ONE LAP of AUSTRALIA

Hunter2

New member
We completed One Lap of Australia in a 1973 British Leyland Australia Clubman Window Van in 70 days Sept. 12 - Nov. 20 in the 50th Anniversary year for Mini in Australia 1961-2011.

See web site: www.MiniAdventureAustralia.com

Rick/Hunter2

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Hunter2

New member
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Here ROO gets a 'drink' at Barrow Creek in the Northern Territory. 6 Imp. gal. tank meant having extra fuel available.
 

Hunter2

New member
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Regular service, here oil/filter change in Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria, is a must on a long trip.
 

Hunter2

New member
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Our only real drama a blown inner wheel bearing up front on Day 68. But, with new CV and bearings on board, we kept rolling.
 

GREENI

Adventurer
Just cool, thanks for sharing.

I wont show Mrs Greeni, i'm trying to convince her the 90 is not big enough!
 

Hunter2

New member
As a play on the saying "size matters", that is true and something other than the Mini Van would have been needed to cross the Gibbs Road in Western Australia. However, we have done transcontinental trips in North America in a Classic Mini sedan with and without the custom trailer. The Clubman Window Van gave us all the space we needed for camping gear, spares, tools, cameras, computer, binoculars etc. etc. in addition to extra water, fuel and food stuffs.

Here is our Mini on our first transcontinental return trip in 2000 across Canada to Quebec and home through the United States. Photo (unfortuately lo-res) at Fort Randall Dam on Missouri.

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Here is the restored/modified Mini and custom trailer which set out in 2006 south to Arizona, east to North Carolina, north to Maryland and home across the Great Plains and mountain states to British columbia.

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Hunter2

New member
ROO is now fully serviced - hubs, ball joints, bearings, CVs, QH joints, intake/exhaust, alignment - and ready for the next adventure, Brisbane to Melbourne for Spirit ferry to Tasmania. Has been and will continue to be a good ride! We'll be back in Australia in 18 months to deal with the One Lap's "unfinished business".

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Hunter2

New member
Prepping for our return to Australia in 2013.

On the One Lap we were too late in booking the ferry to Tasmania...so, missed seeing the island state and attending Tasminifest in Hobart.

Tasminifest is held every two years so November 10th, 2013 is the next big Mini event in Hobart.

Our plan is to return to Brisbane in mid-October and head for Melbourne and the ferry with a group of Queensland Classic Mini owners, stopping in Bathurst for a few leisurely laps of the Mount Panorama race circuit, touring Tasmania together, attending Tasminifest and returning via the great Ocean Road and an inland route to Queensland.
 

grimbo

Explorer
Awesome to see a Mini out an about. My first car was a 76 mini clubman sport. Did lots of trips up and down the east coast of Australia. As someone who is 6' 4" the mini actually has the best driving position and room of all the cars I've owned.
 

jpvm

Explorer
OMG, my hat is off to you !!!!!

A Dingo might look like an elephant from a Mini on the road ....
 

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