macca
8th September 2013, 09:24 PM
We called ourselves the Emu's, as we had a trip shirt with an Emu on it
Maccas trip report.
PART I; Preparations and the Anne Beadell Highway
.
Six vehicles were going to meet up in a few days down the track, it had taken a lot of work over the last six months to get to this day. Add that to the preparations for the eighteen months previous we had been all been focused on today's date, the 13th of July.
In 2008 we were somewhere in the Simpson desert more than likely sitting around the glowing coals of a camp fire, the conversation was about what we might do next.
That's when the Canning was first mentioned.
Jimbo said if you are going to do a trip like that I want to be a starter, well that was one vehicle.
Ted & Judy are always up for a trip as is their son Scott. Of course I'm keen to see our outback so we had four.
The ensuing years saw trips to;
2009 South East Queensland and Northern NSW called "the 7 wonders trip".
2010 the trip crossed the continent via the Anne Beadell to Exmouth for my Dad's 80th birthday, followed the next year by a trip along the Darling River from Brewarrina to Wentworth.
2012 I missed the next trip to Birdsville and the Flinders Ranges in 2012 which Ted led.
On all of those trips were a core of regulars with people coming on some and not on others, all were great travelling companions and all were invited to join the original four.
Gary was keen, he and his mate Rick started setting up a Holden ute, but at our pre trip get together in late 2012 Rick pulled up in an 75 series Cruiser. It didn't take him long to change his mind about leaving the Holden at home!
We were now five.
Others said they would like to come but in the end could not, which was a disappointment to us all.
Then at Christmas during a visit to family in Victoria my nephew Scott said he would like to join us, of course everyone was keen for him, Mandy and the 3 kids Grace, Will and Sammy to join us.
They made up the final number of vehicles at six, Scott needed to tow a trailer as packing for 5 in a VW Amorok was just too hard.
During our trip to WA in 2010 we met some fellow travellers in a Camel Trophy Press Land Rover, Mike and Anne are a lovely couple from the UK and had transported their Landy to Australia for an extended holiday. Unfortunately an accident cut the trip short and they returned home.
Ted was in touch with them, extending an invitation to join him and Judy in their Cruiser. They accepted, and flights were booked. Landing in Sydney and departing Darwin with connections in between. It was so nice to see them again and spend some time in their company for this trip.
Four adults in one car meant they also needed a trailer.
Permits, fuel drops, shirts, trip books, contact details (family and emergency), itinerary and newsletters were all organised or sent out. Vehicle preparation, stowing all the bits and bobs needed for so long in the bush had us all scratching our heads trying to get it all just right. Then long life engine oil, fuel, food, water clothing and other essentials were attended to, it seemed never ending.
Finally here we are on the Saturday morning of departure for us on the coast, Jimbo and Margie were already in Broken Hill catching up with his brother Boonkie.
Rick and Gary had left from Grafton that morning and the Tymkin's had left Melbourne the day before.
Both Moncrieff cars and myself with my Dad Tom left Nabiac heading west over the Barrington's. Judy was not with us and we would not see her again until Wiluna as a family function was happening the next weekend. At the end our trip we only had 9 nights where Judy was in camp with us.
We arrived at Nyngan for the first night after meeting Gary and Rick just out of town. Scott had troubles with his 40, a steering bush was seriously damaged and the car was a handful to steer. Also the clutch slave cylinder failed so he had to keep fluid up to it as best he could.
The second night was at Boonkie's weekender in Menindee, he had a camp oven dinner prepared and the water hot on the shower. They had bought a new slave cylinder from Broken Hill that Mike and Scott fitted to the 40. Mike turned out to be a good mechanic.
It was a great night by the fire as the Tymkin's joined our trip there. So with Jim and Margie there as well we were all together. The kids handed out everyone's trip book and personalised trip shirt. It was "shirt day" the next day and didn't we look smart.
We drove into Broken Hill and had a look around while Scott tried to get his steering repaired. They needed to wait for the mechanic so the rest of us pushed on to Peterborough, we had a nice camp there in the van park utilizing the camp kitchen and improvising toasting marshmallows with the kids without coals from a fire.
The next morning after BBQ bacon and eggs we had a guided tour of the Steamtown Railway Museum. The place was a huge railway workshop that serviced trains of three different gauges.... very interesting.
We got going about midday heading to Port Augusta then north to Pimba. The Museum at Woomera was closed and would be open at 10.00am in the morning, we satisfied ourselves with a good look at all the rockets and planes in the park outside.
Back to the Roadhouse car park at Pimba for a very cold camp.
We made the best of what we had, deciding to skip the museum in the morning and push on to Coober Pedy. It was fresh food day and a chance to get some washing done before starting on the Anne Beadell Highway. It was another bleak day in Coober Pedy so we were glad to get out of there and set up camp somewhere past Mabel Creek Station to wait for the Moncrieff's.
We had driven over some rougher tracks with deflated tyres to get to this fantastic campsite. This is what we came out here for, I was so glad to be here, fan-bloody-tastic.
The next morning were heard cars going by and called them on the UHF, we were all together again. The ABH is fairly rough at this end and covering 157klm for the day was quite an achievement. Camping 40klm short of Totem II was agreed to be enough for the day and we again enjoyed our wonderful outback to the maximum. Scott's car was fixed and going well, all was good.
The Anne Beadell Highway is 1300klm long and is so far removed from a highway it is hard to describe. It is corrugated, smooth, rocky, steep, wet, boggy and undulating all in one package, keeping your eyes on the track and an ear for a "heads up" on the UHF is a must.
The forth day on the Highway we had stopped for smoko, Ted led off with Anne in the passenger's seat. The Tymkin's were next with me following. Then someone, it was Scott Tymkin said "STOP STOP- WE HAVE A ROLLOVER - STOP STOP". I thought we had come upon another parties accident. I could see the floor of a car blocking the track but that was all, couldn't see the trailer in front of the Tymkin's. Ted had caught a sand bank with a front tyre and it pulled him into it with the momentum pushing him sideways, Ted reckoned the trailer contributed to pushing him on his side. Both him and Anne were OK although it took a while to get them unclipped and out.
As others looked after them Rick and I concentrated on the recovery. The Treg hitch had snapped leaving the trailer hanging precariously on the safety chains. Once the people were extracted safely I took charge of the recovery, all those years recovering my Hilux had taught me something!
I apologise for being very forceful in how the recovery was going to take place. Rick and I had formulated a plan while others had looked after the people. We needed to know that no one was anywhere near the trailer or
car when we were doing what we had to do, if it went bad or even when it was moving we knew no-one was in a position of danger.
We got the trailer out of the way, righted the vehicle and pulled it clear of the track as there were other cars wanting to get past! Some sorted out the Cruiser, getting it ready to be started and starting it with no worries, well done team (Mike again).
I assessed the hitch, it was made from cast iron. We are in it now, this is real bad.
I had made up a bush welder out of bits and bobs in the shed plus a visit to Supercheap for a few battery terminals.
I have never welded cast as it is a specific technique with special rods. All I had were general purpose rods, well let's give it a go. I had seen it welded once years ago. We connected three batteries in series and struck an arc with a 2.5mm rod that just melted, I had some 3.25mm rods which worked better. But the arc just blew the cast away like a thermal lance, oh shit.
Tried a short tack then chip the slag away, bit by bit it built up a weld that eventually held it all together and lasted until Wiluna where a new hitch was fitted. It probably took an hour to weld.
The trailer was saved, and a whole lot of money calling someone out there to fix it!!!
The 5th and 7th day the Tymkin trailer busted the front off both springs, reversing the spring and fitting a block of wood for the broken end to "slip" on got him to Wiluna for replacements as well.
On day six Scott's shock mount on a spring plate broke, he went on to Laverton to replace that. The rest of us had a short day and stayed at Ilkurlka for washing and time out while the Moncrieff's went on to effect repairs.
The ABH was a great shake down for what was to come on the Canning Stock Route, we didn't know it but we had found most of our weaknesses. We still had issues but that is later......
We got onto the tar to head north to Wiluna, restocked everything for the next few weeks on the CSR, stopped at Leinster for a cheap camp with free washing machine and dryers. We had dinner in the miners mess, Indonesian Night and 12 flavours of ice cream. What a treat $25 per head and a beer thrown in, fantastic night.
Caught up with the Moncrieff's at Gunbarrel Laager east of Wiluna, they had repaired their vehicles and had the Tymkin's replacement springs. We had them fitted within an hour. The trailers cannot enter the stock route lower than well 5 so Gary and Rick, Jim and Margie plus Dad and I headed to the start of The Canning, the others would be heading out on the bypass in the morning.
to be continued................
Maccas trip report.
PART I; Preparations and the Anne Beadell Highway
.
Six vehicles were going to meet up in a few days down the track, it had taken a lot of work over the last six months to get to this day. Add that to the preparations for the eighteen months previous we had been all been focused on today's date, the 13th of July.
In 2008 we were somewhere in the Simpson desert more than likely sitting around the glowing coals of a camp fire, the conversation was about what we might do next.
That's when the Canning was first mentioned.
Jimbo said if you are going to do a trip like that I want to be a starter, well that was one vehicle.
Ted & Judy are always up for a trip as is their son Scott. Of course I'm keen to see our outback so we had four.
The ensuing years saw trips to;
2009 South East Queensland and Northern NSW called "the 7 wonders trip".
2010 the trip crossed the continent via the Anne Beadell to Exmouth for my Dad's 80th birthday, followed the next year by a trip along the Darling River from Brewarrina to Wentworth.
2012 I missed the next trip to Birdsville and the Flinders Ranges in 2012 which Ted led.
On all of those trips were a core of regulars with people coming on some and not on others, all were great travelling companions and all were invited to join the original four.
Gary was keen, he and his mate Rick started setting up a Holden ute, but at our pre trip get together in late 2012 Rick pulled up in an 75 series Cruiser. It didn't take him long to change his mind about leaving the Holden at home!
We were now five.
Others said they would like to come but in the end could not, which was a disappointment to us all.
Then at Christmas during a visit to family in Victoria my nephew Scott said he would like to join us, of course everyone was keen for him, Mandy and the 3 kids Grace, Will and Sammy to join us.
They made up the final number of vehicles at six, Scott needed to tow a trailer as packing for 5 in a VW Amorok was just too hard.
During our trip to WA in 2010 we met some fellow travellers in a Camel Trophy Press Land Rover, Mike and Anne are a lovely couple from the UK and had transported their Landy to Australia for an extended holiday. Unfortunately an accident cut the trip short and they returned home.
Ted was in touch with them, extending an invitation to join him and Judy in their Cruiser. They accepted, and flights were booked. Landing in Sydney and departing Darwin with connections in between. It was so nice to see them again and spend some time in their company for this trip.
Four adults in one car meant they also needed a trailer.
Permits, fuel drops, shirts, trip books, contact details (family and emergency), itinerary and newsletters were all organised or sent out. Vehicle preparation, stowing all the bits and bobs needed for so long in the bush had us all scratching our heads trying to get it all just right. Then long life engine oil, fuel, food, water clothing and other essentials were attended to, it seemed never ending.
Finally here we are on the Saturday morning of departure for us on the coast, Jimbo and Margie were already in Broken Hill catching up with his brother Boonkie.
Rick and Gary had left from Grafton that morning and the Tymkin's had left Melbourne the day before.
Both Moncrieff cars and myself with my Dad Tom left Nabiac heading west over the Barrington's. Judy was not with us and we would not see her again until Wiluna as a family function was happening the next weekend. At the end our trip we only had 9 nights where Judy was in camp with us.
We arrived at Nyngan for the first night after meeting Gary and Rick just out of town. Scott had troubles with his 40, a steering bush was seriously damaged and the car was a handful to steer. Also the clutch slave cylinder failed so he had to keep fluid up to it as best he could.
The second night was at Boonkie's weekender in Menindee, he had a camp oven dinner prepared and the water hot on the shower. They had bought a new slave cylinder from Broken Hill that Mike and Scott fitted to the 40. Mike turned out to be a good mechanic.
It was a great night by the fire as the Tymkin's joined our trip there. So with Jim and Margie there as well we were all together. The kids handed out everyone's trip book and personalised trip shirt. It was "shirt day" the next day and didn't we look smart.
We drove into Broken Hill and had a look around while Scott tried to get his steering repaired. They needed to wait for the mechanic so the rest of us pushed on to Peterborough, we had a nice camp there in the van park utilizing the camp kitchen and improvising toasting marshmallows with the kids without coals from a fire.
The next morning after BBQ bacon and eggs we had a guided tour of the Steamtown Railway Museum. The place was a huge railway workshop that serviced trains of three different gauges.... very interesting.
We got going about midday heading to Port Augusta then north to Pimba. The Museum at Woomera was closed and would be open at 10.00am in the morning, we satisfied ourselves with a good look at all the rockets and planes in the park outside.
Back to the Roadhouse car park at Pimba for a very cold camp.
We made the best of what we had, deciding to skip the museum in the morning and push on to Coober Pedy. It was fresh food day and a chance to get some washing done before starting on the Anne Beadell Highway. It was another bleak day in Coober Pedy so we were glad to get out of there and set up camp somewhere past Mabel Creek Station to wait for the Moncrieff's.
We had driven over some rougher tracks with deflated tyres to get to this fantastic campsite. This is what we came out here for, I was so glad to be here, fan-bloody-tastic.
The next morning were heard cars going by and called them on the UHF, we were all together again. The ABH is fairly rough at this end and covering 157klm for the day was quite an achievement. Camping 40klm short of Totem II was agreed to be enough for the day and we again enjoyed our wonderful outback to the maximum. Scott's car was fixed and going well, all was good.
The Anne Beadell Highway is 1300klm long and is so far removed from a highway it is hard to describe. It is corrugated, smooth, rocky, steep, wet, boggy and undulating all in one package, keeping your eyes on the track and an ear for a "heads up" on the UHF is a must.
The forth day on the Highway we had stopped for smoko, Ted led off with Anne in the passenger's seat. The Tymkin's were next with me following. Then someone, it was Scott Tymkin said "STOP STOP- WE HAVE A ROLLOVER - STOP STOP". I thought we had come upon another parties accident. I could see the floor of a car blocking the track but that was all, couldn't see the trailer in front of the Tymkin's. Ted had caught a sand bank with a front tyre and it pulled him into it with the momentum pushing him sideways, Ted reckoned the trailer contributed to pushing him on his side. Both him and Anne were OK although it took a while to get them unclipped and out.
As others looked after them Rick and I concentrated on the recovery. The Treg hitch had snapped leaving the trailer hanging precariously on the safety chains. Once the people were extracted safely I took charge of the recovery, all those years recovering my Hilux had taught me something!
I apologise for being very forceful in how the recovery was going to take place. Rick and I had formulated a plan while others had looked after the people. We needed to know that no one was anywhere near the trailer or
car when we were doing what we had to do, if it went bad or even when it was moving we knew no-one was in a position of danger.
We got the trailer out of the way, righted the vehicle and pulled it clear of the track as there were other cars wanting to get past! Some sorted out the Cruiser, getting it ready to be started and starting it with no worries, well done team (Mike again).
I assessed the hitch, it was made from cast iron. We are in it now, this is real bad.
I had made up a bush welder out of bits and bobs in the shed plus a visit to Supercheap for a few battery terminals.
I have never welded cast as it is a specific technique with special rods. All I had were general purpose rods, well let's give it a go. I had seen it welded once years ago. We connected three batteries in series and struck an arc with a 2.5mm rod that just melted, I had some 3.25mm rods which worked better. But the arc just blew the cast away like a thermal lance, oh shit.
Tried a short tack then chip the slag away, bit by bit it built up a weld that eventually held it all together and lasted until Wiluna where a new hitch was fitted. It probably took an hour to weld.
The trailer was saved, and a whole lot of money calling someone out there to fix it!!!
The 5th and 7th day the Tymkin trailer busted the front off both springs, reversing the spring and fitting a block of wood for the broken end to "slip" on got him to Wiluna for replacements as well.
On day six Scott's shock mount on a spring plate broke, he went on to Laverton to replace that. The rest of us had a short day and stayed at Ilkurlka for washing and time out while the Moncrieff's went on to effect repairs.
The ABH was a great shake down for what was to come on the Canning Stock Route, we didn't know it but we had found most of our weaknesses. We still had issues but that is later......
We got onto the tar to head north to Wiluna, restocked everything for the next few weeks on the CSR, stopped at Leinster for a cheap camp with free washing machine and dryers. We had dinner in the miners mess, Indonesian Night and 12 flavours of ice cream. What a treat $25 per head and a beer thrown in, fantastic night.
Caught up with the Moncrieff's at Gunbarrel Laager east of Wiluna, they had repaired their vehicles and had the Tymkin's replacement springs. We had them fitted within an hour. The trailers cannot enter the stock route lower than well 5 so Gary and Rick, Jim and Margie plus Dad and I headed to the start of The Canning, the others would be heading out on the bypass in the morning.
to be continued................