23/12/2024
Ray's Wayward Adventures
November 14 1990, the first of the regular Adelaide Melbourne departures.
Ralph had done the occasional trip prior, but it was obvious a 1 man show wasn't going to work.
I had worked with Ralph at Mt Buller doing the oversnow transport. While whooping my arse, again, in a chess game, he muttered his idea of these tours.
In November 90, I caught up with Ralph after the Grand Prix where he filled me in on his plan. He asked me to join him, and away we went. A pretty good combination, Ralph with his business acumen and drive, my experience in running tours for 3 years with Top Deck Europe, Nth Africa, Scandinavia and Russia.
Spruiking with homemade posters around the various backpackers we managed to go from a weekly return departure, to realising a 2nd one was required. More crew and buses were needed. The crew who came on board really developed the flavour of the Wayward experience, each adding their own style and it evolved into a self promoting tour.
Derek, Dave, Rohan, Sven, Andy D, Ian, Steve R, Andy H, Marie, Viv, Jo, John, Warren, Dallas, Yolanda (vale), Pam, Brian are some, and my apologies to those many more I have forgotten.
In May 91 the numbers of bookings were slowing, so we were dropping back to a single departure a week for winter.
So I took advantage of the lull, with some punters from my last Melbourne trip, some others and a box full of brochures we headed north to spread the Wayward word further afield. In what would later evolve into the Adelaide Alice trip.
With 8 of us in the Urvan, through the Flinders, Bunyeroo Brachina gorge, Oodnadatta track, Curdimurka, mound springs, William Ck pub, Coober Pedy, Uluru, Kings Canyon, West MacDonnell ranges, Alice, Devils marbles, Daly waters pub, mataranka hot springs, caves, Katherine gorge, overnight canoe trip, Edith falls, Litchfield waterfalls, swimming holes, Mary river tinny hire, croc sighting 30+, need a bigger boat, Kakadu, Darwin, Mindil markets, F***y bay jail, Cyclone Tracy exhibit, Timber Ck, 24 hr pub, culture tour, Keep river, Aboriginal rock art, Kunannura, rock climbing, Wyndham, 5 rivers lookout, Halls Ck, Bungle Bungles, Fitzroy Crossing, China wall, Tunnel Ck, Gibb river Rd, Derby, Broome, Cable beach, stairway to the moon, outdoor cinema, Pilbara, Millstream, Weano gorge, Hammersley gorge, Fortescue falls, etc, Coral bay, Ningaloo reef, Carnarvon, long Jetty, Monkey Mia, dolphins, Kalbarri NP, Pinnacles. and lots of side trips.
Finally after 8 weeks, we arrived in Perth.
Then after spending a week promoting Wayward and dropping brochures, I gathered 6 punters for the reverse trip.
After being away for 17 weeks and 23,000 Kms later, the next day I signed up as a Director and partner.
The Alice trip started not long after, proudly developing into a tour popular with the crew and punters alike.
It proved so popular a larger bus was needed. March 93 was the first for the Denning. Dave Arnold and I did this trip, having to stop in Peterborough to vote in the federal election. The passengers were so intrigued by this, we spent ages explaining the system to them.
A few months later I was in the Flinders, dropping into Angorichina resort to organise it as a 2nd night stop in the Flinders, they had a real chuckle, other tour group reps turned up in flash 4wds, here I was in the mighty 25yr Kingswood.
This change meant the following night stop would be at William Creek Pub, allowing the punters and crew to enjoy the ambience of an outback pub. Rather than Coward Springs, famous for its flys.
The Alice trip was Steve Rehn’s second home, he added so much to the outback experience.
The following year, 92 I did another memorable 4 wk trip with Marie. A Student Gap Year charter.The usual to Alice then onto Mt Isa, the famous rodeo was on. Saw the legendary “Chainsaw”. The Punters were ecstatic. Up to Normanton and across east taking in the hot thermal springs, Cairns, Kuranda railway, Russell river whitewater canoes, couple nights sailing the Whitsundays, taking in the sights of east coast, Gold coast hinterland, Sydney, Canberra.
To complete the loops I was able to do our first Perth run, down around the south coast. Lucky Bay in the Cape Le Grand NP, spectacular, the bluest water against the whitest sand is amazing. And caving on the Nullarbor.
There were numerous highlights during my Wayward years. One of the things was a chance to see the country in its changing moods.
The Great Ocean Road in its beautiful sunny glory to the wild winter storms, and the outback in its 6 seasons, wet, dry, hot, cold, f’n hot and f’n cold.
Getting the chance to visit places before they were excluded rightly for environmental and cultural reasons.
But the standout memory was a 1992 Boxing day departure out of Melbourne. The bus was sound asleep along the Geelong Rd except for one, who came down the front to ride shotgun and chat, she is still riding shotgun with me.
After 5 years it was time to move onto my next adventure, raising a family.
Ralph and the Company should be proud to help many to expand their careers and even springboard their own companies.
I thank all involved, it enriched my life. And I do miss that Denning.
It's amazing how far a game of chess can take you.
Cheers Ray Hill
