Idler Chris has vehicle trouble - Can anyone help?

Submitted: Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 17:40
ThreadID: 109148 Views:3890 Replies:6 FollowUps:11
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Hi All,

My Dad is IdlerChris and his findmespot gps has sent me a help signal! He has vehicle trouble - not a medical emergency, so he told me in this event to jump online and see if any of you good people know of anyone in the area.
His co ordinates are:
Latitude: -30.52347
Longitude: 139.32089
This seems to be between Arkaroola and Balcanoona Airports, on Copley Road
Near the edge of the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park, SA.

Any help or advice would be appreciated!

Many thanks,
Rebecca
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Reply By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 17:56

Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 17:56
Rebecca,

The closest people will be from the Arkaroola Resort or the ranger at Balcanoona who is responsible for that area. If he is a member of a motoring service organisarion like RACQ you could call them but by his position he is probably closest to the Balcanoona ranger station. The position appears to be on the road south of Balcanoona.

The quickest way to get phone numbers will be to Google.

Kevin
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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 18:02

Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 18:02
Rebecca,

I've checked his position on the EOTrackme site. He appears to be just to the north east of Balcaloona, not that far away from the ranger station.

Kevin
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Reply By: DaughterOfIderChris - Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 18:32

Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 18:32
Thank you Kevin!

I spoke to Marg at the Arkaroola Resort who was extremely helpful and gave me the number for the Balcanoona Ranger - it seems that he is only about a km from the Rangers Station!
Lindsay from the Station is going to check on him - the area has had quite a lot of rain - so he is probably bogged, lol!

Will update you when I hear more.

Many thanks again,

Rebecca.

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 18:43

Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 18:43
Nah, Chris wouldn't get bogged. LOl
Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: DaughterOfIderChris - Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 18:47

Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 18:47
Alan, I'll let him know you had faith in him!
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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 19:08

Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 19:08
Sounds like a good outcome Rebecca. Marg will probably be Margaret Sprigg who runs Arkaroola. She certainly knows the area. She has been there for a long time. It's good that you will not have to worry about your Dad over night. We carry a Spot device when we travel but have never had to use it other than to say that we are OK.

Kevin
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Follow Up By: Zebra400 - Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 19:08

Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 19:08
Let's hope it is not that new Windows 8 laptop & GPS giving him wrong information. Rebecca, its great to hear from you and hear first hand what is happening. I will have to give Chris some more Ozi lessons if it is driver error reading his map.
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Reply By: Member - Geoffrey N (NSW) - Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 19:07

Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 19:07
From what I can see, he's around 3 k's from the Balcanoona Park Headquarters. Their phone number is 08-8648-0049 (Parks SA Balcanoona). Shame the Spot's not 2-way

;) Maybe they have a spare torsion bar
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Reply By: DaughterOfIderChris - Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 20:24

Friday, Aug 15, 2014 at 20:24
Thanks again All!

Lindsay from the Balcanoona Rangers Station went and checked on him for me as he was only about a km away. Turns out he is fine, had set up camp with a fire etc and had a great chat to Lindsay (those who know Dad won't be shocked to hear that!).

Lindsay was kind enough to call me when he got back to the station and let me know that Dad thinks that I had misread the findmespot message! Ummm, I was sent a help message every five minutes for nearly an hour - not just me, but my brother and my Mum too!!!!
He has only ever had to send the All OK message before, but maybe Zebra you could give him lessons for the findmespot, lol!

So, after all that, it was a false alarm - unless he was testing me and seeing how long it would take to get him some help?????hehe

I now understand why he told me to get on the forum if I needed help to assist him - what a great bunch of people you are! I know that Dad will be only too happy to return the favour if you ever require!

Thanks again,

Rebecca xo
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Follow Up By: Kilcowera Station Stay - Saturday, Aug 16, 2014 at 07:04

Saturday, Aug 16, 2014 at 07:04
A great outcome - sort of like a fire drill! Cheers Toni
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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Saturday, Aug 16, 2014 at 14:55

Saturday, Aug 16, 2014 at 14:55
Hello Rebecca,

Have just read where Arkaroola has had 58.7 mm, over the past 72 hours. Their biggest fall over 3 days, in August, since records started in 1978.

Hope your Dad is high and dry, and has plenty of firewood, it's sure to get cold, if it isn't already. Will give him something to talk about.......

Maree has had 21 mm over the same period, their heaviest August fall since 1992.

These falls should really change the country out there, for both graziers and travellers. Pity Birdsville didn't get an inch or more as well. :-(

Bob

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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Saturday, Aug 16, 2014 at 15:35

Saturday, Aug 16, 2014 at 15:35
Interesting comment Bob. I don't know if Birdsville missed out in mid June when the Birdsville Developmental Road was closed for a couple of days, due to rain. Quilpie, where we were on the wet day, got 26 mm and I understood that there were heavier falls to the north west but never heard how Birdsville itself had fared.
Cheers,
Kevin
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Monday, Aug 18, 2014 at 19:17

Monday, Aug 18, 2014 at 19:17
I couldn't remember back that far Kevin, so checked out Weatherzone.

Birdsville had 3.6mm on 13/14th June, so would have barely laid the dust :-)

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Follow Up By: Idler Chris - Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014 at 13:40

Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014 at 13:40
Now at Arkaroola. The story. On the 14th on my way north towards Balcancoona there was lots of rain and the road I was travelling became boggy. At the ranger station I spoke to the ranger who said more was expected. I said I was going north just outside the NP to a spot I knew that was on high ground and had LOTS of wood to sit it out for a few days. Overnight 65mm of rain fell, and it continued with rain on the 15th. I decided I was not going to move for a few days. I had one of the buttons on my SPOT device programmed to send an OK message to my ground charlie. So late on the 15th I meant to send the OK message. Unfortunately I had a seniors moment pushed the wrong button and sent the help message instead. As they say the rest is history.
I thank very much those that helped my daughter solve the problem and can only suggest that you let your loved ones know about this site should they ever have concerns when you maybe in remote places.
Thanks again.
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Reply By: Idler Chris - Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014 at 14:05

Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014 at 14:05
Now at Arkaroola. The story. On the 14th on my way north towards Balcancoona there was lots of rain and the road I was travelling became boggy. At the ranger station I spoke to the ranger who said more was expected. I said I was going north just outside the NP to a spot I knew that was on high ground and had LOTS of wood to sit it out for a few days. Overnight 65mm of rain fell, and it continued with rain on the 15th. I decided I was not going to move for a few days. I had one of the buttons on my SPOT device programmed to send an OK message to my ground charlie. So late on the 15th I meant to send the OK message. Unfortunately I had a seniors moment pushed the wrong button and sent the help message instead. As they say the rest is history.
I thank very much those that helped my daughter solve the problem and can only suggest that you let your loved ones know about this site should they ever have concerns when you maybe in remote places.
Thanks again.
What other people think of me is none of my business.
Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.

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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014 at 19:13

Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014 at 19:13
Good to hear your side of the story, Chris. I'm sure you are enjoying Arkaroola. Its a great place.
We travel with a Spot2. On arrival at a new place at the end of the day we send an OK message to our son and daughter as a text message with one for me to confirm that it has gone through (if I am in a Telstra area). And to some others by email. Everyone who reads my blog has the ExplorOz link so they can see where we are. We never feel alone.
Cheers,
Kevin
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Follow Up By: Idler Chris - Friday, Aug 22, 2014 at 12:56

Friday, Aug 22, 2014 at 12:56
I usually do the same except when I stuff up. I am in two different 4WD Clubs so have some of them following me as well as family and friends. As you say I do not feel alone. Again thanks for your help.
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