London to Darwin #8: the last bit... to Rothwell
On leaving Darwin I still had a jolly long trip ahead, but was so much easier than the international legs of the last few weeks…. it was so nice not to have to deal with customs/immigration, lobbying around what flight route would be accepted then waiting in the cockpit while they found the flight plan, etc…. then be constantly in contact with ATC, providing reports on positions, intentions, and estimates. The Vickers Vimy REMOVED their radio in London to save weight - they didn’t communicate at all along the route!
Once I was 15 miles south of Darwin, I was cleared to navigate at my own discretion and just monitor rather than actively engage on the frequency. Ahead was 8 hours of almost blissful silence and the glorious Australian Outback. The colours changed from red to brown to grey to red then grey again. At 9,500’ there was a small tailwind, it was smooth, cool and relaxing.
On crossing the Simpson desert I descended to land at one of Australia’s most remote outposts, the Mt Dare Station, literally a pub with accommodation, good hearty food and a fuel bowser - and a strapping long runway! I landed mid afternoon, and could have flown on for another few hours, but so quirky yet typically outback is this place I wanted to stay and experience it - plus, I knew it would be a chance to get the commemorative mail finished so it would be ready to distribute once I returned to Melbourne.
The next morning I was up and gone by 5.30am, and tried a few different levels before settling on 9,500’ again, which had the least headwind. I had a plan to drop down and do a Splash’n’Go on Lake Boga on the way home, in honour of the secret Catalina base there during WW2, a place my Grandfather visited when serving on board the Cats - but then I received this text from Anne on my sat device, and I thought - you’re right, don’t risk it!
But with some in flight data and analysing the weather, proceeding south would best be delayed by a few hours, so I decided on a pitstop in Wentworth, near Mildura on the banks of the Mighty Murray, more for my body than the plane, but when I found a hose next to the fuel bowser, decided a wash down for Southern Sun would be a nice thing before our arrival tomorrow. I wandered into the club house looking for some detergent and a bucket and found a few club members having lunch, and a locally made Pastie was quickly produced and really hit the spot - a nice change from my usual bite sized doses of oats and nuts.
I had a decision to make - we had advised I’d arrive home the next day at Noon, but I realised with two days of favourable weather I could make it to Melbourne tonight… but I couldn’t go all the way home… but gee it would be nice to see Anne… so the cunning plan was - I’d fly to Bacchus Marsh, the wonderful airfield north west of Melbourne, and Southern Sun would stay there the night. On arriving, despite having flown for 8 hours already today, I figured it was a good time to do some circuits! I’m conscious of the difference between landing on 3km tarmac runways and smaller fields - and Rothwell tomorrow is a 600m narrow grass strip. It’s hard not to get into different habits on the big airports, they always are wanting you to expedite, o I tend to land 10 knots faster, with plenty of runway to ply with - but now I had to land accurately, slowly and pull up quickly. The grass sides at Bacchus are usable so I practised a few, and was so glad to have had the chance.
Almost home - only 9nm to go!
The last day of the trip turned out to be a lovely day, a few fellow PtCook flying club members and a couple of other planes decided to fly in to Rothwell to welcome me home, which I suppose makes it or first fly-in! (looking forward to hosting more….) Most fun of all was Jon Clements and Rob Fox came and met me at Bacchus in the awesome Vietnam era warbird Cessna Birdog, and would escort me home, taking photos and footage along the way!
I orbited the property to check the windsock, and was surprised hope many cars were parked, how lovely… I cam back around, performed a normal circuit - safest way… no shortcuts now thanks…. - landing went smoothly, this amazing plane easily pulling up on the fairly short strip. A crowd of family, friends old and new was a treat, and after shutting down and the first champagne popped, the trip was over, time to chat and catch up. Happy Days. Caroline from The Age was there, who had interviewed me whilst I was in Darwin, and finished off and filed a great story about the historical trip I had undertaken - greatly appreciated and a nice way to wrap up the trip. I particularly liked the way they went through all of my video posts and assembled their own story - nice one, thanks.
Well, a big trip completed. But in many ways - this is just the beginning, the new Southern Sun may just be the greatest adventure plane available today, and exploring we shall. I look forward to doing so with family and friends now rather than solo, and the next one will be to retrace the Darwin to Adelaide section of the Vickers Vimy in March next year. But there’ll be some short trips in between, and lot’s of work on the ground over summer, the property at Rothwell, the Sun and some Screen Without Borders activities….
Merry Festive Season to all, where ever you may be, and especially to all those I met along the way, look to the Skies, Venture always, Onwards and Upwards.
Southern Sun, standing by…
