1970 School Magazine

Cevrtro[ ./rstrqlro i't,r

During August vacation 43 Fifth Formers and our long-suffering Mr. and Mrs. Adam went on a seventeen day coach tour of Central Aus- ffalia, as an enjoyable way of adding to a broad and practical education, and to enable us to see a bit more of this wonderful country of ours. The following is a day by day record of this trip. Saturday, 8tb August : Left Grammar at 7.30 a.m., with crowd of parents saying good-bye, waving, cheering, hold- ing streamers, etc. Bus was an almost brand new Continental Hino, very comfortable and modern, Stacks of luggage all over the place. First stop, to rest the bus , dt Picnic Point, Toowoomba, where photos taken. Then aftet stops at Chin- chilla (lunch ), Roma (lookout ), and Muckadilla ( to photograph the mtlway station, would you believe? ) arrived at Mitchell at 5 p.m. First attempts at pitching tents and cooking dinner indicated that we might become fairly good at it, after about 500 years' practice. Finally , aftet the more masochistic of us had partaken of the cold shower available, and Mr. and Mrs. Adam had beaten off the more predatory locals, we got to sleep. Sunday, 9th August : On the road again at 8 a.m. aftet a most unusual breakfast. All duy in drought stricken country, little better than desert . . . llumerous bones. Stopped to rest the bus in Tambo and then had lurrch in a dry creek bed. On through Blackall and Barcaldine to Longreach where we pitched the tents ( some as a lean-to beside the b,rs ) and after a remarkably uninspiring dinner, went to bed. Monday, 10tb August : After a somewhat better night's sleep we got off to a good start, and were soon at \Winton *h.t. we rested the bus in an unusual ( and hot ! ) place. Country dry and flat Stopped to rock- hunt ( failure ), for lunch and for photos and arrived at Cloncurry for dinner (a most memor- able meal ) in a dry creek bed, and then pushed on to Mt. Isa, which looked very beautiful at night. Greater pleasures luy ahead for when u/e at last found the Caravan Park it had gofgeous HOT showers ( with soap ). Slept under the stafs. Tuesday, 17th August : That morning ftoze! Got away at 7 .30 a.m. for the Mine where we were issued with the latest mod geffi for mine inspections ( groovy ! ) , shown a film on how it all worked, and then drove around seeing it all working. Fascinating placel Afterwards had a look around the town, and then a swim in Lake Moondarra where we waited to see the sun go down. Drove through

the night to Tennant Creek. f t is difficult to sleep in a bus! ! ! Wednesday, 12th August : Arrived at the Threeways at about 3 a,rn. where we waited for the sun to come up to' photograph Flynn's Memorial. Then on past Tennant Creek to breakfast at the Devil's Marbles. Marvellous place! After taking many photos, and failing to topple the balancing rock, we headed South to Alice Springs, passing Central Mount Stuart and the Barrow Creek Overland Telegraph Station. After the usual search found the Caruvan Park, but later wished we hadn't had the choice of sleeping in a patch of bindies or in dust. After a good dinner ( the meals seem to be improving ^ bad sign, paralysis of the palate) we prepared for a freez' ing night. Some of the outfits had to be seen to be believed ! Thursday, 13th August: Sight-seeing : Stanley Chasm (fantastic place, beautiful colouring ), Simpson's Gap, Anzac Hill, etc. Much illumination of sensitized cellu- loid. Also met a party from Kelvin Grove Teachers' College. Friday, 74th, August : Spent the morning wandering around the Alice, then set off for Mt. Ebenezer. On the-Yay tried. to find the Meteorite craters but couldn't ( must have moved ). After stopping to rest the bus at Mt. Eben ezer and Curtin Spring we finally pulled off the road for a bit of 'kip' r r . fteezin[ cold, so some slept in the bus. Saturda!, 15th August : Amived at the Olgas at L L.30 a.m. where

Page Twenty-Eight