Just found this on the ABC website. There must be hundreds of stories like this - isn't it good to see one actually published.
"Tales Of Outback Australia - TSH Hall
Arriving as I did in June 1949 in Australia under an ex-servicemen’s ‘new settlers scheme’ sponsored by the British/Australian government of the day, I was asked by my employers at the PMG Department in Rockhampton, Queensland, to go to central western Queensland to carry out the annual vehicle inspections of the PMG Department in that area.
I left Rockhampton early in January 1951, my final destination being Longreach. On reaching Emerald some 150 miles west of Rockhampton, I was informed that the road over the Drummond Range was impassable due to boggy conditions and a detour via Clermont was required, Clermont being 60 miles north of Emerald.
I arrived in Barcaldine just on dark and the heavens opened – it rained for two days. The road was a blacksoil track in parts, the road running alongside the western rail line. At Ilfracombe, some 15 miles east of Longreach, I came across a flock of some 5,800 sheep with eight stockmen and 10 Kelpie/blue cattle working dogs. Some of them said ‘G’day’ and off again to work. Two were having a ‘layday’ under the cook’s camp wagon, resting on boards between the wheels.
I left Longreach towards Jundah some 120 miles south west, with a new group engineer to keep me company. At one halt, hundreds of galahs were perched on the two-wire telephone line. The engineer banged the door of the utility with his hand to disturb the birds and they flew off all at once. We were told on reaching Jundah that by the engineer’s actions, the wires could have wrapped around themselves and put the line out of use. After doing an engine change on the Jundah PMG Ford Blitz, it was back to Longreach.
The Blackall Ford Blitz also needed an engine change at Isisford on the Barcco River, some 90 miles south west of Longreach. Some 15 miles from Isisford, I bogged the vehicle I was in and when I did not arrive as Isisford at the estimated time of arrival, the Barcaldine PMG crew came looking for me. They found me and became bogged themselves, despite having wheel chains on the tyres and carrying the new engine for the Blackall Blitz. The three of us walked 12 miles into Isisford in pouring rain at night, arriving around 2.15am. Two days later, we were able to free the chain tyred Chevrolet carrying the spare engine with a tractor. My travelling ute was stuck for three months because of the Wet.
The local Isisford garage was in the main street about 250 metres from the Barcco River in flood and the garage, having a blacksoil floor, saw the Ford Blitz sink down to the axles. The first thing was to un-bog the Blitz, which took half a day using timber. With the vehicle on hard ground and a tarpaulin as cover, the engine change was made and I, together with the Blackall employee and Barcaldine crew, made a very slow and steady journey in the wet back to Blackall and eventually returned to Rockhampton in July.
But the most memorable part of my trip was the Yellowbelly (Golden Perch) in the Barcco at Isisford – fish three times a day at Isisford’s pub! "
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