An unscheduled trip to Bedourie

Before arriving in Farina, we thought we could smell gas coming from the cupboard under our sink in the ensuite. Mind you, at that time, it was only a very faint smell.
 
We were still on the blacktop and had not yet hit the dirt, so we could still cook and enjoy hot showers. 
 
We aired down in Marree, as we usually do when towing the van over dirt roads. The 4WD tyres were reduced to 32 psi and the van's tyres to 25 psi, to ensure a comfortable cushion for both vehicles.
 
Our trip along the Birdsville Track wasn't particularly harsh, though the floodways and dry creek beds were quite rough and stony.
 
Upon arriving at Mungerannie, we turned on the gas to heat our shower water, but the overpowering smell of gas prompted us to turn the valve off immediately.
 
A spray bottle with soapy water indicated gas escaping from a hairline crack on the bottom nut of the tap that isolates gas to the hot water system.

We'd already planned to eat at the roadhouse that evening. As we were heading to the 'Bash', we purchased large wet wipes to use on off days, so all our requirements were met.

 

By the time we arrived in Birdsville, the crack in the nut had grown larger, with part of it broken away.

 

Oh dear, here we were in Birdsville, planning to stay for seventeen days. We would be without any cooking or hot water for the entire period. The thought of having to drive to Mt Isa for repairs, a round trip of over 1300 km, filled us with dread.

 

There was no one here in Birdsville who could help, so I rang the information centre in Boulia without success. As a last resort, I called the shire office in Bedourie. Luckily, they had a gas plumber working for them, and he would contact us.

 

Fortunately, as soon as he rang me back, we headed the 187 km to Bedourie, arriving just at lunchtime. We parked opposite the pub, and Wayne, our saviour, called about ten minutes later. He checked the damage and said he'd be back at three after finishing work.

 

While we waited, we wandered across the road to the pub for one of their $10 lunch specials and a cold beer. Neither the exterior nor the interior has been improved in a very long time.  

The saga continued from there with Wayne unable to find the right-sized nut in the council workshop. In the end, he used a drill press on a smaller nut to make it fit. All of this took just over two hours to complete.
 
When I asked him how much he wanted for his time, he said $50 would do. However, we were just so grateful that we didn't have to drive to the Isa, so we gave him $250 instead.
 
We headed south for 68 km to spend the evening camping at Cuttaburra Crossing. We have passed by here on more than one occasion, so this would be ideal for us. That evening, we enjoyed a lovely hot shower, a hot meal, and a cup of coffee, thanks to Wayne.

An early start the next morning, with just 120 km to go until we reached Birdsville.