11th September 2015
We have been in discussion with a Cabin builder to have a 20m2 cabin built with a 4.5m covered deck and open side deck. The price was right so we decided to make a trip to the property to pick some sites.
We have been in discussion with a Cabin builder to have a 20m2 cabin built with a 4.5m covered deck and open side deck. The price was right so we decided to make a trip to the property to pick some sites.
Its a friday morning and Chris was coming off night shift. I drove most of the way so he could snooze in the passenger seat.
The sky was a brilliant blue and the fields were green from recent rain.
We pulled into the property driveway and Chris decided to take the wheel back.
It was the first trip for our new Nissan Patrol Cab Chassis ute. She was a brilliant white with colour coded tray and front bars.
There hadn't been rain in 2 weeks according to the Bureau of Meteorology and Google
It was the first trip for our new Nissan Patrol Cab Chassis ute. She was a brilliant white with colour coded tray and front bars.
There hadn't been rain in 2 weeks according to the Bureau of Meteorology and Google
We set off on the easement carefully avoiding our previous boghole which had drained and dried hard as concrete. We still steered around it and had a giggle about that day. The entry was a little sloshy under the wheel but the earth supported that car weel, we got through the worst of it and entered the open meadow. Chris headed for a bright green patch of pasture. The further we drove into the lush pasture the louder the "slosh" became under the tyres.
"Go faster" I yelled hoping to get momentum to make it through the slosh but it just wasn't enough. Again, we were stuck. Stranded. Bogged!! We were so unprepared we didn't even have a shovel. Again we ran around looking for rocks and logs to pack under the wheels for traction. Nothing worked. The patrol just sunk right down the the diffs. Chris began digging with his hands but it was just useless.
"Lets go flag someone down". Chris reluctantly followed on the long walk back to the road. No one was around. Not a soul. I ended up calling Emergency 000 to get help as we had no phone service, in hope the Police or fire will dispatch a 4x4 to come help us out.
An hour went past and a blue ute finally appeared. I jumped onto the road and stopped the vehicle. "Booged?" he asked. "OMG yes!" I replied. "I've just got to go unload the ute and I'll be back, I'm 20 mins up the road". I had a thought to call emergency services back and cancel citing I found help, but 20 mins went past and the Ute never returned. An hour went past and not a soul was seen.
"I am going back to try something else" Chris said. We agreed that I'd keep an eye out for either the Police or the Not-so-good Samaritan.
Finally by 2:30pm, the Police Highway Patrol arrived, not the 4wd I had hoped. A lady officer began walking to the gate as I yelled out "Did you bring shovel?". We had a laugh and she kindly made some phone calls for me to the local excavators. No answer, nothing. Not even the Tow company would come out! She was kind enough to offer me a ride to where ever I needed to go but there was no where to go, I needed the car out. The only other option was to the train station to go home and get our other car. Feeling defeated I was about to send her on her way when she flagged down the next 4wd to come along. She told him our predicament and he gladly obliged in helping us. The police woman left and I took a ride to where Chris was still trying to dig the car out of the field.
Steve aka "Tiny" was a large fella on his way home with a case of beer to watch the Friday Night Footy. We had a chat and a laugh when he started pulling out his recovery gear, he was careful to not get himself bogged.
He gave the car a good tug with his vehicle but a few attempts soon proved we were just too stuck. He asked for our Plan B and offered for us to stay at his house. We felt this was just so generous but declined and asked for lift to town to the State Park where there was an abundance of overnight cabins for hire.
As we drove out of our property, his car started blowing steam from under the dash. We got to the road when we just had to stop. The car was just too hot! The next vehicle to pass was Tiny's neighbour, Keith. Keith pulled in and came to help also. Keith was a bigger fella than Tiny and was driving an older Nissan Patrol. He offered to try pull our Patrol out of the bog but Tiny told him he had given it all he could.
Keith towed Tiny's vehicle to a neighbouring Homestead with us inside then drove Tiny home. Keith so kindly took us to the State Park where he flagged down the caretaker who had already closed up shop for the night. Keith also offered his mobile for the night but we just couldn't accept such a kind gesture! We did manage to call our friends who were also 4x4 minded who immediately packed the car and came to the rescue, arriving later that night.
Finally by 2:30pm, the Police Highway Patrol arrived, not the 4wd I had hoped. A lady officer began walking to the gate as I yelled out "Did you bring shovel?". We had a laugh and she kindly made some phone calls for me to the local excavators. No answer, nothing. Not even the Tow company would come out! She was kind enough to offer me a ride to where ever I needed to go but there was no where to go, I needed the car out. The only other option was to the train station to go home and get our other car. Feeling defeated I was about to send her on her way when she flagged down the next 4wd to come along. She told him our predicament and he gladly obliged in helping us. The police woman left and I took a ride to where Chris was still trying to dig the car out of the field.
Steve aka "Tiny" was a large fella on his way home with a case of beer to watch the Friday Night Footy. We had a chat and a laugh when he started pulling out his recovery gear, he was careful to not get himself bogged.
He gave the car a good tug with his vehicle but a few attempts soon proved we were just too stuck. He asked for our Plan B and offered for us to stay at his house. We felt this was just so generous but declined and asked for lift to town to the State Park where there was an abundance of overnight cabins for hire.
As we drove out of our property, his car started blowing steam from under the dash. We got to the road when we just had to stop. The car was just too hot! The next vehicle to pass was Tiny's neighbour, Keith. Keith pulled in and came to help also. Keith was a bigger fella than Tiny and was driving an older Nissan Patrol. He offered to try pull our Patrol out of the bog but Tiny told him he had given it all he could.
Keith towed Tiny's vehicle to a neighbouring Homestead with us inside then drove Tiny home. Keith so kindly took us to the State Park where he flagged down the caretaker who had already closed up shop for the night. Keith also offered his mobile for the night but we just couldn't accept such a kind gesture! We did manage to call our friends who were also 4x4 minded who immediately packed the car and came to the rescue, arriving later that night.
We managed to book a cabin and then parted ways with Keith, he left his phone numbers and headed on his way to the local club.
At 11pm, Johnny and Simone turned up with food, alcohol and everything John could think of the fix our situation.
We shared a few bevvies and ended up getting to bed about 2am.
At first light we were up and left the state park for the farm.
To cut a long story short: the car was so bogged that all attempts to winch and snatch it out proved fruitless. Then I had this brilliant idea of driving to Bunnings Hardware and purchasing a tonne of Sleeper logs.
After a morning trip to Cowra Bunnings, Cowra McDonalds and making a heap of phone calls to relatives and bosses giving our inability to attend parties and work fue to our stranded situation we made our way back to the farm.
After more hours of digging and individually lifting each wheel to fit the sleepers in place, the car was finally snatched free at 230pm that afternoon, 26hrs later.
Needless to say a few more bevvies were on the cards that night!
A huge thanks to our good friends, Johnny and Simone for coming to the rescue!
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