THE KINGS TOUR

[whippy]

Well all I can say Kingy is HMMPPPPHHHH ;D ;D ;D ;D

If only

[carrots]

Hey you guys stop it, I want to hook up Madonna and head back out the gate right this minute. Awsome photo`s !!
;D ;D

[Deleted]

First up...
Don Ricardo... I love your 2009 adaptation of Banjos poem....

Kingy.... or is that .. Hiawatha??... you must have better canoe skills than me. I would have photos of all the turtles , fish and rocks on the bottom of the river , because.. i would be hanging upside down blowing bubbles in the canoe more times than i would be facing the sky and breathing air ;D ;D ;D

It amazes me that the river is in such good condition considering all the dry we have had. Then again... Northern NSw has been coping a hell of a lot of rain this year and i suppose some of it has to shed off the the north western slopes and plains.

Looks like a boat, canoe tube is the best way to see the counrtyside up there..... so peacefull... tranquil.. serene.....Hmmmmmmmmmm.. I could fix all that... Might bring the mates 454 powered Lewis speed boat up there and liven up the natives... ;D ;D ;D

Still working on the short blonde about heading up. Might not be until after new years day now. Bit of a gamble with the weather. One day 45 degrees.. 24 the next.....raining the next.
Can make travelling a bit unenjoyable.
Still... when you have absolute waterfrontage, a cold beer and a vintage caravan for shelter once you get there......... who cares what the weather is doing.

Waddya reckon Dossie.... you fair dinkum about heading over for a few days.....They sorta look ta be a bit lonely and .. if we leave em too long they might become withdrawn from society.... .ummmmmmmmm....no.... wait..... they already are. ;D

Kingy and Mezz .. I will phone ya soon.

Reddo

[kingy]

HHmmmm...... looks like the teasing photo's are work'in ;D ;D ;D
Want me to send some more Reddo, took some more of up river
I was wondering if anyone would pick up on how well the river looks..........Well, 45 klms upstream is the copeton dam, which they are near emptying so they can repair the dam wall, hence the rise in water down stream - near a metre i'm told. River does get to this height without the dams help at times also.
Like your version of banjo's work too Don Ricardo, ya did good

Can't help meself.....here's a couple more ;D ;D ;D

[kingy]

Onyas Will & Lyn, bet yous can't wait to get go'in......We're handing out pamphlets at the pubs as we travel ;D ;D - honest
Kingy

[Deleted]

Ok... OK..... OK... enough of the flash sunsets and sunrises.... ..............
Show me the proper waterholes..... pub... club.... even the bottleshop might be enough to coax me into coming up there.... ;D.

Oh ... bye the way. Was browsing the first lot of pixs ya sent.
The photo with the 2 horses having a drink...... Do i spy a railway line in the distance .

Reddo

[atouchofglass]

Love the photos mate
Grand piece of this great land

Cheers
Atog

[kingy]

Reddo, NO railway NO traffic lights, No Woolies NO McDonalds :-/and NO bottleshop.......except at IGA ;D........ah the serenity ;D ;D ;D
Bingara's latest claim to fame ?....Paul Hogan & ''Kenny'' shot a lot of their latest movie here, and some of it at the fully restored ''Roxy Theatre'' - A magic Building - still has the old ticket box out the front, i'll try and get some photo's. I Think the movie is yet to be released
Kingy

[humpty2]

Ask about the Orange trees in Bingara when you can Kingy.
It's a nice story.
Then mention that Don Whiteman is my mother's partner,and he is still alive and well.
Love the pictures, it's a great area there.
We WILL be doing it..............one day!!

[Deleted]

Hi Kingys..

Well.... i see that you mentioned rain in your Xmas wishes to us all.
As sure as there is poop in a cat ya can bet it will rain in Bingara on Xmas day......
I have a "recovery "motorbike ride on with the club on Boxing Day morning. RSL out near the lake has a whopping big brekky on for $5.00 a head.... Bacon, eggs, snags, tomato .. toast.. coffee, etc.."Heart attack on a plate""

Will pack the van when i get back from that....depending on time of day i might get away and camp at Wallabadah Rest area and motor on up the other 3 hours on sunday morning.
Otherwise i will leave early sunday morning take my time and be there in time for sunday arvo happy hour(s)...

Lookin forward to kicking back for a few days. This storemans job is bloody hard work i'll have ya know

Rain , hail or shine...i'll Catch ya's then ;D
Reddo

[kingy]

Sounds a good plan Reddo, weather is back to normal...HOT, is anyones guess what it'll be for Chrissy, although they say it could be wet
I've packed the canoe for a trip up the river, but there's a problem .....i think you'll hav'ta get ya own canoe ;D ;D ;D
Kingy

[Deleted]

Hi All
Well... finally bit the bullet and took off for Bingara about 8.am Boxing Day to spend a few days with our intrepid travellers.... The Kings
Steady .. light to moderate rain all the way to Manilla which is about 40ks nor west of Tamworth.
Had a bit of a cruise around the back streets ,,

Vauxhalls for $500

Nissan Cedric?
Checked out the local antique shop.... nice 1950s billycart... $75

Onwards through Barraba


Spotted a T roadster and a 50s dodge at one of the servos. Old mate trots em out the shed of a morning.

Arrived at Bingara around 2.30 and dropped in at the Imperial Hotel for a schooner to settle the dust .. and a bag of ice .

Turns out Kingy and Mezz had heard on the bush Telegraph that i was in town before i had finished my beer. ;D
Rocked into the van park and set up at "Site 6"which is affectionately known as Lake Bingara by the van park permanents....

It was hot and Humid so we walked back into town to the Imperial to pick up where i had left off. We eneded up going to another pub .. the sportsmans bar... air cond... bloody bewdy... managed to squeeze one in on our way back past the Imperial.


Got back to camp as it started to rain.
Why "Lake Bingara......

Here yas go...absolute waterfrontage......
;D ;D ;D


This happened 2 nights out of 3... i moved on the 3rd day when the park manager informed me that the people that had the beautiful grassed area across the road booked had rang and cancelled.....
Later that day 2 big flash new vans came passed us... A voice inside.."Bloody Hell.. waddya you doin here Reddo??".
Turns out to be Darrell Waddingham from 2 streets over from my place down home.... small world.

We had a bit of drive along the river bank in the Toyota and checked out some magnificent camping spots....... A Hippy type came out of his bush camp waving his arms to alert us to a flat back tyre... A quick tyre change and we where on our way.

Spent a bit of time working on that wanderfull invention.. "the Newcastle safety Hitch"... ooooooh what price originality??
When i arrived at the park on saturday we couldnt get the hitch off the ball. So i simply pulled the Hayman reece pin out

Kingy and i worked on it for about an hour and then gave up. Left it with Bizzo"" to sort out


I hadnt tried the van on the Prado until it was time to leave. Thought it was a bit tight.

Shot up to the local RSL ..just to get a bag of ice.. raffle starts in 10 mins.. Hmmmmmm.... better stay and try our luck..I won a nice tray of chops, a couple of steaks and bacon. most of which we demolished that night on the BBQ

On Monday we headed up the 50Ks to Copeton Dam which is only 2% capacity at the moment.


Drove down into the basement and checked out the camping facilitys. a great place, but it looks like a lunar surface at the moment.


On up to Inverell where we made the biggest mistake of the day... Let Mezz go shopping in the air conditioned Woolworths....

Still we didnt complain. The car was air conditioned and that made fopr a much more pleasant drive on a humoid day than it would have been with the windows wound down in an un-aircond car.

Came back to camp via Bungara... or something like that. Pulled up at the Memorial site at Myall Creek. Site of the Massacre of over 100 aborigines back in 1838. 7 white people where later charged over the event and subsequently hung.

Back in camp in time for yet another down pour and .. another happy hour


On about the third beer we spotted ....
a sunliner rolling into camp.

Turns out they live about 2ks from my place ..at Killingworth.
Had seen the van before but couldnt place it until they mentioned thier address. Strike me blue.. 7 hours from home and a caravan park full of "locals from home".

Uneventfull night last night . a bit of heavy rain . Most of the towns up that way have recieved near on 200mm of rain and the ground is just swallowing it up. creek beds are still bone dry.

Up early this morning headed off about 8,00am . Dropped in at Muswellbrook Tyrepower and swung a puncture repair job to John & Pam Daniels. Known to us all as the lovelycouple with the Nice Blue HQ Monaro and Bondy van that came on the tour last year... also been at Munmorah getogether as well.

Thanks heaps John.. much appreciated.
Arrived home about 4pm.

Another bit of Australia i have seen . Had a ball Kingy. Thanks for the hospitality and great company on my short stay.

I am sure our paths will cross again in the not too distant future.
Late news.
Steve rang to say that the old bloke ( a permanent ) that was living in the van next to mine at the aprk suffered a stroke today. His partner couldnt drive so Mezz has driven the old lady down to Tamworth where the ambos took the old bloke,

When the got talking to her . It turns out the couple are from Kingy and Mezz's home town Moruya.

Its a small world folks.
Hope the old bloke comes up trumps Kingy


Cheers
Reddo

[sutcac]

Only one question..................... .

...............why weren't cha camped out on that bewdeful river??

[kingy]

Hi ya Clyde, reason we were'nt camped down the river?............heard the rains were a come'in - lot more comfy at the park.........and it's still raining - it had to catch up with us sooner or later ;D
Kingy

[kingy]

Good to see you got back OK Reddo, was great to catch up again, a good few days was had
Here's another coincidence, the guy who had the now''suspected'' minor stroke lives across the road from Cruz. He's back at camp, but is heading home tomorrow
Cruz, Dennis is the Guy's name, two doors up - across the road

Have a great new year everyone

Kingy & Mez

[Roehm3108]

Hi Guys
All looks good from where I sit, and jealous as buggery! I stayed at the Heifer Creek spot last year when returning from Munmorah, only 1 1/2 hours from home, but I stayed anyway cos it was such a nice spot and I didn't really want to go home yet!

I knew that road when it was just a dirt track and friends of mine had their Humber Hawk written off when a herd of cattle on the side of the track got spooked and trampled all over the car. Not one panel was left intact!

Will tell you a story of what happened on that track when the new road was being built, when we see each other again. Not something that can be published on a public forum!!!!

Stay well and happy New Year

Ray

[Cruz]

Hi Kingy and Mez,
I noticed the van in the street ready to roll a few weeks ago. If you see them before thet leave please check if anything needs doing on the home front.
Hope you are enjoying the rain,please send it south.
Leanne

[fcdriver]

Hi Kingy & Mez,
I too shatered a windscrean in our FC Holden on our way to Mt Gambier. Shannons had us underway in 20 hours, still don't know the cost as they had the windscrean sent from Sydney to Wagga overnight picked up the car and they looked after everthing. If it makes you feel a little better I was pulling out of a van park at Forbes a couple of months ago only to clip a tree branch and put the first dint on our "72" Vicount.
After 37 years I dinted it. Jan was not happy!
Bruce & Jan

[kingy]

Hi Guy's, not much has happened since my last report.... other than it has stopped raining ;D ;D ;D Since Reddo left us at Bingara we slowly headed south, staying at Barraba & Manilla before coming to rest where we now are at Tamworth - arriving on the 4th. We were last here - at Mez's cousins, 8 mths ago -
Looks like we'll be here for some time yet, as Mez's Cuz & Hubby are taking this opportunity while we're here to take a well earned rest from the farm. SO, you guessed it , i'm gunna be a sheep farmer - as well as drive one of his two trucks - In my spare time i'll be changing the colour of the van also, which i've all ready started
As many of you know the country music festival is on at the moment here, and while not being a country fan.... i must say from what i've seen it's a HUGE event and we'll be back again before it finishes - a great event
Gotta go now and round up some sheep, see Ya's

What else do ya do when it's pelting down ;D





This WB has been sitting idle on the farm for 18 mths (with the bonnet up )- 253 4 speed.......pumped the tyres up, and had it running in minutes - i like it might end up with it





Love these old Inters





Kingy

[Deleted]

Hi Steve and Mezz

Sheep farmers..... Crikey .. i have heard it all now Kingy.
I worry about you... .. You aint got relos in NZ have ya. .

WB utes.. truck drivin'.........frolicking with sheep... Country and western festivals.
Ya better nosey back on over to the coast real soon before ya end up engaged to Baa Braa......
Ya god damn Sheepoker .
That bush campin is sendin ya troppo..

By the way.. who's that reject ya drinkin with under the annexe. ;D '

Thanks for the update guys
Reddo

[Jennison]

You two musta seen the the same barber to get your moustaches' trimmed by the looks of it! Hey kingy how bout you send some of that rain down my way, crikey we could do with some puddles like that at my place!!!
jennison

[kingy]

Hi Gang, Well we've finally left Tamworth........well for a few day's at least, we've decided to stay on a little longer till this job's finished.
Last Friday we packed up the van and headed to Moonbi/ kootingal motor club's annual motor show. We were the only car & van combo....and it proved to be very popular, a few wanted to know more of the website, and i was given a few leads on vans.
We picked up a trophy for the furthest travelled ........even though we left home nearly a year ago ;D ;D and had the local rag do a photo shoot ......... So yeah , we had a good few days ;D

Kingy






This 48' tow truck has always worked as such in Tamworth




My favorite












Never restored........31000 mls only

[Cruz]

:)Nice 36 roadster
Looks like a good day.

[Deleted]

Hi Steve and Mezz
Pleased to see ya still enjoying the good life.
Better head back to Tamworth and shear a few of them sheep.
Ya gunna need ya woolies on if ya plan on hanging around up that way for winter... gets bloody cold.

I seen that freighter tow truck at Hat Head last October at the bike rally. Nice old truck.

Good ta see ya pick up a bit of bling at the show.

I am headin' to Nundle the first weekend in May for a bike rally.
Staying at the Nundle caravan park.
FB Van with Norton on trailer.... Autotent for accomodation .
Might try and catch up for a beer when they roll the bikes through Tamworth on saturday

Cheers guys
Reddo

[kingy]

Reddo, if we're still in Tamworth when you head to Nundle, we'd be have'in a beer no doubt.....But our days here are numbered, i'm sure. We're aiming for Mildura in May........but Sis has a 50th in late April in Melb. ......We have a plan, but that'll probably change after breaky ;D
Glad it's ya burphty, gives me reason to have anothery .......Hope ya had a good'in
CHEERS Kingy & Mez