Thread: Nothing but praise on an outback trip

As some of you know, I have recently been on holidays driving up to the NT and then across the French Line through the Simpson Desert.

We were one of the first ones across the Simpson along the French Line for the season doing it in 3 days from Dalhousie Springs to Birdsville. I was with four other vehicles and my little Subaru Forester did a good job again. Tons of bogs and big Sand Hills as it was last year and every other year.

After celebrating in the Birdsville Pub on Saturday night, we headed out the Betoota Rd on Sunday on our way to Longreach and then Fraser Island. Unfortunately about 140 Km out of Birdsville, my throttle cable was sticking a bit so I stopped, sprayed some WD40 on it, worked the throttle a bit and went to start the car. It would not start!

Checked for spark and fuel, cleaned some sand out of the air filter, disconnected the battery for 30 minutes (to reset the computer) but no go.

Fortunately I always hire a satellite phone for my annual trips in the Centre and I am in the RACV Total Care ($167 per year). I rang my cousin in Melbourne to call the RACV to avoid being stuck in a queue paying satellite phone rates.

After 8 hours in the 38 degrees with the gibbers and flies, Theo from Birdsville Auto was the first car we saw. I had rung him earlier as he was the nearest for towing. Top bloke and he towed me into Birdsville arriving there at 10:30 PM. The pub shuts earlier on Sundays and meals finish at 8:00 PM. We were cooked dinner and washed it down with a couple of cold ones. Great pub and people at the Birdsville Hotel.

On Monday, the car was deemed unrepairable in Birdsville most likely the computer. The RACV asked me what I wanted to do, and they flew me back to Melbourne via Brisbane and will tow my car back to Melbourne plus pay for my overnight accommodation in Birdsville for 2 nights all for no cost to myself.

I know the towing into Birdsville cost just over $1000, the airfares in excess of $1000, the towing to Adelaide $1600 and the tow to Melbourne from Adelaide I do not know.

The RACV kept in contact with me regularly to see if everything was OK and kept me up to date with all the arrangements.

Theo was constantly walking between his Garage and the pub to keep me up to date and the Birdsville pub people and patrons looked after me well beyond the call of duty.

I have nothing but praise for the lot of them in this day and age where hidden clauses and small writing exclude companies honouring agreements, where the common direction is “what’s in it for me?”

Although I will be without a car for a short time, nothing could have been done more than what all people have done for me and I highly recommend the RACV, the Birdsville pub and Theo’s Shell Service Station in Birdsville to anyone.

My holidays were cut a bit short but I will have more time in my shed before I go back to work.