Author Topic: 2009 MJCQ Bundaberg Swim-In  (Read 3723 times)

Offline Vixen

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2009 MJCQ Bundaberg Swim-In
« on: May 31, 2012, 09:08:29 AM »
After packing the last minute items to the back of Castrol, my Series 2A SWB GS, I had only a few moments of thought before the ZD's arrived in Daisy (their Series 2A SWB GS towing a track trailer). We had a quick coffee and then set out along the back road to the rest area on the Landsborough Rd where we had arranged to meet the rest of the convoy. Once we had met, and said our g’days, we set out for the drive to Bundaberg. We had a reasonable drive up, not too much grief from the traffic despite our top speed of 75-80km on the highway. A stop for a short break found us chatting to the owner of a Range Rover who was towing home a Series 3 trayback he had just bought.



We lunched at a rest area south of Tiaro and while there, one of the volunteers at the “Lion’s Club Driver Reviver” kiosk told us about an ex-mil landie on the side of the road between Hervey Bay and Maryborough. So we decided to detour thru that way. We found what we thought was the said Landie, which turned out to be a very sad and sorry looking Series 2 paddock basher (I didn’t even take photos!!). The traffic got thicker late afternoon and a couple of truckies attempted to end my life, with little success….although they succeeded in bringing forth some ripe old language!! We arrived at the Walker property ‘Jedburgh’ just on 5pm and just in time to set up camp before the sun set. I discovered the shock cord had disintegrated in my tent poles, but with able help I got the tent up without too much hassle. Not much time to look around, but more time to sit and chat over dinner and the evening drinks.

Saturday dawned very, very misty indeed and when the vehicles gathered at 8am for a trip out to Kinkoona it was cool and damp.




None of us were anywhere near ready to go off at 8am, so decided to hang around camp as a few other REMLR members were due to turn up and join us. The mist hung around all morning.

Later in the afternoon when all the day-trippers were home, the amphibians went for a play in the river. We all managed to score a trip out on the water in one of the vehicles. The highlight for me was getting a ride in the buffalo. Those things are huge, and noisy, although this one had a Caterpillar engine in it, so not as noisy as the original 16cylinder radial engine. One of the jeep owners had an outboard motor on his No4 trailer, so took that out on the river also.







Sunday dawned clear after a little light rain overnight. I had decided to join the days run so were ready to set off at 8am, although my friend held things up for a few minutes while he rewired his Land Rover's second battery set up for his fridge. The trip took us out through the local State Forest and around a few cane fields, about 110km of dirt at a nice slowish pace. Nothing too hard, although low range was helpful for some up one rocky and scrabbly hill. The drive ended up at the Cordalba pub. It’s a lovely country pub and 40 for lunch put the kitchen staff at top speed!! (they had been pre-warned).





On the way back from the pub we stopped at the fire tower for a look



During the afternoon, the Jeep Club boys had arranged some fun down on the dam racing paddle powered No4 trailers across the dam, with one sinking completely and being rescued by a GPA eventually. They then drove a Jeep onto a tarp, tied it all up tight, and floated it out on the dam. It was all good entertainment.





Late afternoon, those that were still around lined up their vehicles in the paddock for a photo shoot. Us REMLR members had already had our own little private photo shoot for our landies.





Monday dawned sunny and with no trips planned or anything much happening early on it was bacon and eggs for breakfast. I was planning to leave mid-morning so had stuff packed and ready to go between cups of tea and breakfast. Some help from the blokes to check oil & water, and fiddle with the choke cable (which turned out to be stuck on slightly), I was ready to go. There was activity down by the river so we went to check it out….The crane was out and loading a Jeep into the DUKW. We went down to watch…all went smoothly.






After this I said my goodbyes and set out for home. I had a dream run home, stopping for lunch at the same rest area south of Tiaro and not holding up too much traffic (although a few got annoyed to my 75-80km top speed), until I hit the dead stop traffic of long weekends just before the Landsborough exit on the hwy. What good fortune that that is where I leave the highway, so I only had stop/start for about 500m

I have to say, in some ways I enjoyed this meet much more than Corowa. Maybe it was that everyone was camped together, and that the whole event was less formal and more relaxed. Maybe it was that I got to ride in the buffalo. Maybe it was that everyone was so friendly and in such good moods….

So…vehicles

There were (that I can recall and identify):
5 Land Rovers…the 2 Series 2 SWB Gs’s, WileE’s Perentie and POP058’s 2 workshops.
2 Buffalo’s
10+ Jeeps
5 GPA’s
1 DUKW
2 Blitz’s
A number of Dodge Weapons Carriers
A Bren Gun Carrier
A Scorpion tank
A Stuart tank
A Studebaker
An interesting bike with an axle rear end
A generator

All up a guesstimated 50-60 ex-military vehicles

The whole weekend was well thought out with toilets and showers provided. The area where we camped was clean and grassy. The trips & activities were well organised and planned. There was easy access to the river, via 2 boat ramps and the atmosphere was great. Thanks must go to the Military Jeep Club of Qld and the Walker family.....wouldn't have happened without them.

I hope it continues as a yearly event as it was such fun.


OK...and so a few more pics of the landies just so it stay a bit to LR topic  :D  :D











« Last Edit: October 02, 2012, 02:30:23 PM by Vixen »

Offline THE BOOGER

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Re: MJCQ Bundaberg Swim-In 2009
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2012, 12:07:00 PM »
Thanks for posting, its still going hope to make it to bundy some time at least 2 days driving in a series though :(
s111 GS, no 5, xt600 & Ferret mk2
Geoff C

Offline Vixen

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Re: MJCQ Bundaberg Swim-In 2009
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2012, 12:39:08 PM »
Thanks for posting, its still going hope to make it to bundy some time at least 2 days driving in a series though :(

2 long days Geoff  :(

Tommy

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Re: MJCQ Bundaberg Swim-In 2009
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2012, 01:10:34 PM »
Fantastic photos Pat. Looks like it was a great event.

I particularly like this photo :D. A tweek on Photoshop and it now looks like an original Vietnam era photo.





Offline Vixen

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Re: MJCQ Bundaberg Swim-In 2009
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2012, 03:37:21 PM »
It does indeed Tommy  ;D