28.4.98 I left Yanchep about 10 AM after cleaning out the fridge and a general cleanup of the vehicle. I took the last of the food down to Ivy and Ted, Ted was not at home, I gave Ivy the keys and started on my journey. I headed up the road towards Lancelin and took the turn off to GinGin then across to Bindoon. After Bindoon I went up the hills to New Norcia, followed by Dalwallinu and Wubin. Finally I came to Paynes Find and decided to camp here. I made camp before dusk and said hello to the pubs owner and told them where I was camped. My hip was hurting due to all the unaccustomed action. I had a hip replacement last December in Perth.

Photos: Yanchep WA  Yanchep WA  Yanchep WA

24.4.98 I left camp next morning heading for Youanmi. I had been to Youanmi once before, around 1972, when I was doing my first trip around Australia. I stopped at the big goldmine that was closed in December 1997 but could not recognise anything else about the place. The small self-contained village for the mine workers seem to have just a caretaker. I left Youanmi and headed for Sandstone. I would have liked to go gold prospecting around the town, but I had a shower and coldie at the pub instead. I went out of town on the Meekatharra Road and camped for the night.

Photos: Youanmi WA  Signpost  Track from here goes to Laverton WA Ted Davies and Graham did some renovations at Windidda  Never-ending track  Signpost  Strange sign on the Gunbarrel Highway  Dashboard

30.4.98 I travelled to Meekatharra today and camped just outside Meekatharra. 1.5.98 I attempted to look up Pat Saggers in Meekatharra but couldn't remember the directions. Would you believe it as I went through town I saw her going to a shop so I made myself known and camped the night at their relatives place. It was a good place to camp they had a spa. Pat took me out prospecting but I did not find any gold. Pat found a few grams of gold. In the evening I filled up the car with diesel.

Photos:   Rough Road  Straight Road on Gunbarrel Highway  Gunbarrel and Gary Highway corner

2.5.98 In the morning I tried by myself to find some gold but was unsuccessful. I left Meekatharra and went on to Wiluna. I found a caravan park and made camp. I had a hot shower said hello to a couple with the names of Norm and Vicki Skipping. Norm and Vicki were from Boyanup in Western Australia. Norm told me he was going to start up the Canning Stock Route. I gave him the latest map to look at. But the time I had had a beer at the pub he had changed his mind about going on this trip alone. As a result Norm and Vicki travelled with me to Warburton.

3.5.98 Norm and Vicki left just before me and we had spoken of meeting somewhere along the road, the most obvious stopped being 355 km at Carnegie station. That Carnegie station Road was pretty good so I just cruised along. I went into Carnegie as they had a section for tourists with showers, etc. Norm and Vicki were not there, so with a deep sigh, I continued on my way. I thought to myself that I don't see them within 20 km then I'll make camp and continue on my own. About talk, there's down the road we met up and made a good camp. There was plenty of wood for a fire. Later when I was talking to them I found out there had been around Australia three times I had not gone off the bitumen in the travels so far and this was their first time in the real bush, camping out.

4.5.98 Norm and Vicki left before me again. I think my system had decided to go slow, so I took my time breaking camp. I think the 10 or so Emus that I had last night didn't help. From this point on the road started to get bad, but not worse than I expected, I just had to go slower. Corregations that one could possibly have ridden over at about 80 kilometers per hour were impossible because of the washaways. I met up with the young couple going very slowly to Newman in Western Australia, and a met another couple with a Dowson's Tour group label on their shirts travelling east to west. They may have been looking for a new tour route. I passed the turn off to the Gary Hwy and made camp. It was a long tiring day in Paradise.

5.5.98 today was another long day, and I saw some very interesting things along the way. One of the more interesting were water bores that you would need about 30 foot of rope string and something to tie on to it to retrieve water. I passed a working pump, but would have needed a passenger it was going to enjoying the water without having to pump at the same time. I regretted not having a passenger as the water look so inviting. I visited the lookout and Len Beadell's Memorial. I saw his sighting post and saw the plaque on his tree. I read the plaque on the corner of the Gary and Gunbarrel highways and went on to the Heather Hwy. The corregations were really bad now, however, I was not far from Warburton Mission now so made camp for the night. The ground in this area is very soft.

Photos: Len Beadell's memorial  Len Beadell's site marker  Water bore, but need rope and cup  Len Beadell's Tree and flowers  Len Beadell's Tree and flowers  Len Beadell's Tree and flowers  Flowers on mesa country  Flowers and Warburton sign

6.5.98 Norm and Vicki again broke camp before me and headed to Warburton Mission. I would say goodbye to them at Warburton. Norm and Vicki were heading off to Docker River and to Ayres Rock. I sort of arranged to meet them in Winton Queensland, but when I finally got there I found a message in the Tatts hotel which stated that they had to push on. I broke camp and headed to Warburton Mission. I was hoping I could get information regarding the road along the highway up the old Gunbarrel to Kulgera in Northern Territory. I went over a rise with the sun in my eyes and I came across six camels about to cross the road. They seemed to be curious as well and they stopped in the middle of the road and looked at my car. I got a photo of the camels, with the sun behind them. they jogged up the road in front of me for a while and if I went faster so did they , when I slowed they did as well. I was finally presented with an opportunity to pass them, so I went faster and got past them. They stopped, so did I and now I could get a photo with the sun behind me. After a shower and goodbyes to Norm and Vicki, I went into the Service Station looking for information. I found it in the shape of a truckie. My route was to be south by east, destination Marla, South Australia. As a timid person at heart, I try to use reasonable safety when I travel. So if I don't see a signpost within a reasonable time, then I know to look for some corroboration to my location. I went looking first for Snake Well, and it arrived exactly on queue. Seven kilometers later there should have been a junction in the road, but it did not appear so when I arrived at a settlement I veered to the right and just then I saw a vehicle veering around the corner right in front of me. I called out. The vehicle kept going then turned and came back around the triangle shaped corner. As with most outback corners there were lanes connecting the three paths with a triangle of land in the centre that was not driven on, as if people were always cutting the corner. The vehicle kept moving, very slowly. I walked up to it and had to walk along side it to talk to the occupant. I had a long conversation with the guy as he kept the vehicle moving slowly around the corner in a long circle. He had no clutch.

7.5.98 After an unremarkable overnight camp, I just ambled along. I took a wrong turn and ended up in the Pipalyatjara people settlement. They helped me get my bearings, and I went back up the road and got onto the right road. About 100 kilometers or so down the road I took to counting the animals; 14 cattle, 2 emus and 3 donkeys. I came across another junction and decided to go to the right. I made camp around 4pm as it went dark very early and suddenly at this time of the year. I was close to the road and had not seen any other vehicles all day. Then over the next hour about 20 4WDs and cars went back the way I had come from. I found out later they were going to the opening of a radio station at the Amata settlement. Amata is approximately 515 kilometers from Warburton.

Photos: Warburton Mission and camels  Warburton Mission and camels  Camels near the border of WA, NT and SA  Near Warburton Mission WA  Pig Melons near Warburton Mission WA  Eagle in tree  Bore in mesa country  Bird spider trap

8.5.98 I thought I had made another wrong turn when I went past the edge of the Mimilli settlement. I asked directions and it appeared I was moving in the right direction. I ambled along looking at the scenery and keeping a lookout for animals. finally I went over the railway line onto the Sturt Hwy, approximately 40 kilometers north of Marla in South Australia. I past a turnoff to the Oodnadatta track, perhaps I will go that way on another trip. I spent the night at Marla, in a proper bed for under $20. I also washed and had a few beers, a nice meal and an early night.

Photos: Dingo on Oodnadatta track near Marla SA  Sign to settlements north of Mintabie SA  Opal mine at Mintabie SA  Lambina opal field east of Marla SA  Lambina opal field east of Marla SA  Travelled on 'track' from sign to Maree SA  Heading east towards William Creek from road just south of Coober Pedy SA

9.5.98 I drove out to have a look a the Mintabie Opal Field, it is about 40 kilometers from Marla. It is much larger than Opalton. There are about 500 semi-permanent people here. I passed stores, all spreadout over the Hangover Hill and I stopped to look at the view from the top. I passed the time of day with a lady who was watering her small garden. Her name was Jill and this was Jill's camp. I spent a week at Mintabie, a few days at the caravan park and a few at Jills. I met some fine people, Sarg, Luka, Ted, Flo and family. Quite a few of them knew mates at Opalton, they had all started years ago at the Andamooka Opal Fields. I went fossicking every day, but it was overcast with rain threatening, not condusive to good successful fossicking. I topped up my fuel at Mintabie; 205 litres.

15.5.98 back to the Sturt hwy and Marla. I passed the turnoff Jill and I had taked to go fossicking at Lambina east of Marla. I found an interesting stone there. I headed down the bitumen with my vehicle in shock from the smooth going. From Wiluna in Western Australia to Marla in South Australia it is approximately 1679 kilomters of dirt road. I spent the night at Coober Pedy. I did not feel the urge to fossick here, so in the midst of a heavy fog, I travelled on. I went looking for a payhone along the way and found about 9 of them. They were all broken so I gave up.

16.5.98 South of Coober Pedy I turned left and headed towards William Creek. William Creek is a house and a pub. I went on a plane ride at William Creek. A lot of rain had fallen in the area, it looked very desolate, not much in the way of growth. I tried to drive out to Lake eyre but it was too wet. I run out of film for my camera, my last shots were of dawn at Lake Eyre South. I camped there.

Photos:   Camp and Lake Eyre South at Dawn  Lake Eyre South at Dawn  Drill rising out of the desert near Moomba SA  Sandunes at turnoff Innamincka SA  Smart sign near Moomba SA

17.5.98 I passed the turnoff to Andamooka, then travelled on the Oodnadatta Track into Maree. I stopped for a sandwich and to get more film, then went on to Lyndhurst. I topped up with fuel; 43 liters and had a shower at the pub. I was told the road was wet in places and it certainly was. I took my time and stayed clear of wet patches. I camped and lit a fire and set up a dew shelter. It was a very clear night and there was a brilliant sky of stars.

Photos: Desert Sky Tours  View of Cooper Creek from new bridge near Dig Tree

18.5.98 By this time, I was getting a little tired of the constant travelling. I was happy though knowing that I was about one week away from Opalton. I decided to go to Innaminka via Moomba to get fuel. I was not sure of which way I should go, so I went where I knew I could get fuel. I was not able to travel the complete Strezlecki track; signs had been removed and if I had been more observant and checked my map more I might have been able to complete it. I just threw out the swag near the facilities at Innaminka, my hip was causing me problems, especially when I needed to go to the toilet.

19.5.98 I left Innaminka via the Memorial Bridge and I visited the Dig Tree. It was well worth the visit. If I wasn't nearing home, I would have stopped for a few days to fish. I went on the Thargomindah, anticipating a shower, but hundreds of mosquitos eneded that dream. I turned off into the opal fields on the road to Eulo and then continued on to Yowah. From Yowah I headed towards Toompine and Quilpie.

Photos: Cooper Creek at Dig Tree  Airfield in background 14 kilometers from dig tree  Dig tree  Dig tree  Burke and Wills bridge over Cooper Creek  SA border with QLD  Barcoo River at Retreat

20.5.98 I camped just north of Quilpie and went along the Windorah Road. I turned off on a short cut to Jundah (not a good decision) via retreat. I finally had to clamber on a box to get into and under the bonnet trying to change the fuel filter with a screw driver. I crossed the barcoo at Retreat without checking the depth properly, blame my sore hip. I started across in 2nd gear, started to lose the car with water coming right over the bonnet, with all lights on the dash flashing. I changed down to first gear with my heart in my mouth for that was the danger point. If I stalled I was in real bother. Luck was with me and I made it to the other side and went up the bank. I kept the motor running whilst I went out and raised the bonnet. I sprayed CRC everywhere and walked back down to the river. The depth on this side of the river was 0.8 of a meter. Later I had all of the oils checked and changed. I was lucky that there was no permanent damage to the vehicle. I think that if I had not changed the fuel filter, I would not have made it across the Barcoo at Retreat. I stayed at Stan's place, his wife runs a shop and fuel service there. Stan is an opal miner near Quark Pot. Their hospitality was exceptional.

Photos: Barcoo River at Retreat  South West QLD  My shack Opalton  My shack Opalton

22.5.98 I am so close I can almost smell Opalton, just another few hundred kilometers. I pulled Terry, an opal buyer, out of a bog near Stonehenge turnoff. I travelled up the Jundah road towards Winton. I rutned off at Elvo through to Mayneside gate then north again at Opal Creek. I had a cup of coffee with June at Opal Creek Minim then the last 25 kilometers to Opalton went quickly. I arrived around 4pm at my shack.

Photos: Mail day at Opalton  Mail day at Opalton