People

Spirit of Tasmania

After getting through security onto the ferry (even checked under the mattresses for stowaways.

Sitting outside on the upper deck we ended up chatting to two chaps who were trying to drink the bar dry.

Fisherman looking

Lived in a derelict “wicked” type van for 3 years, coming from Perth. But does have a wife in Portland and going to Hobart to get his ticket to be able to work on ships. Has worked on fishing boats but has no records as they are on the bottom of the sea off Albany…Got caught on the second check of his vehicle with butane canisters bound together with tape and hidden in a drawer. As he was being told to get rid of them, chap was told to get rid of a jerry can of petrol. So guess what, nicked the Gerry can whilst it was on the ground and started to fill the van up.

Carpet Layer

Worked in Alice Springs for four years but now going home to near Hobart. When the Fishermen was talking about the wife being sick on an old ship going to Tasmania, as quick as a flash, “what she went across with the First Fleet” Being in a bar and a young female asked for a smoke he gave her his last two smokes. When she asked for a match, out comes the old one liner, “what your face and my ar…” As the night went on the stories got funnier.

Somerset – TAS – Gaffney

Works in the craft shop of the caravan park at Somerset. Friendly lady who is a member of the family that owns and runs the park. Actually born in Tasmania and shifted a long way from Port Sorrell to Somerset. Bit like shifting from Port Adelaide to Norwood. Rivalry in sports is apparently fierce. Going to Hobart is like a big holiday so the people from the mainland do not mind travelling while the islanders do not normally see that much. Spent a good deal of time talking to us and is very good at her job and a really nice person. Her brother played for West Adelaide whilst attending Salisbury College.

Strahan – TAS – Ollie

5 year old with a vivid imagination. Could not wait to get into the plane. One of the pilots lived opposite him. His dad worked for Huon Salmon. I tried to tell him how the locks worked, normally a letter then 4 numbers. He did not get it so tried to show him how to punch the numbers. I reckon he tried for 5 minutes without success. He told the other pilots on our return how the best bit he liked, was when we flew upside down.

Zeehan – TAS – Doug Purnell

Doug is the first person I have met in a caravan Park who has been awarded an Order of Australia. Doug retired eighteen months ago and purchased a camper trailer to do some travelling to combine his passion for painting and sketching. Doug and heather live out from Sydney at the end of the M2. His profession for 40 years was as a Uniting Church Minister . His goal for the next 10 years is to have sufficient material for an art exhibition. He has been to America on 2 occasions as an artist in residence at theological colleges. He had worked in NSW, VIC and WA during his career. Was interesting to sit and sharing a glass of red wine with him.

St Marys – TAS – Laundo

Whilst in St Marys we had to visit the laundromat. All of a sudden this person appears and starts to check things out. He is the caretaker but more importantly one of the characters. Starts to tell us about the people in Cornwall (whilst making banjo imitations) He is not being rude as his daughter lives there in a house he bought her. He goes out that way to cut fire wood for some elderly friends. He by the way is 58. Tells the story of the self-professed Mayor of Cornwall. He used to take a couple of long planks with him to lay over the Mayors fence whilst he drove his ute over it. Cut his wood and then drove back out. He got dobbed in on Face Book. Also professes to be part Aborigine to assist his wood cutting activities. He said to prove he was not.

Port Campbell – Vic – Tina

Whilst travelling the Great Ocean Road, we had a meal in the camp kitchen in Port Campbell. Met Tina who lives near Colac and has worked in the abattoir. Is involved in slaughtering 9 calves a minute following the Halal method. Had a group of 15 men come from Melbourne, to see if they would be suitable to work in the same establishment. Three of them proved to be suitable. Would be interesting to work with her seeing she is not particularly politically correct. Talked about the way that some of the Muslim men only get to see the women’s eyes before they get married.

She asked one what happens if you unwrap one, and it turns out you got an ugly one !!!!
Naracoorte – SA – Sam (Yu) Zhuang and Linda

Sam is the CEO at Smart-Path.net. On line trading company. He and his wife had spent 3 weeks in Australia travelling with two boys. They had two nights left in Australia and had decided to try the Bar-b-que in the camp kitchen. I proceed to tell Ken that the two people from China were an engineer (changed from accountant) and a teacher. Ken said I was full of it and was just guessing. Of course I was, but my accuracy rate is pretty high. It turned out they had scratched the motor home they were travelling in, at Mt Gambier Woolworth’s out by the new Masters Hardware. Overhanging canopies can be an issue as I nearly found out at Broken Hill with the bikes on top of the Navara. Nothing as good as Sam though. Linda was a linguistics teacher. They were curious as to where the sheep they had seen during the day were put for the night. We told then they hid in the scrub to keep warm. Very nice couple who had to get to the airport on time to go home to China

Roma – Queensland – Donna Nugent

In 2008 whilst travelling across the Nullabor we stopped at Caiguna for the night. Whilst filling up for fuel, two motor bikes pulled in. Starting to find out where they were from, they said Roma. I replied “those Golder Girls that are on free to air satellite TV” Donna’s reaction was “you just cannot get away from those girls. Said they normally saw them every night. Well they had a bakery ! Next morning prior to leaving I met them again and she had a saw throat and no scarf. Gave he a neck warmer that I used when sea kayaking. All these years later (2018) decided to see if they still owned the bakery. They did and Donna sat with us for probably 20 minutes. Explained that her husband, Robert was not in town. We explained we started our holiday in Wagga Wagga.

That is where Robert was as he is the President of the Australian Clay Target Association. He was responsible for the new building just completed that Stone the Crows was held. It really is a small world.