Bobj

ever more interesting, I loved my time in the Kimberlies and Pilbara and would be there in a shot, but for Mum's illness. A pm, please on the survey chappie's name. My weekly pay on the Woodside show was $400. Cheers, Bobj.

Interesting, @Paul1Perth. I was one of the first on that contract, when the venture was first being built. My room was No.208 on Heirsson Cove. When I left some six months later, there were over 3500 units similar to mine. We only had 3 months on to 1 week off. "The tank farm" had only just been started when I left to start another contract 2000 km closer to home. Good times! Cheers, Bobj.

Sparrers this morning. Cheers, Bobj.

Just love the Kimberlies and Pilbara. My idea of losing yourself in Paradise! Cheers, Bobj.

Look at Elliott in the NT, or Wyndham and Halls Creek in the Kimberlies of WA... Cheers, Bobj.

On the subject of new cars every 5 years ; I have a 4wd that is 18 years old and has 275,000 kms on the clock. I wanted a new SUV and made inquiries at a couple of car yards. How much for the 4wd? "No, sorry we are not interested" was their answer. Oh, well, it will last me another 5, or so, years... Cheers, Bobj.

Also, remember that people live longer...I retired 22 years ago! So, make sure there is money in the bank. And, don't forget the annual insurances, house, car, persons etc... Cheers, Bobj.

Two barbs I found on my local beach! The left one is 15 cm long. Cheers, Bobj.

And the quokkas; those inquisitive little beasties. But my time there was 1963/4 when things were even less 'gentrified' @Toots A beach party I went to had all the people singing The Beatles, "Love Me Do", that was in '64. Fabulous times! Bussleton was a sleepy holiday town, so too Mandurah. Cheers, Bobj.

Even big cod like mackerel...a 54 cm doggy mackerel frame. Cheers, Bobj.

Try for mangrove jacks, Kev, they are brawlers and have great eating qualities. Plenty in the Nerang River, around bridge pylons; so, they should be around in the Brissie area. I reckon the only way to eat tailor is to smoke them, same with blackfish. Cheers, Bobj.

Queensland and WA reef fish, notably bluey, golden snapper red emperor, red mouth sweetlip, coral trout, barramundi, the WA dhufish and its Eastern States counterpart, the pearl perch. Of the pelagics, the mackerel family are considered the best. All others are a rather poor second. One very good fish is the mangrove jack, but it is more a fish to be caught by rod and reel rather than a ‘shop fish’. Of the common ‘shop fish’ the snapper, flathead and bream are popular. And in Victoria, the gummy shark, snapper and flathead are the usual ones bought. Cheers, Bobj.

Bugga! just noticed the error I made, it was a 10'x8' tent. A palatial abode, indeed, compared to an 8x6... I had an old orange box to house my toiletry and book; clothes were hung from the main beam, (the tent was supported on a tubular frame). Cheers, Bobj.

I lived in an 8'x6' tent for 2 years, out from Broome, WA. I was in a MRD camp, building a road from Broome, towards Derby. 1964-66. No phones, tv or any comforts of life. It is chronicled in 'Reminiscing'. Indeed, there was no tv in the whole of the Kimberlies in those days. Cheers, Bobj.

Odd, innit? Went from No. 53 in Bradford, Yorkshire to No. 53 in West Leederville, WA.

Just remembered a really beaut campsite before Sullivans rest area, on the Victoria Hwy. there is a truck bay with a sign post, “Jack Taylor”. 200 metres before the sign is a t/o (LHS) to an old mainroads camp along Sullivan ck Camped there a few times and never saw any crocs, most likely because the creek has only a few pools after thr Wet. Cheers, Bobj.

Only did the Gibb once from Kununurra and only half way twice from Derby. In my time, 1964 and 1967-1978, it was a rough road as the tourists had not yet realised its beauty and ruggedness. In those days, it was essentially a beef haulage road, similar to the Duncan road that straddles the WA/NT border from the Victoria Hwy near Newry Stn, to Halls Creek. I was one of the first on the Duncan, as we had to detour, the old Duncan due to the building of the Ord main dam, Lake Argyle. It was just a series of survey pegs and a grader track. Which reminds me…There is a zebra rock mine, some 5 km down the Duncan and a beaut campsite another 9, or so km further south, right on Hicks Creek. Have put up a photo some time ago about that campsite. Quite possible to see freshwater crocs there. Quite possible for the kids to find native spear chippings and the odd hand axe on the south side, around the grid and fence line. Cheers, Bobj.

Many times I have driven Mackay to Kununurra and all free camping... !st night, the longest drive to Richmond, camp at the fossil sites immediately after the 2nd grid (LHS). Not supposed to...Kronosaurus Korner is good for the kids. Richmond to Rosebud, an old mine (LHS) 4km off the hwy, or the Fountain Springs Tourist before Mary Kathleen mine and townsite. Rosebud to the Ranken T/O (LHS) an old Main Roads camp. Ranken to Threeways, there are a few overnight campsites on the Barkley Hwy. All signposted. Threeways to The Katherine, the Attack Ck bridge has a campsite and drop toilets. After Attack Ck Banka Banka Stn has hot showers and camping (LHS) $$, but I preferred to camp at an old Main Roads gravel pit, some 15 km north of Renner Springs, on the (LHS) Renner Springs has a motel. There are a few free campsites all along the Stuart Hwy, but usually full of grey nomads after 4pm. A (short) cut if you want, the old Murranjai track (LHS) to Top Springs is dirt... 7km north of Dunmarra, which has a motel...of sorts. 1 km north of the Murranjai (Buchanan Hw) is a big gravel pit on the (RHS). North of Dunmarra is the old Daly Waters PUB (LHS) off road about 2 km. Next is Elliott...Nah! Mattarankah area is worth a squiz, the original Elsey Stn homestead is there. Before Mattarankah is the Old Elsey Cemetary, (RHS) 8 km off the road. The Katherine is well worth an hour, or so, a modern town, with supermarket, banks and the real beaut Katherine River. A must see is the Gorge (NITMILUK) and the Lower Crossing. Caught barramundi there in 1964. If you want a campsite and barra fishing, the King River is good, About 1 km south of the bridge (30 km south of Katherine) is a truckbay (RHS) not supposed to, but cross over and a track (the old road)turns left. go down there to just before the old crossing, the track is (LHS)1.6 km to my old camp and the river.Don't let anyone else know, hey? After that, there are a few roadside campsites to Timber Creek. Same thing on the way to Kununurra. If you need any more info, a pm is good. Cheers, Bobj.

Cheers, Bobj.

5 minutes ago, Ball Bay, Qld. Cheers, Bobj.

The first crap cull comp was on the Albert River, I do believe. The comp realized 4 tonnes of crap that was given to Charlie Carp fertilizer. They, in turn, donated a few hundred bass fingerlings to enrich the Albert River. A couple of comps were on the Logan River, as well. Alas, it is no more due to high insurance costs. Cheers, Bobj.

There is no comparison to barramundi, yellowbelly, or the murray cod, which are premium sportfish. I have seen a quality river, the NSW Barwon River deteriorate from a navigable waterway to a series of mud holes due to the crap. Cheers, Bobj.

This morning's fishing trip and the islands Cheers, Bobj.

Nearly 60 years on and am still in awe at the wonderful sights, be it when fishing, looking at the southern Whitsundays, or in the desert, looking at an impossibly blue sky, or, the vastness of it all, let alone the magnificent and unique wildlife. Bugga! Getting dewy eyed... Cheers, Bobj.

when I lived in Bradford, it was called The Black Dyke Mills Band. That was nearly 60 years ago, Kev. In Thornton, we had the Black Dyke, but the band originally came from Clayton, across the valley, 'cos they had the mill. Cheers, Bobj.