The journey has begun.

[wotavidone]

Re: The journey has begun.

I drove until I saw a station property, Frome Downs where I dropped it off to the owners who said they would look after it.

The owners of Frome Downs must be exceptional, most station owners have that many roos on the property they would be unlikely to be the least bit sentimental about an orphan joey.
Shoulda took it home. They make great pets, exceptall pet kangaroos eventually discover they like beer, then you can't stop em stealing your stubby.
Nasty drunks though, never let them have more than one drink or they start beating up your dogs.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

I enjoyed this thread, very much ,
Thank's.

I thought you would like the paddle steamers.

Im heading back out there next weekend, there is something I took a pic of and am cursing I didnt pick it up.....
I will leave next Friday and return Sunday, just a lazy 2000kms trip.

[Gulf]

Re: The journey has begun.

I enjoyed this thread, very much ,
Thank's.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: The journey has begun.

Very interesting to see your travel log. Thx

[Bec1208]

Re: The journey has begun.

Two days after getting back and I am now planning for next years trip.
Next year I will go in April when its a bit warmer.
Looking for tag along drivers or shotgun riders for the next trip.

Thanks for sharing your journey. Bruce

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

Echuca, the final stop, just 3 hours from home.
The road signs were saying home was just hours away, my heart sang out, just hours instead of days.
I could smell home was in reach, my house, my dog, but most of all my wife.

I grabbed a coffee and took some pics before I headed home.







Echuca was one of the busiest inland ports back in its day transporting the wool clip down the Murray river.
The town is now a major tourist attraction.

I arrived home on the 27th June 2013 at approximately 10.30 am.
I spent $1200 on fuel which at $1.65 per litre averaged out to 15 litres per 100 kms.
The journey was around the 5000 kms mark, give or take, and took 13 days.

End of journey.

Two days after getting back and I am now planning for next years trip.
Next year I will go in April when its a bit warmer.
Looking for tag along drivers or shotgun riders for the next trip.

Lots more pics and vids here.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

The next day I made my way back to Broken Hill and all bitumen too I might add.
I spent the night at my mates place with the intention of making it too Barham the next day to stay at my brother in laws place.

I made it too Barham but no one was home, the door is always unlocked there so I entered and got tea ready for when they got home from work, mashed spuds, peas, carrots and lamb chops all from my supplies as they were no longer needed and I couldnt see the need to waste them.

My sister in law was first home and was delighted to see me, shortly after my brother in law arrived, equally or more delighted they were to see that their tea was already organized and ready.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

Some vids of the trip.

IMG_0711_zpsff7c52ea.mp4 Video by hydraulictoothfairy | Photobucket

http://s1255.photobucket.com/user/hydraulictoothfairy/media/Outback%20trip/IMG_0529_zps2bec611e.mp4.html?sort=2&o=197

http://s1255.photobucket.com/user/hydraulictoothfairy/media/Outback%20trip/IMG_0692_zps7f13655d.mp4.html?sort=2&o=198

http://s1255.photobucket.com/user/hydraulictoothfairy/media/Outback%20trip/IMG_0063_zpsd4fb7228.mp4.html?sort=2&o=196

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

Next day I struck out for the opal town of Whitecliffs, I used to have a claim there many years ago and I felt almost guaranteed that I could get a hot shower there in town for $1 in the slot, but that was 12 years ago so who knows?
I wasnt disappointed, a nice hot shower for $1.

I took the long back road to Whitecliffs which runs through a property called Kayrunnera, in the 1960's the diamond company Debeers checked out the kimberlite diamond pipe at Kayrunnera but it is too small to be commercially viable.
I picked up some garnet clusters which is the associate mineral and an indicator for diamond.

I was also going to call into an old goldmine in the area but the ground was too soggy to take the chance so I carried on to Whitecliffs.

I got to my old expired claim and my heart sank, the ferals had been out here and had sat up 100's of beer bottles and shot them with a .22, the locals must have been thrilled with it all.



The back of Whitecliffs from my camp site.



I went for a walk across the gibber stones and found an old knife napping site.



One of the knives, its illegal to take them so I just find them and take pics.



This fox must have been so hungry it was just eating dirt.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

Next stop was an old limestone quarry I drove past 12 years ago, they built a rail line from Broken Hill to it back in the day, the line has gone, the buildings and the pub too, all that remains are the relics for the canny detectorist, enter yours truly.



Shelter from the wind.



Breaky.



The treasure haul.
The half moon shaped lump at the left of pic is I believe an eight ounce lump of silver, crudely smelted by one of the miners who would have come from the silver bearing area, its not lead as lead is very soft and turns grey over time.



I made some damper which wasnt at all half bad, the grill is in place to stop too much heat from the fire.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

Next day I called into Yunta for breaky and fuel, I had 20 litres left in the tank which I had calculated I would have when I got there, I also had 60 litres in Jerry cans on board as reserve, the truck does 20 litres per 100 kms so I was well within my safety zone.

Next stop, Broken Hill.
I have mates who used to live in Whittlesea (my home town) who moved to Broken Hill many years ago for the drier climate, he says it helps with his arthritis, but getting to 50c degrees in summer is the killer.



Broken Hill has been producing silver non stop since 1885, they say that the wealth that comes from Broken Hill in mining royalties is equal to 1/3 of the total taxes taken from the whole state of NSW.

Quick cuppa and G'day (3 hours) and then onto Silverton 30 kms away.
Silverton was the original silver mine in the Broken Hill area, the whole town was literally lifted onto wagons and transported to Broken Hill when the huge silver lode was discovered at Broken Hill.
The Broken Hill lode measured 7.5 kms long and 1.6 kms deep, all silver, lead and associated minerals.
The cottage my mates live in is one of them.

By this stage I hadn't had a hot shower for 4 days, I had a few half cold showers, my mates in BH had offered but the camp site I was heading to in Silverton had hot showers as Id been there before, how wrong I was.



The original mine in Silverton, with newish poppet head.
When you walk over the closed off shaft the small of sulphides hits your nostrils, they must be deep for the lode to have turned to sulphides.



I would have loved to have gone down this old shaft all 300' straight down.



The Silverton creek.

I didnt take any pics of Silverton as there are plenty on Google to look at, the Silverton pub featured in the original Mad Max movie with Mel Gibson.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

I spent that night camped behind the ruins at a place called Waukaringa, it used to be a copper mine back in the late 1800's.



The flue for the boilers was built on the side of the hill and run up the hill to the chimney stack.





Two of the drives, there were dozens and all frequented by sheep and goats.
I would have gone in if I had some traveling company but being on my own I didnt, next time, next time.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

On the road from Arkaroola to Yunta, 270 kms and all dirt I passed lots of road kill, roos, emus, cats, the cats I enjoyed seeing dead because they are taking over and killing everything that moves, the other kills sadden me.

The wedge tailed eagles love the road kills and they are everywhere, I slowed down for one particular roo that had been hit and my heart sank for sticking out of her pouch was the legs of a Joey.
I pulled up and grabbed the legs, the Joey protested with a grunt and wedged itself further into mums pouch.
The poor thing was so cold, mum must have been hit overnight, if I had of left the Joey it would only be a matter of time before the eagles had it for breakfast.

I gave another pull on the legs and out popped the poor little mite complaining and struggling with probably its first human contact.
I wrapped it one of my towels and sat it in the back of truck until I could arrange the front passenger foot well for it.

I wrapped it my down jacket and covered it with towels where it settled.
I drove until I saw a station property, Frome Downs where I dropped it off to the owners who said they would look after it.



Mum.



The Joey.

I rang my missus before I had reached Frome Downs to see if she wanted a pet roo but she declined.
When I reached Frome Downs the Joey was as warm as toast but still protesting especially as the station dogs were all milling around trying to see what all the fuss was about with the stranger who had just arrived.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

this thread has me wanting to get on my "little scooter" with only a bed roll and see some more of my country .

Do it while you can says I, there comes a day when you wont be physically able to do it and have much regrets.

[Laurentius]

Re: The journey has begun.

Hi Al,

Now I know that you will be safe! I know of people who have gone off the GRID, but I see you Ozzies have road signs to keep you on it. That shows that your tax $$ are well spent.
Hurry back, the adoption has been approved!