Travelling Rotarians - update
Doug Archbold
Hi all,
Has been a bit of an adventure so far. A mixed bag on this trip. A farmer from Ashburton with his wife, both married for the third time!! And he is a bit "senior" and has just backed into a tree next to us at the camp in Coober Pedy and smashed the back window in his van. Another couple are from California and also had an accident on their first day!
The first two days on the road from Adelaide were in terrible conditions. Raining heavily , cold, and gale force wind that threw us round a bit. Drove through the Barrossa Valley, so wall to wall vineyards-- many times bigger than Waipara. Then magnificent cropping area-- huge paddocks and mainly wheat and barley. Despite rain, not one creek or river between here-- Coober Pedy-- and Adelaide was bone dry.
Last night at Woomera, formally site of Atomic testing and rocket range. Almost a ghost town now. Today we drove through 380 km of South Australia Outback. Just miles of low scrub and mulga. Saw the odd sheep and a few cows , God knows how they survive. Went past on mailbox -- said 113 km to homestead from main road!!!
All Black Test will be over ,I presume , so will have a look on my phone.
Grant, haven't heard from you so hope you having a great time in Western Aust-- bet your accommodation is a bit more comfortable than ours!!
With warm regards to you all,
Archbold's 🏽
Hi all,
Has been a bit of an adventure so far. A mixed bag on this trip. A farmer from Ashburton with his wife, both married for the third time!! And he is a bit "senior" and has just backed into a tree next to us at the camp in Coober Pedy and smashed the back window in his van. Another couple are from California and also had an accident on their first day!
The first two days on the road from Adelaide were in terrible conditions. Raining heavily , cold, and gale force wind that threw us round a bit. Drove through the Barrossa Valley, so wall to wall vineyards-- many times bigger than Waipara. Then magnificent cropping area-- huge paddocks and mainly wheat and barley. Despite rain, not one creek or river between here-- Coober Pedy-- and Adelaide was bone dry.
Last night at Woomera, formally site of Atomic testing and rocket range. Almost a ghost town now. Today we drove through 380 km of South Australia Outback. Just miles of low scrub and mulga. Saw the odd sheep and a few cows , God knows how they survive. Went past on mailbox -- said 113 km to homestead from main road!!!
All Black Test will be over ,I presume , so will have a look on my phone.
Grant, haven't heard from you so hope you having a great time in Western Aust-- bet your accommodation is a bit more comfortable than ours!!
With warm regards to you all,
Archbold's 🏽
From Grant McFadden
Hi Doug, your trip sounds exciting and varied. Sorry not to update sooner. We are in the last days of a big circle around WA. Weather variable from downpours to windless days in the low twenties. Wheat is leaping out of the ground and wheatbelt farmers are saying the rain has been great. Also plenty of grass. Highlights have been. Giant trees in the SW forests ,the new 2014 ANZAC centre at Albany where all NZ and Aussie soldiers assembled before Gallipoli, farm museums in the wheat belt, New Norceau a huge Monastery in the bush which raised hundreds of Abo children taken from their families in the stolen children govt scheme, meeting 200 17 and18 year old refugees at the monastery from nth Africa and Asia who are part of the official federal govt refugee scheme, and now on the beaches north of Perth where they say the property prices in recent modern beach developments have dropped up to 40% in the last 2 years with the mining decline. Can get a brand new house for $400k. I hope that doesn’t happen at home. We have a couple of days now in Perth before heading home on Wed. Enjoy Darwin’s warmth. Cheers, Grant and Jen