When cycle touring, it’s essential that every piece of kit you carry has a purpose and pulls its weight. Experience on numerous cycling adventures has helped refine my equipment list. I had an old HESTA ( Super Fund )  cooler bag, a practical piece of merchandise, courtesy of my days as a representative for the company, which I always take on tour.
Cycle touring around  Tasmania, through Europe, and along the West Coast of America, it had become my custom to clip the HESTA cooler bag to the rear pannier with a lunch of fresh fruit, sandwiches, and cool drinks, always keeping it close at hand.
The purple HESTA cooler bag was once again pressed into service on our latest cycling odyssey around Australia, however a rookie mistake at Mt Isa in Queensland saw me leave the cooler bag in the camp kitchen at the Discovery Caravan Park. Thankfully we always carry extra food as it’s 200 clicks and a night of wild camping before our next chance for supplies at Camooweal but I was annoyed with myself for leaving the cooler bag behind.
We were already 40 kilometers out of Mt Isa, with fading phone reception, when I managed to call the Caravan Park: “Would you put a note on the fridge please asking any traveler heading our way to drop off our lunch? It will take us two days to cover the 200ks to Camooweal and they are sure to pass us on the road.”
“Yeah sure,” the receptionist said but sounded doubtful, people won’t tell us where they’re going and we don’t ask.
So for the next couple of days anytime a caravan slowed, tooted, or waved enthusiastically, I thought for sure our lunch was being delivered, but regrettably, that never came to pass.
A week later and some 450 kilometers away in the Northern Territory at Barkly Homestead Roadhouse, I got talking to a couple of friendly Grey Nomads Dave and John. They asked about the food we eat and what we carry and in general conversation  I told them about our lost cooler bag.
“I’m heading to The Isa’ on my way back to Townsville,” said Dave, “I’m actually staying at Discovery Park, so I will look for it and if it’s there I will pass it on to a Caravanner  headed your way.”
Two days later I received a text message: Found the cooler bag and gave it to Rick who is driving a burnt orange Triton twin cab Ute towing a New Age caravan, he’s headed your way.
A further week passed with no sign of New Age Rick. We joked “Those sandwiches must be a little ripe by now!”
Every New Age van that passed us brought the hope of reuniting with the cooler bag. But none stopped!
Then a text message from Rick: I’m in Katherine, have the cooler bag, where are you?
I tried calling but Rick was out of range. I texted him: We are in Mataranka only 100 km away, perhaps you could leave it at the visitor information center?
No reply.
Three days passed before Rick responded:  I left the cooler bag at Hidden Valley Caravan Park in Kununurra Western Australia.
We are on our way to Darwin, and staying for a few days so it would be roughly 2 weeks before we would arrive at  Kununurra in Western Australia.
So after cycling 1800 kilometers from Mt Isa to Kununurra over the last month or so and after 3 full days on the road in the heat without a shower, we cycled into Hidden Valley Caravan Park. The wonderful Clare on Reception  handed us our cooler bag, along with a note from Dave and John that read: keep an eye out for Cyclists Nick & Therese re the (HESTA Cooler  Bag)
Approx times
Monday night Threeways,
Tuesday night possibly  Banka Banka Station
Daly Waters – or  Mataranka Homestead they have Red and yellow saddlebags.
Cheers John & Dave
While the Cooler Bag itself isn’t that important, the fact that complete strangers, inspired by human kindness using the bush telegraph would take it upon themselves to help us and participate in our journey is the real story!