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We were going to stay in Alice Springs for two nights but a long the way we were warned against it due to crime and vandalism. We came to check out Alice Springs Golf Club, our only bowling club since Port Augusta 1,230 km south. It's a golf club so not much around about bowls. 1:30 and the bar was shut. There are some good paintings of people on the wall. Golfers no doubt. They wanted to charge us $10 each for a roll-up. Forget that! Not spending any money here! But check out the view over the greens. Outside is a covered area and seating in the sun. Pride of place are the golf carts next door. It was 22°>. Warmest we've been for weeks! There's one grass green. Barry from NT Bowls said it runs very well. We didn't get a rollup but the scenery was good! No rollup at Alice Springs.

The lovely people at ETSA Bowling Club invited us to come with them to play Wednesday bowls at Quorn. It was going to be another 1,200 km - 5 days until we saw another bowling club so we jumped at the chance! It's a tiny little clubhouse. There are about fifty members here. There's a painting of the old clubhouse. Their successes are proudly displayed. They have lots of good sponsors. Sam and Sue looked after the draw. Many of the players were at ETSA. There's one old plastic synthetic green. There are permanent shades. It's such a a beautiful day. Zero wind. 13° and full sun. There were sixteen players. We played each other. Max and Jean were against Mal and Chrissy. Mal took first blood. Jean took kitty then she and Max consolidated for three shots. Jean got one close. Mal had a beautiful shot. Jean drove him out for three. Then Chrissy did a pearler and took the kitty for five. Jean and Max won by one shot. They told us at ETSA that they feed you at Quorn. They weren't wrong. Sue spun the wheel for the Jackpot. We didn't win though. We left happy with full tummies. Quorn and ETSA - we enjoyed the company.

We're on our way to Darwin. We stopped in Peterborough overnight Sunday and today we've stopped at Port Augusta and are camped at ETSA Bowling Club. We drove all the way from Broken Hill so we could participate in ETSA Jackpot Tuesday bowls. We're camped at the club. We're locked in at night. It's a cute little club house. We're told that E.T.S.A. is for Electrical Trust of South Australia. Out front is a nice, wide verandah. The stone was laid in 2021 to celebrate 50 years. The synthetic green was opened in 2009. The clubhouse was opened in 2980. Over the bar is a painting of the old clubhouse. They've had some success in competitions. A bowler (made from bowls) stands guard outside. We met Barb when we arrived on Monday. She helped us out. Kath ran the day. They were all very friendly, welcoming and talkative. Jean sat and chatted with Glenn, Cheryl and Mad Max. Max said they are naughty. There are two greens but the back one is now the Croquet green. The one remaining green is plastic synthetic. It's been quite flattened over the years. It's 2-4-2 Pairs today. Jean and Doc Played Paul and Barb. Mal played with Glenn Against Chrissy and Kath. Jean managed one in an ordinary head. Mal did a little better. Jean got shot. Doc had all the back bowls. Mal put in a beauty. Mal won by two, Jean lost by 3. We came inside for drinks and raffle paddles. Moo spun the wheel. First up Jean won some wine. We were going to drive on on Wednesday but they suggested we stay another night and go with them to play social bowls at Quorn. We might just do that1 ETSA - what a lovely game!

On our way to Darwin we've stopped in at Port Augusta Bowling Club for a quick peek. It's just a short little post today. It's an old-fashioned clubhouse we saw through the window. It has a long under cover area by the green. It's a really large green - the sign says which rinks to roll up on. We met John who was doing that. We didn't roll up because we couldn't remember if we'd locked our caravan. We had to get back. Port Augusta - quick - back to the caravan!

On our way to Northern Territory we've stopped overnight at Moree. Luckily we're here on a Wednesday and they have bowls this arvo. We came inside. It's a nice, big RSL Club. There's some bowls memorabilia. They are the Magpies. Outside is an under cover outdoor area with a little playground. We met Mick who organises Wednesdays. There were a few travellers there. We met Dave from Tea Gardens. Outside is a 1971 commemorative plaque for the old greens. There are now new synthetics. There are two new, blue, plastic synthetic greens. Like 'The Blue Lagoon at Trafalgar. Brian said they've been in about a year. They are both under cover. The metal seats are new and impressive. Scoreboards and seats are donated in memorium. The front green is the open one. Today it's three-bowl pairs. Jean and Dot Played Brian and Mal. Jean struggled with weight. She finally got shot Then Mal came in and stole it! Then he stole one from Dot. Dot said " I think I'm playing against a champion! ". Mal could do no wrong! Jean finally got shot with a Toucher then Mal put her in the ditch. It ended up 28 to six. Jean told Mal " You're walking home! ". (Across the road to the showground.) Moree - Mal's cooking dinner!

We're staying at Delungra so drove over to Inverell to visit the two clubs there. The first was the ex-servos - Inverell RSM Bowling Club. The bowling club is separate from the main club - down the side. We got a shot through the window. Barry rolled up with us. There's just one plastic synthetic green. Jean's turn. Barry was just too good for us. Jean could only manage second! Mal did his best. He was close but Barry was closer! Jean jumped up and down when she finally got herself a shot. Mal got one too! Inverell RSM - thanks for the lesson Barry!

We came to Tingha for just one night and visited it's little Bowling Club.  Actually it's The Tingha Sport and Recreation Club.  Very evident today! It's a small town - about 800 people. When we arrived the place was packed!  There was a footy game on.  Seniors Tingha vs Inverell. Most of the spectators were Indigenous which pleased us. Out the front is a shrine of Remembrance. It's a nice little clubhouse. With great murals on the wall And bowls info proudly displayed. We met Graeme who runs things.  He told us the club is no longer affiliated as they only have a few members now. Tammy is a bowler and works the bar. Tammy introduced us to Peter the ex-President. One of the spectators showed us his Tingha social club shirt. Jean got a badge for her hat. The green was opened in 1988. There's a painting out the back of the green. The Green is pretty good for a tiny little club. It's the Selby Dean Green. With sturdy permanent shades. Mal rolled up  Jean thought she had shot but Mal pipped her. Then Jean  had her go. She was surprised she managed three. Mal was not to be outdone! Jean finished with a Resting Toucher!  One of the guys told us Tingha had the footy wrapped up. 25 to 10. Tingha - great for footy and bowls!

THE SUMMIT We got confused about which Stanthorpe club has bowls on which day. We went to The Summit to see if they had Ladies bowls on Wednesday. Turns out it's Thursday and it was all locked up. We saw the nice bar from the front door window. It's all about apples round here! There's a funny painting on the wall. There are two nice grass greens. We couldn't have a rollup so just took photos. STANTHORPE When we turned up to Stanthorpe Golf and Bowls we discovered bowls is actually today. It's a nice little golf focused club. Sharon at the bar helped us out with information. It was opened in 1976. Even though it's a golf club there are a few bowls flags up. Colin looks after social bowls today. It's very cold so it's possible nobody will turn up. There's one grass green. There used to be two but one's left fallow. The shades are permanent. Because there are only a few of us we didn't have to pay $10. We played together Against Robyn and John. Colin swung. Stanthorpe is the coldest place in Qld. It was freezing. 11° but felt like 9° with the wind. First end, opposition Colin had a toucher. Mal directed Jean to come forehand onto it. She did just that for shot. Then Mal took it. It happened again. Jean touched Then Mal took it again. Jean did another for good measure. Mal decided this time to join her. With the cold we elected to do only ten ends. Nobody stayed for drinks. We came home. Stanthorpe and The Summit - a cold, cold day for bowls.

We're on our way to South Australia then the NT. We're still in Queensland so slowly heading back to NSW. Today we've visited two little Qld clubs - Killarney and Tanneymorel. KILLARNEY We stopped at Killarney for a look on our way to stay at Tanneymorel. We just stayed for a few minutes to get some photos. We looked inside the window at a nice bar area. There's a long verandah by the green. There is one grass green. It's a little brown at present. TANNEYMOREL Then we made it to Tanneymorel. It's a cute little club. Kearna the Club Secretary was there to do some work. She looked after us. The bar is great. Outside we see there were lights switched on in 1987. The green looks quite nice - though a little brown. The town has 150 people. Jean went for a walk and met two of them. A lady said " There's not much in Tanney. But check out the mural on that shed there!" Peter came later for the committee meeting. It was too dark to roll up so we waited until morning. Jean had a go. It was reeeaaallly slow. We had trouble with weight until Jean scored two. Mal was determined to do better. He got two as well. Still weight issues. Mal just pipped Jean's shot. Jean somehow managed to get two together. We liked our little visit to Killarney and Tanneymorel.

We've been quiet the last few days. We stopped at Nimbin on our wat to Jean's niece Mel's place at Tyalgum where we stayed two nights. No bowling club! Last night we stayed at Beaudesert Bowls Club as we promised in 2023. Today we've stopped at Rathdowney for a rollup. It's really quiet here. It's warm with zero wind. Next door though there's a camp draft to raise funds for a boy who had a farm accident. There are caravans and horses everywhere! When we arrived we met Greg who helps 80 year old Bob to manage the green. It's quite brown because they've had frosts. The scoreboards remember successes of their members. Mal went first. First end he nailed it for three. Jean took her turn. She managed four! Mal was all over it. Even with a Resting Toucher Jean couldn't catch him. After our rollup Jean went to the little shop across the road for some snacks. There were ALOT of chips! Rathdowney - nice little Qld town!

We drove 42 min from Lismore to Kyogle. They play this arvo but we don't want to be on the pot-holed road after dark so we'll just have a rollup. It's a little club. The bar is the centre. There are lots of anniversaries. The ladies won Pennants in 1960. There are a few more wins up. We met Liz from the bar. She took our photo out the front. inside we met Noel and Herb. There are three grass greens. One has been partially used for entertainment. The front green is where we rolled up. It's called the Shirley Green. When we went out for our rollup we met Margaret and her husband President Greg. Margaret gave us some momentos. They are The Bush Turkeys. She introduced us to Gwen who showed us her Bush Turkeys shirt. Jean took the mat. It was a little slow. She struggled a bit for shot. Mal had a go. He did better. Jean had consistent weight. Just not good enough to beat Mal. Last end Jean said we had to do two more ends because she thought Mal had shot and she needed another photo. Not so! When we came inside the bowlers were waiting to go out. Jean sat and chatted. She told them her memory of Kyogle was from high school. Her Deputy Principal was Mr Hickson who came from Kyogle. Steve said " I remember Kevin Hickson. He taught me!" Jean said "We used to call him Coogee Bear." They said "We did too!" We were very happy that Greg introduced us to all the members and wished us well. We left them playing social. Kyogle - very friendly people and great memories!

This morning Mal rang and spoke to Ray at The Heights for a chat and to get our names down for a Tuesday afternoon game. It's a small clubhouse up on the hill. Jean stood and chatted with the ladies. Dale and Ray looked after the money. Mal chatted with Paul outside. There's a bicentennial plaque from 1956. The sign on the hill used to be marigolds. There are three grass greens. The top green looks unused. It will be used for Pickleball. We played on the bottom green. Green 1 - The Platypus. With a beautiful native garden out the back. Probably due to the cold weather there were only eight players today. Jean and 7 blokes. It's Three-bowl Pairs . Jean was with Dale Against Ray and Mario. Mal was with Dave Their opponents were John and Fred. It was sunny with a brilliant blu sky. 17° thatvfelt like 14°. Jean scored shot with a Toucher then Dale consolidated with three. Peter the Bowls Coordinator came to watch. Jean was always up the other end when Mal bowled so she ran up to get a pic of his shot. The Pennants stickers are nice. Jean put the kitty in the ditch then got a second shot. Jean raced up the other end for Mal's two. Ray told Jean they put Mal against the club's gun bowler John because they're sick of losing to him. Mal started to catch up but lost 16-26. Dale and Jean won 35-19. It was nice and warm inside. We met President Barry. Barry called it. Dale and Jean won the day. The Heights - Lismore good times with the boys.