The Green Way Up Adventure

The Green Way Up Adventure

by Spencer
(Austad)

Birdsville

Hi Rita,
We are about to embark on a green adventure in the form of a documentary called The Green Way Up. The documentary will follow four men Bob, Chuck, Oscar and Justin on their 100% biodiesel powered journey around Australia and onwards through Asia and Europe to the top of Norway.

Engineer Bob has designed and built a portable biodiesel processor, with the help of welder Chuck, which will convert any waste plant oil or animal fat into fuel. The boys' mission is to search out new sources of waste oil/fat along the route and new ways to put the biodiesel to use.

Our goal is to promote biodiesel as a viable and efficient alternative to fossil fuels and also investigate sustainable energy practices and projects across the globe.
The hope is to build an accessible platform for conversation about sustainable energy from the ground up.
As a bonus, with a planned route of around 60,000km we are set to break the world record for the longest trip on 100% biodiesel.

We were wondering if we could get in touch with you for a chat as it seems like you have great knowledge on some remote areas we are traveling through. Could you please send us an email or give us a ring.

Thank you for your time and looking forward to hear from you.
Best Regards,
Spencer Austad
The Green Way Up

I received the above submission by email, and Spencer happily agreed to publish the letter on the Outback Guide.

This is truly a very interesting and challenging project.

Here's a second email with more info.

Hi Rita,

We will start filming next month, so basically what we are doing at this stage is researching stories along the way.
As you probably got from my email, this documentary series focuses on green energy, and particularly biofuel. However, we are looking for any interesting stories along the way for the boys to explore, preferably with a green angle, but we are considering all options.

If you know about anything you would think be worth looking into, we would deeply appreciate your help. I think publishing the original email on your website is a great idea as well- that would be most helpful.

We would also love to get in touch with any contacts you reckon we would need to speak to. Please find below the leg of the route we are researching at the moment.

Thanks again for your time Rita, looking forward to hear from you soon.

COOBER PEDY - to LAKE EYRE - to ARKAROOLA, FLINDERS RANGE - up the BIRDSVILLE TRACK - to BIRDSVILLE- through the SIMPSON DESERT - to ALICE
SPRINGS - to YUENDUMU - up the TANAMI ROAD - to HALLS CREEK - to BROOME - to WYNDHAM - to KUNUNURRA - to KAKADU - to DARWIN

Best regards,
Spencer Austad

Comments for
The Green Way Up Adventure

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Mar 21, 2011

Follow Up
by: Rita

Hi Spencer,
I am a great admirer of the legends and history of the South Australian Outback. I truly believe that there are many interesting stories to find along the way.

Just in case you haven't seen it, there is more info here on the Outback Guide for some of your destinations.
Coober Pedy, the Oodnadatta Track step by step, Arkaroola and the Flinders Ranges.

While in Arkaroola, your team might want to raise awareness of Arkaroola's long battle with the government to prevent uranium mining in one of the prettiest spots of the Flinders Ranges.
Read more about the matter on the Arkaroola website and on the Save Arkaroola website. There is definitely a green angle in this.

Stay in touch,
Rita

Everyone reading this and has tips about interesting stories for the Green Way Up Team, please post here.
Want to get in contact with the team? Send me a message through the contact form, and I will forward it to Spencer Austad.
To prevent everyone from spam, I am won't publish email addresses on the website.

Rita

Mar 21, 2011

road closures throughout Central Australia
by: David Wade

Hi Rita

Spencer and his colleagues have next to no chance of going anywhere in the eastern half of Central Australia over the next two or three months, at least. Persistent rain, and floods coming down from the Channel Country towards Lake Eyre, have everything closed: Strezlecki Track, Birdsville Track, Birdville itself, Innamincka, Simpson desert, are all unreachable.

We have a Simpson Desert trip planned for May, but are now looking at alternatives. I'd suggest your readers start to look at some of the road warnings.

Regards

David

Mar 21, 2011

The Green Way Up
by: Spencer

Hi David,

Thank you for your comment and information. We would very much like to get in touch with you to get some more detailed information. If you could shoot Rita an email and get my address, that would be highly appreciated.

Thanks David!

Spencer

Mar 22, 2011

Road conditions
by: Rita

Good point, David, that's what I thought when I saw the route. However, I took it for granted that Spencer and his team are aware of the conditions in Outback South Australia, and I don't know when exactly they plan to travel in the area.

To check weather and road conditions click the link in the box in the right column.

Rita

Mar 22, 2011

road warnings
by: David Wade

Rita and Spenser

Rita has done a great job linking to the various state road authorities. Another couple of useful sites, Lake Eyre Yacht Club, http://www.lakeeyreyc.com/, and Land Rover Club of the ACT, www.lrc.org.au, which has links to all the state parks and forests at www.lrc.org.au/members_information.htm.

SA Parks puts out a parks access and road report for the state's travel bureaus and commercial 4WD operators. The Pink Roadhouse at Oodnadatta would be one place with the latest copy.

Mar 22, 2011

outback trip 2012
by: peter landy

Gday Dave i am hoping to take a bunch of my mates to the birdsville track next year. what day do you suggest we leave, what day will the roads be open.

defenderly

Peter

Mar 22, 2011

next year
by: David Wade

Peter

You are leading the trip, I'll probably be tail end Charlie. Why not leave Broken Hill on 1 June. Should give us time to see what roads are open.

David

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