Gotta love a plan ...

What a difference bitumen makes to one’s stress levels.  After being on unsealed, corrugated roads and tracks for such a long time, the black velvet is a welcome relief … but we do look forward to getting back on the dirt … before too long.

Our little sojourn along the Tanami Track pretty much killed our trip … we have run out of time to see what we wanted to see while being able to get to my Mum’s 90^th birthday in Geelong.  We looked at various options … but nothing takes away the fact that we were probably as far away from Geelong as you can get in Australia (about 4300kms) … there are no short cuts back.  

Along with another development, we have had to reschedule Tasmania (to March 2026) which we planned to do after leaving Geelong and before heading home … the house/dog sitters have been successful in purchasing a property … in the area that they want (East Toowoomba) … we are so pleased for them finding their home after all the sacrifices they have made in saving to meet their goal. 

After much discussion, the Committee decided that it was best to return home after Geelong largely to accommodate the dogs so they would not be confused by new sitters in their home, and the fact that Charlie is heading for 13 years of age ... he occasionally trips up and down stairs, gets confused, disorientated … he is an old fella after all.  Their new house has a lot of stairs, particularly external ones.

Effectively, we lost about 6 days with the Tanami issue.  Our plans were to finish the Tanami Track down to Alice Springs, then out through the East MacDonnell Ranges to Chambers Pillar (attempt #3) then down to Old Andado Station, along the Oodnadatta Track and through the Painted Desert to Coober Pedy.  Then down the Stuart Highway to Adelaide, to visit a mate then head for Geelong.  All of this … gone … for now.

Instead, we have booked flights from Brisbane to get to Geelong as well as accommodation and hire cars.  Meanwhile we have had to make a beeline for home … a distance of about 3500kms in 7 days.  So far, so good … a couple of 650km days … off the road by early afternoon … we have 2 days left to get to Toowoomba and an easy 620kms to go.

After leaving Kununurra, we stayed near Larrimah (former home of Paddy Moriarty who disappeared without trace from a community riddled with secrets and vendettas).  Then onto Barkly Homestead where the camp area was home to 000s of bats.

Homeward bound

Next, was a free camp at the Mary Kathleen Mine (between Mt Isa and Cloncurry).  Mary Kathleen is a deserted former uranium mine the open-cut pit is now partially filled with quite striking blue water … not recommended for swimming. We camped overnight at the deserted town, once home to over a 1000 people.  At the time of its operations, it was the largest known uranium deposit in Australia with the bulk of the uranium shipped to the UK and later Japan, Germany and the US. 

Mary Kathleen Mine

Then a free camp on the Darr River between Winton and Longreach.  Next up we had another free camp at Augathella.

Augathella

Augathella

What started as potentially 6 ½ to 7 months has become 4 months … we have learnt a lot and seen a lot … but there is just so much more to see … Australia is an impressive country when you start to travel around it … its diversity, uniqueness and its sheer vastness … the distances between sights we come to take for granted.  We’ve met some wonderful people and gained a couple of new friends. 

We’ve encountered the unique wildlife in wild donkeys and horses, wedged tailed eagles, an echidna, countless different birds of prey, reptiles, emus, ‘roos and wallabies, crocs, wild goats and pigs, water buffalo, cows and sheep.

We’ve driven along roads and tracks that would shake your fillings out … through deserts of sand and gibber, creeks, waterholes, rivers and bushfires … just fitted down narrow tracks with massive washaways and boulders the size of basketballs … up and down rocky hills with 3 wheels on the ground … collected a few pinstripes along the way … the odd slow bird and a few cuts and bruises ... each one a new experience and a memory.

We've visited numerous National Parks and are constantly reminded of their beauty, remoteness and diversity and visited places rich in history that we'd never heard of ... some significant on the world stage in their time ... names that we have all heard of, and others not. The remoteness and challenges of those early settlers is extraordinary to imagine because the reality of their journey I don't think we can fully appreciate.

Over 24000kms, our TVan held together, just one loose screw … which is testimony to the quality of the product … and the Cruiser still doesn’t have a rattle or a squeak … but it does have a fine layer of orange dust throughout.

It can get confusing … different road rules … strange towns … different speed limits … time zones … liquor laws … terminology … petrol prices … and sh#t just happens …

Thanks for following us … we have enjoyed sharing our travels and hope that they inspire you to step out the front door and head off into the wide blue yonder! 

Look out for our next adventure ...

Just Us!