Month: January 2020

30th January 2020

Craigieburn means ‘rocky creek’ coming from the Gaelic ‘creige’ meaning crag, rock of cliff and ‘burn’ meaning water but generally referring to a creek and was very aptly named. The settlement that developed around this area is now an ever expanding residential area.

The Campbellfield family name was found in Scotland in 1871. In 1871 there was 1 Campbellfield family living in Midlothian. This was 100% of all the recorded Campbellfield’s in Scotland. Midlothian had the highest population of Campbellfield families in 1871.

We spent an exclusive and quiet night on the street out the back of Supreme Caravans at Craigieburn. Anyone who has free camped in rural Australia knows that when there are no other vans with a view of a certain aspect or side of your van and there is a grassy patch, then this presents an opportunity to reduce the amount of liquid that would normally collect in your toilet cassette. Such is the way of free camping. However even though it was quite dark in the street and there was not a soul in sight and there was a very convenient grassy verge adjacent the caravan, I decided not to utilize the verge. This was for three reasons. Firstly, it is in a built up area even though it is deserted and has grass. Secondly, I should be more mature at my age and not act so frivolously and thirdly, I remembered they said they had night vision security cameras around the perimeter. I have no plans to start a movie career and even if I did, it was not how I saw my debut.

Miracle of miracles. We made it to Campbellfield for work to be done on the van by the what seemed almost impossible time of 7am. We left it with things being pulled off and put on, then adjourned to Epping shopping centre for breakfast. I thought this shopping centre isn’t very popular and most of the shops were shut. Then the penny dropped. It was still before 8am. This time has meant nothing to us for the last three months or so.

We found a good coffee shop with only two other early birds. No THREE early birds including this cheeky little chappy.

Back to the workshop and they still had a way to go. We suddenly had a thought. We had spotted some slightly newer vans with flip up seat extensions so you can sit lengthwise and flick the extension up to support your legs, like laying on a lounge. They didn’t have any but offered to get some made and ship them to us as each extension was only four screws and it was a handyman job.

We pondered this and killed time by going back to Craigieburn for a few spare parts. We mentioned the extensions and as luck would have it, they had two. Purchased and back to the van.

When the smoke cleared, we had not only ALL the minor corrections done, they helped us put in an insurance claim for a small dent so we wouldn’t have to pay them to fix it and fitted the seat extensions. We had a service done there, right at the manufacturers.

I have to say, at both Supreme branches ALL employees were courteous, helpful and friendly and ALL work was very reasonably priced.  Special mentions to Danny, Lachlan and David.

I have been disappointed by the standard of service providers in the past. I have to say, IF you are thinking of buying a van, I would look seriously at Supreme first up, because they are very good vans but the after sale service in Melbourne is I think second to none. It was a pleasure dealing with them.

Off to Bacchus Marsh and the very narrow tracks therein.

29th January 2020

At the crack of dawn, or 6am really, we were up and bustling around finalizing the fridges, realizing we didn’t have enough space so resorting to putting chilled food into the esky with a tray of ice cubes and hoping for the best.

We arrived at Supreme Caravans at the prescribed time and welcomed politely but a little vague. Turns out change of staff had resulted in our appointment not being recorded. However we were looked after and phone calls were made AND arrangements were made.

The van still in there yard was plugged into 240 volts as the thermometer started cooking. At the end of the day, we were booked into the Campbellfield branch with serious work crews do all required within a working day.

We looked for a caravan park but were assured most people / caravanners were quite OK free camping in the street out the front of the factory.

We decided on this alternative and in a very nice gesture, the boys at Supreme threw a lead through the slotted fence for 240 volt and pointed out the easily reached tap if we wanted tap water. So now we sit in the van having free camp showered from the water tanks and wait patiently for the van fridge to get down to suitable temp so we can bring the food and drinks in from the car fridge.

Ahhh! If only my mother was still here. She would be so proud of me sleeping in a caravan in the street of an industrial zone.

28th January 2020

Now the following may be a little hard to understand. After this mornings posting we  packed up and went. However, not without ritual, including a visit to the bathroom. Now … while in East Timor we came across a brochure from Bali which stated, ‘You know you have been in Asia too long when …’  Then it went on to list approx. thirty different practices or exercises. One was, ‘You know you you have been is Asia too long when … You can shake your hands almost perfectly dry before you wipe them on your pants.’ I had never been in the situation to test this until we went to Bunyip. The ablutions block did not have a porcelain hand basin as most do but a STAINLESS STEEL very thin shell like one. Hence, when you shake your hands over it, you can HEAR the water from your hands hit the basin each time you flick. Bottom line, … every time I flicked, I could hear the water from my hands hit the sink, though diminishing with every flick. . Second bottom line? Thirty times to clear all water. Stretch it? Between 28 and 33 flicks. This was science at work. Of course the humidity (or Dew Point I think it’s called) and strength of flick comes into it but as a rule of thumb without scientific supervision, it comes up to scratch. I will make no attempt (other than this blog) to publish my findings. Hand basin below.

Someone asked, how long were you in Bunyip. Refer to the grass patch we left. I would say about eight inches in the old language. See patch.

We made a point of catching up with Anne’s cousin Noell on the way through in Dandenong.  At short notice it was a short meeting of fifty five minutes at the local café during her lunch time but a nice and bonding meeting. Good to know the whole family is basically nice.

On to Kilmore and on arrival frantic moving of cold fridge type food and frozen to the car fridge for tomorrows Supreme experience. I rest after the only cold beer I had after removing liquids from the car fridge for food. I know it’s the right thing to do but …

26th to 28th January 2020

The pending small Fair in the park was an anti-climax. Well it wasn’t even that. They (the council) cancelled it because they did not want it to conflict with Australia Day. All that was left on the spot was the coffee truck already to go, in the right spot but closed up and deserted. Now these people have the right idea. They have an ‘on the road’ income. It all folds out to a mini coffee shop, self contained with two poster coffee machine, one thousand litre water tank, seven kva generator and everything else to produce the magic, brown elixir that wakes the un-wakeable, heals wounds, restores faith in the world, and makes life tolerable. They pull a nice big van with it and the world (or this part of it)  is their oyster.

So we held our own Australia Day breakfast with new flag recently purchased, and celebrated with a walk around the park.

Came across another memorial clearly showing that life can be brutally unfair. Five young sportsmen from here lost their lives in an air disaster at Daly Waters in December 1967. No specific details but the result is sobering enough.

Another Beer o’clock and the next day, we say ‘safe travelling to two sets of new found friends. First Reiner and Karen in their big rig that makes our big van look like it should have training wheels on the sides.

Second, Michael and Mia in their brilliantly appointed party bus. Term used because, while it is accommodation, Michael also has an on road business called ‘Funky Entertainment’ including DJ, PO hire, lighting, event hire night club and all at a budget price. Contact The Rustic Way, if you are interested.

It was calm enough so we got out the drone to ‘scope’ the park as the crowd had now seriously cleared out. See photo.

The youthful magpie had not gone anywhere. Mum had kicked him out and refused to feed him anymore, but followed him around observing his movements. He’ll survive. He’s got more front than Buckingham Palace when it comes to fronting up to demand food.

We had our last beer o’clock in a dramatically reduced, yet still happy circle yesterday evening. So here I sit at 8.50am Victoria time (or technically Australian eastern summer time I think) about to breakfast, then pack up, hook up and depart after this very pleasant two weeks or so in the place no one I spoke to in South Australia had ever heard of. Put it on your list. It’s a nice spot.

Now off in about two hours to Kilmore. About two hours away and 30 minutes north of Craigieburn, which is where Supreme Caravans is going to fix all the little pre warranty expire annoyances so the van will be perfect. Famous last words?

Saturday, 25th January 2020

Previously the locality was known at Mount Ararat but when a railway station was established in 1881, it was named Nar Nar Goon, supposedly an Aboriginal expression meaning native bear.

Garfield. The area was originally called Cannibal Creek, but was renamed to Garfield in memory of the U.S. President James A. … The Post Office opened as Cannibal Creek on 1 May 1886 and was renamed Garfield in 1887. N.B. President Garfield was the 20th President and was assassinated just under four months into his term.

First time in around two weeks we have unhitched the car. So we decided to have a short trip up the road to check out the environs.

We just had to have a look at a place with a name like Na Na Goon. Nice little (quiet)  town, obviously town proud as most country towns are. Murals on many public walls, quite spiffy buildings including a takeaway shop where I purchased a totally un needed battered hotdog and chips. I only had lunch 30 minutes ago but it was small. 

On a sad note, we came across a plaque noting a local young guy who lost his life in the Ash Wednesday fires. If you crunch the numbers, he was 37 when he died in 1983. Had he lived he would be in his low seventies now. I guess that is an accurate description of ‘loss of life.’ How sad.

We also found a ‘Collectables and Antiques’ shop run by a pleasant, outgoing chap of British origin by the name of Michael who took the time to chat with us. After perhaps an hour and a half we had not only viewed all the goodies in the shop but also covered politics, religion, the meaning of life and cures for diseases that haven’t even been discovered yet. The place was a treasure trove of all sorts with guitars and guitars and more guitars, maybe the biggest LP collection in the southern hemisphere (around 1000 I think he said) and furniture. Some schmick and some not so. It was a pleasant visit and had we not been in the van with a weight and space problem, we would have walked out with at least one guitar and other conversation pieces. Don’t miss a visit if you happen past Na Na Goon. Info included within.

Returned via Garfield and pulled up for a look at an old Picture Theatre, shutters down but producing noise. Long story short an attendant let us in the side for a sneek look at the band (all old stuff!) practicing for that nights performance. We toyed with the idea of attending but van life induces early home living and we would have been out after dark. Ha! Gone the full circle from childhood.

Stopped at the Bunyip IGA for a box of beer and had a bonus in the car park. A young guy had his very much scrubbed up 1966 HR Holden in the car park and it ended up a nostalgic Holden discussion between him, me and a nice eighty year old lady who said she had both an FE and FC tucked away.

By the time we got back to the park, it was already twenty minutes past beer o’clock and we joined in at one round behind. A big day.

21st January 2020

Yes. We are still in Bunyip. We cannot get into Supreme Caravans till 29th  and Bunyip is a pleasant place to wait. Nice people, lay back and a short, up hill walk to the shops. One thing we have picked up by staying with Rick and Diane in Loxton is the exercise of morning and afternoon tea. Although the term ‘exercise’ is probably as far from an accurate description as you can get.

Morning tea is mainly coffee (and something solid) as opposed to the Earl Grey tea at breakfast. Afternoon tea has evolved and is currently crusty bread with olive oil and Dakkah to dip. Dakkah is a new word for me and had to be googled. Hazelnuts, sesame seeds and spices including cumin, coriander seed, pepper and salt. Crushed. Take a small piece of bread, dip in olive oil then in the Dakkah. Then gob it. I have attributed this new nibbly to promoting inner health. That is to say, we now lead quite sedentary lives and I think the oil ‘keeps the pumps going.’ Also, we need to use more olive oil. We visited a riverland outlet growing olives and producing oil. We tasted the range of oils  and in an enthusiastic gesture of support for the outlet, Anne bought a two litre cask of her choice of the tasters, totally ignoring the fact we already had two bottles of the very tasty but plentiful internal lubricant.

Now this the morning of the 23rd of January, we wake to a cool morning, drizzling rain and the terrible news that Monty Pythons Terry Jones has passed away. Another great man who brought humor and belly laughs to so many has been taken from us. However, thanks to recordings, we can still share some of the magic moments he gave us . Very sad. I readily quote Monty Python much to others annoyance. On that note, Terry had many memorable lines but perhaps the most commonly known is from Monty Pythons The Life of Brian. And I quote, “He’s not the messiah. He’s a very naughty boy!” Goodbye Terry and thank you.

 On that note, feeling relatively content in semi retirement and currently wandering our land, every now and then, as in this case of Terry’s passing, I am reminded of the down side of our stage of life. Anyone can die at any age and we are all on borrowed time. You never know what’s around the corner. However, the older we get the more likely it is going to be sooner rather than later. Hardly a mind boggling break through in concept I know. However, now the thought is omni-present. That’s the status quo and nothing can be done, except perhaps, never miss a sunset or a chance to have a laugh.

That Dead Poets Society film scene has been referred to so often, but it is still so pertinent. Carpe Diem. ‘Seize The Day.’

On that note, I spent a little time with some annoying neighbours. Magpies, or scientific name …   Gymnorhina tibicen The Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) is a medium-sized black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. Although once considered to be three separate species, it is now considered to be one, with nine recognised subspecies.

They are also know by their unofficial scientific name, ‘Tedious Beggarium’. N.B. That name is not  commonly known. It comes from The Rustic Way dictionary and not available in hard copy. Infact that currently is the only word in it.

9th to 20th January 2020

The town of Warragul is named after an Aboriginal word (either Woiwurrung or Gunai/Kurnai based on location) meaning “wild dog”.

The bunyip is a large mythical creature from Australian Aboriginal mythology, said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes. … The origin of the word bunyip has been traced to the Wemba-Wemba or Wergaia language of the Aboriginal people of Victoria, in South-Eastern Australia. First reported: Early 1800s Country: Australia Region: Throughout Australia.

Next day it was hitch up and move on, via the super market for stock up and tracked down a Telstra shop for our monthly explanation of the phone bill that was supposed to be a flat $100 for two but always seemed to have a $41 second account just to complicate the arrangement specifically designed to be very simple. Now to Warragul … or somewhere that direction. The trip took us past a sign to ‘Bunyip’. We made the call and was told by a very nice lady, $15 per site and $20 with power adding that it was a very small park and we should book. So we did but proceeded in to Warragul as by then we were half way there anyway. Warragul was a pleasant country town that helped us further hate Ethel the GPS. Hateful bloody thing. Led us down a dead end track with extremely limited backing or turn around, falsely proclaiming it was the way out of town. We lobbed at Bunyip and were so glad we did.

The town was up the hill from the sporting complex with all sorts of ovals and courts. However the part we were particularly interested in was an extremely large very green area with a toilet block and a collection of caravans including some serious five wheelers one of which had a couple sitting under the awning with a handmade sign declaring ‘Caretaker.’

Click this link above to see drone video of park.

Steve and Di took the prescribed fee and showed us to a pleasant location. Power but no water, however if we had to fill our tanks, they had a hose long enough. That evening we were invited to ‘Beer O’clock’ which was 5pm at the Caretaker van and it was further qualified by a participant that it also happened to be ‘Wine O’clock.’ Next day, a van at the core vacated and we were invited to upgrade to a water site which we happily did. I asked (at 3.30pm) when can we move? Di said ‘Now before it rains’ and sure enough half an hour later it got cool and rained, so washing out that afternoons ‘Beer O’clock.

Made for a lazy day though, which is what we needed. We both had wicked coughs and Anne was worse with head ache etc. However we extended another two days. The following day (Saturday 11th) it rained but fined up a little. Another lazy day and good for licking our wounds and feeling sorry for ourselves. Came Beer O’clock I managed to join in the camaraderie for just one glass of wine then back to our mobile box home. We should have called the next day, sleep in Sunday except I got up at 5am to attempt to finally bring this BLOG up to date. So as Anne dozes I sit here at 3.36pm on Sunday 12th January finally having caught up and now wondering how I am going to load three months of blog onto the site. Leave it with me. I will follow on.

We have extended on every two days for several reasons. Firstly we are waiting for Supreme Caravans to open so we can get some end of warranty odds and ends fixed. They are not available for a little while yet. So the second reason is, it is good here. Nice town and the daily fee is only $20 for flushing toilet and power. So up to today, 20th, we have pottered around eating, the odd drink (or two) (or three), a little maintenance, a few beer o’clocks’ and walks up the hill to restock. The weather has been up and down like the proverbial. Awning out, awning in. We have also re-discovered the most dangerous facility in the rural community. The ‘country bakery.’ Bunyips bakery makes a particularly dangerous item, the FRENCH vanilla slice. Two variations on a standard slice. It is twice as high/thick and they put lots more cream in the custard. I can fight the urge but my spouse has given herself to this evil consumable.

Also a walk around town reveals a great little town on a hill with lots of interesting nooks and crannies.

7th to 9th January 2020

The area was first occupied for farming in the 1850s and was originally named after a property, “Clayton Vale”, owned by lawyer John Hughes Clayton in the 1860s. A township was originally gazetted on Dandenong Road and in 1862 a primary school was opened at the corner of Dandenong Road and Clayton Road, to serve the whole of the Clayton district. This school changed its name to Clayton North Primary School in 1954.

In 1837 a small settlement on the banks of the Yarra River in Australia needed a name. Queen Victoria, after whom the State of Victoria is named, decided that it would be named Melbourne. This was as an honour for the 2nd Viscount Melbourne, British Prime Minister and the political mentor to the young Queen.

By the way, did I mention we were heading to Melbourne (Clayton South) due to a problem with our new car fridge. I will have to say Eva Cool were so good. I explained it was only four months old and was good except it ‘played up’ when it got too hot. There was a little discussion then a simple, ‘Bring it in and we will give you a new one.’ So about 45 minutes from Clayton South I noticed a ‘different’ sound coming from under the bonnet. Not a worrying sound. Sort of like wind. Thought little of it until we were almost to destination then a dashboard light came on. It was the same one that came on the day we left Adelaide 8th October. Something about the drive line or power train. Last time it was a hole in the rubber pipe for the turbo. The symptoms back then was loss of power and blowing smoke. This time I noticed loss of power but no smoke. We soldiered on. On arrival we meet nice guy Ian who, true to his word, gives us a new fridge.

This later version of fridge is with Anderson plugs and larger wires. N.B. it was suggested voltage drop may be a contributing factor and bigger wires and better contact would alleviate that. So fridge covered, we await the RACV guy. Guess what he finds? ANOTHER hole in a different plastic turbo pipe. A ring around and we find a part but no one to fit it. Obviously we need a Caravan Park. There is only one close and it is full, until I explain our predicament and this fine chap (Mal I think) managed to squeeze us into a closed exit with another van on the edge of ‘extreme’ neighbour. One thing leads to another. Another adjacent neighbour ‘Rowen’ hears me chatting to MAl and knocks on the door brandishing a business card for Sri Luck Motor Mechanics whom he swears by. So testing the ‘swear’, we make a booking and in the morning we unhitch and go pick up the part ($206.60) then on to Sri Luck in the hope of getting some. Good Luck that is.

Turns out it is a Sri Lankan mechanic. He did a good job ($120.00) and we are given a very large booklet about 8mm thick A4 size, displaying any and every service imaginable all of which were Sri Lankan. Support your mates I guess. Anyway we refuelled, bought insulation for the tub of the car to further aid the car fridge and that was a day well spent.

5th Jan to 7th January 2020 Yea.

The township then known as Muddy Creek developed as a service to the squatters and settlers of the district and as gold was discovered in Victoria in 1851 and the search for more gold swung north-east, the town found itself as a natural stopping place. … It was also at this time that the town’s name changed from Muddy Creek to Yea. The Surveyor General of Victoria at that time had been in Colonel Yea’s regiment and ordered that a town in Victoria be named after him – and that is how we became known as Yea. (N.B. Lacy Walter Giles Yea (20 May 1808 – 18 June 1855) was a British Army Colonel, known for his role in the Crimean War, where he was killed in action.) (Yes. I guess we were a little subject to the British whim back in those days.)

Wikicamps suggested and the local information office said there were pubs with camping but not official. We went direct and two Pubs were happy for us to park out the back.

We chose one and had a meal and a couple of drinks to do the right thing. There was also a wetland and a tunnel but it rained for our two days so we walked around town a bit from our ‘out the back of the pub’ location then made a half hearted promise to come back to the tunnel and departed.

Nice town and the first time I/we had camped at a pub.

4th Jan to 5th January 2020

Seymour Name Meaning. English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Saint-Maur-des-Fossées in Seine, northern France, or possibly from Saint-Maur-sur-Loire in Touraine. Both places are named from the dedication of the church there to St. Maur. (There you go. A bit of ‘Australiana?’)

We should have stayed in Shepparton. It was a bad drive, stinking hot with a screaming side wind which made for a spectacular experience when a double trailer semi went past. By the time we got to the caravan park in Seymour we were grateful to be stationary. We took about 30 minutes to park in a tight location and the highlight of the experience is we parked next to a big off road van pulled by a RAM. I got to talk RAM’s to the owner who happened to be quite a good chap. He helped me get in the park spot. Of course nothing is simple. As we left the Park, there was a wobble and scrape when applying the brakes.

About an hour and a half later after a tour around town to try and repeat the condition, an RACV visit, a refuel and a few other need to do’s. we were on our way to Yea.