Emma’s December 1972 Travel Diary

In 1972 my father, Doug Marrington, decided to go on a series of driving holidays ostensibly to visit his distributors. They chose to go in the school holidays so that I could be part of the adventure. Truthfully, at 14, I was too young to leave at home. My paternal grandmother, Emma, was also invited. My grandfather, Stan, had died about four years before. Grandma must have shown an interest in keeping a travel diary because he bought one for her. She kept it for all our trips together in the seventies. While I don’t remember her writing in it, she must have done so every day.

Paul Marrington

Other Trips: Feb’73, Dec’73

Date: Dec 1st 1972 Reg’s birthday
Place: Capalaba to Moree and Broken Hill
Weather: fine and warm

We, Douglas, Betty, Paul and I left Capalaba at twelve and arrived at Moree at 7 p.m., so we had dinner and stayed the night. We left very early, 4 a.m. the next morning, had breakfast on the road, passed through Coonabarabran, Gilgandra, and Cobar, and reached Broken Hill at 2:30 p.m., temperature 40C. We stayed the night, left December third at 3:30 a.m. (Queensland time), and saw numerous kangaroos and emu on that stretch.

I don’t remember those early starts. Imagine they poured me into the car, where I gained consciousness about when we stopped for breakfast.

Paul

Arrived in Adelaide at 2 p.m. – stayed two nights. Doug had business meetings, so Betty, Paul and I went site-seeing. Left Adelaide, temp 38c at 11:30 a.m. lunch at Clare. We travelled through the grape country to Port Augusta and stayed the night.

I remember going for a walk with my father on one of these stops through a field of high ant hills and blackboys (as we knew them then). Suddenly we reached the end of the earth – literally. It was a long drop to the sea with a magnificent view of the same for as far as the eye can see (or sea). No wonder it was called the Great Australian Bight.

Paul

5th: Weather changed to cold. We left at 3 a.m. (Queensland time) again. Breakfast on the road Doug had bought two gas burners, a Teflon frypan and saucepan. Sleety cold rain has set in. We passed through Ceduna at 9 a.m. and onto the dirt road for 210 miles. The rain kept the dust down, and the trip was quite pleasant. Betty drove quite a bit of the way. It was still raining lightly for the next 58 bitchumen miles.

I have a clear memory of my father running down the road, saucepan in hand, trying to wave off the flies enough to eat his scrambled eggs. We were all hiding, and sweltering, in the car to eat ours.

Paul

Stayed the night at Eucla. Showers were not so pleasant at the motel as the water was saline. Left early again 3:15 a.m. (Queensland time) travelled in the lightly undulating country in cool, cloudy weather. Met large mobs of kangaroos. One old man sat in the road, and we had to stop to chase him; again, another half dozen hopped across in front of the car, and Doug ran over the tail of one when he tried to dodge them. There were many dead ones on the road. Saw more emus with baby chicks and more kangaroos. We bought lunch at Norseman and had it in the open, but the flies were very bad. The temperature was getting high again 34c. We had a quick look through Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie.

We stopped at Southern Cross the night and travelled into Perth in intense heat 40c. Doug had business in Perth. Betty, Paul and I went to the zoo for a couple of hours, but the heat was troubling, so we went back to the motel.

I remember arriving in Perth exhausted by the heat. Nothing was open, and we were starving. My father went out, but the only thing he could get was a spicy Indian-style roast chicken that was almost mummified. For the rest of her life, my mother would point out that Perth would only show the average daily temperature in the height of summer – not the highs and lows.

Paul

Saturday morning, we went to Busselton about 200 miles south and drove through groves of brilliant blooming orange coloured Christmas trees. Doug took photos of Christmas trees. Stay the night at Busselton. Early next morning, Doug and I went for a 3-mile walk, firstly along the beach where the Indian Ocean was so calm and smooth and then along the tracks where the wildflowers were almost finished but still enough to give an idea of what they would be like in their season.

The next morning we drove through country where many-coloured flowers were still in bloom on the way to Augusta and Cape Lewellen, where it was only 24C – cool and pleasant. We were at was the most South-westerly point of Australia with the lighthouse. Because of the picturesque rocks and surf would have liked to stay longer but had to return to Busselton via Nannup and then back to Perth.

We stayed at the highway Hotel Perth for the 10th and 11th in searing heat 42C. We drove around and wanted to see more, but the heat and flies did not make the trip very pleasant. There were many beautiful parks. It’s a very pretty place.

We left on Albany Highway at 4 a.m. Tuesday morning, but as the heat was still indicated, proceeded to Esperance and Esperance Bay on the way across. The temperature rose to 40C but cooled at night.

Left Esperance 3:40 a.m. (Western Australian time). Breakfast at Norseman. Very hot again a dry. Trip to Mundrabilla driving through temperatures of 40C.

We stayed the night, although only 1:45 p.m., but Betty collapsed from heat exhaustion. Left Wednesday the 14th at 3 a.m. to try and beat the heat, but the last 80 miles, the temperature rose to 45C. Doug stopped the car to cool if possible but stopped off the road in the dust, and we had to push the car back. I pushed behind the driving side, and as the car moved, I just got the cloud of dust and couldn’t see anything. Doug could not see me for a moment, and then a grey ghost appeared, and he laughed so much he could not drive, and so did I, and as I had been wet through with perspiration, I was just in a mud bath when we came to the gate. The man asked if we had any plants or soil, and I said plenty on me. He looked and laughed and said he had been asked to wash a car but never a grandmother.

If she had breathed in at the wrong time it would have turned out very differently. There were no mobile phones in those days.

Paul

We arrived at Ceduna about 11:30 a.m. Through this heat, we kept wet clothes on the back of our necks and had frequent drinks through the water was hot, and so were cans of apple juice. The following morning experienced again a cool change – only 28C. Left for Wandina but due to the change with cloud cover to Broken Hill through Port Augusta Wilmington Petersborough, and only experienced the heat on the last 50 miles from 6 p.m. to Broken Hill. We stayed the night. Doug rang Arnold and bought three clocks.

What insanity tempted my father to make a trip like that in the height of the Australian summer? Only mad dogs and Australians go out in the midday sun.

Paul

Left 11:30 in pleasant conditions. We arrived in Mildura and was warmly welcomed. We rested on Saturday and went to a special dinner at night, and I enjoyed a drink called a tropical thunderstorm. On Sunday, we toured around and bought peaches, apricots and plums very cheaply.

We went to see the art gallery and museum. On Monday, after a 9 a.m. breakfast, we left Swan Hill but decided to follow the Murray River through the wildlife reserve. Most spectacular drive through unmade bush tracks. Under practically every tree, kangaroos lay and scarcely bothered to lift their heads as we went by. Also, emus, galahs, parrots, white cockatoos, pelicans, ducks, Ibis and all seemed undisturbed by our progress. We were so taken up by the scenery that we decided to come back and camp by the Murray River next year.

We spent two hours at the Pioneer Settlement in Swan Hill. Paul and Doug saw the War Museum. We then proceeded to the Echuca through the lakes district seeing water birds in abundance. Doug and Betty had stayed in Echuca before, so they were received as old friends and made very welcome. After breakfast, we inspected the wharf and the paddle steamer. We then drove through their scenic drive and was very interested in their beautiful sporting area, covering several acres and all sporting requirements, including 18 tennis courts. After spending about three hours in the antique shop Doug and Betty bought four clocks and other bits pieces.

We left for Wodonga and arrived about 2 p.m. after a cup of tea, toured the Hume Weir and went to the trout farm and fed the trout. Amusing in the way the trout know. As soon as you near their pool, they come towards you and follow you as you walk along.

We spent the night at Wodonga and left at 8:15 a.m. We travelled along the southern shores of the Hume reservoir on the Murray Valley Highway until Khancoban, where we joined the Alpine highway, followed it around and up to Thredbo Village, where we viewed Mount Kosciuszko and could see ice packed on the slopes. Steep climbs; followed Alpine way to Adaminaby, bypassing Eucumba and saw the lakes from many vantage points. We re-entered Mount Kosciuszko Park, came along the Blowering reservoir and then to Tumut, where we stayed the night.

I remember being surprised by the sight of the ice on the peaks of Kosciuszko.

Paul

Left 6 a.m. and travelled across the country to Gundagai, join the Henry Lawson highway on the road to Cootamundra, the Olympic Way to Young and Henry Lawson highway again to Forbes. We joined the Newell Highway at Forbes and then onto Parks, Dubbo and Gilgandra, where we spent some time in one of Australia’s largest antique shops. We bought some odds and ends, then travelled towards Coonabarabran, saw the Warrenbungle ranges, then went to Gunnedah, Tamworth and Armadale, where we spent the night.

Before leaving the next morning, we visited another antique shop, and Betty saw the clock she wanted – a beautiful wall clock, so Doug bought it for her Christmas present.

Antique shops are boring to a 14-year-old boy.

Paul

We started on the last leg of our home journey at 11:30 a.m. Doug stopped to take photos of paddocks white with daisies so thick they looked as if there had been a fall of snow. A little further along, pink was mixed with the white and some yellow flowers also. It was such a pretty sight. Lunch at Wollangarra. Striking heavy traffic to Capalaba. Arrived 3:45 p.m.

If I come across photographs during my scanning, I will add them to this message.

Paul

Finished a most enjoyable holiday and the best company you could travel with. This book was given to me by Doug and Betty to write up these memories also a full map marked with the places we stayed at.

We travel 7600 miles.

I have not mentioned the vast areas of wheat grown in South Australia or the saltpans in Western Australia