The Doc always turns off the Stop/Start function on the Grenadier. This must be done each time you start the car, unless you get the Grenadier USA Button Pusher which does that for you. One of the most useful accessories fitted. Starting is so much easier, much more than The Doc was expecting. Expensive but worth every cent for the time saved. The Doc bought red, the fastest colour. 😉
Leaving Eromanga around 4am The Doc headed towards Quilpie; on the western side of Quilpie he turned right onto the Quilpie-Thargomindah Road and headed south towards Toompine. South of Toompine he turned left on the Eulo-Toompine Road and headed towards the Adventure Way and Eulo (he also had morning tea at this road junction). It was a really nice drive along both these roads. The route is on the linked map here. The pictures are from this small part of the trip.
While driving along Eulo-Toompine Road The Doc saw three caravans just off the road, one was being towed by an Eldoret Blue Grenadier (there was no time to stop and talk as there was a long drive ahead). When the Doc reached the corner of the Eulo-Toompine Road and the Adventure Way two large SLRV vehicles (MAN Commanders) were traveling west were talking about the baby SLRV on the UHF (The Doc’s Grenadier). Both events happened in about 30 minutes in the middle of nowhere.
The rest of the trip to Goondiwindi (actually nearby Bogabilla) was the same route as the trip in.
Shakedown lessons
Cunnamulla would be the refueling stop, but the grey nomads were everywhere, especially lined up for fuel. There was still fuel in the Grenadier’s mounted fuel containers. The Doc pulled out the fuel pump to find out the diameter of the tank opening did not let the pump be inserted. The Doc decided to refuel at Bollom instead and arrived on fuel vapors (with one or two litres left in the car).
The fuel tank was fixed at Expedition HQ during the next service, by reboring the opening. It turns out when the tanks were purchased, The Doc was given the wrong set of fuel tanks. This is why The Doc does shake down trips to find things like this out without creating major dramas.
The Doc also found out on the trip he could not sleep in the Grenadier due to his ongoing injuries from the car accident and instead had to stay in a motel. Before setting out The Doc thought he could sleep in the car, but he got a reality check instead! It became obvious on this trip The Doc needed extensive rehab and he started heading back home for treatment. The car was not only being tested but also the driver under field conditions. It was a wake up – and the intense rehab is still ongoing.
The Lightforce Viper lightbar also prove itself in the dark and rain driving out of Eromanga.
After leaving Stanthorpe, The Doc travelled along the Stanthorpe-Texas Road. Then through Texas and heading northward to Inglewood (along the Inglewood-Texas Road), which was a great drive early in the morning. Time to visit the local bakery and get some warm bacon and cheese topped rolls, which was the food for the day (nice rolls they were). The last roll later in the day was warmed up in the Travel Buddy Oven.
The Doc drove all day and stayed overnight at Cunnamulla. It was a long day’s driving. On the way The Doc fueled at a Roadhouse outside Goondawindi. From memory, it was time for a Magnum ice cream.
Leaving Cunnamulla early the next morning The Doc travelled west out of Cunnamulla via Eulo (Eu-lo) and Thargomindah (Thar-go-min-dah) along the Bulloo Developmental Road. Here is an interactive map of the trip from Ballina to Eromanga.
Eulo is a place where many of the Australian Megafauna, like the Diprotodon, are found.
Previously The Doc had always travelled north out of Cunnamulla along the Mitchell Highway, but a change was in order.
The Doc visited Noccundra and then turned northwards onto the Cooper Developmental Road and up into Eromanga the back way.
The traffic was light all the way. It turns out had The Doc gone the normal way (Cunnamulla, Charleville, Quilpie and then Eromanga) he would have run into many cars heading to the Big Red Bash at Birdsville.
On a back road, The Doc came across a little oasis in the in the middle of nowhere in this semi arid landscape. Enjoy.
At the beginning of the Eromanga trip The Doc drove from Ballina to his mate’s place at Stanthorpe. He stayed two nights and got to ride in Tony’s Ford 350 – wow what a great tow vehicle!
The next morning The Doc was just touring around Stanthorpe and found the Mt Marlay Lookout. Just a few images from the Lookout. Click on that first panorama, because at full size it has amazing details.
The Doc really liked Stanthorpe and for the first time since switching to part time work, thought about moving out of Sydney.
We had lunch at the Jam Factory and later that day Tony took The Doc to Donnellys Castle Recreations Reserve. Plus a few textures from the reserve.
Tony made a great choice to live in Stanthorpe, part of the Granite Belt. The Doc will be back.
Interactive map from Ballina to Eromanga here. Enjoy.
On the first day heading back to home, The Doc passed through Yelarbon located on the Cunningham Highway heading towards Goondiwindi on the New South Wales and Queensland borders. The Doc was actually staying on the NSW side at Bogabilla. The Doc stayed a few nights at Bogabilla visiting the Goondiwindi Botanic Gardens, showcasing the plant communities of the Upper Darling Basin
Yelarbon is a rail terminal with grain silos, which are all gussied up. It was a quick break to take a few images. Looking back The Doc should have used a tilt shift lens to capture the silos.
The Yelarbon Silos are part of the extraordinary Australian Silo Art Trail.
Heading north out of Eromanga along the Kyabra Road, traveling through Kyabra Station, you come across Kyabra Waterhole (pronounced Ky-ab-ra). It is a permanent waterhole fed by surrounding floodways. The Station owners kindly make it available, free of charge, as an overnight stop for travelers.
The Doc stayed for about an hour, as the main objective that day was the nearby red sand hills – being the most eastwards of any of red sand hills from the Simpson Desert.
If you keep traveling north you reach the Diamantina Developmental Road, turning right you head to Quilpie, turning left you go to Windorah and on to Birdville. Enjoy.
The Doc’s friend Steve Young got special permission to visit Buckaroola Station. These images are from the second visit, as The Doc forgot to put his memory card into his camera during the first visit! Buckaroola Station is westward out of Eromanga along the Cooper Developmental Road and is not open to the public.
During the Eromanga trip in 2024, The Doc visited the adjoining Bullo Shire. Here are some images from Outback Queensland, Bullo Shire. Back to travel is a big objective of The Doc’s rehab.
The Doc stopped a few times at the fancy Rest Stop in the middle of nowhere, near the border of the Bullo and Quilpie Shires, on the Quilpie side (located on the Cooper Developmental Road). Nice clean toilets and over a week or so The Doc stopped for tea, lunch, snacks and rest breaks from driving. It was used as a rest stop on longer trips away from Eromanga.
The other rest stop with the big skip bin was located near Noccundra, located at the intersection of the Bullo Developmental Road and the Innamincka Road.
The Doc has never been happy with the front plastic number plate holder. Black Sheep now sell a metal version which The Doc installed today.
Here are some of the lessons learned.
BLACK SHEEP NUMBER PLATE HOLDER INSTALLATION HELP
The Doc could not get all four bolts into the bumper bar, there was always one hole misaligned, despite trying a few things. Not sure if it is a design issue with the Black Sheep holder or a manufacturing variation in The Doc’s car. The Doc used the top two bolt holes and the bottom right side. The Black Sheep holder is secure and a lot stronger than the old INEOS plastic number plate holder (INEOS holder). The missing bolt is not visible with the Black Sheep holder cover down.
The holder appears level on the bumper bar.
Make sure the top of the holder is properly aligned with the bumper, otherwise you can have issues inserting the new bolts.
TOOLS NEEDED
PARTS NEEDED
There were rain showers during the install. The number plate is a standard size NSW plate, not a custom size.
Recently the Australian Wildlife Conservancy stickers went on the car. The Doc found himself smiling when driving back home, as the build is now mostly complete. The first time The Doc can remember being so happy since the fatal car accident 2 years ago. The Grenadier build has been therapeutic! The Doc is still working through injuries and trauma but starting to feel better.
The car is back to being AWC’s mobile billboard and ready for The Doc’s Excellent Adventure.
The L tracks did make fitting the stickers more challenging. Fonts had to follow AWC’s guidelines, except Proudly supporting.
Observant readers will have noticed the car’s name is now official: Wally. Named after the wallaby The Doc hit on the road last year. The Doc added a Wally sticker to the driver’s side bonnet/hood.
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