. Way too confusing!)  With some help from Graham the job was finished by lunch which surprised us all.  Even more surprising was that it only cost $12.50 for each of the two ute loads to be deposited at the tip! A short rest over lunch and he was back into it! Will took the old rotted wood off the loading ramp so it will be more aerodynamic for David (or whoever eventually gets the job) when carting it south.  A well-deserved rest was in order until Garry could help manoeuvre the truck into its holding bay!  I had strongly declined the offer of driving the Patrol whilst pushing the truck, braced with a tyre so no damage could happen, around the yard and into a gated area!  Hmm, I may have become a ‘Truckie Girl’ in some ways, but I know my limits!!

My shift wasn’t until 12noon so after a load of washing, organising vegies for dinner and the usual caravan-work I headed into town to complete my final tourist wish.  I headed back to the art gallery which was closed due to the setting up for the evening’s opening night for Mob Gathering.  Oh well!!  Off to the lovely coffee shop next door for a calming cup of tea and a piece of wild lime cake – yum!!

Final destination was the small gallery and craft shop next door!  Gorgeous! They too had changed their exhibition; it was now a felt and knitting exhibition and it was delightful! As the assistant said, ‘It’s a joyful exhibition’ and it truly was.  Each little bird or animal had such great expression on their faces you just had to smile.  I wished I could have shared it with my dear felting friend (and wonderful mail collector who I keep forgetting to ring!!).

A few quiet hours on the front desk, which allowed for some photo sorting (much more organised for my next photo book!), was broken up by an unfamiliar sound.  It was Will, he’d ridden in to tell me he was all finished.  We’d be good to go tomorrow!  A smile broke across my face because although the  last week or so has been more relaxing I’ve got itchy feet to see and photograph some new areas of our wonderful land and I’m looking forward to a shared meal with my son, so it’s time to start heading south.  

A lovely quiet happy hour was spent with just the two of us, the last two Birdsville residents for 2016! Garry popped over with a message so joined us and stayed on and shared a meal with us, but not before helping Will pull down the annex.  It was lovely to realise we no longer have a timetable and instantly I felt ready to once again accept the mindset, ‘We’ll get there when we get there!’  So we’ll see just how long it takes to get wherever it is we are going tomorrow and the day after and the day after.