Australian Photos

[lostmarbles]

Nah... Looks like I haven't converted them from slides!

Ah well here's some pics of mine from 30 years ago

Sandy at Mt Isa:



This time gold-detecting in Western Oz:



And camping on the Nullabor:





Edit: The dates on the photos are simply when they were converted to digital

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi All:

Thanks for sharing your pics with us Travis22!

I look forward to visiting Australia someday and touring your country.

Regards,

Alan

 

[mattcamp]

very,very cool, thanks for sharing the great photos and story, please post more. I can't get enough of this kind of stuff. thank you very much -Matt

 

[Rockets2000]

Awesome story and pics! I hope some day to take my Cruiser through the Outback.

 

[Blacky45]

Hi mate, just wondering where you got the donaldson stlye pre cleaner for the top of your snorkel? i have searched truck stores and ebay but cant find one the right width. Great pictures too.
Thanks

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Very jealous
.......1978HJ45

 

[FJFOOL]

Excllent post and beautiful pics, Thanks !!

 

[primer7]

Thanks for sharing, great pictures and story.

 

[Travis22]

Thanks everyone.

Lostmarbles, fantastic story. Oh how i wish id been around to travel the outback back then! Its a totally different world today, but at least getting around in the old FJ45 it one step closer to feeling a little more like we are still truly exploring the outback instead of just cruising through it with the windows up, airconditioning on, dvd playing in the dash etc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can only imagine the tourists faces as you rolled on through their camp in the clean old van! We had a similar altho not as good experience after Lake Argyle... Prior to which id driving up the Tanami in the wet, i only just made it. Half a day either way and id have been stuck on the track for a week, followed by the GRR. Needless to say the old girl was dirty...

Arriving at Lake Argyle i couldnt believe how clean all the 4x4's and caravans were then we read the information sheet at the caravan park on which they encouraged everyone staying there to wash their car's / van's on the grass whenever they wanted... given there isnt any shortage of water there!!! So after staying there i recieved a few comments on the road and at camp's as to how my old girl could be so clean

Again greatly appreciate the photos and story, if you are ever back over here and would like a tour through the Vic High Country etc... tho i think it would be more like you taking us on a tour from the 'good ol days'!

Blacky45 - I purchased the Donaldson pre cleaner head and Donaldson Ram Air head from 'Truck Bits' in Dandenong Victoria. (They are both Donaldson Brand) They are by far the cheapest source around here. They can be purchased from any ARB store etc. but at nearly twice the price i payed from the truck shop!

(Plan was to switch heads when on the real dusty roads but found no difference in performance between the two given i dont (cannot! lol) really drive over 85-90km/h that size Pre Cleaner head is perfect on the 40's and can supply enough air through the whole rev range so i just left it on after fitting it at the start of the Gibb River Road and havent removed it since. Where as on the newer car's id heard often if you get a pre cleaner large enough to supply enough air at say 110km/h then it wont really work at 40-50km/h and vise versa so on thoughs cars you really need to fit a head suited to the speed you travel on the dusty roads then remove and refit say a ram air head for the highways etc...) FWIW i found the Pre Cleaner to be FANTASTIC at keeping my air filter clean, much much much cleaner then when using the ram head, hence i havent bothered fitting the ram head since.)

Thanks again everyone for the kind words, glad you guys are liking the photos.

Travis.

 

[alkarich]

Great pics. Would love to go around Australia someday.

 

[Travis22]

Some more photos - sorry but these are not really in order, but they are from the same 'Kimberley' trip last year.

The first photo i took on that trip

Token photo at Coober Pedy (I have a few pics from here now, yet i always pull up and snap another if im in the area lol)

The first life id seen on the Tanami. Weather was terrible, the road had reopened the day i started up it following a week of rain. It started raining again the next day and the road was closed just as i made it to the other end. Saw 4-5vehicles in that 1000km of soggy wet, corrugated mess of a road... But had the locals not broken into my tray and gone through my stuff in Alice id have taken the 3nights id planned to spend on the Tanami which would have meant id have been caught in the massive downpours which followed and most likely stuck for a week by myself on the track... guess you could say it worked out for the best!

Came across this in the middle of nowhere! Honestly i started to worry, i didnt read it properly at the time and had a couple of bottles of whiskey in the car and there may have been one or two nude photos of the wife on my phone lol!!!

The road ahead looks like this, for a long time!

Shortly after arriving at the Wolfe Creek creator the heavens opened up, i was going to stay a night there but decided to push on; and not because of the absolutely crazy dude id met there (thats a whole story it itself!). It rained for 3 nights straight. I camped a night at Halls Creek. My canvas touring tent which has never leaked, leaked!!! After one night i decided to push on towards Broome. Had the wife call ahead and got me this safari tent cabin at Fitzroy Crossing which turned out really really well as the Highway was then closed for 2 nights because of the rain!

tbc.

Travis.

 

[lostmarbles]

I'm enjoying this picture feast Travis

Thanks for the offer of a tour and I'd love to take you up on it. Unfortunately I've only just come back from Melbourne (because our daughter lives in Sydenham) and judging from our recent travel record, we probably won't get out of NZ for another decade.

I wonder if Halls Creek still has that car up a tree (with the sign about the flood level that put it there).

And I've heard our farmers are keen to set up dairy farms in your outback now that you're getting our level of rainfall.



PS. I'll bet your reference to "Wolf Creek Creator" has those in the US of A scratching their heads.

And I'm a railway nut likewise (and took quite a few pics of iron ore trains in the Pilbara). ... Tom Price and Mt Newman

 

[Travis22]

Thanks for the pics. and story! I plan to visit Oz in the next couple of years, always wanted to see your country. Sorry to hear about the asshats in Alice Springs. I cant imagine a trip that long without a firearm! I thought in Australia they pretty much have eliminated guns in the hands of the law abiding.Thanks again for the great pics. cheers You have an awsome truck!!

Skidplate, firearm ownership is still alive and well in Australia. Without a doubt, the criminals still have most of the firearms and all of the illegal ones!

Us law abiding citizens have to jump through a few hoops and we are somewhat restricted in what we can own. But the govt trend is always towards removing firearms from the hands of law abiding citizens.

Generally speaking, full auto rifle is out.
Semi auto centerfire rifles / Semi auto rimfire under special circumstances. For the average Joe - out.

Semi auto shotguns also under special circumstances and generally with a max mag capacity of 2 ie. competitive shooter with medical exemption whereby the semi auto = reduced recoil...

Lever action, bolt action and pump action rifles are ok, not so sure about pump shotguns... however i did read something recently whereby one of the state govt's is looking to restrict pump action and lever action rifles.

The same state i believe has made it impossible to own the 338Lap Mag and similar cals. .50BMG has always been restricted but not impossible to own... Have been at the range and seen them in use privately.

Handguns, min barrel length of 100mm for revolvers and 121mm for semi autos. Max mag capacity is 10. .38" is the largest bore allowed without special exemptions. ie. metallic silhouette competition for larger revolvers 44mag etc.

We have minimum attendance requirements for the handguns, and that includes competition - you can no longer just plink down at the range...

The fact is we do not have the right to bear arms. Firearms cannot generally speaking be used for self defense and storage requirements are such that you'd have to be pretty quick to get your firearm out, ammunition out from their locked containers (safes) and defend yourself. Thats not to say people havent been shot in self defense... we cannot own or carry a firearm for that purpose. You need other genuine reasons for having said firearms with you, ie. Hunting trip, open club competitions etc...

Ive been shooting most of my life and been a competitive handgun shooter for 12years now, mostly practical ie. IPSC.

Travis.

 

[Falco80]

You take some good pics Travis, cheers for sharing. Out on the road exploring in your 40 series with your woman beside you is a recipe for good memories.
I recognize that photo of the large bucket as the Kalgoorlie "Superpit".

 

[twoturtlesracing]

... Without a doubt, the criminals still have most of the firearms and all of the illegal ones!

I don't know why the goverments of the world don't realize that this is what happens when you restrict the right of the citizens to own and carry- Afterall, an armed society is a polite society!

Great thread Travis! Looking forward to more pictures!

 

[HWY22]

Enjoyed reading about your travels. Wish to get the opportunity to do the same thing someday... Extended periods on the road... HWY22

Teton Adventure Gear HQ - Home

 

[Blacky45]

Thanks for the info Travis,
Went down to ARB today and found the air cleaner I was looking for. The bloke said it has been there for ages and was the only one. And it was only $45.

 

[IH8SAND]

Awesome!. I have the same Bumber bar on mine!... but with added side bars along the front fenders down to the step at the front door.
Its painted black at the moment, but that might change... still deciding.

 

[herbs]

Nice trip photos and an ace 'Cruiser. Oh I want pump and semi auto shotguns back too, the lever action I have instead sucks compared to those, but aaaaaaaanyway.

 

[RED47]

nice to see some ozzie hunters on the forum...im another to add to the list...great looking truck there !