Event:Wikicon Australia 2024/Reports/Gnangarra

For me, WikiCon 2024 has been a long journey, not just in the 5,628.8 km driven but also in time as part of the organising team. It all began back in March 2024 when I answered a call from WMAU EO Belinda for people to help with organising WikiCon 2024.

Organising team

One of our first decisions was where to hold the event. We considered locations where WMAU had not previously hosted a national or international event. Accessibility for members was a key factor, and each location had its own unique characteristics.

Adelaide’s biggest advantage is its accessibility. For most attendees, it would be only a 1-2 hour flight, making it feasible for people from Sydney and Melbourne to attend a one-day event. Perth, on the other hand, involves a significantly longer flight, making a same-day trip impractical. To justify the travel effort, Perth would require a multi-day event, which fell outside the scope of our one-day remit. This same limitation ruled out other cities, such as Darwin, Alice Springs, and, to a lesser extent, Hobart.

Once we had chosen the city and finalised a one-day time frame, we began searching for a venue. Ultimately, we chose the Ibis Adelaide, located near Rundle Street Mall. Its central location made it convenient for attendees to experience all that Adelaide has to offer.

Our next focus was developing a scholarship program and designing the event’s agenda. Both of these processes were guided by our theme of Indigenous Knowledge sharing. This theme was inspired by a report commissioned by WMAU, which explored knowledge sharing and the perspectives of Indigenous communities within the Wikimedia movement.

One of our biggest challenges was finding plenary speakers who could bridge the gap between these perspectives. Unfortunately, the writers of the report were unable to attend. To address this, we turned to individuals who were already actively working to bridge this gap, as well as someone currently contributing to this space. The Wikimedia movement is fortunate to include many people who successfully navigate these complex perspectives.

Beyond the main program, we wanted to bring local experiences to attendees, adding to the vibrancy of the event. We organized museum tours, group meals, and other activities in the days surrounding the event to ensure attendees had a variety of options to enrich their experience.

Scholarships and presentations became the next focal points, while the venue and activities continued to progress quietly in the background. For scholarships, the key questions are always "Who?", "Why?", and "What?"—and then creating a form to gather responses. As expected, we received applications from a diverse cohort. While many were from New Zealand and the wider ESEAP region, we also had applicants from as far as Africa and the Subcontinent. Unfortunately, WMAU is not equipped to manage visa processes, especially for an eight-hour conference. We also recognised that immigration authorities were unlikely to issue visas, no matter how qualified the applicants. This presented a challenge, as we had to focus on scholarship recipients who could realistically attend.

Meanwhile, program submissions began arriving, and we started shaping the agenda. The plan included a morning plenary session, followed by two concurrent tracks in the afternoon. Even with this setup, many presentations had to be shortened or merged to fit within the time constraints. (Note to future self: We have the capacity for a two-day event! This is good news for Perth, Darwin, or Hobart—a full weekend would justify the travel time.)

Finally, we sent out scholarship invitations, notified presenters of their acceptance, and published the program. It felt like everything was coming together. We are ready to go.

As much as this was a team effort, the work load and negotiations with venues fell to Belinda, Alison, and Alice we couldn't have got to this point without them, they deserve the credit for the events success.

The Big Dance

As I decided to drive to Adelaide, I needed to stay in a hotel that had secure parking. The obvious place was Glenelg, which had a tram service to the city. This was in itself a fun part, and an easy way to get to the Ibis which, is just off the Rundle street mall. Arriving at the venue, my first impressions were a bit off-putting as many attendees were inside a fenced-off area which venue staff prevented access to.

The venue had laid out off to the right for conference attendees a coffee area, which would prove to be a little challenging during the day. We had definitely pushed the venue to its capacity.

A beautiful heartfelt Welcome to Kaurna country was given by Elaina Magias, it really made me feel welcome. This was followed by the plenary discussion led by Ingrid and Jenny that explored the First Nations Focus Group Report and brought to the table many of the solutions that the Noongarpedia project used.

Caddie then spoke about the efforts in the Northern Territory to bring more First Nation knowledge to Wikipedia and the wider world. There was significant discussion around making a MOS(manual of style) for how to share about Indigenous Australian culture, languages, and people on Wikipedia. Actively using Wikisource as place to publish oral knowledge is shown to be a great way to capture sources, there are risks that can mitigated by establishing who expressed the information, when, and where location is often part of the story.

Following these talks, we broke for Lunch while the venue staff rearranged the room into two separate rooms. I stayed in the second room for the whole afternoon, helping with technical issues and generally keeping the room on time.

The first session was from Lisa who flew to Adelaide from New Zealand. The session was making a collage of our efforts within the Wikimedia movement. As part of the Organising team when reviewing submission I had doubts about this one, I found it an amazing journey I think some of that also goes to the people at my table who were equally enthraled. I'd like to participate in a longer session in the future it really challenged my perceptions.

The afternoon began with a quiz led by JarrahTree. While it was originally intended as a learning activity for new committee members to better understand the community, it ended up being fun for everyone in the room. We shared plenty of laughs and lighthearted banter over various topics, creating a lively and engaging atmosphere.

Next, Pru gave a talk about sourcing, drawing on lessons from within library networks. Her presentation raised some fascinating ideas, and we revisited the concept of creating a Manual of Style for topics related to Indigenous Australia. She highlighted some excellent examples of existing standards, which provided valuable inspiration for future work.

We then returned to JarrahTree, who shared his vision of how to "read" a Wikipedia article beyond the text itself. He walked us through the various components of an article, explaining what they can reveal about its quality and reliability. This discussion sparked plenty of banter as participants exchanged thoughts and insights on different topics.

As the day came to a close, the dividing wall between the two rooms was taken down, merging everyone into one space. Belinda wrapped up the event with closing remarks, thanking those who played a key role in making WikiCon 2024 in Adelaide a success. She also kindly presented gifts to several contributors, a thoughtful gesture that brought the day to a warm conclusion.

After a few quick conversations with people I still needed to speak with, I hopped on the Adelaide Tram and headed back to my accommodation. Reflecting on the day, I found myself making some crucial decisions about my plans for the next few weeks. It had been an inspiring and productive event, leaving me energised for the journey ahead.

The Road Trip

Because one or two photos are actually many many more see:- Photos from the journey

The actual journey to WikiCon 2024 began months before November 20th in Perth. Driving over 5,000 kilometres required significant planning and preparation. The first step was finding a suitable vehicle—one that would make the journey easier. While my car was fine for regular driving, it lacked the space necessary for nights spent camping on the road. This led me to search for an SUV that was spacious enough to sleep in comfortably—something my four-door sedan couldn’t provide.

Once I replaced my car, I needed to test the new vehicle to ensure it was road-ready. I packed some camping gear and set out on an overnight trip to Mount Magnet. As I covered the 1,200-kilometre round trip, I quickly reacquainted myself with the rhythm of long-haul driving from my truck-driving days. The trip also taught me some valuable lessons: I realized the SUV needed extra carrying capacity for fuel after a detour brought me uncomfortably close to its fuel limit. To address this, I added roof racks, a storage basket, and, since I was already outfitting the car, an awning for shelter when camping.

Feeling more confident in the setup, I reached out to WMAU to discuss my travel plans. They had kindly offered me a scholarship to attend WikiCon, and I asked if I could drive instead of flying. To my delight, WMAU approved the idea. With that, the plan was set: a 5,600-kilometre road trip to Adelaide(and back), with a personal "side quest" of an additional 4,000 kilometres to Brisbane. Preparations were complete, and the adventure was about to begin.

Tuesday 19th of November 2024, final preparations were completed and packing the vehicle was done ready for an early 5 am start, chosen to ensure we were able to stop at the Bakers Hill Bakery for breakfast.

Day 1

We started just after 5 a.m. and reached Bakers Hill, where the local bakery was already open and serving its first customers. However, we decided not to stop, choosing instead to push on and cover as much distance as possible early in the day. From there, we headed east along the Great Eastern Highway, passing through small towns until we arrived in Merredin. There, we stopped at a bakery to pick up supplies for dinner before continuing on.

It was after leaving Merredin that we encountered rain—a steady downpour that would follow us for the next 400 kilometres. The rain eased briefly as we approached Lake Cowan near Norseman, offering two welcome benefits: I could focus more on driving, and the rain left enough surface water in the usually dry lakebed for a photo or two. The sight of water in Lake Cowan was a rare treat, and we couldn’t resist stopping to capture the moment.

Just a short distance down the road, we turned onto the Eyre Highway at Norseman and began the journey across the Nullarbor. Our first stop along this famous stretch was Balladonia, where we refuelled. In front of us lay Australia’s longest stretch of straight road—146 kilometres (or 90 miles). We arrived at the start of the "90-mile" just as the sun was setting. After snapping a few photos, we set up the camera and began recording a timelapse video as we continued our journey into the night. As we travelled this stretch, the night grew darker, and the rain again set in.

Australia's longest straight stretch of road between Balladonia and Caiguna. Know as the 90 mile, it is 146.6km(91 miles) without a bend. This is timelapse video. The vehicle speed was 110km and it was taken driving east starting at sunset

Around Caiguna, we also encountered our first timezone change to Central Western Time(UTC+08:45). Not that time really mattered, as it becomes kind of irrelevant. Either day or night out here, and breaks are taken when roadhouses appear. Approximately 1100km driven in about 14 hours of travel, we weren't yet halfway, but the poor weather had worked in our favour. The rain had kept animals away from the road, even through sunset this means we were about 200kms ahead of where I had planned for day 1.

Day 2

Day 2 started around dawn. While the rain had stopped, the ground was still muddy. We quickly sorted out the car and hit the road, stopping at a picnic area about 15 minutes later to repack the vehicle and get ready for the day ahead. This was our longest planned stretch of driving, with a goal of covering at least 1,200 kilometres to put us within easy reach of Adelaide by early afternoon the following day.

With little to no internet coverage in this remote region, any posts we made on Telegram relied on the hope that they would eventually update when we found a signal. Our first notable stop was Madura Pass, where we refuelled. I made a mental note to take photos here on the way back. Next up was Eucla Pass, where we encountered sections of road marked as emergency landing strips for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Travelling out here, every roadhouse is worth a stop—not just for a rest break but also to check over the vehicle.

By mid-morning, we reached Border Village, South Australia, where we stopped for fuel. Unfortunately, I realized too late that I should have filled up 12 kilometres earlier in Eucla, where the price was 234.9 cents per litre. Border Village, in comparison, charged 271.9 cents per litre, but the Western Australian quarantine checkpoint made going back too much of a hassle.

From Border Village, we crossed the Nullarbor Plain, stopping briefly at Nullarbor Station for cold drinks and the bonus of a fleeting internet connection. Continuing east, we entered Yalata, an Indigenous Protected Area on Wirangu country. The Wirangu people suffered displacement long before they encountered Europeans, as neighbouring communities in South Australia were pushed westward by settlement expansion. Passing through this area gave us pause to reflect on its history and significance.

Our next stop was Nundroo, where my phone finally regained signal. We also changed time zones here, adding 2.5 hours from AWST, one of which was due to daylight saving time. At a rough picnic area, we swapped drivers—my wife had been driving since Nullarbor Station—and discovered that the bumpy conditions had caused one of the power windows to stop working. Despite the hiccup, we pressed on to Penong, our next fuel stop, where prices had dropped to around 200 cents per litre—the cheapest we’d seen since Coolgardie.

As we neared Ceduna, I noticed a church off to the left of the Eyre Highway. Assuming such an isolated place might not have photos on Commons, I mentally added it to my list of places to stop on the way back. (Yes, we would have to repeat this journey in reverse!) At Ceduna, we encountered South Australia’s quarantine inspection stop. These checkpoints do an excellent job of preventing pests from crossing between states, and they reminded us of the unique challenges of travelling such long distances.

Ceduna, like Norseman, is a sizable town and marks the end of the 1,200-kilometre Nullarbor crossing. For us, though, there was no stopping yet—we aimed to reach Kimba before calling it a night. Passing through small towns marked by towering grain silos, we arrived in Kimba to find that the service station had already closed. With no fuel available, we decided to keep going a while longer, finally stopping near Iron Knob for one last night of camping. Tomorrow, we'll reach Adelaide, a nice hotel, a good shower, and space to relax. As much as I enjoy the drive, getting away from the car is equally enjoyable.

Day 3

After our final night on the road to WikiCon 2024 it started with an incredible sunrise. As we packed up camp, we watched an oversized vehicle depart westward, creating the perfect photo opportunity to start the day. For us, the journey ahead was a shorter stretch—just 400 kilometres to Glenelg, a beachside suburb of Adelaide. Having already covered 2,350 kilometres, we were eager to arrive early enough to explore the area before settling in.

We began with a stop in Port Augusta for fuel, coffee, and breakfast before continuing along the dual-named Princess Highway (heading to Adelaide) and Augusta Highway (heading away from Adelaide). Reaching the town of Redhill, we decided we had time to spare, so we turned off the highway to explore and see what photographic opportunities we might discover. Redhill offered some interesting buildings that caught my eye, though I didn’t check the Commons App to see what photos were already needed—I assumed places this close to Adelaide had likely been well-covered. Today’s focus would be on capturing images that spoke to me.

From Redhill, we headed north and turned onto Main road to take us to Koolunga. We found it another charming town with beautiful buildings to photograph. The town also had a lovely riverside park, where I took a moment to investigate the power window issue. I discovered the problem was caused by a blown fuse. While there, I also stumbled upon one of my favourite subjects: an abandoned building.

Continuing east, then south zig-zagging our way, we passed through Brinkworth and Blyth before arriving in Balaklava. On the way, we came across a place called The Devil’s Garden. Intrigued, we turned around to take some photos. Later, during discussions at WikiCon, I used this site as an example of something that piqued my interest, perhaps creating an article that was definitely a media category and Wikidata item. Small, unique places like this are the hidden gems waiting to be documented.

Leaving Balaklava toward Mallala, the journey took an unexpected turn when one of South Australia’s finest pulled me over to discuss “vehicle velocities.” After a short but polite conversation, I was informed that a souvenir would be sent to my home—a speeding fine. This encounter dampened the mood slightly, and we decided to stick to more straightforward routes from there.

From Mallala, we rejoined the Princess/Augusta Highway and continued toward Adelaide. Upon reaching Glenelg, we checked with our hotel, only to find that our room wasn’t ready yet. We took the opportunity to drive around the area, locate an auto parts store for a replacement fuse, and locate the WikiCon venue in central Adelaide, its closest tram stop. Once our room was ready, we returned to the hotel, scouted the nearest tram stop(East Glenelg stop #14) for the following day, and wrapped up the evening with burgers from a nearby shop.

That night, we finally had a chance to catch up on the news, paying close attention to weather concerns in the area where our bonus journey would take us. By Sunday, we’d need to decide whether to continue with the extra leg of the trip. For now, we could rest easy, knowing we’d reached our destination after an incredible journey.

Day 4

Saturday morning, the day of the Big Dance, everything we have been working on for the last 8 months comes down to today. Outside of the hotel, to ride the trams, I had to install an app on my phone to purchase the necessary tickets. I rode the tram each way and then uninstalled the app.

While this is outside of the Wikimedia movements "area", there is a lesson. It is idiotic how many different apps you need, even for single-use activities. We forget to disable or disconnect from them after use. If we look at Wikimedia movement activities, we too are overloading apps without thinking if they can be combined into one Commons App - and Wikishootme I'm looking at you too. Consolidating tools into one must be possible. Just how many upload tools do you actually have?

The conference went well. I spoke with many people and planned to catch up with Tom back in Perth to work through some ideas, but sadly, this will become the last time I will see him. Fond memories all the same. There must be some valuable lesson here, too.

Day 5

Sunday began with a careful look at the weather, as we weighed whether to continue with our side quest or head home. For now, we decided to carry on with the adventure, though later in the day, worsening storm warnings would make the decision to abandon our detour inevitable.

Adelaide has a strong German heritage, and even some of my ancestors once lived in the area. One of those places is Hahndorf, which has become a personal must-stop on every visit to Adelaide—and this trip was no exception. We drove up into Hahndorf, took some video of the main street, and snapped a few photos. The town is always bustling on Sundays, and this time was no different. A visit to Hahndorf wouldn’t be complete without stopping at Beerenberg Farm, so we enjoyed a morning tea there before wandering through the shop, filled with preserves, jams, sauces, mustards, and other delights. Wallets lighter and the car heavier, we continued on our journey.

Passing through Adelaide for the last time, we headed north on the Augusta/Princess Highway, this time in the opposite direction. We stopped at Paralowie to top off the fuel tank, then paused in Dublin for cold drinks and a step back into the 1970s. Our next destination was Port Wakefield, where we explored the area and found plenty of interesting features to photograph. However, storm warnings now posted for later in the week sealed the fate of our side journey to Queensland: we would head straight home.

From Port Wakefield, we meandered north to Port Augusta, taking a detour through Snowtown. Yes, that Snowtown—for those with long memories or a read of the Wikipedia article. These days, the town is home to the "biggest blade"—not a blade of grass, but a massive wind turbine blade from one of the many generators in the area. Snowtown also boasts an amazing secondhand shop filled with fascinating curios. Perhaps we should do more to collaborate with these types of places and photograph the treasures they hold.

Back on the highway, we encountered an unusually placed haul truck, and nearby, a section of fence decorated with toy trucks (colloquially referred to as Tonka trucks). Continuing on, we reached Port Augusta, where we enjoyed an American-Italian meal before fuelling up for the next stage of the trip.

Rejoining the Eyre Highway, we made a brief stop at some water tanks that brought back childhood memories of crossing this same route with my parents in the 1970s. Many of the photos from those trips have been digitized, and VTRS tickets have been lodged to grant permission for them to be shared on Commons. Some are already uploaded, while others still need further processing. Wikimedia Australia’s scanner in Perth has been invaluable for these tasks.

As daylight saving meant sunset was around 8 p.m., we had plenty of light to stop and photograph one of the spots I’d noted on the way over. Ironically, despite daylight saving, sunset is also at 8 p.m. in Perth—just one reason WA doesn’t observe it. We continued along the Eyre Highway, eventually finding a camping spot for the night. Coincidentally—or perhaps fate—we ended up at the same campsite we had used on the way over. Tomorrow should be another good day.

Day 6

The clouds lingered on the western horizon, making for an impressive backdrop in last night’s photos. I’m hopeful that somewhere along the journey, I’ll get clear skies to photograph the famous big skies at night. We packed up camp and reorganised the car to make room for our new treasures—goodies from Beerenberg and the Snowtown secondhand store. Did I mention I found a 1950 edition of Webster’s Dictionary there? I also scored some Christmas presents for my kids, including pre-WWII woodworking tools that one of my sons, who restores old tools, will love. (Note to self: photographing his collection would make for a great photo project!) But enough distractions—it’s time to get back on the Eyre Highway.

Our first stop of the day was Kimba, where we were greeted by the Big Galah (no, it wasn’t a likeness of me!). From Kimba, we continued west on the Eyre Highway, pausing in a few small towns to photograph grain bins and other features that caught my eye. Along the way, we passed through Wudinna, home to The Australian farmer, one of those iconic "big things" of Australia. The sculpture reflects the hardships faced by farmers and their families. It even has a QR code, but I’d need more time to give it the appreciation it deserves.

A little further down the road, we discovered Dusty’s Art Gallery in Poochera. His work is unique and interesting—one of those unexpected surprises you stumble upon while travelling. Along this stretch of highway, we noticed several unmanned service stations offering 24-hour fuel. This contradicted advice we’d received earlier about a lack of fuel between Ceduna and Kimba, which had affected our planning on the way over. Luckily, we now had a better understanding of where to refuel.

Arriving in Ceduna, we sought out the cheapest fuel in town—a rare find offering city prices with enough range to get us into WA. While Ceduna is rich with photo opportunities, I had one specific destination in mind: the Denial Bay Lutheran Church. This isolated church tells a fascinating story about the area’s history. After taking a few exterior photos, I realised I’d forgotten to check if the door was unlocked for interior shots. However, I did photograph the small cemetery on the church grounds, capturing every marked grave and memorial(see:Commons Category). Tasks like this may seem minor, but they create a comprehensive record of a place—and you never know who might turn out to be historically significant once someone starts writing about the area.

We continued west, stopping in Penong to visit yet another "big thing"—a giant windmill. Windmills are everywhere in Penong, but this one seemed small compared to yesterday’s Big Blade from Snowtown. After snapping some photos and videos, we continued west, refuelling in Nundroo. Out here, it’s always better to have more fuel than you need.

As we ventured through Yalata and onto the Nullarbor Plain, we stopped at a small hill to photograph the flat, endless horizon. A short time later, we grabbed the obligatory tourist photo with the famous kangaroo, wombat, and camel sign, along with a few other roadside attractions of Nullabor Station & Roadhouse. Continuing west, we pulled over at several cliffside bays to capture dramatic shots of the coastline. The rugged beauty of the Nullarbor never fails to impress.

Eventually, it was time to find a campsite for the night. After settling in, I reflected on how far we’d travelled and how much there was still to go. Tomorrow promises to be another good day, but then every day spent out here is a good day.

Day 7

Most days out here begin around sunrise—it’s hard to avoid with such an open horizon. This time of year, the sunlight gives you a generous 14 hours of travel time, including stops. Our first task of the day was the compulsory stop at Border Village for WA quarantine formalities. A quick inspection of the esky satisfied them that the only thing we were “smuggling” was Beerenberg jam. (And no, we didn’t have any honey—Beerenberg had already warned us about that issue!) We also made sure not to carry fresh fruit, vegetables, or used fruit boxes—a lesson we learned the hard way 24 years ago when we spent two days in Ceduna repacking everything after using banana boxes. Not doing that again. This time, we packed plastic crates—not the most environmentally friendly item, but at least they don’t carry pathogens.

From Border Village, we drove on to Eucla for fuel, where the price was 37 cents per litre cheaper. After filling up, we wandered around Eucla, photographing the police building, nursing station, and a few other sparse facilities. Next up were the Mundrabilla water tanks—large tin-roofed structures that collect rainwater for travellers. The water is fine, provided you boil it first. We stopped briefly at the roadhouse for a couple of photos before heading toward Madura Pass.

At Madura Pass, I set up the video camera to record the climb out, then doubled back to the lookout for still shots. The view was worth the effort. From there, we continued on to Cocklebiddy, where I planned to refuel and visit the sanctuary for injured wedge-tailed eagles. These magnificent birds are incredible to see up close, though I prefer to photograph them soaring free. Unfortunately, overnight a truck had hit the service station canopy, and repairs were still underway, so no fuel was available. This is why you always carry enough fuel to reach the next stop. On to Caiguna we went.

The miles ticked by: Caiguna, the 90-mile straight, Balladonia. Along the way, I received a cheeky message from Tom: "Slow down, or you’ll be on Rottnest Island before morning!" We stopped at Newman Rock for a quick walk. It was a stunning place, one of those spots where you could spend a lifetime taking photos. Sadly, I only had perhaps an hour to explore—and create a dream for another time.

Back on the road, Fraser Range loomed ahead. A quick message to Telegram sparked a discussion about the area, which once hosted a Wikipedian. As the conversation faded, I found myself thinking about the rest of the day. Should we camp, or push on? When we reached Southern Cross, I knew I’d be heading straight for home. Checking my phone, I saw that we finally had good reception. I searched for accommodations in Norseman and found a room at the Railway Hotel. Late afternoon, early evening—ending the day’s drive here felt like the safest option.

Day 8

We began the day with an early start, though I still had no real sense of the time. Back in the UTC+8 timezone, it was probably around 6 a.m. Once awake, it was time to hit the road again. While in Norseman, I decided to use the Commons app to tick off some locations in need of photos. First up was the District School, where I managed to grab a couple of photos before students started arriving. On the southern side of town, the airport had two pins: one for the airport itself and another for the weather station. The weather station, oddly enough, was located in the lake—completely inaccessible. As for the airport, the data set had mistakenly pinned the navigation target at the end of the runway, rather than the actual airport building. With the area fenced off, I took photos from as close as I could get.

Back in town, I photographed a church under repair, then moved on to a theatre pin, only to find that the building was long gone. Across the road, another building had also been replaced—this was frustrating. Around the corner, I encountered an ephemeral "nighttime theatre," which turned out to be nothing more than a misplaced pin behind the IGA. Ironically, the IGA itself seemed far more notable, with a history worth documenting one day. The final pins led me to two more ephemeral locations, both former cinemas, before I stumbled upon the town’s EV charging point. As it was in use, I snapped a photo—documentation in progress.

This experience reminded me of similar issues I encountered in Katowice, where every bus and tram stop had a pin, but sculptures and points of interest were often missing. When I returned home, I brought this problem to the Commons app talk page, but a functional solution remains elusive, as fixing it would require significant work on Wikidata. It’s a challenge I still don’t know how to resolve.

After fuelling up and grabbing a coffee and sausage roll for breakfast, we headed west. I had high hopes for Lake Cowan, which had looked magnificent on the way over, but this time it was bone dry. Passing through Higginsville, now buried beneath a mine site, and Widgiemooltha, now little more than a roadhouse and a few houses, I reflected on how much these once-sizable towns had changed. Even with an old photo my father took 60 years ago, I doubt I could locate the same point for a comparative shot.

On the road, we passed an abandoned house surrounded by junk—perfect for some artsy shots. As we approached Coolgardie, we spotted a sign for the Coolgardie Gorge. It turned out to be more of a lake, but it had water and made for a lovely photo. I turned back to the Commons app, this time knowing it would be hit or miss. My first stop was the State Battery, yet another place hidden behind a fence, though I managed to get a couple of shots from the gates. Next, I visited Warden Finnerty’s House, which overlooks the town and needed a photo. I made a note to return when it was open so I could photograph the interior, including a Coolgardie safe—a type species in its type location. Who says taking photos can’t be part of a fun game?

A wander through the town led to a casual discussion with people from the Judumul Gallery. This conversation sparked ideas for potential collaborations, including ways to get computers into the gallery for community use. My mind was racing—this was worth discussing with Tom over coffee. After the interlude, we returned to Finnerty’s House to see what treasures it hides within while gathering some internal photos. History and knowledge is all around us, we just need to stop and soak it in.

Back on the road, we stopped at the Boorabbin rest area, where a memorial honours three truck drivers horrendously killed in a bushfire when the road was reopened too soon. Nearby, I spotted a Crested Dragon (Ctenophorus cristatus) and managed to capture both still photos and a video. At Southern Cross, we made a quick stop at a secondhand shop. These places always spark my imagination—there’s so much untapped potential for stories, photos, and connections. The more I think about it, the more it seems we’re falling short in our mission to collect the sum of all knowledge. Are we just becoming a minor university side project?

Back on the road, we made one last fuel stop at Carrabin (long known to me as the Westonian Roadhouse). From there, no more stops were necessary. Everything was within easy reach of Perth. Foot down, trip over—just 300 kilometres to go. Arriving in the early evening, we had travelled a grand total of 5,628 kilometres over 8 days. An unforgettable journey.

Addendum

What would have been late on Day 10, my phone started ringing. Tom’s family was trying to contact me with the devastating news of his passing. Late into the evening, was spent reaching out to Wikimedians and the Wikimedia Australia executive to share the heartbreaking news.

Overnight, and through the following day, we worked together to craft a message of condolences to his family on behalf of Wikimedia Australia. At the same time, we began informing the wider Wikimedia community of the loss of someone so deeply special to the movement. Tom was more than just a fellow Wikimedian—he was a friend, a collaborator, and a source of inspiration for so many. The weight of his absence was immediately felt, the countless ideas, projects, and the unbridled passion he had brought to the movement is no more, yet what he did will remain.

So many things left unsaid. So many thoughts and ideas lost. Rest peacefully, my friend. You are, and always will be, deeply missed.

Questions to be addressed

Here are a series of thoughts, observations, and ideas that came from making the journey, they are in no particular order;

Travelling Wikimedian project - The posting I made while on the journey attracted some attention. Having people able to do journeys and post about them, take photos, and start articles would create amazing interest. Perhaps as the audience grows, more people will take up the keyboard to document Australia.
- A scholarship to WikiCon that funds a road journey where the person can share the gems they find and build some excitement to the event
- link with non-GLAM knowledge holders to trigger new collaborations.
Engagment with people outside the GLAM area - theres is so much uncaptured knowledge out there and many thousands of objects. We need photos.
Record stories - our goal is to collect the sum of all knowledge, not just what is locked on paper. Get out and record the human stories, their memories of places, their work, and their engagement in life. There is so much locked away in memories that never see light the light of day or add to our collective base of knowledge. It is 50 years since Cyclone Tracy. Why don't have more than just what the news wrote? Where is the personal experience that adds life to what unfolded along with its impact. 50 years on, we can't even have a list casualties that has over the years been dynamic, because someone with no understanding of the complexities of Tracy says Wikipedia is not a memorial.
We are isolated - WikiCon needs to be held over more days. Bring in WMF staff and others to explore new tools and activities happening outside of Australia. The ESEAP conference, while good, is not reaching deeply enough into the Australian community. Likewise Wikimania and the project based global events the challenges of distance are both ways if we are too far away to host then we need better access to attend.
These in-person engagements are so important - It is something Tom always encouraged. Perhaps WMAU can offer a JarrahTree scholarship for people to attend other regional and global conferences during the year.
Commons App & Wikidata (structured data) need to work better and not send people off looking for places that don't exist. With that perhaps it could add an option that says the last photo was 5 years ago encouraging them to be updated.
Is Wikipedia still sharing the sum of all knowledge? Or, has it morphed into a minor University club project?