Western 4W Driver #115 Spring 2020

Esperance Adventure

Melangata Station Update

Mount

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Knowledge is Power

Whyare people afraid to seek knowledge? Let me rephrase that. Why are people afraid to seek knowledge from reputable sources?

I know that this is a blanket statement and does not apply to all, however it still amazes me that with the sum total of the world’s knowledge literally available at our finger tips there are still those in society who refuse to seek knowledge from reputable sources, instead choosing their mates or online influencers.

Wilbinga. The closest legal beach access north of the Perth metro area. A maze of sand tracks with the occasional cap rock peeking through waiting to catch the unwary. If you follow any of the social media groups you will also know its body count of bogged and damaged 4WDs is extraordinarily high. Why is this?

Recently I had an opportunity to attend a 4WD sand driving course run by Richard Nicholls from Adventure Off Road Training along the beach at Wilbinga. Normally I would avoid the area given my preference not to drive on the beach and the welldocumented attitudes of many who do make use of the tracks and beach access, however, co-piloting with a friend in his new Suzuki Jimny was an opportunity I could not overlook.

We aired down our tyres to 18PSI. Richard wanted to demonstrate why 18PSI is an outdated, arbitrary figure no longer relevant with the myriad of 4WDs now available on the market. We slowly made our way into the maze to tackle a small hill climb, complete with moguls. After some instructions on the how to pick the best line we ventured up. Easy.

Even a stock-standard 4WD is capable with the right know-how.

THOUGHT

We then stopped at a larger sand dune and again after some instructions, began to tackle the obstacle. This time things got a little harder. We all reduced our tyre pressures again, this time in the Jimny we dropped down to 8PSI. What sand dune? We sailed straight over without overly stressing any of the vehicles. At this point we got a demonstration of what not to do. Three vehicles appeared and proceeded to climb the dune. The first, an Everest, made it on the second attempt but with a lot of wheel spin and dirt flying everywhere. It would have made great YouTube footage (please note the sarcasm). The second, a Navara, also took several goes to crest the dune in similar fashion. The 3rd, a Raptor took four. We pointed out to the driver that his tyres were too hard. He declined any advice. We later came across a HiLux bogged on the tide line, about to be snatched out backwards, using the tow ball. The ute’s tyres still had 25PSI in each tyre. Dropping his tyre pressure to 12PSI and with the aid of some recovery boards, the HiLux was rocked backwards

and forwards a few times before popping out. The drivers of both vehicles were very appreciative that they got to enjoy a BBQ lunch with their families instead of a potential ride in the RAC Rescue Helicopter or worse.

We observed this behaviour time and time again. The Hummer taking 15 minutes to get over one dune because his tyre pressures were too high. Vehicles racing at speed along the beach and then swerving erratically with rooster tails shooting high into the sky. The 'just send it' crew were out in force. What do they gain from it? Momentary celebrity status amongst their mates because their Instagram video went viral? Free stuff from brands seeking to get an upper hand over their competitors? A free ride in the big yellow bird? A photo slide show at their funeral? At best, tracks get closed and access is revoked by the authorities because the damage and risk too high. At worst, someone dies. There is no longer an excuse for this sort of behaviour.

Despite an unhappy Queenslander claiming different in the High Court, Western Australia is leading not only the country but the world with our response to COVID-19. Complacency can be dangerous however it is nice to have things to look forward to. Kalgoorlie will be again hosting the Kalgoorlie Desert Race between 22nd - 25th October and we are getting pretty excited about the Perth 4WD and Adventure Show which is scheduled for 5th - 8th November. We will be in our usual spot with an updated version of the Fourby Forum in full swing. Stay tuned for further updates on the show.

Some of

Le Grand.

We are always keen to challenge ourselves to find those isolated gems, so turning to the tracks less travelled and away from the many caravans, we set out to journey the extra mile on our ...

By Jon Love

There’s something

about the night before a big trip, a feeling that can’t quite be shaken. It’s a deep and unparalleled excitement, and when you’re planning on taking off at 4:30am the next morning, it certainly doesn’t help when you’ve been fantasising about the destinations and campsites to come. Now the engine comes to life, the air is chilled with the sun starting to crest the horizon, and our three-car convoy departs from Perth for the big leg. Next stop, Esperance.

We had originally planned to begin our offroad adventure east of Esperance at Wylie Bay, where a considerably large slab of rock stands tall above the bay looking out in all directions. Certainly not the worst place to lock the hubs and snap a photo or two. However, prior to our arrival in the south, we had been monitoring a fire warning in the Cape Le Grand region, including the Le Grand beach run that connects from Wylie Head to the start of the national park. With the fire being upgraded to ‘Emergency Warning’ status, we deemed a change in course was necessary, rather than going west to east, we flipped it on its head and went east to west … Duke of Orleans Bay here we come.

Our transition from bitumen to beach.

It wasn’t long before we diverted onto Wharton Beach and began deflating the tyres, not that it felt like it really needed it. One of the first things you’ll notice when driving on the beaches around the Esperance region is that the sand feels like concrete. I’ve done quite a bit of beach driving around Western Australia, but none compare quite like they do down here. For the sake of stretching our fuel economy as far as possible and to spare the ground from being torn up, we dropped to 22psi and ventured on. After slogging almost ten hours of driving on the bitumen it felt pleasantly therapeutic to be cruising next to the crystal blue waters lapping at the bright white sand along the shoreline. The hard work and weeks of planning had finally paid off. We made it, it was truly a heaven on Earth.

The view from the peak of the rock, overlooking Wharton Beach.

Now this region isn’t exactly what I would describe as ‘off the radar’. If anything it’s far from it, and given we were travelling through in peak season (December to January), it certainly showed. We are always keen to challenge ourselves to find those isolated gems, so turning to the tracks less travelled and away from the many caravans, we set out to journey the extra mile.

So there we were, tucked away in a corner with a towering rock face next to us and the ocean right on our doorstep, and the best part about it you ask? There wasn’t a single other car within eye-shot - how good! This gem of a spot provided us a home for the next two nights and kept us busy the whole time we were there. The granite rock provided a fun and reasonably challenging hike to the top, with a handful of almost vertical sections to tackle. It came as no surprise to us that the view from the top was nothing short of breathtaking, being able to see for miles in every direction. With the bays to the east and west, nothing but the expanse of ocean broken up by the scattered islands in the south and the densely green bushland to the north.

All the more enjoyed while cracking open a well-earned beer.

One thing we were desperate to explore was the plethora of quiet surf breaks and unmanned peaks. It seemed we hit the jackpot, with a beach front to ourselves and a sand-bottom break. In the coming days we took full advantage of this, surfing for hours on end. Sitting in the magical turquoise expanse and enjoying the company of some local wildlife, displaying to us just some of what the amazing Esperance region has to offer. This was a secluded campsite, that would undoubtedly rank as one of my favourites to date.

I have always enjoyed a combination of different 4W driving terrains, particularly sand and slow, technical driving challenges, and this region just seemed to keep delivering. Our journey weaved us through bush and sand with the occasional rock formations that required low range and a good line to set you through. Our next adventure was to explore the surrounding areas of the Duke of Orleans Bay, with our end goal being Hammerhead Point.

Our first campsite and surf break for the trip.

It wasn’t too much longer before we came across an unsuspecting washout in the track, with the Troopy slipping down a bank that had crumbled away while we traversed the terrain, leaving us on an angle that would make the hairs on your arm stand up. With loose gear free falling from one side of the cabin to the other, and a tense grip on the steering wheel to prevent myself from following suit, I negotiated my way up and out of the driver’s window to assess the situation. With soft sand below and the two right hand tyres barely touching the ground, we worked on a recovery. With an unsuccessful attempt to winch forward, we moved the Maxtrax to the rear of the wheels and hooked up a snatch strap for a gentle pull backward. Fortunately, this gave the Troopy the traction it needed and was able to pull out with minor damage caused, just a handful more pinstripes to add to its character!

That wasn’t the only close call we had that day, after reaching the final off ramp up a soft sand dune to get to the lookout over Hammerhead Point, the Troopy lost too much momentum trying to make the sharp turn up the hill, requiring a re-run. Worse off were our travelling companions in a 120 series Prado, who had to stop behind us in considerably softer sand and close to the water line. It wasn't long before the larger sets of waves began to flirt with the body of the car, and considering salt water and metal don’t get along too well, we didn’t plan on staying long.

So out came the tyre deflators, shovels and Maxtrax boards to help persuade the car to move along. We had sat on the hill prior to attempting this run only to see a car get bogged down and have its belly washed by the waves as they began their recovery. Something we weren’t particularly keen to go through ourselves, and yet here we were. With the stretch of beach being as narrow as it was, and a slight off camber angle, it certainly didn’t make for an easy drive. With the Prado mobile again, it was time to get it away from the water line and

In a spot of trouble.

up the dune. I jumped in the Troopy and much to our disappointment, it got bogged down as well. A few more psi out of the tyres and some shovelling work, combined with a generous amount of right boot did the trick and brought it home; crisis averted. With the day drawing to an end we set up camp just north of the point, and once again, we had the entire stretch of beach to ourselves. The following day called for a well-earned game of beach cricket, which was shortly joined by a seal, likely attracted by the sounds of HAZZAH and a walking batsman every couple of minutes! With the seal's departure it was time to pack up and leave, and what a sight it was. The top of the rocks at the entrance of the cove exhibits a spectacular view across several bays with glistening blue and green water.

Fast track several hours and the next hazard of the trip began to rear its head. Driving to our next destination we spotted some smoke brewing in the distance. Now this wasn’t an unusual sight with all the fires that were burning in the area, but now we were on a fairly isolated track with noone around. As we came closer to the fire, which had only recently started to burn, it had gotten too big for our convoy to put out, all our fire extinguishers combined wouldn’t have been enough. Instead I jumped on the UHF to see if anyone was around to lend a hand or to make a call to the emergency department, but with no response and the fire increasing in size, we pushed on to a small hill nearby to try and gain a bar of signal. Fortunately, standing on top of the rooftop tent I was able to be connected to the fire department and gave them the details and location. With nothing else that could be done on our part, we pressed on. After traversing the dunes and

Watching the smoke rise in the distance from camp.

negotiating the maze of turns required to get through to the beach, we found a large rocky outcrop, where from the top we sat and looked back toward the fire. By this time, it was well and truly ablaze. It wasn’t far from there that we found camp for the night and continued to watch the smoke as plumes continued to rise into the air. It wasn’t until later that night, with the red glow of the fire illuminating the horizon, that it finally disappeared. The fire department, after hours of battling, had extinguished the flames. Awesome work fellas.

Prime ocean front views.

OUR NEW eSTORE DELIVERS ON EASY

The next morning called for the surfboards to be unstrapped and set free into the waves. We truly were spoiled for our surfs across the trip. Duck diving under the rolling swell you could see everything below, with the hollowing out of the wave as it curled and broke over the top of you. Post surf we retraced our path over more of the granite rocks that are dispersed around the region, put behind us a number of kilometres and set up camp, ready to enjoy the final sunset of 2019. And what a sight it was, the big yellow ball in the sky went out with one final hurrah, lighting the sky in various shades of red, pink and beige before disappearing into the blue below.

With 2020 upon us, we set out that morning with a hike in mind - Frenchman’s Peak, here we come. The hike up Frenchman’s is a 262-metre ascent that puts on a mesmerising display of the Cape Le Grand region and its many bays. The hike up is a fun challenge, with the occasional steep section that’ll require a fair bit of leaning

Crystal clear waters like this one across the trip.

forward while walking, all the while having the national park on your doorstep. The markers to the top also make it easy to navigate your way through without fear of going the wrong way. As spectacular as the sight was from the top, it was also bittersweet. The charred remains of the same bushfire that detoured our trip in reverse, lay scattered across what was once a densely green bushland. Fortunately, it was extinguished, saving much of the remaining national park’s scrub.

With Frenchman’s behind us, that signalled the drawing to an end for the trip. We had a quick visit to Lucky Bay, snapped a couple of photos of the local roos, because have you really been to Lucky Bay if you didn’t get a photo with them? We then headed toward our final beach run, Le Grand Beach, which is a twenty-two kilometre stretch that connects Cape Le Grand to Wylie Bay. We enjoyed our final night on that stretch, tucked away in the protection of the dunes from a howling southerly that had decided

to come knocking on our doorstep that evening. We enjoyed the surf one last time that following morning, then shot off toward Wylie Head. This large rock formation provides a fun, slow-going technical 4WD circuit that stretches right over the top of it, all the while providing more fantastic views of the numerous islands dotted across the coast. And that was the end of it - the tyre pressures went back up, the fuel tanks were filled and some pies were bought at a local bakery in town. Time for the longhaul home.

The view from Frenchman's Peak with the charred bush in the distance.

The final sunset for 2019.

By Phil Bianchi

Onceconsidered to be the longest and toughest stock route in the world, nowadays thanks to its length and isolation the CSR has become one of the most challenging 4WD adventures in Australia. A mere mention of the CSR gets the red dirt coursing through the veins, and thoughts of challenge and real adventure. The CSR attracts adventurers from all over Australia and internationally as well. Most use 4WDs, other users include motor bike riders, cyclists, walkers, runners and cameleers. Then there are geocache enthusiasts, tour companies, scientists, geologists, prospectors and Aboriginal people returning to country.

The CSR traverses five native title areas and three deserts. Initially the CSR commenced in Halls Creek and followed a series of waterholes along Sturt Creek to Billiluna and on to Well 51. Due to an outbreak of cattle pleuro pneumonia in 1931, only cattle from Billiluna were permitted to travel down the CSR.

The track takes a heavy toll on vehicles.

Permits are required for anyone wishing the travel the CSR, these can be obtained online and fees are payable.

The 1,800km long track takes a heavy toll on vehicles; your vehicle needs to be at its 100% best. Check all bolts, brackets, hoses, belts, wiring and don’t travel with any suspect components - the relentless corrugations will find them. Many a vehicle has had to limp into places such as Newman, a 450km drive from the CSR. Comprehensive vehicle and people preparation information can be found in the new 4W Driver's Guide - Canning Stock

Route. The guide also contains comprehensive details on food and fuel supplies, store hours of operation, emergency contacts and information on what to see well by well.

Often asked is which is the best direction of travel? I prefer from north to south because the dunes have a shorter run up, the sun is at your back most of the day, it’s the way the cattle went and because I live in Perth, it’s a shorter distance if I need to nurse my vehicle home. Billiluna is your last chance to obtain food and fuel. The first stop after Billiluna for most is Stretch Lagoon; it usually holds water and attracts birds and has a camping area. Heading southward your map shows Delivery Camp - this is where cattle from all over Billiluna Station were assembled for the journey south.

Well 51 (Weriaddo) and Well 50 (Jikarn) have collapsed and only a low depression can be seen. Gulvida Soak, between Well 50 and Well 49, has a scenic 2km plus walk up a rock walled creek line, it’s well worth

a visit. Do the walk earlier in the day when the temperature isn’t as hot.

Well 49 (Lampu), was refurbished by Trackcare WA (TCWA) in 2019. It provides good water, offers excellent camping and has twin toilets. Jack “The Rager” Smith who died in 1939 is buried here. Jack was a cook with CSR Boss Drover George Lanagan. A Ranger station is located here but is private property so please don’t interfere with it.

Near Mt Ernest is a trackside hill, which you can drive up. It gives excellent views of the picturesque Breaden Hills. Although not officially named the hill has interesting nick names - Clown Cap Hill, Chinaman’s Hat and UFO Hill.

Breaden Hills near Well 48.

Breaden Hills.

Well 48 (Kaningarra), near the Breaden Hills is a depression. Breaden Pool, with its sandstone walls and hanging fig trees, is a pleasant walk and worth seeing. A 20 minute walk northwards across the plateau, following small rock cairns, will bring you to Godfreys Tank. A close inspection of the rock walls will reveal the who’s who of the CSR including: H S Trotman, drover Ben Taylor, and a plethora of government surveyors, WWII well restorers and other travellers. The C96 (Carnegie 1896) inscription is not the original, that had fallen off; Canning cut a new one. A close inspection of the area above the plunge pool will reveal numerous petroglyphs of boomerangs, circles and strings of dots.

In 1962 Surveyor Johnson from National Mapping, completed a preliminary survey from Well 35 to Billiluna. His was a direct route; he did not travel from well to well. Johnson drove an AB120 series International one ton 4WD which carried 820 litres of fuel and 230 litres of water. The vehicle was fitted with 8.25 x 16-inch 10 ply tyres and tyre pressures were 11–13 psi front and 13–15 psi rear.

Well 47 (Kartalapuru), is 29km west of the Johnson line, it has also collapsed, with only lengths of troughing and buckets visible. There are two ways of accessing Wells 47 and 46. The first is via the Johnson line which in the case of Well 47 means travelling 22km westward to Well 47 then returning to the Johnson line and heading southward, a total distance of 68km. The second and most favoured is the 29km Dave Morton line.

Well 46 (Kujuwarri) was refurbished in 2019. It provides good water and excellent camping among the white gums.

Well 45 is 23km south west of Well 46 and has collapsed. Continuing southward, on the east side of Gravity Lakes is a red sandstone bluff with small caves and Aboriginal art.

Little remains of Wells 44 (Jimpirrinykarra) and 43 (Katajikarra), with only troughing, windlass supports and well lids remaining. Many dune crossings are choppy and bumpy. Well 42 (Kulyayi) has also collapsed. In 1956 Aboriginal drover Jimmi died here; he had a tooth abscess and died from blood poisoning. The track between Wells 42 and 41 has some of the highest dunes on the CSR; make driving easier by letting your tyres down.

Well 41 (Tiru), refurbished by TCWA, has excellent water. More tall dunes are encountered on the way to Well 40.

Wells 40 and 39 have collapsed. In 1907, at Well 40, Michael Tobin and an Aboriginal named Mungkututu surprised each other; Tobin fired his rifle at the instant Mungkututu threw a spear. Mungkututu died immediately and Tobin the next day. The head stones of both graves are some 250 metres northeast of Well 40.

Take care when crossing Tobin Lake, especially if wet, the riskiest area for bogging after rain being the northern end.

Well 38 Wajaparni (Wardabunni) Rockhole was enlarged by Canning but nowadays it’s

Harry Johnson’s AB120 series International one tonne 4WD at Well 42 Guli Tank, 1962.

Courtesy Harry Johnson.

silted up. The rockhole walls have inscriptions including Ben Taylor 1939-43-6, RMC Duntroon 76 (Royal Military College Duntroon), RJ, JS and HST (Trotman). Also nearby are many Aboriginal rubbing grooves on a rock face. Well 37 Lipuru, is set in a dusty claypan and it’s usually dry. Nearby are the graves of James Thomson, George Shoesmith and Aboriginal drover Chinaman. They were bringing the first mob of cattle down in 1911 when they were killed by Aborigines. The grave of John (Jock) McLernon, of the 1922 Locke Oil Expedition, is also near this well. He was killed by Aborigines when he and members of his party were attacked as they slept.

A section of the track from Well 37 to Well 36 is along a dune crest, providing enjoyable driving and a different perspective of the terrain. Well 36 is 3.8m deep and has water. Nothing remains of Well 35, except for a short length of PVC piping protruding from the ground. Well 34 is a depression. The track from Well 35 is plagued by relentless corrugations, even the new wheel pads either side of the original track are hopelessly corrugated. Slow down;

keep your tyre pressures below 20psi. Don’t be tempted to drive fast seeking to skim across the top of the corrugations; its dangerous and serious vehicle damage could result.

Well 33 Kunawarritji, provides excellent water from a windmill, there good camping and a TCWA toilet available. The Kunawarritji Community has a store selling food and fuel. Also available are showers and laundry facilities. In 2019 the price of diesel was $3.40/l; make sure you have plenty of cash with you in case the credit card machines aren’t functioning.

Wells 32 through to Well 28 have collapsed and no water is available. The track

Ben Taylor's inscription at Wajaparni Rockhole Well 38.

Well 42.

Courtesy A. McCall

between Well 33 and Well 31 is hopelessly corrugated. Well 31 is set among gum trees and provides excellent camping.

Mujingerra Cave is 4km south east of Well 30. The tunnel from the cave entrance has collapsed, take care and keep away from the edge. Thring Rock comes into view as you approach Well 29. It is possible to climb to the top of this spectacular rock. Slate Range, south of Well 27, is a series of bluffs and mesas having many ridges and valleys to explore and climb.

Well 26 (Tiwa), is a refurbished well with good water, it has excellent camping areas and a TCWA toilet. Heading south to Well 25 you’ll encounter some very tall dunes, many with chopped up approaches. Wells 25 and 24 have collapsed.

Len Beadell’s Talawana Track, built in 1963, forms part of the CSR track 3km north of Well 24 and leaves it at Georgia Bore. Well 23 has also collapsed. Fuel is no longer available at the Capricorn Road House fuel dump north of Well 23. Fuel and stores can be purchased at Parnngurr, westward along the Talawana Track; it’s a 208km round trip.

Georgia Bore.

Georgia Bore, although not a CSR well, offers good water via a hand pump. It has excellent camping and a toilet.

Wells 22 (Martilirri) and 21 (Jilkupuka) have collapsed, and are in a dangerous condition, with both having edges that could easily breakaway. South of Well 21, you approach Lake Disappointment; beware when travelling across salt and claypan areas when wet, bogging often results.

Well 20 (Karanyal), although collapsed, is a worthwhile 20km return trip through a superb desert oak forest. Halfway to the well is a patch of enormous termite mounds.

South of Well 26.

The track then skirts Lake Disappointment to the Savory Creek crossing. On most occasions the water is less than wheel height making the Savory Creek crossing relatively easy. It’s your responsibility to ensure its safe to cross, walk across to determine how solid the bottom is and where you should place your wheels. Well 19 (Kunangurtiti), is on the edge of a salt lake area and has collapsed. Well 18 (Wanykuju), refurbished by TCWA has good water. It also offers excellent camping.

A return trip of some 40 km to the Diebil Hills from the CSR track is worthwhile, there are a number of steep sided gorges to explore and the views from the top to Lake Disappointment and Durba Hills are superb.

Approaching Durba Spring (Jurrpa) the track becomes rocky with numerous creek lines. Durba Gorge is an oasis with towering red sandstone walls, tall eucalypts and a large waterhole which is rarely dry. It has fabulous camping and offers relief from ongoing dune crossings and corrugations. Many stay two nights; resting up, doing chores and repairs. For Aboriginal art, springs and fabulous views

leave the gorge and follow the walls of the plateau southward.

There is no access to Well 17 (Jilukurru); it’s an Aboriginal cultural site of high significance and it’s locked off by a gate. A climb up the Durba plateau to Canning’s Cairn rewards with excellent views westward to the Diebil Hills. A walk up the Biella Spring creek line is a must; it has many pools and the northern walls have Aboriginal art.

Well 16 (Lawulawa), is some 2m deep and occasionally holds water of dubious quality. Twenty kilometres south of Well 16 is Murray Rankin’s trolley; abandoned by him in 1972 during his first attempt to walk the CSR.

Crossing Savory Creek. Courtesy Graham and Denise Sweetman.

Rankin's trolley between Well 15 and 16. Courtesy Graham and Denise Sweetman.

Well 15 (Manjanka) has been refurbished by TCWA, they also installed a toilet. Joe Wilkins was killed 15 miles east of the well around September 1936. It was alleged that Wilkins had interfered with Aboriginal women and was murdered in retaliation.

The track to Well 14 (Jintjimal) has a number of rocky and corrugated sections. Both Wells 14 and 13 have collapsed.

Well 12, refurbished by TCWA, also has a toilet. There is excellent camping among nearby desert oaks.

Well 11 (Panju/Gandarri) has also collapsed, with only posts and some troughing remaining. Well 10 was known as the Lucky Well because it signified the end of sand dunes and the start of pastoral country. Well 10 is some 20m deep and holds water. Well 9 (Palatji) has been refurbished by GlenAyle Station for pastoral use. It’s best

to keep away from the well; the area is still in use for cattle. The remains of Forrest’s Fort, built to fend off Aboriginal attacks in 1874, is near the track. It is possible to leave the CSR at Well 9 and head to Wiluna via GlenAyle Station, access fees are payable.

The track to Well 8 (Kunpa) takes you through hilly country with stony rises, then mulga and spinifex flats. Although very deep both Wells 8 and 7 (Ngunpa) are dry.

Well 7. Courtesy Graham and Denise Sweetman.

Forrest's Fort at Well 9. Courtesy Graham and Denise Sweetman.

Stay away from the edges; there is a danger of collapse.

Six kilometres before Well 6 (Milyinirri), are the Ingebong Hills. A climb to the top gives excellent views and a careful look around will reveal petroglyphs, mainly boomerang shapes. These are heavily weathered and very old. Ochre art can be found on the rock walls near the parking area.

Well 6 is located in a grove of gum trees. The well is refurbished, offers camping and a TCWA toilet.

Well 5, also refurbished, has good camping among mulga trees. It is possible to leave the CSR at Well 5 and head to Wiluna via Granite Peak Station, access fees are payable. Windich Spring offers excellent camping and has a TCWA toilet. A walk around the waterhole, among the gum trees is a must.

Wells 4b, 4a and 3a aren’t original Canning wells; these wells were built by William Snell in 1929. Both Wells 4b and 4a are usually dry, and Well 3a, on the last visit, was blocked off by corrugated iron sheets and posts.

Access to Well 4 (Kuta Pirla), on Cunyu Station, is not permitted.

Well 3 (Wakunpu) is refurbished but provides poor water; it often has an odour. There is a camping area here and a TCWA toilet.

Well 2a (The Granites), is a tank blasted out of rock, and it’s filled in with debris. Wells 2 (Kalkalong) and 1 have had tanks and windmills installed little remains of Canning’s original wells. The trip down the CSR concludes at Wiluna. A trip on the CSR can be the adventure of a lifetime. By planning well, preparing your vehicle and equipment thoroughly, and by keeping your speed and tyre pressures down to 20 psi you’ll have a great trip.

Photo by LensNation.

RANGER gone Wild

By Chris Morton

We went looking for a multi-purpose vehicle that would be just as comfortable driving around town as it would be travelling along a dirt road beyond the black stump. Something that would get us on location and home again with ease. Here is the story of our camera truck build.

LastNovember, just after the Perth 4WD and Adventure Show, we were asked to escort Michael Ellem on a photo and video shoot around Kalgoorlie. We took him to a cousin’s 500,000 acre cattle station just south of the town and wooed him with some amazing locations. It was on this trip after observing how well he worked out of the back of his 79 series that we decided that we needed to invest in a dedicated 'camera truck' to support the growth of the magazine.

We set out some basic criteria to assist with the selection process.

• The vehicle needed to be a dual cab.

• It must be comfortable to drive without major modifications.

• It must have adaptive or radar cruise control.

As you can see, our requirements were quite simple and allowed us to consider a wide range of options. The requirement for radar cruise was a direct result of my car accident and loss of ankle motion which made it non-negotiable. This of course immediately discounted the 79 series and the current model Isuzu D-MAX. Ultimately it came down to two vehicles, the 2.8 litre Toyota HiLux or the 3.2 litre Ford Ranger. Both vehicles had their pros and cons but ultimately it was the combination of the larger engine and more comfortable interior that resulted in us choosing the Ranger.

Being supporters of Western 4W Driver, Dealer Principal, Derek and his team at NuFord Wangara were great to deal with and made the purchase process extremely easy.

For the build we chose to partner with ARB to supply and fit the bulk of the accessories.

• ARB Summit Bull Bar with side steps and rails

• Replaced the standard suspension with Old Man Emu BP51s and 600kg rear springs. This also included a 2” lift and a GVM upgraded to 3500kg.

• Upgraded to a 140 litre ARB Frontier Long Range Fuel Tank

• Installed ARB Under Vehicle Protection and an ARB front recovery point

• Complemented the standard rear E-Locker with an ARB front air locker

• City Discount Tyres in Joondalup replaced the standard tyres with Falken Wildpeak AT3s and increased the size from the standard 265/60R18 to a 285/60R18

• Safari ARMAX Snorkel

• Bushranger 4x4 9” Night Hawk VLI driving lights

• Bushranger 4x4 REVO 10,000 lbs winch with 10mm synthetic rope

• Complemented the factory fitted rear E-Locker with an ARB airlocker up front

• Directions Plus catch can and secondary fuel filter from Diesel Distributors.

The guys from ARB hard at work fitting the bullbar.

Wanting to ensure that the Ranger would provide us with a multi-use platform we opted to have the tub replaced with a steel, drop side tray and removeable ¾ aluminium canopy. This would ensure that it could be used as a traditional ute as well as providing an easy-to-work-from setup when conducting photo and video shoots, regardless of location. There is a wide range of companies that can fabricate these for you and after meeting Luke and Nerissa from On Track Fabrication we decided that we had found 'our people'.

On Track Fabrication’s specialty is cutting 200 series LandCruisers and it is something that they are exceptionally good at. The husband and wife team cut their teeth on custom trays, canopies and bar work in the early days and have built up a reputation for providing exceptionally well-built and finished vehicles.

Mapping out our requirements for the Ranger, we were able to call upon Luke’s industry knowledge and experience to ensure that we ended up with a first-class result. Initially my preference was to use an aluminium tray however I was quickly dissuaded when it was explained that the thickness of the aluminium required for the tray would result in a similar overall weight. The added benefit of using a steel tray meant that in the unlikely event there was ever an issue when travelling remote it is far easier to weld steel than aluminium.

Fitting the canopy to the tray.

Fitting out the inside of the canopy.

The naked tray.

Attaching the drop sides to the tray.

We also opted for an 85-litre water tank under the tray and underside toolboxes on each side. The passenger side toolbox was made smaller while still retaining the same size door which facilitated the placement of both the fuel and water fillers, allowing them to remain secured.

The canopy posed several challenges when thinking about the internal fit out and ensuring that we made use of the space we had. Opting for a ¾ length meant that we would be able to have dual spares mounted to the rear, still supported by the tray. This meant that there was not going to be an extra 60kg-plus hanging over the rear of the vehicle and stressing the chassis.

The passenger side toolbox contains an ARB twin air compressor, with an optional air tank being fitted underneath the tray. The compressor supplies air to the air locker when required as well as enabling us to quickly pump up tyres.

The canopy was split in two with the driver’s side being designated as 'mission specific' cargo and the passenger side being dedicated to living out of. I’ll discuss the passenger side first.

Unlike a 79 or 200 series build where you have a high roof, the Ranger meant that the roof profile was going to be quite low. When first looking at fridge selections the choice was going to be a 69-litre chest style mounted to a drop slide. This combination weighed more than 70kg (empty) and

consumed most of the canopy's useable space. An Engel 57-litre upright fridge proved to be our saviour. Weighing less than 20kg (empty) and fitting perfectly into the vertical space available, the fridge still allows plenty of cargo space around it. A set of fixed shelves provides ample storage for cooking equipment, food and other necessities for working in the field. When designing the shelf placement, we were also mindful of ensuring that our Travel Buddy oven could be easily mounted within.

The driver’s side consists of two large storage pockets (over 900mm deep and at least 450mm wide), a battery storage compartment all sitting beneath a fulllength storage area (900mm deep by 1450mm long). The battery compartment is fitted with a dual battery slide which allows for easy access to both batteries if required.

The Wildtrak's enhanced side profile.

Photo by Belinda Bonomelli Photography.

Fitting the snorkel at ARB Mandurah.

Battery slide provides easy access to batteries.

The canopy's electrical system has been designed to provide ample power when working remotely, allowing us to keep cameras, drones and laptops operating for extended periods. Simon and his team from Midland 4WD Centre have been instrumental in turning our basic vision of how we can work out of the canopy and turning it into reality with a well-designed and executed 12 volt electrical system. We opted for:

• Two 100Ah Revolution Power lithium Orange Top batteries. These batteries have a 1C rating meaning that they can charge and discharge at a rate of 100Ah for 1 hour. This is extremely important when coupling them to high draw equipment that has a high discharge rate.

• REDARC Battery Management System

30. This unit takes power from multiple sources, in this case car alternator, solar inputs and mains power to provide a controlled charging system to the lithium batteries.

• REDARC RedVision. This is an amazing piece of equipment. It functions as the brains behind the charging system, replacing the need for individual switches and fuse blocks. Its touchscreen controller and integrated mobile phone app allows us to control the entire canopy's electrical system from anywhere. The RedVision also reports back on battery and system health as well as receiving data from water tank sensors, providing you a complete

picture of your auxiliary systems in the palm of your hand.

• REDARC 2000W inverter. Although most cameras and drones come with 12-volt charging options they can also be substantially slower than their 240-volt counterparts. Ensuring that we can deliver enough power to multiple devices at once was critical for our needs.

• REDARC 150W fixed solar blanket and 115W solar blanket. The fixed panel ensures that we always have power going back into the batteries and the blanket provides us with extra capacity when stopped for an extended period.

On the 'kitchen' side of the Ranger, we opted for several 12v sockets as well as USB outlets. We also installed two Anderson plugs to provide additional capacity if required. On the driver’s side we chose to install a single Anderson plug on one of the RedVision’s 30A circuits. This allows us to utilise custom power boxes that we constructed for a previous project, positioning the power outlets where they are required when the vehicle is loaded.

The almost-finished kitchen side of the canopy.

Good lighting was achieved with the installation of two Bushranger 4x4 5.5” light bars to the rear of the canopy, connected via their VLI dimmer switch. Inside the canopy we installed a 900mm LED strip light into each gull wing door and one inside the main cargo area. A smaller LED strip was used in the kitchen section. All are individually switched with the option of selecting an orange light so as not to attract bugs. They are all on the same circuit, allowing for all the lights to be switched off via our mobile phone.

The Ranger's first taste of mud. Photo by LensNation.

But how much does the vehicle weigh I can hear you asking? With 140-litres of diesel and 85-litres of water, steel tray and aluminium canopy fitted (including the electrical system) we still have over 600kg of payload available.

Our Ford Ranger Wildtrak will be on display at the Perth 4WD and Adventure Show from 5 - 8 November.

Special thanks need to be given to NU Ford Wangara for getting us into the Wildtrak, the ARB stores at Wangara, Canning Vale and Mandurah for their assistance in fitting us into their extremely busy schedules, Luke and Nerissa from On Track Fabrications for designing and building the tray and canopy and Simon and Matt from Midland 4WD Centre for the long hours working on the canopy electrical systems and making sure it was just right.

Stay tuned for the next edition of Western 4W Driver where we go into detail on the other goodies that we have installed into the Ranger and how she performs as our new camera truck.

From Pearling Port Iron Minesto

By Ron & Viv Moon

From the rich sea to the iron and gold rich mountains of the northern Pilbara, Ron and Viv Moon take us on a trip you'll just love to emulate.

camp in Shay Gap.

For the last 15km to the coast and the once vibrant port of Condon, the track across the billiard table-like flat plain follows the route of the original telegraph line with the occasional old pole complete with insulator still standing and running in a direct line towards our destination.

We had been on our way back from the Kimberley heading to Marble Bar and after a grid took out the sidewall of one of our tyres on our camper as we turned onto the Pardoo Station access road, we changed plans (along with the tyre), and stopped at the very popular 'Grey Nomad' rest area of the De Grey River.

While it's a pretty popular camp it's a bit more restricted than it used to be with fencing and rock barriers recently having been installed to stop people (and stock) accessing the riverbank because of the threat of invading Noogoora burr. That noxious weed has already closed off long

lengths of river frontage along the mighty Fitzroy just a few hundred kilometres north and they are trying to stop the same happening here. It's a big ask and many local volunteers, the property owner, as well as the Department of Agriculture are actively trying to stop the invasion, so give them a hand and don't enter the fenced off area and don't transport any seeds you get stuck with - you'll know the spiky buggers if and when you find them!

Sandy beach track near Condon Port.

Pardoo Station entry road.

We had a quick trip into Port Hedland to buy some new rubber and then thought, as you do when adversity comes along, why not as we're here, head out to the coast to check out the historic port of Condon. Our travels to Condon had really started back in 1991 when we were following the footsteps of the 1879 Alexander Forrest expedition. His expedition, like ours, started at Condon, but we didn't have time to explore the surrounding area then, so I knew we'd be back. When we had returned some years ago, unseasonal rain meant the De Grey station owners stopped access to the coast as the route crosses flat country that is easily flooded and the tracks damaged by vehicles ploughing through the mud. Then a few years back the property closed entry completely to the whole place because of the damage being done and rubbish being left behind. It took a couple of years of lobbying by the local shire before the property decided they'd re-open access for courteous locals and other clean thinking travellers. And on this latest trip, while we had no luck on the phone ringing the homestead we thought we'd try our luck and just rock up to the property headquarters.

The De Grey station, founded back in 1862, is over 12,000km² in size or around three million acres in the old scale. Today it runs cattle and just by driving up to the

homestead and its scattering of manager's quarters, staff accommodation, wellconstructed work sheds, solar panel arrays, trucking yards and machinery of all sorts from graders and front-end loaders to road trains, down to lowly LandCruisers, you know this is a well-run and rich property. Still, we hardly saw a cow!

After meeting with and receiving directions from one of the managers we headed off on what are pretty easy tracks, when they are dry, across the vast grass covered plains.

You pass the remains of the old telegraph office, which helped link a distant Derby with Perth, a few kilometres short of the actual port of Condon. A forlorn solitary telegraph pole today overlooks the site along with a tall date palm and a large flowering scraggly oleander tree.

Condon was at one time an important shipping outlet on this far north-west coast of WA, which few people have heard about and even less have visited. Gazetted as 'Shellborough', but rarely known as such, Condon was the first port established along this long deserted section of coast. Situated just north of the De Grey River mouth the area was surveyed in 1872, while the surrounding De Grey pastoral station, then running sheep, had begun 10 years earlier and just a year after Frank T Gregory had explored the area and reported the wide expanse of rich grasslands.

Track and inlet at Condon.

Initially the tiny hamlet provided a shipping point for wool direct to faraway London, but with the discovery of gold at Marble Bar and Nullagine in the 1880s it grew in importance. As well, pealing luggers used the shallow harbour with up to 80 boats anchoring here - it's hard to believe that these days when you are flat out seeing anyone else and the only boat within cooee would be a fisherman's tinnie.

By the 1890s the town had a couple of hotels, a stone jetty, a customs shed, a number of stores, blacksmith shop, a telegraph station along with a woolshed and stock yards, and a population of about 200. Due to the huge tides, the larger ships would sit on the mud as far out as a kilometre from the shore for loading and unloading while only the smaller ships and luggers could tie up to the stone wharf.

Today the old rock wharf has collapsed (it once stood at least two metres high) and is just a line of flat stones jutting out from the sandy southern shore along the edge of which boats would tie up. The sole timber

Little remains of the stores and buildings at Condon today.

The remains of Condon's rock jetty where luggers once tied up.

pylon or strainer post that stood here back 25 years ago when I first visited the site has disappeared, while the only reminder of the custom shed and other buildings is an occasional stump amongst the tall grass nearby.

A cluster of tamarisk trees just up from the jetty is really the only obvious marker in the whole area and makes probably the best camp for those who want to stay here. However, while we were wandering around there was another camp on the northern shore of the inlet in a fairly exposed spot with good boat access to the inlet - keen fisherman, I'm guessing.

Back at the old telegraph station and from the top of the nearby dune to the east and south, flat grassy plains near devoid of anything taller than half a metre, stretched away to the horizon while to the north a salty flat bordered an inlet of light blue-green water where short narrow strips of mangroves gathered to find a foothold on this remote coast. To the west a series of dunes parallel to the one I was standing on marched their way towards the ocean, which was just a few hundred metres away but was wild and wind-capped by the blustery conditions we were experiencing right at that moment. Almost at my feet, near smothered in the grass, was what we had come to find - an old cemetery, if you can call three or four markers a cemetery, from the long ago abandoned pearling port. All told, there are 11 souls buried here but there's only one headstone and a few rusty steel enclosures to now mark the hallowed ground.

With that success behind us we went in search of other treasures and for those who wander the wider area you'll find the occasional rubbish dump, strewn with broken bottles and pottery shards. But for most people it's the isolation, the beach combing (the shell collecting is pretty darn good), the mud crabbing and the fishing which are the main attractions.

Remember though, there is absolutely no facilities out at Condon and no firewood even for the most diehard of scavengers, so you gotta bring your own. You can launch a small tinnie off the beach in the inlet a few hundred metres upstream from where the old jetty can be seen, but anywhere else

be super cautious with the soft sand and the tides. Also, stay away from driving over the dunes around Condon - it only leads to erosion.

From near here, if you know what you are doing, you can head north swinging inland to cross the upper reaches of the inlet and head north to a couple of smaller inlets, the biggest of which is Titchella Creek. Access to here is also possible from Pardoo Homestead, which now offers travellers good camping, accommodation and even a cold beer with well-established facilities. After our Condon experience we headed inland heading to Shay Gap by following the now disused railway line that heads from its crossing of the De Grey River near the overnight camping area. Shay Gap is a deserted, basically non-existent town that closed down in the early 1990s.

Condon cemetery.

Moonie scavenging for old bottles.

It was named after the nearby break in the ranges of the same name which in turn was named after Robert Shea. He was the part owner of the pearling lugger 'Seaspray' and would have almost definitely used Condon as his port for his enterprises back in the 1870s. He had headed inland looking to find some of his indentured labourers, who had absconded and hightailed it inland and he was probably killed by them or their compatriots. No wonder really, Robert Shea and his like weren't particularly nice people, abducting many people and forcing them to dive for pearl shell. Anyway, the gap in the hills was named after him, or so the story goes.

It's a good dirt road along the railway line and our journey was only interrupted by the flowering cassia bushes which formed a blanket of yellow and a derailed train that had dumped iron ore and carriages beside the track. As we closed in on the range that

The road and railway line to Shay Gap.

acts as a barrier to the shifting sands of the Great Sandy Desert we could see the piles of overburden and the remains of the mining operations that had been carried out here between 1972 and 1993. We left the railway and dodged north around the numerous mine sites to meet up with a bitumen road which took us south towards the dismantled town; the only building still standing is the one at the airport which still gets used by exploration and mining survey crews by all accounts.

The De Grey River crossing near Muccano Pool.

That evening we camped in Shay Gap itself, off the dirt road, surrounded by rich red bluffs, buttes and pinnacles of rock and tucked in beside Coonieena Creek that was dotted with the occasional drying pools of life-giving water.

Next day saw us heading south, crossing the De Grey River near Muccano Pool, near where ol' Robert Shea was reputedly killed and then the Talga River before we hit the bitumen. Here we turned west for a short distance before finding our way into Doolena Gap where the Coongan River cuts through the range before joining with the De Grey. It's a top spot to camp.

For the next couple of days we explored in and around Marble Bar, one of the most famous towns in Australia for nothing less than suffering the longest consecutive time - 161 days - when the temperature never dropped below 37.8°C (or 100°F in the old scale). That was back in 1924 and the

record still stands and with the temperature this last summer reaching consistently into the high 40s and mid-50s, the record would seem to be pretty safe.

The town got its name from a rock bar across the nearby Coongan River and while the bar isn't marble it still cuts a pretty sight especially when the rock is splashed with water. Attractive and much more hospitable than most first time visitors would guess, we like and enjoy the small town, its setting amongst the rugged rocky hills making it much more than just a desert hamlet.

Rich colours flash when the bar is wet.

The hottest town in Oz.

Gold had been discovered here back in the 1890's and some bloody big nuggets of the yellow stuff have been found including the 'Bobby Dazzler' at 413 ounces (or 11.7 kg!), the 333oz 'Little Hero' and the 332oz 'General Gordon'. If they didn't get your heart racing nothing would! Metal detectors are near de rigueur for travellers to this part of the Pilbara and such fields as Sharks Gully, North Pole, TalgaTalga and 20-ounce Gully are just a few of many that can produce nuggets today. If you're a history buff then Ernest Giles', Glen Herring Gorge, south of the town, is worth an explore and isn't a bad spot to camp. Further away, about 50km south of the town, is the remains and airstrips of the WW2 Corunna Airfield, the secret 'hidden' base, where American and Australian bombers flew from to bomb Japanese forces in far away, what is now, Indonesia.

With our time in the Pilbara coming to an end we took one last look at the ol' town and headed east to stop briefly at the Meentheena Veterans Retreat, which is, I gotta say, a real pleasant surprise. They not only cater for veterans and emergency workers, but the place is open to everyone and is well worth a few days exploring.

Meentheena, once a pastoral property straddling the upper reaches of the Talga and Nullagine Rivers, about 80km east of Marble Bar, is now a conservation park which the Veterans Retreat of WA now operate camping, accommodation and control access, all in a low key manner. Bush campsites along shaded stretches of water of the Nullagine River have been established while rough bush tracks lead to points of interest. For those who can't bear to tear themselves away from our modern world the actual retreat's HQ has powered camping and van sites, a camp kitchen, hot showers as well as internet access. With our time up we vowed we'd be coming back and take a journey from the sea to the mountains once more. You'll do the same.

Our minimalist 4WD fit-out is LESs, MorE?

By Amanda Burton Images by www.red-dirt.net.au

As much as we should strive to do something with our lives that leaves a mark, a commemorative bay at the mechanics in recognition of our too regular attendance and significant financial contributions to his bank account wasn’t quite what I had in mind.

So we took the plunge and cut our losses, parting ways with our beloved (if injury-prone) old LandCruiser and instead putting the money we were endlessly spending on repairs towards a new vehicle. Well, not a new-new vehicle (the bank manager wasn’t in that good a mood) but she’s new to us.

So let me introduce our new 4WD, a 2013 VX 200 series LandCruiser (and yes we learnt our lesson – this time she’s a diesel!)

Sheshows all the signs of having lived a very sheltered, bitumen-based life up to now. Shiny silver paint with not a scratch to be seen, no red dust in sneaky places. The only modification, a ball hitch for a garden trailer.

When you acquire a new 4WD the first question on everyone’s lips is, “So what mods are you planning?” Rather than riding the wave of excitement of now having a blank canvas to work on, we stopped and took a deep breath and tried to really think logically about what we actually needed accessory-wise.

Our old Cruiser, over time, had acquired pretty much all the 'proper 4WD' accessories. Roo bar, spotties, winch, suspension lift, roof rack, rear bar dual carrier, rear drawers, fridge/slide, long range tank, second battery, snorkel etc. etc.

In the end, being so heavy had contributed to a lot of the old Cruiser's health issues. We took a step back and had a real think about what accessories had actually been useful versus what a 'proper' 4WD 'should' have so it looks the goods. It made for interesting discussions and has led us to trying a new 'minimalist' approach. If we’re not sure we need it, let's see how we manage without it (and we can always add it on later if we find we need to).

Now I know through experience that people are very, very passionate in their beliefs about 'essential' mods to a 4WD, so let me say up front that this is our personal experiment, and is based on our experiences and travel style. I may be back in 12 months telling you we’ve come full circle and she’s kitted up again with every accessory known to man. But for now I’ll

share our plans and maybe it’ll prompt some thought. So, let’s get started (and may the debate begin!)

Most obvious is the lack of roo bar. We’ve hit our share of roos, but never once on the roo bar. Aerials we’ve had attached to the roo bar have shaken to bits (we find they fare much better attached to the roof rack). The new hi-beam is pretty good (and we try not to travel at night anyway) so no need to have something to attach spotties to. We had a winch – used it a grand total of once to get ourselves out and lots of times to help other people with no recovery gear of their own. The plan moving forward is to have the Maxtrax for recoveries - works for us and less strain on our vehicle to help others out. The approach angle looks shocking, but so far we haven’t ripped the bumper off (and if/when we do, we can put the insurance money towards maybe a sharp-angled small competition-type bar to solve that problem).

An extension to the diff breathers was a no brainer (not patient enough to let things cool completely before doing a water crossing to go without that simple, inexpensive mod). On the subject of water crossings, a snorkel was the thing we debated longest and hardest about. Not actually so much in respect to water crossings (if the water is that deep I’m happy to turn around and find

Approach angle still intact.

another way, if it’s touch-and-go we have the MSA car-bra for a bit of added insurance) but the combination of a well-sealed airbox (the plastic LandCruiser ones are known to warp and leak in hot weather) and where your air is drawn from (what genius decided that the wheel arch would be a nice, dust free place to suck air from?) But having a snorkel installed is pretty major surgery, they create a lot of wind drag and some are very, very noisy. Moonlight’s stainless steel airbox and snorkel were hard to resist, if only because they are an absolute droolworthy work of art, but at this stage we are still contemplating.

Under the bonnet we installed a secondary fuel filter (we may still have a touch of post-traumatic stress about fuel filters), an intercooler and radiator protector screen and an engine breather catch can. Though a little controversial, we changed out the dual batteries to one starter battery and the other an Orbital deep cycle for the fridge

That is deep enough.

Catch can. Fuel filter.

(and so far she’s starting fine off the one battery). Really, really heavy-duty, well overspec wiring was run through for towing (Anderson plug, electric brakes, trailer plug and reversing camera) and the fridge. The problem of power loss from using cheap, too-thin cabling was a lesson we had already learnt the hard way.

On top we opted for a low-profile, lightweight aluminium RhinoRack Platform roof rack. True, you can’t reach under it easily to polish the roof, but I’m not that tall so out of sight, out of mind works well for me there. This gave us somewhere to attach the UHF aerial, Maxtrax, shovel holders/shovel and the sun awning. When we need some extra storage, a Spacecase or two might make an appearance. On those rare occasions where we need to carry more fuel, we can strap some jerry cans up there. This is not ideal weight distribution-wise, but the cost/benefit analysis of this vs the logistics of fitting a long range tank (moving spare wheel from under the vehicle, install rear rack to carry spare, permanent increase in weight and stress on vehicle, beef up suspension, have to open dirty swing arms every time you need something out of the back) it came

Old vs newfront and rear views.

out pretty strongly, especially given the LC200’s range and the number of times that fuel options have been outside of this. In the back, rather than going for the previous permanent drawer system, we’re trying out a more versatile model. The third row of seats was removed and a carpet covered marine-ply board fitted to level off the floor. On to this is bolted a Dunn & Watson fridge slide and cage barrier to house a 60L National Luna fridge/freezer. Drawer-wise we’re trialling plastic Oates Stacker Drawers from Bunnings. They are light-weight, lock together, don’t slide open by themselves and are held in place with a strap to tie-down points on the false floor. At around $30 each they’re substantially cheaper than a 'proper' drawer system and so far have worked fabulously, even if they don’t look quite as sexy. At the end of a trip you can easily remove any parts you don’t need for day-to-day around town and you then have plenty of room in the back for boring things like the weekly shopping.

When we hitched Lucy the glamper-camper up for the first time, there was a bit of sag in the back end. This was easily rectified by fitting some Polyair ultimate 60psi heavy duty airbags to the rear coils. Inflate when you need them, let the air out when you don’t, so the day-to-day ride isn’t affected. At this stage we are going to see just how good Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) is and not rush into any suspension upgrades.

The new LandCruiser came with 18-inch tyres, which don’t match Lucy’s 17-inch tyres (which were matched to the old LandCruiser when we had her built). This interchangeability between vehicle and trailer wheels/tyres provides a significant safety margin when travelling. Problem solved by having two sets of boots for the new LandCruiser – 17 inch 'bush wheels' fitted with Toyo Open Country A/Ts for travelling which can be swapped for the 18 inch 'city wheels' fitted with (cheaper!) standard road tyres for the boring stuff around town. Yes, it is another job you have to do each trip (changing over the wheels) but with a hydraulic trolley jack and some practice it’s not a huge effort (well, so says someone who just watches and delivers the coffee anyway!)

Inside the cabin we forked out for some Supafit denim seat covers and Bushranger floor mats which have helped protect from the mess and dirt that is an inescapable part of bush travel. They can be easily removed to enjoy the 'refined comfort' of the underlying leather and carpet around town. A few extra USB ports to charge and power the multitude of electronic devices that seem to accompany us, the iPad with Memory Maps being an essential which has kept us on the right track more times than I can remember (especially given my

dyslexic navigation skills). A UHF radio and tyre pressure monitoring system (which is on its way out and investigation is ongoing as to the best replacement) round out the mods.

With this minimalist approach to accessories, we are lighter than we’ve ever been so a GVM upgrade hasn’t become an essential item. Being lighter should also improve fuel economy and reduce maintenance loads.

Does the impact of carrying the weight of all these 'must have' 4WD accessories enter the typical decision-making process?

It certainly should. Less weight = less wear and tear.

Ultimately, you just need to have a good hard think about what you want from your 4WD. Why spend thousands of dollars on huge lifts, enormous tyres and modified suspension when all you really want is a reliable 4WD to explore Australia with? Don’t add accessories just because everyone else has them. You can get out and tour this amazing country of ours without needing to have a vehicle equipped to tackle the hardest possible line (life lesson - there’s no shame in taking the chicken track if it gets you were you want to go).

Does our rather bare new LandCruiser look like an absolute off-road beast? Probably not. Does she get us where we want to go? Yep - so far so good. Don’t get too caught up in what others do to their 4WDs, or what they think of yours. If it suits your needs, it’s the perfect 4WD for you.

Rear fit-out for travelling.

Two way has now become your way, with the new XRS™ Connect Location Services App from GME. The ability to send, receive and display locations and status, tracking of multiple users and storing of detailed mapping in areas with no cellular coverage is now a reality. Combining the power of XRS™ with the GPS engine and display of a smartphone or tablet, XRS™ Connect Location Services creates a whole new world of possibilities for UHF CB radio communication.

The XRS™ Connect Outback Pack pairs the popular XRS-330C Super Compact UHF CB Radio, with the new medium duty AE4707B radome antenna, the perfect solution for those users looking for the ultimate communications setup for the rugged Australian outback.

Melangata Station

By Jo Clews

Herewe are half way through our fifth year at Melangata Station and just where have those years gone? So many things have happened since we came here in 2016, most of which has been good with just the odd hint of sadness. Our original plan to establish a station stay and tourist destination has become a reality with the construction in the first year of a couple of toilets and showers on the side of the shearing shed that is now part of the campground.

All but a couple of areas in the homestead have been renovated to a suitable standard and we have built new clean modern bathrooms to have paying guests stay in the homestead.

As Ken keeps telling me, the homestead took 100 years to be in the state of disrepair it was in when we came that we won’t be able to fix it all up in just two or three. (My comment is always, “Why not?”)

We are working on the shearers' quarters to offer yet more accommodation to travellers with a different budget, but the two rooms we have on offer are being regularly rented and the old shearers' bathroom

has undergone a transformation and has been dragged into the 21st century with new toilets and showers for our guests' convenience.

Our catch cry is everything is a work in progress and it seems we have plenty of work to keep us busy for some time yet.

Our other plan was to improve fences and increase the numbers of sheep we have, but with the ever-present wild dog problem, coupled with the fact that 2016 was the last good year this region has had for rainfall, now means that after a few poor years there is insufficient feed to sustain the few sheep we do have. These last few months have been seeing us re-evaluating and we just might be at the point of making the decision, if in fact, it will ever be worth the effort to maintain enough of a flock of sheep to be viable.

To say that this part of the plan has not gone as well as we would have liked is an understatement, but thanks to COVID we are having a fantastic tourist season this year and are busier than we ever expected, so swings and roundabouts really.

Since being here and living in a Monsignor Hawes-designed building, the only privately-owned residence in Australia, I have picked up on some of the interesting and quirky things that hide amongst the walls. Design features that is, and not just the birds, snakes, lizards and marsupials that literally live in the walls. Our walls really do have ears.

Things come in sevens around the homestead. Seven arches, seven windows in the turret, seven windows in the lounge, you will need to visit to see them all. The house, because of its positioning, is like a massive sundial and the special window in the lounge is so well thought out that the more I learn about the man, I believe only he could come up with such a genius plan.

I suspect there will be more little secrets that I haven’t found yet but because of what I do know, every day I am taking just a little bit more notice (perhaps that’s what he wants).

It became apparent from very early on that if Ken and I were to have any chance of success at the things we wanted to achieve here we would need help, and so we

asked and the response has been simply incredible. So many eager people have put their hands up to come and volunteer with clean-ups, fence building, campground hosting, pottering around the homestead removing cobwebs and weeds, painting outbuildings and generally assisting us doing things that would not have been done if it were just the two of us.

Barry Callan has taken us on as his special project and he has started the Friends of Melangata mail-out list and twice a year in April and September he rallies a group together to come up and tackle some of the jobs we need done.

A joy for me has been the landscape and although we have come to the conclusion that Melangata is all the rubbish country rejected by past pastoralists because it was too rough and rocky, for us is just perfect and makes for a very interesting tag-along tour for our guests.

My passion is the plants and especially the edible plants that survive in this region. When you get to know what plants you can eat, there is actually a lot of food to be had. There is absolutely nothing

better than living in an environment for a long period of time to get a better understanding of how it has been possible for a human population to survive for many thousands of years.

Exploring the many caves amongst the breakaways has become a favourite pastime and we are continually amazed at what we find, but fortunately (or unfortunately) we have become far too busy to even enjoy our own back yard and this hasn’t occurred for a while. Hopefully this is going to change come October when our steady stream of guests will dwindle as the days begin to heat up and no one wants to visit us when it is 42ºC in the shade. It's a shame as the period between December and February is the only time of the year when the front of the house is illuminated by the golden late afternoon setting sun.

Bimba, an edible gum from the Acacia tree.

the Acacia tree) and learn more about the bush and the plants and animals in it and just spend some time with people that have such a deep connection to the country that I can only hope one day I will feel too. We are learning and finding new things every day and nothing is ever the same. There are no groundhog days here and even though it can be bloody tough and some days are just almost too hard to bear, on the whole it is quite simply healed by a glorious sunset, a cuppa on a rock looking out to the edge of the world or a chance discovery of something new that just blows our minds all over again.

We have been blessed with so many wonderful, knowledgeable people coming to visit and thanks to Bevan Burchell who co-wrote The Field Guide to The Eremophilas of Western Australia we now have an official Eremophila count standing at 24 and many avid bird watchers have increased our bird count to 46.

Geologists and an archaeologist have visited and helped give us a better understanding of how the land formations developed and how to look at the landscape differently to see things that we had missed.

We have been privileged to be invited along with some of our local Yamaji Wajarri people to collect Bimba (an edible gum from

It's what I have now started calling Melangata Magic and one day it just might see us no longer having to say, “It’s a work in progress,” but I kinda doubt that.

By Chris Morton Photos by Christine Arnasiewicz

As a nation we love to explore and we are extremely fortunate to have such amazing landscapes and opportunities in our own backyard.

My 4WD My Story is a new series that seeks out everyday 4WDs and their owners to discover what makes their fourby the 'ultimate adventure vehicle' and the places they have been. We will be running this series in both Western and Australian 4W Driver magazines, with videos featuring on the Australian 4WD Driver YouTube channel.

Jim

him and

that

his

Everest.

family it is the

be

Despite the impressive list of modifications, the Everest is still incredibly nimble on-road, where it spends most of its time pulling duty for school drop offs or ferrying the kids to soccer practice. The high level of technology appeals to the part time DJ with an impressive infotainment system and electronic driver aids making every journey enjoyable.

Jim’s build is quite an extensive one, taking his stock standard Everest and transforming it into a very capable touring rig. Up front he has fitted a colour coded TJM Outback bar (complete with 8 tonne recovery points) and paired it up with an Ironman 12,000LBS Monster Winch with synthetic rope. For night driving he opted for a pair of Ultravision NitroMAXX180 spotlights to ensure he could see the distance.

Under the hood he opted for an upgraded Century Touring Battery with an iDrive Blue Tooth battery monitor installed. A Process West Separ8r catch can and a Fuel Manager preline fuel filter kit protect the Everest from oil blow-by and potentially dirty fuel and an OEM snorkel provides cooler, cleaner air for the engine to breath when travelling along dusty back roads.

He opted for a 40mm lift to the suspension, using TJM’s XGS lift kit with a 300kg front and 200kg rear springs upgrade. To protect the underbody he chose Bushskinz UVP, manufactured in 4mm steel. To ensure he had the extended range for travelling around WA he installed a Brown Davis 125 litre fuel tank with a modified neck, incorporating a fast fill breather.

Wanting to ensure a firm grip with the road some aftermarket CSA Hawk 17x9 rims were paired with a set of Mickey Thompson Baja ATZP3 tyres. RhinoRack’s Pioneer Platform with their Backbone system was selected to provide extra cargo capacity on the roof with ROLA’s recovery tracks bracket carrying the very essential recovery boards. Wanting to ensure that the vehicle is easily converted from the family’s everyday drive to a touring unit, Jim has custom designed the rear of the Everest. An Intervolt charging system has been paired with a DCS 75Ah lithium battery to run the Waeco CF50 fridge and various auxiliary lights fitted to the vehicle. A custom shelf and tub system reduced the weight in the back of the vehicle and makes for a quick set up and tear down when the trip away is complete. What we really liked was Jim’s custom compressor box that he had put together. The box mounted securely to the roof rack and was connected to the auxiliary battery. Inside was a Bushranger 4x4 Blackmax

compressor, which also contained his recovery gear. The airline could be quickly coupled to an external quick connector and the power switched on from inside the rear of the vehicle. This keeps the compressor noise outside the vehicle and reduces the potential impact on passengers. What doesn’t he like? His number one gripe is with the handbrake not lasting long in muddy conditions. This relates to containments entering the handbrake assembly and quickly wearing out the brake shoes. His other bug bear, the unintended consequence of making modifications to any vehicle having a detrimental impact upon fuel economy. This is not normally discussed in any detail and initially caught him by surprise.

Jim has taken the Everest on plenty of adventures around the state with a trip along the Holland Track and out to Cave Hill being one of his more memorable ones. He has explored Steep Point and the Shark Bay area as well as plenty of sand driving all along the coast. The Mickey Thompsons have been put through their paces both around Dwellingup and Waroona Dam.

When we asked him what his favourite destination has been to date, he replied simply with Wedge Island. Its simplicity and beauty keeps drawing him back.

We had a great time meeting Jim and having a look over his Everest out amongst the Wandoo trees. The video and photo shoot was a lot of fun and Jim was a natural on camera. Christine, who was taking photos at the time, learnt a valuable lesson concerning the distance muddy water can travel when a car drives through it.

Mud bath in 3, 2, 1 ....

Maintenance 4WD

By Ben Broeder

The vast majority of breakdowns that I see have all stemmed from simple, easily identifiable issues that have been neglected.

As we all begin emerging from travel and social restrictions, more of us as are looking to explore the vastness and wonder that is Western Australia. However, the distances and rough terrain will place significantly more wear and strain on your 4WD than the usual trip to the shops or the school run.

Operating your 4WD around town and even out on the open highways doesn’t generally put too much strain upon its various components. But driving that same vehicle, heavily loaded for your off road trip and operating on not so pristine road surfaces, will most definitely have your 4WD earning its keep.

Likewise, minor issues and worn out components on your vehicle may not be so evident when operating ‘on road’.

Minor repairs, like drilling out a snapped bolt, may seem a pain, but as they say, a stitch in time saves nine.

Many components can be within an inch of their life, then as soon as you get into some punishing terrain ... bang! Show’s over and you’re up for an expensive outback recovery.

How dO I know WHaT’s nOt

Up tO scratcH on my 4WD?

Generally speaking, all good mechanical workshops, especially those specialising in 4WD vehicles, will keep your vehicle in good order and make you aware of any components that require attention, or ones that are nearing the end of their life. I can’t understate the importance of using a mechanical workshop that you trust and that specialises in understanding 4WD vehicles.

Many of these reputable outlets will also provide ‘pre-trip inspections’ for you so you can rest assured of a professional’s opinion on the state of your vehicle.

Even when you do utilise a mechanical workshop that ticks all the boxes and that you trust, it’s still important as a 4W driver to have a basic understanding and appreciation of both the mechanical and electrical components on your vehicle. After all, on extended trips in remote areas, you probably won’t have the benefit of your local workshop in tow.

Basic visual inspection of your vehicle is important before setting out on any trip, as well as an important daily task when operating your vehicle in remote areas. As they say, a stitch in time can save nine.

wHat dO I cHeck and HOW Do I know gOoD from bad?

Whilst some of these items may vary from vehicle to vehicle, we have compiled a general guide of what to look for and how to conduct a few basic checks in your own driveway. But always remember, if in doubt, seek professional advice from suitably qualified tradespeople.

Many manufacturers have different servicing criteria based upon operating conditions and ambient temperatures. These are elements that a 4WD specialist will be well versed in.

As complex as modern vehicles are, the majority of faults or failures which may be brewing can be picked up early, with a little observation and a little know-how.

CHECK HER OIL

All jokes aside, this is often overlooked. It’s best to check the engine oil when the vehicle has been left sitting for an extended period and on level ground.

• Too low of a level may indicate a leak or that the engine is consuming oil due to poor engine condition or incorrect oil grade for the operating conditions of the engine.

• Too high of a level could indicate other issues with your vehicle, such as issues with the fuel system.

• Colour, smell and feel can also indicate issues ranging from a leaking cooling system, head gasket or fuel system issues.

Also keep in mind if your vehicle has a catch can installed, to be sure to check the oil level and drain if necessary. If you feel your catch can is filling up more than usual, consult your local 4WD mechanical workshop as this can be an indicator of bigger problems.

Catch cans come in many shapes and forms now. If you have one, keep note of how much oil it catches and be sure to drain it regularly.

Keep regular check on fluid levels, such as your engine coolant. They can alert you to a fault before it becomes a big problem.

ENGINE COOLANT

Check your coolant level and condition. You must do this when the engine is cold. Your vehicle will most likely have a marked level on the coolant reservoir indicating the suitable coolant level. Remember most newer vehicles will have a separate coolant reservoir to the actual tank on the radiator.

• Coolant doesn’t last forever. Its properties and effectiveness wear out over time. You must replace your coolant, as you would your engine oil at specified intervals. If you are unsure, coolant test strips are available, or consult your local workshop.

• Keep an eye on your coolant level regularly, if you notice your vehicle is starting to consume coolant, it’s an important warning sign that something is about to go bad soon. Potentially a head gasket issue, failing water pump or another leak developing somewhere.

Always top fluids up to the specified maximum levels. This way it’s easy to spot a leak in a system. This brake reservoir has been losing fluid, a tell-tale sign that something needs attention ASAP.

HYDRAULIC FLUIDS

Equally as important as keeping your 4WD going, is making sure that it stops.

• Like coolant, brake fluid doesn’t last forever either. Most manufacturers specify intervals which the fluid should be changed. There are also brake fluid testers, which can check the moisture content of your brake fluid to indicate if it requires changing.

• Not all brake fluids are the same! Be careful, ensure you use the correct type of fluid that is specified for your vehicle. Getting it wrong can be very costly.

• Keep an eye on fluid levels. If you need to be topping up your brake or clutch fluid, it’s an early warning sign that a seal or hose may be leaking somewhere, or potentially a failing slave or master cylinder.

Power steering fluid is equally as important to keep an eye on. Fluid in poor condition will place extra wear upon components. Likewise, seeing things like a metallic shine or metal flakes in the fluid are a sure sign your power steering pump or steering rack is on its last legs.

HOSES & BELTS

Something as simple as a leaking or split radiator hose has the potential to not only destroy your engine, but to also leave you stranded. Not only should you carry spares for these parts, but you should regularly check their condition. Sometimes it can be hard to tell good from bad on these components without the relative experience.

• Check hoses for any cracks, splits or wear marks on them. Also feel their condition to ensure they are still supple and not hard or brittle.

• Check belts have the appropriate tension applied. If your vehicle has a serpentine belt system with an automatic tensioner, visually inspect the tensioner while the engine is running and make sure it stays relatively stable, not moving about all over the place.

• Check for cracks, deformation and wear in belts. Serpentine belts can be hard to determine wear on, there are gauge blocks available to check the amount of belt wear or consult your local mechanical workshop.

• Check for leaks or slight weeping around the ends of hoses.

BATTERY & ELECTRICAL

To properly determine the condition of your vehicle's battery, alternator and starting system, this can only be done by a suitably

There’s certainly no shortage of plumbing in a modern engine bay. Be sure to regularly inspect every inch of it.

trained professional with the right equipment and the right knowhow. However, there are a few basic checks you can perform yourself to ensure things are in tip top condition.

• Most vehicles have ‘maintenance free’ batteries now - ones that do not require electrolyte levels to be topped up or checked. If yours isn’t maintenance free, ensure the battery electrolyte level is at the indicated correct level. If not, top up with distilled water.

• Check and clean the condition of your battery terminals. Many no-start issues have been attributed back to nothing more than just dirty terminals.

• Ensure all battery cabling and the battery itself are firmly secured to the vehicle and not rubbing on any parts of the vehicle.

• If your vehicle appears sluggish to start, have your battery and charging system checked immediately. Generally speaking, batteries don’t fail without warning. There will be warning signs long before your battery gives up the ghost if you pay attention to your vehicle, or have it regularly checked.

Many vehicle maintenance tasks can be performed at home, but using a professional workshop is much quicker, trouble-free and gives you peace of mind.

Check tyres not only for tread depth, but for lumps, bumps, uneven wear and any deformations.

TYRES & WHEELS

Tyres seem an obvious item to check on your 4WD, however there is quite a lot more to check than just the tread depth and tyre condition. Your tyres can give indication to other potential failures which could be on their way.

• Check tread depth - the minimum tread depth is 1.5mm. Also check the tyre for cracks or deformities.

• Check for uneven or unusual wear on your tyres. Uneven wear is a sure sign of either wheel alignment issues, bearing failure or a potential suspension failure.

• Check your tyre pressure. Keep in mind the pressure specified in your vehicle manual will be for a stock vehicle in stock configuration on stock tyres. Differing loads and tyres will dictate slightly differing pressures for road use.

• Check the condition of your wheel rims themselves as well. When operating at low pressure off road, there is increased potential for wheel rims to be bent, which can affect the sealing of your tyre to the rim. Also be sure to check the wheel is securely fastened to the vehicle.

• Always ensure wheel nuts are torqued to manufacturers specifications. Insufficient or

uneven wheel torque can cause the wheel nuts to loosen and ultimately the wheel to come loose.

• Check there is no free play of the wheel to the vehicle. When jacked up, if you can get side to side or up and down movement of the wheel, this can be an indication of a failing wheel bearing or other similar issue.

TIME FOR A REST …

All these checks may seem like hard work, but believe me, every minute spent doing these checks in your driveway can very well save you many hours stranded in the bush. So why not have a well-deserved break.

While you are having a break sitting down next to your 4WD, it's well worth having a crawl under to take a look.

Whilst under there’s plenty you can check on to ensure your next trip goes without a hitch.

General checks:

• Look for oil leaks. Even a slight weep of oil is an indication that something needs attention sooner rather than later.

• Don’t dismiss what seems like a minor oil leak as a minor issue. It could be the warning sign of something much worse about to occur.

• Check any wiring beneath the vehicle is secure and in good order.

• Ensure fuel lines, brake lines and any other hoses or lines are secure and not rubbing on other components.

• Remove any excess dirt, mud or spinifex from anywhere you find it. Many modern diesels have fuel coolers and if these become clogged up it can cause issues with the vehicle's fuel system.

Suspension:

• Check shock absorbers for oil leaks or damp patches.

• Inspect suspension bushes for cracks and wear.

• Check springs for corrosion and visual condition. If something doesn’t look right it can be an indication of imminent failure, particularly with leaf springs.

Propeller shafts and driveline:

• Grab hold of the propeller shafts, check for excessive rotational play as well as check for excessive lateral or up and down movement.

• On IFS vehicles, check the condition of the driveline boots and clamps. A failed boot can soon lead to much bigger and more expensive failures.

Also whilst under there, be sure to check the chassis for excessive corrosion or potential cracks and other failures. These can be difficult to spot in time, so regularly checking your vehicle over is best practice.

Spinifex and mud can easily build up in hard to see and reach places on your 4WD. Build up these materials are not only a fire risk, but have the potential to cause mechanical failures as well.

If in dOUbt, seek professIonal aDvIce

Mechanical workshops that specialise in 4WD vehicles have all the right gear, the right advice and most importantly the right experience to best pick up on any potential issues early.

There are many scenarios where we have had to perform very expensive repairs to customer vehicles as they, or another repair agent, haven’t spotted or acted upon early warning signs.

Keep a close eye on your vehicle. If you find something you aren’t sure about, don’t fall into the trap of asking on forums - seek professional advice. I don’t know of any 4WD workshop who would refuse to take a look at something and advise you if it needs further action.

With extreme off road use, even the best leaf springs won’t last forever.

If you aren’t completely sure, or aren’t as mechanically experienced as you’d like to be, it’s well worth booking your vehicle into your local 4WD mechanical workshop to have a pre-trip inspection. Many workshops even offer such inspections either free, or at discounted rates as a service to their customers.

Follow

Dirk Hartog Island

Return

By Bryan Mitchell

Four hundred and three years later, in October/November 2019, I was fortunate to be an assistant guide with Jeremy Perks from the Global Gypsies on what they call a Voluntour, a handson, eco-experience, 4WD and scientific expedition to visit this historic island. Global Gypsies is a Perth-based Australian tag-along touring and 4WD training company that has been operating for more than 20 years.

It was the third highly successful Voluntour that Global Gypsies have run in partnership with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservations and Attractions/Parks and Wildlife (DBCA). Voluntours involve paying guests tagging along on a 4WD adventure where they volunteer their time and services, in this case to assist a group of intrepid volunteer scientists as part of the Dirk Hartog Island National Park Ecological Restoration Project, better known as the Return to 1616 project.

This project’s main aim is to restore the fauna, vegetation and habitats of Dirk Hartog Island to how Dirk Hartog himself would have seen them in 1616. It involves monitoring mammal and reptile species on the island to track the progress of the project to eliminate the introduced species and to reintroduce previously extinct island species. It is funded by the Gorgon Barrow Island Net Conservation Benefit Fund with additional funding from DBCA.

The Global Gypsies trip costs self-drivers $2475 per person plus barge fees of $380 per vehicle. Partial proceeds from our trip are donated back to DBCA to support their ongoing conservation and rehabilitation work on Dirk Hartog Island.

Our fully catered, 10-day off-road tour departed Perth on 20th October heading

Gypsy at Cape Inscription in front of the lighthouse keeper’s cottage.

Gypsy and catering trailer on DHI with clients and Jo Clews.

for Overlander Roadhouse to refuel and then out to Hamelin Pool Caravan Park to meet the rest of our group and the scientists for an initial briefing. Jo Clews, of Jo Clews Cooking fame, was along on the trip as our campsite host and produced many fantastic meals for everyone while we were away.

With the barge journey taking around half an hour for its return journey and seven vehicles in our convoy, I was getting very excited watching the schools of Trevally busting up on the surface as I waited for my turn, this time as Tail End Charlie for the convoy. The water was so lovely and turquoise I just had to have a swim since

I couldn’t have a fish as all my gear was packed in the vehicle tight!

Kieran Wardle guided me from the beach up the barge ramp and onto the barge.

Gypsies at Hamelin Pool.

As we headed down the Useless Loop Road, the newly bitumised section was a relief but when the blacktop ended, it was time to air down with most tyre pressures in our convoy around the 18-20psi mark to get ready for the famous corrugations. However, once we reached the tyre deflation station, most of our tyre pressures went down to 15psi or lower.

We had some fun and games getting ‘Gypsy’, Jeremy’s Toyota Troopie and the catering trailer up the dunes on the track into Steep Point. It required the attachment of a tow strop and further deflation to 10psi on my Prado as the tow vehicle, but we made it through and headed down to Blackies Beach about 8km from Steep Point to meet the vehicle barge that would take us over to Shelter Bay on the bottom end of Dirk Hartog Island.

I parked the vehicle in gear, handbrake on and went up into the cabin to have a chat with Kieran and Jeremy as we crossed the

Barge skipper

Jeremy and Kieran on the barge.

Gypsy and catering trailer loading onto the barge.

south passage from Steep Point across to the island in an early afternoon breeze and light seas. Once on the island, we got the convoy together for the short drive north to Homestead Bay where we planned to set up camp at Buddy’s Beach for the next 10 days.

The Buddy’s Beach camp is run by Kieran and Tory Wardle as part of their homestead operations and they gave us plenty of room to set up for our convoy vehicles and clients’ campsites. Its facilities include a camp kitchen with a barbeque, gas ring burners for kettles, tables, seats, toilets and shower facilities with a freshwater drop-off each day.

As we set up camp, we were privileged with a wonderful view overlooking Homestead Bay. We all enjoyed another amazing meal from Jo and an introduction and briefing by the DBCA scientists who were already on the island, where we learnt more about the trapping and monitoring program we would be working on.

Early the next morning, the whole group of volunteers, guides and scientists made our way north of the management fence line and split into two groups to open the northern and southern trapping lines for the year. There are four trap lines in each

Gypsies opening a trap line on the first day.

of the northern and southern areas and two fences per location.

The fences are long strips of nylon fly screen material about 25cm in height and 60-70m long. The fence is bent over at the bottom and buried in a light coating of sand and propped up with sticks along its length to keep it close to vertical.

Homestead Bay view.

Fence line and PVC trap.

Gypsy volunteer setting up the fence line.

The sand at the bottom keeps it weighed down, prevents it blowing down in the wind and encourages animals to walk along the line of the fence rather than go under it. There are six traps, three x 20L buckets and three x PVC pipe pit traps interspersed along the fence.

As various native animals walk along the fence they fall into these traps and are unable to escape due to the depth or design of the trap. They are then captured, measured and recorded. At the bottom of the pits, a layer of sand is left, and some

recycled egg carton material is used to provide shelter for the various species of mammals, reptiles and insects that are captured.

Another type of trap used to surround each fence line is known as an Elliot trap. These comprise of a folding metal box that uses a trigger to close the door when an animal enters. They were dispersed several metres away from the fence, six traps per fence and baited with a delicious-looking peanut butter mixture.

DBCA Scientists Mark Cowan and Kelly Rayner instruct the Gypsy volunteers.

At each end of each fence, there are also two funnel traps constructed of spring steel wire, encased in shade cloth material with a funnel at each end. These traps were positioned on either side of the fence line, hard up on the fence with a hessian sack covering one end to provide shade for the captured animals. The various traps are set up to try to capture a wide variety of animals as some are more likely to enter one kind of trap over another.

Opening each trap line for the new season involves erecting the fence and removing the covers of the pit traps. These covers are put on to prevent unwanted trapping and the potential death of the animals when monitoring is not taking place. The work also requires ensuring an adequate level of sand in the bottom of the pit traps, inserting the egg carton material for coverage, setting up and positioning of the funnel traps and shade covers and positioning and baiting of the Elliot traps.

There is an ethical requirement for these pits to be checked daily within three hours of sunrise to prevent casualties from temperature and predation. This requires the volunteers on the southern trap lines undertaking 5:15am early starts so they have time to drive down to the southern trap lines before the three hours after sunrise limitation.

Those working on the northern trap lines would have dinner with the main group at night and then pair up with the scientists

Captured mouse and Spotted military dragon – Ctenophorus maculatus.

Captured Sand Goanna or Bungarra –Varanus gouldii in a bucket trap.

Gypsy volunteer setting and baiting an Elliot trap – note the pink tape to show the location.

Fence line, funnel trap with shade and bucket trap.

to drive north afterwards each evening to camp out in a swag at the former shearing sheds at Sandy Point – where the cat eradication program was based, before heading out early each morning to check the northern lines.

The volunteers and scientists worked side by side to check the traps, remove any captured species which were weighed, measured, noted the sex, location, type of trap and established whether the animal was a juvenile or adult. This information was all recorded and entered into a database for later comparison with previous sampling trips to the island.

In the traps we found a large number of invertebrate insect species, small mammals and reptiles from small skinks and geckoes through to Sand Goannas or Bungarras –Varanus gouldii and the highly venomous Mulga Snake – Pseudechis australis. This meant that we had to wear appropriate long trousers and long-sleeved shirts, boots and gloves, and had to take care while walking through the scrub and spinifex at the trapping sites and around camp.

The DBCA scientists were highly experienced and familiar with the handling procedures required for all of the different species we encountered, including the reptiles.

The participants on the trip quickly became a cohesive group and settled into the routine of trap checking, processing and recording the captured species, releasing species, data entry of the results into a computer, searches for scats and pellet

droppings from bird’s nests and hunting around various locations on the island for Spiny-tailed skink - Egernia stokesii.

It was interesting and challenging work and after an early start and a long day in 30-degree-plus conditions, it was time to head back to camp each afternoon for a well-earned rest. Although there was a lot of work to be done by the volunteers, there was still plenty of time for other activities such as beach walks, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, bird watching, astronomy, photography, exploring in our 4WDs and just plain relaxing.

There’s no doubt that when Dirk Hartog and his crew came ashore 403 years ago, the island they saw would have been markedly different to the island travellers now experience.

In 1869, when Francis Louis von Bibra was granted a lease on the island, he introduced sheep and began trading guano

Early morning sampling on the northern trap line (Campout Crew).

Release of a Smooth Knob-Tailed Gecko – N levis.

from the bays around the island. From this moment on, the ecosystem on the island was impacted by the introduction of nonnative species.

Over the last 150 years, the lease has changed hands multiple times and the numbers of sheep on the island increased as it was seen to be an ideal environment for running sheep as there was no danger of a rabbit invasion.

In the early 1900s, it is believed the lighthouse keepers at Cape Inscription brought goats onto the island for meat and milk. Goats and sheep grazed on the plants and trampled vegetation reducing the food and shelter available to the native species. Feral cat predation also took its toll on the native species and made it impossible for some species to survive. By 1919, the island was stocked with approximately 19,000 sheep.

The introduction of these non-native species to Dirk Hartog Island has had a marked impact on the native species and sadly, ten species of small marsupials and mammals, and one avian species were unable to survive this transition due to the changing ecosystem.

• Shark bay bandicoot/Marl – Perameles bougainville

• Chuditch/Western quoll – Dasyurus geoffroii

• Mulgara – Dasycercus blythi

• Dibbler – Parantechinus apicalis

• Greater stick nest rat – Leporillus conditor

• Desert mouse – Pseudomys desertor

• Shark bay mouse/Djoongari –Pseudomys fieldi

• Heath mouse – Pseudomys shortridgei

• Woylie/Brush-tailed bettong – Bettongia penicill ata

• Boodie – Bettongia lesueur

• Western grasswren/Thick billed grasswren – Amytornis textilis

In 1968, Sir Thomas Wardle, who was the Lord Mayor of Perth at the time, purchased the island and the pastoral lease from the Western Australian Government as a

private retreat for his family. He reduced the sheep numbers to 6,000 and the top half of the island was shut down. Wool prices fell in the early 1990s and in 1993, Kieran Wardle, the grandson of Sir Thomas Wardle, took over the island and ventured into tourism. In 2009, the majority of the island was handed back to the government and turned into the Dirk Hartog Island National Park with Kieran and his wife Tory retaining 200 hectares for their eco-tourism, accommodation and camping business.

Destocking efforts began in 2007 in preparation for the change in tenure from pastoral lease to national park. Thousands of sheep and goats were culled and finally, in 2017, sheep and goats were declared as being fully eradicated from the island.

Feral cats were another difficult species to remove. In 2014, an almost 13km long, 1.8m high fence with an overhang and three electrified strands was constructed across the narrowest part of the island. This was to divide the island and make cat eradication easier by tackling the southern and northern ends individually.

Following efforts involving 1080 poison baiting, cage traps, automated camera traps and other measures, the feral cat numbers began to reduce. Monitoring feral cats north of the fence began in 2015 and detector dogs were used in the winter of 2017. The whole island was searched in systematic 20-day searches, four times

Feral cat at camera trap. (Credit: DBCA)

a year for two years. The last cat was detected south of the fence line in August 2015 and north of the fence line in October 2016. Dirk Hartog Island was declared cat free in October 2018, making it the world’s largest successful island based feral cat eradication program.

Vegetation on the island has also been extensively monitored since 2007 with hundreds of satellite images, taken almost monthly in comparison with images dating back to 1988 to see where vegetation has increased since destocking efforts began.

It was estimated in 2017 that some areas of the island vegetation had increased by 50 per cent.

All of this work has paved the way for Dirk Hartog Island to be restocked with native species previously extinct on the island and other threatened species with vulnerable populations at risk of extinction.

The species to be reintroduced back to Dirk Hartog Island will come from island populations, with nearby Bernier, Dorre and Salutation Islands contributing, mainland populations and captive breeding programs, such as at the Perth Zoo.

The Rufous hare wallaby - Lagorchestes hirsutus and Banded hare wallabyLagostrophus fasciatus have no confirmed evidence (but strong anecdotal evidence) of being native to Dirk Hartog Island, but are considered a priority for introduction as they are vulnerable to extinction with

Vegetation regrowth DHI 2018. (Credit: DBCA) Dune cover DHI 2018. (Credit: DBCA)

Bernier/Dorre Islands off the coast of Carnarvon being the last refuge for both the Banded hare-wallaby and the Shark Bay subspecies of rufous hare-wallaby.

A pilot translocation program commenced in August and September of 2017 with 12 Rufous hare wallabies (four males and eight females) and 12 Banded hare wallabies (four males and 8 females) from Bernier and Dorre islands off the coast of Carnarvon. Radio and GPS tracking has shown the population is doing well and breeding with eight joeys observed in May 2018.

Previously, between 1974 and 1978, 21 Banded hare wallabies had been released, however that translocation had failed, largely due to feral cats and inadequate vegetation cover from grazing and drought conditions.

The first full-scale translocation of 90 Banded hare wallabies and 50 Rufous Hare-wallabies from Bernier and Dorre islands took place in 2018 with another 50 Rufous hare wallabies released in 2019.

In spring of 2019, 26 Dibblers from the captive breeding program at the Perth Zoo were also translocated, followed by 72 Shark bay bandicoots from Bernier and Dorre islands.

The vital work done by the scientists and staff from DBCA and the volunteers from trips like the Global Gypsies one, together with the fantastic translocation programs that are underway are gradually bringing Dirk Hartog Island back to its natural glory just as Dirk Hartog and his men would have experienced it when they visited more than four centuries ago.

For more information about Global Gypsies and the 4WD tag-along trips they run, phone 0417 913 071 or email admin@globalgypsies.com.au or check out the website at www.globalgypsies.com.au

For more information about Kieran & Tory Wardle or visiting Dirk Hartog Island, phone (08) 9948 1211 or email escape@dirkhartogisland.com or check out the website at www.dirkhartogisland.com

For further information regarding the Dirk Hartog Island Return to 1616 Project www.sharkbay.org/restoration/ dirk-hartog-island-return-1616

My vehicle near trap line.

Ravensthorpe’s Artistic REVIVAL

By Colin Kerr

Right around the country, particularly in rural areas, travellers are enjoying the sight of an increasing number of artistic creations. With many local communities struggling through times of drought, fire and even floods, the creation of these artistic works is starting to achieve the desired effect of bringing tourists and other travellers to their communities and staying long enough to inject some valuable dollars into the district.

Queen Beatrice - made by Colin Hughes and Sue Leighton.

In the small rural community of Ravensthorpe in the southeast of our great state, along with the effects of drought, it has also in recent years suffered from the downturn of nickel mining in the district which was a large employer of local workers.

Not prepared to lay down, this resilient community, locally known as ‘Ravy’, has clearly taken to the artistic revival path with enthusiasm and vigour, producing an amazing range of artworks now being seen right across the district. The largest of the new attractions, now featuring on the Australia-wide Public Silo Art Trail, are colourful murals beautifully painted on 25 metre grain silos, back and front, portraying the different stages of the flowering cycle of the local banksia (Banksia baxteri). From buds to full bloom,

Painted silos.

to seed pods drying out and opening, the artwork also beautifully features the main flower pollinators – the honey-eater bird and the honey possum.

In addition, the town’s main street has a number of colourful sculptures worth checking out, as well as an imaginative display of ‘seat-art’ designed and fabricated by local artists and tradies. Mainly featuring beautiful local salmon gum timber, these colourful street bench seats are complemented by a series of pavement plaques which provide information on the local native flora and fauna featured in the artwork on the adjacent bench seat backrests.

Blue Boy - made by Greg and Dianne Belli.

Not satisfied with these artistic initiatives, scattered right through the district local farmers have enthusiastically jumped on board a Farm Gate Art Trail. Seen along all main roads leading into Ravensthorpe, these wonderful creations, constructed with the aid of welders, grinders, hammers, chisels and the like, were originally old bits of scrap metal, plough discs, fencing wire and posts, farming equipment, machinery and water tanks.

There are such creations as a lovely ‘country high tea’ scene, banksias and many different wildflowers for which this region is famous (including a truck full of colourful blooms), as well as other sculptures depicting farm and native animals and local characters. There are also sculptures to be seen which can only be described as ‘farm yard humour’, such as a farmer caught up in a piece of machinery coming out feet first, and another character seen diving head first into a dunny, all of which will bring a smile to the faces of all who stop and have a look.

Country high tea - made by Colin Hughes and Sue Leighton.

Driving Miss Daisy in Blue Vista, Ravensthorpe. Seen in Blue Vista, Ravensthorpe.

A free Farm Gate Art Trail brochure showing the location of over 20 of these fascinating art works can be picked up at the Ravensthorpe Visitor Information Centre. As the town continues its artistic revival, yet another attraction has now been unveiled – the (as yet unofficial) World’s Biggest free-standing lollipop. Proudly standing at 7.5 metres tall and 4 metres wide outside the town’s Yummylicious Candy Shack store, this colourful, mouth-watering, eye-catching creation is yet another wonderful sight to enjoy in this lovely rural town. Well done ‘Ravy’ - your future is looking brighter and more colourful than ever!

Ravensthorpe is located approximately 540km southeast of Perth on the South Coast Highway between Albany and Esperance.

Ravensthorpe has an excellent wildflower show held annually in September (believed to be one of the biggest in the world) featuring many of the unique local wildflowers including the beautiful Royal Hakea. This year’s 2020 event is to be held from Monday 7 September to Saturday 19 September.

Much of the local art work and events held in Ravensthorpe are co-ordinated by the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council. Further information can be found at www.facebook.com/raveaboutarts and www.raveaboutarts.blogspot.com.au

Farm gate in Blue Vista, Ravensthorpe.

Christmas (or Munji) tree made by Frank and Eve Green.

Western Australia’s Pilbara region is well-known these days for its huge iron-ore mines and export operations, its colourful gorge country centred on Karijini National Park and the wonderful, remote lifestyle enjoyed by its mostly very well-paid residents.

One of the real curiosities up here however, standing tall and proud overlooking the mining township of Tom Price, is a large dominant mountain on the landscape which interestingly, seems to have no name.

Tom Price Township, at 747 metres above sea level, is Western Australia’s highest town giving rise to it being dubbed ‘Top Town in WA’.

With a population of around 2,700 and a median age of just 29, it is also believed that Tom Price is the most affluent non-metropolitan region in Australia.

With local mine tours available and the spectacular Karijini National Park nearby, Tom Price is increasingly also becoming a tourist centre, particularly during the cooler months from May to September each year, away from the usually hot and seasonally wet conditions that prevail here during summer.

Well actually, this is not quite true, because its name is in fact ...

MOUNT NAMELESS

By Colin Kerr

Located just 4 km from town and standing 1,128 metres above sea level, it is (via a well formed gravel road - 4WD recommended) the second highest accessible mountain by vehicle in Western Australia. Only nearby Mt Meharry, WA’s highest mountain (1,248 metres) which has a rough little-used 4WD track leading to its summit, is higher. There is also a walk/climb trail from Tom Price Township to the top of Mt Nameless which provides excellent views over the town and the rolling hills of the Hamersley Ranges. It is also a beaut spot to sit and watch the sun set over this ancient landscape. Although the story is a little vague, common belief is that the name of ‘Mt Nameless’ was bestowed upon the mountain either by a Hamersley Iron survey team or personnel in a mine construction camp during the early 1960s leading up to the now huge iron ore mine a few kilometres away operated by Rio Tinto. It seems that this other mountain was of little interest as everyone’s attention at the time was focused on the massive iron ore deposit contained within Mt Tom Price.

The generally accepted ‘Mt Nameless’ tag given to this quite formidable feature on the Pilbara landscape gradually began to appear on survey maps and later on general tourist maps of the area.

All along however, the local Eastern Guruma Aboriginal people (also known as Kurrama) have known this mountain as Jarndunmunha (meaning ‘Place of Rock Wallabies’). The WA Government in recent times had adopted dual naming guidelines, leaving the mountain to be known as either ‘Jarndunmunha’ or its more curious title ‘Mt Nameless’. In a somewhat different interpretation on the mountain’s naming background, it has been said, that Mt Nameless was so called by the ‘stupid local white fellas’ because they couldn’t pronounce the Aboriginal name for it!

FUN FACT!

The highest building in WA is the transmitter hut on Mt Nameless - just over 1,128 metres above sea level.

In the township of Tom Price there is an annual Nameless Jarndunmunha Festival. The dates for 2020 are Friday 7 August and Saturday 8 August. For further information: www.namelessfestival.com.au

We’re here so you can get there

With more people exploring WA by road, RAC is here to help you get to your destination safely.

We’re offering:

Free car checks to make sure your vehicle’s as ready to travel as you are. Our Roadside Assistance Patrols and Auto Services staff are offering safety checks in local areas in the coming months.

Free hands-on caravan training sessions which focus on towing and reversing safely and confidently. Perfect for the beginner or experienced caravan traveller, these sessions will be available in Perth and regional areas in the coming months. Places are limited, bookings essential.

So before you explore, get more with RAC. Safe travels, WA.

Argus Junction Jaunt

The Eastern Goldfields 4WD Club Inc. recently held a club trip, east of Kalgoorlie. Western 4W Driver came along for the ride.

With vehicles loaded, tanks filled and morning coffees consumed, it was time to hit the road.

A total of seven vehicles, made up of club members and two guests who had come along to try the club out, headed east from Kalgoorlie to start the weekend's adventures.

Passing alongside the iconic KCGM SuperPit Gold Mine, the convoy made its way east, to the Trans Australia Railway Access Road. This is the point where the bitumen ended and the bulldust began.

After approximately an hour of eating dust we took a side road to a very picturesque location known to locals as Karonie Dam. This was the site of a large, governmentbuilt dam to provide water for the Trans Australia Railway, and also the site of mining activity for ballast and other materials.

By Ben Broeder

The Karonie Dam area is littered with relics of its previous activities, including two very large dam structures. About an hour was spent exploring the dams and then driving a small, but very fun, rock section so that lunch could be had next to the water.

Here the children ran around, explored and found numerous ‘treasures’ to load into the back seat to be taken home.

Once lunch was done, the party re-grouped and continued east, heading further along the ‘trans line’ as it’s known, to a very easy-to-miss turn-off to the abandoned Cundalee Mission.

A 40km, well-formed bush track leads to the mission, where you can find countless abandoned vehicles, buildings and remnants of what was a bustling community.

With swags pitched, campers set up and a well-formed fire set to ward off the winter chill, there wasn’t much else to do but enjoy a few drinks around the fire.

It really is one of the best elements of being involved in a 4WD club; the mateship and social activity that’s had on these trips really can’t be replicated anywhere else.

In the morning, though some were a little less chirpy than others, everyone was packed and eager to venture further north into the Nullarbor Plain, to the edge of the Great Victoria Desert.

First stop was Queen Victoria Spring, which at best is usually a muddy puddle, however on this trip the bushfires of early this year had turned the area into a desolate, bare sandy pain.

Progressing along, the club’s next stop was at Streich’s Mound. This is the tallest sand dune in the area and atop it is a monument with a plaque to commemorate the Elder Expedition of 1891 - 1892. Here a group photo was taken, whilst club members enjoyed the vast, unspoiled view from this high vantage point.

Travelling along the Nippon Highway, the vast undulating sand hills turned into a more well-formed road with heavier woodland slowly replacing the small and lighter vegetation that was seen on the earlier parts of the trip.

There are so many parts of the Goldfields region which many don’t take the time to explore, which are truly breathtaking and beautiful in their own right.

We were surprised when the Nippon Highway suddenly ceased and was intersected by a large mining haul road, leading to the Tropicana Gold Project. We entered the haul road and proceeded west until we met the Pinjin Road.

With the amount of heavy traffic that traverses this roadway, the convoy soon stretched out over several kilometres, all trying to avoid the extremely thick bulldust. But even this main artery to the local mining industry offers glimpses of salt lakes, breakaways and relatively large hills.

Getting back a little later than expected, the club pulled up on the outskirts of Kalgoorlie where everyone could say goodbye and make their separate ways back home.

The Eastern Goldfields 4WD Club meets twice monthly and holds monthly day and overnight trips, as well as extended club trips throughout the year.

We here at Western 4W Driver believe that 4WD clubs are simply the best way to get the most out of your 4WD. If you are new to 4W driving, the many official clubs scattered across WA are a perfect way to learn and enjoy.

Travelling north from Streich’s Mound, the convoy spread out along the undulating sand hills and light vegetation which seemed endless. These sandy plains are a wonderful backdrop to a relatively easy going 4WD track.

Stopping for lunch at Argus Junction, club members enjoyed the shade of a few fairly large trees. Once bellies were full, it was time to head west and unfortunately, back home.

To find out more: Eastern Goldfields 4WD Club: www.eg4wd.tidyhiq.com

To find a club near you, check out the WA 4WD Association: https://wa4wda.com.au/

Flexiglass and Aeroklas combine to form an all-new fitment centre

By Chris Morton

Aeroklas

are pleased to announce an exciting 270m2 showroom as part of a new supersized fitment centre, which will service our local WA customers. This purpose-built facility will be dedicated to servicing the light commercial vehicle industry by offering complete vehicle fit-outs for dealers, fleets and individuals, along with tailored solutions for specific applications. Located east of Perth in Kewdale, this facility will be the second of its kind, with the first being successfully opened on Brisbane’s north side in early 2020.

This new fitment centre is a culmination of recognisable automotive brands Aeroklas, Flexiglass and Bocar with roots stretching as far back as 1949 and brings together over 150 years of aftermarket auto accessories innovation experience. Flexiglass was established in Western Australia and created the first fibreglass vehicle canopy way back in 1956. Since then, Flexiglass has grown to become a true powerhouse of the industry. Bocar was established

on the Gold Coast, Australia in 1970 and boasts a long and proud history of working with OEMs, specialising in aluminium tray solutions and recently launching a brand new Stockade series of Bull Bars, readymade for getting your vehicle ready for tough working conditions. The Aeroklas team has been producing premium plastic automotive accessories for over 35 years and boasts a great history in developing innovative products to service our growing retail network in Australia and a global brand presence.

“The Flexiglass brand is one of the oldest in the automotive industry and this transition is the next chapter in a long and storied history,” said Matt Logan, Aeroklas Australia’s head of customer experience. The move to an Aeroklas fitment centre will see products from Flexiglass, Aeroklas and Bocar come together for viewing, purchase and fitment all in the one location. “By combining Flexiglass’ deep product range with Aeroklas Australia’s growing footprint and

vision for the future, the Flexiglass brand and our customers will have an enhanced service experience moving forward,” said Logan.

Some services offered by the Aeroklas fitment centre include fleet and dealer vehicle fitouts, tailored packages, modification, compliance and GVM upgrades all performed in a timely manner with one point of invoice and contact. Our broadened range of product categories include vehicle protection, storage solutions and general vehicle upgrades. This combination of brands, products, services and experienced staff forms the perfect destination for all your light commercial vehicle fitment needs.

Aeroklas Australia’s local support and global presence

Aeroklas Australia has invested significantly in local, market-leading Australian brands to create a premium destination servicebased experience that can deliver a wide range of aftermarket auto accessories solutions to customers. With a core brand portfolio consisting of TJM, Flexiglass and Bocar, Aeroklas Australia aims to be the leading aftermarket accessories and fitting destination, for light commercial and fleet vehicles.

Aeroklas and its portfolio of brands bring innovation, R&D expertise and a global OEM pedigree to the light commercial vehicle market. Aeroklas Australia has invested significantly in the Australian automotive market with new premises and the creation of local Western Australian jobs. A modern ‘state of the art’ facility in Brisbane’s northside has recently

opened and is home to over 100 employees. Mr. Greg Kelly – General Manager stated, “Our brands are strong and the investment in R&D, product innovation, IT and an efficient distribution centre demonstrates our long-term commitment to our industry. Our premises have been specially designed to provide staff with the best working conditions and include a modern R&D laboratory, new manufacturing equipment, paint booths and modern staff amenities.”

Globally, Aeroklas began operations in 1996 and is now a leading manufacturer and exporter of high-end automotive accessories. Aeroklas distributes products in over 100 countries. Aeroklas' international customers include some of the largest OEM manufacturers in the world including Ford, Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota, GM, and Volkswagen. Aeroklas is looking forward to bringing all its global experience and local brands to the light commercial vehicle market of Western Australia.

Please feel free to visit their new showroom situated at 523 Abernethy Rd, Kewdale WA. The Aeroklas fitment centre Kewdale is open from 8:00am until 4:30pm Monday to Friday. Our network can be contacted nationally by phoning 1300 656 599.

KNOw BEfORE YOu TOw

By Bryan Mitchell

COVID-19 has changed a lot of things. Our inability to travel overseas or interstate has resulted in many people choosing to holiday at home and purchase camper trailers or caravans to Wander Out Yonder. This has led to an increase in people who are inexperienced in towing a trailer coming unstuck on the open roads of Australia.

To combat this, RAC WA and Driver Risk Management have worked together to develop a training plan for the novice towing market to educate people in towing trailers, caravans, camper trailers and boats. I have been fortunate to have been invited along as an instructor for these courses which are proving very popular and successful.

The recent Busselton training session had an attendance rate of 78 participants out of 80 pre-booked registrations – despite inclement weather – which we took as a massive success.

The aim of the courses is to provide attendees with a basic knowledge of safe towing and good towing behaviour whilst also tackling the dreaded reversing process that can lead to relationship counselling. Topics and practical exercises include:

• Legal aspects of towing

• Weights and measures explained

• Braking requirements and techniques

• Correct loading and weight distribution

• Towing driving techniques

• Wind and other vehicles effects on towing

Towing rollover.

Photo - ABC/Claytons Towing.

RAC WA Towing Training.

By Chris Morton

Photos by Christine Arnasiewicz

Bullant

Engineering started with humble beginnings in the small south west Australian town of Bunbury. Founder, Sean Williamson, has had a passion for cars and automotives since a very young age. He has a background in heavy metal manufacturing and general fabrication and from here found a niche in the market - vehicle cutdowns. Sean’s focus is providing his clients with a personalised service that is unique to each vehicle.

In 2018 Sean and Justin met. Justin, like Sean, has a huge interest in cars and also came from a metal fabrication background.

Justin is the Managing Director at TFG group and has been able to offer Sean a space, materials and qualified tradespeople to assist in vehicle cutdowns. This unity will allow Bullant Engineering to grow and develop, whilst still keeping the customers’ needs at the forefront of each conversion.

It’s true, anyone can perform a vehicle cut down but the difference between Bullant Engineering and their competitors is the process. Bullant's goal is to make the cabin of your vehicle as short as possible to maximise the space of the tray as well as optimise the load distribution.

A key issue with tray conversions is their tendency to rust the vehicle body from with added rust preventatives as well as first class trim and vinyl coverings that match the factory fittings.

And that is what makes a Bullant conversion different to the rest. Extra attention, time and effort going into both the visual aspect AND the structural integrity makes them into what they believe to be the best in the business.

There are many reasons to do a 4WD training course. You may be a complete beginner, have limited experience and want to increase your knowledge, or have a new vehicle and want to learn more about its updated technology. Whatever the level of your experience a good course will teach you more about driving your 4WD. The tips and techniques you learn will be invaluable in using it safely out on the tracks or the beach without hurting yourself, your vehicle or the environment.

Modern 4WDs are far more sophisticated and technically advanced than the vehicle of yesteryear and it is now more important than ever to understand your vehicle and know how to use it correctly. This is not to say that we can skip straight to the new stuff!

The evolution of the 4WD is one that needs to be explained in order to fully understand how it works, encompassing everything from freewheeling hubs through to the latest terrain response traction control programs. Technology is moving at a fast pace, and we are now seeing 4WDs with ten speed autos, two litre engines and no low range which challenges conventional 4W driving techniques.

With so much change and so many knobs and buttons to push your Owner’s Manual has gone from a small pamphlet tucked into the sun visor to a document the size of a telephone directory that fills the glovebox. How do you learn and retain all that knowledge? Being able to break this down into absorbable, relevant information is what a 4WD course should be all about.

wHAT TO ExpEcT fROm ThE cOuRSE

A good 4WD course will be structured to allow each participant to learn and progress through increasing challenges at their own pace. Small groups are always better than large as they allow for a more one-on-one experience and enable participants with all levels of ability to be challenged and enjoy the day.

At the meet and greet you might be excited but slightly nervous in anticipation of the day ahead. Worry not! Your instructor should instil confidence that the day ahead is going to be fun and interactive. They should explain in depth at each stage what you are going to be doing, from setting the vehicle up for your day’s adventure (pre-departure checks and airing down tyres) through to the most challenging of recoveries or driving obstacles. The instructor,

through explanation, demonstration and participation should be able to grow your knowledge of the vehicle, its driveline and its various systems to assist in developing your own ability to drive off road.

YOuR INSTRuCTOR

Training is not just a job, it's a vocation and the course should be facilitated by a trainer who has a passion for both teaching and everything to do with 4W driving. The instructor is a subject matter expert with years of experience and a depth of knowledge that he or she encourages you to challenge by way of asking questions.

Ideally they should have a mechanical background and be able to demonstrate and advise on general maintenance and various bush repairs as well as modifications that would be suitable for how you intend to use your vehicle. You should also be able to tap into their knowledge for advice on after-market equipment and accessories that will suit your needs.

The instructor should be able to turn any situation into a learning opportunity. Explaining the how and why can turn a potentially stressful environment into one that leaves you feeling confident and accomplished. By teaching in a way that

TRAININg COuRSE?

By Richard Nicholls

allows you to fail and then showing you how to correct the situation, the instructor is able to show you that small changes can have a large effect on your driving outcome. This is how we learn best and this can only be achieved from behind the driver's wheel. Reading a book or watching a YouTube video can give you the theory or science behind 4W driving (physics) and this plays a big part in learning but can only be fully understood by seeing and feeling motion in action.

After a fantastic day of tackling challenges you never dreamed possible you will no doubt be a little tired and your head might be spinning but you will have a huge grin on your face that will last for days! The course will leave you hungry to do more and get out to see all that this great country of ours has to offer.

Have fun, gain confidence, drive safely, tread lightly.

Richard Nicholls Adventure Off Road Training

EXTENDS SAME DISTANCE

DARK MATTERS in Western Australia

3 inAstronomy Isolation

By Bryan Mitchell

One good thing about 2020 with all of the crazy things it has thrown at Australians is the fact that the world has kept turning and the stars, planets and other celestial objects have still been visible on clear weather nights.

Comet Neowise – Stonehenge. Photo and Copyright - Declan Deval

Astronomy

is a great activity in isolation as you often are trying to find a quiet place by yourself away from unwanted light sources and if you happen to be out in the regional areas with our brilliant dark skies there is still plenty to keep you occupied. The COVID-19 situation throughout 2020 has obviously changed the way the world operates, and astronomy is no different. I have been really impressed at the ability for astronomers to adapt to the situation and embrace new forms of technology. I have lost count of the amount of astronomy based live-streams, zoom meetings and other formats that I have watched as people, confined to their own homes, only venturing out for essential purposes, switch to digital formats to continue to share the love of astronomy with others. Rick Tonello and the crew from the Gravity Discovery Centre and Matt Woods and the Perth Observatory team have all had some great digital content. Another cool side of our globally connected civilisation is the ability to follow other astronomers from around the world via the increase in use of digital platforms. This has meant a lot in that if the weather conditions were not great or even wanting to check out some astronomy in daylight hours while bored there have been night time activities to observe via the internet.

This increase in connectivity and streams has been of great benefit as I write this in July, as one thing about southern hemisphere astronomy is that we have some great targets that the northern hemisphere astronomers envy us for, but at the moment they have had great viewing of the Comet Neowise. From Perth, we have not had the Comet visible yet, and when it will be visible it will be very low in the horizon and much dimmer than for our northern hemisphere counterparts. Citizen science has been a great tool in COVID isolation with the Australian Dark Sky Alliance using #WorldRecordLight on Sunday 21st June 2020 to map light pollution using the Globe at Night website by comparing viewing conditions at your location to a night sky map. There were over 10,000 entries, but in the end this was trimmed down to 4283 people after weeding out duplicate entries and bogus addresses – enough to win a Guinness World Record for the most people to take an online environmental sustainability lesson in 24 hours. Well done to everyone involved.

Thursday 20th February 2020 I was off on the

Using a Dobsonian Telescope in isolation.

GDC – Live Sky Astronomy.

road for some more Astronomy in Western Australia. Global Gypsies were running their first ever Astronomy Tag-Along Tour and I was along as a guide/assistant to help the clients. We were meeting at Willowbrook Farm in Gingin for a meet and greet with the clients before heading to the Gravity Discovery Centre in Yeal for an introduction to astronomy hosted by Rick Tonello and Riley Johnson. We used some new virtual reality technology to go on a tour of the universe as a group before heading out to use the telescopes at GDC. The next morning after breakfast, we headed back to the GDC for a tour of the facility in daylight, exploring the map of the solar system and climbing the Leaning Tower – a 45m high steel tower with 222 steps secured with 180 tonnes of concrete

at an angle of 15 degrees designed to recreate Galileo’s experiments of 440 years ago. We had great fun dropping water balloons from the top and testing the tower experiment to prove that objects dropped from the same height with different weights would fall at the same rate barring wind resistance.

ADSA Guinness World Record Holder, Carol Redford. Photo - Carol Redford.

Global Gypsies at Willowbrook Farm.

Gravity Discovery Centre's Leaning Tower.

Water balloon drop at the Leaning Tower at the Gravity Discovery Centre.

After this we returned to our Willowbrook Farm campsite to pack up our various camps and make our way to Cervantes to stay at the RAC Holiday Park. These tours had been designed so that people did not need to have a 4WD to be able to join in the fun, so we had participants in caravans, camper trailers, swags, tents and even an RV.

After lunch, we packed a picnic dinner to take out to the Pinnacles in the Nambung National Park for a photography session on sundown and then Riley Johnson joined us again to run an interactive workshop on their own equipment and astrophotography with the clients where they could use their telescopes, binoculars or cameras to learn more about their use. Riley had his own scopes and mounts available for viewing and clients could even use their camera with Riley’s telescopes and take

some detailed images of celestial objects. As often happens when planning an astrophotography night, the clouds rolled in and we were not able to make the most of the stunning Pinnacles backdrop.

The next morning the clients were free to do their own exploring, return to the Pinnacles, go fishing, beach walking, snorkelling or head out to the Badgingarra National Park with Jeremy and Jan from Global Gypsies for a guided bush

Global Gypsies at the Pinnacles.

Pink and grey galah at the Pinnacles.

walk. At lunch we went to the Cervantes Lobster Shack for a group meal where the clients enjoyed fresh Western Rock Lobster and other seafood delicacies. We were supposed to go for a tour of the processing plant at the facility, but due to the shutdown in China there were no lobsters to be processed as the fleet was anchored up in the bay without a market to sell to. We watched a video on the history of the fishing of these tasty crustaceans and were able to see them in a touch pool instead. After lunch the clients were again free for the afternoon to explore before an early dinner and heading to the nearby Lake Thetis for another interactive session with Riley and his telescopes. Again, the viewing conditions were not great with intermittent cloud cover rolling through, but Riley made the most of the evening by showing the clients how to do some light painting and time lapse photography.

The next morning we had breakfast at the caravan park in Cervantes before heading off to Jurien Bay after saying goodbye to Riley who was heading back to Perth. Once we had set up camp there was a break for the clients to explore their new surroundings and have lunch before coming back together in the afternoon for a communal sundowner with everyone providing some different snacks, cheeses, cold meats, preserved veggies, nuts, chips, crackers and dips for a great spread. I had been invited by Global Gypsies to give a talk on celestial navigation and its origins and impacts on Australia. Hopefully I kept the clients entertained for about an hour speaking about indigenous celestial navigation, Dutch, French and English marine navigation and terrestrial navigation within Australia.

Global Gypsies lunch at the Cervantes Lobster Shack.

Lesueur National Park.

After a lazy breakfast we headed out to the Lesueur National Park for a bushwalk tour with Jeremy and Jan before returning to Jurien with the clients for another free afternoon of exploring. This format of tour focusing on night time activities was a first for Global Gypsies and as many of the clients had been on previous trips to more remote areas, the clients and I think Jeremy and Jan also enjoyed the slower pace with more opportunities to relax.

That night the clients who had their own equipment were invited to join me in front of the caravan park by the water where I had set my scope up for further opportunities to refine their skills but again we were frustrated by the clouds rolling in after dark.

Global Gypsies had very carefully chosen February for this trip due to the likelihood of clear skies, but we were defeated time and time again by the weather – oh well, that is astronomy, I guess.

After breakfast, we again packed our collective accommodation away and with a picnic lunch ready we set off to Moora for the final stop on our astro tour. In Moora, Jan and Jeremy had organised for us to visit the Moora Museum, which is run by the Moora Historical Society, for a tour of this fascinating facility to soak up the history of the region. I have a keen interest in military history and was shocked and saddened to

learn of an incident in March 1943 in the region where 14 soldiers were killed when a mortar exploded in a field while training for the 4th Infantry Battalion during WWII.

After this we headed to the Moora Shire Caravan Park to set up for the evening. We were having a final evening catch up with the group at the historic Drovers Inn to see a presentation from Carol Redford from Astrotourism WA about the future of Astrotourism. We grabbed some cold drinks from the bar and sat down to a PowerPoint presentation about the current projects for Dark Sky status that were being applied for, a regional lighting initiative with Western Power that Carol was involved with to keep our regional skies dark by reducing unwanted light emissions and an upcoming tv series on astronomy in Western Australia. The TV series will be called Star Tracks and is being produced by Donna Vanzetti from Beam Me Up Media to showcase astro-friendly towns in the Wheatbelt and Midwestern regions, indigenous astronomy knowledge and research projects in Western Australia.

After the presentation and typically for this trip, the weather was not done with us yet with a power outage striking the town. The Drovers Inn was running the kitchen from a generator so we were able to order dinner, but soon after dark the lighting inside was

Global Gypsies at Moora Museum.

too dark to see and they had to shut the bar down due to safety concerns. We ate our dinner in the beer garden before walking back to the caravan park for bed. That night the heavens opened and rained heavily leaving us to pack up some wet and soggy campsites before returning to home.

While the weather gods were against us, it was a fantastic trip away with a group of likeminded people to further their knowledge of astronomy and I learnt a lot. Global Gypsies are running another Astronomy Stargazing Tour from 14th October to 19th October 2020 with a similar format to the first trip. Check out the Information Bay section for more details.

On February 29th 2020, I attended the annual Curtin University AstroFest with the Stargazers Club of WA and Carol Redford. I brought along my scope and had a great night showing loads of people the Eta Carinae Nebula and other objects. There were plenty of activities indoor and outside for people to take part in, including voting in the People’s Choice competition for the Astrophotography Exhibition. The amazing thing about Astrofest is that it's entirely run by volunteers and when you look at how many people generously donate their own time to the event it is clear that it would not be possible to run the event without them all. Good job team!

The remainder of the year holds some fantastic viewing opportunities for the night sky with Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon grouping together once a month until the end of the year. October will hold two ‘mini moon’ events. In December Venus will be close to a crescent moon early in the morning and will also have a Geminids meteor shower. Plenty of good things to keep us interested. Get outside in a dark environment and look up. Isolated and socially distant but never alone when you have the stars.

Curtin University Astrofest.

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Message in a Bottle

When you reach the start of the longest straight stretch of highway in Australia (146.5km BalladoniaCaiguna), anticipation blends with a foreboding of impending boredom. As the driver, without any bends to negotiate you need distractions to keep you alert, and on our recent trip east we found just the thing, Spotto!

Firstthing we noticed (especially after a circuit of the pristine Apple Isle) was the amount of rubbish littering the roadside. As a Western Australian I was embarrassed to imagine what tourists thought of their introduction to our 'beautiful' state. Anyhow, to the game.

Amongst the detritus was the usual proliferation of plastic drink bottles, but what struck me was the number of half-full bottles. Surely Fanta or apple juice aren't that bad that they would be discarded unfinished - and no they aren't. What I discovered in discussion with a welltravelled cocky is that the fluid is urine. Yep, that which goes in comes back outprocessed. So who would do this and why? The average traveller wouldn't risk making a mess. If he (by dint of application this is

By Nick Underwood

a bloke thing) needed to take a leak he'd surely just pull over and find the nearest bush. No, it needs to be coming from someone who feels they can't afford to stop and is driving a vehicle that's too big to stop just anywhere. Now for all those environmentally responsible truckies out there, take heart. As environmentally responsible 4W drivers, we too have to wear an association with a minority who don't give a sh*t. But feel free to stick it up the tossers in your occupation who obviously don't give a rat's.

We understand that it's impossible and probably quite unsafe to pull over a very large vehicle to empty a full bladder and the idea of using an empty drink bottle is a practical option (requisite dexterity notwithstanding). But why throw it out the window when it's just as easy to save it until a scheduled stop, empty the contents and put the bottle in the bin? Laziness and a lack of social conscience are probably the answer.

So the name of the game is Spotto. Like counting the number of car bodies on the Great Central Road, see how many pee bombs you can spot on this unique stretch of highway. Nothing like a healthy dose of revulsion to keep you alert at the wheel.

Rear Flare

An imaginative sparky with a bent for 4W driving, camping and fishing is always going to have a vehicle a little bit out of the ordinary. Gary Wilkinson is no exception.

An electrician from Perth's southern suburbs, we ran into Gary up at Ningaloo and his vehicle set-up immediately caught our eye. Gary tows a camper with his Ranger and has created a nifty roof rack set-up supported by sports bars.

With one sports bar in place behind the cab and no obvious means of support for a roof rack, Gary, in a flash of inspiration, bought a second sports bar, chopped off its back legs and installed rear work lights in the exposed tube ends. The lights are 30w LEDs he picked up on eBay that strike out to 70 metres (and could probably do with a dimmer switch). Both bars have built-in courtesy down-lights and the rear bar also has a stop light.

A RhinoRack up top bristles with neatly fitted awning and recovery gear leaving plenty of room for lightweight bulky gear. Nice one Gary.

If you've got a set-up worth showing off, flick us a few pics with a bit of a description and it could feature in a future edition.

Email: admin@western4wdriver.com.au

WI lD trax

with IAN ELLIOT

Revision Trips

I awakened in my swag on the first morning of March this year after being buffeted all night on my stretcher by a chilly, gusting wind. We were camped at Lilian Stokes Rock in the Frank Hann National Park. Sliding the zip down a little, I poked my head out into a swirling misty rain that had left everything sopping wet. A dark and forbidding sky indicated that there would be no improvement in the weather for the next few days. Thousands of frogs continued croaking in the waterfilled depressions of the granite outcrop alongside my swag. But most depressing was the surrounding scenery, a sight that had dismayed us on our arrival at this spot the previous evening. As far as the eye could see from this normally pleasant campsite, nothing was left standing but bare black sticks with charred kangaroo carcasses scattered amongst them. A fierce lightning strike wildfire, first reported on 6 February, had started 15km NW of the rock and decimated the entire region.

Engaged in the revision of trip notes for a new edition of our Weekends out of Perth trip book, this dismal outlook and the bogs and fallen trees that no doubt awaited us on the remainder of this particular route, led me to suggest to my companions that we give it up and head home. It's instructive that none of them argued against this move. On the trip home, ruminating on the likelihood that the burnt out area of Trip 8 Hatter Hill would take a good few years to regenerate to a degree that would provide a more pleasant drive, I decided to scrap this one for our fifth edition and replace it with something a bit less depressing that would continue to provide a combination of wheatbelt and mining locations. Perhaps Holleton was a possibility that I would check out in the coming weeks. This illustrates the sometimes unforeseeable results of the revision trips we undertake every five or six years to update the info in our trip books. Usually it's only minor distance or route adjustments to

conform with track detours for fallen trees or other realignments, but occasionally there are more major changes required. For instance, in the same "Weekends" book, our notes for the Department of Parks and Wildlife owned Burnerbinmah Station northwards of Paynes Find informed visitors that, on their arrival, caretakers Don and Rhonda Anderson would advise them on the whereabouts of campsites and places of interest. I was accordingly somewhat surprised when I rocked up there on a recent revision and found that the homestead and all its associated outbuildings, including the shearing shed, had been bulldozed and the place obviously no longer had caretakers. I jotted down some basic station track trip notes that we can provide for travellers in the next edition.

I remember, in the early days of these books, Nick getting a phone call from a frustrated driver up past Cataby who'd been following our instructions and found the route blocked by a brand new fence. Fortunately, this was a fairly easy fix as we knew of an alternate track a little further north that would get him back onto the published route. We put up a signpost just before the fence giving details of the deviation and had no further complaints.

More recently, I've come across Parks and Wildlife Temporary Closures due to firearms being used in pest control measures for conservation. While this

may well wreck your planned trip, clever navigators can usually find a way around such closures by backtracking. More worrying from my point of view are a spate of DPaW signs coupled with depth indicators I've recently noted on fords over the Kent and Frankland rivers. These forbid crossing during peak flood times because of the danger of a vehicle being washed downstream. Now, I would hope that most experienced 4W drivers would be able to judge such danger for themselves, but our trip books aren't only used by experienced people. I'm all for warning signs but these are 'Stop' signs and you'd be disobeying Parks and Wildlife by proceeding if the rivers are high. I'd guess that insurance is driving this move but, in many cases, there's no alternative way around these spots so it would mean giving up your trip and going miles back to the highway in order to reach your destination on bitumen. So I rang DPaW to see if there was a number you could call to check the level of these rivers before leaving home. There isn't! The advice I've added for inclusion in the new book is to check with the local ranger at Walpole but even he or she may not be able to tell you. As I said, it's a worry. Our new edition will probably be available sometime in 2021.

Name Changes

You may be aware of the recent dropping of the name “King Leopold Ranges” in the Kimberley in favour of a series of Aboriginal names for various sections of the vast sweep of this formidable bulwark. This proposal has been simmering for a quarter of a century and it's not surprising to see it come to a head during the mid2020 demonstrations connected with racial bias. I think it's a sensible solution to a sensitive issue.

Alexander Forrest named the range in June 1879 during his North West Exploring Expedition after King Leopold of Belgium “in recognition of the great interest taken by His Majesty in exploration work.” Leopold II (1835-1909), a cousin of Queen Victoria, became King of the Belgians in 1865 and was a firm believer that the possession of overseas colonies (as evidenced by the British Empire, for instance) was the key to a country's greatness. In 1878, he employed the explorer Henry Stanley (yep, the “Dr. Livingstone I presume?” bloke) to explore and establish a colony in the Congo region of Africa. In 1885, Leopold was formally recognised as sovereign of the region to which he and Stanley had laid claim, an area 76 times larger than Belgium itself. He established a private army to run the colony financed by the export of ivory.

In the 1890s the global increase in the demand for rubber led to forced labour and violent coercion in the collection of latex from local rubber trees. While this made a fortune for Leopold, he ignored the atrocities used against his labour force including murder and the severing of hands and feet of the children of workers who weren't considered to be producing enough. By 1908 knowledge of these barbarous practises had become common knowledge world-wide, leading the Belgian Parliament to compel the king to relinquish his personal control of the territory to the Belgian Parliament. This improved life for the Congolese and the “Belgian Congo” gained its independence in the mid20th century.

This illustrates the common sense of one of the basic rules of modern-day geographic names practice:– features should not be named after persons still living. An example closer to home is “Brian Burke Reserve” in Balga, named in 1986 at the request of Stirling City Council after a resident who had been elected Premier of the State. Ignoring the advice of the Geographic Names Committee, the then Minister for Lands had no hesitation in approving this.

“Burkie's” fall from grace a decade later led the Council to request a change of name to Princess Wallington Reserve after a couple of streets that form its boundary. It's a case worth remembering.

In contrast to the above story is Mueller Park east of Subiaco Oval. Named in the early days of Perth after Baron Sir Ferdinand von Mueller (1825-1896), physician, geographer, and perhaps the greatest botanist in Australia's history. Mueller was born in Denmark but came to Australia in his twenty-second year seeking a drier climate on medical advice. He became a naturalised British subject in 1849 and four years later was appointed Government Botanist of Victoria, a position he held until his death 43 years later. In 1857 he took on the role of Director of the Melbourne Botanical Gardens and under his guidance the Melbourne Herbarium became one of the world's greatest. He founded the Royal Society of Victoria and was President of the Victorian Royal Geographical Society. In addition to his own explorations, he accompanied A.C. Gregory's North Australia Expedition in 1855-57. He was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1879. Following his death, the Mueller Medal was established by the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science to recognise important Australian contributions to science.

But the fickleness of public opinion came to the fore during the First World War. The name Mueller Park sounded German to many and this prompted a name change for the reserve. It was renamed “Kitchener Park” in 1916 after Field Marshall Lord Kitchener, the owner of that gloriously moustachioed image on the “Britain Wants You” campaign posters that urged eager volunteers to join up for the resulting carnage.

And so it remained until 1981 when the Geographic Names Committee succeeded in having its original title reinstated. Ah well, you win some, you lose some.

What’s in a name?

Lilian Stokes Rock

Mybrief visit to this feature in Frank Hann National Park at the end of February this year, just after the whole area had been so decimated by fire, recalled to mind the strange rumour that went around some years ago that it was so named because it was supposed to be the burial site of Miss Stokes. Admittedly, there is an arrangement of stones there that may resemble the vague outline of a grave, but investigation soon scotched the rumour.

Miss Stokes never got there either alive or deceased. Explorer Frank Hann, forcing his way through the bush generally southwards from Southern Cross to Ravensthorpe, referred to it by this name when he took sights from there on 20 August 1901. Since no-one besides Aborigines are known to

with IAN ELLIOT

have been there before him, there can be no doubt that he named the feature. That he was acquainted with a lady of that name is confirmed in one of his later exploration diaries when he named Point Lilian in the Great Victoria Desert, adjacent to the present-day ‘Connie Sue Highway’. His diary entry, dated 3 June 1903, states, ‘Will call this Point Lilian S. after Miss Stokes of Sydney.’ I’ve waded through Sydney newspapers in Trove for any mention of this lady without success but certainly Hann was in Sydney for 17 days in September 1899 trying to raise funds to stock pastoral leases he’d applied for after his Kimberley explorations. I suspect that Miss Stokes may perhaps have been his landlady during that stay, or at least someone who’d been kind to him in some way, but we may never know the full details.

Explore a new frontier

You’re

Big Foot's Chair

trapped and unable to escape.

I’m no budgie when it comes to height, weight and shoe size, so finding a real fit-for-purpose chair has always been a problem.

It’s unbelievable what gets sold as a camping chair nowadays. Some brands boast high max load figures like 200kg yet are incredibly flimsy and cheap. It’s almost like they are competing G String-like for who can use the minimum of material and charge the highest price. And then there is warranty, most say 12 months.

Big Foot at work.

A couple of chairs I’ve seen boast a max load capacity of 200kg and offer a 12 month warranty, yet to me they look flimsy, they have fibreglass legs and single layer material. Most have pockets; presumably these are to be filled with sand so the chair doesn’t blow away. Then there’s the fine print saying something like ‘fair use applies’. To them fair use must mean a sitting on it less than twice a year! And I’m sure they’ve also got their own metric system for what a kilogram is. Sorry for being so cynical, but these chairs are out there and it's buyer be aware.

Recently, with the resignation, I went looking, for a new chair and I found one. It’s Coleman Quad Big Foot Camp Chair and it’s rated to hold 250kg, which is more than two of me. I inspected the chair with great suspicion, given other chairs make similar claims on max weight capacity, build and quality of material used; but this looked the goods. It’s got a steel frame with stable oversized feet, it looked strong and tough, no fibreglass or poly legs here. The material used is heavy duty 600D polyester; the chair comes with its own zip up carry bag and weighs in at 6 kilograms.

Coleman’s use of the name Big Foot in naming this chair, struck a chord with me. In my youth I played soccer and when thundering down the field from centre half, the chorus would go up, "Go Sasquatch". Now don’t tell me you don’t know what a Sasquatch is; it’s a North American folklore creature that is known as Big Foot.

Seeing the name Big Foot as a good omen and despite being worried about the chair’s durability, I decided to get one. Shopping around I got mine for $79, although I saw them priced as high as $129.

I have struggled for years with those cheap camp chairs that after a few days of camping have your bum on the ground and the inside of your knees polishing your ears.

tH e tH i ngs yOU see!

with (TRUTHFUL) PHIL BIANCHI

I gave it a test run on an eight day camping trip and was very impressed. It sat firmly on the ground, the back support was excellent and the heavy duty polyester, fully cushioned seat was very comfortable. And best of all there was no tipping backwards out of the chair when leaning back. The chair was solid.

And it’s got more pockets than a Kmart clothes rack. It also comes with an oversized cup holder and a Tardis-like insulated storage bag with probably enough room for all of your goodies, even a defibrillator, if you need one handy. Or if you’re a thirsty fisherman, you can have one can on the go and another three on ice in the lined storage bag; making it ideal for relaxing in while waiting for the next big bite.

strands. Use a sewing needle from your sewing kit (everyone carries an emergency sewing kit don’t they) and you’re away. Here’s another tip. On a freezing cold night, to keep warm, many of us place a small heap of hot coals under the chair or just behind the chair, this works a treat. Don’t overdo the coals though or the heat could soften any synthetic seating material and it will slowly give way and sag more than a full nappy. You’ll find your butt will almost be on the ground.

As for the name Big Foot, I am sure if they ever find one, he would be delighted to sit in a real camping chair!

Not a Big Foot.

Whilst these chairs aren’t cheap to buy, the quality of the materials used, the way it’s put together and the gratitude you’ll get from your back, will give you many of years of enjoyable and comfortable seating. Now for a humorous incident. My mate Macca, who by the way makes Twiggy look overweight, on the first night of a three week trip sits down and goes straight through the seat and gets stuck. After a dramatic rescue i.e. him pleading for help and we just laughing, the chair’s only use from then on was as a commode.

Having a broken camping chair on a trip can be disastrous, especially if away for three or four weeks. Repairs I have seen or made include using cable ties, hose clamps, occy straps, 100 mph tape and dental floss. I kid you not; dental floss has incredible strength when used in multiple

“… Your bum on the ground and the inside of your knees polishing your ears.”

To the editor, I read in Issue 113 an interesting article

Over TH e bon net

winner

travelling from Mingenew to Mullewa. Many of

two historic memorials which are located about 20km south of Mullewa at the end of Butterabby Road.

may be unaware

Back in 1864, two settlers were killed by Aborigines at Kockatea Spring, south of Mullewa. A police party from Champion Bay (now Geraldton) eventually found and arrested the Aborigines involved in the attack and they were taken to the Supreme Court in Perth for trial. Five of the attackers were found guilty and sentenced to death. Others received lesser sentences and one other was acquitted. In response to requests from Settlers in the Irwon area, arrangements were made for the guilty persons to be taken back to the scene of the crime and hanged on the site. It fell to the lot of Alfred Hillman, as Sherriff of Perth, to lead the hanging party and supervise the executions.

A memorial plaque now exists in the vicinity for the two killed settlers and a separate memorial records the execution of the Aborigines involved in the attack. My particular interest in this is that Alfred Hillman was my great great grandfather. For most of his earlier working life he had been one of the first surveyors in Western Australia and is remembered in the names of the suburb of Hillman in Perth, the locality of Hillman in the Great Southern, Lake Hillman and the Hillman River.

Trevor Stoneman

Hi Trevor, Australia is dotted with many small historic memorials that are quickly fading into the fog of time. Having a connection to our past is extremely important and being able to lay claim to a family connection who’s name is associated with so many state locations is fantastic.

writing in to tell us about it!

bindOn’s lore

The Possibles Pouch

I don’t know one 4W driver that would venture into the outback without carrying just a few vital spares for their vehicle that might be needed if the worst was to happen.

All my mates make certain that their jack or jacks are in good order, that there are some puncture repair patches and required chemicals left in the tin and that the tyre levers are under the front seat. Those with some mechanical knowledge may carry many more tools beyond those which are supplied with the vehicle, and we all know the travellers that are very handy with what appears to the unknowing to be a mobile workshop with a built-in welder. So, with the vehicle covered for the bare minimum of emergencies (or worse), what about themselves?

What I do find amazing is that although people seem to be well-prepared in terms of their vehicle, they often lack, or don’t bother to carry, a few bits and pieces that might help them when they are away from the safety and comfort of their vehicle and something happens to them. Just imagine this scenario. You have driven a few hundred metres from the track to the base of a bluff that you want to climb for a classic panoramic photograph or walked away

from the camp at night to get a clearer view of the stars, and you twist your ankle badly. Uncomfortable to say the least but perhaps you can help yourself back to the vehicle with an improvised walking stick and light your way with the small torch you had with you. My advice is that no matter where you go in the outdoors, you should carry with you a few things that may save your adventure from becoming an unexpected nightmare. I’m not going to expand on what might go wrong, but even sitting out in the scrub waiting for your mate to return with help because you have a broken leg can be better weathered if you had, say, a lightweight ‘space’ blanket and some string to rig up a shade for yourself. Not only would it help you to keep your cool, it would be visible to the rescuers from some distance away just in case you had nodded off while waiting for them to appear – and of course you had your water bottle didn’t you? The old ’she’ll be right, mate,’ is not good enough in the outback – it never really was. Sadly, these days we see more and more examples of personal disasters being reported in the news now that greater numbers of people venture into the stunning landscapes that this country is blessed with. Almost every one of these people was completely unprepared for their

vehicle to be bogged or disabled and that a long walk for help was in front of them. I’m sure you have now caught on to the theme that we are going to examine, which is always carrying a personal emergency kit of some sort.

Looking back over the efforts of writers about the outdoors, and starting at the very beginning you can find authors describing a few special items that they had wrapped in a square of oilcloth or leather and which they kept with them all the time. In the days of muzzle-loading rifles the special items in this ‘possibles pouch’ as they called them, might include a spare gun flint, a steel striker, a pricker or spike for removing priming caps, a needle and thread, a couple of buttons along with a strip of rawhide that could become a bootlace, belt or …? And a strong gourd or later a metal water-bottle was not too far down from the top of the list and was slung over a shoulder by a carrying strap. Well, history has left most of these items away in the past except perhaps for ‘re-enactors’ who cling to the romance of the past and still carry them - but then they are unlikely to be along with us on our outback trek in a wellequipped 4WD.

Most of the schemes for personal preparedness in today’s world have come from experiences recounted by military personnel who sometimes find it necessary to leave very fast, the site of an encounter that has had an unexpected outcome. Being left with only what you are standing up in just once is a very convincing argument to always be prepared for the unexpected. These military experiences gave rise to the modern civilian ‘survival kit,’ that we can adapt to our own needs. Australian specialists have shown that a person can sustain oneself for a considerable time with

only a few items kept in a small container in a shirt pocket. In fact, some courses that specialise in outback survival and bushcraft give their students a chance to practise using their kits in specially guided adventures over a few days in the scrub. Their so-called ‘survival kits’ have been developed from a military version kept in a pouch on a belt to which also had attached a water bottle and a strong knife. I still use a similar kit when working on outback research themes in arid Australia and happily, have only ever had to use it on training exercises and not for a real emergency. However, bits and pieces of my kit have been used to support others who I found in life-threatening situations and who were completely unprepared for the disaster that had overtaken them.

It is possible to find several ready-made personal kits for sale in outdoor stores and ‘online’ and some of these are really well presented and contain quality items. However, another idea is to create your own kit from separately bought items which you can choose carefully and therefore have confidence in their quality. If you have children or grand-children, helping them build up a small kit of useful items is a great way of introducing them to the idea of being able to ‘survive’ in the wilderness of the backyard overnight. Discussions about the way to use items thoughtfully and skilfully, about how much things weigh and their usefulness for certain tasks and whether they are worth carrying or not are all activities that can be addressed prior to departing on the real adventure and which are worthwhile topics of discussion and experimentation during ‘confinement’. Not only that, but it is really essential to have some practice at using the items that you have chosen to include just to make

certain that they do the job that you are going to ask of them and also so that you know exactly how to use them and what their limitations may be. This is akin to the idea of erecting your new tent in the back yard as a first exercise with it rather than waiting until you are away in the scrub and discovering to your disappointment that the ropes supplied with it are too short to be any use at all in a raging dust-storm. Worse still is to be sitting on the tent in the dust storm trying to work out which pocket the poles slide into – brings a new meaning to the old expression about gritting your teeth and getting on with the job, doesn’t it?

In my experience children love the idea of building up their own kit to carry with them in the bush, and they can become so keen to use it that I have found it a good idea for them to have two kits – one to practice with and one ‘for real.’ I’m sure that all 4W drivers with children will understand what I am implying here. Anticipating a future adventure in the outback provides a great chance for you to combine the new with the old by having them search on their electronic devices for ideas for their own kits. You will find if you look, that there are thousands of screen jockeys out there who have made what they describe as the ‘perfect kit’ which they want to tell everyone about. Their posts will provide plenty of ideas for you and the kids to discuss – some will be novel and really useful; others may be less so but worth discussing nevertheless. After having decided on the necessities for survival in the area you next plan to visit, have a look at the items suggested for inclusion in a suitable kit and have the kids ask: Is it going to work in this part of Australia? Is it a necessity or just would be good to have? Is it really useful or just a gimmick? And the questions can

go on until a decision can be made about the various items being discussed. As you are not building a military style kit, but only using the principles that they use, firearms and other aggressive stuff can be ignored, and remember to keep the discussion and objects being considered at an appropriate level for your kids. Another thing to remember is that although you might include a couple of sticky plasters in the kit, it is not a First Aid kit, which should be a separate item and usually remains with the vehicle.

A great way to start the project is by selecting the container that you think will contain the basic essentials. This can be an encouraging gift to yourself or to the kids! Set a couple of rules. You might stipulate that only two things can be attached to the outside of the container. I was thinking that a tightly folded survival blanket and a snake-bite bandage might be sufficient. I know I said that the emergency/survival kit is not to be a First Aid kit, but I feel that snake bite with its unintended panic could be something important enough to be dealt with immediately, and I won’t quibble about the bandages. This is another case where a short instructional course might come in handy and of course the accredited First Aid course run by several different institutions depending on where you live should always be a consideration. Well I hope that you might pick up a couple of ideas from this short essay. Always remember that living safely and well in the landscape is the main aim, not just simply roughing it. Anyone can do that , but the aim is rather to 'smooth' it rather than the opposite and I encourage you to get out there and enjoy the challenges of living in the landscape – but take your kit with you!

GeO-ToUrI nG

Trimming the Hedgerow

Alittlegem not often explored is found right on our doorstep. The Wheatbelt has many hidden places to investigate and what’s more, it has geocaches aplenty. It is one of my favourite places to visit and provides a nice gateway to the Greater Western Woodlands and the Western Goldfields should one wish to push on further. It’s a win - win location. The cooler parts of the year are the preferred time to visit, but having a week of leave to consume, I decided to push ahead with this trip in October. With my usual travelling companions unavailable, I hit the highway for a week long solo journey; to find some new caches, explore a rock or two and revisit some places I had not been to in almost decade.

First port of call was to be Billiburning Rock, a place John Forrest stopped at in 1869 on his journey to find the remains of the missing explorer Leichhardt. Taking a different route to usual, I ventured via Wongan Hills and came across a large body of water, Lake Ninan. It was a windless day,

perfect for putting the drone up for a quick fly. Arriving at Billiburning an hour before sundown was perfect. It had been a warm day and I only had to put up with the flies for an hour or so before they went to bed for the evening.

The wind had come up from the east during the night and was quite strong, bending one of the support arms for my awning in the process, which made it a chore to pack away in the morning. After a walk up to the cairn on top of the rock and re-finding a cache I had found some time ago, I hit the road for Mukinbudin, destination unknown. I made my way to Datjoin Well as there was a cache here I hadn’t found before. The easterly had made the day very hot and the flies became troublesome. I spent some considerable time clambering over and through some granite outcrop looking for this cache, and after about an hour, I was rewarded with a find.

Camp 1 at Billiburning Rock.

The cache at Datjoin Well, finally found.

A couple more caches were found beside the road on the way to Mukka, where I refuelled and then spent another hour trying to find a cache just out of town. This time I was unsuccessful. So I headed for an early camp to an old favourite, Beringbooding Rock. With a couple of hours up my sleeve, it was time to grab some aerial photographs of the rock and chill for the afternoon with a relaxing ale.

In the morning, I took a couple that were camped nearby to the Aboriginal handprint

in a cave on the eastern side of the rock. It’s not easy to spot, but once you know where it is, it gets easier finding it again.

My plan that day was to attempt to find a cache I had failed to grab on a prior trip. This involved some considerable walking to get to and scaling a sheer granite boulder with a rope. The site has some spectacular indigenous artwork in a cave that most would never know about had one not been into geocaching. Unfortunately, the temperature was already in the high 30s by the time I had left camp, so I put this plan on the backburner to wait for cooler weather. All was not lost though, as a another rock nearby also had a cache that I hadn’t attempted before, so I gave this a go as my plan B. Arriving at the rock, I found it was a mighty structure and the task at hand looked difficult to say the least. Battling the flies, the heat and the terrain, I got to within 20m of the cache. I was presented with a long undercut ledge below a sheer

Water storage tank at Beringbooding Rock.

face of granite above. Thinking it must be in a hole at the back of this ledge, I crawled in on my back, investigating every nook and cranny deep at the back. Whilst I did find a small pool of permanent water, I found no cache, but I was now covered in bird and roo poo and granite dust. Definitely not a pleasant experience having all this glued to one's sweat.

I came to the conclusion that it must be above at the top of that sheer wall, so I found a way to make my way up higher. Finding some nice cave systems, I concluded that it had to be higher again. But now I was too hot, too dirty and too smelly to continue. Did I mention the flies? This one also will go into the too hard basket - for now.

So caching wise, it hadn’t been a good start to the day. After heading out to Elachbutting Rock for a look, I hit the gravel road for the vermin proof fence. Through the gate and after navigating some easy bush tracks,

I had arrived at my special little place by early afternoon. It was very hot now, and I was still covered in roo poo. I found the dam had water in it. The fact that it was full of cattle wee was irrelevant - I was going in and the roo poo was coming off.

I spent the afternoon lazily chasing shade and washing the dust from a parched throat. Some emus came by, no doubt looking for a drink. I sat quietly in the shade watching their antics. They were a bit wary of me, edging ever closer. So I just sat quietly so they could do their thing.

Jourdine rock: a cache left for another day.

Eagle Rock Dam.

Eventually they made their way down to the water, just out of eyeshot in the shrubbery and replenished their need for water. As the sun went down, the birds came in for a drink and so too did the cattle. All of them very disappointed some old bugger had decided to commandeer their little patch of paradise. After sundown, with a nice little camp fire going, I felt like I was in paradise too, now cleaned of poo and granite dust. In the morning I made my way back to the vermin proof fence. The plan was to make my way to the Helena and Aurora ranges via Mt Jackson and a little-known abandoned homestead. I had hoped to take the fence road to the Mt Jackson road, but was thwarted in my tracks by a no entry sign. Now I had a decision to make. I could go to the north of Lake Deborah to the Mt Jackson road but this would be a long detour, or I could try my luck via an unnamed track which I travelled last time I was here. The problem being, this track was well overgrown back then. Against my better judgement, I opted for the latter. All was well for a few kilometres, only occasionally dropping firewood into my roof top basket. But the further I went, the worse it got. It hadn’t changed in all those years. Soon enough it was like I had remembered. Side to side hedgerows of scratchy acacia bushes. You picked your line by achieving an equal amount of squeal from the paintwork on both sides. Too much noise on one side, move a little to the other to get the noise, akin to fingernails on a blackboard, equal.

A nice piece of track between sections of hedgerow.

A couple of hours in I came to a dead end. I remembered from my prior trip we had issues with finding the track in one spot. I spent a good hour and a half walking around trying to work out where this track was. The flies and temperature were not helping. Then I had a brainstorm ... I may have kept my old tracklog on a tablet in the car. With Ozi fired up and the tracklog loaded, I zoomed in to maximum and followed the old tracklog. This took me up and over a granite outcrop and into the bushes on the other side. A hundred metres or so into this scrub the track became evident again. There is no way I would have found this track on foot. Interspersed with these hedgerows of acacia was some open woodland which gave you a small reprieve from what was about to come.

Bush chooks ascend the rock.

I made the junction of a fence line track I remembered from last time and knew my immediate destination was near. I also knew the conditions would get worse - if that was at all possible. After some 4.5 hours and 37km I finally made the abandoned Kuykara Homestead and was surprised to see that age had been kind to her. It looked to be in the same condition as it was when I first visited.

From here on, I knew the track conditions would be okay. The poor old Paj had suffered a beating. On the Mt Jackson road, I found the Mt Jackson Homestead in a terrible state since I had been here last.

Every time I visit, I can see the decline in the old girl. I fear there will not be many seasons left before she turns to rubble.

The granite outcrop.

Kuykara Homestead.

Mt Jackson Homestead.

Before leaving, I had another attempt at finding the cache here, something I’ve tried to do a few times without success. I eventually found the cache on the ground, out in the open, blown out of its home in the stone wall. I signed the log, found a new home in the wall for it and left for the Helena and Aurora’s, happy that I now had the Mt Jackson cache under my belt. I had to make a hasty camp about 10km shy of the Helena’s as the sun went down. It had been a long, hard day and I didn’t hang around long after dinner before retiring for the evening.

The next morning I made my way around to the south eastern side of the range. The gnarly track to the summit from this side was now closed. On the way out, there was a cache a short distance away, so I detoured to pick it off. The site has an abandoned old humpy but I can find no history about it. Perhaps occupied by a sandlewood cutter or a miner, I do not know. Again, another cache was found exposed on the ground which I replaced back into position after signing the log.

I then made my way to the north west side of the range and ascended the summit.

The view up here is nothing short of spectacular, some 400m above the surrounding flat woodland below. I checked on a cache here that I had found on a prior trip and all was in good order. Being midday, with a long way to go, I needed to push on. With no caches to find for the next couple of days, I could relax and just enjoy the scenery. The country changed to classic greater western woodland and the tracks through here were easy to navigate apart from the occasional washout. The base changed constantly from red to yellow sand, some sections slightly soft, but nothing bothersome. Stopping at Pittosporum Rocks, I was surprised to see a little water still available, a lifeline for the birds, roos and emus in the

Camped up short of the Helena’s.

An old shack, the site of another out-of-the-way geocache.

region. Here I had a pie for lunch that I had put into the oven on the summit of the Helena’s, fighting the flies for my share of the prize.

Over the Hunt Range, which you would miss if you blink, you end up at a large granite formation called Kurrajong Rocks. Having some prior knowledge or a good GPS application here helps as the tracks are a bit harder to find. My plan was to turn south for one of my regular haunts, Jaurdi Station. It’s a pleasurable couple of hour's drive through the woodlands to the station. Some fires had been through recently and required many diversions around fallen trees. My three days of isolation from others had come to an end. A family arrived at the station just before I did to spend the weekend here. They moved off to the shed and left me at the homestead to enjoy a beer by myself around the campfire.

The next morning the weather had changed. The hot days were gone and rain looked imminent. I headed down to the blacktop after three days of dirt and made my way to Mt Palmer, edging closer to home. There is a cache to the east of the Mt Palmer track that I decided against attempting, owing to having to drive across a salt lake to get there. Salt lakes and rain are not a good mix. Better to live another day, especially when one is solo. All was not lost though as there is a cache at the Mt Palmer site. Unfortunately, it was another one I couldn’t find again, as I arrived just before sundown and had a million bricks to sort through.

The large Pittosporum tree.

Camped at Jaurdi Homestead.

I had made plans to meet a mate for lunch at the Brookton Hotel the next day. Where else but in WA would you travel 350km for a beer? So I had some distance to do, all on the blacktop. Over lunch we discussed some ideas for the night’s camp and did a little bit of exploring on the way to a relatively new DBCA campground at the Dryandra Woodlands. DBCA have done a great job so far, the campgrounds being quite large and spread out. A nice night was had with some company for a change by yet another campfire. In the morning, we made pancakes in the new camp kitchen, before finding the cache here, located a short walk away.

As all good things must come to an end, I had to return home. It had been an enjoyable eight days and 1800km of solo geo-touring completed in a region I dearly love. Once home, it was time to break out the polish, such is the case when one trims the hedgerow.

The remains of the Mt Palmer hotel.

The Gnaala Mia cache.

ALU-BOX

When we’re out on the tracks, having a storage system that just works makes our life so much easier.

Althoughif truth be told, it hasn’t always been that way. If we turn back the clock a couple of years, we had pretty well reached the end of our tether with the plastic boxes we were using at the time. They simply weren’t cutting the mustard and no longer suited our needs. It wasn’t just because they let in copious amount of dust that bathed any box contents with a red tinge, they also didn’t utilise their internal space well and were awkward to store. It was time for an upgrade.

The dilemma we faced was what would we upgrade to? It wasn’t simply a case of heading to the local 4x4 shop or hardware store to pick up whatever was available. This time we were more strategic with what to select, and any product that was going to join our touring setup needed to meet certain criteria.

Starting with weight, it had to be light. The quality also had to be good and it needed to be robust. These were big ticket items on our criteria list to make sure whatever

Box contents are easily accessible even when they’re stored on the roof rack.

By Grant Hanan & Linda Bloffwitch

we chose would be able to go the distance. It also had to be easy to store and versatile, so that it could hold a range of items depending on the trip to meet our different touring styles. We were looking for something to hold gear for anything from tools through to camera gear, recovery gear or simply for food storage. On top of this, we needed something that could be used either inside the vehicle or thrown up onto the roof rack. Finally, it had to be dust and water resistant.

After sifting through the many choices available on the interweb, we came across the Alu-box range of boxes that piqued our interest. They looked cut out for the job from the outset, so we decided to trial them. Unlike the plastic style boxes we had been previously using, Alu-boxes are a lightweight aluminium storage box solution made in Denmark and constructed of 1mm corrosion resistant aluminium. Being light doesn’t mean they forego being robust due to the clever design and manufacturing techniques used. It was clear when first getting our hands on these boxes that they’re built tough with their construction incorporating aluminium welding and silicon sealing. Further box strength comes from the use of full solid rivets.

There’s no point having a strong box without a strong lid, and this area has been well taken care of too. The lids have been designed in such a way that they sit over the box base and provide added strength and protection when the box is closed. Cast alloy reinforcing has also been added to the lid corners which are a perfect addition as they’re used as a stacking point for additional boxes. The box lid has a stainlesssteel piano hinge with tensioned fasteners, and you’ve got the ability to lock the box by adding a small padlock. There’s plenty of space for big hands on the springloaded box handles which have been mounted to sit flush with the box. Each handle also comes with a rubber grip to assist with handling.

Inside the box, a rebated seal has been incorporated into the design to prevent any dust or water ingress. A couple of straps are included with one side attached to the lid’s underside and the other to the inside wall of the box. Together, these effectively prevent the lid from overextending when open.

The Alu-box range is extensive and offers around two dozen different box shapes and sizes. So there’s pretty well a box to meet a range of touring requirements. We chose to go with four of the 42 litre models for our setup and found the versatility of this

particular box’s dimensions (58cm L x 38cm W x 24cm H) was a good size and shape for us. Two or three of these were able to stack nicely in the rear of our vehicle’s cabin, or side by side in the back of the 79’s canopy. When an empty 42 litre box weighs less than 5kg, there was no problem loading them up top on the vehicle’s roof rack where their contents were still easily accessible. While we simply held the boxes down on the roof rack with a couple of tie downs, there’s no reason they couldn’t be bolted to the roof rack if you wanted to make it a more permanent mounting.

We’ve found the Alu-boxes now join us on every trip these days because of their versatility. While we were initially after something for welding, tyre repair and recovery gear, we now use the boxes for other items like camera and electronic gear, food, alcohol and even clothing that only gets used periodically while touring. We also keep one of the 42 litre boxes specifically strapped to our quad bike’s front carrier. Its size makes it perfect for storing a medical kit, camera gear, food, jackets, and anything else we need while away from base camp. When dust can be a major headache when we’re travelling off-road so regularly, we’ve found the Alu-boxes easily stand up to the dusty environment as well as any wet conditions. While there are many other boxes on the market, we’ve found many are too high, too long, too small or not deep enough. This particular style of Alu-box is an excellent size to pick up and lift around, stack on top of each other, far easier to clean and a better utilisation of space than our old plastic boxes. With this combination, we think they’re an all-round good choice for the touring lifestyle.

In Australia, the Alu-box range is available from Drifta Camping & 4WD. Phone (02) 6558 9353 or head to www.drifta.com.au for more information.

They stack well in the vehicle and are an excellent storage option for our electrical gear.

wHat ,s new?

Terrain Tamer's High Flow Exhaust System

With new ECU and remapping technology, the industry has come a long way to increase power and fuel economy, and better meet the demands of modern 4WD vehicles. To assist with this further, Terrain Tamer have just released the first in their new range of Australian made High Flow Exhaust Systems, to fit the Toyota Hilux, and V8 Landcruiser 79 Series.

Constructed from 409 Stainless Steel and coated with black heat-proof thermal paint, Terrain Tamer’s new exhaust systems feature a double braided flex joint and 3-inch mandrel bent tube which acts to maximize the gas flow of the engine, leading to better fuel economy and improved performance. The systems also include a large diameter turbo dump pipe, incorporating EGT and O2 sensor fittings, and a 200 CPI catalytic converter with a high-flow metallic substrate design to meet EURO 3 EPA emissions

standards, and suitable for demanding performance applications where a freer flow of exhaust gasses is required. Muffler bodies come embossed with Terrain Tamer’s logo, and feature high flow perforated tube internals, supported with a case stiffener as well as heavy duty gussets with endplate stiffeners, to fully support the exhaust pipes where they meet the muffler. These features are all supported by heavy duty OE style hangers and brackets, designed to connect to the vehicles original mounting points. A 10mm thick, 4 bolt pipe-through flange design ensures perfect fitting accuracy throughout and an installation kit is also included, providing all gaskets, nuts and bolts required for fitment of the system.

All Terrain Tamer High Flow Exhaust Systems come with a 5-year warranty. For more information visit terraintamer.com or call 1300 888 444

Some of the long stretches are flat and nice to relax at but fishing near run-off points or small inlets such as the Wonnerup estuary cut provide deeper water and drop offs within casting distance and with it, fish activity. Driving southwards from the Statham area down to the estuary break is relatively easy, especially with the tyres deflated a bit to ensure any sudden soft sections don’t catch you out. And that might be possible if you need to head higher up on to the beach to avoid some of the very jaggy, limestone outcrops sticking out down near the water's edge. On a calm day these waters appear lake-like and the clarity makes it easy to stalk any inshore cruisers. Plenty of small nuisance sand whiting can be found but I’m sure the more favoured yellowfin would turn up at different times.

Fishing this area on this particular trip turned up herring and whiting and later, some medium sized gardies. These I tend to target for ulterior motives, freezing them to use as bait at some of my favourite haunts at Kalbarri or further north where big tailor and large pelagic species love them. The trick to being successful with gardies is to fish very light and to use a small float or berley cage and super light leader and the single long shank hook needs to be tiny. No larger than a size 8 should do the trick and therefore the bait (squid or prawn) needs to be a tiny cube to suit. The other side from Port Geographe northwards has some more interesting

Enjoying the calm Geographe stretches.

stretches and it wasn’t hard to attract an array of species in a number of spots on a separate sortie to the area some months later. Again, it certainly looked relatively quiet with only a few other off-roaders and beach goers passing by.

Yellowfin whiting are a favoured target in the Geographe Bay shallows and their appeal on the plate goes a long way towards making them worth stalking. With a good set of polaroid sunnies and a small piece of prawn on a light flick outfit it’s possible to sight-cast ahead of a small group of yellowfin as they cruise in close in the shallows. Gentling retrieving the prawn past their noses often entices them to chase it down. This kind of fishing is more about walking decent distances until you can spot some to cast at. Great fun and exercise at the same time.

Certainly the Geographe, Forest and Peppermint beach areas are worth a look if exploring our beautiful and scenic south west. It’s leisurely off-roading and none too taxing but a good way to find a fish or two as well.

Light gear fun. Couple of hours work from Wonnerup inlet beach.

BEAUTE BT-50

obsession with SUVs and dedicated 4WDs has continued to evolve in the past decade with the strongest development being the 4WD utility market. It seems that the all-round versatility and improved comfort and performance levels of the dual cab style of off-road ute has their popularity continuing to soar to new levels.

Australia’s

We’re all painfully aware that the world has entered into an unprecedented, crazy space where we don’t know what will eventuate economically and socially due to COVID-19. Notwithstanding all of that, and thinking along the lines of normality, this segment has seen enormous competition as the major brands have continued to jostle to produce their best version of the 4WD ute for the Australian consumer.

These days the space is so competitive that it’s hard to distinguish the outright advantages of one brand over another and personal preference and pricing (as always) plays its part but Mazda’s BT-50 is one of those strong performers that has built its own dedicated following.

Earlier this year I spent some time putting the top line Boss model of this variant on loan from Anthony Caminiti at Bayswater Mazda through its paces. It included some country driving as well as doing what off-road anglers enjoy most – taking their 4WD on to the beach and going

fishing. In the end I was impressed and the fact that the fishing on the south west corner's sandy beaches was great, just added to the positives.

The Boss’s standard 3.2 litre turbo diesel engine and drive-train are essentially carried over from the regular BT-50. What’s new is the interior and exterior add-ons, including the distinctive labelling and trim. The fivecylinder turbo-diesel powerplant (rated at 147kW at 3000rpm and 470Nm torque at 1750-2500rpm) comes with a six-speed automatic transmission. It also comes with dual range, part time 4WD and a lockable rear diff. The whole arrangement is solid and performs well for this type of dual cab set up with plenty of capability as we found in the different conditions.

I found the steering to be excellent with the right amount of response and weight and whilst not tested to any extreme the typical front coil and rear leaf spring suspension arrangement is good. The dual can ute configuration has to accommodate the right balance between on road comfort and handling

The Boss is definitely a capable and solid performer in the 4WD dual cab ute stakes.

whilst serving a different master when loaded up for work.

The Boss comes in at 2161kg curb weight with 232mm of ground clearance unloaded. Normally shod with Grandtrek AT22s which are 265/65 R17s, the tyres are fitted to distinctive eight-spoke alloy, black wheels. Besides the wheels there’s plenty of additional black trim in the wing-mirror caps, the side steps, sports bar and soft tonneau cover.

The BT-50 has a 3500kg braked towing capacity with payload listed as just over a tonne. As with all turbo diesels, fuel consumption will vary with the conditions but our indicative tests showed that generally between 10 and 12 litres per 100km would be on the mark with its tank capacity of 80 litres.

Inside, there’s more of the black theme. Black leather trim and gloss-black spots and styling emphasize the 'Boss' feel. Apple Car Play and Android Auto feature on the media screen along with the eight speaker Alpine sound system. Everything is within logical and easy reach. Clearly the benchmarks in terms of expected creature comforts in these dual cabs continues to be pushed higher as we expect more than simple workhorse with stiff suspension and terrible seating – something that was pretty evident in years gone by.

And it’s not just creature comforts. Safety ratings and other features that we often take for granted these days receive scrutiny from buyers. With six airbags, reversing camera, various automated control systems for trailer sway, emergency brake and hill descent, the Boss is around the mark.

All round the Boss BT-50 is a good package. It’s more than capable and with a five-year warranty competes very well with the extensive list of 4WD dual cabs available. Its pricing though, in the mid-fifties does beg the question or consideration of is it worth the extra over a standard BT-50. In my view it’s not, but that’s because much of the extra is in the trim and appearance and my preference would be for the standard TD BT-50 that mechanically is virtually the same. I suspect that some of the young bucks who love black will disagree and work a few extra shifts to get the look. Either way it’s a good vehicle but in this segment things date fast and there’s plenty of immovable, hard-wired opinion on certain brands. I know that Mazda are teaming up with Isuzu to share componentry and produce a mixed variant that should have emerged this year. Much has been disrupted and put on hold obviously in 2020 but we’ll continue to see the popular dual cab concept continue to evolve for a while yet, I’m sure.

Mazda’s Boss BT- 50 strikes an imposing pose on the beach.

women I n 4W DrIvI nG

Long-held stereotypes are being crushed every day. The 4WD industry is no different. Once thought of as only the realm of men, 4WD companies are quickly coming to the realisation that woman can not only do the job as well as their male counterparts but sometimes more efficiently.

Women in 4W Driving celebrates the women in our industry.

4Wdriving and mechanical workshops are part of Natalie’s DNA. Growing up on the road for her senior school years and with a father who owned a truck business, Natalie was almost ordained to make the 4WD industry her career.

Family holidays involved their reliable 60 series LandCruiser and trips into remote iconic WA locations before 4W driving was really a pastime. For her family it was merely 'driving'.

In the preceding nine years prior to joining ARB she gained valuable knowledge in all facets of the industry, working behind the counter, assisting with sales, office management and even picking up a spanner to ensure her customers got the result they needed. When the opportunity to apply for a role as a 2IC with the Canning Vale store arose, she quickly threw her hat into the ring.

Within 18 months Natalie was the store manager of ARB’s first Western Australian flagship store, a new concept in design and presentation. Walking into one of the new flagship stores is like entering a hip boutique, a far cry from the dusty and odorous workshop-infused stores that we are more used to.

Natalie is passionate about ARB and the 4WD industry and is someone who enjoys her job. She lists her number one reason for enjoying her role as being her team. The longevity of her team is testament to her management style and she lovingly refers to them as her 'work family'. Seeing her team grow and improve their skills brings her the greatest joy.

She referred to Kellie, the only other female on the team, as her superstar. Coming from a retail background with no industry knowledge, she has watched her grow and become an integral part of the ARB Canning Vale family, celebrating her third anniversary with the company the day after this interview. Kyle, her workshop manager, has been with ARB for 10 years. A qualified mechanic, he lives and breathes the off-road lifestyle. “I don’t know what I would do without him. Every person is integral to ensure we succeed."

Being part of “the biggest 4WD company in the world” is exciting. Positioned as the market leaders in product design, innovation and even revolutionising the retail experience, Natalie says that her previous role selling ARB product was the catalyst.

The longevity of her team is testament to her management style and she lovingly refers to them as her 'work family'.

Winning an internal company competition last November, she was given the opportunity to tour the ARB-owned facilities offshore where many iconic products are made. “Watching the guys building our bull bars and suspension systems was mesmerising. Their attention to detail and the obvious level of their craftmanship was clear.”

“The industry is showing a return to Australian-made products which has been accelerated by COVID-19. With international travel restrictions not showing signs of being relaxed any time soon, more people are taking the opportunity to explore our amazing country.”

The volume of work coming through the stores is staggering and the stresses placed upon the business by COVID-19 add an extra level of complexity, something which her entire team take in their stride. Now more than ever we must help each other. Liam, her 2IC and another 10-year ARB veteran have a special bond as the senior management team of the store. “He is my right hand. I know that he is passionate about the brand and has my back.” The team won the first ARB Customer Service Award for WA which demonstrates their effectiveness as a team.

“The last four years with ARB have been amazing. The level of personal and professional growth has given me opportunities that I never dreamed of previously”.

Store Manager

ARB Canning Vale

G ear T o

G o camp I n

BioLite Diffuser Stuff Sack

Whilst your headlamp is best used on your noggin, when it’s time to sit back and relax, the diffusing stuff sack suspends your headlamp in the middle of the bag for an even and ambient light for you to enjoy the ambience of your camp. Drawstring enclosure makes it easy to hang from your tent, tree-branch or other overhang for area lighting. Plus, it’s a great place to store your headlamp when not in use along with maybe a couple of spare batteries.

Available from: Go Camping and Overlanding in Balcatta www.gocampingoverlanding.com.au

AeroPress Go

The AeroPress Go is thoughtfully engineered to provide all the delicious brewing capabilities of the original AeroPress plus a convenient drinking mug that doubles as a carrying case. Like the original AeroPress, the AeroPress Go brews remarkably delicious American, espresso, and cold brew style coffee. The AeroPress Go is optimised for travelling, camping or just going to work by making it convenient and easy to take with you. Its smart design ensures that you will never be without delicious AeroPress brewed coffee wherever you go.

Available from: Go Camping and Overlanding in Balcatta www.gocampingoverlanding.com.au

Red Roads Riser

Thismulti-function unit from Red Roads is both a stand for your existing Blaze-n-BBQ fire pit as well as a lightweight fire place. Made from stainless steel, the riser has a low-profile scissor action with the unit folding flat to a length of around 55cm. The prongs on the upper and lower both aid traction in the ground and a solid point of contact to your fire pit, allowing you to cook the snags at standing height (and allow all important air flow if you are using your pit over a nice grassy surface). The included stainless-steel mesh holds a small fire above the ground, though we are not sure how this will last with the typical Aussie fire!!

Available from: Go Camping and Overlanding in Balcatta www.gocampingoverlanding.com.au

Hillbilly Fry Pans

Arange

of blue-steel (as opposed to Zoolander’s Blue Steel) fry pans are available from 230mm to 410mm including some nice woks. There is a choice of convenient folding handle versions for the time packing savvy adventurer, loop handles for a traditional experience or fixed handles that can be used with the Hillbilly Cookstand for a more permanent structure. The pans are a natural steel that should be seasoned to improve their non-stick nature. Speak to the team at Go Camping & Overlanding in Balcatta for more info on how to do this. We’ve spotted a range of Red Roads Canvas Bags in store to suit these pans too!

Available from: Go Camping and Overlanding in Balcatta

www.gocampingoverlanding.com.au

Outback Survival

Bob Cooper has been trekking through this wide brown land we call home for decades. His survival and snake handling skills are legendary, being called upon by various groups and agencies around the world to provide training in both areas. A few years back he identified that there was plenty of survival equipment that had been endorsed by celebrities but there was nothing that had been tested in real world conditions. He decided to put his own body on the line and change that. Using his decades of knowledge and experience he put together a survival kit of his own design and then, unsupported, walked for 162km through the harsh Pilbara of Western Australia. The survival kit has continued to evolve over the years however one thing remains constant – every item included is there for a reason. Of course, having

Plasma Lighter

Creating a reliable ignition source when it is cold and windy can sometimes be a challenge. Flames blow out before your tinder takes or cold fingers do not function as they should. Thankfully, the team at The Kit Bag have found a clever solution. Sounding more like something out of Star Trek, the tactical waterproof dual arc plasma lighter with LED tri-phase flashlight offers intrepid explorers a reliable, rechargeable ignition source. The unit is recharged via USB and produces up to 300 ignitions per recharge. The internal battery is rated for approximately 350 recharges, providing at least 90,000 combustion events. The unit comes with a 1-year warranty.

the right tools is only part of the equation, and as they say, “knowledge is power”. Bob’s survival and tracking courses are very popular and equip you with the knowledge and mindset to survive unanticipated situations.

Check out the complete range of courses and products at www.bobcoopersurvival.com

Bob’s survival guide book and survival tools are also available from Go Camping and Overlanding in Balcatta www.gocampingoverlanding.com.au and The Kit Bag in Midvale www.kitbag.com.au

Priced at $39.95, this tool will complement anyone’s camping or adventure kit and is available from The Kit Bag in Midvale www.kitbag.com.au

Wildpeaks for the Wildtrak

By Chris Morton

Aspart of our camera truck build, we needed to source a new set of shoes for the Wildtrak that would offer us great on-road performance as well as excellent handling and stability when in the dirt. A chance meeting with Dimitri from City Discount Tyres in Joondalup led us to investigating Falken’s WILDPEAK AT3W. Further online research and the occasional carpark chat with owners of the same tyres soon gave us the confidence to commit. The tyre combines an aggressive offroad ability and rugged terrain driving without compromising on the bitumen. Its optimised tread pattern and silica compound (in passenger spec) offer outstanding performance in the wet, with the tyre even carrying a snow rating (meaning that the rubber compounds are suited for extremely low temperatures and

the tread pattern doesn’t encourage snow build up.) For the more popular light truck (LT) spec tyres, they come with up to 25% deeper tread and more cut-resistant tread rubber improving off-road life.

Aggressive upper sidewalls provide enhanced stability and handling along with preventing stones becoming trapped in the grooves. Rugged and rigid tread blocks enhance protection from sharp rocks and added off-road traction at lower pressures or in off-camber situations.

We spoke with Mick Small, Falken Tyres Australia’s resident tyre expert on the subject of what makes a tyre tough. “Traditional tyre manufacturers have used a ply rating to demonstrate tyre load capacity. Unfortunately, users tend to relate this as a measure of off-road ability, e.g. the higher the ply rating the better. With

Changing tyres is a little like getting a new haircut. You don’t know if you are going to like it until it’s done and then you are stuck with it until it grows out. With so many tyres available on the market it is sometimes easier to stick with the ol’ faithfuls than take a risk and try something new.

City Discount Tyres in Joondalup fitting the new Wildpeaks to the Wildtrak.

advances in technology this is no longer an accurate gauge. As an example, the AT3W Wildpeak only has a 2-ply rating and the Wildpeak MT mud terrains, 3. The composite strength of all the material used in the sidewall is more critical than the amount of plies alone. In some cases, manufacturers could build a high ply rating tyre, with less rubber and overall mass to improve on road handling. Just because it’s a 10 or 12-ply rating tyre doesn’t necessarily mean it’s tougher, it just means it can carry more load.”

He goes on to say, “The area of rubber closest to the bead has been specifically engineered to withstand chaffing and also has a reinforced shoulder.” With the bead area of a tyre accounting for the highest incidence of failure in rock crawling, Falken’s Heat Diffuser Technology built into the Wildpeak is critical.

Another example of Falken’s technology investment into their tyres is the 3D Canyon Sipes. Its main purpose is to tie the blocks together, reducing irregular wear for longer life, but gives high levels of grip for wet and snow driving. The design also assists greatly in providing stability to the tyre block, reducing the incidence of uneven wear.

One final word from Mick, “Tyres manufacturers state that there are three things that will directly influence tyre performance: speed, load and pressure. These three need to cooperate or your tyres will die. If you constantly run at high speed with heavy loads, then the best thing you can do is ensure that you have the correct tyre pressure.”

Overall, we have been extremely impressed with the tyre’s performance. Road noise is extremely low and their handling has not disappointed whether it be on bitumen, gravel, rock or mud. As an added bonus and testament to how tough these tyres are, Wildpeaks purchased from City Discount Tyres have a replacement warranty within the first 12 months (and within 25% wear) for any side wall stakes that occur.

cleWed Up

with JO CLEWS

Ihaveheld quite a few camp oven cooking classes at Melangata Station this year and I enjoy as much as anyone road testing tried and true family favourites, that are normally cooked in the oven at home, and adapting the recipe to be cooked in the camp oven.

Lemon Impossible Pie is an oldie but a goldie and is just perfect for this time of the year when lemons are in abundance and a tart but sweet treat for dessert is just the perfect end to a great camp oven cook up or served up on the old china in the dining room to guests at the Melangata homestead. It is so-named because it is impossible to stuff up the recipe so great for beginner cooks and especially kids.

I have found that this recipe cooks up just as well in a baking dish in your home oven or camp oven. It is also very easily adapted for a gluten free and lactose free dessert for everyone to enjoy.

Lemon Impossible Pie

You will need:

¼ cup melted butter

½ cup self-raising flour or gluten free self-raising flour

¾ cup caster sugar

¾ cup desiccated coconut

3 large eggs

2 lemons, zested

½ cup lemon juice

1 ½ cups milk or milk substitute

1 well-greased 23-25cm pie dish or a dish that will fit inside your camp oven

Place all ingredients except the milk into a large mixing bowl and beat together with a whisk until well combined, pour in the milk and beat for a further couple of minutes.

Once the milk has been added the mixture will be quite thin but fear not, this is how it’s meant to be.

Now pour the mixture into your well-greased pie dish and cook in an oven or a camp oven of about 180ºC for 45-50 minutes or until golden on the top.

Allow the pie to stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with ice cream, custard or cream. I particularly like a dollop of double cream with the added zing of a spoon full of homemade lemon curd. Just delicious. Enjoy.

Jellie

fire coOkI nG

We first met Chris Jellie one Sunday morning at the Wandoo Woodlands Bush Camp. Chris and company had a nice camp fire burning with an impressive looking breakfast cooking away over it. He immediately impressed us with his knowledge and passion around what is fast becoming a lost art to manycamp fire cooking. It’s planned that he will be a regular contributor within the pages of Australian 4W Driver magazine and we hope his column gives you the incentive to ditch the gas stove once in awhile and cook over the coals.

An enormous hello readers, Char Bro Bbq started as a humble Instagram gallery to showcase some American style barbecue I got into 8 - 10 years ago. Some of the great people I have met along that journey have changed my life in ways I would have never guessed. From competing in Low and Slow (American style) barbecue competitions with a solid team, to now testing recipes on some local barbecue heroes as we excitedly approach our first 'Fire Cooking Experience'.

Very soon after Kathleen and I teamed up, we were off adventuring! In an old 85 Patrol on 35s, powered by a small block Chev, we were in search of those less-travelled tracks, stumbling along some amazing places as we went. The 4WDs changed along the way and so did the culinary adventures at the places we visited. Then finally last year we made it to the outback. We camped with our daughter on the edge of Mongers Lake with an absolutely beautiful view of Pinyalling Hill. The silence was deafening. The raw and stark beauty. We lived around the fire. We feasted. From damper with home-brined olives and

herbs out of our garden, to 8.5 hour low and slow beef short ribs. Camp oven lamb stew on the fire to smash burgers on the cast iron hotplate.

Here, uninterrupted by the noise of everyday life, the idea was born.

While immersed in a bush setting, you can learn how a little extra effort will result in an amazing transformation to your cooking and the quality of food you can eat. The benefits of being out in nature plus learning about quality ingredients and cooking techniques you may have never thought to adapt.

Since that amazing experience in winter last year, we have upped our game in terms of recipes, styles and techniques, as well as ingredients. Our passions are vast and all-encompassing, ensuring we really do the produce justice. Our strong ethos is to provide an amazing experience, one with hands on experience and knowledge, in a relaxed and all-inclusive atmosphere. We want people to enjoy and thrive on the direction our class moves in.

Our lives hunger after that balance we only get from being in nature. We hope to empower people with all camping skill levels, from families who are unsure what the hell to do, through to the seasoned camper, off the grid in remote locations,

for days on end. The satisfaction you get after eating a meal, using fallen wood for a heat source, a second cut from the butcher and achieving a result that people would pay a high amount money for in a restaurant. That sharing of knowledge and encouragement to adventure and cook as a family or with mates, in the amazingly diverse environment our state and country has to offer.

Whether you have a hunger to get fire cooking and learn the ways or are just keen to see what we do, follow along on the socials and Youtube. Come on our journey and see what we see. Let’s light the fire and get cooking!

Read Chris Jellie's FIRE COOKING column in the first edition of

Get your copy at the Perth 4WD & Adventure Show 5-8 November 2020 or by subscription.

Coral Bay Projects

Over the years, many of them, Track Care WA has worked closely with DBCA performing and coordinating projects such as track clean-ups, dune rehabilitation and remote homestead maintenance.

After some negotiations and COVID-19 delays, Dave and Graham from Track Care WA have succeeded in a preliminary meeting with DBCA - Parks and Wildlife Services for a review and definition of work required in the Coral Bay area.

The main aim of the work in Coral Bay will be track rehabilitation at Five Fingers, Turtle cliffs and Yalabaya. The initial meeting on June 27, after a quick drive up from Perth by Dave, Graham and Nicky. Two days travel then set up at the Bay View caravan

park due to a lack of spaces in DBCA sites. One day with one vehicle reviewing Turtle Cliffs and Five Fingers while the other established the distance between 9 mile camp and Coral Bay. Friday morning was the meeting with Ranger Joe!

We had quite a long chat about what Track Care has done over the years and what we could do in the area that we looked at on the previous day. Joe saw the value in our work and what we could do to help in the Coral Bay region. The result of our discussions culminated in Joe suggesting that our first project could be the replanting of dune stabilisation plants in the Five Finger area.

Friday afternoon we went to a Warroora (pronounced WARRA) campsite named 14

mile camp. A fantastic site on the ocean but half an hour via corrugated tracks to get to Five Fingers. Where we stay will be sorted prior to the trip

As per all projects with Track Care, there will be time for fun and relaxation. We will try to find some appropriate locations for fishing and swimming.

Due to the inundation of Coral Bay with tourists over the school holidays and beyond Track Care will be working in conjunction with Joe and the rangers somewhere around May 2021 with a few possible projects during that year.

If you are interested in this project then register (members only) in the Project Pipeline for Coral Bay on the Track Care Website www.trackcare.com.au

If you are interested in joining us on our trips please go to membership on our website and fill out the form. We look forward to hearing from you.

They understand us

Paul O’Brien

Mandy Farabegoli

from TAWK (Travel Australia With Kids)

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Mandy at the Wandoo Woodland Bush Camp. After striking up a conversation with her we discovered that we had been following her Travel Australia With Kids Facebook group for the last few years. We thought it was a great opportunity to learn more about how she got started with TAWK and what motivated her.

What drew you out to the Wandoo Woodland Bush Camp?

I was drawn firstly to Wandoo Woodland Bush Camp as I love Wandoo wood! Haha, a little bit crackers and a bit random but a lot of our home is made from this glorious hardwood. We had a fire in our home many moons ago and because this wood is so hard, our house did not completely go up in flames as it took so long to get a hold on the property that by the time it did, the fire trucks were here putting it out and little damage was done. So, I do feel it is a lucky wood for us.

When I then investigated the Wandoo Woodland Bush Camp, it looked idyllic. Surrounded by these majestic trees, lots of space and with the ability to have a campfire, I was sold. Luckily, we are selfcontained and despite the continuous rain on the days we were there, we set up the

we meet

By Chris Morton

awning to catch the water and had longer showers! The spot is amazing, secluded and close enough to York to grab any supplies if needed. We will be regulars going forward.

Who do you normally travel with?

Nowadays I normally just travel with hubby. This is fairly new, but our kids are teens and young adults now and love being left at home alone ... although writing that down worries me a tad! Come to think of it, why do they keep encouraging us to go camping without them!?

They still come on our annual camping trip up to Ningaloo Reef but we have recently gotten rid of our family caravan and purchased one for just the two of us, so it’s tents and swags for them now.

We often give a shout out to any friends that wish to join us and when they can, they do.

Tell us how/why TAWK started

I started TAWK many moons ago back in 2011 as I could not find a website with information all about Travelling Australia With Kids (TAWK) for an extended period of time. There were lots of commercial type sites, but none with real information from real families and real experiences. So, I decided to create one.

We travelled the country with our three children for two years, starting when they were six, seven and nine years old. It was without any shadow of a doubt the best two years of my life. The time that we all had as a family being together all the time was so special and I just want other families to be able to do this. So often living to work gets in the way. Children grow up too quickly so

the window to do this closes very quickly and saying you’ll do it one day, too often becomes never.

There are lots of families travelling now and with social media, many families are seeing other families doing this and realising that TAWKing for them is a possibility.

What is the purpose of TAWK?

TAWK is to help and encourage families to turn their dreams of travelling Australia with their kids into a reality.

Who would not want to take their families out of the rat race for a while and explore our fabulous country? On the Travelling Australia With Kids website we have everything for families to get started and turn dreams into plans.

From what you might travel in to make your home on wheels, schooling and options for families, when might be the best time to go, how you can afford it, to places to go and how to cope with being together 24/7.

What is your favourite destination?

Our favourite destination has to be the NW of WA. But from there, it’s very hard to choose, which is odd because it is so vast!

I love the Gascoyne, the Pilbara and the Kimberley. I am not sure how, but I think the red earth up there seems to seep into your soul and calls you back.

We also love the Coral Coast and Coral Bay holds a place in our hearts as we worked there for five months on our two year trip around Australia. We were part of the community and still feel at home there.

Do you prefer short or long stays at a location?

Oooo, this is a hard one. I like both! I love moving through, but even then, it would be a minimum of three nights in one spot. Two is not enough and you feel like you are unpacking and packing up all the time. I like to explore and spend some time in a place to get a feel for it.

Sometimes getting the feel of a place makes you want to stay longer and embracing all that the area and the locals have to offer. Mix with the locals and you will find those secret spots that the tourists are not so aware of and of course the secret fishing spots and best 4WD tracks – although this mag has most of them covered!

What are your best tips for travelling Australia with kids?

Do it as soon as you can for as long as you can. Just do it! The decision is the hardest part and once you make that decision you will find that everything else will fall into place. We have lots of information on our website to help you with your plans and then to support you on your trip.

It's not all rosy, be prepared for that and it is no holiday either, which can come as quite a shock to some, as does being together 24/7 but stick with it and once you settle in, you will not regret a moment. There are tough times at home too, but this way you get to experience our great land and all that it has to offer.

It will be beneficial to your kids in so many ways. The education just from travelling and not stuck in classrooms day in day out. Learning to love our land, to experience our land and all the opportunities life on the road presents.

Go with the flow and enjoy the ride and again my tip is to just do it asap! The kids are growing day by day.Mandy and family on their travels.

Describe your touring setup and what you like about it.

Our set up now is only slightly different from when we travelled Australia with our kids. Now we have just a two berth full caravan whereas back then we had a seven berth full caravan with three bunks.

I would always encourage you to try before you buy if you are considering travelling with your family. There are a lot of peer to peer hire companies now and you can hire from other families.

We chose the full van as we did not want to be setting up and packing down a camper trailer every few days. With the vast distances we were covering we needed it to be easy. You also need a good tow vehicle and you both need to know how to tow the caravan.

However, let me just say, you do not need to spend an absolute fortune to do this. You can of course and if you can afford it, do so. BUT if you cannot go all out, do not write the trip off. The caravan that we took on our two year trip around Australia, cost us $6000. An oldie but a goldie! We kept that van for another eight years after our trip and sold it for $3500! So, whatever your outlay, remember you can get a lot of the money back by selling it.

Tell us about a location that you haven’t been to yet that is on your bucket list

Sorry to say and maybe no surprise, still in the NW of WA, Mount Augustus is on my bucket list. We drive past the turn-off every year on our annual trip up to Coral Bay, but because we always go there in January, we feel it is too hot to go inland at this time. So, we will choose a cooler period in the coming years and get to see this huge monolith and see if it has the same vibe and spiritual feel as Uluru.

What is your favourite 4WD magazine and why are we? : )

I spend so much time online and working, reading online articles and running my website, that to have a real copy of a magazine in my hot little hand that I could read sitting around the campfire, with articles from like-minded souls was refreshing. I even loved the fact that it was ‘book sized’ and not A4 like a lot of them.

I was surprised about the variety and of course loved the fact that there was even a kid’s section. Which again was fabulous as I actually learnt something. It was all about shells and what they were before you found them up on the sand. Well done kids.

I love the fact that there was lots of variety in the mag with info that hubby would find more fascinating than myself, but it was not just about all the 4WD gadgets, there was also lots of 4WD people. Is that even a thing? Yes, it is, and they are my people.

Now I am reading through all the different 4WD adventures that are so clearly marked out in the various books in the Explorer series. This also gave me joy as I know that my kids love the outback due to our travels and I know they will be exploring in 4WDs in the future. Now I’ll have a little bit of peace knowing there are tracks and coordinates for them as they journey, and they will not be alone. The books feel like a back-up and with young adults that are finding their own way round our land, I need as much backup as I can get.

Enjoying a swim at Fern Pool, Karijini N.P.

4WD clUbs

Four Wheel Drive Club of WA (Inc)

Meets 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at the Inglewood Bowling Club, starting at 8pm. Potential new members are more than welcome to attend.

Contact the club via clubinfo@4wdclubwa.com to obtain more information or come along to one of our meetings.

Western Patrol Club

Sunday 22 November - Annual Meet and Greet day in the Wilbinga Sand Dunes. This is a great way for potential new members to join experienced club members for a day out in the sand. The club will also host a sausage sizzle for all participants.

Follow www.facebook.com/WesternPatrolClub/ on Facebook or contact the club by email on secretary@westernpatrolclub.com

Foothills 4 Wheel Drive Club

25 - 26 September - Overnight road trip to Jennacubine

20 - 21 November - Club Christmas Dinner at Lake Navarino. For more details please contact the club secretary on mags261@icloud.com

Mitsubishi 4WD Owners Club of WA

Saturday 24 October - Open Day is on from 10.00am to 3.00pm at the Manning Seniors Centre, 3 Downey Drive, Manning. Come along to meet the members, check out the trip calendar, ask questions and see how we operate. All makes of 4WD with low range are welcome. A special membership offer will be available.

Check out the club website www.mitsibishi4wd.org and an event registration will be on our Facebook page (Mitsubishi 4WD Owners Club of Western Australia).

Cockburn 4WD Club

Upcoming planned events:

29 - 30 August - Surprising and Unusual

12 - 13 September - WA's Best Bakeries Road Trip

26 September - Wedge - Grey - Pinnacles

27 September - 2 October - Gold Prospecting Trip 'Second Time Lucky'

2 October - Dalwallinu Wildflowers Road Trip

10 October - Social Day, Snapper Run with Jazz Charters

13 October - General Meeting

For more trips see www.facebook.com/cockburn4wdclub/events Website - www.cockburn4wd.club

Facebook Page - www.facebook.com/cockburn4wdclub

GoBush 4WD Club

26 - 28 September

Long weekend

D’EntreCasteaux National Park. A great weekend

Broke Inlet and Coodamurrup Beach.

the beaches, swimming and fishing, plus hill climb

- 4 October - Lancelin getaway

in the off-road

Eastern Goldfields 4WD Club

Located in the heart of Western Australia, the Eastern Goldfields 4WD Club is a great place to meet fellow 4WD owners

to explore the amazing Goldfields region. The club hold regular trips and activities for

- 6 September - Annual Damper Bake Off on Father’s Day weekend on Mt Vetters Station.

has been a long-time

we are sure this year won’t disappoint.

trip to Fitzgerald River National Park for some off-road adventure. For further details

- 28 September - Long weekend

out www.eg4wd.tidyhq.com

GoI nGs On

New TJM franchise for WA

AUSFleet Solutions Group, owner of the Thrifty WA franchise recently entered the 4WD accessories market with the opening of AUS 4WD Equipment in Bassendean in February. The brand-new store, located at 320 Collier Road, is easily accessible with plenty of onsite parking. The store fit-out is clean and uncluttered, boasting the complete range of TJM products.

Store Manager, Stephen Gurman says, “having the full backing of the AUS Fleet Solutions Group makes us the complete one-stop shop. With proven capabilities in mechanical, smash repairs, sales and leasing, AUS 4WD Equipment is wellplaced to ensure you get the right solution for your 4WD.”

Call in and check out the comprehensive range and tell them Western 4W Driver sent you.

CAPTURE THE

MENT

We

With Uncle Dick Stein

Shhh…

Why are you shushing me? What’s up?

It’s a secret … a secret picture … and a secret winner for the Capture The Moment photo contest. You’ll never guess his name so I’ll tell you; it’s Daniel Barron. And this is a secret location somewhere in the south west.

But there are clues in the picture: the body of water is still or slow moving as you can see there is some detail on the surface reflection - even though the exposure is about ⅛ to ¼ of a second. That’s how long it takes to blur flame.

There are four vehicles shown, so it can’t be a total secret - as soon as you tell one other person … and in this case there are lots of families and kids involved … someone will squeal.

It looks as though they were well prepared - as any good reader of this magazine should be. Tents, trailer and awnings on the 4WDs show that these are people who know what to do. Note also that there are more chairs there than in my lounge room. Squatting on your hunkers in the dirt is all very well, but not if you don’t have to.

It’s no secret that they are having fun, because none of the people are working hard in the picture and there are cans and bottles evident. The fire is bright and clean and none of the children are falling in the water. They’re also not out stealing hubcaps or spray painting fences so that’ll show you what a healthy 4WD lifestyle will do for you.

On a photo note, the picture is well composed - from the other side of the water course. It is steady - whether that is the effect of a tripod, an image stabilising system or nerves of steel is unknown, but modern cameras with their high ISO performance make this sort of thing a lot easier than before.

Also easier is the business of the colourthis camera may well have been on Auto White balance. It was presented with blue light in the vehicle’s lights and red light from the fire - and has made a good compromise that gives warmth where it’s needed and drama elsewhere. Full marks to Daniel Barron for including the arch of fire-lit trees above the main subject to frame it.

And a final note about photo secrecy. If you are really keen on this be sure to get into the settings of your camera and disable the report that the machine records with the main file. This is a technical list that identifies the camera, lens, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. But some cameras also record GPS data and attach it to a file. If you had one of those and forgot to remove the data, it would travel with the file wherever it went.

Not a bad thing if you have forgotten where you took a picture and need a refresher. But never fear - we’ll have a prize for Daniel for this splendid photo.

Where’s the prize? That’s a secret.

from Email photos to: comps@western4wdriver.com.au

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Check out Uncle Dick's blogs: hrhoa.wordpress.com frontierandcolonial.wordpress.com littleworld678590491.wordpress.com

TH e Travelling pHOtOgrapH er

STEIN

The All in One

Theidea of having it all is ingrained in a lot of us. Sometimes we add the idea of having it all in one - one place, one time, one person … or one camera. The makers of digital photo equipment are ahead of us all the way and make special equipment to appeal to this instinct.

The idea isn’t new - when you were a pup and Kodak was real, the family camera was likely to be an all-in-one Brownie. For most people there were no interchangeable lenses or multiple camera bodies. Frequently there was no flash and lots of times no tripod. What you had was what you used and what it did was what you got.

Most of the pictures that people took satisfied them no end - even if they were much the same from one picture to the next. The wives who took a Kodak snap of Dad going off to war, sent home shots of the kids while he was away, then took another snap as he came off the troopship were right to be delighted with the postcard prints.

The professionals could switch lenses, add lights, haul tripods, and do any manner of complex things, but they couldn’t do better than that Kodak, as far as the family was concerned.

Well, you can do the same now. Not with a Kodak, I am sad to say, but with any number of fine cameras from the major makers. And I say major, because the

trade has settled into the pattern of a few giant factories turning out big ranges of camera gear. As a shooter, you can pick a name you like or remember from the past, and there will be an all-in-one there for you. Look for a camera that doesn’t let you switch lenses. Not that this is a bad thing artistically, but every time you do it you risk having dirt fly into the camera - and then you’ll be paying to have it delicately cleaned out again. If your camera of choice has a zoom lens, all the better. You’ll be trading off a very little degree of resolution for a great deal more flexibility in use.

Pick a camera that doesn’t weigh a metric tonne. That’d be a slight exaggeration, but you’ll wonder if you compare the weight of some cameras to others after a long day of hiking. If you’ve opted for a very large zoom lens your shoulders and back will talk to you about 4:00 in the afternoon and they won’t speak softly.

Pick a camera that doesn’t need exotic memory cards. No names, no pack drill, but have a look when you buy the camera whether there are any compatible spare cards on the shelves. If they don’t have them in the city, they won’t have them in the bush.

Pick a camera that has a decent battery for the size of the body. Too small, to be trendy, means too few shots between charges and too fast a leakage through active circuits.

Try to pick a camera that has some form of viewfinder. These can be

optical, mechanical, or electronic - but whichever they are, you’ll need one to help you see through the glare of the sun on the LCD screen.

Finally, pick a picture box that doesn’t cost the earth. Again, no names … but some of the offerings from major makers are wrapped up in legend, style, and trend and are priced accordingly. When your prospective new camera costs three times the price of your first car, it’s time to pause and think.

Note: Once you’ve got the new camera in hand, go out and go mad. Make all the mistakes you can quickly so that you have time to read up how to correct or avoid them next time. Don’t be ashamed to experiment and learn. You got bogged with your first 4WD and got out of it - you can succeed with your new camera.

PHOTOGRAPHY Tips & Tricks

Not sure how to set your new digital camera? Daunted by the menu options? Puzzled at the instruction book? Welcome to the family … Here’s a quick recipe for new digital camera owners that they can apply if they’ve gotten a new camera just before a trip and haven’t had time to settle into it. The results will be pretty good and later experience will make them even better.

1. Reset and format the camera and card. Set the date and time on the first screen that asks for this.

2. Set the colour space to sRGB - it’ll be in the menu somewhere.

3. Set the White Balance to Auto.

4. Set the Mode to P or Auto.

5. Set the Image Size to Medium 3:2.

6. Set the Image Quality to Normal + RAW. It’ll use up more memory on the card but you’ll bless yourself for having the RAW file later. Believe me.

7. Set the ISO rating to Auto/3200 or at least to ISO 800. Now go out and go mad. Shoot every blessed thing you see. Nearly every scene that attracts your attention will be of value to you later when you analyse your trip.

The camera will record them pretty well - that is the wonderful thing about modern digital - and the RAW file will hold the key to perfecting them later when you are home and have some spare time.

It doesn’t even matter which brand of camera you use - they all do the job you bought them for. Have faith and snap away.

With over 40

experience teaching Outback Survival,

by

Bucket List for Kids

J B O E Q M Y K R C O K T D N C X M L F P I C N I C P D F L O W E R P Z G A S F X Z V U E I L V K V Q E R S U C B U S H R B T Q A U J P F E H A C T H B W S L B O Y T R E E W K R N U R L J I D I Y K S E W O D C X B D M A M A M Y B N Z D N X D N A M T C I C R L H F M U Q Y T H N J M V W A S K J H I K E F O F C M H A P U P S G N D T L J O U R N A L E I F V E T C D A P X Q G M Z W C A M P I N G L V L M B S E I Y B S B H T N R A U E H X P K H J W X S U N R I S E Y T Q R S E U D O H W J E A G L N F W R G M A R S H M A L L O W Z O C P K A I Z U N C V Z L K C G J Q W A E T V R G T F Q Y S E V N A T U R E I B E P W C L O U D R P T K I O G A X Y L E

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A Creek Too Far

Recently, while exploring near York, I decided to cross a small creek to access some panoramic views. Crossing wasn’t too much of an issue, with my 79 easing its way through. The return trip, however, ended quite differently, with my driver’s side sinking into the thick mud, coming to rest on the chassis rails. A family member attempted a winch recovery but not having fitted recovery points meant the winch cable was not attached correctly and the winch rope was cut on my bar work.

The second attempt also failed, with the 8-tonne snatch strap suffering a similar fate to the winch rope. Luckily, another vehicle in our party was carrying a set of Maxtrax and after about 30 minutes of excavating they were placed into position. A combination of lowered tyre pressure, traction from the recovery boards and breaking the suction of the mud with a kangaroo jack was the key. Some added pressure pulling the vehicle backwards with another ute enabled me to regain traction and extricate my vehicle.

I have since had recovery points fitted and invested in good quality recovery gear. A set of Maxtrax would be a most welcome addition to my vehicle.

Bigada

G’day Bigada,

It goes to show that stopping and thinking about the best way to get out of a situation is extremely important, as is having the right gear fitted to your vehicle. I dare say having recovery points would have prevented both the winch rope and snatch strap failures, however they should still be the last method used. There are very few scenarios where dropping your tyre pressure, moving some dirt and using your recovery boards won’t succeed. Glad you got the 79 back on solid ground. Now you can add your own set of Maxtrax to your recovery gear.

Proudly

How you get stuck is your business. How you get out is ours. Now you can take the easy way out with Maxtrax. Get your pic in to win this great prize or, if you can’t wait, go to www.maxtrax.com.au to learn more.

funny

THE

RIDE

Chris Morton