After last minute packing we managed to drive out at 10am. First stop was the weigh bridge to see what weight we are pulling. Total weight was 4760kg with the trailer being 1800kg.

Not far into our drive Zach asks me how many minutes are in 300 seconds and I respond with I don't know because I can’t be bothered giving it a second thought after our busy morning. So he says "5 minutes". Of course he was right, so I asked if someone told him that and he says “no I learned it myself”. I don’t know how he knew it but he definitely impressed me.

Driving up the Great Dividing Range into Toowoomba was our first test for the car and made us a bit nervous as it hasn’t been tested since the radiator was upgraded. It was a 4km 10% grade hill. The car did get up to ¾ hot but once Matt put it into 2nd the temperature didn’t go past half.

We stopped for lunch and a play near Ipswich then headed to Pioneer Village just north of Toowoomba. The lady gave us a discount and we spent the next hour and a half walking around. They had lots of vintage cars, machinery and tractors which we were told “they just about all still go” despite looking like they wouldn’t. There were old houses, a school, barber, slaughterhouse, shops and rooms filled with old equipment such as radios, a telephone switching station, cows, horses, chickens, birds, a bomb shelter and generators. There was also a dedicated ambulance shed and fire brigade shed which was great to see. Before technology they would find the street card that gave them directions to find the address.


Our camp was at Bowenville just out of Dalby. It was a free camp and a
nice spot right beside a freshwater creek. It did get cold at night
about 10 degrees but with a couple of layers on, socks, beanies and
gloves it was good. Just need Liam to leave his beanie and blankets on!
Turned the heater on for 5 minutes in the morning and caravan was warm
...just don’t ask Matt to warm up your gloves!