What happened? How? Why? Where? Who will be interested? How can I make people interested?

My vision was clouded by the uproar of dust as the car speeded around the corner, shards of upturned earth pockmarked the ground around me and rocks pelted the landscape…

Trip Leader

Raymond and Vanessa Young (Isuzu)

Participants

Simon and Cheryl (BT-50)

Allan and Tracy (Isuzu)

Wombat (Nissan Navara)

Mik, Tracy and Byron (Land Cruiser), Friends of Ray and Vanessa

Matt, Carole & Annabelle (Patrol)

To see such sights is a once in a lifetime opportunity, as is getting hit by a stones travelling at unearthly speeds. I’m sure it was as thrilling for them as well as us. The car tore around a track, dodging ditches and edges my family and I had been well aware of while we were driving to the campground generously made available to us by Ray’s father and we thank him for the privilege of witnessing such an amazing event with such clarity, while making camp on the beautiful, rolling hills of the farm lands, only minutes away from a gorgeous billabong.

Many of us arrived for the weekend, while some made camp on the Friday. My family arrived under the veil of darkness, so the morning was like a shroud of clarity resting upon the landscape, lighting each spectacular detail in a frenzy of colour and sunlight. The rally began at 9am on the Saturday, signalled by the roar of V8 rally cars tearing up the dirt road. Helicopters and cameras followed, held by all manners of both professional and amateur photographers, including myself, who forgot the taking of a photograph required the lens to be uncovered and/or the camera to be turned on…

Soon, car after dust-ridden car drifted around the corners at incomprehensible speed; showering all spectators with a healthy dose of dust and pebbles. Any stationary object was coated in a new coat of paint I like to name ‘dirt’. Tables and cars were coated in layers so thick, before long, they were comical. However, the toilet remained a wonderful shade of ‘porta-loo’ green. Huge chunks of up turned earth littered each corner, spattering out into the fields as drivers knocked them from their path.

After the rally drew to a conclusion, the bonfire was lit and the stars found their proper place in the sky. It was at this point that all the grandest stories of adventures and mishaps sweetened the night air with laughter. As the night drew to a close, excitement still ran high and memories were settling into the far reaches of our tired minds.

At dawn the following day, plans to go for sight-seeing drive around the area, eventually travelling to the billabong nearby. The drive took us through the serene landscape we had previously witnessed, while presenting us with an opportunity to observe the chunks of road that been carved out of the road by the many rally cars the day before. After a short while, we arrived at a mountain bushwalk, though some of us didn’t equip the best shoes for it… *cough* me *cough*…

As we traversed the rocks and leaf litter, the slope increased and the going got a little tougher but everyone reached the lookout of the trail and after a few photos and topics of conversation, we headed back down to our cars. After a spot of morning tea and socialisation, we headed back towards the promise of cool, crystal clear waters.

As the heat of the day drove everyone on, the promise of a nice swim in cold water seemed ever more pleasant. We gathered up everything we would need and headed down the farm lands towards the promise of a much needed cooling –down.

On the way back however, certain misadventures were in store for the unfortunates in our car. While we had been lounging by the water, a herd of cows had migrated into the field, disorientating our navigation causing us to be lost amongst the cattle; an interesting  yet not-unwelcome farmyard experience.

I would like to thank Ray and Vanessa, Ray’s father and mother  for allowing us the opportunity to camp and experiencing their amazing views. Thanks also to Mik for lending us light when we needed it most.

A most enjoyable trip had by everyone.

By Annabelle