27Feb/11

A Trip to Sea

Paul Trouse reports:

This trip had been under planning since our Tolmie trip at Easter last year. So much to organise and so little time to do it!

In reality, all we had to do was book the campsite and get our gear together. The South Australians did the rest. We were, in fact freeloaders, enjoying their annual trip to Beachport for fun in the sand.

The way it all came about was due to discussions Brendan and Gillian had with Simon from the South Australian club at Tolmie. This led to an invitation to join them on the Australia Day weekend.  The only difficulty was that the holiday was celebrated this year on a Wednesday. A decision had to be made as to whether we add the first, or the last, working days to the trip. We chose the latter, thereby making our trip from the Wednesday to the Sunday. This proved to be a great choice as the number of other vehicles on the tracks over the period was negligible.

The S.A. club arranged the Happy Hours, the trips run and the weather, which was a delightful 22° every day with cloudless skies most days. The only thing I could have done without was the March flies. But there weren’t too many of them.  I had just returned to work on 17th January after a three week break (if you can call mowing, whipper snipping and other maintenance tasks a break), so there was the usual catch up to cope with. But after seven whole days of work, I felt I had earned another bit of time off. Brendan rang and we made plans. They would call in to my place and we would travel together to Beachport. The only concern was the state of the roads after the floods which had covered a fair bit if Victoria the previous week. The Vic Roads site indicated the roads we wanted to use were unaffected and this proved to be true. We did encounter some potholes and road damage, but nothing major.

Come Wednesday, Brendan and Gillian arrived at my place about 8.00 am and, after I completed my packing, we set off about 8.30 am. As it was going to take most of the day to get to our destination, we took a leisurely approach to the drive and stuck to the speed limits, just in case Mr. Plod was lurking. As it was, we saw no police vehicles at all in the entire trip.

Our first stop was at a little country café where we stopped for a cappuccino and a white chocolate and raspberry muffin. It was definitely worth the time to stop. On then to a wayside park called Wallan Falls, located a short distance from Hamilton. I had been there many times on the way to the South Australian beaches over the years, but my companions had not. It is a comfortable native bushland park with a waterfall (or more precisely, a drop-off). There have been times when there has been no water flowing at all, but after recent rains, the volume of water was tremendous. The roar of the water as it hit the rocks below was deafening. We took photographs, walked around a bit, then set off for Mount Gambier where we were to refuel. A casual question informed me that Brendan and Gillian had not seen the Blue Lake, so I took them up to the viewing area.I had suggested to them that the famous blue tinge may not be present, as the normal period for this phenomenon is around November each year. We were pleasantly surprised therefore, to find it looking quite blue.So we followed onto the beach

Simon did a recce on footOne of the parks proved a great place for lunch, as we were able to find a shady spot out of the sun.  We continued on to Beachport, finally arriving about 3.30 pm. After booking in, we drove to our sites and erected our tents after some discussion on where the sun would rise in the morning. After we had set up, we were told about the Happy Hour which had been in progress for some time. One of their members, Kevin, had been out to his craypots and brought back three crayfish for the group. The remains were offered to us, not that there was much left. However, the spread of other nibbles was extensive, so much so, we hardly felt like dinner later.

After dinner, the Happy Hour continued with drinks and conversation until I pulled the pin about 9.00 pm and went to bed. The next morning, after we had decided the previous night which trip we would join, we fronted up for Simon’s trip to Robe. The weather was a little cool to start with, but improved during the day.

We headed for the first beach, which we understood was probably too soft too traverse. However, Simon did a part recce on foot and declared it to be all right. So we followed him out on to the beach and the convoy proceeded without incident. The rain the previous Tuesday had made the sand fairly firm and it was only at the Robe end of the trip we encountered any really challenging sand.

Morning Tea on the BeachThis was my first venture with the Prado on sand and I was suitably impressed with its performance. It seemed that some of the more challenging tracks had become far less daunting in the intervening years since my last trip in 2006. Morning tea was had in beautiful conditions on the beach and lunch on a rocky point. The water was crystal clear and the light breeze kept the temperature down.This stretch was as picturesque as always.

After lunch, we continued along the beach/inland tracks to Nora Kreen, then took the road out and travelled along a dirt road to the next beach access. This stretch was as picturesque as always.  When we reached the last beach before Robe, we came across a Prado stuck to the axles in the sand and a family awaiting a tow truck from Robe. Of course, we offered our assistance in the recovery and it was a perfect opportunity to try out the Club’s new Max Trax. Fortunately, Simon also had a pair and we put one under each wheel. After dropping his tyre pressures (he had been on 40 psi), we got the driver to attempt the escape. This he did, but only travelled a car length before getting bogged again.  We repeated the procedure and got him to use 2nd low instead of 1st low. This time he extracted himself cleanly and did not stop until he had cleared the beach, leaving his family to walk up to him. He did offer us some money, but we refused this on moral grounds.

clip_image002[8]After we completed the final part of the journey into Robe, we stopped at a lovely bistro for coffee, cakes and a rest. The group then split up, each to make their own way back to camp. Brendan, Gillian and I did a slow walk up and down the street to see what changes had occurred in the township since my last visit. Not much I decided.After a couple of purchases, like an extension cord, we pumped up our tyres at the local service station then headed back.

On this return journey, I had the privilege of driving Brendan’s 4.2l diesel Patrol, while he drove my 4.0l petrol Prado. Back at camp, we found we were once again late for Happy Hour and had to hasten to catch up. This night was quite cold and we were very grateful to have a wood heater, brought along by Kevin, to stand around. Another pleasant night was had by all and, apart from some diehards, most drifted off to bed by 10.00 pm.

 

clip_image002[6]The next day, Friday, a trip with a difference was organised.clip_image002[10] Today we were to take two trailers on to the beach and conduct a cleanup of the rubbish. Most of the refuse was washed in by the tide, but much was discarded by some of the users of the beach. One group started from the Robe end, while the other started from Beachport. The intention was to meet in the middle. After about three hours, both trailers were full, so we made our way independently back to camp. We never did get to meet up. The rest of the day was spent relaxing around the camp, then the inevitable Happy Hour.

On Saturday, our final day, I went on the relatively short trip to South End. I enjoyed a number of very pretty views, a quiet lunch on the beach and an easy drive back along a solid beach to camp. This left me a couple of hours to sit and read, before heading to the local pub to celebrate Simon’s wife Sue’s birthday and another on the previous day. While I was doing my thing, Brendan and Gillian were kilometres away on a trip to Carpenters Rocks and beyond. They ended up doing a long drive that day and had to cut it short to return for the pub dinner. They said they enjoyed it. Unfortunately, we had to vacate the pub by 7.30pm because the room was booked for a 21st. But we made up for it with another Happy Hour and two birthday cakes.

The next day was Sunday and reluctantly, we had to head home. But not before a minor complication. The park we were in had a boom gate system controlled by computer. The system recorded every vehicle entry and exit and would not let you out after the compulsory exit time of 10.00 am. Unfortunately, Brendan had entered too soon the night before and so was not recognised as being in the park. This meant he could not get out. He had to wait until I exited so that he could sneak out with me.

As a penance for going on a trip on our wedding anniversary, I went in to town to get a crayfish for Vonnie. After one last cappuccino, we set off for home, again taking it easy as we knew it clip_image002[4]would take the best part of six hours to get to my place. Along the way, we made a detour to Nigretta Falls, on the other side to Wallan Falls. Again we were greeted with a spectacular vista and sound display. Well worth the time to stop.

On then through Hamilton and a lunch stop at the same café where we had had morning tea four days earlier. It is very strange, but the journey home seemed to be much longer than the trip to Beachport, probably because we were a little tired after our enjoyable time away. The weather had also changed and we had a range of temperatures from 37° to 40° all the way home. It probably would not have been so pleasant on the beach that day.

I would like to express my thanks to the South Australia club who made us so welcome and allowed us to share a wonderful four days on their great beaches.


Participants:

  • Paul Trouse – Prado
  • Brendan Jones & Gillian Adams – Patrol
  • Holden 4WD Club of South Australia

Images of Robe – SA

clip_image002clip_image004clip_image006clip_image008clip_image010clip_image012clip_image014clip_image016

24Feb/11

Avoca Flood Aid

Participants:

Wayne – Prado

Christophe & family – Jackaroo

Rick & family – Pathfinder

 

Following a request from the Pyrenees Shire to Four Wheel Drive Victoria for assistance in clearing up properties after the floods in the Avoca area, three families from our Club answered the call.

The Shire arranged camping for us at the Moonambel Reserve, which is about 20 kms north west of Avoca.

A new multi-purpose hall/clubrooms had recently been built with clean toilets and the best shower facilities I have had in all my camping days. We shared the Reserve with a group from the Idlers 4WD Club.

Wayne, who had arrived mid Friday, contacted the Shire Works Coordinator and met with the farmer who lived at the small town of Natte Yallock, out oavoca3n the Avoca – Bealiba road.

Glenda, Luke and I arrived about 8.30pm on Friday and Christophe and family met us on Saturday morning at the farm. The owners of the property, Lee and Margaret, were staying in Maryborough until they could return to their house after it had been flooded out for the second time in three months.

In fact, they had just had the carpet re-laid from the first flood, from which they had to be winched to safety by helicopter. Lee indicated that the property had been owned by his family since 1928 and the two recent floods were the first they had experienced.wayne1

Our job was to remove all the debris, including large logs, from against the wire and star picket fences. The fences had been flattened by the debris which was up to 40cms thick in places.

We soon realised the use of a drag chain attached to a four wheel drive was the most efficient way to lift sections of a fence. The star pickets were then put back with on old 10lb hammer.

Each morning we set out at 8.00am. On Saturday we worked until about 3.00pm as it was very hot. Sunday was forecast to be 40°, so we decided to work in the morning onlywayne3.

After that, we showered, packed and returned home, exhausted but happy to have helped in a small way. Over the two days, we managed to repair many hundreds of metres of fencing and the owners were grateful for our efforts.

Rick

07Jan/11
Licola to Dargo

Licola to Dargo

It had been years since I had undertaken a trip to the Mt. Wellington area near Licola in the East Gippsland high country.

Rugged valleys and spectacular 360° views from the mountain tops, are just a few of the highlights for the traveller to this area.

I carried out a bit of a pre-trip on the Melbourne Cup weekend a few weeks prior to the trip, but, typical of the changeable weather in the high country, the conditions were some of the worst I have ever     encountered.

It had poured with rain and was trying to snow on Mt. Wellington.

Due to fog, visibility was virtually only three to four car lengths, so I was not able to check some of the planned route, such as Billy Goat Bluff Track.

I don’t like surprises when running trips, especially on steep and potentially challenging tracks. So not being able to drive the whole route was a nuisance to me.

The plan was to meet at Licola and travel to Mt. Wellington and surrounds on the Saturday.

Saturday night we were to camp at Horseyard Flat on the Moroka Road

On Sunday, we would visit The Pinnacles fire tower and head down Billy Goat Bluff Track.

The trip was to end on Sunday afternoon in Dargo. The route would take in some medium to harder tracks and provide some challenge for the drivers and vehicles.

I was able to arrange the Friday    afternoon off, so planned to get to  Licola mid to late afternoon and stay at the Licola Caravan Park for the night.

Helen Tompkins was to come along as my passenger and she was also able to get Friday afternoon off.

I met up with her around lunchtime and we packed the Defender.

Helen prepared the food for the weekend, which meant we were going to eat extremely well. Her reputation for producing great food is well known and I was not to be disappointed.

After reassuring Rocky that Helen would not be mentally scarred by travelling in a Defender, we headed off.

The weather forecast for the weekend could not have been better with mid 20s predicted.

We arrived at Licola about 3.30pm and booked into the caravan park. The Licola store owners were as helpful as ever and directed us to our site.

The Pajero Club had booked all of the    unpowered area (they were undertaking fence rebuilding in the area) so we stayed in the caravan section.

This worked out well, as it was quiet with a pleasant shaded area for us to camp.

Greg and Noelene arrived a little later, followed by Paul. We enjoyed a pleasant evening, chatting and checking out Greg’s newly acquired 100 series and Paul’s Prado.

Saturday morning we were greeted with a perfect day, not a cloud in the sky and a cosy temperature. One could not ask for better.

Brendan and Gillian arrived just   before 9.00am and our contingent was filled.

Around 9.30am, we headed off up the Tamboritha Road. The road follows the Wellington River and we a number of pleasant camp sites was noted along the first 10 kms of this section of the road.

The surrounding mountains tower over the winding road, with spectacular rocky outcrops jutting out from the hills above.

The initial stretch is bitumen, but changes to good quality dirt just after the Wellington River bridge.
It was here we stopped to reduce tyre pressures.
The road climbs steadily up the hills to the Tamboritha Saddle and the Bennison Lookout.

As we climb, there are fabulous views looking back into the valley to the south. You could see the devastation caused by the fires which have ravaged the area in recent years. Fortunately, the bush is slowly recovering.

At Bennison Lookout, we stopped to take in the view and put the cameras into    action. Across the way, we could see Mt. Wellington and The Sentinels, which we were to visit later on.

From here, we travelled on to Arbuckle Junction, where we turned right on to Moroka Road. Shortly after, we stopped at McFarlane Saddle for morning tea.

Splashes of purple wildflowers dotted the area as we turned on to the Mt. Wellington Track. Like many in this area, this track is subject to seasonal closure. So always check to make sure access is  available.

The track to Mt. Wellington in not     particularly long, but is a little rocky and steep in places. It is in good condition and has obviously been improved since  I last travelled it some years ago.

Low range is required in some sections, as the track winds its way to the summit. Along the way, you are rewarded with expansive views.

The track crosses a flat plain, which is devoid of trees, before the final short, steep climb to the trig point on top of Mt. Wellington.

Here we stopped to take photographs of the 360° views of Gippsland to the south and east and the mountains to the west and north.

The sky was clear and with  not too much haze. I think everyone found the view worth the drive.

On the Melbourne Cup weekend, it was two degrees, fog bound and trying to snow, and the track more like a river. Don’t you just love the High Country?

From Mt. Wellington, we  headed off to Miller’s Hut, around thirty minutes further along the road, for lunch.

It is nestled in a protected, tree lined gully and would be a welcome relief on a hot summer’s day. Alas, it does not have toilets.

You can camp here, but it can be boggy if wet and space is a little limited.

My plan after lunch was to head further south to The Sentinels at the edge of the Mt. Wellington Plain. This rocky outcrop overlooks Lake Tarli Karng many hundreds of metres below.

I was not able to pre-trip this section prior, but the last time I travelled this track, it presented no problems, although it was rough in sections.

A vehicle passed through and on down the track while we were enjoying lunch. It had not returned, so that meant the track was probably clear (or he was stuck!).

The convoy headed off and cleared the first water obstacle of the trip, a short section of boggy mud. It was after this, things started to go a little pear shaped for me.

The track started to close in on the vehicles. Given the tracks had only been open for a few weeks, the track still had all of the winter and spring growth. Added to this, the track is probably not heavily used at the best of times.

My major concern was that Greg’s paintwork on his ‘Cruiser (he calls it pink) was in very good condition and Paul had a black Prado which is not very old and very, very shiny.

Their vehicles, as well as Brendan and Gillian’s, were wider than the Defender. Unfortunately, I thought the track would open out, but it didn’t.

I thought we might be able to turn around, but we couldn’t. To make matters worse, the track became quite rocky in sections, which I thought might create problems for Paul’s rather low slung Prado.

But we got to the end of the track. I noted a bit of unplanned bush pinstriping and all the brush marks in the dusty paintwork of the cars. Paul’s Prado especially, which was not a good feeing. He was very good about it.

The 600 metre walk to the lookout over Lake Tarli Karng also proved to be more of a challenge than I had anticipated.

In the past, the walking track was visible, but the fires of recent times had resulted in new growth saplings growing everywhere. The old walking track was totally obscured.

Eventually, we reached the lookout   after much backtracking and scrambling over rocks.

While the view was good, I’m not sure it  was worth the effort involved.

As it had warmed up during the     afternoon, the extra effort meant a cool drink was mandatory when we got back to the vehicles.

We then had to face driving out along the same section of track. I would not recommend this track if you are fond of your paintwork. You could spend many hours with the scratch remover getting the scratches out.

Either that, or buy a Suzuki.

After heading back to the Moroka Road, we turned right and headed towards    Horseyard Flat, our campsite for the night.

Although a little overgrown in parts, there is plenty of space for groups and a single drop toilet is available.

We enjoyed a pleasant evening camped next to the Moroka River, recounting the adventures of the day and pondering which wife was going to dispatch her husband when she found the black paintwork had been pinstriped!

On Sunday, we woke to a dry, but slightly overcast morning. Some fog began to roll in, which I feared would block the view from The Pinnacles fire tower, our first destination a few kilometres up the road.

Fortunately, while there was fog about, the fire tower was clear. Unfortunately, the Wonnangatta Valley below was hidden by a fog/cloud layer.

We could see mountains above the cloud, but there was a fluffy white glowing cloud below the tower. The whole scene was quite spectacular, even though we could not see the   valley below.

The tower was a slightly challenging walk away. The short, steep track  follows a thin ridge with spectacular drop-offs either side.

The new tower, built after the fires, looked impressive against this backdrop. Plenty of photographs were taken.

The next part of the trip was to descend Billy Goat Bluff Track to the Wonnangatta Valley. It looked as though this could be a challenge. The track to be negotiated, disappeared into the cloud layer.
Billy Goat Bluff Track descends 1200 metres in 7 kilometres and, by its nature, is steep.

It provides sensational views on the drive down, but is barely two vehicles wide. Passing other vehicles coming up can be a real problem.

I hoped the views would not be obscured by the low clouds.

The turnoff to the track is only a few kilometres from The Pinnacles car park.    I had not driven it for at least five years and had not been able to pre-trip it due to the extremely poor weather a few weeks prior.

I knew some improvements to the track had been made in recent years, but I also know conditions change from year to year.

After a briefing of what to expect, we started down the track.

Five hundred metres down the track we encountered our first obstacle – a washed out rock shelf.

While all vehicles could have got past this, I was not sure if there was worse to come.

Paul was understandably concerned about the underbody clearance of the Prado. If there was more of this type of obstacle, he would be lucky to get down without doing damage.

Further, if the track deteriorated, we might not be able to turn the Prado around and get it back up.

The trip had been listed as Medium to Hard, so Paul was prepared for the fact that he might not be able to  complete the track.

After discussion, it was decided that Paul would reverse the way he came and meet us in Dargo, while we continued down the track.

I did not like the idea of splitting up the group, as this presents problems in itself. I gave Paul a spare map of the area I had and we exchanged mobile numbers so we could leave messages when reception was available.

The rest of the group built up the shelf with rocks and we carefully negotiated it  without incident.

Unfortunately for Paul, this was the only major obstacle for the entire track. The rest was in the best condition I have  encountered on this track.He could have made it without any problems.

The Defender performed extremely well in this type of country. However, traversing the rock shelf was difficult.

It has what is termed an “anti-stall” feature. I was aware of it and prepared for what the vehicle was likely to do.

The problem was I wanted to step down the rock shelf very slowly. This meant a gentle application of the brakes at times.

The problem is that, in this situation, what the Defender does is extremely  unsettling. The vehicle tries to resist the application of brakes by driving “harder”. It thinks it is going to stall.

The harder one brakes, the harder the car drives. A little scary to say the least.

If you don’t brake, the vehicle wants to accelerate if the revs drop too low. If you brake, the vehicle drives harder again.

The Land Rover does not need this feature and, while others like it, I think it is too dangerous in steep  country.
Having said that, it is probably good for going up steep hills.

We squeezed past a number of other    vehicles on their way up the track. Some had low clearance and some had nearly bald tyres. I don’t know how they were going to get over the rock shelf.

Fortunately, the cloud had lifted and we had clear views all the way down the track.

A morning tea stop at the helipad was welcomed as a chance to rest the vehicles and take some more photographs.

Without further incident, we completed Billy Goat Bluff Track. It is definitely low range first/second territory.

Turning right, we followed the valley into Dargo for a late lunch. Paul arrived later after adding a few more bush pinstripes from the back tracks to Dargo.

Greg, Noelene and Paul were to stay the night at the Waterford caravan park. The rest of us had to return to Melbourne. So after lunch, we said our goodbyes and set off for home.

Overall, the weekend went fairly well. The weather was exceptional and could not have been better for such a trip and the mountain views were fantastic.

The tracks provided some challenge, although it was unfortunate that The Sentinels end of the Mt. Wellington Track was a little overgrown and caused some grief.

Paul was disappointed he was not able to drive down Billy Goat Bluff Track, a track he has always wanted to traverse.

Next time you see Greg, Noelene, or Paul, ask them about gas decanting procedures for leaking 100 series gas tank valves   after filling up. They have an interesting story to tell about their trip home the next day.

Thanks to all for coming along and providing great company.

Oh, by the way, Helen was not mentally scarred by travelling in a Land Rover. In fact, she assisted with driving duties on the way home.

I don’t think she will rush out and buy one though.

Report: Adrian Morris
Photos: Adrian, Gillian and Greg
Participants:
Adrian Morris & Helen Tompkins – Land Rover Defender
Greg & Noelene Moore – 100 series Landcruiser
Paul Trouse – Prado
Brendan Jones & Gillian Adams – Patrol

31Dec/10

Setting up camp

  • Set up in daylight – an obvious remark you say, but how often do we not allow ourselves the time.
  • Look over the ground for bull ants nests. There is nothing worse than finding out after you’ve set up that they are there. Be mindful if you find a nice clear spot, clear of ground vegetation (grass etc) as this is often an ants domain.
  • Beware of tree fall and dropping branches. A nice shady spot is wonderful, but the good old Aussie gum will drop branches of considerable size very easily. Better to make your own shade than wake up in an ambulance.
  • Consider where the sun is in the morning – if you’re breaking camp early you will want the site in full sun asap, to dry out the tents.

add comments to this and add to the list

17Oct/10

Listing of Persons buried in Redcastle Cemetery – 2010

This Listing has been superceeded, please refer to latest published listing


 
 
This information has been extracted from the “Index to Bendigo Region Cemeteries – Series 1, Northern Districts”, as compiled by the Bendigo branch of the  
Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies, and also from Redcastle Cemetery records held by the Heathcote Office of the City of Greater Bendigo.  
   
Information extracted from the “Index” in May 2003 by Michael Martin, Jackaroo Club of Victoria, using a microfiche copy as held in the State Library of Victoria  
(Catalogue reference GMF 94 / Box 8). Parents’ names and other supplemental information kindly supplied by Lois Comeadow of Noble Park,  
Extracted information cross-referenced to the Heathcote records in August 2003 and found to be correct.  
   
This listing is not necessarily comprehensive, but should include most persons buried at Redcastle. The comments are mostly my own interpretation, and are not necessarily correct.  
 
Note re Parents: in many cases, one or both parents’ names are on the list and are probably also buried at Redcastle, but it is often difficult to establish direct relationships.  
   
  Marked  
Name Date Buried Age Grave? Parents’ names (if known) Comments  
     
BABIDGE, Elizabeth Ellen 27/08/1875 1 year 2 months   William Babidge & Martha Gray  
BAKER, Julius 27/02/1894 33     Killed in mining accident  
BARKER, Edward 16/07/1876 70 Yes Richard Barker & Elizabeth Lesswall >New headstone, inscribed: “Bert,  
BARKER, Eliza 27/03/1867 57 Yes James Lesswell(?) and ?? >Fred & Jack Barker – February 2000″
BARKER, Frederica Rose Laura 03/06/1876 1 year 11 days   ?? and Laura Barker    
BARKER, Laura Eliza 25/12/1873 5 months   James Barker & Amelia Windebank    
BARNDEN, James 10/10/1864 33   James Barnden and ??  
BENNY, Francis 24/01/1886 68      
BERTENSHAW, Hannah 17/07/1872 32      
BIANCHI, William 07/10/1887 3 weeks   Angelo Bianchi & Ellen Huston Date could be 1877  
BISCHOFF, Elizabeth Ann 26/08/1876 12 years 6 months   William Bischoff & Sarah Ann Gray >Probably  
BISCHOFF, Regina 26/10/1872 1 year   Wilhelm Bischoff & Sarah Ann Gray >sisters  
BURGESS, John 01/05/1866 6 weeks   John Burgess & Mary Doolan  
CHAMBER, J or I 06/07/1947 85      
CHAMBERLAIN, Charles 03/02/1907 86      
CHAMBERLAIN, David 17/09/1874 9 days   Charles Chamberlain & Catherine Carle    
CHAMBERLAIN, David George 26/07/1947 87   Charles Chamberlain and Emily ?? Most recent date  
CHAPMAN, Louise Sarah 13/01/1862 3 months   James Edward Chapman & Sarah Pert  
CLARKE, David 12/04/1873 16 months     Son of John and ??(?)  
CLARKE, Emily 19/06/1935 84 Yes   “Beloved wife” of Frederick Clarke  
CLARKE, Frederick 02/04/1910 62 Yes John Clarke & Mary Ann Hollingsworth See Mary Ann Clarke  
CLARKE, John 07/11/1881 65   John Clarke and Mary Ann Salt Discovered first gold in area  
CLARKE, Mary Ann 24/07/1865 42 Yes J Holingsworth and Ann ?? Nee Hol(l)ingsworth  
CLARKE, Walter 07/06/1861 2 years   John Clarke & Phoebe Louisa Morgan    
  Marked  
Name Date Buried Age Grave? Parents’ names (if known) Comments  
       
COLLINS, Hannah 14/01/1866 15 days   ?? and Hannah Collins >Hanna/Anna?  
COLLINS, James 26/06/1864 15 days   ?? and Anna Maria Collins >Could be same mother  
COLLINS, John 28/10/1900 75   Peter Collins and ??  
CREELY, Matthew 28/11/1893 71   Henry Creely & Mary Neal  
DAVIES, Flora Theodore 23/05/1868 8 months   William Davies and Margaret Grey  
DRAPER, Catherine 16/12/1895 17 months   Alexander Draper and Louisa Gleeson  
DUNCKLEY, Charles 04/01/1879 68     Surname could be DUNKLEY  
ELLIS, Anne 12/12/1861 24   James Hennessey and Bridget ??  
FOLVIG, Charles Olsen 09/12/1882 7 months   Magnus Folvig & Mary Jane Massey    
FOLVIG, Emily Louisa 02/10/1880 5 years   Magnus Folvig & Mary Jane Massey    
FOWLER, Eliza 12/09/1881 38   Martin Fowler and Abigail ??  
FOY, James 25/09/1927 93 Yes David Foy and Mary ??  
GAFFNEY, Margaret 19/10/1870 1 day   Thomas Gaffney & Margaret Morgan  
GERONOVITCH, Antonio 16/05/1880 53   Luke Geronevich & Maria Seegovitch    
GERONOVITCH, Christina 08/03/1865 10 weeks   Antonio Gerovinitch(sic) & Mary Bottrill See Mary Geronovitch  
GERONOVITCH, Mary 17/03/1915 81   ?? Bottrill and ?? (Note multiple spellings of Gero…)  
GIBSON, Edward 14/09/1870 38      
GILL, Robert 30/04/1875 51      
GLEESON, Irene 27/06/1906 8 months   Patrick Gleeson and Emma Harris >These have to be  
GLEESON, Mary Ann 01/02/1896 32   Patrick Gleeson and Mary Egan >different Patrick Gleesons.  
GLEESON, Mary Ann 19/02/1896 53   O’hagan Francis Egan & Anne Murrita Aka Mary Egan?  
GLEESON, Patrick 24/10/1891 64   Daniel Gleeson and Cath O’Shea  
GREEN, James 23/06/1877 50      
HAMILTON, Jane Manson 26/01/1869 1 year Yes Walter Scott Hamilton & Mary Catherine Hickey >”Infant twin daughters”  
HAMILTON, Mary Catherine 26/01/1869 1 year Yes Walter Scott Hamilton & Mary Catherine Hickey >on headstone.  
HAMILTON, Mary 01/07/1911 73 Yes ?? Hickey and ?? >>Parents of  
HAMILTON, Walter Scott 25/07/1917 81 Yes Peter Hamilton and Mary Ann Manson >>above twins.  
HAWKING, William 16/04/1874 57      
HAWKING, William James 16/03/1873 5 weeks   Edward Hawking and Elizabeth Jones  
HEATHER, Eda 08/08/1875 15 days   Charles Frederick Heath & Kate Star Surname should be HEATH  
HIRD, Annie 04/10/1913 43 Yes William Tice and Chris Crawford  
HIRD, Edward 12/04/1896 59 Yes ?? and Mary Barter  
HIRD, Edward James 13/07/1927 59   Edward Hird and Mary Theresa Braters  
HURST, Nicholas 06/04/1880 57      
KELLY, James 25/08/1873 3 years   John Kelly and Catherine Creely  
KNIGHT, Phillip 09/03/1869 44   John Knight and Susan Wagland  
  Marked  
Name Date Buried Age Grave? Parents’ names (if known) Comments  
     
LONSDALE, Eliza Margaret 25/08/1870 6 days   Charles Lonsdale and Sarah Allen  
LONSDALE, Emma Leah 21/12/1897 37 Yes Phillip Knight and Ellen Pippin  
LONSDALE, Hannah 11/01/1877 7 months   William Joseph Lonsdale & Jessie Marie Knight Sister to Leah Emma Knight  
LONSDALE, Jessie Maria 16/05/1876 24 Yes Phillip Knight and Ellen Pippin  
LONSDALE, Leah Emma 02/10/1867 16 days   William Joseph Lonsdale & Jessie Maria Knight Sister to Hannah Knight  
LONSDALE, William J. ?? 1928 86 Yes William Joseph Lonsdale and Eliza Atkinson  
LOWE, Elizabeth Ann 25/05/1868 12 months   William Lowe amd Mary ??  
MERRYFULL, James 17/05/1880 1 year   William Henry Merryfull and Eliza Robinson  
MITCHELL, ?? ??/??/1892 infant      
MITCHELL, Alice 03/05/1905 43   William Davey Mitchell & Sarah Arnold  
MITCHELL, Bertha Veronica 24/05/1891 8 months   Stephen Henry Mitchell and Mary Howard See Mary Mitchell  
MITCHELL, Ella Florence ??/??/1884 1 month      
MITCHELL, Frederick Henry 28/01/1897 1 year 7 months   Fred Mitchell and Hart Thompson  
MITCHELL, Mabel ??/??/1890 ??     Uncertain – probably buried at Redcastle  
MITCHELL, Mary 24/07/1892 42   Ch Howard and Christina Graham  
MITCHELL, Sarah Jane ??/??/1880 child      
MITCHELL, Sarah Jane 14/09/1873 2 years 6 months   Stephen Mitchell and Mary Ann Howard See Mary Mitchell  
MITCHELL, Stephen Henry 06/09/1900 62   Joseph Mitchell and Jane Gribble  
MITCHELL, Stephen Henry 30/01/1902 32   Stephen Mitchell and Mary Howard See Mary Mitchell  
MITCHELL, William 24/04/1905 9 days   William Moses Mitchell and Alice Davey See Alice Mitchell  
MITCHELL, William Moses 06/08/1915 65   John Mitchell and ??  
MORAN, Bertie 01/10/1875 10 days   George Moran and Isabella Sutherland See Isabella Moran  
MORAN, Bessie Rachel 12/04/1897 24 Yes George Moran and Isabella Sutherland  
MORAN, Charles James 03/06/1892 26 Yes George Moran and Isabella Sutherland  
MORAN, George 21/04/1911 84 Yes    
MORAN, Isabella 03/09/1895 65 Yes James Sutherland and Helen Grieve  
MORAN, William 13/08/1911 52 Yes George Moran and Isabella Sutherland  
MORRIS, ?? 04/12/1880 6 hours   ?? and Sarah Morriss  
MORRIS, Charlotte 30/01/1863 1 year   Henry Morris and Selina Griffiths  
MORRIS, Sarah 18/12/1880 22   William ?? and Ann ??  
MUNSTER, Louis Daniel 29/04/1861 38   Paul Munster and Magna ??  
McKEE, Eleanor 07/02/1891 52 Yes John Bates and Eleanor ?? >Headstone also includes Clara E.  
McKEE, James 17/08/1902 67 Yes James McKee and Mary Orr >McKee, died 14/12/1894, aged 22.  
McKEE, Clara E 14/12/1894 22 Yes Andrew Pook and Elizabeth O’Grady Died following childbirth  
McKEE, Eva Isabella ??/??/1891 2 days   James and Eleanor McKee Interred with parents  
NEAL, Ivy Eveline 24/01/1898 6 weeks   William Neal and Sarah Neal  
  Marked  
Name Date Buried Age Grave? Parents’ names (if known) Comments  
       
NEILSON, Alexander 22/10/1893 57   Daniel Neilson and Mary Alexander  
NEILSON, Isabel Bessie 23/06/1899 10 weeks   William Neilson and Susannah Cath Morgan  
NEILSON, Marion Elizabeth 04/01/1914 52   Antonio Geronovich and Mary Bottrill    
NEILSON, Mary 28/12/1866 10 months   Alexander Neilson and Elizabeth Graham  
NEILSON, William Charles 27/11/1913 23   William Neilson and Susan Moran  
O’TOOLE, James 30/09/1877 50   John O’Toole and Catherine O’Brien Died after falling down a mine shaft  
PEARMAN, James 10/04/1869 88   James Pearman and Ann ??  
POLKINGHORNE,William Northey 21/09/1868 18 months   William Henry Polkinghorne & Nancy Ann Allen  
POOK, Andrew 17/03/1876 1 year 13 days   Andrew Pook and Elizabeth O’Grady See Elizabeth Pook  
POOK, Elizabeth Jane 22/05/1902 53   William O’Grady and Mary ?? Andrew’s mother  
PROCTOR, Charles 27/05/1907 78   Thomas Proctor and Mary ??  
PUSTON, John 11/04/1875 52     C/be John Preston, parents unknown.
QUIRK, Andrew 14/09/1898 7 weeks   Patrick Quirk and Mary Jane Pook    
RALPH, Harrison 23/03/1861 2 years   Harrison Ralph and Ann Cox  
REED, Emily 29/01/1872 11 months   John Reed and Catherine Profser  
REID, John Milne 19/12/1875 44   James Reid and Ann Walker  
RICHARDSON, Sarah Frances 31/07/1861 2 yrs I month   Henry Richardson and Jane ??  
ROBERTS, John 01/10/1891 67   William Roberts and Ellen Griffiths  
ROBERTSON, James Daniel 06/09/1864 28   James Robertson and Mary McDonald Cut own throat – suicide  
ROFSER, William 07/11/1886 57   Morgan Rosser and Abigail Tamplin Surname should be ROSSER  
RUFSEL, Jane 06/04/1863 8 months   William Russell and Bridget Rogers Surname should be RUSSELL  
SMITH, George 16/09/1862 35     Blown up in a mine explosion  
SULLIVAN, Agnes 01/01/1861 39   James Ashcroft and Margaret ?? Died of DTs. Oldest date  
TAYLOR, Robert William 18/09/1882 32   Noah Taylor and Hannah Marten    
THOMSON, Annie 19/05/1901 36   William Thomson and Elizabeth Barker >Annie died of “severe dropsy”, and  
THOMSON, ?? 19/05/1901 Stillborn     >took her child with her.  
THOMSON, David William 18/03/1877 8 months   William Thomson and Elizabeth Barker  
THOMSON, Eliza 19/08/1863 2 months   William Thomson and Elizabeth Barker  
THOMSON, Elizabeth 04/07/1876 37   Edward and Eliza Lesswall  
THOMSON, Hugh 30/08/1863 9 days   Hugh Morton Thomson & Julia Payne Mann  
THOMSON, Percy Mann 15/10/1867 5 years   Hugh Morton Thomson & Julia Payne Mann  
TICE, Alexander Crockett 25/02/1870 13 months   William Tice and Christina Crockett  
TICE, Christina 06/11/1891 42   Alexander Crockett and Annie Robb  
TICE, William 09/07/1895 50      
TYLER, Ada Charlotte 03/10/1873 6 months   John Tyler and Frances Mills  
  Marked  
Name Date Buried Age Grave? Parents’ names (if known) Comments  
       
WALSH, William 30/08/1873 47   Kenneth Walsh and Mary Cluney  
WHITFIELD, Edna May 15/03/1915 3 years   Charles Whitfield and Martha Hart Kemp  
WINTER, Alfred 01/03/1873 23      
YE GEEN, ?? 21/02/1879 49   (From China) Killed when thrown from a cart  
YOUNG, Margaret Ann 24/03/1861 6 months   Robert Young and Hannah Brough  
       
       
Additionally, the Heathcote records comment that there were “approximately 50 Chinese burials in unmarked graves, interred along fence near dirt road”.  
       
End of Listing      
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
10Oct/10
Recall - poor way to have done

JACKAROO TECHNICAL TIPS

The Holden Jackaroo has been generally found to be a reliable vehicle …. provided that it has been serviced regularly according to the factory schedule! Deferring oil and filter changes is a sure way to cause future problems.

The turbo diesel Jackaroo with the 4JX1 engine is a very sophisticated design and requires special care to maintain performance, nevertheless with care, engines have been known to go to over 300,000 km and still continue to provide satisfactory service. Unfortunately this reliable performance has had the effect of few mechanics gaining exposure to the vehicle. The larger Holden dealers should have the resources to solve any problem. That is, people with knowledge, test equipment and access to Holden service bulletins and factory support personnel (who are very experienced!). Unfortunately the Holden Dealer service charge rates are more expensive than your local mechanic but the upside is that they may be able to identify problems quicker than someone starting afresh without appropriate knowledge and experience with the Jackaroo.

Above all, we would recommend that the Factory Service schedule be followed. The service schedule is contained within the Driver’s Handbook supplied with the vehicle.

The following tips are offered to assist 1999-2003 Jackaroo owners in understanding their vehicle (and perhaps guiding local mechanics) in servicing and determining possible causes of poor performance. They are downloadable separate pdfs and you might consider putting a copy of the MIL Fault Codes (Tip 10) in the glove box. There are a number of “common” problems that might be experienced with the Turbo Diesel that can be identified reasonably quickly to allow you to get moving again.

Disclaimer: The Jackaroo Club Victoria and the document authors offer this information in good faith, however they accept no liability for any misinterpretation of the information or damage to a vehicle that might result from application of the procedures contained therein.

TOPIC – model EFFECT on…. TIP NO.
Tailgate rattles – All models Driveability, Noises 1
Steering Wander – All models Driveability 2
Handling diesel fuel – Diesel Cleanliness 3
Driving in dust and insects – All Cooling 4
Radio antenna replacement – All Entertainment, communications 5
Jackaroo Lighting Lighting, driveability 6
Fins on Diesel Intercooler – Turbo Diesel Cooling 7
Air Filters – Turbo Diesel Engine life, driveability 8
9
Understanding Check Engine Fault Codes – all Fault finding 10
11
Turbo Diesel Air Trunking – Turbo Diesel Maintenance 12
Shock Absorbers – All Driveability 13
14
Throttle Position Sensor TPS – Turbo Diesel Driveability 15
Choice of Oil – Turbo Diesel Starting, engine life 16
Oil Rail Pressure Sensor ORPS – Turbo Diesel Driveability, starting 17
Trailers and wiring – Turbo Diesel Starting, ECM failure 18
Rail Pressure Control Valve RPCV – Turbo Diesel Driveability 19
Injector harness – Turbo Diesel Driveability 20
White Smoke Exhaust – Turbo Diesel Driveability 21
Black Smoke Exhaust – Turbo Diesel Driveability 22
10Oct/10

JACKAROO TIP – #1 – Tail Gate Rattles – by Philip Johnstone

Do your tailgates rattle on your Jackaroo?  If so, maybe it is time to check the adjustment.  The right hand gate essentially provides the only tension in holding both gates tight against the body as the left side is locked onto the right.  So simply, if the right is not tight then the left will tend to rattle.  But the clever people at Isuzu recognised this problem and fitted an anti-rattle device at the bottom of the left gate.

The anti-rattle device operates as the body flexes and the gate moves, gradually making the gate tighter.  This is achieved by a sliding spring loaded wedge rubbing on a ramp.  It is desirable that the wedge be able to move easily.  Now take a look at your gates and check the operation of the wedge.  It is still there, isn’t it?  In many cases dust and muck have effectively jammed the wedge from moving and causing the steel ramp on the frame to wear – even to the degree of creating a flat spot without ramp.  Now check the rubber seal around the door opening for wear.  This will generally suffer along the bottom edge where items are slid in over the sill.  If the seal is worn or broken in places then maybe you should consider getting a replacement – yes a new one is still listed by Holden but somewhat expensive!

Adjustment: Set up the right gate by adjusting the position of the catch on the bottom of the door frame to give a snug fit.  Then adjust the steel ramp to ensure that it provides maximum effect.  If the ramp or wedge is worn then you might consider replacement although it is possible to build up the ramp by either a spacer under it or by brazing with bronze and grinding or filing back to shape.  You can check whether the wedge is sliding in tight by smearing the ramp with petroleum jelly and driving over some rough patches and opening the gates and noting where the wedge has slid up the ramp.  If the wedge has moved into the limit of its travel then maybe you will need to fit a spacer under the ramp.  Regular cleaning and some petroleum jelly on the ramp will be effective but the down-side of the lubrication will be dust collection so some dry lube, such as graphite dust is preferred.  Keep some lube in an accessible place so that each time you open the gate you can check the ramp.

A final comment, higher tyre pressures will improve your fuel economy but may highlight any looseness and rattles in the gates.

15Nov/06

Rare fish found near Fry’s Flat

Douglas Lunt

FRY’S FLAT, near Mansfield in Victoria, was a hive of activity over the November long weekend following the rediscovery of a very rare fish.


The snowfish, once quite common in the colder mountain streams of New South Wales and Victoria, was last sighted in 1935 by gold prospector Mr Keith DeSilva, working in the Kiandra goldfields of NSW. Due to the flavour and colour of the flesh, the fishermen of yesteryear considered the snowfish a delicacy. Even though many keen anglers have tried to catch an example of this fish over the years, it was believed by most authorities to be extinct.

Chris Smith and son Trevor, from Taylor’s Lakes, in Melbourne, were understandably excited about their discovery. “I had heard stories of the snowfish living in cold mountain streams, but I thought they were just stories… I didn’t really believe that such a fish existed any more,” said Chris later that day in the campground at Fry’s Flat.
“We’d no luck fishing yesterday so we decided to go for a bit of a drive up to the snow with our friends from the Jackaroo Club. At lunchtime we stopped near a small pool that had ice on the top. I threw my line in as a bit of a joke, but can you imagine how I felt when I got a bite and pulled out a snowfish? Trevor nearly fell in with excitement.”
“Yeah, I thought Dad was kidding. He does that sometimes, but when I saw the fish, I slipped over and nearly did fall in!” said Trevor, smiling widely.
And where is the snowfish that Chris and Trevor caught? “Our friends took some photos of us, then Dad kissed the fish and put it back. Can you believe that?” said Trevor.

“I wanted to keep it for tea, but I guess putting it back was the best thing to do. I hope getting kissed by Dad didn’t upset the fish!” Trevor exclaimed, still grinning.“ We don’t want to tell you exactly where we went,” Chris said, when pressed for the location of the pond. “We want to preserve the colony. We don’t want everyone to come up here, or the fish may really become extinct.”

Now that may be the case, but judging by the activity at Fry’s Flat over the long weekend, plenty of people were about with fishing rods, although when questioned, no-one said they’d caught anything.

Environmentalists have blamed the pollution of the mountain streams as the major cause of the demise of the snowfish. Further information about the snowfish can be found at http://snowfish.net/

http://www.snowfish.com/

http://www.saunalahti.fi/~snowfish/