2016 Canberra to Birdsville Races

After the first big trip...

At the conclusion of our last big adventure to Oodnadatta, we were on the homeward way when we read the sign at Oodnadatta – Birdsville Races first weekend in September. We stopped the car. Looked at each other and said – ‘should we?’

If we had more time we would have – but we thought that we would miss out on Wilpena pound and may run out of time so didn’t.

By the time we got home we were sold on the idea that we would do this epic trip with the Birdsville races next year. Goal – go for it – yee har.

Well husband’s bad health and my insane decision to go back to full time study and juggle a full time job sorted that out – we cancelled and didn’t go anywhere.

Promising my husband, family, friends and my sanity that I would not do that to myself again, this year has been formal study free (!!!! Operative word is formal)

However we decided to go on the Birdsville Track trip.

 After last year of no holidays, with the exception of the odd long weekend, we are hanging for a decent holiday. Unfortunately now I have changed work departments and now feel guilty having a whole month off. I’m just getting to know everyone I work with.

I digress – so here we are after counting down from 100 weeks to  - Oh My Goodness!! Going tomorrow, we are on the road.

Wednesday 24^th August 2016

Firstly we had to take a minor detour to Strathmerton in Victoria to pick up the stone guard we should have had on our van from the get go. You don’t know some of these things until you venture into the outback and someone tells you that stones can kick up from your tyres, ricochet off your van and back into the car – often smashing the back window.

We made do with an old towel, a tarp andsome tape.  We were lucky and had no smashed window but time to get serious and get a proper stone guard.

The best stone guard manufacturers are a nice couple in Strathmerton who kindly custom made our stone guards and we all held our breath and hoped it worked. It did – after some minor jiggling. Many thanks to Dave and Carolyn Callender at Callender Stone Guards. Google them  - best ever solid steel construction and will make things to order. Great after sales service ever as well.

Whilst meeting the stone guard people, my cousin and her husband from Shepparton – half an hour away came over to meet us. We had a very brief but extremely precious and lovely catch up and vowed to meet sooner next time.

 Anyway, because Jan and I talk too much – surprise!! We were a bit late getting away so decided to play it safe and stay in a caravan park. Rellies went home, we went on to Tocumwal. Normally we would stay in a free camp as there are many around here. However, with such a lot of rain of late and the river up to the banks, we were a bit cautious that it was now night time and you could not properly scope where you were going to free camp. Then whether you would sink in the soft soil over night and bog – needing a winch out. Embarrassing.

Caravan Park was the easiest option. Nice people at Top Tourist parks in Tocomwal. We had a drive through site so we didn’t have to unhitch. Powered and plumbed we were set.