Aussie Hose Hunters – Black Gold      

Danny and Johnny were fossickers. They hadn’t always been. Once upon a time they worked for Taipan Hydraulic Hose Systems. 

They’d enjoyed their time and learned a lot, but during all those years one question remained a mystery. Where did Taipan get their product from? Johnny had questioned everyone from Execs to the guys at the packing bench. “Beats me”, they’d say. 

One day Johnny plucked up the courage to ask the Managing Director at Taipan. “Amy,” he said, “where does the Taipan product come from?” Amy replied, “it’s like the Colonel’s recipe, Johnny, a secret.” And that’s the way it stayed. But like any untold story, a rumour grows. Eventually becoming a folk story, then developing into a full-blown urban legend. 

Today though, they’d done their time at Taipan and now they have banded together to chase that very legend, and legend had it that the Taipan brand originated from the clay-covered cattle country west of Caboolture, Queensland. 

The boys had pooled all their savings, purchased an 8-tonne excavator and headed to their new claim in Toogoolawah to drive a stake deep into the ground. 

“Well Danny, here we are, if the legends are true, it’ll be somewhere on this land.” 

They wasted no time and set to work digging. Here, there, no particular order or area but nothing eventuated. Nine days in and Danny pulled the excavator to a stop. “Johnny, mate, we are low on diesel and almost out of funds. Our dreams of striking it rich are in tatters. If we don’t find something soon it’s over.” 

He jumped from the track and rolled his ankle. “Blimmen *#@,” he cursed. He bent down to get a closer look at what had caused the roll. “Hey, Johnny, it’s a hose, here in the ground.” 

Protruding from the surface was the end of what looked like a spiral reinforced hose. “Woohoo,” the boys yelled together. Danny grabbed the grubber from the cab and chiselled away the topsoil. “Oh bugger, it’s just podge.” “What do you mean?” asked Johnny. “It’s hose but it’s just some inferior brand. It’s not worth digging up.” Johnny, ever the optimist, piped up, “Let’s use our last fifty-six dollars on diesel and keep digging, let’s give it our all, Danny!” 

Two hours later a scream came from the cab of the excavator. “WHOOOOO HOOOO JOHNNY!!! We have hit the mother load. I can see it from here, the wooden reels, the pristine condition, it’s Taipan alright and it’s premium.” Danny pulled the lever and a pallet of hose broke the surface. “Sure it’s only two wire but look at the quality of that hose, Johnny. It’ll be worth a fortune. Back up the truck mate, we are here for another season!”