Hommy's Travels in Australia

I began my travels in Australia as a result of being lured by the vision splendid,excited by the tales of outback journeys regaled by my Year 11 Chemistry teacher, and motivated by an accelerating interest in photography. My first real adventure occurred in January 1976. With two high school friends and a Peugeot 404 station wagon I travelled briefly through three states (Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales) and one territory (Australian Capital Territory).

{Photo (above) was taken on the road to Warren Gorge, Flinders Ranges, S.A. in August 1980}

My first outback 'foray' was an attempt to reach Ayers Rock from Ballarat, Victoria in July 1978. My very hardy Datsun 1600 (which continued to serve me well in my adventures for many years) carried me to just north of Port Augusta before the atrocious weather and road conditions forced me to change my destination.
In 1978 the main highway from Port Augusta through South Australia to the Northern Territory border wasn't sealed & on maps most of its length was described as gravel or earth formed. After rain deep pools of water stretching right across the road, and for tens of metres along the road, were often created. On my 1978 trip not even semitrailers were able to get through (in fact the road was impassible in one section due to 3 bogged semitrailers).

Conditions were worse in August 1979, but I was more determined and pressed on through sticky, boggy conditions which sidelined most buses and semitrailers, and some four wheel drive vehicles! I successfully reached Ayers Rock and I was absolutely overwhelmed by its grandeur. Trips exploring the Birdsville Track, Strzelecki Track and beyond followed in 1980, 1981 and 1982.
{The semitrailer (above top right) travelling on the 'river-like' Stuart Hwy north of Port Augusta was photographed in July 1978. The photo (above middle right) shows one of the larger pools of water that I traversed on my successful Ayers Rock trip in September 1979. The self portrait (right opposite) was taken on my successful Birdsville Track trip in May 1981.}

After our marriage in 1983 my wife and I continued touring the outback and other parts of Australia and our Australian adventures culminated in 1993 with a five month tour around the mainland with a Pajero towing a van. (That '85 Pajero covered more than 620,000 km before I finally sold it in 2004 due to rust). We now own a Pajero Io and its first major trip was to Innamincka along the Strzelecki Track and into the Flinders Ranges around Arkaroola.

The next few pages give more information about

HOMMY'S TRAVELS IN AUSTRALIA

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