Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Bundaberg to Charters Towers
2009 No. 2
G’day all. Here we are back on the road and already the experiences have started again. First up we headed out of Bundaberg after many heartfelt goodbyes and tears (will miss our adopted family immensely). Made fair time out past Monto for the first night. Problems started about 100km’s out of Bundy when first we ran out of bitumen road. “We can’t go on a dirt road!” “Bought an off-road van, but can’t take it on the dirt, didn’t realise I married Adele.” Anyway won’t go backwards so onwards and upwards. Turns out it wasn’t that bad. Then we pulled into Monto, where Tayla pipes up “What’s that hissing?” “S—t, told you so, we shouldn’t have gone on that dirt road!” “Yeah, yeah, bite your bum.” So after a puncture repair and a few more choice words we finally made it to a free camp near the Cania Ranges, where we did some school work, had a camp fire and watched the stars (beautiful). Let’s have a shower Jules. No worries I filled the wash tank before I left with the bore water at Bev’s. Funny thing is darl nothing seems to be coming out of the tap. “ Which tank did you fill Jules?” Bugger, wrong one. Looks like it is a baby wipe shower.
Next day it was on past Banana and Moura (mining towns) and pulled into a free camp on the Dawson River. Brilliant, right on the water, hot showers, toilets, fish and friendly campers. We met two families from Moura with six boys between them. Jack thought he was in heaven. Needless to say after a few coldies, a top campfire and good conversation, we decided to stay another day so the kids could play.
We had to bail out the next day to get to Emerald for the kids to do their NAPLAN testing for school. Turns out after a few calls we were allowed to camp at the school (gee, I don’t know, free or pay for a caravan site. Which would I choose?). So we pulled into Emerald on Sunday arvo up the state school and ……….
“Where do we park Brad? There is no one around.” There was a building beside their school called the Outstation, “That would have to be it, hey Jules; I mean the gates are open and all. That will do, look they even have power in the carport”. “You can’t do that”, “Just watch me”. After a couple of hours of Julie having a coronary about being in the wrong place and using someone’s power, a caretaker showed up and said no worries, you are in the right place. That’s 1 to Me and 1 to Jules.
We spent the week at the school so the kids could do their testing and mingle with the cattle station kids. We all had a ball, the kids playing and us talking to the mothers and governesses from the various properties around the area (that is up to 4 hours drive away). Turns out they come into school for a week four times a year and camp in the Outstation in their swags and have a house mom cook for them three times a day. “Well we are here, we might as well pay our $20 a night and eat with everyone else (just to be social, of course, not cos’ it meant we didn’t have to cook for another week did it Jules?) Met some lovely ladies and found out the history of the area and everyone’s background. Still Friday came pretty quick and it was time to leave and for Charters Towers.
Only problem is, we didn’t make it out of town before one of the ladies from school drove past and yelled to come and stay at their place for the night as it was on the way. Cool another free night Jules, we are there. Carina and Clay Kenny lived out on a 10,000 acre beef cattle property about 11km in from the highway and 200 km from Charters Towers. OH crap, more dirt roads. “She’ll be right darl, just close your eyes and pretend it’s just rough bitumen.” We followed Carina’s instructions, but the boss was starting to worry when it felt like we had been driving for bloody ages (only doing 30 km/hr) when we came upon a huge green letterbox and a sign saying Belyando Junction. This is it. About another kilometre up the driveway we came upon a big old Queenslander sitting on top of a hill in the middle of nowhere. That would have to be it. Up we go, back into 4wd, spinning wheels on gravel, I think we can, I think we can. We pulled up in front of the house just before sunset and looked out over a huge man made dam (turns out it is about 5km in area) and 360 degree views. Unbloody believable. “Can we live here Brad?”
Next up we get a G’day mate coming from a farmer pushing a mower over some of the greenest grass you have ever seen. “My names Clay, welcome, want a beer?” Here we are we met his wife for a few hours for four days and never met this bloke, but hey pulled round the back, plug into the power, have a shower and let’s have a drink and a chat. “Did we step into heaven?” Jules is thinking (still no cooking). We had a few drinks, were fed dinner, then Clay found out I was a chippie. “You know, I’ve got a trailer I’ve been fitting out, maybe you could stay for a few days and help me finish it of.” “Jules, you need to ring the oldies and tell them we won’t be seeing them tomorrow. No you ring; it will be better coming from you.”
The next day Clay and the kids took us down to get his tractor on the back of his prime mover, then drove over to the other property (40,000 acres) to muster some horses for the cattle muster next week. Jack thought he was king dick sitting up in the big Mack truck. On the way out of the driveway Tayla (Clay’s Tayla that is, same age as Jack) yells out bloody dingo. That’s nice darl says Jules so what? “We gotta shoot the bastard.” Whatttttt says my beloved. So I’m out of the Ute looking for the dingo when up behind comes little Tayla aiming into the bush with a 30/30 rifle. S__t! That is what we had to clean out of the pants after I found the rifle was loaded with half a dozen bullets and a light trigger. Clay and the kids grabbed their horses at Llanarth and we went down into one of the paddocks where they muster a couple of dozen of bulls and cows so they could practice camp drafting. That is where you have to pick out one beast from about a dozen then control where it runs and take it through the obstacle course. They all did it from Clay to Ben, Dean, Tayla and young Todd (5 yr old) amazing. Then it was back to Belyando (young Tayla drove the Ute (more dirty pants)) for the kids to play and for me to do some work on the trailer. It was an old removal trailer on a prime mover been converted with a kitchen, toilet, shower and five beds in the front and enough room in the back for 8 horses. Carina did an awesome roast for dinner (didn’t even need a knife to cut the meat) and the next day they went to a wedding while I did some more work till lunchtime, when we had to make tracks for Charters Towers. We did our few things in town then headed out for Fletchers Creek (freebie beside the creek) to catch up with my folks. Need to have Toyota look at the car as we are only getting 300km out of 150 litres of fuel. Hopefully they can fix it or else we are going to have to look at changing vehicles somehow.
Anyhow, that’s enough rambling for one fortnight. I’ll probably keep you updated every couple of weeks unless we have a busy one.
Missing everyone deeply.
Know that are thoughts are with you Bevan and Margit in your challenges that life’s throwing at you. We love you both dearly.
Hope all works out alright for your Mum Chris.
Lover and Macca, keep trying, things could be a lot worse.
Miss our card games Danni and the company. Hope work sorts it self out for you Timbo. Go the LIONS!!!!!!
Sorry Beck. But Malthouse is past it.
Keep giving Arthur curry Rich, and keep on living.
Hope the move was easy Randall and Rae and all are doing well. Keep your head out of the firing line (when do you get your promotion? Just the oldies were asking). Love ya’s
To everyone I haven’t mentioned, we are still thinking of you all, from time to time. When I’m not fishing, or hiking or sleeping.
Just jokes
Cya the Wattevas
www.watteva08.blogspot.com
G’day all. Here we are back on the road and already the experiences have started again. First up we headed out of Bundaberg after many heartfelt goodbyes and tears (will miss our adopted family immensely). Made fair time out past Monto for the first night. Problems started about 100km’s out of Bundy when first we ran out of bitumen road. “We can’t go on a dirt road!” “Bought an off-road van, but can’t take it on the dirt, didn’t realise I married Adele.” Anyway won’t go backwards so onwards and upwards. Turns out it wasn’t that bad. Then we pulled into Monto, where Tayla pipes up “What’s that hissing?” “S—t, told you so, we shouldn’t have gone on that dirt road!” “Yeah, yeah, bite your bum.” So after a puncture repair and a few more choice words we finally made it to a free camp near the Cania Ranges, where we did some school work, had a camp fire and watched the stars (beautiful). Let’s have a shower Jules. No worries I filled the wash tank before I left with the bore water at Bev’s. Funny thing is darl nothing seems to be coming out of the tap. “ Which tank did you fill Jules?” Bugger, wrong one. Looks like it is a baby wipe shower.
Next day it was on past Banana and Moura (mining towns) and pulled into a free camp on the Dawson River. Brilliant, right on the water, hot showers, toilets, fish and friendly campers. We met two families from Moura with six boys between them. Jack thought he was in heaven. Needless to say after a few coldies, a top campfire and good conversation, we decided to stay another day so the kids could play.
We had to bail out the next day to get to Emerald for the kids to do their NAPLAN testing for school. Turns out after a few calls we were allowed to camp at the school (gee, I don’t know, free or pay for a caravan site. Which would I choose?). So we pulled into Emerald on Sunday arvo up the state school and ……….
“Where do we park Brad? There is no one around.” There was a building beside their school called the Outstation, “That would have to be it, hey Jules; I mean the gates are open and all. That will do, look they even have power in the carport”. “You can’t do that”, “Just watch me”. After a couple of hours of Julie having a coronary about being in the wrong place and using someone’s power, a caretaker showed up and said no worries, you are in the right place. That’s 1 to Me and 1 to Jules.
We spent the week at the school so the kids could do their testing and mingle with the cattle station kids. We all had a ball, the kids playing and us talking to the mothers and governesses from the various properties around the area (that is up to 4 hours drive away). Turns out they come into school for a week four times a year and camp in the Outstation in their swags and have a house mom cook for them three times a day. “Well we are here, we might as well pay our $20 a night and eat with everyone else (just to be social, of course, not cos’ it meant we didn’t have to cook for another week did it Jules?) Met some lovely ladies and found out the history of the area and everyone’s background. Still Friday came pretty quick and it was time to leave and for Charters Towers.
Only problem is, we didn’t make it out of town before one of the ladies from school drove past and yelled to come and stay at their place for the night as it was on the way. Cool another free night Jules, we are there. Carina and Clay Kenny lived out on a 10,000 acre beef cattle property about 11km in from the highway and 200 km from Charters Towers. OH crap, more dirt roads. “She’ll be right darl, just close your eyes and pretend it’s just rough bitumen.” We followed Carina’s instructions, but the boss was starting to worry when it felt like we had been driving for bloody ages (only doing 30 km/hr) when we came upon a huge green letterbox and a sign saying Belyando Junction. This is it. About another kilometre up the driveway we came upon a big old Queenslander sitting on top of a hill in the middle of nowhere. That would have to be it. Up we go, back into 4wd, spinning wheels on gravel, I think we can, I think we can. We pulled up in front of the house just before sunset and looked out over a huge man made dam (turns out it is about 5km in area) and 360 degree views. Unbloody believable. “Can we live here Brad?”
Next up we get a G’day mate coming from a farmer pushing a mower over some of the greenest grass you have ever seen. “My names Clay, welcome, want a beer?” Here we are we met his wife for a few hours for four days and never met this bloke, but hey pulled round the back, plug into the power, have a shower and let’s have a drink and a chat. “Did we step into heaven?” Jules is thinking (still no cooking). We had a few drinks, were fed dinner, then Clay found out I was a chippie. “You know, I’ve got a trailer I’ve been fitting out, maybe you could stay for a few days and help me finish it of.” “Jules, you need to ring the oldies and tell them we won’t be seeing them tomorrow. No you ring; it will be better coming from you.”
The next day Clay and the kids took us down to get his tractor on the back of his prime mover, then drove over to the other property (40,000 acres) to muster some horses for the cattle muster next week. Jack thought he was king dick sitting up in the big Mack truck. On the way out of the driveway Tayla (Clay’s Tayla that is, same age as Jack) yells out bloody dingo. That’s nice darl says Jules so what? “We gotta shoot the bastard.” Whatttttt says my beloved. So I’m out of the Ute looking for the dingo when up behind comes little Tayla aiming into the bush with a 30/30 rifle. S__t! That is what we had to clean out of the pants after I found the rifle was loaded with half a dozen bullets and a light trigger. Clay and the kids grabbed their horses at Llanarth and we went down into one of the paddocks where they muster a couple of dozen of bulls and cows so they could practice camp drafting. That is where you have to pick out one beast from about a dozen then control where it runs and take it through the obstacle course. They all did it from Clay to Ben, Dean, Tayla and young Todd (5 yr old) amazing. Then it was back to Belyando (young Tayla drove the Ute (more dirty pants)) for the kids to play and for me to do some work on the trailer. It was an old removal trailer on a prime mover been converted with a kitchen, toilet, shower and five beds in the front and enough room in the back for 8 horses. Carina did an awesome roast for dinner (didn’t even need a knife to cut the meat) and the next day they went to a wedding while I did some more work till lunchtime, when we had to make tracks for Charters Towers. We did our few things in town then headed out for Fletchers Creek (freebie beside the creek) to catch up with my folks. Need to have Toyota look at the car as we are only getting 300km out of 150 litres of fuel. Hopefully they can fix it or else we are going to have to look at changing vehicles somehow.
Anyhow, that’s enough rambling for one fortnight. I’ll probably keep you updated every couple of weeks unless we have a busy one.
Missing everyone deeply.
Know that are thoughts are with you Bevan and Margit in your challenges that life’s throwing at you. We love you both dearly.
Hope all works out alright for your Mum Chris.
Lover and Macca, keep trying, things could be a lot worse.
Miss our card games Danni and the company. Hope work sorts it self out for you Timbo. Go the LIONS!!!!!!
Sorry Beck. But Malthouse is past it.
Keep giving Arthur curry Rich, and keep on living.
Hope the move was easy Randall and Rae and all are doing well. Keep your head out of the firing line (when do you get your promotion? Just the oldies were asking). Love ya’s
To everyone I haven’t mentioned, we are still thinking of you all, from time to time. When I’m not fishing, or hiking or sleeping.
Just jokes
Cya the Wattevas
www.watteva08.blogspot.com
Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
2009 - Here We Go Again
G’day everyone , we thought it was about time to bring you all up to date on the trials and tribulations of the Watt clan up till now from last we spoke.
The last instalment came from Mackay in October. Well we stayed there for about 5 months, which was about four months to many. Turns out Mackay is really one of those places you would like to visit but should not think of living in. We spent or time parked on a couple of sites at the Andergrove van park. I say a couple of sites because the managers in their infinite wisdom seem to have it in their heads that just because you are paying for a camp site a week in advance doesn’t mean you can stay in the same place. We got moved twice but others were moved every four weeks because people were coming to stay on these sites (apparently). The toilet block was a toss up from day to day as to wether you could chance sitting on the seats or not. The shower spouts had to be held with one hand so as to not hit everywhere except yourself. The pool was like swimming in a stale bucket of urine.
Still we can’t complain too much. At least when it rained our site wasn’t covered with a foot of running water. Shit what am I saying, when didn’t it rain. We were there for five months and it would have drizzled for two months and bucketed down for another two. At one point we had six weeks straight of rain. Great place to live. If you didn’t drown the bloody mosquitoes carried you away. Why did we stay? Julie often asks that. Bloody conscience got in the way again. The boss I was working for came down with cancer four weeks into the job, and felt we just had to do the right thing by him. So we stuck it out. Me going to work 6 days a week and Julie teaching the kids (in-between strangling them). At one point I realised it might be time to leave when coming home from work I found the kids sitting outside and Julie inside the van with the air con blasting away, a scotch in her hand and the van door bolted shut ( to keep the little bastards out apparently), and muttering “ I’m going to kill the little shits”. Okay, maybe we had better go out for dinner tonight hey darl.
We did meet some nice people in the park and around town. One couple with five kids in a 16ft campervan (bloody idiots) have stayed in touched (Tayla’s, Jessie comes from them) to the point of even catching up at Bundaberg. Another pair of girls from Coffs Harbour turned out to be bad news. Namely, Australia Day was very memorable, for those that can remember that is. Started the day with a BBQ in the community kitchen which was good. Then a couple of arrogant Silver headed bas---ds decided to take over the area with their bull---t music and bongos. Time for me to leave. So the girls retired to the pool. When I caught up with them again an hour later, they had an esky around the pool and a line of empties to back up the glow on the three girls faces. To the extent when the one that is normally in control fell out of the shower and then proceeded to go arse over tit trying to work out how to put on her underwear. For some reason she had a sore head the next day.
Then cyclone Hamish decided it wanted to come and visit us. After a couple of days watching what it was doing, it came to the Saturday when I got called into work to move some cupboards out of the workshop and on to site for insurance, in case Hamish decides to hit. As it turns out it did decide to come and visit on this same day. As the rain started to get heavier I decided to knock it on the head and get out of town. It took Jules a little to get to work, mainly because the roads had disappeared under two foot of water. Even roundabouts could not be seen under the rain water. Maybe it really is time to go now hey darl? After a mad dash to throw everything from five months of standing still into the van and car, we made our way out of Mackay, never to return (Shithole).
Got to Aunty Bevs at Bundy two days later (got away from that cyclone). Bull. Bloody thing followed us, didn’t it? Well just sit tight and hope all goes well. Besides we‘ve got tomatoes and mangoes to pack, that will keep everyone busy. Yey dad.
We made the exodus to Brisbane to go on a 12 night cruise on the Pacific Sun with Julie’s sister, brother in law and one of his work mates. Jules is the big 40 this year and what with Ruddsy's giving we back some tax and trips being quite cheap we thought what the hell. Top idea Jen. First day out we hit the bum end of cyclone Jasper which meant we were ploughing into 5-7m swells. At least this meant the buffet and bar was easy to get to. There was plenty of dodging dying people in elevators and chuck chunder in most of the hall ways. Thank god for a cast iron gut. Let’s have another beer hey Rich, what rough weather? Still it smoothed out after a couple of days and turned into brilliant weather from then on. Bugger, now we have to fight with the oldies to get near the food (it might run out if you’re not careful you know) and cue to get a drink. Just have t buy two at once I guess. Many a morning was passed out near the Outback bar having breakfast then downing a few cold ones from about 9.30 onwards. Pubs are open somewhere in the world after all. Then the afternoon consisted of a few more drinks, dance lessons, horse racing and the almighty BINGO!!!
A word of advice, don’t get in the way of a determined pensioner heading for his or her seat that they have sat in for the past couple of days. And do not dare make a noise once those numbers are being called. You can feel the flesh being stripped from your body by there glares this intones. Still the prize money was pretty good, and I missed out on the jackpot of $9500.00 by one number.
Everyone enjoyed the trip, especially the snorkelling on all the islands. The girls were impressed by the natives at Pentecost that did the land diving from thirty foot home made scaffolds into the dirt below wearing nothing more than a banana leaf wrapped around d there Johnson and a smile. They made many a male feel quite inadequate. The kids were good, Tayla was never seen (until 2am most mornings), and it was good to make new friends with Richard and Vicky, and to spend time with Rich and Jenny (yes and Jonah). Birthdays were celebrated on board and back on the mainland after the trip. It was great to catch up with everyone that we were able to see. We are now back at Bundaberg for a couple of weeks before heading north towards Georgetown then over to Darwin. We shall keep you posted on the travels and who is being murdered from week to week.
Love and miss you all
The Watt Eva clan.
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