Exercise 'Long Haul'

[Magellan]

Hello all

Exercise 'Long Haul' was conducted by 130 TASS around 1973-'74 from Fort Wallace, Stockton NSW to Cameron Corner. It's aim was to test comms from any given part of the country, under any conditions using any available antenna. Four detachments, HQ, (Green, Red and Gold) each consisting of between 4-7 personnel were used, travelling outbound by different routes and then each swapping to the other's route for the return leg.

Briefly, the routes were as follows:-

Green- Stockton, Mussewellbrook, Willow Tree, Narrabri, Moree, Walgett, Brewarrina, Wilcannia, Broken Hill, Cameron Corner. approx 1946 km

Red- Stockton, Singleton, Denman, Mudgee, Dubbo, Nyngan, Cobar, Wilcannia, White Cliffs, Broken Hill, Cameron Corner . approx 1497 km

Gold Stockton, Cessnock, Pokolbin, Bylong, Rylstone, Sofala, Bathurst, Cowra, Grenfell, Young, Junee, Coolamon, Narrandera, Hay, Hillston, Wilcannia, Broken Hill, Cameron Corner. approx 2154 km

This is a 'heads up' for a trip I've had in mind for a while:-

My aim is to re-enact this exercise using one of these out bound routes. There will be a mixture of bush camping and caravan parks (with a preference for bush camping). The trip would be classed as 'Easy' given the roads travelled and it is planned that daily distances will be limited to around 400-450 km (as I drive a Series vehicle  ). There will time for sightseeing along the way, with rest days also planned at some of the more scenic spots.  Daily departures are planned to be between 08:30-09:00 and in camp by 16:30.

The trip is limited to 8 vehicles and ends at CC. Participants can then choose their own return route. All up I'm allowing two+ weeks.
Meeting place would be as close as practical to Fort Wallace. (I'm not sure if it's still a defence facility)

Planned departure is for August 2017

More details as planning unfolds.

I aim to be at Dookie and Corowa and hope to catch up with prospective participants as time goes by.

Contact by PM, this thread or dustyoval@bigpond.com

[DennisM]

The Green route has a problem, Moree comes along after Narrabri LOL  , Fort Wallace is still there, but every time I have driven past the gates are shut no sign of life, hope you get some interest n have a good time, cheers Dennis 

[Magellan]

Ooops, I'll edit that    Victorian, that's my excuse 

Thanks Dennis. I've been to CC before on the way home from the Simpson Desert, never from the coast though and seen little of inland NSW.

Daryl

[DennisM]

There is ample space to park on the opposite side of the road, just have a bo peep at google earth, you could several hundred vehicles along there, cheers Dennis 

[Carzee]

I suppose going there by the yellow and coming home by the green would be a good combination.
Wonder why only the red goes to White Cliffs.

[Mick_Marsh]

Interesting trip.
You know they have a tendency to close the road from The Hill to the Corner when it rains.

[Magellan]

Yeah it's curious about the White Cliffs detour. Maybe the OC was an opal fan? 

Yes Mick, I'd heard the road can be closed, one would be praying for the weather. Given the distance from the start point and the 'speed' of Series Landies, there'd be ample time time for the road to dry out by the time I got there! 

Daryl

[DennisM]

We went from Willcannia to White Cliffs about 2 years ago, it is a tar sealed road now, hundreds of feral goats along the road, the road on the western side of the darling was closed due to wet weather, so that short circuited our trip as I wanted to go home through Bourke, anyway cheers Dennis 

[AGAS 5]

Hi Daryl,

I came across this info on 130 TASS from the RASIGs facebook group. I thought you might like them

Cheers,

Pete

[AGAS 5]

Another one

[mike_k]

Great info Pete,

You caught my attention with the inclusion of the Power Plant Trailer mounted Dual 2.5 KVa. 

Interesting as well to see the vehicles classed as FFRs in 1968.

Cheers,

Mike.