Stirling to Palm Cove Day 1

14th August 2022

The first length of our 3600 kilometre journey takes us to Broken Hill, the car is packed to the rafters complete with coffee machine and wine should we need it (we will). Matthew comes over for dinner his brought over some local Hamburgers from LocaVore delicious but we stay up to late. Next morning I am awakened by Amanda, we’ve slept in, we need to move if we want to stick to our schedule, quick showers banish the sleep from our eyes. Breakfast sees a pile of lists on the counter, last minute things to pack, what to turn off, what to lock up, what to throw out of the refrigerator. We’ve programmed the house lights to go off and on at set times, but they are going on and off at random times, technology sucks when you are in a hurry. We look at each other! the time is ticking, the final car packing is done, the kettle has boiled and the thermos is filled, let’ go we agree. As insurance against never eating again we head to the Lobethal bakery for a ham cheese and lettuce roll and a blueberry muffin or two, this will be a picnic lunch at Burra, That done we buckle up and head for the hills. Amanda’s job is navigator for the trip, no google maps for her just a good old road atlas that covers Australia and her lap. Broken Hill is an old mining town and the original home of Australia’s largest company BHP, 535 Kilometres north east of Adelaide situated just over the South Australian border in New South Wales. Last year the border would have stopped us cold, armed Police would have waved us back as sure as any wall, the two states as seperate as North and South Korea. But this year Covid is over, it isn’t but if we just imagine it is, it will be, according to the politicians. No more health advice the economy comes first. We have had our full suite of travel injections four Covid and one Flu, we will have our Covid pack of masks and rapid antigen tests onboard making us all set to go. Still with the borders open we now have choices on how we wish to travel by boat or plane or car. Trouble is the cruise ships are having to pay the isolation cost for passengers that are struck down with the Covid that doesn’t exist, as they are stuck in Ports around the nations coast. Catching a plane is a possible option but be warned be early (several hours early, maybe sleep the night before at the airport) as staff shortages are biting hard due to Covid infections or just close contacts isolating. The original work force went out and found alternate work during the forced interstate flight lockdowns and has never come back to full strength. Flight delays, cancellations and lost luggage are now de rigueur. That leaves the humble motor car, the only draw back the added cost of fuel 20-30% more expensive than at the beginning of 2022, thanks mostly we are told to Mr. Putins ambitions in Ukraine. Nothing at all to do with Australia’s lack of oil refining ability. Bring on electric vehicles I say but still too expensive here, thanks again to Mr. Morrisons inaction on climate change. Still driving has its advantages, we can meander along at our own pace stopping at the myriad of small outback towns along the way, some if you blink you will miss them. This trip we are expecting to experience a green outback, the drought in most places is over and for some there are now rivers and lakes where there once stood plains (albeit flood plains). Back to the car, there are no restrictions on the amount of luggage you can take except the size of your vehicle, no one is going to weigh your carryon bag either or check it for explosive devices. The onboard entertainment, compliments of our now outdated Apple iPod Touch is all of our own choosing, the coffee will be freshly brewed and country bakeries can serve up better fare than Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin any day. We will see and experience much more at ground level than at 30000 feet. Sorry, if you are finding this enticing enough to book, we have only two seats (due to luggage constraints not Covid restrictions) and they are sold out. Oh, and when we do reach our destination we don’t have to hire a car. Our world (in Australia) has changed it is no longer the place it used to be, the people are the same, although there are no longer enough of them around to drive a truck, provide service on an aeroplane or come out to fix an appliance. The cities and towns are still there although some are burnt down or under water. The borders are open, hotels are welcoming the tourist back, but you may find a bed but not a meal, if you do then don’t expect any red meat or lettuce, those basics are just too expensive. Most of the population is driving around Australia towing a caravan and staying at trailer parks, who are doing a roaring business, the so called Grey Nomads, mostly baby boomers like us definitely don’t want to work as to do so would negatively impact their pensions. This then is the environment that we set out on our travels northwards to Capricornia where the sun is always shining and our pallid flesh can absorb a good dose of vitamin D.

Amanda sitting on the luggage to keep it in!
Packed to the Rafters

We have chosen to drive through the Adelaide Hills rather than descend to the plains with the associated heavy traffic, we drive north through Lenswood where pruning is completed and orchards spread out over hillsides for miles, covered with netting to prevent the birds and spring hail destroying the coming fruit. The sun is shining fluffy flat bottomed clouds are scudding along in the blue sky above us, the hills are blanketed in green the countryside is looking superb. Our drive takes us through Cudlee Creek and Kersbrook, before descending back to the plains where we skirt Gawler on our way to Burra. The green pastures with their burgeoning crops continue north to Burra where we stop for our Lobethal bakery lunch.

Only 12k’s til lunch

The wind has picked up considerably, leaving us to picnic in the car, the hostess unwraps our roll while the steward cuts the blueberry muffin in two to share. The steward pours the tea and brings fresh water, the service is impeccable.

We can’t stop for long we arrived at midday and Broken Hill beckons. We head further north through Hallett & Terowie the landscape has changed considerably the verdant green tending to bluish grey. Rolling hills to scrubby plains. This is the land of the big sky that stretches above you like a blue dome from horizon to horizon dotted with fluffy cumulus that drift on the air magically all around. The wind is intensifying as we drive further north buffeting the car, dust devils spring from the ground perform a wurli wurli dance then just as quickly disappear. We know we are in the outback now with towns with names like Oodla Wirra, Yunta & Nackara. At Oodla Wirra we turn due east, the buffeting wind is now behind us the noise level drops noticeably. We cruise on, traffic is light, we expected more road trains and grey nomads than we see., a pleasant surprise. The closer to Broken Hill we are the more desolate the landscape becomes, plains of saltbush stretch for kilometres broken by the occasional salt pan. Their are more feral goats out here than sheep or kangaroos. We pass through Cockburn, the town is a desolate one, crumbling buildings and a pub with no beer. No facilities either and we could both do with a toilet break. This then is the New South Wales Border town, reminiscent of the American wild west. Easy to see why Mad Max liked it out here.

We head on finally reaching Broken Hill for our one night stopover at 5.00pm having travelled 545 kilometres from home since 9.30am this morning. We fill up with fuel, we paid $1.72 per litre in Adelaide in Broken Hill the price is a whopping $2.19 per litre just as well we only used a little over half a tank to travel this far. To be continued…………

3 Replies to “Stirling to Palm Cove Day 1”

  1. You guys certainly have your priorities in the right place. Some folks would pack the car with spare petrol in case you run out in the middle of nowhere. You have enough wine to keep you alive until someone finds you. Thats a better option. Have fun!

    1. Thanks Troy yes it was an easy choice they always tell you when travelling in the Outback to stay with your car and drink plenty of fluids, just following the rules!! Cheers Dad & Amanda

  2. Love this and absolutely love a good adventure!!! Safe travels to you both.!! Looking forward to following your journey :). Have fun you two!

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