Laurie and Helen
-
Posts
363 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
14
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Documents
Store
Posts posted by Laurie and Helen
-
-
Lucky buggers no longer our Tasmania trip is over and start work again Monday :sad: .
We had an excellent time 35 days on the road 8061 km, 24 days on the apple isle and could easily have spent that much again and still not have been to all the places available. Hope to catch up with everyone at Kilkivan.
Laurie and Helen :smile:
-
Bruce,
It must have been about the only topic we didn't cover the other night over dinner. I use a 5 ton bottle jack and had to use it the other afternoon at Policemans Point after staking a tyre whilst getting into a pretty tricky campsite in the tea tree so we would be out of the wind.
We are in Strahan tonight after arriving at Cradle to find out no sites available so will go back Wednesday for 2 nights before heading off to Devonport. We will spend our time doing the train and bus trip to Queenstown that we thought we may have to forgo due to time constraints.
We went up to Devils Gullet on the Mole Creek road 14km up and obviously the same down excellent and well worth the long drive up and down the mountain. The roads were good just very loose on some of the corners on the descent.
One thing for sure I have become fairly good at doing 3 point turns with the van at the end of some roads or in parking areas at lookouts.
Cheers
Laurie
-
Hope everyone had a great Christmas, Helen and I are in Wangaratta at the moment getting into Melbourne tomorrow and than the boat to Tasmania on New Years Day. We are heading west when we get on the apple isle and than down the west coast . Hope to catch up in the new year, have a safe one.
Laurie and Helen :thumbsup: :biggrin:
-
Just a reminder that anyone picking up a new van and want some time to set it up before you head home our place is available just out of Toowoomba. Bruce and Sue set up before heading back to Tasmania recently it was a good chance to meet and set up at your own pace, so if you want to make use of the place send us an email. We have plenty of room. :thumbsup:
We are heading of to Tasmania on Boxing Day but if you are passing through we will just tell the neighbours to expect a van in the front yard.
Have a good weekend at Crows Nest we are doing parent and Grandparent duties so wish you all a Merry Christmas. :biggrin:
Laurie and Helen
-
Ian,
I use a large padlock through the side of the coupling which limits the ability to open and attach it to a towball.
Failing that you can buy special chain from locksmiths, we use it at work to stop people braking through locked gates with padlocks that have extra steel casing. Not cheap but neither is the van, if you have steel wheels you should be able to wrap it through the rim and around the axle. Might at least deter the buggers.
cheers
Laurie
-
Elle & Blackie,
Cant help with the accomodation but if you are camped out, be aware that the area is known for its Tiger snakes as well as its beauty. (read the fine print on the walking trails) I had a run in with one many years ago in the general area, quick little suckers especially if you happen to walk past the nest.
CYA later
Laurie & Helen
-
David,
I just had a look at the original and if you like I can send it to you, your van is right down the other end to ours tucked in behind Rod and Mavis, but you can zoom in as it is around 4.7mb.
:thumbsup:
-
Thought you might like this. :helpsmilie:
-
Hi all,
Helen and I had a great time thanks for the weekend and as usual the company is always first class.
Laurie and Helen
-
Rod and Mavis,
I will be interested in talking with you when you get things sorted out as this work is down the road for us eventually.
Laurie
-
Hi Alan,
The path you select is dependant on how much time you have, when we go to the snow we go down the Newell via Goondiwindi and back the coast road.
Last Christmas going to Melbourne we comfortably travelled from Toowoomba to just south of Dubbo and stayed at campsite #837 Tomingley South, a big area with plenty of room to get well of the road and away from the noise. I don't know how far down you are going before you branch off but our second night was at King Parrot Creek between Seymour and Yea # 223, just before the camp is a large bridge the turnoff to the left is very close to the bridge.
We travelled back via HWY 1 as far as Nowra and cut across through Kangaroo Valley (very steep but well worth the effort) #566 Bendeela Pondage than to Bowral that puts you on the back road through to Sydney. Going into Sydney from the south you need an Etoll as they dont take any money. We bypassed the motorway and the track through Sydney's west isn't that bad than back onto HWY 1 we turned off at Wauchope and up through to campsite #299 Aspley Gorge NPWS $5 / hd camp fee (honour system).
All the roads are good its just the other idiots using them. :tongue_ss:
Have a good trip.
Laurie
-
Glen & Deb,
Thanks for organising a great weekend, what a contrast one week makes in the weather. Good food, good company excellent venue.
Laurie and Helen :thumbsup:
-
Elle,
Helen and I are still in looking forward to the weekend. Coming home from Beaudesert this afternoon the temperature dropped 6 degrees between Aratula and the top of the gap. We have our thermals in but hopefully a full bodied red might help as well.
Laurie :-)
-
Hi All,
Just to let you know that Helen had a very light dust of snow on her way home yesterday as she left Toowoomba (very small hail in the CBD) and we had a very pleasant 1 this morning with a wind chill of -5 when I was leaving for work. Gee I love living on top of a hill.
See you in Stanthorpe. :biggrin:
Laurie and Helen
Mt Rascal
-
Hi Bruce,
Well I found the time and made the gaurds for the rear of the cruiser, changed my mind from the other day. Have put some photo's in the gallery under "Rascal". I had everything at home except the 50x19 box and the 50x3 flat to attach the flaps and paint total cost $35.00.
The flaps are made from 600 mm conveyor belt with a bit of tyre black cut at 500mm long. The mounting block was made from a 150 x 150 x 8 plate (don't look to close at the welding).
I ended up mounting it using the top two holes on the hitch set up, this will allow the unit to be removed without having to take the van or tow bar off.
Will have to test it to see how effective it is but compared to our last two outings with the small stones and dirt going back hitting the front of the van outside the mesh screen. Version 1, I anticipate some slight modifications once I get it dirty.
Laurie :biggrin:
-
Hi Bruce,
We haven't been outback yet but have done a fair bit of dirt work around SEQ and after having a good look at the Rocktamers at the show, I am currently looking at making a set of rubber flaps that will tuck in just under the rear bumper on the cruiser. The design I am looking at will mount on the square block of the HR which means they will be easily removed when the hitch is taken off. Running out of time but would like them made before we go on our next weekend out. :confused:
Laurie
-
Bruce,
Yes ! I took your advice and looked up the website, spectacular photo's and will definately be spending some time in the area. Have contacted the people via the website and came up with the same outcome as you the barge is OK one of the photo's on site actually show some vehicles coming across. I did a google earth tour down the road and coast the other night to determine the amount of side roads off the main road out to the coast that might be good for an overnight stop. We will have to watch our days but just makes more reasons to plan a second trip at some time.
Thanks for your help and hope to catch up some time.
cheers
Laurie :thumbsup:
-
Chris,
Talked to one of the guys in the office today, called in at Keep River last year, great place just advised if you intend to go into the second campground make sure you call into the rangers office on the way through. He was 25k down the road before the sign said road closed ahead.
have a good trip
Laurie :thumbsup:
-
Bruce,
That could be a bit of a problem, we come in at 13.5m with the XC extended draw bar and cruiser hanging off the front. Might just park up and do a drive around this section of the trip without the van.
Thanks for your assistance, you can't put a price on local knowledge. I will look up the web site.
cheers
Laurie :sad:
-
Chris,
The latest Caravan & Motorhome magazine (the one with the Topender on the cover) has a full article on the Keep River NP, looks like a definite place to head off the main road.
cheers
Laurie
-
Bruce,
Thanks for the information, when you pick your van up in October you are welcome to stay a while at our place just out of Toowoomba if you are returning that way (we will be at the Millmerran camp fire meeting apart from that October is free). We realise that 21 days is short but when you have to work you take what time you have and make the most of it, scoping for a future trip we will return to the apple isle. That is good news about the western explorer road, NP advise that it is closed at the moment due to bush fires, and NP thought we may have had troubles getting on the barge at Corinna (obviously not an issue). We are doing the trip anti clockwise and as this is our first trip over we will take any advice about what to see and what to look out for. With your help along with Glenn and Deb we should be able to make a good trip off it. Cold or rain doesn't stop us, we have all the wet and cold weather clothing in the van at all times. If you want to, our email is on the members list. Apart from being booked in at Devonport on News Year day night we intend to wing it the rest of the way so if we find somewhere to stay we will have to decide where we make up the time later. :thumbsup:
(the photo was taken last October in NZ on the Milford Track)
cheers
Laurie
-
Graham & Audrey,
You will not regret your decision, we bought a second hand XC poptop last year and allthough we haven't been on any real bad roads it is comforting to know that with the right respect the van will be with you at the end.
Look forward to meeting you sometime.
cheers
Laurie and Helen
-
Peter,
That is what Helen and I commented on when we arrived how nice it would have been to sit back and throw a line in. Saw some movement under the old bridge but usually the only way I have fish is if I buy it at the shop. The locals said the water was flowing to quick as the weir was going over upstream (wouldn't have made any difference the way I fish anyway).
The photo is Bonshaw weir yesterday lunch time, we decided to go back to Texas as it was to crowded.
Catch you later
Laurie :laugh:
-
Sue,
Helen and I went to the show Saturday, hooked the van on Sunday for a trip out to Texas via Stanthorpe and stayed on the banks of the Dumaresq river than came home via Bonshaw Weir, Tenterfield, Mt Lindsay Highway to Wylie Ck then onto Warwick and home. It was a good excuse to test out some of the gear we purchased at the show.
Cheers :shades:
Laurie and Helen
Brand/Type of Inverter ?
in Public Forum
Posted
Pete and Tracey,
I hope we are not to late for you, based on what you want to use the inverter for I installed a Powersine 550_12 pure sine wave with remote control, normal operation or automatic standby (I haven't bothered with the remote control yet) but hard wired the inverter into the battery comparment with the double power point just above in the van before we headed of to Tasmania. We have 3 solar panels and three batteries running a laptop, two phones chargers and camera charger with no problems. Most nights we didn't get below about 12.9 v and by most mornings were back up before we headed off for the day.
We bought the unit at the October van show in Brisbane for around $595 (normally much more than this) from Brisbane Battery Traders, they also trade as one of the solar companies but can't remember the other trading names. Phone numbers 07 32093144 or sales@batterytraders.com.au
Hope this helps, when I was researching the Xantrex was an excellent unit but I couldn't justify the money when I wasn't going to use all that it had to offer.
cheers
Laurie & Helen