max*d Issue 10

ISUZU UTE AUSTRALIA

ISSUE 10

of the

l l i h g n i K

mettle s t i s e v o r D-MAX p ional Park at at Deua N

PLUS:

get lost in

uts + gamefish -o e ip w e v a -w cuba + big

ing in wa

Luxury ride.

Tough reputation.

www.isuzuute.com.au

1987:

flashback

*

o e d ro

of the introduction

the

duced in 1987,

F series) intro generation (T into two different For the thirdup was divided

panese lineand the domestic Ja ld as the Faster drive versions so l ee wh arre e th th e m models, wi o. The latter beca as the Isuzu Rode profusion e th t bu 4x4 models sold , cle hi ts for this ve ke ar m t os m in name used ntinued. rent markets co Chevrolet of names for diffe Isuzu Pickup or s known as the wa it s, d in ica er a, In the Am uxhall Brav an lled Isuzu TF or Va ca s wa it Opel , e UK Th e .

LUV. In th Opel Campo s known as the wa it pe d ro an Eu a l ta ric Continen st, North Af in the Middle Ea ed us alia o str als s Au in wa branding n as the TFR, rica it was know Af h ut zu So Isu In R, ia.

TF parts of As e names Isuzu Rodeo, while th en ld re Ho we a r as te as ld m it was so r and Honda Tour zu Dragon Powe Dragon Eyes, Isu T-Series used in Thailand. d: the Chevrolet markets include r he ot in nes, ed pi us ilip Names o in the Ph Israel, Isuzu Fueg in n po Ip Foton zu or s Isu in Egypt, bei SY10 serie rneo and the Jin Bo in r de va In the Isuzu China. many Aoling T-Series in the reputation of gy helped build lo no ch te ll el sti es di em Isuzu’s d many of th nd the world an ou ar ds an br ive automot for them today.

Isuzu generated enjoy the kudos

max*d

1

ISSUE 10 04 News

What’s happening in the world of Isuzu UTE Australia

06 wishlist

Four of the coolest waterborne contraptions ever made

08 me ’N’ mY max

Is it wrong to love your ute? These D-MAX owners don’t think so

10 tech head

Features

12 max taNKs

Fire trails that disappear into tree tops and hug mountains like snakes. We put the D-MAX to the test at Deua National Park

Isuzu UTE’s tech guru discusses traction control and other D-MAX safety features Step back in time at the 2013 Isuzu Bellett National Meet

14 eat mY dust

22 out of the box

A mouth-watering tour through Adelaide Central Market—Australia’s last great farmers’ market

34 special report

Isuzu UTE-sponsored big-wave surfer Ryan Hipwood on wipe-outs, secret breaks and his D-MAX’s towing power

26 passport

Step back in time in sunny Cuba, where rum and rumba reign

38 get stuffed

How to make the perfect hamburger

30 uNsuNg heroes

40 hooK, liNe ’N’ siNKer

We’ve all heard about ‘boat people’.

But little is known about those who support them: ‘host people’

The boys make the long journey from Melbourne to Exmouth in a D-MAX

44 dealer list

Where to find D-MAX dealers

ages llitz / Getty Im Christopher Pi

26 40 2

welcome

*

W

14

ell, another year has passed us by and I hope you’ve all had as much fun as we have. It seems like only yesterday that we launched the All-New D-MAX and the feedback we’ve received from you, our customers, is that we’ve improved on the legend of this vehicle—so thank you.

Since opening for business in Australia, Isuzu UTE Australia (IUA) has sold more than 20,000 D-MAXs and our ever-expanding dealer network is fast approaching the level we feel is needed to exceed your after-sales service expectations. Our customer satisfaction levels are the envy of many of our competitors.

Everyone here at IUA continues to work hard to raise the bar even higher to make being a D-MAX owner a fantastic all-round experience—and not only from the driver’s seat.

With the New Year comes another Dakar Rally and we here at IUA are extremely proud to have the D-MAX represented at the world’s toughest off-road race by our very own Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki. Bruce and Harry have worked tirelessly on this campaign and will again be fighting to be the first diesel-powered ute across the line. We hope you’ll join us in wishing them all the very best for this tortuous event.

Once again we have some great summer reading for you.

In this issue, our new D-MAX ambassador Ryan Hipwood gives us an insight into the pitfalls of being a big-wave surfer; our tech-staffer Marcus Dowling talks you through the technical aspects of some of the D-MAX’s safety features; and the boys from Hook, Line & Sinker cross the continent in a D-MAX to bring you a great fishing story.

Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families the very best for the festive season and a happy and safe New Year.

See you in 2013!

A fully loaded D-MAX LS-Terrain in action deep inside the Bendethera Valley at Deua National Park

Yasu Takeuchi Managing Director Isuzu UTE Australia

max*d

3

news

Mark the date February

All the latest and greatest from Isuzu UTE Australia

20–24 SA Caravan and Camping Show Adelaide Showgrounds, Wayville, SA Ties in with the Outdoor Adventure Show to bring Adelaide two great shows in one.

22–24 Royal Canberra Show Exhibition Park, ACT Staged since 1927, this year’s show includes the alwaysexciting Canadian lumberjacks and the John Deere Challenge.

March

15–16 South East Field Days Yakka Park, Lucindale, SA Now in its 35th year, more than 600 exhibitors will showcase their products and services to 25,000 country people over two days.

15–17 Brisbane 4x4 Show RNA Showgrounds, Fortitude Valley, QLD The 4x4 Show will be held in conjunction with the Tinnie and

Tackle Show once again, which means two shows can be enjoyed for the price of one. Don’t miss the monster trucks!

21–24 Farm World Lardner Park & Exhibition Centre, VIC One of the biggest field days in Australia and Victoria’s largest regional agriculture show, Farm World will welcome 650 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors over the course of four days.

D-MAX at Sydney Motor Show Footy Show fan wins a D-MAX

Isuzu UTE Australia made a huge impact at this year’s Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, which showcased a selection of popular All-New D-MAX model variants.

Crowds were wowed by the cutaway Isuzu 3.0-litre

engine and the fully kittedout, custom-wrapped ShowTime FMX ‘Freestyle Edition’ D-MAX Space Cab. More than 130,000 people attended to see 400 new models, concept cars and exotic vehicles displayed by 27 leading auto-makers.

Congratulations to Lachy Rogers from Pennant Hills in Sydney, winner of the D-MAX Margin Competition hosted by the NRL Sunday Footy Show.

The 12-week competition attracted more than 20,000 entries from league fans across Australia, all of them eager to win the All-New D-MAX 4x2 LS Crew Cab. The contest was narrowed down to five names during the 2012 season, with Lachy’s name selected by newly crowned rugby league immortal Andrew Johns during the last show of the year, broadcast by Channel 9 on 27 September.

PUBLISHER Isuzu UTE Australia Pty Ltd ISUzU UTE AUSTRALIA MAnAgIng EDITORS Victor Petelo Dave Harding

EDITOR Ian Neubauer ian.neubauer@edgecustom.com.au

PRODUCTIOn ASSISTAnT/ jUnIOR DESIgnER Rhys Prosser

CHIEF SUB-EDITOR John Piggott

SEnIOR DESIgnER Bec Crockett

PRODUCTIOn EDITOR Paul Rodger

MAnAgIng ART DIRECTOR Karen Jacobi

HEAD OF EDITORIAL Michael Butler

HEAD OF DESIgn Shane O’Brien

ACCOUnT MAnAgER Amy Story

OPERATIOnS DIRECTOR Georgina Armour

ACCOUnT DIRECTOR Scott Crisp

DIRECTOR Sarah Willmott

ADVERTISIng SALES Dennis Lee dennis.lee@edgecustom.com.au

CEO Eddie Thomas

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Fergus Stoddart

Disclaimer: The information included in this magazine is intended for interest only. The opinions and views expressed in this magazine are provided in the writers’ personal capacities and are their sole responsibility. Their publication does not imply that they represent the views or opinions of Isuzu UTE Australia or Edge and must neither be regarded as constituting advice on any matter nor be interpreted as such. The reproduction of advertisements in this publication does not in any way imply endorsement by Isuzu UTE Australia or Edge Custom Media of products or services referred to therein. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. A selection of the images featured in this publication have been sourced from Getty Images and Thinkstock Images. Business Essentials trading as Edge ABN 22 062 493 869.

4

max*d magazine is proudly printed in Australia using renewable resources. Pacesetter Coated is an FSC Mixed Sources Certified paper, which ensures that all virgin pulp is derived from well-managed forests and controlled sources. It contains elemental chlorine-free bleached pulp and is manufactured by an ISO 14001 certified mill.

max*d is published on behalf of Isuzu UTE Australia Pty Ltd by

51 Whistler St, Manly NSW 2095 T +61 (0) 2 8962 2600

SGS-COC-003898

Isuzu Motorsport revs up for Dakar

news

*

Isuzu Motorsport has built the most powerful D-MAX of all time to take on the Dakar Rally, one of the most gruelling races on earth.

Based on the robust underpinnings of a production Isuzu D-MAX 4x4 Space Cab, the Dakar-spec ute has been enhanced to increase performance and withstand the rigours of more than 8,000km of arduous terrain between Lima and Santiago.

The vehicle is powered by an Isuzu 3.0-litre 16-valve common-rail turbo diesel engine, producing a maximum power output of 180kW and 589Nm of torque.

Based on a standard D-MAX engine, this formidable powerplant is linked to a sequential five-speed Hollinger gearbox and Xtreme rally clutch.

The result of these upgrades is an even tougher ute than the road-going model, with exhilarating performance to match.

It has a top recorded speed of 190km/h and can go from 0–100km/h—on dirt— in just seven seconds.

Bruce Garland and his co-driver Harry Suzuki will be out to repeat their success in the 2009 Dakar, in which they were the first diesel-powered ute across the line.

Make mine Movember The season of moustache sprouting known as Movember—a global campaign that raises funds for the fight against prostate cancer and male depression— has wrapped up for 2012.

Isuzu UTE Australia was proud to be a supporting partner for the third straight year. Our custom-wrapped Mo-ute appeared at several Movember charity events, leading the way at the City2Sea half-marathon in Melbourne and again at the Mousdash fun run in Brisbane.

One lucky Mo Bro also walked away with an All-New D-MAX drawn from the hundreds of people who raised at least $100 for the cause. Stay tuned for the winner’s details in our next issue.

max*d

5

*

wishlist

Float Barbecue dining Boat.

Why buy a boat and a barbie when you can buy a boat with a barbie that floats? A small 30watt motor can propel the polyethylene hull at speeds of up to 4km/h on calm waters or alongside other docked boats.

RRP: $49,000; hammacher.com.

Cruise Clipper hudson Bay 50. The guys at Clipper Motor Yachts have sold highend cruisers from the Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard since 1977. New this summer, the Hudson Bay 50 is a heritage-styled floating entertainment centre with an open saloon, huge cockpit and indoor-outdoor kitchen.

RRP: $1,049,000; clippermotoryachts. com.au.

Submerge

ocean Pearl Submarine.

Never has the question ‘What do you buy the man who has everything?’ found a better answer. Capable Make an iMpression on the of diving to depths of up to water this suMMer with 1,000m, this big boy’s toy has one of these over-theenough power and oxygen top waterborne for a six-hour mission, with contraptions 96 hours of reserve oxygen for emergencies. Add a few robotic arms, sonar, tracking systems, underwater cameras and LED lights and you have a serious submarine.

RRP: $196,000; seamagine.com.

Hover Uh-19XrW hoverwing. If having your own hovercraft wasn’t cool enough, imagine having one that flies. This Hoverwing ground-effect hovercraft has a cruising altitude of 1–2m and can jump up to 7m to clear obstacles. You don’t need a pilot’s licence to use one either. RRP (with 130hp engine): $176,000; hovercraft.com.

6

Water World

Casey Stoner

Darrel Smith

Lives: Caniaba, NSW drives: 2010 D-MAX 4x2 LS

when we decided to help our daughter Mriah take on the National Drag Racing Championship, one of the first things we needed was a good tow vehicle. We chose a D-MAX—it's been a great investment and hasn’t let us down. Last season we drove it to Brisbane, Sydney, Mackay, Townsville, Warwick and even Perth. Decalled with a trailer and drag car in tow, our D-MAX turns heads at all racetracks and doubles as a promotional vehicle. Now it’s nearly time to upgrade and we will definitely be looking at the All-New D-MAX.

Me ’n’

y, uel frugalit f , r e w o p g towin Me oks: just so lo d n a t r o coMf lk ns these fo of the reaso uzu d-MaX love their is

Dave Maurice

Lives: Mudgee, NSW drives: 2012 D-MAX 4x4 LS-U

2 8

i picked up my new D-MAX in September from Sainsbury Automotive in Dubbo, NSW, after having to wait a short while due to requiring an automatic—my wife won’t drive a manual.

I have to admit to being an Isuzu addict, going back to the 1960s when I bought an Isuzu Bellett sedan. Over the years I’ve owned a number of other Isuzus, and in all that time I have not had one serious mechanical failure of any nature.

Kerrie Cusack

Lives: Blue Mountains, NSW drives: 2011 D-MAX 4x4 SX we purchased our D-MAX in April after it was decided the hubby and I could both make use of its many features. I needed a family car. It NEEDED to be manual, oh ... and of course carry five, including a toddler and a teenager, as well as the groceries, the sports gear, pram etc. The husband wanted an escape vehicle for the bush on the weekend, capable of towing the camper without losing power or comfort.

He’s already added a bull bar. Tinted windows and a snorkel are next, then a 2-inch lift to make it totally max*d.

3

Paul Scott

Lives: Mt Isa, QLD drives: 2009 D-MAX 4x4 SX we just got back from two weeks in the Top End, visiting places like Katherine Gorge, Litchfield National Park and Butterfly Gorge.

The road to Butterfly Gorge was a bit rough and there were a few rivers to cross. But the D-MAX was terrific and didn’t miss a beat while towing our campervan. Fuel consumption averaged 12L/100km while sitting on 110km/h. Our ute is now two-and-a-half-years old and has just clocked over 100,000km on the odometer. Nothing has ever gone wrong with it.

4

WIN

a calte X fuelcar d!

if your le tter is publish ed here you 'll receive a $50 fue lcard! congratu lations to this iss ue's four winn ers ...

Me ’n’ my Max is a segment reserved for you—the reader. If you’d like to see your ute appear in the mag, send a highresolution image along with your name, town, state, and the make and model of your D-MAX, plus a 100-word blurb, to maxd@iua.net.au. Or you can mail the details to max*d magazine, PO Box 1128, Eagle Farm, QLD 4009.

max*d

9

*

tech head

Lifesavers WordS: Marcus Dowling

the abc of abs, ebd and other high-tech safety features

traction control

systems have been around for a decade and a half in sports-oriented performance vehicles. But it’s only in the past few years that these systems have been added to 4WDs. Historically speaking, some would say necessity was the mother of invention when traction control was adapted for 4WD vehicles in place of a lowrange transfer case.

The basic principles behind traction control are relatively simple. Wheel speed sensors are connected to the wheels: these measure speed and any variance in speed. When a difference is detected, the system applies the brakes to the fastest spinning wheel or wheels and forces torque (driving force) to the slower turning wheel or wheels that provide the greatest resistance (grip).

To give you a better understanding, let’s look at each individual D-MAX component in isolation:

braking start

with abs

without abs

anti-lock braking sYstem (abs) ABS is a computer-controlled system that measures and monitors wheel speed information sent individually from each wheel. The ABS computer receives the information and calculates an average; the system has preset nominated values

10

and uses these as reference points.

When a difference has been determined, the ABS is activated by controlling (regulating) the brake fluid pressure, therefore activating the brakes.

The primary function of ABS is to make

the vehicle manoeuvrable in an emergency situation. ABS is not designed to stop the vehicle in a shorter distance.

In the Isuzu D-MAX, a calibration occurs while in low-range 4WD incorporating information from the G-force sensors.

tech head

*

electronic brakeforce distribution (ebd) When the nominated set value is different from what is detected, the brake fluid pressure is regulated (activating the brakes) by supplying more pressure to the rear when loaded and less when not loaded.

The ABS computer controls the braking force between the front and the rear wheels according to vehicle load. When a brake application is detected, the EBD system compares the difference between front and rear wheel speeds.

low brake force light load

high brake force heavY load

electronic stabilitY control (esc) with esc

The ABS computer measures and monitors the vehicle’s angular rotation by receiving direct information from the yaw rate sensor and also the steering wheel angle sensor.

ESC is activated when a loss of steering control is detected. Braking is applied to each wheel individually, thereby helping ‘steer’ the vehicle in the intended direction of travel.

without esc

Activation of this system means the vehicle’s computers have the ability to apply braking force to the opposite side of the vehicle, depending on the direction of rotation. This can be explained in understeer and oversteering driving situations when the inner or outer wheels have the brakes automatically applied to keep the vehicle in a straight line.

traction control sYstem (tcs) Excessive opening of the throttle on start-up or acceleration on a slippery surface may cause the driving wheels to spin due to excessive engine torque.

TCS suppresses the driving wheel slippage by controlling brake fluid pressure and also engine torque. The ABS computer calculates the drive wheels’ average speed and the vehicle speed based on the wheel speed sensor signal sent from each wheel. The engine computer continually sends the macerator pedal position information to the ABS computer.

When the drive wheel starts to slip and the difference between the average speed of the drive wheel and the vehicle speed exceeds the nominated set value, the ABS computer sends a request to the engine computer to reduce the accelerator pedal position percentage. In doing so, the engine fuel injection volume is reduced, thus reducing the engine torque momentarily.

TCS offers improved driver and passenger safety by giving the vehicle greater control over the road or terrain. An additional feature of TCS is that it replaces the need for a Limited Slip Differential (LSD). This is all achieved through the advanced ABS computer, which calculates precise wheel speed and divides power (drive) to the wheels that have traction (grip) by regulating brake pressure.

The LSD only runs through the rear wheels, limiting control to only the rear, whereas TCS extends the control to the front wheels, offering all-round traction control. In short, LSD is old technology that limits the vehicle’s capability through manual components. TCS, however, functions by means of a computer system.

Though its main purpose is often considered to improve safety, TCS also reduces the D-MAX’s overall weight and the number of mechanical components in the differential, therefore reducing wear on vehicle parts and giving greater fuel economy as a result of reduced rolling resistance.

max*d

11

*

max tanks

Big Day

Out

Words: Ian Neubauer Photos: Mich ael Helmreich

arts p p a w s o t ogether t t e g s r e eeting n m w l o a r t e t e n l l e e g nnual Isuzu B a r i e h t t a s rie and war sto

Above: A mint-condition Bellett GT Left: Pre-restoration, this Bellett sports a rare boot-rack

12

This even t it bonds t is important beca u h Belletts to e people who own se gether ...

Old but not forgotten—a badge belonging to the Vintage Sports Car Club of Western Australia

theY’re not

very safe, they don’t handle too well and have a habit of breaking down.

But there’s something about classic cars that gets the blood pumping, recalling a time when things seemed a lot less complicated than they are today.

“Modern cars are designed in wind tunnels,” says automotive photographer Michael Helmreich. “But classic cars are different. It was more about styling in those days.”

Manufactured in Japan from 1963–73, the Isuzu Bellett—a subcompact ute and coupé with sleek Italian styling and an aggressive, fastback fascia— is a textbook example. About 20,000 were imported to Australia, although you’re unlikely to see one today—unless you happened to be at the Isuzu Bellett National Meet on 19–21 October at Merimbula on the NSW south coast.

The meet saw 90 people turn up in 34 Isuzu classic cars: 15 Bellett GTs, 13 Bellett sedans, two 117s, two Florians and two Geminis.

After a meet-and-greet at Merimbula on the Friday evening, members took off the next morning in a convoy to see a historic car yard in Pambula. They

then headed to Bemboka, where member Gary Smith, owner of the largest private collection of Belletts in Australia, hosted the Bemboka Bellett Motor Show.

“I think I have 11 or 12 Belletts right now,” says Gary, who bought his first Bellett in 1967 and hasn’t stopped buying them since. “There are three really nice ones with club registration, one GT with club registration that needs painting, seven or eight others that could be restored and a couple of parts cars.”

On the Sunday morning, members buffed their Belletts for the Show and Shine event, where awards were given for Best Sedan, Best GT and other categories. Co-sponsored by Isuzu UTE Australia, the awards took the form of original Bellett hubcaps airbrushed with their winners’ names. A raffle was also held, with the winner receiving a Bellett bonnet signed by every member in the club.

“This event is important because it bonds the people who own Belletts together and gives us a chance to interchange rare parts,” says Dave Maurice, president of the Isuzu Car Club of Australia. “It’s the only way we can keep these old cars on the road.”

A bevy of Bellets at Gary Smith’s workshop in Bemboka, NSW

max*d

13

*

g n i k

eat mY dust

auer Ian Neub PhotoS: & S d r o W

E H t oF

X takes a M D w e The all-N her of all hills t on the mo ional Park at at Deua N

14

l l hi max*d

15

eat mY dust

Photo courtesy Mary Bonet

*

Deua is home to gentle rivers, nearconstant rainfall, abundant wildlife and spectacular rock formations.

Left: Hikers might sometimes feel they have the coastal ranges of southern NSW all to themselves top to bottom: Snow in October; a day later, spring wildflowers in bloom; the Big Hole top right: It’s not all hard yakka— the D-MAX finds an easy stretch in the Shoalhaven Valley

16

I

have a confession to make. After three years at the helm of this mag, I’ve only gone hardcore off-road driving once, and then only for a few minutes. So when I heard about Deua National Park—a wilderness area touted as the most remote, hard-toreach and challenging 4WD destination in NSW—I knew I’d hit pay dirt. For once and for all, I was going to prove—or disprove—the All-New D-MAX’s off-road credentials.

Set in the hinterlands of the NSW south coast, Deua is home to gentle rivers, near-constant rainfall, abundant wildlife and spectacular rock formations. Its peaks and valleys can see snow in winter, turning travel along its deliriously steep tracks into a devil’s dance.

So I planned my trip for mid-October, well outside the snow season. But when I arrived at the village of Breadalbane, 90 minutes’ drive north of Deua, to pick up my camping buddy, environmental scientist Shlomi Bonet, the entire countryside was carpeted in snow.

“We do get this late-season snow but it doesn’t happen very often,” the NSW Bureau of Meteorology said, issuing a severe weather warning for dangerous winds and flash floods set to worsen later in the day.

I spent the rest of it making snowmen with Shlomi’s kids and sinking beers with his neighbour Julian Standley, the third member of our trip. We weren’t going anywhere today.

the mother of all hills

The next day we awoke to brilliant blue skies. The snow had melted and the roads were now ice-free but our route could be littered with fallen branches and trees.

“You’ll thank me if we need this,” said Shlomi as we lugged his chainsaw into the tray.

After breakfast, we jumped in the ute and headed south. Following a quick pit stop at Braidwood for groceries and diesel at a Caltex, we veered on to Cooma Road and into the Shoalhaven Valley, where great sweeps of farmland fold into the horizon.

We stopped for lunch at the Berland campsite in the western quarter of Deua National Park and then walked it off with an hour-long hike to the Big Hole.

Discovered by surveyor-general Thomas Mitchell in 1832, this gaping 96m-deep chasm is a sight to behold.

A sign on the viewing platform says a lyrebird lives here and, if you’re lucky, you can see it glide gracefully into the abyss. We didn’t, although we did see a mob of beautiful black swamp wallabies and a few fat goannas scampering off the track.

Clouds descended upon us on the return leg and by the time we reached the ute it was sprinkling. It turned into a downpour when we reached Middle Mountain Road and the start of the off-road part of the trip. I slipped the D-MAX into 4WD mode and coasted along the muck until we hit our first serious hill. Serious in that it’s so steep it actually vanished into the treetops far above our heads.

I’ve done extreme hill-climbs of this kind many times before on dirt bikes. But it took years to master,

max*d

17

*

eat mY dust

LS-Terrain SpecS engine

• 3000cc DOHC 4-cylinder intercooled turbo charger • Euro4 emissions level • Torque: 380Nm • Power: 130kW Safety features

• Six airbags, ESC, TCS, ABS, EBD, Brake Assist • Reversing camera extras

• Leather trim • Touchscreen GPS Navigation & Audio • Bluetooth, iPod & USB connectivity • Roof rails • Electric adjustable driver’s seat • High-ride suspension • Heavy-duty brakes

Clockwise from above: Bring your own firewood as we did to preserve native flora; Only in Deua are wallabies as big as kangaroos; all up, we counted 37 river crossings in four days

is an absolute killer on the forearms and legs, and stacking it is a given. Yet with the D-MAX it was child’s play—all I had to do was give it a bit of gas and steer around the largest ruts or boulders in my path.

With low-range 4WD now engaged, 80-odd years of dedicated diesel engineering came into play as the turbocharged Isuzu powerplant carried the three of us and a tonne of car up the mountain without pause, without missing a beat and without issuing the slightest objection during the hour it took us to complete the 9km ascent to Dampier Lookout.

The onboard GPS said we were 1,350m above sea level, and we felt it when we stepped outside; the air was unusually cold and crisp and hail fell on our heads. There’s an awesome lookout here, but with only 30 minutes of sunlight left and the hail picking up speed, we decided to jump in the ute and begin our descent into the velvet green Bendethera Valley.

This side of the range is just as steep but the trail was in even worse condition, pockmarked with rocks as big as helmets, low-hanging branches and potholes the size of bathtubs. On a dirt bike this would be

18

seriously hard work, but in this D-MAX there was nothing to do but hang on to the steering wheel and breathe as the Electronic Brakeforce Distribution system did all the hard work and delivered us safely to the valley floor. (To read more about EBD and other standard D-MAX traction control features, see Tech Head on page 10.)

the garden of eden

In the city, I’m often woken by the sound of traffic.

Today, I was woken by a chorus of chirps, whips, whoops, hollers and squawks. Ninety kinds of bird have been identified in this park, including robins, honeyeaters and doves as well as threatened species like the sooty owl and glossy-black cockatoo. The rivers are full of platypus, there are six kinds of frog and the place was chock-a-block with kangaroos, wombats, quolls and all manner of marsupials.

“The most amazing thing for me is the wildlife,” Shlomi said. “I live nearby so I take the beauty of the countryside for granted. But this place is something else. It’s really spectacular.”

I walked out of my tent on to a grassy clearing, stoked the embers of last night’s fire and looked out to the misty green hills. As far as the eye can see there are only trees, and I finally understood how, despite its proximity to Sydney, Deua has remained so rugged and pristine. You need a helicopter or tractor to get in here. Either that or a car that thinks it’s a tractor.

Julian cooked up a sensational bush breakfast— eggs, sausages, toast, coffee and jam—all with that delicious smoky edge only a campfire can do. Our stomachs full, we then set out on the 4km hike to Bendethera Caves.

At the start of the track we came across a large brick oven overgrown with plants and a sign telling us it’s all that is left of a homestead built by the George family in the 1860s. In 1875, Benjamin George, the eighth of 15 children, stumbled upon the main cave

You need a helicopter or tractor to get in here.

Either that or a car that thinks it’s a tractor.

FacT FILe GeTTinG There Starting from Braidwood, follow Cooma Road for 45km and turn left at the sign to Berland/The Big Hole. The turn-off for the Bendethera Valley, Middle Mountain Road, is 25km further south. Bendethera Camp Site is only 9km from here but you’ll need to set aside 1–2 hours and remain in low-gear 4WD. For detailed maps and up-to-theminute road and off-road driving conditions, visit the Braidwood & Village Information Centre on Wallace Street, Braidwood.

Call (02) 4842 1144 or visit kingshwytodiscovery.com.au

Where To STay There are six campsites in Deua National Park. Fees of $5 per adult and $2.50 for pensioners/kids apply at all campsites except Bendethera. Call (02) 4476 0800 or see environment. nsw.gov.au for more information. Otherwise, Deua Tin Huts on Cooma Road charges $125 a night for rustic cabin accommodation.

Call (02) 4847 1248 or see deuatinhuts.com.

TaG-aLonG TourS Tag along with your own D-MAX or join as a passenger on a 4WD-tour with Getabout Adventures, the first nationally accredited tour company in NSW. Off-road driver training also available.

Call 1300 660 320 or visit getabout.edu.au.

max*d

19

*

eat mY dust

and began spreading the word about its strange limestone formations. Soon, more than 100 people a year were making the week-long ride on horseback from the coast, so the Georges created an 800-hectare public reserve to protect the area for posterity. Today, Deua protects 122,000 hectares, making it one of the largest national parks in Australia.

The track meanders along the banks of Con Creek, under tree ferns and past fields sown with wildflowers.

“It’s like the elves live here,” said Julian as we came across yet another perfect bend in the creek.

Two hours later we reached a final 350m climb to the cave and a terrace that looks out on to the vast, blue-green valley. This is the only place in the world where Bendethera wattle (bluebush) grows naturally; if you stare from a distance, entire mountainsides take on the leaves’ turquoise glow.

Stairs and ladders run deep into the cave, but we hadn’t brought rope or torches so didn’t venture far from the mouth. Shards of light poured into a cavern showing a stone column 30m high and huge stalactites hanging from the ceiling. I could only wonder what ancient creatures visited this cave over the millennia it took the slow drip, drip, drip of water to create these unusual shapes.

the end of the road

Two days later we were up to our necks in it again, bashing our way through a fire trail in the northeast corner of the park. I can’t tell you its name or exactly where it is, because we took a wrong turn some 15 minutes before. What I do know is it’s one of the many 4WD-only access roads that spill out onto Kings Highway and the last leg of our journey.

Unlike the hill-climbs and crazy descents we tackled over the past two days, this trail hugs the side of the mountain like a snake. Parts of it are reinforced by rock walls built with the blood, sweat and tears of early pioneers like the Georges, who drove horse-drawn carriages through here.

To our left, a valley of treetops tumbled hundreds

20

Second opinion—WhaT oTherS Say abouT deua 4WS BdSM getaway: Deua National Park has some of the steepest tracks you’re ever likely to climb anywhere in the world. If you don’t have low-range 4WD, forget about it— you won’t make it out of the mountains, assuming that you made it in there in the first place. exploreoz: To make the most of the sights, a 4WD with low range and dedicated off-road tyres is ideal. There are challenging sections throughout the park, including river crossings and considerably steep and rocky sections. Being clay based, tracks do get slippery during wet conditions.

4x4 earth australia: There’s a lot written on Bendethera … praising this beautiful valley and its wildlife. It’s true and what makes it one of the premier 4WD destinations in Australia.

Kings highway discovery: Be prepared. You are entering a remote area, so make sure you have enough fuel, ropes and hand winches, water and topographic maps.

Braidwood & Beyond: A challenging and unspoilt environment for 4WD driving and a great place to camp out far from the madding crowds.

of metres into an abyss, leaving little room to negotiate the countless logs, rocks, ruts, puddles and pits. We often had to jump out to walk across flooded streams to make sure they were not too deep or to clear away trees and branches. And while Shlomi’s chainsaw was never called upon, it was reassuring to know it was there.

I moved at a snail’s pace in low-range 4WD, concentrating hard but never breaking a sweat as the D-MAX found its way through this terrible but beautiful terrain. The only time I felt the slightest loss in traction was while crossing a gushing 60cmdeep creek. A moment later, the ute’s TCS (traction control system) executed a correction that gripped all four wheels firmly to the ground.

“It was amazing the way it held on,” Julian said when we found the highway. “I never lost confidence in this vehicle. I never felt worried it was not capable of doing what needed to be done. Not even once.”

Clockwise from left: Beautiful Con Creek; the tray in our LS-Terrain Crew Cab (on loan from Gilbert & Roach Isuzu UTE in Sydney) had enough space for all our food, camping gear, 20kg of firewood—and a chainsaw to boot; Julian stares into the mouth of Bendethera Cave

STANDARD HEIGHT UPRATED

• RAISED MEDIUM DUTY

HEAVY DUTY AND MINING SPEC

• • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • •

Dual Cab and Extra Cab 4x4 Variants Kit Part Number ISUZKIT003-A Includes Parts: New Front Coil - IFS-002 New Rear Leaf Springs - IS-003SH Leaf pin kit LGPK387-1 x 2 Leaf Shackle kit LGSK386/3 x 2 U-Bolts UBL-05 x 4 Rear Shock Absorber 64612576 x 2 Leaf Bush kit- leaf front eyes N73254 x 1 Leaf bush kit- leaf rear eyes and shackles N73255 x 1

Dual Cab and Extra Cab 4x4 Variants Kit Part Number ISUZKIT003-B Includes Parts: New Front Coil - IFR-002 New Rear Leaf Springs - IS-003 Leaf pin kit LGPK387-1 x 2 Leaf Shackle kit LGSK386/3 x 2 U-Bolts UBL-05 x 4 Rear Shock Absorber 64612576 x 2 Leaf Bush kit- leaf front eyes N73254 x 1 Leaf bush kit- leaf rear eyes and shackles N73255 x 1

Dual Cab and Extra Cab 4x4 Variants Kit Part Number ISUZKIT003-C Includes Parts: New Front Coil - IFR-002HD New Rear Leaf Springs - IS-003HD Leaf pin kit LGPK387-1 x 2 Leaf Shackle kit LGSK386/3 x 2 U-Bolts UBL-05 x 4 Rear Shock Absorber 64612576 x 2 Leaf Bush kit- leaf front eyes N73254 x 1 Leaf bush kit- leaf rear eyes and shackles N73255 x 1

02 9820 6800 • www.lovellsauto.com.au

*

oUT oF ThE Box

Super market Take an interactive walking tour through the Adelaide Central Markets— Australia’s last great farmers’ market Words & Photos: Gary Friedland

WhEn ThE British came to Australia they

brought with them the concept of farmers’ markets— pop-up village squares where growers and producers sold vegetables, milk, meat, oil, flour and other foodstuffs direct to the public.

Postwar migrants from Greece, Italy, Lebanon and other non-English-speaking countries introduced fine foods—cured meats, pasta, cheese, breads and wine—to the mix, while more recent arrivals from South-East Asia added never-before-seen sweets, spices and seafood.

What resulted were gourmet melting pots held in epic food halls that were tourist destinations in their own right. I remember walking through Melbourne’s Queen Victoria market as a child, both repulsed and excited by the heady aroma of ripening fruit and the exotic foods sold by strangers from foreign lands.

But as our nation moved towards the era of supermarkets, garden markets were forced to change or perish. The Vic Market today is a shadow of its former self, overrun by hawkers of trinkets and souvenirs. And at Sydney’s Paddy’s Market, the once rich multicultural tapestry is a thing of the past.

Yet one garden market remains unchanged.

Set in the heart of the South Australian capital, Adelaide Central Market is Australia’s most authentic

22

and ethnically diverse garden market. And with 1.3 million visitors a year, it’s also the state’s top tourist attraction.

It’s an adventure walking through this 143-yearold market on your own. But for inside information on where to find the best of whatever it is your taste buds fancy, join a morning walking tour with veteran stallholder Mark Gleeson.

BREAKFAST AT LUCIA’S

The tour begins with breakfast at Lucia’s Pizzeria and Spaghetti Bar. An institution within an institution, Lucia’s was opened in 1957 by Italian immigrant Lucia Rosella and is today managed by her grandchildren.

“This is the real McCoy: simple Italian, as good as it gets,” Mark says. “Try the eggs poached in tomato sauce.”

Next door at Lucia’s Deli, a shop assistant stirs a wooden spoon through a pot of gnocchi with peas, rosemary, napolitano sauce and ricotta cheese as chefs knead dough into pizza bases in the kitchen.

“Every stall in the market has a story like Lucia’s, where generations of families have owned them, so change is very slow,” Mark says. “Lucia’s haven’t changed their menu in 50 years. The artwork is all original; the furniture, too.”

Far left: Spice pyramids at Taste of Marrakech Left: Stallholder Mark Gleeson (left) and a friendly cheese salesperson (bottom left) keep shoppers coming back for more

max*d

23

â– passport

24

out of the box

After checking out stalls selling fare from Kazakhstan, Japan and Korea, the tour reaches the fresh fruit and vegetable stalls at the heart of the market. Among the dozens of fruiterers working here is Bill Howison from the House of Organics & Sustainably Grown Produce. He cuts open a blood orange and offers me a piece. The flavour is turbocharged, unlike any other orange I’ve tasted. “The fruit in Adelaide is fresher than any other city because it’s a 20-minute drive to the countryside,” Bill explains.

steak, spices, seafood and street food

Our next stop is the market’s western flank, where we visit one of its 11 butchers. Among a red sea of steaks, chops and handmade sausages is South Australian Black Angus priced at $195 a kilogram. “It’s full-blooded Wagyu from the Limestone Coast,” Mark says, referring to the stretch of coast southeast of Adelaide. “They do all the breeding themselves to keep the strain pure. It’s the best meat in Australia.”

From there, we head to a Taste of Marrakech, where zatar, paprika, harissa and other spices are piled in pyramids, as seen in the souks of the Middle East.

Cauliflower balls and Moroccan chickpeas are sold here, although preserved lemons are the house specialty.

Next door at a fishmonger’s we see huge chunks of yellowfin tuna, lobsters, swordfish and hundreds of oysters and muscles trucked in the night before from the coast. The far side of this store opens up on to Gouger Street, Adelaide’s premier fine food district.

“All the best restaurants in Adelaide are anchored in this street,” Mark says.

“My favourite is this little Vietnamese noodle place around the corner. They do a beef noodle soup that’s to die for.

When you walk in there you’ll notice the overpoweringly simple smell of the stock they make fresh each day. Come, I’ll take you there now.”

cheese and dessert

After checking out the noodle shop we head back inside the market to an even more odorous stall—The Smelly Cheese Shop. “This place is a story in itself,” Mark says. “Cheese gets air-freighted

*

From top: Baked goods woo passers-by; Delicious gnocchi with peas and ricotta cheese from Lucia’s Deli; the market’s Black Angus beef is touted as the best in Australia

“That’s the essence of any good market—a place that’s continually evolving, a living, organic thing that keeps customers coming back.” here from around the state, the country and as far as Europe.”

Shop assistant Lulu Lunn invites us to sample a South Australian brie, a French brie, a traditional cloth cheddar and a geo from the Barossa—a camembertstyle cheese spiked with a geotrichum mould with a distinct barnyard taste.

“We understand how to make really good cheese and not just cheddar,” Lulu says.

“So we’ve been a catalyst for other cheese shops around Australia to lift their game.”

The tour wraps up at Mark’s own stall, The Providore, a patisserie, confectionary, chocolate and cake shop.

Mark sources his goodies from homebased bakers. His honey joys are made by a 15-year-old boy; his chocolate mud cake comes courtesy of a little old lady; and his best seller, a Sicilian caramelised apple cake—a 10cm-high stack of pastry, apple, lemon, pine nuts, sultanas and a dozen different spices—is made by a retired pastry chef.

“He came in with a box and the moment I lifted the lid I knew it was good,” Mark says. “I sold it in two hours and now sell 10 a week. If it stops selling I’ll get rid of it.

“And that’s the essence of any good market—a place that’s continually evolving, a living, organic thing that keeps customers coming back.”

max*d

25

*

passport

Time Traveller WordS: Andrew Westbrook PhotoS: Andrew Westbrook, Thinkstock & Getty Images

26

passport

cuba has been coMMunist for More than half a century. but change is in the air on the colourful caribbean island

*

travelling to Cuba means more than just a trip to

another land: it’s a journey to another time. The country of Castro and cigars, communism and classic cars, Cuba has been stuck in a time warp for more than 60 years. But a recent change of direction suggests the clock could now be moving forward once again.

It was in 1959 that Fidel Castro and his band of rebels first pressed pause, sweeping to power at the expense of US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. The result was a communist state with a northern neighbour so aggressively paranoid that even now, 20 years after the fall of the Soviet Union, the Cold War is still alive and well on this largest of Caribbean islands.

The revolution made Cuba, a nation of 11 million people just 150km from the Florida coast, a crucial Soviet ally, with the superpower more than willing to prop up the regime’s struggling economy. That alliance is now history but Cuba’s rogue status lives on, with the US still banning all trade.

And yet, from a traveller’s point of view, the controlling nature of the Cuban high command means the country has avoided rampant, unchecked development and Havana’s World Heritage-listed old town remains virtually untouched, like a living museum. The buildings might be crumbling but they’re still grand, reminding us of a time when Cuba was the world’s biggest sugar producer and a vital part of the Spanish empire.

in the havana club

Unlike most dictators, Castro chose to concentrate his resources on services such as health and education rather than fancy buildings.

As a result, Cuba boasts figures for literacy, life expectancy and child mortality as good as most developed countries. The flipside is that Havana has been left to decay, with brightly coloured facades giving way to grey ruins of buildings that have succumbed to the elements and collapsed.

Yet through these buildings bounce the sounds of salsa, rumba, jazz and a dozen other genres that are almost never out of earshot, the whole city seemingly moving to the same beat.

And as if the scene was still lacking in cinematic qualities, between the buildings drive perhaps the world’s most eye-catching vehicles. Zipping around corners are the bicitaxis and tuk tuks of Asia flanked by decades-old motorbikes with sidecars, all nipping at the heels of the omnipresent Ladas, the Russian-made cars that have made up about a third of all Cuba’s motors since the 1970s. But of course, lording over the Soviet clones are the hulking American giants: Cadillacs, Buicks, Fords, Dodges, Chevrolets. Who knows how many times they’ve been rebuilt from the inside out. About an eighth of the cars on Cuba’s roads still hail from 1950s America.

Whether I’m walking the streets or being driven around like a ’50s movie star, stopping only to refuel on Mojito cocktails, the days fly by in Havana and so I force myself to move elsewhere in the country lest the capital swallow up my trip.

Clockwise from left: Smoking a ‘Cuban’ in the streets of Old Havana; revellers kick up their heels during a parade; street musicians pass the time; donkeys and carts share streets with cars and trucks in Trinidad; classic and vintage American cars are part and parcel of the Cuban experience

max*d

27

Mongrel ZipSiders Original thinking ... Copied by everyone Mongrel Boots launched the first ZipSider style work boot in 2007. A great success – it is now perhaps the most copied style on the market. But while our competitors have been copying we have been improving. Today ZipSiders come in 8 styles including our latest hi-leg 561050 in wheat. Features include rubber sole, new scuff cap, protected zip and Kevlar stitching. The technology in Mongrel ZipSiders is without equal – providing both superior safety and comfort along with the benefits of Australian Made quality control.

Visit our website – mongrelboots.com.au and checkout our full range of ZipSiders.

Aussie Born and Bred

Victor Footwear 15 George Young Street Auburn NSW 2144 p: 02 8667 2555 f: 02 8667 2500 e: sales@mongrelboots.com.au w: www.mongrelboots.com.au

passport

revolutionarY road

FacT FILe GeTTinG There Qantas (qantas.com.au) flies from Australia’s east coast to Cancun, Mexico, from $2,038 return. From Cancun, Cubana (cubana. cu) flies daily to Havana, from $260 return.

GeTTinG around For car rental, expect to pay $70 a day. Bus travel is cheap, with tourists kept from the masses on the Viazul line (viazul.com).

Where To STay The state-run hotels are often run down and overpriced, so it’s better to stay in casa particulares (casaparticularcuba.org)— family-run B&Bs—usually costing around $25 a night.

As I head out of the city, the fading colonial pomp is replaced by dour Eastern Bloc-style housing estates. Life slows down and horses and carts become as common as cars. On the near-empty open road, there are no billboards, save those promoting the ideals of the state. Slogans such as “Fatherland or death!” holler at passing motorists, usually with the added visual aid of a revolutionary hero like the ubiquitous Che Guevara.

And indeed, within a few hours I reach the cradle of Che worship that is Santa Clara. The sleepy provincial capital was the scene of the revolution’s decisive battle when, with just 18 men at his side, the Argentine-born Guevara seized a military train holding 350 troops. Santa Clara itself then fell quickly, after which the CIAbacked government collapsed. These successes are not something the town lets you forget easily.

The remains of the train, reminiscent of a James Bond film set, are now a museum. And on the outskirts of town, a monument to the man himself towers over a massive square ridiculously out of proportion for a place of Santa Clara’s size.

Inside the museum, a line said by Guevara catches my eye: “I don’t know if the Cuban revolution will survive or not … but I’ll keep fighting to the end.”

There’s no doubting that Guevara—executed in Bolivia in 1967, reputedly at the behest of the CIA—was true to his word. But I wonder if he would be so militant now. Times have been tough in Cuba since the fall of the Soviet Union and the GFC. The solution has been to allow more private enterprise, especially since 2008, when Fidel Castro handed over power to his brother Raul.

One place to have benefited from the new freedoms is my next stop, World Heritage-listed Trinidad. It’s a place where restaurants, private hotels and tour guides are thriving, making it a poster boy for Cuba’s newest industry—tourism.

Trinidad is that rarest of things, a brochure favourite that lives up to the sales pitch. The

Clockwise from top left: Che Guevara’s visage is a common sight throughout Cuba; colourful trinkets for sale at a Trinidad craft market; Playa Ancon is just one of the island’s undeveloped beaches

*

*

Slogans such as “Fatherland or death!” holler patriotically at motorists, usually with the added visual aid of a revolutionary hero, such as the ubiquitous Che Guevara.

main square is straight out of a period drama, overflowing with colonial buildings, pastel colours and yes, more cigar-smoking characters.

Trinidad is a town that grew rich from sugar, so it’s as good a place as any to get stuck into Cuba’s world-beating rum. After all, Cuba is the birthplace of not just the Mojito but the Cuba Libre and Daiquiri too. And while Bacardi skipped the country hand-in-hand with capitalism, state-owned Havana Club is no poor substitute.

cuba libre?

I head back to the capital having seen a country in the early stages of transition. And yet life remains a mixed bag for Cubans. Change might be in the air but it’s taking its sweet time. Personal freedoms are still few and it’s unsurprising that 20 per cent of the population has done a runner since Castro took power. As a sign of how far it is still to go, only since 2008 have Cubans been allowed to buy computers, DVD players and microwave ovens.

In his classic Cold War farce Our Man in Havana, Graham Greene wrote Havana “was a city to visit, not a city to live in”. I can only hope Cuba is becoming a better place to live, but that means you should visit before it gets too good.

max*d

29

unsung heroes

Host People

*

30

Meet three very different Australians who’ve opened up their hearts and homes to refugees WordS: Adam Coleman PhotoS: Courtesy of CPN & AFP/GettyImages

whatever one’s political

standpoint on ‘boat people’, it’s difficult to argue that detention centres offer a humanitarian solution. According to the most extensive parliamentary inquiry, 85 per cent of asylum seekers develop mental illness in detention. The inquiry also found mandatory detention a “costly” strain on the network and, in the long run, “unsustainable”.

A new scheme to release more asylum seekers from detention into the community has resulted in thousands of Aussie households volunteering to host people

granted bridging visas in their homes.

But more are still needed.

The federal government, the Australian Homestay Network and the Australian Red Cross have been working together to find hosts for asylum seekers released under the program. Known as the Community Placement Network (CPN), it places asylum seekers in hosts’ homes and reimburses them by means of their ‘guest’ paying weekly board.

While hosting an asylum seeker might seem like a daunting experience for some, these generous Australians report it’s a highly rewarding one.

*

“He has been bloody wonderful.

He is so easy to live with and really helpful. We have fights over who is going to do the dishes.”

Vivienne, NSW vivienne Martin had been considering hosting a student in her apartment when she heard about the homestay program on the radio.

“When I heard it was asylum seekers, I thought yeah, I’d prefer that,” she says.

Vivienne concedes she was a little scared at first and didn’t know what to expect. “I thought, ‘Am I going to have someone who is really traumatised? How am I going to cope with that?’ But it hasn’t turned out that way at all.”

Vivienne hosts a 21-year-old from Pakistan, and she doesn’t hold back

when relating her experience with her new guest: “He has been bloody wonderful. He is so easy to live with and really helpful. We have fights over who is going to do the dishes.

“He is really engaged, resourceful and really positive. I feel like the real beneficiary.”

Vivienne felt compelled to offer her help after becoming disillusioned with the media’s depiction of asylum seekers: “I felt they were being portrayed as faceless, without a human story. I knew they were people, people with stories—and people don’t leave their homes without having a reason.”

Following her expression of interest, officers from the network visited Vivienne to assess her suitability. She then received training about Islamic awareness, the location of the nearest halal butcher and the best place to pray.

Vivienne and her guest, who can’t be named for legal reasons, formed such a rapport over the six-week stay he decided to stay on once his protection visa was granted.

“I asked him if he wanted to stay longer or move out with the friends he made in the area. I can’t properly describe to you how nice it was to hear him say he wanted to stay on.”

top left and bottom right: Asylum seekers get involved in everyday activities as part of the CPN program (Elodie Raitiere/AFP/ GettyImages)

max*d

31

*

unsung heroes

Robert and Ginette, VIC rOBerT PresTOn and his wife Ginette have already hosted eight asylum seekers since the program began.

“Our daughter left our house a year ago so we had a spare room,” he says. “We were looking at hosting a student, but we weren’t happy with the way asylum seekers were being treated.”

Robert admits he had second thoughts after he agreed to join the program. But his trepidation proved unfounded and he recounts what has been “a delightful and enriching experience”.

Robert’s guests have come from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Mostly young Muslim men, all have spent time in detention.

“They have all been gentle people … I feel like we have made some friends for life with some of them,” he says.

After being told about Vivienne’s experience with the washing up, Robert recalls something similar: “We had a guy who was washing up all the

time, even when he wasn’t involved in the meal.”

Robert says he tries to help his guests adjust to their new surroundings: “Absolutely everything is new and foreign to them. But it’s amazing how fast and how much they learn.”

But he warns that being a host is not simply a case of taking in a lodger: “I was going to say they become a part of the family but it’s not entirely true because they need their independence, too. You just have to show them Australian life ... and make them feel at home.

“If your heart is in the right place and you have a room, then that’s all you really need.”

Jamila, QLD

*

Jamila millerD is not unfamiliar with being a foreigner in a strange new land.

Under vastly different circumstances, she arrived in Australia from Fiji at the age of 23, met the man who is now her husband and began a new life.

It was curiosity that led her to join the program and host two male asylum seekers from Sri Lanka.

“I saw on the news about the boat people suffering,” she says.“ I was just curious as to who they were and why they were fleeing their homes.”

Jamila has been hosting her guests for approximately two weeks at her home on the outskirts of Brisbane. “We get along fine. I let them watch the TV and the movies they want. They do their own cooking.

We just have respect for each other,” she says.

Jamila confesses to having little prior knowledge of her guests’ home country or their situation before their arrival—both had previously been detained on Christmas Island.

“I didn’t know what country they would be coming from. All I knew is they were people who needed help. I knew whoever I got they’d all be in the same boat—no pun intended.”

The network suggested Jamila take two asylum seekers because she has a large spare bedroom.

The pair, an uncle and nephew, have since told Jamila through interpreters they felt like part of the family. “That was really nice to hear,” she says.

For information on how you could become a host for the Community Placement Network, visit homestaynetwork.org/cpn.

“They have all been gentle people ... I feel like we have made some friends for life with some of them.”

32

BRISBANE TRAY BODYS Built Tough to Stay Tough

The Industry Leaders

In heavy duty steel Tray bodies, Accessories and Roll Over Protection BTB manufacture EXTERNAL STAND-ALONE ROPS to suit most single cab utilities. The design registered ROPS is extremely versatile, allowing efficient fitting choices of tray, service bodies or canopy applications.

BTB also offer a “fully welded” heavy duty tray to complement

our new range – now available for ISUZU D-MAX. BTB- The Industry Leaders in INTERNAL ROPS BTB provides the mining and commercial vehicle industry with 2 and 3 hoop Internal ROPS. Designs that ensure the best protection possible is achieved

P: (07) 3718 8777 www.brisbanetraybodys.com.au

whilst allowing the maximum load space.

Tool Boxes Protect your valuable tools in a premium grade toolbox from BTB. Long lasting quality finish and because we only use the sturdiest locks, hinges, weather seals and roller systems, our toolboxes are a high priority for the professional tradesman.

*

Special RepoRt

urfer s e v a w g i sored b n o p s l on E a T c i r y l s e x Isuzu U od wa o w -MAX p i D H s i n h a d n Ry a reaks b t e r c e s , s wipe-out

r ck aue eub inksto N h n T a , I s : ollin rds Wo : Ray C wspix e Tos & N PHo

34

I

n our first issue back in 2010, max*d published a story on the then groundbreaking TV series Storm Surfers.

Initially broadcast on Discovery Channel, the show followed Australian surfers Tom Carroll and Ross Clarke-Jones as they travelled the world in search of the largest waves imaginable. Towed by jet ski in behind monstrous offshore breaks, the hosts would sink or swim while trying to ride monster waves up to 10m high.

Without diminishing the duo’s incredible display of courage and skill, tow surfing, as their sport is called, is yesterday’s news. Today’s big-wave surfers speed by jet ski to a reef or shelf several kilometres offshore then quit their machine to paddle right into the face of monster waves.

Leading the charge in the schism between muscle and machine is 27-year-old Isuzu UTE-sponsored surfer Ryan Hipwood. Born and bred on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Ryan began surfing recreationally at the age of eight and by 16 was ranked in the top end of the junior pro circuit.

But when the rigour of competitive surfing left him feeling burnt out, Ryan embarked on a new career as a free surfer on the hunt for big-wave glory.

“I’m from the younger generation of storm surfers that are riding waves that a few years ago people did not think were rideable,” he says. “We’re really pushing the limits. And we’re doing it without jet skis, so we’re getting a huge following in the industry and a lot more prestige.

max*d

35

“The easiest part of surfing these waves is being inside the barrel— you are simply in the moment.”

“Another thing that sets us apart is that we are concentrating less on how tall the waves are and more on their intensity—thick, heavy reef waves. It’s much more dangerous.”

54 seconds

That’s how long Ryan was held underwater recently when he was wiped out surfing a break in Western Australia’s deep south he calls ‘The Right’.

“I can’t tell you where it is because it’s protected by the locals and they’ll get annoyed if I tell everyone about it,” he says.

“But I can tell you it’s one of the heaviest waves in the world and one of the most dangerous because of how far out at sea it breaks. It breaks off a shelf that’s basically in the middle of nowhere and when it hits the shallow shelf it spits you straight back into deep water.”

A few really big wipe-outs have been reported at The Right over the years, though nothing like what Ryan experienced.

“On this particular day the reef had one of the lowest tides of the year and the biggest swell I have ever seen.

The conditions were making the waves themselves and doing some pretty ugly things. But at the same time it was beautiful and I took a gamble.”

Ryan knew he was in trouble when he hit the bottom of the monster. The barrel caught the back of his board and in he went. When he resurfaced 54 seconds later, one of his eardrums was perforated and he was coughing up blood. But he lived to tell the tale.

“As corny as it sounds, the easiest part of surfing these waves is being inside the barrel because there’s nothing you can do to think your way out of it. You are simply in the moment and you know what you have to do; it’s actually quite relaxing.

“The scary bit is when you’re sitting on your board waiting for it. When it comes, it feels like a mountain is coming towards you and the whole horizon goes black, so you really need to prepare yourself mentally for that.”

the monster deal

Ryan may not need a jet ski to surf The Right, but he does need one to get there. He also needs a way of reliably towing it to Western Australia from the Gold Coast—a return journey of nearly 9,000km. Which is where Isuzu UTE Australia comes in.

“My main sponsor is Monster energy drinks; they’ve been looking after me for a while because they know how much people love to watch what I do.

But because what I do is so expensive, they put in a good word with Isuzu UTE and set up a meeting.

“The guys at Isuzu UTE seemed very keen to help but I didn’t get my hopes up. So I was really surprised when they called me and said they’d like to provide me with a ute to carry around my jet ski.”

So how has Ryan’s D-MAX ute shaped up as a tow vehicle?

“It’s been amazing. Combined with the trailer the thing must weigh about a tonne. But the car has got so much power I don’t feel any drag whatsoever when towing it. I forget it’s even there.”

max*d

37

*

get stuffed

d.i.Y.

nothing fights hunger pangs like a burger with the lot. here’s a 73-year-old recipe froM andrews haMburgers

1

Heat it Make your patties out of lean mince with a medium fat content to ensure the meat cooks through. Heat your barbecue, hotplate or frying pan to 200˚C. Grease with vegetable oil and start grilling.

Dice it Place the onion on top of each patty and press it into the meat with your spatula. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

38

3

SPare ParTS • • • • • • • • • • • •

170g lean mince 1 large free-range egg 3 pieces short-cut bacon 2 cheddar singles 1 sesame seed bun ¼ onion (diced) ½ large tomato (sliced) vegetable oil shredded lettuce shredded cabbage salt and pepper tomato sauce

TooLS oF The TraDe • • • • •

BBQ, hotplate or frying pan sharp knife chopping board egg ring spatula

egg it Cook the egg to preference.

Most people like them hard but there’s always one in the group who wants it soft and runny. And do yourself a favour and invest in an egg ring. You’ll never know how you lived without it.

Fry it Lay on your bacon and cook until crisp. Here’s a little trick: Using the sharp end of your spatula, cut a slit into the membrane of fat around the eye of each piece of bacon. This stops it curling.

Try The reaL ThinG Find Andrews Hamburgers at 144 Bridport Street, Albert Park, Melbourne. Open Monday to Saturday 11am–3pm and 4.30pm–9pm; (03) 9690 2126. www.andrewshamburgers.com.au

7

FLiP it After five minutes flip your patties. Only do this once or the juices will run out and the meat will go dry.

Cook for another minute or two then lay on the cheese. As it’s melting, lay on the bacon and egg.

tomato it Put two thick slices of tomato on your grill, add a little salt and pepper and lightly fry for 30 seconds on either side. This softens it up. Don’t overcook your tomato or it’ll lose all of its moisture.

PLate it Toast your bun. To give your shredded lettuce texture, add a quarter of shredded cabbage. Lay on the cooked meat, bacon and egg. Squeeze on a dollop of tomato sauce and you’re done.

The burgerMaN

Just down from Con’s Barber Shop and across the road from the art deco Albert Park Hotel, Andrews Hamburgers in inner-city Melbourne is Australia’s longest continually trading hamburger restaurant. Since 1939, Andrews Hamburgers has dished up the goods to locals and visiting burger aficionados from across the world.

Old Andrew no longer works the grill. But the burger flame is carried by a descendent, Greg Pappas, who’s been

working here since he was 13. His oldest customer has been eating here since 1942.

Apart from adding a few vegetarian options and gluten-free buns to the menu, Greg hasn’t changed a thing about the place since taking over 10 years ago.

“What we do here is great Australian hamburgers—no gimmicks. We don’t put anything in our patties other than ground beef and cooked onions. We’re traditional. We’re old school,” he says.

max*d

39

*

hook, line ‘n’ sinker

enter

exmouth tV fishing personalities nick Duigan and Andrew Hart test-drive a D-MAX from Melbourne to the Kimberley

it was one hell of a way to put the All-New D-MAX through its paces! A drive of more than 5,000km from the showroom floor in Melbourne to the cobalt-blue waters of the Indian Ocean and Ningaloo Reef near Exmouth in Western Australia.

That was the assignment for our Channel 7 TV show Hook, Line and Sinker as we fished and filmed our way from one side of the country to the other.

Towing a boat across Australia is certainly more rigorous than your average test drive. But over the the month the trip took us to complete, we got to know the ute and its strengths better than most.

tailor, groper and grey nomads

The route took us from suburban Melbourne to South Australia’s Port Augusta ‘where the outback meets the sea’. We fished a couple of favourite spots on the Eyre Peninsula and managed to pull in a few salmon, King George whiting and even a feed of razorfish.

Then it was time to settle in for the long cruise across the Nullarbor. Highlights along the way included the odd camel, a few road trains and every kind of mobile-housing device ever invented, driven by the ever-smiling, ever-waving army of grey nomads.

40

What a catch: The boys pose with a metre-plus sailfish before tossing it back in Inset left: The only thing on the road with more torque than our D-MAX—but without the fuel efficiency Inset right: Melbourne to Exmouth? Too easy in a D-MAX

*

Over the month the trip took us to complete, we got to know the ute and its strengths better than most.

max*d

41

*

hook, line ‘n’ sinker

hook, line ‘n’ sinker

*

Once in Perth, we fished up the Western Australian coast, reeling in everything from dhufish and baldchin groper at Jurian Bay and a massive 5kg tailor from the dangerous bit of the bar at Kalbarri. Yes, the fishing was good, but we were always mindful of getting to Exmouth—a place that’s fast being added to the bucket list of fishermen around the world.

As we racked up the kilometres it became clear our D-MAX was starting to enjoy the trip. It also became obvious to us how good the engine’s fuel economy is. It truly is a great engine, and one of the most impressive features of the D-MAX is its ability to deliver enough torque to haul a 6.7m boat at highway speeds at very low revs. It’s comfortable, quiet and frugal on the flats, but muscular and willing when faced with a hill.

humpbacks, sailfish and marlin

We arrived at Exmouth late in the afternoon and settled in. Our first impressions were that there’s not much to the place—just a few houses in the middle of desert. But it’s clear the mining boom is having an effect, with flash new homes under construction along with a multimillion-dollar canal development.

The next morning we made a quick trip to the local tackle shop and then drove around Exmouth Gulf to the westernmost boat ramp. There we launched the Bar Crusher and within moments we were on the seaward side of Ningaloo Reef, where we were welcomed by a pod of humpback whales!

Our target for the day was sailfish. We started trolling a few baits and hooked a big one in just 10 minutes. Unbelievable! To say we were unprepared and slightly shocked is an understatement and we quickly snapped the line.

Four hours passed before we got another bite, when a pack of hungry sailfish came up and whacked

our lures. Once again we hooked one only to lose it on its first jump. But by that time the ‘afternoon bite’ had kicked off and we didn’t have to wait long for another crack at one of these whoppers. This time the hook stuck and, after a fantastic aerial display, we had our very first sailfish at the side of the boat.

How big? Seven-foot long, that’s how big.

Over the next few days we used a mix of light tackle for sailfish and marlin, mixed in with some sensational sport fishing in the crystal-clear waters of Ningaloo Reef Lagoon. Temperatures were in the mid to high 20s, the whales were jumping, the dugongs were foraging and the odd tiger shark swam past to keep things interesting.

Add to that some of the best fishing Australia has to offer, and there’s no doubt Exmouth really does live up to the hype.

Top Left: D-MAX goes where lesser utes don’t dare Top: Fishing the bar at Kalbarri Inset: Another day, another tailor

max*d

43

*

dealer list

*

isuZu ute DeaLerS

QLD

ayr Burdekin Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 4783 7077 Brisbane isuzu Ute Eagle Farm Phone: 07 3866 2200 Bundaberg Bundaberg Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 4131 8211 Cairns Trinity Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 4081 5000

Cleveland aSo Keema Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 3479 9880 Currimundi aSo Pacific Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 5438 4818 dalby aSo Black Trucks Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 4669 8988 gladstone Reef City Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 4971 4000 goondiwindi aSo Black Trucks Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 4671 3512 gympie Isuzu UTE Gympie Phone: 07 5480 5200

rockhampton Rockhampton Prestige Phone: 07 4922 1000 Southport aSo Gold Coast Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 5583 9320 Springwood Keema Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 3884 8300 toowoomba Black Trucks Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 4631 4200 townsville Pickerings Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 4726 5555 Warwick aSo Black Trucks Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 4661 3228

VIc

Ballarat Isuzu UTE Ballarat Phone: 03 5335 3600 Bendigo Central Victorian Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 5449 4500 Bundoora Sterling Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 9467 5533 Caroline Springs aSo Werribee Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 8361 8255

ipswich Blue Ribbon Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 3288 6600

dandenong Patterson Cheney Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 9215 2300

Mackay River City Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 4968 0111

geelong Winter & Taylor Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 5225 4850

Maroochydore Pacific Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 5458 9740

horsham Horsham City Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 5382 4677

Moorooka Moorooka Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 3373 0777

Mildura Autosynergy Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 5022 0927

Mt gravatt Bryan Byrt Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 3177 9499

ringwood Genesis Motors Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 9879 7776

nundah Norris Motor Group Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 3635 5100

Shepparton Ken Muston Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 5821 6688

redcliffe Northstar Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 3480 8600

44

traralgon Isuzu UTE Gippsland Phone: 03 5175 8060

Warrnambool Clinton Baulch’s Warrnambool Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 5561 6000 Werribee Werribee Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 9974 3799

NSW

albion Park rail Shellharbour Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 4230 3100 albury Wodonga Blacklocks Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6049 5500 armidale Grant McCarroll Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6772 1566 Ballina aSo Trevan Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6681 4499 Bathurst aSo Orange Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6332 4007 Blacktown Gilbert & Roach Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 8825 1000 Bomaderry Country Motor Company Phone: 02 4421 0122 Bowral Harrigan Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 4868 3580 Broken hill Far West Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 8087 2311 Coffs harbour Coffs Coast Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6648 3566 dubbo Sainsbury Automotive Dubbo Phone: 02 6884 6444 eden Ron Doyle Motors Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6496 1420 gosford Central Coast Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 4320 0900 goulburn aSo John McGrath Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 4823 1000

griffith Griffith Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6969 5080 hornsby Isuzu UTE Central Phone: 02 9472 2111 Lansvale Lansvale Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 9726 1111 Lismore Trevan Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6627 7999 Maitland Hunter Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 4999 6740

Wagga Wagga Wagga Motors Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6933 0100 Young McAlister Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6382 3033

acT

Mitchell aSo John McGrath Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6201 1800 Queanbeyan John McGrath Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6166 1111

Sa

Moree Hill Fitzsimmons Phone: 02 6752 1777

angaston Jarvis Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 8403 3811

narellan Narellan Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 4622 2552

Burton North East Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 8280 9899

newcastle Newcastle Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 4980 0660

Fullarton Fullarton Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 8338 2303

north Wollongong aSo Shellharbour Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 4222 7999 orange Orange Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6362 8100

hampstead gardens aSo North East Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 8261 6006 Mount gambier O.G.R. Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 8724 1111

Kalgoorlie Kalgoorlie Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9021 1699 Maddington DVG Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9492 0000 Merredin aSo Northam Isuzu UTE Merredin Phone: 08 9041 4444 Midland Midland Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9464 1000 northam Northam Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9622 0888 o’Connor Major Motors Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9331 9331 osborne Park Regents Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9273 1000 Picton South West Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9725 4911 Port hedland aSo South West Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9140 1811 rockingham Bergmans Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9527 8883

Parramatta Denlo Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 8892 8150

Port augusta Emanuele Bros Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 8643 6233

Wangara Wanneroo Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9403 9403

Penrith Sinclair Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 4736 2143

Port Lincoln Mike Raleigh Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 8683 1211

Wagin aSo South West Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9861 1144

Port Macquarie John Patrick Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6584 1800

Whyalla aSo Emanuele Bros Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 8649 0000

St Leonards Northshore Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 8198 1818

Wa

tamworth Peel Valley Motors Phone: 02 6768 3111 taree Mid Coast Isuzu UTE Phone: 02 6592 6300 tweed heads Tweed Coast Isuzu UTE Phone: 07 5524 3555

albany Albany Autos Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9842 5522 Broome Broome Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9192 7357 esperance aSo Albany Autos Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9071 1060 geraldton Geraldton Isuzu UTE Phone: 08 9964 2323

NT

alice Springs Isuzu UTE Territory Phone: 08 8952 5155 darwin Isuzu UTE Darwin Phone: 08 8946 4460

TaS

derwent Park Jackson Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 6277 6600 Launceston Jackson Isuzu UTE Phone: 03 6323 7000

ASO = Approved Satellite Outlet

$200 buys a lot of ’s mate.

Refer Isuzu D-MAX to a mate and get $200, $100 for you and $100 for your mate!*

Isuzu D-MAX owners who refer their mates through the Buddy Bonus Referral Program are eligible for our generous cash back offer. $100 eftpos card for you and $100 eftpos card for your mate with a successful referral and mate’s purchase of a new or dealer demo Isuzu D-MAX. See your Isuzu UTE Sales Person for a claim form today or download the claim form at www.isuzuute.com.au/buddybonus

* Terms and conditions apply, see full details on claim form or visit www.isuzuute.com.au/buddybonus. Offer ends 31/12/13.

CLEANING UP NEVER FELT SO GOOD

Thanks to the advanced technology of Caltex Vortex Premium Diesel, you can now clean your engine while you drive.

And we know it works because it’s been tested – the specifically designed additive in Vortex Premium Diesel demonstrated its ability to get your engine clean and keep it clean. Here’s what we found from the test results.*

Cleans your engine After 10 hours, the engine running on Vortex Premium Diesel was found to produce 67% more flow than the one running on regular diesel.

Restores power After 32 hours of high-load operation, the engine running on Vortex Diesel was found to produce 6% more power than that running on regular diesel.

Prevents corrosion Over 4 hours in conditions conducive to corrosion, the steel rod sample in regular diesel showed visible rust spots. While the rod subject to Vortex Premium Diesel was rust free and perfectly clean.

Less foam Vortex Diesel was found to produce 95% less foam than regular diesel, which makes for a faster, cleaner fill.

These proven benefits working together inside your engine mean improved power and engine performance along with better fuel efficiency and a cleaner filling up experience at the pump.

CAL0579

Visit caltexkeepitclean.com.au to know more.

*The above tests were conducted using standard methods under strict controlled conditions. For more information contact Lubelink Advisory Service on 1300 364 169.