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"Reliable communications are essential when traveling in remote areas, you can count on Codan," the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia's (RAA). "Codan's UUPlus @ Email for HF virtually removes the tyranny of distance. It was surreal sitting in the middle of the Simpson Desert sending and receiving emails from around the world, but it sure as hell works," Mr. Ackland said.

Mr. Ackland and his team at the RAA co-ordinate the rescue and recovery of over 650,000 breakdowns in South Australia and the Northern Territory every year. Many of these breakdowns occur in remote parts of Australia.

With the help of Codan, Mr. Ackland organized a trip through some of the most extreme parts of Australia to gain a better understanding of the issues confronting the service providers and travelers in these areas, as well as demonstrate the importance of communications, planning, preparation and training when traveling in remote areas.

In July 2003, Mr. Ackland led a team of 11 four-wheel drive enthusiasts in five vehicles on one of the toughest treks in the world, in the process, raised money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Chris Levingston, Codan's Regional Sales Manager for Oceania, equipped the vehicles with NGT HF radios and data modems. "Utilizing the Bush Telegraph network and Lencom's data service, the team was able to communicate by voice and send daily email updates,

"The HF emails and voice communications were seamless even from such remote areas, "Chris said. The trip began at Port Wakefield and included Woomera, William Creek, Oodnadatta and Dalhousie Springs in outback South Australia en route to the Simpson Desert and Alice Springs. Along the way, the team encountered the most extreme conditions, from heavily rutted tracks-in some cases flooded through to the harsh environment of the Simpson Desert. Given the vast distances and the punishing terrain, reliable communications was of the utmost importance to ensure the team's safety.

"One of the key issues when traveling in such remote country is to have the best possible communications. When we needed car parts, we were easily and rapidly able to communicate with our suppliers. Codan's remote area communications provide the safety and confidence required when traveling in remote areas." Mr. Ackland said.

WARATAH LIVES ON - A story from Tasmania

Anne and I have been in the Apple Isle for six months, and quite by accident (of best kind) we decided to leave the coast and go down to Savage River and to The Pieman for the last weekend here. We thought of stopping in Hellyer George for lunch, but there was a lot of smoke from forestry bum off, so we decided to make Waratah our lunch stop.

When we pulled into town to park Thursday lunchtime, on looking across the lake we see four motor homes at a large metal clad building, what turned out to be the sports hall, and named the "Alma Fagan Community Centre" so named after a local identity. The motor homes belonging to members of the "Van Demons" chapter of the CMCA.. There, for their weekend meeting. It did not take us long to change our plans and join them for the weekend, little did we know what Waratah had in store for us.

On the Friday morning we had a good white :frost, followed by a sunny day. We decided to complete our trip to the Pieman River and inspect the hill where Douglas Owens and Joy Butcher had a few braking problems. That is another story best told by the participants. On arriving back at Waratah just in time to join a walk down to the old power house, a difficult climb back up for me, but worth the struggle, more about the power house later. Dinner was available at The Golf Club for those who wished to round off a full day.

Saturday we had morning tea and goodies with the Mayor, put on by the town. Four of the high school girls acted as Ambassadors/hostesses for the weekend and were presented with certificates signed by "His Worship". Also over the weekend we had slide shows about Waratah. A talk and book launch by author Nic Haygarth of his latest book, title, "Baron Bischoff'. Gold panning at the museum, sunset walks to watch the Platypus play in the lake, (18 pair live there.) Dinner at the pub with a roaring log fire, much appreciated after the white :frost we had the morning before, bus (courtesy of Joe Fagan contractors) trips around the town with a commentary on the town and it's history, all this arranged by Mrs. Val. Fleming, recently :from Collie, W A. Who has a passion for the town and its history? And this is where the story begins ...

In the days of adventure when huge tracks of land were still unexplored, one man James Smith also known as "Philosopher Smith, born of convict parents, and already a successful miner having worked a silver mine near Penguin decided to seek further exploration in the forest and river systems to the south and west. Minerals and precious metals fascinated him, of which he gained an expert knowledge during his life, and the prospecting side of mining was what he liked best. Smith was full bearded and rugged and no doubt enjoyed the isolation of the bush and spent some time panning for gold in the rivers of the high country below what is now know as the Hellyer George, eventually working his way to the base of "Mount Bischoff." It was not gold, but tin that had caught his interest. On December 4 1871 he had found a mountain of tin. In the early years "Mount Bischoff Tin Mine Co." was the richest tin mine in the world and a forerunner to all mines in Tasmania, and had an influence on all Tasmanian life, not more so than on the then village of Burnie which quickly became a town and seaport because of Smiths discovery. Mount Bischoff tin boosted the economy of the island at a time when it was stagnating.

With in ten years from the first huts the town had grown to a prosperous community with schools, the primary school opened in 1878, churches, St James C of E built 1880, (I don't think there is any reference with Philosopher there!) A hospital, shops and businesses. A rail line from Burnie to the mine was soon established, to within a few miles of the town. From Waratah prospectors moved further out to discover more mines, gold, silver and osmiridium, tin and iron to name a few. Born in 1827 in George Town, James Smith started his working life as an apprentice in a flour mill. Sometime after that he took up prospecting and had a mine in or near Penguin. In 1851 he travelled to the Victorian gold fields. 1853 found him back in Tasmania and taking up land to farm near Forth. It had not been Smiths main intention to go to Mount Bischoff, more to explore the upper reaches of the Arthur River and its branches, (he thought that others more experienced than he had been there before him). The closer he got to the mountain the rougher the tin ore became, unlike the earlier smooth samples of the lower reaches of the rivers where tumbling over the river bed had worn off the sharp edges, this told him that the source had to be Mount Bischoff.

It was not until 1872 that James Smith applied for a mineral lease to what was a very rich lode beyond all expectations, and between 1873 and 1942 the mine yielded in excess of 56,000 tons of tin, paying dividends of two and a half million pounds on a paid up capital of just 29,600 pounds.

James Smith was not to reap the full rewards from such a valuable find. There was disagreement with subsequent mine managers, and he resigned, from the board of directors. Returning to his farm from where he made occasional prospecting trips. On February 8, 1878 at Launceston, Governor Weld presented Smith with a silver salver and 250 sovereigns. Part of the address read by Weld on behalf of the subscribers was: "It is not saying to much when we declare our firm conviction that to you, more than any living man, our colony owes its present state of prosperity. As the result of your discoveries, property has increased in value, commerce has developed, the tide of immigration has turned to our shores, all classes of the population have benefited, " Parliament also recognised his conurbation and granted him a life pension of 200 pound a year. James "philosopher" Smith died in 1897 and is buried in Forth.

Smith and his helpers faced enormous problems in opening up the mine in inaccessible and isolated country, nevertheless one year after the discovery of the tin the first tons of ore in sacks were carted to Burnie for shipment to Melbourne for smelting, and it was after that that the company was formed and shares sold. The first mine manager was William Crosby, within two years he was to be replaced by Heinrich Kayser who held the position for thirty years. It was Kayser's treatment of the workers that caused Smith to resign from the board of the Mount Bischoff Tin Mining Company in 1876 and he had disposed of his shares before the first dividend was paid in 1878.

Today Waratah as it has come to be known, but some times still called Mount Bischoff, has a population of about three hundred, but in its hay day it boasted as many as 2,500 living in and around the diggings. Now there is little evidence of the bustling town it was 100 years ago, save for the scar from the workings on the side of Mount Bischoff. Many of the streets have long ago returned to the bush, the once tram and railways are no longer in evidence with the exception of a now foot bridge and cuttings where once track was laid. The waterfall which was the source of power to drive the water wheel to power the mill, still flows with a small water wheel to remind us of past times. There is still a half a mountain of tin, but the demand and price is such that it is not a viable proposition now.

The Waratah River drops 600 feet in little over a mile, this combined with a heavy rainfall kept the generators running. (The area then enjoying around 100 inches a year, now something like 70 inches.) Far down in the gorge some many hundreds of feet are the Remains of the powerhouse and four alternating current generators that were the first in Tasmania to be powered by a hydroelectric scheme, installed in 1907 replacing the small direct current generators installed in 1883 that supplied lights to the mill, office and workshop, this dynamo was powered from the shaft of the water wheel, so when the machinery stopped the lights went out. But alas time and vandals are taking their toll on the powerhouse and machinery of what I think is a crucial part of the states history. It I believe it being some of the first AC electricity generated in Tasmania, certainly the small church in the town was the first church in Tasmania to be lit by Hydro Power. Fortunately there are a few with a passion for Waratah and its history, but it takes dollars by the bucket load and there fore is a slow march and I fear nature will over take their efforts.

Small evidence remains of the 55 head stampers, rail lines, batteries and dressing sheds. Hundreds of yards of water race and pipes that went into keeping the mill, mine and power station via a header tank and penstock down into the valley going. Little more than the boiler is all that is left of a once proud steam locomotive that carried the ore to Burnie, and lies discarded on the side of the road leading into town.

Waratah boasted two hotels, next to each other, but only one had a liquor licence at times causing a hasty movement to next door, when the police were sighted. There is so much more I could relate about this town, but I will leave it to those interested to read for themselves.

I tell this story because we can so often drive through a town, or with the briefest of stops and miss out on learning about what history the area may have, or even interesting stories to tell. Or landmarks not always so well documented. Further information and books about the area are available from the Waratah Museum.

Information and dates obtained from the book "Waratah - pioneer of the west"
Ray and Anne Corbin

Ed. Another member seeing Tassie with different eyes thanks Ray and Anne for your interesting email