Roto Round-Up.

Joint trip with Holden/Jackaroo 4WD clubs from NSW, Victoria and South Australia

Trip report by Judith Taylor.

When Jim told me the combined Jackaroo/Holden gathering for 2001 was at the Roto cricket ground, but facilities were very basic (one drop toilet), I thought "do I really want to go". Go we did. Wise decision, as the weekend was absolutely tops.

Very early morning start for us on Thursday with Junee first port of call. Jim had this fixation to see the railway town. Luck was on his side as the Roundhouse Railway Museum was open and manned by Keith who just lived and breathed trains. We spent 3 enjoyable hours going back in time on the railways. Camera worked overtime.

The majority of the campers from our Club also left Thursday, not quite so early, spending the night along the way and planning to arrive at Roto Friday afternoon.

We arrived at Roto about 5.30pm Thursday after walking the length of Griffith main street looking for a fruit and vegetable shop to buy the fruit I had promised Terry as the convoy would not be passing through a town in the fruit fly free zone to purchase fruit. My first impression of the "cricket ground" was of disbelief - knee high grass on the field and a not a pitch to be seen (I did eventually find the pitch - see photo below) and red dust to camp on under the trees. The drop toilet was a magnificent sight - wooden hut with a wooden floor but held upright by a prop on one side and tied to the trees on the other (see photo). Even had a hand-basin and paper towels. Luxury, beyond my expectations.

The Victorian advance crew had been working hard digging a camp fire trench and extra drop toilets, even mowing pathways, and if needed they would mow a patch for a tent. Early evening the first train came through on the way to Broken Hill giving a great blast on the tooter. Repeat blast on the return trip. Luckily the early morning trains kept their whistles quiet.

Friday, Jim and I went touring. Down the road to see the cotton being harvested and were lucky enough to be offered a ride on the harvester. They are as quiet as the Jackaroo to ride in. On to Willandra National Park. The Willandra House has been extensively renovated since our visit 5 to 6 years ago and was a hive of activity getting ready for a wedding in the grounds the next day (the first one since the early 1900's). There were so many emus with well advanced chicks, the first time I have seen more emus than kangaroos in the wild. We followed the train line back to camp and came across 8-12 wedgetail eagles perched on the railway line. They all took to the air when we tried to get close for a photograph - simply magnificent in flight.

The remainder of the NSW campers arrived quite a bit later than the expected 3.00pm, just a few problems, flat tyres and a holed water container. Oh the joys of gravel road driving!

We were split into 4 groups for the Saturday tours, leaving at half hourly intervals. Great organisation to get us all round the Roto Property without meeting or crossing paths. Our first tour was just leaving as No 4 arrived. Perfect timing. Morning tea at a pleasant spot on the Willandra Creek then followed the railway line to Mount Hope and the site of an old open cut copper mine. Mount Hope hotel sold showers for $2, if we had only known. I suppose it was best we didn't know, at least we were all all in the same state of cleanliness. Dusty!!

Each day those hard workers extended the camp fire trench so that by the time Sunday banquet was to be cooked the trench must have been 8-10 metres long. We certainly had some wonderful fires to sit and chat by. The trains came by each night - at least 4. From a deep sleep, it took a while to realise what the noise was.

Sunday morning, we toured to a lookout overlooking the vast Hay plains and examined some aboriginal cave paintings. The trip took slightly longer than expected - 8 cars in convoy on the red dust roads certainly spreads out. Back in camp, quick lunch and Tom Welsh and one of the local property owners took us on a walk of the site of the old Roto town. Tom had certainly done his homework and was able to give us a very interesting talk on the history of the railway and the old town. The community hall is the only building left.

The vehicle challenge followed our walk.

• Nick (driver) and Christine (navigator) were our representatives.
• Navigator had to guide the blindfolded driver through witches hat obstacles.
• Points were awarded for driving skill, audience participation and entertainment.

Final challenge: Archery - 2 arrows each for driver and navigator. Robin Hood Nick hit the target with his first arrow, gaining good points. Then all went downhill from there, nearly everyone missing the target. Great fun though.

Photo shoot of linup of all 32 cars - I needed two shots to get them all in, hopefully someone had a wide angle lens to get the ultimate photo.

The Sunday night banquet would have given a 5 star restaurant a run for its money. It was a fabulous night.

• The caterers set out our tables; (photo below)
• blue tablecloths with laminated placemats picturing the Victorian Club's cartoon Jackaroo,
• red serviettes and beautiful white cutlery, not very strong but very practical.

• Starters: Nibbles and dips, followed by:
• Apertiser: Seafood avocado
• Entree: Pasta with beef sauce
• Main: Camp oven cooked lamb and beef with gravy.
• Vegetables: Green peas, carrots and jacket potatoes
• Sweets: Cheesecake and fruit salad and cream
• Wine: Red and White.

The cooks deserve a commendation; everything done to perfection. Alan was so apologetic the avocados hadn't ripened, but they became great containers for the seafood. Some avocados had ripened, because Jim's was ripe. I take my hat off to the cheesecake maker - somehow she made the cheesecakes in camp on Sunday morning and found enough fridge space to cool them. Magnificent effort by Alan and his cooks.

The night was rounded off by the vehicle challenge trophy presentation (railway spikes mounted on boards) with all 3 teams being winners. NSW doing well overall. Great job Nick and Christine.

Where to next year? President George Cottee announced that NSW would like to host the weekend for 2002 - place yet to be chosen, but it will be somewhere in the NSW outback, hopefully as this year, central for all. We will have to all get our thinking caps on to make a successful weekend.

Our Club suffered the most misfortunes: 7 flat tyres, wrecked shock absorber and one broken water tank. At least the boys had practice fixing or plugging tyre leaks. I believe one Victorian car also had a flat.

Once again, to Alan Dash, the Victorian Club members and the people from Roto district, thank you for an absolutely wonderful weekend.

• 32 vehicles in total - 15 from NSW
• Our travel distance recorded by fuel stops:

• 258 Km Sydney to Yass
• 455 Km Yass to Hillston via Junee -
• 616 Km Hillston to Hillston (ie includes Roto touring)
• 748 Km Hillston to Home (Sydney) via Lake Cargelligo, Lake Cowell, Yass, Goulburn
• 2077 Km Total distance travelled
• 3 litre tdi Jackaroo fuel consumption: 9.8 to 11.9 l/100 Km.
• Average: 10.8 l/Km 100 Overall