To reach the East by driving West

Various Christopher Columbus quotes came to mind today. It all started when someone asked me where we were headed. I answered, after thinking for a while, “Brisbane… but it will take some time”. There really is no other answer, as we don’t really have any other destination, just a journey. It was reinforced later in the day crossing the bridge north of McKinlay when we drove on roads farther from home than we had ever been before.

Day 5 saw us start deep in Waltzing Mathilda territory in Winton. I won’t bore you with the details of the history here, but Winton, Kynuna, Dagworth Station and the Combo Waterhole all compete for bragging rights over the story. While Winton is probably winning in terms of cashing in on the story, you still can’t buy bread there before 11am. I left the rest to soak up some history while I did some chores and found this out.

As we had little time to spare, we decided not to spend money in the new “Waltzing Mathilda Centre” in Winton, but instead chose the more authentic experience of visiting the Combo Waterhole on Dagworth Station just south of Kynuna. This is the site of both the waterhole where the striking shearer met his watery end rather than being taken by a strike-breaking trooper, and also where the story was soon after recounted to Banjo himself. Here we met up with a grey nomad woman travelling alone in a Coaster bus campervan. She turned out to be travelling to a gig as the evening entertainment in Kynuna. Here she would be singing the common Waltzing Mathilda, and the now largely forgotten “authentic” version. She turned out to be a “Richard Magoffin” disciple, and had not visited the waterhole, and so was doing some research in order to be a little more authentic. On our last visit to these parts, Richard Magoffin, a descendent of the original owners of Dagworth station, had a marquee setup as a museum attempting to correct some historical inaccuracies in the Waltzing Mathilda story, as well as to try to stop Winton from claiming it. With his passing a few years ago and with it the closing of his tent, and the opening of the new centre in Winton, the fight is now practically lost.

At Combo Waterhole we walked over stone “overshots”. These were constructed by labourers in the time of Cobb & Co for the dual purposes of providing safe all-weather creek crossings for the coaches, but also to dam the billabongs to provide more reliable water for stock in the days before Artesian bores. The waterhole itself is apparently little changed from those days.

Instead of having lunch here we went on to Kynuna in an attempt to solve our lack of bread, but with no more success. We went to the Blue Heeler Hotel, which is famous, as far as I can make out, for no other reason than that it is famous.

Here I made a note to myself that I could probably subsidise my next trip out here by carrying a piano tuner, as we were serenaded but a young woman who was not without talent, but hampered by a piano that was probably even making the bar-room blush.It was famous enough for a guy named Greg Norman to visit a couple of years ago, with his mate Mr Nuske.

Next stop was Mckinlay and another hotel with a more obvious, but dubious link with history. This was renamed “Walkabout Creek Hotel” and  used for the original Crocodile Dundee movie back in the 80s. I don’t think much has changed in the 15 years since we were there last time. Even my favourite cartoon from that time was still there.

Crossing the bridge out of McKinlay and we said an almost immediate goodbye to the vast plains around Longreach and into the rocky low hills of Cloncurry and Mt Isa.It also saw and end to the Brigalow and Gidgee Wattle country, and the arrival of Desert gums with the pure white trunks.   

Statistics for the day. 500km Winton to Mt Isa via Combo. Arrived Mt Isa 5:45, before sunset this time. Diesel in Winton a heartening 139.9. Managed to also buy lettuce and tomato which was a surprise.

Into the red, and out again

This morning saw us rise before dawn, which isn’t hard to do when the sun rises at 7:20, and have us off on the Nature Drive into Windorah. While this was the first of our really red sand, it was most useful in pointing out all of the different varieties of trees that go to make the characteristic bush out there. I also recognised some names that are in the boutique desert timber industry, like bull-oak, dead finish, desert oak, sally wattle, gidgee and mulga.

Comparing with my last visit there, Windorah, like all other outback towns, seems to be having somewhat of a revival. I also remembered a red sand dune just out of town, so we went there for a run around. We could only speculate what might have made these tracks, or these, or who might eat these.

Back in Windorah we checked out the solar photovoltaic concentrator  before turning north to Jundah and Stonehenge. It seems we just missed the Governor General opening various things in the area, including the Stonehenge Community Centre

Back on the road and into the plains south of Longreach, with the country in general looking very good, especially if you aren’t a fan of hills, nor red sand.

A late arrival into Winton saw us setting up in fading light in a tiny square between two vans, the last spot available. Yep, always this busy at this time of year he says. Settled into an hour with “Two Short Sheilas”  That’s another change I have noticed. The bush poetry, yarn-spinning etc has been taken over by the women. Fortunately, all of the R-rated stuff was also well and truly PG, and I didn’t oblige my children with the explanations.

530km today, with diesel $1.49 in Windorah. $20 in the caravan park, but nowhere near as good in the showers as at Quilpie, but I much prefer bush poetry to Country rock, so not a bad package.

Cold and Cooper’s

It would seem the campaign to remove all possessives from Australian place names has failed, at least in the case of Cooper’s Creek, from where I now write. Last time we were here (in 1999, when Izzy was nearly 1) it was very definitely Cooper Creek, but now Cooper’s is boldly emblazoned everywhere.

This morning found us very cold in Quilpie. 1 degC is cold, and when the sun doesn’t rise until after 7:10, it takes a long time to warm up. Fortunately the fire was still well alive from the previous evening’s entertainment so toast was on the menu. After spending a fortune in Dalby for the luxury of Dinner and a bed, $28 for fantastic endless showers, a camp kitchen with a microwave and huge communal fire and country guitarist for cook and entertainment, things were certainly heading in the right direction. Tonight, the surroundings are fantastic, the price is right and the entertainment is the song of birds. Unfortunately this is such a popular site (they have now installed toilets) that the local supply of firewood is all gone and there are very unfriendly signs about taking trees, so the gas has come out for the first time.

Cooper(‘s) Creek, about 12km from Windorah, is a bit of a favourite place of ours. Always water (at least when we have been here) and lots of birds, but this time no pelicans. Enough water this time for some hardy souls to have dragged some boats here. The water was higher recently, and the receding water has left hundreds of dead fish, mostly the size of large sardines at the waters edge. Still teeming with fish in the water though, as you can see if you watch. The water is murky, which is typical, and that combined with the air temperature has even convinced Elliot to stop asking for a swim. He has however been down on the bank with his brother and sister though for a couple of hours.

Quilpie has come on so much since the ghost town we visited 11 years ago. The whole grey nomad concept has breathed new life into this old railhead, that itself stole the march on Aramac when the rail went here instead of there. Opal is the magnet now, and a guilt trip laid on her mother scored Izzy a pendant for her birthday. There is now street art and more than a little civic pride.

Did we find our first aboriginal rock art at Baldy Top, outside Quilpie? You be the judge. Baldy Top is the only high point around Quilpie, so is a bit of a must see.

Stats for the day. About 260km. Diesel in Quilpie was $1.46. They have finally dispensed with the obligatory 0.9c. Road was, as expected, flat. Lunch was underneath some swallow’s nests about half-way, and we never did find out what it was called, although we had plenty of company, including a (insert appropriate collective noun here) of drop-bears.

The sun has set dinner is ready  and chaos has arrived.

Izzy’s Birthday

Today it was my birthday and you know what no one remembered it! Oh well at about midday Dad noticed the date and turned around and apologised, wishing me a happy birthday. That’s enough about my birthday presents(none),more about the actual day. We started much earlier than we did yesterday and at about 7:10am we left Dalby. We drove for a long time,by me, of about three hours non-stop without any entertainment except Elliot’s continual insistence that we play ‘I spy’ and then his whinging when it got too boring for him because he never got a turn.

Our first stop was at about 10:00am at a very cold Roma for hot Chocolate and then a look at the tourist  attractions in the surrounding area which was the ‘Big Rig’ museum, some old huts and artefacts that had been moved a million times. It also had a miniature railway that went, according to the sign, for at least a mile. This was not open as it seemed as though it was too cold for them. That was probably true, it was so cold i wanted to stay in the smelly but warm car.  After that it was back in the car for a fresher outlook of Dorothy L Sayer’s ‘Whose Body’.Unfortunately that bored Elliot as well but we managed to bribe him with Louis’s MP3 Player and whatever music ‘Broder’ has on it.

We continued the same way for the rest of the day with games of ‘I spy’ going for hours on end. Our only other stops were Morven for lunch and Charleville for a meal for the car and my ‘Birthday Cake’ of Date Cake. At last we got to Quilpie at about 4:50pm just in time for an around the campfire entertainment of singing. Unfortunately, we didn’t get there in time for them to cook our dinner for us ,but we certainly didn’t miss the great entertainment and a talk with a friendly family afterwards. The only downside was that it stayed so cold that if you weren’t in your sleeping bag or as close as you could be to the campfire as possible, your fingers would start hurting as mine are now.

Time to go and warm my fingers as they’re losing the feeling in them but first some photos: 

That was from Izzy. Now for the stats. Just under 10 hours on the road and around 740km. Diesel in Charleville was $1.43 and the higher speed (a lot today at 110 because of the distance we needed to cover) dropped it to 10l/100 on the computer. Temp topped out at 18deg late this afternoon when the sun came out, but was mostly around 14. Brrr.

 

We’re off!

For those of you entered in the sweep for what time we got away, if you have 3:10pm, take the prize. Well, at least it was Saturday, for those of you sniggering.

Now, before any of you make any snide comments about us not making the first night, yes, we traded money for efficiency and have taken a cabin in Dalby. Let’s face it, if we had decided to camp, my estimate of Rosewood for the first night was looking about right, and given that choice I would have opted for another night at home and an early start. At least by getting this far we have a chance at Quilpie for tomorrow night which is what we decided on the way up.

Besides, it gives us a chance for a birthday dinner for Izzy in the Criterion, because my memory of Quilpie tomorrow night is the choices will be somewhat more limited.

Fantastic sunset tonight coming out of Toowoomba. The moon is pretty special too. Check this out.

Good to see the last round of visitors today. If I had any delusions of a rapid exit it may have felt like it was slowing us down, but it really was good to see you all and I didn’t, so it wasn’t. A bit embarrassed that apparently we had forgotten to tell our neighbour too.

So what was it like in the end? Full, in a word. We have way too much food – probably more than enough to get us into NT, but even then it all fits. I fully expect it will fit better as time goes on, and our four food boxes plus esky plus fridge wear down. The pack always improves too. Can still see headlights through the rear though somehow! We must be close on the load limit. When we load up with 100kg of water I reckon that will be it. The handling is somewhat different all loaded up.

Can’t give away too many details yet. I’ll bore you with some statistics as time goes on.

So – first night in the Dalby Tourist Park and looking for a quick start in the morning. Off now to find a Macca’s to see if I can get  a free Wifi.

Elliot's first blog

I am very excited we are about to go. I have packed my bag.Daddy has put family stickers on our car. I love them. Daddy has his tools, mummy has her mobile and her laptop. Izzy has her pile of beloved books and Louis is holding a soccer ball. Me and Georgia (chook) are on the end. It looks so cool.

Posted by Elliot(and Izzy)

Almost Ready

It is the day we are meant to leave. Dad and Mum are running around, crazily trying to get us to do jobs. We haven't even finished packing our bags. The car is gradually getting filled, but we have ages to go until we get on the road at last. Dad is not very optimistic as to where we will get to today. I am hoping we have at least 4 hours of driving today. We are going to try to get to Mt Isa in 4 days. I think we will get there, but I have no idea where we will get to today

Louis

Last day of school

Today was the last day of school for Louis, Elliot and I. As far as I know we all had fun. I don't see why not. It was eventful though as well because this will be the last time we'll get to see everyone for a while. As I went around doing all the stuff i usually do i kept on thinking: this is the last time I'll do this or that for a while. It's my first time adding to the blog so it will be interesting to see what you can do on this thing. If you wish to communicate with us email us and (if we reply) we can use Skype. I am really looking forward to our trip and I Do like my new haircut even if others don't.

P.S. I haven't found SpellCheck yet so apologies if my spelling is terrible

Counting down the jobs

It seems I might need to go back to work sooner than I had expected. One of the jobs crossed of today was for all of us to troop off to the dentist. Now while Mark is a very decent dentist and with Medibank on board I escaped from there only having to pay for maintenance to my wife, he did utter that word guaranteed to strike fear into the heart of any parent. And he did it not once but twice! Some of you already know where I’m headed – Orthodontist! I guess I shouldn’t complain about my wife’s lousy teeth courtesy of her Poppy because it is probably fair to say it is my genes getting the Ortho involved.

Dealt with the second car dealer as well today. You would have to say a rather improved experience with this one. After being taken aback when the offer to be dropped back home was to drive myself home in my car and then have a dealer guy take the car back – if I’d known that I would have arranged the morning rather differently, things did improve. The driver was an older guy, so I asked him how long he had been there and he said 26 years. That was a refreshing change since just about every previous contact I had with dealers involved a person not there last time nor next. I also was surprised when they looked for my details by name rather than registration number. Perhaps that means something. But best of all, they managed to fix my trim in two hours which is something the other dealer failed to do in 3 months before I gave up.

Also managed to squeeze in finishing my camping table today. Most excitingly I managed to do it without further damage to myself which has to be a good thing. Now that the car is repaired, cleaned, polished we can new start the final rundown to pack.

Had the first semester school instrumental music concert last night. Yet another late night that we are paying for today – never mind it will all be over soon. We were heavily involved as usual, but it was nice to know that we will be missed next term, as the principal made a brief but nonetheless sincere vote of thanks and wished us well in our travels. Makes you think we are going to Mars!

Is what we are contemplating that out there? Let me know what you think.

Dealing with car dealers

In the final week now before blast-off and I decided it was time to start the final fitout of the car. Then I remembered that I couldn’t put the cargo barrier in because two weeks ago I had a dealer tell me they couldn’t fix the part they broke in pre-delivery and would have to get a new one. No problem, in stock in Sydney and we’ll give you a call in the next couple of days. Except they didn’t. But fortunately I was reminded of their slackness by the now-routine SMS asking me how delighted I was with my previous contact. So I rang them. Yes we have it, no, they didn’t tell us (in service) that they (in parts) had it. Make a booking and we’ll fit it next week. No, I don’t think so says I dropping the needle in the groove. “You broke it, then didn’t tell me it was ready like you said you would, now you are going to tell me you can’t find a suitable time and then you will send it back because it has taken too long. I just need it fixed, so give me the part and I’ll do it myself”. “Blah blah warranty blah”. Sorry, don’t need excuses… Ok, hang on, I’ll see what I can do. Rings me back. If you come in at 1:30, we’ll do it while you wait. Funny that, it took 30 minutes, rather than two weeks.

Then, similar story with the door moulding. Different dealer – gave up on the other guys. They can do it Wednesday, even though they didn’t know they had the part either…

Let’s just say that given the huge amount of customer service I have now experienced with the two local guys, I have decided to ditch the final service before blast off and am investigating the dealer in Kununurra, which should be around about when it is due. Seems they don’t know what a website is, so I’ll call them and see if they know what a Pajero is.

Running Ragged

I’ll be glad when this holiday can actually start. This seemingly endless round of “last catchup before you go” is taking its toll. Still, it is all good fun. Just glad I don’t have to fit work into the mix, but I think the kids are completely knackered. Elliot is in bed and the older two are off doing a concert.

This post is really just an excuse to try out posting pictures, so a couple of recent ones…

Bought a new toy

Settled on a Dell Inspiron Mini. Close call between that and an EEEPC1005P. That one had a slightly better battery life, was smaller and did slightly better in some benchmarks, but sported a VGA webcam vs the 1280x1024 of the Dell. Could not justify the extra $45 wanted by the EEEPC, so Dell it was. Had reasonable past experience with Dell, although I wouldn’t say for me their laptops have been a standout. Who knows whether it was the right choice, but for $398 it is hopefully right enough.

Now learning about Windows Live Writer for setting up Blog entries. Also googlifying it with chrome and Picasa.

A test with a new toy

Trying out a new toy at Harvey Norman. Unfortunately the only one connected to the internet is a Toshiba with a 1.83GHz Atom, which is probably faster than what I will wind up getting. All good so far though.