My accident on a Cattle Grid in Crookwell

Sunday 11th August - 2019

Everything was going splendidly until around 1530 on the Sunday afternoon when I decided to divert down south, and call into my friend's property in Crookwell, NSW. We could not get back across the Blue Mountains From Bathurst to Sydney because the Great Western Highway was closed at Lithgow due to snow & ice.

I wanted to show my mate Peter Deane, the property and Shearer’s Quarters where a bunch of us ex-Qantas employees venture to every year to do “boy stuff” and hopefully catch the elusive trout in the creeks that run through the Prell’s property.

Heading across the Great Dividing Range from Bathurst
on our way to Crookwell

However there were a couple of things we needed to do before this would eventuate.

First of all we needed to navigate the highway through the snow as we drove over the summit of the Great Dividing Range [Above] before descending down into Crookwell where we wanted to enjoy a Sunday afternoon lunch at the delightful Laggan Pub which is approximately 8km out of Crookwell.

Peter and I sat in front of a pleasant open fire in the Restaurant of the Laggan Pub lapping up the warm atmosphere while enjoying our Shepherds Pie and beer.

The '57 Chevy parked outside the Laggan Pub

Once we warmed up and with our bellies now full, it was now time to push onto the Prell’s property which was another 15kms out of Crookwell on the way to Goulburn.

I drove off the highway onto the gravel road that wound down towards the Shearers Quarters. I decided to park the ‘57 Chevy on the hill to take some photographs of the property with the Chevy in the foreground looking down to the Shearer’s Quarters, and those “UGLY” Windmills in the background.

Little did I know the SHIT was about to hit the fan BIG time...

If you look closely at the photo looking towards the Windmills in front 
of my Chevy, you can see the Cattle Grid that I ended up in.

As you can see in the photograph [above] I managed to take a photograph looking from the rear of the Chevy towards the Windmills, then I had this bright idea that I should take another photograph looking from the front of the Chevy looking in the opposite direction.

So with my iPad in both hands, I was walking backwards, concentrating on the screen, trying to frame the perfect shot (as you do) I ended up stepping right into the steel Cattle Grid, arse up.

If you look closely at the photo looking towards the Windmills in front of my Chevy you can see the Cattle Grid that I ended up in. Moral to the story: Don’t ever walk backwards while taking photos. 

The damage I did to myself, this photo was taken before my
skin graft operation in Canberra Hospital.

Now I can see how these people have fallen to their death while taking “selfies”. How to stuff up what had been a perfect weekend away with the Chevy Car Club.

To cut a long story short because of my injuries (as you can see by the photograph) I ended up in Canberra Hospital for an operation and skin graft. I spent a total of 9-days in hospital and was discharged on Monday, and let me assure you it is great to be back home in the “Shire”.

Recovering after my skin graft operation in Canberra Hospital
enjoying a feed that a friend called in with

I have a very good friend that works at the Canberra Airport as a “Firey” he dropped by one day with lunch for me. [Above], I was hanging out for fresh prawns, sourdough bread rolls and a Classic Coke to wash it all down. Yummie !!!

That sure put a big smile on my face as you can see.

Back home now in The Shire, my wound is healing up nicely

So now all that is left for me to do is listen to the Doctor's orders and rest up until my wound heals.

Cheers for now from the “Squire from the Shire”.

Warbo