Henderson College | Mildura VIC
Tuesday: 22 April 8am – 11am
School display @ Henderson College – Mildura VIC
Our team arrived early to help set up chairs for the school breakfast scheduled for 8:00 AM and the subsequent assembly. The breakfast crew was already busy preparing an impressive spread that included sausages, hash browns, eggs, baked beans, pancakes, and toast, complemented by a lovely selection of fresh fruit and plenty of grapes.
As attendees began to arrive, many took an interest in viewing the car and conversing with our team members. Glenda had the opportunity to reconnect with her cousin, while the Pitts enjoyed catching up with numerous acquaintances from their previous time spent in Mildura.
During the event, Denika Anderson, a journalist from Sunraysia Daily, interviewed Kevin, who was accompanied by a photographer who captured images. Kevin later addressed parents and students during the school assembly, after which class groups were given tours of the car and participated in class photos. Several individuals, including the school support officer Fereti Saaga, took the opportunity to have their pictures taken with or inside the vehicle.
As the event concluded, older students assisted with stacking chairs and removing floor tiles, while our team packed up. We loaded the vehicle into the trailer, dismantled the tents, and hitched the van and trailer. Following a brief team meeting, we departed, refuelled, and proceeded toward the South Australian border.
Tuesday: 22 April Afternoon transit
Travelling to South Australia
We stopped for lunch at Lake Cullulleraine to enjoy the last of our fresh produce before reaching the quarantine inspection point. After crossing into South Australia and clearing quarantine, we immediately noticed the improved road conditions, making for a significantly more comfortable drive.
Adjusting our clocks back by 30 minutes gave us an extended afternoon to enjoy. We refueled in Berri before arriving at our destination around 2 pm local time. The rough Victorian roads had caused minor damage to one of the rear van doors, which had been temporarily secured with strapping but was quickly repaired upon arrival.
After unloading our equipment, we met with Warren and had a pleasant conversation with Colin Gibbs, a specialist in the restoration work done to Bubsie. Our colleagues will not depart until the weekend, when we’ll conduct displays in Berri.
Warren later informed us he would transport the vehicle and trailer to Barmera for repairs and servicing, so we prepared everything for his return. After acquiring the necessary parts, he collected the vehicles while we set up our accommodation in Berri. It was a pleasure to reconnect with Peter Howard, the local coordinator for the area.
Wednesday: 23 April a Day for maintenance
After our recent event at Riverland, we scheduled our vehicle’s 15,000 km service at the local Mitsubishi dealership. Kevin dropped me off at the laundromat on the way to Australian Motors Riverland, which provided an excellent opportunity to clean all linens and clothing that had accumulated dust and mud during our stay at the campsite.
While waiting for the laundry, I productively managed digital housekeeping—transferring files from my phone to my computer and clearing phone memory to ensure the continued smooth operation of our devices.
Once the laundry and car service were completed, we deposited funds from book sales and donations at the bank. We then drove to Renmark to visit an early voting centre, allowing Glenda to cast her vote ahead of our upcoming busy schedule of displays.
After completing some shopping, we returned to the church. We dedicated the afternoon to administrative tasks: responding to messages received while travelling, scheduling future display appointments, and preparing financial accounts for submission to the office. The afternoon proved quite productive as we addressed most pending emails and messages.
This free day was invaluable for vehicle maintenance, route planning, accounting, and attending to personal needs that often get neglected during busier periods.
In the evening, we enjoyed dinner with Peter Howard, which provided a pleasant opportunity for conversation and connection.