Convoy of twelve vehicles to Wirraminna station led by Bill Bedford.

Members on trip - Sarah and Andrew, Debbie Dean and Chelsea, Bill and Carol, Dave and mate, Lee, Nic and Sam, Chris, Margie and Gareth, Cindy and Rick, Iggy, Danny, Jacquie, Jill, Bruce, Holly and Aaron, and Bill

Many members left on Thursday to camp overnight at Spear Creek. A lovely sunny day saw our family (Wilson) walking the Port Germaine jetty. There were plenty of crabs and size whiting at the end of the jetty, a walk of nearly 3 kilometres return.

On arriving at Spear Creek it was a welcome sight to see Sarah, Andrew, Dean, Debbie and Chelsea around the camp fire, a happy time was had as more members drifted into the camp and our leader Bill with Blue the blue heeler.

On Friday morning we met up with members at Port Augusta who had travelled up very early from Adelaide. So on along the main road to Woomera. Approximately two thirds along the way we branched off to the west. Red country now, the trees were sparse, but we found some shade to have our lunch and then went onto Lake MacFarlane. The salt was white and glistening & the convoy stopped to explore its surface. A spade was inserted to find below very wet mud. All the children enjoyed this and the grown up ones too.

Bill led us along these narrow tracks and through gates, no great dramas, I did direct Bruce into a hole, but apart from a telling off, he climbed out of it ok. Jacquie wanted some attention so was pulled out of one wet creek. We arrived Wirraminna station too late for ‘befores’ but still light enough to put up the tents. Mike the owner with his three small sons welcomed us and invited us to use the shearers’ kitchen, showers and toilets. A great boon to us who didn’t want to be travelling in the bush with a spade.

Saturday morning we were told of a rocket launch near Woomera. We were all very enthusiastic and with lunch on board we headed for the site. Again it was salt lakes, narrow red tracks and some gibber country. Along the way we visited a very large concrete rocket launch site, partially demolished, presumably by authorities for security, information on this site was displayed in the Woomera museum. The rocket launch we were going to was taking off at 1 p.m. but there had been some technical delays and we were invited to go to the rocket site and enter the bunker where the engineers were fixing the electronics of the rocket. This was after we signed security chits, to say we would not hold authorities responsible if we were blown away on the range.

At about 5.20 p.m. the rocket blasted away, it was all very worth while, the rocket being small, but over the years it will grow bigger in our minds. The rocket took off and was gone in 1.6 of a second travelling Mach 2 as it took off from the launch runner. Phew!!?!

Sunday we travelled to Woomera and the museum. A good place to take in the history of Woomera. Winston Churchill indicated strongly that a large area somewhere in the world had to be found for rocket testing, this was after the 2nd World War and England had been bombarded with rockets.

We then travelled to an American base Narrunga, abandoned. It consisted of many buildings, a huge golf ball which housed a communications dish. We travelled through two gates, much barbed wire & unlocked gates (it’s not what you know, it’s who you know). Boy we seemed to know the right people this Easter. There was about 3 flights of stairs to the top of the dish and most members attempted this climb. All wires had been cut throughout the building, but lots of material still left.

We did not get to having many pre-dinner drinks and nibbles but every night we had Bill and his guitar serenading us around a lovely camp fire. On the Sunday night our leader had organized a sausage and onion sizzle cooked by our men. This was great for us girls after our full day out.

After a lovely four days of sunshine, it started to drizzle while we were breaking camp. We said our farewells to members going onto the Googs Track and we travelled on with Sarah and Andrew to camp at Melrose for the night. Having had a good meal at the pub we settled in for a wet night. Sunshine saw us travelling back to Adelaide on Tuesday. A big thank you to our leader Bill and Blue who went in circles rounding us up at the campfire.

Jill Wilson & Dean & Deb



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