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Tales and Trails Down Under
© George Lockyer 2020
Text design by The Design Dept.
Cover design by The Design Dept.
www.thedesigndept.com.au
Editing by Kahuku Publishing.
Photo acknowledgements: Page 20, David Peach; Pages 27, 29, John Williamson; Page 54, John Arnold; Pages 88, 90, Joyce Scobie; Pages 112, 114, Robin Coxson; Page 129, Marie Munkara; Page 190, Bruce Sharman; Pages 227, 229, 233, Hagen Stehr; Page 238, Hamish Cooper; Page 261, Brendon Nelson; Page 273, Martin Little
Published in 2020 by
Kahuku Publishing
PO Box 149 Takaka
Tasman 7142, New Zealand
www.kahukupublishing.com
Tablo Publishing
Level 1 / 41-43 Stewart Street
Richmond VIC 3121, Australia
All rights reserved.
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. All inquiries should be made to the author.
ISBN: XXX
CONTENTS
Black Dog Rider. David Peach 20
Bush Balladeer. John Williamson 27
Rural Trainer. John Arnold. 53
Newspaper Editor. Colin Jackson 61
Lady from the Bush. Joyce Scobie 82
Bush Business Man. Tim Carter 94
Opportunist. Robin “Crocko” Croxson 107
Indigenous Writer. Marie Munkara 118
White Ribbon Rider. Janette Mann 128
Postie Bike Rider. Richard Wilkinson 147
'The Sarge' 165
Meticulous Restorer. Bruce Sharman 175
World Tandem Riders. Lloyd and Louis 201
Tuna Baron. Hagen Stehr 209
Motorcycle Journo. Hamish Cooper 220
The Director. Dr Brendan Nelson 239
Iron Butt Rider. Martin Little 247
Acknowledgements 254
Introduction
I don’t know the number but I’m sure that thousands of motorcyclists have probably circumnavigated this wide brown land since A. Grady set off from Perth in October 1924 and completed the journey in the Spring of 1925. Back then it would have, of course, been a huge adventure and achievement. I met a few travellers doing ‘the lap’ on my ride, some on motorcycles, many Grey Nomads in their $150,000 rigs and a couple of lunatics on push bikes. I even heard of, though unfortunately never met, a young guy pushing a hand-made cart.
Circumnavigation becomes a personal Everest for travellers, and for some almost an obsession. I had nourished the desire to ride around Australia since 1981 when I’d travelled around the huge country as a young bloke on Greyhound buses and hitching. I recall myself often gazing longingly through the window of bus or car whenever I saw a motorcycle go by, face pressed against the glass, envying the feeling of freedom that travelling on two wheels brings.
In this day and age there’s nothing particularly adventurous about it. Somebody has probably crawled around on their hands and knees, pushing a threepenny-bit along with their nose, while reciting some religious mantra! It’s just there and something I wanted to do. But adventure is relative – to a toddler, a walk around the park is an adventure.
As I discovered in the writing of my last book, The Long and Winding Aotearoa, it’s really the people you meet along the way that make a road trip like this one so rewarding. Most of the interviews in this book were arranged many months in advance for obvious reasons
but a few were well met and spontaneous and I’m very grateful for their participation.
Mired as most of us seem to be in this complex, 21st century world we’ve
