JOURNAL 1999

JOURNAL YEAR

1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010

January 2nd 1999 (Saturday)

Well the Christmas New Year period is over for another year. Things were fairly quiet around town. The only sour note is that our bicycles were stolen form the caravan park. We aren't that bothered about it as we didn't use them much and they were well past their use by date, but it just goes to show that if it isn't nailed down the Abos will pinch it. I have some sympathy for what Aborigines have been through in the past but they have no excuse for what they get up to these days. The more I see how they live the less sympathy I have for them, they have no self respect and absolutely no desire to improve themselves. There is the odd exception to this but most are lazy and deliberately useless. If a University were to run a course on how to be lazy, shiftless unreliable then there would be plenty of work for the Abos as lecturers. They are past masters at sitting under a tree all day doing nothing.

We have been in this dump for over 4 months now and I can't wait for the day when we turn the bus onto the highway and I can shake the dust of this town from my feet.

January 12th 1999 (Tuesday)

After work we went out to have a look at Palm Springs and Sawpit Gorge. 80km along Duncan road was too much for the van and something has happened to one of the rear brakes, it keeps locking up and there is an expensive clunking noise coming from the rear axle. Duncan Road strikes again.

Palm Springs was pretty but Sawpit was flooded out and the nice pool that is supposed to be there was just another part of the river.

The causeway was flooded so we sat in the running water for a while to cool off before the trip home.

January 22nd 1999 (Friday)

I had the van's brakes fixed today plus a few other bits & pieces attended to. The rear brake linings had completely come away and were rattling around on the drum. That was the noise we could hear when we were coming back from Palm Springs. It cost about $150 which isn't too bad but I still have to have it serviced and the trailer needs to be repaired & licensed, if I get any change out of $400 I'll be lucky.

We have decided to go to Kununurra again tomorrow. Our food supplies are running low and strange as it may seem it is cheaper to go all the way up there than to shop locally - as long as we buy in bulk.

January 23rd 1999 (Saturday)

We got as far as the first river (Little Panton) before we had to turn back. Even 4wd vehicles couldn't get across. Such is life up here in the wet season.

We have now been here five months, how we've managed to last that long is beyond me. At least we only have a couple of months to go before the wet is over and we can go on towards Darwin.

January 24th 1999 (Sunday)

We moved back into the bus today. We have moved on to a 'tourist site' rather than a permanent site, we discovered that it's cheaper! Every other caravan park we have been to the permanent sites are always cheaper but here because of the high cost of electricity the tourist sites (which work out at $112 a week) are $10-$20 cheaper because you pay a flat rate of $16 a night no matter how much electricity you use. Needless to say the Air-conditioner is going full bore all the time now.

January 29th 1999 (Friday)

Today is another sad anniversary. This was the day we lost dear old Sam.

February 1st 1999 (Monday)

Belle has managed to get a part time job working at the local school canteen. Its only 3.5 hours a day but it's better than nothing.

Last week we had problems with the lock on the bus door and have been trying to get another one from the local hardware store. The first lock they supplied was not a deadlock and could be opened from the outside with very little effort. The second they ordered in and it was completely the wrong type - we gave them our original lock as a reference but they threw it away. When we took the lock back and asked for a refund they had the gall to charge us for the freight $11. I have now fired off a letter to the Manager telling him that I will go to the Ministry of Fair Trading if I don't get my money back. They acted as if it was our fault that they supplied the wrong lock. I'm damned if I am going to pay for their mistakes.

Belle's fight with Super Value is still going on. She had the first reconciliation conference via a phone link up last Wednesday and to start off with the lawyer for the store was denying any liability. By the end of the conference they were asking to settle the matter out of court but offered an insultingly small amount. Belle refused the offer and will be proceeding to the hearing. She spoke with a couple of Perth based lawyers who are conversant in these matters and one said "Your boss is in the s&$t." Well lets just hope he's up to his lying teeth in it by the time we are finished with him.

One interesting note is that we had always thought that the owner would use both his sons in the sexual harassment allegation. It turned out that he used one son and the storeman but we have written proof that at the time we believed that it was his sons who would make the accusation and now that they have used someone else we've got them just where we want them.

We are getting quite fed up with this place. Anyone who actually enjoys living here must have had a frontal lobotomy.

Through the Telecentre I have set up a web site for the town and we are offering advertising for as little as $10 a month. Not one of the local businesses are interested despite the fact that the site is attracting more and more visitors and is a great way to promote the town. I have just about given up trying to do anything for the town, no one is interested, even the grant application (for $20,000) to start up a local newspaper can't go ahead because I need two letters of recommendation from local businesses and no one can be bothered to write them. It's like banging my head against a brick wall, in this case a stupid greedy brick wall.

I have to get the trailer fixed this week and the van still needs a service and tune up. Once that has been done we can leave whenever we are ready. It won’t be soon enough for me.

We have had lots of rain over the past two days so we won't be seeing Kununurra any time soon. At least it has cooled the place down. We even had to turn the fridge thermostat down today!

I guess we will look back at Halls Creek in years to come and have a good laugh, but at the moment it is decidedly un-funny.

February 12th 1999 (Friday)

Today is Belle's 40th birthday. We wanted to go up to Kununurra but it was raining when we woke up and it didn't look like we would make it. By the time we had finished work for the day the sky was clear so I decided we would give it a go anyway.

We left town at 1pm and only made it as far as the Little Panton about 40km out before we were stopped by flood waters. We waited an hour to see if the water would drop, it did and we crossed with no problems. Unfortunately the Upper Panton was in full flood as well so we gave up.

We went to the Hotel in the evening and had one of the best meals I can ever remember. A storm came in as we were eating and we were treated to a spectacular lightning show outside.

When we got home one of the people we have got to know at the caravan park (Rosco) came over with a bottle of rum and we nattered on until after 1am.

February 14th 1999 (Sunday)

We were invited over to Bill & Guylan's caravan for drinks this afternoon and had a pleasant time chatting. Bill is the jeweller who made the broach we bought for mum's Christmas present.

They trade under the name Areton and make all sorts of jewellery in a caravan. The gold they use all comes from the surrounding area and most of it they find themselves on prospecting trips. Anyone travelling to Halls Creek can get in touch with them at the caravan park and buy direct or if they are away their work is available at various shops in town.

February 21st 1999 (Sunday)

We are due to do some more house sitting for the Shire's CEO for the next seven weeks. Once Peter & Carmel return from their holiday we will be moving on towards Darwin.

Yesterday I attempted to start the generator but something has jammed inside and we will have to have it looked at quickly as technically the warranty (which I think was 12 months) has just about run out. - It turned out that the warranty was 24 months so that was a relief at least.

We also learned on Friday that the lawyer for Super Value has been advising Malcom to settle before the case comes to a hearing. Malcom being as stubborn as a mule and only half as smart won't take his own lawyers advice and wants to fight on. That is fine by us as Belle stands to get more money in the settlement that way.

February 27th/28th 1999 (Saturday/Sunday)

We decided to try and get to Kununurra again this weekend. We were able to borrow a troop carrier which gave us a better chance of getting over any flooded rivers.

It hadn't rained for the past few days but just after midnight on Friday it started to bucket down. We took off straight away in order to get closer to Kununurra before the rivers started to rise. As it turned out we needn't have worried and although it rained off and on all the way up, the rivers stayed down.

We did our shopping for the next 6 weeks spending about $500. The generator was dropped off the Elgee Motors to be fixed and we will pick it up in six weeks time when we are passing through.

Shortly after we got back to the Creek the skies opened up and it poured down. Anyone staying up at Kununurra for the extra night might have problems getting back now. I'm glad we came back when we did.

March 13th 1999 (Saturday)

I brought the bus over to the house today and started getting her ready for travel again. We will be on the move again in four weeks from today.

March 18th 1999 (Thursday)

Well today was certainly an interesting day! To start with we had an Aboriginal family call in as they were interested in purchasing the van. After some faxes back and forth to Alice Springs it has been sold for $8500, as long as the money finds its way into my bank account I am very happy with that price.

Later when I was at work I received a call from the Aboriginal Corporation I applied for a job with in Katherine and I have a phone interview on Monday.

Then came the biggest surprise of the day; the maniacs at Super Value have actually gone to the police and signed statements accusing Belle of sexual assault. She received a call at work and shortly after 1pm a detective and a constable came round to the house we are staying in and interviewed her.

To begin with the detective was a little on the aggressive side, and I suppose his attitude is understandable when you look at what has gone on from the outside. He couldn't understand why someone would bring such a charge if it wasn't true, then again neither could we. Their whole case is based on the 'Gerbal's principle'. Joseph Gerbals the Nazi propagandist during the Second World War believed that if you told a big enough lie and told it often enough then people would start to believe it. That is what almost happened here.

The detective seemed to change his mind after reading all that has been written about the proceedings, especially when he read what I have written in earlier entries of this journal.

Belle gave him a list of character witnesses to check with including all the doctors and consultants she has worked with at State Health for over 16 years. As he left he said to her that he thought there was something not quite right with the statements but that it was his job to investigate any complaints that were made.

He will obviously have to check Belle's references but they are all professional people and we think he has already made his mind up that we are telling the truth - which of course we are!

I just hope the police see fit to bring charges against 'the gang of four' for making false statements.

March 20th 1999 (Saturday)

This morning we took a trip out to Wolfe Creek Crater. The Crater is about 150km south west of Halls Creek and is reputedly the 2nd largest in the world.

The track down to the crater is definitely 4wd country but now is the best time of year to travel through it. The crater is quite impressive and worth the ride over some fairly corrugated tracks.

March 23rd 1999 (Tuesday)

I found out today that the Telecentre is going to be put in 'mothballs' once I leave and will only start operations again when the demountable unit arrives. This makes me feel as though I have been wasting my time for the past six months as all efforts at getting a higher profile for the centre will come to nothing.

In the afternoon I had a phone interview for a job in Katherine. It is a six month contract to revamp the computer systems and re-skill the users. Half of me wants the job but the other half wants to go fishing for a couple of months. I'll just wait and see what happens.

Cyclone Vance is busy flattening Exmouth where this time last year we were sweltering in the tropical heat.

March 24th 1999 (Wednesday)

Today I finally had a conciliation conference regarding my workers compensation claim. QBE have agreed to pay all medical, accommodation and travel expenses as well as five weeks pay for loss of wages. I am happy enough with that but why they took so long to agree to this is beyond me. It has been nearly six months since I sustained the injury and I let their representative know that I wasn't at all pleased with the delay. So much for Malcom's idiot son saying I wouldn't get anything if I made a claim. That's one down and two to go. The next two should hurt them a lot more.

March 27th 1999 (Saturday)

We took a drive out to see if we could find a place called 'the old stone hut' this morning. The track we were following gradually got rougher and rougher and eventually the signs become non-existent and we had to give up.

After a last look at Caroline Pool and Old Halls Creek we drove back down the dreaded Duncan Road for the last time. Two weeks to go and we will be out of this town at last.

April 2nd 1999 (Friday)

The Telecentre is all packed up now and I just have to survive the boredom of Halls Creek for one more week. The job in Katherine didn't come off, but as I am still waiting for the hernia operation I don't mind too much. It will be better to get that out of the way before I take on anything significant.

Now with a few days to reflect on our last seven months in this town I realise that it hasn't all been bad - it's been b&**#y awful! I've already said all I have to about the town and the people who run the businesses here so I won't waste any more space on it or them. I have to be fair and say that we did meet a few nice people in the town. The people at Shire and our Telecentre Chairman were all very friendly but on the whole this is not a town I can recommend to other travellers.

April 7th 1999 (Wednesday)

Belle was contacted by the Industrial Relations Commission and was told that Super Value now do not want to go to a hearing. Our assumption is that they are now ready to settle and as the conference will be held next week in Kununurra, we will know more about where we stand then. Our position hasn't changed. We will still demand a retraction and payment of lost wages.

The good thing is we are going to be in Kununurra anyway so it won't cost us a cent.

April 10th 1999 (Saturday)

After another nice meal at the local hotel last night we were away from Halls Creek by about 9am. The drive up to Turkey Creek (Warmun) was uneventful but turning the bus round to move to the correct fuel pump at the roadhouse I stalled the engine. For some reason the bus decided not to re-start and we were stuck for about 40 minutes before I could get it re-started.

By this time the right hand front tyre had developed a leak and had gone flat. It was very difficult to manoeuvre the bus into a site behind the roadhouse but eventually I managed to get it in straight.

Now I had to get the bus jacked up and change the wheel. With a hernia this was more difficult that I had anticipated and eventually Belle found someone to help get the spare wheel on after I had removed the flat tyre. The bus runs on 20 inch tyres which to say the least are pretty darn heavy. Finally by about 5pm everything was complete and we settled down for the night.

The roadhouse at Turkey Creek has a limited number of caravan sites and must fill very quickly in peak season. At $15 a night for a powered site it is fairly cheap and there is even a small swimming pool to cool off in.

April 11th 1999 (Sunday)

We woke early and made inquiries about the helicopter flights over the Bungles and booked for 9.30am. Flights run almost hourly so there was no waiting for a booking. They are expensive ($170 a head with a minimum of two passengers - max 3) but since we didn't want to drive in to see the area it was our only alternative.

We had never flown in a helicopter before and it was quite an exciting experience, at least it was for me. By the time we had reached the 'beehive domes' which the Bungles are so famous for, Belle had turned rather green and started vomiting copiously into a handy air sick bag. Of course to make matters worse the bag leaked, filling the cabin with a rather unpleasant odour.

I enjoyed the flight but filming from the rear seat was difficult and I was disappointed with the footage I obtained. I am hoping that we got some good still shots but as Belle was busy being sick she wasn't able to help much with the photography. Back on the ground Belle was sick again and took most of the day to recover.

April 12th 1999 (Monday)

Since we couldn't get a new inner tube for the bus tyre in Turkey Creek we decided to tempt fate and head off for Kununurra without a spare. Apart from an occasional hiccup from the engine when we switched from gas to petrol the trip was uneventful - thankfully.

We arrived in civilisation about midday and booked in to the caravan park at Kimberleyland. The difference between this caravan park and the dump we left behind in Halls Creek can only be imagined by those who have not experienced both.

We sat in a large shaded pool surrounded by coconut palms and decided that we must have died and gone to heaven.

April 14th 1999 (Wednesday)

We have been spending money like water at the moment. Our video player broke down so we had to buy a new one $285, then we found out that it wouldn't work properly with our old T.V. so we bought a new one of those - $299.99. The car was serviced today - another $202 and the bus is booked in to get new tyre all round next Tuesday - $2121 !!! Aaargh! that hurts. We decided to get a mountain bike as well - I am planning to exercise a bit more and it will be handy if we both find work; that was another $280.

I have decided that the money I got for the van will pay for this and we won't be getting a 4wd for the foreseeable future. The bus needs servicing and the radiator needs replacing so there is probably another $1200 or so in that. When all that is done I am going to have a frame put on the trailer and a towbar put on the car so we can move the boat about easily. This isn't going to give us much change from the money I got for the van. Still we shouldn't have any worries for a while once it has all been completed - I hope.

It is such a joy to meet people in Kununurra who are helpful and friendly. Nothing at all like the ignorant, sour, unhelpful and belligerent toads we had to deal with in Halls Creek. They are so used to being horrible to the Aborigines they do it to everyone out of habit. I haven't met anyone in Kununurra with anything nice to say about H.C. One comment was that when going through H.C. you close your eyes and hold your breath until you are well past it. We were there for seven months and sixteen days which was seven months, fifteen days and twenty three hours too long. Words can't express how glad we are to be out of the place.

I am still getting used to the size of Kununurra and the fact that I can get almost anything I want the same day.

April 15th 1999 (Thursday)

The conciliation conference today was a complete waste of time. Why Malcom bothered to call the conference when they were not willing to settle the matter is beyond me. His wife; who is supposed to be an elder of her people and who as a result of the lies she is telling is a disgrace to Aborigines everywhere, went on and on about their Aboriginality and Aboriginal law and how tribal men wouldn't tell such lies - what a huge crock! Even their lawyer made bleating remarks about how the poor Aborigines are never believed and how badly they are treated by the law. Well it's hardly any wonder if this is how they behave. This was the biggest load of crap I have ever heard.

Now we are not just fighting a false accusation, it looks like we are fighting so called Aboriginal culture as well. I don't know if they realise it but we don't live under Aboriginal law so it has nothing to do with the lies they are telling. The commission's time was wasted and our time was wasted. The Registrar told us that it was obvious that their stories had been concocted after Belle had been fired but that he didn't have the power to do anything about it. We will now have to insist that this matter goes to hearing and let the Commissioner make a final determination. After two fruitless hours I eventually walked out but Belle stayed on for a further hour trying to get the matter finalised. In the end we had to tell the Registrar that we wanted to go to hearing anyway.

I am also contemplating going to the media and making this as public as possible. We have nothing to fear as we are telling the truth.

April 17th 1999 (Saturday)

After rising early we went up to have a look at Wyndham, which I had been told was a bit of a waste of time. The town was neat and tidy and the Five Rivers Lookout was worth the 100km trip on its own. The road up to the lookout is steep and winding and not at all suitable for those towing caravans. At the top there are tables, chairs, shelters and even a toilet. Tourist guides rate this as one of the best lookouts in Australia and having now seen it for myself I have to agree.

On the way back we stopped off at the Grotto which despite the long steep climb down provided a deep cool pool to swim in and a waterfall at the far end. Later in the dry season it probably isn't quite so attractive but while the water is still flowing the cool waters and numerous fish make the Grotto a perfect place to stop and relax for an hour or so.

April 21st 1999 (Wednesday)

Yesterday the new tyres were put on the bus and tomorrow it goes in for a full service. We are still trying to work out how to move the boat about easily. We can't get a towbar for the Barina as it is too old and getting a roof rack is proving to be just as frustrating.

Time is slipping away quickly and we still need to arrange to have a new radiator fitted in the bus. If only time had gone this fast at Halls Creek. I bought a new deep cycle battery for the bus ($130) and while the tyres were being fitted three inner tubes needed to be replaced at $26 each and two inner tube protectors at $32. We also bought 6 windscreen sunshades at $10 each - these will go under the flyscreens on the side of the bus to help in very hot weather. On top of this lot we bought new seat covers and a steering wheel cover; another $77.

Video $ 285.00

Chopper flights $ 340.00

TV $ 299.99

Car service $ 202.00

Bike $ 280.00

Tyres $2121.00

Inner tubes $ 104.00

Tyre protectors $ 32.00

Battery $ 130.00

Seat covers $ 65.00

Sunshades $ 60.00

Steering cover $ 12.00

-------------

$3930.99 since leaving Halls Creek

========

The bus service should be about $400-500, a roof rack $300 and the radiator about $700, at worst we should still have about $3000 left from the sale of the van once all this is over with.

April 22nd 1999 (Thursday)

The bus was in the workshop all day for servicing and there is still more to do tomorrow. As a result we camped in the workshop overnight.

To fill up the day we took a trip down to Lake Argyle. The drive down was pleasant but there wasn't a lot to see once we got there. Although the view is quite spectacular the road over the dam wall was closed and we couldn't get down to look at other areas.

April 23rd 1999 (Friday)

After spending the night at the workshop we knew we were in for a big bill from the mechanics but even being prepared didn't help the shock of a bill for $996. All I can say is that I had better not have any problems for quite some time. I can kiss goodbye to the $3000 I hoped to keep from the sale of the van.

We didn't get the bus back until after 3pm and went out to the Zebra Rock Gallery in the morning to try and use up some time. Although it was 9km out of town it was interesting and feeding the fish in the lake was fun. For any would-be fishermen, the lake certainly holds some BIG catfish. Of course there is no fishing allowed at the feeding site but there are bound to be some very large fish elsewhere.

April 27 1999 (Tuesday)

The surgeon from Darwin rang today and my hernia operation is set for May 19th. Although I want to get it over with I can't say that I'm looking forward to it.

April 28th 1999 (Wednesday)

$1040.00 for a radiator! aaargh…… all I can say is that I hope nothing else needs doing for a while. That's $5966.99 we have spent since leaving Halls Creek. The roof rack for the car SHOULD be the last thing before we leave Kununurra, if it isn't I'm going t have a fit. At least the $1011.11 for my workers comp has come through, that helps a little.

The water pump for the bus was on its last legs and the spare I had isn't a whole lot better so I will have to look for another one in Darwin.

April 30th 1999 (Friday)

The bus went back in for some final adjustments to the gas system and some more problems were discovered so we spent another $189. The car roof rack was fitted (another $385) and I have finished bolting extended bars to the top and the boat is now in position. We have to get some more ratchet tie downs and a good tarpaulin so more money is on the way out. Looking at the budget for April I nearly had a fit, we have spent over $9500!!! all the money I got for the van plus another $1000….. where's the Valium.

Filling the bus with petrol & gas will cost another $150 or so then finally we should be able to spend a few days free camping on the way up to Darwin.

Beaurepaires couldn't get a split ring for our spare tyre so we have to do the next 800km without a spare. Hopefully as all the tyres are new we won't have any problems but I'm crossing my fingers just in case.

May 3rd 1999 (Monday)

A little after 10am WST we crossed the border into the Northern Territory. This is one of the most significant milestones in our journey so far. Almost two years after first purchasing the bus we have finally left W.A. and crossed over into another state. All our clocks have now been wound forward one and a half hours as we are not only in a different state, we are in a different time zone. At least now it won't be dark at half past five in the evening.

About 260km from Kununurra is a camping area in the Gregory National Park. Facilities include BBQs, Tables, Toilets and drive in, drive out parking bays. There is a boat ramp nearby and fishing is said to be good in the river but as we only stopped overnight I didn't bother to get the boat off the car.

So far the only sour note is that the generator which Elgee Motors are supposed to have fixed, isn't running properly. We managed to get by, but it isn't putting out enough power and has to be run with the choke on all the time. We will have to wait until we get to Darwin to get the problem sorted out.

May 4th 1999 (Tuesday)

As there isn't much worth stopping for between Timber Creek and Katherine we pressed on and booked in for a week at the Katherine Low Level caravan park.

As we reached the outskirts of the town the bus engine started to race when it should have been idling. I hope it isn't anything more complicated than a sticky accelerator cable, but I'll check on it tomorrow.

Katherine seems much bigger than Kununurra but we haven't done much more than drive around the town centre to get our bearings. Belle has seen several shops she wants to look at and there looks like a lot of good scenery around the town for photography so we'll both be busy.

May 5th 1999 (Wednesday)

Katherine has been a bit disappointing. The hot springs are very pretty and we expect that the gorge will be spectacular, but people are not at all friendly. After Kununurra where everyone we met was smiling, cheerful and helpful, this lot are a real grumpy bunch. We have been into a number of shops and even asking people directions on the street we are met with an unfriendly disinterested attitude. For a town that makes the better part of its income from tourists, I would think that people would make a bit more of an effort. Perhaps it is the after effects of the floods here last year.

The bus is booked in tomorrow to have the idling problem looked at, lets hope it isn't going to cost anything after spending so much in Kununurra.

We took a trip out to Cutta Cutta caves and the guided tour was quite interesting but the cave doesn't compare to Jewel Cave in W.A. The cave is about 30km from Katherine and entry cost $8.25.

In the afternoon we went to the hot (warm?) springs and soaked under pandanus palms. It was very relaxing.

May 9th 1999 (Sunday)

Katherine Gorge was every bit as spectacular as we had been told it would be. The two hour cruise took us down the first two of the thirteen gorges and cost $29 each. Longer cruises are available taking in seven of the gorges but they are more expensive and we have to start watching our money again.

The problem with the bus was simple and was rectified without spending any more money which is a big relief. We will visit Edith Falls tomorrow and then we are off to Darwin on Tuesday.

May 10th 1999 (Monday)

62km north of Katherine is Edith Falls. The falls aren't particularly awe inspiring but the pool at the bottom is an excellent place to swim and the water is crystal clear. There is also a camp ground run by National Parks but most sites are fairly small and I doubt we would have been able to stay there with the bus.

May 12th 1999 (Wednesday)

We finally arrived in Darwin yesterday but not without our usual drama. Everything was fine until just before Pine Creek when the bus started to violently backfire. The engine cut out, but after stopping on the side of the road I managed to re-start and we were on our way again. After stopping for fuel at Pine Creek we had more backfires and more re-starts until we were about 50km out of Adelaide River. The bus backfired many times from the carby and the exhaust and when we stopped (right on the start of a bend in the road) it refused to re-start no matter what I did. We unloaded the car and Belle took off to Adelaide River to summon help while I sat by the bus waiting for said help to arrive. A couple of hours - or more - later a huge tow truck arrived from Darwin and we were towed 160km and spent the night on the road outside a workshop.

Today the bus was checked and the mechanic couldn't find anything wrong - this is a bit of a worry! The tow cost $400 which thankfully will be covered by the CMCA insurance; but our premium is going to go up again next time we have to pay. (Turned out towing didn’t affect the premium which was a big relief.)

We have booked in to the Shady Glen caravan park and have been given a terrific shady site which is almost like our own private garden. We spent the day driving around Darwin to get our bearings and so far I am very impressed with the city. It is clean, neat and new - thanks to Cyclone Tracy - and has a number of excellent parks and nature reserves scattered around the coast.

I had always thought Perth was the most attractive city I had ever seen but Darwin is better. Driving down some of the roads I almost get the feeling that I am in Singapore. The surrounds are green and very tropical and I am really looking forward to further explorations over the next few days.

May 13th 1999 (Thursday)

This morning we went to have a look at Palmerston shopping centre and then on the Karama. We joined the local library and then relaxed for the afternoon before going down to Mindal Beach markets in the evening.

The markets are a mix of food and odds and ends - mostly aimed at tourists. They are held every Thursday in the dry season from 5pm to 10pm and the setting on the beach is ideal. There is a wide variety of foods available including Chinese, Greek, Malaysian, Thai, Japanese, Sovakian, Indonesian, Singapore, Mexican, South American, Middle Eastern, BBQ Seafood, Indian, Vietnamese and Italian - pretty well something for any taste.

There are 4 other markets held around Darwin at Nightcliff, Parap, Rapid Creek and Palmerston. We will eventually get round to visiting them all.

May 16th 1999 (Sunday)

Today we took the dinghy down to the closest boat ramp to try and catch a few fish. Not knowing the local conditions or where to go we were singularly unsuccessful but at least it was a chance to test the engine out after a lay-up of several months.

I like Darwin; it's not too big and although all the shops and facilities you would find in any other city can be found here, there is a definite laid back relaxed feeling about the place. With only 80,000 people it is only 1/15th the size of Perth and no matter where you want to go it is only a maximum of a 20 minute drive to get there. The biggest shopping area seems to be Casurina - it is also the most expensive. The town centre is a lot like Perth without the skyscrapers, and Palmerston to the south is probably the third biggest shopping district.

There are still a number of places close to the city that we haven't explored, but I have a good mental map of the suburbs now and can find my way round fairly well.

So far the only hassle about the city is the speed at which people drive. All the major arterial roads are 80-100 kilometres per hour - far too fast for built up areas and something it will take some time to get used to. One of the strange road rules (at some traffic lights) is that you can turn left on a red light as long at it is clear. As this rule only applies at some intersections it can be a bit of a worry for newcomers.

May 18th 1999 (Tuesday)

Today I had to go to `Darwin Hospital to see the surgeon about having my hernia fixed. I am booked in to have the op tomorrow and I will be in hospital overnight. I can't say I'm looking forward to it much but it will be a relief to get everything fixed up.

May 21st 1999 (Friday)

My hernia has finally been fixed but I now have to wait 6 weeks before I will be back to normal again. I am VERY sore at the moment and spend most of my time flat on my back in bed. Even getting up to write these few lines is a real effort.

May 25th 1999 (Tuesday)

Being stuck in the bus is getting a bit tiring. Recovery from this operation is going to take longer than I expected. I did feel a substantial change when I got up this morning so hopefully I will be able to go out in the car in the next few days. I am also eager to start looking for work and being laid up like this doesn't help at all.

Yesterday was the second anniversary of us getting the bus and Friday marks 18 months on the road. Despite the hassles we have had from time to time it has still been worth doing.

May 28th 1999 (Friday)

I was feeling fit enough for a day out today so we took off to Litchfield National Park south of Darwin. It is a 100km drive out to the south end of the park which features terrific swimming holes like the rock holes (one of the first places you get to in the park). Some of the sights are only accessible by 4wd vehicle and as I was not 100% fit I couldn't get to places that required a long walk. I did see enough to convince me that it would be worth while coming back when I am completely over the operation. Wangi Falls it’s the centre piece of the park and it is certainly the most spectacular waterfall I have seen so far.

In the evening we took a trip out to Palmerston markets which is quite similar to Mindal markets except it isn't in such a nice location.

Belle got a call from the WAIRC today which indicates that the twits at Super Value are finally ready to settle. She will get a new separation certificate and another weeks pay - which I think isn't nearly enough - but I think she is glad to finally get it all out of the way.

May 30th 1999 (Sunday)

Yesterday I went to have a look round the old Darwin Gaol which is quite an eye opener. This was a gaol based on punishing offenders not giving them free accommodation in carpeted air-conditioned luxury like they do now. The gaol is situated in a prime location on the beach so it's a surprise that it has been preserved and not torn down for some new development. Admission is free and it is worth spending some time strolling round the compound.

Over the last couple of days we have been to the other three markets which are held around Darwin. The following table gives an indication of the differences between them.

Market

Day

Time

Description of things available

Mindal

Thursday

5pm

Tourist junk and cooked food

Palmerston

Friday

5.30pm

Tourist junk, fresh food and cooked food

Parap

Saturday

8am

Tourist junk, fresh food and cooked food

Nightcliff

Sunday

8am

Second hand stuff, fresh food and cooked food

Rapid Creek

Sunday

8am

Fresh food and cooked food

Mindal has the best location as it is set right on Mindal beach. Rapid Creek is the most difficult to find parking at but is the best fresh food market.

We also had a quick look at the Darwin Botanical Gardens which normally would be a pleasant stroll but in my current condition it was overdoing it a bit.

On the down side - and there's always a down side - the video camera has all but packed up so I have to go out shopping for another one. A local store is offering 12 months interest free terms and that makes it affordable as long as they have the right model.

June 1st 1999 (Tuesday)

Despite some misgivings I bought another video camera today. As it cost $1099.95 our savings have taken a big dive but if we don't have one we will loose so many memories.

June 2nd 1999 (Wednesday)

I had a job interview today, but as it is front office work - usually reserved for females - I'm not holding out much hope.

June 3rd 1999 (Thursday)

We woke at 3.30am and went fishing off Nightcliff jetty - it was a complete waste of time.

I am starting to feel fit again now and have finally been able to go to sleep on my side - the way I do normally. At last I can come off sleeping pills. In the morning we had a look at a couple of boat ramps south of Palmerston, they are a long way out but it looks like good barramundi territory. Perhaps we will give them a go when I have fully recovered from the op.

June 5th 1999 (Saturday)

The trip today was out to Berry Springs Nature Park and the Territory Wildlife Park. The Nature Reserve is free to enter and contains beautiful clear springs which are very popular for swimming.

Entry to the Territory Wildlife Park costs $12 (1999) and is worth every cent. The park is set in 42 hectares and showcases native and introduced species. It is very well laid out and you can walk around shady tracks or take a ride on the shuttles which continually circulate in the park. The most interesting exhibit is undoubtedly the freshwater walk through aquarium with some of the biggest barramundi you will ever see.

On the way back to Darwin we stopped off at Howard Springs which is a slightly less attractive version of Berry Springs. It is more popular with the locals as it is very close to town.

June 7th 1999 (Monday)

Aquascene at Doctors Gully is well known in Darwin for the fish feeding at high tide. Entry is a bit expensive at $4.50 a head but it is one of the main attractions near the city. The fish that turn up to be fed are mostly milkfish and mullet but there are also a few rays and catfish. The admission price includes plenty of bread to feed the fish but the price is a bit high for this sort of attraction.

June 14th 1999 (Monday)

Our sightseeing trip today took us out to the Adelaide River crossing and a cruise down the river to see the jumping crocodiles. At $26 a head this trip is reasonable value as it is a spectacle you won't see anywhere else.

After the cruise we went to the 'Window on the wetlands' visitors centre and then out to Fogg Dam which is one of the best places to film birds I have ever seen. The dam was originally constructed as a rice growing project in the 1950s but now has been turned into an incredible nature reserve.

I have had 5 job interviews over the past week so I am hoping that work is just around the corner.

June 19th 1999 (Saturday)

We went out to Darwin Wharf last night for a bite to eat which has come back to haunt me today. Something I ate had a little bit extra and I woke with a case of the trots. Most of today was a loss as I recovered.

June 21st 1999 (Monday)

It looks like we may have problems finding a new water pump for the bus. No one locally seems to have much idea of where to locate one but we do have some hope of having it rebuilt by CBC who are bearing specialists. I have to pull the pump apart so they can have a look at it.

On the way back we decided to drop in at the local second hand dealer and as we were walking in Blue & Skeeta (from Cleaverville) were walking out. They were not intending to visit Darwin but ended up here anyway only arriving yesterday. The laws of coincidence must have been stretching a bit thin as the chances of us being there at the same time as them must be millions to one. It was great to see them again and we chatted for a couple of hours over lunch. We will drop over and see them again tomorrow for dinner.

June 26th 1999 (Saturday)

We are getting quite fed up with things at the moment. We apply for job after job without any success. There have been plenty of jobs I could do but none of the applications have come to anything.

If nothing happens in the next couple of weeks we will leave Darwin and look for work in a roadhouse or one of the small towns along the road.

I am still trying to get a water pump for the bus, no joy there either. We have managed to get the generator fixed and I think I have found a split ring that can be used for the spare tyre but despite these small steps forward I am feeling rather lack lustre and depressed at the moment.

June 29th 1999 (Tuesday)

I have gone from feeling depressed about not having work to feeling anxious about going back to full time work for the first time in about 20 months. Tomorrow I start a 2 month contract with the Department of Corporate & Information Services. The pay is ok - about $800 a week less tax & super, but being back in full time work will be a bit of a shock to the system.

July 2nd 1999 (Friday)

The last three days have been a bit tiring and learning to support a mainframe computer system that I have never worked with before is quite challenging but I always enjoy learning something new.

For the first time in a long while I am really going to enjoy a weekend.

July 4th 1999 (Sunday)

I have finally managed to get out in the boat and go fishing again. We took the dinghy down to East Point and launched off a nice little beach just round the corner from the gun emplacements.

We caught one or two small fish and I managed to catch a good sized yellowtail bream but despite the small catch it was great to be back out on the water again.

Unfortunately the tide was a big one and while we launched off a nice bit of sand we had to bring the boat back up some gooey mud and rocks.

July 5th 1999 (Monday)

Back at work again today I now spend all day waiting for confused users to phone in for solutions to their problems. The morning was quite busy but the afternoon was fairly quiet and pretty boring.

July 7th 1999 (Wednesday)

The job I am doing at the moment may pay well ($20 an hour) but I don't think I could stay at it for too long. A trained monkey could just about handle it and although I don't want to sound egotistical, it is a bit beneath my skill levels and if I am not challenged by a job I get very bored very quickly.

I have applied for a Network Manager's position at Nhulunbuy - miles from anywhere - which pays $30 an hour, so I'll bide my time and see if that comes off.

July 11th 1999 (Sunday)

Today we took the boat to Buffalo Creek and spent the day catching baitfish and whiting. I was putting the bait and whiting into a bait keeper which hung over the side of the boat. We must have had a dozen or so fish in it when it dropped off the rollick and sank out of sight. The lid was never too secure so the fish inside may have had a lucky escape.

Thankfully the day wasn't a complete waste as the whiting continued to bite and we came home with about a dozen. Buffalo Creek is very attractive but at low tide we had problems moving around as the long shaft motor we use tended to clobber the bottom.

A lot of locals were pulling up mesh pots, presumably with mud crabs inside. We tried our crab pots with no success.

July 17th 1999 (Saturday)

One day off our 18th wedding anniversary (tomorrow) and we went shopping for a washing machine. Not the most romantic of purchases but at $2.40 a wash in the caravan park, the washing machine at $406 will pay for itself in just over three years. I was hoping to find a washer that would fit under the desk when we are travelling but we could not find anything small enough. This one is a compromise as it will fit about half way in.

We also bought a new bed base ($239) and threw out the old one which didn't allow room for storage underneath. The new one is quite high and we can put all sorts of things under it in boxes which will give us more storage space in the cupboards.

Tonight we are going on a harbour cruise on the Spirit of Darwin. Because we went on the Adelaide River Queen a few weeks ago tonight's 2 hour cruise is only $15 a head instead of $25.

July 18th 1999 (Sunday)

After a good buffet at the Victoria Hotel at lunch ($6.95) on Friday we went out to the Casino for lunch ($9.95) today expecting something even better. I was sadly disappointed. The only good thing about the food at the casino was the view. There was little variety and everything was tired and dry.

July 20th 1999 (Tuesday)

Feeling very run down today everything is getting me down and I haven't been feeling too well. The bus I catch home from work used to leave spot on 10 past 5, now it is leaving at 5:07 which doesn't give me any time to spare.

July 23rd 1999 (Friday)

It's a public holiday in Darwin today (Show Day) and the show has moved in right next door. God what a racket! We are off to Litchfield for the weekend to get a bit of peace and quiet.

July 25th 1999 (Sunday)

The camping grounds in Litchfield were full to overflowing but luckily there was a nice privately owned camp ground just the other side of Wangi Falls. We spent the last two nights there and despite finding the folding beds we took with us a little uncomfortable we enjoyed the weekend. Sleeping in the tent for the first time in ages took some getting used to. Wangi was open for swimming this time so we made the most of it and spent some time in the rather cool water only to find later that the camp ground we were staying at had its own thermal spring with nice warm water.

On the way back to Darwin we had a quick look at Rum Jungle Lake - a complete waste of time and Manton Dam which was pretty but would be better if we took the boat with us next time.

August 1st 1999 (Sunday)

Predictably, just as we were about to start building up our bank account again something else has gone wrong, in fact two things. First the rear brake cylinders on the car are leaking and a brake hose needs replacing and now the gas/electric fridge we have been using in the bus for the last 2 years is packing up.

For the last three days the temperature in the fridge has been steadily rising to a point where everything in the freezer is starting to defrost and the fridge section isn't much colder than a winter's day in Perth.

As a result we went to Chandlers today (isn't Sunday trading useful?) and ordered a fridge and a separate freezer. This will give us more room to keep things (especially beer) cold and both should run quite happily on the 1kva generator when we go bush camping again. It will mean keeping the generator on longer than usual but that's the price we pay for compressor fridges.

The only bright spot in this is that we were able to buy the fridge and freezer interest free over 12 months and at a total of $1250 that means a monthly payment of about $104 instead of raiding our bank account for the whole lot right now. Both items have a 5 year warranty which is another bonus.

August 4th 1999 (Wednesday)

Our plans of having a separate fridge and freezer came unstuck when we discovered that the freezer wouldn't fit under the desk. Now we have had to get a smaller fridge/freezer which at $549 is considerably cheaper but is smaller than the old gas/electric fridge. This was quite a disappointment.

August 7th 1999 (Saturday)

Every time we have been down to the wharf I have taken note of a large barge moored some distance out. I had a theory that it would attract schools of baitfish and today we took the boat out to see if the theory was correct. It turned out to be quite right and schools of small fish were being chased round and round the barge by other predatory fish. Despite trying a variety of lures and baits we were spectacularly unsuccessful in getting a hook up but if we had some live bait I'm sure the results would have been quite different.

That was the last fishing we intend to try up here and most of the fishing gear has now been packed up and put away on the roof rack. Let's just hope Queensland provides better fishing than the N.T.

We only have a couple of weeks left before we move on and we are now looking for jobs to move on to in Mt. Isa.

August 13th 1999 (Friday)

The car was booked in at the local Holden dealer to get the brakes fixed this morning and Belle arrived to find that no-one had bothered to order the parts. Then she was told that we had to pay for the parts in advance. No one informed us of this when we booked the car in so now we have to wait until next week to get the brakes done; although we will be dealing with another company!

Only about 11 days now before we think about leaving Darwin. The time we have spent here has gone by pretty quickly. We will have been here about three and a half months by the time we go.

I was looking at the bus the other day and it struck me how many of the items we have were bought on the road as we have been travelling. Just for fun I have made a list: (since updated several times)

Generator Pinjarra W.A. (replaced by 2ka Karratha)

Camp beds Mandurah W.A.

Rear air conditioner Exmouth W.A.

Boat Karratha W.A. (replaced at Karratha)

Top air conditioner Halls Creek W.A.

Video player Halls Creek W.A.

Computer screen Halls Creek W.A. (replaced Karratha)

HP Printer Halls Creek W.A. (replaced Perth and again in Adelaide)

Fan Halls Creek W.A. (replaced Rockingham and again in Alice Springs)

Deep cycle battery Kununurra W.A. (Replaced Baldivis and again in Perth and Albany)

T.V. Kununurra W.A. (Replaced Rockingham)

Bicycle Kununurra W.A.

Washing machine Darwin N.T. (replaced Rockingham and again in Welshpool)

Bed base Darwin N.T.

Video camera Darwin N.T.

Fridge Darwin N.T. (replaced Rockingham)

TV. (Second one) Townsville Qld.

Swivel chair Townsville Qld.

New annexe roof & poles Townsville Qld. (replaced Rockingham)

Video player (second one) Townsville Qld

Deep cycle battery Townsville Qld

Starter battery Townsville Qld (replaced Alice Springs)

120w solar panel Townsville Qld

Regulator and gauges Townsville Qld

Rear speakers Townsville Qld

Vacuum Cleaner Townsville Qld

New porta potti Townsville Qld

1500w inverter Townsville Qld (Replaced Karratha twice)

New bed mattress Mackay Qld

New folding chairs Brisbane Qld (Replaced Karratha)

Tent Adelaide SA

Camping mattress Adelaide SA

Gas cooker Adelaide SA (Replaced Rockingham)

Camping table Adelaide SA (Replaced Rockingham)

Spare folding chairs Adelaide SA (broken)

Picnic basket & set Adelaide SA

Pentax MZ50 camera Adelaide SA

Bike rack Perth WA (Finally broke)

Center speakers Perth WA

Filing cabinet Perth WA

Canon printer Perth WA

Laminator Perth WA
Stereo Perth WA

9Kg gas bottle (3) Perth WA

Canon printer Adelaide SA

Belle's Cycle Adelaide SA

New front seating Adelaide SA

Exhaust fan Barossa SA

Chest of draws Alice Springs NT

Fan Alice Springs NT

Deep cycle batteries (2) Alice Springs NT

Starter battery Alice Springs NT

Yamaha outboard Karratha WA

Honda 2kva generator Karratha WA (later sold)

20A Battery charger Karratha WA (broke down)

40watt solar panels (2) Karratha WA

Folding boat trailer Karratha WA

Echo sounder Karratha WA

80w solar panel Karratha WA

85w solar panel Karratha WA

Fuji digital camera Karratha WA

GPS Carnarvon WA

Ice cream maker Narrogin WA

Mixer Narrogin WA

UHF aerial Narrogin WA

2nd 2Kva Generator Karratha

2nd echo sounder Karratha

Printer Karratha

Computer Karratha

Engel fridge & 2 zone Karratha

Flojet Water pump Karratha

New boat Karratha

New laptop (Belle’s) Karratha

Cannon printer yet another one Karratha

500gb External hard drive Karratha

500gb External hard drive Margaret River

This is only a partial list but Karratha seems to have done quite well out of us over the years.

New bus parts

Radiator Kununurra WA

New tyres Kununurra WA

Tail lights Adelaide SA

Water pump Lincoln SA

Clutch plate Ingham Qld

New windscreen Brisbane Qld

Master brake cylinder Brisbane Qld

Coil & ballast resistor Alice Springs

We are certainly doing our best to spread our money round the country. By the time we get back to Perth we will probably have replaced most major items with something we bought along the way.

August 18th 1999 (Wednesday)

One company I want to give a special 'plug' to is Beaurepaires Tyres. We had some problems getting the split rim back on the spare bus tyre and we needed a repair done to one of the trailer tyres. They did both these things for us without charging us a cent. They were helpful and friendly so if you are in need of tyre in Darwin go and see these guys they will look after you.

August 22nd 1999 (Sunday)

Just about everything is packed away now and we are just waiting for the clock to wind down over the last two days in Darwin. In general I would recommend Darwin as a destination for travellers. Our stay here has been an enjoyable one for the most part but I wouldn't think about staying here long term.

The caravan park (Shady Glen) is a reasonable place in general but it is situated in a terrible position. Right next door is the showground so every time there is an event the residents of the caravan park cop all the noise. Then there is the racing circuit at Hidden Valley at the back and the airport across the road. Apart from these inconveniences the park's roads are all unsealed so there is quite a dust problem.

The owners are at least doing the right thing by keeping other noise in the park to a minimum and don't hesitate to kick people out if they make more than reasonable levels of noise.

August 24th 1999 (Tuesday)

My last day at work with DCIS and what should be our last full day in Darwin. We have enjoyed the last three months here and Darwin is certainly a place I will recommend to other travellers.

Some of the highlights were East Point, Berry Springs, Fogg Dam and Litchfield National Park.

The area surrounding Darwin is far less tropical that I had imagined but that only serves to heighten the impact of the city itself.

The only minus as far as I am concerned was the almost total lack of fish - at least at all the places we tried. Others have undoubtedly been more successful.

August 25th 1999 (Wednesday)

After a final pack up of last minute items we dropped the bus off in Beremah to have the gas system looked at and went off to Larekeya to have a swim. When we got back to the bus the only problem they could find was related to a corroded tachometer cable which may have been shorting out. The cable was disconnected and we took off hoping that everything would be ok.

We hadn't even got out of the suburbs of Darwin before a car pulled round in front of us and indicated that we should stop. When we got out we found that a tyre on the trailer had blown out so we unloaded the car and changed it and went back to pick up another spare.

Then finally we were on our way. We stopped at Bridge Creek for the night and met a couple of other people with buses. One had a Bedford and had the number of a parts supplier who should be able to help with a water pump so as soon as we are settled I will give them a go.

These are the two numbers I was given.

Don Kite 1800 029 957 (spare parts)

SMS 1800 620 026 (engines)

(I have since purchased a new water pump from Don Kite and they were very fast and efficient.)

August 26th 1999 (Thursday)

A short drive down to Pine Creek and then 3km south of town to the Copperfield Dam turn off. 4km further down an unsealed but reasonable road we came to an excellent campsite which overlooks the dam. The campsite includes toilets and even town water. There is a grassed area near the dam with BBQs, seats and shelters. The water is fresh and clear and there is even a sandy bottom. The best thing about the campsite is that it is FREE although stays are limited to 3 nights.

After a refreshing swim we went into town and had a look at the mine lookout and then went to have a go at gold panning. It costs $5 each which includes a short (somewhat rote) talk on the history of mining and a look at Australia's oldest working stamper battery which is worth the admission fee on its own. Lastly you get to do a bit of panning and keep the few flecks you find in a vial of water.

Pine Creek Railway station was also interesting but sadly the local producer of mango wine had run out of stock. The town is still heavily involved in gold mining and with a terrific free campsite close by it is worth stopping for a night or two.

August 27th 1999 (Friday)

Up early and off through Katherine and on to Mataranka and the thermal springs. The caravan park by the springs is a bit ordinary and from my point of view Berry Springs are better, but it is a nice spot to spend the night before contemplating the next bleak 1800km or so.

The drive from Darwin to Cairns (our intended destination at the moment) is about 2800km - the longest distance we have attempted to cover over a short period of time. From all accounts there isn't much between us and Mount Isa.

August 28th 1999 (Saturday)

Now we are getting into the real driving with miles of scrubland and wood thickets to keep us company. We had another tyre go on the trailer (courtesy of local road works spreading rocks all over the road) and managed to get a replacement at Daly Waters where we also stopped for a beer and lunch at the pub.

We pushed on to Elliott where we stopped for the night at the caravan park ($20) which although a bit expensive was better than others we had stayed at in the past.

August 30th 1999 (Monday)

At just after 12 noon local time we crossed the Queensland border and are now stopped for the night at a campsite 90km from Mt Isa.

I can't say that I'm all that impressed with the northern gateway into Queensland as the road between Camoweal & Isa is dotted with single lane bitumen sections. The Government have the gall to put up signs saying "Survive this journey" when an extra lane so vehicles can pass each other without going off onto the gravel would make survival much more likely!

August 31st 1999 (Tuesday)

We arrived in Mt. Isa about 10am and had a quick look round. There isn't much here to attract tourists as Isa is a working town and is dominated by the smokestacks of heavy industry. The road into the town improves about 60km out and hopefully we have seen the last of one lane bitumen roads.

Q. What's the difference between a dirt road and a Queensland one lane bitumen road?

A. The dirt road is much smoother.

Someone really should do something about the state of the road between Camoweal and Isa.

Mount Isa is a town that you are going to feel something about. I don't think anyone could possibly come here and leave without a strong impression of the town. Unfortunately for many people that impression is going to be negative. Isa is very much a working town with VERY wide streets and a few too many sets of traffic lights. The intersections are the size of football fields and there isn't much evidence of careful town planning. Everything seems to have developed in an add-hoc sort of fashion which gives it a rough and ready atmosphere. Some people will love the place, I hate it.

15km from town is the Moondarra Dam and recreation area which is a little piece of heaven in a wild land. Below the dam wall is a well maintained park with a large flock of resident peacocks. Boating, fishing and swimming are allowed in the dam and there is a pleasant recreation area opposite the dam wall.

September 3rd 1999 (Friday)

The last couple of days have been little but driving, driving, driving. The Barkly/Flinders Highway from Camoweal to Charters Towers is a real shocker of a road. There are a few sections which have been upgraded but 80% of it is b&**#y awful and some sections are downright dangerous.

Anyone contemplating a trip along this road should be aware that the camber (angle) of sections varies greatly and you can go from completely flat to several degrees without warning. This has the effect of throwing the vehicle off centre and can lead to the wheels going off into the gravel on the side which in many places is several inches lower than the bitumen.

Miles and miles of the drive are across vast flat BORING plains which seem to go one forever. The interesting sections are a mere 120km from Mount Isa and then past Hughenden as the terrain starts to become more hilly.

Last night we stoped off at a campsite by the Campase River (river bed more like) and met some fellow members of the CMCA. (Don & Joan, Norm & Rose) Luckily they were familiar with the area and put us on to the CMCA campsite at Charters Towers showground ($5 a night including power - for CMCA members only).

Charters Towers is a charming town with some perfectly preserved buildings dating from the gold rush days. There is a rodeo on here tomorrow so we'll spend two nights and go on to Townsville on Sunday.

September 4th 1999 (Saturday)

The rodeo cost $15 but was good entertainment and on the whole it was good value for money. There were 50 of Australia's top bull riders doing their thing and most emerged unscathed if not entirely triumphant. I don't think you could pay me enough money to convince me to get on the back of one of those bulls, especially the ones with great long horns. The rodeo 'clowns' do a great job in distracting the bulls when they have a go at a downed rider but they only seem to get away with it by the skin of their teeth.

September 6th 1999 (Monday)

Today we arrived in Townsville and after settling in at the Showgrounds Caravan Park we had a quick look around the immediate area. I can't say I'm all that thrilled with the town or the 'tropical' countryside which is nothing more than a few burned shrubs at the moment, but maybe that will improve with the coming of the rains.

Belle has a problem renewing her driver's license - which expires on the 8th - as we haven't had a mailing address for the last two weeks and the renewal is still in Perth. She tried to get a Queensland license but apparently you have to be here a month before you can apply and by that time her W.A. one would have expired.

You would think the dickheads responsible for licensing in each state would make it easy for people to renew a license when they are on the road, but as usual when dealing with government departments all you get is hassles and static.

The journey down from Darwin took us 13 days and cost about $650 in fuel. We only saved about $110 in caravan park fees by free camping as often as we could, but at least that is something.

September 9th 1999 (Thursday)

I had my first job interview today (boy that was quick!) and I am hopeful of getting some contract work doing Universe support. We are still in the Showgrounds caravan park but want to move out on Monday As it is so noisy here. Every bit as bad as Darwin as there are netball courts that seem to be used every night of the week and a greyhound track with speakers blaring tonight. I am fed up with noisy caravan parks!

Tomorrow we are going over to Magnetic Island 8km offshore, I hope the place is as pretty as the pictures we have seen in tourist guides. We are now equipped with snorkels, masks and flippers to do a bit of snorkelling over the reef and we have hired a moke to get around the island.

September 10th 1999 (Friday)

The trip to Magnetic Island was very enjoyable. The package included transfers to and from the ferry terminal, return ferry ride and moke hire for the day. This worked out to just over $40 a head (It gets cheaper for 3 or 4 people as the moke hire amount stays the same).

The Island is every bit as pretty as the pictures in the tourist guides and there are several bays scattered along the coast which can be explored. There is only one of the bays that is really suitable for swimming at low tide but the rest are great for just sitting and relaxing or walking along.

There is also a car ferry which will take a vehicle and up to 6 people for $96 - which is better value if more people are going. The snorkelling wasn't too successful as there was a lot of sand in the water which kept visibility down so hopefully we will get better use out of the gear when we take a trip out over the Barrier Reef later on.

Today we have to decide on a caravan park to move to - the one we are in is VERY noisy.

September 12th 1999 (Sunday)

My 39th birthday passed without as much as a whimper but at least I'm not in Halls Creek for this one.

September 14th 1999 (Tuesday)

We have settled in at the Range Caravan Park which is nice and quiet. It is further from town but it is also cheaper ($84 a week) than the Town & Country park ($90) that we were in. After 4 weeks at $84 we can go on to a long term rate of $55 plus power which will probably work out at around $70 a week.

We need to find work here and aren't expecting to move on to Cairns until next year - but you never know.

September 18th 1999 (Saturday)

As there isn't much around Townsville to go and look at we took off for Mission Beach (about 200km north) and had a look at a few interesting places along the way.

The 'Great Green Way' as it is known has a number of overnight campsites along the main road (Bluewater and Rollingstone to name two) as well as excellent rest areas at Saunders Beach and Balgal Beach.

The Great Green Way is aptly named as about 50km north of Townsville the scenery changes and despite the fact that we are currently at the end of the dry season, everything is green and attractive beyond this point.

A real treat up high in the hills is Little Crystal Creek which flows under an ancient stone bridge. It is hard to believe that you aren't in Tasmania or some other southern state when you stand under the archway watching the stream flow past.

Ingham was a reasonably attractive country town but the real gem in the vicinity was Lucinda which is the southern access to Hinchenbrook Island. A caravan park and nearby boat ramp as well as easy access to the Hinchenbrook Channel make a stop over here a real must.

North of Ingham is Cardwell which stretches along the coast at the north end of Hinchenbrook. A jetty here may be a good fishing spot and I intend to check it out one day.

The road north leads to Tully through sugar cane and corn country. Small cane railways cris cross the roads and a weather eye needs to be kept out for the trains which are in almost constant use at this time of the year.

22km from Tully is Mission Beach which is everything the tourist brochures claim. Development in the area should be halted where it is or the casual laid back atmosphere which still exists will be ruined.

As we were only here for the night we didn't get to go across to Dunk Island but we will put that on the agenda for later on.

September 24th 1999 (Friday)

Yesterday we both had job interviews and although I don't like making predictions about work I would bet that we will both be working in the near future. Belle looks like going back to work in her professional capacity as a Medical Scientist and I look like getting work as a Programmer again so we should make some good money. We hope to stay here until at leat April next year and I have a long list of things I want to buy:

Solar panels, new starter battery for the bus, another deep cycle battery, new annexe roof, water pump for the bus, 1200 watt inverter so we can run the fridge without using the generator, echo sounder for the boat which will all cost a lot of money.

Belle received a message today from the hospital and she has been offered a 6 month contract, so we will now be here for at least the next 6 months. Going back to her profession is good because it will give her a refresher and keep her skills current as well as making good money.

September 25th 1999 (Saturday)

We took the opportunity of going down the coast to Ayr and Home Hill today. 28km south of Townsville is the turn off to Bowling Green Bay national park and a small campsite by the side of a river. It's not a place I would attempt to get the bus into as the last part of the access road is too narrow but smaller units would manage to get in without a problem.

The river is safe to swim in here (no crocs) but at this time of year it isn't too deep.

Further down near the coast is a town called Giru. A short drive from town down a dirt road is a boat ramp leading the junction of a couple of rivers. The area looks good for a couple of nights stay as well. We didn't see any 'no camping' signs and we know of another bus that spent a couple of nights there.

I certainly wouldn't go down there if there was any chance of rain as the whole area looks like it would turn into one big bog very quickly. (The turn off to this spot is 53km south of Townsville).

88km south of Townsville is Ayr which is typical of many of the towns around this area. CMCA members can stay at the showground here for $5 a night. 9km further on is another small town called Home Hill. The whole area is cane country and like the areas north of Townsville there are narrow gauge railways crossing the roads and cane processing plants all over the place.

September 28th 1999 (Tuesday)

Belle started work today and we also had the first rain we have seen in nearly six months.

October 2nd 1999 (Saturday)

We had a look at Reef HQ today and were a bit disappointed. The large tank which holds the living corals had very few fish, and other exhibits were sparse and on the whole there wasn't enough to see to justify the $14.80 entrance fee.

After Underwater World in W.A. and the Territory Wildlife Park aquarium in the N.T. this exhibit isn't very inspiring.

October 10th 1999 (Sunday)

The weather is gradually getting warmer in Townsville but there is still no sign of the humidity that was starting to make Darwin uncomfortable when we left there about two months ago.

I am still waiting for the council to get its act together with regard to work but they still seem interested in getting me to help them out. Belle is getting on well at her job but doesn't like the (relatively) long journey of 18km each way.

One of the more interesting attractions in Townsville is the Flinders Street Markets which are held every Sunday. It is better than any of the markets in Darwin but doesn't have the kind of foods available at Mindal.

The area of coast near town known as The Strand is being redeveloped after a recent cyclone washed most of the original way. The opening of the new area is set to happen on the 23rd of this month so it will be interesting to see what the area looks like when it is all completed. When we got here it was a real mess.

October 13th 1999 (Wednesday)

At last I have received the call I have been waiting for. I start work with Thuringowa Council next Wednesday.

October 17th 1999 (Sunday)

We finally got the chance to go fishing today and spent some time at Saunders Beach. Unfortunately there wasn't much around and Belle caught one small fish which we put back and we caught one crab in the crab pots.

October 20th 1999 (Wednesday)

My first day of work was fine, but a little bit of a strain on my poor grey cells as I tried to remember work I was doing over two years ago. I was quite surprised at how quickly most things have come back to me.

October 24th 1999 (Sunday)

We try to go out somewhere on the weekends and today we planned a BBQ up at Little Crystal Creek. As we arrived early we made our way up to Paluma which sits on top of the range a further 11km from the picnic area near the Crystal Creek bridge.

As we made our way higher into the mountains the vegetation changed abruptly from temperate to tropical rainforest. There was a complete change in the air as it became cool and damp. Thick lush greenery covered the area around Paluma and we decided to have the BBQ up there instead. Having selected a table and got ready to start cooking we found we hadn't brought any matches with us. There was no one else around so we packed up and made our way all the way back down the winding road to the lowlands again.

In the end we arrived at Balgal Beach and since there weren't and gas BBQs there we bought lunch and had a BBQ dinner when we got home. A lesson in being prepared!

October 30th 1999 (Saturday)

No I didn't forget the second anniversary of Lucy's passing yesterday, but I left the entry late deliberately as she and Sam both paid me a visit in my dreams last night. My personal beliefs on an afterlife are that there isn't one but when my faithful old friends visit with me so often in dreamland it’s hard sometimes not to think that I might just be wrong. In some ways I hope I am because I would love to be back together with them again. (2006: Even years later the dogs are still visiting me from time to time in my dreams, but as time goes on their visits are getting further and further apart. I still miss them terribly and the pain of their loss has stopped me from getting another dog.)

November 2nd 1999 (Tuesday)

The weather is gradually taking on a hotter more humid aspect but I'd put money on the fact that Darwin is much, much worse than here.

Both our jobs are going well (lets hope that doesn't put the mockers on them) and time is passing quite quickly. We have booked in at Lucinda (near Hinchenbrook Island) for a couple of nights at Christmas when we plan to go fishing in the Hinchenbrook Channel.

The only thing that really bugs me about Townsville is the number of round-a-bouts on the roads here. On one fairly short stretch of road (Thuringowa Drive) there are no less than 6. The drivers here are either flat out or dead slow and the local trick is to pull out in front of you without any warning.

Besides that Townsville is pretty alright.

November 5th 1999 (Friday)

I had the day off today as I am working a 9 day fortnight at the Council. Didn't do much but I enjoyed the time to myself.

November 6th 1999 (Saturday)

Today we had to go and vote on whether Australia should become a republic. I voted 'no' as I believe the republican model that has been proposed is not the right one and that it was all slapped together in too much of a hurry.

There seems to be a big push by the 'yes' campaign to get all this through in time for the Olympics and I think that a fundamental change to the constitution needs a lot more debate and serious thought before it takes place.

I actually expect that the 'yes' vote will win and I hope that shoving this thing trough so fast doesn't backfire on the country as a whole some time down the track.

I am very much in favour of having a directly elected president - the politicians don't want that because they might get someone they don't like. All I can say is 'too bad'.

As for the monarchy, I think even England should get rid of that load of parasites. Tourists will still come to see the buildings even if the privileged class no longer inhabit them. What a saving for the poor old English tax payer that would be. (Being born in England I have strong views on the monarchy and the class system.) Pensioners burning their furniture to keep warm in winter while QEII and her hangers on live in the lap of luxury doesn't sit too well with me.

This morning I purchased a jig-saw (not the puzzle type the saw type) as I had to cut a hole in the back of out TV cabinet area. Last weekend I bought a second video player to help with making tapes about our trip but when we got it home it wouldn't fit into the cabinet, - hence the saw today - now its all neatly shelved at last.

The video was a bit more expensive than I had intended ($659) but I needed a unit that allows audio dubbing and that was the cheapest one I could find. Good job we are both earning good money at the moment.

We investigated the cost of a new annexe for the bus and discovered that it would be in the region of $3500 !! Arghh, way too much. I'll wait until we get to a bigger town where there is more competition and try again.

November 8th 1999 (Monday)

Much to my surprise Australia is not a republic, which for the moment I think is a good thing. What really got me mad on Saturday night was watching the absolute wankers like Stan Grant being thoroughly rude while interviewing the leader of the 'No' side. The media immediately took the line that those who voted no did so because they wanted the Queen to remain as head of state.

I voted 'no' because I wasn't presented with either enough information on the changes to the constitution or any alternative model. I certainly didn't vote 'no' because I wanted the Queen kept on.

Even fairly respectable journalists on the ABC like Kerry O'Brien took this stupid, and to me, extremely offensive line. Much to my great surprise Peter Reith (who I can't stand) was giving the journos a serve about why many people voted no.

In any case we now have the time to sit back and consider carefully what needs to be done. I am sure that Australia will become a republic but now we have the chance to do it properly without being railroaded into something we know nothing about.

As for the leader of the 'yes' campaign, I have never seen such a poor loser in all my life. I hope he gets the boot and someone more rational gets to lead the republicans next time round.

November 12th 1999 (Friday)

It's hard to believe how fast time is slipping past at the moment. We are only 7 weeks out from Christmas and we have been in Townsville for just over two months.

This year we finally look like being able to put some of the money back in the bank that we lost during the first year on the road. Over all we will still be about $1000 behind our starting point but that's not too bad.

The year would have been much tougher if I hadn't sold the van in Halls Creek (I wonder if the horrible thing is still going? It probably is now I don't have it any more.)

We are adding to our list of items purchased on the road with :

Sony Hi Fi Video

Executive office chair (finally something comfortable to sit in while I write this)

both purchased in Townsville.

November 22nd 1999 (Sunday)

Another week gone already and the rainy weather seems to be setting in. Despite the weather we took time to have a look at the redeveloped Strand. It certainly is a huge change from when we first arrived. The locals are flocking to it every weekend and it will attract its fair share of tourists when the dry season rolls around again. All that is needed now is something like Mindal markets in Darwin to really make it a big attraction.

Tropical fruit season has started and we bought some fruit at the Francis Street markets in town. There were fresh lycees, something called a soursop (not at all sour and very tasty), Jambus, paw paw, jack fruit and some purple and green things that we haven't got a name for, all for just over $10.

We also had a look around the Palmetum on the way home and I will be going back with all the camera gear. This place was incredible. It is dedicated to the palm plants of the world and entry is free. There are lagoons where hungry turtles rush towards the shore hoping for a hand out and three separate walks around the very large park which are said to take an hour each.

Anyone coming to Townsville MUST NOT MISS the Palmetum.

December 1st 1999 (Wednesday)

Although this year we finally made a profit overall it was at the expense of selling a large asset (the van) for $8,500. Without that our savings would have taken a real beating. At lest we start off the new year on a firmer footing and hopefully that will see us through.

December 4th 1999 (Saturday)

This has been a pretty lousy week. First on Wednesday night the computer started playing up and although I have got it partially working again I have lost a lot of files.

Second was the video camera breaking down yesterday and third was the bad news today that Bugsy (our cat at home) seems to have failing kidneys and may need to be put to sleep.

Poor old Bugsy hasn't rated much of a mention in the journal so far, but we have had him for about seventeen years. He is still living at home and although it's probably fair to say that he wasn't quite as much a part of our lives as the dogs he will be sadly missed when he goes.

We won't know any more until Monday when Mum gets him looked over by the vet, but we have told her to accept the vets advice and from the sounds of things the news isn't going to be good and we are preparing for the worst.

Sam was the first of our pets we had another little dog called Susie who died quite young, then came Lucy and then Bugsy. I still remember the day we brought him home, he was so small he sat in the palm of my hand. We took him into the back garden to introduce him to the dogs and he took one look at Lucy and puffed himself up and chased her down the garden. That was when he got his name 'Bugsy' after the gangster Bugsy Malone. He has been beating up on dogs ever since.

I'll just bet he gives the grim reaper a few claw marks to remember him by when he goes to pussycat heaven.

December 7th 1999 (Tuesday)

Good news, Bugsy is much improved since last week. So far so good, I'll cross my fingers that it was only a short term illness of some kind.

December 13th 1999 (Monday)

We are having the time of our lives with tropical fruit up here at the moment. There are all sorts of unusual and tasty fruits that you don't see down south. Our favourite over the last few days have been fresh lychees. At $6 a kilo we have been filling up on them.

Today we opened up a whole jack fruit which was quite an experience. We have always bought this fruit ready to eat before and had no idea what lay in store for us on the inside of the huge green casing. The sweet orange pods that are sold in many tropical markets are encased in what can only be described as something like flat STRONG spaghetti which itself is coated in a VERY sticky latex like substance. It gets everywhere when you are extracting the edible pods - next time we will do the job outside the bus.

Still we love jackfruit despite it quite strong smell so the effort was well rewarded.

I don't know how I'm gong to adjust to the south again with its cold climate and boring fruit. If I ever settle down again I suspect it will be somewhere north of Capricorn.

December 17th 1999 (Friday)

Another RDO today and I managed to do a couple more jobs round the bus that I have been meaning to get to for some time. In the last couple of weeks I have put up three new shelves in the bus, one over the desk, one under the desk to hold video tapes and another over the driving area which has helped to sort out proper mountings for the CB radios.

Today I put some speakers up in the bedroom area which are linked to the stereo in the front of the bus. We have been using a large portable stereo in the bedroom but this makes better use of space as the speakers are mounted up on the wall. The speakers cost $99 abut after adding in wiring, selector switch and cabling for the CBs the total came up to $178.

One sour note today was that I picked up the supposedly repaired video camera from Chandlers only to find that it was chewing up tapes. I found out who the repairers were and took it round to make sure that they knew I wasn't too pleased. I suggested that this time they actually put a tape in and test the camera before sending it back.

December 18th 1999 (Saturday)

With the Christmas rush almost over and most of the jobs I wanted to do around the bus almost complete I have had a little spare time to sit back and reflect on the journey so far and think about what is still to come.

Although we now have the most populated area of Australia and lots to see in front of us I am starting to yearn for the west coast again. I don't want to hurry through the next part of the trip but I am starting to miss places like Quobba, Exmouth and Cleaverville. It may be some time before we get back to W.A. but these places are on top of my list of ones to re-visit.

The feeling when you are driving north along the coast and come across the first cattle grid is really special to me. I really want to see the wildflowers in full bloom again as well so I want to organise that section for August-September.

So far on this trip the West Coast has still been my favourite area. From Shark Bay through to Karratha strikes me as being a very special part of the country. It has a feeling about it that defies description but I can feel it drawing me back.

December 23rd 1999 (Thursday)

I have a couple of weeks off over the Christmas period and hopefully I can get some of the outstanding work on the bus completed before I go back to work.

Today I bought a couple of new batteries for the bus. A new starter - which has been needed for a long time ($109) and a second deep cycle ($165) plus a couple of gauges ($45) so I can keep an eye on the charge level and make sure it stays up.

The last big item we want to purchase is a 5kva generator (trading in the 1kva we have) so we can be completely self sufficient when we are out in the bush. I want to mount it under the bus which means looking at marine generators, I expect I am going to have a nasty shock when I start to get prices. (I was)

December 25th 26th 1999 (Saturday/Sunday)

We arrived at Lucinda about 11am and settled in to one of the cabins in the local caravan park. The weather was wet and drizzly but I did make an attempt at fishing off the jetty without any success.

Sunday was clearer and we spent the morning fishing from the jetty but the only catch was a catfish which we threw back and which was promptly snatched up by a large fish hawk.

December 28th 1999 (Tuesday)

The trailer top is looking a little rusty at the moment so I went down to the local hardware store to pick up some kill rust to re-surface the top. It was a little expensive (around $65 for everything I needed) but I have used kill rust on the trailer box steel and it has done a good job so I'm sticking with what I have used before. When I got back I started thinking about all the money that has gone into the bus so far and decided to make a list and give myself an idea of what the bus owes us at the moment.

This list covers all the major expenses and most of the minor ones but I could add another $300 or so for bits and pieces that aren't listed. Taking away the purchase price of $16800 gives a result of about $17400, this divided by 30 ( the number of months we have owned the bus) and multiplied by 12 (average for a year) produces a figure of $6959 per year that we have spent. Not too bad considering the work we have had done and the age of the bus.

The reason I have included these figures is to give any prospective bus buyers out there an idea of the things you may be up for when purchasing an older bus. This might help in working out a budget. In our case we have needed an extra $134 a week for ongoing maintenance and improvements to the bus.