D.A.T Life

15/01/2023

Skytrek Willow Springs Station Pty Ltd
Casting back to late 2021 when we were travelling down to for Christmas that year, & we decided to relive some memories from A's childhood & take our child to Wilpena Pound.
However after checking into our stay Skytrek, we arrived at Wilpena only to find out that they close for the Summer the very next day!!! Great (read; lack of) planning on our behalf!!! Oh well, just have to go back again one day 🙄🤣
Lots of sights to see & plenty of great scenic drives to take.

09/01/2023

🪚For those interested in how the chop is done... and on what profile take.

This was definitely the most nerve-wracking part to experience! Seeing your car (in photos nonetheless), being chopped & taped & welded & covered, certainly got D.'s anxiety up 😁 A.'s was all smiles 😀 & the kid T. was pure excitement!

07/01/2023

The beginnings of the 6er !

Back in April 2020, when we had returned home to the N.T. (after departing Tassie when C19 forced us out) this was just a thought... to take a 200 series Landcruiser, chop off behind the rear seats & then add on an extra drive axle.

After many a discussion with Michael & Elaine at it was all full steam ahead.
These pics show the car being dropped off from Toyota to AEV & then the commencement of stripping the innards & cutting the rear off & then the new back wall in.
If you have any questions, or want to see something in particular; let us know.

06/01/2023

One of our favourite freecamps along the Stuart Highway, that we have seemingly travelled countless times, is Owen's Rest.

As it's along the railway, it's almost a guarantee to hear (& see if you're close enough) the train pass through at some point, this particular time was at night so no pics 😕 🚂🚃.
We've enjoyed many a fire here; plenty of small, dry wood around but not enough if you're wanting a raging/cooking fire 🔥 just make sure that you extinguish your fire when done. Plenty don't & its a sh*tful act!
Great space for getting the toys out again, especially the mini toys!😉

01/01/2023

29/12/2022

Back to this time 3 years ago, we had just had an awesome 2019 Christmas with family in Victoria & were making final preparations for our first trip to Tasmania!
Sailing mid January 2020, with a return planned for 3 months later in April.
We had the best time with our old rig 'ELSEY' & the van, until that dreaded worldwide pandemic hit & we needed to leave 3 weeks earlier than planned.
Could have been way worse for us, but at the time we all felt that confusion, heightened alertness & worry.

All we had to do to "get home & stay there" (local government requirement), was to pass through 3 states & into the Territory, to then navigate 8 checkpoints along the Stuart Hwy to finally see our front gates & safe zone of our property & house!

Given all this, we would definitely return to Tassie & spend just as long there again, if not longer.
The photo shows where we stayed, & the main roads we took to get there, but we travelled countless backroads & repeatedly for some great places!
Did we see it all? No definitely not.
We thoroughly enjoyed everything about the bottom state & all it had to offer.
This laminated map now proudly hangs in our house & is a constant reminder of that awesome little Apple Isle.

Discover Tasmania

27/12/2022

Let the flashbacks commence...

2022 has been another great year for us. Lots of kilometres put on the 6er & even took the SR5 too on the last trip!

Stayed at lots of new freecamps that allow us to spread out &/or have the toys (bikes/machines etc) out.
New RTT to the 6er for T, as he is a growing kid & no longer fits the bunks in the van.

We've gone for a slightly smaller one than what we had, as it was too much for him to pack/unpack by himself. The new one is super quick & he sleeps like a log up there!!! He's even experienced some 2°C nights up there & along with his normal bedding, only required some "longs" (sleeve/leg thermals).

We've spent quality time with family, we've caught up with & shared many a laugh with great friends, we've made more new friends & had quite a few chats with complete strangers who we have shared information with about vehicle, van or places.

25/12/2022

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
We're back home in hot, humid Darwin (for now).

Wishing you all a great festive season!

🎄

13/09/2022

3 years ago !!! Wowsers 🤯

Cannot believe it, so our September 2019 van ended up becoming our C19 escape pod in early February 2020.
Not quiet the way we envisaged our travels to continue, but we have done plenty of k's, & seen a lot of this country in these different times...

Have made some changes, to van & definitely vehicle 😆, looking forward to getting the packing completed & hitting the road again real soon!

Loving our setup
KEDRON Caravans Australian Expedition Vehicles Norweld
🇦🇺

18/08/2022

Point Turton, Yorke Peninsula, S.A.
Gorgeous beaches with crystal waters.
Great caravan park with awesome managers!
If you want a place that ticks lots of holiday boxes; fishing, squidding, swimming, jetty jumping, beaches, beach driving, fishing tours & relaxing ~ this would be it.
I have sooooo many photos to add to this!
Can't wait to go back again one day.

11/08/2022

Coober Pedy
A town where everyone needs to stop. Whether it be a fuel stop, a p*e stop, an opal stop, overnight stop or a stay in an underground motel stop.

We stopped here at Coober Pedy Views for 2 nights towards the end of 2021.
It's out the backside of town, away from the parks & has this NorthEast facing vista that just goes on.
The colours at sunrise & sunset are AH.MAZ.ING.
The driveway was a bit knarly-tight for our "slightly" bigger rig, but doable.

06/08/2022

🤯🤯🤯
Our trips are about to erupt!
What you mean you can't stack cards??? Making someone pick up 14 cards is the best! 🔄⏮️

Also, we had a couple of blank cards in our latest set, so we invented a 'Draw 10' & a 'Swap hands & draw 6'.
😈
Who else plays "wrong"?

We're always on the lookout for some more games to add to the games box; tell me what's good.
(We've got )

30/07/2022

Umpherston Sinkhole,
Mt Gambier, South Australia.
January 2022

Simply stunning garden that began it's existence 1884!
If you ever have the opportunity to visit, it is a bit of something for everyone; history, photography & gardening.

30/07/2022

Throwback to July 2021 when we did the maiden voyage in the & checked out lots of places on the way to Cape York.
The iconic photo at
Trip isn't complete without a drive on the Old Telegraph Track & watching the drops into & exits of Palm Creek & Gunshot.
Onto with water so clear & cool.

Not a speck of dust in the canopy.
Comfortable ride in the
Super stoked with the setup!

23/07/2022

Having seen lots of photos lately of people's vehicles at Uluru, thought we'd share ours.
From November 2021, we also did a segway tour while there (will share pics/vid of that another time) .

📸 Have you got a pic of you at the rock?

20/07/2022

November 2021
Namatjira Drive, West out of Alice Springs to Glen Helen Gorge & sitting in the Finke River.
Massive rainfall had pushed enormous amounts of sand, stones & debris over roads, & into waterways & picnic areas, along with the damage that the roads had sustained. Made for a very scenic drive.

19/07/2022

That time we arrived in Glendambo S.A, for the biggest puddle they'd ever seen!
January 2022 floods.
It also came in handy for the Science aspect of learning about these alien bugs.

16/07/2022

So we did a thing a few weeks back... just for some fun & a play on words.

14/07/2022

So it's been a while... Finally have regained access to the IG side of things!

We're currently home in the NT, but cannot wait to pack things up again & hit the road for some travels.
Over the last 12 months, we've been to some pretty fantastic places; inner QLD, Cape York, middle of Australia (our fave road-Stuart Highway), Yorke Peninsula, SE S.A.

We'll be putting up some pics to share & fill in the time until next hitch-up. Loving our setup still, no complaints here!!!