Around Australia with Mini Me

[Mad Aussie]

My younger brother and his family (wife Mandy and 3 yr old son Dean) have embarked on a huge journey. In their Hilux 4WD, and towing a caravan, they are traveling across/around Australia.

They left a couple of weeks ago from their home (about 45 mins drive north of my location) and have covered some 1600 kms and have some stories to tell already.

They intend to travel across the country to Alice Springs in the centre and see the Rock before going up to Darwin and then across to Western Australia (WA) and traveling several 4WD routes down to the Sthn end of WA (where I was last year) and then across the bottom of the country through South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and then home once more. BIG trip!

I've created a map that I update for family and friends here to show their travels ... Graeme-Mandy-Trip-2010 ?

Speaking to Graeme last night on the phone I asked if he minded if I put up a post here to show his photos from the journey.

He has an old D60 (yes D60, not 60D) Canon and a single lens ... a 28-135 I think from memory. They have a laptop and Graeme and Mandy are limited in their post processing skills so the photos we'll see are all straight out of camera!

As I get time, and as they show the photos I'll keep updating this post and we can all travel around with them.

Graeme and Dean in Gayndah with their first fish of the trip


The Hilux and gear at the Big Orange in Gayndah


Starting to get 'out west' now! On the road between Springsure and Tambo ... between 800 and 1050 kms into the journey.


Tambo is typical of small towns out in this part ...

Looking one way ...


Looking the other. That's the whole town!


A Polo game in Tambo


Graeme and Dean with a pony

[Bambi]

wow what a trip. And with a 3 year old!

thanks for taking us with them

[Mad Aussie]

wow what a trip. And with a 3 year old!

thanks for taking us with them

It's going to be way cool to follow them pictorially for sure. Most us never venture out there.

In a few days they will stay at the 'Walkabout Creek Hotel.' Can anyone tell me if that sounds familiar

[Mad Aussie]

A Boab (Bottle) Tree beside the road.

Every boab tree is unique. They have character and personality as you would expect of such an ancient creature. Some individual boab trees are 1500 years old and older, which makes them the oldest living beings in Australia, and puts them amongst the oldest in the world.

Aboriginals used the giants as shelter, food and medicine. For the white settlers they served as easily recognisable land marks and meeting points, and not to forget as impromptu prison cells. - The Boab Tree - A Kimberley Icon

One of many 'Road Trains' common to these outback areas. While on the phone to Graeme one evening last week he counted 5 of these in a 20 min phonecall!
Out on the bulldust roads in Aussie outback you can see these things coming up 30 mins before they arrive. There's a cloud of dust that continually grows larger as they approach. When they are getting close ( a few minutes away still) you find somewhere to pull over out of the way and wait until they pass. These things can't stop in a hurry. They've killed you and still skidded another 500 metres before getting stopped and looking for survivors if you don't! 62 wheels can do a lot of damage! Makes the 18 wheelers seem kinda toy-like huh?


The famous 'Black Stump' at Blackall. This is a stump that was used to do some of the original surveying of outback Queensland. It is immortalized here and with sayings such as 'Beyond the Black Stump' which means WAAAAAAAAAAAY out in the middle of nowhere!!!


Australia has lots of 'Big This' and 'Big That' ... the Big Banana, The Big Pinaapple, The Big Cow, and also this one ... the Big Sheep ...


The Bustling heart of Isisford

[Bambi]

walkabout creek hotel does sound familiar. Tell them to be careful of crocodiles!

Isisford looks as bustling as Bridgewater.

[Mad Aussie]

walkabout creek hotel does sound familiar. Tell them to be careful of crocodiles!

You're on to it The hotel in Crocodile Dundee!

[Mad Aussie]

Bath time in Isisford


Keep your shoes on in Isisford! And maybe check inside them BEFORE shoving a foot in!


Dean's 2nd fish and the 1st on his own rod!


It's a bit sparse out near the town of Ilfracombe!


Gets cold out here ...


Uhoh! Bogged in Isisford! Look closely at the canopy of the 4WD ... there's a weird looking bend there!


That bend is serious. The chassis has bent! They will spend the next week and a half in Ilfracombe awaiting for the chassis to be strengthened in nearby Longreach.

[Mad Aussie]

At least Longreach has some attractions. Here's some Monster Trucks. Dean gets up close and personal with them.



Deans new hat. "Ah gots one like ma pa now!!"


Mandy captures a beauty sunset!


Heeeeeeeeres Mandy!


Graeme and Dean fishing for Crocs


Oh relax ... I'm kidding about the crocs!!!

I love this one!! A Cattle Road Train against the sunset

[Mad Aussie]

Would YOU hold a snake that was big enough to eat you?


And that's it for now ... we are up to date.

I'll update as photos become available.

[Hillbillygirl]

This is awesome. Thanks for taking us on this journey, so far. Please do keep updating as they go.
As for holding the snake? That is a definite YES, love snakes, I think they are beautiful creatures.