Plod Adventures No. 16

December 26th I left Coober Pedy and drove to Mintabie almost in the center of Australia. They had had a lot of rain in the last few days and every thing was so green, a very unusual occurrence, which brought out those little midges that bite. I will put on a lot of photos of Mintabie as I think it is very interesting place.


I camped at Stan and Eileen's home, Stan being Rosemary's brother - Rosemary and Bill being my from friends from Mooloolaba. They showed me around the Opal fields with great passion and we visited friends and relatives. The most spectacular place was Milan and Anna's home with their most productive garden which is almost in the middle of Australia. Pigs, chickens, breeding fish in his home made tanks, fig trees, grapes galore, tomatoes, cucumbers, you name it he has got it.


Mintabie is a little place where everybody helps everybody else out. We finished up at Jack and Steve's place for dinner on the last night, all mucking in together. All a very nice bunch of people.

December 28th time to leave, back on the road towards Coober Pedy and then onwards......

Plod Adventures No. 15

December 25th. Christmas Day up late, sending off my Blog and photos. My son Duncan rang me on my mobile and that was a lovely Christmas present.

I got ready in my best bib and tucker for my Christmas Dinner at the Desert Cave Hotel and very nice it was too. I was seated with a few singles, The Priest who is called Father CB, a lady called Nina aged 88 who had lived in Coober Pedy for around 40 years and Mike a miner, as well as the Manager and his family plus his staff, a very nice place to stay. The food was delicious I walked out so full I have no need to eat for a week.

By the way, Father CB has the biggest parish in Australia, but.......... the fewest people!! He does a great deal of travelling.

Some of the Opal shops were open and I drifted in to one as you do just to have a look. I got a very good price for an opal necklace as it was Christmas day. I went back later but he was shut.

December 26th I am just off up to Mintabie to see Stan & Eileen James, who have a place there. Stan is the brother of Rosemary, my friend in Mooloolaba.

Plod Adventure No. 14

Saturday 20th December I arrived at the Pump shop in Adelaide around 9 o'clock and I brought two pumps just in case the other one goes berserk (very expensive ) never mind I like thinks right. I was told to go to McLaren Vale by the man in the pump shop to try and get my water tank welded up as it had split at the seam. I spoke to David who repairs classic cars, he had a few Rover P6 cars, wrecks actually, waiting for restoration, which were outside his shop. Any way he put me in touch with Ian who might be able to help. I made an appointment for the Monday at 9 o'clock.

I then went to the information center, found a free internet cafe for the price of a coffee. I then drove to Victor Harbor and found a nice spot to park on the beach. A works party was in progress, this time it was a lady who invited me to have some sausages and salad, I think she felt sorry for me as I only went to fry up three slices of bread on the BBQ. I had had sausages for breakfast.

December 21st Sunday morning was a beautiful sun rise.

I passed the time of day with a few walkers and bikers. Time to get the bike out, I cycled a round Victor Harbor and brought a cycling hat which is the law in Australia. I tried to chat up three men in the information center for a lost hat but no good they would not hand it over.

I walked over to Granite Island and all the way around; bikes not allowed on the Island.



December 22nd Monday I meet Ian at his work shop well he was very nice but a bit of a prat, he wanted to make up a plate and glue it to repair my stainless steel tank. He didn't know me and how I work, anyay after a few nice words he took me around the corner and the job was done properly welded up by a man that knows. I still needed Ian for some heat to remove a rusted broken bolt, a few more nice words and I eventually got a welding torch cutter to heat up the nut, not that easy with a cutting touch under my precious Plod. Tank done and up she went a bit tricky, a bracket really needed a spot of weld but not at Ian's place. Another job was to fit the pump, I had to make up a new bracket. Ian found a plate of metal and drilled a few holes in it for me. A few more nice words about fixing my pump up. However I eventually said to Ian, I am sorry but I can't work when you keep talking all the time. Got the job done, Ian was a nice bloke, he was trying to help. The whole job took all day to do 6 to 7 hours messing about and I had no breakfast and no dinner.

Off I went and drove to Tent Hill Rest Area about 400 km. I only stopped a couple of times to take a few photos as I was pushed for time driving at night is not good. Anyway the drive from Adelaide on the Princes Highway to Port Pirie was very nice full of lovely corn and wheat fields as far as you can see quite a picture, open and free. I was glad to get out of all the traffic in and around Adelaide.

Tuesday 23rd December After sorting my self out from the previous day and entered my Blog etc I did not leave my spot until rather late, around 3 o'clock, I only drove 20 km to the next pull off as there was water there. The water was hot coming out of the tap so I did my washing and of course topped up my three water tanks.

The drive towards Cooper Pedy was very interesting and I kept stopping to take photos; all around was green and not at all like I had expected. I stopped for the night at Glendambo South Rest Area and on the way up it tried to rain. The photos I took do not do the landscape justice, the sun was never in the right place, anyway that is my excuse. The gnats are on the war path again tonight.


December 24th I have reached Coober Pedy at long last, Christmas Eve. I passed a very nice looking Hotel and booked in for a Christmas dinner. I booked in at the Big4 camp site and very nice it is, the wine is flowing and my T-bone steak was delicious after using up mince, fruit, onions, tomatoes etc. which I had cooked just before the border. Only a few camper vans at the site pretty empty really.

I had a phone call from Stuart to wish me a merry Christmas which was nice. You might get a few too many photos but I am trying to show what Australia is like, very beautiful. Oh, I nearly forgot, it rained here to day at Coober Pedy and it's really quite cool.

Plod Adverture No. 13

16th December. I have had a busy time since I arrived at Broken Hill.

I removed both front seats and threw out the old carpets and washed the floor of all that red dust. My Shower pump packed up, I have three pumps on for the drinking water and two for the shower a hot one and a cold one. Typical I detected a leak in my cold water tank I removed it, and one bolt broke I needed some heat !!! The hot pump was no good, so I had to change over the pumps. At least I now have hot water when I stop. I can get a new pump in Adelaide a little out of my way but does that really matter when one is on holiday.

17th December My exhaust has turned up I took a visit up to Silverton and beyond with a noisy Plod.

Picked up exhaust, guess what Toyota forgot to order the gasket any way I was given the wrong one, I just wonder some times!!!! Always take in a pattern if one can.

A long comes a local asking if he help, all he saw were legs sticking out from under neath Plod.

I was at my chosen work site for three nights. Bob the local offered me a shower and a pool to swim in which was the only pool in and around that district. Pity he did not stop before as he had some very nice clean concrete to lay on with all the modern conveniences to boot, except the internet!! I spent one day by the pool.


19th December So back to the internet Milk Bar. I left Broken Hill around 4 o'clock to try and make the Pump shop in Adelaide some 500km plus by Saturday 12 o'clock shutting time; I arrived at 9 o'clock and he told me a place to go to try and get my tank welded, McLaren Vale, a wine region. I found another free wireless cafe.

On the way down from Broken Hill to Adelaide there was another patrol post, Bob told me about it, so I stopped and did another cook up, fried onions and tomatoes, I also boiled up my potatoes for a salad. We were all stopped at the check point at about midnight and I was asked if I had any onions or potatoes, I said no I have not, he looked in my fridge and said O.K you can go. It was a good job I knew about that.

Plod Adventure No. 12

December 8th. My drive to Bollon, to start delivering Christmas parcels, was interesting; I went to pick up my Brake Pads only the place was shut? It was Sunday and Woolworths was shut too, in other words Romer was a dead town.

I did managed to find a Bakers and a small grocers for some fruit & a cooked chicken. I passed through Surat a nice place to camp by the river then through to St George a lovely quite town with a large river, where people were speed boating, water skiing and generally having great fun. I filled up with Derv/Diesel, in the U.K we call it Derv or Diesel.

I reached Bollon and stopped to have a free hot shower in the village. I reached Wallum Bank our meeting place and was greeted with open arms by Keith & Jenny and Keith & Hilary. I was pleased all the packing had been done for the Christmas boxes, I was then able to read some of the mountains of N.B.C e-mails. A very sad sad day when nice people cant get on!!!!!!! to the NBC site - John Merton I do hope you are well, I hope to pop in to see you on the way back from wherever? There doesn't seem to be much time left!!!

Doug & Lynda have arrived who were accommpanying me and we loaded up the twins vans, Plod one and Plod two.

Off for the first delivery,we had difficulties with the roads, they were a mess.

We arrived at our first Homestead, Mother at work in Toowoomba while Daddy looks after the children and the farm. Next stop Jim, on his own while his wife was out, Jim cooked us a very nice meal and we camped on his farm for the night. On to the next homestead, alas nobody was in so on to the next one; again we were out of luck but we left our donated Christmas boxes. The roads are pretty wild around here. On to the next one, only the house keeper was in.

Off we go to the next one and we just got there in time as they were off to round up the Goats. I stayed and took photos of the roundup while Doug and Lynda went on to the next one as I was low on Derv/Diesel. I could have rode a motor bike but as I had my camera I took the Truck ( I have not ridden a bike for at least 50 years). The whole round up was very interesting. After the round up they had to grade them ready for the lorry in the morning; they were going for the chop.

Dark had come on us so off back to the house, a shower, clothes in the wash and then a barbecue in the garden. They were up at the crack of dawn, 5 o'clock, I was still a sleep.

We had to do a couple more visits and as I was low on derv Doug went on. We both had to put in our reserves of Diesel to get back to base. Cleaned inside of Plod, it was filthy with all the dusty dirt roads, that was the worst thing about the whole job. Bollon had no Diesel, the lorry driver was sick!! A pint in the pub and a shower in the village showers. Back at base and time for bed.

Dec 10th. We did another 4 or so visits and camped the night at Ferndale Homestead. Next day we carried on with a few more visits, then back to base for a rethink!!! The roads are very rough on Plod and not doing him much good I pressure hosed him down underneath and generally gave him a big clean. The Red dust is a nightmare and gets in all the cracks and crevices. The organizers did not want me to do any visits on my own so Doug and I thought it wasn't much point in carrying on with this task, although it was a good experience and I made a lot of friends to boot. So the three of us had a meal together which Doug cooked and very nice it was too plus too many red's.

Next morning Doug had a flat tyre on the rear of "Plod two" no spare tyre for the rear, "don't worry Doug, I will fix it" and I did, job done.


I left and drove to Cunnamulla to buy some fruit, what a dump of a place, so off I went; I was told it was quite nice, I think the people have spent too long in the bush. I then went off to Bourke and they had a good food shop, and it was open, I stocked up with provisions for my trip to Broken Hill. Bourke was nice; I was told it was not a nice place, how our opinions differ. I stopped in Cobar for more Derv and found a very nice park to stop the night in, I had driven 585Km. I cooked a T-bone steak on the free BBQ which looked out over the lake. My in house batteries were almost flat, I played around with a wire or two and hooked up the generator for the night as it is Sunday tomorrow, no spare parts, this is O.Z. land in the out back.

December 14th I drove 460km today and reached Broken Hill. I was told by a lot of people not to stop at Wilcannia; it looked peaceful enough to me but you never can tell. I passed a lot of signs saying not to bring fruit in to Victoria, there were so many signs and I did not want a $200 fine. I stopped at the bin to throw in the fruit and tomatoes which I had just brought; no way was I going to waste all that food. So I stopped and cooked my dinner, a new recipe, mince meat, the usual salt and pepper, lots of tomatoes, four peaches, a banana, and three kiwi fruit and some gravey powder. It was quite nice with rice, but tomorrow I shall add a little curry powder. Ready for Victoria, but blow me down, I would of got away with it, no check point at all. My house batteries had a lot more charge in them tonight, but still not right. I must sort it out tomorrow. Nite night.

December 15th I had a very busy day to day. Shopping for Plod, the exhaust had broken at the down pipe, not the gasket as I first thought. Ordered one at the Toyota agent (flying it in from Sydney), checked the price at an exhurst center but I would not buy one from them if I was dying, in other words I did not like the guy!!!! I parked up at the same spot as last night and if any body had said anything I will just say I have broken down and was waiting for parts. I fitted an antenna to Plod for more mobile phone range. That meant I had to buy a drill and a few more tools. One of my water tanks is leaking another job to do. I cleaned up half the cab, took out the carpet as it was very dirty from all that Red dust. One of my house batteries had cooked so I disconnected it and so far it works better, we will wait and see. No time for internet to day too busy chatting up all the nice people in Broken Hill apart from the Exhaust Center guy.

Reading my NBC emails. So I hear Button is back with us I am really pleased!!! Good on yer Button you probably won't read this anyway. Another job to do, buy some more Red Wine. How are you doing Geoff and Hedda? Hedda you started something with this Blog.

I am almost in the middle of Australia and I had to have two duvets on last night as it was rather on the cold side, but dry, not like in Devon, U.K. Anyway I am really having a good time. Broken Hill is good, kind of relaxing.

Plod Adventures No. 11

December 3rd and 4th Another problem with my loving Plod his roof fixing had come adrift so back to Roma for a flat metal plate 7½'' x 2'' x 1/16th thick with 5 holes drilled in, I found a place and he tried to charge me 30$ for a scrap piece of metal, any way he got 20$, what a rip off, still I could not do much with out it. For two pins I would of said no thanks and walked out, but time was very much running out. (Blow me down the holes had been drilled up side down.

Bob had gone to day surgery to have some cancer cut out of his face so I am waiting for him to get up in order to use his drill etc. Next door woke me up at 5 a.m mowing the lawn as they are having a coffee morning in the village hall also the many lorries were many hurdling around the corner empty, making more noise than the man in the moon all night!!! So not much sleep and I am supposed to be going to that coffee morning and lunch in the village hall.

Drilled the holes in my 20$ scrap piece of metal, obviously the scrap tonnage has rocketed!!! Fixed the hinge successfully, took the gas filled struts off to put in new split pins in. Blow me down for the life of me I could not put them back the gas struts were far too strong. I tried everything !!!!!!!!.

Any way I showered and changed to go to the equivalent of the Woman's institute in England. They had cancelled the morning as the driver was ill, (ladies coming from Mitchell). I had lunch and a very nice chat to the lovely ladies present, I was presented with a little present, a homemade very nice sort of snuff box.



Back to the drawing board on the question of my struts, a press was needed, so I drove to a little garage down the road and thank goodness they had a press and the job was done. That was a very hot and trying two days work.


December 5th We have visitors, in another Motor Home, Bob and Donner travelling around Australia. The pub was quite busy so I ended up cooking the dinner. It was a good night in the pub, George of 88 years came in then a trucker and two other people with a few dogs looking for a place to stay the night I rushed around and made up the bed while Bob cooked the steaks. I had had a few reds by then. I said good my goodbyes as I am off early in the morning on my way to Bollon to help out with the Care Outreach a Christian Organisation. I had a days training at Mooloolaba a few weeks back. I will be delivering parcels.

Plod Adventures No. 10

I have had a lot of bangs and clatters on the rough roads I've been using. I checked to see if the springs and shocks were O.K; everything looked alright apart from very dry springs so I sprayed them with an aerosol oil and as I thought it worked, no more bangs and clatters so far.

I stopped in Injune, just made it the Derv was nearly out. I went in to a little shop in Injune which had a tremendous amount of goodies, tools and things, we struck up a deal and I spent a few dollars.

A stop at the Big4 site for the internet, then off to see Bob Smith at Amby, a free site with free electric!! I do the washing up.

I had a front spring shackle bolt break, lucky Bob had a drill, I drilled it out and replaced the bolt in the proper position. I have a lot more tools now so I decided to change things around, which required some carpentry work. Bob had the electric tools and I required a nice man. I spent two days on Plod.

December 3rd I washed 10 tons of mud from underneath Plod, perhaps a slight exaggeration.

Plod Adventures No. 9

29th November I spent most of the day on my computer while the going was good!! I was resting my legs from the day before, walking up Boolimba Bluff.

I met Christopher & Sharon from Oswersty U.K they invited me to dine with them, they provided the food and did all the work, talked about this and that, and a very enjoyable evening it was too. We had a thunderstorm that evening and during the night as well.

The river was rather on the high side in the Gorge the next morning, never mind, I carried on up the Gorge with 11 river crossings to make in order to get to the Art Gallery, 14km to walk in wet boots. Visited Ward's Canyon, and the Amphitheatre on the way back. Wore myself out. I was still able to have the roast dinner I booked at the camp, cooked by the Manager which was another great evening. I met some very Local Australian's who were great fun.

30th November A few of us had a Yoga lesson at 7 o'clock in the morning; oh dear it was very hard!!! I packed up and went to have a look at the Baloon Cave which was a short walk.

I was going to visit Lake Nuga Nuga only I thought I might of run out of Derv. I took a loop road towards Injune, stopped in a nice large clean lay-by at lunch time and did some repairs on Plod. Tightened a fan belt, rather difficult to do with only a 3" long spanner. So off to buy some more tools.