ROBYN & RICK BUSHELL’S 2004 TRIP AROUND AUSTRALIA
IN OUR AMAZINGLY RELIABLE 1930 A MODEL FORD 4 DOOR SEDAN
TOWING A CAMP TRAILER.
Thanks to Rick and Robyn for sharing this fabulous story of their adventure of a lifetime.
" We left our home at Bonny Hills on the 23rd of March ’04 headed south down the Pacific Highway to Raymond Terrace, then across to Maitland, Branxton onto the Golden Highway to our first camp site at Sandy Hollow with a 5 star camp kitchen, it was equipped with everything, all we needed to unpack was our food. Next morning we headed west to Merriwa where we came across a plague of grasshoppers, there were millions, the paddocks were a movement of swarming grasshoppers. In 150klms we had to stop the car 4 times to scrape the grasshoppers from the radiator to prevent the car from over-heating.
We decided to call it a day early at Dubbo until the grasshoppers moved north towards Nyngan & Bourke.
Next morning we cleared the radiator core out with a air hose & headed to our next overnight stop at Rankin Springs, we were having dinner & heard a loud explosion & discovered a B Double truck tyre caught fire and exploded, the tyre beside it, the locals reckoned it was the biggest excitement Rankin Springs experienced for years. Next day we drove through Balranald, Mildura to our next overnight stop at Euston on the Murray River, we camped right on the banks of the Murray & were invited onto a house boat for an inspection and a drink. Next morning we crossed the border into S.A. stayed 2 nights at Berri where the caravan park was crowded with fruit pickers most of them backpackers. Moved on through Morgan and Clare Valley to Gladstone where we stayed for 2 nights & had the use of another beautiful camp kitchen. Passing through Melrose where the owner of the hotel has built Motel units on the back of a number of old trucks, quite amazing, he also showed me his 1927 Chev. 4 Tourer, we arrived at Port Augusta where we stayed for 2 nights.
Leaving Port Augusta we went into Iron Knob where there is no council, the residents run the town & look after the parks & roads, then to Penong where we visited a very interesting museum onto our next overnight stop Ceduna which is the start of the Nullabor. Our next overnight was Eucla where we crossed into W.A. & stayed at a roadhouse where the only charge was $1 for a shower & very clean, when we woke in the morning we were greeted by a dozen geese wandering around the park.
As we were driving across the Nullabor looking to the left we had views of the ocean which is the
Great Australian Bight. Our next overnight was Calguna roadhouse & then Norseman which is the finish of the Nullabor, where we stayed overnight. Next day we visited Kalgoolie for lunch & then the next overnight stop at Southern Cross roadhouse where we got our first taste of dreaded flies & had to buy a net to go over our hats.
!5 days since we left home, we arrived at Perth International Caravan Park, settled in for 8 days to participate in the Ford A Model Rally which went for 5 days. While we were in Perth we visited 4 vintage car museums & had an all-day guided tour of Perth & Freemantle. The A Model rally was 1st class with good food & some nice drives. Perth is a pleasure to drive around in an old car as the roads are not as busy as other capital cities.
We left Perth on the 15thApril’04 & headed north traveling on the North West Coast Highway to
New Norcia which is a Monk village where we took a guided tour of their Churches, accommodation
& farms where they live, completely self sufficient & grow everything they eat, drove onto Moora for our overnight stop. Next day Cervantes where the pinnacles which are thousands of pointed rocks sticking up out of the desert, looks like something you would see on the moon. Leaving Cervantes we headed to Geraldton where we stayed for 3 nights, visiting the lobster processing factory & the Memorial for the H.M.A.S. Sydney where 645 sailors lost their lives when sunk by a
German ship in the 2nd world war.
Leaving there we called into Port Gregory, pink lake then Kalbari where I got the car bogged when we pulled off the road so Robyn could take some photos of wild flowers. We had to unhook the camp trailer and get the car out of the sand & hook a rope onto the trailer & pull it out, overnight at the Overland Roadhouse, next morning we went out to Monkey Mia for 2 nights, we saw the dolphins being fed.
Onto Wooramel Roadhouse , went off for a shower and found no hot water [didn’t matter because it was very hot] but there were frogs, birds nesting and every kind of insect imaginable in the shower block.
Onto Carnavon for 2 nights very, very hot 43 deg. We moved onto Coral Bay for 2 nights next stop overnight was Fortescue Roadhouse. Away again to Karratha & Dampier where we visited the big off -shore gas establishment. Leaving there we drove through Roburn, and stayed at Port Sampson for 2 nights, we indulged in a seafood dinner overlooking the Indian Ocean. Next day called into Whim Creek Pub for lunch & drove through Port Hedland where everything is covered in red dust from the Iron Ore.
We spent the night at Pardoo Roadhouse, then next day onto Broome, because it was getting too late to get to Broome that night we decided to camp in a roadside stop lots of mozzies and very hot. We arrived into Broome the next morning at set up camp at the famous Cable Beach Caravan Park where we enjoyed 12 great days. The crocodile farm was very very interesting owned by Malcolm Douglas, some very big and nasty crocs. An evening in the Sun Outdoor Picture Theatre certainly was a new experience, the planes coming in to land with their landing lights passing over us sitting in deck chairs. We were fortunate to be in Broome early in the month to see the staircase to the moon, full moon and low tide, the moon comes up and reflects into the mud flats giving the illusion of a staircase. Visited the markets and a few Chinese meals.
We went out to the Port where there were hundreds of cattle being loaded on a ship for the overseas market. Yes we went to a few garage sales, [great interest in our mode of transport]. Sadly time to move on. We had a wet trip to Derby, we were told it never rains this time of year, it poured down, arrived in Derby just as it stopped so we set up camp and got some very good sunset pictures. Derby has a wharf that is 1km long in a horseshoe and the tides are about 12mt, very muddy colored water and full of crocs.
Our next stopover was Fitzroy crossing where we went on a boat ride up through Geike Gorge, we also met a famous Aboriginal artist [Butcher] and were invited to his studio to watch him paint and see his paintings [very expensive]. We met Patrick the can crusher, he proudly showed us how he crushes the cans, Fitzroy Inn has the biggest beer can sales in Australia. He introduced us to his Brother, Cousin and Uncle. After leaving Fitzroy Crossing we passed through Halls Creek, as we drove passed the Hotel at Halls Creek standing outside were about a dozen Aborigines clapping us, we drove over and hands came in through the windows to shake our hands lots of chatter we didn’t know what they were saying but presumed they were delighted to see us, they wanted their photos taken, which pleased us too. After Rick shouting several beers we left them. We drove through a low level water crossing and were slowly making our way up a hill when clatter! clatter!, stopped and checked if water was leaking , no, but we had cracked a fan blade, so off the road where it was replaced with a new blade, millions of flies and very hot. We spent overnight at Mary’s Pools a free camp with toilet facility, very popular.
Onto Turkey Creek, where we went on a Helicopter ride over the Bungle Bungles, absolutely amazing. Onto Kunanurra for three nights, we took a day trip which took us on Lake Argyle for two hours, it is 37 times the size of Sydney Harbour, viewed a Barramundi farm, fed Cat Fish, lunched on Cobbler which is Cat Fish, very nice, then a 53km trip up the Orde River arriving back at Kunanurra at sun set, just beautiful. We went out to Ivanhoe Crossing, it is closed to traffic because of the volume of water flowing, fruit orchards and the Zebra Rock Gallery, the rock is mined nearby and is the only type in the world, it is quite a soft rock with varying shades of pinks to creams striped through it. We headed off to Victoria River Roadhouse foran overnight stop, then onto Katherine, we stayed for three nights, took a boat trip up the Katherine River to spot the crocs at night, enjoyed a BBQ and saw lots of red eyes on the banks with our torches, lots of fun.
We met up with a couple from Laurieton we knew, also a family from Port Macquarie we met at Broome. A man and his wife who had seen us at a roadhouse earlier in the trip then again at Derby came up to us in the shopping centre, said “we were very adventurous”, we later met up again in his home town Peterborough, couldn’t believe we were still traveling.
Onto Darwin, where we had 8 days visiting all the tourist attractions, War Museum, Casino, Oil Tunnels, Aviation Musuem and Mindell Markets where we purchased a Didgeridoo. We visited the old Quantas Hangar which is the club house for the Vintage Car Club, they have their cars, stationary motors, and a workshop made available to them from the council.
Our next stop was Litchfield Park, Rick swam at Florence Falls, took photos of the giant termite nests which are huge, very clever termites.
We traveled back on the Stuart Highway towards Katherine, called in to the Adelaide River War Cemetery, which is beautifully kept, mostly Americans. We spent one night at Pine Creek, then onto Mataranka where we swam in the hot springs, watched the feeding of Barramundi , they are very big fish. We were fascinated by children of deaf parents, the way they communicated, we enjoyed the children’s company, they were fascinated with our car and camp trailer. We had just fueled the car when a girl from Katherine ABC radio asked if she could interview us and take photos, of course we agreed.
Our next night was Daley Waters, where we were parked in like sardines, very popular spot, that night we had a Barramundi and Steak dinner and entertained by Frank the “Chook Man”. Called into Renner Springs for a drink and stayed at Banka Banka Station, beautiful clean amenities block, and evening entertainment after the bar opens at 5pm. Our fridge on gas caught fire so on our way to Wauchope [Walkup] we called into Tennant Creek for repairs, nothing too serious. We called into the Devils Marbles just out of Wauchope, fascinating place huge boulders balancing on top of each other almost perfectly round. Spent the night at Wauchope Roadhouse, then onto Eloura Roadhouse, then Alice Springs for 4 days, visited the Flying Doctor museum and enjoyed the Desert Park, spent a day at The Hall of fame where Vintage trucks are housed, very interesting and informative. [lots of pics there].
We met up with the Vintage Car club people for a presentation of a special overland badge for traveling more than 5,000 miles in a Vintage car and visiting Alice Springs, we were invited on their run on Sunday but they were going back to where we had just come from. We were feeling the cold so we purchased a small heater
Headed off to Ayers Rock, because it is a long way in we had a stop at a Curtin Springs which is a free camp, next morning into Uluru, that afternoon we joined a small crowd to view the sunset on the Rock, quite amazing the color changes. We went out to view the Olgas , which are very beautiful and did a walk and more pics. Went back to The Rock where Rick did a short climb up but said it was really hard going. We booked a sunrise breakfast tour, on the bus at 5am very very cold, then hot pastries and Champagne or juice, lots of hot coffee, watched the sunrise over the Olgas and the Rock, then walked down a sandy path to a very delicious breakfast, silver service black tablecloths, and everything you could imagine to eat, so much food. The breakfast was $95 each, and entry into the park is $25 each and $31 a night for the caravan park, which was very busy. A must to experience the scenery.
" We left our home at Bonny Hills on the 23rd of March ’04 headed south down the Pacific Highway to Raymond Terrace, then across to Maitland, Branxton onto the Golden Highway to our first camp site at Sandy Hollow with a 5 star camp kitchen, it was equipped with everything, all we needed to unpack was our food. Next morning we headed west to Merriwa where we came across a plague of grasshoppers, there were millions, the paddocks were a movement of swarming grasshoppers. In 150klms we had to stop the car 4 times to scrape the grasshoppers from the radiator to prevent the car from over-heating.
We decided to call it a day early at Dubbo until the grasshoppers moved north towards Nyngan & Bourke.
Next morning we cleared the radiator core out with a air hose & headed to our next overnight stop at Rankin Springs, we were having dinner & heard a loud explosion & discovered a B Double truck tyre caught fire and exploded, the tyre beside it, the locals reckoned it was the biggest excitement Rankin Springs experienced for years. Next day we drove through Balranald, Mildura to our next overnight stop at Euston on the Murray River, we camped right on the banks of the Murray & were invited onto a house boat for an inspection and a drink. Next morning we crossed the border into S.A. stayed 2 nights at Berri where the caravan park was crowded with fruit pickers most of them backpackers. Moved on through Morgan and Clare Valley to Gladstone where we stayed for 2 nights & had the use of another beautiful camp kitchen. Passing through Melrose where the owner of the hotel has built Motel units on the back of a number of old trucks, quite amazing, he also showed me his 1927 Chev. 4 Tourer, we arrived at Port Augusta where we stayed for 2 nights.
Leaving Port Augusta we went into Iron Knob where there is no council, the residents run the town & look after the parks & roads, then to Penong where we visited a very interesting museum onto our next overnight stop Ceduna which is the start of the Nullabor. Our next overnight was Eucla where we crossed into W.A. & stayed at a roadhouse where the only charge was $1 for a shower & very clean, when we woke in the morning we were greeted by a dozen geese wandering around the park.
As we were driving across the Nullabor looking to the left we had views of the ocean which is the
Great Australian Bight. Our next overnight was Calguna roadhouse & then Norseman which is the finish of the Nullabor, where we stayed overnight. Next day we visited Kalgoolie for lunch & then the next overnight stop at Southern Cross roadhouse where we got our first taste of dreaded flies & had to buy a net to go over our hats.
!5 days since we left home, we arrived at Perth International Caravan Park, settled in for 8 days to participate in the Ford A Model Rally which went for 5 days. While we were in Perth we visited 4 vintage car museums & had an all-day guided tour of Perth & Freemantle. The A Model rally was 1st class with good food & some nice drives. Perth is a pleasure to drive around in an old car as the roads are not as busy as other capital cities.
We left Perth on the 15thApril’04 & headed north traveling on the North West Coast Highway to
New Norcia which is a Monk village where we took a guided tour of their Churches, accommodation
& farms where they live, completely self sufficient & grow everything they eat, drove onto Moora for our overnight stop. Next day Cervantes where the pinnacles which are thousands of pointed rocks sticking up out of the desert, looks like something you would see on the moon. Leaving Cervantes we headed to Geraldton where we stayed for 3 nights, visiting the lobster processing factory & the Memorial for the H.M.A.S. Sydney where 645 sailors lost their lives when sunk by a
German ship in the 2nd world war.
Leaving there we called into Port Gregory, pink lake then Kalbari where I got the car bogged when we pulled off the road so Robyn could take some photos of wild flowers. We had to unhook the camp trailer and get the car out of the sand & hook a rope onto the trailer & pull it out, overnight at the Overland Roadhouse, next morning we went out to Monkey Mia for 2 nights, we saw the dolphins being fed.
Onto Wooramel Roadhouse , went off for a shower and found no hot water [didn’t matter because it was very hot] but there were frogs, birds nesting and every kind of insect imaginable in the shower block.
Onto Carnavon for 2 nights very, very hot 43 deg. We moved onto Coral Bay for 2 nights next stop overnight was Fortescue Roadhouse. Away again to Karratha & Dampier where we visited the big off -shore gas establishment. Leaving there we drove through Roburn, and stayed at Port Sampson for 2 nights, we indulged in a seafood dinner overlooking the Indian Ocean. Next day called into Whim Creek Pub for lunch & drove through Port Hedland where everything is covered in red dust from the Iron Ore.
We spent the night at Pardoo Roadhouse, then next day onto Broome, because it was getting too late to get to Broome that night we decided to camp in a roadside stop lots of mozzies and very hot. We arrived into Broome the next morning at set up camp at the famous Cable Beach Caravan Park where we enjoyed 12 great days. The crocodile farm was very very interesting owned by Malcolm Douglas, some very big and nasty crocs. An evening in the Sun Outdoor Picture Theatre certainly was a new experience, the planes coming in to land with their landing lights passing over us sitting in deck chairs. We were fortunate to be in Broome early in the month to see the staircase to the moon, full moon and low tide, the moon comes up and reflects into the mud flats giving the illusion of a staircase. Visited the markets and a few Chinese meals.
We went out to the Port where there were hundreds of cattle being loaded on a ship for the overseas market. Yes we went to a few garage sales, [great interest in our mode of transport]. Sadly time to move on. We had a wet trip to Derby, we were told it never rains this time of year, it poured down, arrived in Derby just as it stopped so we set up camp and got some very good sunset pictures. Derby has a wharf that is 1km long in a horseshoe and the tides are about 12mt, very muddy colored water and full of crocs.
Our next stopover was Fitzroy crossing where we went on a boat ride up through Geike Gorge, we also met a famous Aboriginal artist [Butcher] and were invited to his studio to watch him paint and see his paintings [very expensive]. We met Patrick the can crusher, he proudly showed us how he crushes the cans, Fitzroy Inn has the biggest beer can sales in Australia. He introduced us to his Brother, Cousin and Uncle. After leaving Fitzroy Crossing we passed through Halls Creek, as we drove passed the Hotel at Halls Creek standing outside were about a dozen Aborigines clapping us, we drove over and hands came in through the windows to shake our hands lots of chatter we didn’t know what they were saying but presumed they were delighted to see us, they wanted their photos taken, which pleased us too. After Rick shouting several beers we left them. We drove through a low level water crossing and were slowly making our way up a hill when clatter! clatter!, stopped and checked if water was leaking , no, but we had cracked a fan blade, so off the road where it was replaced with a new blade, millions of flies and very hot. We spent overnight at Mary’s Pools a free camp with toilet facility, very popular.
Onto Turkey Creek, where we went on a Helicopter ride over the Bungle Bungles, absolutely amazing. Onto Kunanurra for three nights, we took a day trip which took us on Lake Argyle for two hours, it is 37 times the size of Sydney Harbour, viewed a Barramundi farm, fed Cat Fish, lunched on Cobbler which is Cat Fish, very nice, then a 53km trip up the Orde River arriving back at Kunanurra at sun set, just beautiful. We went out to Ivanhoe Crossing, it is closed to traffic because of the volume of water flowing, fruit orchards and the Zebra Rock Gallery, the rock is mined nearby and is the only type in the world, it is quite a soft rock with varying shades of pinks to creams striped through it. We headed off to Victoria River Roadhouse foran overnight stop, then onto Katherine, we stayed for three nights, took a boat trip up the Katherine River to spot the crocs at night, enjoyed a BBQ and saw lots of red eyes on the banks with our torches, lots of fun.
We met up with a couple from Laurieton we knew, also a family from Port Macquarie we met at Broome. A man and his wife who had seen us at a roadhouse earlier in the trip then again at Derby came up to us in the shopping centre, said “we were very adventurous”, we later met up again in his home town Peterborough, couldn’t believe we were still traveling.
Onto Darwin, where we had 8 days visiting all the tourist attractions, War Museum, Casino, Oil Tunnels, Aviation Musuem and Mindell Markets where we purchased a Didgeridoo. We visited the old Quantas Hangar which is the club house for the Vintage Car Club, they have their cars, stationary motors, and a workshop made available to them from the council.
Our next stop was Litchfield Park, Rick swam at Florence Falls, took photos of the giant termite nests which are huge, very clever termites.
We traveled back on the Stuart Highway towards Katherine, called in to the Adelaide River War Cemetery, which is beautifully kept, mostly Americans. We spent one night at Pine Creek, then onto Mataranka where we swam in the hot springs, watched the feeding of Barramundi , they are very big fish. We were fascinated by children of deaf parents, the way they communicated, we enjoyed the children’s company, they were fascinated with our car and camp trailer. We had just fueled the car when a girl from Katherine ABC radio asked if she could interview us and take photos, of course we agreed.
Our next night was Daley Waters, where we were parked in like sardines, very popular spot, that night we had a Barramundi and Steak dinner and entertained by Frank the “Chook Man”. Called into Renner Springs for a drink and stayed at Banka Banka Station, beautiful clean amenities block, and evening entertainment after the bar opens at 5pm. Our fridge on gas caught fire so on our way to Wauchope [Walkup] we called into Tennant Creek for repairs, nothing too serious. We called into the Devils Marbles just out of Wauchope, fascinating place huge boulders balancing on top of each other almost perfectly round. Spent the night at Wauchope Roadhouse, then onto Eloura Roadhouse, then Alice Springs for 4 days, visited the Flying Doctor museum and enjoyed the Desert Park, spent a day at The Hall of fame where Vintage trucks are housed, very interesting and informative. [lots of pics there].
We met up with the Vintage Car club people for a presentation of a special overland badge for traveling more than 5,000 miles in a Vintage car and visiting Alice Springs, we were invited on their run on Sunday but they were going back to where we had just come from. We were feeling the cold so we purchased a small heater
Headed off to Ayers Rock, because it is a long way in we had a stop at a Curtin Springs which is a free camp, next morning into Uluru, that afternoon we joined a small crowd to view the sunset on the Rock, quite amazing the color changes. We went out to view the Olgas , which are very beautiful and did a walk and more pics. Went back to The Rock where Rick did a short climb up but said it was really hard going. We booked a sunrise breakfast tour, on the bus at 5am very very cold, then hot pastries and Champagne or juice, lots of hot coffee, watched the sunrise over the Olgas and the Rock, then walked down a sandy path to a very delicious breakfast, silver service black tablecloths, and everything you could imagine to eat, so much food. The breakfast was $95 each, and entry into the park is $25 each and $31 a night for the caravan park, which was very busy. A must to experience the scenery.
We had overnight stops at Kalgura Roadhouse and Cadney Roadhouse which is the start of the Oonandatta track, then onto Cooper Pedy for 6 nights, on our way to Cooper Pedy we had been told to look out for a bloke on a bike wearing a dress and towing three trailers, well we came across him camped on the side of the road, drove in to his camp and were greeted by a little black dog Blackie, and his owner Chris, he prefers Christina, we took photos and gave him some coffee but couldn’t help out with cigarettes. He asked where we would be staying at Cooper Pedy we said the Stuart Caravan park. We were out on a tour a couple of days later viewing the BreakAWays and the dog fence on arriving home, who was there camped next to us but Chris, laughing and all freshened up with a clean dress on fingernails painted and a lovely pink fleecy jumper on, went well with the tattoos . We had a great time with him, having breakfast and dinner with us lots of photos and making friends with Blackie. We went out fossicking for opals with people we had met at Barrow Creek, they knew the area and where to go there are holes everywhere. We visited the underground Church very beautiful, the colors of the clay are lovely. Made a visit to the Croation Club, where they fed us, we thoroughly enjoyed their company. The Greeks won the World Cup Soccer so celebrations set in with gelignite being let off very close to the town. Opal sellers everywhere and a couple of very good supermarkets, we made a visit to a pottery gallery where we were shown some very special pottery pieces. We went out to Harry’s Museum , just looking at his pictures he was a wild man in his prime, very strange man working for him too.
We thought we were leaving Cooper Pedy, but we purchased dirty fuel, we started off got about 35k out and the car stopped, Rick got it going but stopped again, we thought we had better go back, because we didn’t have phone service, and their was nothing for 280km, back we went, no problem, turned around and got back to same spot, stopped again, back to the caravan park, where Chris was waiting for us , said “ I knew you couldn’t leave me!” The car was booked in for a 7am for Rick to empty the fuel out into drums, went down but the guy said he couldn’t do it till 10am. Rick had driven the car around the previous afternoon with no problem, so he said lets try again, off we went with no problem. Drove into Woomera which is a ghost town now, lovely place very neat and tidy, but most people have gone. We stayed overnight at Spuds Roadhouse [gold coin] toilets only, but good. We followed the Ghan railway line to Port Augusta where we stocked up with food, and headed to the Flinders Ranges to Quorn for 2 nights.
We booked on a 4x4 tour of the ranges, next morning we went on the Pitchie Ritchie steam train, along the tracks through the ranges, very very good. Left Quorn to Peterborough, very pretty did a town tour which was very informative, visited a museum, private collection. [very cold here] had to purchase warm clothes
Onto Broken Hill, visited art galleries and went to the Sculptures at sunset. On our way back from
Silverton we came across some Vintage Car Club members, they had been on a run. BruceLord invited us to see his collection of Vintage cars the next day, he has 70 vehicles some restored the rest unrestored. We stopped at Wilcannia for lunch and then onto Cobar for 2 nights, getting to
Cobar was the longest distance we drove in a day 500km, we arrived around 6pm. Left Cobar to
Gilgandera for an overnight stop, then back to where we started Sandy Hollow overnight, were invited to a Christmas in July BBQ with the motor bike club who arrived the same time for the weekend, we declined .
Arrived home on Saturday, we had been away 117 days.
On the trip we used 2910lts of petrol at a cost of $3371.00, we traveled 10300 miles, [17800km] and stayed in 58 different camp sites at an average of $20.00 per day $2350.00.
The only repair to the car was to replace a fan blade at Turkey Creek & replace 2 rear tyres at Darwin, 7 oil changes & 10 greases."
We thought we were leaving Cooper Pedy, but we purchased dirty fuel, we started off got about 35k out and the car stopped, Rick got it going but stopped again, we thought we had better go back, because we didn’t have phone service, and their was nothing for 280km, back we went, no problem, turned around and got back to same spot, stopped again, back to the caravan park, where Chris was waiting for us , said “ I knew you couldn’t leave me!” The car was booked in for a 7am for Rick to empty the fuel out into drums, went down but the guy said he couldn’t do it till 10am. Rick had driven the car around the previous afternoon with no problem, so he said lets try again, off we went with no problem. Drove into Woomera which is a ghost town now, lovely place very neat and tidy, but most people have gone. We stayed overnight at Spuds Roadhouse [gold coin] toilets only, but good. We followed the Ghan railway line to Port Augusta where we stocked up with food, and headed to the Flinders Ranges to Quorn for 2 nights.
We booked on a 4x4 tour of the ranges, next morning we went on the Pitchie Ritchie steam train, along the tracks through the ranges, very very good. Left Quorn to Peterborough, very pretty did a town tour which was very informative, visited a museum, private collection. [very cold here] had to purchase warm clothes
Onto Broken Hill, visited art galleries and went to the Sculptures at sunset. On our way back from
Silverton we came across some Vintage Car Club members, they had been on a run. BruceLord invited us to see his collection of Vintage cars the next day, he has 70 vehicles some restored the rest unrestored. We stopped at Wilcannia for lunch and then onto Cobar for 2 nights, getting to
Cobar was the longest distance we drove in a day 500km, we arrived around 6pm. Left Cobar to
Gilgandera for an overnight stop, then back to where we started Sandy Hollow overnight, were invited to a Christmas in July BBQ with the motor bike club who arrived the same time for the weekend, we declined .
Arrived home on Saturday, we had been away 117 days.
On the trip we used 2910lts of petrol at a cost of $3371.00, we traveled 10300 miles, [17800km] and stayed in 58 different camp sites at an average of $20.00 per day $2350.00.
The only repair to the car was to replace a fan blade at Turkey Creek & replace 2 rear tyres at Darwin, 7 oil changes & 10 greases."