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WESTERN 4W DRIVER
127th EDITION
Spring 2023
TACKLING THE CARNEGIE
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S T N E T N CO ADVENTURES
Edition 127 Spring 2023
The Road to Water
Alan searches for water along the old Mount Jackson to Ularring Road ................................................................... 8
Exploring the Wild Side
Rock climbing and 4W driving in Western Australia ................................................................................................................................ 17
Country Connection
Grant and Linda share their cultural tour experiences on a recent Kimberley trip ............................. 38
Jimny in Jarrah Country
Phil ventures through jarrah forests from Jarrahdale to Collie ............................................................................................... 46
Lennard Track — Alive with Wildflowers
Alison introduces us to a 4WD track abundant in vibrant displays of native flora ............................... 52
High Country I-Venture
David travels Victoria's High Country on the cusp of winter's grip ................................................................................... 62
Tackling the Carnegie
Ron and Viv tackle spinifex and scrub as they traverse the David Carnegie Road .............................. 75
Choose Your Route Through the Ancient Pilbara
The Warlu Way ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 95
FEATURES Mitsubishi Triton — A Top All-Rounder Ray Cully reviews the
Mitsubishi Triton GSR Dual Cab .............................................. 24
Back to Basics — Part-Time 4WD Explained David Wilson walks us through the
fundamentals of part-time 4WD systems .............. 31
Gearing Up for Gold, Glory and Gifts of the Past
Which metal detector is best for you? ......................... 57
The RFDS Story — Part 2 The bloke on the twenty dollar note
REGULARS The Front Matter ................................................................................. 6 Country Stargazing ......................................................... 108 The People We Meet ..................................................... 111 Bush Mechanics ......................................................................... 115 What's in a Name .................................................................. 118 The Things You See .......................................................... 124 Fishy Business ................................................................................ 127 Outback Survival .................................................................... 130 Gear to Go Camping ...................................................... 135
and other Australian heroes .......................................................... 81
Clewed Up ................................................................................................. 138
Fit for the Family
Fire Cooking ......................................................................................... 140
Product Review .................................................................................................... 90
Work-life on the Road with Starlink Stay connected while you travel ............................................. 93 Opening Doors to New Opportunities
The hidden benefits of volunteering ............................... 98
Protecting the Kimberley through Citizen Science How we can combat the
impact of Myrtle Rust .......................................................................... 104
Keeping it Cool
Product Review .............................................................................................. 142
4WD Club Focus ........................................................................ 144 Capture the Moment ................................................... 149 Smart Photography ........................................................ 151 Now We're TAWKing! .................................................. 154 The Trusty Toolbox ............................................................ 157 Crossword Puzzle ................................................................. 158 Subscriptions .................................................................................... 160 Supplier Directory .............................................................. 161 Silly Snaps ................................................................................................. 162
western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver 127 | 5 #
Vanguard Publishing ABN 70 616 133 870 26 John Street, Northbridge WA 6003 PO Box 50, Northbridge WA 6865 Phone: (08) 9422 4330 admin@western4wdriver.com.au www.western4wdriver.com.au EDITION 127: Editor Tori Wilson tori@vanguardpublishing.com.au Graphic Design Karen Morton Content Tori Wilson Michael Collins Advertising Matt Clarke matt@western4wdriver.com.au Natalie Du Preez natalie@vanguardpublishing.com.au Administration Steve Larcombe Sally van Heemst Printing Vanguard Print
Cover image: David Carnegie Road by Ron & Viv Moon
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Vanguard Publishing or the editors but those of the authors who accept sole responsibility and liability for them. While every care is taken with images and photographs, and all other material submitted, Vanguard Publishing accepts no liability for loss or damage. Vanguard Publishing reserves the right to amend publication schedules and frequencies.
C
an you believe it? Spring is upon us once again. I do love this time of year — the days get longer and the temperature rises and everything just comes to life! I look back on this passing year and can't help but wonder where the time has gone. Some parts of the state have seen more than their fair share of rain this year, while some parts have missed out completely. Blue skies have returned to the Kimberley and the mighty Fitzroy River, which had swelled to impassable levels, dropped then swelled again and again has now receded, allowing for a flow of traffic along the iconic Great Northern Highway while the works on the new bridge are well underway. Amidst these trials of excessive rainfall, however, we are reminded that the natural world operates on its own schedule. I guess as the rain-soaked terrain slowly dries, we're reminded of the evertenacious Cane Toad, which persists in its westward march, a testament to nature's persistence and man’s failure to control a cane beetle. A sure sign of the warming weather is that familiar sight of a southbound convoy of vehicles, all adorned with the unmistakable signs of exploration — mud splatters and dust clouds. These adventurers continue their pilgrimage of sorts, their bones warmed by a Kimberly winter are now in pursuit of the sun over southern parts. Many will be side-tracked in pursuit of the remarkable wildflower displays that grace the landscapes just north of Perth this time of the year. The vibrant carpets of colours that emerge
Edition 127 Spring 2023
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THE FRONT MATTER with MICHAEL (SPIKE) COLLINS signal the transformation of the outdoors into a living, breathing canvas, inviting us to witness the wonders of renewal and growth. In this edition, our pages are once again graced by the insights and experiences of an exceptional group of contributors. David Wilson takes charge, guiding Isuzu's I-Venture Club through the rugged terrains of the Victorian High Country, he also sheds light on the intricacies of part-time 4WD systems. Ron and Viv Moon embark on a legendary expedition along the David Carnegie Road, while Alan McCall embarks on a historical journey through the Goldfields, tracing the path of the old Mount Jackson to Ularring Road. Diving into the heart of Australian history, John Collins returns with Part 2 of his compelling Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) story. Our dedicated editor, Tori, took the time to engage with one of our subscribers, Les Robinson, and his wife Tracey, capturing their shared tales over a chilled beer in the Goldfields. Geoff Lewis imparts invaluable knowledge on getting out of a jam, and the ever-popular CSR expert Phil Bianchi enlightens us with a piece delving into CSR facts, as well as embarking on a nostalgic adventure through Jarrah Country in a trusty Suzuki Jimny with a long time school friend. A note from us here at the Western 4W Driver magazine, it’s so lovely to read Phil has overcome prostate cancer again, we do wish him well. Grant and Linda report from the Kimberley and share their immersive cultural tour experiences. Encounters
with the rich heritage of Aboriginal culture are a must for any wanderer, and we urge you to explore the Western Australian Indigenous Tour Operators Council (WAITOC) website to uncover the wealth of tour offerings across our vast state. Speaking of cultural experiences, Grant and Linda's excursion to the Oolin Sunday Island Cultural Tour brings them in contact with the exceptional Rosanna Angus, an incredibly deserving winner of the 2023 WA Tourism Awards Golden Guide award. Turning our focus to the practical, our great mate Ray Cully puts the latest Mitsi Triton to the test, providing a thorough review. Meanwhile, Jo Clews showcases her culinary prowess with a gluten-free rendition of Chicken Noodle Soup — a testament to the diversity and creativity that defines our community. Speaking of community, mark your calendars for the 4WD and Adventure Show, slated for 10-12 November 2023, at McCallum Park. This premier event promises a vibrant celebration of all things 4WD and adventure, and the Western 4W Driver magazine team will be right at the heart of the action so come and say hello! Thank you once again for being a part of our Western 4W Driver community. We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we enjoyed creating it and may it inspire you to traverse the open road, explore the untamed wilderness, and create memories that will endure for years to come. Happy reading. Cheers, Spike
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THE ROAD TO WATER BY ALAN McCALL
son k ac J ount M d ol e Th to Ularring Road
Wogling.
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Historian and explorer Alan McCall traverses through the North Coolgardie Goldfields in search of signs of years gone by and vital sources of water that once sustained outback living.
W
hen travelling through the North Coolgardie Goldfields there is always a sense of history around wherever you look. There is always an assortment of things to see and do that can trigger a trip back in time. I have had a longstanding interest in how the early travellers managed to get around this countryside, including how they survived in the environment of mostly dense bush, yet still managed to get access to that most necessary resource — water. With the goldrushes of the 1890s; towns, settlements and water reserves were established — most of them would eventually succumb to the ravages of time. Seeing what remains these days always provides an interesting historical perspective. The surrounding countryside where many prospectors had camped and their kind of lifestyle out bush would seem pretty hard to the average person today, though, at the time, it would have been considered completely normal. It goes to show just how far we’ve come. When looking for interesting places to visit in the area we noticed that there used to be a road that went from Jackson Townsite to Ularring. Jackson, also known as Mount Jackson due to the nearby mountain of the same name, was once a small town servicing the local mining community. Now, somewhat unsurprisingly it lies at the north end of the Mount Jackson Road. Ularring was a small outpost and crossroads to the north of Coolgardie, which is now on the Davyhurst Mulline Road. This road was initially needed for the prospectors and their service industries, as various gold finds were made both to the north of Southern Cross and Coolgardie. Although the railway was slowly extending from Southern Cross to Kalgoorlie, it was still a long walk for many hopeful prospectors aiming to go north to these areas.
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Around the time of the goldrush the only other road roughly heading north-east in the area was the Southern Cross to Goongarrie Road (or Gus Luck Track). A surveyor, Mr C. Sabine was sent out in 1895 to survey a route for this new road. In 1900 the road was officially gazetted as a main road (approximately 150km long). It was shortly after this that it was noted that Mr Sabine was not on the register of licenced surveyors. Not only this, but his field notes were lacking in detail. Much discussion was had at the Perth Lands office, as the lack of detail could have affected proper land resumption. It was finally decided to allow the road to proceed. Most of the route shown on maps indicates the route as approximate, however, we decided that on this trip we would endeavour to visit the water reserves we knew were along the road, starting at Ularring at the eastern end of the route. Ularring itself is a large granite outcrop about 60 kilometres west of Menzies and well sign-posted. It is famous for being where explorer Ernest Giles was attacked in 1875. Once you arrive, you’ll find a small camping area, a sheltered table and bench and water supplies, two
Well at Ularring.
of which have permanent water. There is also a well not far from the main road — please be careful with your pets and children here, the well is very deep. The track straight out heading west from Ularring is quite typical of the area; generally a good sandy track however, note it can get a bit boggy after rain. This corresponds quite well with Sabine’s map too, for now. About 30 kilometres to the west are three named water reserves all within a few kilometres of each other. The first is Maninga Soak, named Mount Manning Soak by Sabine. Adjacent to an outcrop not far from the track, hidden behind some scrub, is a small well with a metal door. It was dry, although had been filled in quite a bit over the years,
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An excerpt from Hema's WA state map.
Coordinates for Curara
30 01 30.2 S 120 04 50.1 E
Coordinates for
Maninga Soak.
so in the past was probably deeper and would provide water.
Maninga Soak
Curara.
29 58 14.6 S 120 15 00.3 E
The second is Yowie Rock. This is a large outcrop adjacent to the track. Despite spending a couple of hours looking around we could not locate the main water reserve so this had to be left to find another day. The third is Gedagie Soak. This area is low lying and has large run offs from the lower than normal adjacent outcrops. Just south of the track is a well, almost totally filled in with just the upper level of stonework visible. The road followed from one water point to another, and on average these waterholes were spaced out enough to enable reliable access to water when needed.
Coordinates for
Gedagie Soak
There is another well, Curara, about 12 kilometres further to the south-west. It sits just next to the track to the north and looks like it has its original timber frame still in-situ. This was also dry and unused. The current track is still quite good at this stage. Most of the wells have been sunk at short distances from the outcrops where there is a good run off during rains. The water runs off the rocks, and soaks the adjacent soil, filling the wells. Covering the wells gave an extra protection from evaporation to hopefully ensure a continuity of supply. Yerilgee is next along the track, about eight kilometres further. These are some Yerilgee
Coordinates for
30 03 54.8 S 120 00 41.2 E
29 59 23.6 S 120 12 00 E
Gedagie Soak.
Yerilgee.
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gnammas that had been modified to fit two tanks, one 500 gallons and another 1000 gallons. The tanks have long since disappeared however you can see where they used to sit on top. Here is where the original track would have turned towards the north-west to the next reserve of Wogling, which is located now on an eastKurrajong Rockhole west fire trail. There 30 10 43.2 S
is a very rough old track going that way, however, to save some time and possible damage to the vehicle we went south-west to Kurrajong Rockhole, then north-west to the fire trail. If you do go to Kurrajong Rockhole have a look for the old timer inscriptions on the face of the rock just to the right of the rock hole.
Coordinates for
119 53 01.8 E
29 57 34 S 119 26 50.8 E
Inscriptions at Kurrajong Rockhole. Wogling.
Coordinates for
Olby Rock
Olby Rock Gnamma.
Coordinates for Wogling
30 00 07.1 S 119 45 01.6 E
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In 1924 farmer P.W. Mayer leased reserves Wogling, Dooling Soak, Chatarie and Olby Rock. The latter two were not on the Mount Jackson to Ullaring Road but were slightly further to the west. In 1928 Mayer absconded in a stolen motor truck and was never located by the police. The government tried to re-lease the soaks without result as Mayer still held some leases over the adjoining land. Subsequently his unpaid lease fees were written off. Dooling Soak was the next feature to see, located a kilometre off the track. There, the old road completely fades away. Please be aware that it is a fairly isolated area and the last thing you want is to be stuck out there when a problem strikes — so think about whether you have the level of experience to drive in for a look — if in doubt, walk, and remember to take some Dooling Soak water with 30 01 57.2 S you. Dooling 119 38 35.2 E Soak is a
Coordinates for
modified soak
Coordinates for
Stinking Well
Stinking Well.
30 09 24.3 S 119 24 17.1 E
adjacent to a small outcrop which used to supply 300 gallons of water an hour. It has been many years since anybody has cleaned the soak out and it now has trees and plants growing all over it. The next feature, Stinking Well, was way too far through the thick scrub to the south to attempt to drive all the way there from Dooling Soak. It would have to be attempted from the south, where the terrain was more spread out. The quickest way was to keep going west along the
Olby Rock Gnamma.
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fire trail then south along the Bullfinch Evanston Road. A feature just near the end of the fire trail is one of Mayers old leases, Olby Rock. These little-known water holes are accessible via a small track to the south from the fire trail. Stinking Well has very little descriptions about it — just an approximate location and size. Sabine wrote it was eight and a half feet long, six and a half feet wide, five feet deep with a water level of three feet
four inches. We headed north-east from the abandoned Atkinson’s Find Mine off the Bullfinch Evanston Road. There was a track for the first few kilometres then it had to be cross country driving for the remainder of the journey, another few kilometres. Once again, please review your level of experience if you choose to drive here — this country is renowned for punctures, and is probably a bit too far to walk in to. The feature we had targeted suited the measurements that Sabine provided, though we did not dig it out to see how deep it was.
Coordinates for Marda
The next feature was at Marda, which is quite popular with 4W drivers when visiting this area. When Sabine went through this was only marked as a couple of gnamma holes. Later, just below the gnammas a concrete water tank was built in a creek. Even later a massive dam was built on the same creek, which is the first feature most people see today when they visit.
30 12 49.7 S 119 17 06.7 E
Marda Gnamma.
The final feature was the townsite of Jackson, which is the terminus of the
Marda Dam.
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old road. Little remains of the town now but one abandoned building, the old Freemason’s Lodge, and a huge cleared area where the town once stood.
INFORMATION BAY PREPARATION Trip and vehicle preparation are important as there are limited services available. Service your vehicle, pack your recovery and communication gear, and take some extra water.
Coordinates for Jackson
30 12 09 S 119 06 41.8 E
FUEL Even today, with our modern reliable vehicles, there is a strong feeling of isolation when out in the area. The oldtime folk must have been tough and determined to trudge along these tracks. The lure of gold, and possible riches, must have been very strong. Original cement tank at Marda.
Fuel is limited away from the towns so ensure you have enough to get you back to town again.
GETTING THERE Access to Mount Jackson from the south can be from Southern Cross, via Bullfinch and then Mount Jackson Road (141km). Access to Ullaring from the east can be from Menzies, via Evanston Menzies Road and Davyhurst Mulline Road (73km), or from the south from Coolgardie via Coolgardie North Road and Davyhurst Mulline Road (143km). Bullfinch Evanston Road and the Mount Manning Fire Trial can be used to bypass the overgrown section of the track between Marda and Dooling Soak.
BEST TIME TO VISIT May to September as it’s a good average travelling temperature.
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EXPLORING THE WILD SIDE Rock Climbing & 4W Driving in Western Australia BY JEFF ROBSON, JIRI STASTNY & ZAK HOGEN-ESCH OF THE CLIMBERS ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (CAWA)
Western Australia, with its vast landscapes and rugged terrains, offers a playground for adventurers seeking the thrill of both rock climbing and 4W driving.
F
rom towering cliffs to hidden boulders, this expansive region presents a variety of locations that are sure to satisfy any enthusiast's craving for excitement and natural beauty. In this article, we will delve into three remarkable sites that blend the joys of rock climbing with the challenges of off-road exploration.
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BOB'S HOLLOW First on our list is Bob's Hollow, situated along the Cape to Cape track between Contos Beach and Redgate Beach near Margaret River. As one of Western Australia's favourite sport climbing destinations, Bob's Hollow offers a unique experience with its steep and overhanging limestone formations. This crag presents climbers with the opportunity for fantastic 3D climbing on stalactites and giant toofas. While most climbs range from grade 18 to 27, there are a couple of easier climbs and a few more challenging ones for the crushers to sink their fingernails into. Climbing highlights here include Puk Puk Sen (18), Mixed Grill (22) and Mixed Grill Direct (23) and Hollow Promises (25). Be prepared to go home with quite a few cuts on your hands, arms and legs as the limestone is sharp! It is important to note that climbing in this area is tolerated but not officially sanctioned. To ensure compliance with park regulations, climbers should
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contact the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW) office in Busselton for the latest information on climbing permits and rules. As with any wilderness area, remember to practice responsible climbing by following established paths and refraining from making new ones. Protect the delicate ecosystem by carrying out all waste and respecting the park's regulations.
Getting There Bob's Hollow can be accessed via either a very rough 4WD track (enter opposite Calgardup Cave on Caves Rd) or a 40-minute hike along the stunningly scenic Cape to Cape track, which is the route most climbers take. The 4WD track is not for the faint-hearted, as it is strewn with boulders that will surely test both your driving and your vehicle's capabilities. Be prepared for a very slow, bumpy and scratchy journey, and choose your lines wisely to avoid damaging your 4WD, but please don’t widen the track! However, the picturesque views of the nearby ocean and white sandy beaches, along with the possibility of spotting dolphins and whales, make this destination truly enchanting. The best time to climb is in the morning until around 1pm and be sure to check the weather conditions when planning your visit.
WEST CAPE HOWE Moving further south to the peninsula near Albany, you’ll find West Cape Howe, an absolute paradise for trad climbers. With its awe-inspiring 50–60 metre cliffs and over 300 marked climbing routes, West Cape Howe offers the unique experience of rappelling down to a belay point before embarking on the ascent. The challenge intensifies as you face the crashing waves beneath you and the fierce winds blowing in from the Antarctic. Even in summer, it is advisable
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to bring a jacket due to the unpredictable weather conditions. One of the iconic climbs here is The Climb (18), which takes you up a prominent granite pillar jutting out into the ocean, or Dancing the Deep Blue (26) just to the left of it. Other popular climbs include Vulture Street (17) and Tombstone (20). The climbing possibilities in this region are extensive, ranging from cracks to delicate faces and slabs. However, keep in mind that access to the climbs depends on the swell and weather conditions. Stay vigilant and be prepared for sudden changes, including king waves. Seals, dolphins and whales often grace visitors with their presence, adding to the allure of this location.
KALBARRI JACKPOT Last but not least, we have the Kalbarri Jackpot boulders, a true gem for bouldering enthusiasts. Located along the Murchison River, Jackpot Crag offers a wide range of grades, catering to climbers of all levels. As with all walls in Kalbarri, climbers are advised to use coloured chalk that matches the rock so as to leave as little trace as possible.
Getting There To reach West Cape Howe, you navigate a 4WD track that often varies in condition, so be ready to fill in some holes along the way. If you’re looking for a more energetic approach, take the 1.5 to 2-hour walk from Shelly Beach. Most climbs require abseiling down to a small belay spot above the crashing waves. Make sure to bring a 50–60 metre static rope and sufficient gear to construct belay and rap anchors.
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The main climbing areas, Jackpot and Goanna Rock provide an array of thrilling challenges, with Jackpot's long 40-metre wall offering climbs up to six metres high. Goanna Rock, aptly named for its resemblance to a goanna, features captivating climbs underneath and along the neck of the rock formation. As this crag is relatively new, climbers should be cautious of loose rocks and thin flakes that may break away. Prepare yourself with ample crash pads, especially for the high ball climbs, and exercise caution during your ascent.
Getting There Accessing Jackpot Crag offers three different options. The first is by driving down the access road towards the Murchison House Station Camping Ground and following the track along the river for about one kilometre. If you are camping at the campground, it's a short 800 metre walk to the crag. The second option is to take the off-road track at the corner of Grey Street and Anchorage Lane, travelling east along the river until you reach the crag. Be aware that this route may offer an easier way out than driving back up the hill near the station
entrance. However, remember that help may be difficult to reach if you encounter any troubles in this remote area. Western Australia beckons climbers of all levels with its impressive rock formations, many of which are only accessible via a 4WD or a long hike. Bob's Hollow, West Cape Howe, and Kalbarri Jackpot boulders present an array of challenges and natural beauty that will leave climbers and adventurers yearning for more. Remember to practice responsible climbing, follow climbing ethics, respect the environment, and stay informed about permit requirements and regulations. So, gear up, rev your engines, and embrace the untamed wilderness of Western Australia, where rock climbing and 4W driving converge in perfect harmony. About the authors: The primary author of this article, Jeff Robson, is the secretary of CAWA has been climbing for approximately six years. Jiri Stastny is the president of CAWA and Zak Hogen-Esch is a CAWA committee member. CAWA is the representative body of climbers in Western Australia, formed in 1968, and incorporated in August 1979. Visit climberswa.asn.au to learn more.
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GET
BEHIND
THE WHEEL
Ray Cully
With
MITSUBISHI TRITON — a TOP All-Rounder BY RAY CULLY
What has always struck me about the Mitsubishi Triton is its accommodating balance of a reliable, sturdy work ute that gets the job done, while retaining cabin comfort and a relaxed on-road driving experience. The latest Mitsubishi MR Triton range has even better subdued the gruff edges normally present in a vehicle with commercial orientated underpinnings. The result is a robust work vehicle, which is also perfectly capable of contending with all manner of family chores as a daily commuter, holiday tourer or weekend fun machine. 24 | Western 4W Driver #127 | western4wdriver.com.au
T
he GSR is the range topping variant in the Triton stable. Prices start from $48,240 for the base GLX 4WD dual cab and top out at $65,740 for the flagship GSR plus any options you add. Our GSR came standard with a soft fold tonneau cover, an aggressive blacked out grille and gloss black 18” alloys wrapped in 265/60R18 rubber. We also had the optional tan-orange and charcoal leather appointed seats with orange accent stitching on the doors, steering wheel, gear shift and park brake lever adding an additional $1,000 to the price. It left an indelible impression, albeit not appealing to my personal taste; but others may find its bold and brave appearance appealing. While interior style is a matter of personal preference, the Triton’s best attributes are its practicality and comfort. There’s good head, shoulder, leg, and foot room for both first and second row passengers, with a fold down armrest and cup holders for those in the rear. Vibrant seats aside, from the driver’s seat, the visual landscape of analogue gauges and manual controls may not be particularly exciting, but it has a neat well executed design that's both pleasing to the eye and straightforward to operate.
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You get 12v, HDMI and USB sockets up front as well as a 7” central screen with Apple and Android Auto options available for your phone, so there’s plenty of connectivity. The multi-function, reach and tilt leather clad steering wheel provides quick access to an array of functions and helps in getting the right driving posture. Disappointingly at this price range, only the driver’s seat is power operated and, when compared to other manufacturers, the minimal variation of available adjustments made it more difficult to find that perfect seating position. With dual zone AC to keep those in the front cool, I did like the Triton’s clever use of the roof mounted air circulation system to keep rear passengers comfortable. The Triton’s external dimensions don't feel like a giant on the roads. Sure, it’s long at 5,305mm but its slimmer width of 1,795mm means it's easier to tackle tricky terrain off-road, letting you squeeze through tight spaces where others might collect pin striping. There’s great outward visibility thanks to the raised seating position allowing you to clearly see the
corners for track placement and read the terrain directly in front of the vehicle. On top of that, it's surprisingly manoeuvrable at low speeds, with a turning circle of only 11.8 metres — which means a little less stress in busy car parks during Saturday morning shopping duties! Back on the road for a quick family weekend getaway, cruising at highway speeds, the first thing you’ll notice is that Mitsubishi has done a good job in minimising road vibration and engine noise entering the cabin. The steering is not the sharpest in this class in terms of quick off-centre response or outright road feel. But its slightly heavier weight does feel assured as it follows directional changes on winding roads with confidence. At the front is a 2.4L intercooled turbo diesel engine that works in tandem with a smooth and responsive 6-speed auto gearbox to deliver a respectable 430Nm of torque and 133kW of power, greatly aiding overtaking response. This is possible due to Mitsubishi's SuperSelect 4WD-II system, which lets you
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switch between 2H (rear-wheel drive only) for improved fuel economy, 4H (full-time 4WD) on wet slippery roads, 4HLc (locked) for moderate off-road trails or slippery gravel and 4LLc (locked in low range) to multiply engine torque when traversing more difficult terrain. With this vehicle you can easily configure its driveline to get the best traction, no matter what surface you encounter. Given a kerb weight of only 2,000kg, the Triton takes a realistic approach to its braked tow capacity listed at 3,100kg. Our GSR was listed as a 900kg payload in the back. This however reduces proportionally to any accessories fitted, and by the tow ball weight from your camper trailer or caravan up to a maximum of 310kg. If you push your braked towing capacity to the maximum tow ball weight (not something I’d recommend) then your stock standard GSR’s remaining load capacity is around 475kg. As always, consider what accessories you really need to fit to stay within weight limitations! With an indicative drinking habit of 8.6L/100 and a modest 75 litre fuel tank
capacity, optimum unladen range is likely 800 kilometres. For our week of freeway stop-start traffic, city congestion, highway hauling and moderate offroad adventures, we averaged 9.8L/100. Suggesting a probable 760-kilometre range — or less if towing a large white brick of a mobile home. There was no better place to put the Triton’s might and tenacity to the test than in Perth’s wet and wild weather. With the occasional flicker of sunshine and blue sky on the horizon, we ventured onto muddy and slippery slush. Staring down a forestry trail somewhat more underwater than above, I was dubious about the ability of the Triton's footwear to deal with the conditions. We utilised the Super Select rotary dial to enable full-time 4WD and carefully charted our course through multiple extended, shallow pools. The surface was slippery, a combination of clay and gravel forming a thin coat over hard ground. As expected, our road biased 265/60 highway terrain rubber quickly succumbed to the goop, rendering them
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near useless with all the available grip of a hockey puck on an ice rink. While the traction control system did well, more was needed — so we shifted to 4HLc (locked), which distributes engine torque equally between the front and back axles for increased stability and maintaining forward movement. The track slowly twisted its way around trees and bushes to present us with a moderate climb that would have been easy on a dry day, only this time it was covered in a thin coating of slippery clay. With the need to ensure stability through low speed but also enough torque to get the Triton moving, we stopped at the foot of the hill, put our transmission into neutral, shifted into 4LLc (locked in low range) and drove forward slowly. Before long, the standard traction control settings began to struggle, not from inability but because of our tyres. It was time to engage the GSR’s 'Off-road Mode' settings, which are available in 4LLc low range. With a range of terrain choices such as gravel, mud/snow, sand and rock, engine power delivery will be adjusted, the auto transmission shift response is regulated, and brakes are used to control wheel slip and assist in maintaining traction for longer in challenging environments. And in most cases long enough to get through. With our GSR electronically optimised for the terrain, it provided us with a smooth throttle application helping avoid wheel spin. If we could maintain three wheels in contact with the ground, the Triton worked hard to distribute the torque to the areas of best traction, allowing us to maintain a controlled and steady pace to follow a line that kept the vehicle as level as possible. The approach angle of 31 degrees let us avoid getting the nose caught on the ruts across the track, whilst the ramp over and departure angles of 26 and 23 degrees, respectively, plus 220 millimetres of ground clearance saw the Triton clear everyday obstacles.
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The final challenge came in the form of offset moguls, leading to diagonally opposing wheels front and back were in the air. The electronic traction control could barely maintain balance between the two wheels that remained in contact with the ground, since neither provided any real traction. It was time to activate the vehicle's off-road party piece — the rear locking differential.
Conclusion:
The locked rear differential ensured an even and smooth distribution of torque across the axle and to each wheel. This avoids sudden torque build up or surge generated by the brake activated traction control system aggressively arresting the opposing spinning wheel. The Triton moved forward smoothly in a controlled manner without any need for harsh acceleration or aggressive driving techniques, avoiding any damage to the track or the Triton.
If budget remains your focus, the Triton offers an honest hard-working option with a reputation built over time for durability and build quality, that the newcomers have yet to establish. And, whilst others are pushing the envelope for modern design and benchmark performance, so too have they pushed their respective purchase prices.
With cheaper and equally well-equipped options now entering the market, the Triton’s price advantage has been slowly eroded. And with many competitors in the dual cab segment having lifted the standards for on-road handling, interior design, connectivity, safety features and performance, the Triton is beginning to feel somewhat outdated.
When it comes to safety and driver aid systems, Mitsubishi’s MiTech integrated systems provide the GSR with a standard mix of features found in most modern dual cabs. There’s rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, and land departure warnings. You also get autonomous braking, hill start and descent control, a multi around camera view great for parking, trailer, and vehicle stability control to name but a few.
The Triton is a fantastic solid all-rounder — from town to off the beaten path, it does exactly as promised. Whether you need it for family transport or for an adventurous drive exploring the outdoors, this capable and comfortable pick-up can deliver on both.
Fast Facts Model: Mitsubishi Triton GSR Dual Cab Price as tested: $67,735 Engine: 2.4 litre 4-cylinder intercooled turbo diesel Output: 133kW/430Nm Transmission: Six-speed automatic Fuel: Combined 8.6L/100km Warranty: 10-year 200,000km. (When serviced at Mitsubishi dealership at specified intervals) Safety rating: ANCAP 5 Stars For the latest in automotive news and more great vehicle reviews, make sure you check out getbehindthewheel.info
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Premium stainless steel canopies and accessories Designed and manufactured for any adventure Easy bolt on installation gives you the freedom to add new accessories including storage, roof mounted solutions, kitchen units and a roof mounted table.
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Back to
basics
PART-TIME 4WD EXPLAINED
BY DAVID WILSON
4WD Trainer David Wilson walks us through the fundamentals of part-time 4WD systems, flagging common rookie mistakes to avoid.
I
t’s plenty confusing when you take the plunge and buy your first 4WD. You’ll likely do your research ahead of the visit to the dealership and when you get there, listen intently to the salesperson explain the strengths of that shiny new ute or wagon.
Churn no longer is a word only to describe the manufacture of butter, rather, what goes on in plenty of businesses when it comes to staff retention. Auto dealerships are no exception and keeping guys and gals who can correctly explain what makes a car tick is a major challenge.
Now, this is where it gets interesting, because if you pose the question about when and where the use of 4WD might be useful, the response might be a bit of a lottery.
Vehicle manufacturers devote lots of energy to supply facts to those staff at their franchised dealers to make the sale process an easy one, but the fact remains, with increased automotive complexity, comes plenty of confusion.
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I want to clear the decks on the confusion that surrounds 4WD usage in its basic form — part-time. Part-time 4WD systems are still employed on plenty of vehicles, because it’s reliable and cheap to manufacture. It’s largely the domain of vehicle types occupying a more commercial space. Think most of the dual-cab utes and their wagon offspring, with the exception of the topof-the-range variants which likely sport a full-time setup (more on that later). Let’s establish some basic part-time facts: • It is a manually selectable system requiring you to decide when to engage it. • HIGH range can be engaged at speeds up to 100km/h. No need to stop, better to be in motion.
transmission and an early warning something’s crook in Tobruk! • Damaging a 4WD driveline by driving in 4WD on the wrong surface isn’t warrantable! Jump into the driver’s seat of a 4WD vehicle and go searching for the method you’ll use to hook up the front wheels and you’ll notice one of two ways, either a traditional transfer lever, or an electronic dial. Part-time transfer levers (a short gear lever), are definitely in the minority now, seen in my realm in vehicles like Suzuki’s Jimny and Toyota’s 70 series LandCruiser range, whilst just about everyone else has made the switch to a dial.
• LOW range engagement needs to be done whilst the vehicle is stationary. Brake to a stop. • It can only be used on loose surfaces. Sand, mud, rock and gravel are all A-OK. • Never use it on a hard surface, like bitumen, concrete or paving, because there is a real risk of doing damage to your driveline. • “Wind-up” is the sensation you’ll experience prior to damaging your
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The traditionalist in me prefers a lever, because when you pull it, you know what you’re getting. The dial, not-so, at least in terms of absolute certainty and every time, because electronics can be funky and some vehicle makers' electronics are better than others. The vehicle makers tell us that a transfer lever is cumbersome and complicated and that a rotary dial, with its cable and connectors are simpler. Maybe. But what they neglect to consider is that subjected to regular use (and abuse) and a little old age, corrosion is the undoing of electronics and that’s even before you dive into the regular conniptions your dashboard is likely to display, thankfully mostly through user error. All that aside here’s how it should be. If you’re running a vehicle that goes back to the Ark, it’ll likely have either a manual free-wheeling or auto-hub arrangement in the front wheels. If it’s an early auto-hub face with no options (like a lock function), ditch them. They were always unreliable and trouble. They can be replaced with a manual free-wheeling item and easily. As the 70 series LandCruiser goes back to that time of the Ark, pre 2018 models had the free-wheeling variant and post 2018,
an auto style, that was shared with the GU Nissan Patrol. With the manual variant and the newer auto variant, the key to reliable engagement is to get them locked. With the manual style that’s easy, spin the bezel with your fingers in the centre of the hubs from FREE to LOCK, and on both sides. With the auto form, get your wheel brace out and spin the central hex nut from AUTO to LOCK. Now with both front wheels in direct connection with your front axles, moving in and out of HIGH range can be done on the move, no need to stop (oh, and leave the clutch alone). About the only time you’ll want your hubs in the FREE or AUTO position would be when you’re doing a long-distance bitumen road drive with no prospect of merging with the dirt. Conceivably you could leave the hubs locked all the time, the arguments about fuel saving and reducing wear and tear are mostly bunkum. Here’s where the dinosaurs might learn something about why that last sentence says what it says. On every other 4WD you’ll notice that there is no hub arrangement in the centre of the front wheels, telling us
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reach down to your transfer lever and pull it from 2H (rear-wheel-drive) into 4H (that’s HIGH range 4WD) once you are on the dirt and within the space of a few metres, you should notice a 4WD idiot light on the dash. Good. Your front end is now turning in time with the rear. Need to go into LOW? The trick for this is easy. Stop.
that the front wheels are in permanent connect with their respective axles. A modern front axle assembly therefore is turning over all the time, constantly lubricating its differential/axle components, rather than sitting static (that’s why the owners-manual suggests hubs need to be locked once a month). No mention there about excessive fuel use, steering drag or premature wear, because there is none. Get yourself up to speed on that bitumen road and in whatever gear, noticing that up ahead is the dirt. Now, you want to get off the gas, with no load on the drivetrain as it’ll help the cause and whilst the system will cop a 100km/h engagement, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s a good idea. Slow down to at least 80km/h. With the front wheels in the dead-ahead (matching front and rear wheel speeds),
There is a big a gearing gulf between HIGH and LOW range 4WD, so forward motion must stop. Pop your main gear lever into neutral (especially important if you’re in a Jimny automatic, because without it no-go). Make the shift with the stick, usually accompanied with a lift or depress of the lever to prevent an accidental engagement and voila, you’re good to go. With the electronic set the rules are similar, the activation is the differing point. If you’re driving a D-MAX, a BT-50, a Ranger or a Hilux, you’ll have the dial offering three positions, 2H, 4H and 4L. Start proceedings on the bitumen and in 2H and get up to speed. As you migrate onto the dirt get the front wheels into the dead-ahead position and get off the gas, lining up all your ducks for a successful 4WD engagement, synchronised and under no load. Now on the dirt, rotate the dial to the 4H position and before you know it, there’ll be a 4WD indicator light aglow on the dash confirming that the front propellor
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with your instructions. Sometimes the shift into LOW range will be unsuccessful because the lift or depress motion required wasn’t forceful enough and the lever pops out under load.
shaft spun up to the same speed as the rear and the front differential actuator accepted the drive, which is now powering the front axle. Beauty. LOW range engagement again requires the vehicle to come to a dead stop, so jump on the brakes and kill that motion. Most of you will be driving automatics, so heed the need for neutral, its selection will facilitate you reaching across to the selector and dialling in 4L. If you attempt to select 4L whilst it is in a forward gear, reverse or park, expect that you’ll get a stern warning from the car, a buzzer or flashing 4WD light telling you you’re a dill! Once the selection has been made, and you might hear a clunk when LOW drops in and the indicator light is aglow, then you can grab a drive gear and off you go. Now, how can you bugger this up? Potentially very easily. In the case of the transfer lever brigade, a less-than-positive shift will do it, being a little half-hearted with the tug on the lever. Brand new cars are often a little finicky until they are worn in, so be firm
With the dial types, the critical foundation is to get the hook-up into HIGH range done successfully and 90 per cent of the time that will be by being in motion. I see so many false starts when 4H and later 4L are asked to be deployed whilst the vehicle is stationary. Get the vehicle up to speed and on the dirt and then crack-on with 4H, the rest should just fall into place after that. The other thing is not to rush the changes, especially with LOW range selection, because if you grab a drive gear before the 4L shift has been concluded, you can expect the dreaded flashing light and alarm. Sometimes, even if you’ve made the 4L selection and in good time and with plenty of patience, the light just keeps flashing. That might be a moment when it needs a bit of encouragement with a drop into gear. That should settle it. If not, repeat the whole process from scratch.
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There’ll be other days when despite trying all the tricks in the trade, it simply won’t hook up. That’s likely when the electrics are up to snafu. Could be a wire has been broken, a plug compromised, a weather seal has been breached and corrosion has infiltrated the connection, rendering it useless. Electrical issues like that are often more difficult to diagnose than a sloppy bush in a transfer lever’s arms, an expensive auto sparkie investigation rather than a six-pack DIY fix on a Saturday arvo. Lucky-last is the dreaded wind-up, or what to do if you ran your fourbie in 4WD on the blacktop for a while? If the road was straight then you might not notice anything, but look out if there were corners involved. From left to right and front to back, wheels follow a different pathway and differentials exist in the middle of an axle to allow that discrepancy to occur. Without them we’d be travelling in a straight line only. If you’ve hooked up your 4WD in HIGH range and are belting down a bitumen road after a day on the dirt, be alert to some warning signs when the corners emerge. You might find that suddenly the car feels like the hand brake’s been pulled on and the car slows. It might be as you attempt a corner, the car skips or hops around the corner, emitting an intermittent chirp from the tyres. It could be that suddenly the steering is very heavy, all trademarks of wind-up.
released out through a spinning wheel as it lost grip and spun on the gravel. That can’t happen on the bitumen, so the tension builds and builds and builds until $$$ signs start whizzing into view and usually accompanied with a bang as a CV joint disintegrates, a front diff goes kaput, or a transfer gearbox loses its innards. Catch it early enough though and you might be able to reverse the bind. Remember, that 4H to 2H action is best done on the move. You can help the cause by getting something loose under those wheels, some gravel or grass ought to do it. Make the shift back to 2H and watch the 4WD light. It going out is confirmation you’re back to how it should be. If it sticks, try giving the car a quick boot-full of gas, maybe some side-toside movement with the steering wheel and if all that fails pick up reverse and go backwards. We need to “unwind” that tension. The 4WD light is the key and needs to go out! When it does, you’re good to go!
What was going on downstairs earlier is that the grip on the looser surfaces wasn’t total, so as wheels turn left and right and want to slow down or speed up (depending on what side of the car they’re on) and further compounded by being in 4WD (with front and rear driveshafts now being driven equally), the inevitable tension, or wind-up, was
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Next thTime e low-down
David gives us nsmissions on full-time tra d don'ts of and the dos an o, Pajero, ad Pr running a ser! Patrol or a Crui
FreeTouring Map Featuring 8 Iconic
ROADTRIPS
Kununurra Kooljaman
Broome
Kimberley Wilderness Loop
PILBARA
Warlu Way
Exmouth
Shark Bay
Fitzroy Crossing
Port Hedland
Karratha Onslow
Derby KIMBERLEY
Ardi Cultural Drive
PLUS Cultural Tours,Bushfood Tours Art Galleries,Accommodation, Cultural Centres,Rock Art Festival and Events
Gibb River Road
AncientTracks NewJourneys
GASCOYNE
AboriginalTours and Experiences
Coral Coast Hwy
Geraldton
Laverton
GOLDFIELDS Golden Quest Discovery Trail
Merredin
Kalgoorlie
Perth Fremantle Bunbury Yallingup
SOUTHWEST South West Edge
Esperance
Albany
FREETOURING MAP OFWA Pick up yours at visitor centres or scan the code to order online
AncientTracks,NewJourneys
COUNTRY
Connection
BY GRANT & LINDA HANAN
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DAMPIER PENINSULA
Borrgoron Coast To Creek Cultural Tour Terry Hunter is the owner/operator of Borrgoron, and his tours operate at the north-eastern end of the Dampier Peninsula at Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm. We joined his Coast to Creek Cultural Tour, as we were eager to learn about his ancestral heritage and about his life growing up on the pearl farm. Before joining Terry’s tour, we knew the Hunter name is synonymous with the Dampier Peninsula’s pearling industry. As it turns out, the name goes as far back as to when the first pearl lugging boats were made during the 1800s.
Living by the mantra that you’re never too old to learn, Grant and Linda mix travelling and learning together. They first experienced a cultural tour in Western Australia some years ago and have been on many more since then. Here they share their cultural tour experiences from a recent Kimberley trip.
Terry’s walking tour is centred around the local coastline which is fundamentally his big backyard. It was low tide as our tour group walked down to the beach and along the water’s edge. We hadn’t gone far when Terry explained how fresh water could be found at the beach amongst the rocks. Naturally, we were all very keen to learn more. Leading us to an area where the rocks looked identical to our nontrained eyes, Terry bent down and began digging a hole next to a rock in what essentially was just beach sand. In just a few short seconds, he’d made a small dam to retain some water. Seriously?
A natural spring provides fresh water that can only be accessed at low tide.
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One by one, our group got to taste what can only be described as pure, sweet, and fresh spring water, as it bubbled up from underground. Now that was an eye opener, considering we were standing on a beach surrounded by a rocky coastline with massive 11 metre tides. Walking further along the beach, Terry shared a range of stories including one about how he attended school at the pearl farm. Pointing to an old nearby building, he told us that used to be his school classroom. When Terry’s backyard is the stunning pearl farm coastline, there’s little wonder hearing he was daydreaming about swimming and hunting during school time! As we reached another rocky outcrop, Terry stopped to point out an abundance of oysters on the rocks. Better still, he flashed a smile and said it’s time to taste test. But rather than simply prising the oysters from the rocks to eat naturally, Terry used another technique. With a couple of handfuls of flammable spinifex grass, we stood back as he strategically placed the spinifex under the rocks and lit it up. After the flames and smoke subsided, many oysters had opened from the intense heat and were smoked naturally. Very clever. We found these small, but fresh morsels were packed full of flavour and needed little effort for prising them from the rocks. This was far from our typical morning tea, but one we could get used to!
Terry explained shells like these were originally used as a trading commodity as well as being used to cover a male’s nether region.
Our walking tour continued through some mangroves and along other areas of the beach to learn about bush tucker and which plants are useful as bush medicines. Terry finished the tour back at the pearl farm reception after providing some details of Aboriginal trade within Australia. He explained local pearl shell was an important commodity for the local groups and traded as far as the eastern states. As a storyteller, Terry oozes warmth and passion about his culture and personal connection with the land and sea. We found this tour extremely rewarding and felt like we were leaving an old friend when the tour ended.
BROOME
Narlijia Experiences Life of Guwan Tour
Life’s good when you can have freshly smoked oysters straight off the rocks.
Bart Pigram from Narlijia Cultural Tours is a local Yawuru man who runs cultural tours around the Broome area. His Life of Guwan tour is a walking tour that focuses around the centre of Broome. Having visited here on a number of occasions in the past, we had a little knowledge of its pearling history prior to heading out with
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records about the town’s history, and Bart’s own notes from speaking with Broome’s older generation.
Bart. But we were also very interested to learn about Bart’s indigenous and pearling connections, plus anything else he was able to share about Broome’s interesting history. We met Bart close to Broome’s iconic Mangrove Hotel which overlooks the very spectacular Roebuck Bay. Not far from here, massive shell midden heaps lay above the high tide mark. Ironically, we’ve driven past this location so many times in the past yet never given the actual sand dunes a second glance. Perhaps that’s not quite true, when the distant views over the bay are so beautiful. But we were fascinated to learn how important this site was to locals from a cultural perspective given it’s also heritage listed.
During our tour, Bart described Broome’s melting pot of nationalities and explains his large family is no different. He tells us his ancestral heritage is a mix of Aboriginal, European and Filipino, and he also has strong family ties to the town’s pearling industry. As our walk towards town continued, Bart had us frequently stopping to look at a variety of historical artifacts. Items such as chipped glass spearheads that were made for trading decades ago lay where they were discarded, and other artifacts that aren’t easily visible to an untrained eye were tucked within the thick mangroves.
Sitting ourselves down in the sand surrounded by the shell middens, Bart shared stories about this landmark and happily answered the myriad of questions we threw at him. But we found there was lots more to learn about Broome as well. Bart’s research had allowed him to piece together some very interesting findings about the town’s origins and the actual spot where Europeans first landed. He came armed with a folder that was jam packed with information that he talked about and happily shared. Flicking through the folder, we found many old newspaper extracts, some government
This glass spear tip was found some years ago by Bart.
Bart has researched a lot of Broome’s history which he shares during his tour.
Plenty of gatherings here in the past.
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Bart combines European and indigenous history into his tours.
Rosanna provides a lot of information about Sunday Island’s history which including her family’s connection to the mission.
Continuing on towards Broome’s retail pearling precinct, our last stop was the Cygnet Bay pearl retail shop. Thanks Bart! But there was another reason the tour was ending here. The shop has an inside wall which depicts a very informative timeline of events with some photos about the region’s pearling history. It turned out to be the perfect place to connect some key bits of historical information together that Bart had shared during the tour. There’s no doubt Bart’s a natural storyteller who’s passionate teaching visitors about Broome’s colourful past and his own family’s influence on the town. Even as seasoned visitors, we still found we learnt so much about Broome on this tour.
climbed aboard an amphibian (a boat with wheels), it was a unique and funfilled ride driving down to the beach. The amphibian’s wheels continued to take us along the sand and into the water, until we reached a point that was deep enough for our skipper to flick the switch for the boat motor to kick in. There was an awaiting boat less than one kilometre ahead of us where we all transferred into, and the tour continued. The ride to Sunday Island took about 90 minutes and there was plenty of time to chat along the way. During this part of the tour, Rosanna provided history including how a mission was initially established on the island in 1899. Her family was one of those that lived on the island and did so until the mission was closed in 1962.
DAMPIER PENINSULA
Oolin Sunday Island Cultural Tour It was obvious from the moment we met Rosanna Angus from Oolin Sunday Island Cultural Tours that she loves sharing her knowledge. This tour was a little different to others we’d joined, as Sunday Island is one of many islands located off the mainland. It’s also the traditional country of the Jawi people. Our tour left from Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm and is tide dependent due to the Kimberley’s incredibly large tides. As we
Our boat pulled up by some Sunday Island mangroves, and the low tide allowed us to walk straight off the boat onto dry land. This spot had the original old concrete staircase which led to the mission and other buildings. At the top, Rosanna first told us how the mission site was originally laid out. Mother Nature and time has reclaimed much of what was here, but not everything. There’s still evidence of where the main mission building used to be and other residences. While here, Rosanna also pointed out the remnants of a banana plantation that was part of the mission’s fruit and vegetable garden.
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Sunday Island relics and remnants of the old banana plantation.
Once back on the boat, our next stop was further around to the north of the island where the boat pulled into a small cove. At this location, Rosanna pointed out a significant rock wall at the water’s edge which we learnt was the old mooring point for visiting supply boats. Further around the island, we stopped at a place known as Goodngarngoon. It’s a postcard perfect setting with a white sandy beach that’s dwarfed with towering cliffs that glowed a rich red in the afternoon. Rosanna explained that Goodngarngoon is a place of cultural importance to the Jawi people, and showed us where fresh water can be found inland. Our stop here
Visiting Sunday Island all comes down to tidal movements and it doesn’t stay calm like this for long.
included a beach swim for those inclined, and Rosanna’s supplied afternoon tea/ coffee and her delicious homemade damper was something no one wanted to miss. As the tide started to turn, it was all aboard as we returned to Cygnet Bay. If you’re a bit of a thrill seeker, that part of the trip gave us a firsthand experience of the turbulent Kimberley waters. We all had a bit of fun as our boat powered through some large whirlpools that came in from all directions. By the time the tour came to an end back on land, the sun started to glow a deep yellow as it dipped to the west. It was a perfect way to finish.
Rosanna finds some wild passionfruit to try – it was delicious!
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KUNUNURRA
Kingfisher Tours Waterfall Wanderings Just a short walk from our Kununurra accommodation is where we were picked up by our guide “LT” from Kingfisher Tours. The business has been around in Kununurra for a few decades or more and offers a broad range of adventure style land and air-based tours. But they also create bespoke tours for visitors, and our 4WD tour was customised to suit our interests. Heading out of town, our vehicle was full of conversation as LT started by telling us a bit about himself and some of Kununurra’s background. After getting off the black top and turning onto the “falls” road, the first part of our tour was the picturesque Mayiba (Middle Spring). As LT led us along a track to the top of the flowing falls, he stopped and highlighted some plants and their uses along the way. We sat above the falls while he pointed out various landmarks and shared information about the surrounding country. We also listened to LT as he told stories of his childhood and beyond.
There was plenty to learn about local plants.
late wet season rains and the drive in was a wet one as expected. LT negotiated a number of water crossings along the way with some crossings deep enough that water lapped at our fourby doors. Around 40 minutes later, we arrived at the springs. As we walked towards the water, LT stopped to point out some of the area’s features and highlighted different medicinal plants and bush foods. The spring itself is a series of beautiful pools with crystal clear cascading water spilling off the range. In other words, it was the perfect place to cool off.
Leaving Middle Spring after morning tea, we continued along the dirt to Secret Springs. We knew the region had received
Heading back onto the bitumen, LT turned us onto a track that we followed until reaching a distant range. Leaving the vehicle, we walked a short distance where he showed how to get water from a boab root when water’s not around. Further along, we walked towards a large overhang that lay ahead of us. It quickly
Learning about the surrounding country from LT.
LT explains how to get water from a boab’s root.
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became apparent that this location had a gallery of art that spanned a phenomenal 20 metres, if not longer. We found a range of subjects depicted here, but we were in awe of a painted barramundi that was at least a metre high. LT is an extremely knowledgeable guide, who was only too happy to share his
knowledge with us. With his casual and personable approach plus his fabulous sense of humour, it was fun and memorable day. We recommend anyone visiting the Kimberley to seek out Aboriginal tours and experiences to discover what you can about this ancient culture.
INFORMATION BAY The Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) offers more than 150 types of indigenous experiences all around Western Australia, including those that are listed here. All the tours we joined were unique in their offerings, providing plenty of information about the cultural connection to country. And that’s exactly what we were looking for.
The tree was overloaded with fruit, but not quite ready for eating.
For more info about tours, experiences, and locations, visit waitoc.com
A fabulous example of rock art.
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JIMNY IN JARRAH COUNTRY BY PHIL BIANCHI
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Phil Bianchi teams up with friend and licenced native plant seed collector, 'Nawelly' to tackle Collie's jarrah country in a Jimny Suzuki.
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recently had the pleasure of travelling with good friend and Collie Senior High schoolmate 'Nawelley', who has some 20 years experience in seed collecting and native forest revegetation, particularly for mining areas. You may recall reading about him in the Spring 2016 Western 4W Driver magazine. Nawelly had recently taken delivery of a two door Suzuki Jimny and wanted to show it off to me by putting it through its paces. He also wanted to cheer me up because I was having a battle, for the fourth time, with prostate cancer. I’ve since beaten it again. My initial response when he suggested the trip was, ‘Where the hell was he going to fit the Thermos flask?’ My next thought was how a gorilla sized bloke like me was going to jam myself into a Jimny? Despite my initial fears, I said ‘let’s go’. I was pleasantly surprised that after being a passenger in the Jimny for three days, I found it roomy width-wise and had good leg room. The Jimny, again, surprised me with the power from its 1.5 litre petrol engine, and it had a real high and low range five speed gearbox. One feature he likes is the Brake Limited Slip Diff System,
which kicks in when a loss of wheel traction is detected. It adjusts torque to the wheel with grip if the other wheel on the same axle is spinning. In addition, the system has an extra-power mode, which kicks in, below 30km/h in lowrange mode, to provide the best possible traction. Now that would be a great system to have on my 100 series, although my front and rear diff locks do a great job. In addition to the Brake LSD, the Jimny features Hill Hold Control and Hill Descent Control. Hill Hold Control prevents the vehicle from rolling backward when taking off while driving on an incline. Hill Descent Control maintains a descent speed of 10km/h in 4WD high range and 5km/h in 4WD low range, all without having to touch the brake pedal.
Commence mission Rather than collecting seeds, this was a reconnaissance trip to investigate areas which had an abundant supply of certain plants from which he could collect seeds when the plants and seeds matured. For instance, some areas that had been burned out by bushfire would not have sufficient plants to make it viable for seed collecting when mature. So he would avoid those areas. Nawelly has most of the tracks through the jarrah forests, from Jarrahdale to Collie, locked into memory, he has
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travelled them so many times. We stayed two nights in our old hometown of Collie. The narrower width and lightness of the Jimny coupled with its power, an approach angle of 37° and departure angle of 49° and quality tyres, made light work of the steep, rocky, washed out, twisty and muddy tracks. The Jimny’s tight turning circle, shorter length and excellent approach and departure angles were a vast improvement for Nawelly’s needs over his previous vehicle, an elderly diesel engined Hilux ute. This isn’t a touring vehicle, Nawelly has set it up as his work vehicle. You won’t find any fridges, induction stoves, shower water heaters and fluffy dice here, it’s all about finding and collecting seeds. After market extras include an ARB bull bar, towbar, canvas seat covers, a centre console for storage, it also acts as an arm rest. Up top is a roof rack with a mesh basket and a canvas luggage bag. On one side of the rack is a large PVC pipe carrying his pole saw which extends to 7.2 metres. He also carries a hi-lift jack, recovery straps and recovery boards, an air compressor, portable battery jump starter, a ladder and the relevant tools and storage containers related to his seed collecting work. Despite his excellent memory for tracks, he uses Google Earth and Maps on his smart phone to assist in navigation and to record coordinates of significant features discovered by him including giant black butts and king jarrah trees. His Jimny is dark green in colour and blends in with the vegetation, making it difficult to spot at times. That’s a good idea in some ways because he doesn’t want his vehicle broken into or to be interrupted while seed collecting, with questions from sticky beaks and antimining folk, such as, “You can’t do that”, “What are you doing?” etc. While he is
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licenced to collect seeds, these intrusions cause disruption and some people doubt he is telling the truth. Maybe he’s been watching too many movies like Wolf Creek, but when you’re on your own in the bush it pays to be careful. Thankfully he has good eyesight and bush sense to relocate the vehicle when he wanders off from it, looking for promising trees from which to collect seed. Should he lose sight of the vehicle and be able to find it, because the dark green colour blends in with the vegetation, he would be in deep poo. I hadn’t been in jarrah bush country for some 20 years. I was surprised to see, in the areas in which we travelled, the lushness and quality of the bush. It was fabulous to be in such a majestic forest, on our own, mid-week. No motorbikes, vehicles, or people, just us. There hadn’t been any logging in the area for years and the bush has recovered very well from these past logging periods. Some of the jarrah and black butt patches of forest that he had rediscovered over the years, and showed me, were magnificent. One patch, in particular, near Harvey was spectacular with very tall black butt trees, making for a delightful walk, with some of these
specimens reaching the height of 45 metres. Our fathers, both timber fallers from the old days, would have marvelled at these forgotten pockets of tall trees. A walk through these patches of forest invigorates, and the quietness of the forest allows you to feel at one with the bush. While seed collecting, he keeps an eye out for king jarrah trees and giant black butts, and uses a hypsometer to measure the height of them. While he enthusiastically looks for tall trees he isn’t as avid as some, who travel across Australia to tick off their list of the tallest trees. While we were in Collie, we toured around Wellington Dam and saw the huge dam wall mural, travelled tracks through the dense forests and then drove across to Muja Power Station via as many tracks as we could. The terrain around Muja Power Station wasn’t jarrah forest like we had experienced between Collie and Dwellingup, it had many areas of paper bark trees and was wetland country. While out near the power station we checked out Lake Kepwari, a picturesque manmade lake that has many camping areas. Lake Kepwari was formerly an opencut coal mine.
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We also visited the Collie Museum, which had all sorts of local memorabilia and, of particular interest to us, items related to the timber industry. On display were two safety helmets presented to my late father in 1971. He was the first person in the world to have his life saved by safety helmets twice. A gold-plated replica was presented to him at that time and it now resides in the museum. I found the Jimny to be a very capable 4WD, it easily handled any terrain including rocky areas, washouts and muddy sections. I initially thought the small fuel tank coming in at 40 litres would be a problem, but returning an average 12km/L or 8.3 litres per 100 kilometres gives it a fuel range of 480 kilometres or a safe 450 kilometres. It had plenty of power to get through tricky spots and hills. Although there is one issue of concern, Nawelly forgets he’s driving a vehicle with a manual gear box. Change those blasted gears Nawelly!!!
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7. LOMBADINA CAMPGROUND OPENING SOON!
7
Introducing Lennard Track — a remarkable 4WD trail located in WA's South West region abundant in vibrant displays of native flora.
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tretching for 12 kilometres, the scenic route that is the Lennard Track meanders through the enchanting jarrah-covered escarpment within the Wellington National Park, taking you through ancient landscapes and brilliant displays of colour, particularly post winter rains. Alongside Lennard Track, you'll also find other national park circuits like Sailors Gully, Windy Ridge Road, and the Jump-ups.
LENNARD TRACK
Alive with Wildflowers BY ALISON MELVIN
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As you embark on this adventure, the track will guide you through the picturesque Collie River Valley. Along the way, you'll come across an impressive timber bridge at Sapper Gully. This bridge, constructed back in 1968 by the WA-based 22 Construction Squadron, was a remarkable feat. Over a hundred men were transported by an army water barge from Fremantle to establish a base camp. They used earthmoving equipment to quickly construct a road to Sailors Gully and the process involved felling Jarrah trees and milling them on-site using a portable forest mill. In just a few days, the road and bridge were ready for use. Interestingly, the Wellington National Park has a rich historical background. In 1945, it served as a training ground for the Jungle Warfare Training School, which prepared Australian ground troops for combat against the Japanese in New Guinea. Today, the army continues to utilise the national park for training exercises, and you may catch glimpses of camouflaged vehicles along the exterior roads.
As you explore the ancient landscape with its 300-million-year-old geology, you'll be surrounded by a vibrant array of wildflowers. These natural wonders share a connection with your 4WD vehicle, as they too require occasional inspection beneath the surface to reveal their true beauty. During the dry season, the granite outcrops remain dormant. However, when the winter rains arrive, a mesmerising transformation takes place. The rejuvenating moisture brings forth a burst of plant life, colourful flowers, and
Blue Leschenaultia.
the enchanting process of pollination and germination. You'll encounter delicate bee orchids, mosses, and lichen, creating a thriving microenvironment. The grandeur of the forest reveals itself as you venture deeper into the layers of Lennard Track. Tall banksia and sheoak trees cast a dense shade alongside the majestic jarrah trees. Lower down the slopes, you'll find the marri trees, while the black butts and bullich trees enjoy the proximity to waterways, keeping their roots wet.
Pink Fairy/Cowslip Orchid.
Thomasia.
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This mostly single-lane track follows the Collie River Valley, running in an east-west direction. If you start from the southern end, consider indulging in a delightful lunch at one of the many eateries in the Ferguson Valley before beginning your journey. At the eastern end of Lennard Track, near the Collie River Road bridge crossing, you'll find the popular Honeymoon Pool, renowned for its picturesque setting. Interestingly, the name "Honeymoon Pool" is believed to have originated from World War II army personnel who noticed numerous honeymooning couples camping at this scenic spot. As you near the end of your journey, the bitumen road will lead you close to the Kiosk at the Dam. Here, you'll be captivated by the massive 8000-squaremeter mural titled 'Reflections' by Guido Van Helton. A truly impressive display. From the mural, a cruisey drive through the forest and farming vista awaits, taking you 18 kilometres east into Collie, a town renowned for its heritage and trails. After
a four-hour plus adventure, you'll likely be craving a feed to refuel so check out the many pubs such as The Colliefields and Federal Hotel. Unfortunately, during the winter season Lennard Track is closed. While diehard 4WD enthusiasts may relish the challenging steep gorges in the wet, it is important we prioritise the integrity and conservation of the native plants, animals, and ecosystems. Preserving these natural wonders ensures that future outdoor enthusiasts can also enjoy the beauty of Lennard Track. For now, add it to your wish list so you can embrace the vibrant colours of the forest and embark on an unforgettable journey come spring/summer! About the author: Alison is a self-taught expert on flora, fauna and heritage and owner of Collie-based tour and transfers business Forest Explorers. Alison volunteers with the Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show annually and is an avid 4W driver, exploring every corner of WA with her husband in their wellequipped Nissan Ute.
Honeymoon Pool.
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GEARING UP
for Gold, Glorays&t Gifts of the P
BY LUKE CLATWORTHY
When travelling our great state, I'm often blessed with the opportunity to have two of my passions collide — 4WD and detecting for gold, coins and other valuable or interesting relics. So, it's important I'm equipped with a suitable metal detector before departing for any journey. Finding something of value is always a bonus when metal detecting, especially if it is a gold nugget or a particularly valuable coin or piece of jewellery; however, finding an item dropped or lost by our early pioneers can also be very special. It can help us appreciate the hardships and sacrifices that were made when a new area of settlement was commenced.
M
etal detectors were first experimented with in the mid 1920s. The idea originated when scientists noticed that larger ferrous metallic objects interfered with radio signals. Could this be developed to locate metallic objects buried beneath the soil? Fisher Research Labs developed and patented the first metal detector in the early 1930s. The major use of
Detecting with a Garrett Axiom.
the first mass-manufactured metal detectors was to assist in finding land mines across a variety of battlegrounds during the Second World War. After the conclusion of World War Two, forwardthinking individuals and companies quickly ascertained that metal detectors could have a dual purpose; why not use this technology to find lost and buried metal artefacts and “treasure”? Ex-army detectors in the United States were re-purposed for recreational 'treasurehunting', paving the way for newer models — yet still so large they required two people to deploy. As technology in the United States evolved, metal detecting became far more efficient, using light-weight, very low frequency (VLF) metal detectors. It revolutionised prospecting in the Western Australian, earlier New South Wales and Victorian Goldfields. These new detectors partially allowed operators to more effectively search our highly mineralised Goldfields. For those of us old enough to take advantage, some dazzling finds were made finding some spectacular nuggets that the original prospectors had missed over eighty years ago. These were found at relatively shallow depths with nuggets ranging in size up to 100 ounces (and
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sometimes beyond!). Famous alluvial sites such as those surrounding Coolgardie, Cue, Menzies, and Sandstone once again yielded thousands of ounces to metal detectorists and these forgotten Goldrush towns were reinvigorated with the hum of excitement as tales of success enlivened the bars in the remaining hotels. Gold again was King! Soon the shallower gold nuggets were exhausted. The need for more advanced detectors that could fully operate in our heavily mineralised soils and find gold at greater depths was needed. Further technological development using pulse induction (PI) both from Australia and the United States now provides us with the metal detecting equipment that has incredible depth and target identification and can find even the tiniest pieces of gold that the older VLF machines could not. Due to detecting for coins and relics in Europe and the United States being more popular than detecting for gold, amazing advances have also been made in these lighter, easier to operate metal detectors. Even today, some marvellous and highly valuable coins and caches dating back to Roman times are being discovered in the United Kingdom and Europe using these metal detectors. In the United States, searching the
battlefields of the American Civil War and old abandoned towns and settlements (called ghost-towning) is a major focus of metal detecting. Coin and relic hunting here in Australia is also rapidly gaining popularity with some valuable and rare finds being made. Beach metal detecting can be especially rewarding. Another interesting facet of metal detecting here in Western Australia is searching for early dog licence registration tags, goat and camel licence registration tags and early horse and cart registration plates issued by our first local government municipalities and roads boards. Some of these are extremely ornate and quite rare and are increasing in value.
Modern Equipment If you wish to give metal detecting a go, you will need to decide what type of detecting to focus on. You have two choices; select and buy a suitable Pulse Induction metal detector to search for gold or a Very Low Frequency (VLF) metal detector that is more of an all-round machine that will find coins, metallic relics, and jewellery. PI detectors are far more expensive and are what you will need if you only wish to detect for gold. I have found gold using a VLF detector, but you will significantly improve your chances if you detect for gold using one
Coin detecting using a Minelab Vanquish 540.
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Beach detecting with an Equinox.
of the more expensive, more complex PI machines. The two most popular metal detectors on the Australian market are those manufactured by Minelab and Garrett. Both brands manufacture a range of Pulse Induction and Very Low Frequency metal detectors. Minelab is an Australian company and Garrett is one of the oldest metal detector manufacturers based in the United States. Both brands of detectors are sold across the world. Minelab are the number one seller in Australia. I have used both brands of metal detectors and they are outstanding. Other metal detectors available in Australia include Nokta, XP, Teknetics, Fisher and Bounty Hunter. These are mainly VLF-type detectors that can be used to detect for coins, jewellery, and relics. Some models can be used to look for gold also. Here is a very brief summary. For detecting for gold, the best Minelab metal detectors are the GPZ 7000, GPX 6000 and the SDC 2300. These commence in price from approximately $4,000 for a fully equipped SDC 2300 up to just under $10,000 for the brilliant GPZ 7000. This is a substantial investment, but these detectors have found more gold in Australian conditions than any other.
Gold found with the Garrett Axiom.
Minelab GPX-6000.
Equinox 900.
For coin and treasure hunting, the best selling Minelab models are the Manticore, Equinox 800 and 900 and the Minelab X-Terra Pro and Vanquish series. The two latter detectors start from $400 upwards and are terrific beginner and children’s detectors. The Equinox range and the Manticore offer more features and depth when detecting and range in price from $1,200 (Equinox 800) up to $2,200 for the Manticore. These are fantastic “all round” detectors. The leading Garrett PI detectors are the ATX Deepseeker ($5,000) and the new
Metal detecting with the Garrett Axiom.
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Axiom ($7,000). These too have been especially developed for Australian conditions when detecting for gold. For coin and treasure hunting, Garrett also manufactures extremely effective and easy to use VLF detectors ranging from the Ace Series ($360 upwards) and wonderful for children and beginners, the AT Pro ($1,100) and the AT Max Series ($1,400 – $1,700) that have a raft of more advanced features and are most suitable for coin, treasure and gold detecting. There you have it. If you are interested in pursuing metal detecting as a hobby, my advice is to look at what facet of detecting interests you the most and then visit a local Minelab or Garrett dealer. They can answer any questions you may have and help point you in the direction of a metal detector that best suits your needs and budget. Always ask for the best price and what else they can add in the range of accessories. You can also visit the Minelab
Garrett Ace 300 metal detector.
website (minelab.com) or the Garrett Australia website (garrettaustralia.com. au). Presently, I focus on coin and relic hunting and thoroughly enjoy finding a range of decimal and pre-decimal coins, early settlement relics, commemorative tokens and medallions and sometimes ornate belt buckles, jewellery, early dog registration tags and Australian Army / AIF buttons and badges in parks, abandoned settlements, old house sites and along the river and at the beach. Consider packing a metal detector with you on your next 4WD adventure and who knows what you will find!
T
W
Off ran acc lea ran ten 4W rac
Minelab SDC 2300 with gold.
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The trail to the summit of Blue Rag.
High Country I-VENTURE BY DAVID WILSON
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David Wilson, our fearless contributor and trainer extraordinaire, tackles Victoria’s High Country on the cusp of winter’s grip.
W
hilst Western 4W Driver concerns mostly what’s going on 4WD-wise in WA, we know that more than a few of you are regularly heading east, to sample tracks of a different flavour, so this yarn might whet the appetite if you’re thinking of things alpine. In the spirit of Mission Impossible I recently had an invitation drop asking me to lead Isuzu’s I-Venture Club on another long-form trip — this time into the wilds of the Victorian High Country. Now, let’s call this MI23, and impossible it might not necessarily be, were it not for the fact that winter was just a hop, skip and a jump away. The major complication, thinking winter-things, is that I-Venture Club offers paying attendees a chance to test their mettle in a genuine off-road environment and
I-Venture Club is a 4WD customer retention program now in its ninth year.
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Making progress on a greasy track like this is marginal on passenger car tyres.
often before they’ve gone down the route of changing things up, with different tyres and suspension. Add to that, Isuzu add a contingent of media to each trip to capture the essence of the journey and tell their readers all about it. The journos get the use of a press vehicle and they are always stockstandard, so with two-thirds of our fourteen vehicles running city-slicker tyres and a low ride height, I figured I was going to have my work cut out for me. These events are meticulously planned and this one was no different. Using pace notes from the last time we were here in 2018 and modified to suit recent road and track closures, we conducted a recce ahead of event week, and you guessed it, Huey sent down a torrent. That 30mm made things nice and gluey.
Beautiful Bright in autumn.
of red, amber and yellow, a spectacular sight. Following the Ovens River (bring your fly-fishing gear, there are trout in those streams) we arrive in Harrietville, where the bitumen heads skywards towards Mount Hotham. The glimpses between the trees are for passenger’s eyes only thanks, because a distracted driver could be taking a serious leap – off the side of a hill, into the path of a forestry truck or a touring cyclist, so concentration is the name of the game. At precisely 1,475m and at a place called St Bernard Hospice, it’s time for the dirt
In the spirit of a “stiff upper lip”, we say, mud, be damned, nothing was going to stop us!
Day One – Bright to Blue Rag Bright is an especially pretty alpine village and comes alive in summer with the mountain bike brigade. With plenty of services, decent accommodation and dining, it makes a good starting point for a journey. In late autumn it was awash with colour, the European trees a riot
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Dargo High Plains Road is twisty and carries a mix of vehicles, beware on the bends!
and a flick into 4H. This Dargo High Plains Road is a wellconstructed bit of dirt, but it cops all manner of traffic and in all-weathers, where rain falls out of the sky for around 200 days a year. Use of high range gives you a chance of keeping things stable when grip’s a bit short. Something else we opted to do was a pressure-dump, straight down to 20psi/135kPa in anticipation of the day’s quest, the summit of Blue Rag.
The track is pretty forgiving, a decent rock base with plenty of loose scree about, but also plenty of embedded shelfs that add grip when you need it. Clearance was a bit of an issue in places and I recall seeing some of our sidesteps getting a dust-up in the cross-axle moments.
Traction control on new Isuzus is finally something to crow about, any hint of a wheel’s slip is corrected ARB E-Z-deflator gauge with our starting pressure instantly with an autonomous for the climbs. brake pulse and an added benefit for MU-X owners is Do you remember the Rough Terrain Mode. Regular traction summer east-coasters would rather control brake taps happen around the forget? Yep, 2019 was a bastard and these 1,100rpm mark, whilst selecting RTM parts got torched and badly. Everywhere employs a different, lower, enginewe looked we could see the result, speed algorithm, tuned this time for millions of trees left as skeletons. Natural 800-900rpm. Doesn’t seem like much regeneration was all around us, but it is difference, but in rocks it’s the ticket to going to take a long time to green-up. grip. Not far in on the Dargo Road and we arrive at the start of the Blue Rag Track. A little dam is parked at the intersection and that’s where you’ll want to give 4L a twist of the knob, because low range will deliver the necessary gearing and torque to push on up that hill.
A fierce firestorm ripped through these hills in 2019.
This is also where you want to be concentrating again, because as you emerge from the scrub there’s a rich panorama of views stretching from one mountain-top to another and those gullies at trackside are a long way to the bottom.
Picking a way around big lumps of rock on the Blue Rag trail.
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The dash is it up like a Christmas tree and ready for the ascent.
To get some perspective on the elevation, get a glimpse of someone else on the track ahead and watch them, ant-like and scurrying up the hill. It’s big and we eventually summit at the Blue Rag Trig, a lofty 1,725m above sea level. One of the trig’s legs was looking pretty beat up, but in the Aussie tradition of
I-Venture Club MU-X stands proud atop Blue Rag.
whacking a sticker on any fixed object, the face will never rust, because it’s covered in vinyl. I even found the one I planted in 2018, untouched by fire and ice. Satisfaction all-round and despite the 10°C temperature, we had mostly clear skies for the picture taking. Next.
Blue Rag’s rooftop to the world views are truly spectacular.
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David installing some more vinyl on the Trig face.
Day Two – Bright to Lake Hovell (the long way)
going to get us up the Goldies Spur Track and more importantly, into the Buckland and Wabonga Valleys under the gaze of Mount Buller.
Today’s route will be problematic as we’re staying low, with a trail that largely follows those gullies I mentioned earlier. Dampened by the previous week’s downpour and with today’s forecast suggesting more by the middle of the day, I had good reason to feel nervous. From Bright and using the Great Alpine Way once more we were aiming for the Buckland Valley and its bridge, the jumpoff point, from the bitumen. The morning ritual of airing-down on the dirt was
Buckland Valley Bridge is the get-off point from the main road.
Goldies Track runs adjacent to the powerline easement to Mt Buller.
Goldies is a treat, a track that is okay in 4H, and hugs around a hillside with numerous switchbacks, following a clear-fell swathe of scrub supporting the powerline infrastructure for Buller’s community up on top of that hill. Away from the snap, crackle and pop of the powerlines, the trail follows its serpentine path through country well-suited to cattle as we find the Rose River Track and the Basin Track.
There are plenty of little creeks to cross in these parts but check the depth first!
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Not wanting egg on face, we installed a strap just in case.
You need to check the seasonality of some of these access trails as they are closed in the colder months and sometimes earlier than advised if the weather turns to crud. Another point too, is not to make an arse of yourself, because some of these easements go across privately managed land, so don’t spook the cows and close all the gates you come across (seek permission where appropriate!). Before too long we’re in the thick of it, the thicket, and on the valley floor, where, you guessed it, the bog holes are to be found and 4L is an imperative. One was a trifecta of wet ooze, three routes and anyone’s guess which was going to work. The previous week we slithered our way through the right-hand side option and it was profitable, but today it was deeper. This might be a rear diff-lock moment, a feature added to all new D-MAX and MU-X 4WDs. Don’t be mistaken by manufacturers’ claims of deep fording depths, because whilst 700mm or 800mm sounds more than adequate, that’s talking about a vehicle crossing a stream in clear water. In filthy ooze like this, your alternator and other precious gizmos are sitting sometimes at half that height and submerged. It didn’t affect us luckily,
The “send-it” method will likely fill the sparks department with slush.
but I did come across a random traveller who had ingested a gutful of slush in his sparks department and it was playing up. A good tip, if you can get onto it straight away, is to pour clean and fresh water through the alternator whilst it is spinning and flush out the debris. Might save you a world of pain and expense later. Driving styles through this soup varied dramatically, from the steady-Eddie approach of second gear in 4L and at walking speed, to just plain-old send it. Send it got some great pictures, but pity the poor detailers though back in Melbourne responsible for making them pretty again, because there’s mud now in places where the sun will never shine. Mud shenanigans over and with everyone calmed down, a totally different challenge was about to reveal itself, because just shy of Lake Hovell and on the McDonald’s Spur Track comes Evans Creek. It is a stunning little watercourse that bisects the track, but to cross it you’ve got to descend off a bare rock shelf that’s craggy and stepped and definitely not for the faint-hearted and especially-so since we were mostly riding around in standard-height vehicles. This is where the training team earned their keep, where we assigned a spotter
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I-Venture Club D-MAX takes a couple of ginger steps at Evans Creek.
per car armed with a UHF to be the driver’s eyes and get them off that shelf with the minimum of scrapeage (I made that word up just then). Scrapeage is the adverb describing what happens when a vehicle’s undercarriage or sidesteps or towbar come too close to a fixed object, like a rock. It is all about those approach, ramp-over and departure angles and some days they will be expensive. The scars on the rock’s face bore previous witness to plenty of scrapeage. Fortunately we only had one manual transmission in the group. I say
Di was a demon on the clutch and we made short work of the steps.
fortunately, because manuals in this terrain are a handful. Not only have you got to pick the right line (in this case listening to the directions of the spotter), along with slowing the descending speed to a crawl and at the same time, balance the clutch to prevent a stall. Phew there’s a lot going on. An auto makes all that a doddle, and whilst I’m a purist and a champion of the manual gearbox with fifty years of practice, in the hands of a novice it’s hard-work. Luckily, Di, my manual owner, made it look easy, her commercial-spec single cab D-MAX with a lift, had its undergubbins tucked up neatly and apart from a minor chassis connect with terrafirma, she made some of the other attempts look ham-fisted.
Approach angle sorely tested here as we drop into the creek’s base.
Just as the predicted rain started to fall, we managed to get off the rocks and down to the made surface of the Lake Hovell car park and high-fives all round to celebrate a huge 4WD day. My rain angst just melted away at that moment.
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Day Three – Mansfield to Craig’s Hut Our last day was hut day, an opportunity to soak up some cattlemen history (and some filmic nonsense) and have a gander at the Mount Stirling district. Leave Mansfield behind on the bitumen and you’ll arrive at a big marshalling yard for chain fitment (when it’s snowy and icy) at the base of the Mount Stirling and Mount Buller ascents (and that made the perfect air-down point), the Stirling road is all dirt and initially takes you to a place called Telephone Box Junction, and what was once a thriving café, abandoned in 2020 thanks to COVID.
Circuit Road links a bunch of dirt trails that weave in and around Mount Buller and as we climb higher, we can see what that cloud cover is about to do at 1,500m… it’s a whiteout. Our first hut is Howqua, a pair of timber structures set aside for travellers who run into a blizzard, old and new. New Howqua even sports a plywood lining and a combustion heater which sets it aside from Old Howqua, which looks just plainold-and-cold and wouldn’t be out of place in an episode of Alone. Not only is it foggy but it’s also bloody cold. The D-MAX's thermometer tells me it’s 6°C outside and I believe it’s more one
Road sign at Telephone Box Junction.
A space to sit out a blizzard.
The yard at the Howqua Huts was a pretty misty affair.
Bindaree is a beautiful place with its own micro-climate.
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of those “feels like” moments where they cut the figure in half, thanks to wind-chill or a lack of sun. We restocked the larder with some choice snacks, got our obligatory pics and then retired to the car’s heater, now cranked up nice and high at 28°C and revelling in the new seat heaters in the LS-U+ D-MAX hero ute. On Bindaree Road there’s something you’ll want to visit and that’s the Bindaree Falls. A not-so difficult walk of about ten minutes sees you at the base of the falls and a cavern undercut allowing a unique inside-out look of the curtain of water
spilling from above. In another feat of nature this fountain has produced its own microclimate and the surrounds are a haven for lichen, moss and tree ferns. It is stunning and I reckon in summer would be a nice respite on a hot day with its evaporative air-conditioning effect. Another fact we learnt is that most of these streams have likely produced gold at some stage since European man ventured into these parts. We had a crack at some panning at the Bindaree Flat camping ground on the Howqua River, and whilst you’ll likely not make a deposit in a day’s worth of panning for a new D-MAX or MU-X, it was engaging fun.
There’s a fleck of gold in that vial and panned from the Howqua.
The day’s drawcard was of course Craig’s Hut, a fiction that’s been built for the film The Man from Snowy River, razed to the ground by bushfire and remade again for the tourist traffic. Build it and they will come they said. And we did. To get there you’ll want to find the Monument Track. The Monument is steep and rocky in sections and needing 4L on the dial. Some sections were technical and compounded by the ambient conditions. The view from the inside of the curtain.
I’ll be asking Isuzu to come up with a new talent for the IDAS cameras up in
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Sections of technically difficult rocky steps demand some concentration.
the windscreen after this trip, because all morning we’d been pfaffing around under the clouds and now we’d broken through, visibility was limited to the murky glow of the tail lights ahead of you (that’s if you had them to follow). As I was in the lead D-MAX we had to make it up as we went, and I have to tell you it
was one of the most eerily-cool driving challenges I’ve had thrown my way in recent times. Having a fog mode with a penetrating beam out the front to guide the way would have been epic. Out of the foggy haze emerges the car park signs atop Craig’s Hut hill and the
Ascending the Monument Track in a thick fog was an eerily-cool experience.
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walk across the paddock to the hut itself. With nary a breath of wind the fog was going nowhere fast and I can see how bushwalkers and alpine skiers get lost up here. At barely five metres distance, everything disappears. We left our trail of imaginary breadcrumbs to mark the way back to the cars and lo and behold, out of the mist it appears. The Hut. It’s a Wrap
INFORMATION BAY Isuzu Ute Australia’s I-Venture Club is a customer retention, driver training initiative and available to all owners of D-MAX utes and MU-X wagons, running since 2014. In that time 5,000 owners have participated in the training days. The program is subsidised by Isuzu, attendees pay a contribution of $350 per car (with two passengers) for the single day programs (including brekkie, lunch, guiding and permits) and $2,000 per car (with two passengers) for the long-form, three-day event seen here (including overnight accommodation, all meals, guiding and permits). It is great value and the launching pad of many a new lifestyle. You’ll find more info here isuzuute.com.au/events/i-venture-club
This is Craig’s Hut in fair weather.
Craigs Hut in the fog.
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Tackling the
CARNEGIE BY RON & VIV MOON
Ron and Viv Moon tackle spinifex and scrub as they traverse the legendary David Carnegie Road, encountering ample historic, cultural and natural highlights along the way.
T
he scrub had closed in around us, the track zig-zagging this way and that
as it wound amongst the trees, verdant with new shiny foliage after the recent run of good seasons and higher than normal rainfall. In fact, we were travelling along an almost imperceptible creek bed, only really obvious because of the
trees. Amongst the tangle of gums and acacia there was a covering of drying grass and soft spinifex, but on each side of this relatively moisture-laden section, the desert and the spiny spinifex reigned supreme. The track too showed signs of flowing water with a couple of erosion gullies
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and potholes ready to trap the not-soobservant driver and in amongst one of the thicker sections of scrub one of our group suddenly had a flat tyre. A quick inspection of the trailer tyre and the problem was obvious: a badly dented rim. We quickly changed the tyre and rim, the tyre seemingly alright, but a final decision would have to wait until we got into camp, smashed the rim back into some semblance of roundness and reset the bead of the tyre to see if we had done any damage to the rubber itself. Then we came across an abandoned camper, indicating that some previous traveller had more misfortune than us and testimony to the challenges this track can throw at those wanting to trek along it. We were on the David Carnegie Road about 140 kilometres north of its junction with the Great Central Road (GCR). This 250 kilometre-long road, or track really, runs essentially north-south between
the GCR and the Gunbarrel Highway, the GCR being more of a ‘highway’ than the famous Gunbarrel. But what’s in a name? This north-south route was first established by the Eagle Oil Company in the 1980s and was called the Eagle Highway. In 1996 the southern section was renamed the David Carnegie Road to celebrate the centenary of David Carnegie’s 1896 expedition when Carnegie and a small body of men tramped from Coolgardie to Halls Creek and back again. The Eagle Highway, in fact, extends north from the Gunbarrel but hard-to-get permits are required to travel that section so it is rarely accessed by travellers. Our group, part of my son’s Moon Tours party, had left the tiny outpost of Tjukayirla Roadhouse (pronounced ‘chook-a–year-la’) which is on the GCR about 15 kilometres east of the junction. Fuel for the vehicles and food for the soul was the main requirement at the roadhouse, the hamburgers being rated first class while the ice-creams were deemed ‘yummy’.
These colourful budgies are a delight to see in their natural environment.
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Open country such as this was always enjoyable to drive through.
The road north from this southern junction is in pretty good condition, relatively speaking, and we cruised along effortlessly, stopping for the night just off the track where there was an area clear of the spiny spinifex, due to a fire burning through here a year or so previously. Finding such a camp spot is harder than it first seems and at times, late in the afternoon, we thought we’d never find a suitable spot … and I hate camping in amongst thick, old spinifex! Next morning, we took the side track to Breaden Bluff and about one kilometre from the junction you’ll pass the easily missed Pikalu Rockholes off to the right of the track. A few kilometres later you’ll arrive at the end of the vehicle track. A short walk from here across a gully or two brings you to the Breaden Bluff Caves, which are well worth exploring. Once used by Aboriginal people you can still find the occasional sign of their presence with stone chards and discarded grinding stones scattered here and there. Carnegie had spied this red rocky bluff on his way north and while he never actually
visited the spot, he named it after Joseph Breaden, one of the members of his small team. Another few hundred metres further north from the caves the keen and observant explorer may find some standing stones and ancient stonemarked pathways of an Aboriginal ceremonial ground. Wandering this far from the vehicle though demands you take care with your route finding — you don’t want to get lost out here. Back tracking we pushed north along the main track and soon came to the semicleared area that surrounds Empress Springs, some 60 kilometres north of the GCR. An Aboriginal guide had led Carnegie to this spot on 10th August 1896 and they had stayed here for five days before pushing northwards once more. The spring, deep underground and accessed by a small hole found in a depression in the limestone sheet that covers much of this area, is today accessed by a chain ladder; in Carnegie’s time a tree branch gave a clambering Empress Spring.
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access to the sandy base of the cave where a tunnel leads deeper to the spring itself. Not everyone of our group braved the ladder while even fewer crawled the last few metres to the water. Interesting though were the flocks of zebra finches that braved the darkness to get to the lifegiving fluid. I guess their lives depended on reaching the water; ours depended on our vehicles and the easily accessible water within. After a couple of hours at this historic site we headed onwards, the track immediately deteriorating to little more than a set of wheel marks through the spinifex. In places the scrub closed in around us but generally it was pretty open with some reasonable spots to camp within 30 to 40 kilometres from Empress Springs. Another 55 kilometres north and we were in a veritable jungle of scrub as described earlier as the track skirts along a section of ephemeral flood-out country where transient creeks, running down from the heights of the rocky rise surrounding Square Hill, coalesce occasionally into a shallow wide stream. We stopped to camp a short time later, giving us time to repair broken gear and fix tyres and rims.
A track found about 130 kilometres north of Empress Spring, leads east five kilometres to the site of John Forrest’s 1874 Camp 59. His expedition from Geraldton to the Overland Telegraph Line at Oodnadatta was one fraught with a lack of water and unwelcoming Aboriginal people. Today, there is a small rock cairn and nearby is the blazed tree, showing the signs of its tough last 150 years. About 15 to 20 kilometres south of the Gunbarrel the country changed. We said goodbye to the heavy spinifex and were amongst small claypans and better country covered with a variety of desert herbs and young saltbush, while there were also quite a few flowers blooming — mainly honey grevillea and a lot of wattle. The rain from recent months had filled the claypans but they were now nearly completely dry with just cracked dry mud or a thin film of muddy water where you could see where the camels had been. We entered the Mangkili Claypan Nature Reserve and as we got closer to the main claypan and within the Indigenous Protected Area we noticed quite a few dead camels spread around the areas clear of thicker stands of acacia. That was probably why we had seen so few on our
The pan was cracked and dry - but still shone as if covered by water.
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drive north and that is a good thing as these big herbivores do untold damage to our desert country especially around any water source. When we got to Mangkili, we stopped for a bite to eat thinking that there might be water in the pan, left over from the previous year. It had been full to the brim on our last trip, when birds and waders abounded, enjoying the transient feed source. But this visit we weren’t so lucky as there was just dry, cracked shiny mud that looked as if it had a sheen of water over it — but it didn’t. With nothing to hold us here we turned east along the famed Gunbarrel Highway, cruising across rolling downs of waving spinifex to pull into the Geraldton Historical Society Bore for the night. Our trip along the David Carnegie Road had been enjoyable and eventful — like most travels in this remote country. While meals were cooked and the zebra finches came into drink we carried out a bit of maintenance including replacing some wheel bearings on one of the campers. No big deal … if you are prepared for such a thing … we say, as we prepared to head north along the Gary Highway, but that’s another story, for another day.
INFORMATION BAY Best maps are the Hema Maps, Great Desert Tracks maps: hemamaps.com You can’t travel this country without hearing of the exploits of Len Beadell and his Gunbarrel Road Construction Party of the 1950s and 1960s. He wrote some great books on their exploits — visit lenbeadell.com.au Tjukayirla Roadhouse (245km west of Warburton on the GCR) — fuel, basic supplies and a camping ground. Phone (08) 9037 1108. Warburton (on the GCR 360km east of Mangkili Claypan) is the closest you’ll get to civilisation here — food, fuel, supplies, tyre repairs, camp ground, health centre. Phone (08) 8956 7656. Carnegie Station (on the Gunbarrel Hwy, 150km west of Mangkili Claypan) has fuel and limited supplies as well as a campground. Phone (08) 9981 2991. Outback Tilt Tray & Recovery You’ll need these guys if things go badly wrong with your vehicle or camper. Phone 0428 196 306.
Zebra finches enjoy the water at the bore.
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UNRIVALLED
durability
www.icom.net.au
THE RFDS STORY
BY JOHN COLLINS
The Bloke on the Twenty Dollar 2 Note and Other Australian Heroes
PART
Picking up from the unfortunate death of Jimmy Darcy, prompting recognition for the need of faster medical assistance for regional Australia, John Collins continues his coverage of the formation of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the life-saving service it provides today.
H
alls Creek on the 22nd July 1917 was an epicentre for change, much like a small stone being dropped into a calm pond. The disturbed water radiates outwards from the projectile entry point and innumerable small ripples are reflected from the pond’s shoreline that bend and curve in unexpected ways to create a system of multifaceted connections that gently touch the surrounding objects from all directions. Likewise, the untimely death of Jimmy Darcy had long-lasting outcomes that continue to gently reverberate throughout regional Australia to positively influence many lives in unexpected and unforeseen ways.
Part Two of this story shines a light upon the development of the pioneering aero-medical service that has become the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). This narrative explores connections between heart-breaking events and the positive progress that resulted. It also highlights the contribution of some Kimberley events that transformed pioneering aero-medical services from being mainly reactionary emergency orientated towards providing pre-emptive community-based health resources by the RFDS throughout regional Australia. Image above: An RFDS Pilatus PC12 landing on a typical bush airstrip. Photo: RFDS
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The Blueprint John Clifford Peel was a medical student and a keen reader of Reverend John Flynn’s “Northern Territory and Central Australia — a Call to the Church”. According to Clifford’s family, it inspired his interest in Flynn’s extraordinary work and set him thinking about the logistics of how Flynn could provide health care to people in need who were widely dispersed throughout Outback Australia. The Australian Imperial Forces were searching for candidates for their newly formed Australian Flying Corps in 1917, when young Clifford Peel volunteered and was selected for flying training at the central Flying School in Laverton, Victoria.
ground. He wrote… “Aviation is still new, but it has set some of us thinking hard. Perhaps others want to be thinking too. Hence these few notes ... From Oodnadatta, Alice Springs is about three and a half hours trip. Overland it takes nine DAYS — long ones too. In the not-very-distant future, if our church folk only realise the need, I can see a missionary doctor administering to the needs of men and women scattered between Wyndham and Cloncurry, Darwin and Hergott (now known as Marree). If the nation can do so much in the days of war, surely it will do its ‘bit’ in the coming days of peace — and here is its chance”. Only 13 months after sending the letter and seven weeks before the end of the First World War, on 19th September 1918 Lt Peel’s RE8 aircraft disappeared while on patrol in France. Lt Peel died at just 24 years of age. He never knew, but his letter would become a blueprint for the creation of the Australian Inland Mission’s (AIM) Flying Doctor Service.
Soldiers waiting to board HMAT Nestor in 1916. Photographer: J E Barnes, ANMM Collection 00027604.
Flying training prompted in Peel’s mind the union of aviation and healthcare provision, inspiring him to send a letter to Flynn saying that aeroplanes could convey healthcare to the wide-spread areas of the Australian Outback. To this, Flynn wrote back with great interest, generating a famous detailed letter sent on the 20th November 1917 whilst on board HMAT Nestor, bound for the United Kingdom. With great insight, Lt Peel outlined the costs and advantages of running aeroplanes compared with the costs and disadvantages of travel on the
Reverend John Flynn John Flynn was born on 25th November 1880 in the town of Moliagul in Central Victoria, the second son of Thomas and Rosetta Flynn. He was two years old when his mother died, and his auntie raised him until he was five when he returned to live with his father. The loss of his older brother and only sibling when he was 21, developed Flynn’s empathy with the lonely and his aspiration to help people living in rural Australia.
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The 20 Dollar Note Ever contemplated who the chap on the Australian $20 note was and what the relevance of the flying aircraft was? The importance of the Reverend John Flynn’s involvement in the creation of the first Flying Doctor Service was also recognised by the Reserve Bank of Australia, landing him and the symbol of the aerial medical service on our nation’s currency.
1 2
4 3
1
First Flying Doctor plane made of wood/canvas and modified for a patient stretcher.
2
Pedal-powered radio developed by Alfred Traeger so country people could communicate despite their remote location.
3
Body Chart used by patients to describe the location of pain when talking to the doctor over the radio.
The bank design also 4 Chaplains on camels visited isolated homesteads to offer help, recognises another two companionship and news of the outside world. other outstanding Flying Doctor innovations that have saved many lives over the years — encouraged social communication and the 'medicine chest' and the numbered then distance education became a reality. anatomical chart. The 'medicine chest' is a The first “School of the Air” using a HF store of important medical supplies kept Outpost Radio Network was established on various properties for emergencies. at Alice Springs on 8 June 1951. Today in Western Australia, there are Schools of the Air campuses located at Carnarvon, Kalgoorlie, Derby, Meekatharra, and Port Realising that remote settlements could Hedland using the latest communication not call for help without Morse code systems. and telegraphs, Flynn recruited inventor Alfred Traeger who invented a High Frequency (HF) radio system cheap enough to be installed in each home and suitable for emergency calls. In 1928 Traeger developed the pedal-powered HF radio. A floor mounted generator, driven with bicycle pedals, powering a radio transceiver which could send Morse code. The following year, a base station was established at Cloncurry, Queensland and the first pedal wireless was installed at Augustus Downs Station, 150 miles out of town. The pedal A School of the Air primary student in regional Queensland radio matured into two-way takes class via two-way radio. (c.1960). voice capable technology that
Alf Traeger
Photo: Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 2986
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issues facing the service and suggesting ways the scheme could be modified or enlarged to be able to treat anything no matter how large. Welch went on to say that, “AMS gives a tremendous sense of security to the district and its discontinuance would be regretted everywhere”.
“Victory”, the De Havilland DH50 completed the first AMS flight on 17th May 1928.
The Aerial Experiment On 15th May 1928, Flynn’s dream became a reality after the long-time supporter, H. V. MacKay, left a large bequest for ‘an aerial experiment’ enabling Flynn to set up the Australian Inland Mission Aerial Medical Service (AMS). Two days later, on 17th May, the first official flight was piloted by Arthur Affleck, with Dr Kenyon St Vincent Welch flying “Victory”, a De Havilland DH50 aircraft hired from the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd (later becoming QANTAS). The inaugural AMS flight departed Cloncurry and flew 85 miles (137 kilometres) to Julia Creek in Central Queensland. The AMS flew 50 flights to 26 destinations and treated 225 patients in its inaugural year. During that period, Dr Welch wrote to Flynn regarding
The Flying Doctor Service (Victoria Section) The Flying Doctor Service was inaugurated as an independent not-forprofit organisation in Melbourne during 1934 (‘Royal’ was bestowed upon the service in 1955). The Victorian people chose to adopt the Kimberley Region both as a worthy cause and because they had no real Outback areas of their own. I’m left to wonder if Jimmy Darcy’s remarkable story influenced Victorians to adopt the Kimberley Region. Another explanation may be Flynn’s own wellknown words, “If you start something worthwhile — nothing can stop it”.
The First Base The first base in the Kimberley was opened in August 1935 at Wyndham. Mr W J B Reeve was in command of medical flight No. 1 to Halls Creek airstrip to pick up a patient with a badly crushed
The Dunbar Hooper at the Carlton Station airstrip. Photo: AirHistory.net
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hand. It was such an historic occasion that almost all the populace turned out to meet the aircraft, called “Dunbar Hooper”. The second medical emergency in the Kimberley was at the Forrest River Mission, which is 80 kilometres from Wyndham by air. By land, a desperate Aboriginal runner took 23 hours to deliver the message to summon the pilot and doctor. The Derby Base was established in 1955 and The RFDS made its final flight from its Derby base on 29th January 2018, bringing to a close more than 60 years of history.
The Mercy Flight Watershed: The VH-MMG Crash Feb 1956 In World War Two, Pieter van Emmerik trained to be a fighter pilot in the US after escaping Europe and once qualified, he was posted to the Netherlands East Indies Air Force, headquartered in Australia. Captain Pieter van Emmerik (35) — with his wife and their three small children —
Pieter van Emmerik was born in Amsterdam in 1920 when World War Two broke out and became a member of the underground resistance movement in Holland. Photo: Netherlands Institute of Military History
spent two years at Derby as a base pilot for MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA) Flying Doctor Operations, before flying operationally with No 18 Squadron based at Batchelor in the Northern Territory, and subsequently awarded the Dutch Cross of Merit. Pieter was a meticulous, precise airman with nearly 5,000 hours experience, his knowledge of the northwest was intimate. It was for this reason that in January 1956, he was asked to return to Derby temporarily to relieve an MMA pilot who had been involved in an accident. It was Saturday afternoon when the call came to make the emergency flight to Tableland Station, and Pieter was looking forward to returning home to Perth the next day to celebrate his 11th wedding anniversary. Departing at 4.25pm, the 110-minute flight to Tableland Station in hot and humid conditions was uneventful and the aircraft landed there just on sunset at 6.14pm. Captain van Emmerik contacted Wyndham Aeradio (later Flight Service) with his 6.34pm departure report and 100-minute flight estimate. VH-MMG failed to arrive in Derby but, the SAR operations took three weeks to locate wreckage. All five occupants were killed, Captain Pieter van Emmerik, Nurses Frances Day and Helen Newman, Helen Rudduck the 9-month-old patient and her father Jack Rudduck.
Original memorial formally located outside the original passenger terminal. Photo: Geoff Goodall Collection
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The ensuing investigations created something of a crisis at the time for the nation's various Royal Flying Doctor Services, that were for the most part 'seat of the pants' operations. No hint of criticism was levelled at Pieter van Emmerik's decision to press on towards Derby in the deteriorating conditions. On the contrary, the then DirectorGeneral of Civil Aviation, Mr D.G. (later Sir Donald) Anderson, in a memorandum to the Minister for Civil Aviation on the circumstances of the accident, wrote, "Unfortunately financial considerations have led to the use of obsolete aircraft on these services so far, and this seriously restricts the conditions under which flights can be conducted safely, I would like to see this service placed on a proper footing with modern well-equipped aircraft, but the availability of finance for this purpose is a major problem."
Memorial at Jandakot Airport to Robin Elizabeth Miller Dicks. Photo: Author
will have been providing innovative health services to remote centres (now including Fitzroy Crossing) for 100 years! NancyBird, her preferred title, as well as being an aeromedical pioneer and famous aviatrix, would inexorably have been a role model for Robin Miller.
This unfortunate accident became a watershed for Flying Doctor operations throughout Australia, as slowly sufficient funding became available that facilitated the acquisition of new and well-equipped aircraft.
The Aeromedical Aviatrix Pioneers Nancy-Bird Walton and Robin Miller Dicks Pioneer Australian aviatrix Nancy Bird (later known as Nancy-Bird Walton AO, OBE, ‘the Angel of the Outback’) was, at 19, the youngest woman in the British Empire to obtain a commercial pilot’s licence. Trained by Sir Charles KingsfordSmith, she used a legacy from a great aunt and money borrowed from her father to purchase a new Leopard Moth able to carry two passengers. In 1935, she was hired to operate the Royal Far West Children's Health Scheme using Nancy's own brand-new Gipsy Moth as the air ambulance. In 2024, the Royal Far West
Nancy Bird with her Leopard Moth and a Shell Australia sponsor representative.
Robin was the daughter of author Mary Durack and Captain Horrie Miller a co-founder of MMA. With these familial connections, a close association with the Kimberley Region and other remote areas resulted in Robin training as a nurse and commercial pilot. Following permission from the Western Australian Health Department, Robin borrowed money to purchase a Cessna light aircraft and set out on her first flight on 22 May 1967 to travel the north-west as part of the polio immunisation program. The “Sugar Bird Lady” was the name given to Robin by remote area children as
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remote clinics or be prescribed by the registered RFDS Doctor, with prescription medicine from a Medical Chest. There are approximately 510 medical chests held at remote locations such as, homesteads, pastoral stations, roadhouses, police stations, national parks, Indigenous communities, outback schools, mine sites and offshore vessels. The "Sugarbird Lady" Robin Miller (c1960) conducting a bush clinic administering the Sabin Oral Polio Vaccine. Robin began the immunisation program, flying herself to isolated communities to deliver vaccine doses on a sugar cube. Although the Sabin vaccine had been available for a decade, the tyranny of distance in WA had prevented immunisations for those living far from town.
To access this service visit: flyingdoctor.org.au
Photo: RFDS
she implemented her broad area Sabin Oral Vaccine vaccination work, as it was dispensed on a cube of sugar. Nancy and Robin are amazing role models for future generations, while their pioneering aero-medical service are early examples of how not-for-profit organisations began to evolve from being a first responder emergency providers to providing other essential health services to Outback Australia.
Medical Chest in action. The Medical Chest is designed to service a population of up to approximately 30 persons. Photo: RFDS
Telehealth Of particular interest to visitors to the Great Outback is the knowledge that despite the vast distances between health services, the RFDS provides telehealth consultations. Patients, their carer or family member, or remote area health professional who require medical advice from a distance, can call the RFDS for clinical advice, at no cost. In Western Australia the RFDS conducts approximately 40,000 telehealth consultations annually. They will monitor the situation to determine whether an aero-medical evacuation is required or whether the patient can be followed up at one of its
Rosemarie and Amy coordinate Medical Chests in Western Australia. Photo: RFDS
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The Rio Tinto sponsored PC-24. Photo: Paul Sadler
Aeromedical Retrievals In WA a mixed fleet of aircraft provides a “mantle of safety” across the approximate 2.5 million square kilometres of our vast state, that consists of 17 Pilatus PC-12 turbo prop aircraft, the three Rio Tinto LifeFlight PC-24 jets and, the two Fortescue Heli-Med Service EC145 Helicopters. The service provides 24/7 critical lifesaving intervention throughout the whole of WA as well as Christmas and Cocos Islands, usually when a patient with serious illness or injury requires a medical transfer to a large regional or tertiary centre for definitive care. Much of the funds needed to keep the section operational is raised by individual donations of various types including corporate sponsorships. The travelling public can contribute fiscally by dropping change (or a Flynn) into the many collection tins they will encounter when visiting our Great Outback.
General Practice Health Care Clinics (PHC) In addition to aeromedical retrievals in Western Australia, PHC clinics are coordinated by RFDS staff at Jandakot, Kalgoorlie, Port Hedland, Meekatharra, and Broome. PHC fly-in-fly-out clinics are conducted to provide a much-needed service to locations that do not see a
Medical Practitioner on a regular basis, with the support of a Remote Area Nurse stationed at the location. Collaborative partnerships in health care are a cornerstone of health service delivery to rural and remote areas in WA, with over 350 GP clinic sessions and 850 facilitated clinic sessions each year. Although the origins of Australian aeromedicine are directly connected to Jimmy’s story and the imperative of emergency medicine provision, PHC follows Flynn’s wider aspiration to help people living in regional Australia.
LASTING IMPACTS The second part of Jimmy’s story has explored some of these unexpected connections to other people that have come together to facilitate lasting change which continually improves the lives of everyone in our Great Outback. The story has also shone a light on the largely forgotten contributions of other Australian heroes, while also providing useful traveller information for a safer, more enjoyable immersion into the countryside you are experiencing. I hope that this story will encourage people to remember the people who perished on the VH-MMG evacuation flight in 1956, the contribution of Australian philanthropy, the many volunteers who “shake tins” raising money for the RFDS and, the backroom boffins who continue to seek innovation to improve the lives of everyone in Regional Australia. Finally, we have seen how the death of Jimmy Darcy from malaria, became a catalyst for change that over time has resulted in the establishment of the RFDS as we know it today, a federation that literally every day saves lives of regional Australians and, facilitates the delivery of medical services taken for granted by urban dwellers but otherwise not easily accessible to people in the “bush”.
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Fit for the Family Put your preconceptions of leather vs denim to the test as Matt Clarke assesses the benefits of SupaFit Seat Covers.
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ith a family trip planned in the coming months it was about time we upped the comfort of the car, prompting us to put some Supafit Seat Covers to the test. Founded in 2010, Supafit Seat Covers is a Western Australian owned company, producing covers from 100% Australian-grown cotton — a good start! We chose the black denim seat cover for our Toyota Prado 150 Series to fit both front and rear leather seats. We’d been reluctant to shift away from leather but with growing children we decided it was worth a shot. It took approximately 30 minutes to fit, with pieces supplied in segments, making them easy to install across the rear three seats. Another bonus of the individual pieces is the ability to easily removal them for general cleaning and in case of spills — bound to happen with kids in tow! The drop-down drink holder and the head rests are two we expect will need some upkeep. One of the stand-out features on the seat covers was the high quality of stitching and the secure steel eyelets in the seat covers, this allowed an easy guide to install the head rests into position and additionally holds the seat cover taut on the seat. Regarding the material, there is no lining or padding on the inside of the cover that can deteriorate and rub onto the original seats in the car and, compared to
a canvas seat cover, the SupaFit Denim material is smooth and comfortable on the skin for that satisfying sensory feeling.
The real test After a few solid trips, we got a feel for how they were treading on and off the road and reviewed our findings. We found the seat covers held secure to the leather seats. We did not slide around and the SupaFit covers provided a feeling of comfort and security whilst driving — a completely different feel to riding in a vehicle with leather seats which allow for a bit of slip. We allowed a few days for the SupaFit seat covers to mould into the seats and after using them on a day-to-day basis, and a quick vacuum of sand and grass we all agreed they put our apprehension of losing the leather to the test, and did an excellent job of swaying us! We’ll have to conduct a long-term test to know for sure but, so far, we’re impressed and would happily recommend. SupaFit offers seat covers for all makes and models of vehicles, providing a wide range of options for customers. If you're interested in purchasing SupaFit seat covers, you can visit their team in Welshpool to find the right fit for your vehicle.
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Arm yourself against fatigue. Regularly get 7.5 hours sleep a night. On long drives take a break every two hours and swap drivers if you can. Make every journey safe. wa.gov.au/rsc
RSCO0303G-148wx210h Press RegionalFatigue.indd 1
18/1/2023 3:44 pm
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Work-life on the road with
STARLINK I was always one of those 4W drivers and travellers who laughed at people that asked the question "do you know if we can get mobile coverage?"
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houghts running through my mind were ... going to get away from it all, you don’t need mobile coverage, get into the great outdoors without distractions blah blah blah. So, what has changed? Up until now people have said to me that they thought I was semi-retired — essentially I was. Working a business with a partner, we had both decided to scale back our workload to three days a week in the office and working from home the other two. That was up until six months ago when my business partner decided he wanted to retire fully. We had gotten quite used to hitching up the Kimberley Kamper on a Wednesday night and heading bush and then coming back into town on Sunday. How dare he leave me having to go back to full time work!!
BY ASHLEY PEARCE
The bigger question though was how do my wife and I get to have a break from working in the office and have a holiday? Our current set up is a Cel Fi Go in the car so I can make and receive calls whilst on the move. That’s a great system, but what about when there is no signal? You can only boost a signal that is actually there. Our satellite phone set up is such that you can only make calls and the cost really prevents long work conversations when needed … and no data download. My work is a fairly reactionary industry so I am not really able just to go a few days without contact and then pick it up from there. In an ideal world, I should be checking emails every couple of hours and have the ability to take calls. Enter Starlink. What is Starlink you say? Starlink is a satellite internet system owned by SpaceX (you know that Elon Musk fella) that hopes to deliver highspeed internet across the globe. Starlink is being pitched toward areas where connectivity has been challenging, such as rural and regional Australia.
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The major difference between Starlink satellites and traditional satellites is that they are 65 times closer to earth. This means Starlink can deliver faster, more responsive connectivity than you’d typically expect from a satellite internet service. Operating Starlink is simple. Set the dish up in a southerly orientation, plug the cable into the modem, power-up via the inverter in the car, and within a couple of minutes you have lightning-fast internet to check email, make and receive phone calls, retrieve messages etc. Pack down is just as quick. We are currently on a working holiday in the Kimberley and each lunch and overnight spot we set up dishy and can check in on things workwise, watch the news at night time and download the papers.
bypasses the need to take out a mobile subscription but I am not confident that Starlink/Space X won’t be onto this little trick and suspend one’s service. Perhaps more on that in another article. I paid full retail pricing for my Starlink and am in no way sponsored by them to promote the use. Make your own mind up after investigations but you will be surprised how good this system is for those of us like myself who need to work on the road.
Depending on where you are located you can currently purchase the hardware for as little as $199 and a roaming plan is $174 per month (current as of August 2023). We have yet to find any limitations on the system. Some companies such as Outback Communications in Queensland are cutting down the dishes to mount on the roof rack of your car and this way you can make and receive calls on the go. This
Cable Beach is not a bad place to set up an office!
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CHOOSE YOUR ROUTE THROUGH THE
Ancient Pilbara
BY CLAIRE WILSON
Did you know that rocks from the Pilbara are preserved remnants of the Earth’s ancient crust more than 3.5 billion years ago?
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n 2019 NASA scientists conducted investigations in the Pilbara to help them better prepare for their journey to Mars. More than its age, the chemical similarities of the rock composition is akin to those on the red planet making it an incredible otherworldly place to explore. The Warlu Way is a self-drive journey through the Pilbara, following the path of the ancient dreamtime serpent as it rose from the ocean and travelled across the land. With four routes to choose from, you can complete the Warlu Way in one trip or choose to drive a portion. Cossack.
Coastal route Travelling south to north, begin the coastal route in Onslow, a peaceful location for a few days of sea views and ocean dips, and the gateway to the Mackerel Islands. You can ferry across or bring your own vessel and hire a mooring. After a few days of island life, meander up the coast to Karratha and Dampier. Stop here to see first-hand the ancient petroglyphs (rock carvings) of Murujuga National Park, led by an Indigenous guide. Cossack and Roebourne will serve you up a dose of culture and history as you hear the tales of towns abandoned and get to know some local artists. The Warlu Way ends as you begin your journey north along Eighty Mile Beach. Cape Keraudren is another beautiful ocean-side spot for camping and fishing.
Cleaverville.
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Centred around the Fortescue River, the heartland of the Yindjibarndi people, this oasis of deep gorges and palmfringed rock pools provides a stark contrast to the surrounding landscape of rocky escarpments and rolling spinifexcovered hills. Continue further along the Roebourne Wittenoom Road, a 4WD track and end in Tom Price, the gateway town to Karijini National Park. Karijini National Park.
Inland route Begin your journey to Karijini National Park heading south-east from Nanutarra Roadhouse, towards Paraburdoo and Tom Price. Stop for a night or two on the way at Cheela Plains where you can experience life on a working station. Next up, Paraburdoo — it’s renowned for its beautiful scenery, wildlife diversity and interesting short history including UFO sightings, and discovery of 200-year-old bones. Journey on to Karijini, and explore its ancient gorges, waterfalls and vivid landscapes. Depending on the time of year, the roads may be rough going with corrugations so bear this in mind when planning.
Coppins Gap.
East Pilbara Geoheritage The most adventurous driving route of the four, the East Pilbara Geoheritage is the top route for 4W driving, due to its challenging and mostly unsealed roads. Don’t miss a stop in Newman to marvel at artwork in Martumili gallery, then witness art of a different kind as you see 20,000-year-old petroglyphs at Punda within the Ophthalmia Range. Next, head north to Nullagine and Marble Bar (Australia’s hottest town) via Corunna Downs, a secret ex-airbase from WW2. A dip at Doolena Gorge is a great way to end the day.
Python Pool at Millstream Chichester NP.
Manuwarra Red Dog Highway Travelling south-east from Karratha, you’ll first reach Millstream Chichester National Park. Leave yourself some time here to explore this majestic park, approximately 200,000 hectares.
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INFORMATION BAY Visit warluway.com.au for more tips on your Pilbara route.
OPENING DOORS TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES
BY DUNCAN WILSON
Sometimes when we give without expectation, opportunities unravel before us. Duncan Wilson shares his experience of unexpected doors opening upon offering his time as a volunteer, enrichening his opportunities to explore and discover.
The Track Care team out on the Canning Stock Route having just built a new dunny.
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olunteering isn’t for everybody but, for many who are willing to offer their time, it can certainly open up a wealth of rewarding opportunities that far exceed initial expectations. Over the years I’ve been involved with some amazing volunteer organisations that have enabled me to experience things, gain hands-on 4WD training, and go places many people just don’t have the opportunity or permission to do.
Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades Being in the hills, bushfires and other natural disasters are never very far away. A major bushfire in the early 1990s prompted me to jump onboard with the local Volunteer Bushfire Brigade and before I knew it, I was behind the wheel of an old 75 series LandCruiser light tanker ute, whetting my appetite for 4WD adventure. Formal driver training back in the day was very rudimentary and basically suck it and see it, watch what was happening and make sure you don’t get stuck. The best part? Being a hills brigade we often had fires within DBCA or Water Corp-managed land so we had access to all the tracks normally closed off or gated due to catchment or die back area restrictions. We had to know our area and we often, as part of weekly training, undertook area familiarisation, driving many of these tracks, enjoying the access, ever-changing topography and stunning scenery locked away to unauthorised persons. Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades today don’t just look after their own jurisdictional area but may be called on to attend fires in different localities or even as part of taskforces to travel interstate or these days even overseas. Each of these throw up new and sometimes exciting
challenges, not only the firefighting challenges but the terrain you are expected to drive in and through. If part of an interstate taskforce you may also find yourself behind the wheel of a totally different type of vehicle to what you are used to, and in widely different terrains such as the Victorian High Country or NSW’s Blue Mountains. Experiences you just can’t buy.
Rally Australia & Australasia Safari Expanding into new terrain, my involvement with Rally Australia, which is part of the world rally circuit, and then Australasia Safari, really opened up some opportunity to get out on previously inaccessible tracks and find myself in awe-inspiring locations. With “Rally”, not only was the chance to mingle with all of the international teams and meet the highly credentialed drivers — including
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Carlos Sainz, the McRae brothers, and Sebastien Lobe, to mention a few — a major perk, this involvement afforded me access into areas around the Perth hills, Harvey, Collie, and the pine forests near North Bannister, totally out of bounds or cordoned off to the general public. Some of the Rally took place in Water Catchment Areas and as the race only took place on the tracks and not in the bush, we had controlled access into some incredible places. The scenery available is amazing behind those usually locked Water Corp or DBCA gates, now just a distant memory. It was a crying shame when WA lost the rally to the Eastern States. Reflecting on Australasia Safari, for those who don’t know, this race is in the realm of 4WDs, motor bikes, quads, and side by sides. Think Dakar, WA style, through just about every terrain and topography type that the state can throw at it, hard unforgiving station tracks, and long days and nights. Initially my old mate and I did whatever task was thrown at us, but in the latter few years we became part of the flying finish and stop team. Unlike Rally Australia, Safari is just that, a safari. Each week-long rally covered huge tracks of the state sometimes covering areas within the Kimberley, and Pilbara regions, to the Gascoyne and Murchison regions, and the Goldfields, Great Victoria Desert, and Esperance areas.
As volunteers on Safari, we got to go to many amazing places and access station tracks that simply would not be available if not for being part of the race. We camped in some truly remarkable spots in all manner of weather, drove some amazing tracks, got lost every now and again, met some amazing volunteering people, met some totally crazy competitors, many of whom competed in Dakar or went on to compete in Dakar, and became part of WA sporting history.
One of our flying finish locations.
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With campsites varied as we were often on the move, some nights it would be simply be down a track off the main road — we found an excellent one off the Butchers Track which is south of the Overlander Roadhouse and another ripper just south of Leinster on the Goldfields Highway. Another occasion we were set up on a beach south of Kalbarri (sorry no time for fishing), then under the dark star-filled sky of the Great Victoria Desert. I experienced rugged outback tracks in the Gascoyne and Murchison; getting stuck in a huge dust storm and then torrential rains while camped at the Murchison Settlement Roadhouse; sitting around a campfire with other volunteers on a Gascoyne cattle station; even sneaking a camp below the large rock you can drive up at Wylie Bay after getting bogged on Cape Le Grand beach towing a camper trailer in Esperance. Seeing the competitors’ vehicles being driven in the manner they were, really opened your eyes to the capabilities of the various vehicles and some with just rudimentary modifications. Again, after many wonderful years the WA government stopped supporting the event and again just like Rally Australia it went east, this time to Queensland.
Track Care WA Fast forward to my next volunteering adventure — thanks to an urging from Nick Underwood, the original owner of this magazine, I joined Track Care WA, and unsurprisingly my access to new locations and 4WD knowledge only expanded from there. Whilst I’m yet to do a Stock Route trip, (work and other commitments have always got in the way), I was part of the first renovation and repair trip to Warriedar Station. It was amazing to see what a small workforce of likeminded volunteers in stinking hot weather could
My old Terracan on Hanns Track.
achieve in a long weekend. Since then, TCWA with the cooperation of DBCA, have fully transformed this building into a well-maintained building that can and is being used by all travellers. I’ve been with TCWA now for many years and have witnessed all the amazing things that our members do selflessly. It’s not just the CSR where our efforts are seen, but restoration work within the Karara Rangeland, Wandoo Woodlands, and other areas including within the Gascoyne and Murchison regions. Our members greatly appreciate the opportunities to integrate with the traditional owners of these areas, to work with them and provide training and guidance when required. They also reap the reward of being able to access and camp in areas not normally permitted. By coincidence during my Safari and early days of Track Care I was invited to attend Desert Discovery, which that year was centred around Warakurna and the Rawlinson Range in the Gibson Desert. We were granted unlimited access to the northern side of the range that normally wouldn’t be permitted even with a permit. We camped in a large desert oak grove, which in itself was magnificent, but there were also some beautiful dunes over our southern shoulders that when climbed provided stunning sunrise landscapes over the desert below.
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Warriedar Station how we found it.
After a bit of a clean-up.
The Track Care WA volunteers.
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Our interaction with the traditional owners from Warakurna was very much hands-on and there’s nothing like being offered a witchetty grub for breakfast. We witnessed traditional controlled burning and got to go on a couple of guided tours into their traditional lands by the elders, to places that I’m sure aren’t shown on modern day maps. We were shown feral cat hides, which to our untrained eyes just looked like any other innocuous hollow tree, to bush bashing to a large cave high on the stoney hill side with amazing commanding views over the plains below. No art, just small bats.
Controlled burn (reignition) lit by the Traditional Owners.
The volunteers from Track Care were not far away with five of us being present, including ‘Truthful Phil’, Phil Bianchi. I’ve learned a lot of lessons over the years and owe a large portion of those to my volunteering days. I no longer have the old Terracan (my very first 4WD), having swapped that for my Troopy realising that I needed a much more capable 4WD to enable me to travel to the places that I now go. I’ll finally be retiring from work at the end of the year and that will certainly not end my volunteering ways but open the door to more opportunities and adventures — whether with Track Care or some other likeminded organisation, only time will tell. By approaching things with an open mind and a willingness to help, the trove of experiences available to be tapped into are limitless.
Feral cat’s nest.
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Enthusiasts who enjoy offroading and 4W driving are intimately familiar with the breathtaking beauty and rich biodiversity of untouched natural landscapes. However, as we venture into these remote areas and immerse ourselves in the wilderness, it becomes painfully clear just how fragile and vulnerable some of these intricate ecosystems can be.
E
Protecting the
Kimberley
through
Citizen Science
BY MIA TOWNSEND
Photo: Mia Townsend
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nter Myrtle Rust, a fungal disease caused by the pathogen Austropuccinia psidii. This relentless invader poses a significant threat to the cherished Myrtle family of plants. In a concerning turn of events, Myrtle Rust was first detected in the remote East Kimberley region in June 2022. Given its ease of transmission through the wind, it is of paramount importance that we closely monitor the potential spread of this disease across the vast Kimberley landscape. Such vigilance is essential to equip land managers with the knowledge needed to enact timely control or conservation efforts. These actions are crucial to mitigate the disastrous impact that this disease could have on the native plant species that call the Kimberley home. However, the task of monitoring in these remote and rugged environments is no small feat. The sheer expanse of land combined with limited resources available for comprehensive surveys poses a formidable challenge. This is where the concept of citizen science comes into play — an inclusive approach that relies on the active participation of ordinary individuals in scientific research and data collection.
4WD enthusiasts, with their profound connection to nature, intimate familiarity with the region's terrain, and access to otherwise hard-to-reach areas, emerge as an ideal fit for citizen science initiatives. They bring a wealth of insight that complements traditional surveillance teams.
Scan the QR code to learn more about the impacts of the pathogen on cultural heritage and natural ecosystems.
Through the convergence of technology and the passion of dedicated individuals, citizen science projects have emerged as instrumental tools in monitoring diverse ecological phenomena, invasive species like Myrtle Rust included. For those who are planning to explore the Kimberley in the upcoming years, this presents a unique and compelling opportunity to remain vigilant and promptly report any indications of Myrtle Rust infestations.
Let's work together to harness the potential of citizen science and safeguard the fragile ecosystems of the Kimberley for generations to come.
Understanding the Threat Myrtle Rust is a devastating fungal disease that primarily affects plants in the Myrtaceae family. Originally from South America, it has spread to several countries, including Australia and New Zealand, with significant impacts on native plant species. The fungus attacks young leaves, shoots, and fruits, leading to defoliation, reduced plant growth, and eventual death. In the Kimberley landscape, some of the main species to monitor include paperbarks such as the Broad-Leafed Paperbark (Melaleuca leucadendra), Lillypillies and Satinash trees from the genus Syzygium, and starflowers such
Melaleuca leucadendra symptoms. Photo: Dr Louise Shuey
as the stunning Turkey Bush (Calytrix exstipulata). The already threatened Beach Cherry (Eugenia reinwardtiana) is also known to be highly susceptible.
Engaging in Myrtle Rust Surveillance Participating in Myrtle Rust surveillance is a simple yet effective way for individuals to contribute to the conservation of native flora. Here are some steps to get involved:
Education To get started, immerse yourself in the world of Myrtle Rust and get to know its telltale symptoms. There's a wealth of online resources, workshops, and field guides at your disposal to help you become adept at recognising signs of infection.
Collecting Data As you embark on your outdoor escapades, keep a keen eye out for any hints of Myrtle Rust on native plants. Snap
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photos of any suspicious findings, like infected leaves, and make sure to note down where and when you spotted them. Even negative reports, when you don't find anything, are valuable as they help scientists track the pathogen's presence throughout the Kimberley.
Reporting Discoveries Share your observations using the MyPestGuide Reporter App, available for download on both Apple and Android devices. Reporting in a timely manner is critical—it enables swift responses and the implementation of effective management strategies.
Collaborating with Experts By utilising the MyPestGuide Reporter App, you'll become
Inspecting new paperbark growth for Myrtle Rust.
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Photo: Mia Townsend
a collaborative force with plant pathologists, botanists, and researchers. They'll personally engage with your reports, ensuring accurate data recording and utilisation. Your insights become part of a larger effort to understand and protect the Kimberley's ecosystem. Join this shared journey of vigilance and preservation as we work together to combat the impact of Myrtle Rust. Your contribution can make a significant difference in safeguarding our natural treasures. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mia Townsend is CEO for the Dieback Working Group, a community-based not-for-profit whose goal is to raise awareness and build capacity relating to Phytophthora Dieback and other biosecurity threats to the Australian environment.
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COUNTRY STARGAZING with Carol Redford and Donna Vanzetti Astrotourism WA and Star Tracks Astro Events
SPRINGTIME STARGAZING
Spring is the perfect time to get out under dark country skies and be in awe of the sparkling stars and planets overhead. But that’s not all, let’s throw in a close encounter between Saturn and the Moon, the Spring Equinox, the wonderful constellation Scorpio AND a Super Moon!
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he equinox marks the transition from winter to spring in the southern hemisphere and has almost the same number of hours of daylight as darkness. Equinoxes happen twice a year and on the dates of the equinox, the Sun is exactly above the Earth’s equator, causing the equal length of night and day. During the equinox, the Sun will rise directly in the east and set due west. The exact time of the equinox occurs when the sun is directly above the Earth’s equator, for 2023 this will occur on 23rd September at 2.49pm for Western Australians.
constellations is lots of fun, and one of the easiest to find is Scorpius the Scorpion. It’s a lovely, large constellation that really does form the shape of a scorpion! It is currently visible throughout the evening, lying directly overhead at around 8pm. To find Scorpio, look for a reddish star, Antares that lies in the centre of the constellation, known as the heart of the scorpion. See if you can find the curve
Spring is a great time to find the constellation Scorpius. Learning to point out
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furthest distance from Earth (at apogee).
of Scorpio’s body and the sting in its tail stretching up to the centre of the sky.
When perigee coincides with the full Moon, it’s popularly called a “Supermoon”. This ‘super’ phenomenon will occur on 29th September.
Something interesting: Antares is a super-giant red star several hundred times the diameter of our Sun and is about 600 light-years from Earth. For some fun stargazing, the full Moon makes a close approach to brilliant Saturn on 27th September and the pair will look stunning together. For those with telescopes or high-powered binoculars, check out the beautiful ring system of Saturn. When to look: From end of twilight. Which direction to look: High in the eastern sky. At month's end we will be treated to a Super Moon. The Moon’s orbit around Earth is slightly oval shaped or elliptical. So, every month there’s a time when the Moon is at its closest distance to Earth (at perigee) and another time when it is at its
INFORMATION BAY Does a Supermoon look bigger to the naked eye? Find out at: astrotourismwa.com.au/supermoon Enjoy nature's astronomical wonders of the night sky. Find more stargazing tips and country events at: astrotourismwa.com.au If you’re a budding “astro-enthusiast”, check out Stargazers Club WA’s telescope classes and astronomy events for beginners at: stargazersclubwa.com.au
GENUINE OUTBACK HOSPITALITY YOU DESERVE IT
Plan a stay at the grand old Queen of the Murchison Guest House and soak in the history of Cue. Admire the preserved buildings, fossick for gold, photograph amazing sunsets. Owner Joyce Penny has created a fresh and homely environment for travellers and workers.
Address: 53 Austin St, Cue 6640 | T: (08) 9963 1625
E: info@queenofthemurchison.com.au | W: www.queenofthemurchison.com.au
GUEST HOUSE
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THE PEOPLE WE MEET
LES ROBINSON
by TORI WILSON
Recently, while in Kalgoorlie, I had the pleasure of catching up with Western 4W Driver subscriber Les Robinson and his wife Tracey over a beer at the local hotel. They shared a gripping tale of a day out in the desert and how they overcame a bump in the road when things went just a little bit wrong.
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or camel shooter Les Robinson, traversing outback Australia is just another day out of the house. So, knowing exactly where you’re going and always being prepared with the essentials is simply common sense. Luckily for Les, his experience growing up in Inglewood, Queensland, hunting with his uncle and general familiarity with being out bush came in seriously handy the day he and his mate Danny Azevedo got badly bogged 180 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder back in August 2016.
Les In the Great Victorian Desert.
For many with less know-how, the situation may have rattled a few nerves, but the duo prevailed with their sense of humour intact and a few sage tips to share. Out shooting camels, Les and Danny had let their wives Tracey and Caley know exactly where they were heading and when they would be back before setting off for the day. Being Danny’s first time shooting a camel, Les took him out to a well-known patch where soon enough, they scored a successful shot. “I’m a hunter, I eat the meat,” says Les, who’s a butcher by trade and also feeds camel meat to his two mastiffs.
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Declared pests in Western Australia and many other parts of the country, camels will destroy a cow’s water supply. “They’ll chase the cows away from a water supply and they’ll destroy a tank just by kicking it. They’ll eat the feed too,” says Les. Once butchering the camel, the pair loaded it up in their Nissan Patrol and began making their way to a track they commonly use, situated on a nearby station. When arriving, they discovered the track had been shredded by 4W drivers, most likely aggressively attempting it while wet from recent rains, leaving it in no fit condition to use. “What I’ve noticed in Kalgoorlie in the last 20 years, because of all the YouTube channels, there’s a lot more people buying 4WDs and getting out and about. So, in the wet, you just seem to come across a lot more tracks, where people shouldn’t be driving, getting cut up,” says Les. “If you ruin the track on a station, they’re not going to let you back on there because the station manager has to drive on that track daily.” Forced to find another route back, Danny and Les attempted to skirt a salt lake, which proved to be less compact than expected. The outcome? They were buried in deep. “We tried to get out. We buried the
(spare) tyre in the ground with the winch, we had the high lift jack, the airbag jack, we tried everything to get out and just couldn’t,” says Les. “We spent six hours trying to get the car unbogged. We decided we weren’t going to get the car out. So, we lit a fire, dried the clothes that were wet, and then we worked out a plan for what we were going to do.” Les says ensuring you have the ability to communicate when heading out to the desert is essential in case of emergency. Unfortunately, his SAT phone had been stolen out of his car the week earlier, forcing him to come up with a back-up plan. “We knew we were fine. The only thing we were worried about were our partners,” he said. When Les didn’t make his usual call to let his wife Tracey know he was on his way back, she knew something wasn’t right.
Tracey and Les.
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“He was due back at five so when six o’clock came and went I thought, ‘this is very bizarre’,” says Tracey. “He’s always home within an hour of him saying. By seven o’clock, I rang Danny’s wife and said ‘something’s wrong, they’ve either got heavily bogged or something’s broken on the car. I know they’re going to be okay, but we need to go out there and find them.’ “I knew to the point where they were, so I rang GAS (Goldfields Air Services) at about eight o’clock that night and said, ‘I need a plane at first light.’” Meanwhile, as day turned to night, Les and Danny set up a makeshift camp, cooked up some camel on a shovel over the fire and sunk a few beers before settling in to the car to sleep until dawn, when they would set off for signal to call home.
light,” says Tracey. “Within a couple of hours, the light was just breaking and the next minute the SES had turned up. The police turned up and the sergeant said, ‘we’re taking over, it’s a search and rescue mission’, so I had to step back. “I was told to stay home and assigned a designated contact. I showed the pilot exactly where they were before I left.” With Danny wearing tea towels for socks (having gotten his a little too close to the fire the night before), after walking for a whopping 48 kilometres, the pair, still in good spirits, finally reached the signal spot and immediately called home.
“We made the decision that night,” says Les. “We left in the morning with one rifle, and whatever food and water we could carry. “We left one beer behind because we didn’t want to fight over it.
Danny and his makeshift socks.
“I had my Hema HX4, so we knew where we had to go, and I knew the area, so I knew where we had to be to get phone service. I knew at Cundalee, the old Aboriginal community there, you can get one bar standing next to the workshop. So that’s what our objective was. In a straight line it was only 20 kilometres, as the crow flies. But the Hema will only hold charge for a couple of hours. The best thing for us to do was get onto the track, so that’s what we did. “We had snacks, cooked some camel, wrapped that up in a bag, had nearly 20 litres of water between the two of us.” At about five that morning Tracey arrived at GAS with a few thousand dollars in hand, ready to foot the bill for them to set off as soon as possible. “They wouldn’t put the plane up until first
“He finally got there and rung me and I couldn’t even speak,” said Tracey. “All he said was, ‘honey, I’m at Cundalee, we just got here and we’re fine.’ “They still had plenty of water and food on them, so I rang the police support person and called our son and Danny’s father-inlaw who were already on their way to get them and they went straight there.” Tracey says she never felt scared for Les’s safety. She was confident he would be within the radius of where they had confirmed prior to his departure. “You’ve just got to be prepared, tell someone where you’re going, when you think you’ll be back and don’t deviate,” she advises. “That could be a matter of life and death when it comes to a search. There’s so much country out there.”
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BUSH MECHANICS with GEOFF LEWIS
How to get out of a jam It is amazing how many basic items we take away with us that may just become a miracle solution when you find yourself in a fix.
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ne of the most useful condiments when in a fix is jam, or conserve, if we are getting technical. Fruit within the jam isn’t of huge use to solving this issue but more so the sugar content and paste consistency. Anything with a high sugar content when heated will form a resin and set hard. This can be found in nature in sandy spinifex country where there have been relatively recent bushfires — large black clumps of burnt spinifex resin will litter the ground in places. In times gone by this was heated up and used as a glue to hold and attach spear heads to spears and can be used today to fix everything from water tanks to fuel tanks and even blown head gaskets.
Now, removing a cylinder head from a 4x4 these days is highly unlikely as vehicles are not as straight forward or as forgiving as they once were. For example, if you blow a head gasket in a recent Mazda BT 50, you cannot just simply replace the head as there is a fair chance that in the process of the head gasket failing it will crack the engine block on cylinder four — fun fact. However, for those readers who are still knocking around in more mature vehicles and are a bit mechanically inclined — you can replace your blown head gasket. This can be solved by first checking whether the block and cylinder head have not warped. Check with a ruler or by using something with a straight edge — any imperfections will need to be filed flat. Once this is completed you can then fit the blown cylinder head gasket and apply a good portion of jam in the areas where the head gasket has failed.
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Once the engine is ready to start up, bring it up to temperature and let it idle. As the block and cylinder head warm up, the sugar in the jam will harden and you will no longer have any cylinder head gasket issue. After which I think you deserve a cup of your choice and some jam on your toast. But how do you know if your head gasket has gone? Well, there are three symptoms: 1) Your engine oil looks like milk or is going grey (not just you from stress). 2) Bubble bath in your radiator. With the radiator cap off and the car up to temperature, if you are getting consistent bubbles coming through your radiator then this means the head gasket is gone. 3) Complete lack of power and no go. This can be caused by several things with your motor and is harder to diagnose with basic tools, though if the motor sounds like it is only running on half of its cylinders and everything else in the motor is okay, this can be the cause.
After having already used his spare head gasket up (yes, they went through parts just like Land Rovers), he pulled out his jars of jam and his pigskin suitcase. With a canvas tarp anchored down over the Model T head, he cut a rough head gasket out of the pigskin suitcase and applied the jam either side to provide seal. Once fitting the pigskin seal, he put the head back on, fired up the Model T and made his way out of the dust storm. The makeshift head gasket didn’t get him all the way home, but it did get him to the nearest railway line, where he set up camp and waited for the next train and arranged parts to be ferried up his way. So, the lessons of old can provide a new lesson for all of us and help us to get out of a jam.
Scan the QR code to watch Geoff’s video demonstration:
So, would you actually use this method? Well, on a new vehicle, no. If you’re in the middle of nowhere and your car isn’t going anywhere and you have good sound knowledge of your car, then yes. This method has been tried and tested. The first account of this method I came across was in a great book by Warren Brown, called Francis Birtles, who was, as far as I know, the first automotive pioneer/ explorer (not a content creator, don’t run away with that idea). Stuck on the edge of the Simpson Desert in his Model T Ford, the sun seemed immense as red brown cloud consumed the atmosphere; day turned to night and as Francis forged onwards, trying to find a way out, the unthinkable happened. The Model T’s head gasket went.
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WHAT'S IN A NAME? with PHIL BIANCHI
CSR FACTS EXPOSED Many readers will be aware that I’m very passionate about the Canning Stock Route, both from a historical point of view and as a 4W driver. I’ve written many books about the CSR including the definitive history, and I have also written a travel guide to assist travellers with preparations and what to see when travelling the CSR.
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ith the end of COVID, the CSR has almost been ‘travelled to death’ by 4W drivers. At the time of writing, 30 groups had signed a visitors’ book at Well 14, with the first entry being 1 March 2023. If we add another 15 groups that didn’t sign the book, some 45 groups have travelled the CSR by 8 June. That’s a lot of people. I’m aware that for some a CSR traverse is all about driving technique, vehicle performance or how fast they can do the trip. For others it’s about an almost pristine desert environment, the serenity, and its history. While most travellers will know of the Durba Hills and Gorge, Breaden Hills and the history behind some of the tragedies that occurred on the CSR, there is a lot more to the CSR story. I would like to bring attention to numerous new and littleknown CSR facts that could enhance a CSR traveller’s experience.
Wally Dowling: prolific drover Wally Dowling, known as the King of the CSR, The Barefoot Drover or Desert Rat No. 1, travelled the CSR more times than anyone else. Dowling
was one of Australia’s most experienced drovers; he worked principally in WA, but also NT and Queensland, with droving on the CSR his most prolific journey. He oversaw nine herds of cattle going down the CSR and returned to Billiluna via the CSR with the plant, being horses, camels and roving equipment. It would take up to five months to get a herd down the CSR and about two months to get back to Billiluna. On one occasion he returned with a team of horses, which he sold. Dowling was a great raconteur telling the most incredible stories that were believed and published by journalists and terrified first time young drovers.
In one famous example believed by many, he told historian Ernestine Hill about packs of prairie dogs that lived in burrows in groups of 400 or so. They look unborn, have hairless skin, filmed eyes, are blind and have suckling mouths. Here, he is most likely talking about the marsupial mole which is as he described; having suckling mouths, filmed blind eyes and are hairless. Marsupial moles do not live in colonies of up to 400. They are very rarely seen and you would be very fortunate to find one let alone two together. In 35 Wally Dowling. years of desert travel I’ve never Photo courtesy: P Strugnell seen one.
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Durba Hills. Photo courtesy: Ken Leighton
Highclere Hills During Alfred W. Canning’s WilunaKimberley Stock Route Expedition of 1906 - 1967, he on 11 July 1907 named, what we today call the Durba Hills, the Highclere Hills. Why Canning used the name Highclere is unknown. When his map was being drawn at the Lands and Surveys Department using his expedition roll, notes and survey information, it was discovered that explorer and surveyor John S. Roe had already named a range of hills, north of Lake Baladjie, the Highclere Hills, and therefore that name could not be re-used. It is presumed that Roe named it after Highclere Castle near his birthplace in England.
Durba, resting up and exploring the gorge and surrounding area. Did you know that the couch grass that grows there and provides a park-like vista was introduced in the 1990s to hold the soil together, also to provide pleasant camping areas. A few date palm trees that grew in the gorge were removed by Parks and Wildlife because they weren’t historic and were competing with other plants for water and nutrients. Durba Spring.
Durba Gorge Without doubt one of the favourite places on the CSR is Durba Gorge. Many travellers stay two or more nights at Durba Hills. Photo courtesy: Ken Leighton
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Cattle droving on CSR, 1957.
Well 40, Tobin's grave.
Photo courtesy: JJ Veevers
The last cattle drove Many think the last herd of cattle came down the CSR in 1958, because that is when the railway line from Meekatharra to Wiluna ceased operation. Up until then railway carriages were loaded with cattle and then were taken to southern markets. However, the date 1958 is incorrect. Mal Brown, in 1959, brought down the last herd of some 450 cattle. Brown left Delivery Camp, near Billiluna, on 9 June 1959 and arrived at Millbillillie Station, southeast of Wiluna on 13 August 1959. After 1959, motor trucks became the favoured form of moving cattle about and droving on the CSR ceased. CSR droving camp, 1959. Photo courtesy: David Robson
Who was the W Kerr who was buried at Well 40? Mick Tobin, a member of A W Canning’s expedition party, was speared at Well 40, on 5 April 1907, and died the following day. He was buried at the foot of a gum tree which was at the top of a nearby dune. Canning’s men blazed the tree with details of Tobin’s death. When Canning returned with the CSR well construction party in 1908-09, they installed, at the head of the grave, a marble crucifix they brought from Perth. A partial blaze on the gum tree at the head of Tobin’s grave showed what looked like W KERR. For years, many visitors to the site, including drovers George and Eileen Lanagan, in 1940, wondered who was this W KERR. Mal Brown's 1956 cattle drove near Durba Spring. Photo courtesy: Snowy Brosnan
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Mungkututu's grave.
Vehicles with bonnets up, cooling after crossing ridges between Wells 40 to 42.
Photo: Mick O'Brien
Photo courtesy: Russell Wenholz
Hidden information in the documents related to the Canning Royal Commission of 1908, I found that Canning’s party had blazed the tree with WKEE and not W KERR. WKEE were the initials of the Wiluna Kimberley Exploration Expedition. Canning said, “We dug a deep grave for poor Mick this morning and buried him about 10 o’clock, putting him in his last resting place … and cutting deep into the tree on the opposite side the following: † M Tobin WKEE Died 6 4 07”
Death of Mick Tobin and Mungkututu Tobin’s death is only partly described above. On 5 April 1907, Tobin and an Aboriginal man named Mungkututu, a Manyjilyjarra man, surprised each other in some scrub near where Well 40 would later be dug. Tobin raised his rifle and fired at the same instant Mungkututu threw a spear. Sadly, both died because of this interaction. In 2017 Mungkututu’s family installed a headstone near Tobin’s headstone. The two headstones close together are a fitting tribute to the two men, who through fear, had killed each other.
Close inspection of Tobin’s headstone will show it’s encased in sheet metal. When Canning’s party returned to dig Well 40 in 1908, they brought with them a marble cross for Tobin’s grave. Running short of supplies, they needed to quickly get to Halls Creek, so they buried the cross and then ran animals back and forth to obliterate any sign of what they had buried. On their return they found that the cross had been dug up, allegedly by Aboriginal people who had chipped the edges off the marble to create implements. The marble cross was encased in a galvanised frame to prevent further damage and the grave was enclosed in a rail fence.
First full traverse by vehicle in 1968 Although many surveyors and geologists, in 4WDs, had crisscrossed the CSR in the early 1960s, the first full traverse of the CSR, by vehicle, was completed by three men in 1968. Surveyors David Chudleigh and Russell Wenholz, who teamed up with Noel Kealley, a survey assistant, managed to find every well and travelled over 2,600 kilometres in five weeks. Their enthusiasm was sparked by Len Beadell’s exploits, they were also
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Dave Chudleigh bucketing and Ian Kealley refilling water tanks at Well 30 Dunda Jinda 1968.
Desert oak camp: Wenholz, Chudleigh and Kealley, CSR traverse, 1968.
Photo courtesy: Russell Wenholz
fascinated by Trotman’s biography The Beckoning West by Eleanor Smith. Landrovers were used, one owned by Chudleigh the other by Kealley. It was a privately run traverse and was without sponsorship. Three fuel dumps were needed, these were put in place prior to the commencement of the traverse. The party left Wiluna on 10 July 1968. An extremely wet season meant the country around Cunyu Station was very boggy, forcing them to often walk ahead of the vehicles, to check for boggy ground. They were bogged twice on Cunyu and badly bogged around Well 15. Arriving in Halls Creek on 12 August 1968, they were the first party to drive the whole of the CSR using vehicles. It took them 34 days to complete the
Photo courtesy: Russell Wenholz
journey from Wiluna to Halls Creek. They travelled a total of 1,600 miles (2,600km), including side tracks. They also travelled extra distance when running out bad sandridges, to find an easier crossing point. Early Landrovers didn’t have the power of today’s vehicles to climb steep dunes. Their vehicle track resulting from running out the dunes is why today’s travellers often follow the bottom of dunes for kilometres before crossing over. The Landrovers performed well, with one broken leaf spring being the only repair. Blocked radiators had to be painstakingly cleaned despite precautions of having double covers. Double covers, being two layers of fly gauze in front of the radiator. Fuel consumption was approximately six miles per gallon or 39.2L/100km.
Naming the Canning Stock Route Canning led the exploration party, known as the Wiluna Kimberley Exploration Expedition, to determine the feasibility of a stock route in 1906-1907. He was then appointed to be in charge of the construction party 1908-1910.
Chudleigh and Kealley at Halls Creek after completing the first ever vehicle traverse, 1968. Photo courtesy: Russell Wenholz
Upon successful completion of the expedition survey from Wiluna to Halls Creek and return, Canning wrote a comprehensive report, for the Minister for
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Mines. It was dated 20 December 1907, in that report he referred to the WilunaKimberley Stock Route. Canning and government officers continued to use this name, in correspondence and on maps. On 9 September 1911, Sergeant Pilmer, in a report, stated that drovers Shoesmith, Thompson and Chinaman were killed in their sleep by natives at No. 37 Well on the Canning Stock Route. This was the first use of the name Canning Stock Route; however it wasn’t until 9 February 1967, that the name, Canning Stock Route was formally approved by the WA Surveyor General. So the name Canning Stock Route was a nickname until 1967.
knew that Rudall had returned to SA to be married. I also knew that Canning had never been to SA. Mystery solved. We had a devil of a time convincing the Battye Library etc. of the error, eventually they accepted our evidence and the correct photograph is nowadays being widely used.
Wrong photograph of A W Canning Photographs of a person claimed to be Alfred Wernam Canning had been displayed by museums, libraries, in books, and on websites for years. An error was made many years ago when an incorrect image was used to portray A W Canning. This image was accepted in good faith and the resulting error had continually been perpetuated by others. While organising the photographs for the CSR book, in particular which photograph we would use for Canning, we noticed the photograph widely used did not match Canning’s bust in the Landgate foyer in Midland. Comparing the two photographs both were about the same age, but one was bald and one wasn’t. Separately a fellow historian gave me a box of photographs and documents which were related to his wife’s ancestry. These showed that William Rudall, a WA surveyor and explorer, was a distant relative. A photograph in the box was the same photograph that had been used to represent Canning, it was a photograph of William Rudall. And as luck would have it, this photograph was not cropped, like the photograph of what was used to portray Canning, it showed the photographer’s address as being Rundle Street in SA. I
Alf Canning, 1930. Photo courtesy: Geological Survey WA
W.F. Rudall. Photo courtesy: A Zweck
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THE THINGS YOU SEE! with (TRUTHFUL) PHIL BIANCHI
From Ship to Bush What is a ship tank, I hear you ask? No, it’s not a tank for carrying ship fuel. Anyone who has been four-wheel driving in the outback or remote areas would have seen these steel cubic tanks still in use or as rusted relics scattered about.
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n a recent trip along the Old Telegraph Track between Balladonia and Dundas, I saw a number of these rusting tanks. These tanks in particular, were positioned at now abandoned linesmen camps, to provide ready access to freshwater for personal use and to water their horses or camels. Without these tanks it would not have been possible for the linesman to conduct their work in checking and maintaining the
lines. At that time this telegraph line was WA’s only way to connect with the rest of the world. So, it was vital the telegraph line remained fully operational. Most of these tanks were four-feet cubes, a few are rectangular. They were usually made of mild steel and were reinforced in the corners and rivetted together, although tanks made earlier than the 1870s were made using wrought iron. I had been aware of the origin and uses of these tanks for some time, and a recent trip on the old telegraph line track east Norseman had me thinking I should investigate them in more depth. I was surprised to learn that most tanks came from England and were used on ships to carry freshwater or perishable goods for the ship’s own use or to export
Linesmen water tanks near Balladonia.
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Camel loaded with water tanks, Wyndham, 1920-1936. Photo courtesy: SLWA 012440D
Telegraph line repairer near Eucla. Photo courtesy: SLWA
goods to other countries. In that era, the manufacture of these tanks was a significant industry in the United Kingdom, with some 60 companies being registered as makers. Thicker gauge tanks were used for water or liquid cartage, and lighter gauge for perishable goods including canned meats and soup, vegetables, dried apples and hardtack bread. Goods were packed tightly into the tank with the lid fastened firmly, even soldered, making the tank airtight, but, not before several lighted candles were placed inside the tank. With the lid fastened, all oxygen in the tank would be used up and then the flame would die. What a very ingenious and practical method of extending the life of perishables and keeping them useable for long periods. These square and some rectangular shaped tanks had been in common use on farms, the eastern goldfields woodlines and by prospectors and miners to provide water for human and stock use. On the woodlines, when it was time to relocate a Main Camp to a new cutting area, the tanks were emptied, loaded onto rail trucks, and then moved to the new location for reuse. These were then refilled with water from tanks on woodline trains.
My wife’s family were farming pioneers in Pingelly and Kellerberrin, they used these tanks extensively for domestic water carting and storage. Also for quickly getting quantities of water to bushfires. My wife tells of her family, in North Kellerberrin, taking an empty tank on the back of a truck to the local standpipe, that was fed with water from the Eastern Goldfields pipeline, and filling the tank with fresh water for domestic use. Being strong and leak proof these tanks were also used on the goldfields, for distilling water from salt lakes, as well as distilling oils such as eucalyptus and tea tree. In addition, by being cut up, the large flat sides of the tanks were also seen as a ready supply of sheet metal for reuse. While tanks can readily be found, lids are scarce, probably because they were of little use after the perishable and dry goods were removed, and therefore discarded. Many of the tanks, from the 1800s, can be seen rusting away, at linesmen’s camps on the Old Telegraph Track between Balladonia and Dundas or the Israelite Bay to Eucla Telegraph Line. I don’t know about you but I’ll never again look at an old rusting ship tank as rubbish in the bush, they played a very important part in the early history.
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FISHY BUSINESS with JOHN BORMOLINI
Protecting Downunder Irrespective of how capable your off-road vehicle is, the inherent ability to get off the bitumen and tackle some rougher terrain means most 4WDs tend to get at least a little bit dirty, from time to time. While being aware of potential hazards is crucial to minimising any risk of major damage, it’s vital you take the time to maintain your vehicle that’s been exposed to the elements (i.e. salty water post fishing trip) so you can keep up the regular activity — just means you’re required to get a little dirty too on the odd occasion.
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f we looked at what aspects of an SUV or decent 4WD suffers the most attrition (beyond the usual dispensable brake pads, filters, tyres, etc.) the mechanical list would no doubt include suspensions, drivelines — especially gearboxes, front and rear ends and even the external duco. Sharp rocks, salt water and sand, gravel stones, big towing loads, water crossings, sharp branches and shrubs on overgrown tracks — even salt air — all contribute to hundreds of ways we inflict short term and longer-term damage to our off-road pride and joy. The area that’s arguably most at risk on a 4WD though, is the underside. When you think about it, it’s the area closest to the full range of elements and the harsher the driving environment, the more susceptible and impacted the undercarriage components will be. Unfortunately, it’s also the area most
neglected with drivers that are happy to polish the paintwork, put up silver sun reflectors against the windscreen and cover the seats but rarely do they take the time to crawl underneath and have a good look at what’s going on. Admittedly any decent modern day 4WD will come with strong under body protection, scratch plates and antirust treatment as well as design and engineering that seeks to minimise exposure of vital parts to any damage. Relying solely on this and hoping for the best is not good practice though, particularly if your vehicle sees plenty of the beach or rutted out, rocky trails and has done considerable off-road kilometres. As mentioned earlier, there are a whole series of things that can suffer or start to fail and the typical rule is the harsher the terrain and conditions the greater the attrition.
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What to look out for Very soft beach and sand trails, immersing the rear end too deeply when launching at poor boat ramps, deep water crossings or getting stuck on northern saltpan mudflats will eventually produce long-term corrosion. Leaving some white saltpan slop in the wheel arch crevices or underbody without washing it down will turn your vehicle into a rust bucket in no time. Caked on mud of any kind spells real trouble. Not washing the vehicle down carefully after every outing just speeds up the process. An effective long reach spray wand such as that marketed by Salt Assault or other makes will make the job so much easier and effective. Soft sand driving tends to put sand in all sorts of spots along the chassis especially
if you do get stuck somewhere and get her down to the axles. A casual spray of the wheel arches and side steps isn’t really good enough to remove all of it and a decent high-pressure spray should be directed up into the underbody and into any chassis drain holes to make sure they’re clear. Using some anti-corrosive sprays and applications (even grease) on susceptible areas such as wiring pins and harnesses or around tow hitches will slow down the corrosive process that’s accelerated by salt air or dunking in water. More immediate physical damage can be done when approach and departure and angles are not good enough to avoid scrapes from deeply rutted, hard, tracks or dangerous protruding rocks. Rough
Purpose designed wash down wands or attachments will help get sand and mud out of the difficult spots. This one comes with a built-in detergent container.
Constant driving on rough, rocky trails and dirt roads slowly wears away the anti-rust coatings and paint and expose the surfaces to more rapid corrosion.
Deep, soft, beach sand can get into lots of the undercarriage crevices. Thorough high-pressure spraying is needed to flush it all out.
Effective anti -rust applications applied regularly to wiring pins and harnesses will keep the electrics working.
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Muffler welds and brackets are notorious for cracking and failing under rough driving conditions. The plastic bumper didn’t fare too well either.
Serious rock climbs and trails can inflict plenty of damage unless there is adequate ground clearance and even then, side steps are very much at risk.
rocky country or trails that are strewn with decent boulders should not be risked by 4WDs with relatively low ground clearance. The results are often more than just cosmetic or simply dented side steps. Breaking something serious is a real possibility.
casual, off-road drivers. It’s not a common occurrence but after running long distances in very hot conditions and suddenly immersing the underside in cool water at a water crossing can cause the diffs to draw in water through the diff breathers. Water in the diffs is not ideal.
Rough tracks that feature a lot of corrugations can test anything that isn’t well attached including what’s underneath. The most common problem is probably vehicle exhaust systems. If there’s any weakness or bracket that’s corroded or dodgy, it will fail and the exhaust or a muffler is soon dragging on the ground.
One other potential problem relates more to those who traverse a bit of grass country or inland tracks with a high central mound between the wheel tracks. Dry grass can easily collect and build up in the protection guards or various areas underneath and in hot temperatures become a potential fire bomb. Add in some oil or grease that’s built up on the chassis or near the driveline and it’s not impossible to incinerate the whole wagon. Those who know a thing or two about driving vehicles on wheat belt farms in summer will understand how important it is to constantly check underneath for a build-up of straw or dry grass.
Mufflers and particularly pipe welds, are another weak link and even a quality system that’s stainless, can have brittle weld joints that soon crack. The result can be the separation of tail pipes or muffler sections and with it your 4WD sounding like something from the speedway. Narrow, overgrown bush tracks are one of the most common areas that cause problems. Apart from staking tyres and scratching the side panels, bigger branches and sticks can hook exposed brake lines or pipe work or at the very least tear wheel arch guards away from the bodywork. Water intrusion into diffs is not often thought about or understood by many
Those who venture to more challenging spots in their off-road angling exploits accept that inevitably there’ll be some impact on the vehicle and that it’s impossible to keep it immune from being affected by the elements. The important thing is to take steps to minimise the impact with thorough cleaning, good driving and constant monitoring of what’s happening under the belly.
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OUTBACK SURVIVAL with BOB COOPER
Knowledge Dispels Fear — The Psychology of Survival We only have two fears that we all share — the fear of falling from height and the fear of loud noises. The rest is learnt behaviour, mainly from your immediate family, sad but true.
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hrough modern experiments combined with neuro-science now being able to register our chemical and other physiological changes and responses it is has been proven to be valid. So if you are afraid of the dark, snakes, spiders, failure, being lost and or even death itself, you have learnt that from someone definitely before the age of eight and most often before we reach the age of seven years old. That is why it is extremely important not to scare young imaginative and impressionable minds with rubber spiders/snakes or any subject that introduces anything negative, because it will go into their subconscious mind and be there forever — unless they deal with it in later years. Up to the age of seven we run on the imaginative and creative right side of our young brain. Not the other rational and practical side. When a child is born it is like turning on a computer for the first time — no programs until you have installed them. We are not all born speaking English and we are not born afraid of anything except falling and loud noises. When you say, do or demonstrate
anything in front of these eager young minds they copy that into the appropriate blank space as their subconscious “blue print”. Now they are programmed in how to react or re-enact to a situation, spider, snake and the list goes on. I have met hundreds of people with all sorts of fears. What are yours? I often suggest you write down your five biggest fears in life. That may take some time and thought to compile. Then I ask, “What have you done about them?” Or are you waiting until one or more of them are presented to you at the same time, which will create a dilemma in the emotional and imaginary side of your mind. I’m lost, I am alone, it will be dark soon, what will people think of me, I could die out here! How would you cope? Fear creates “fight, flight or freeze” syndrome. The darkest side of fear is panic. Now we are talking about wilderness survival — and survival situations can happen and do, in the month of October 2018 we had two people die of dehydration in one week in WA and four people perish in the NT. Think about this: you are lost and now bogged and no one knows where you are. It’s extremely hot and you have nearly run out of water. Firstly your fears from your emotional half of your brain kick in and kick in hard. Your body will react to the perceived fears as if they are real and if you do not stop them these fears will
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override the other, rational half of your brain and you will start making decisions based on these emotional thoughts. We have all experienced two people arguing from their different emotional viewpoints and from the outside it doesn’t make rational sense. That’s why a coroner is brought into most deaths in our wilderness areas. Somehow normally rational people turn mishaps into tragedies — why? And how do we prevent this? Even while I was writing my book Outback Survival, a 35 year old man walked away from his bogged truck in a remote location in Western Australia in 42°C heat. He died less than 20 kilometres away from his vehicle which had a good supply of drinking water, food and was his shelter. How and why? — because he, in my opinion, made the decision to leave his life saving vehicle — based on his fears. Uncontrolled fear leads to panic and the only thing that can defuse fear is knowledge. In other words ‘knowledge dispels fear’. This is a very old saying but a very, very true one. One which I strongly
believe in, as I have not only witnessed it but I have lived it on several occasions — I have had an incredibly fortunate life journey, which has included several situations where my death was possible. Back to fear. A good example is: if going into an exam you knew the result was positive — how afraid would you feel? The answer obviously is very little or no fear. The same applies to a survival situation when you know what to do. The rational side of your brain will calm down those emotions, not stop them; just put them back where they belong — below your rational thinking. Knowing what to do will allow you to create a plan and plans don’t usually fail. It is the ‘fail to plan’ that lets us turn that misfortune into a potential lifethreatening situation which sometimes seems out of our control. When we experience fear we produce cortisol in our brain giving us a quicker response time in our decision making and a burst of adrenaline and sugar released into our blood, so we can perform the physical tasks our mind asks us to do.
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I would like you to learn to keep your fear level under control and use that energy in a survival situation to your advantage. Do not waste it on anything but positive forward movements, both physically and emotionally, to aid your rescue or into resolving the situation. The only “thing” you can actually control in your life are your thoughts. That’s it, there’s the secret, control your thoughts if you wish to control your own life. Wouldn’t it be great if you thought about controlling an unforeseen situation by choosing the clothes you wore, the amount of emergency kit you took with you, the amount of water you had, the details you left behind with a friend of your intended walk/trip? Of course you know you can control these things but you have to have thought about them in the first place and put some responsibility back on yourself, like about 100% self-responsibility. Or you can have the cheaper insurance of “she’ll be right mate” which has cost several people their lives in our unforgiving outback Australia. There is no such thing as bad weather, just a poor choice of clothing. How about you take care of yourself and the others with you? Too often we rely on others or technology for help if something goes wrong. No one has to help you, and help does not always arrive on time — if at all. In a survival situation in the wilderness if you aren’t in control then who is? Mother Nature, that’s who. She can be, not cruel, just unforgiving. Keep your thoughts positive and your senses open because Mother Nature will provide everything you need today but not everything you want today. She can provide a shelter with somewhere to sleep but not your own bed and pillow, she will unconditionally feed you but not your favourite ‘takeaway’, she will, with some observations show you the signs where water sources are, she will provide
stone for a knife and wood for you to make fire — this is what you need to stay alive — nothing will be as comfortable as “back home” so let that thought go. As graciously as you can, live in and with nature, not against nature. There is no such thing as Man vs. Wild. There is no competition coming from the natural environment. The only battle is in your mind. Over the years I have witnessed and felt the fear of death during land, sea and air mishaps where a potentially fatal outcome was real. Survival skills can replace fear with respect for, and trust in, nature. Such knowledge enables people to walk freely and be nurtured by the “soul food’ provided by the natural environment. Many irrational fears cloud people’s engagement with wilderness areas — and even in bushlands of suburbia. The fears of snakes, spiders, being lost or alone are all acquired fears. Knowledge is the key to dispelling all unnatural fears. As a society we need to recapture the survival skills and empathy with nature our ancestors instinctively knew. True appreciation and understanding of our natural environment may be the only factor that saves it, and, on occasions, us. I quote from North American Chief Seattle, over 100 years ago:
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” Respect is what Chief Seattle is talking about. It starts with respecting yourself first, and then all other living and nonliving things on this Earth.
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What you give out is also what you get back. Fight the wild and it will fight you back. Give respect and respect will be given to you. Be in and observe the shifting rhythm of nature. Respect for the wilderness dispels the illusions created by fear. Just the right amount of fear is a good thing and can keep you alert and a sufficient amount of knowledge can keep you positive enough to pull through even a dire situation. If you have practiced your knowledge, then that is what we call “experience”. When experience in the subject (in this case wilderness survival) is higher, then your fear level must be lower and your chances of survival are even greater. Even if you have only rehearsed in your mind about how you would cope and what you would do in an emergency, it has been proven that your chances of success are a minimum of at least 10% better than someone who hadn’t even thought about “what if” or employs that cheap insurance policy of “She’ll be right mate”.
OWL WISDOM Fear is a natural emotion and a tremendous force, and if that energy generated by fear can be harnessed and used positively, then fear itself is a great tool. I believe that’s why we have it — to protect ourselves by using the fear driven energy wisely.
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When we camp #WeCampWell
Come and visit our family owned and operated, independent camping store for unique and exclusive products you won’t see anywhere else in Perth.
9/58 Erindale Rd, Balcatta Phone 08 9344 6252 campingoverlanding.com.au
GEAR TO GO CAMPING All featured products available from Go Camping & Overlanding 9/58 Erindale Road, Balcatta. Visit campingoverlanding.com.au
Red Roads CampWell Grill and Heavy Duty Canvas Bag
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classic allrounder, the Stainless Steel CampWell Grill from Red Roads enables you to cook over a fire in various ways. Use it with the provided legs as a classic cooking grill, creating meals of delicious flamed grilled steaks, chicken or sausages ensuring the best outback flavours possible. Use it as a trivet for your camp oven or frypan, or hang it from the Red Roads Tripod for a variation in slow cooking. Recently added to their range, and manufactured here in Perth, is their heavy-duty canvas bag specific to the CampWell Grill which keeps the grease and cooking carbon inside away from your other gear, plus provides a durable, rattle-free storage experience. The grill is currently on special down to $79, with the storage bag an additional $45 (price at the time of print).
Skeeter Hawk Personal Bug Zapper
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he Personal Bug Zapper by Skeeter Hawk is a rechargeable, portable, personal, pest defence system and is effective at killing all types of flies, moths, mosquitos, and thousands of other flying pests! A dual-band UV light attracts flying insects better than most other traps. Once attracted, bugs are zapped by the 360° electrical grid. The Personal Zapper is micro-USB rechargeable and has a 100-lumen lantern to protect you everywhere you go. Currently retailing for $79.95.
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GEAR TO GO CAMPING
REAPR TAC Survival Shovel
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ow's this for a cool looking zombie apocalypse tool?!?! — new from REAPR is the TAC Survival Shovel. A compact space saving tool, it features a 7-1/2" stainless steel precision cast head (with what they call a powder coated wrinkle finish!?!?) combining a saw edge, ripper, chopping edge and wrenches. You can dig trenches, saw through wood, chop trees, cut cords and wires, loosen and tighten bolts, clear paths, and slice through the toughest patches of earth or the living dead with just one tool. One side of the shovel head features a reinforced chopping blade and ripper that will cut and chop through almost anything including the most annoying vampire.
On the other side is a saw edge designed for precision cuts. With multiple wrenches also built into the head, this is simply the ultimate camping and survival tool. A grooved shovel handle provides comfort and precision while military-grade 1680D ballistic nylon sheath with MOLLE attachments allows for portable backpack carrying. Currently retailing for $179.99.
Crashpad Viper Wheel Bag
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ew from Crashpad, and available at Go Camping & Overlanding in Balcatta, is the Viper Wheel Bag. It is a functional and feature-packed addition to your spare wheel. The unit can carry your recovery tracks in a vertical position, has storage areas for ropes, cords and straps, a large area for packing out your rubbish and more with ease! The team at Crashpad have upped the specs on their buckles on this bag, using metal click released buckles that look pretty cool. Fits most tyres. Recovery treads sold separately.
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GEAR TO GO CAMPING
Gerber Bushcraft Axe
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ho doesn’t love a new piece of bushcraft gear!
This time from Gerber (the outdoor brand owned by Fiskars) is a cool little Bushcraft Hatchet. The ergonomic design reduces weight and improves grip for long haul use, and the blade features machined relief for deeper cuts. Yet, the genius is in what you can’t see - a gear storage compartment that is water-resistant and can house paracord and a mini size lighter (or perhaps some Zippo fire starting material). Overall length is around 38cm. Available in store at Go Camping & Overlanding for $129.99. Also available is a longer Bushcraft Axe at 66cm for $179.99.
Stanley Pro Camp Stainless Steel Cookset - 11 piece
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ne of, if not the best cookset we’ve ever tested. Why? Well it is stainless steel – not flimsy light stainless, but a proper heavy duty stainless steel that you might have at home. This added some weight but with the thick base on each pot and pan, it meant the cooking process could be addressed slower when compared to hiking variants, giving a better outcome for the food. Next, it is totally nestable, reducing the area that it takes up in your car or van. The master pot is around 4L, the inner pot around 1.5L and the frypan 21.5cm good for about five snags. The largest pot has fixed wing handles, while the inner pot and pan have folding handles. Finally, apart from the cool little utensils, the pots
and pans are plastic free which means you can put them directly in the fire. This is far from a budget piece of equipment, but for a lifelong purchase, totally worth it. There is very little not to like about it. You can grab one from Go Camping & Overlanding who have $100 off the normal retail price, bringing it down to $349. Also available is a Red Roads Round Canvas Bag that you could use with it that would be a good rounder to a fantastic product.
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'CHICKEN' NOODLE SOUP
Sometimes we are short of time, just don’t feel like cooking or need a quick stop gap to fill hungry bellies without filling them with takeaway junk, which of course is not possible if you happen to be parked up somewhere off grid enjoying some reconnection with nature, family and friends.
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CLEWED UP with JO CLEWS
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his quick and easy meal is ideal for lunch, a starter to a bigger meal or just a cuppa soup instead of a tea or coffee if it’s a bit cold and you need to warm up from the inside.
Add the onion, celery and carrot (plus meat if that is being added) and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes or until the onion is translucent, the onion does not need to be browned just soft and pale. Place the stock powder into the pot with the vegetables and stir together.
This recipe is a well-loved staple on the dining table at the Melangata Station Stay Homestead and the one I turn to if I need to conjure up something quickly when guests come to stay.
Pour in the water and allow to come to the boil then gently simmer for about 1015 minutes, add the vermicelli noodles or pasta and simmer for a further 15 minutes or until the noodles are cooked through.
Although this version of Chicken Noodle Soup is also gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan — so everyone can safely delight in its deliciousness — it doesn’t have to be. See Clews' Clues for other ideas.
Serve with crusty bread to make a quick and filling lunch or as I do use the soup as a starter for a larger meal, whichever way you choose — either in the bush camping out or sat at a dining table complete with white table cloth and all the “good” cutlery and crockery — this soup is always delicious. Enjoy!
'chicken' noodle soup You will need: 2 medium sized carrots, finely diced 1 medium or large onion, finely chopped 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped 2 tablespoons of chicken stock powder ¼ of a pack of rice vermicelli noodles,
Other fine, angel hair spaghetti-type pasta can be used in place of the rice vermicelli.
crushed into smaller pieces 2 tablespoons of olive oil 2L of water Pepper to taste Optional ingredients: Finely chopped chicken meat or a small amount of chicken mince, a small amount of finely chopped spinach or kale, frozen peas and/or corn. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, soup pot or camp oven over either camp fire coals that have been moved a good distance away from the main heating fire or a gas cooker.
Chicken stock powder can be plant-based so this recipe is fine for vegetarians and vegans. Chicken stock powder is much easier to take camping instead of the UHT cartons of liquid stock. A couple of finely sliced kale leaves or some spinach make a nice addition just before serving as does a handful of frozen peas.
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FIRE COOKING with CHRIS JELLIE
A Wet Day at Wellington After a quality camp out with a good friend, I had some time up my sleeve to explore some unvisited parts of the Wellington Dam. Welly is quite an extensive body of water, the second largest surface water catchment, that was created in 1933. It used to supply far and wide, from Northam in the north, out as far east as Lake Grace and south to Katanning.
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here are so many little pockets, tracks, beaches and camp spots around the edge of the dam that aren’t your traditional DBCA sites. I haven’t seen or found them all, so it was time for some exploration to uncover a few gems. Starting from the north-eastern side, I headed south. A couple of minutes in, I had a wild pig run across in front of me!!
I did give chase on foot but the fast little bugger slipped through some thick wet scrub. I got soaked and lost them. This got the blood pumping as you can imagine and I continued south with some renewed vigour. Finding some tracks that were just a bit too steep, especially being quite a wet day and travelling by myself, I kept heading south. Finally finding a track that led me safely to the shoreline, I meandered back north. Being careful with the tide line and wet, slippery clay as I went, I found many level, tucked away camp spots and marked them on my map. These were in a short space of each other too. I kept trekking north. This eastern side definitely has some tucked away treasures you have to get out and explore for yourself. I discovered some really nice spots with different outlooks. The way the shoreline winds around the ridges and valleys creates an
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entirely different perspective between a short distance. Whilst it’s obviously not as inviting to be camping in the rain, there is definitely a misty charm about the bush on a day like this. That being said about the weather, I cannot wait to get to stop here over the warmer months for a swim, kayak or even to target some Redfin Perch. Welly, wherever you find a camp, does have something for all ages. For me, I don’t like to plan too much — except food, drinks and a bloody good relaxing time. Just around a corner, I found a great spot. It was at the bottom of a track, possibly from one of the steep tracks I didn’t venture down. Tucked away, a nice flat spot for a tent or swag and enough for a fair few mates! This will be my first stop next time I’m out this way with the family or mates. After a couple more stops along this section, I hit the gravel and headed south again.
Heading back to the water, there was a lot of people camped along this stretch. It was quite flat and sandy which would suit families with kids. For anyone who hasn’t been to this side of the dam, I would suggest heading in Graphite Road. Be cautious though as there is logging in the area and road closures can change. If you haven’t been to Welly at all, or want some easier tracks, Wights Road will take you up the west side and have some easy access. While this isn’t my normal outing, I had a really great morning exploring some new spots and just seeing where the tracks took me. There is something about cruising around the bush with no time constraints or agenda, a great way to clear the head. Something I will definitely do more of. Have a great time out there good people!
Chris Jellie is taking a hiatus from his recipe creation in this edition, with a review on a National Luna fridge — keeping your meat and veggies fresh for the ultimate fireside cooking. See over page.
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PRODUCT REVIEW by Chris Jellie
Keeping it Cool Now, I’m a simple man (not really haha). I like simple things, maybe to offset the former ... I didn’t have a crazy list of musthaves when scouting the market for a fridge. What I was after, first and foremost, was quality and reliability.
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am definitely not here to rubbish any other brands, but the consensus after talking to a lot of 4WD folk, was some of the perceived quality brands putting out fridges these days, weren’t what they used to be. It worked out well at the time I was looking around for a fridge — we had a stand at the Perth 4WD and Adventure Show, so all the people I needed to chat with were close by. I know this is quite an opinion-based way to gain feedback, but a lot of the people I spoke with have a decent amount of time in the bush. This is what was needed. Having had an old Waeco CF80 that lasted a solid number of years before I broke it (that’s another story for another day), this was a low standard that I was used to. It didn’t like hot weather, at least not with the AGM battery I had to run it. It was the last of the older style — freezer one side with a divider, with fridge the other side. Airflow throughout the unit was terrible. At the time, it was great, better than an esky! Over the time of ownership, things progressed quite well in the mobile fridge market. Must haves on my list for a new fridge: dual zone fridge and freezer, sizing around 100L total capacity — I know this
is large but we need to transport a lot of meat for our fire cooking classes and events we vend food at — and better efficiency than the previous. Now that is about it. National Luna kept coming up in conversation — I had only seen a couple in the wild. I legged it around the 4WD Show to get a look at the units. They do a single door and double door version in the 110L I was looking at. They do stand quite tall, which can be a positive or a negative depending on your set up. For me this worked well in the GQ Patrol. I liked the smaller footprint as opposed to the CFX95dz. National Luna originates in South Africa. I haven’t confirmed this in print anywhere, but was told they were made to carry organs. The wall is thicker than the competition and in the larger models, they utilise their own compressor. I have read some threads on power usage but NL don’t give figures on this, merely stating they are very efficient. Now having a five-year-old AGM battery just on solar — no DC-to-DC — I thought it was going to chew the power. It doesn’t. While I still don’t have a figure of measure for this, I am very happy with the performance of the unit.
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The unit comes with eight baskets, three in the left section and five in the right. These are plastic and have a good air gap between them and the wall which provide great airflow. The multiple baskets make it so much easier to get to everything, at whatever depth of the fridge or freezer, making this very userfriendly. I have also, on many occasions, removed the basket to pack a heap of meat in. I have had 27kg of pork shoulder in the left section alone. The National Luna 110 isn’t packed with features, it is, as stated above, a simple unit that does the job well. It does weigh in 5kg heavier than my previous 80L but has the thicker walls and much more space, so I am fine with that trade off. If I was to nit-pick, I would like at times to switch off one compartment — but at the end of the day, would rather too much space than not enough. Especially with our business.
GET A BATTERY THAT LASTS LONG.
All-in-all the National Luna Legacy 110L fit the bill in terms of a sturdy, reliable, power efficient fridge with plenty of space. Thanks Stephen and the guys at Aus4WD Equipment in Bassendean for helping out with the selection.
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4WD CLUB FOCUS If you would like your club featured in our 4WD Club Focus, please email admin@western4wdriver.com.au
Bakery Starts & Best Bogged Moments BY DAVE F. — ALL TRACKS 4WD CLUB
All Tracks 4WD Club explore Brunswick, assessing changes in the tracks and getting bogged along the way. Attending, in no particular order Dave – Prado – TL Rob – Suzi Gary and Az – 80 series Alex – 79 series Ki – 80 series Simon, Di and Jacob- Triton Lee and Keely – 80 series Sean – Triton – TEC Shane Scott – Prado
Well, to my horror, they have run a bull dozer through here, some of my good tracks are now gone. This section here was, what I called, my pipeline track.
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ike most of my trips, the meeting point is at a bakery somewhere. You just have to start a day off with a coffee and a pie. The meeting point for this trip was the local bakery in Harvey. I was too busy eating to think about the camera but with a feed of freshly baked beef pie, coffee and a trip meeting, we headed off … sorta. I was having technology issues, so we quickly pulled over, rebooted Hema, then we were off. Going through my old photos and maps, I worked out it had been three years since I was last here. I knew there were forestry works happening, but that was years ago. Excited to see what changed, I repeated a similar trip to my last for comparison. Arriving in the bush, we aired down, knowing the tracks would start to get tough.
Before, in March 2020.
After, in May 2023.
Carrying on, we finally made our way to the powerlines track. Knowing we would need to backtrack a bit, we followed the
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track down; I was interested to see if the old bridge was still there, which it was — just a little more rotten. Turning around, we followed up the powerlines track towards the main road. We did reach a little spot that provided a small challenge.
Proceeding forward, stopping for lunch, and then eventually carrying on to the other side of Brunswick, in hope these tracks weren’t bulldozed flat either. Crossing the log bridge, the tracks from there are usually a challenge. Not anymore. We slowly made our way around to what I call the Rock Garden. As I was half way around, I saw that somebody had placed logs, so you can cross over to the other side. I crossed over to the other side, discovering that someone was camping there, so I turned around instead.
After a failed first attempt and a little track building, we all made it up. Sadly, after making it up, Alex still had ground clearance issues.
Sadly, my tow bar hooked on a rock, with a little more right foot, I managed to free myself, but this did award me the Maxtrax trophy. And we left with a fun exit.
With quite a few backwards and forwards attempts, Maxtrax to try and raise clearance, and then a combination of winching and Maxtrax, Alex was finally up, and one Maxtrax destroyed — cracked and missing a piece. Funny enough, this piece became a trophy piece for the trip. Bogged or stuck, you were awarded the trophy.
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Leaving the Rock Garden, next on the menu was a few mud holes for people to play in.
After finally being winched out, we headed off to another little campsite that I knew about. We’ve stayed here quite a few times, it’s a perfect spot. Low in the valley, protected from the high winds above. It was a special night. Tonight was Alex’s birthday. Armed with a birthday cake, and what sounded like dying cats, the All Tracks 4WD Club Choir screeched what sounded like a birthday tune.
The fun was done, and nearing the end of the day for the day travellers, it was time to descend the last steep hill before finding a spot to air up their tyres and for the rest of us to find camp for the night.
The night was short lived, heavy rains started around 7.30pm, forcing everyone into their tents and well, after a big day, off to sleep.
Great News. Alex, Ki and Sean drove down a little track just behind us here, Alex got bogged again. YAY, I can award him his “Bogged Trophy” again.
Lee and Keely were up really early in the morning, followed by the rest of the crew. As we headed out, a small track caught our eye, we just couldn’t resist giving it a go. A big thanks to everyone that came. I plan on making another trip out in hunt of some newer tracks.
Scan QR code to view video footage of the trip.
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More information
ALL TRACKS 4WD CLUB About the Club • All Tracks was incorporated in Dec 2000. • Meets in Greenwood the third Tuesday of each month. • Membership cost: $80pa covering your spouse and kids up to driving age. • Ran 45 trips through 2022. Being a family-based club, we have a cross section of ages within our group and strive to cater for all tastes on our trips. Over the years we have built a strong relationship with Parks & Wildlife (DBCA) and volunteer on many projects along with having a formal adoption of some hikers’ huts that we help Swan Coastal maintain. For more information, check out alltracks4wdclub.com.au
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CAPTURE THE MOMENT with UNCLE DICK STEIN Well done Dariusz!
You’ve won a Bandicoot Bag Set valued at $130, from
road from a light plane or helicopter? Or has he very wisely used a drone to raise his camera up to that height. If he did, was he able to align the drone through use of a video screen so that he could frame the shot?
Dariusz Broszkiewicz GREAT CENTRAL ROAD
Are You A Square, Man?
T
his question would have been very hip in the 1950s — and if you answered yes, you would have been scoffed at. But you cannot scoff at Dariusz Broszkiewicz at all — and certainly not for his masterly use of the square format for this image. It was taken on the Great Central Road, which he refers to as Australia’s longest shortcut — between WA and the NT.
Or is it one of a series of shots taken at about the same time and angle — and then later corrected in an editing program? Either approach is perfectly valid, as the drone may be affected by cross winds in its flight. Out in the back you are unlikely to endanger people when taking pictures — unless the pesky machine flies into you as it automatically returns to the take-off point. I suppose they can take on a mind of their own and head off into the bush or back to China if something goes wrong, but it looks like Dariusz was successful — he got it and the pictures back.
Square images are tough to work with, yet this picture hits all the major keys; the exposure is right, the horizon is level, the colour is superb, and there is interest on all the classic points of the rule of thirds. And it invites some speculation as to how it was taken.
This is the type of spectacular image that can be helpful in explaining Australia to people overseas. Of course, there is always the temptation to tell them that it is St Georges Terrace just before rush hour, but that is like telling bunyip and yowie stories — you can only get away with it for so long …
Is Dariusz very tall? Did he climb up the nearest pine tree? Is he swooping on the
It certainly is an excellent example of just how desolate our outback can be.
Send us a photo FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A PRIZE from Email photos to: submissions@western4wdriver.com.au
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4WD TAG-ALONG TOURS ACROSS WA
Join us on a 4WD tag-along adventure tour, taking in the raw beauty of WA’s landscape and history. The secret to enjoying any of our trips is to relax and just take it all in your stride. Our overall goal is to make sure that you see things that otherwise you might not, go places that otherwise you might not visit, and meet some new friends. If you are new to four-wheel driving in the outback then don’t worry, we aren’t. We are here to assist you.
It doesn’t have to be extreme to be EPIC Check out our website for upcoming trips
www.epic4wdtours.com.au
Contact us on 0456 684 532 adventure@epic4wdtours.com.au
SMART PHOTOGRAPHY with KARL FEHLAUER
COMPOSITION I hope this issue finds everyone fit and healthy. As I sit and write this article it is cold, gloomy and raining outside and I haven’t been able to get out with my cameras for a few weeks now. I am starting to suffer ‘withdrawal’ symptoms; however, one bonus with these conditions is that many of our creeks and rivers will have lots of water flowing and in particular our normally dry and barren waterfalls will be flowing in all their glory.
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ecently I was fortunate enough to take a trip down to Pemberton. During this trip I visited Beedelup Falls and after five weeks of constant rain the amount of water flowing over them was staggering. This got me thinking about some of the waterfalls close to Perth, so once the weather clears, I am planning a day out to photograph them. Image 1 is of Beedelup Falls from that trip, made from three images taken with
my Samsung S21 and stitched together in Lightroom to create a panorama. Looking at this image, it isn’t very good due to several factors but mostly the composition just doesn’t work. The biggest issue is that I took the image from a platform looking down at the falls and therefore there is no definition or sense of scale. I intend on going back there in the near future to get better images and as a result, this has me thinking about composition and how much it affects your photography and the outcome of your images, regardless of whether you took them with a DSLR or your Smartphone. Good composition can turn a boring subject into an interesting one. So, what is ‘composition’? In the simplest terms, composition is how the photographer arranges the visual elements within their frame and in this article, I will discuss some tips that will help you with your composition and will hopefully help to improve your photography.
Image 1 Beedelup Falls.
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Image 2 Perth skyline.
Tip 1 is to use the ‘Rule of Thirds’. This ‘rule’ has been around for millennia and has been used by all the famous artists since people began drawing on cave walls. In its simplest terms, the Rule of Thirds breaks down your image into thirds, both horizontally and vertically so that you have nine pieces and four gridlines. Once you have done this, you arrange one or more of the elements in the image to intersect where these lines meet. For example, if you have a building that is the main element you would place it either on the left- or right-hand side where the lines intersect, or if using the horizon to either highlight the foreground or sky, you would place it on either the top third line to highlight the foreground or the bottom line to highlight the sky.
you to compose your images a lot quicker and assist you in deciding what elements you want to highlight and what ones you want to leave out. Tip 2 is to change the height from which you take the photo. Most people will take just about all their images from ‘eye level’ and this makes all images look the same. Try taking an image by kneeling or lying down as this will give a different perspective or take it from above your head using a selfie stick. By using different heights, it will alter the viewer's perception of what they are seeing and adds more interest. Tip 3 is to change your field of view. By this I mean, if your camera has a quality zoom function, zoom in or out using the
Image 2 is an image of the Perth skyline taken just after sunset. With this image I wanted to show more of the sky so I placed the bottom line about one third of the way down, thereby having more of the sky and the fantastic colours in the sky showing. Just about all DSLRs and smartphone cameras will have an option to turn on gridlines and I strongly recommend that you do this as it will help
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Image 3 Frangipani.
functions in the camera settings. Most people see at a similar field of view with our eyes, therefore by zooming into or out of an image you change the way people would normally see a particular image and it can also change the perspective of what they would normally view and this adds interest to the image. Try getting closer to your subject. Don’t just rely on using the zoom feature to zoom in — physically move closer to the subject. This is particularly useful when shooting macro subjects. Image 3 is of a frangipani flower in my garden. Just zooming in didn’t highlight the flower enough, so once I had finished zooming in, I moved forward to reduce the distance to the closest focusing distance of the camera, which made the flower appear larger in the sensor and I got the image that I wanted. Tip 4 is to use something as a leading line to draw the viewer into the image. Image
4 was taken just before sunrise on ANZAC Day this year down at the Rockingham Foreshore. I used the jetty to lead the viewer's eye to the start of the large cloud formation in the sky which then leads them to the right where the colour is coming in the sky. So, there are a few tips for you to try. One suggestion is to try combining two or more of these tips together to see what you can produce. Eventually, these techniques will become natural and you will do them without thinking about it. However, my best advice is just to get out there and practice and then practice some more. Digital storage is cheap and if you don’t like your images, you can just delete them. I hope this advice has been helpful and that you have got something from it. Until the next time — keep the shiny side up and if you don’t, take heaps of photos to laugh about it later.
Image 4 Rockingham sunrise.
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NOW WE'RE TAWKING! Travelling Australia With Kids with MANDY FARABEGOLI
POST TRAVEL BLUES How do you settle back after two years travelling and deal with the ‘Post Travel Blues’?
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f course it was going to happen — the post travel blues. How could I travel Australia with my kids for two years and not have them? But how long would it be before I got back to normal? Would I ever get back to normal? What is normal? Enough already. I wanted to get on now, but I felt like I'd been to where I wanted to be and now, I wasn't there anymore, and I didn't know what to do about it ... I’m Mandy Farabegoli and I run www.travellingaustraliawithkids.com encouraging families to take a few weeks, months or years and travel our amazing country. I travelled Australia with my husband and three children and it was the best thing we ever did, as a couple and as a family. But, we could not travel forever and after two years on the road, we had to go back home.
Back Home So, what does that mean? Back home. Home for two years meant 'The Van', our 18ft caravan and wherever it happened to be. That was home. All five of us in that small van, all together, all the time. Home, wherever we were. And then...? Then we were in our 'house'. The building that we are in the process of buying. In the beautiful area of
Scarborough, Western Australia, near the beach. So why did I still have 'the travel blues?' We were surrounded by all our wonderful possessions, our belongings lovingly gathered over almost 20 years of marriage. We had space and room and 'things'. Lots of things, lots of unnecessary things. Too many things. Why the dread? The dread I felt as we drove closer and closer to home at the end of our trip, would not leave. And I wished it would. You get back after the trip of a lifetime, the one where everyone tells you that they'd love to do it, that they wish they could do it, that they'll probably never do. You get back with adventure in your soul, with wondrous stories, with freedom in your heart. But with no-one to tell. The extent of the interest is, "Where was your favourite place?" and before you've had time to explain that whilst Uluru was mystical and the Blue Mountains magical and that the red dirt of the Kimberley seeped into your very being, the conversation has moved onto Maureen's varicose vein operation and the break-up of June and Paul, which while expected is still hard on the kids. Back Home.
The Travel Blues Being back. I didn't get it anymore. I didn't get why this type of lifestyle was good and why everyone thinks its normal
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and why was this the way to live. Why is this normal? I think that two years was too long. Something had shifted and was no longer aligned, and I didn't know how to shift it back. I had no interest in 'things', stuff, you know, material things. It had gone. I didn't want a TV that you can surf the net on, I didn't long for designer clothes, shoes, or handbags, I didn't care what car I drove and worse still; I had no interest in other people’s 'stuff' either. I looked at people's material competition with contempt. It seemed that everyone was competing with the number of things they all had. And I saw no value in it. The fact that many believe that money is the be all and end all. I was judging them by my seemingly superior reasoning of me realising what is and what is not important in life and them all being sucked into material possessions. Of course, it wasn't like that, but that's how it looked to me! What was happening to me? Why was I so cynical? I felt like I just wanted that simple thrill and expectant moment of the caravan hooked up to the car and ready to go ... but where? AND there it is ... Anywhere. We could go anywhere. Anywhere, but still be home, so that really is everywhere. The joy of 'freedom'. The simplicity of freedom and the freedom of freedom. I missed that. I was home, but now I didn't know if I would ever really be home. So was this still 'the travel blues?', or something else?
They loved the trip, but they love being back too and so that's where you find me. Back. Back here for them. Just back.
So what to do? So, what did I do to get over the travel blues? One thing was creating the website: Travelling Australia With Kids! www.travellingaustraliawithkids.com I hope I'm helping others to get out there and just do it. I didn't really want go around Australia in the beginning — that’s a story for another time — but my family talked me into it and I cannot thank them enough. I am not sure if I will ever settle down again, as it really has changed me and I do struggle, but I would not change it for the world! I love reading all about everyone's travels, where they are in Australia and sharing their excitement. I thought the best way to get through this time was to create it still in my mind and life. I am turning this all into a little home business. I'm trying to incorporate all the things I wanted whilst on the trip and I am trying to get others to interact in the various spots on the site. It's slow and steady but it's helping me to win my race at least. We travel whenever we can still and when that van is hooked up and ready to go, I take a deep breath and enjoy every moment. The travel blues are dimming into beautiful, treasured travelling memories and a couple of the best years of my life.
Just ... Back The children were now at the stage of their lives, whereby friends are the centre of their worlds. My job was now to be there for them as their schooling becomes important and choices for their futures are made.
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With over 40 years experience teaching Outback Survival, Bob Cooper has produced what he calls the ‘Trilogy for Survival’. Along with enough water, Bob believes every time you go bush, no matter what form of transport, these three items should accompany you in case something doesn’t go to plan and you’re in an emergency situation – anywhere. A quality Three stretch elastic bandages. Quality survival blanket. emergency/survival kit. Multiple uses and first aid. This one spells HELP.
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THE TRUSTY TOOLBOX Have any burning questions about 4WDs or WA destinations that you can’t wait to get answered? Send them our way and one of our ‘brains trust’ experts will have it covered.
T
he contributors of Western 4W Driver are the lifeblood of the magazine you hold in your hands! Experts in their fields, outback adventurers, and 4WD enthusiasts — they have a wealth of knowledge to share, a toolbox of tips and insights within your reach. So, we’ve invited a few of our trusty regulars to share what they know with readers keen on picking their brains. Send through any questions that are causing you a headache or just tickling your curiosity to submissions@western4wdriver.com.au and we’ll aim to answer three or four each issue, as of Summer Edition #128. Note: We know our experts could write until the end of time, but we’ll aim to keep it concise!
Ask us a question about 4WDs or WA destinations! Email submissions@western4wdriver.com.au
western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver 127 | 157 #
NEW! QUARTERLY CROSSWORD Introducing our first crossword designed for adults!
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2 3
Read the mag cover to cover and you'll have no problems solving this puzzle.
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8 9 10
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ACROSS 3 Dense mist 7 Hard-wearing 16 cotton fabric 8 Drover known as the King of the CSR, The 17 18 Barefoot Drover or 20 Desert Rat No. 1 10 Used to flavour food and soups 11 The gradual deterioration of health in trees 12 Traditional language 21 group from the Dampier Peninsula 13 Survival response to danger, pain or harm 14 WA volunteer organisation establishing collaborative partnerships with land managers, native title holders, and government departments 16 Large body of water, the largest of its kind in the South West 20 4WD-only track located in Wellington National Park 21 Natural hole in a rock in which rainwater collects 22 Compact 4WD SUV, manufactured by Suzuki
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Answers will be published in the Summer edition of Western 4W Driver.
DOWN 1 The man on the Australian $20 note 2 Popular rock climbing area along the Cape to Cape track 4 Tumbleweed-like grass 5 Seal between the engine block and cylinder head 6 Known for his return expedition from Coolgardie to Halls Creek 9 Rod or spindle passing through the centre of a wheel or group of wheels 15 Pest found within Australia’s desert country 17 Amount of weight a vehicle can carry 18 Satellite constellation system that aims to deliver global internet coverage 19 Constellation located in the southern celestial hemisphere, where it sits near the centre of the Milky Way
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160 | Western 4W Driver #127 | western4wdriver.com.au
Expiry
Your quick-find reference to products and services in Western 4W Driver
DIRECTORY
ACCOMMODATION Camping with Custodians.................................51 Queen of the Murchison................................. 109
MAPS & NAVIGATION Hema Maps.............................................................. 148 WAITOC..........................................................................37
APPS Pilbara East................................................................. 97
MECHANICAL SERVICE, REPAIRS & REPLACEMENT Fremantle Fuel Injection.................................. 89 Goldfields Offroad............................................... 107 Medicar Automotive Solutions.....................110 Turbo Tech...................................................................55 United Fuel Injection............................................23
BATTERIES/BATTERY SYSTEMS Goodchild Enterprises.......................................143 Redarc............................................................................117 BRAKES Bendix.......................................................................... IFC CAMPERS/CARAVANS & TRAILERS Off Road Equipment............................................. 61 CAMPING SUPPLIES Bob Cooper Outback Survival......................156 Go Camping and Overlanding.....................134 COMMUNICATION Icom................................................................................80 DESTINATIONS Camping with Custodians.................................51 Pilbara East................................................................. 97 4WD PARTS & ACCESSORIES Goldfields Offroad............................................... 107 Make Tracks WA...................................................... 74 Maxtrax........................................................................IBC Medicar Automotive Solutions.....................110 Off Road Equipment ........................................... 61 RLD Design................................................................ 30 Supafit Seat Covers................................................ 91 Ultimate9...................................................................... 16 MAGAZINES Western Angler.......................................................126
MOTOR VEHICLES Toyota........................................................................ OBC UBCO (Electric Motorbikes)...........................147 PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS Fremantle Fuel Injection.................................. 89 Turbo Tech...................................................................55 Ultimate9...................................................................... 16 United Fuel Injection............................................23 PROSPECTING Reeds Prospecting................................................ 56 TRAINING & TOURS Bob Cooper Outback Survival......................156 Epic 4WD Tours......................................................150 Forest Explorers....................................................... 54 WAITOC..........................................................................37 TYRES Tyrepower....................................................................114 OTHER Perth 4WD & Adventure Show........................ 3 Road Safety Commission.................................. 92
western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver 127 | 161 #
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this one! Trucking Oz takes the cake on questions — Like politicians and answering k just don’t Truc i Mits vy soft mud and a hea ordeal to the gine ima only go together. Can s! mes get out of this would do it, Not sure even a set of Maxtrax … way but they’re all yours any 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.
KEEP ‘EM COMING FOLKS. All you need is a potentially funny situation, a good sense of humour and of course, your camera. Send your silly snap to: submissions@western4wdriver.com.au
162 | Western 4W Driver #127 | western4wdriver.com.au
The Bendix Ultimate 4WD™ Brake Upgrade Kit with advanced brake pads and rotors, braided lines and a host of ancillary items is the ultimate brake upgrade for popular 4WD wagons and dual cab utes.
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JARRAH COUNTRY LENNARD TRACK the old mt jackson to ularring road KIMBERLEY CULTURAL TOURS VICTORIAN HIGH COUNTRY
Print Post Approved 602669/00784
From the moment it made its way onto our shores over 50 years ago, the Hilux quickly established itself as an Australian classic. A workhorse and family mover, no adventure is complete without one. And for good reason. Combining power with on-road presence, the Hilux continues to prove itself from generation to generation. Nothing beats the unbreakable connection between you and your Hilux.
WESTERN 4W DRIVER
127th EDITION
Spring 2023
TACKLING THE CARNEGIE
MITSUBISHI TRITON ROCK CLIMBING IN WA PART-TIME 4WD EXPLAINED