Campers Road Trips

[jennie285]

Just read through your trips. Loved all the pics. We did Gib River road, lake Ayer, Ayers Rock, and Kakadu. So much to see and do on our door step. Not in a sandman though. Thanks for sharing.

[Camper]

Just read through your trips. Loved all the pics. We did Gib River road, lake Ayer, Ayers Rock, and Kakadu. So much to see and do on our door step. Not in a sandman though. Thanks for sharing.

That sounds like it would have been a great trip,

I'm lucky enough to have grown up in the Northern Territory with a step Dad who also loved road trips so I have been through those areas (All in old Toyota 4wds, dual cab Hilux FTW) but would love to revisit. Did you have a favourite?
I really like the Olgas and Kings Canyon more than Ayers Rock and dream of flying over and sailing in Lake Eyre when in flood. Jabiru/Kakadu will always have a special place in my heart, when in primary school my Step Dad would sometimes let me skip school and hide in the truck while he dropped bread and milk to all the little townships on the way out to Jabiru.

[Camper]

So I got home, couch lock for a couple days then took Mum up to Noosa to watch the Sunset;




From Laguna Lookout, def worth the trip






Love the initials in the tree






At the dog beach






I want a boat









Next day was up in the hills to see a mate at his hobby farm






Lucky boy is surrounded by trees, on the eastern slope facing the sea with some volcanic rock and plenty of rain







Looks at home on the farm





Next it was off to the Gold Coast to see another mate




Looks at home in the burbs







Soon enough we had to take a walk to the bottlo, old mate locked himself out and to break in to his own place, classic shot







Next day down the beach







To cold for me to swim/surf but some diehards out there in steamers






City in the Sea






Looking back to Surfers Paradise






Looks at home by the beach






Definitely at home here, blends in well







Beautiful







Watch the birdy







Even looks at home here







Next it was a quick 500km night drive back up north, TBC....

[Camper]

Night driving can be fun as long as there are no....





I love roadworks



Slept at Toldrodden Park on the Burnett river and kept going towards Mt Perry and the BoolBoonda Tunnel





Burnett River







lookout above Mt. Perry











Entry to the Boolboonda Tunnel. At 192m it is the longest, hand cut, unsupported tunnel in the southern hemisphere, constructed in 1883 to get the gold from the Mt. Perry mine and timber to the coast















Really cool that this is still a legal road




Next it was back to the highway and heading north again. I had not planned to stop off anywhere else but I had time and decided to drop into the other side of Lake Awoonga from where I normally go.

To be Cont...

[Blue victor]

Hey Camper

No doubt you experienced the thousands of tiny bats that go mental as you slowly drive through the Boolboonda tunnel.

On our annual 4 day freezing family weekend camping trip to Cania Gorge in June each year we would stop there and let the 3 kids (6,10,12) sit on the bonnet of the VS Commodore wagon circa 2004ish and spotlight the bats using those Supercheap 500 megagazillion watt hand held spotlights to spot all the bats. they used to love it.

If you came from the south and it looks you did, is old mate "Hillbilly Manor" still going with all the old commies and the odd Torana still there?

Did you see the original schoolhouse up on the left?

PS You gotta get a shot of your van in downtown Cracow when next through. As you know those shopfronts are almost from an old Western and I half expect to find the Brady Bunch trapped in a cell when I go through

[Blue victor]

Sorry not trying to hijack your thread, but you talk of the NT and Jabiru, so I thought I'd send you a quick shot of my fourth van at the then new Crocodile motel taken in 88.

It was a HZ factory 308 T400 GTS dash with that special life in the tropics destruction of metallic paint finish(maybe Sandman ???)

I lived in Darwin then and played AFL, sometimes against Jabiru on their rocky oval. It seems we've been to the same spots over the years
scan0008.jpg

[Camper]

Sorry not trying to hijack your thread, but you talk of the NT and Jabiru, so I thought I'd send you a quick shot of my fourth van at the then new Crocodile motel taken in 88.

It was a HZ factory 308 T400 GTS dash with that special life in the tropics destruction of metallic paint finish(maybe Sandman ???)

I lived in Darwin then and played AFL, sometimes against Jabiru on their rocky oval. It seems we've been to the same spots over the years
scan0008.jpg

Wow, that Crocodile Motel!

My mum worked there in the late 90's, and I might be just about to hire a chef who is working there now! funny how places and people tend to crop up together!

The Van looks good there, and your'e right about the weather up there destroying that style of paint, so many cars running around with that look.

Seems like you got to travel about a bit in your van, did you have any favourite spots?

[Camper]

Hey Camper

No doubt you experienced the thousands of tiny bats that go mental as you slowly drive through the Boolboonda tunnel.

On our annual 4 day freezing family weekend camping trip to Cania Gorge in June each year we would stop there and let the 3 kids (6,10,12) sit on the bonnet of the VS Commodore wagon circa 2004ish and spotlight the bats using those Supercheap 500 megagazillion watt hand held spotlights to spot all the bats. they used to love it.

If you came from the south and it looks you did, is old mate "Hillbilly Manor" still going with all the old commies and the odd Torana still there?

Did you see the original schoolhouse up on the left?

PS You gotta get a shot of your van in downtown Cracow when next through. As you know those shopfronts are almost from an old Western and I half expect to find the Brady Bunch trapped in a cell when I go through

I actually didn't see any bats, I was looking forward to seeing some. A friend has just told me about another old rail tunnel near the Bunya mountains that I will have to look for now, can't drive through but apparently heaps of bats!

I came from Eidsvold, through Mt. Perry and then heading out to Gin Gin, definitely the Hillbilly Mansion is still there, (I was reminded of a mix between Jed Clampett and one of my uncles) I almost stopped off to ask about the Torana's (Family favourite), I saw the school but didn't get out to look at it. Nice area and looks like it stays pretty green through there too. Next time I want to come from Gin Gin and follow the Mt. Perry - Monto road, still dirt in places and looks to have a couple of "interesting" creek crossings. Maybe even finally get to Mingo Crossing.

The shopfronts in Cracow are amazing, like a movie set. I always expect to see a horse tied up at the rails there, real wild west look, some interesting old cars in paddocks around there too.

You're right about the cold at Cania too, only camped there twice, both in winter and deathly cold at night in the swag (any excuse for a huge fire), but absolute bird heaven and I love the ferns and caves. Some good property around there too, although there was that one guy recently who got busted for a few thousand guns hidden in shipping containers underground, apparently getting ready for the apocalypse.

[davegmh]

Your Ute still looks new Camper. Seems like only yesterday that you bought it and had the canopy fitted. How many K’s on it now ? Toying with the idea of putting one of those canopies on my VF Sandman Ute as well. Maybe meet you up the track then.

[wbute]

Your Ute still looks new Camper. Seems like only yesterday that you bought it and had the canopy fitted. How many K’s on it now ? Toying with the idea of putting one of those canopies on my VF Sandman Ute as well. Maybe meet you up the track then.

Fairly sure I read they are ending production of those canopies the other day. You better check it out in case you miss out.