Rockhampton – Day 2

Today was a necessary but not all that interesting day.

First up was to contact the auto-electrician recommended by the caravan park.  Fortunately he was able to come around at about 1.00 pm, which was great.  We were a bit concerned that we might not be able to get any help until next week.

That gave us a few hours to fill in so we visited the local shopping centre to stock up on some supplies, and enjoy a very nice cup of coffee.  Coffee was accompanied by a lamington the size of half a brick!  Very tasty and more than enough for the two of us.

Then it was back to the fiver and while Ann prepared lunch I got things in order for the auto-electrician – including empty out some storage compartments to give access to cabling, pull the back off the fridge, and so on.

The auto-electrician arrived spot on time and got to work straight away.  His diagnosis was that all our cabling was operating as expected but that our two house batteries were in effect dead.  As a result, no matter how much or how we tried to recharge the batteries they would not hold their charge.

Unfortunately he couldn’t supply new batteries but recommended somewhere that could and said that he would come back to install them.

I rang the battery place which was not far away and they had what we needed in stock.  I left Ann at the fiver and went down to collect the two new batteries, and while I was there purchased the ultimate in insurance in a small generator.  As we have had significant battery/electrical issues two years in a row, we now have the capability to recharge them in case of difficulties.  Very important in very remote areas!

Unloading one of the new batteries

My electrical problem solutions

Back to the fiver and a call to the auto-electrician and within a short space of time the new batteries were installed and the old ones taken away.

And that was basically what filled in my day.  While I was busy sorting out batteries and stuff, Ann was chatting to several fellow travellers who were going fishing off the river bank and she couldn’t resist some photo opportunities.

Views Across the Fitzroy River from the Fiver

Views Across the Fitzroy River from the Fiver

Fellow Travellers Fishing on the Fitzroy River bank

We’ll start exploring Rockhampton tomorrow.