The Long Way Home

[Koala]

When Judy and I initially discussed attending the 2014 National Meet at Broken Hill a opportunity arose to do something which we have both dreamt of for many years. We had often spoken of doing the gray nomad thing and travelling further afield to see more of this huge country so it was suggested that if we are going to travel over 1000 klm to Broken Hill why not just continue on and not come home to Canberra for a couple of months. It did not take Judy long to retire from her work at Canberra Hospital and me to obtain 3 months leave so all was in place to hit the road with our 1969 Franklin Freeway using our 2010 Toyota RAV4 3.5 V6 as a tow car. I would have loved to take our 56 Buick 5.3 litre V8 for the trip but I think that Caltex and BP make enough profit without a major contribution from the Buick. )
It did not take long for a broad plan to come together, long term friends Stef and Susan who had done this sort of thing before were major supporters and quickly came on board to accompany us followed by friends from the Teardrop fraternity who live on a property at Laura SA invited us to camp with them so that they could take us for a guided tour of the Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound. Additionally forum members Michael and Anne (Tooleyau) and Joe and Maureen (Mausie) from the Classic Forum plus friends Richard and Christine linked up for the trip to Broken Hill.
I will not bore you with details of the leg from Canberra to Broken Hill as it has been well covered by Michael (Tooleyau) but will start this (hopefully) extended report of our travels commencing at Broken Hill on Saturday 3rd May after a very enjoyable time meeting up with the fun group of forum members at the 2014 Nationals however, I will include a few random photos taken at Broken Hill then up to the SA border. Stay tuned for the trip.

The Naughty Boys - plenty of arty stuff at Broken Hill 

Sunset at Mundi Mundi Plains outside Silverton (just as well it wasn't Tuesdi





The Franklin departing Broken Hill Tourist Park - be back home in about 3 months

Welcome to South Australia


Koala

[stillgotit]

Thanks to everyone for shearing your photos of the Nats., with all of us that could not be there.

from Stillgotit & Judy .

[Roehm3108]

Good onya Koala Bears!!! Have a safe trip and keep the updates rolling in.

Ray

[Geoff & Jude]

hi ken and judy

sounds like you're heading off for a good trip - have a safe one and keep the pics coming.

geoff 'n jude

[noblesgarage]

Good on you and have a great time Took me 5 1/2 months to get home after the Mt Gambier Nationals. Brian

[foxy]

Hi Ken & Judy
Love the pics, What a great trip so far.
The sun sets in the Flinders Ranges are just as spectacular as the ones you photo'd at Broken Hiill
if you have the chance take the flight over Wilpena Pound. It's awsome.
Have a great trip in SA were you can make some wonderful memories.

regards

foxy

[mausie]

Have a great holiday Ken & Judy. I think these words we spotted on a sign in a little town of Maitland, Yorke Peninsula say it all.

"LIFE IS SHORT, FRAGILE AND DOESN'T WAIT
FOR ANYONE.
THERE WILL NEVER BE A PERFECT TIME TO PERSUE YOUR DREAMS AND GOALS

DO IT NOW !!! "

Safe travelling to the four of you

Mausie & Joe 

[Koala]

Broken Hill to Peterborough, 270klm of fairly straight road with a few mild hills, was strange to see a hills hoist on a rise with no sign of a house for miles.

Only a 58 litre tank in the RAV and due to high head winds increasing fuel consumption to some ridiculous figure most of this was used by Yunta (approx 180klm) so we refuelled then moved on to Manna Hill for lunch which was eaten in our van due to flies and strong wind.

The wind soon dropped so we had a easy run into Peterborough which in its heyday had been a big railway town where we called in to the information centre which was located in a restored railway carriage and visited the Railway Museum for a very informative guided tour.

What a great job this railway group do. We free camped the night at a great spot 2klm outside Peterborough with the odd train passing by to lull us to sleep after some overindulgence at the obligatory happy hour. Only had soup and toast for dinner as Judy was too `relaxed’ to cook the steaks for dinner. Up early with 1 degree when we rose and 3 degrees at 9am, the 80klm trip to Laura today was enjoyable as the country changed to wheat fields and rolling hills. We parked the vans at our friends property which we used for a base to explore the region.

I could live in this area, Clare, Crystal Brook, Jamestown, Gladstone, beautiful country and rich in history.

Laura’s claim to fame is a statue of a sentimental looking bloke named Dennis in the main street and the Golden North Ice Cream factory whose wares I was coaxed into sampling several times.


Wed 7th Judy and I took a day trip to Adelaide for lunch and to meet up with the owners of our old 37 Chevrolet Master who treated us like long lost friends. It is good to see the car in the hands of such proud owners who are looking after it so well. Had a huge lunch with them then headed back to Laura to pack the van as we head off for the Flinders Ranges tomorrow.
Thursday 8th, Up early and on the road by 10am for a leisurely drive through Quorn and into the Flinders Ranges to camp at Rawnsley Park Station for a few days.

[bobt]

Hey Koala

Please keep the photos coming and the commentary. We couldn't make the Nationals thanks to work, but we are touring around that area in August.

Bobt

[Koala]

To jump ahead, Judy and are currently camped at Ayers Rock after travelling 6800 kilometres planning on staying here four days . The 69 Franklin is proving comfortable and trouble free. We have spent time in the Flinders Ranges at Rawnsley Station which is not so overwhelmed with tourists as Wilpena Pound, we then spent nearly a week on the Yorke Peninsular before heading north to Woomera and Coober Pedy. Lots of headwind on the leg into Coober Pedy where we almost ran out of fuel. Have been free camping at some beautiful places and generally have limited telphone and internet services.
Koala

[Gypsy 10]

Hey Koala, sounds like your having a wonderful time. Keep up with the info and pics.

[Koala]

Hi All, Judy and I arrived home on Tuesday 22 July after leaving home on 21 April to attend the Broken Hill Nationals. We had intentions of posting more often than we did but gave up due to slow or non extistent internet connections. Well here is a selection of photos to wet your appetite to get that van out of the shed and get going.

Flinders Ranges Sunset

On the road to Chambers George

A compulsory beer and Ice Cream at Parachilna Prairy Hotel

Down the bottom of the Yorke Peninsular SA

Free Camping near Roxby Downs

Take a seat on the moon.............near Coober Pedy

Sometimes the Franklin was dwarfed by the big white boxes. No one else here at the SA NT border when we arrived. We set up to stop the night when we were invaded by about 15 vans one with a generator 20' from our door. (

This photo of Ayers Rock was taken with a long lens about a kilometre away. If you look close you can see some climbers going up the ridge.

Ayers Rock climbers. They discourage you from climbing but you can do it. Apparently some clowns have taken paint spray cans to the top of the rock and left much rubbish up there. Either it needs closing to climbers of controlling better.

[Koala]

After Ayers Rock (Uluru if you prefer) we moved on to Kings Canyon where I went for a wander around the rim. It was a 9.6klm walk and about 3 hours but very enjoyable as I just plodded along taking in the fascinating natural scenery. Judy has trouble with her hips so took the opportunity to do a bit of scrapbooking in the van. The hardest part is the initial climb from the floor of the canyon to the rim. The colours in these photos are real and change depending on what time of day it is, this was about 2:30pm.
This was taken from the top and you can just make out the vans etc down the bottom

Fascinating colours

This is looking across the canyon where you can just make out other walkers.......stunning!!


It must have rained recently as this puddle was at the top.............beautiful


Free camping between Kings Canyon and Ebernezer Homestead.

It would take very little encouragement for me to return to this area.

Koala

[Deleted]

awesome pics there Koala .....keep em coming

its alright for some out there "living their dream" ........whilst others are stuck at a desk behind a computer

Mark

[Koala]

After Kings Canyon we moved on to Alice Springs. Not a bad town with plenty to see and do, the Big 4 caravan park where we stayed was huge and filled with competitors and hangers on for the Finke River Races. Spoke to a bike rider near us who was competing with three of his mates, he had just returned from the hospital where his three mates were all being treated for broken collar bones.
This is a look down one of the main streets of Alice Springs,

On the way out to the West Macdonnell Ranges

Ormiston Gorge

Ormiston Gorge

Another view of Ormiston Gorge


Still at Ormiston Gorge

The ochre fields. Apparently the aboriginals gathered ochre here which they used for their ceremonys and trading with other groups with some from this area being found well towards the east and west coasts of Australia.

Ellery Creek Big Hole, you can camp here and people were swimming in this hole.

How many people can say that they have used one of these, this double model would make for quite a social event. Located at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station.

A photo for the rev heads, unlimited speed limit signs, generally the speed limit in NT is 130kph but some areas are unlimited where you are expected to drive to the conditions and your ability...so the sign says.

By one method of calculation this is the centre of Australia. I thing nowadays it is accepted as being out in the desert somewhere south of Alice Springs.


Barrow Creek Telegraph Station, a beautiful old building now locked up and not used anymore. I think it belongs to Telstra so will just rot unto the ground.

The old jail at the back of Barrow Creek Telegraph Station

[willow5075]

feeling super jealous!! keep the posts coming though, it's great inspiration

[Daggsey]

Thanks Koala for the photos.....inspiring me to travel again, especially as we did not get to the centre on "Madonna's" tour. 30 years ago I visited Ayres Rock, Alice Springs etc, but it would certainly be great to get back there again

Daggsey

[cobber]

Yeah I'm with you Daggsey, great photos like these, ( thanks Ken, don't stop posting 'em   ) make you realise it wasn't a dream.... places really do look this good and seeing them once, or even twice, isn't enough.

Keep 'em coming Ken.... did the machinery perform OK, no big problems ?

Cobber. 

[Koala]

Cobber,
We found the 16' Franklin to be very comfortable. The only thing I will do before the next long run is to install a good period radio for those quiet times. Some places we felt like we were the only ones left on the planet.
The only problem we had in 15,000 klm was a cracked wheel rim near Tennant Creek. They are early Holden 13" and it cracked where the inner rim joined the outer rim which according to the tyre service is common up that way due to the loads from side winds. Was not a problem really as the guy just nipped upstairs and pulled a new one off the shelf and we were back on the road in 25 minutes.
Koala

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Koalas,

You have taken a long time to get home from Broken Hill. If I'd known your sense of direction was so out of whack, I would have lent you a map and a compass! (I'm just joking - I have been reading your thread, and do realise the trip was planned!)

Seriously though, what a great time you've had, and some great spots visited. Your photos are superb. Thanks for sharing them. Feel free to show us some more.

Don Ricardo

[Koala]

Hi Daggsey,
I think it would be fair to say that your posting of Madonnas travels added inspiration for us to do something similar.
Now, your idea to go travelling again has much merit, we can meet up at Port Augusta.........just say the word ??
Koala

[Koala]

Hi Don Ricardo
I am pleased that you and others are enjoying our photos.
It is not 100% correct to say that our trip way planned, the only planning was that we were going to Broken Hill then the Flinders Ranges, no advance bookings were made and each morning we made a rough strategy (not a plan on which direction we would head and about 2pm we would start looking for somewhere to camp the night.
We relied heavily on the Camps 7 book and also had the GPS version loaded on our Garmin navigator. This was good as you could have the free camps scrolling up on the navigator with direction and distance which helped you to check them out when you approached them or decide to move on to the next.
Sometimes we took over 100 photos per day so I have plenty to go through for future postings.

[Geoff & Jude]

hi koalas

great photos and a beaut way to finish your visit to the nationals - keep them coming.

geoff 'n jude

[Koala]

About 14 klm south of Tennant Creek you can find the Devils Marbles. We had been toodling along all day without much traffic on the road and expected to have a quiet night free camping here, from the highway you can not see the camp area so we had a surprise when we came around the corner and found the camp area with about 50 other vans with just one spot left for us.

Pretty good artist the bloke who did this

Someone left their peanut behind

And a few marbles.

And a sunset.

And Judys usual sunrise photo.

The old Franklin in its natural habitat. It was here that I discovered a tyre on the Franklin low on air. Turned out to be a cracked early Holden rim which was replaced at Tennant Creek. Judy was not impressed with Tennant Creek and did not even want to get out of the car..............put the foot down Ken. Had been through many small towns and villages and did not feel like this anywhere else. Actually the Bridgestone tyre service could not have been more helpful and gave us good tourist advice.


Tennant Creek Telegraph Station

Time to make a decision, continue on or turn right?

This servo is at the intersection of the Stuart and Barkly Highways


We headed for the Barkly Homestead for the night. The homestead is literally in the middle of nowhere and was rather expensive but they had a captive customer so just suck it up. The beer was cold and free music was great provided by a former member of the Aztecs who was playing his way around the top end. Nice feed of Baramundi as we were only a couple of hundred klm from the gulf country.

Next stop Barkly Homestead. You see a lot of this up this way.

Judy must have been bored......a gate to somewhere

After thousands of kilometres of natural beauty we come across this. Welcome to Graffiti land !!!!!

On this leg we had very poor fuel consumption again due to the headwinds and needed to stop here to add some from our jerry cans. A few klm before here a guy on his Harley very slowly passed us and ran out of fuel right here. We figured that he saw an opportunity to get some fuel from as he could see the red jerry cans on our roof. 

[Koala]

Queensland - Cane Toad Country
While at Barkly Homestead we were told about this camping spot along a Billabong just outside Camooweal. Once again we arrived a bit late so had to travel about a kilometre along the Billabong to find a spot away from the crowd. As it turned out it was nice and peaceful.

Plenty of flowers and the bird life was fantastic.


About 2 metres from where I was sitting this baby budgie poked his head out of a hole to get a feed from his mum. Huge numbers of budgies here.

The next morning we fuelled up in Camooweal, an OK town but not much there to stop for. This is the old Freckletons General Store

We stopped for 2 nights at Mt Isa for a look around and did the tourist underground mine tour. You cannot tour the working mine anymore since a tourist was injured. Instead they have dug a look alike mine in town complete with old mining gear in working condition to give the tourists a taste of the mining experience.
Next stop Winton, we checked in at the back of the pub and only intended to stop the one night but soon heard that the next night they were closing off the main street for a bit of a festival to raise money for the local drag strip. We had a great time mingling with the locals and had a few drinks (as one does About 10 pm they fired up a few drag cars with open exhausts in the main street and must have gone close to breaking a few windows with the noise.............ah the smell of racing fuel brings back memories Don't know why but the cops stayed real close keeping an eye on the boys.
One of the local attractions is the Musical Fence......didn't sound too musical when I had a go.


Next stop Longreach but I didn't like the crowded look of the caravan parks so we decided to stay at Ifracombe about 20klm away. This turned out to be a good decision as the Ilfracombe Caravan Park is small with good owners. On arrival they told us that there was a shearing competition that night in the pub next door and the next night they do a camp oven dinner for their guests with a show. Well the shearing competition was very good with the winner shearing a sheep in 34 seconds, it was also good to mingle with the locals (and drink some more beer) around huge fires fuelled with railway sleepers. The next night the park owners did a great job with the camp ovens and entertained us with bush poetry and stories. Much laughter and dry bush humour and beer before we tucked into bed that night. It is great how you can just stumble upon these local events and be made welcome into these small towns, it certainly added to our great memories of the trip. We came to learn that you are better off staying in the small towns as it was more friendly and you had more room in the caravan parks.


The shearing competition out the back of the Ilfracombe pub. The locals came in from the properties and included many Kiwis who are over here to work as shearers.

We did a day trip into Longreach to visit the Qantas Museum. This is a great place which details much Australian aviation history and you can lose yourself here for a good few hours.


Don't think this plane will fly again after my efforts.

We also visited the Stockmans Hall of Fame which is a huge place and very well worth the visit. They do an outdoor show which we enjoyed.

Judys new friend

Yep, we will be back !!!