22-Move to Garfield - My Life's Journey

Having sold the house and packed the station wagon, I was ready to embark on my 3,500 km, 6-day trip to Victoria. The journey had to be made in short stages, as the back of the car was packed to the roof, rendering the rear vision mirror useless. I relied solely on the side mirrors and, given my aversion to night driving, I aimed to reach each destination well before dusk.

The first leg of my journey took me from Innisfail to Mackay, a relatively easy 647km drive on a country highway with minimal traffic. The countryside rolled by smoothly, and I spent the night in a small motel, exhausted but content. After a simple dinner, I went to bed early, ready for another long day on the road.

The next stretch from Mackay to Childers was another long day, covering 659km. A particularly noteworthy part of this leg was the infamous "Horror Stretch" between Marlborough and Rockhampton. This isolated section of highway is known as the "Marlborough Stretch", a nearly 400km expanse punctuated by only two minuscule towns. Signs urging drivers to rest frequently and warning of "Driver Fatigue Zones" highlighted the danger of this stretch, notorious for its high fatality rate.

After some shopping and a quiet dinner, I retired early.

The journey from Childers to Grafton in New South Wales was particularly challenging. Although the distance was 626km, traversing through Brisbane was a nightmare due to horrendous traffic. Crossing into New South Wales, I was immediately stuck in roadworks and long delays. I arrived in Grafton by early evening and settled into the first decent-looking motel I found.

A relatively short drive today, the 470km journey from Grafton to Newcastle was mostly on a dual carriage highway. Taking a break from driving, I stopped in Coffs Harbour and was pleasantly surprised by a Dutch windmill and a beautiful Temple. This unexpected detour was refreshing and invigorating.

I arrived in Newcastle mid-afternoon, giving me the chance to explore the town a bit and enjoy a delicious Chinese meal. The hotel I chose was cheap and clean, providing a much-needed restful sleep.

This was another long day, with a 777km drive from Newcastle to Wangaratta in Victoria. Most of the journey was on a dual carriage highway, with the Sydney bypass proving more manageable than the one in Brisbane. Initially planning to spend the night in Albury, I found myself crossing the border into Victoria sooner than expected. Exhausted, I was ready to sleep anywhere, even considered the car at one stage.

The final leg from Wangaratta to Garfield was supposed to be a short 3 to 4-hour drive. However, navigating the Melbourne freeways proved to be a daunting challenge. With five lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic, it was chaos reminiscent of my last experience in Sydney 24 years ago.

Struggling with my limited vision, I missed several signs and lane changes, ultimately ending up in the heart of the city. Panicked, I called Des, who advised me to rely on my Navman GPS.

After what seemed like an eternity, I was back on the Monash Freeway heading towards Garfield. Easy when you know how.

I arrived in Garfield by mid-afternoon, relieved and overjoyed to have safely reached my new home. The journey had been long and challenging, but it was also filled with moments of discovery and unexpected beauty. As I settled into my new surroundings, I looked forward to the new adventures that lay ahead.