Mount Conner, at least listened to our plight and
went off to find someone else. Next came Lyndee,
Peter Severin’s son Ashley’s wife, and listened to
what we were hoping to achieve. She was quite
agitated that the shop staff had no knowledge of
Bankin, his grave, and Mount Conner, and stated
they would have a history lesson, and that in future,
visitors enquiring about Bankin or Mount Connor,
would be given the information – with the decent
respect to Bankin and the Severin family – that was
very much deserved.
Lyndee departed and shortly after Ashley came
in and asked “who are these two old blokes asking
about Bankin?” Introductions given, Ashley
explained that Mount Conner was off limits due to a
recent bushfire that also destroyed the fence around
Bankin’s grave. Also, to get to the grave and back
would take most of a day and they didn’t have the
staff to spare. But, would we like to see Bankin’s
bike? “Would we ever” I said, and we followed
Ashley out to a shed where a young fellow was
wheeling the bike out of its hiding place where it’s
well covered and hidden from view. I’ve attached
photos of the 1935 Triumph 3/1 350cc Side Valve
Motor Cycle which is pretty well as found where it
was bogged by the site where Bankin died. There
are a few bits missing, such as the water and fuel
drum carriers, but the one thing missing that Ashley
would dearly like to get is a correct gear lever knob,
so if anyone can help please contact Ashley via
email: [email protected], Post: Curtin
Springs, Via Alice Springs, NT, 0872, Ph: (08)8956
2906; Fax: (08)8956 2934. And if you are heading
through on your way to Yulara or to WA they do
have a motel as well as a camping ground.
Ashley told us about the area where Bankin’s body,
and the bike, were found and Lyndee showed us a
slide-show on the computer of the area, Mount
Conner, Bankin’s grave and the group of people who
built and erected the grave, cairn and fence, and the
Severin family who own the area. Ashley also told us
of a group of riders on large, shiny road motorcycles
who once called in and said “we’re going to visit the
grave and which way is it?” and then being quite
agitated when told it was “on private property, out
of bounds and, even if you could go, who will collect
the pieces of your bikes that fall off on the way?”
Ashley is a big man, his hands are large and hard,
and his handshake would probably crack a beer
bottle. They decided to head for Yulara instead!
Ashley mentioned the bike runs well and he had
used it for a while as a station bike. His ambition is
to eventually have it out the front of the Road House
in a steel cage with an information board for peopleThe first production^ ‘six’,
and^ fashionable^ sideburns.to see and learn about one of our earliest motorcycle
adventurers. I’m sure having met Ashley (ever so
briefly), the cage will probably hold a Rhino! Until it
does surface again, however, it’s now off limits. We
were definitely privileged, and humbled by the
experience, and I would like to thank Carmel Taig
(Dick Duckworth’s daughter), Peter Whitaker for his
article, advice and my pestering, and the Severin
family for their hospitality. Two old blokes were very,
very, happy.Much of Peter’s information was researched via Dick
Duckworth’s book on Bankin, the title of the book being:
Ellis Matthewman Bankin. Outback Motorcyclist Who
Perished.Author: R.N. Duckworth. Purposeful looking Moto Morini racer,
but no details. A single perhaps.