Caveat: Do not post the coordinates to this location here or it will be removed immediately and you will be blocked from commenting! Thanks for understanding 👍
@2011thekaj yeah and a few ppl have gone to see it however it isn't an easy trip and what's the point if you have the numbers. That'd just wreck it for ppl
Gidday mate, I watched this on the big screen last night, but couldn't comment until now...It was sad to lose Shirley; I remember it well. I grew up as a kid with 'Skyhooks' music, among others, and later on he hosted the kids TV show 'Shirl's neighbourhood'. Shirley had a yacht moored on the seaworld spit around the time of the crash - I used to work on a yacht at nearby Southport yacht club at times. I recall the day, was a shame, as by all accounts, he was a nice bloke. You did the right thing in not posting coordinates. Thanks for showing us the wreckage, and it must've felt at least somewhat sombre to sit and have a cuppa at the site? Cheers, Steve
@@offtrackxplorer Hey mate. Sorry for flooding the comment thread. It's just, you were in my old stomping ground, and even though I'm living in the bush north west of Yandina, I haven't been doing much bush bashing, so I'm living vicariously through your videos.
Great job, I grew up with Skyhooks music and I was lucky enough to actually meet Shirl at Schutts Aviation at Moorabbin Airport in the 90s: (sorry edit, it was the early to mid 80s).Thats where he did his original fixed-wing license training. Thanks for the very respectful way you treated this site. Living not far from there nowadays I would one day while I am still able to visit the sight myself.
Thankyou for posting this. I'm Sunshine Coast so not far. I remember this well. The weather was bad so no one could get to Shirl at all so they couldn't get in till the next morning after him being left there all night. It was too dangerous. The mountains make their own weather and this is how crashes happen . Was going to do a chopper joy flight in the Gold Coast hinterlands at the top of Mount Tamborine, and thought No way!! Not after what happened to dear Shirl 😢 Can't believe Shirl went near the mountain so so sad and tragic . Did not know the extent of this but knew it was bad 😢 and remember thinking all that night what if he's alive by some small chance and he was cold and injured ? Heart breaking . Many unfortunate pilots have also become victims to mountain ranges. Even experienced pilots are wary as the winds blow up and down the mountains and create a vortex that sucks you in put simply. Micro bursts. Then there is the fog element as well as in Coby Bryant that basketball player and his daughter and friends. That poor pilot lost all bearings and it's called spatial disorientation. You don't know if you're going up or down due to lack of visual and altitude and relying purely on your instruments. If you type in spatial disorientation into RUclips it shows how easily this can happen and very very frightening. Not saying this happened to Shirl but that mountain called him home that day. Wow did not know Red Simmons did a video at Shirls crash site will have to look that up. And wow about him taking that part. guess he wanted a small piece of Shirls memory. Such a peaceful place but bitter sweet with Shirls Bell helicopter still sitting there (what's left of it ) . How on earth did search and rescue get to him much less take parts away for testing. Is the link here for Shirley Crash the investigation please John and the red Simmons link as well? I know you said it's not a tribute but it was lovely you paid respects to him
My pleasure... thanks for watching. I've left links to the investigation report in the description of my video.... and you can find the documentary with Red Symons by searching in RUclips for Red Symons skyhooks documentary.
Thank You for posting this video. Your respect and class has shone through in providing closure for a lot of people who loved and respected this man. I believe it is important to see the final place where Graeme was last sighted and you should be commended for your efforts. May the Great Man Rest in Peace and may his great legacy live on forever. RIP Graeme "Shirley" Strachan a True Australian Cultural Legend
Thank you for this video.Im a fan of hiking and was a huge fan of Shirl and Skyhooks in the '70's.Was lovely you having a cuppa in tribute to him.A rugged and beautiful area.
Thanks so much for sharing this. I had no idea it was accessible in any way. You were certainly better equipped and prepared than Red for the walk. Shirley forever x
We used to fly hang gliders off there in the eighties and nineties . There are still two paragliding launches on the eastern end. Flying low in strong wind rotor will get you as it did Shirl.
RIP Shirley he died doing something he loved and yes you are right about keyboard hikers and warriors they be full of it from their mothers basements. It was touching that you sat down boiled a brew in honor of Shirly that touched me indeed.
Thanks, too many keyboard hikers out there for sure. Yes, I def think its important when visiting these sites to really ponder the tragedy that transpired, and also to value the life we've been given at the same time. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for being respectful towards SHIRL by not disrupting wreckage or removing parts and emphasising to the public to do likewise. It’s a very interesting video that I randomly stumbled across on you tube but am so glad I found it thank you for posting
Amazing that you found it. What’s worse about this tragedy is he never should have even been that close to the mountain in the first place but for reasons which will forever remain a mystery he flew off his flight path and he paid the ultimate price sadly.
Glad to see that you found the site this time. I found it from the bottom of the hill and thought I was going to expire before I got there. Anyone who says its easy to get to is either super super fit or a dreamer. .From memory a lot of the wreckage seems to have moved and doesn't seem to be laid out as I remember it. Mind you I was there 20 odd years ago and I suppose there have been a number of other people there in that time .I did this sort of activity for about 30 years with a group of like minded blokes and we would put a plaque at a lot of the sites that we found and it seems that people who go to these sites and see a plaque tend to leave the wreckage alone. I suppose they understand that it all means something important to other people. Well done on your efforts.
I'm glad I got there finally too! Yes, plaques are so important at these and similar sites of significance. Great to hear that you were erecting them in place.
Thanks for posting this. I have flown over the crash location, but could not see anything at all from the air. it was good to be able to see the actual site. RIP Shirl.
RIP Shirl ❤ 🙏 ,I was doing band security in Geelong and Melbourne at the time, Cold Chisel AC/DC etc ,and watched them perform 🎭 in the 70s, was a great debut album, thanks for the video, cheers 🍻 from Tweed 🇦🇺 👍 😊
Fascinating, especially when I've been listening to Skyhooks music and watching their videos of late 😳😍. Great video, thank you 😊. The Yowie might steal the bike 😂🤭
I met Shirley once. It was 1984 and he had a surf shop on Phillip Island with a "Do Not Feed Claude the Crow" sign on the front window. Very pleasant man.
You've done it again John 👍 When you get wind hitting a hill or mountain range, you get updraft ( think of those paragliders always riding the ridge lift at Beechmont and Tamborine) - but on on the lee side of that mountain/range you get turbulence and down drafts which get severe in high winds. That's the reason the Stinson went down in those cyclonic conditions and that would likely be the reason Shirley's heli went down. RIP Shirley.
In as far as explaining your route across the top to the saddle. This is good, mate. My cup of tea. I'll stick around and explore the rest of your content too if that's ok. Subbed. Cheers. Bundy. (edit) - Yeah, that was good, digger. Thanks. I'll be back. See ya round.
Thanks Mark! Yes, the falls weren't where it was located on the maps which was interesting.... had to go downstream but got there at least. I think it'd look amazing with some flow for sure!
Thank you for the great video. You can be rest assured i wont go there, looks too eerie for me. The yowies are all yours.🤫Keep quiet, dont make them come out. I Came across this video in my feeds and watched to the end and subscribed. Wonderful 😊
Great to watch you doing what you love ,exploring the bush , very sad for Shirl, I was a skyhooks fan early 70s and went to 3 I think concerts .Loved the water fall too thank you for sharing your day
Drove by Mulgowie pub today , saw a helicopter on the field across the road . Made me think of Shirley's crash . Can't believe this vid popped up on my feed today . Thanks for the vid.
i never followed the band or music for personal reasons but i was shocked to hear in your first video that he actually passed..now i see his final moments..ty for going back
I've been looking forward to this since your last video. I was in North Queensland when Shirl died. As a 70s kid, Shirl and Skyhooks were a huge part of my life. I loved Skyhooks! What I didn't know was exactly where his helicopter crashed. And, I had no idea that I am now living close to the crash site again. Thank you, mate. I really appreciate your hard work in locating the wreck again. I think a hike up there will be on my list. Oh, the Archer brothers, before they moved up to the Rockhampton area (there's a Mt Archer there, too), had a lot of land around the Mt Archer you're exploring. Oh, and all that area is country I've hiked and explored in past years with no clue that Shirl died relatively close by. As in, I used to explore that area before National Parks made all the camping areas and good roads.
Great work I saw Shirley fly the Chopper over Maleny that day it was very Windy it was a Bell 47 and watched the News that night and there it was about the crash. I grew up watching Skyhooks and I thought He was a great Bloke on the Kids Shows very sad cheers Mick very well done
14:53 I understand why people would wear snake gators. However, good boots, thick socks, and jeans that don't fit tight around your calves and ankles are also as good a protection. The snakes that can kill us in Oz have somewhat short fangs that aren't quite long enough to get through jeans and socks (and boots). Having said that, I used to wear canvas gators when I wore shorts in the bush. But hey, far better to have a little overkill when you're in the middle of nowhere. Which is why I always carried double my expected water needs when bush bashing. And a comprehensive first aid kit... ;) Love your videos, mate. This one is up there in my top five.
@jasonmcmanus6169 You must be wearing pretty thin shoes, mate. I wear either thick leather boots with jeans and spats, or thongs. Anything in between is almost as useless as thongs anyway. I should explain that in the 70s and 80s, I lived in Western Taipan, coastal Taipan, death adder, and brown snake country at various times and either walked barefoot or in thongs. The key when walking in the bush is to be somewhat hyper viligant. You're supposed to be watching where you're going to step. Not just for footing, but to be looking for danger; loose rocks, slippery leaves, gravel, etc. Looking for potential snake hiding spots (especially with death adders) should be a part of that looking process. It's the same as driving. You need to be paying attention to your surroundings. Spacial awareness. However, I have nothing negative to say about smart people who err on the side of caution. I come from a different time...
I'm only 38 but Jukebox in Siberia came on at the gym yesterday afternoon and I stopped and watched the clip and had a bit of a smile to myself. Remember as a kid absolutely hanging out for his woodwork segment on Our House. Good times, good old Aussie tunes. Thanks for the vid
iwatched your first attempt to find the crash site and like you were dissapointed but at the end of the video you gave encouraging words something like ill research n be back....congrats sir i love hiking/biking videos on any subject.. power t u for making the efforts for our entertainment. cheers sir. happy new year..
Great Trek Mate. I still miss Shirley, The hooks are in high rotation in my playlists. I have flown a Bell 47, only for a short time, a great Aircraft. I can't understand why he was up there in that weather, mountain rotors are drummed into us in basic Meteorology, and they even look bad. I reckon he got tangled up in a microburst, there are unpredictable, and could easily out do the performance of a Bell 47. Anyway, great vid (as usual) great reverence for Shirl as well. I tagged your last Vid in my last Vid as it was in the same area. I hope this one does well for you (we know it is going to). T-Rocks
"Main Rotor" " Tail Rotor" " Rotor blade" Another great video. Sounds like they are going to make us wear snake gators at work soon! We used to wear shorts and short sleeve shirt at work. The first day I had to weat long pants I got tangled up in sticks and went down,,, three times!
Good video I came across it just looking around different stuff. I remember when it happened but living in Tasmania you never have an idea of the area! Very interesting & those falls would look great with a lot of water going over them beautiful spot. Cheers
Very nice video mate. Absolutely gobsmacked that they just left it all there, regardless of the remoteness I just figure CASA or whoever it was would want to keep all the evidence of what occurred. I listened to Red on ABC radio for years after this and he mentioned that he had part of the chopper in the boot of his car for a long time! The saddest thing was that Shirls death was overshadowed somewhat by that thing that happened a couple of weeks after it. RIP Shirl.
Gosh, you really did.. have a lovely day! Pretty good finding Shirley's crash site, rip Shirl. And the water fall was delightful and the water purifier did the job perfectly. Diagular Nat Pk spreads over a surprisingly large area. Thanks for sharing another explore with us. Take care. Happy New Year 2025. T.
Great video mate, I’ve climbed Mt Superbus and visited the Lincoln bomber site myself. I would love to do this hike and pay my respects to Shirl, Shirl was also a great carpenter and was on one of the home improvement shows back in the nineties….thanks for a great video 😊👍
Nice video. That’s my airfield at the foot of the hills. I can confirm the wreckage is not easy to find if you don’t know where it is and you can’t access it from all directions because the terrain and vegetation is just too wild. The peak to the north-east when you’re at the wreckage is a nice, relatively easy climb. The peak has big flat rock on the top with great views of the Glasshouse Mountains.
And thanks to you Grant for your helpful tip!! You know, I was looking at Red dressed up to the nines in his "hiking gear".... and, the more I've looked at that video, I've almost concluded that he maybe he didn't go to the actual crash site. His footage shows nothing whatsoever of the wreckage, just him chatting in bushland waving around a metal component. I could be wrong, but I'm leaning more on being right. 😊
Thank you John so much for at last finding the site of Shirley's crash site. After contacting you so many months ago about it I'm happy that you achieved the discovery. I'm very heartfelt after viewing your episode. Unfortunately, however now that this is out on the media there will be others now who will try to find the site. If they do, I hope they respect it as much as you did and leave it untouched. Keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing your next adventure. Take care John and your family...and Happy New Year!!!!
Many thanks to you also for the suggestion, Brian! Well, if they do, they deserve a pat on the back for their efforts of getting to the site... the lantana alone will be giving them more than just a pat on the back too 😅. Have a Happy New Year also!
Thanks for this video. I wasn't a huge fan of the skyhooks but without a doubt Shirl and the skyhooks are an iconic part of Australian music history. Another site that may be of interest to you is the crash site of beautiful Betsy on the western side of kroombit tops national Park West of Gladstone in central qld. The fact she was declared missing but noone actually found her until (I think) the mid to late 80s is extraordinary. Particularly sad is the fact that one of the passengers on board was a serviceman just hitching a ride home for his wedding. Unfortunately, he never arrived and his bride never knew where his final resting place was.
Yes, I've heard of beautiful Betsy and would love to visit it when I get the chance. It looks like quite a large plane from the pictures I've seen. Again, another tragedy and apparently the site was never found until 49 years later by chance.
@offtrackxplorer definitely a big plane. B24 liberator bomber owned and operated by the US military. It had been retired from combat duty and was being used as a transport plane to move supplies and personnel when she went missing on a flight from Darwin to Brisbane including her crew of 6 American servicemen and 2 English servicemen who were just hitching a ride to Brisbane so that they could attend the wedding. One of these English men was the groom, the other was to be his best man at the ceremony.
Thanks for this Video unbelievable I talk about this Tragedy 🎭sometimes At work Shirley once done a Segment for his show with me in it at Lindsay Park STH Australia 🐎💜
This video was very very interesting and made very well…it was Very sentimental as a kid as I went to about six Skyhooks concerts with my sister who loved Shirley, I myself wasn’t into Skyhooks but I did it for my sister. I will send her the link of your video to her as a memory.🫡👍😉
They were a pretty good band, TBH, especially for their time. And the fact that they were Aussies... Great video, very respectful. At least it wasn't a Robinson that got him. Those things are death with a rotor fitted to it.
Thanks for the video, always wondered how he didn't survive as a lot of people do survive helicopter crashes but clearly it was a horrific and violent crash. It also occured to me that 9/11 happened just 2 weeks later and the news of the crash would be overshadowed tremendously from that day. cheers
Very sad he was a very talented and funny man a great leading singer that contributed to the best of Australian Music my favourite songs to listen to when sunbaking with my mates in the Beach back in the day when you just had to have a tan happy carefree days .RIP Shirl !
Nice video. Nice respectful touch to spend some quiet time with Shirl over a cuppa. I was flying past that area a few months after in 2001 and my co-pilot pointed it out to me. You didn't need to know the parts of the helicopter, it made no difference at all to your presentation. No way in hell I would be plonking around in that snake filled bushland. No, not doing it. You're obviously an experienced and prepared bushman.
It's called a Frillneck hat - made by the Frillneck company in Darwin, NT. Literally the best quality sun-protection headwear I've found. I get around 5 years of rugged use out of a set.
RIP Shirley, he was a distant relative, I remember talking to him at his father's funeral, I also used to work with someone who went to Mt Waverley High school with him.
I think it was okay that Red took a piece of the wreckage, they were mates! I think it’s not appropriate for other people to take anything. This video is very respectful, it’s nice that you had a coffee & banana there I’m sure Shirl would have been smiling down on you.
CASA accident investigation about SHIRLEY Straughn’s crash concluded Shirley may have encountered severe down draft due to flying so close to the mountain side, basically the helicopter couldn’t produce enough power to climb and unfortunately he hit the ground at a very steep angle and high speed… Australia lost a wonderful talent.
36:01 I almost commented earlier when you made the Niagara reference, but kinda figured you'd follow the flow and find the real falls. Oh, and with respect to my first comment about having camped close to the wreck? Yep, but directly west on the other side of the mountain. Kinda trippy thinking about it. Oh, and ya wanna see those falls when they're flowing (flashback to 2010/11).
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Caveat: Do not post the coordinates to this location here or it will be removed immediately and you will be blocked from commenting! Thanks for understanding 👍
Hell yeah good on ya. I'm fkn sick of ppl posting abandoned places locations ect
Good on ya mate
@2011thekaj yeah and a few ppl have gone to see it however it isn't an easy trip and what's the point if you have the numbers. That'd just wreck it for ppl
Gidday mate, I watched this on the big screen last night, but couldn't comment until now...It was sad to lose Shirley; I remember it well. I grew up as a kid with 'Skyhooks' music, among others, and later on he hosted the kids TV show 'Shirl's neighbourhood'. Shirley had a yacht moored on the seaworld spit around the time of the crash - I used to work on a yacht at nearby Southport yacht club at times. I recall the day, was a shame, as by all accounts, he was a nice bloke. You did the right thing in not posting coordinates. Thanks for showing us the wreckage, and it must've felt at least somewhat sombre to sit and have a cuppa at the site? Cheers, Steve
@@offtrackxplorer Hey mate. Sorry for flooding the comment thread. It's just, you were in my old stomping ground, and even though I'm living in the bush north west of Yandina, I haven't been doing much bush bashing, so I'm living vicariously through your videos.
Taking us to the crash site was very humbling. Thank you for showing us. Loved Shirl and his outlook on life.
I haven't thought of him for years, what a character and all round nice bloke he was ...RIP Shirl.
Stumbled upon this video more-or-less by accident. Great work! 👍
That was Absolutely Brilliant John thankyou so much mate for taking us all along with you ... R.I.P Shirley 🙏
Cheers for watching, Beanie. Was good to close off this chapter.
@@offtrackxplorer Can't wait for your next expedition John Cheers mate 👍
Great job, I grew up with Skyhooks music and I was lucky enough to actually meet Shirl at Schutts Aviation at Moorabbin Airport in the 90s: (sorry edit, it was the early to mid 80s).Thats where he did his original fixed-wing license training. Thanks for the very respectful way you treated this site. Living not far from there nowadays I would one day while I am still able to visit the sight myself.
Glad you found the sight. Thank you for reading the plaque and showing us about.
Thankyou for posting this. I'm Sunshine Coast so not far. I remember this well. The weather was bad so no one could get to Shirl at all so they couldn't get in till the next morning after him being left there all night. It was too dangerous.
The mountains make their own weather and this is how crashes happen . Was going to do a chopper joy flight in the Gold Coast hinterlands at the top of Mount Tamborine, and thought No way!! Not after what happened to dear Shirl 😢 Can't believe Shirl went near the mountain so so sad and tragic . Did not know the extent of this but knew it was bad 😢 and remember thinking all that night what if he's alive by some small chance and he was cold and injured ? Heart breaking . Many unfortunate pilots have also become victims to mountain ranges. Even experienced pilots are wary as the winds blow up and down the mountains and create a vortex that sucks you in put simply. Micro bursts. Then there is the fog element as well as in Coby Bryant that basketball player and his daughter and friends. That poor pilot lost all bearings and it's called spatial disorientation. You don't know if you're going up or down due to lack of visual and altitude and relying purely on your instruments. If you type in spatial disorientation into RUclips it shows how easily this can happen and very very frightening. Not saying this happened to Shirl but that mountain called him home that day.
Wow did not know Red Simmons did a video at Shirls crash site will have to look that up. And wow about him taking that part. guess he wanted a small piece of Shirls memory.
Such a peaceful place but bitter sweet with Shirls Bell helicopter still sitting there (what's left of it ) .
How on earth did search and rescue get to him much less take parts away for testing. Is the link here for Shirley Crash the investigation please John and the red Simmons link as well?
I know you said it's not a tribute but it was lovely you paid respects to him
My pleasure... thanks for watching. I've left links to the investigation report in the description of my video.... and you can find the documentary with Red Symons by searching in RUclips for Red Symons skyhooks documentary.
Thank You for posting this video.
Your respect and class has shone through in providing closure for a lot of people who loved and respected this man.
I believe it is important to see the final place where Graeme was last sighted and you should be commended for your efforts.
May the Great Man Rest in Peace and may his great legacy live on forever.
RIP Graeme "Shirley" Strachan a True Australian Cultural Legend
Thanks for your kind words, I'm hoping this provides some closure for some of his fans.
Your work is to be truly commended. Many thanks for us who would have liked to go there but couldn't.
Thank you for this video.Im a fan of hiking and was a huge fan of Shirl and Skyhooks in the '70's.Was lovely you having a cuppa in tribute to him.A rugged and beautiful area.
Thank you for this video. I have always been curious about the crash site. Also thank you for paying respects.
Thanks so much for sharing this. I had no idea it was accessible in any way. You were certainly better equipped and prepared than Red for the walk. Shirley forever x
We used to fly hang gliders off there in the eighties and nineties . There are still two paragliding launches on the eastern end. Flying low in strong wind rotor will get you as it did Shirl.
Fantastic vid. Thank you for sharing.
RIP Shirley he died doing something he loved and yes you are right about keyboard hikers and warriors they be full of it from their mothers basements. It was touching that you sat down boiled a brew in honor of Shirly that touched me indeed.
Thanks, too many keyboard hikers out there for sure. Yes, I def think its important when visiting these sites to really ponder the tragedy that transpired, and also to value the life we've been given at the same time. Thanks for watching!
Nice touch having a brew. Great video mate. 😊
Thanks for being respectful towards SHIRL by not disrupting wreckage or removing parts and emphasising to the public to do likewise. It’s a very interesting video that I randomly stumbled across on you tube but am so glad I found it thank you for posting
thank you for this video..I was a huge Skyhooks fan, s'pose I still am.. RIP Shirl
Very nicely done mate, respects to you and Shirl.
Amazing that you found it. What’s worse about this tragedy is he never should have even been that close to the mountain in the first place but for reasons which will forever remain a mystery he flew off his flight path and he paid the ultimate price sadly.
Nice work again, JOhn. Interesting and respectful.
Glad to see that you found the site this time. I found it from the bottom of the hill and thought I was going to expire before I got there. Anyone who says its easy to get to is either super super fit or a dreamer. .From memory a lot of the wreckage seems to have moved and doesn't seem to be laid out as I remember it. Mind you I was there 20 odd years ago and I suppose there have been a number of other people there in that time .I did this sort of activity for about 30 years with a group of like minded blokes and we would put a plaque at a lot of the sites that we found and it seems that people who go to these sites and see a plaque tend to leave the wreckage alone. I suppose they understand that it all means something important to other people. Well done on your efforts.
I'm glad I got there finally too! Yes, plaques are so important at these and similar sites of significance. Great to hear that you were erecting them in place.
Thanks for posting this. I have flown over the crash location, but could not see anything at all from the air. it was good to be able to see the actual site. RIP Shirl.
RIP Shirl ❤ 🙏 ,I was doing band security in Geelong and Melbourne at the time, Cold Chisel AC/DC etc ,and watched them perform 🎭 in the 70s, was a great debut album, thanks for the video, cheers 🍻 from Tweed 🇦🇺 👍 😊
Fascinating, especially when I've been listening to Skyhooks music and watching their videos of late 😳😍. Great video, thank you 😊. The Yowie might steal the bike 😂🤭
Great Video Mate , Sharing.
Commentary is spot on, no undue BS. Good Job!
Well done, thanks for the footage. RIP Shirl.
I met Shirley once. It was 1984 and he had a surf shop on Phillip Island with a "Do Not Feed Claude the Crow" sign on the front window. Very pleasant man.
You've done it again John 👍 When you get wind hitting a hill or mountain range, you get updraft ( think of those paragliders always riding the ridge lift at Beechmont and Tamborine) - but on on the lee side of that mountain/range you get turbulence and down drafts which get severe in high winds. That's the reason the Stinson went down in those cyclonic conditions and that would likely be the reason Shirley's heli went down. RIP Shirley.
That's right Paul... I think I read in the Investigation Report about turbulence on the lee side called "mountain waves".
In as far as explaining your route across the top to the saddle.
This is good, mate. My cup of tea. I'll stick around and explore the rest of your content too if that's ok. Subbed.
Cheers.
Bundy.
(edit) - Yeah, that was good, digger. Thanks. I'll be back. See ya round.
It's good to see you sift through the wreckage and respectfully leave it where you found it.
RIP Shirley.
Really loved your respect for his resting place.
Thanks for the shout out Jel! glad you found it in the end! and cool u got to see the upper falls on Archer, looks like it needs alot to flow!
Thanks Mark! Yes, the falls weren't where it was located on the maps which was interesting.... had to go downstream but got there at least. I think it'd look amazing with some flow for sure!
Thank you for the great video. You can be rest assured i wont go there, looks too eerie for me. The yowies are all yours.🤫Keep quiet, dont make them come out. I Came across this video in my feeds and watched to the end and subscribed. Wonderful 😊
Cheers! Glad you enjoyed it - and thanks for subscribing!! 🙌
Great to watch you doing what you love ,exploring the bush , very sad for Shirl, I was a skyhooks fan early 70s and went to 3 I think concerts .Loved the water fall too thank you for sharing your day
Thanks for watching, I do appreciate it. That waterfall would look quite amazing after some decent rainfall, I'd imagine.
Wow. Big effort and well done mate. So interesting and yet so sad. Glad ya bike was still there 😊 Thanks for sharing.
Cheers mate... all tongue in cheek with the bike, lol. 😊
Thanks!
Thanks so much, Brian!! And many thanks to you for suggesting this exploration in the first place months ago!! Finally got there in the end. 🙌
Drove by Mulgowie pub today , saw a helicopter on the field across the road .
Made me think of Shirley's crash .
Can't believe this vid popped up on my feed today .
Thanks for the vid.
i never followed the band or music for personal reasons but i was shocked to hear in your first video that he actually passed..now i see his final moments..ty for going back
Quite a character our Shirley R.I.P mate on that lonely mountain
I've been looking forward to this since your last video. I was in North Queensland when Shirl died. As a 70s kid, Shirl and Skyhooks were a huge part of my life. I loved Skyhooks!
What I didn't know was exactly where his helicopter crashed. And, I had no idea that I am now living close to the crash site again.
Thank you, mate. I really appreciate your hard work in locating the wreck again.
I think a hike up there will be on my list.
Oh, the Archer brothers, before they moved up to the Rockhampton area (there's a Mt Archer there, too), had a lot of land around the Mt Archer you're exploring. Oh, and all that area is country I've hiked and explored in past years with no clue that Shirl died relatively close by. As in, I used to explore that area before National Parks made all the camping areas and good roads.
🧐😁
Great video and tribute to this Aussie Music Legend, hope to get there one day myself from a fellow MTB rider thank you !!!
Nice to have a fellow MTB rider check out the video!! Cheers.
Well Done getting to the site at last. Very professional editing as usual.
Thanks Mark... felt good closing off this chapter.
Great work I saw Shirley fly the Chopper over Maleny that day it was very Windy it was a Bell 47 and watched the News that night and there it was about the crash. I grew up watching Skyhooks and I thought He was a great Bloke on the Kids Shows very sad cheers Mick very well done
Thanks for being so respectful for Shirl...big music lover here..and admired the bands great work back in the day.
14:53 I understand why people would wear snake gators. However, good boots, thick socks, and jeans that don't fit tight around your calves and ankles are also as good a protection. The snakes that can kill us in Oz have somewhat short fangs that aren't quite long enough to get through jeans and socks (and boots). Having said that, I used to wear canvas gators when I wore shorts in the bush. But hey, far better to have a little overkill when you're in the middle of nowhere. Which is why I always carried double my expected water needs when bush bashing. And a comprehensive first aid kit...
;)
Love your videos, mate. This one is up there in my top five.
Death Adder can bite through ya shoe!
@jasonmcmanus6169 You must be wearing pretty thin shoes, mate. I wear either thick leather boots with jeans and spats, or thongs. Anything in between is almost as useless as thongs anyway.
I should explain that in the 70s and 80s, I lived in Western Taipan, coastal Taipan, death adder, and brown snake country at various times and either walked barefoot or in thongs. The key when walking in the bush is to be somewhat hyper viligant. You're supposed to be watching where you're going to step. Not just for footing, but to be looking for danger; loose rocks, slippery leaves, gravel, etc. Looking for potential snake hiding spots (especially with death adders) should be a part of that looking process. It's the same as driving. You need to be paying attention to your surroundings. Spacial awareness. However, I have nothing negative to say about smart people who err on the side of caution. I come from a different time...
That many sharp pointed stuff about they can't hurt to wear
I'm only 38 but Jukebox in Siberia came on at the gym yesterday afternoon and I stopped and watched the clip and had a bit of a smile to myself. Remember as a kid absolutely hanging out for his woodwork segment on Our House. Good times, good old Aussie tunes. Thanks for the vid
I met him when he was doing shirts neighborhood. Got his autograph and still have it. He was so nice ❤
That crash site is like a horror movie. Right there on my tv. Looks like he hit the side of that mountain super hard.
Shocking me right out of my brain
Red gave it a 10!
iwatched your first attempt to find the crash site and like you were dissapointed but at the end of the video you gave encouraging words something like ill research n be back....congrats sir i love hiking/biking videos on any subject.. power t u for making the efforts for our entertainment. cheers sir. happy new year..
Cheers Robby.... got there in the end. Never give up, right?
@@offtrackxplorer absolutely right sir...
@@offtrackxplorer oh the archer falls were very pleasing especially from the lower level. 5 star stuff sir,keep on truckin
Great Trek Mate.
I still miss Shirley, The hooks are in high rotation in my playlists.
I have flown a Bell 47, only for a short time, a great Aircraft.
I can't understand why he was up there in that weather, mountain rotors are drummed into us in basic Meteorology, and they even look bad.
I reckon he got tangled up in a microburst, there are unpredictable, and could easily out do the performance of a Bell 47.
Anyway, great vid (as usual) great reverence for Shirl as well.
I tagged your last Vid in my last Vid as it was in the same area.
I hope this one does well for you (we know it is going to).
T-Rocks
Cheers T-Rocks, yes, the investigation report called it 'mountain waves'. Geez, you've flown one of these also? A man of many talents!
This would be awesome to go see. Thanks for showing us. I remember it happening.
I do not know where this is, what a lovely drive, great scenery. Thanks for showing this area. R I P Shirly
Very nicely and respectfully presented. Thank you.
I'm really glad the RUclips algorithm led me to your channel.
"Main Rotor" " Tail Rotor" " Rotor blade" Another great video. Sounds like they are going to make us wear snake gators at work soon! We used to wear shorts and short sleeve shirt at work. The first day I had to weat long pants I got tangled up in sticks and went down,,, three times!
Snake gaiters at work.... Things are always changing I guess.
Excellent vid mate👍
Good video I came across it just looking around different stuff. I remember when it happened but living in Tasmania you never have an idea of the area! Very interesting & those falls would look great with a lot of water going over them beautiful spot. Cheers
It was his birthday on the 2nd Jan. Thanks for putting the video up.
thank you for respecting Shirl, his family, friends and fans.
Very nice video mate. Absolutely gobsmacked that they just left it all there, regardless of the remoteness I just figure CASA or whoever it was would want to keep all the evidence of what occurred. I listened to Red on ABC radio for years after this and he mentioned that he had part of the chopper in the boot of his car for a long time! The saddest thing was that Shirls death was overshadowed somewhat by that thing that happened a couple of weeks after it. RIP Shirl.
Really enjoyed this, got yourself a new sub! Cheers
Thanks heaps - I'm glad you enjoyed the trek!
Well done !
This is my favourite type of adventure. I've spent a lot of time tracking through bushland visiting aircraft wrecks.
Fantastic video mate
Thankyou for sharing. I loved him in his segment on our house 🏠. ❤
Gosh, you really did.. have a lovely day! Pretty good finding Shirley's crash site, rip Shirl. And the water fall was delightful and the water purifier did the job perfectly. Diagular Nat Pk spreads over a surprisingly large area. Thanks for sharing another explore with us. Take care. Happy New Year 2025. T.
Thanks, Happy New Year to you also👍👍
Laving trail markers may sound like a small thing but can save your life, greetings from remote rural NSW opal miner and explorer here.
Spot on... great to hear from a fellow explorer! Thanks.
Great video mate, I’ve climbed Mt Superbus and visited the Lincoln bomber site myself. I would love to do this hike and pay my respects to Shirl, Shirl was also a great carpenter and was on one of the home improvement shows back in the nineties….thanks for a great video 😊👍
Thanks... I'll be heading back to the Lincoln Bomber this year again to do an updated and better video.
@ I’ve been wanting to do the same, I only took photos but would love to do a video for my channel
I never even knew Shirl died. Im aussie, i don't know how i missed this. I feel ashamed 😞. RIP SHIRL 🙏 😢
Great informative video. Thank you.
Nice video. That’s my airfield at the foot of the hills. I can confirm the wreckage is not easy to find if you don’t know where it is and you can’t access it from all directions because the terrain and vegetation is just too wild. The peak to the north-east when you’re at the wreckage is a nice, relatively easy climb. The peak has big flat rock on the top with great views of the Glasshouse Mountains.
Thank You indeed. I never realized it was so close i have ridden motorcycles many times in the past around this location.
Well done Jel 👍 Red wasn't really dressed for a bushwalk wearing a suit and business shoes. Great job on the video 😊
And thanks to you Grant for your helpful tip!! You know, I was looking at Red dressed up to the nines in his "hiking gear".... and, the more I've looked at that video, I've almost concluded that he maybe he didn't go to the actual crash site. His footage shows nothing whatsoever of the wreckage, just him chatting in bushland waving around a metal component. I could be wrong, but I'm leaning more on being right. 😊
@offtrackxplorer yeah, I think you might be right.
the amount of times i have camped at Neruum creek campgound and didnt even know this
I'm at work John I'll post a comment tonight & give you a Thumbs Up now ... CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS ONE MATE!! 👍😁🤘
Cheers Beanie.... Enjoy🙌
@@offtrackxplorer I'll leave another comment late tonight ... Cheers mate 👍
Thank you John so much for at last finding the site of Shirley's crash site. After contacting you so many months ago about it I'm happy that you achieved the discovery. I'm very heartfelt after viewing your episode. Unfortunately, however now that this is out on the media there will be others now who will try to find the site. If they do, I hope they respect it as much as you did and leave it untouched. Keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing your next adventure. Take care John and your family...and Happy New Year!!!!
Many thanks to you also for the suggestion, Brian! Well, if they do, they deserve a pat on the back for their efforts of getting to the site... the lantana alone will be giving them more than just a pat on the back too 😅. Have a Happy New Year also!
@@offtrackxplorer lantana=nasty= wonder how i know that...
Thanks for this video. I wasn't a huge fan of the skyhooks but without a doubt Shirl and the skyhooks are an iconic part of Australian music history. Another site that may be of interest to you is the crash site of beautiful Betsy on the western side of kroombit tops national Park West of Gladstone in central qld. The fact she was declared missing but noone actually found her until (I think) the mid to late 80s is extraordinary. Particularly sad is the fact that one of the passengers on board was a serviceman just hitching a ride home for his wedding. Unfortunately, he never arrived and his bride never knew where his final resting place was.
Yes, I've heard of beautiful Betsy and would love to visit it when I get the chance. It looks like quite a large plane from the pictures I've seen. Again, another tragedy and apparently the site was never found until 49 years later by chance.
@offtrackxplorer definitely a big plane. B24 liberator bomber owned and operated by the US military. It had been retired from combat duty and was being used as a transport plane to move supplies and personnel when she went missing on a flight from Darwin to Brisbane including her crew of 6 American servicemen and 2 English servicemen who were just hitching a ride to Brisbane so that they could attend the wedding. One of these English men was the groom, the other was to be his best man at the ceremony.
I remember that day well. The wind gusts were insane!
Haha interesting you mentioned the Yowie someone watching with me though the tracks were from one haha
Thanks for this Video unbelievable I talk about this Tragedy 🎭sometimes At work Shirley once done a Segment for his show with me in it at Lindsay Park STH Australia 🐎💜
Good man thanks.
This video was very very interesting and made very well…it was Very sentimental as a kid as I went to about six Skyhooks concerts with my sister who loved Shirley, I myself wasn’t into Skyhooks but I did it for my sister. I will send her the link of your video to her as a memory.🫡👍😉
They were a pretty good band, TBH, especially for their time.
And the fact that they were Aussies...
Great video, very respectful.
At least it wasn't a Robinson that got him.
Those things are death with a rotor fitted to it.
R.I.P Shirl
A dear friend of mine was a buddy of him. Sad loss.
And I am a fan of Skyhooks.
Thanks for the video, always wondered how he didn't survive as a lot of people do survive helicopter crashes but clearly it was a horrific and violent crash. It also occured to me that 9/11 happened just 2 weeks later and the news of the crash would be overshadowed tremendously from that day. cheers
Thanks for that. But what was that white stuff you put in the tea?
That's just milk powder. :)
Very sad he was a very talented and funny man a great leading singer that contributed to the best of Australian Music my favourite songs to listen to when sunbaking with my mates in the Beach back in the day when you just had to have a tan happy carefree days .RIP Shirl !
Excellent video, I've wanted to visit the crash site too.
I can remember exactly where I was in my car when I heard the news of his passing. I was so shocked and cried all the way home.
Nice video. Nice respectful touch to spend some quiet time with Shirl over a cuppa. I was flying past that area a few months after in 2001 and my co-pilot pointed it out to me. You didn't need to know the parts of the helicopter, it made no difference at all to your presentation. No way in hell I would be plonking around in that snake filled bushland. No, not doing it. You're obviously an experienced and prepared bushman.
Thanks...it certainly was a reflective experience to come here and it seems a lot of the viewers appreciate getting to see what it looks like now.
Very rugged area. Feel for Red as well, making his way there.
It was a very sad day for the Australian music industry and to the fans of Skyhooks. Rest In Peace Shirley 🇦🇺🙏💙
Great episode, love the waterfall, that would be great after some rain I reckon. Where did you get your cap with neck flap?. Looks like a good one. :)
It's called a Frillneck hat - made by the Frillneck company in Darwin, NT. Literally the best quality sun-protection headwear I've found. I get around 5 years of rugged use out of a set.
Thankyou am still a skyhooks fan . Rip to Shirley.
RIP Shirley, he was a distant relative, I remember talking to him at his father's funeral, I also used to work with someone who went to Mt Waverley High school with him.
I think it was okay that Red took a piece of the wreckage, they were mates! I think it’s not appropriate for other people to take anything. This video is very respectful, it’s nice that you had a coffee & banana there I’m sure Shirl would have been smiling down on you.
CASA accident investigation about SHIRLEY Straughn’s crash concluded Shirley may have encountered severe down draft due to flying so close to the mountain side, basically the helicopter couldn’t produce enough power to climb and unfortunately he hit the ground at a very steep angle and high speed… Australia lost a wonderful talent.
36:01 I almost commented earlier when you made the Niagara reference, but kinda figured you'd follow the flow and find the real falls. Oh, and with respect to my first comment about having camped close to the wreck? Yep, but directly west on the other side of the mountain. Kinda trippy thinking about it. Oh, and ya wanna see those falls when they're flowing (flashback to 2010/11).
Iam a fan of skyhooks and a met him in browns plains