2021 Trip

The Great Escape.

Someone once said to me “you can plan all you want, but God will decide.”

Well, it appears God did decide! Or at least Covid -19 and the politicians decided. 

Due to leave on June 1^st, the Victorian government called a snap lockdown for ALL Victoria. It was now the 27^th of May. Following this information, I stamped my feet, swore a lot and made the instant decision to throw (literally) clothing and food into the, already prepared van, and head across the state border before being locked in. I wasn’t prepared to waste another week of my life in a lockdown, which didn’t even affect our region of Victoria.

The closest state border for us was 3 hours away, so we needed to go and go fast. We tried to rally the other parties who were coming with us to do the same, but for various reasons we were the only ones to make it out in time. (They sit at the border as I write, waiting for restrictions to ease and maybe, make the journey across. We are now in Queensland!). 

Our trip was not originally in the direction of Queensland. We were to follow my Mother’s journal. My father, mother and a couple of others made the trek across the Central Desert Road into Western Australia in 1992. 

We were to follow their travels, trekking up the Oodnadatta Track, into Alice Springs, onto Uluru before heading west into true desert country. 

I found my Mum’s journal before she passed away some 4 years ago and after reading bits and pieces remarked on how intrepid they were almost 30 years back. Yes, they had four-wheel-drives back then, but few other conveniences. We now have our off-road vans, with toilet, shower, washing machine and microwave! I wonder what Mum would think of all this?

Warri Camp NSW

As I said, we high-tailed it out of Victoria and spent the first night on the road being buffered by high winds and cold weather. Sleet greeted us the next morning. One other couple came with us in a last-minute rush. Not in the original party, but friends nevertheless. 

We travelled up the Monaro Highway, with sleet and small patches of snow finding its way to the ground. The heater in the car on full tilt! We wanted to avoid all major towns and instead of trying to go through Canberra, circumnavigated the entire state via some outback roads and some wonderful scenery. Snow had stopped by now and the vistas from the top-of the-world were spectacular.

Our next camp was by a river with large River Red Gums for company, along with some others panning for gold. The company was good, the fire burned brightly and all was good with our life. The only issue I had, because the other parties hadn’t made it out, was guilt! 

One of the gang initially coming, asked if we were stopping at Cann River on our way out? My response was “NO! Just get across the border ASAP!” They didn’t make it!

Ponto Falls Camp NSW

This feeling of guilt haunted me for quite a time, before I came to realize, we have choices in our life. Some choices are hard to make, especially when it involves others; some are easier, usually as an individual. Some choices are made for you and you need to adjust. Such as the choice not to go to Western Australia as originally planned. 

With state borders closed and permits required everywhere you go, outback roads impassable due to rain in the regions, we felt our choice to go to Queensland was the best option for us. 

Yes, we did some mice at Ponto Falls. Check the top of the tyre.

I now sit in sunny Queensland with the birds and the tress surrounding our camp area. Only three others in the area, so very peaceful.

The friends we initially came with spent about a week with us in NSW, before heading to Sydney to see their son and have now returned back to Victoria. We spent some wonderful time with them along the Macquarie River near Dubbo, at a place called Ponto Falls. Birdlife was amazing from Corellas, Galahs, Apostle Birds, Willy Wagtails, Pelicans, Ducks and so forth. Big River Red Gums once again provided the frame for the river behind, making our view magnificent. 

Artesian Bore Cunnamulla QLD

We cooked up a feast with camp oven tucker: Stew, which lasted for 3 days! Linda made rissoles and chips another night and we even had roast chicken, with crunchy potatoes in foil. Got to love outback cooking!
Then our time together was up and each went their separate ways. They to Sydney, we north-west, heading to Cobar.
As all outback roads were closed, due to rain, our plans to meet the others were thwarted twofold. One, they were still stuck on the Victorian border and two, we had no way to get to Menindee where there was a chance to rendezvous. Once again, a sad choice was made to no longer wait for our friends, as they still hoped to go to Alice Springs and Uluru. When and if they can, we still don’t know.

I didn’t want to try for a South Australian and Northern Territory border pass after the Lepers we are from Victoria! Getting a NSW and Queensland one is bad enough. And the good thing about Queensland is, we haven’t seen much of it beforehand. The other positive is, our son lives in Cairns. As we haven’t seen him in eighteen months and thought it was a good opportunity to catch up. Maybe this whole trip has been fortuitous.  
Crossing the border yesterday we travelled onto Cunnamulla. Our first stop for purely tourist purposes. Taking in the video at the Info Centre about the Great Artesian Basin, was fascinating. Then some sustenance before walking the 1.5km bushland walking trail, finding out about the indigenous trees to the area and their purposes. Both in the European and aboriginal aspects. Our final tourist site was photographing the ‘Cunnamulla Fella’. 

We are now travelling west and are hopeful of finding opals at Eulo. And maybe dinosaurs at Winton, or one of the many other places which seem to have these prehistoric monsters hidden beneath the ground. Sounds exciting to me!