3.  QUEENSLAND, WE HAVE ARRIVED.
GO THE MIGHTY MAROONS (We are blending in!!)
 .

Hebel was the first settlement as we crossed into Queensland. It consists of a pub and a general store. The pub was very quaint, hours could have been spent simply exploring the bar area.
Pubs were an essential part of life in the early days, so many as changeover stations for stage  coaches. Horses out the back and front, all others in the bar or the modest accommodation.

Hebel Pub. Queenslanders spelling of beer is XXXX

The Commonweath Games on TV bring the pub up to date

We settled into a late afternoon bush camp north of St George. Great serenity, however only one kangaroo to be seen. The stars at night were in their millions.

Early morning view from our kitchen/ dining room/ bedroom/ family room and billiard room

Non slip tread 

Bare feet around camp is not an option. Thick thongs essential.

Leaving St George bush camp. (Dry weather camp only)

Approaching storm/ mobile car and caravan wash

All roads lead to Roma!! Hence here we are, or least we were. Having heard about aqua ducts and Roma, we went searching and managed to photograph the following. You would never guess they are apparently centuries old.

Aqua ducks near Roma (somewhat different to the Italian scenes)

Roma is also famous for it's Bottle Trees. They are scattered all over the town.

Bottle tree. When it matures it will be a Flagon tree.

Taking heed of the old saying, When in Roma, do as the Romans do, we kept on travelling and conquering. Heading due west firstly to the small town of Muckadilla.
The pub, the only establishment in the village had the following pieces of furniture outside facing the road. The Australian sense of humour is so much appreciated.

On then to mid-western town of Mitchell, where Major Mitchell passed through on his 4th exploration in an attempt to find a route from Sydney to Darwin.  Incidentally, he surveyed the convict built Great North Road from Sydney to Newcastle, the early version of the  M1/F3 freeway. (The convicts didn't have the word free in their vocabulary).
The town of Mitchell was named after Major Mitchell.  Major Mitchell was named after the Cockatoo found in the area.
We read that from the top of a hill (there are not many in the area), Major Mitchell stated that trees extended as far as his telescope would allow him to see. What a contrast to today with the land virtually stripped bare of trees.

Contrast of landscape from Major Mitchell's comment about trees as far as he could see

A long way to walk if the school bus in missed

The town of Mitchell has The Great Artesian Spa. Whereas Lightning Ridge Artesian Baths were built years ago, and has not had a face lift since, the Mitchell Baths were a masterpiece of modern and elegant design, cleanliness and welcoming feel.

An outback oasis

Football required to be forced into pipe. Then stand back and watch the drama unfold. 

39C in canon pool, 27C in cool down pool

Our free camp (donation) at Neil Turner Weir was very relaxing, sharing with several other vans and campers.

Weir d view. More lawn mowing required

Legendary Neil Turner Weir and firewood collector

The unique Queensland architecture is always so much appreciated. Whether houses, pubs, or schools, they all stand out as brilliant and welcoming.

Another pub, but what architecture

Art Deco or Art Gallery?

Department store

Do you want socks or bullets with your purchase?

We mix our night stops between caravan parks and free camps. Caravan parks provide electricity, water and more security for leaving the van when out exploring.
Free camps give far more peace and isolation, making us feel more part of the great outdoors. The night show of the stars when away from all electric lights is beyond belief.  Many of the camps have donation boxes for the overnighters, however it always disgusts us as to how many folk drive out without apparently giving a donation.  Hopefully they are supporting the local community by stocking up, fueling up and buying a cupper before moving on. 
Even when camped under trees, our solar panels ensure we don't run out of power despite lighting, cooling fans, exhaust fans and TV (watching the Commonwealth Games).
We cannot understand why Governments don't put more emphasis on all homes being off the grid in the same way.  The technology appears to be there.  It just needs fine tuning.

Early wind farm

Evidently also solar powered

A final legacy of the cat's eyes in thongs has been to puncture our tandem.  We have been more fortunate than some with our single puncture, as one fellow rider had 38 individual punctures in one tube of his pushbike.  We also need a new tube now as the tube around valve has called it a day. After 20 years, it was just a little tyred.
Hence the inflation is not as stable as it has been over recent years.

Deflating news

Tyre some repairs

Our journeying has us still heading west. This allows us to sleep in without guilt. (Sunrise for Newcastle NSW for 18th April is 6.16am; for Charleville Qld 6.32am.

We can see why so many people live in Western Australia!

Until next installment. Happy travelling. 

Cheers. Don and Carrol.

2. LIGHTNING RIDGE OPAL RUSH

As honorary Gulargambonians, we packed up early in Gulargambone and visited the various artists completing their artworks around the settlement with many requests to send some of the photos we took to the artists. We were videoed riding past a mural on our tandem, with the artist, Rudy ......... thinking it was brilliant to see the slow pace of the tandem idling past his mural as he was painting. He is looking at the final outcome of the presentation for the entire few days.

Artist Rudy Kistler also seeking our advice on colour,  content and safety footwear

WA artist James Giddy

If only all graffiti could be this good

So often galahs graffiti toilet blocks. This one features a galah within a flower.
Artwork by Deborah of DNART Melbourne

After speaking to the various artists, they all allowed the local kids to paint small areas of the murals. In doing so, it gave the kids a sense of ownership, and hopefully in the long run the artwork will not be so prone to degradation.

The call of the Opal beckoned and we moved north.
Lightning Ridge and Newcastle are very similar in one major distinction. Lightning Ridge has stations scattered around; with no trains. Newcastle has Civic and Newcastle stations centrally located,  but also has no trains. 
(Progress on the new Newcastle light rail replacement appears to all Novacastrians, especially the shop owners, to be almost stationary).

                               

The Pubs in the Scrub Drive took us on a large circuit out from Lightning Ridge to Grawin, a very dusty corrugated track around the Grawin opal fields. We had a pie lunch at Sheepyard Inn, a very quaint, dusty open air pub consisting mainly of locals in old favorite singlet tops and thongs. Try as we might, no tourist could ever blend in.
The main distinction between the tourists and the locals is as to whether the car windows were closed. The tourists all had windows closed to keep the pea soup dust out and the air conditioning on to tackle the 38C temperature; whilst the locals had windows fully open, no doubt to take in every chance of collecting air borne opal dust.
                   

Sheepyard Inn. No expense was spared decorating and landscaping

 The Sheepyard Inn is on major bus and truck routes                     

A couple of long legged chicks and their Mum on a Sunday stroll to the  pub

Golfers, especially the Macquarie Life travelling golfers who take on various golf courses for a few days away every so often, will have to one day make the Club in the Scrub (The Grawin Golf Club) one to add to their tour.
Rumour has it, forefathers of the Macquarie lot, who carried the same names, once played on this course generations ago.  One of the golfers, Wal played the 18th hole, (as photo below), and the question was asked regarding his round "What did Wal get?"  As a result of this question, the main road nearby is now named as Walgett Road, along with a the closest major centre, "Walgett".
Also, when giving a solid drive of the ball, the early descendants would yell out a salute to their ancestral golfers, "Forefathers!". This was subsequently shortened to "Fore!" and has taken off internationally as a call of respect when playing a shot.               

Weed control is evidently working

The legendary 18th hole at Grawin

The club house is modeled on St Andrews (Botswana)

We went up market for an afternoon refreshment at the Glengarry Hilton. This is an establishment open 8 days a week, 6am to 6am

                         

Rivaling the Sydney Hilton

The Artesian Pool  in Lightning Ridge was greatly appreciated each night, the pool being opened to the public at all hours, and child proof gates not a consideration.
Pool temperature was a scortching  41.5c.The legendary healing powers were amazing and experienced by us. We had arrived at the pool with chilled feet from the car air conditioning. Within seconds, of entering the pool, the chill was cured and has not returned.   

                   

At  water temperature of 41.5C, no one stays in long

We had heard the pool was a bore, however we found it quite interesting

Sculptures in the Chambers of the Black Hand Mine also in the area, is truly up there with some of the greatest art galleries. The mine is 101 years old, with sculpturing into the sandstone walls being done over  a twenty year period.
                   

Going down. Power wasn't connected for the return trip up.  

Australian Fauna 

Jeff Vader. (Google Darth Vader LEGO skit for explanation)

The bars are a recent modification to the original artwork

Changing the subject away from art and traveling is something for those who deal with problem people of all sorts.
No matter what the organisation is, the following is a gadget that might help in dealing with complaints.  The design could be modified to suit individual requirements.

Our mobile herb garden, is thriving, enjoying the warm and dry weather, and helping to prevent us from scurvy. To date it has worked very well.
We spoke to travellers from both Griffith and Byron Bay who said they pay for their travelling through proceeds from their gardens. They mainly package the herbs in foil and sell to patrons at pubs.  We will see how we go!
 

Commencing prospecting. Small dig to start with 

Results of Carrol's final dig. The situation was opal-less

Lightning Ridge also has a state of the art Indoor Diving and swimming complex, far superior to any we have seen with the exception of Homebush. (This one is out-bush)
The USA Olympic team apparently trained here prior to the Sydney Olympics. It was great to see so many kids in a diving squad on the lower boards. The outdoor recreation pools were something for kiddies of all ages to marvel at.

Note the swings off the tentacles

Crowd control in pool

Outdoor 50m lap pool, Indoor 25m lap pool

West Wallsend Pool wants to be like this when it grows up. All diving heights catered for. 

In summary, Lightning Ridge was far from a dusty wild west town simply there to give somewhere for the opal miners to drink.  All very impressive!!

Tomorrow sees us take on Queensland, when it is still known by that name.
Will it maintain the Queensland title when the Queen is no longer reigning?  (It hasn't been raining properly in Lightning Ridge for about 3 1/2 years)
It won't be the same once renamed Dukeland or Princeland. What will happen if Australia becomes a republic?
Hence a chance to see it before it looses it's charm over naming rights.  We are entering the state through the metropolis of Hebel.

Until next time, keep well.
God Bless, happy swimming, happy sailing, happy travelling, good health.
Cheers, Don and Carrol.

  

1. UNDERWAY.  Lake Macquarie to Gulargambone

Hi All,

The intention of Don and Carrol Langford in writing this blog is to give a light-hearted, outline of our trip anti-clockwise around Australia. As a reader, if you are after a serious travel documentary full of facts, we are sorry but you are going to be seriously disappointed. Serious is not the intent!
Also, due to never taking an active interest in politics, we apologise in advance that within this blog, there will be a high possibility of political incorrectness.

Carrol and I have been preparing for this trip for a very long time and have been putting considerable detail into the total rig and planning, and have now taking the leap. As we leave, we have made only one booking, a hair appointment for Carrol on 13th December. Apart from that, it will be as it happens, largely taking advice along the way. (Needless to say, we have quite a list of places to go, with rough dates as to when)
Don's parents did a similar trip 25 years ago, and we have some of their notes to compare and follow. There would have been far fewer folk doing the big lap in those days.

Our tow tug is a LandCrusier 200 series, and the van by coincidence is a Regent Cruiser, a 20ft6in semi off road van, set up for self sufficiency.  Our back up transport is our 25yo tandem pushbike, mounted to the back of the van. Overall length of rig is 14.5m.
We have a sign on the back of the van: Don and Carrol. "Cruisin' it, not losin' it"

All is reasonably set up for off the grid living.  Power in the van is by 2 large batteries, 2 x 150 solar panels on the roof, 2 x 9kg gas tanks, 2 x 95 ltrs fresh water which last about 4 days depending upon length of showers, and a toilet with cassette which also lasts up to 4 days depending upon the number of sittings.

Anti-clockwise of Aus is the plan in order to avoid winter, be up in Darwin and the tropics in the cooler weather, follow the wild flowers down WA with the coming warmer weather, get assistance from the Freemantle Doctor (breeze from the west) when crossing the Nullabor, through South Australia and back for the hair appointment and Christmas.
On top of this, we are taking a shorter radius around Australia in going anti-clockwise due to driving on the left hand side of the road.

Jerrys Plains with air strip further west

Our first night was at Jerrys Plains, arriving after dark.  Previously in this area, we had seen large mobs of kangaroos, and were quite aware that we might be collecting some freshly grilled meat from the bull bar for the barbie.  We had to settle on hot cross buns, far less messy and easier to prepare than hot cross kangaroo!
We had made it a unwriten rule to not drive at dusk or night if it could be avoided, however it hasn't taken long to break the rule.
Next morning, driving out of Jerrys Plains we were somewhat perplexed.  We had seen the plains and an airstrip; however no sight of any pilots or air hostesses.

Rain was falling as we left our campsite, breaking another unwritten rule.  This was to not get the car and van wet or dusty!
The road continued west up and over the great divide, where we considered that despite a reasonably low altitude, the rain falling on the western side of the Great Divide theoretically has enough momentum to make it to the the mouth of the Mighty Murray provided it doesn't evaporate, be irrigated, or consumed by man or animal.  Quite a geological feat.

The last sign of the Hunter for quite a while

The drive up the Castlereagh Highway, with the Castlereagh River along side saw the landscape change to the great western slopes as we sought out Gulargambone.  The land is in so much need of rain, missing out on the recent downpours parts of Qld and NSW have had.
The Castlereagh River for the most part, is a dry sandy river bed, snaking its way NW, joining the Barwon, the Darling, then the Murray.

Castlereagh River and highway majestically travelling together

The Castlereagh River is subterranean in parts, which must mean it is deeper than the Mediterranean. Terrariums need water regularily.

The Mighty Castlereagh River at Gulargambone

Our hosts at the Gulargambone Caravan Park cooked a very tasty open pit roast lamb (see photo below of Lambsy)  along with vegies and damper cooked in the camp oven for us weary travellers.  This was followed by home made fruit cake and cream.
The locals are so welcoming.  We came to town for one night, and will leave after 3 nights. At least we feel well rested after a hectic few months of preparation.

Locals were excited to see us. The lamb's excitement didn't last

Gulargambone is doing it's best to revitalise itself, with our timing coinciding with a number of notable artists painting murals on almost everything that doesn't move. We kept ourselves mobile on the tandem.  The artwork is fantastic.

Carrol watching paint dry

Silo (or better still Sihi) with face lift

The council pool was looking inviting, and with the temperature 36C in the shade we were aiming to keep another of our unwritten rules; to swim everyday!  Unfortunately the pool closed last weekend for the winter.  Another of our failed rules; with the rule book being destined for the garbage.
Hence back to more artists and their work.

Gulargambone Superman - Man of Steel

Bullocks chuckling after sharing a yolk together

Artist John Murray receiving painting tips

John ecstatic over advice received

Our final night in the town of many galahs before moving on to Lightning Ridge will be a slow cooked open fire dinner in the caravan park with about 50 of the various guests and artists from all over Australia.  It will give us a chance to exhibit our own cultural and artistic abilities.

Hoping all is going well with everyone's travels through life.
Thanks for reading.  We wish you well until next installment.

Please also see some previous trial blogs in the lead up to this blog; found at the foot of this blog. 

Cheers, Don and Carrol.

Central Coast Shake down

A quick trial down to the Central Coast for a few days, staying at Budgewoi.
You don't have to travel far to get away.

Illuminating icons

The above lighthouse is Norah Head which can be seen from up to 40km out to sea.
For those interested in flashing; it does so with a single flash every 15 seconds.

Our tandem pushbike of 20 years provided our mode of transport to the lighthouse. The stoker pictured above supplied the effort, allowing the captain to simply steer and change gears.

All is virtually set to take on the rest of Australia.

Cabbage Tree Beach. A great sheltered anchorage in lee of Norah Head

Air temperature cannot be determined from a photo, however this day was a scorcher.

Budgewoi Beach looking towards Norah Head

Again more adjustments to the rig, fitting brackets etc to help make life easier.

Long necked black budgies on the lake

Our research regarding the early days of the Central Coast area revealed that Lake Budgewoi was named after a black budgie named Roy.
The above birds could possibly be related to Roy!!

Enough fact and trivia, and trialing how this blogging works.

Next blog will  be on the Big Trip, and hopefully will see the blogging coming to fruition after these trial setups.
Many thanks to Roger for his great help in getting all underway.

Happy travels,
Don and Carrol.