INTRODUCTION
Cyclone Bobby smashed its way across Western Australia on 24 February 1995, causing a great deal of damage. The accompanying rain caused floods through the eastern goldfields, inundated some mines and cut the Trans Australian Railway Line and the Eyre Highway for many days. Damage and loss to a wide section of the rural community totalled many millions of dollars.
But along with the problems came many benefits. For "power dinghy expeditioners" the most immediate benefit was the flooding of the Murchison River in March, allowing the Murchison Gorges Expedition to happen.
Further south and to the east of the Murchison River normally dry lakes filled for the first time in many years. This presented a unique opportunity to create some boating "firsts" - some history-making boating in the desert.
Lake Boonderoo is situated south of Kitchener, a siding on the Trans Australia Railway line 250 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie. The lake formed for only the second time in 200 years. The only previous occasion the lake has formed was in 1975.
A plan was formed to mount an expedition commencing from the north west extremity of Lake Raeside (the longest lake in Australia) near Leonora and navigate its entire length south east to where it overflows into Ponton Creek. This ephemeral creek created a continuous link through to Lake Boonderoo. It would be followed all the way to the newly formed expanse of water.
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By early July 1995 Kim Epton had sufficient information to justify an announcement that "the expedition is on". Other regular expeditioners were contacted and expressed support and enthusiasm. Over the weekend of 22-23 July 1995 Kim Epton, Tony Overstone and Brian Sawyer made a survey trip to Coolgardie via Hyden and McDermid Rock. The aim of the trip was ascertain if The Bus would be able to negotiate the track along which Kim planned to return from Coolgardie, believing it would be a more interesting trip than the run down the bitumen of Great Eastern Highway. It was some years since Kim had been down the track and he knew that it could be impassable after even light rain - a distinct possibility around the planned date of the Expedition. The recce trip was an adventure in itself that will not be recounted here. Suffice to say that it confirmed that The Bus would get through if the track was reasonably dry.
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Phone calls to the Cundeelee Aboriginal Community and Boonderoo/Kanandah station owner, Russell Swan, as well as talks with geologists and sandalwood cutters operating in the area elicited the required information in a much cheaper way.
Phil Hargrave advised that he and a mate would drive from Adelaide and meet up with Expedition at Kalgoorlie. As a result it was decided to use his 4WD Landcruiser as the Refuelling Vehicle. Ultimately, Phil drove through to Perth a few days early and the Expedition was a two-vehicle convoy from the start.
In early August it was decided that rear springs of The Bus needed resetting. This was a major job that occupied many of the participants over many hours on five separate occasions.
With a definit e change in motor preference occurring in dinghy racing, the problem of interchangeability (or lack of it) of parts between motors had to be addressed. The biggest problem was with propellers and fuel fittings. Greg Barndon liaised with all drivers to solve the problem.
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The line up of rigs was decided:
The date of the Expedition
had to be arranged around the Avon Descent, the Blackwood Classic 250
and commitments of key personnel. Eventually the four days of 8-11
September 1995 were confirmed, with departure scheduled for the evening
of Thursday 7 September 1995. |
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"Departure"
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EXPEDITIONS