Fully Charged Sydney 2024
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A suspension-bridge walk in Tarra-Bulga
Setting of from Emerald Victoria to Fully Charged Show’s Everything Electric expo in Sydney NSW, we headed… in the other direction, south through Gippsland to Tarra-Bulga National Park, and a walk to the suspension bridge.
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An off-grid stay in Budgeree
After our short exploration of the Tarra-Bulga National Park, we drove north to Moe to meet our friends, Ron & Sue, for dinner. We’re staying at their place tonight, in nearby Budgeree. Their house is off grid, powered by solar and an array of lead acid batteries. They drive a BYD Atto 3 which has V2L (vehicle to load) which means that, if necessary, they can plug their household items into their car. We wish our Tesla had that facility.
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A bucket-o-chino at Cafe 3869, Yinnar
After staying overnight with our friends in Budgeree, we followed their BYD Atto 3 a few kilometers north to Cafe 3869 in Yinnar. We had the biggest coffee we’ve ever seen. It was like a bucket-o-chino! We started heading north-ish, past the Loy Yang Coal Fired Power Station, and giant open cut coal mines with lots of sprinklers to try to contain the dust 😷. We stopped in Bairnsdale for a brief break for the toilet and a stretch. A ute had ICEd one of the charging bays, but the signage doesn’t clearly state that they can’t. We walked through the large park that seems to divide the main road in town. Then properly north along the Great Alpine Road towards Bright.
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Driving the Great Alpine Road
Today we drove along the Great Alpine Road from Bairnsdale in Gippsland Victoria, through Mount Hotham and various lookouts pointing at the highest places in Australia, including Mount Kosciusko. Unsurprisingly, The Great Alpine Road is the highest highway in Australia. Stunning scenery, on top of the world. We’re on our way to Fully Charged Show’s Everything Electric show in Sydney, and to catch up with family in NSW.
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A Yackandandah cake stop, hidden from the paparazzi
On our way from Bright, Victoria to Yass and Berry in NSW, first stop in Yackandandah for toilet, coffee and… cake. Francis hid from the paparazzi shot, while Tom claimed it was ordered when he ducked outside. Yackandandah is one of our favourite places to stop along the way. It featured in an episode of “Back Roads” on ABC. https://iview.abc.net.au/show/back-roads/series/1/video/IV1507H003S00
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A Berry View Motel night, via Yackandandah and Yass
After a long drive from Bright, through Yackandandah and Yass, we arrived in Berry, checked into the Berry View Motel, then drove around the corner to the Berry Bowling Club for dinner. A ute parked adjacent to us in the motel car park illustrates that some vehicles are just too big for current car parking. We had to reverse in at an angle to avoid scraping along the ute’s towball. Next morning, we popped into the local IV Coffee outlet, appropriately adorned with ivy. Then onward to the Fully Charged Show Everything Electric expo in Sydney.
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Charging in Bright while we eat at the Alpine pub
We arrived in Bright, after our trek north through the Victorian alps. Fortunately summer days are long, so we still had plenty of light. We plugged into the town’s Evie Networks charger while we had dinner at the nearby Alpine Bright pub. We checked in to Motel Sierra and collected our travel blanket that Peter had kindly kept for us, since we left it there months ago on our last trip through. Carrying bags upstairs was offset by a cup of tea and biscuit on the balcony. Next morning, we had brekky out at The Riverdeck Kitchen, overlooking the river that runs through town. Francis managed to somehow squirt the yolk from her Eggs Benedict precisely onto her T-shirt. We watched as someone parked next to our Tesla, right up against the line, then inevitably hit our car with their door 🤦
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A vegan pie before the Evie panel
Arrived at Fully Charged Show’s Everything Electric Sydney, just in time for a vegan pie and a quick view of some of the exhibits. Have to eat quickly before we’re on the panel with Evie Networks to discuss how to improve EV charging.
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Day-one wrap-up at Everything Electric Sydney
Wrapping up our first day at Fully Charged Show’s Everything Electric Sydney. Guest panelist for Evie Networks discussing better public charging. Attended several panel discussions in the Giga Theatre and Mega Theatre. Spotted a few solar race cars. I grilled the team at the Enphase Energy stand on how I can turn off my solar production remotely. No satisfactory answer yet, so I’ll be back to grill them tomorrow. We asked the fire warden how many EV fires have occurred here so far. He said “zero” in sign, in the photo. Unsurprising since there have only been six EV fires in Australia (ever), none of them while charging. Finished off laughing, watching Jack Scarlett and Imogen Bhogal, from Fully Charged Show, cooking Pad Thai on an induction stove. Hosted by Zoe Bingley-Pullin (previously hosted Good Chef, Bad Chef). Back again tomorrow.
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Day two at Everything Electric Sydney
Our second day at Fully Charged Show’s Everything Electric Australia 2024. We checked out Tiny Solar Homes, Bosh Cooking, many vehicles (see previous post) and a few more panel discussions. I am particularly interested in Vehicle to Everything, but hampered until Tesla enables it on their cars, like BYD, Ionic, MG and others already have. I briefly ran into Chris Bowen MP (walking with Robert Llewellyn's and Dan Caesar). I asked him to stop subsidising fossil fuel companies. “One thing at a time, mate” was his response. I am very glad that he has finally brought in vehicle emissions standards and other positive steps. But stopping tax payer funding of fossil fuel companies, which are killing us, seems like a much bigger impact. No reason for us to wait to do that. The planet can’t wait, for sure. +1.5°C and still climbing 😢.
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All modes of transport at Everything Electric Sydney
So many different modes of transport at Fully Charged Show’s Everything Electric, Sydney.
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Wahroonga traffic, then Autopilot tea
Off we go from Sydney back to home in Victoria. Slow start with bumper traffic through Wahroonga. Popped the car on Autopilot and poured a cup of tea.