Australia 1988

Wednesday 18 May — Uluru

A bunch of Pommie gits had an alarm set for 0550, then had a lengthy and fairly noise discussion about whether they should get up or not, finally deciding that they needn’t as their bus was not till 1015! I got up at 0615 and quietly whipped all my gear out to the wash house where there was light enough to pack.

I was over at the Malenka Lodge tour pick-up point at 0630, in good time for a cup of tea for breakfast in the adjacent backpackers restaurant which is open all hours as it also serves the inter-state buses. The pick-up was 10 minutes late, took myself and two Swedish lassies (also staying at the hostel) leaving other folk still waiting for the three-day tour. However, we all ended up at the tour office (Toddy’s, also budget accommodation) together while a few lost bods were found, then the three-day tour went off first.

We caught them at the first stop, the Virginia Camel Farm, with time for either a camel ride or a cup of tea. I ignored the camels. Thereafter we travelled with the three-day-ers till tomorrow lunchtime. Next stop was the Erldunda Roadhouse where the road to the Rock leaves the Stuart Highway, too soon for another cup of tea so I watched hairy caterpillars instead.

Photo stop for Mt Conner and a lake behind the sand-dune. Then Yulara for lunch before going to climb the Rock. Stiff stuff, I took 35 minutes up, fairly exhausted, signed the visitors book (a new one every week and even every day at the height of the season when they get 5000 people at the top every day). The descent went much better than I expected, I jogged the last steep 600 metres in very short steps holding loosely the safety chain and got down in 20 minutes with no real protest from knees or ankles (but some complaint from the back of my calves which had not been too happy about the ascent either). A drink of water and a puff at my pipe were very welcome at the bottom.

Took a look into some ground-level caves, eroded by wind blown sand scouring water-softened rock, then we drove round the Rock stopping to photograph The Brain and to look at cave paintings near Maria’s Spring, the starting point for the first ascent. Then off to the Sunset Viewing Area, like outside a football match. A dozen tour coaches and maybe a hundred cars. A quiet evening. I picked my spot and took a photo every few minutes as the sun went down and the Rock lost it’s colour. Met Merv and his video camera.

Back to the campsite, where I expected to see a collection of tents, as the buses had disappeared for a couple of hours while we were climbing the rock, but no, just a barbecue pit and a pile of “swags”. Arrange the swags in a circle around the fire and, hey presto, seats. One barbie later, a demonstration of what to do with the swags. Loose the straps and unroll, unzip two sides and examine the contents, a foam mattress, one or two blankets, a pillow, maybe a sheet. Put a blanket on top of your sleeping bag as the tarp gets cold in the night. The more you zip up the less likely you are to have unwelcome visitors in the night. You can get two people (just) in a swag. Don’t unroll the swag until just before you are retiring or it gets (very) damp with the dew.

Tents? Well, if you really wanted one, (a middle aged lady did,) there were some in the boot of the (three-day) bus. Tall, frame tent, sleeps three, difficult to anchor in the sandy ground which was quite hard an inch or three down. But it’s not going to rain tonight.

We sat around the fire all evening, jawing and drinking whatever we had bought in town on the way back to camp. At various times, people unrolled and retired. I was one of the last to go, I had six tins to get through. By the time I retired, the outside of my black bag was running with condensation, the swag was a bit damp, but inside my sleeping bag I was snug as a bug in a rug. The stars were magnificent. I slept like a log.

Thursday 19 May — The Olgas

Woke about 0600, various stirrings. Lots of condensation. Got up at 0630, dressed and headed off for the Sunrise Viewing Sand Dune. Watched the Rock light up, taking photos at intervals. Back for breakfast and rolled the swag before the sun had time to dry it out thoroughly. Into the bus and off to the Olgas.

A walk into the Olga Gorge then a hike up to the Katatjuna lookout, descending steeply. Amazing rock formations, 36 domes, Dying Kangaroo Man, etc. Back to Yulara for a scenic flight ($40 extra, well worth it) then the long haul back to Alice with a couple of brief stops en route.

Checked in again at the YH, recovered my luggage and it was my intention to rearrange my chattels for the next stage but really couldn’t be bothered so I went out for some food and a couple of beers in the Stuart Arms. How I could have missed this one before I do not know, except that it is part of a shopping mall and the entrance looks more like a cinema than a pub. However, after my two beers, I found the energy to return to the hostel and bed.

Friday 20 May — Back east on The Ghan

I was exceedingly stiff in the morning, or at least my thighs were. I had difficulty walking and a tendency to fall down steps, and off kerbs. Breakfast at the Malenka Lodge then checked out of the hostel, leaving my luggage for later.

Walked round to the station, about the same time we arrived on Tuesday, little sign of life. Peter, who had been at the same table for dinner on the train coming up, was behind the ticket desk. Today’s train will arrive on time at 1100. Ample time to walk out to the Gap, stand around in the sun and watch the birds, while they watched me, until the train arrived and I could photograph it in the Gap. If anyone finds a Peterson there, it’s mine.

That done, I wandered back into town and visited the Gallery and Panorama Guth, painted by Henk Guth, a 360 degree picture of the attractions around Alice. A few beers for a late lunch, picked up the luggage at the hostel and headed for the station.

Checked my pack right through to Melbourne, then boarded the train. Merv and Gary still around in the same car, the conductor is a Cockney, been here since 1952. Train left on time, Merv pointed out the old Ghan restoration project as we passed, the steam engine they are working on is a Queensland one, once based at Rockhampton. No water in the carriage, they had to stop the train to let the conductor descent to turn on the air pressure. Got sat with three old ladies at dinner, very boring, had a few beers afterwards then retired.

Saturday 21 May — A pause in Adelaide

We were in Tarcoola when I woke at 0315. Went back to sleep. Morning tea at 0645. A fair bit of cloud in the sky giving excellent sunrise effects, but the windows of this compartment were a bit grotty so I didn’t attempt a photo.

Breakfast before Port Augusta, half an hour wandering on the platform, then on. A beer or three before lunch, then a few more after lunch. Quarter of an hour late at Adelaide due to a couple of lengthy waits to cross a freight and the Indian Pacific (which I had not realised came right into Adelaide). Headed off to walk into town to see the Glenelg trams but detoured to check whether the shunter was standard or broad gauge, (it was standard,) and on turning round, there was Graeme Ferguson again. He got in with 3801 last night. Apparently there will be some railfans on the Overland tonight, some as planned and some who missed it last night.

We took the suburban train into the City Station and wandered down to Victoria Square where he went off to do his own thing and I waited for the next tram. Single deck, double ended, two coupled together. Female driver (young and attractive), two male conductors. Unfortunately the light was too poor for photography. Watched it depart and embarked on a fruitless search for some decent tobacco on the way back to the inter-state station. Various folk around that I recognised, including Graeme.

The Overland left on time. These carriages are older than the type on the other trains I have travelled on so far, built in 1951. No table or footstool, the toilet and basin fold down into the compartment so the toilet will be under the bed when that’s down. The corridor is straight rather than wavy so there is less room in the compartment and it is necessary to stand in the corridor to get the bed down. Come to think of it, I suspect that the bed is a little wider. One conductor between two cars, this one, twenty roomettes and only one shower, the next, twinettes, has ten compartments.

For the first bit of the journey, I could see the lights of the city spread out below then we passed through a tunnel, the first since Lithgow in NSW, just before a station called Eden Hills, then a station called Coromandel as in New Zealand. It had been cloudy most of the day but the sky had now cleared and there was a good a show of stars. I didn’t notice much difference in the quality of the ride on broad gauge compared to standard. Had a beer in the club car and a sandwich, you can get tea and coffee too. A bit more decorated than on the Indian Pacific and had a toilet, thereby obviating the long walk back to ones own compartment.

Took another beer back to the compartment to sit in the dark and see what I could out of the window. We stopped at Bridgewater to pick up a few souls and then continued for a few minutes before stopping again, abruptly, in the middle of nowhere. The guard came walking along the track by torchlight. When I looked forward, we had no engine. Then the engine backed on again and off we went again. On enquiring of the stewardess in the Club car, I was told “someone pulled the air, I don’t know why”. I decided not to push the matter of the disappearing engine.

Sunday 22 May — Melbourne

Misty this morning. I woke just after 0500, just before Ararat. The station clock showed my watch was half an hour slow so we must have been back on EST. Got up, had a shower and waited for my morning tea. At Ballarat, getting light, mist lifting a bit, some blue sky, pink cloud, green fields, could be a nice day.

Morning tea was a continental breakfast, OJ, a small pot of fruit, roll, butter, jam, Vegemite and tea. The container of ultra high tension milk had a picture of Ayers Rock on it. I found a Gideon’s Bible in the wardrobe! in a holder which looks like it was specially designed for it. We stopped at a station called Sunshine where I think the overhead electric wires began.

We arrived at Spencer St Station, Melbourne, ten minutes early. I recovered my luggage and checked it in again for Mildura, left my cabin bag in a locker and headed into town. The tobacco situation had not improved. Newsagents and takeaways which were open only had aromatics and I’m not smoking those. Perhaps I should buy a few cigars?

Visited the Old Melbourne Gaol, now a “penal” museum. Lot of displays on Ned Kelly and a collection of death masks of persons executed in Victoria. Genuine gibbet, well not so much a gibbet just a rope tied to a beam with a trapdoor below, and a flogging frame.

Then on a bit further, admiring tramcars all the time, down past Flinders St Station and found, underneath the arches, an exhibition of tableaux of bush life, all the figures made of clay from the farm of the woman who made them, but I’ve forgotten her name. The displays were very good and the background music was enjoyable, Eric Bogle and Slim Dusty.

Fish and chips for lunch, not very good, then a river cruise up the Yarra to Como Island. A wide, flat bottomed boat, large perspex windows including both sides of the roof. When we hit the wake of a power boat, it creaked alarmingly but I suppose it’s safe. Minimal sort of commentary on the way back down.

Wandered across to the Victoria Cultural Complex, modern concrete, not very impressive but being late in the day, I didn’t go into anything so I may be being a bit harsh. Then back by a devious route to the station. A trio of beers in the pub across the road but it only had Carlton Draught which is not very exciting so I went across to the station to discover their range of draught beer was no better. Drank a tin or three then wandered in the direction of the train.

The Vinelander turned out to be a bit of a toy compared with previous journeys, one car of roomettes, one car of twinettes, an economy sitting car, a snack bar most of which was economy compartments, and a first class sitting car. I could see no difference between the first and the economy sitting cars. Then there was a couple of parcel vans and a motorail wagon.

On the front, they stuck N468 leading X42 (one of the locos that hauled last night’s Overland, I think) and S307, all for this small train. Off we went at a fair rate of knots. I had a twinette to myself, en suite wash hand basin and toilet (as in a roomette) plus shower. Who could ask for more.

Passengers are not allowed to take their own booze on V-Line trains and I was told that there was a limit to buffet sales of two tins per person per half hour! This is not strictly enforced for persons taking the beer to their own compartments.

We were a bit late at North Shore (for Geelong where the Grammar School is) but arrived early at Ballarat. It seems to be raining out there, mostly on the other side of the carriage but a few run-offs on this side.

Monday 23 May — Mildura

The Sunraysia departs from Mildura

A continental breakfast again. It seemed to have been raining for most of the night but not now. Still a fair amount of cloud about so no sunrise. Ten minutes early at Mildura, picked up my backpack and left it with my overnight bag at the Parcels Office till later.

Wandered around the town a bit, obviously it does not open till 0900. Saw some Erinmore through the hairdresser’s window. Maybe I should give up smoking, I’ve survived thirty-six hours now, but I don’t want to. Walked past the associate YH, it looked quite nice so I booked in for a couple of nights. Then back to the station to watch the departure of the Sunraysia, the daytime train between Melbourne and Mildura. Almost missed it, it turned out to be the sitting cars off the Vinelander plus the motorail wagon and parcels van, hauled by N468.

Bought some tobacco. Walked down to Lock 11 on the Murray, hoping to photograph the 0950 paddle steamer but it didn’t turn up. Wandered round the island inspecting the weir and spare gates. The 1050 paddler did turn up, the Melbourne, and took some photos as it approached, and going through the lock. Some nicely timed bursts of sunshine.

Walked back to the station to collect my luggage and take it to the (I originally wrote boarding house but it was much better than that) holiday house. Then back into town, got some money (no stamp duty), couldn’t get a trip to the Walls of China (recent rain had made the access too difficult), then down to the river for an afternoon cruise on the Melbourne at 1350. The reason all these boats sail at ten minutes to the hour (when they sail at all, mostly in the summer) is that the lock likes to operate downstream on the hour and upstream on the half hour.

Melbourne was built on the Murray in 1912, wood below and iron above the waterline, 21’beam, 42’ over the paddle boxes, length 98’. Draws three feet at the stern. Engine built by Matthews of Gainsborough, wood fired, 150lbs, very economical on fuel, four or five logs per trip. Originally built for the Government as a snagging boat with a large steam winch on the foredeck. Not much used after the implementation of the water control schemes, sold to a logging company in the early 40’s, never used by them, sold to private interests in 1964 for pleasure cruising. Burned 15 tons of wood on a ten day trip (stopping overnight) 586 miles/km? from Echuca down to Mildura.

I bought a T-shirt and tea towel and went to talk to the Captain. He knew a bit about the Waverley and let me steer for a while. Good bloke. Crew consists of the Captain, who steers, engineer, who doubles as a deck-hand, and purser (lady) who sells tickets and souvenirs, makes the tea and is also a deck-hand. Final photos of the Melbourne steaming under the George Choffey Bridge (1984?) en route to her upstream mooring.

Walked over the bridge into NSW and back. Dropped into the Grand Hotel about five o’clock for a couple of pre-prandial beers and that was that for the evening.

Tuesday 24 May — Mildura

I wonder what I was doing lying fully clothed on the bed at one o’clock in the morning. After breakfast, I considered the volume of junk among my luggage and decided to take drastic action. Went along to the Post Office and, after much head scratching about size, bought a medium sized box. It could have been larger but not by much. It turned out to be a good size for 3801 literature lying flat on the bottom, the box and rock from Denis, Robyn and Emma, three boxes and four folders of slides plus assorted T-shirts and tea towels. The bit of string I have been carrying for four months proved just inadequate to tie up the box, the ends met head on with nothing left to tie the knot. Asked the management for help but all they could produce was a short length of tape. However, with that, it was not necessary to use my shoelace. At the end, the box weighed between two and three kilograms and cost $9.15 to post (surface mail).

By the time I’d got that lot sorted out it was time to think of lunch. The rain had reduced to drizzle with occasional heavy showers. A leisurely lunch in a pub, chicken schnitzel with trimmings for $5.50, plus a few beers.

When I came out, the rain was nearly off, apart from occasional showers. So I wandered around the town once more, heading in the direction of the Homestead, a re-creation of an early pioneer sheep station. No-one around. The sign at the gate said complex always open, buildings open ten till four, admission $1. I put my dollar in the box and entered. All the buildings were locked. After wandering around checking all the doors, I left, removing my dollar from the box as I went.

Down to the lock but the Melbourne did not appear, though I did hear her whistle. Had I known that she was sailing upstream, I would have gone for another cruise. The other paddlers were operating winter schedules it seemed, the Avoca was off for a couple of days for maintenance though I didn’t see any sign of anyone working aboard her, and the other one not sailing till Thursday.

Back into a pub, met a drunken Scotsman, a Glaswegian even, who seemed reluctant to believe that I was from Glasgow. I gave him the cold shoulder and in the end, he went away. Dined in a Mexican restaurant, very nice but discernible traces of microwave cookery. The rates in Mildura must be very low if this place can survive only opening six till nine Sunday to Thursday and six till ten Friday and Saturday, and still charge very reasonable prices.

I had intended to have another couple of beers after my meal but the public bar of the Wintersun Hotel was closed so I didn’t bother. ABC have a folk music programme on Tuesdays, Eric Bogle is on tour but his dates don’t match mine. Intended to repack my bags this evening but I couldn’t be bothered. I’ll just have to get up early in the morning.

Wednesday 25 May — Back to Melbourne on the Sunraysia

Well, I did get up early, 0645, showered, packed and ready for breakfast by 0730. Which was all very well but breakfast doesn’t start till 0800. Fine weather this morning, not a cloud in the sky. Once the sun gets going, it might be quite warm but I won’t be here then.

After breakfast, down to the station, check in the big bag for Melbourne and board the train. Same sort of thing as on Monday, motorail wagon with a couple of cars on it, parcels van, first open sitting, snack bar with second compartments, second open sitting, all hauled by A81.

Departed on time and proceeded in a south easterly direction at a sedate pace. Stopped regularly at wayside stations, mostly dominated by the odd grain silo or three. Passed a couple of short freights, mostly grain wagons. Reached Donald just after one. There was a derelict steam engine on the grass verge by the level crossing, type unknown.

We had an interesting manoeuvre at Donald. We arrived at the platform and the usual events took place. Then we reversed out of the station and came through again on a siding to stop opposite the platform. A few minutes later, the northbound Sunraysia pulled in to the platform, hauled by N45, City of Mildura. There appeared to be an exchange of crew before the other train left and we continued on our way.

Just south of Donald they were building a new siding into some grain silos. I couldn’t see anything wrong with the old track unless it was the tight curves at either end. The new siding spreads the curve over the whole length. Further south, nearing St Arnaud, the character of the land began to change, becoming more wooded and almost rolling compared to the flat grain growing and pasture plains which had been outside the windows since leaving the vineyards and orange groves around Mildura.

Maryborough has a substantial station, five minutes late. Ballarat has a brick works, what looked like a carriage works and a substantial station. And then the tempo increased. Apparently the highest speed limit north of Ballarat is 50 mph while between Ballarat and Geelong 70 mph is allowed, with even higher speeds between Geelong and Melbourne. However, we were still five minutes late at Spencer St.

Phoned the Spencer Hotel, they have a single room available, $21. That’ll do. Checked in, dumped the gear and went walkabout. Nothing exciting, small Chinese takeaway and a couple of beers then back to the hotel to bed.