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MAP OF AUSTRALIA

1997 UPDATES 1998 UPDATES

1999 UPDATES OF THE RIDE
from Omeo to Healesville in Victoria
and across Tasmania from Devonport to Dover

Last updated May 1999 - to be completed.

January and February 1999 I started back on my ride on the 18th of January riding through Omeo to Dargo on my own arriving six days later. Jill Golden from Adelaide joined me here in Dargo for ten days. We had a very enjoyable ride up and down quite a few mountains with incredible views. I continued on another week on my own to Marysville. The ride from Dargo all up was quite tough and hard on the horses. Beautiful forests, numerous steep climbs and decents and plenty of solitude. Ultimately I completed my ride to Healesville on Sunday 14th February 1999, it was great to arrive finally after all this time. A number of my friends were there to meet me including Doc and Silvi Eckley, Dianne Shefford and family, Linda Meerman of Healesville and local member of the BNT, and my partner Frank Gilio as well as others. It was an enjoyable day and great to have my friends there. The next two weeks were spent in Warburton with the Sheffield family busy preparing for Tasmania. During this time we drove back to Khancoban and picked up my mare Silver who I left behind last December. March 1999 TASMANIA! On the 3rd of March my five horses and I set sail on the Spirit of Tasmania with Vern Poke the local horse transporter across Bass Strait. The horses and I arrived safely on the morning of the 4th. The morning was filled with media interviews arranged by Chris Boden of the Tasmanian Trail. The reception here has been fantastic. Margot Patterson (who rode with Melanie and I a year ago) has joined me from Devonport. We left Devonport on the 5th March and spent the first few days riding through the towns Latrobe, Railton and Sheffield. In Sheffield we received a wonderful reception from the local Lions Club and others who helped us out with our accomodation and feed for the horses. From Sheffield we rode through forestry areas over the Gog Ranges to Cluan and Bracknell. We enjoyed a great rest day at the Bracknell Hotel where we met two fellow travellers on mountain bikes. We left Bracknell on 14th March to ride up onto the very rocky Central Plateau. Kevin Norris of Railton who helped us out along the way was there to meet us four days later with a horse paddock arranged in Miena. We stayed with Kevin's family enjoying two rest days in their shack (holiday house). A well needed break at the time. We had spectacular weather here with a fantasic view of Tasmania's Great Lake. Margot finished her first part of the ride here at Miena the next day. On the same day Tony Atkins from Cairns began his two and a half week ride with me. Tony and I left Miena on 20th March. Our first stop over was at Bronte Park two days later. The weather being the determining factor as it was absolutely miserable when we woke up in the morning and no way were either of us going to ride in weather like that when we didn't have to. It turned out lucky that way because we had a very enjoyable rest day there. Bronte Park Highland Village is as close as you can get to the very centre of Tasmania and is a popular tourist and trout fishing destination. The next day we rode onto Ouse and near Hamilton where we were invited to ride in the grand parade of the local show. James and Pip Allwright kindly arranged for us to get there in James' large cattle truck - though quite a hairy ride for the horses it was quite an experience and all in all turned out really well. Next was the town Glenora where we were in time to witness the hops being harvested for local and international beer production. Then on through the beautiful Derwent Valley to New Norfolk and Lachlan arriving on 31st March. April 1999 We left Lachlan on my birthday 3rd April riding through the back of the Wellington Range to Judbury where we were kindly put up at the small camp ground there for the day off on Easter Sunday. Margot joined us again here as well as another group of riders who turned up riding from Dover. Monday was pouring rain but we (Margot, Tony and I) had to travel on. We decided to ride the whole 40km to Geeveston where we had a place to stay with a local lady, Rosemarie Edge. We arrived in the dark and Rosemarie kindly looked after us for the next two days until the weather cleared. Tony had to go back to Hobart from here. Rosemarie and her daughter Emma joined Margot and I for the last main days' ride to the Esperance River where the Tasmanian Trail ends. However I had decided the day before that I would ride into Dover itself to finish my ride and that I would ride this last day on my own. So on the 8th April 1999, almost exactly to the day from when I left Wagga Wagga five years before, I packed up all my original four horses plus Silver for my last days' ride into Dover. Chris Boden again contacted the media and I was met along the road by TV crews from the ABC, Southern Cross and WIN who interviewed me for quite some time. Afterwhich I rode along on my own enjoying the peace of this last bit of solitude and feeling the joy and satisfaction of my achievent, especially since I still had all my horses with me safe and well after all we've been through. About 2:30pm I arrived at the small park by the water in front of the Dover Hotel, finally completing my long term ambition. Quite a few people had gathered and Margot, Chris Boden and Rosemarie and her children were all there. Some children I didn't even know gave me a bunch of flowers they had put together and I felt so grateful for everyone's support. A lot of people in Tasmania had heard of my ride on the TV or in the many newspaper articles written during my month's ride across Tasmania. It was wonderful to receive this recognition which I never expected here. Before I left Tasmania I had the opportunity to go to Woolnorth, a property on the very NW tip of Tasmania with Silver and Gambit. My friend Spike took me for a weekend's ride at low tide out to Robin's Island. Here I had the chance to canter and gallop on the beach like I've never had the chance to do before. Riding in the sunset along flat stretches of sand and water and the peace and exhilaration of it all. It was a perfect end to it all and I will never forget how beautiful it was. May 1999 I left Tasmania just four days ago travelling in the horse truck with Vern and on the ship back to the mainland and the long drive back to NSW to the horses' temperary home near Bowral. Then for me nearly another day's travel continuing on to Newcastle my new home with not a lot to show for it all. To start my life all over again, totally broke but a bit wiser for it all and too many ideas in my head but few clues where my life will take me now. One thing for sure, is that I will always want the horses in my life. Gabrielle 22nd May 1999 PS. These updates are still to be edited and completed including new photos as soon as possible.

Acknowledgments To all the wonderful people I have met - I am very grateful to you for your assistance and support. Thankyou again for your hospitality.

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