Trip to Innisfail from Alice

[Merv and Sharon]

Seems like some stainless steel mesh over the radiator would be a good idea for long trips!

[jcraigau]

Boxhead, you are a very brave man... Hat's off to you!

[Zedn]

Looks like a fun trip Boxhead. Keep the updates coming.

[Rebel1]

Originally Posted by boxhead

Chatted with Colin in Townsville earlier this week.
Sounds like plans are being made for a trip to a tea house in the hills for a coffee and chat,

I'm a bit concerned about the authenticity of the above statement.
A Tea house? ... that's not the Townsville I remember.
Gotta give ya a medal for the trip though.Keep us updated.

[richardferguson]

You are a legend Dave.

[boxhead]

Safe and sound in Innisfail now.
Caught up with Colin and Peter (and there better halves) this morning, went up to teh tea rooms on hervey range road (yes Les it is a tea room - if it makes you feel better it used to be a pub )
Nice drive up the hill on what was a nice road (newly laid). And very nice coffee and breakfast.








My nephew Blake came along and loved seeing the Cobra's with the shiney paint, we then headed back down the hill and went and caught up with some Chrysler guys.








And proof that rego parts do fall off, the R/H reflector is gooooone (L/H will follow soon I think)
Also lost the R/H "GOODYEAR" decal at some stage (first day) anyone have a spare to sell?

Blake was real happy about comming along, as he now has a ride for him and his girlfriend to the deb ball, Ken with the green Challenger was nice enough to help out.

By the time I repacked the car it was about 2.45 as I left Townsville, all was going well until Cardwell, then the clouds started looking bad.
About 20kls south of Tully the rain started, it was only very light at first.

Leaving Tully it started to get heavier, and by the time I reached the ElArish range the rain was getting too heavy. I was allready wet so I pulled off the side of the road and put the tonneau cover on and stood in the rain.
After about 10 minutes it slowed down a little and I figured I was allready wet so I may aswell keep going to Innisfail.
Well the rain did not slow down much, no roof, no wipers, and glasses off (fogging up) I made my way to Innisfail at about 60kph.
The car is now in the carport trying to dry out.

[Outwest34au]

Well, if it was ever going to rain anywhere, Tully would be it.
I'm sure this will be a very memorable roadtrip.

Keep motoring Boxhead.

[Rebel1]

Originally Posted by Outwest34au

Well, if it was ever going to rain anywhere, Tully would be it.

There is a saying in Tully. If you can't see the mountain behind Tully, it's raining. If you can see the mountain, then it's going to rain.

One of the wettest places in Oz.

[boxhead]

The car is all dried out now, parked in the garage and ready to go.
Took it around to see Dad this morning, still overcast and chances of rain so I left it under his house while we caught up.
Hoping the rain stops by Thursday, I plan on driving to Tully again for a game of golf.
After that I want no rain on the 14th (start on my way home then)

[Merv and Sharon]

Good drive Dave. Tully golf course is a good one but El Arish is better. Par 33 as I recall. I once won an event there with a score that was flattering to say the least.

There was this competition between Tully and Innisfail about which was wettest. It went back and forth until some old guys in Tully were caught topping up the Met Dept rain gauge ... Seems like u had a mobile rain gauge for a while there!

[Gav]

Well done Dave, champion effort.
I noticed there is still dust on your dash even if it was raining!

You can take the Cobra out of the desert, but you will never get all of the desert out of your Cobra.

[boxhead]

The dust was gone soon after that pic Gav, that was before the rain really started.

Could not live up this way again, the side pipes are starting to get a layer of surface rust and the fuel cap is not shiney anymore.

When I get home it will be a case of pulling Cobra apart and a good clean up.
After shed is up and if I decide to keep it then I will pull apart for shiney paint, detail engine bay and engine, make sills and trim out interior properly.

Can not remember if I mentioned, but I have lost a Goodyear sticker, anyone have a spare to sell?

Merv, yep I know the golf courses here quiet well, I was Vice Captain at Tully for a while, played many rounds at Tully, El Arish, Cardwell, Innisfail, Babinda. Used to play club match play alot.

[Merv and Sharon]

Small world Dave. My grandmother came from Gordonvale and I used to play all over that region in comps (I lived in Townsville then) often with friends in Innisfail who were quite well known in the area - Taits.

The road up to Milla Milla would be good Cobra territory

[boxhead]

It is a small world Merv.

I am driving up to Atherton (via Milla Milla) on Sunday (brother in law lives up there) staying overnight.
My best round of the stick was at Gordonvale (before moving out to Alice), shot 78 of the beater.

Heading out to Paronella Park tomorrow, rain has stopped for me.
Took the car up town today and had people with camera's everywhere when I came back to it.
Was ment to go Barra fishing this morning, but the water was still to dirty.

[Merv and Sharon]

Nice course at Gordonvale. There is a certain barra' in one part of the Daintree that probably still has my name on it .... Try the jacks in the Johnstone at nite.

[Baz]

If you want an interesting golfing experience on the way home Dave, try 18 holes at Georgetown. After playing the first few holes, you have to put your golf gear into a rope-push and pull-punt, negotiate the creek then unload on the otherside.

Don't forget to shut the gates around some of the greens, but when you do, watch out for those King Browns that wrap themselves around the poles near where the securing chains go through the gates on the fence.

If you manage to survive the round, sit back and relax in the tin clubhouse with a few XXXX's then go in the 'Sunset Driving Competition' out the front of the 'Club' as you try to launch a drive over the river on the fly. Might sound easy, but after 3/4 slab of XXXX it becomes quite difficult.


If your still up to some more excitement, you might try fossiking for gold at night as an intoxicated member of the Georgetown Golf Club with a XXXX in each hand, drives you around the old Gold Fields in his clapped out Landrover, firing shots at random from his 357 magnum at unsuspecting bunnies and telling you to concentrate on the beam of the headlights, as this will highlight the location of the gold nuggets that stick out of the ground up here.

We didn't find any gold, but we did learn what XXXX Gold tastes like and my ears are still ringing from the sound of that bloody magnum.

Have a safe journey home pal and take care.


Baz.

[boxhead]

Did not pass through any places called Georgetown on my way, from your story I am guessing it is up in the gulf country?

Played 9 hole comp at Tully yesterday, I had forgotten how wet it can get, plugged ball on every drive.
Spent the night down at Tully heads at a mates house, nice weather down there, not as steamy as Innisfail and Tully (sea breeze).
I think tomorrows drive up the Tablelands may end up being done in the old Nissan ute (looks like rain).
The car is going superbly, makes me feel good that it can be used in such a way and knowing I built it.

[Rog246]

"The car is going superbly, makes me feel good that it can be used in such a way and knowing I built it.

Reckon that's why we do it Box.........part of it is for the journey building it & then there is the part that you're in right now.
Time will tell me which part is best, however the sum parts make up a great whole eh !

Rog

[ACBill]

Interesting adentures you have had on your journey..makes for a good read.

The thread title caught my interest, as I have spent a few September's hunting geese in Innisfail.

Innisfail in Alberta, Canada that is.. I noticed another poster who is located on the Sunshine Coast, which is also the name of an area here in B.C.

Any places called Parksville down under?

[Baz]

Originally Posted by boxhead

Did not pass through any places called Georgetown on my way, from your story I am guessing it is up in the gulf country?

Played 9 hole comp at Tully yesterday, I had forgotten how wet it can get, plugged ball on every drive.
Spent the night down at Tully heads at a mates house, nice weather down there, not as steamy as Innisfail and Tully (sea breeze).
I think tomorrows drive up the Tablelands may end up being done in the old Nissan ute (looks like rain).
The car is going superbly, makes me feel good that it can be used in such a way and knowing I built it.

Dave,

Georgetown is between Croydon and Ravenshoe inland from Cairns accessed via the Atherton Tablelands. A great place and one worth visiting with really hospitable locals.

Baz