Newsletter dated July 11, 2016

Jackaroo 4WD Club
Victoria’s Premier all make 4Wd touring club
july 2016
Club Calendar
Month
July
Date Event Details
10
20
20
23
tba
Deadline for Newsletter items
Committee Meeting
General Meeting - Soup & Sausage Night
Follow Burke & Wills trip
Cape York Explorer
August
7
17
17
20
23 - 14/8
tba
Deadline for Newsletter items
Committee Meeting
General Meeting
Intermediate level training course
Burke & Wills trip
Cape York Explorer
September
7 & 10
11
17 & 18
21
21
26 - 30
30 - 2/10
Proficiency Training Course
Deadline for Newsletter items
Redcastle Cemetery cleanup
Committee Meeting
General Meeting
Volcanic Trail II
Little Desert trip
9
19
19
Deadline for Newsletter items
Committee Meeting
General Meeting
October
Next Meeting
Soup & Sausage Night
The Jackaroo Club of Victoria
Box 297, Fairfield 3078
www.jackaroo4wdclub.org.au
Our next meeting will be on Wednesday
20th July at the Fairfield Bowling Club,
commencing at 7.30pm.
President:
This will be our annual Soup and Sausage
Night, a great social evening to mix with
your fellow members while enjoying a cup
of home made soup and a sausage off the
BBQ.
Vice President:
David Dobson 9728 3550 or 0430 286 168
[email protected]
Ian Blainey 0458 444 656
[email protected]
Secretary:
Chris Rogers 9481 4769 or 0425 795 858
[email protected]
During the meeting, the presentation will
be made to the recipient of the Ron Taylor
Award for this year. Your chance to show Treasurer:
John Dudley 5429 5087 or 0412 948 361
your appreciation to a member who has
[email protected]
done a lot for our club.
Previous winners have been:
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Colin Files
Robert Searle
Greg Moore
Chris Smith
Graeme Mitchell
Adrian Morris
Peter Snare
Alan Dash
Ian Blainey
Margaret & Colin Ritchie
Brad Riddington
Wayne Peterken
Helen & Rocky Tompkins
Harry Richards
David Dobson
Jan & Michael Martin
Philip Johnstone
Stuart Trevena
John Dudley
Chris Rogers
Trip Coordinator:
Michael Martin 9730 1465, 0427 973 014
[email protected]
Membership Officer:
Rod Tamblyn 9735 0698 or 0427 884 603
[email protected]
Editor:
Harry Richards 9878 8908, 0408 142 107
[email protected]
Librarian & Clothing:
Ian Marr
0413 546 178
[email protected]
Property Officer:
Mark Eames 9431 6400 or 0401 998 172
[email protected]
Committee:
Philip Johnstone 9807 9096 or 0417 014 636
Graeme Mitchell 9467 4759 or 0490 119 840
Paul Trouse 0408 003 383
Barry Gough 0451 110 881
Sponsorship
The Club has been fortunate in obtaining significant support from a number of
companies for our Tri-State Gathering at Clunes.
Their generosity is very much appreciated and was of immense assistance in
the successful running of the event.
Throughout this Newsletter, you will note advertisements for these generous
organisations. Please repay their faith in our Club by using their facilities and
products whenever you can. And don’t forget to mention the Club whenever you
do.
It is your support which will determine whether we continue to receive these
sponsorships in the future.
Look for great
subscription offers
A Sample of Tyrepliers Products
Auto Bead Breaker
Tyre Inflation Safety
Complete Tyre Repair Kits
Tyre Tools & Gauges
Tyre Levers
Tyre Valves & Caps
57 Vineyard St Sunbury 1800 675 812
CB Radios & CTCSS
Oh Dear ,,,
My husband and I were dressed and ready to go out for a lovely evening of dinner and
theatre. Having been burgled in the past, we turned on the ‘night light’ and the answering
machine, then put the cat out into the backyard.
When our taxi arrived, we walked out the front door and our rather tubby cat scooted
between our legs, ran inside and up the stairs.
Because the cat likes to chase our budgie, we really didn’t want to leave them unchaperoned, so my husband ran inside to retrieve her and put her out into the back yard again.
Because I didn’t want the taxi driver to know our house was going to be empty all
evening, I explained to him that my husband would be out momentarily as he was just
bidding goodnight to my mother.
A few minutes later, he got into the cab all hot and bothered and said (to my growing
horror) “Sorry it took so long. The stupid bitch was hiding under the bed and I had to
poke he butt with a coat hanger to get her out. She tried to take off, but I grabbed her
by the scruff of the neck and wrapped her in a blanket so she wouldn’t scratch me like
she did last time. I hauled her down the stairs and threw her out into the backyard. And
she had better not s**t in the vegetable garden again.”
Len Beadell Highways Trip
1st July - 1st August
Last month we left our travellers at the Warburton Roadhouse. Linda McElhenny reports on
the conclusion of the trip:
22nd July 15 degrees
We took our time this morning as the
canvas was still a bit wet due to some
rain overnight.
When we eventually got on our way, we
continued on the Connie Sue Highway.
It was a nice, clay top road with thick
vegetation on one side and virtually
nothing on the other.
After a few kms, we found ourselves
surrounded by short, multiple sand
dunes on both sides of the road. There
was lots of regrowth after a burning,
but some trees that didn’t regenerate
stood sadly among the new growth.
We were in the Gibson Desert, a very
beautiful, colourful desert. It used to
be my favourite, but I think the Great
Victorian Desert has taken first place
now.
A young bull camel popped up on the road
ahead. He saw us and started running
down the road in front of us. He kept
looking back to see if we were still
coming. He must have thought this was a
good game.
Barry got up close to him and blew the
horn. It made no difference, he continued on at about 25kph.We have heard
stories from others that they can reach
40kph.
After 8kms he got sick of the game and
ran off the track and just stood there
looking at us. He was frothing at the
mouth.
I was concerned for him. He had used
up so much energy and water during this
little exercise, I wondered how it affected his body.
At McKenzie Gorge we stopped for a
rest. Unfortunately there was no water,
but we could see evidence of animals
looking for water here.
On then to Harkness Gorge which also
had no water. The escarpment looked to
be made of a golden brown coloured
rock. But when you examined it closely,
it was made up of different sized stones
compacted very hard.
Lunch was had in a nice little clearing on
the highway just before Henning Tank.
Some dingoes and a herd of 13 camels
watched us as we ate.
We found an overgrown airstrip, with a
few empty fuel drums, but could not
find a gnamma hole (water hole) shown
on the map. Even with the Garmin in
hand, we could not find it, so we went
off to find a camp for the night.
Sykes Bluff, on the highway, proved to
be a suitable site for everyone, so we
set up camp there.
After dinner, we sat around a beautiful
campfire enjoying ourselves. When it
started to rain a bit, it was off to
bed.
23rd July
13 degrees
Our first stop today was at Cooper
Hills Bore. The pump here was run by
an 80 watt solar panel. The water,
however, was a murky colour.
The clay track was nicely compacted
due to the rain, but some white rocks
and washaways required some care.
The day began ominously, but as it
wore on the dark grey clouds changed
to white against a blue sky.
A rather bumpy rutted track off the
highway led us to Sandercock Point.
The discomfort was worth it.
Morning teas was enjoyed here, looking
out on a beautiful red stone escarpment
with lots of small caves. An old trig
point was missing the top part.
Back on the highway, we entered the
Great Victoria Desert, a beautiful very
heavily vegetated desert.
A few kms further on we stopped for
night”. Some people are very
clever/funny.
I made a damper for an after
dinner treat. It was a great
success, then off to bed.
24th July 11 degrees.
lunch and collected some firewood for
tonight’s campfire. Our campsite tonight
was to be at Neale Junction where you
are not allowed to gather firewood.
Very cloudy again today,
threatening rain. The wind was
icy as we set off on the road
which was corrugated, but not
too bad.
Both sides of the track showed burnt
patches, but it didn’t fit the patchwork burning principle of other
places.
There would be a short burnt
patch, followed by green for a
while, then back to burnt on both
sides of the track. It may have
been caused by a lightning strike.
A side track took us to the Neale
Breakaways. This huge area looked
like a quarry, but I guess it was
Mother Nature at her best.
It proved to be a nice little camping
spot with a long drop toilet, picnic
table, shelter and a tank gathering
rainwater off the shelter roof.
On one of the
huge white
gums, some
clever person
had put a
power point
with a note
“$10.00 per
It was beautiful. The walls were bands
of white, pink and green. On top were
trees and golden rocks.
Back on the Connie Sue Highway, our
drive was a wide track with a mixture
of orange/red sand and white clay.
Quite a smooth ride with just the occasional bump. It was nice to be able to
do 80kph after days of 2 - 30kph.
With the help of the group, the tyre was
changed in eight minutes, just like a Grand
Prix pitstop. Great teamwork and we were
on our way again.
There were shorthorn steers here and
they had done a lot of damage to the road
after the rain as they tried to drink out
of the puddles. Even the cattle make
every post a winner.
The sky darkened and the temperature
dropped from 21° to 14° by late afternoon. Our target was to get to Rawlinna to
see the Indian Pacific come in.
As we drove on, the vegetation changed
to just blue/grey saltbush and some
yellow flowers, with occasional patches
of Sturt’s Desert Pea on the side of
the road. They love to grow where the
road has been graded.
Lunch was at a tank with a shelter provided by the Spinifex People, custodians
of this land and CALM. Sturt’s Desert
Pea and the yellow flowers were prevalent.
After lunch, the track became rougher,
stony with potholes and big wheel ruts.
At about 3.00pm, our tyre monitor
started beeping. We stopped to investigate and found a star cut in the wall of
a tyre on the Tvan.
To do this, we had to travel through a
station property and I lost count of the
number of gates we opened and closed.
Due to the rain, the ground was very wet
and boggy. We encountered numerous bog
holes, some quite deep. They required
careful negotiation to ensure we did not
get bogged.
Darkness fell at 5.00pm and we entered
the town in the dark at 5.15pm. The town
looked deserted and we had no idea where
we were going.
Ian went over to the railway station where
a caravan was parked behind some of the
old buildings. He found a man there, the
only resident in the town.
He looks after the station and
ensures the water tank is full.
What a lonely life.
He directed us to an area of land
where we could camp and be in
direct view of the railway line. He
said we could use the station
toilets, but warned they had not
been cleaned for a while. They left
a lot to be desired. I have seen
cleaner long drops.
Fifty trains come through Rawlinna each
week, among them the Indian Pacfic,
which was expected about 6.45pm.
So we quickly set up camp, had dinner
and rushed back to the station.
The platform had been set up with long
tables covered with white table cloths
and vases of flowers. There were bench
seats and lots of patio heaters
One of the train drivers (there are
always two drivers) said that not long
before they got to Rawlinna, they hit a
cow on the line. As the train travels at
115kph, the poor cow would not have a
chance.
At that speed, the train takes 2kms or
more to stop. The poor cow managed to
bend the steel bumper bar back against
the train body.
The train duly arrived and the passengers disembarked. The Gold Class ticketholders went to the tables and chefs
off the train wheeled food down a
checkerplete ramp to feed them.
Meanwhile the Red Class ticket holders
had to fend for themselves. At least
they had some 44 gallon drums lit for
them.
Floodlights lit the little station and it
looked very elegant. The passengers
would not have known of the ghost town
beyond the station buildings.
Leigh and Christine were the first to
the station and managed to talk their
way onto the train to take photos.
After three hours, the train headed
off again. What a great experience it
had been to see it up close. The new
diesel engines with their communications, heating, cooling, lighting and all
very modern. Then the older carriages
hooked up behind - a step forward and
a step back in time.
During the night we heard a number of
other trains passing through.
25th July 11 degrees
Next morning we woke to a chilly
morning and found we had camped
outside someone’s house of some time
ago.
clean, but had no grass. So we drove on
a bit further and turned off at a
quarry/gravel pit and stayed there for
the night.
It had been a nice easy day and we
soon had the campfire going. But it
Last night when we arrived in the
started to rain and everyone scattered
dark, the street lights were on, which to put things away. It was an early
gave the impression of people living
night and we were all tucked up in bed
here. In the cold light of day, a
by 7.00pm.
different scene presented itself.
26th July 11 degrees
The town had no colour at all, All
grey buildings and nobody living here.
Cold, damp weather greeted us in the
Very depressing.
morning, so Barry decided to pack up
and head to the Madura Roadhouse for
Makes you think of all the people
breakfast.
waiting for public housing and there
are whole townships in every state
After enjoying breakfast, we went up
that just need a bit of humanity to
to the Madura Pass lookout, then on to
bring them alive again.
the Eucla Telegraph Station.
It was only 144 kms to Cocklebiddy
so we fuelled up at $179.90 per litre
for diesel
The trip was something of a nature
study. We saw camels, hawks, emus,
kangaroos, rabbits and lots of little
birds which darted in front of the
vehicles.
The campground at Cocklebiddy was
This was to be our overnight stop and
we took the opportunity to catch up on
our washing. There were two washing
machines and one dryer. It was quite
an ordeal, as the dryer didn’t get hot
after a few people had used it. A lot
of time was wasted.
It was decided to have dinner at the
restaurant. On our return, the washing
was still not dry and I still had mine
to do. In desperation, we turned off
the power, pulled out the plug, then
put it back. That seemed to do the
trick
We were still drying our clothes at
11.40pm. Barry sent me to bed at
about 10.30pm and by the time I got
into bed it was 1° in the Tvan.
27th July 12 degrees
Today we followed close by the coast
and had several stops at lookouts. The
coast surface is about 100 metres
above the sea, yet there were seashells aplenty. It set us wondering
how that could be.
Camp that night was at a nice clearing
with rock hard ground. As usual before
deciding on a campsite, we checked
the “tenters” could get their pegs in
satisfactorily.
With the “tenters” satisfied, we set
up camp, organised dinner and the
campfire.
There had been quite a bit of wind
during the day and it persisted at
night. But as we thought this might be
our last camp fire, we sat around and
had a great night.
28th July 11 degrees
After a bit of rain overnight, we took
our time before moving on to allow the
canvas to dry.
After stopping at the Border Village
for refreshment, we continued on to
Wigunda Cave. What a beautiful site.
A huge hole with vegetation around the
sides and base.
Cleve wanted to see if we could get a
track closer to the coast, but after a
bit of an expedition we gave it up.
Our first stop was a visit to the
Gillerabble Bore/Tank with its hut and
sandstone outbuilding. It had been a
railway station in the past.
The building is available to rent. Looking through a window, we could see one
room with double bunks. The other
windows though, were boarded up.
We had morning tea at the Nullarbor
Roadhouse, then left to look for a
track to the coast. We were keen to
see some whales, as a notice at the
road house said 28 whales and 20
calves had been seen recently.
aboriginal elder Jeremy, that his
father had cajoled various government
departments to have these remains
removed from a museum and buried
there. Jeremy said aborigines do not
like anyone to see their skeletal
remains.
No luck finding a track, so we resorted
to paying to see them. ($15 adult,
$12 concession $35 family). We saw
about 10 whales, some with calves and
two baby seals having a lovely time
close to the shore.
Another option could have been a flight
over the Bight for $195 each for a 30
minute flight.
After lunch in the car park, we headed
off for Maralinga, where we had a tour
booked for 30th July.
The track was red sand, narrow in lots
of places, with some deep wheel ruts.
Camp that night was at Ooldea in a nice
area. We saw a grave nearby and went
off to investigate.
All that we could see was that it was
the resting place of an aboriginal man
and woman. I found out later from an
Around the campfire, we had a good
chat about the trip in general and
what it would be like at Maralinga.
Soon enough it was time for bed.
29th July 10 degrees
Barry told me that our toilet tent had
blown down during the night with poor
Jenny in it. Cleve had to come to her
rescue.
On our way to Maralinga, we stopped
at the Watson siding and quarry, or
should I say tip. We spent some time
in the tip collecting old insulators
from cross bars off poles.
Soon they were piled high against a
wall. Then we noticed they had year
numbers stamped on them, so we
spent some time searching for everyone’s date of birth.
We could have stayed there longer,
but we needed to move on, as we had
an appointment to meet a guide at
Maralinga.
Maralinga is a restricted area but
tours can be arranged if booked
beforehand. Barry had organised such
a tour for tomorrow.
The big cyclone fence of Maralinga
greeted us about 1.00pm. This is part
of an old atomic testing site. A concrete cylinder guard house (The
Tardis) stood by the gate.
Our guide, Robin
Matthews, was
soon trundling
down in his ute
to unlock the
gate and escort
us in to
remains
of the
Maralinga
township.
He was a
very likeable chap
and nothing was too much trouble. He
showed us were we could camp and,
for a change, the campers could camp
on a concrete base and the “tenters”
had better ground to put their tents
on.
Everyone went of in different directions after lunch to look around, We
came to a huge water tank with a ladder up the side.
Cleve climbed up to look inside. Others
either declined to climb, or got part
way then came back down.
A big work shed was the next to catch
our eye. It is still used for the maintenance of machinery and a couple of
diesel generators. Graders and other
earthmoving equipment are maintained
so they can keep the roads in reasonable condition.
There was a lovely pond/dam by the
side of the road. Runoff from the
road and the airstrip was channeled in
here and left to settle for 15 months.
It was then ready to drink. This was
an old English system.
I learned later that there is bitumen
under the pond and 2 million litres of
water comes off the airfield after
rain.
Lots of other buildings, made from
material shipped out from England and
rebuilt here, were scattered over the
site. A swimming pool and a rather
elaborate three tier fountain had seen
better days.
Back at camp we freshened up with
showers then cooked up dinner in the
camp kitchen.
As our tour was to kick off at 9.30am,
it was a relatively early night.
29th July Maralinga Tour
kept segregated. There was a RAAF
tent city, a naval tent city and a military tent city.
The ranks were also kept separate.
Hence there were four mess halls,
each with its own cook and four
latrines.
The airstrip has a base of five metres
of solid concrete with 15” of bitumen
over the top. It was built in fifteen
months with concrete brought in from
Watson, 60kms away.
We gathered at 9.30am and Robin, our
guide, gave us some background to
Maralinga.
It was used by the British for atomic
testing from September 1956 to October 1957. All told seven bombs were
detonated, the largest had a yield of
25 kilotons. (A kiloton is a unit of explosive force equal to 1,000 tons of
TNT).
There were over 3,000 personnel here
at any time, all men, no women. The
three services were here but they were
Eleven quarries and crushing plants
were set up locally to supply the stone
and metal required. It was the
biggest and strongest airfield in the
Southern Hemisphere.
The airfield is still used today and is
open 24/7. Some 50 to 60 planes use
the strip each year. The RFDS also
lands here.
There was little knowledge of radiation
in those days. Planes were washed
down after each mission by men who
never knew the risks. Due to the heat,
they did not wear their protective
Among his duties are tending to the
298 burial sites and ensuring the
2,000 radiation warning signs are in
place and legible. His biggest worry is
unexploded artillery shells.
And so we headed off on our tour.
We stopped at Tietkens Well, Roadside village (a small camp where forward area workers stayed during the
tests) and Taranaki, Breakaway, Old
Marcoo and Tufi where bombs were
tested.
Radioactive fallout at these sites has
long since dissipated, only deemed
contaminated for 25 years following
the actual blast.
suits, or respirators, as it just made
them hotter. The temperature can get
up to 50° in the extreme.
There have been a couple of cleanups
over the years, but none very successful. Asbestos tiles have been lifted and
taken along with 800 tonnes of asbestos, This was dumped in registered pits
which are officially inspected every
five years.
Robin told us he has been here since
1972, but his wife and child live in Ceduna. He goes home to see them every
three weeks. (His wife won’t stay
here). Every twelve months, they all
have blood tests to see if they have
been contaminated. So far they have
been all clear.
Robin patrols 430kms each week.
But not so a small restricted area
well away from where the tours operate. They will remain off limits for an
estimated 25,000 years!
Lunch was enjoyed under two huge
shelters which were used by the clean
up crews over the years.
It was an all day tour and from our
last site, it was 41kms back to camp.
We had a great day and thanked
Robin very much. He was a great story
teller.
He gave us a few DVDs to look at
after dinner in the camp kitchen. They
were really interesting and kept us up
later than normal. We went to bed
satisfied after a wonderful day.
We were overwhelmed and didn’t know
what to say. It had been a great trip
due to everyone’s sense of humour,
camaraderie and willingness to help
which led to lots of fun and laughter.
30th July
Officially the last day of our trip and
we headed back to Ceduna where we
had booked into a caravan park.
The drive was uneventful. We didn’t
even get a check out with the fruit fly
team and arrived mid-afternoon.
Barry and I thought it would be good
to spend the night in a cabin. Ian,
Ann, Cleve and Jenny decided they
would too.
Before we headed off for dinner, we
all met in their cabin where we shared
a bottle of champagne which Christine
had carefully looked after through the
trip.
Ian gave a speech on behalf of everyone and thanked Barry and I for
organising such a wonderful trip and
acknowledged how much work and
organisation it must have taken.
He presented us with a thank you card
and a stubby holder that had printed
on it, all the time zone differences. It
was a bit of a joke, as everyone,
including me (a couple of times a day)
asked him what time it was.
1st August
Today, we all went our separate ways.
For awhile we still had CB contact,
but then it was just us.
We decided to go straight home as it
had been so cold on this trip. We
heard that Melbourne’s weather had
been quite cold as well.
This had been the first trip we have
had in ten years that had been so
cold at this time of the year.
We are now looking forward to our
next iconic trip - following the footsteps of Burke and Wills from Melbourne to the Gulf.
Follow Burke & Wills
23 July to 14 August
Retrace the track followed by Burke & Wills as closely as possible from Bulla
in Victoria to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Stops along the way at Lake Mungo,
Menindee, Mutawinji, Tibooburra, Thargomindah, Innamincka, Coongie Lakes,
Birdsville, Diamantina, Boulia, Cloncurry, Normanton and various accessible
sites to do with the expedition. There will be a number of multi-night stopovers and the trip will end at Karumba
Meeting Time & Place: Bulla. (Date & Time TBA, possibly Sat 23/7)
Convoy Limit: 6 Fuel Requirements: Enough to cover 600kms
Trip Standard if Dry: Easy/Medium If Wet: Medium/Hard
Trip Leaders: Barry & Linda McElhenny 0427 330 676
Special Requirements: Vehicles should be in tip top condition, Trip will be on Outback
roads that are maintained to varying degrees. A Desert Parks Pass will be needed. Extra food
and water should be carried to allow for delays, or breakdowns. OK for off road campers.
Currently registered: Barry & Linda McElhenny., Harry & Jill Richards, Mark Eames, Colin & Sue
Cameron (+ friend), Leigh Wagstaff & Chris (visitors)
Cape York Explorer
July & August (Dates to be finalised)
Ad Hoc trip to the Top End. See Weipa, Jardine River, Chillie Beach, Seisa, etc.
Meeting Time & Place: Mareeba Qld. (Date & Time TBA)
Convoy Limit: 6 Fuel Requirements: Fill up at Mareeba, then readily available on trip
Trip Standard if Dry: Medium If Wet: Hard
Trip Leaders: Robert & Helen Hume 0447 215 799
Special Requirements: The trip does not have a firm itinerary and is very flexible. Road
conditions may not be kind to caravans and campers. Suggest leave caravan at Mount Carbine,
or Laura. NSW and SA members are welcome.
As the Burke & Wills trip (see above) will finish in North Queensland, the start of this trip
could be coordinated with the end of that trip if any of those participants is interested in
joining this trip.
Contact Rob Hume for more information.
Currently registered: Robert & Helen Hume, Laz Meszaros (SA Club)
Intermediate Driver Training
Saturday 20th August
An advanced driver training course for those who have completed the Proficiency Course and wish to improve their 4WD skills further.
The course will be conducted at the Werribee 4 x 4 Centre and will take all
day. It is a full day course, with one on one instruction - one driver per instructor.
Anyone interested in going on trips rated Hard or Difficult, should give this
course some thought.
For details contact Ian Blainey 0458 444 656 or [email protected]
Currently registered: Barry Gough
Proficiency Level Driver Training
Wednesday 7th and Saturday 10th September
This is a course for the 4WD VIC Driver Proficiency Certificate which includes all facets of 4WDriving in all terrains.
It is comprised of two sections. A theory session for about three hours on
Ednesday evening at the Ely Park Hall in Blackburn South, An all day practical
session is held on Saturday at the Werribee 4x4 Centre. Full details will be
provided to those who register.
The course is conducted in conjunction with the Land Rover Owners Club,
but with our instructor.
This certificate is compulsory for all drivers on Club trip rated more difficult
than EASY. If you don’t have this certificate, or need a refresher, this is the
course for you.
For details contact Ian Blainey 0458 444 656 or [email protected]
Currently registered: Maddie Eames
Annual Redcastle Cemetery Cleanup
17 & 18 September
Annual clean up of the cemetery which we maintain. Option to make it a weekend trip, camping overnight at Dargile Camping and Picnic Area, which is suitable for caravans. Or come on Sunday for the cleanup.
Meeting Time & Place: Heathcote Bakery at 9.30am or at campground
Convoy Limit: no limit
Fuel Requirements: Full tank ex Melbourne
Trip Standard if Dry: Easy/Social If Wet: Easy/Social
Trip Leader: Graeme Mitchell 9467 4759 or 0490 119 840
Special Requirements: Bring gardening tools such as rake, shovel, saw, axe, whipper snipper, weed sprayer, chain saw and anything else which could be useful.
Work gloves and boots are recommended. The Club will provide a BBQ lunch,
but BYO chairs, drinks, plates, cutlery, etc.
Currently registered: Graeme & Gayle Mitchell, Jan & Michael Martin, Cleve Warring
& Jenny, Ian & Ann Marr, Greg Inglis, Nancy & John Dudley, Rod & Margaret
Nicholas, Barry & Linda McElhenny, Barry Gough & Bronwyn
Volcanic Trail II
Monday 26th to Friday 30th September
A follow up to last year’s Volcanoes trip, visiting sites we missed last time.
Also visit some interesting little villages and a longer stop in Hamilton. The
trip will meet Little Desert participants at Serviceton.
Meeting Place & Time: BP Servo on the Geelong Bypass at 9.30am
Convoy Limit: 8
Fuel: Full tank ex Melbourne and available all along the way
Trip Standard: Easy
Trip Leader: Harry Richards 9878 8908 or 0408 142 107
Special Requirements: Suited to caravans. As with last year, some small
walks to sites will be taken
Currently registered: Harry & Jill Richards, Ian & Ann Marr, Graeme & Gayle Mitchell, Colin
& Susan Cameron, Peter & Heather Watts, Rick & Glenda Farlow, Barry & Linda McElhenny
Little Desert Trip
Friday 30th September to Sunday 2nd October
Alan Dash’s 24th foray into Victoria’s desert country looking for birds, wildflowers, orchids and items of interest. Camping at the Serviceton Recreation
Reserve, which has all facilities.
Meeting Place & Time: Serviceton Rec Reserve whenever you get there
Convoy Limit: 10
Fuel Requirement: Full tank ex Nhill
Trip Standard if Dry: Medium
If Wet: Medium. May be slippery
Trip Leader: Alan Dash 0407 568 700 or 9311 3628
Special Requirements: Be prepared for sand driving (suitable recovery gear &
tyres) and for possibly cold, or wet weather. Bring some firewood if you can.
Caravans and campers OK. All facilities and some powered sites available.
Currently registered: Alan & Betty Dash, Cleve Warring & Jenny, Ian & Ann Marr, Graeme &
Gayle Mitchell, Harry & Jill Richards, Colin & Susan Cameron, Peter & Heather Watts, Ian &
Anne Blainey, Rick & Glenda Farlow, Barry & Linda McElhenny
Mallacoota & East Gippsland Meander
Saturday 26th November to Saturday 3rd December
A week spent in Mallacoota Foreshore Caravan park fishing, kayaking, sightseeing and relaxing. Members who have a kayak, or enjoy fishing in the lake or off
the beach will be catered for, but there are also a number of 4x4 tracks in the
area, including the southern corner of NSW, Croajigalong N.P. and Green
Cape.
Meeting Place & Time: Foreshore C.P, or we can go in convoy from town.
Convoy Limit: 10
Fuel Requirement: Full tank ex Melbourne.
Trip Standard if Dry: Easy If Wet: Medium. May be slippery
Trip Leader: Cleve Warring 9646 9144, or 0432 122 832
Special Requirements: Caravans OK.
Currently registered: Cleve Warring & Jenny, Harry &Jill Richards
Tail End …