How to get our lost bikes from Port Augusta back to Melbourne? Happy to pay

Submitted: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 22:19

ThreadID: 95741 Views:3058 Replies:7 FollowUps:13

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nicki

Hi there, this is a last ditch effort to try to get our bikes back home. We lost our 2 bicycles still attached to the bike rack and inside specially made covers almost at the start of our Big Trip around Oz last June. Found by the side of the road, they have been languishing in the Port Augusta police lock up for lost items.
We have tried to to advertise on community internet notice boards (no responses) and carrier companies (quoted more than the cost of replacing the bikes) to get them back home.
We are happy to pay up to $250 for some one who is traveling this way from Port Augusta some time in the next little while to return the bikes and bike rack to us in Melbourne or we could pick them up from somewhere near the city where we live.
Maybe someone would like some petrol money for a trip where they have space to throw a couple of bike and bike rack in the back of a ute or truck. Not sure how we lost them off the back of the campervan so wouldn't recommend using the bike rack as it may be defective.
Sorry for the long winded plea. Have almost lost hope we'll see the bikes again.. Further details provided if anyone can help-or even just suggest another possibility we haven't thought of.
Thanks for reading this far..
nicki
PS the trip-we took our time, 9 months- was AWESOME! Loved the country, the places, the people, the fellow travelers..

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Reply By: Member - Dennis P- Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 22:30

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 22:30

Hi Nicki,
Have you tried any of the Coach Companies that travel that route?
Cheers,
Dennis

AnswerID: 486510

Follow Up By: nicki- Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 23:06

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 23:06

Thanks Dennis-this is a bit tricky for a coach company as it needs to be collected from the police station depot. i think it would be over what the bikes value is in terms of cost-we sent some stuff back home from Alice and it was quite pricey. But thanks anyway.

FollowupID: 761757

Reply By: Ron N - Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 22:53

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 22:53

Nicki - Put an ad in Gumtree, under "Community" section. There's all kinds of people looking for assistance with moving and transport there.
I bought a big old trailer, made from an old International Ute tub, from Adelaide, and put an ad in to get someone to bring it to Perth.
I bought the trailer just to acquire the rare ute tub for ute restoration.
Within a week I found a bloke who was moving back to Perth from Adelaide, and who had a huge TV to take with him, that wouldn't fit in his Commodore. He was looking at buying a trailer.
He contacted me and we did a deal where I paid him $300 to get it to Perth, and allowed him to carry what he liked in it. He rolled up ahead of schedule, and was very happy to get a large part of his fuel cost refunded, as well as get to move his big TV.
The transport companies wanted between $800 and $1200 to transport the trailer, so I was pretty happy, too.
Cheers - Ron.

AnswerID: 486513

Follow Up By: nicki- Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 23:10

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 23:10

Ron-we tried Gumtree-but they re located the ad-without our permission-in the transport or cartage section from the community section, No response. Maybe worth another try if we can insist they DON'T move it! Thanks for the good luck story. Thats what we were hoping for.

FollowupID: 761758

Reply By: Whirlwinder - Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 23:00

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 23:00

Nicki,
We will be returning to Sydney in early November via Mildura. We maybe able to meet you near Albury/area. Is that any good?
Ian

AnswerID: 486514

Follow Up By: nicki- Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 23:11

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 23:11

Whirlwinder, thanks. We live in Northcote just out of Melbourne so Albury really not near us. But thanks anyway.

FollowupID: 761760

Follow Up By: P2D2 - Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 23:30

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 23:30

Melbourne to Albury 3 hours, or a cheap train trip and a good day out.

FollowupID: 761764

Follow Up By: Member - Corrugate75 - Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 06:16

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 06:16

G'day,
Within two weeks (hopefully) I'll be coming through Pt Augusta on my way to Ballarat (not Melbourne) if that helps.
Let me know
Cheers
Corrugate

FollowupID: 761766

Follow Up By: P and JM - Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 17:28

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 17:28

Driving to Albury is a big savings to you, better than driving to Port Augusta.

I see two cops on bikes the other day.......could they be the ones?

Chow

FollowupID: 761822

Follow Up By: nicki- Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 13:35

Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 13:35

Corrugate-75, I wonder if your offer re picking up the bikes from Port Augusta with their bike rack if possible, is still current. As we are unsure about the weight of the bikes and the bike rack, info needed by the transport companies, it seems Ballarat may be our best option! I am hoping you have an address in Ballarat and not just passing through so a pick up and payment can be arranged when we can organise ourselves next to get there!
Anyhow let me know. I am no longer a member so can PM you. If you can PM me I will get back to you. If not, I'm not sure how to proceed..maybe you know.
cheers and thanks for the offer, Nicki

FollowupID: 762416

Reply By: Peter McG (Member, Melbourne) - Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 07:45

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 07:45

Check

Www.e-go.com.au

Should cost less than $100. You pay and send labels to Pt Augusta police to stick n bikes.

Peter

Peter
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Member
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AnswerID: 486526

Follow Up By: tripping oz - Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 08:52

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 08:52

Try www.loadshift.com.au you should get around 10/15 quotes :))

FollowupID: 761777

Follow Up By: nicki- Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 09:58

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 09:58

Thanks so much to all you great folks for your responses. Later today I will follow up the 2 websites-and post re the result later.

FollowupID: 761792

Follow Up By: landseka - Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 10:14

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 10:14

The first site should read www.e-go.com.au (all lower case)

It seems like they don't service outside the Eastern states, Nsw, Qld & Vic.

Cheers Neil

FollowupID: 761796

Follow Up By: Ron N - Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 10:15

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 10:15

Temando will generate you the cheapest quotes on the 'net. You'll get at least two quotes and sometimes up to about 8 quotes, as transport companies compete with each other for the work.

Be very exact with details of the load, though, or you'll get charged extra. If you input "business" premises as the pickup and delivery points, you'l get the best rates. Transport companies aren't interested in dealing with households, where they may encounter an empty house, when they're doing pickup or delivery. They need to have someone at the premises at all times. A contact number (mobile) is essential.

If the load is over 25kgs, you'll need to state that loading assistance is available, or order a tail-lift if no loading assistance is available. No-one in the industry will lift more than 25kgs by hand.

https://www.temando.com/

Cheers - Ron.

FollowupID: 761797

Follow Up By: Peter McG (Member, Melbourne) - Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 12:03

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 12:03

Their road freight service is Australia wide. According to the site they have a depot in Pt Augusta.

Peter
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FollowupID: 761804

Follow Up By: landseka - Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 12:36

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 12:36

Thanks Peter, my bad. I searched Pt Augusta instead of Port.....

Cheers Neil

FollowupID: 761806

Reply By: scoots68 - Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 13:04

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 13:04

Hi Nicki, we will be returning to Melbourne from Pt Augusta in late September if you don't have any luck anywhere else. We could probably cart them in our van. Cheers Rachael

AnswerID: 486553

Reply By: dazren - Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 18:18

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 18:18

Hello Nicki, Following is a link that may be the answer to your dilemma ??? I only found out about it last week, and as it had a big write-up in the Geelong Advertiser, as a fast growing and very successful concept

So i would sign up [ it's free ] and give it a go, nothing ventured nothing gained ??? Good Luck, dazren

https://www.meemeep.com/

AnswerID: 486578