Travelling Vets - 25. TV Chapter 25

As well as a vehicle and three people from Argyle Downs, we also had a vehicle and two people from Spring Creek Station join us, 35 kilometres down the road. And 40 kilometres further down Duncan Road, just before crossing back into the Northern Territory, at the driveway of Bamboo Springs Station, one more vehicle and two people joined our ever-growing convoy, which started with three vehicles and a bus, now has six vehicles and a bus, and those from Bamboo Springs informed me that a vehicle from Mistake Creek Station just 8 kilometres down the road would also be joining us.

Just 35 kilometres after we collected our latest addition to the convoy, we were approaching the NT and WA border once again, Marcus suggested that we stop for a mid-morning break at the creek crossing about eight kilometres past the border, as we had been travelling for nearly three hours including the regular stops for the 175 kilometres we have travelled.

I agreed to this, and Marcus announced over the UHF radio to the other vehicles. “Convoy leader to the convoy, we are stopping at a creek about eight kilometres past the border crossing for morning tea, over,” and all of the vehicles following acknowledged the idea. Lucky for us, Mum and Mrs Appleton had baked several cakes and a few batches of biscuits, and since the convoy has been starting to grow, Marcus has been in the kitchen of the bus, cooking up more biscuits and some damper, with the help of the boys.

Quickly boiling up some hot water, we all enjoyed some billy tea and damper, before packing up once more and setting off south again, arriving at Nicholson Station Homestead a bit over an hour later, having travelled 270 kilometres so far. Mum had obviously warned the station of the increased number of vehicles ad people travelling in the convoy, as there was food, fruit drinks and tea waiting for us when we arrived.

When Ryley and Langly asked me if they can connect to the station’s internet, we had no idea why they asked as we approved and had the station manager’s wife assist with the boys connecting their school work computer to the Nicholson Station internet service. During lunch-time, there was a discussion about the remainder of the journey, and Jessica asked that she and her mob stop as far as Riveren, so as not to cause any issues with the mob at Kalkarindji, which was agreed on, and Owen said he too would stop at Riveren, to assist with setting up camp for everyone that evening.

By 2 pm, were all back on the road again, and soon we turned onto the Buntine Highway, completing the journey of the newly sealed Duncan Road, 80 kilometres east of there, we arrived at the Riveren Station turnoff, where some turned right to go in that direction, while the rest of us continued east, to complete the journey to Kalkarindji, which is another 95 kilometres away.

An hour later with six vehicles and a double-decker bus, we turned into the township of Kalkarindji, where we were met by a not-at-all-impressed NT Police Officer. “Oh, oh, I think we may be in trouble here,” Marcus commented when he saw the police vehicle waiting for our arrival.

As we explained that it was a spare of the moment thing for the others to join us on the convoy, and deciding to come as far as Kalkarindji, to check out some of the NT side of the new Buntine Highway sealed road, the police officer wouldn’t have a bar of our explanation, and issued each vehicle an on the spot fine, for travelling on a restricted road. With the tickets issued, we were told to turn around and return to our stations, and to wait until the road is officially open, before travelling on it again.

We all thought that we had been treated a bit unfairly, but we accepted the decision, and we did as we were instructed and headed back west, with our overnight stop to be Riveren Station, where we learnt that a large BBQ dinner had been arranged, with Auggie, flying down in one of the company planes, to bring all the additional food, soft drinks and fruit drink supplies for the big event.

“Hey guys, are you aware that news of your journey on the Duncan Road and Buntine Highway has gone viral on the internet?” Auggie asked as we greeted him at the homestead. “No, we didn’t how has that…” Marcus started to reply before stopping and turning to face our boys, and that is when I realised what was going on. “Are you two responsible for this?” I asked Ryley and Langley.

“They are, but we have been involved too, we all have been recording the journey on our I-Pads, and at lunchtime, we started to edit and put together part one of the journey. We just need to finish the editing of part two before posting that online too,” Alexandria and the twins confessed. “I see, well I guess we had better check this out and see what all the excitement is about then,” I responded.

After viewing the edited video clip, which included some commentary from Alexandria and Ryley, there was not much I could do about it, and I was actually quite impressed with it. “I must admit, it is quite a good presentation… Have you guys put a copyright on the video?” Marcus asked, “Yes, Uncle Marcus, I made sure that we did that before posting it,” Alexandria replied, and I smiled at this response, as it was the first time that any of my cousins had called Marcus anything but just Marcus, and I could see from his expression that he was happy about it too.

That evening, we had a wonderful BBQ dinner celebration, and with a TV set up on the verandah, we watched part one and part two of the video of our journey, before part two was posted online. With all of the additional travellers having brought their swags with them, they were settled into two areas, both of them having bathroom facilities close by, and the younger members of our family settled down for the night either in the homestead or the bus.

The following morning, after a nice big breakfast, our extra travellers packed up and began the journey back home to their stations, and Auggie flew home to Kununurra, while our family remained behind, deciding to visit the hillside where our father’s ashes were released, before heading back to Inverway later in the day.

When we did arrive at Inverway Station, the boys quickly connected to the station internet, where they checked out the latest views and comments from their two-part video clip, and we were all very surprised at the interest in the posting, with over 17,200 views so far, and as I looked at this, I saw what the title of the video clip was and I smiled as I said it out loud.

“Adventures of the Travelling Vets”