[rustynutz]

As a few may already know, I left to go on a bit of a road trip last Saturday.

Amazingly, (for people that know me) I was on the road by 6am.

I stopped for a quick 15 minute breakfast at Bairnsdale before I was back on the road once more. The weather had been fairly fine but as I got towards my turn off at Cann River it started to drizzle rain.....so much for a nice clean car...doh!

I didn't bother stopping at Cann River, choosing to push on as I was making pretty good progress.
As we climbed into the high country I watched the fuel consumption of my little diesel nudge up to 5l/100km, still very good considering.....
Once things leveled off it slowly eased back and by the time I arrived at the War Memorial in Canberra at 1.30pm, it was back to 4.7. I was fairly impressed.......

I spent the next 3 hours wandering around the Museum before heading off to meet a friend who had kindly offered me a bed for the night.

Next morning started leisurely with no real destination in mind but by 9.30am I was back on the road heading towards Sydney. Fuel consumption now dropped to an impressive 4.6l/100km and so far has stayed at that....

I had vague ideas of heading across to once again check out the Sea Cliff Bridge between the towns of Coalcliff and Clifton but in the end decided to head north.
Stopped for fuel just shy of Newcastle and motored on. I had no fixed destination in mind up to that point but as I was making pretty good time I started to wonder if I could make it to Lennox Head, where I was intending to stay a few days to catch up with a cousin of mine.

By the time I stopped for a quick meal at Coffs Harbour I was keen to continue.
 
I started to have a few doubts not long after as there was mile after mile after mile of road works with a 80kph speed limit, and from what I'd been told, speed cameras enforcing compliance.

Eventually we escaped the road works and then started to make reasonable time again.

Bizarrely my GPS then sent me off the main highway and down some narrow back roads and I was beginning to think I was off on some wild goose chase and contemplated turning back, especially when I saw kangaroos grazing on the sides of the road in a number of places.

But, eventually it all worked out ok as I came to an intersection and found that this was a short cut that bypassed the city of Grafton.

The remainder of the drive was fairly uneventful other than being the meat in the sandwich with 2 B double trucks in front and 2 behind.....

I decided they were too big to argue with so slowed at the next passing lane and let them motor on ahead.
Not long later I saw the turn off for my destination and I arrived there around 9.50 pm, still feeling capable of driving quite a few more k's if needed.

I guess that says something about the comfort of the i30 and the cruise control which I had been making full use of...


To be continued.....


Here are just a couple of pics I've taken.....




The obligatory border photo...



Looking towards the old and new Parliament House from the steps of the War Memorial.



Cape Byron Lighthouse, situated on the most easterly point of the mainland.



I had a visitor while eating breakfast....



Seems there was some "glitch" with the GPS display....

[Doggie 1]

Thanks Rusty, nice report and great pics.
Good little trucks, these trusty i30s, aren't they?
I don't think much of your breakfast guest though. 

[rustynutz]

Thanks Rusty, nice report and great pics.
Good little trucks, these trusty i30s, aren't they?
I don't think much of your breakfast guest though. 

Thanks Dave....

My guest is a nonpoisonous tree snake, and apparently he's a regular visitor, he comes to sunbake on the deck.....

He actually looks kinda cute.....

[Phil №❶]

Very unusual for the Garmin Max speed to go haywire like that 

Keep em coming Rusty

[rustynutz]

Very unusual for the Garmin Max speed to go haywire like that 

Yeah, it's a bit bizarre....

You're probably thinking I'm talking porkies but I swear on my fathers grave I haven't done those sorts of speeds.....well, not in my i30 anyhow...

[Dazzler]

I'd be resetting that if I was you..  I am often surprised to see my garmin maximum showing 137 or thereabouts..

Must be that B-double I had to pass

[Doggie 1]

...and yours is in M.P.H.

[rustynutz]

I'd be resetting that if I was you.. 

Done.....

[rustynutz]

Part 2 Of My Road Trip.....

The trip from Lennox Head to Bundaberg proved to be uneventful other than for my Garmin GPS deciding to have a hissy fit with it insisting I get off the main highway to Brisbane somewhere not far over the Queensland border.
I ended up ignoring it after being led up the garden path once so of course I then missed the correct turnoff and ended up in what seemed to be the centre of Brissy...lol...oh well, at least it wasn't peak hour!

Eventually I was back on the main highway and making good time, arriving at a bit after 4pm....a nice easy drive of 532 kilometres.

I'd refueled at Torbanlea after drivng 1170km on this tank with the low fuel warning light yet to come on.
Average fuel consumption was now sitting at 4.7l/100km....

Next day I decided a visit to the Bert Hinkler Hall of Aviation was in order......



A Diorama of Bert's glider flight on a beach near his hometown of Bundaberg.



I decided to take Bert's Avro Avian for a spin....



A replica of Bert's Puss Moth....



This piece of wood from Bert's glider somehow survived the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion and was presented to the Hinkler Memorial Museum.



I "downgraded" to a diesel Kia Sportage as my mode of transport while in "Bundy"......


Part 3......

My friend, Sue decided to hitch a ride with me on the next leg of my journey so organised for us to freeload stay with a friend overnight at Yeppoon...this after scoring dinner at another friend's home in Rockhampton. This was just a short hop of around 330 odd kilometres which was just as well as it was quite late in the afternoon when we got under way!

After a quiet night we were up fairly early for the longish 850km journey to Sue's destination at "Ayr" and mine at Townsville.

Arrived at West End, in Townsville at 6.30 pm......the GPS showing my little i30 has now racked up 3408 kilometres since I left home....

[Dazzler]

You've done well my friend. Thanks for the update and pix.. 

How did the sportage go? Did you actually get a drive?.. or just joshing.

[rustynutz]

Thanks mate! 

Yep, drove it a few times but unfortunately it was just around town so I have no idea what it's like out on the highway.

I tell you what though, it certainly has some pickup when you stomp on the go pedal.....If only Hyundai would slot this engine into the i30.....

What I didn't like was the huge speedo, it was nearly the size of a dinner plate...lol.
The all red dash lights reminded me of a Mazda, which is something I actually dislike about them.....Oh, and I also didn't find the seats as comfy as my i30's....plus visibility was also pretty ordinary out the back....

All in all, I don't think it was my sort of vehicle so think I'll stick with my baby a bit longer....

[2i30s]

great pics Russ,and you can keep your breakfast guest.    nice and warm up there? 
 I'm amazed that you were allowed to get in that old plane,or were you photo shopped in? 

[Dazzler]

great pics Russ,and you can keep your breakfast guest.    nice and warm up there? 
 I'm amazed that you were allowed to get in that old plane,or were you photo shopped in? 

Who said he was allowed?   We know he can be a naughty boy..

[rustynutz]

Surprisingly visitors are encouraged to try it out! They even have a special camera set up so you can have a snap of yourself emailed to you.....

It is a replica so I guess it's not the end of the world if it does get knocked about a bit.
I tell you what though, planes back then weren't made for fat bastards...
I was hanging out of the thing on the other side and my gut was pushed into the instrument panel!   

[Dazzler]

I tell you what though, planes back then weren't made for fat bastards...
I was hanging out of the thing on the other side and my gut was pushed into the instrument panel!   

Too much information 

[Doggie 1]

My friend, Sue decided to hitch a ride with me

After a quiet night we were up fairly early

 
Glad you had a good trip Rusty 

Thanks for the photos and you can't complain about the fuel economy - gotta be happy with that.

[rustynutz]

'Tis all innocent, Dave, Sue is just a mate..... 

Yeah, pretty wrapped with the fuel consumption, 3 tanks of fuel to do 3400 clicks is not too shabby....

Interestingly the third tank didn't go quite as far as the second....Not sure if that was the extra weight of another passenger and 10 ton of luggage or it was because I had used premium diesel in the second fill and just ordinary diesel in the third... 

Will be interesting to see how it all goes on the next leg....which will be up to Port Douglas, but that won't probably be until next week....

For now I have to earn my keep and do some computer work....

[rustynutz]

Yesterday afternoon my friend Maree, her daughter Nicky and myself headed up to the tiny township of Pamula situated in the Pamula Range National Park, some 90 kilometres from Townsville..

Once off the Bruce Highway and heading into the Ranges, the road turns very narrow and winding.
After a couple of brown trouser moments with other vehicles we passed over the Lttle Crystal Creek Bridge  and proceeded up to Pamula.

We'd heard of a place called "Hidden Valley", somewhere past Pamula so decided to continue onwards.  After passing through a few shallow water crossings and with the road now gravel, we chickened out, heading back to Pamula now seemed the better option.
We stopped at the Paluma Rainforest Inn but found it closed...bugger, we were hanging out for a drink....

We headed back down to Little Crystal Creek Bridge where we made use of the toilets and then had a wander around, taking a few happy snaps in the process...

Back on the Bruce Highway and heading south we made an "emergency" stop at the Rollingstone Pub.  :

Our thirst quenched, it was back into the i30 and home.....

All in all an enjoyable afternoon....

[Phil №❶]

You forgot to mention you went for a quick dip (Pic 2), nice shorts 

Very pretty waterfalls too 

[rustynutz]

You forgot to mention you went for a quick dip (Pic 2), nice shorts 

Very pretty waterfalls too 

Wasn't me, Phil.....I ain't that skinny. 

I was wearing jeans as it was quite cool, so cool I had the aircon off in the car....

[Phil №❶]

I know, a bit of sarcasm on my part 

[rustynutz]

Surely not? 

[Dazzler]

Thanks for the update Rusty.. Nice Pix .. shame about not being able to get to that place and another being closed (you've had a bad run lately) 

[rustynutz]

Thanks for the update Rusty.. Nice Pix .. shame about not being able to get to that place and another being closed (you've had a bad run lately) 

Thanks Daz! 

It didn't really bother me as I would've had to wash my car....

Not knowing how many k's it was and the fact that my tyres are getting a bit "tired" and probably more likely to cop a puncture, were really the deciding factors....

As for the "Inn", they closed at 3pm, we arrived at 3.20....doh!

Oh, I'll post up a video of the road in when I get a chance which includes my "brown trouser" moments.....
Internet access is a bit slow where I'm staying so it might have to wait a while....

[Lester]

Thanks for the road trip report mate. Good to hear it was comfortable.  I have just had a 1700km return trip, Batemans Bay to Rutherglen, Vic. Down the Hume, back Snowy Mtns Hwy, yes, car went great, i30 seats were very comfortable, as you said. As for cruise control, worked a treat, sat on the Hume Freeway in the 110km area cruise control set on 105 kmh, nice speed, easy cruising.

[Doggie 1]

Thanks for the pics Rusty. It looks like a very picturesque area and sounds like an enjoyable day. 

[rustynutz]

Thanks Dave & Lester....

[Lester]

Thanks Dave & Lester....

You are welcome mate, by the way, I note you have a tow ball/bar on your i30, for a box trailer or light camper trailer?  How does the i30 perform re towing?

[rustynutz]

I have a 6' x 4' box trailer....

It makes very little difference to the performance and if it wasn't for the occasional rattle of the coupling you'd forget it was there. 

[Marzipan]

Hi there, love reading about your trip totally agree with db08 about your breakfast visitor how close were  you?  I recently did a trip to Horsham in my i30 great to travel in but the road noise was incredible one could hardly hear the music. Did you find the same trouble interested to hear?