Category Archives: Newhaven

The Doc’s AWC adventures – a summary

4X4, Artesian Range, AWC, Bowra, Bullo River Station, Charnley River, Mornington, Newhaven, North Head, Paruna, Piligia, Pungalina-Seven Emu, Scotia

The Doc has drafted a page about his AWC adventures over the last 15 years. Over 30 sanctuary visits to volunteer, visit or take part in Supporter’s Events. Over 20 different sanctuaries visited all over Australia.

Plus, other AWC activities, like scanning slides, getting stickers on The Doc’s car and meets ups in the field. Still a work in progress, but lots of links and images here.

Bullo River Station report still being worked on. It will be added when complete. Some amazing images from that trip.

Patrol update

Artesian Range, Australia, AWC, Bowra, Charnley River, Mornington, Newhaven, Nissan Patrol, North Head, Paruna, Pungalina-Seven Emu, Scotia

The Doc has changed the Patrol recently. Due to a safety issue identified on the Northern Territory trip, The Doc installed a second UHF radio. The head unit is a GME XRS-330c matched to a RFI CD63 6dBi UHF antenna. All the controls are on the mic, which has a great OLED screen.

The XRS-330c is programable, allowing The Doc to customise frequencies (receive only), including police and emergency services. You can Bluetooth to the head unit making changes easy, by using the iPhone or Android app.

The combination is potent and outperforms my other UHF which is excellent. The new combination is excellent plus more. It has only been tested around Sydney and one short drive to Forster.

Next The Doc fitted Kut Snake flares to replace the OEM ones. These are a little wider and are attached with stainless screws, giving more side protection and a more aggressive look. The Doc painted the rear bumper matt black to match, using Peel Coat. The front LED bar was also painted with Peel Coat.

The last change was Australia flag number plates. To come are matching Australian flag side mirrors after The Doc visits Apex Decals. A picture of the new look, click to see full size. Remember to donate to Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

Newhaven – revisited

Australia, AWC, bark, desert, lakes, Landscape, landscape, mosses/lichens, Newhaven, NT, plains, Plant, Textures, trees

This time last year The Doc had finished his Kimberley/Pilbara trip and was returning through central Australia using Australia’s longest shortcut – The Great Central Road. After a rest stop at Alice Springs he headed to AWC’s Newhaven Sanctuary for a few days.

This Saturday he heads off to Cairns then onto Pungalina/Seven Emu in Arnham Land.

A few shots from Newhaven. More pictures here.

Kimberley/Pilbara Trip Trivia

Artesian Range, Australia, AWC, Bowra, Broome, Charnley River, Charnley River - Artesian Range, Derby, desert, flowers, Kimberley, Landscape, landscape, Mornington, Mornington, Newhaven, NT, Pilbara, plains, river/creeks, Textures, trees, WA, WA

The Doc decided to put some trivia together about the longest trip so far. Enjoy.

Time, distances and economy

  • the Kimberley/Pilbara Trip lasted 108 days;
  • total distance travelled was 27,000 kilometres exactly (what a coincidence!). The Patrol has now driven over 70,000 kilometres on The Excellent Adventure;
  • most kilometres travelled in one day, 1,032 kilometres;
  • average kilometres travelled each day was 250kms. In reality the figure was less, as 9,000kms was driven to and from the Kimberley which were concentrated days of driving;
  • best fuel economy was 12.4 litres per 100 kilometres. In 2WD, not towing, driving on the bitumen;
  • worst economy 15.1 litres per 100 kilometres. In 4WD, towing the trailer in sand at Cape Peron National Park;
  • average for the trip 14.4 litres per 100 kilometres, which makes sense as the trailer was attached for much of the trip. So the Pod Trailer adds about 2 litres per 100 kilometres, a modest increase compared to towing heavy trailers or caravans;
  • most expensive diesel was $2.50 a litre at Mt Barnett Station Roadhouse, Gibb River Road; and
  • total fuel bill, decided not to add it up!

Flights

Several flights were taken on the trip including:

Corrugations

Over 60% of the trip was offroad. On badly corrugated roads, you can hit over 10 corrugations every metre (the four wheels do). A very, very conservative figure would be the car, trailer and driver went over 20 billion corrugations!!!! No wonder things break and get damaged.

Breakages

The breakages included:

  • hub cover on Patrol, it fell off and was lost on Charnley River Station;
  • broken wire on coolant alarm (it has broken twice before). Field repair that is still working;
  • striped thread on a shock absorber. The front shock was replaced (The Doc was carrying spares). No dramas as the damage was detected early;
  • after a car service an ignition fuse started to blow. It turned out to be a bare wire shorting on the rear towbar and nothing to do with the service;
  • front control arm bushes needed replacement;
  • a broken windscreen 3 days before the trip finished. Thanks to the driver who did not slow down properly on the Plenty Highway. The Doc got more stone hits on the windscreen that morning than the rest of the trip combined;
  • rivets on an awning came out, thanks to the corrugations on the Plenty Highway on the return trip.

Tucker

Best meal, no contest, Restaurant at Mornington Wilderness Camp. Drysdale River Station also put on a good meal.

Cadjeput Waterhole
Murchinson River, Kalbarri National Park
ASCII

Reflections

Australia, AWC, Bowra, Bowra, Charnley River - Artesian Range, Kimberley, lakes, Landscape, landscape, Mornington, Mornington, Newhaven, Qld

While on The Kimberley Trip the Doc was working on some work broadly called Reflections, enjoy:

Cadjeput Waterhole
Port of Broome

AWC – Wildlife Matters Spring 2015

Australia, AWC, birds, desert, lakes, Landscape, mammals, marsupials, Mornington, Newhaven, reptiles, Wildlife

In this issue:

  • Historic partnership in the Pilliga forest and at Mallee Clfifs
  • Restoring the lost mammals of central Australia at Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary: the planet’s largest feral cat eradication project
  • Historic return of endangered Woylies to Mt Gibson
  • Securing the Northern Quoll
  • Piccaninny Plains bird surveys to unlock wet season secrets of Cape York
  • Ground-breaking feral cat research extended to Cape York

Read the latest Issue here.

NSW Trip Scotia May 2014 RAW- 0474

Newhaven Sanctuary, Central Australia

Australia, AWC, bark, desert, lakes, Landscape, landscape, Newhaven, NT, salt, sand, sand dunes, Textures

On the trip home from the Kimberley The Doc visited AWC’s Newhaven Sanctuary (jointly managed with Birdlife Australia). Newhaven is 350 kilometres north west of Alice Springs and borders the Great Sandy Desert. Report is here.

Newhaven 2015 - 0052