My husband drives up north from Port Augusta to Roxby, most of the way there are no fences so sheep, cattle, emus and kangaroos all roam over the road. It is very hard driving a road train with prime mover and 3 trailers, and having to stop in time not to hit something...especially at night. He tries very hard not to hit anything, even the company had LED spot lights placed on the fleet, as these are a stronger brighter light. During the day is better, but nights are bad.
Grams, my son-in-law drives road trains too, so I certainly understand the problems they face. And yes, night time is worse.
I've been involved in a few animal fatalities, but most times it just can't be helped.
I was driving our Troopy through the hills in the Mt Isa/Cloncurry area, when I came around a bend to see a dead bull on the crest of a hill in my lane! With no chance of pulling up the heavy Troopy, I had to make the terrifying split second decision to go around it on the wrong side of the road. Nowhere else to go!
Maybe you're not missing much, Beth, but they are. Love your new avatar. As to road kill, I feel sick to the stomach when I see animals dead on the roadway. It really is tragic. Maybe I'll get used to it when I'm permanently on the road.
Maybe you're not missing much, Beth, but they are. Love your new avatar. As to road kill, I feel sick to the stomach when I see animals dead on the roadway. It really is tragic. Maybe I'll get used to it when I'm permanently on the road.
Yes me too. And heaven forbid if I had to drag a smaller animal off the road. I don't think I could do it.
That photo was taken on the tram in Bendigo in October last year. Gotta love a tram ride!
Love trams. Used to ride them way back when they were running around Sydney... the old toaster racks. Took a ride on the monorail in Sydney recently and video'd it - it's soon to be dismantled. But I've seen pics of the trams in Bendigo and can't wait to ride one. Ditto Melbourne. Sooooo much to do!
A few of my favourites are, Portland Vic, Kuranda NQ, and Mary Valley Rattler, out of Gympie Qld. Sadly this one has shut down because of lack of funds.
When I was in Melbourne I missed having a ride on a new tram. I forgot all about it. We got the bus from our CP at Dandenong South to Dandenong train station, then into the city, and onto the tourist bus to Queen Vic markets. Phew!
It's your thread, Beth, you can do what you like with it. We get old steam locos here in Taree for day trips quite regularly and I've been on a few. Old diesel motor rails too. Here's a vid of one of the train trips. The damn thing broke down half way through the trip. But it was still fun.
Love trams. Used to ride them way back when they were running around Sydney... the old toaster racks. Took a ride on the monorail in Sydney recently and video'd it - it's soon to be dismantled. But I've seen pics of the trams in Bendigo and can't wait to ride one. Ditto Melbourne. Sooooo much to do!
If ever you get to Perth Gary, you can ride one of the originals at Whiteman Park, see here;
There is an old steam train running in the north of SA, called the Pichi Ricchi Railway, it runs from Quorn to Port Augusta stopping at Wool Shed Flat, and returns. It runs during the best months of the year. But it is well worth going and having a ride.
I once hit a big buck roo at night on the road between Kempsey and Armidale (the dirt road via Bellbrook used by timber trucks) in my old HZ Holden. The poor animal had 2 broken legs and was in obvious pain, so I had to dispatch it with a 12" shifter. I doing so my shirt front and face got sprayed with blood and all I had was an old oily rag (the kind you always have in the boot of an old holden) to wipe most of the blood off my face. I did get a strange look from the receptionist at the motel when I was booking in until I explained the situation to her. She must have thought i was an axe murderer on the run...
Funny thing is, with all my trips to western Qld, I've never been to Cunnamulla. I hear I'm not missing much, but I still need to get there one day.
You probably are missing something Beth, Cunnamulla really is a nice little western QLD town, a further 70km West is Eulo, great little spot, with excellent free camps on the Paroo, wonderful country.
Beautiful country. All bright red and green. And don't forget the opals. Funny how after you are there for a while you walk around looking at the ground. Quilpie is interesting too.