max*d Issue 16

ISUZU UTE AUSTRALIA | Issue 16

NO MOUNTAIN TOO HIGH Touching the void with our greatest ever mountaineer

UNSUNG HEROES

Meet the disability surf team

ACCESS ALL AREAS!

On the trail with AFL star turned 4WD travel guru ‘Spida’ Everitt

Welcome

to our latest issue of max*d magazine!

S

eason’s greetings!

Well, it has been another great year for Isuzu UTE with fantastic growth for our brand, so I must send a big thank you to all of our loyal customers. As I understand it, many of you are now enjoying your second D-MAX, or have added an MU-X to your garage as well! So, thank you.

The absolute satisfaction of our customers is the most important goal for our company and we are always working hard to improve your experience with both our product and the service you receive from our dealership network.

One of our efforts to achieve this has been to increase the number of our dealerships so that you have better access to our showrooms and service outlets. We now boast 130 Isuzu UTE outlets around the country and hope this provides further convenience to you.

We have also been busy with the continual development and upgrading of our dealership facilities and have increased the number of staff—as well as their training— to help provide you with a better customer experience. Our factorytrained technicians provide the highest level of service and care to ensure your vehicle is correctly maintained—so please keep in mind that servicing your vehicle within our network ensures protection for your investment.

Well, summer has finally arrived and it’s a great time to get out and about and enjoy the amazing Australian lifestyle your D-MAX or MU-X can offer you. If you’re not sure

where to start, or want to learn more about how to get the most from your Isuzu vehicle, then you should check out our new I–VENTURE Club.

There’s a great article in this edition to help get you started.

Also in this edition we meet Peter ‘Spida’ Everitt and his lovely wife Sheree­—the adventure-seeking couple behind TV show The Great Australia Doorstep—and there’s an interesting interview with Isuzu’s chief engineer, Iwao Sasaki.

We hope you enjoy this edition of max*d and wish you and your families a very happy and safe festive season!

Yasu Takeuchi Managing Director & CEO Isuzu UTE Australia

Summer is a great time to get out and enjoy the amazing Australian lifestyle your D-MAX or MU-X can offer you.

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ON THE GO!

READERS’ RIDES

These owners have a thirst for adventure and the wheels to satisfy PENG LEE

Lives: Bunbury, WA Drives: 2014 D-MAX 4x4 LS-U

“I’ve recently done some sand dune driving in the Middle East—much softer dunes than here, but much bigger and steeper as well—and it was inspiring. This is the first 4WD I’ve ever owned and I can’t get enough of it! I took my two daughters out driving at Belvidere Beach last summer and they absolutely loved it as well—it was their first trip off-road, with many more to come. I’ve since travelled down south to the Fitzgerald River National Park, which is gorgeous; through bitumen, corrugations, beach driving … and more importantly, my wife enjoyed it, and she’d been hard to convince. I also drove to Black Point and Lake Jasper, through narrow, churned-up sand tracks, mostly in low-range without getting bogged. I can’t wait to explore more of the 4WD tracks of the southwest!”

JIM AND KATH HALLIDAY Live: Charlestown, NSW Drives: 2014 MU-X 4x4 LS-U

“My wife Kath and I went around Australia over three months—we got back in May—despite a couple of cyclones closing a lot of the roads up north! We did 17,740km in all, towing our van. We left from Charlestown in NSW, drove south through Victoria and then on to South Australia, around the Eyre Peninsula and across the Nullarbor to Esperance in WA. Then it was up the west coast to Broome, east to Kununurra, Lake Argyle and all the way to Townsville. We sat on 100km/h most of the trip with an average of just 13.1L/100km!”

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GRAEME STREMPEL

Lives: Tuart Hill, WA Drives: 2012 D-MAX 4x4 SX “Happy third birthday to my D-MAX! Over the past three years it’s done 250,000km. As an accredited pilot I get paid to go places—mostly very remote— and I like to have some fun on the way home. Of course, my idea of fun would be a red Hema Maps 4WD track! My D-MAX has been all over Australia and I’m happy to say I can’t fault it; I’ve never had to raise a spanner in anger. That’s compared to my previous non-Isuzu truck that cost me over $20K in repairs in the same time frame. I’m always the first to highly recommend the D-MAX to everyone—it’s the only ute I’ll be driving from now on.”

DARREN SEELEY

Lives: Wurtulla, Qld Drives: 2014 D-MAX 4x4 SX

“I was a LandCruiser man for over 20 years, and l decided to update—after doing my research—and I haven’t looked back.

The wife and I just love those beautiful, out-of-the-way places. This photo was taken towing my boat and all the gear, fully loaded, on our last trip to Stanage Bay, Notch Point and Cape Palmerston up here in Queensland. It was a great trip— the hardest thing was turning south to come home after three weeks away; we’d be up there now if we could.

The D-MAX handled everything on-road and off-road with comfort and ease. So much so that the wifey has been eyeing off a couple of MU-Xs, but I haven’t given in yet!”

LUKE McTACKETT

Lives: Kariong, NSW Drives: 2013 D-MAX 4x4 LS-U

“I tried and tested her up at Levuka Rainforest Recreation Park up in northern NSW, which was great.

Some of my 4WDing mates weren’t convinced when I bought an Isuzu—but by the end of the trip I was the recovery vehicle, pulling everyone else out of the mud!

I see plenty of dirt, so my D-MAX is rarely ever clean, 4WDing, camping, and a bit of pig shooting out towards Bourke. I’m a FIFO miner up in Port Hedland, so I only get a fortnight every month to enjoy my truck. My wife gets the irrits with me because when I’m off I tap it on the bullbar and say, ‘See you in two weeks, beautiful’.

She thinks I love it more than I love her!”

WANT TO SCORE A $50 CALTEX FUEL CARD? Send a high-resolution image with your name, town, state, and model of your D-MAX or MU-X, plus a 100-word blurb, to maxd@iua.net.au. Disclaimer: Non-genuine aftermarket accessories & modifications are not recommended or endorsed by Isuzu UTE Australia. For detailed information on ‘What Is’ and ‘What is Not’ covered by the Manufacturer’s Warranty please refer to the Warranty and Service Booklet.

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PUBLISHER Isuzu UTE Australia Pty Ltd ISUZU UTE AUSTRALIA MANAGING EDITORS Dave Harding, Cody Harland

Isuzu UTE boosts grassroots sport

EDITOR Ben Smithurst ben.smithurst@edge.agency MANAGING EDITOR Paul Rodger

Earlier this year, Isuzu UTE Australia launched its Local Sports Sponsorship Fund to support the growth of grassroots community sporting clubs. In partnership with our dealer network, the program was a huge success with over $300,000 in financial support granted to clubs for expenses such as facility upgrades, equipment procurement and uniform purchases.

SUB-EDITOR Carla Grossetti ART DIRECTOR Guy Pendlebury ACCOUNT MANAGER Emma Rogers ADVERTISING SALES Chris Waite chris.waite@edge.agency CREATIVE DIRECTOR Matt Sterne MANAGING PARTNERS Fergus Stoddart, Richard Parker

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

Level 4, 10–14 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 Phone: +61 2 8962 2600 edgecustom.com.au

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 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 has been sourced from Getty Images and Thinkstock Images. Business Essentials trading as Edge ABN 22 062 493 869.

max*d magazine is proudly printed in Australia using renewable resources.

Hanno Gloss 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.

SGS-COC-003898

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D-MAX and MU-X lead Drive 4 Life adventure Drive 4 Life is a non-profit organisation set up by a group of long-term four wheel drivers to raise funds for people with disabilities and to provide assistance to their families and carers.

So far they have raised over $750,000 by conducting ‘tag-along’ 4x4 tours—for people who have either not had the opportunity to be expertly guided when driving off-road, or who do not have the experience to navigate off-road areas.

This year Isuzu UTE loaned the Drive 4 Life team a fleet of 4x4 D-MAX and MU-X vehicles for their week-long off-road adventure in western NSW, where they put some big smiles on the faces of a group of people with varying levels of immobility and intellectual impairment. You can read the full story in this month’s 4x4 Australia magazine. For more info on Drive 4 Life and they great work they do, visit drive4life.com.au

NEWS

Moreton matrimony Brisbane couple Dave and Sue become engaged on an I-VENTURE Club trip “I was very nervous,” says Dave Perry, of his Moreton Island proposal to his lovely fiancée, Sue Crammond.

Having spent the day having a blast on an I-VENTURE trip, Sue and Dave had stayed the night on the island, which is located 58 kilometres northeast of Brisbane. To settle his nerves before popping the question, Dave opened a bottle of wine by the campfire. When Sue started talking about how much she was enjoying the trip—and the bottle was dry— Dave knew the moment had arrived.

“I had the ring in the car,” says Dave, who is in the RAAF. “Sue said, ‘Did you bring another bottle?’ I said, ‘No, darling, I didn’t’. She said, ‘Well, what are we going to drink now?’”

Dave went to the MU-X, fetched one of two expensive bottles of red he’d been saving from a wine weekend (one for the engagement; another salted away for the wedding night), and “popped the bottle on Sue’s lap”.

“She said, ‘But, Dave, this is the special bottle!’” recalls the airman. “I said, ‘Yes, it is … ’ and I had a tear in my eye. And then I gave her the ring and asked her to marry me.”

Of course, Sue said yes (“I’m punching above my weight,

I know!”) beams Dave—although can we truly be sure that Sue wasn’t just tempted by that expensive vino?

“Well, maybe,” says Dave, with a wry grin. “If she’d said no, she wouldn’t have gotten any of the good stuff!”

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PEACE OF MIND WITH SERVICE PLUS

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU & YOUR ISUZU Keep both your wallet and your vehicle happy with Isuzu UTE Service Plus. Service Plus is our comprehensive care package providing you with complete peace of mind and no unexpected surprises when maintaining and servicing your D-MAX or MU-X. Providing 5 year/130,000km Warranty^, 5 year Roadside Assist and 3 year Capped Price Servicing>. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, we’ve got you covered.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ISUZU UTE SERVICE PLUS AT ISUZUUTE.COM.AU/SERVICE-PLUS ^5 years/130,000km whichever occurs first, for eligible customers. Excludes trays and accessories. >The Capped Price Servicing Program applies to eligible Isuzu UTE vehicles with a warranty start date after 1 January 2015. The program covers the first 6 scheduled services in line with the scheduled service intervals. Program price subject to change. For full terms & conditions and current pricing please visit isuzuute.com.au/service-plus.

NEWS Go your own way with new 4x2 models

on w o re n AM We’ TAGRs! INS Followtue_aus u uzu @is

Isuzu UTE has bolstered its offerings across both its D-MAX ute and MU-X SUV ranges with the introduction of three new 4x2 variants.

The D-MAX ute range sees the addition of a 4x2 SX Space Cab Ute High-Ride and 4x2 SX Crew Cab Chassis High-Ride, while the MU-X line-up now includes a 4x2 edition of the ‘top of the range’ seven-seat MU-X LS-T. See the full range at isuzuute.com.au

MU-X wins International Manufacturers Award at Great China Rally In the deserts of China, Isuzu Motorsport’s Harry Suzuki was calling the shots for WA rally driver Adrian DiLallo in the Great China Rally. Regarded as the ‘Dakar of the East’, the rally traversed 5617 km of China’s most remote and torturous terrain. The MU-X won eight out of a dozen competitive stages run in the ‘T2’ category and finished the event in overall 34th position outright.

After a fortnight of tough off-road racing in conditions ranging from humid high temperatures to freezing cold and torrential rain, the Isuzu Motorsportsprepared MU-X received the coveted International Manufacturers Award.

D-MAX leads World Rally Championship (… well, sort of!)

Resident off-road rally legend Bruce Garland recently fired up his Dakar-spec D-MAX to take on the ‘Zero Car’ duties at the recent Australian leg of the World Rally Championship in Coffs Harbour. An integral part of a rally event, the Zero Car is the first car through the stage and ensures the course is clear and safe for the competitors.

Alongside Bruce for the wild ride was Wheels Magazine journalist Andy Enright.

Isuzu UTE set to achieve 70,000 sales By the time your summer holidays come to an end, Isuzu UTE Australia will have recorded its 70,000th vehicle sale since commencing business in Australia in late 2008.

Isuzu UTE is now Australia’s 16th-largest-selling car brand. In unison with its rapid sales growth, Isuzu UTE’s dealership network has expanded from an original 39 dealers in 2008 to a group of 130 outlets across the country today, with plans afoot for further expansion.

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WISHLIST

Let there be light!

by Michael Benn

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Darkness is handy for kicking tent pegs or sneaking around in.

Otherwise, a little light goes a long way

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GOAL ZERO

Light House 250 lm Rechargeable Lantern

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Kids can sap your energy—but with this lantern, you can make them earn their keep. It’s chargeable via USB port, external solar panel or hand crank (one minute’s cranking = 10 minutes of light), with a built-in port to do things like recharge your phone. Full-charge run time is 2.5–48 hours, depending on your chosen brightness.

RRP $104.50, wildearth.com.au

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ARB

AR32 Intensity driving lights

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Engineered in Australia, submersible to three metres—beyond which light is the least of your worries— and featuring 32 individual LEDs in a large, highpressure cast aluminium housing, this is the big daddy of ARB’s range. It offers a stonking 8200 raw lumens at the flick of a switch, in spot or flood beams—and with a 50,000hr+ lifespan. Bright.

RRP $745, arb.com.au

PETZL

Nao Reactive Lighting Headlamp

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Legendary French caver Fernand Petzl started this company in the ’70s, and this is their ultimate headlamp.

It automatically adapts the width and brightness of its beam to your surroundings, with no need for you to fiddle with your fingers—thin and bright for long paths, soft and broader for reading, all the way from 7–575 lumens.

Pricey but brilliant.

RRP $279.95, paddypallin.com.au

OLIGHT

X6 Marauder LED Torch Acclaimed by tech bible T3 for its “Godlike” ability to turn night into day, this ludicrously bright, 5000 lumen torch will light subjects up to 600m away thanks to a bank of half-adozen Cree XM-L LEDs. Requiring a separate rechargeable clip-on battery pack, the Marauder is aptly named . . . and the ultimate emergency light source should you need to signal other planets. Bonkers.

RRP $670, outdoorsware house.com.au

ALL BLACKWOLF PRODUCTS NOW COME WITH A LIFETIME WARRANTY* MADE TO ESCAPE. VISIT WWW.BLACKWOLF.COM.AU OR CALL 1800 227 070 FACEBOOK.COM/BLACKWOLFGEAR

*YES IT REALLY IS A LIFETIME WARRANTY. REGISTER ONLINE. RETAIN YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE. FOR MORE DETAILS SEE BLACKWOLF.COM.AU/WARRANTY

TECH HEAD

by Dave Harding

MR COMMONRAIL DIESEL Meet Mr Iwao Sasaki. What he doesn’t know about diesel engines isn’t worth knowing …

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s far as job titles go, ‘Chief Engineer at Isuzu Motors Limited’s PT Product Planning & Engineering Dept. 2’ is hardly succinct, but Iwao Sasaki isn’t one for cutting corners. While his remit is simple—build the world’s best commonrail diesel engines—his job is immensely technical. Thankfully, Sasaki-san is happy to translate the complex day-to-day process of developing a new engine into layman’s terms. Here, live from Japan, he explains Isuzu’s engine methodology, the challenges of unreliable fuel in less-regulated countries and exactly why chipping your engine might not be the best idea.

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When creating the ECU software for a new common-rail diesel (CRD) 4WD, how does Isuzu determine the perfect balance between power and reliability?

Isuzu engines are engineered to produce an understated power and torque output to create a de-stressed environment, therefore reducing engine wear and promoting component longevity. The reliability is determined by creating the optimum fuel/air mixture and ensuring that the heat generated by the combustion process is constant and also dissipated uniformly.

Isuzu engine design efforts are aimed at generating maximum torque at low

engine speeds—under 2000 rpm—because at those speeds fuel consumption is at its most economical and the engine’s response characteristics are perceived as positive; ie, it has good ‘pulling power’.

On average, what’s involved in the development of a new engine?

Diesel engine development is a constant evolution, so it’s impossible to put a single time frame on any particular engine.

That said, the latest generation of the 4JJ1 diesel engine that powers the D-MAX and MU-X was rigorously tested over approximately four million kilometres!

Isuzu is working tirelessly to further

High-pressure common-rail fuel injection systems minimise the amount of fuel needed in the combustion process, providing superior fuel economy

A sophisticated engine head, showing cam-to-valve roller bearings and variable-swirlaction gas flow

improve its diesel engines to produce higher output and durability, while maintaining class-leading thermal efficiency among 3-litre diesel engines. At the same time, the company is pouring its energies into clean diesel engine R&D with the aim of reducing emissions of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).

Is it true that manufacturers have only one engine control unit map that caters to all countries and all fuel qualities, or are vehicles delivered to specific regions or countries with differing programming?

No—countries have differing emission standards, and so Isuzu has differing

“The latest-gen 4JJ1 diesel engine that powers the D-MAX and MU-X was rigorously tested over approximately four million kilometres�

Advanced induction-hardened liner technology eliminates the need for cylinder liners

An improved redesign of fuel injector pintle caps delivers optimum fuel efficiency

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standards to comply with the local regulations and to help assist with inferior fuel qualities found in some countries or regions around the world.

What steps has Isuzu taken to ensure the reliability of its engines/fuel systems/turbos that other manufacturers might not?

The 4JJ1 has a scissor gear (split design) camshaft drive gear, which eliminates backlash on deceleration and results in reduced wear. Our engines’ connecting rods have large big-end bearings, making them stronger and therefore last longer.

And we use robust cast roller rocker arms with larger roller bearings, plus roller pivot bearings, reducing friction and making them longer wearing—some manufacturers use pressed metal roller rockers with small roller bearings and no pivot bearings, while other manufacturers use no rockers at all.

Are some components in a CRD engine worked harder than if it was a traditional mechanically injected diesel?

Yes—to begin with, the fuel system has to deal with 26,000psi injection pressure!

The resulting combustion process subjects the pistons, connecting rods and crankshaft to significant dynamic forces due to the more efficient combustion.

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Fuel contamination is said to be one of the biggest killers of a common-rail engine due to the fine tolerances in the injection system. How far do manufacturers go to refine the filtration system and ensure it’s up to the task? For example, is it designed to cope with a certain amount of contaminants such as water or dirt, and are there fail-safes? Or is damage due to fuel contamination simply unavoidable?

The use of poor quality fuel will have a negative effect on a CRD fuel system— regardless of the manufacturer. The fuel filter and water separator is unable to remove all traces of water, especially once the fuel and water mixture becomes emulsified. Having said that, Isuzu built its engine to be as durable as possible against such damage. First, by adopting a fuel filter that has the class-leading filtration efficiency and the function to separate the water. Secondly, with a filter that has a built-in, water-level-sensor-based alarm system. Moreover, the fuel injector is arranged to be durable with a special

coating made for the interior parts, which protects against foreign substances.

If an owner modifies their engine, will it void their engine warranty?

Simply put, yes. Manufacturers have no data to support what, if any, impact such modifications will have on an engine. Isuzu spends considerable resources to ensure our engines provide optimum power and performance, as well as producing the best possible fuel economy, while still meeting the necessary emission regulations.

Many diesel chip suppliers claim their chip “will not void your warranty” because it doesn’t override the engine’s factory safety parameters. Is this true?

No—it is not driven by a “factory safety parameter”. Any modification of the engine control and emission components would be a contravention of most manufacturers’ warranty conditions, and therefore such practice is not recommended.

T

T r p

O w

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INSIDE LINE

by Ken Koerner

I-VENTURE

CLUB

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2 Fancy leaving the bitumen b ehind? Isuzu’s help you beco all-terrain tra me an off-roa iners will d hero—in fiv e of Australia ’s best spots …

1 Moreton Island, QLD Where? Located 58km northeast of the Brisbane CBD, the world’s thirdlargest sand island is accessible only by ferry—with roughly 420km of unsealed tracks. Plus beaches!

Get there: Following registration, meet the I-VENTURE Club team at the Port of Brisbane and take the MICAT ferry. You’ll have sand beneath your tyres just 75 minutes after leaving port.

What you’ll learn: Aimed at beginner 4WDers, but offering fun for all levels, lessons with I-VENTURE on Moreton include safe sand driving, solo recovery techniques, Isuzu 4WD systems and 4WDing done properly, tyre management, picking the right line and how to negotiate water crossings.

Why it’s a great spot: Apart from being remarkably unspoiled, Moreton—unlike all other islands in southeast Queensland—can only be accessed with an offroad vehicle.

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Register!

To check availability, prices and scheduling for upcoming trips, select your location of choice at iventureclub.com.au.

Happy off-roading!

Melbourne 4x4 Training and Proving Ground, VIC Where? One of Australia’s top 4WD training environments, 37km west of the Melbourne CBD in Mount Cottrell, located in the raw beauty of Werribee Gorge.

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Get there: Take Doherty’s Road all the way to Dukelows Road.

Adventure 4WD Proving Ground, SA

What you’ll learn: Aimed at beginner 4WDers but fun for all levels. Tuition includes solo recovery techniques, tyre management and pressures, picking the right line, negotiating water crossings, steep inclines and declines, mud driving techniques, Isuzu 4WD systems and 4WDing done properly.

Where? 76km north of the Adelaide CBD in the famed Barossa Valley food and wine region.

Get there: Meet the I-VENTURE Club team at Lyndoch Hill. From there, it’s an easy 10-minute drive to the location.

“This training and proving ground is hard to fault, with 80 acres of terrain torn straight from the imagination of professional instructors.”

Why it’s a great spot: As a bespoke, purpose-built facility, this training and proving ground is hard to fault, with 80 acres of terrain torn straight from the imagination of professional instructors. With challenges for all skill levels, it’s guaranteed to excite—in a completely controlled environment.

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What you’ll learn: Aimed at beginner 4WDers but fun for all levels. Learn how to drive on sand safely, solo recovery techniques, tyre management and pressures, picking the right line, how to negotiate a water crossing, and steep inclines and declines, Isuzu 4WD systems and 4WDing done properly.

Why it’s a great spot: With challenging environments including deep mud, sand and rocky hills, this purpose-built 4WD facility can take beginners to expert-level by the end of the day. And you can pop by the Barossa’s renowned cellar doors on the way home.

Lancelin Sand Dunes, WA Where? 127km north of Perth CBD—and accessible only by 4WD—the Lancelin dunes are over 200 hectares of sandy fun. It’s the closest dune playground to the western capital.

Get there: Meet the I-VENTURE Club team at the magnificent Lancelin Beach Hotel. From there, it’s a short drive to the location.

What you’ll learn: Aimed at beginners but fun for all levels, Lancelin’s lessons include sand safely, how to read and tackle big dunes, solo recovery techniques, tyre management and pressures, picking the right line, Isuzu 4WD systems and 4WDing done properly.

Why it’s a great spot: Lancelin’s dunes are ever-changing, so every day out is different.

With some dunes angled at 45 degrees, they’re also a minor mecca for sandboarders.

River Island, NSW Where? 169km from the Sydney CBD via the Wombeyan Caves Road, River Island sits among rolling hills that plunge into the waters of the Wollondilly River.

Get there: Following registration, you meet the I-VENTURE Club team at Peppers Craigieburn in Bowral for the one-hour drive to the site.

What you’ll learn: A beginner course that offers fun for all levels, with water crossings made trickier by steep inclines and declines. Also: sand driving, solo recovery techniques, tyre management and pressures, picking the right line, Isuzu 4WD systems and 4WDing done properly.

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Why it’s a great spot: With its breathtaking sandstone gorges, the Wollondilly Shire—which provides 97 per cent of Sydney’s water—is a natural 4WD playground to thrillseeking and/or safety-seeking drivers of all skill levels.

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COVER STORY

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by Ben Smithurst

COMING TO A VAN PARK NEAR YOU How former AFL star Peter ‘Spida’ Everitt’s post-footy career took a TV twist on The Great Australian Doorstep

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COVER STORY

P

eter ‘Spida’ Everitt is musing about the newspaper headline that—if things had turned out a bit differently—might have announced his demise. Not after a lifetime nursing bung hips and dodgy knees like most 327-game footballers, but at the mercy of one of Australia’s less ferocious beasts.

“Yeah: WOMBAT KILLS FORMER AFL PLAYER!” he chuckles. “Ha! Not bad. I tell you what, though, he came straight at me!

He was huge! They’re faster than you think.”

Everitt is no stranger to the media.

Indeed, he clambers out of bed at 2.30am on weekdays to co-host the Gold Coast’s leading breakfast radio show. But when the 203cm ruckman hung up his boots in 2008 after a 16-year career with St Kilda, Hawthorn and Sydney, a foray into the television travel genre was probably not high on the bookies’ lists of likely next moves.

Chat with Spida, though, and it seems like a fait accompli. The Great Australian

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Doorstep—the 30-minute caravanning, camping and 4WDing show about Spida, his kids and his Kiwi-born wife Sheree’s adventures in Outback, isolated and smalltown Oz—begins its eighth eight-episode season in January. A knockabout antidote to modern TV’s usual travel-porn bling, the Everitts’ show is all about community. It started on Foxtel and has since moved to Seven’s second free-to-air channel, 7TWO. “When I was playing, you’d fly into places and do some community games here and there with the club, but you’d really just fly in and out,” he says. “You didn’t get the chance to actually see anything, and I’d always wanted to get out and see the Outback. And I often say that if you fly, you miss out on all the best bits! So …”

In his final year with the Swans, the heavily tattooed footballer concocted a plan to pull his kids out of school for a year to spend that year travelling Australia with them—and his new wife.

Towing their home behind him.

“I love television, but I looked at Getaway and it wasn’t really a caravan and camping show,” says Spida. “It was all the five-star things that everybody dreams about but never does. And the only caravan shows back then were pitched towards the grey nomads. But I wanted to take the kids! So I thought, oh well, I’ll make my own show!”

Shockingly, Sheree, a high-flying travel agent and caravanning virgin accustomed to more international, Getaway-style vacations, was less than keen.

“Ah, she was very sceptical at first,” grins Spida. “But she came round really quickly once we got out there.” And, as it happened, turned out to be a gifted producer, as well as co-presenter.

Wait—speaking of turning around quickly, what about that wombat?

“Mate,” says Spida, “We were in the middle of nowhere and I jumped out to shoo it off the road. And you know how

“I jumped out to shoo it off the road. And you know how wombats are big? They’re bloody quick, too! It turned around and went me, so I jumped up on the bonnet!”

wombats are big? Well, they’re bloody quick, too! It turned around and went me, so I jumped up on the bonnet but when I got up there I couldn’t see it and I didn’t want to hop down.

“I’m saying, ‘Kids, get out of the car and shoo the wombat away!’ and they’re going, [screaming in terror] ‘We’re not getting out!’

“We had to wait, and then after about five minutes—which is a long time—he walked over to the bushes and left.”

This is the sort of yarn typical of Spida and Sheree’s show: relatable, with a large spoonful or self-deprecation and very Australian. But it’s a deeper aspect of the Australian psyche that endears the

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COVER STORY travellers to the real Aussies they run into in the country’s less-travelled corners— and vice versa.

Their on-the-road tales are occasionally hair-raising—like the time Spida and Sheree, piloting their own two-car convoy of MU-X and D-MAX, had a road train lose its load at speed while careening towards them on a hot, flat Outback highway. Only the ‘load’ was eight 3.5m-high Caterpillar tyres for a mining truck.

“Four of those tyres came bouncing down the road for a couple of kilometres,” says Spida. “If we were a hundred metres further up the road and one of those hit us, we’d have been stuffed!”

More often, the stories are funny. Like the time the once-dreadlocked AFL larrikin hid in his D-MAX on a side road in the Never Never, waiting for his four-man film crew to pass, and—knowing that they’d watched Wolf Creek the night before—came roaring up behind them.

“We were about 350km from Hall’s Creek,” he laughs. “I high-beamed it, then flattened it after them. I’ve never seen four grown men so scared.”

Mostly, though, Spida’s yarns are

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“The load was eight 3.5m-high Caterpillar tyres for a mining truck ...

“Four of those tyres came bouncing down the road for a couple of kilometres.”

illustrative of that most heartening, Australian trait: egalitarianism.

On their very first trip, fresh from the Sydney Swans, Spida, Sheree and the kids stopped to talk footy at a school in Alice Springs. “Okay, we’ll head off,” said Spida, to the teacher afterwards. “What are you up to?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said. “My husband’s broken an axle on his boat trailer up at Borroloola”—a good 1200km drive away— “so I’m driving up with a replacement.”

“Well,” said Spida, “we’re driving to Borroloola now. I’ll drop it off for you.”

“You won’t!” said the teacher.

“Of course we will,” said Spida. “The car’s out the front, and how many blokes with 4WDs and broken-down boat trailers are going to be beside the road?”

This is part of Spida and Sheree’s charm—and their show’s. It’s far from pretentious or highfalutin, even during occasional trips overseas. They’ve covered places as far afield as New Zealand, Alaska, Canada and even China. (“China’s got 120-odd caravan parks, which a lot of people don’t know,” says Spida. “They’d never seen a 6’8” guy with tattoos before—they thought the Martians had landed!”)

But it’s mostly here, on home territory.

“I love the fact that we explore,” he says.

We always ask on the show, that if you want us to come to your place, we’re more than happy to. We love to see the monuments and the old paddocks where the drovers brought the cattle down and the gold mines and the shearing sheds and the history.

“I love meeting people,” says Spida. “That’s my love and passion. And when you’re out on the road, everyone’s equal. You sit around the communal barbecue and have a beer and share a yarn and everyone’s happy.”

You might even share the odd feed.

Or the very, very odd feed. Spida never got his vengeance on that wombat, but one afternoon, driving up near Grafton, he met a bloke who might’ve gotten it for him.

“He was an Irish guy, been living in a shack he built on a mate’s property,” says Spida, a twinkle in his eye. “And every afternoon he’d go out and clear all the roadkill from the highway—so he’d know what was fresh the next morning. He told me that’s what he’d been living on for three months. I tell you, I said, ‘That deserves a beer!’ and I pulled over and gave him one from the trailer.”

“I just love Australia. Even if we weren’t on television, we’d be doing this anyway.”

SPIDA’S THREE

TOP TIPS:

1

HAVE A PLAN

Even if it’s a skeleton plan, have a plan to shape your trip. But be prepared to change it at a whim for weather or better options. If someone says, “Hey, don’t stop there, stop here!’” and it’s 20km down the road, you want to be able to do it.

2

GOT KIDS? LEAVE EARLY.

Pack most stuff the night before, then get going by 7.30ish, while the kids snooze in the back.

Lock and load them, train them, and off you go: 300km by lunchtime.

3

PACK LIGHT

On our first trip, we started off with probably 20 boxes. Now we won’t even take two.

The Great Australian Doorstep returns to 7TWO in January 2016. greataustraliandoorstep.com

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KING OUT OF THE BOX

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by Ben Smithurst

OF THE MOUNTAIN Meet Andrew Lock, our greatest ever mountaineer— and the only Australian to conquer all 14 peaks that stand over 8000m …

A

ndrew Lock’s passion for climbing the world’s highest mountains was ignited by a touring slideshow in a Wagga Wagga pub in 1985. Lock was so inspired by its presenters—Tim Macartney-Snape and Greg Mortimer, who’d just become the first Australians to reach the summit of Everest—that following in their footsteps became his immediate goal. It took Lock another six years of dedicated training to make his first attempt at that legendary peak. That attempt failed, scuppered when Lock was forced to descend to save a friend’s life. But he’d be back.

Over the next two decades, Lock conquered each of the 14 ‘eightthousanders’, the handful of mountains that reach over 8000m in height. All are clustered around Nepal and Pakistan.

He’s the only Australian to do so. Of 25 attempts on 8000m+ peaks, Lock has successfully summited 18 times. Those

include conquering Everest twice, six ‘first Australian’ ascents, and four solo ascents.

His preferred climbing style is alone, or in very small teams, working with neither Sherpa support nor bottled oxygen.

It’s gruelling—and costly—in more ways than financial. Over his 25-year career, big mountains have claimed more than 20 of Lock’s mountaineering friends, including Russian alpine celebrity Anatoli Boukreev, the hero of Into Thin Air, with whom Lock conquered K2 in 1993. Lock describes the tragic, terrifying descent—which claimed three of he and Boukreev’s companions—in electrifying detail, in his book, Summit 8000: Life and Death with Australia’s Greatest Mountaineer. Lock slid down, alone, over hours, scrambling for purchase on loose, wet snow barely covering flinty, nearvertical rock. In the dark. Rolling the dice.

Now 53, Lock’s retired from ‘eightthousanders’—but he has any number of 7000m, 6000m and 5000m jaunts to go on.

This image: The world’s highest peak Opposite: Atop the summit of Everest

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OUT OF THE BOX [I’ve also] had bivouacs without any equipment at 8000m [in the ‘death zone’, where there is too little oxygen to survive for long] and I was always without oxygen because I climb without oxygen.

So those situations were pretty serious.

Lock now works as one of Australia’s leading motivational speakers

“The summit of Everest is about the size of a car, whereas on Manaslu, you barely hang on.”

How big is the summit of Everest?

It’s about the size of a car and obviously it slopes off in all directions. It’s quite a broad and easily angled ridge, so you can accommodate quite a few people up there, whereas on a mountain like Manaslu [8156m, Nepal], or Makalu [8463m, Nepal], you’re hanging on by your fingernails. They’re very tiny, tight little pointy summits.

Is it a perfect moment, standing up there?

It’s a great relief—and certainly when I got to the summit of Everest in 2000, I was the first person that day onto the mountain. My team was behind me and

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I had 10 minutes on the summit to myself, which was very surreal, and an amazing position to be in … on top of the very highest point on the planet, and to be the only person there. But I’ve always been very cognisant of the need to focus on the descent, so the most surreal, satisfying glow I feel is when I’ve returned to base camp and I can relax.

Is K2 really scarier than Everest?

It is inherently dangerous. It was one of my closest brushes with death. K2 nearly got some of us in the team.

You’ve had some very near misses.

I’ve been buried in avalanches, I’ve been narrowly missed by avalanches, fallen through crevasses, fallen through cornices, taken falls, you name it.

Have you ever had a situation when you thought you were a goner?

When a disaster happens it’s very quick: either you’re dead or you aren’t. Ha! When you fall through a cornice or you fall through a crevasse then it becomes closed: with a crevasse, you resort to your training and your skills to climb back up again, or to climb up a rope; with a cornice, [you rely on] your reactions. If you can react fast enough to stop yourself falling down the mountain face then you survive. But it’s all over in an instant— you don’t really have time to think about it. You only have time to reflect on how it happened and be grateful that it didn’t.

You caught the climbing bug in Wagga Wagga—which is a pretty flat place…

As a boy I came up through the Scouts [Association] and I went right through from Cubs through to Rovers and my school had a very active outdoor club: bushwalking, canoeing, cross-country skiing. I really excelled in the snow environment, but I didn’t have any real concept of going climbing or mountaineering at that time.

It wasn’t until my early twenties, when I was obviously looking for a goal in my life when I saw the slideshow [with MacartneySnape and Mortimer]. Only about 20 people turned up to this back room in a country pub and I was one of them.

It was the story of the team’s ascent of Mount Everest, wasn’t it?

It was quite life-changing for me. I decided right there and then I was going to climb Everest. But in those days you couldn’t be guided up, and I’m certainly not the sort of person who would want to be guided up, so I had to go and learn to climb, and it took some years.

Everest is the highest, but K2 is more renowned for in terms of being challenging. Where does Everest stand in difficulty? Is it even top five?

Oh yes, it would be. On any mountain you can find a route that is unclimbable.

So you can go back to Everest [8850m] and find a route that hasn’t been climbed and may never be climbed. But overall as a package it is less challenging than K2 [8611m; 2nd highest]. K2 is steeper, it has worse weather generally, it has more technical climbing, etc etc. It’s billed as the hardest mountain on Earth. To rank them, I would say that Everest would be somewhere around the difficulty level of Makalu [8463m; 5th highest].

And K2 was your first successful 8000m climb! Is it the hardest of all?

Yes, I would put K2 at the hardest. I would put Kangchenjunga [8586m; 3rd highest] as harder than Everest. I would put Annapurna [8091m; 10th] as way, waaay more dangerous than any of them. I would put Nanga Parbat [8125m; 9th] as more difficult than Everest. They would all sit above Everest in terms of difficulty, but then Everest would be on par with Makalu and a little bit harder than Lhotse [8516m; 4th], and then all the others would follow.

So Everest is about equal fifth in terms of difficulty. That might be the most intrinsically knowledgeable sentence—with the hardest knowledge to acquire—we’ve ever published.

Ha! Well.

What makes Annapurna so deadly?

Avalanches. There isn’t a route on that mountain that isn’t threatened by extreme avalanche risk. It’s not so much

The mountain that mountaineers fear most: Annapurna

the snow slopes, it’s these great big seracs, ice cliffs that build up over the centuries from that snow that’s gradually moved down the snow face, and they just overhang every route. Go and have a look at a photo—any photo—of Annapurna.

It’s the mountain that mountaineers fear.

I’ll give you an example: Everest has now had about 3000 or more ascents. When I climbed Annapurna in 2007, my ascent, apart from being the first Australian ascent, and still the only Australian ascent, was about the 120th ever ascent of that mountain. And for those 120 ascents, there had been 60 deaths.

So an awful casualty rate of one death for every two ascents?

Yeah. It’s a very expensive mountain.

MORE? Buy Andrew’s brilliant book, Summit 8000 (Random House, $29.99), book corporate and motivational speaking, and follow his adventures at andrew-lock.com

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PASSPORT

by Ben Groundwater

SWIMMING WITH SNAKES IN

KHAO LAK

Thailand’s tourist traps may hold few surprises­— but head into the jungle and adventure is only a swimming hole away

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T

here’s that moment just before you roll your trouser legs up.

You’re fairly certain there won’t be any leeches there. You can’t feel any leeches. You didn’t see any on the ground. None clung to your shoes. But you can’t be 100 per cent sure.

And so you grab the side of a trouser leg and give it a tug, revealing ankle, then calf, then knee ...

I’m covered in fat, black leeches. There must be seven or eight of the hideous little bastards, engorged from the feed they’ve been having, still attached to my leg. I quickly roll up the other trouser leg and it’s a similar story over there. A dense mass of slugs, silently guzzling my lifeblood.

The guide just laughs. “They got you!” He grabs some insect spray from his pocket and gets to work on my legs, squirting at the fat grubs, laughing as they drop onto the ground and blood—thin from the anticoagulant the leeches have injected into me— starts dripping down my legs.

This sucks. And you know what the worst thing is? The worst thing is that this isn’t even the worst thing. It’s not the worst

thing that’s happened today. There have been far more frightening incidents in the last couple of hours here deep in the Thai mountains, in a jungle somewhere north of coastal Khao Lak. Far more frightening.

I could have died. I almost did die.

This whole experience was supposed to be one of roughing it, of getting off the beaten track and doing something different.

But it wasn’t supposed to be this different.

I’ve never come so close to death before.

And I’ve never seen this many leeches.

My hotel back in Khao Lak feels a long way away. It’s called Sarojin Resort and it’s a beautiful place, all beachside villas and infinity pools, sun-loungers and cocktails brought to you by polite waiters. It’s relaxing, but it’s not very exciting.

Which is why I signed up for this hike through the nearby jungle, an exploration of true Thai wilderness.

My group of friends set off from the hotel early this morning, looking out of place standing around the sparkling lobby in hiking boots and long pants, our valuables and food stuffed into dry-bags.

Pretty soon a minivan turned up and we

made our way north, into the Khao Sok national park, into the jungle. We rattled up an old mountain road, eventually stopping a good couple of hours from the nearest bit of civilisation.

Our guide explained the plan: we’d follow the course of a river upstream through the jungle, sometimes walking, sometimes clambering over rocks, sometimes swimming when the water got too deep, until we got to a ridge high up the top, which would lead us back to the van.

Sounded good to us.

This part of Thailand, about two hours north of Phuket on the western coast, is something of a hub for adventure enthusiasts. Though it was devastated by the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, Khao Lak has bounced back largely due to its popularity with travellers who want to scuba dive, or go rock-climbing, or just hang out on its 20 kilometres of uncrowded beaches (where—amazingly, considering this is Thailand, there’s surf, including reefs, beach breaks and points. Although Hawaii needn’t be too concerned). This is not the

southern Thailand you’re picturing: it’s not crazy Phuket, or party-town Kho Pha-Ngan.

It’s much more laidback.

Except I’m not feeling laidback at the moment. We’ve begun the climb, sloshing through the river, wading sometimes waistdeep through the cool mountain waters as we make our way through the dense jungle.

Birds squawk from the trees. Things rustle in the undergrowth, no doubt trying to escape from the group of four hikers and a guide crashing past them.

Something’s going to go wrong here. And it’ll go wrong soon.

We keep slogging along through the river, the banks getting steeper, hemmed in by the dense jungle, when we round a corner and those banks become sheer rock faces as the river opens out into a large pool with a waterfall down the far end. There’s only one way to get through this and that’s to swim across and clamber out the other side.

I volunteer to go first, with one of my mates close behind. We wade into the water and then begin swimming towards the waterfall, closing in on it, doing a lazy freestyle, when my mate screams. Really screams. And then I see it.

In the water, about a metre in front of me, there’s a huge snake. Its head must be bigger than my fist, and it’s rearing up in the water, towering over me, ready to strike.

If it does, it’ll hit my face. There’s nothing else to go for. And I’m dead.

So I do what anyone would do in a fightor-flight, life-or-death situation. I panic.

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OUT OF THE BOX THE DETAILS GETTING THERE Jetstar flies direct to Phuket from most major cities in Australia. See jetstar.com. From Phuket, taxis to Khao Lak cost about $40–$50. There are also local buses that run from Phuket or Bangkok.

“A metre in front of me there’s a huge snake. Its head must be bigger than my fist, and it’s rearing up in the water.”

I scream and start madly back-pedalling, windmilling my arms like Ian Thorpe having a fit, trying to keep an eye on the snake in case I have to defend myself, heading as fast as I’ve ever moved in the water for the safety of the bank.

I’m lucky. The snake doesn’t strike. It slowly lowers itself down in the water and disappears. My mate and I make it back to the bank and sprint out, shivering in panic. Our guide, unbelievably, is smiling.

“Phwaor, that was big, huh?”

Yeah, it was big. I can see it now, trying to escape up a rocky bank. It must be about three metres long. It’s a king cobra, the largest venomous snake in the world.

If it had struck I’d have been dead within 15 agonising minutes.

But it gets worse. There’s only one way out of this section of the river: get back into the pool and swim to the waterfall.

“B-but … what about the snake?” I ask the guide.

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STAYING THERE The Sarojin is a luxury, five-star resort right on the beach just outside Khao Lak. Rooms start from $168 per night. See sarojin.com ADVENTURE Most hotels will be able to organise hiking, scuba-diving and rockclimbing activities with local guides.

It’s generally safer to go with these recommendations than to take a punt on one of the shops in Khao Lak.

“No problem, it gone by now.”

And so we get back in that rockpool and swim to the other side, hauling ourselves up the waterfall and back into shallow water. We hike the rest of the river and then find the ridgeline, trekking back through dense jungle. It’s beautiful and thick and alive. Finally we see the van and stop to check—just to be sure—that we haven’t picked up any leeches.

That’s when I find the final indignity: 15 fat hitchikers getting stuck into my

Off the beaten track, e Thailand can produc ries mo me ng astonishi

pale white pins. Thailand itself might not sound like it’s off the beaten track for Australians. But if you get off the beaten track it can be hard to beat for producing unforgettable memories—and great stories for back at the bar.

Which is where I headed back at the swanky resort in Khao Lak. Legs full of holes, clothes filthy and wet, still coming down from the shock of near-death, and craving one thing: a very strong drink. Oh, and some band-aids.

UNSUNG HEROES

Gary Blaschke

The founder of The Disabled Surfers Association has been at it for three decades. It now has 15 branches around Australia and one in New Zealand

H

onestly, I reckon the great surfing god, Huey, was looking down on me and he said ‘I need you to have this motorcycle accident so you can start this surfing thing’.

Back in 1985, I was taken out by another motorbike; young bloke, no lights on and no licence, doing 130km/h, trying to get home without the cops catching him, but he caught me instead.

I went straight up and came down on my knees, my left kneecap shattered into 30 pieces and my foot was split in half by the foot peg, which sliced through my boot!

The doctor in Emergency said to me: ‘You’re a surfer are you, mate? Well you can forget about that for the rest of your life.’

I said, ‘Yeah, like fun, mate.’

I was in hospital for three weeks and did 16 months of rehab, but the leg kept going stiff, even after they broke it again, so I’ve got this peg leg. Basically, how am I going to surf with this?

Then one day in winter, it was freezing, I found this long-board and I thought, stuff it, I’m going for a surf. It had been 18 months and, for a surfer, well, I was desperate, I needed a fix.

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My wife said you’re going to drown, and I said bugger it, at least I’ll die doing something I love. After that I decided I had to get this disabled surfing thing up, so I entered a couple of long-board contests—

“A lot of groups try to wrap the disabled up in cotton wool— it doesn’t work.” never been in a competition in my life.

The first time, I still had my knee braces on. I could hardly carry my board across the sand, got smashed on the shore break, came dead last, and not a single person spoke to me, but I knew I needed to get the idea out there: that disabled people need support.

So I entered again the next weekend,

came dead last, but this one bloke came up and asked me what the hell I was doing.

I said I was riding for the Disabled Surfers team. He said, ‘who are they?’ and I said ‘You’re looking at them’.

That was a guy called Russell Philips. He offered to help and he’s been here 29 years.

We fly pretty much under the radar, but we’ve got tens of thousands of volunteers who want to come along and experience the smiles on dials. That’s our driving force.

I say to grommies, young surfers, you’re going to be bitten by a bug when you get out there, and when it bites you come back and tell me, and they think I mean an actual bug will bite them.

But I’ve had 14 year olds come running out of the surf, telling me they’ve been bitten: ‘I know what you mean now, this is the best day of my life!’ And then they run down to help an 80-year-old blind lady get to her feet on the board.

And that’s when I know I’ve succeeded, by breaking those barriers down.

We’re truly the most inclusive organisation there is—we never turn away anybody.

In 30 years, probably the most challenging people have been kids with

autism, and ventilated quadriplegics, who have had to be resuscitated through a tracheostomy in their throat— while they’re surfing. We literally have a nurse out there with a pump to revive them.

We carry them out like Cleopatra, and it takes a 30 to one ratio, with one surfer being looked after by 30 volunteers, but we have no problem getting those numbers.

Once people see what we do, they’re blown away.

Now obviously a ventilated quadriplegic doesn’t look up at the ceiling every morning and say ‘I’m going surfing’, but there are several who we take out and it changes their lives. Once a year is enough for them­—it keeps them buzzed for that whole 12 months.

The blind are unbelievable, too. I took this one guy, fully blind, 30 years old.

I introduced him to the board, let him feel that it was so soft. He told me he was a champion swimmer, and as we’re walking to the edge, he asks, ‘Can you tell me what a wave is?’

So I tried to explain that, and we did a couple of easy tandem rides. Then he asked me ‘What’s the point of surfing?’ And I said “It’s about catching a wave and riding it on the unbroken section, and he said, ‘I want to have a go at that’.

So we line him up on his own on this beautiful wave and he goes about 10m before wiping out. Then he comes up covered in sand and screaming: ‘That was like flying! I love it.’

And I asked him after how he didn’t know what surfing was, and he said he’d grown up in Wagga Wagga never having been near the ocean.

I think a lot of groups fail because they try to wrap the disabled up in cotton wool— it doesn’t work. People think, ‘Oh, the poor

disabled people.’ But it’s not like that. You should see it when we’ve got a group of them out there and everyone’s laughing and having a ball. They just want to go out and have fun.

We don’t have sponsors and we don’t go looking for them. I always joke with my guys that there’s a cashed-up crime lord out there somewhere who’s going to pay us a million dollars to take his disabled child surfing.”

Th Surfee Disable d r Austs Assoc. ralia To fin d

abou out m inclu t Gary’s w ore and v ding do ork— ol n disabunteeringations ledsu — rfers go to .org

Words: Stephen Corby

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THE LIST

by Craig Jamieson

DIVE RIGHT

IN

Don the togs, check the depth and hurl yourself into Australia’s greatest swimming holes!

As famous as Australia is for its long, sun-drenched coastlines, some of our best swimming spots are far from the beaches and even further from the crowds. If you crave isolation, adventure or pure relaxation, the myriad oases around our otherwise brown and dusty island are ready and waiting. Note, however, that it’s important to watch your kids and be careful. Swimming holes rule, but any body of water can be dangerous. Have fun!

NEW SOUTH WALES If you like … feeling a million miles away—just outside Sydney Karloo Pools, Royal National Park Beautiful, serene and secluded, the Karloo Pools are one for the adventurer.

Even though they’re just an hours’ drive south of Sydney in the Royal National Park, the two-kilometre hike in is more than enough to get you in the mood for a refreshing dip. As close as the pools are to Sydney’s bustling hub, Karloo remains pristine. Hiking trails criss-cross the area, tending to err towards moderate difficulty. There’s camping nearby at the Uloola Falls reserve, but note that it’s only accessible via the hiking trail. For easier and more comfortable lodgings, try the southern Sydney suburb of Heathcote.

If you like … the roar of the ocean Blue and Green Pools, Angourie What could be better than taking in the sights and sounds of the open ocean,

while relaxing in the still depths of a spring-fed pool? The Angourie pools have the enviable combination of deep, clear water and a spectacular view overlooking the gorgeous Spooky Beach. Originally a quarry behind Angourie’s sea cliffs, the pools formed when workers disturbed a natural spring, creating a pair of idyllic swimming holes. Accommodation is easy to find in the friendly surf towns of Yamba or Angourie, putting the pools mere minutes’ drive away.

VICTORIA If you like … a family-friendly dip Blue Pool, East Gippsland Deep in East Gippsland, 2.5 hours’ drive north of Melbourne, lies a very different Blue Pool. Far away from the coastline in the Briagolong State Forest, the naturally formed pool sits in a deep gorge above Freestone Creek. For families, Blue Pool offers a combination of shallow paddling areas and deep chasms to leap into from the rocky outcrops. The truly youngat-heart can try their hand at the rope swing, while the more sedate can enjoy the refreshingly cool waters.

A dirt road, which can be tough going for regular caravans, leads to a basic camping area at the mouth of the gorge. The nearby old timber towns of Briagolong and Stratford, respectively 10km and 15km south, offer more urbane amenities.

QUEENSLAND If you like … shampoo commercials Millaa Millaa Falls, Atherton Tablelands This tropical paradise, just two hours south of Cairns and 60km west of Innisfail, is one of the most beautiful and easily accessible swimming holes in Australia. So beautiful, in fact, that the original Herbal Essences hair-flip shampoo commercial was filmed in its pristine waters (as well as a, er, XXXX Gold beer ad).

Surrounded by lush rainforest, the 18-metre-high cascading waterfall is a constant drawcard for local and international tourists, thanks to its exquisite natural beauty and easy access via sealed roads. Locals in nearby Millaa Millaa town—population 289—are wellversed in providing accommodation, tours and fine fare for visitors.

If you like … the power of nature Babinda Boulders, Babinda Just an hour’s drive north from Millaa Millaa falls, and around 50km south of Cairns, the Boulders are unique geological formations that create natural, partial dams along the fast-flowing Babinda Creek. Fed from Queensland’s highest mountain, Mount Bartle Frere, the waters that run through the Babinda Boulders in the flank of the Wooroonooran National

The 18-metre high Millaa Millaa Falls. Left: Gunlom Infinity Pool

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THE LIST Park remain refreshing, even in summer heat. The sealed road to the Boulders cuts through verdant rainforests, and sugar and banana plantations, before arriving at the nearby town of Babinda. There’s a camping area at Babinda Creek and facilities at the Boulders themselves.

Because of the deceptively fast-flowing current, which has claimed 15 lives since 1959, it’s vital to stick to the designated swimming holes. As dangerous as it may sound, the designated pools remain remarkably serene.

NORTHERN TERRITORY If you like … vertigo Gunlom Infinity Pool With invigorating water and staggering views over Kakadu National Park, Gunlom is undoubtedly one of Australia’s most beautiful swimming holes. Fed from Waterfall Creek, a natural infinity pool sits above the falls at Gunlom, offering a scenic vista of the Southern Alligator River. Below the falls sits a deep plunge

Katherine Gorge, Nitmiluk National Park

pool, made famous in Crocodile Dundee when hero Mick gives Linda a kiss after retrieving a (fictional) Barramundi.

The hike to the top of the falls may be steep, but the payoff is arguably one of the best vantage points to overlook the southernmost tip of Kakadu’s pristine wilderness. Getting to Gunlom means a dedicated trip to the Southern end of Kakadu, which is about a four-hour drive from Darwin. If you want to take a selfguided trip, proper precautions for travel into the wilderness are vital.

If you like … getting yourself into hot water Mataranka Hot Springs Less than five hours’ drive or 430 kilometres southeast of Darwin, the Elsey National Park is home to the soothing Mataranka Springs, a constant font of freshwater in the Northern Territory’s top end. More than 30 million litres of fresh, warm water flows daily from the numerous springs in the area to the nearby Roper River, destined for the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Surrounded by postcard-worthy palms, the popular thermal pool is only one of the many drawcards in the area, with low dams creating gentle waterfalls between pools, encouraging visitors to explore the Rainbow Springs. It’s important to go in the cooler, drier months of May to September when heavy rains flood the area and sticky, humid heat saps the fun out of jumping into 34°C water.

If you like … powerful scenery Katherine Gorge, Nitmiluk National Park The less-known Nitmiluk National Park sits just south of world-famous Kakadu, but gives little away in terms of natural beauty or opportunities for a refreshing dip. Carved out of sandstone, the deep freshwater gorge is an essential part of any Nitmiluk tour, with a range of safe swimming holes to choose from.

The standout is the secluded Sweetwater Pool, located at the end of a four-kilometre hike from Edith Falls.

Picking your way upstream from the swimming hole at the base of the falls

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| Issue 16

is well worth the hike; it’ll take you away from the crowds at the Edith Falls campsite and deliver spectacular views downstream. A 60-kilometre drive from nearby Katherine—310 kilometres south of Darwin—doesn’t leave sealed roads until you arrive at the camping grounds.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA If you like … true seclusion

WESTERN AUSTRALIA If you like … a natural water park

Dalhousie Springs Out on the western fringes of the Simpson Desert more than 120 natural artesian springs provide welcome respite for weary travellers. The springs gush 40°C mineral water at a fantastic rate of 17,000 litres per second, nourishing an unexpected abundance of flora and fauna in the Witjira National Park.

Located in Australia’s red centre, more than 1200 kilometres from Adelaide, the heritage-listed site is one for the adventurous traveller. The pink roadhouse at Oodnadatta, 180 kilometres to the south, provides food, fuel and supplies, while local guest lodges are on offer for tent-haters.

Emma Gorge Tucked in WA’s top end, about 10 hours’ drive from both Broome and Darwin, lies an 80-kilometre long water park, replete with springs, rock pools and waterfalls.

The El Questro Wilderness Park, 110 kilometres west of Kununurra, is a privately owned area within the gorgeous Kimberley.

Consider it a one-stop-shop to experience untamed nature from within a very tame environment. Zebedee Springs, a series of thermal pools surrounded by lush palm trees, is only one attraction; the enchanting Emma, El Questro and Amalia Gorges offer beautiful vistas and refreshing swimming.

Emma Gorge is the standout here, with a large, placid swimming hole fed by a 65-metre-high waterfall and a smaller spring within the rocks.

The various accommodation locations within the park provide luxurious, ecofriendly accommodation for those dedicated to the more glamorous side of tourism.

This image & above: Emma Gorge, El Questro Wilderness Park

TIPS AND SAFETY

While swimming holes lack the pounding surf of the open ocean, they’re not always as safe and secure as the local indoor pool. The water itself isn’t the only concern; the isolated location of many of these spots puts you further away from help should something go wrong. It’s important to know your limits when swimming and keep a close eye on friends and family.

As some of these swimming holes are off the beaten track, take all the supplies you need—water, food, self-contained stoves and personal amenities—unless you’re going with a registered tour operator, who will let you know what to take.

For those travelling with pets, be aware that state forests and national parks prohibit every companion animal, barring guide dogs, from entry.

There’s always the possibility of dangerous animals, especially in the Northern Territory during the wet season; don’t let your pursuit of a blissful dip put you in harm’s way.

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HOOK, LINE ‘N’ SINKER

by Andrew Hart

Road worriers

Prime spot beside the toilets at the Snake Haven Van Park

The Hook, Line and Sinker boys, Andrew Hart and Nick Duigan, hook up a caravan to fish the Great Ocean Road

N

o doubt many readers of this magazine will own a caravan.

Why wouldn’t you? Nothing but the freedom of the open road. Plus, a D-MAX or MU-X really is the perfect tow vehicle. So, given that towing a van around the country is so popular, we thought we’d give it a try. And film the whole thing for an episode of the show.

We didn’t have six months to undertake our journey. In fact, we couldn’t really stretch much more than a working week, so we needed a location with plenty to offer— but one that didn’t mean doing thousands and thousands of kilometres to reach.

Hello, Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.

In its entirety, Australia’s most famous coastal drive is only 243km long, so you are

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never very far away from Melbourne. But it doesn’t feel like that.

There are countless nooks and crannies to explore, with dozens of little seaside villages, and all seem to be set up for vans.

Booking ahead wasn’t an issue because it was the middle of a cold Victorian winter.

The towns were quiet, but that actually added to the adventure.

This was to be caravanning 101. Or ‘Grey Nomading Lite’ as we called it. Just enough to give us a taste of what it’s like to have your home hitched on the back and nothing but freedom ahead. But we weren’t jumping in the deep end; let’s face it, if you’ve seen a few episodes of our show, you would know we are not good campers! And the Great Ocean Road was the perfect route.

Our D-MAX was well set up for van towing. It was equipped with extra-large side mirrors. They took a little to get used to, but once we did it meant we always knew what was going on behind, handy when towing the van in traffic or on the narrow, tight and windy Great Ocean Road.

We picked up a van in Melbourne. A little Jayco camper (again: Grey Nomading lite) and left the hustle of the city behind. Before we knew it, we were joining Australia’s more than 50,000 caravan owners on the highway.

We are already pretty used to life on the road. Producing 13 one-hour episodes of Hook, Line and Sinker each year means we shoot for about eight months running, much of the time driving to remote parts of Australia to catch a fish. But we quickly learnt the advantage of towing a van: you can take everything with you, including the kitchen sink!

Our first stop was a beach just out of Apollo Bay. Winter is a great time to catch one of our most underrated sports fish: the Australian Salmon. All the beaches and rocky points along the Great Ocean Road are suitable for salmon fishing.

The beach we chose had a good-looking gutter of deeper water running along the front and we cast our surf rods in with a couple of pieces of bait attached. We waited for about 20 minutes before we got a bite. But once we caught the first couple of salmon, it seemed a school had moved in and every bait or lure we threw out was attacked. The fish were a decent size, the biggest two kilos.

Australian Salmon are a great fish to catch.

They fight extremely well for their size.

Mostly in the surf they hook themselves, so all you need to do is hang on. Spinning with metal slice lures is another way to get them.

Here is the first lesson we learnt about

HOOK, LINE ‘N’ SINKER

being a grey nomad: always pack a surf fishing rod. These two-piece rods are around 12 feet long, so you can cast your line a long way and hold your rod up so you can fish off a beach with surf rolling in. There’s something special about beach fishing. You just cast out, relax and wait for a bite. It’s what being a nomad is all about.

We kept a few nice fish, being sure to bleed them straight after we caught them, then putting them straight in the van’s fridge. We figured a real grey nomad would definitely eat his catch, so that’s what we vowed to do.

The result made for some interesting TV. We did set the smoke alarm off in the van during the process and I’m not sure I will ever bother eating Australian salmon again. But it was a meal we didn’t have to buy—and being a nomad often means living to a budget!

As we continued the drive over the next few days we fished from beaches, jetties and breakwaters. The best tip was to fish super light, with small hooks, light line and the

Australian Salmon fight extremely well. Mostly in the surf they hook themselves, so all you need to do is hang on! smallest sinker you can get away with. By doing this you will get more bites.

Our nomad tip number two is to take a selection of squid jigs and a suitable light spinning outfit. Almost all over Australia it’s possible to sneak down to the local jetty on dark and snag a nice squid. And calamari is much better chewing than the Aussie salmon!

Another thing we quickly learnt was that van parks are usually found on the best bit

of land in town. I’m sure this is no secret to those who have spent time on the road with their caravan, but the parks are absolutely prime real estate! Every park we stayed in was waterfront, meaning we could simply set up camp and just go fishing. Just try that from your average backyard in suburbia!

Hook, Line and Sinker airs on 7mate on Saturday afternoon.

Issue 16 |

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Photos: Mike Nesham

Andrew (left) and Nick: on the road, and very intrepid!

REFUEL

by Michael Benn

CAPTAIN

MUSSELS

Tasmanian Masterchef alumnus (and MU-X owner) Ben Milbourne keeps his shellfish simple—and delicious

O

ver its glorious run, Masterchef has raised more questions than it’s answered: how many cravats does Matt Preston have, and why does he look so much like Baron Silas Greenback, the evil frog from Danger Mouse? Why can’t George Calombaris use his cutlery properly? And why do they keep talking about a ‘journey’ when they hardly go anywhere?

Unquestionable, though, is the show’s knack for unearthing culinary talent that goes on to bigger things. Bookstores are filled with the works of former winners, while at least five former contestants, including SBS duo Poh Ling Yow and Adam Liaw, are rarely off the telly. Another is Ben

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Milbourne, of the class of 2012, who’s now most likely to be seen on Channel 10. A proud MU-X owner, Ben appears regularly on The Offroad Adventure Show, BBQ tongs in hand. Even better, a second series of his very own cooking show, Ben’s Menu, is to be based in his country-style studio kitchen in the foodie paradise of northwest Tasmania. Far from a stranger to the rugged outdoors, it’s where Ben grew up as the second of four kids.

“As a child we used to go on family camping trips and we would take out Dad’s boat, go fishing and cook the fish,” he says. “We would go diving for abalone and cook it on the campfire. We still go diving for abalone throughout the year.”

This time, seafood is on the menu— but it’s not abalone. Instead, Ben joins max*d this month to provide two ideas for mussels that are equally likely to wow friends at a home dinner party—or allow you to go full gourmet at your campsite in the very back of beyond.

FIND OUT MORE Visit benmilbourne.com.au for more recipes and cookbooks, as well as links to Ben’s food tours, degustation dinners and cooking school.

TEMPURA MUSSELS INGREDIENTS 500g of mussel meat 3L canola oil for deep-frying 1½ cups plain flour ½ cup cornflour 3 cups soda water, ice cold A handful of ice cubes ¼ cup sea salt flakes

METHOD 1. Preheat the oil on high until it reaches 180°C. 2. Combine one cup of the plain flour with the cornflour and salt, then add three cups of the chilled soda water and the ice cubes to the flour and mix. Stir it with two chopsticks quickly, in a figure eight motion, until it resembles thin cream.

3. Dust the mussels in the remaining plain flour and shake of the excess. Drop mussels into the tempura batter, and then place each one into the hot oil for a minute or until golden and crispy. Don’t overcrowd the oil; it’s best to do it in batches.

4. Remove your mussels from the oil and place them on absorbent paper. Season immediately with salt flakes and serve with your favorite sauce.

MUSSELS IN CIDER INGREDIENTS 50g butter 2 shallots, diced 2 cloves of garlic, diced 150ml dry cider 16 mussels, bearded ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped Juice of 1 lemon 60ml cream Black pepper Olive oil 1 large tomato, deseeded and diced 1 medium red capsicum, finely diced ½ cup coriander, chopped

METHOD 1. In a camp oven­, sauté the garlic and shallots in half of

the butter over a medium heat. Cook until translucent.

2. Add the cider and simmer for two minutes.

3. Add the mussels and place the lid on the pan. Shake the pan and cook on a high heat for three minutes.

4. Add the cream to the mussels and shake the pan again, then add the tomato, parsley, coriander, capsicum, lemon juice and the remaining butter. Shake everything again.

5. Turn the mussels out into a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and then dust them with cracked black pepper.

Serve with a hunk of crusty bread and enjoy!

Issue 16 |

max*d 41

LIGHTER

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FLASHBACK

2002 THE DOCTOR’S FRIEND

ISUZU AXIOM The Isuzu Axiom was a mid-size SUV introduced by Isuzu in 2002.

The Axiom was derived from the Isuzu Rodeo and was intended to be Isuzu’s response to the popularity of car-based SUVs in the United States. The name ‘Axiom’ was the result of a naming competition held by Isuzu. Dr Hakan Urey from Redmond, Washington, gave the winning suggestion, which won him his own Axiom!

The Axiom was available with a torque-on-demand four-wheel-drive system, which managed torque flow via a series of electromagnetic multi-plate clutches in the BorgWarner transfer case. Drivers could also select from two suspension damping preferences via a dashmounted ‘Sports’ button, which directed motors mounted on each shock to individually fine-tune the rebound and compression rates as needed. Driven by a direct-injection 6VE1 V6—with a power output of 186kW—the Axiom’s engine was notable for its early adoption of direct-injection technology and its unique 75° cylinder head bank angle.

Issue 16 |

max*d 43

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44 max*d

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| Issue 16

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

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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.

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While the rod subject to Vortex Premium Diesel was rust free and perfectly clean.

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