"tanks" Thinking back over the years

[Keith Morris]

“TANKS” 2013 TRIP AROUND AUSTRALIA
Where to start? IT IS A LONG READ SO HAVE TIME TO SIT, AND A CUPPA TO DRINK.

OK let’s start at the beginning and see how we go. It is 18th MAY 2013. And almost Winter in WA.
It was cold in the Central Wheatbelt of Western Australia, I live in a small town of 300 people [now 299 minus one dog], and the overnight temperature was down to 4 degrees, with a day temp of only around 13-14 degrees. This was too cool for my old bones and thin blood. I had several options available; either stop the blood thinning medication, get new bones, or go to a more warm area to escape the cold nights.

It was an on-the-spur decision to go to Perth and visit Jeff and Pamela, and then venture up to Lancelin and have an extended visit with friends who live there, plus drop in and visit “ANNIE-L” a forum member I had previously met at Goomalling WA and of AussieMotorhomers.com.au. Lancelin is around 60 km up the Coast from Perth. I had loaded “Russell” into the Mercedes so as he could play with Pam’s 15 year old dog “Pepsi”, his Poodle mate. We arrived at Jeff’s place in Clarkson, a suburb of Perth and spent the weekend on the ‘turps’ talking over old times and other stories that we could remember of days long past.

Both Pam and Jeff work, so on Monday I was going to venture up to LANCELIN to visit with friends, and also have a quick visit and a cuppa with “ANNIE-L’ while I was there. I drove along the Indian Ocean Drive, a highway that follows the coastline and a road which I had not driven previously. About 300 motorhomes, caravans, and local traffic also were driving North. I noticed a lot of Interstate numberplates on the vehicles that passed me along the way. I even gave a few of the Victorians the “Melbourne Salute” and a blast of my horn as they speed past at an estimated 120 km/hour, no doubt cursing me for driving at 85-90 km/hour.
Well, I arrived at Lancelin and spent a short time with “Annie-L” and spent overnight with my friends who are members of the Lancelin Sea Rescue team. The time came to move on BUT it is still bloody cold in Wyalkatchem, so “Russell” and I had a committee meeting and decided to turn Left instead of turning Right and heading back to Wylie to the cold. I said to “Russell” let’s head up to Geraldton, around 400 km North –surely it will be warmer up that way, and he agreed with me and displayed his approval by jumping into the navigator seat while I prepared the Mercedes for the trip.

We arrived in Geraldton late in the afternoon, in time to get off the road and setup the awning and cook a meal. I had a nice serving of Fish & Chips at Lancelin before departing for the North, and “Russell” had his usual raw chicken necks. It turned out that Geraldton was almost as cold as Wylie, so after an overnight stop we held another committee meeting and the consensus was to try for CARNARVON, [about 900 km from Perth] where it should be a lot warmer as this was just below the Tropic of Capricorn.
I had an overnight stop at (CampsAust-6) # 429, Arrowsmith Rest Area but this was not far enough North for a longer stay as I was chasing the better climate and trying to find a place with warm nights. My next stop was at C/A-6, # 444 , and had a good night there. I did’nt bother to put the awning out and I made an early start to continue towards Carnarvon.
Carnarvon was as I remember it from ten years ago; the town of “3-G’s” –Gins, Goats, and Glass Bottles. Another committee meeting with “Russell” – I had my 65th birthday at the Broome R.S.L. and as the eventful time was fast approaching, do I head back to Perth to celebrate with the kids and grandkids, or head for Broome and have my 75th birthday at the R.S.L. BROOME won hands up – the overnight temp was 19 degrees and the daytime temp was around 32-34 degrees; whereas Perth was still around 7/19 degrees. We overnighted at Coral Bay Rest area C/A-6 #476, Lyndon River- West, C/A-6, # 474, Minilya River C/A-6 #470, De Grey River C/A-6 #615, Stanley Rest Area, C/A-6 #618, and a few stops that I cant remember along the way.

I arrived in BROOME on Saturday Night at 9pm on 4th June, my 75th birthday to find that the R.S.L. was in full swing with the local Football Club holding a fund raising function. As a Member and Past Treasurer of the Broom Sub-Branch of then R.S.L., I was made welcome and several of the members greeted me. When it was known that it was my 75th birthday everyone wanted to buy me a ‘drink’ for my birthday. Well, I tell you—What a night !!!.

I was not permitted to drive and spent the night in the Mercedes parked in the driveway at the entrance of the RSL. The Club Manager had informed the roving security that I was parked there and to keep an eye on me during the night. As I was in “approved parking” there was no trouble and I was greeted with a cup of coffee next morning. The Broome Shire have recently gone to the extent of “clamping wheels” of campers in the town. Either get into a caravan park at around $50 a night or drive on to another town. The Overflow “PCYC” park was open for tourists and that was only $35.00 a night with limited 240 volt power.
I received an SMS on my mobile phone informing me that my Mother passed away at 4.00am on 5th June at the RSL Village in Sunnybank, which is a suburb of Brisbane. My plan was to motor over to Brisbane and share her 95th birthday with her. It’s just a coincidence that I was born at 4.00am on the 4th June. So there was no hurry to go anywhere now.

I ended up at a Committee Members house/yard and I was only going to stay for 2 nights, however, at their insistence I stayed there for almost three weeks enjoying their hospitality and (renewed friendship), while we discussed the present running of the RSL. The FRIDAY NIGHT BBQ is still only $10, which gets you a Steak, Sausages, Lamb Chop, Eggs, salad, Bread/Butter, unlimited tea/coffee. With the beer at #3.00 a stubbie against around $5.80 in the other venues, it is the place to go for a good night. There is Bingo on Tuesday night organisewd by one of the local groups to raise funds for the Broome Community. A recent donation was for $75,000 to the Flying Doctor,
It was time to move on from Broome, so another committee meeting with “Russell”, myself, K-5 and his wife and a few other friends. Let me explain that there were six RSL members with the name Keith. Spike was K-1, being the oldest, I was designated K-2, ---K-5’s place was where I was staying in Broome. K-1 had moved to Darwin after his wife had passed away a few years ago. It was proposed that as I had no set plans to follow, and it was now winter, that I should drive up to Darwin and visit K-1 at Fanny Bay N.T. “Russell” thought that this was a great idea—he had marked most of the trees in the immediate area and was looking for new ground to mark. We packed up and filled the diesel and water tanks, stocked up on frozen prawns and smoked salmon [still no room in the freezer for Ice Cream] and other bits and pieces and UP-UP-AND-AWAY yet again in search of sunshine.

Broome to Derby was an uneventful trip being just over a couple of hundred kilometres, it was just up the road !.
I won’t go into a lot of detail; just the places I had a good, relaxing time—C/A-6 #631, Ellendale Rest Area, C/A-6 #634, Ngumban Cliff Lookout, C/A-6 MARY POOL #636 [wonderful place] where I set-up against the fence on the little hill on the Right hand side away from the mob, and about 250 metres from the ablution block. There were around 100 m/homes, caravans, and other forms of the nomad fraternity camped there. Spring Creek was my next stop C/A-6 #643, that I have noted. At Kununurra I checked in to the Ag Showgrounds, as facility reserved for big-rigs, and those who are travelling with dogs. It cost $35 a night with very clean hot and cold showers, toilets, free commercial washing machines and dryers, few 240 volt power, a dump point and water supply. I wanted to plug in to the power to hit my batteries for a day or so, and ended up staying for three days.
I made a quick trip to Wyndham for a look-see. I called in to the “Grotto” and decided to have lunch there. I couldn't do the 140 steps to the bottom pool, but I was content to stay on top and look down on the pool where a few French tourists were swimming top-less. The binoculars gave a good view of the ripples on the water as the girls did the back-stroke. I again considered the 140 steps –and decided to hang up the binocs make a cup of tea !.

Kununurra to Katherine was the next venture and I was now in Northern Territory heading to Darwin. I made several overnight stops along the way; Saddle Creek, East Baines River, Big Horse Creek, Vince Connolly Crossing, and a few places I have not recorded. All with CROCKIDILE WARNINGS, and “Russell” didn't want to go anywhere near the water, so that problem was solved. I had previously directed my mail from Wylie PO, to Katherine Post Office and It was a 37 km drive from where I was camped to the P.O. I made the trip twice to find out that there was no mail for me as yet. I made the best of it and had a Subway while I was in the town. [almost as good as Ice Cream].

There were 3 fights in the street between/near the Subway shop and the P.O. and I thought to myself get “Russell” out of here. As I was attached to him by his leash, I had to go as well. It was not a nice sight in the main street, so I took a back street behind the shopping centre only to be confronted with about 8 Gins calling out [read SCREAMING] to another mob of Gins about 3 blocks away. Back to the R/V grounds for me and out of this town. I departed the next morning for Adelaide River and on towards Darwin.
On arriving in Darwin I ventured out to Robertson Barracks to visit with 1st Armoured Regiment and 2 Cavalry Regiment for a social call and spend a bit of time in the Mess only to find that the 1st Armoured were on exercise in Townsville, Qld.

I visited with and stayed two days with “K-1” and then left Darwin to head back to Katherine where I could collect my mail if it had arrived. Another Subway lunch, and only one fight in the street, but it was only 09.30am. The masil was there and I had a quick shop and refuel and On-The-Road-Again was playing on the USB thing. I took the hint and got going to Tennant Creek. I filled the diesel tank at Three-Ways at $ 191.00 a litre and turned Left towards Cammoweal and Mt. Isa, in Sunny Queensland. (I later learnt that diesel was only $165 a litre at Tennant Creek).

[Dot]

And when do we get the next adventure from then till now ?

[Keith Morris]

And when do we get the next adventure from then till now ? :?:

Working on it Dot. It is necessary to get back to WA and the Iveco matters before I can start around the block again.
Not a physical "get back to WA", just getting my head space into that area.
Keith.

[Chuck]

Onya Tanks, lovely story so far & looking forward to the next episodes.

[pet-els]

Hi Tanks, Thanks for your hospitaity for the last couple of nights. I am now parked at Kabra Hotel for the night. I hav e to meet up with Jo and Derik [Horror] tomorrow in Rocky then further south. Thanks again, Hope Major's results of the biopsy ar perfect.


Cheers

PeterH

[Dot]

Hi Tanks, Thanks for your hospitaity for the last couple of nights. I am now parked at Kabra Hotel for the night. I hav e to meet up with Jo and Derik [Horror] tomorrow in Rocky then further south. Thanks again, Hope Major's results of the biopsy ar perfect.


Cheers

PeterH

Peter would you please give Jo and Rusti a hug and give Horror a big sloppy tongue y....

[pet-els]

Can I forget the sloppy tounge bit ?

Cheers PeterH

[Dot]

Can I forget the sloppy tounge bit ?

Cheers PeterH

Oh come on Peter, just close your eyes and go for it, he loves it very very sloppy. honest

[pet-els]

Dot, all nearly done ,horror would not let me do the sloppy tounge bit so we had a beer in the Irish pub in Rocky.

PeterH

[Dot]

Dot, all nearly done ,horror would not let me do the sloppy tounge bit so we had a beer in the Irish pub in Rocky.

PeterH

Get him to tell you the story of when he was driving buses and had a guts ache I love that story.