NORTHERN FLYAWAY 23 APRIL 2006

The northern fly away departed Temora on the afternoon of Sunday April 23rd after the conclusion the Temora Fly In. The party comprised Bruce and Joan in Bravo Victor Foxtrot, unofficial tour directors Ron and Jan in Romeo Whisky Golf and Ted and Colleen in Tango Sierra Alpha. First stop was Griffith, about one hour to the west of Temora where the aircraft were refuelled and bedded down ready for the trek north. Accomodation was at the Hotel Victoria, an old country hotel that had been beautifully restored and the Italian food in Griffith was magnificent. The girls liked the shopping too. A collective decision was made the next morning to hire a Tarago and Ron was designated driver. A tour around the town and the Pioneer village first, then through the district, down to Darlington Point and the mighty river then slowly back through the vineries and the wineries, with much sampling of the local produce and some stocking up for the trip. The Tarago needed two trips out to the airport next morning and all three aircraft departed on schedule, somewhat heavier than on their arrival. Two hours to Bourke in clear skies followed as we watched the green paddocks and irrigation around Griffith turn into bare red desert. After a quick stop for fuel we departed for Comeroo Station, sixty five nautical miles north west of Bourke. The airstrip was red clay, and the dust managed to leak into every nook and cranny. The hospitality at Comeroo was fantastic, our hosts Bruce and Chris could not do enough for us. The camels managed to disappear into the desert soon after our arrival but returned as we were leaving. The days at Comeroo passed very quickly with good fellowship and good company, an inspection of the station museum, an inspection of the damn and the river, both of which were dry as it hadn't rained there for five years. We visited the spa in the desert, fed by a hot artesian spring. It was a bit of a surprise to find a spa bath out in the middle of the desert but it was enjoyed by all. Jan hadn't brought her swimmers, so her choice was to borrow Colleens spare pair or skinny dip, so she opted for Colleens. Comeroo to Longreach was about three hours in one hundred percent blue skies with not a cloud to be seen. If any headwinds had appeared a fuel stop at Blackall might have been necessary but none eventuated and Bruce lead the convoy into Longreach. Bruce and Joans 182T had about 20 knots speed advantage on the other two aircraft but this seemed to be gradually negated as Joan's increasing collection of rocks was stored (smuggled?) on board. Bruce usually became the pathfinder, leaving as last aircraft and arriving first, and able to advise on conditions in front. Communication was on 123.45 and we maintained SARwatch on each other, generally in a gaggle no more than about fifteen miles apart. About fifty miles out of Longreach Bruce was able to report that he could actually see some greenery again, a bit of a change from the red desert of the last few days. After landing a Longreach we had lunch in the Qantas centre and a look at the Qantas museum and the 747 parked next to the car park, both which appeared a bit over priced for what they were. We stayed at the Jumbuck motel, walking distance from the town and the airport. After walking into town we found that the sand flies were out in force but the minor inconvenience they caused was more than overcome by the hospitality at the motel. The Stockmens Hall of Fame was first stop the next morning, looking through it took most of the day and it was about 3.30pm before we departed for Winton. Winton is the friendliest town in Australia and so are the flies, white aircraft suddenly became black and there was a lot of arm waving, especially among the Tasmanians in the party. After finding the Kingswood courtesy car, Colleen headed off into town with the other girls and the luggage while the boys refuelled and got a lift into town with Peter, the refueller, air charter operator, local chemist and tour company director. They are multi talented in Winton. After getting established in the North Gregory Hotel, a delight in itself, we found that the flies disappeared after dark, to be replaced by beetles. While checking out the local hotel, Peter the refueller appeared and took us to the Winton Club, an old fibro-cement building only open one night a week and tonight was that night. The Winton Club was where Qantas was formed, the first articles of association were signed by Hudson Fyshe and others in a room just off the bar. To be able to stroll around and browse though the memorabilia was to me one of the highlights of the trip. Ron had spoken to Peter and organised a full day bus tour with Charles Phillpott, a local identity and a true gentleman who took us for a tour of his little property, only 50,000 acres, showed us the sights, let us fossick for opals, yes I found one in a stone, gave us morning tea, then lunch, then took us out to Lark Quarry where the preserved foot prints of a dinosaur massacre 97 million years ago have been excavated. On the way home he took us to his home to meet his wife and have afternoon tea. In front of his house by the side of the airstrip is a plaque commemorating the fact that an American B-17 bomber carrying radio operator Lyndon B. Johnson had crashed there in 1944. How easily history could have changed. We had a final night of fellowship in Winton, Ron and Jan were expected in Ballina and Bruce and Joan and Ted and Colleen were planning on the Undara lava tubes, 270 miles to the north, inland from Cairns, 2500 feet up on the plateau. The weather changed all that. After having beautiful weather all week the monsoonal trough moved south and the rain set in that night. Next morning was raining, the cloud was almost at ground level and Undara was obviously out. After saying goodbye, Ted and Colleen headed off IFR for Townsville, in solid cloud all the way, with the hope of getting to Undara when the weather cleared, while Bruce and Ron decided discretion was better than valour and waited for the weather to clear. The whole week was a wonderful experience, the great company and fellowship made it even better and the support of having the company of like minded Rotarians made for a never to be forgotten week. All the aircraft made it back home safely and without incident, Bruce and Joan to Warwick in Queensland, Ron and Jan to Berri in South Australia and Ted and Colleen to Devonport in Tasmania after having spent some thirty five hours transversing Australia. I would thoroughly recommend to all Flying Rotarians that if you have the chance to participate in a fly away such as this, do not hesitate, the friends you will make and the enjoyment you will have flying in a relaxed and varying environment will be with you all your life. There will be a small fly away in western Victoria and South Australia after the Horsham gathering in October. Watch for more details and think about coming along.