DISCOVERING AUSTRALIA ON LAMBRETTAS FROM MELBOURNE TO DARWIN ON THE STUART HIGHWAY
First stage.
Kangaroos, Ayers Rock, road trains and adventures on two legendary Lambretta scooters.
On returning from our last Lambretta experience in America we asked ourselves what our next adventure would be. A place of open spaces,
natural beauty and most of all a place of historical significance and geografic features for us to discover. Australia is a country where we would
find these characteristics: 25 times larger then Italy with only a population of 18 million, a significant percentage being of Italian origin. After
having studied maps of Australia we decided on an itinerary that seemed both interesting and appropriate to our tastes.
The scooters, the same Lambrettas of our previous trips, carefully checked, were sent along
with our baggage to Melbourne where we would
begin our trip and finishing more than 15.000 kilometres later via Aledaide, Darwin,
Perth and Port Augusta.
The preparation for our trip across
Australian soil would involve adjusting to climate and cultural factors never previously experienced.
When we begin our trip in Melbourne it will be Winter and the temperature will range from 2 to 13 degrees. We, therefore, need to ensure we
have appropriate clothing and that our baggage will be waterproof. Travelling north the temperature will reach 36 degrees in Darwin. The long
distances between our refuelling stops will require great preparation on route.
In Melbourne we were guests of our Lambretta friends of the Victoria Vintage Scooter Club, who organised a fabulous dinner. The president of
the Club, Joe Cusinato, who is of Friulano origin, does everything to ensure our brief visit is enjoyable.
Our journey begins from the Grand Prix Scooters workshop of our friends, Brenton and Timbo; even they victims of the Lambretta virus! To see
us on our way we are surrounded by Lambretta enthusiasts, photographers, local film makers and the importer of Vespas. Our friends, Sonia and
Davide follow us in their car for the first 100 kilometers of our trip.
All wrapped up, we start our journey leaving Melbourne and travelling west down the Great Ocean Road.
The road winds in and out along the
coast of the Antarctic Ocean for about one hundred kilometers. The cold wind, the rain and the rough sea remains with us for about a thousand
kilometres, racking our bones. Heading north we cross the green forest of eucalyptus trees which are the home of the timid koala; in the bushes
the curious kangaroos allow us to photograph them. We cross the coastal lagoons of the Coorong National Park travelling along a long, yet
quite treacherous, "white road".
Nadia, my tireless and patient travelling companion, with her 150D pays for the consequences of the rough
road because of the sandy stretch of the road and of the bulky baggage she falls badly. Fortunately with no serious damages and after a while we get
into our saddles again.
The road-bed is now very good, the filling stations are frequent and the Motels are confortable and clean with rates betweem Itl. 50.000 and
70.000 a night.
Gasoline costs about Itl.700 a liter and gas about Itl. 300 a liter. This country is very rich of raw materials and is also an oil-and natural
gas-producing country.
Flingers Ranges Mountains is separating us from Adelaide where we arrive under a pouring rain driving first uphill on a steep slope road and
then downhill on a vertiginous descent full of sharp bends.
It is only thanks to the careful car-drivers that we have not been run over. The very reduced visibility, the frozen hands, the clouded up crash up
crash helmet visors and finally the brakes practically out of order because of the rain, forced us to incredible acrobatisms to keep on going.
This high tensioned moment is over and with our maps which the water made unreadable we leave Adelaide and reach Port Augusta.
The Australian territory up to now could be taken as any part of England. Very often the geographical names bring you back to the origins of
the first colonialists and the loyalty to the Crown is as much as the one of the oversea's cousins.
Farm, cattles, sheeps, green grazings and densely coltivated areas, alternates with villages and small towns which could make you think to be in
Wales. Port Augusta named to the Victorian Governer's wife, Lady Augusta Young, can be considered the door to the Australian desert besides
an extremely important road junction point.
Indeed all main roads connecting north to south and east to west cross each other at this point which is a primary supplies centre for the desert
areas. A small airmail plane is keeping connection between the farms around the desolated central areas.
In 1861 the scottish explorer Stuart McDouall as first left from this point to cross Australia and arrived at Darwin after 3.000 km. of almost
unknown and mostly unexplored areas. Two years later north and south got connected by a telegraph line made of 36.000 telegraph poles. From
this explorer comes the name of the road we will take which is connecting Port Augusta to Darwin. Stuart Highway is indeed a thin asphalt
ribbon about 3.000 km. long which connects north to south running through Alice Spring.
The grading of the road surface and the uplining work of the highway (earlier going through Oodnadotta) have been concluded in 1987 and
allow transport of goods, foodstuffs and fuel both ways.
This main road, unique in the world for its length, is ridden by huge trucks with three trailers 50 mtr. long with 64 wheels, called Road Trains.
Stuart Highway is provided with special rest areas called Road Train Bay and also the refuelling stations are suitable to the road giants.
We learned soon to recognize them by the sound of their 800 CV power engines and by the puffs of smoke upcoming from their exhaust pipes.
In normal conditions, because of the limited traffic, overtaking is very safe but when one of those Road Trains is crossing another vehicle we
can only get on the dock. In case such a Road Train is coming from the opposite side we have to get down to resist to the heavy pressure wave
and to avoid our visors getting pulled off our crash helmets.
Heading north the vegetation changes and gradually spiky bushes take the place of trees.
The billboards advise travellers to be aware of wild
animals that can cross the road, one advising "Welcome to Glendambo, 180 people and 12.000 sheep!"
We soon understand why all the vehicles are equipped with strong bars to protect the front. The carcasses, many of kangaroos, on the side of
the road are proof of the danger of travelling at night. In fact, on the Stuart Highway more than a hundred animals, mainly kangaroos, come into
contact with cars daily.
The temperature gradually gets hotter and we are therefore able to remove our heavy jackets and leave roon for the reserve fuel.
Our stops are fixed according to points of reference on our map and when we do not have enough reserved fuel we have to rely on passersby to
drop off a can of petrol further along the road. We get rid of anything that is not absolutely necessary to lighten our load; each nut and bolt is
checked, even a minor careless mistake could compromise our journey.
When crossing the Great Victorian Desert we are alone with nature, a few wild animals and of course the road trains under normal conditions
(due to the reduced traffic) overtaking is safe. However, when the road trains come across a car you don't have a choice but to move across to
the side. When the road trains head towards us we have to lower our heads to resist the wind currents and avoid our visors being broken.
We cross a large military area that is about the third of the size of Italy. This military base is the largest in the world and user for military
experiments and testing. People are allowed to travel through this area but are not allowed to deviate from the road.
Our Lambrettas continue for kilometres and kilometres without showing any signs of fatigue. We come to Coober Pedy, a mining town where
95% of the worlds opals are mined. The temperature is much higher here and there seems to be a plague of flies. We are told that during summer
life here is unbearable; the people, the majority being Asian immigrants, live in the cool mines underground which have been transformed into
houses. Coober Pedy is sald to mean "whites that live in the ground" in a local Aboriginal language. The temperature can reach up to 50 degrees
during Summer and 0 degrees during Winter.
We check the oil and refill the tank to the top, have a drink and something to eat and continue our journey towards the north. The sun is
blinding and our arms are burnt and we have to apply a creme prepared by the Aborigines to be able to continue.
It is getting much hotter and the asphalt tests the tyres of the Lambrettas. Punctured tyres occur one after the other...despite this it seems that
nothing will stop these small giants. We begin to feel progessive fall in performance in the scooters which makes us fear the possibility of being
stuck out in the middle of the desert. Already exhausted from too many hous spent on the bike and with eyes red from the dust and sun we stop
to evaluate the damage.
It could be a minor, repairable break down, why not? It is not possible that my faithful companion has finally given up. We realise that the head
gasket has literally burnt out. We begin to diassemble the engine taking advantage of the last hours of daylight. Fortunately, the piston and
cylinder have no apparent damage from the over heating.
Having to improvise we make a new gasket from the cover of our diary and we use tooth paste to guarantee optimum seal. In what seemed a
batter of the eyelid everything was reassembled in time to see the sun disappear over the horizon. The motor starts without hesitation; our
experiment worked!
We start off again to get to the next closest town which is about 100km away which will take a couple of hours. We are alone on the Stuart
Highway; the birds of prey feeding on the animal carcasses killed by passing vehicles; the glowing eyes of wild animals caught in the glare of
the headlights of our tireless Lambrettas. We finally reach a service station where we spend the night.
Astralians? They are a friendly, hospitable people who always greet you with a smile and are your friends from the first instant. Even if they are
in a hurry they greet you with a wave. Everyone who meets you asks where you are from and where you're going and most of all they want to
know if your Lambretta has enough power and petrol. The motorcyclists are the ones who ask the technical questions, shake their heads,
congratulate you and take a photo standing next to the scooters.
At about 250 km west of the Stuart Highway we see Ayres Rock. An enormous, solitary rocky iceberg in a sea of sand. It is a tourst attraction
for millions of people and more importantly a sacred and mystical place for the Aborigines. We cannot miss out on this fascinating place also
known as "the red heart of Australia".
Approaching on our Lambrettas we see the looming red shape rising from the horizon which is breathtaking. The walk up Ayres Rock is also a
great joy. I must admit one is overwheimed by a strange sensation when trying to comprehend the enormity of Ayres Rock, I dare to say it is
something quite mystical. Others have experienced the same feeling but the aborignes are certain of its mystical qualities. (Many years before I
experienced the same feeling when I reached Timbuctu on my rickety Land Rover).
A vista of 360 degrees on a desert plain still green this time of year; it will turn golden brown in a month ot two. Only at one point is the horizon
interrupted by the curved form of The Olgas. We will go there the next day.
Our journey north proceeds without too many problems except for some punctures which we repair bu our own means. Not wanting to miss out
on seeing craters that were formed by enormous meteorites, we have to leave the sealed road and travel for about 10 kilometers through sand. A
large billboard at the beginning of this unsealed road warns travellers of the difficult road conditions and recommends only 4 wheel drive
vehicles to proceed. On the one hand it seems too much to ask of our scooters, on the other we are sure to make it but end up being dismayed
travellers who are stopped by our tyres being submerged in sand. Pushing along with our feet and sometimes getting off the scooter we are able
to push our Lambrettas our of the sand traps. We are able to get back onto the sealed road without doing damage to our vehicles.
We reach Alice Springs at sunset, which is the geographical centre of the continent, halfway between Darwin and Port Augusta. The city of
Alice Springs is the departing point for many excursions out to the Australian desert and gets its name fron the wife of the telegraph operator,
Todd, who ran the telegraph station of Alice Springs in the second half of last century. Todd and his wife were killed by the Aborigines who
were opposed to the often brutal invasion of the English into their land.
Alice Springs is a lovely oasis, a place of rest for the traveller, end of the train line for those travelling from the south and an important strategic
point during the Second World War. Thousands of soldiers were transported here by train where they then proceeded to Darwin in convoys of
50 to 70 trucks to ward off the Japanese.
Woomera, Marla, Kulgera, Erldunda, Ti Tree, Barrow Creek, Elliot, Tennat Creek, Stuart Wheel, are not only stations where one can rest, have a
bite to eat and drink a cold beer, they also represent points of reference for those travelling along the Stuart Highway. Connected telegraphically
to the major cities they offer medical and mechanical assistance in case of a breakdown, offer places to park caravans and campers and in many
places offer comfortable rooms with air conditioning.
Attached to a wall of the Road Houses, travellers often leave a symbol of their journey; a photo, a hat, a collar badge if they are from the military
or a number plate. We leave a photo of when we went to Cape North on our Lambrettas at one Road House and an italian flag at another.
We pass through the Tropic of Capricorn and the changing ladscaped tells us that the desert is beginning to make way for the Savanna region
and soon we will be getting closer to the crocodiles. During the wet season vast areas of the land are submerged by water, even the roads at
some ponts, which causes great difficulty for vehicles not prepared for this.
We meet some italian immigrants who arrived in the 1950's and they have a big party for us; the italians work hard in this town and have
integrated well and are also well liked. Everyone has memories of the Lambretta and the Vespa....."it is a shame that scooters like that aren't made
these days"..."it's a shame that companies like this have closed down"..."everyone is obsessed with Ferrari and Ducati..." In a couple of days we
will be halfway through our journey.
At Mataranka we make a detour to visit the hot springs in the forest and hanging from the palm trees above us there are thousands of bats
which leave the forest at dusk and head for the savanna. In this region there is a farm that has the same surface area as Belgium!
Further north, Katherine. Here, we take a canoe up the a river of the same name; fearless, the crocodiles feed only on fish. The gorges in
Katherine are stupendous and we want to rest for a while longer but there are only a few days before we arrive in Darwin and the stupendous
beaches of the Arafura Sea.
Completely destroyed by a cyclone in 1974, Darwin is a very clean city of low houses, banks, shops, restaurants and very well maintained parks
and gardens.. It is well equipped for the tourist who seeks adventure. At each corner there are agencies that promise unforgettable holidays in
the forests of the Amheim peninsula... but even here one fins antinuclear slogans which makes one aware of the world in which we live today.
For those that swim in the dea watch out for the poisonous jelly fish - they are lethal. Only by applying vinegar will you avoid the worst!
The Lambrettas are parked in the courtyard of the Darwin Hotel with a couple of injuries but still in perfect working order; the handlebar a little
bent, a small leak in the petrol tank, tires full of holes......
We visit the Italian Club - a meeting place for the Darwin Italian community comprising of about 1500 people. Antonino, the manager, Alberto
and others welcome us formally to the club. We will leave our Lambrettas here in good hands for the second parts of our Australian journey
from Darwin to Perth.
For the statistic fanatics:
Up until now our Lambrettas have travelled around 30.,000 kilometres and we have sat on them for a good 1,000 hours. The two Lambrettas have
consumed 2.400 litres of fuel and the spark plugs have sparked 200.000.000 without missing a beat. When we will be in Melbourne again we will
reach the target of 40.000 kilometres. A complete tour around the world.
If you would like to know more do not hesitate to look at the first and most visited Lambretta internet site. Over 200 pages of history, records,
trips and models of the legendary Lambretta scooter.
http//www.lambretta.it or contact Tino Sacchi on
00390290631759
Thanks for translation to Davide and Sonia.
