Rural Vic and Outback NSW Road Trip - cancelled due to COVID-19

Note:  This trip will only run if the advertised Mt Isa Road Trip cannot proceed due to the non-opening of Queensland borders. If the Mt Isa trip proceeds, and people wish to do this NSW/Vic trip, a volunteer is requested to be trip leader. In the alternate, the trip may be run next year as it will be a great one!

Date and time:  02 to 27 Aug 2020.  27 days.

Location:   Rural Vic and Outback NSW

=====  COMPLYING WITH COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS ======  

The maximum convoy limit is now based on the number of people on the trip, not the number of cars, and there are hoops that we need to jump through to comply with the restrictions.

As part of your registration, we need to know how many people are in your car. We use the "Guest" option but in this case; a guest is ANYONE that is not you. This includes your partner and/or children that live with you (i.e. the club's standard family membership criteria). 

COVID-19 Passenger Restrictions : 

• Maximum people in the group is 10 
• Temporary Members are not allowed.
  

COVID-19 - ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS

These additional restrictions have been put in place to confirm with the Government regulation. It's the trip leader's responsibility to ensure they are adhered to and you will be asked to confirm each one during registration. So it's more important than ever to follow the Trip Leader's instructions.

• All passengers are your family members (partner or child, in same household)
  
• As the club member, you are responsible to ensure your passengers are aware of and follow the restrictions.
• Everyone must respect social distancing, of 1.5m, from other members - particularly during:
   -  Breaks - briefings, tea breaks, lunch breaks, etc. 
   -  Recoveries - stay in your car where possible, unless asked to help.
• You cannot attend If you are feeling unwell, been in close contact with anyone suspected of having the virus, or recently returned from overseas 
• Bring hand-sanitiser along with your normal kit.
• There will be no access to public toilets or other facilities because they are closed.
• We also suggest that you use the COVIDSafe app.

All passengers must be named for tracking purposes. Use the Guest's function at the bottom of the registration page.
If you bring anyone that has not been registered as a guest, you will not be allowed on the trip.

IMPORTANT NOTE -

The number of people on the trip must remain within the prevailing restrictions or the organiser and participants might receive large fines, as well as greater chance of infection.

So, before you start registration, make sure there are enough places for everyone in your car. Note: that does not guarantee they will be there by the time you finish, particularly if there are a few of you.

If you fail to get everyone registered, let us know and we'll add them to the waitlist.

===  Using the Guest/passenger registration  ===

The "Add a Guest" button is at the bottom of the registration page. Before you start registration, make sure there are enough places for everyone in your car. Note: that does not guarantee they will be there by the time you finish, particularly if there are a few of you.

You need to register each person (including children) individually, by filling their name (phone and email if different from yours), and clicking Done.

Once everyone is listed, click Next to go to the Confirmation page. Everything else is the same as normal registrations.

Note: If the number of spare places run out before you add everyone, it means that someone else was registering at the same time as you. There is no way to avoid this clash and it's first come, first in.

===== End of COVID-19 Restrictions Section  = Enjoy the trip ======

Date and time:  02 to 27 Aug 2020.  27 days.

Description:  Rural Vic and Outback NSW Road Trip – so much to see.

The trip is suited to off-road camper trailers and caravans.

We will depart Melbourne and stop overnight mainly in caravan parks in order to enjoy their showers and toilets.

Departing Melbourne on a quiet Sunday, we head to St Arnaud for lunch and onto Sea Lake to visit Silo Art. The Silo Art throughout Victoria has to be seen, it is amazing and the subject of many tourist trips. Then we will hit the Vic desert and stay at Rocket Lake in the Murray-Sunset country having visited Lake Tyrrell salt lake along the way.

Then it’s off to Broken Hill for a rest / tourist day. There’s many sites worth seeing in Broken Hill including the Line of Lode Miners Memorial, Pro Hart Gallery, and the magnificent Palace Hotel, also not forgetting neighbouring Silverton with the Mad Max Museum. Heading further north, our next night is camping in the grounds of the 1882 Milparinka Pub. This is a fascinating ghost town with time spent walking the deserted streets looking at the ruins.

Leaving Milparinka, it is a short hop to the beautiful and remote Tibooburra where we will spend four nights exploring the district including the Sturt National Park and Cameron Corner where three states meet. The folks at Cameron Corner have said they will make sure they cook us a great meal if we phone ahead! From Tibooburra it’s on to Bourke where I endured the coldest night of my life a few years back! Another local sites day in Bourke before heading on to the renowned Lightning Ridge including another day of taking in the local attractions before moving on.

Next we are off to Dubbo after an overnight stop in Coonabarabran. Our rest day in Dubbo gives time to wander the Western Plains Zoo before heading to Goulburn. From here it’s on to Canberra – there’s so much to see in our capital. We have allowed two days in Canberra to visit whatever takes our fancy including the War Memorial, Science Museum, and a picturesque trip to the Tidbinbilla Tracking Station as desired. Next it’s a short hop to Lake Jindabyne followed by a chillout day doing nothing (or something).

Now we are getting closer to home and re-entering our beloved “Vic”. We will drive through burnt bush fire regions making our way to our overnight stop at Loch Sport before heading on the next day to Port Albert. At Port Albert we will have our last chillout day before the final run home. Homeward bound is via Leongatha and Loch where we might indulge in a tipple at the local boutique distillery. It’s really special.

A wonderful time should be had by all on our trip taking in lots of very different sites and countryside ranging from outback desert to the lush green pastures of Gippsland.

Weather:  We should experience sunny days in the low to mid 20’s as we head north. However, the clear nights in the outback can be very cold with sub zero temperatures not uncommon. And, of course, there is the local Vic weather to be contended with toward the end of our trip.

Equipment:  A well-maintained 4WD vehicle with good all terrain tyres, recovery points, standard recovery gear including dampener, rated snatch strap and shackles, shovel and UHF radio (or one borrowed from the club). A sat phone will be taken for emergency use. Mobile reception is typically available in all towns visited.

No pets or firearms please.

Trip Standard:  Easy to medium with outback dirt roads included.

Fuel:  Fuel is readily available on the planned routes.

Distance:  Approx. total distance is 4,000 Km of mainly bitumen driving.

Duration: 26 days

Convoy limit: 6 vehicles

Meeting arrangements:  People are free to meet at strategic locations along the first day’s travel or alternatively meet at our Day 1 lunch stop in St Arnaud.

Trip Leader: Roland Hollingsworth - rolandjh@optusnet.com.au