AOR Ambassadors - Alan & Christine Stevenson

Ambassadors Al and Christine Stevenson have embarked on a year long journey discovering Australia.

Pirate’s Feast

Victorian Rally Set Up

King Hut & Craig’s Hut – Day Trip

Swan Hill

After leaving Robinvale we headed down to Swan Hill where we spent 3 days. We explored some different attractions and went on a river boat cruise.

At the Swan Hill Pioneers Settlement they also have a night show where there is a theme of the Murray River done by video onto water sheet.

Robinvale on the Murray River & camped on Knights Bend

Leaving Wilcannia, lots of the road were closed because of the rain. We wanted to go down to Menindee Lakes, that road was closed. We then headed down to Ivanhoe, onto Bairanald and then to Robinvale on the Murray River. We spent 3 days at a free camp in Knights Point, before heading down towards Swan Hill.

Louth rained in for 3 days

Louth is 100 km from Bourke heading down the Darling River. Total population of Louth could be about 35 people. Once a year they have a horse racing weekend which gets about 7000 people for the weekend .

We were stuck in Louth for 3 days because of rain. They had about 35 to 50 mm and the roads were completely closed to heavy and light traffic, after 2 days we were able to leave. The only way out was back to Bourke. From Bourke we headed through Wilcannia, arrived and the roads were closed down to Menindee Lakes. So we headed down to Ivanhoe.

Gundabrooka National Park NSW

We headed down to Walget, across to Bourke then down to Gundabrooka National Park where we had one night at Dry tank visitors area. The next day we went to the Aboriginal paintings.

3 pubs in the scrub tour

About 60 km out of Lightning Ridge, you have the orange car door tour which is 3 pubs in the scrub. Out to the Garwin which is a golf course & has the club in the scrub. From there you had to Sheepyard Inn to another pub in an opal mining town and then up to Glengarry Hilton which is your third pub. We spent a day and two nights at the club in the scrub it was quite an interesting tour and from here we left Peter and Caroline Gregory.

Lightning Ridge

Like Coober Pedy, Lightning Ridge is opal mining. There are numerous attractions in Lightning Ridge, artwork by John Murray, tours into underground opal mining and sunset which are really quite good. There is also a hot water spring where the water comes out of the ground at 46 degrees.

Hebel to Lightning Ridge

Arrived in Hebel, where the major attractions are the pie shop and the pub. I’ll take you for a bit of a guided tour through the pub, then we headed to Lightning Ridge.

Nindigully & Thallon art silo

Our next stop is Nindigully, South of St George. We met up with Peter & Caroline Gregory, decided we’d stay at Nindigully and have lunch there. We bought a hamburger for $70, which we ended up sharing between the four of us. We had the other half of it for another meal a couple of days later. From there we headed down to Thallon, where we saw the first of the painted silos, we are then heading from Thallon down through to Hebel.

Sunset out at Big Red BIRDSVILLE

There is one other thing you must do when you’re in Birdsville and that’s to go out to big red and do the sunset at Big Red. Also try and get your car up big red, as you can see the Land Cruiser made it up.

Poppel Corner

We left Birdsville at 6am. The trip to Poppel Corner from Birdsville is 160km, through the Simpson Desert. Approximately 6 hours there and 6 hours home. We arrived back in Birdsville at 8pm. It was interesting crossing some of the dunes at night.

Birdsville Races

We arrived back in Birdsville for the Birdsville races. It’s another one of those things you have too cross off the bucket list. It was a bit of an eye opener for Peter and Claire George. Took them up to the Fred Brophy’s fight tent. One of those things you have to do, if you are in Birdsville for the races.

Coongie Lakes to Innamincka and onto Walkers Crossing.

After leaving Coongie Lakes we came across some old yards, which were full of wild flowers. We spent that night in Innamincka. The next day we left for Walkers Crossing. From Innamincka heading west to the Birdsville Track via Walkers Crossing is 240km and then 100km to Birdsville. Just out of Innamincka is the grave of Wills beside Cooper Creek. We are still travelling with Peter and Claire George.

Innamincka to Coongie Lakes

We headed to Innamincka to spend a couple of days there. From Innamincka we then travelled 104km north to Coongie Lakes. If you haven’t been, add it to your list of places to visit!

Lake Eyre, Sculpture, Strzelecki track & Montecollina bore

after leaving Coward Springs we travel down to the southern most point of Lake Eyre where there was no water. From there we went to sculptures on the Oodnadatta track which you can see the different sculptures 2 aeroplanes touching wings and other different things.

Know we head up the Strzelecki track to Montecollina Bore. The bore is a natural spring of hot water coming out of the ground & into the large pond. We were there for 2 nights with Peter and Claire George. It was good time for Chris to do some washing. While we were there, on our last night we had around 20 camels come into the water hole opposite our campsite, it was dark. It was so dark we could not see them until we put a torch on them. When they first started drinking, what a horrible noise!

Oodnadatta Track, William Creek & Coward Springs

After leaving Peake ruins we headed to William Creek. Good pub to have lunch. After William Creek we headed down to Coward Springs, where there are some thermal springs there. It’s a little Oasis out in the middle of know where. You can see Peter George cooking breakfast. A beautiful place to stop on the Oodnadatta track.

Oodnadatta Track

Heading down the Oodnadatta track to a place called The Peak repeater station which was built 1870 & closed 1891 and there was also a copper mine and smelter.

Oodnadatta, down to the Algebuckina Bridge & campsite and ruins. The the bridge, ruins & the camp site are on the old Ghan railway and is one of the larger of the suspended Bridge along the Oodnadatta track.

Coober Pedy & Breakaways

After leaving Willow Springs we headed to Quorn where we did the old train trip. From there we went to Wilmington to a bush camp called Stony Creek.

The food and the surroundings are perfect for the bush camp and should be I must call in for anyone in a with an Australian Off Road trailer.

Travelling with Ambassadors Gray and Deb Johns has been amazing.

Chambers Gorge

After leaving the Gammon Ranges we headed down to Chambers Gorge.
There are Aboriginal drawings to be discovered along the gorgeous walks. A great place to drop in and see, it is heading down towards Willow Springs.

Gammon Ranges – Arkaroola

Day trip in the Arkaroola visiting an old smelter. Lots of fantastic off roading.

Heading into the Gammon Ranges, North Flinders.

Farina, south of Marree. An old ruins, town which they are restoring, there is a bakery there which is open for about four weeks of the year. The pies and the bread were absolutely beautiful.

Leaving Birdsville heading down to Mungerannie which is on the Birdsville Track down to Marree.
Pictures are of Mungerannie camp area & Marree yacht club .

Their first stop was Birdsville Big Red Bash.

Windoora, Betoota to Birdsville

Travelling from Windoora to Betoota and then on to Birdsville. The Betoota pub is reopening in August.

Chambers Gorge

Stay tuned to find out where they travel to next.

Interview with Al and Christine Stevenson

Full Name: Alan & Christine Stevenson

Town/State: Mt. Coolum Queensland.

What model do you /have you owned?
2015 Aurora Dual Axel Trailer & 2009 Quantum Super Camper

What is it that you love about AOR?
We have owned AOR Trailers since 2009. The trailers are made the same width as the car, so if the car can make it down the track the trailer will also make it down there. The trailer are all equipped to be off the grid for a good amount of time. The reliability of the product & the after sales service have been fantastic.

What makes you want to be an AOR Ambassador.
After being involved with AOR over the past 8 years & using their product in the outback, I feel that I know the product. Doing video work of the trailers, Handover Videos, helping in the show room & talking to people at the shows about the trailers, I feel that I have a lot of knowledge to pass on to old & new owners.

What is your No. 1 travel bugbear?
Knowing that you have to go back home sometime.

You’ve probably been off the grid may times, what is the most remote location you’ve visited?
The most remote location would be Nhulunbuy out on the Gove Peninsula. There is a magic spot called Baniyala on the inside of the Gulf of Carpentaria you must see.

Where did you go on your last trip?
Travelled around Tasmania for 2 months.

Which destination was a surprise to you?
Bungle Bungles & Gibb River Road.

When you arrive at your destination what’s the first thing you do.
First thing we do, is to look at the best Position, as far as what you are going to look at first thing in the morning. Whatever you look at first thing in the morning will be good on the eyes for the rest of the day. Always try & get a level site & a good clear spot for the camp fire.

What is your favourite dish you like to cook when travelling.
Roast dinner in the weba.

Ambassadors Al and Christine Stevenson have embarked on a year long journey discovering Australia.

Windoora, Betoota to Birdsville

Chambers Gorge

Interview with Al and Christine Stevenson

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