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Every two years somewhere in Australia, the National Veteran
Rally is held. This is for motorcycles made before 1919 only.
Each time the numbers increase, with this year’s event reaching
130 entries. Among these are some very rare makes such as Perry
Vale, Thor & King, also some more popular ones like Triumph.
Left Albany on Saturday 13th loaded with two old bikes -1912
Rover and 1914 Triumph. I headed to Perth, via Dwellingup (lots
of bikes in the hills), Mandurah, and then to Perth to meet my
son Jeff who is coming to Kingaroy as well. I came across an
accident in the hills near Dwellingup. A trike coming towards me
suddenly locked his front wheel and went across in front of my
bumper then off in to the bush destroying his trike and injuring
the rider and pillion. Lucky he missed the biggest trees. His
friends soon called the ambulance.
Sunday 14th - Swapped the trailer and all the gear into Jeff’s
new car and left aiming for the night at Norseman. Stopping for
fuel at Coolgardie, we noticed oil spatter on the front of the
trailer. Found oil coming from the diff. Called the 24 hour
hotline and soon a local mechanic arrived in his Sunday best
suit- hardly looked and told us to go on to Kalgoorlie to see
the Mitsubishi dealer. Easy call out fee. Arrived at Kalgoorlie,
found the dealer will open 7.30 am and then eventually found
accommodation in an expensive motel. The town is packed with
mining contractors. One of our neighbours was an attractive
working girl who seemed to have a lot of friends calling.
Monday 15th Kalgoorlie - Nundroo.
Up early and waiting at the Mitsubishi Dealer to open. They
looked at the car immediately and found the diff drain plug to
be loose. We were soon fixed and on our way with an extra
180km to make up to get back on schedule. Long drive on to
Nundroo in South Australia arriving at midnight. Saw my first
wombat out on the Nullabor. I’ve been across at least 20 times
before and never seen one. As in the past, we stopped at
Mundrabilla for lunch and fuel. The food is good and the fuel is
cheaper than anywhere else out there.
Tuesday 16th Nundroo - Wilmington (as no beds in Port Augusta)
We left before 6.30 am. Next stop Ceduna then on to Pt Augusta
to see some friends, then on to Wilmington for the night. We
stopped at the Pub. Good meal and good beds. Interesting town
Wilmington where there is a Land Rover Museum. It was closed as
is everything in town on Tuesday. They all play Golf!
Wednesday 17th Wilmington -Broken Hill. Stopped at Peterborough
and looked at the beaut motorcycle museum. About 100 bikes all
restored. Some really rare small bikes too. Good café
nearby for an early lunch. Between Peterborough and Broken Hill
we must have seen a million goats along the road side.
Arrived at Broken Hill, we had time to look in the Mineral
Museum – Good. Booked in at the Caravan Park, did some washing
and met other Veteran Motorcyclists also on their way to
Kingaroy.
Thursday 18th Broken Hill - Little Topar Roadhouse (for cheap
fuel). They have a tin shark in the lake nearby and this time
the water was high and it looked great. Cobar next for food and
fuel. Cobar now much better town due to the mining. Next to
Gilgandra for the night. Good meal at R.S.L. club.
Friday 19th Gilgandra - Goondiwindi.
On the edge of Gilgandra is a huge yard full of old cars mostly
50s -70s. Also several local businesses use restored old cars.
Next stop Coonabarabran where we looked at a local museum. Very
interesting fossils and minerals. The locals recommend a scenic
tour of the mountains but we didn’t have time so instead went to
the Sandstone Caves. Well worth the stop. On through Narrabri
and Moree. Don’t like Moree as the rif-raf have taken over. Lots
of empty houses and shops wrecked. Arrived at Goondiwindi and
booked into the Caravan Park. Brought Chinese for tea.
Saturday 20th Goondiwindi – Kingaroy.
No rush today as we can’t book in at Kingaroy until the
afternoon. When we arrived it was great to catch up with all our
friends some of whom we only see at the National Veteran Rally
every 2 years. I also picked up and delivered parts from others
who came from all over Australia. All the rally entrants were
booked into three parks all near by.
Sunday 21st (1st day of the Rally)
Collect rally packs and put rally shirts on, catch up with more
friends in the afternoon, a short shakedown run of 50kms then
the Welcome Dinner in the evening at the nearby school hall.
Everyday we had the local police help at one very busy corner;
also the rally organisers had marshals at all other major
corners. Wonderful.
Monday 22nd (day 2) 100km run, in fine weather to Kumbia. Great
ride on quiet roads, Lunch at the local hall. Jeff found an old
clock in the antique shop nearby and sent it back to base in the
supporter’s bus with Ken & Kelly.
Tuesday 23rd (day 3) 100kms Ride to Tingoora. Overcast weather,
very wet later, lots of wet magnetos and slipping belts. The
back-up trailers were busy. I had the day off and Jeff rode the
1912 Rover.
Wednesday 24th (day 4) We had a short ride into town to put on a
public display at the Senior Citizens Centre where I met the guy
who made some cams for me a few years ago. We had a meeting and
voted for the next venues - 2013: Parkes, N.S.W. 2015 Ararat,
Victoria. We then went a short ride around town then out to see
a junior speedway track in action, speedway memorabilia, some
old tractors and a steam tractor in action.
Thursday 25th (day 5) 100kms in fine weather, good ride but some
big hills that stopped some bikes. We had lunch at the little
school in Tanguringe. The kids sang songs and three of them
cracked whips in time with music. Amazing! There was a line up
of 27 veteran Triumphs on the road with three more in trailers.
Friday 26th (day 6) 80 kms in fine weather to Nanango.
Jeff rode the Rover today as the Triumph wasn’t too good. I had
an easy day, washing, photocopying and packing ready for an
early getaway Saturday to head home. We had the farewell dinner
at the R.S.L. club. Good company and many goodbyes.
Saturday 27th Kingaroy to Gilgandra. Long drive in good weather
Sunday 28th Gilgandra to Broken Hill. We passed a bloke on a
postie bike miles from nowhere. He was loaded with 2 big tubs on
the carrier and his swag in front of him. Also saw wild pigs and
goats on the roadside. We fuelled up at Little Topar again.
Arrived at Broken Hill, early enough for some more sight-seeing.
At the Miners Memorial it was sad to read how many miners were
killed or died from the mining. Later at the caravan park we
heard an old British single go past - gave chase but couldn’t
find it. We asked the park boss but he had no idea. He’s only
lived there for 40 years! While in the Park, Jeff met a former
workmate who is now working in Broken Hill.
Monday 29th Broken Hill – Point Germaine. Many more miles and
goats before we fuelled up and had lunch at Peterborough. Phone
message from our friend and club member, Key Brownlie saying he
is held up so won’t catch up with us in Pt Pirie after all.
Arrived at Pt Pirie and found some other friends then on to Port
Germaine Caravan Park for the night. Here I met a young lady
that I worked with in Albany. Small world. Good meal at the pub.
Tuesday 30th Port Germaine – Nundroo. We woke up to find a half
flat tyre on the trailer. This was the spare we had put on back
at Broken Hill because the other tyre was looking poorly. On to
Port Augusta where the Big Bridgestone/Michelin shop was not
helpful at all. We finally found D & G Tyres in a side
street and they fixed us up with 2 very good tyres fitted for
$50. On our way again, stopping for a look at Iron Knob where
Australia’s iron & steel Industry started. Next we stopped
at a big police roadblock at Kimba. We were all clear but I’m
glad I had good tyres on the trailer. Later found out they were
looking for a drug shipment. Went on to Nundroo for the night.
Wednesday 31st
Nundroo – Norseman. As we were waiting for fuel 7am an old truck
pulled in. Bob & Mary Sutcliffe on their way home from an
old truck re-enactment, Good to see them and their dog. Soon we
were on the way again. Out on the Nullabor is a bottle tree, a
sock tree, a thong tree, a bag tree and a Xmas tree. Next stop
Border Village quarantine check. No worries, now on to
Mundrabilla for fuel and food, on again to Norseman. We fuelled
up at the Shell station in town, then to the caravan park. We
asked at the park about food. They said “go to B.P. as the
afternoon cook at the Norseman Caltex is terrible".
Thursday 1st Norseman – Perth. Nearly home.
Good run to Jeff’s place in Perth, All the crops look good for
the farmers. Arrived early in the afternoon to immediately get
all Jeff’s lawnmowers going. We just finished mowing and it
poured with rain.
Friday 2nd More work at Jeff’s before he goes back to work.
Saturday 3rd I arrived back in Albany. Good to be home.
All together we had a wonderful 3 weeks. Yes it’s a long drive
and costs a bit. We stopped in caravan parks, motels, and pubs
and had decent meals. We made a bit of a holiday doing some
tourist things as well as catching up with friends on the way.
There was a beaut 1913 Triumph project sold during the rally. It
came to W.A. A big group of riders went over from W.A.
Neil, Jeff, Key, Jeff, Lynton, Colin, Paul, Macca, Muzza,
Sharon, Gary, Suzie, Kevin, Greg, Andrew and Bill. The best part
is to be with people who ride, fix, love and understand really
old motorcycles.