Anzac Day & Pub Tour 2022

                                              ANZAC DAY & PUB TOUR – 2022

Day 0

Well I’m Kooky the company mascot and mouthpiece and I’m champing at the bit to get back on the road again. This rotten Covid situation has been cramping my style.

This diary is written from my eyes and each person on the trip has the honor of being my foster parent and gets to see what I see.

Tomorrow, we’ll be making our way to St George begin our fist trip of the 2022 season.

I can’t wait to meet our guests and introduce them to some of the quirky pubs as well as the incredible outback scenery.

Everyone will be excited, and happy to know they are being looked after by my mates Ross & Kenny

Day 1

Kooky welcomes Peter & Sandra to share day one. After a night out and enjoying a beer, meal, and pokies we settle in for the night ready to start the new day.

After good night’s sleep we woke to bacon& eggs for breakfast. We set off in search of donuts (no luck), but the coffee was good.

First stop for the day was Bollon, where I sat in the tree seeing what was going on. After a sleep we arrived in Cunnamulla for lunch.

A quiet trip to the Eulo hotel where we sat out the back with cheese & crackers and good company and was handed on to my new friends

Peter & Sandra

Day 2

My foster parents for the day are Kathleen& Kenny.

I am now in AA because of the alcohol that was given by my last foster parents. Last night we stayed at the Eulo Pub. The camping area sure was beautiful, the night was a little warm but very nice.

Today we head out towards Hungerford. We started off on a little bit of bitumen but all of a sudden, we hit the gravel roads. Not too bad along here, unfortunately there’s a few cattle grids but that’s ok.

We’ll get there, haven’t got very far along the road yet so will wait and see what the rest of the day is going to bring.

A good hour or so on the road from Eulo there was so much dust, Kathleen had to put a mask on me.

We stopped in Hungerford for a short break, lovely little town. Not much to see and do there but right on the border of Queensland and NSW.

We had to open the gate in the dog fence for the others and collected $3.10 plus 4 Lilly snakes. wow, shortly into NSW we saw a tree with four killed wild dogs hanging from it.

10Km out from Wanaaring the road got rough, and I was really shaken about from all of the corrugating.

Arrived in Tibooburra with my foster parents very exhausted.

To top it off the bar maid in the pub spilt Kenny’s beer and they talk about me needing AA.

I’m now being past to my next foster parent.

Kathleen and Ken

Day 3

Due to my heritage of my new foster dad, Iwill for the day only, be referred to as McKooky.

I have always wanted to visit Camerons Corner,but the thought of a 14 hour flight put me off.

So I was ecstatic when Ross the Boss offered to drive me there. Fortunately, I was the navigator which is just as well as Ross started off going in the wrong direction and later nearly missed the Cameron Corner turn off.

A couple of stops going there and I even got a piece of bacon & egg roll.

Then the long journey back.

An uneventful journey to Broken Hill and onto Silverton where I am meeting Film Directors with a view to making a film –Mad max verses Krazy Kooky.

A great day.

PS

When I mentioned Ross’s navigation skills or lack of at the packsaddle pub to the customer liaison committee, he was relieved of his leadership and replaced by Ken.

Sorry Ross, but thanks for the trip to Camerons Corner.

Due to the busy day, I missed my AA meeting. My sympathetic foster dad said, “never mind – have a wee dram of single malt”.

Now I didn’t know what a wee dram was, but the word “malt” sounded healthy, so I had one.

Oops still have a headache.

Sandy

Day 4

Rest day in Broken Hill

Hi Folks. Oops, I slept in, and I bet you didn’t even realize. After a long day of driving, I forgot to give the “kooka” wake up call and the magpies beat me to it.

Today I am with Sue & Clive, so it was back to nature with this bird loving couple. We started the day with a walkaround the sculptures that overlook Broken Hill, and I was put into some compromising positions on the sculptures for the inevitable photo shoot.

Then much more to my liking, we walked through the “Living Desert” gardens. Here I was able to sit in the trees, talk to my friends and rehabilitate myself. I felt like a bird again, however, Sue kept calling me “The Bird”. Not sure about that?

After lunch in a pretty park and human shopping we paid a quick visit to quirky Silverton.

Mmm…. Not very interesting for a bird…far too many people and I was photographed in some stupid places…very embarrassing.

However, all in all, a very relaxing day and I look forward to my next adventure.

Clive & Sue

Day 6

So today I am told is a drive day. We headed off early to Wilcannia. Glen and Liz drove me today.

We arrived in Wilcannia and had to get fuel; we then drove around this beautiful town with amazing architecture.

I then got confused because we kept coming back to Wilcannia. We left. We came back. Left again and came back and left again.

Apparently, the road we were going to take along the Darling to Louth are all closed, so a detour to Cobar was on the cards.

After we arrived in Cobar we had a fuel stop to top up the tanks and then we headed to the Great Western Hotel for a quick drink before we begin our final leg to Louth and Shindy’s Inn for some pizza, which by the way was delicious. Thanks Ross and Ken, dinner was much appreciated.

Now back at camp having a few drinks with the group.

Loving the camp tonight along the beautiful Darling River. Might get to see some of my cousins in the morning.

Glen & Liz

Day 7

Started the morning, big hangover again. AA meeting urgently required.

Oh hello I've just been delivered to a nic ecouple who don’t drink(much). First feed, oats for breakfast and start preparing to hit the road at 8am which is 745am in Kookaburra time.

A quick wee break then on to Bourke. At some point I found myself perched on the bonnet of a very dusty car. My carers took me to a park, and I rode a Kangaroo, a swing and at one point I climbed up a ladder only to find this very dangerous plastic sheet on the other side, so I froze. It looked so dangerous then this kid kicked me, and I slid to the bottom where Aunty Sandra caught me before I hit the ground.

Thank you, Aunty Sandy.

I was so scared that Brett and Kerry took me for a donut and Pepsi max. Loved them, better than alcohol Or at least better for me.

I calmed down and then we got in the car and drove off again. They feed me a couple of sweet shakes on the way to Brewarrina and I sat contentedly on the mirror and dash with a great view.

At Brewarrina I went down to see the fish traps and sat on a tree stump watching the shags below.

I even took a camera and flew over the ear and down the weir and down the river for a Birdseye view.

Then off to the Sheepyard Inn amongst two opal fields. I went foe a fossil while everybody set up camp. Didn’t find anything interesting but it was fun looking.

Looks like Kerry is making Steak Diane for dinner. Brett has warned me that it is delicious and that who ever gets me next should expect the worse garlic breath in the morning.

Delicious dinner was eaten, and they are handing me over to someone else.

On no, back to hanger overs

Brett & Kerry

Day 8

Woke up this morning to garlic breath from the night before. Still can taste the Steak Dianne.

Sandra would not feed me this morning, so I had to fly down and steal the sausages off the BBQ.

Pete just laughed and gave me coffee, trying to get rid of my bad breath. Thank God for Sandra’s fashion sense with both Sandra and peter dressing up for tours to the Club in the Scrub and Glengary Hilton. NO pokies but lunch was great once again.

I am so happy Ross took me the ride and meeting all the happy campers.

I am so glad Aunty Sandra and Uncle Pete took me out for tea at the Sheepyard Inn.

2 Rums & 2 Jim Beams and handed onto the next couple.

Peter & Sandra

Day 9

Woke up to Ray & Jilly. Had a goodnight sleep and a snuggle in.

Ray made a cup of tea before heading to the dawn service. None of my mates there. Most probably too early and still nestled in the trees. Prospected for opals hoping to make my fortune.

After morning tea headed to the pub for the festivities today.

Last night a great band played, and I got to tickle the ivories on the piano.

Observed 2up but did not bet and kept my beak clean of gambling today.

Catching up with the flock later again and then hit the road again and having more adventures tomorrow.

Having others operating the flights has been great.

Ray & Jilly

Day 10

Sheepyard Inn for dinner tonight, still lots of people around after the 2up games had finished. After a dinner of chips and a few coldies it was off to bed.

We had a rude awakening at 0530 this morning by slight rain and we had to madly pack up the camp so to get back onto the bitumen before the dirt roads got too wet and slippery.

I unceremoniously got dumped into the car and that’s where I will be for a while until we get to Lightning Ridge.

After arriving in the Ridge, we had breakfast then out to the visitors information centre. From there we went for a drive out along the 3 mile road to the open cut mine, then back into town to see the sights.

Kathleen took me out to see an old friend f hers from over 40 years where we had lunch and I couldn’t get a word in edgeways. Gee these ladies can talk.

All too soon Kenny arrived to take us back to the lovely caravan park across the road from the Artesian Bore Baths.

We are now getting ready to the Lightning Ridge Bowls Club for dinner. We are being picked up by the courtesy bus.

Its now home for my next foster parents to look after me.

Kathleen & Ken

Day 11

Thanks heavens Mother Superior released me.

My new foster dad took me to the Lightning Ridge Bowls club. Went back to the camp for grog and birdseed.

Got pissed and had an early night.

Sandy

The last gospel according to Kooky.

Well my dad, who took over my care last night abandoned me today in Moree. He handed me back to Kathleen and Kenny.

We said goodbye to Lightning Ridge this morning and headed to Nindigully. A trip that normally would take 2.5 hours took us 5 hours because of the wet conditions. We had to travel across to Moree to then get back to the Mungindi and on to Nindigully. It would have been quicker to blooming flying.

A lot of the rivers and creeks are running quite high and the paddocks, etc. and looking lovely and green.

Tonight, we had tea at the Nindigully Pub. They do a great meal. We are camping in the grounds of the pub tonight.

Its now time to say goodbye to all of my fellow traveler’s and return to Ross to take me home to mum.

Thanks Ross & Ken for an enjoyable trip

Kathleen & ken

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