Category Archives: Uncategorized

We’ve done four major trips around different parts of Australia in the last couple of years, and so it’s time to sell our lovely Blackwattle Roaming. Sad, but just another era, and time to go on to something new. Here below is the very formal description of the van, with our amateur photos, of howContinue reading “So, time to sell…”

23rd May, 2022: …Back down the Birdsville Track Just to reiterate, on arriving in Birdsville, we had found much of Queensland had been flooded, and the road to Innamincka also cut with floods, and the Diamentina was about to isolate Birdsville, perhaps tomorrow. So, the only reasonable way out was to leave again, the wayContinue reading “Can’t go east, north, west so it’s…”

In some ways, this has been expected to be the high point of this trip, so we set out with some excitement. Will it be as good as the Tanami?  We are to pass through a number of deserts, the Tirari Desert, the Strzelecki Desert, then the Simpson and the Great Stony Desert. Where isContinue reading “The Birdsville Track:“

Maree proves to be as fascinating as Leigh Creek was banal. Notice the date on this old painting on a wall in the centre of Maree – 1981 – is it forecasting the demise of the human race because of global warming? Maree is a dry flat settlement of about 150 people with a bigContinue reading “Maree“

To rejoin the main road north we must travel through the Parachilna Gorge – a small test for our trusty Sprinter, and Charlie is sad to lose his mates from Willow Springs.  Again the countryside is immensely beautiful, red dirt and blue green trees, with Namatjira colours in the distant mountains and multicoloured desert plantsContinue reading “15th May, 2022, Parachilna Gorge:”

11th May 2022: Away from the townships now, heading for the plains and the remote regions of South Australia – we’re into big sky country again, stobie poles to the horizon (telegraph poles made of steel and concrete if you’re not from South Australia) with so many tiny joys on the way: 12th May, 2022:Continue reading “Flinders Ranges”

Ted had visited the old copper mining town of Burra on a previous road trip with brother Johnnie and is keen to return. When we arrive, I can see why.  The lack of timber in South Australia meant that the early townships were created from the stone of the earth, still today standing, as goodContinue reading “Burra – what a treasure (repaired)”

(Much delayed entry due to faltering internet) Port Fairy to Nhill, 6th May, 2022: Goodbye to the Great Ocean Road. Coastlines are rhythmic terrains, ocean dancing with the rocks and sand, sun leaping skywards away from the horizon line – or swooping down out of sight – there, beaming yellow and red one minute, goneContinue reading “From Port Fairy North…”

The Great Ocean Road with its Twelve Apostles are as iconic as the Great Barrier Reef or Rottnest Island – any ordinary Aussie doesn’t have to ask where any of them are. Even with this fame, I certainly didn’t expect it to be as spectacular as it has turned out to be. First, we stopContinue reading “The Great Ocean Road – so unexpected”

19th September, 2022, Sydney to Canberra (very unadventurous): “What the faaaa…?” It’s Ted. We’re three hours into our two month journey and I had just attempted a three-cornered-turn in Dangar Street in Randwick and jammed the van, front end and back end, in a deep street angle where a side street meets Dangar Street. RoaringContinue reading “Setting off in 2022”