This is Leigh’s final report from his trip across Australia in a 1944 Ford GPW. Thanks again to Leigh for assembling this record of their adventure. This is a news report published while the convoy was on the road. It gives more background into the purpose of the convoy. For previous entries read the previous entry here.

Red section on map was the approx. alternate route home that we fortunately avoided.

Setting off early for Jervois Station, 2750 sq.km (1708 sq.ml.) the Plenty Hwy soon deterioated (“Plenty” of corrugations, bulldust holes & rocks like broken house bricks) to the point where it claimed our first victim, Sam’s Jeep went one way in a bulldust hole & the trailer went another, tipping the trailer. Fortunately no one was injured however the trailer required a bit of work.

Plenty Hwy trailer overturned.

More of the Plenty Hwy.

Arriving at Jervois the weather was deteriorating so some firewood was gathered with the help of the Power Wagon & we set up camp. With no improvement in conditions we continued next day to Gemtree, gateway to the Gem fields of Central Australia, only 126 miles but due to the condition of the road everyone was glad to arrive. Here we were treated to a Camp Oven Roast by the local camping park.

Evening fire and a beautiful sunset.

At Gemtree the road from there on to Alice Springs is sealed so apart from occasional rattles from our clutch and a leaking fuel pump on the Power Wagon there were no further dramas. We arrived in “the Alice” as it is known to coincide with the Alice Springs Transport Hall of Fame reunion, a week long showcase of Australian transport history. 

Piano key section of the Hwy is reinforced to take aircraft of the Royal Flying Doctor in an emergency.

From here some were heading back to Western Australia via the Great Central road while others chose to visit Lamberts the geographical centre of Austarlia and continue down the historic Oodnadatta track, another 1200 km (745 ml) of rough unsealed road to Copley, then on to Adelaide.

Coober Pedy the Opal capital of Australia

Fortunately as it turned out, time constraints had us head straight down the excellent Stuart Hwy between Alice Springs & Adelaide stopping briefly at Coober Pedy the Opal capital of Australia. It was here that the clutch started shedding springs from the disc, parts of these then intermittantly jammed the pressure plate causing loss of clutch, character building Cheryl called it, especially when it happened on Bolte Bridge, the main thoroughfare through Melbourne in peak hour traffic.

Bad clutch

Some statistics: Miles covered 4235 (6815 km)  Total fuel used 987 litres (approx 260 US gal)  at a cost of AU$1510. The highest fuel price seen was AU$2.10 / litre, fortunately by carrying five Jerry cans we didn’t have to purchase any at this price.

The next trip has been planned for 2020 to re-trace the route & visit the wartime installations from Alice Springs to Darwin.

This is Part V of Leigh’s trip across Australia in a 1944 Ford GPW. Read Part IV here.

The trip so far. They started near Melbourne, met their group in Adelaide, and then together caravanned northward. On this leg they drove from Cordillo to Tobermory Station.

Cadelga Ruins

Leaving Cordillo we headed for Cadelga Ruins reflecting on the hardships encountered by pastoralists from isolation and drought, from there it was on to Birdsville, one of the remotest towns in outback Queensland and gateway to the Simpson Desert, the worlds largest area of parallel sand dunes, home of “Big Red” a 40 metre high dune. Birdsville is best known for the annual Birdsville races where the population swells from a sleepy 115 to over 8000 for one week in September.

Parked in front of the Birdsville Hotel

From Birdsville we headed north to Bedourie which started life as a major watering and rest stop for drovers and cattle as well as Cobb & Co coaches. Here we were treated to free camping at the Simpson Desert Oasis and although it was a Saturday the local school children (all 12 of them) arrived in uniform to be taken for rides around the town. I guess we were a bit of a spectacle in our old military vehicles.

Cattle transport Oz style!

Next day, and on a sealed road, on to Boulia – population 230, administrative centre of the Boulia shire that covers 61,176 square kilometers (23.620 sq. mile) with a total population of approximately 600, no over crowding here. The bush telegraph had worked overtime and the school kids arrived by bus to recieve the same joy ride experience as in Bedourie. It was here that the clutch started giving more grief, noises, difficulty in selecting first gear, nothing to do but press on.

Sandhill country

That night we were treated to a great BBQ with entry by donation and the proceeds going to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, an organisation that does great work in these remote outback communities.

Leigh & Cheryl @ NT border

Next morning off to Tobermorey Station, 249 km (154 mile) along the Donohue Hwy. Although highway it was not, one participant described it as a “boulder strewn goat track”. Tobermorey covers 5994 sq. km. (3724 ml) and is 110 mile long and 24 mile wide with the Simpson Desert forming its southern boundary.

Tomorrow on to Jervois via the Plenty Hwy, unfortunately the Plenty Hwy made the Donohue Hwy feel like a concrete interstate!

Read about the final leg of the journey here

This is Part IV of Leigh’s trip across Australia in a 1944 Ford GPW. Read Part III here.

Map showing the trip from Montecollina to Cordillo Downs

Leaving Innaminka

Once more the weather was fine as we set off for Innaminka, although this was to be the un-doing of one of the Jeeps as the temperature reached 35 deg C (95 deg F) and combined with the hard going it cracked a cylinder head, yet another MB (Toyota engined) had electrical & clutch trouble, hitting a wash away in the road a bit hard the front diff knocked the alternator & clutch slave cylinder off! Temporary repairs were carried out and they left the convoy to head for home, arriving safely several days later we heard.

Road to Innaminka

Innaminka has a permanent population of about 12 residents and is nestled on the Cooper Creek 1065 km (660 ml) north-east of Adelaide and 459 km (285ml) from Lyndhurst up the Strzeleki Track. The actual “track” was originally blazed by Harry Redford, a cattle thief while droving 1000 head of stolen cattle from central Queensland to Adelaide. He was subsequently caught but due to his heroic efforts in establishing a new route was pardoned and later became one of Australias greatest drovers.

Innaminka Road

Innaminka is best known for the tragic death in 1861 of explorers Burke & Wills on the banks of the Cooper Creek. The full story can be found here.

Burke’s Grave

As the next day was a lay day an impromptu fishing competition was held on Cooper Ck with several Yellowbelly Perch being taken, It was here also that our clutch began to make strange noises, due I thought to the ingress of dust into the spigot bearing – more of this later.

Cooper Creek Yellow Belly

Ex Australia Army International crossing Cooper Creek.

In the following days we visited Burke’s grave & the Dig Tree, Montkeleary Creek, home to millions of friendly flies, so bad you had to wait untill dark to cook & eat, then along the Arrabury Rd toward Cordillo Downs. First leased in 1875, by the turn of the century Cordillo Downs was running more than 85,000 sheep. During this time Afgan camel teams hauled stores to the station from Farina and returned with wool the round trip taking two months.

Today Cordillo runs only cattle with approx 7000 head of poll Hereford cattle on the 7,900 square kilometer (4908 sq. ml) property. Next we head for Birdsville via Cadelga Ruins.

Read Part V Here