Buick in "Northern Safari"

Submitted: Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 22:35
ThreadID: 19341 Views:2562 Replies:5 FollowUps:5
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After reading the "2WD Ford Territory" post (aka the Mensa monologue) I got to thinking about 4WD'ing in a 2WD.

I remembered one of the best movies I've ever seen which was called "Northern Safari" and was about a couple who took off up to the far North of WA in a black 1948 Buick sedan. They went eveywhere in it - river crossings, sandhills, spinifex - the lot. All kinds of cool stuff. Would have been made in the early 1960's I reckon. The bloke used to tour the movie around town halls and had a little PA system for a Q&A session after. Great scene where he sits down and catches flies and plies them up - very funny. He also goes crocodile shooting in a tiny dinghy from memory. He even wrote a song that he sings st the start...."we're goin' north on a northern sa...fari....." Great stuff.

Anyone seen it?
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Reply By: Mike-TS - Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:00

Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:00
Not seen it myself but it reminds me of a holiday I had a month ago 4WDing. We all had the usual behemoths with every 4WD accessory known to man and my mate had a manual Subaru Forester...went everywhere that we did!

And exactly why am I running a 4.5L GXL Landcruiser?

(p.s. he did follow in our tracks in really soft sand!)
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Reply By: Member - Melissa - Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:00

Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:00
Yep, one of the best amatuer adventure flicks ever made and one of my favourites (except for his treatment of wildlife - but then attitudes were different back then). Anyway, I have it on video and must have watched it a 100 times or more over the last 10 years.

The fellow in question was a Perth bloke, Keith Adams. The trip took place in 1955 when Adams took his wife and sister and dog and a 1948 Buick (fitted with a 6 cylinder Perkins Diesel) from Perth to the Gulf of Carpenteria via Kalgoorlie, Laverton, Warburton, Gibson Desert, Petermann Ranges, Ayers Rock, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Helen Springs, Anthony's Lagoon, Cresswell and Borroloola. It was a 3000 mile desert safari. At the Robinson River he set up a base camp and spent weeks hunting snakes for the serum labs and crocs for skins. Then he loaded up their tiny dingy with the 3 of them, the dog and essential supplies and motored tens of miles out into open sea to the Sir Edward Pellew Islands where they stayed for nearly 2 months living off the land and sea, fishing and hunting with aboriginals. Finally they returned to the Robinson River, packed up and headed home across the top and down the WA coast. This was truly an epic adventure and definitely more than a little bit crazy. The group had several close calls and were lucky to get away with it. But they did and this is the stuff of legends.

:o) Melissa
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Follow Up By: V8Diesel - Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:17

Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:17
That's the one Melissa! Geez, can't have seen it in over 25 years I'd say. Made a HUGE impresion on me as a young fella (and continues to do so). They took off from a suburban house in Bayswater or Bassendean if I remember correctly. All coming back to me.

Where did you get the video from, I'd really love to buy a copy?

Dead set legend alright...an absolute corker. Right up there with Len Beadell and Tom Cruse.
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Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Friday, Jan 14, 2005 at 00:37

Friday, Jan 14, 2005 at 00:37
I see you've already got his contact details below. He also published a book back in 2000 which covers his life story, more stories about his Northern Safari and some other adventurers in the Gulf. Not a bad read. Details are: Crocodile Safari Man by Keith Adams, published 2000 by Central Queensland University Press. I got my copy off the shelf from Angus & Robertson Bookworld.

:o) Melissa
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Reply By: Member - Crazie (VIC) - Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:11

Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:11
Northern Safari
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Follow Up By: V8Diesel - Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:23

Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:23
Nice one. I'll phone him tomorrow.

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Crazie (VIC) - Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:36

Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 23:36
Looks like a classic, never seen it but I think I will have to add it to my collection.
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Reply By: Member - Maurice F (WA) - Friday, Jan 14, 2005 at 00:10

Friday, Jan 14, 2005 at 00:10
great movie saw it 30 years ago , going to buy a copy 2 morrow
Maurie
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Follow Up By: Member - Crazie (VIC) - Friday, Jan 14, 2005 at 00:30

Friday, Jan 14, 2005 at 00:30
Maybe hasn't sold one in a while and tomorrow if a few of us buy 1, he is going to wonder, what the haha...
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Reply By: Peter 2 - Tuesday, Jan 25, 2005 at 08:35

Tuesday, Jan 25, 2005 at 08:35
I bought acopy of his dvd and book, great stuff and well worth adding to the collection of outback touring stuff, highly recomended.
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