RIP Ian Stabler "Great ambassador for the Outback"

Thank you for posting this bushfix.

Ian was an absolute gentleman - a wonderful character that gave of himself for everyone he met without question. I feel honoured to have met and known him, and saddened for his loved ones and everyone at Mt Dare.

We will miss him.

It saddens me that a life can be cut short by accidents, Ian's knowledge will be widely missed on this forum.

RIP
Kev

Go well Ian - the longest journey of all.

Mike Harding

Thanks for posting this Bushfix.

This is very sad news. Ian was just so helpful in communicating helpful, honest (to those taking risks etc) and up-to-date information about conditions and driving in the Simpson region. "Great ambassador for the Outback" indeed. He will be missed. RIP

JD

This is indeed very sad and came as a real shock to me; I only recently met Ian at Mt Dare and we sat and watched the second state of origin together.

And, as others have said, Ian was very helpful and informative regarding the Simpson and surrounding areas; he provided me and my partner invaluable advice before we started out on our first Simpson crossing.

All the best to Ian's family and friends at this very sad time.

Peter

Ian, may your Spirit guide us through the Outback forever ..... RIP.

Tragic to happen to such a nice bloke, was with him only a week prior. As stated, a wonderful ambassador for the outback and a good example of what we all should aspire to, honest, open, friendly and caring.
Absolutly bleep tered

We've never met Ian, but I always read with interest your happenings in the Simpson. RIP.

Alan

Very sad indeed. A real gentleman.

I am assuming (and hoping) that Ian's wife was not with him in the car when it happened?

What a tragic and sad loss.
Our condolences go out to Ian's family and work mates.

Ian's contibutions will certainly be sorely missed.

Meet Ian last July, wonderful bloke who is going to be sadly missed.

RIP

Lance

Very, very sad. Our condolences to his young family.

Tragic.
Our condolences to Ian's family.
He will be sadly missed.

Regards
The Chapple Family
Gold Coast
Qld.

Ian and Pat called in to visit us in Adelaide in January - what a great couple. Ian was full of enthusiasm for future trips, and was an outstanding anbassador for everything that ExplorOz is about. His work in finding a satisfactory route for people wanting to travel the Madigan Line is well known on this site. Raising funds for good causes, was something he keenly pursued. I think he was about to embark on some mapping work - we were looking forward to catching up with them in the Pilbara in a few weeks.

He was the sole driver, so Patricia was not involved in the accident. I believe his funeral will be in Alice Springs on Wednesday, if any exploroz people are in the area. I think it is at a chapel on Kidman Rd near the airport. I do not know the time.

We will certainly remember "Ian from Mt Dare" with great affection and respect.

Phil G

I never met Ian, but his advice was always sought and taken. He had a habit of treating strangers as friends.
I am shocked and deeply upset by the news.
RIP mate.

Just returned yesterday from our first Simpson Desert crossing.
Had dinner with Ian and he refuelled my cruiser 2 weeks ago at Mt Dare.
And to read this to day saddens me and my family.

We will all miss him.

Our thoughts go out to Ian's family and friends at this sad time.

Viv

Thanks for the info - very sad news. We were at Mt. Dare at the start of May - had plenty of rain - and ended up having an enjoyable night with Ian and Pat, and other travellers.
I will miss Ian's advice, and humor, and his interest in others. At that time he was about to set off with Pat to do some more mapping in the Simpson.
Our thoughts are with Pat and those who were close to him - he was special to many.

I'm in shock, we just left Birdsville and came back into range and heard about a crash and got on the forum to find it was Ian.
We knew Ian and Pat from Brisbane. Ian helped my wife with learning gps and was a great help to me in setting up the Troopy.

Seeing 'RIP Ian Stabler' is somehow surreal.

Ian and Pat decided to get out and see the country after years of hard work. Our thoughts go out to Pat, she was a lovely lady and Ian will be sorely missed.

John & Kym

I only met Ian on saturday the 30th June last when we had lunch, refuelled and discussed the Madigan crossing of the desert that we were about to depart on.
I had exchanged quite a few emails and MM's with him re the trip and he was always helpful in assisting with our trip planning. He was a really great fella and as others have said an amabassador for the remote regions and Mt Dare in particular.
We have just arrived home after a fantastic trip across the Madigan line and are saddened to hear of his passing, our thoughts are with his family.
Peter

To all on ExplorOz,

On behalf of all my family, I would like to thank everyone on their kind remarks of my Dad.

He always loved the desert and the last couple of years travelling with Pat have been close to his best. He loved to help people in the outback where it always seems that people are glad to see you and are more than willing to help.

I know that he would want everyone to continue to enjoy the outback safely, and I would appreciate that you donate to the Royal Flying Doctor Service in memory of Ian.

Wish you all the best in your travels,

Josh Stabler

We've just returned from our Simpson trip.

We were at Mt Dare on the Sunday prior to the accident. Although we didn't need fuel, I wanted to meet the "Ian S at Mt Dare" person whose posts I'd read while preparing for our Simpson trip. So our group trundled up to Mt Dare.

He was definitely a character. We walked in (three families - six adults and ten kids). He smilingly called our 7yo a troublemaker and said that he'd have to charge him double.

We had lunch, topped up fuel and had a good chat. Ian told of his mapping excursions, and planned future trips.

My only regret as I told my wife as we were driving back to Dalhousie was that I didn't take a photo of him behind the bar.

I only met him once. But his enthusiasm and friendliness stood out.

RIP Ian S @ Mt Dare

-geoff