Nearly home Have a coldie ready for us at about 5.00pm
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Tanami Jack

Hi guys Fishing in streaky bay Sa. Not catching much it is a bit windy.
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Arrived in Norseman this arvo . We are getting ready for the slug over the Nullabor tomorrow.
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On our way back home.
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The slow run

more piccies , running abit slow at the moment no internet.

Hi Folks Here we are
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Hi folks Here's the latest map . Posing new pictures tonight.
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G'day troops We made it to Broome and are now heading south. Staying at Pardoo roadhouse about 100 odd kms from Port Hedland.
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piccies Alice to Fitzroy Crossing

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Hi All we are safely in Fitzroy Crossing. Here's the map will upload photos tonight.

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Hi all We made it to Alice early this morning and booked a cabin at the Heritage Caravan park. Has been fairly hectic so we are going to have a day off to catch up with washing etc.They even have a doggy wash at the caravan park so we will give Jack a quick cut and polish. here is a sample of our photography so far.

day1 lunch Hillston NSW Lachlan river

View Driving directions to Kings Canyon Airport, Northern Territory in a larger map

Hi blog followers
 Guess what we are still alive
Day one was great we ended up at Ivanhoe for the night. No accomodation to be found when we got there.
So we went to the pub
 Could we make it to Menindee or do we have set up the swags?
 What a stroke of luck, when for the princely sum of only $30.00  per head we could stay in a white ant ridden house one of the locals had for hire. Good bed though.
 Up at 4.30am to get ready for the haul to Broken Hill. After a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs we struck out for Menindee. Got there in time for morning tea having seen Kangaroos,goats,emu,fox, wild cats and cattle etc along the track. The country looks in fine condition
Made good time in  the Nissan. The old girl  ran well but got a bit hot when we hit the Barrier Range just south of the Hill
 Nothing to worry about says Les we just have to keep an eye on it.Made it to  to the Hill and are  enjoying the hospitality of Lyn and Angus. Have had an afternoon on the piss and a BBQ at Angus and Lyns. Staying the night and possibly tomorrow night with them.
 Rob has been yarning about the old days in Wilcannia and is enjoying himself immensley.
 Jack seems to be enjoying the trip making or trying to make new friends along the way. Talk about sniffing arseholes,Jack is No1.

Got a youtube movie coming up later will give you all the link.
cheers
Happy campers and jack

Hi de ho campers

Here's a sample of whats to come.

Hi Everyone Happy birthday to Les who as attained the fine old age of sixty five years. If he lives for another 35 years he will get a telegram from the Queen. I guess we better have a few beers at Piscatorial HQ.

Proposal for Broken Hill NSW to Marree SA

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LES BIT THE SUGAR

HAPPY DAYS RETIREMENT
 MON AMEE
 MY OLD CHINOIS

Hi boys and girls

Found out some more info about Carrawobitty. Seems like it was owned by the stinking rich Coward family. The family fortune was started by Dr Coward who thought he could make a better quid out of cockying than healing the sick and apparently he was right. Try telling that to the cockies around here that you could make more money as cocky than a doctor back in the old days.They bought their first farms at Germanton. (Holbrook to anyone born after the Great war). Not far from us as the crow flies.
At one stage they had stations all over N.S.W. and Q.L.D. one of the largest private landholders in Australia.
The family history reads like something out of "Dallas". Would make a great movie, plenty of family disputes, adultery and the odd mysterious death in a Sydney pub. As far as a cocky movie goes it would beat the shit out of that one with Nicole Kidman and that bloke who I can't remember his name in it.
 I gotta stop this research its killing me.
Carrawobitty as seen in the pictures was built in 1926. The  Cowards bought the property of the Rawsthorne family in 1889.
 The Rawsthorne's  had a pretty flash homestead too but I have no idea if it is still standing on the property somewhere.If you are ever in Forbes there a heaps Rawsthornes there you could ask about the old homestead.
Freddie Coward died aged 47 in unusual circumstances in a car accident in the Blue Mountains. The car was driven by a young lady of 18 years who wasn't his wife (who was in the process of getting a divorce). Looked like the missuss had the last laugh as the young chick who was also the daughter of a judge got SFA. Betcha the sheilas at the C.W.A in Forbes really liked that.  Looks like they had to flog off a large portion of Carrawobitty to pay the spurned wife and probably death duties too.

MR. H. F. H. COWARD.
Mr. Henry Frederick Holland Coward, who was killed in a motor accident on the Blue Mountains, was a man of outstanding personality. He was the eldest son of the late Henry B. Coward and Mrs. Coward, of Carrawobltty, Mosman, being born on March 6,1883.
He carried out the supervision of the extensive pastoral interests of the family in   New South Wales and Queensland. He was educated at The King's School, Parramatta, and served under General Cox with the 7th Light Horse in the Great War from 1915 to the close.
Whilst his home was at Bunnamagoo, near Bathurst, he was also interested in Dunn's Plains, Carrawobitty (Forbes), Brownlea, Rockburn, Bierbank, and Warbreccan stations, the two lastnamed being in Queensland.
Mr. Coward was closely associated with the Graziers' Association, the New South Wales Sheepbreeders' Association, the Bathurst Hospital, Bathurst A. H. and P. Association, Abercrombie Shire Council, U.A.P., Masonic Lodge City of the Plains (Past Master and foundation member), the Council of the Dio-cese of Bathurst.
He is survived by his mother, Mrs. H. B. Coward, of Mosman, his sister, Mrs. W. Raffan, of Bunnamagoo, and his brothers, Mr. L. B. Coward, of Birriwa, Mr. R. W. Coward, of Carrawobitty, and Mr. S. R. Coward, of Riverslea.

 Here's the add for the sale.

AUCTION SALE.
PORTION OF "CARRAWOBITTY."
UNDER INSTRUCTIONS FROM MR. REG W. COWARD and THE UNION TRUSTEE
COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA, LIMITED AS EXECUTORS OF THE WILL OF THE LATE HENRY
FREDERICK H. COWARD.
8564 ACRES. TORRENS TITLE in 5 BLOCKS, as follow:
BLOCK 1, 2768 acres; * BLOCK 2, 2560 acres; BLOCK 3, 1208 acres; BLOCK 4, 1807 acres: BLOCK 5, 221 acres. AT COUNTRY WOMEN'S REST ROOM, LACHLAN STREET, FORBES
SATURDAY, 27th OCTOBER, 1934, AT 11 A.M.

After he died in 1948  Regie Coward who lived at Carrwobitty (who didn't have any kids)  donated a heap of money to start a trust for soldiers hurt in ww1 and ww2. The trust is still going today.
 He had an estate of of over $500k back in 1948 that's about $4.7million in 2012 dollars.The homestead was used as a home for boys by the N.S.W. for a few years and then flogged off cheap ( so the Govt. reckoned).

 Here's the add the govt put in the paper in 1951
"CARRAWOBITTY"

HOMESTEAD OF 250 ACRES

To be offered for sale by

PUBLIC AUCTION

at Information Bureau, Department of Lands, Sydney,

at II a.m. Tuesday, 26th June, 1951.

SITUATION: Por. 25, parish Carrawabbity, county Ashburnham. About

8 1/2) miles westerly from Forbes: all first class agricultural land.

IMPROVEMENTS: Two-storey homestead In good condition; external and

internal walls of concrete, mostly cement rendered, tiled roof; drawing, dining, lounge, breakfast and billiard rooms, 9 bedrooms, 3 bath- rooms, 2 kitchens, laundry, office, etc. Large verandahs. Hot water service, A.G.A. stove, electric light and pump plant, car hoist, gardens with Irrigation system. Garage, stables, sheds, men's quarters, 3 cottages, numerous tanks, etc.

UPSET PRICE: £ I8,675 ( about $356000, 2012 dollars) the lot. IO per cent, deposit; balance In 30 days NOTE: No guarantee of accuracy Is Implied In above descriptions.

Inspection may be arranged with District Surveyor at Forbes.

A. R. JONES, Under Secretary.

Hi Blog watchers
Here is a little movie of the Jetster.Wonder if he will be going to Broome when he retires in about 80years time? Guess we will have to wait and see. Me and Les will be ready for another trip in the old Nissan by then.

Hi Folks
Les, myself and uncle Kevvy took the Nissan on a trial run last Sunday. Ganmain to Condobolin and Forbes via the backroads. We had a problem with the clutch on the old girl however it seems only minor and will be attended to ASAP.
Here's a few piccies we took in Ungarie and of  a rich cockies house near Forbes. The house was built in the 1920's although a quick search of the web does not reveal much information. Feel free to tell us anything you know about "Carrawobitty". Found a photo of the staircase, very impressive.

Hi All
Thought I would get political today.

COOLAMON SHIRE ELECTION 8TH SEPTEMBER 2012

GANMAIN DESERVES A SLICE OF THE PIE

Committed to community, dedicated to progress

CANDIDATES

7	SEYMOUR John MARRAR
8	BEARD Grant ARDLETHAN
11	MASLIN Kathy WALLEROOBIE
13	HUTCHEON Bruce COOLAMON
1	BRILL Dennis GANMAIN
6	MCCANN David COOLAMON
12	HUXTABLE Bec COOLAMON
4	CRUIKSHANK Cath GANMAIN
3	LOGAN Kerrilee  GANMAIN
9	MENZIES Megan BERRY JERRY
10	WHITE Alan MARRAR
5	HAYES Matthew GANMAIN
2	SMITH John MATONG

Hi all

Trying on some gear for the trip. Check out this stylish combination, Aussie Fly hat matched with Brit Army Desert Storm goggles, not bad eh.

Hi Travellers
Won't be long now and we will begin our journey.
 Testing out uploads on You tube.
 Don't know why that name didn't cut it with the Domestic Goddess? After all, I have got a boat called "Dunrootin".

patches

Busy getting ready
Rob is coming on the trip. Yipee
Bill and Helen visited The Little Bush Princess and Ben at Mannering Park  to welcome a new grandson, Jet.

What a cutie lucky he doesn't look anything like me.

Why is the international colour for chicken green. Every thing chicken flavoured seems to come in a green bag or container. Who decided this, probably the bloke who invented chicken flavouring that tastes like no chicken I have ever eaten.

Testing the new generator. Why do they put the oil filling hole in such a terrible spot. Had to modify a funnel with a piece of tube to fill the oil. Put in some unleaded and pulled the rope , nothing happened. Decided it might be best to turn on the ignition and viola she started first pull and settled down producing 450 watts on the meter. Why don't people use the words on and off on switches anymore what the hell do those symbols mean anyway.

Hi everyone.

Purchased a picnic set for the trip $31.00. Had a planning meeting last night at the Ganmain Hotel. Rob might be coming on the trip in his new NISSAN. This would be great 2 vehicles means twice the fun. Here is a piccy of Rob catching a big one on our Echuca trip.

Got out the old tent today. I didn't know that rats could eat half a tent in twenty years. What a mess, so I hopped on ebay and bought a new swag for the trip.

Hope it does the job of keeping the native fauna out and protects me from the elements. Les and I have started to compile a list of the things we need. Will have to cull the list or buy a truck.
 It looks like Geoff is going to make the trip so at least we will be eating well.
The generator has just arrived so I will finish the post here for the present.

Just having some unperscibed sleeping medication. We used to call it beer.

Road song  no 1.
I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's son
I'm only plucking pheasants 'till the pheasant plucker comes.

Me husband is a keeper, he's a very busy man
I try to understand him and I help him all I can,
But sometimes in an evening I feel a trifle dim
All alone, I'm plucking pheasants, when I'd rather pluck with him.

I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's mate
I'm only plucking pheasants 'cos the pheasant plucker's late !

I'm not good at plucking pheasants, at pheasant plucking I get stuck
Though some pheasants find it pleasant I'd rather pluck a duck.
Oh plucking geese is gorgeous, I can pluck a goose with ease
But pheasant plucking's torture because they haven't any grease.

I'm not a pheasant plucker, he has gone out on the tiles
He only plucked one pheasant and I'm sitting here with piles !

You have to pluck them fresh, if it’s fresh they’re not unpleasant,
I knew a man in Dunstable who could pluck a frozen pheasant.
They say the village constable had pheasant plucking sessions
With the vicar on a Sunday ‘tween the first and second lessons.

I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's mum
I'm only plucking pheasants 'till the pheasant plucker's come.

My good friend Godfrey is most adept, he's really got the knack
He likes to have a pheasant plucked before he hits the sack.
I like to give a helping hand, I gather up the feathers,
It's really all our pheasant plucking keeps us pair together.

I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's friend
I'm only plucking pheasants as a means unto an end !

My husband's in the forest always banging with his gun
If he could hear me half the time I'm sure that he would run,
For there's fluff in all my crannies, there's feathers up my nose
And I'm itching in the kitchen from my head down to my toes.

I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's wife
And when we pluck together it's a pheasant plucking life !

Much ebaying over the last 3 days to get a good portable generator. Found a 4KVA one and purchased it for $250. Reads good on Ebay but then again most things do. Wonder if anyone sells cheap electric BBQ's.

Spent the afternoon loading waypoints into the Garmin for the first leg of the trip. This must be very easy for the tech heads amongst us however for the general run of the mill old bloke it took a while to get a handle on it.
Next step is to charge up the batteries in the camera and see if we can mount it in the nissan along with a laptop stand. This should prove easy as it does not involve HTML or java script. By the way has anybody got a decent name for the old nissan patrol. Keep it clean and we will buy the winner a beer.
Thats all for now , only 73 days left till D Day.

"Broome or Bust" proposed day 1 run to Broken Hill

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As you can see only a few minor repairs and a grease and oil change were  required on the Nissan to bring it up to scratch.

Go you good thing.

Getting Ready Broome 2012

September is a few weeks away and Les and I are deep in preparation for the big trip. The old Nissan is in the workshop getting checked out and we have obtained and tested our Satnav gear. We will be using Oziexplorer and Hema maps on a laptop via a usb gps receiver. Worked well on a test last Saturday so hopefully we won't get lost.

Bill

Les