Kimbo

Good news Roger

Hi all As most will know we have just crossed the Tanami desert rd and thoroughly enjoyed the adventure but I have just read a very important announcement that might effect most who will be contemplating this track in the future and in particular over the next few months and prior to Christmas 2010, this is a track approxmitaly 1000klms in length from Halls creek WA to Alice springs NT without any fuel stops other than Rabbitt flat about 1/2 way and not including the detour into Woolf creek crater and return "To whom it may concern" On Tuesday 2nd Nov 2009 Rabbit Flat Roadhouse will re-commence the "partial closure" ........ we will be closed every Tuesday, Wed, and Thurs until Friday 2nd April 2010.... However we will provide a service to travellers from 4pm to 7pm on each of these days. camping is NOT available on "CLOSED DAYS". we will continue to trade from 7am to 9pm on "OPEN DAYS" however if there are NO travellers at 7pm we MAY close at that time. #### A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE ####### At "SUNDOWN" on the 31st December 2010, Rabbit Flat Roadhouse will be closing "permanently". this means that "NO" services or facitilities will be available..... Thank you, Bruce Farrands and Jacqueline Farrands...

YEH Daz Woooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrr OH I cant say ther last letter it hurts so MUCH But at the moment Im home Neds just south of the NT Border at Marla I be flying out tomorrow back to adelaide then driving back upto Marla fixing up the bearings then we will continue on our journeys around the Flinders for a month or so catching up with Family who are on a short Holiday due to Wwwwwwoooorrr ohhh I cANT SAY THE WORD sorry :laugh: :laugh: Regards

Hi all We are currently in Marla SA after limping in for about 80klms minus a wheel on the van all is OK We will be here for a few days I reckon waiting for parts hopefully they might arrive tomorrow but if not I will have to store the van here for a week and drive to Adelaide to catch a flight home 3 day home visit then bak to Adelaide and a drive back to Marla to pick the van up and we will then continue on our trek. All I can say is thank you to the Gall boys especially Dave and Glenn for their swift response to my request for parts a couple of hours all was organised and sent by express/priority post with follow up calls from Glenn to check how we were going pulling parts off to obtain the part nos you certainly wouldnt get service like that from other co's Also a thank you to Brian and Lis for all their support, KOG group just keeps getting better as a big family Regards LIMPING Kimbo

Hi Chris We will be around Adelaide and the flinders for a few weeks after I return back from home so we could still catch up

LOL Im in at Ayres rock for the next few days Stayed at Curtin springs last night free camp Might be free camp but the bar dont miss you $63.50 a carton of 30 cans which I didnt buy Alls going well heading south as i have to be in Adelaide by the 11th to fly home for 3 days to sort some stuff Regards

Thanks John Sadly I think a lot of places will go this way up this way in the next few yrs Cost wise at the moment it is very expensive in my opinion for trips and to just camp, but whilst tourism is the key word and people are PAYING nothing is stopping the locals charging what ever they like. Just my opinion Regards

Also beware of pushy riders along the Gibb we passed about 3/4 couples peddling the bikes they either mad or just unaware of what was ahead. We will be leaving Broome tomorrow heading to Middle lagoon for some R&R :thumbsup: will let all know what the rds like up that way. Regards

Hi All just a short note to let you all know that the rd from Kunnunurra isnt that bad all the way to Derby. You need to be carefull at some of the creek xings and also very cautious of them tourist in the Britz troopies they bloody idiots some off them. The rd to Kalumbaru was very badly corrogated when we tried and we actually turned around after 20 k or so and will do it another time but unknowingly to us at the time the grader was working not far ahead of where we turned around. Oh well no dramas just means will have to do that section another time I Guess. We did the El Questro and camped in one of the private campsites by the river it was nice 3 days After El Questro we Drove into Home Vally Stn for a look as we had heard it was very nice and the reports were correct nice bar and swimming pool but only being 30 odd k's from el questro we moved on The pentecost was an easy drive across really next stop being Ellenbrae stn (now open for tourist) for a couple of nights the stn managers make a really nice Scone and cream Jam + a cuppa the camping area was nice as well with a real bush BATHTUB with a nice outlook We arrived at the Kalumbaru intersection stopping at the information Board and were informed by 2 couples as to how rough the rd was so we took the advice on board and thought we would give it a try after 20klms at 10k an hr I thought we would turn around and save this section for another time. We were told later by another Kedron owner we met with at Mt Barnett that if we had of kept going on the Kalumbaru rd we would have struck the grader oh well thems the breaks. Manning gorge was spectacular with a swim at the beginning at the gorge and a swim at the end, swim at the end really looked forward too I can assure you. Take some lunch to eat at the gorge we spent 2 hrs there approx.Camped 2 days. Bell Gorge has only the main camping area at silent grove open now "No Camping at the riverside camps" Mt Hart wilderness lodge was the next visit for a few days and it was quite nice there 50klms north of the Gibb rd The rd to Windjanna Gorge was badly corrugated in places but was really worth the visit and as Bell gorge and a few of the others I suggest early arrivals to get better spots as it gets really busy Comming back onto the tar after all the dirt of Gibb we saw a Kedron heading the opposite direction but pulled up on the side of the rd lowering tire pressures a beep of the horn a wave and next on UHF Kimbo is that you it was Russnsue from the kedron owners group so a U turn and back we went for a quick chat and passing on of info. We are currently in Broome for a few days of cleaning and restocking sorry such a poor report but I lost most of trip reports when the old lappy died and now Im on a new lappy with very little in the way of programs and Im TRYING to get use to this new vista as well Regards Kimbo and Ned The best I can do at the moment :helpsmilie:

Plenty pics taken thats for sure Manning gorge would have to be the favourite the swim across river with everything in the polystyrine box expensive camera as well, falling of the rock ledge me box floating down the river me $300 glasses sittin on the rock in about 9 ft of water (Ned rescued them)then the 1 1/2 hr walk to the falls pure magic sitting and swimming the waterfall then the walk back 1 1/2 hrs rock climbing then the swim back across the river with me polystyrene box firmly in my grasp and then the beers pure magic around the fire that night LOl went to sleep :laugh: Now we are in Broome hoping to get cleaned up but these van parks all know how dirty they get so no washing cars or vans :sad: regards

Well we made it currently in Derby with a very dirty car and Van will do a small report when time permits trying to catch up on all the shopping and SUPPLIES (Mine) and report in to the family LOL as if they care :shades: Brian can you ring me?? have lost your ph no for some reason got your messages Regards

Will have a read then respond Just back in range of phone coverage after the gibb rd regards

Hi everyone Ned and I are leaving to do the length of the Gibb river rd in the morning with the Topender in tow been looking forward to this for so long. I will report in when I can with how things are going but I'm not really sure when that will be maybe 10 days or longer Rd conditions are spose to be Ok but we are getting conflicting information See yas all in me dust trail :thumbsup: If anyone is in the area doing the same thing keep an eye out for a white 200 cruiser boat on top and brown Topender giv e us a call on ch 40 Regards

Yes Chris I did have some bewdifull wood for the oz pig but them big guys in uniform over ruled me at the border gates lucky they didnt have machine guns I can assure you as I woulda been in trouble big time. I have some emails re the oz pig asking my thoughts re them and i can say I recommend them thats all. will be doing the Ivanhoe xing tomorrow and doing some sight seeing towards Wyndam tomorrow Neds worried re the xing but the 200 will do it easy I keep telling her thats why we spent all that money :laugh: on van and car :thumbsup: Regards

Yep Kimbo knows where he is LOL Currently in Kununurra preparing to go down the Gibb river rd We have spending the last week or so getting from Katherine to here camping in NP's Keep river NP was a great spot to relax a few days Sorry we have missed catching up again Chris Ned and I are really enjoying this lifestyle and the days have been fantastic 30 deg+ days and coldest night so far has been about 16 deg More updates to follow Regards

Hi Gazza and Russ Currently in Darwin leaving here tomorrow heading back to katherine then on towards the Gibb river rd then broome keep an eye out for a white 200 tinnie on roof and Brown coloured topender would be great to catch up regards

Ah yes But I have found an Internet cafe right beside the bar :biggrin: We will be leaving Cooinda in the morning heading to somewhere north that a hard decision to make at the moment :thumbsup: Alls going well, Ned and I are enjoying all our Chemical engineering friends of an afternoon. Kimbo

keep in touch Deb we are travelling REALLY slow at the moment "still in Mackay" but leaving here on Monday heading via Townsville then heading west destinations UNKNOWN but Kimberlies is on the agenda Hoepfully we might meet up somewhere??? Regards

Hi Alex and Fiona Sorry to hear that you had to suffer this terrible attitude that some members of the travelling public have and hopefully they are in the minority. I was considering calling into banka banka during our travells thru the NT in the next month or so. Read about Banka on another forum and all the reports were good so looking forward to calling in soon Regards

:laugh: I knew there something about that word that made me feel BAD. So now how long David till we see you ???? I have plenty of that Bothersom employer elimination Reviver if you nee it ?????? Regards

W$@K whats that WORD DAVID ?????????????????

Hi Bruce As it was my first attempt at cleaning it I will still try to explain but I may be wrong as well if so hopefully someone will correct what I did to mine ?? we removed the little pump from under the van and on the intake side when you remove that you will see a small white filter you remove that VERY carefully and we washed that and put the whole lot back together making sure that the pum p was back in at the same angle it was removed at and then just kept firing the heater up till the fuel went back thru the lines and all has been good since. PS make sure that you turn the fuel line off at the tap at the bottom of the fuel tank before disconnecting the lines from the pump. Really it was quite simple just follow youe nose so to speak LOL David might jump in here as well as he was helping me and it was also his 1st go at it as well thought he would try it on my van before he needed to do his LOL Regards

and as david and i discovered at wallumbilla it isnt that hard a job. Just take your time and its easy as we discovered Kimbo

Yep had a fantastic day out yesterday fishing and BBQ lunch on secluded island beach plus a bit of swimming and bit of fishing OH already said that :laugh: So when do I expect to see you and Jane again Next week??????? Kimbo On the rd and sea :biggrin: