What a great two weeks! What an exhausting two weeks! All of that and exciting at the same time. Having been put in charge of leading the convoy over the Bolte bridge and over the Westgate bridge and knowing that some of the people following would not yet understand the critical issues of this first day, we set off from CIA (caravan Industry Association) headquarters in West Melbourne, bound for Warrnambool. Helicopters are very expensive to hire for aereal shots and this is one of the reasons that it is important to keep the convoy continuous and without anyone else butting in to spoil the flow/look of the team in line. Apparently it worked well and so we pushed on, headlights blaring(low beam) and a stop at Avalon BP for lunch. Lunch and the start of the catering by the "Sweet Seduction" ladies that had served us well last year, were back on board and was something else to look forward to. The next thirteen days would prove to be uneventful as far as my job of caravan liaison officer was concerned. It did mean though, that I had to attend the production meetings each morning and then pass on the relevant information to convoy drivers including weather, final destination and follow up on any of there questions or problems. The latter being very few.
The convoy went from Warrnambool, splitting after more chopper shots out around the twelve apostles with some going to Hamilton and the balance to Port Campbell and then Timboon. Lake Fyans in the grampians for the next two nights.
We finished the duties of the convoy by the time we had reached Wodonga on the following Wednesday week. Mini concerts every second night and drive back to Melbourne with a day off on Saturday then early start to get into the city by public transport Sunday morning for final concert in Fed Square.
Raising funds for the McGrath foundation to fund breast care nurses is a great charity and the people of Victoria have once again shown their generosity by digging deep whenever and wherever we asked. Final results not to hand as yet.
Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Sunday, 6 October 2013
Back in Victoria
The lush green countryside is a fair indication to us of what its been like here over the last few months. From the photos I have put up on this and other sites, you would get a fair idea on how the drought is effecting 60% of Queensland. As we sit in our van with the heater on, rugged up with rain on the roof, we ask ourselves "why are we here?"
Been back in Victoria for just over a week and caught up with our kids and grandchildren. Wow. Is it time to stop yet? No, not yet. Friday was a big day at the RV Leisurefest at Sandown Park. Our first time there and we were really impressed. Great to catch up with the crew from WUDU, Vista RV's and Elite caravans. We had a look at the Jurgens range on display and liked the Tooradin, 23'6" and quite luxurious. We met Ivan and Sally for lunch, Brian and Willy from the Rec club at the Willows and Rob Lucas from CIA. All great to see and chat with. A tired two headed home by train and got back at about 6.00pm.
Yesterday the Woodend farmers market was on and not having found any markets for a while, managed to head that way as Marg was having a girls day with dau and gr dau.I was pleasantly surprised by the range and quality of the foods there. I bought, beetroot, pumpkin, parsley, grain sourdough, home made crumpets and two different cheeses. I also bought mussels from a guy there and cooked up some magnificent chili mussels for lunch. Today we have been looking after two of our grandys while parents had a day out. Is it time to stop yet? No, the Khumo tyres need rotating, yes we've done another 5000klms since Mount Isa. Meetings, appointments, here and there, life is like that.
Been back in Victoria for just over a week and caught up with our kids and grandchildren. Wow. Is it time to stop yet? No, not yet. Friday was a big day at the RV Leisurefest at Sandown Park. Our first time there and we were really impressed. Great to catch up with the crew from WUDU, Vista RV's and Elite caravans. We had a look at the Jurgens range on display and liked the Tooradin, 23'6" and quite luxurious. We met Ivan and Sally for lunch, Brian and Willy from the Rec club at the Willows and Rob Lucas from CIA. All great to see and chat with. A tired two headed home by train and got back at about 6.00pm.
Yesterday the Woodend farmers market was on and not having found any markets for a while, managed to head that way as Marg was having a girls day with dau and gr dau.I was pleasantly surprised by the range and quality of the foods there. I bought, beetroot, pumpkin, parsley, grain sourdough, home made crumpets and two different cheeses. I also bought mussels from a guy there and cooked up some magnificent chili mussels for lunch. Today we have been looking after two of our grandys while parents had a day out. Is it time to stop yet? No, the Khumo tyres need rotating, yes we've done another 5000klms since Mount Isa. Meetings, appointments, here and there, life is like that.
Sunday, 15 September 2013
Natural sciences loop road
Starting at Charleville, the natural sciences loop road takes in Cooladdi, Quilpie, Eromanga, Noccundra Thargomindah, Eulo, Cunnamulla Wyandra and returns to Charleville. The loop is just under 1,000 klms long and we chose not to do the remaining 200 odd from Cunnamulla through Wyandra to Charleville because our plan is to head south. We have veered off the road from Eulo for a couple of days exploring Yowah and the opal fields there.
Natural sciences because it takes in astronomy through the cosmos centre at charleville, birdwatching at the many wetlands throughout the area, dinosaurs at Eromanga where Titanosaurus (Cooper) was found and they are working on others as well. Geology through the oil, gas and opal fields. History and heritage, we were only 180klms away from the Burke and Wills "dig tree". One thing not mentioned is the Magic.. The magic of the red soils out here. The colour is just as rich as that of the deep centre of Australia and the magic appears to be that hold that the coloured sands get over you. If you have been to this type of country, you will know what I mean.
The people out here are friendly as well. Something that is synonymous with the remote style of community here. We met Eddie again, the Opal Hunter from Quilpie. We first met Eddie at Winton where he was fitting out an old butchers shop as a new opal business for him. Just by chatting with him, he suggested we drop in at Quilpie and have a look around and we did. Eddie explained the areas that opal is found and strangely follows the shoreline pattern of the ancient Eromanga sea that stretched from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the great Australian bight.On the map you can see how these areas are linked. At quilpie, the altar in St.Finbarrs catholic church is opal, as is the pulpit and the font. All beautiful stone. Today is the first continuous rain that we have seen since leaving the sunshine coast in June and the sound of rolling thunder, the odd strike of lightning and this area are all magic as well.
Yesterday we saw a couple of "new" parrots and upon consulting the book were able to name them as ring necked parrots, the same sort we had seen in the Flinders ranges two years ago.
Natural sciences because it takes in astronomy through the cosmos centre at charleville, birdwatching at the many wetlands throughout the area, dinosaurs at Eromanga where Titanosaurus (Cooper) was found and they are working on others as well. Geology through the oil, gas and opal fields. History and heritage, we were only 180klms away from the Burke and Wills "dig tree". One thing not mentioned is the Magic.. The magic of the red soils out here. The colour is just as rich as that of the deep centre of Australia and the magic appears to be that hold that the coloured sands get over you. If you have been to this type of country, you will know what I mean.
The people out here are friendly as well. Something that is synonymous with the remote style of community here. We met Eddie again, the Opal Hunter from Quilpie. We first met Eddie at Winton where he was fitting out an old butchers shop as a new opal business for him. Just by chatting with him, he suggested we drop in at Quilpie and have a look around and we did. Eddie explained the areas that opal is found and strangely follows the shoreline pattern of the ancient Eromanga sea that stretched from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the great Australian bight.On the map you can see how these areas are linked. At quilpie, the altar in St.Finbarrs catholic church is opal, as is the pulpit and the font. All beautiful stone. Today is the first continuous rain that we have seen since leaving the sunshine coast in June and the sound of rolling thunder, the odd strike of lightning and this area are all magic as well.
Yesterday we saw a couple of "new" parrots and upon consulting the book were able to name them as ring necked parrots, the same sort we had seen in the Flinders ranges two years ago.
Friday, 13 September 2013
Friday, 30 August 2013
Saturday, 24 August 2013
Tuesday, 13 August 2013
Willows and beyond
Our time at the Willows this year is rapidly drawing to a close. We leave here next Wednesday morning and head West to Ilfracombe overnight. A couple of nights after that will see us at Mount Isa again.
My last report stated that not much had been found here this year and I am able to report that I have kept up that average despite shifting a lot of rocks and sifting a lot of dirt. Thats the way it is on the diggings. The Gemfest at Anakie has been and gone for another twelve months. Our first this year so we bought a $20- passport that gave us admission over the four days. Admission is usually $10- each per day so we went on 3 of the 4 days of the event. We took our stones in to be sent to Thailand to be cut and we had 32 of them which included some of our garnets from the Northern Territory that we found last year. We look forward to getting a nice little package in the mail in a few weeks time. Thailand because they are honourable, honest and cheap cutters/polishers of your valuable stones.They send representatives to Gemfest each year for that sole purpose.
The mercury has started to rise and several people complaining of the heat. We had 31C in our annexe yesterday and now have the air conditioning on again today.
Liz Speed from Emerald Photographics came out the other day to take photos of Marg. and I and our vehicles and the magnificent Kumho tyres. Kumho want to use us in a National release soon, stay tuned.
We will miss the friends we have met up with from last year at the Willows and some new ones as well. The Owners, Steve and Rea have sold the park and are hitting the road after 20 years here.The park may change by the time we are here again. Bon Voyage you two, enjoy the lifestyle that you have served over those years.....
My last report stated that not much had been found here this year and I am able to report that I have kept up that average despite shifting a lot of rocks and sifting a lot of dirt. Thats the way it is on the diggings. The Gemfest at Anakie has been and gone for another twelve months. Our first this year so we bought a $20- passport that gave us admission over the four days. Admission is usually $10- each per day so we went on 3 of the 4 days of the event. We took our stones in to be sent to Thailand to be cut and we had 32 of them which included some of our garnets from the Northern Territory that we found last year. We look forward to getting a nice little package in the mail in a few weeks time. Thailand because they are honourable, honest and cheap cutters/polishers of your valuable stones.They send representatives to Gemfest each year for that sole purpose.
The mercury has started to rise and several people complaining of the heat. We had 31C in our annexe yesterday and now have the air conditioning on again today.
Liz Speed from Emerald Photographics came out the other day to take photos of Marg. and I and our vehicles and the magnificent Kumho tyres. Kumho want to use us in a National release soon, stay tuned.
We will miss the friends we have met up with from last year at the Willows and some new ones as well. The Owners, Steve and Rea have sold the park and are hitting the road after 20 years here.The park may change by the time we are here again. Bon Voyage you two, enjoy the lifestyle that you have served over those years.....
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