Around the Block- in 14 days!!

Quite a few years ago, I was given the opportunity of doing a quick trip ‘Around the Block’. The list of towns below belies the fact that of the 19000kms- about 70% was off the black-top, and a lot of that was through some pretty rough country including semi-desert stuff. If you care to plot it out, you’ll find it ain’t the shortest way ‘round either.

MELBOURNE- Tooborac- Bendigo- Ballarat- Hamilton- Heywood- Mt. Gambier- Bordertwon- (Big Desert)- Pinnaroo- Renmark- Kingston- Murray Bridge- ADELAIDE- South Flinders- Yunta- Curnamona- Broken Hill- Frome Downs- Maree- William Creek- Kingoonya- (Trans Cont Rlwy)- Maralinga- Nullabor- Eucla- Mundrabilla- Cocklebiddy- Rawlina- Kalgoorlie- Lake King- PERTH- Geralton- Meekathara- (via 1000 creeks)- Newman- (Karinja NP)- Wittenoon- Pt.Hedland- (Shay Gap)- Broome- Derby- (Gibb Riv. Rd- 516km in 5 hrs /night)- Kunnanurra- Katherine- DARWIN- Mt. Goyder- Pine Ck- Katherine- Mataranka- Roper Bar- Booraloola- Wollogorang- Burketown- Camooweal- Mt Isa- BangBang- Croydon- Georgetown- Mt Surprise- Cairns- Mt Garnet- Mt Fox- Ingham- TOWNSVILLE- Bowen- Collinsville- Mackay- Marlborough- Rockhampton- Maryborough- Brisbane to SYDNEY (via numerous forestry tracks along the mountains)- Goulburn- Canberra- Cooma- Bombala- Delegate- Wulgalmerang- (snow!!)- Buchan- Omeo- Towanga- Yackkandandah- Albury- then blacktop to MELBOURNE.

Total Distance- just over 19000km. Time: 14 days Melbourne to Melbourne.
Repairs: 12 destroyed tyres by Perth (supplied Yokohama)- changed to Uniroyal with no further problems. Clutch at Broken Hill & Perth where we realized the wrong unit had been installed originally. Gearbox rebuild at Mt Isa.
Vehicle: 2WD, 4-cylinder Datto !!!!!!