b'CLUB SPOTLIGHT TOYOTA LAND CRUISER CLUB OF VICTORIA (TLCCV) W e were off to the Toyota Land CruiserParticipants:John & Liz Clubs of Australia Gathering in WesternMills, Bill & Jan Black, Ken Australia. Every three years another state takes on the very busy task ofHildebrand, Jan Chivers, hosting the Gathering. We had been to two previousMatt & Janette Bennettevents, Queensland and South Australia, both putting on wonderful, friendly get togethers, so we were looking forward to once again attending another Gathering, this time in W.A. The decision was made to go via some favourite destinations, Farina, the Oodnadatta Track, Eringa waterhole, Old Andado Then up to Alice Springs via the Old Andado Road, passing the Mac Clark Reserve, one of only three locations left in the world to see the rare Acacia Peuce or Waddy Trees.We met with other members in Alice Springs and headed for The Gary Junction Highway. Tyres were aired down when the bitumen ended and oh boy, did the road change, very corrugated. The scenery of Haasts Bluff was spectacular but the road conditions were challenging. We passed through Papunya and later found a clearing to camp for our first night. The Ehrenberg Range behind us was superb, a great photographic back drop. Next day we were relieved to stop for lunch at the Sandy Blight Junction having negotiated continual corruagations all morning. This is one of many positions that Len Beadell had left one of his plaques on a timber marker. Sadly it had disappeared from the correct coordinates. One of our party had to limp into Kintore to find a welder so the rest of the group had lunch and the intrepid Bill Black spotted the white painted timber marker lying dumped by the road side. The challenge was on, replace the marker as close to the original position as possible. decided to camp the night.Bill, Ken and John managed to heave the veryOnto Kiwrrkurra to refuel and view the Gunbarrel heavy timber along to the hole they had previouslyRation Truck. The vehicle that Len Beadell and his dug. The ground was like concrete so a lot of sweatcrew had used for all the rations required had been was lost as these three agingburnt out and left behind a gentlemen endured thelittle way out of the township. rigours of digging the hole.A few years later it had been With the help of a wreckingnegotiated with the locals that THE LOST LENbar and lots of grunting theyour members of the Toyota manoeuvred the marker intoLand Cruiser Club of Victoria the hole, success. I thoughtshould make a trip to the area it a shame that we couldntand move the truck to its now BEADELL MARKER leave a message on thepermanent location and build marker so then came up witha fence to protect it for future the idea to open and flattentravellers to see. A part of the an aluminium can to look ahistory of the tracks opened September/October 2022 bit like an original plaqueup many years prior by Len and write a message on that.and his team.LEN BEADELL MARKER We arrived at Jupiter Well BY: LIZ MILLS TEMPORARYTOYOTA LANDand decided to have two nights CRUISER CLUB OF VICTORIAat this pretty spot. It was treed and dated. Photos were takenand the pump gave good clean of a successful job done,water. That night we were we waited for the others totreated to natures firework return, they were successfuldisplay, lightning flashed all 24 TRACKWATCH|September 2023 in the welding repair andaround us to our oohs, aahs25TRACKWATCH|September 2023'