Trev's 2012 Outback Adventure - Trip Report

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

15 months ago my wife (Bec) and I our friends Grovesy and Dibs hatched the idea of a family holiday touring the Outback: Western QLD, Corner Country, Flinders Ranges and Birdsville.

Over that time we chose Camper Trailers (Kimberley Kamper rentals), mapped routes and planned logistics and contingency plans, all the usual things you would expect before embarking on an Outback adventure.

The thing we could have never foreseen was the sudden illness and passing of my father-in-law, Bazza.
What follows is a Trip Report of a journey that wasn’t the one we planned.

Day Zero (Fri 15 June): Collect CT and pack for the trip

The day before (Thursday) I knocked off work early to do some final preparations and I received a frantic phone call from Bec who was rushing to the local hospital as her father was having emergency surgery. We met at the hospital to be told Bazza had a severe infection which his body wasn’t fighting. The prognosis was grim.
The next morning I spoke to our travelling companions and explained the situation and the implications for our trip. We decided to continue with today’s plans of collecting and packing the trailers although I knew deep-down that it was unlikely we were going to be heading out on our trip due to Bazza’s health.

That evening my wife came home from the hospital and we had a chat about the trip, me insisting the kids and I were not going anywhere whilst she insisted we go as she has an amazing family who were all supporting each other. Bec made an impassioned phone call to Grovesy and pleaded we all begin our trip.

Day One (16 June): Brisbane – Warwick

I was extremely conflicted in whether the kids and I should cancel the trip or whether to begin and only decided once my wife again assured us she wanted us to go for all of our sake’s. After a call to Grovesy we agreed to meet at his place at 10:00.
We left around 10:30 only to turn around about 10 mins up the road to go back and make some slight adjustments to his roof rack. All sorted we headed off towards the Great Dividing range undecided on where we would spend the night.

After lunch at Warrill View we decided to head to Bestbrook (top of the range about 50klms east of Warwick) and setup camp for the night. Bestbrook is a lovely spot and though quiet the night we were there, there is plenty for the kids to do and we’ll definitely head back there for a few nights stay and have a good look around.

We started our first fire of the trip and the kids went off and explored down the creek. I cooked Spag Bol for everyone which went down a treat and after the kids and Dibs were in bed Grovesy and I sat around the fire having a few drinks and talking crap until about 11pm before turning in.
Sam, Olivia and I had begun our holiday without Bec, not knowing where it would take us or how long it would last.

Heading Off


First Night – Bestbrook near Warwick

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Two (17 June): Warwick – Goondiwindi

Last night we thought we might head for Nindigully which the first destination in the original plans. However we took our time packing-up and heading off, and after a trip to Bunnings to replace a couple of leaking gas bottles we headed west through Warwick around noon.
We stopped at Inglewood just after 13:00 for lunch and had a look at some nearby free camp sites before deciding to push on to Goondiwindi for the night. Nindigully will have to wait till tomorrow. We couldn’t find a suitable bush camp and so booked in at a Big 4 - they had a heated pool for the kids and a large communal fire place for Grovsey to cook up a couple of camp oven chooks and vege.
We had an enjoyable night around the fire with a few Nomads offering ideas on places to see and stay on the way west.
Dibs and I in Gundy:




Day Three (18 June): Goondiwindi – Nindigully

We had another leisurely pack-up then left the CT’s at the Big 4 while we spent the morning have a look around Goondiwindi. We fuelled up and grabbed the CT’s before heading down to a park by the river to have lunch before heading off.

The road to Nindigully was uneventful and we arrived mid-afternoon. We found an ideal campsite and set-up before heading across to the pub. The ‘Gully’ was a milestone for us as it was one the places we had been looking forward to, and I made a pretty emotional call to Bec before joining the others for happy hour. The pub puts on entertainment every day with a guy playing a set of fun songs interspersed with plenty of banter with the crowd. We decided to have dinner there and had a just OK meal.

We retired to camp and lit a fire. The kids went to bed with the exception of Sam who sat up with us for a while. It’s nice to see your boy growing into a young man and at 9yo I’m very proud of the man he is becoming. It didn’t take long for us to decide to stay on another day do retired to the CT’s happy we didn’t have to pack-up in the morning.

Nindy Drop-in



Dibs and Grovesy:





Day Four (19 June): Nindigully and surrounds

We had a leisurely morning before heading up the road to check out St George. Olivia was missing Bec and was feeling down so I took her shopping and we then headed to the Unique Egg and Riversands Winery. I can confirm the eggs were unique and the port was reportedly good.
That evening we returned to the pub for Happy Hour and then another enjoyable night around the fire with a camp oven roast.

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Five (20 June): Nindigully - Eulo

After a recommendation from a bloke in the pub we decided to head to Eulo as our next stop. Bazza had stabilized although he wasn’t improving, and Bec and I were comfortable with us pushing west. The road from St George to Cunnamulla was in very good condition and we began spotting foxes, goats, emus and roos, with plenty of their brother’s dead on the side of the road.
We stopped to say g’day to some fella before continuing onto Wondilla Station, a 45,000 Acre property just out of Eulo. They have a smallish area around the shearer’s quarters for camping and I was happy to finally be staying in some red dirt. Grovesy served up a Chicken Risotto which we promptly dealt with before joining a few nomads for some robust discussion around the fire.

The ‘Fella




Wandilla near Eulo

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Six (21 June): Eulo – Noccundra

Up until this point Grant, Dibs and I had been taking each day as it comes and had no real plan, knowing I may get called home. We were just edging our way further west, wanting to be no further than 3 days from home. During our daily call, Bec decided to meet us in Thargomindah on Sunday as Bazza was stable and was showing some modest improvement. We were all stoked Bec was able to finally begin her holiday and it also allowed us to plan the rest of the trip.

We decided to stay Thursday in Noccundra, Friday at the Corner and Saturday back up to Noccundra so I could zip into Thargo Sunday morning to collect Bec before staying at Noccundra again before pushing on Innamincka.

After a bit of toing and froing we settled on a great campsite on the Wilson River, around 1Klm south of the pub. We dubbed it ‘Pelican Island’ due to the number of them on the water outside our camp. It was real beaut spot and hoped it was available when we returned in a couple of days.

Pelican Island, Noccundra:

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Seven (22 June): Noccundra – Cameron Corner

We had a fairly quick pack-up for our standards and headed down to the corner around 10:00. We were on our first outback roads and I really enjoyed the 250k drive. We passed through varied and engaging landscapes, gibber plains and dunes.

We stopped for lunch pretty much in the middle of nowhere and threw some firewood on the trailer for later tonight. Arriving at the corner around 14:00 was another significant milestone for us and we promptly toasted our arrival with a beer in the pub. The Groves were happy to camp up around the pub and I was keen to camp out in the dunes so we went our separate ways and met-up at the pub later for a drink and meal.

Logically you question whether it’s worth the diversion to the corner but once I arrived knew it was worth it. I loved camping in the dunes with not another soul in sight. I loved having a chat in the bar with the publican and fellow travellers, swapping stories of the roads ahead and behind. I loved spending a night with just the kids, Sam tending the fire while Olivia sat on my lap pointing out the stars on the clear night above.

Lunch between Noccundra and the Corner:



Sam making a donation:



and my turn:





Day Eight (23 June): Cameron Corner – Noccundra
We had an early night and I woke in the morning and thinking it was 6:30 got up and put the kettle on. While waiting for it to boil I got a fire going and around 7:00 looked to the sky expecting some sign of daybreak. Checking my watch again it was actually only 6:00 – earlier I misread 5:30 for 6:30. It was a wonderful morning for me, sitting by the fire with a cuppa and thoughts of the stockmen past who would be doing the same around now.
The kids and I had breakfast at the pub, then packed-up camp before heading back to Noccundra after visiting the corner proper. Again we lunched off the side of the road and arrived back to Pelican Island mid-afternoon. I tidied up the car and trailer in preparation for Bec’s arrival tomorrow and Grovesy cooked-up up a good old fashioned camp oven stew which we had with bread I baked.

The Noccundra – Warri Gate Rd:

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Nine (24 June): Noccundra - Thargo – Noccundra

I departed camp around 9:30 to head the 100+ k’s into Thargo to collect Bec off the flight from Brisbane. There was a little angst in getting fuel as the roadhouse was dry (the Toyota guy opened his bowsers for an hour or so), then I grabbed Bec and we had some lunch at the roadhouse before heading back to Noccundra.

It was great to have Bec join us and now after 9 days our family holiday truly began. In saying that I relished the time I had spent with just me and the kids. We arrived back to camp mid-afternoon to much excitement and fanfare, before heading up to the pub for a couple of celebratory drinks. We then moved back to the camp and planned the rest of our trip as we still had about 10 days before we needed to be home. We decided to head to Innamincka for a few days, and then take the Cordillo Downs Rd to Birdsville before heading back east and home.

Day Ten (25 June): Noccundra – Innamincka

We broke camp early (for us) and drove through the open plains and gas fields to the Dig Tree – around 40klm’s east on Innamincka. Again we had reached a milestone and we spent a good deal of time looking around and having lunch. We then packed-up and did the final leg into Innamincka – most of the local camping areas were closed so we found a nice spot on the town common and set-up camp for a couple of days.

Whilst having afternoon drinks the Sat Phone rang with news from Bec’s family – Bazza’s health had rapidly deteriorated and he wasn’t expected to see through the night. Though not out of the blue this was still very upsetting with Bec only leaving his side the morning before feeling he was improving. We went to the Pub as planned for dinner and had a quiet night back around the fire before heading to bed expecting the worst in the morning.

As a side note the Innamincka Pub was certainly the most commercial of any of the outback pubs, which you can’t begrudge them. I did find it lacked a bit of genuine charm and the dining was pretty spendy considering it was a buffet dinner with a set price with no lesser charge for kids.

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Eleven (26 June): Innamincka and Surrounds

We woke expecting to hear bad news from home but Baz had seen through the night and was once again stabilising. By no means was he out of the woods but he’s a fighter and he’s hanging in there. We decided to have a pretty lazy morning before heading out to have a look around Burkes Grave before coming back to camp for lunch. I had a rattle coming from the front of the Prado and after a bit of investigating it seemed to be the front number plate assembly. We thought Bec and Dibs were taking a long time to do the washing so I headed up to the pub to find them in the bar have a steak sanga and a beer. It was good to see Bec getting on with things and I was glad she was out with us on the trip we had planned together instead of a hospital waiting room 1500klm’s away.

That night I cooked a Lamb Stew and freshly baked bread and we sat around for a while before heading to bed.


Day Twelve (27 June): Innamincka – Beetoota

We had planned to head up the Cordillo Downs Rd via Arrabury but had received mixed reports on whether it was open or not. Deciding not to risk it we remained on the Arrabury Rd, spotting a Dingo and Brown Snake along the way. We detoured into Haddon’s Corner for lunch and encountered the first decent sand dunes of the trip. I tried to take a tougher route through the dunes on the way out but couldn’t get up after a number of attempts, tyre pressures and trailer were the problem, In saying that Grovesy got up the dune before me in his Paj so bragging rights were his for now.

We continued onto Beetoota with a small detour up Dion’s lookout – a fantastic view overlooking the plains. We thought the old pub at Beetoota were ruins but in fact was more a derelict set of buildings. Nonetheless we set-up camp for another dose of Spag Bol around the fire.

Haddons Cnr:



Arrabury Rd:



Collecting firewood:



Beetoota Happy Hour:

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Thirteen (28 June): Beetoota – Birdsville

The road into Birdsville was in good nick, particularly were they had built an airstrip into the road. We made it into town before lunch and found an ideal spot at the caravan park. After set-up we went straight to the Bakery where Sam and I demolished a Camel Pie each and the girls were a little less adventurous with a Rabbit pie and sausage roll.
We had a lazy afternoon looking around town before heading to the pub for dinner. I enjoyed the Birdsville pub though the wait for a meal was long – it took about 20 mins for the kid’s meals to come out then 2 hours for ours to arrive, though once they did it was a top feed.

Again we retired to a camp fire with plans to head to Big Red and beyond in the morning.

Camel Train on the road to Birdsville:



Caravan Park Camp:



Speaks for itself:



A long way from home:

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Fourteen (29 June) – Birdsville and surrounds

After a visit to Don at the Cultural Centre next to the bakery, we packed some firewood, hotplate and snags and headed out into the Simpson Desert for the day. There is still a detour in place just before you get to little red, so around the lake we went before airing down and tackling the first significant dune of the day. It was amazing to hit the top and look west out to the desert.

Grovesy led us down onto the QAA line and we headed over around 10 dunes before settling on a large one overlooking a salt pan and set-up for lunch. What an amazing place to have a BBQ – kids playing on the dunes, us setting up under the awning and not another soul in site. The sand showed signs of life with snake and critter trails everywhere – I can only imagine what spending a few nights out there would be like.

After our desert sausage sizzle it was time to take on Big Red. We headed back east to find three tracks to the top, with the easiest on the right, a tougher track in the middle and ‘The Widowmaker’ to the left. While there were a few cars down below airing down and evaluating the best line, we tackled the easy track head on and arrived at the top with no worries. There were a few other cars up there and a wonderful sense of camaraderie amongst everyone. After dropping the wives and kids off at the top we drove down to the bottom and took on the middle track. Again both vehicles made it up with no problems and we did this a few more times before attempting the Widowmaker. Grovesy went first and nearly crested but couldn’t quite get there and I had a go and fell short as well. We both had a few attempts but with each one the sand at the top was getting choppier and our hopes of conquering all three tracks were fruitless (for now).

We spent an enjoyable couple of hours on Big Red, with me breaking out the Maxtrax a few time (I backed off on the crest twice, and helped some other fellas who had done the same). The memories of this day will stay with me forever and have lit a fire within to do a Simpson Crossing in the not too distant future.

Heading home late in the day we prepared some dinner and as usual settled around the fire discussing the fantastic day we had, planning to head out again tomorrow to enjoy the sunset out there.

Desert BBQ:








Great place to test out the Max Trax:

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Fifteen (30 June) – Birdsville and surrounds

The day started ordinary enough, I took Bec for a drive around town for her to shoot some photos and then back to camp for a lazy day.
That’s when we received the call from home, Bazza had rapidly deteriorated and the decision had been made to switch off his life support. It’s hard now writing about this and it still doesn’t seem real, only 15 days ago he had been renovating his house and now he had only hours to live. We were in the Birdsville pub having lunch when we got the next call, Bazza had passed. We were all together in the beer garden and I’m glad Bec could be with us out here instead of a hospital waiting room.

We knew he was gravely ill and I suppose Bec had come to accept that, she wanted just to keep busy and continue on the trip day by day probably not wanting to go home and face reality. That afternoon as planned we headed back to Big Red to see the sunset and toast Bazza – something he would have enjoyed immensely and insisted we do.

This day there was no one else up there it was as if BR was ours. Grovesy and I played around on the easy and medium tracks before I decided to give the Widowmaker another shot. This time the Prado just seemed to glide up never looking like stopping and as I crested the others let out an almighty cheer. I was elated. Grovesy tried and fell short and I was privately pleased that I had levelled the playing field after my inability to get up the steep dune at Haddon’s Cnr. This was another very special day in the desert and I’m so glad Bec, me and the kids could say goodbye to her dad in this very unique way.

Big Red:







We headed home after dark to a Camp Oven Pea and Ham soup with freshly baked bread and raised our glasses (a few times) to Bazza. Rest in Peace mate – we miss you.

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

I love this photo:

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Sixteen (1 July) – Birdsville to Windorah

We packed early and met at the bakery for one last camel pie before turning east and beginning the journey home. We made good time to Windorah and stopped in at the pub to chat to a couple of locals and confirm that Cooper Creek just east of town was a suitable campsite.
After fuelling up with the old blind fella at the servo we headed just out of town and found a fantastic spot on the banks of the Copper. While Grovesy was setting up I did a little lap around the area only to bog myself in the river sands.
The Maxtrax were out again but it was going to be a slow old recovery as with the trailer on I was only moving forward the length of the track so Grovesy snatched me out.

Just after this a Police Troopy arrives and my initial thoughts were he was going to move us one, but nothing of the sort. Dale has been the local copper out here for the last 10 months and he brings his dog and his boy to this spot every afternoon for a run around and a play. We spent about 30 mins having a chat before getting the fire and dinner going in probably the most picturesque camp spot of the trip.

Cooper Creek camping:



Running repairs:





Day Seventeen (2 July) – Windorah - Charleville

Another early start and a big day on the road – we hadn’t really done any research on Charleville so we rocked into town and scoped out a few of the caravan parks. They all looked close to capacity and after enjoying relative remoteness we knew they weren’t for us. Dibs tracked down a farm stay just out of town and we rolled in there fairly late in the day and set-up in an area looking out to the scrub.

That afternoon a Bush Balladeer played a set of Australian Country classics near the communal fire which Grovesy and I relaxed around after a hard day’s drive. There had been plenty of wildlife today and I had two very near misses with emus – it was mentally taxing. The girls prepared dinner and we sat around the campfire enjoying some impromptu entertainment with the local Dog Controller and a passing tourist taking up the guitars, giving us a fantastic (but cold) evening.


Day Eighteen (3 July) –Charleville and surrounds

I woke around 7:00 and went outside – well it’d been cold. It was still -3.9deg with an overnight low of -5.7deg. The tap had an icicle on it and everything was covered in frost. I got the kids up to have a look and Bec woke wondering what all the fuss was about. We went for a walk around the campgrounds and again it was a morning to remember.
Bec called home and was encouraged to continue slowly home as her family had made arrangements for Bazza’s funeral. So we decided to stay another day in Charleville and spent the day checking out the local attractions.
Back at camp we they had a local elder, Ernie, giving a demo on the didge and discussing art works he created. The kids enjoyed this but I thought it went a bit long and it was dark when he had finished. We had an early dinner then chatted to a few nomads around the fire before calling it a (cold) night.

Cold Night

[Trevc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Trevc]

Day Nineteen (4 July) –Charleville to Dalby

Dibs has an uncle just out of Dalby so we decided to pass through Roma and head out to Jacko’s for our last two night. It was after 17:00 when we finally arrived after a long drive (570klms) when we setup camp and then headed inside to watch the origin. After a couple of weeks of camp oven stews, mince and the like, we bought a couple of pizzas along the way to heat up while we watched the footy. But Jacko had other plans – he’s cooked us up a stew! Well it would have been rude to decline so the Pizza had to wait till tomorrow night and we tucked in to a great feed and had too many drinks while celebrating an awesome victory by the mighty maroons.


Day Twenty (5 July) - Jacko’s

Now I’ve met a few blokes in my time who could talk the leg off a chair, but Jacko is in another league. By the time you’ve hit the top step on his veranda he’s off, discussing a wide and varied range of topics at breakneck speed. The beauty is I don’t think Jacko really cares whether you’re listening or not – he just loves to talk. In saying that I’ve known him few years and he’s a great bloke and one that I admire.

We threw Grovesy and the kids into the back of Jacko’s ute and he took us up to his new house that he’s building, before coming back for smoko. Bec and I headed into town to have a look around and a beer at Mary’s Pub – I had been there about 15 years ago and it was only 3 that she passed away – holding the licence for over 50 years.

Back to Jacko’s and I had a nana nap while the kids played up in the shed and the Groves over at Jacko’s new place. It was the final night of our trip and I built a fire to enjoy our last sunset together. We reminisced about our journey before finally eating our pizza and heading to bed.




Day Twenty-One (6 July) – Jacko’s to Brisbane

Well finally it was time to head home – something none of us wanted to do for our own reasons. Though this wasn’t the trip we had planned it was fantastic. I’m reluctant to call it a trip of a lifetime because now I’ve had the red sand between my toes I know we’ll be doing many more like it.

Random Thoughts:

The people you travel with are probably the single biggest influence into how things are going to go and we were very lucky to have Dib’s and Grovesy as our companions. With Bazza’s illness and ultimate passing this wasn’t the trip that they had signed on for and they could not have been any more understanding and flexible. Bec and I thank them from the bottom of our hearts in the humour, comfort and enjoyment they provided.

The Kimberley Kampers as one would expect are a fantastic bit of kit and ideal for this type of touring. Set-up is extremely simple and pack-up is pretty quick. They weren’t without fault but there is nothing else to my knowledge that you could hire that would match them.

The weather was fantastic, without exaggeration everyday was blue skies and every night unlimited stars. It was cold at times – but we knew it would be and prepared for it.

The Prado proved what a great touring vehicle it is, very comfortably and towed the camper like a dream. It also got up the three Big Red tracks. There’s plenty of Prado’s out and about.

Electronic devices – I was anti these but having relented I’m glad we bought the kids an iPod touch each –the deal was they could use them in the car but not out of them. It did make for less stressful travel and I have no problems suggesting to parents to pack them along. They gladly put them away when suggested to do so to view the incredible scenery.

The kids – they were absolutely fantastic. We have a similar parenting style to Grant and Dibs and that comes out in the way the kids behaved and got on with each other. I’m very proud of my little girl Olivia and my young man Sam – I could see them growing along the way. I’m a fan a letting the kids have a little freedom and be given responsibilities and these kids didn’t disappoint.

Trip planning – in hindsight not going to the Flinders was a blessing as we could take our time in getting from one place to the next and allowed us to spend extra time where we wanted. I think now it would have been more stressful, and hence less enjoyable, by having too many one-nighters and not getting time to do not much.

There were many highlights on this trip and mine include;
1. The drive and stay at Cameron Corner – it was the first ‘outback’ road of the trip and I really enjoyed the variable driving. The pub and its patrons have an indescribable charm, and camping in the dunes is what I had dreaming about for the past 15 months.
2. Birdsville –very much a frontier town where people are at the start or finish of a Simpson Desert crossing, or tourers like us who wanted to reach west as far as they can. The BBQ in the desert and the time spent up Big Red are my most cherished of the trip.
3. Nindigully – just a great place and the first time I felt I was ‘out west’.

All in all it was a great trip which I would do again tomorrow. Though at times very sad AND it wasn’t the trip we planned, we have some fantastic memories.

Trev

[Madkore Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Madkore]

Excellent trip write up Trev. Very well written with great perspective on a lot of things.

Some absolutely fantastic photos, especially those around the campfire. Whoever took them has a keen eye for a great shot.

Sorry to hear of your loss, but thank you for sharing.

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

One of the best trip reports I have read for a while. Some of what you did brings back happy memories of our trip out that way in 2010 so I could feel your trip. Sorry for your loss, it must have been tough.