Day 32 Wednesday 6/7/2022 Gayndah to Eidsvold, sunny 8 – 19

What a difference a day makes. We have a peaceful night under our shelter and wake to a chilly morning with sunshine and a bright blue sky. The boys slam on the brakes at a roadside mandarine stall. This, the Gayndah Mundubbera area is mandarine heartland. It’s a hilly drive up the Burnett Highway and we stop at the R. M. Williams Centre to stretch our legs.

Leaving town, we take the Cracow Road west towards Theodore. We cross a long low bridge over the Burnett River then, as we drive about a kilometre further Woody says “I can see smoke”. He pulls up and we bale out of the car. There’s transmission fluid on the road and splattered all over the back of the car and caravan drawbar. A young couple stop to help, and he checks under the car but is unable to do more. While I’m on the phone to the RACV The Prado’s return from up ahead and they then head back to Eidsvold to organise some accommodation. After a few laughs about the Cracow Road with the woman on the phone who complains that the computer keeps bringing up Poland, the RACV contact RACQ for a tow truck and inform us that there’ll be a 45minute wait and that we will be returned to Eidsvold Showgrounds. Every car that passes stops to offer assistance, I think we meet half the district. Within 30 minutes a cheery young bloke called Riordan appears puts the car on the truck and hitches up the van. Squeezed into the cab of his truck he keeps us amused with tales of the number of cars he has pulled off the side of the bridge, his family, and we even wave to his in laws as they pass us heading west with their caravan. As Riordan drops the van beside the Prado’s in Eidsvold Showgrounds he asks if he can take the car to a mate in Mundubbera later in the day as his boss in Eidsvold is unwell and going on sick leave. We agree and after quickly scoffing down a chicken salad provided by Elle we walk up to the workshop on the northern outskirts of town. Mechanic Trev tells us that we’d have to wait weeks for a repair in Bundaberg but his mate in Mundubbera would at least be able to look at it.

Riordan drops by on his way to Mundubbera and drops off the important stuff from the car, our fridge, and beer. We ring Jeff Doessel Auto and Air and Jeff promises to put the Jeep on the hoist today and ring us with his findings. We’re sitting about once more all feeling morose when Jeff rings to tell us that all is good, and he’s fixed the problem. It turns out that a hose hadn’t been fitted properly during that long and expensive repair back in Melbourne a month ago! We’ll be able to pick it up tomorrow after it’s cleaned and had a test drive. We’ve been impressed with the amazing care and service that we’ve received today and now we’re mentally exhausted.

Woody notices on FaceBook that friends M & D are in Cracow (not Poland), he contacts them and we hope to catch up with them in Theodore.

Accom:$15.00 (power, water, toilets)

Fuel: $100.08 (235.7c/l)

Towing Kms: 88kms