Back in Port Augusta, SA

And now we are back!  We've had a week house-sitting in Cowell while waiting for our new fridge (yes NEW!) to arrive.

The news was not good after installation of the new "black box".  Fridge still would not work.  After more phone calls, investigations and swearing (at himself for making the black box assumption), the tech told us that we were up for a new compressor - about $1200 plus labour, gas and all the little bits!

Whilst the tech had been investigating, so had we.  We found a good price on a new Vitrifrigo, same size but updated model and the delivery price wasn't too horrendous.  All up, about $2300 for a new fridge.  So, quick decision - new fridge ordered.  Hence, the trip to Cowell and back.

Tomorrow is installation day and we are both praying that 1) it goes in easily - apparently the door will need removing and 2) that it works.

As far as the house-sit is concerned, it's all good.  More about that later on.

Waiting in Port Augusta

So, now we wait.  We arrived in Port Augusta on Thursday 29 May in time to visit the fridge mechanic who had been recommended by Kedron.  After doing his own checking and prodding of the fridge, his diagnosis was that he was almost certain the problem was the control box.  He would need to order one in, so we arranged for two (just in case!).  Since then we've been involved in cleaning, mending and washing.  Thank the lord I have my own machine, else I would have spent a fortune on the washing machines.

If all goes well, we are hoping to hear from Glen, the fridge mech. today.  Keeping fingers crossed.

2014 KOG Corner Country Trip

Day 0 - 11 Kedrons @ Tibooburra, NSW

All ready to hit the road

Day 1 - Tibooburra to Cameron Corner

Stopped for equipment check and coffee

Not to mention the obligatory fire-wood gathering

Impressive sight on the road

Settled in @ Cameron Corner

The importance of Cameron Corner

The importance of Cameron Corner

The importance of Cameron Corner

Desert Country

And here we had the Cane-toads versus the Cockroaches (State of Origin Rugby League for the un-initiated)

Sun setting on a Koggle of Kedrons

Day 2 - 3 Innamincka, SA

on the banks of the Cooper Creek for 2 nights - good chance to try to clean up some of the dust

Cooper Creek - a reasonable amount of water

Cooper Creek

Cooper Creek

Kedrons camped on the Innamincka Town Common

Day 4 Innamincka to Haddon Corner

The original plan was to drive to Birdsville via the Cordillo Downs Road, but due to some overnight rain north of Innamincka, the decision was made to take the slightly longer road through Haddon Corner.

Coffee stop

Nobody mentioned the sandhill!!

No problems - easy peasy

Woops - 2 sand-hills

Made it!

Sunset over the desert

Rainbow Serpent east of Birdsville

Very handy wee stop!

In Birdsville we discovered that not only did we have some internal cupboard damage from previous days, we also had a dead fridge.  Rick, Gordon and Nev spent some time testing and prodding the fridge to no avail.  Gordon has had experience of this kind of stoppage with the Vitrifrigo compressor fridge and suggested that the electronic control box was the culprit.  Possibly it was, but no-one in Birdsville was going to be able to install a new box.

By this stage, our fridge and frozen goods had been distributed between our own Engel, and a number of other van owners.  The fridge itself was sealed to the gunnels with gaffer tape (oh! and we discovered at the same time that the hinge holding the top and bottom doors to the fridge had also come adrift).  To say that the levels of stress in our little home were reaching critical mark was putting it mildly.

Long story short - despite the fact that we were enjoying the company of the other Kedron owners, we weren't really enjoying the travel all that much - too far and too fast for the conditions in our humble opinion.  Hence our decision to remove ourselves from the convoy at Mungerannie and head directly for Port Augusta to get the fridge fixed and the van cleaned.  Definitely made the right decision and we felt better just for making it.

Friends Gordon and Chris decided they would not let us travel alone on such remote roads and kept us company until we reached Lyndhurst.  Their company and friendship was a god-send and gave us a huge boost emotionally.  At that point, they returned to catch the convoy at Coward Springs.  At the time of writing we have not heard how that went.

Lake Harry on the Birdsville Track

These are the remnants of a failed date-farming venture

Maree, SA

Flinder Ranges, SA

So green, this is an amazing sight

Head WEST young man! May 2014

Pelican’s Rest Caravan Park, St George, QLD

Allan Tannock Weir, Cunnamulla, QLD

Lake Bindegolly, near Thargomindah

Lovely spot, the lake is dry in this portion, but on the other side of the park there is apparently plenty of water.  It was a good overnight spot in the company of lots of very friendly bush flies.

Wilson River Campground, Noccundra Hotal, QLD

Here we caught up with a couple of Kedron owners who were also participating in the Corner Country trip.  The next leg is to Tibooburra to meet up with the other 8 vans.

Plenty of water in the river and lots of birdlife.  And lots more very friendly flies!!  This is where the anti-fly head coverings come into play.

Just pokin’ along!

 Following the KOG Gathering at Easter, the original plan was to take a two week break and drive up to QLD to catch up with Dad and Denise, and and our friend Nelly.  And then return to Elands for another month while Allan took a trip to Thailand with his brother.  Due to a couple of circumstances , we had to drop the 2nd part of the house-sit and head to QLD directly after Easter.  It was unfortunate and we both felt really rotten about it, but couldn't be helped.  We didn't leave Allan in the lurch though, as his son had expressed an interest in coming up to the property for a little while, so it was all good.
So, we hit the road on Anzac Day after a frenzied few days of packing and cleaning, we headed north along the New England Highway to the QLD Sunshine Coast.

Sommerville Valley Tourist Park, Stanthorpe, QLD

Looking across Storm King Dam at sunset

Blatherarm Creek Campground, Torrington State Conservation Area, NSW

Whilst passing through Brisbane, we dropped the van into Kedron for a big service and then headed for Lake Cooroibah.  Nelly had very kindly agreed to put us up for 3 days before we headed back to pick up the van.  While travelling north, we had been offered a spot on a Kedron Owners Group trip to the Corner Country.  This trip was due to leave on the 21st May from Tibooburra, NSW, so the van service was very timely but we needed to head west without too much delay.
We had a lovely lunch with Nelly, Dad and Denise at Sippy Downs (D&D's local) and thoroughly enjoyed the visit and the catch up.

Then we were on the road WEST!!!

Comboyne NSW, Elands KOG Easter Gathering April 2014

Comboyne is a village on the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales. It is situated on the Comboyne Plateau about 50km east of Elands Village, some 60 km south-west of Port Macquarie, 35 km west of Kew and 54 km north-west of Taree. It is an attractive agricultural area with fertile soils and a high rainfall. The word “Comboyne” is a corruption of the local indigenous people's name for “a place of kangaroos”.
Previously, the area was covered in sub-tropical rainforest which has almost all been cleared by the early 20th century. The early explorers originally sought the valuable timber of the Australian Red Cedar. The second oldest natural reserve in the state is at nearby Boorganna Nature Reserve which preserves a remnant of sub-tropical rainforest.
The village contains some very attractive murals and a lovely coffee shop which is well worth the visit.

Mural

Mural

Mural

Mural

Coffee Shop

KOG Easter Gathering April 2014

Camp ground @ Elands property

Lazy afternoon

Working hard on the firewood

All ready for happy hour

Happy Hour in full swing

Now THAT is a fire!

Views from Blue Knob on the Bulga Plateau