STILL
TRAVELLING
DURING THE COVID-19 ‘LOCKDOWN’
PERIOD, LIONEL WAS CONFINED TO
QUARTERS. BUT HE WASTED NO
TIME GETTING BACK ONTO THE
ROAD AS SOON AS HE COULD.
I've been bored stiff these past few months. I
couldn't even go shopping as my lovely
daughter did it all for me to keep me out of
harm’s way.
But suddenly, it was all systems go and I
headed to Mildura for an Australian Caravan
Club Lone Trekkers gathering. There were just
a few us there but we had a great weekend.
JUST IN TIME!
I crossed the Murray just before New South
Wales closed the borders to Victoria, and
headed for Albury after a night in Deniliquin. I
travelled in very thick fog for a couple of hours
but I was in Albury by lunchtime and was
soon set-up next to my daughter and her
partner's caravan.
My route to Mildura followed the silo art trail
for a lot of the way but, having done the trail
last year, I didn't linger.
We held a National Muster and AGM at the
Apex River Beach Holiday Park many years
ago, but our Trekkers muster was a much
smaller affair – but great people plus three
lovely dogs.
Michael, our organiser for the weekend, had
spent quite a few years living in the area as a
stock and station agent, so he was an
excellent guide and told us a lot of interesting
things as we travelled around the area.
A highlight was our visit to Big Lizzie in Red
Cliffs, Vic. This huge machine was built in
1915 to help clear the land for the
establishment of the township. It had a
system that put down steel planks mounted
on the wheels. These were to allow Big Lizzie
to travel on soft surfaces, such as sand,
without sinking.
With a speed of about a mile an hour, it took a
long time to get anywhere, but as one of the
four huge trailers Lizzie towed was a house –
an early RV, I guess – they had their
accomodation with them. Lizzie also had a
workshop on her front deck for running repairs.
See you down the track.
Big Lizzie: a fascinating
attraction in Red Cliffs, Vic.
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