Wednesday, 2-Dec-1981:
Set off from our home in Teal Mews, Willetton on a family campervan holiday to the Eastern States.
Drove through Tammin and checked out the primary school where Helen's Dad had been principal.
Stayed overnight in Southern Cross.
Thursday, 3-Dec-1981:
Arrived in Kalgoorlie, here see Coolgardie Court House, Hainault Mine Shaft, British Arms Hotel (narrowest in world?), Pipeline coming into Kalgoorlie (ensured Kal survived in gold rush days), Paddy Hannan's statue (with Tim; Paddy is reputed to have been the first to find gold here), Kal Town Hall.
Stayed in Kal overnight.
Friday, 4-Dec-1981:
On to cross the Nullarbor, here the first part of it (still the odd tree!); overnight in Mundrabilla.
Met up by chance with the Black family at Nullarbor Homestead.
Saturday, 5-Dec-1981:
The imposing Nullarbor cliffs, and the memorial to the sealing of Eyre Highway in September 1976.
Overnight in Streaky Bay, beyond the Nullarbor.
Sunday, 6-Dec-1981:
Across the Eyre Peninsula, visited Port Lincoln (very like Albany in WA); stayed there overnight.
Monday, 7-Dec-1981:
Called in at Tumby Bay, then on to Port Augusta.
Stayed 2 nights at the home in Port Augusta of my brother Chris (who had to leave for Rawlinna).
Tuesday, 8-Dec-1981:
Visited the Flinders Ranges, in particular Wilpena Pound.
Wednesday, 9-Dec-1981:
Drove on to Adelaide, staying at the home of the Hicks family for 5 nights.
Thursday, 10-Dec-1981:
Checked out Adelaide Hills, including Kangaroo Creek Reservoir, Mount Lofty (views over Adelaide and behind there to the hills), then Adelaide Festival Centre, Colonel Light's Vision (and the view from there over Adelaide), and Henley Beach.
Monday, 14-Dec-1981:
On departing Adelaide, heading South, we first called in at the Gumeracha Toy Factory (giant Rocking Horse), and the Birdwood Mill Museum (lovely vintage Rolls Royce), then crossed the Murray River on the ferry at Mannum. Spotted the giant lobster at Kingston.
Stayed overnight at Millicent.
Tuesday, 15-Dec-1981:
Checked out the swimming lake at Millicent, then on to Mount Gambier (interesting limestone quarry, and renowned crater blue lake and caves).
Then on to the Grampians, staying overnight at Halls Gap.
Wednesday, 16-Dec-1981:
Great mountain scenery, the Wonderland Ranges (at the end of the Great Dividing Range), eg Nerve Test and Mushroom Rock and silverband falls, and a roadside Koala.
Then on to Warnambool overnight.
Thursday, 17-Dec-1981:
Checked out Fletcher Jones gardens, and the Maritime Village playground, then on to Port Campbell National Park.
Also known as the Twelve Apostles, impressive limestone stacks (reduced over the years to rather less than 12!), and also London Bridge (whose Left-hand arch collapsed on 15-Jan-1990), Thunder Cave, Mutton Bird Island, and several views of Loch Ard Gorge, all on the Great Ocean Road.
Overnight in Geelong.
Friday, 18-Dec-1981:
Today we visited Ballarat, includiung the Eureka Stockade memorial (& stockade reconstruction) and Sovereign Hill for its reconstructed main street and gold panning.
Overnight in the home of the Wight family, where we stayed for 8 nights (they leaving in the early houtrs of 19-Dec).
Saturday, 19-Dec-1981:
Over the next few days we visited some of the sights of Melbourne, including Fitzroy Gardens (great hydrangeas, with Captain Cook's Cottage, the Shrine of Remembrance, the Myer Music Bowl, and the MCG.
We also visited friends (Allsop family, Davey family, Gray family).
We also attended Wattle Park Church of Christ with the Allsops on Christmas Day.
Saturday, 26-Dec-1981:
Today we left Melbourne, driving via the Dandenongs to Cowes (overnight stay) in order to see the penguin parade - which we did on the evening of 26-Dec: but all my photos mysteriously disappeared when I had them (slides) developed!
Sunday, 27-Dec-1981:
Drove on through Gippsland to stay overnight at the quiet little town of Swan Reach.
Monday, 28-Dec-1981:
Drove on through Gippsland to Lakes Entrance (where we went on a paddle boat on the lake), here a view over the Lakes; then on to the Snowy Mountain region, staying overnight in Cooma (for 2 nights).
Tuesday, 29-Dec-1981:
Drive to the top of Mt Kosciusko, highest point in Australia, at 2,228 metres (7,309 ft).
Wednesday, 30-Dec-1981:
Visted parts of the Snowy Mountains Scheme, including Eucumbene Providence Portal, Tumut #1 Power Station buried within the mountain near Tumut Valley, Cabramurra the highest town in Australia (1,489 metres, 4,884 ft), and Adaminaby (the old town was flooded by the creation of Lake Eucumbene).
Then stayed overnight (for 3 nights) in Queabeyan (adjacent to Canberra).
Thursday, 31-Dec-1981:
Started to see the sights of Canberra, starting with Black Mountain, with views over Lake Burley Griffin, Belconnen district of Canberra (Lake Ginninderra), over the Woden Valley, a view of the National War Memorial; we also took in the National Library, the High Court of Australia, and (the old) Parliament House.
Friday, 1-Jan-1982:
I have no record of whether we saw in the New Year or not... Then on New Year's Day we visited the War Memorial, then drove via Casuarina Sands (on the Murumbidgee River) to see the Tidbinbilla Space Tracking Staion outside Canberra, and the Tidbinbilla river waterfalls.
Saturday, 2-Jan-1982:
Today we visited the O'Loughlin family before heading to the coast via Fitzroy Falls and Kangaroo Valley where we stayed overnight.
Sunday, 3-Jan-1982:
Views over the coast from the edge of the scarp were great, here with views to Nowra & Shoalhaven River, (interleaved with Kiama blowhole and beach), then from Mt Kiera view over Wollongong (with hang glider), and at Sublime Point over Port Kembla.
Arriving in Sydney we first checked out the spot on Botany Bay where Captain Cook landed on 29 April 1770.
Then off to Berowra (near Kuringai Chase) northern part of Sydney, where we stayed for 4 nights.
Monday, 4-Jan-1982:
Checked out some of the sights in Kuringai, including Bobbin Head and the Kalkari Reserve (frilled lizard and goanna).
Tuesday, 5-Jan-1982:
Today we checked out the main sights in Sydney, including the view from a pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Rocks area. Then on to Taronga Park Zoo by ferry, giving us great views of the harbour, especially the Opera House.
Then we climbed the Centrepoint Tower to get views over Sydney CBD.
Wednesday, 6-Jan-1982:
Today more exploration of Sydney, starting with a view of the Bridge from Mrs Macquarie's Seat.
Followed up with visits to South Heads, Bondi Beach and Kings Cross (no photos). Then visited the Kleinig family.
Thursday, 7-Jan-1982:
We drove out to Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains (here the falls). Three Sisters, etc.
Then overnighted in Dural, an outer semi-rural suburb of Sydney.
Friday, 8-Jan-1982:
Today we left Sydney, driving North, taking in Old Sydney Town before overnight in Maitland in the Hunter Valley.
Saturday, 9-Jan-1982:
Kept driving North, with views over Nambucca Heads, typical of the coastline North of Sydney.
Overnight in Bonville, near Coffs Harbour.
Sunday, 10-Jan-1982:
Today in Coffs Harbour we attended a service at Coffs Harbour Uniting Church, then checked out the Giant Banana, banana plantations, and Bruxner Park rainforest (eg strangler fig).
Then drove on to Armidale (inland), passing Dorrigo Falls on the way, and then stayed overnight after visiting Muriel Williams (nee Snow).
Monday, 11-Jan-1982:
In Armidale, we checked out the Cathedral, then Captain Thunderbolt's Grave in Uralla (a bushranger), before traveling along the inland highway to Tamworth (hand prints of famous C&W stars), then the Warrambungles (with Siding Springs telescope), then Dubbo where we stayed overnight.
Tuesday, 12-Jan-1982:
We had a tour of Dubbo Old Gaol, before driving on towards Albury (where we stayed overnight) taking in Peak Hill Open Cut gold mine on the way, and then the CSIRO Parkes radio telescope (as featured in the movie The Dish about its famous role in the first moon landing). Passing through Forbes we came across the grave of the famous bushranger Ben Hall.
Wednesday, 13-Jan-1982:
From Albury (on the border with Victoria) we visted Hume Weir (on the Murray) with its trout farm. Then we ventured into the Victorian "high country" to visit Glenrowan (Ned Kelly diarama, but no photo), Mount Beauty (town, not a mountain!) and Mount Buffalo (1,723m).
Then we drove along the Murray, staying overnight in the port of Echuca.
Thursday, 14-Jan-1982:
We checked out the Echuca Wharf and the various paddle steamers (PS Pevensey, PS Adelaide), then a trip on the PS Canberra (Graeme at the wheel!). We passed the point where the Murrumbidgee River joins the Murray.
Notice above the flood markers on the side of Echuca Wharf; then we have a "Marker Tree" on the Right Bank. Then on to Swan Hill. Then overnight in Mildura.
Friday, 15-Jan-1982:
There is a giant Humpty Dumpty in Mildura, more paddle steamers (PS Avoca), then on to Renmark (centre of the orange region - see giant Orange). Visited the Berri cannery.
Then on to Monash, where we found a wonderful playground - all metal, so the hot weather made it hard to really enjoy to the full. Then a lock on the Murray at Blanchtown. Finally reached the Barossa Valley and stayed overnight at Tanunda.
Saturday, 16-Jan-1982:
Here we see Mengler Hill, a view over the Barossa generally, Tanunda Lutheran Church, and Storybook Cottage.
Then on to Seppeltsfield, to see the homestead, some sherry vats, and the Seppelt Mausoleum.
We drove on to Port Augusta for the night.
Sunday, 17-Jan-1982:
At this point we decided to head at top speed for Perth, stopping at Kimba (breakfast), Ceduna (lunch), Eucla (dinner), and then Madura for the night (1,192 km for the day).
Monday, 18-Jan-1982:
We agreed to just drive till we got home, not stopping anywhere else on the way.
So we drove via Balladonia (snack), Norseman (lunch), Merredin (dinner), arriving home rather late (about 10:30pm). Driving 1,313 km for the day.
Paused for a photo opportunity at the Western end of the Nullarbor Plain.
Overall, we drove 15,287 km, over 48 days, 47 nights.
Back to Teal Mews, with Teal Park at the foot of our cul-de-sac.
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Alex Reid
28-Jan-26