LAST month, Caravanning News reported on Australia's luckiest
caravanners who were scooping millions from the state's Lotterywest.
Now we report on a couple vying for the title of the country's unluckiest
caravanners.
Graeme and Sue Costin from the Maitland suburb of Windella in NSW joined
thousands of other caravanners heading for this year's iconic Birdsville
races in south-west Queensland.
It was one of their bucket-list dreams and with their 40th wedding
anniversary on the same weekend seemed the ideal trip.
Their planned 4000km 12-week adventure began smoothly enough ... but then
turned into a holiday from hell.
When they rolled into remote Birdsville on the edge of the Simpson Desert
it was bucketing down with rain.
The first two days of racing were abandoned in the quagmire but some were
held on Sunday ... the Costin's anniversary.
The couple then found themselves marooned when roads were closed for three
days, but they finally managed to reach Mount Isa Caravan Park.
It was there that Mr Costin suffered a torn Achilles tendon while pitching
his caravan.
He also lost his $4000 hearing aid.
With a plastered leg and crutches, Mr Costin decided it was it was not
feasible to tow their caravan back to their home 2000km away, so the
couple set off in their Ford Territory with the idea of using motels.
But more misfortune awaited them.
A crook stole their 20-month-old vehicle from outside their motel at
Bourke, forcing them catch a bus to Dubbo where they were collected by
friends.
But despite their disastrous trip, the Costins look on the bright side.
"It's only a car and that can be replaced," Mr Costin told his local
newspaper, the Maitland Mercury.
"We're okay, a bit bashed up but we're okay.
"You look back and you think it was just a dream. It's so ridiculous that
it's funny."
