Wedensday 11th August 1971
Picked up a petrol tank for Bruiser. We then proceeded on dirt road south to the turn off to Angus Downs we headed on to
Wallora Ranch Chalet where we got petrol, we then drove onto the main road at Angus Downs and camped off the road about 20 mile from Ayers Rock the country is slightly hilly with thousands of desert populars.
Thursday 12th August 1971
Drove to Ayers Rock & booked into the camping ground, we then walked 7mile around the base of the rock & got back to camp at 1.30. We then went over to the airport to try and get a plane to fly us over the Rock it would cost $6.00 for the Rock & Olga's or $3.00 for the Rock with no less than 5 people, but there was to many from bus tours so we could not get a flight. We then walked back & went out to the Sunset Strip where we photographed the sun setting on Ayers Rock after which we returned & had tea. We then all went down to the Boomerang Hotel where I stayed till closing time.
Friday 13 August 1971
We walked up the rock and had a look at the view we then went to the Olga's for the rest of the day, it is 24 mile around the bottom we returned about 3.00 & had tea. I then went to the pub till closing time. Sick that night.
Saturday 14 August 1971
Drove south past Mt Connor then down to the main road and across the boarder into South Australia. We than drove to Granite Downs where we camped 3mile out at a place where there is a lot of mineral 7 is ideally suited for Opals.
Sunday 15 August 1971
photographed a red bird on a nest, bruiser could stroke her with his finger also saw a cock bird do a dance to get us away from the nest.
We then drove east across to
Onnadatta where we could not get petrol because it was
sunday so we headed to
Willcannia Creek they told us we would have to wait till
monday for fuel so we drove about 3mile out and camped. Errol shot a rabbit so Reg cooked it.
Monday 16 August 1971
Put $160.00 in kitty and got away at 9.00 drove back 3mile to
Willcania Creek got 10gallons of aviation fuel cost $1.00 gallon they claim there was no normal fuel ( a rip off). We then drove on through Coward Springs past the southern most tip of South Lake Eyre though hilly flat top mountains &
stoney plains & sandy deserts to
Maree were we got fuel and dinner. We continued onto
Liegh Creek the coal mining town & got water. Then on down to
Parachilna where we turned off into
Flinders Ranges to
Beltana we camped about 3mile from
Parachilna. We were camped in a creek bed. Everything was covered in dust today because the back door kept on opening.
Tuesday 17 August 1971
drove though hilly country to
Belina then down to
Wilpena Pound which we passed & continued on to Hawker we then drove through luscious green sheep country to
Orroroo where we had lunch.We continued to
Peterbourough & started the 200mile haul to Broken Hill, the highway was very tedious and boring at 5.00 we crossed the border into N.S.W and arrived in Broken Hill at 6.30 and made camp.Then went to have tea & a walk down the main street. Their is 35000 people here & 2 photo studios, we met some police friends who came from Newcastle & talked to them for 2 hrs.When we got back to camp the Sydney Land Rover Club had arrived they where going to the convention got to bed 12.00 it was the coldest night I have ever experienced.
Wednesday 18th August 1971
Left Broken Hill and onto
Willcannia then 166miles to
Cobar, then 82miles to
Nyngan and down to
Narromine where we camped under the first bridge that crosses the
Maquarie River on the
Eumungerie road they ski in this river a lot.On the way across we saw numerous Emus. Had steak and eggs peas an potatoes for tea got to bed 9.00
Thursday 19 August 1971
headed to
Dubbo then across the
Merriwa and on down to Newcastle which competed our tip of 7803 miles or 12557 km in 40 days
