Getting There

Graeme and I were all packed up waiting at the corner of Mitchell Line and Jerry’s Plains road at 10.00am for the Newcastle members (consisting of Robyn and Richard Lynch, Peter Dwyer, Nicole and Andrew Haigh, Robyn and Steve Lilly, Sue and John McAlpine) to arrive at 10.30am. When they arrived we motored onto Jerry’s Plains for morning tea in the park. We left at 11:25am heading towards Merriwa where we stopped for lunch and met up with Jan, April and Ian Hissey. At 1.30pm we were off again for Dubbo where we stayed the night arriving at 3.40pm. The motel was very nice and some of us went for a quick stroll around the streets before heading to the Bowling Club for dinner.

Graeme and I wanted to call at Trangie to see Stewart and Rachel (ex members of the club) so when we got talking Ian said there was a guy who lived there who bought Greg Jones' XJS so we rang Stewart to arrange a meet and suggested we have a morning tea break at their home and the rest of the crew come too.

At 9.15am we departed  and headed for Trangie with us in the lead arriving at 10.15am and decided to take them up through the town and show them where Stewart, Rachel and the kids go to school. When we turned the corner of their street ahead of us was a car display of Jensens, Jaguars, a Mini Cooper S (Don Ways ex car), an MG, Austin Healeys and an A90 as well as members of the local Car Club with a delicious morning tea on the verandah. The boys were in their element at such a display and it took a while to get them moving. Finally leaving at 11.40am and travelling towards Nyngan, we stopped at a large rural property where another member called Bomber resided and he showed us his E Type 3.8 litre Coupe 1963 and XK120 Roadster which this also delighted the boys. From here we then stopped at Nyngan at 1.15pm for lunch in the park. 

We were just about to depart when Andrew lifted his bonnet and John, Peter, Ian and Steve went over to see what was happening, with everything ok we headed off at 2.00pm for Cobar arriving at 3.30pm. After booking into our motel we strolled over to the Museum.  Then Richard and Robyn in their car and Andrew, Nicole and I in the MK9, in which I felt like Queen Mary in the back, went to the lookout overlooking the mine. The view was quite impressive looking down on the entrance to the mine. Back to the motel we then strolled over to the RSL for dinner where we were wondering if we could get days like we had today which was very eventful.

The unexpected things are often the most enjoyable, It was a pleasure to be welcomed by such friendly members of the Trangie Club. Hopefully we can repay their gesture in the future. Some of us were up early enough for a walk around the town of Cobar, we were rewarded with a spectacular sunrise over the old mining equipment.

Alarm off at 7.00am, we headed down to the dining room for a cooked breakfast before heading off at 8.40am. Andrew (Mc Duff) is leading the way back to Wilcannia for petrol. The lady serving petrol obviously hadn’t seen Jaguars or  maybe not so many at one time so she took photos before we left. Next stop was Little Topar Roadhouse for morning tea. Departing at 11.40am and heading towards Broken Hill, arriving 12.30pm. After booking in at the Caravan Park where we were to stay in cabins, we had lunch at Andrew and Nicole’s cabin. After lunch Richard and Robyn toured the city taking in a lot of churches. The Hisseys also went their own way and the rest of us (Peter went with John and Sue, Graeme and I went with Steve and Robynne and Andrew and Nicole on their own) went to Silverton for a look around the what there was of the town and saw where Mad Max II was made.

 From here we went back into town and visited the Pro Hart Gallery then to John Keenan Lookout. From here the others made their way around the city and we went to Woolworths to stock up again, then off we went past the railway station where we saw the Indian Pacific train pulled in at the station. Then we headed back to the caravan park. We went to dinner at the Democratic Club then retired for the night.

Some of the others met up with Lindsay Smith before leaving the park at 8.00am. The Hisseys said their goodbyes as they were going straight to Adelaide. All filled up with petrol and we were ready to leave at 8.25am. Now we have 6 cars in tow. About 9.00am we went across the border (our first time so this was exciting) and we stopped for morning tea at 10.30 at Yunta and departed at 10.55am.

Not sure where we were, but we were standing near a gallery on the side of a hill overlooking a town when John looked to the hills and commented about the trees looking like Indians waiting to attack just like in the western movies.

We went through a fruit and vegetable checkpoint where we had to declare them. We all got through but Peter had to pass up his capsicum, onion, carrot but he could keep his lettuce. We arrived at Burra for lunch at 12.20pm. We then took a stroll down the main street before heading off at 2.00pm.

Turning off in Saddleworth heading for Kapunda, Greenock, Nuriootpa and Tanunda. This was a pretty drive passing all the vineyards which was what I wanted to see and arriving at the Novatel Resort around 4.00pm. We could see another vineyard looking out our room window. There was wine tasting at 5.00pm which the girls went too while the boys were assisting Andrew under the front wheel with a dried up bearing. While wine tasting we met up with Denis and Fran who were also staying at the Novatel. At 6.30pm we all went for dinner which was a bit expensive but at least we didn’t have to drive back to the town. Afterwards some of the members met at Robyn and Richards’s room for a nightcap.

Up at a leisurely time and taking in the views and walks around the resort everybody was heading in different directions to get to Adelaide. We (Peter, Sue, John, Nicole, Andrew, Graeme and I) waited for Andrew to repair his bearing and departed the resort going through Lyndoch to the Whispering Wall which Ian Hissey’s grandfather built. This was amazing. Standing at one end of the dam wall you could hear every word that people said at the other end without them shouting. We were about to leave when the Lilley’s arrived. We then travelled to Williamstown and onto Birdwood arriving at 12.15pm where we had lunch then went across to the Museum. Silly me dropped my camera while walking around and bent the lenses. I was so upset as the trip had barely begun and there was plenty more to see so I bought a disposable one and met up with Robynne and Steve who came back to the Museum with me and caught up with Graeme and I showed him what I’d done. What a great guy as he mended my camera and I was able to go photo shooting again. We then left around 3.00pm.

We then drove into Adelaide, to a suburb called Hilton. Graeme and I had our little Navman Lady and got us to the address where Andrew was purchasing some bearings. By this time it was 4.40pm and we waited while Andrew and John had to go to another location to get them. We then headed on our way to the Motel at Glenelg with the help of our little Navman lady and we arrived around 6.00pm. We said quick hello to the others who arrived earlier, unpacked and headed for the bistro at the motel around 7.00pm where we caught up with Brian who had flown down.