The Magazine of the Nissan Patrol 4WD Club of NSW & ACT Inc

ON PATROL No 8.

The Magazine of the Nissan Patrol 4WD Club of NSW & ACT Inc.

April 2015

Nissan Patrol 4WD Club General Meetings 2nd Wednesday of each month at the Veteran Car Club 134 Queens Road Five Dock NSW 2046

Club mail can be sent to: Nissan Patrol 4WD Club PO Box 249 FIVE DOCK NSW 2046

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Nissan Patrol 4WD Club of NSW & ACT Inc. The Club and its officers do not expect nor invite any person to act or rely on any statement, opinion or advice.

The Nissan Patrol 4WD Club website, www.nissanpatrolclub.org includes a "members only" area with access to details of upcoming trips and other news/information not meant for public consumption. To be issued a user name and password to access the website, please send an e-mail with your name and home phone number to [email protected]. Put "password required" in the subject area of the e-mail. After we have verified your details, you will receive an e-mail with your log-in information.

C O N T E N T S About the Club 3 Convoy Procedure 25 Committee Members 4 4WD'ing Tips for Dummies - Part 7 26 Editorial 5 TR1 - Victorian High Country 27 Club Awards 7 TR2 - One Epic Day Trip - Part 1 33 New Members 9 Special Feature 35 Birthdays 10 History of the Nissan Patrol - Part 4 Get to Know ... 11 Nature Lover - Sturt's Desert Rose 36 The Scoreboard 13 Down the Track - Gibb River Road 37 Special Report Up the Creek -Illaroo Campground 39 15 Drop Bears A-Z of NSW National Parks - C 41 Driver Training & Working Bees 16 Top Tip: Spider Repellent 42 Club Calendar 17 Club Noticeboard 43 Leaders, New Trips & Bookings 23 Camping Checklist 45 Trip Classification & Radio Channels 24

Front Cover: Steve A going over the rock steps at February Driver Training.

NISSAN PATROL 4WD CLUB OF NSW & ACT INC.

About the Club

The Nissan Patrol 4WD Club was established in 1976 by a group of four-wheel drive enthusiasts from other clubs interested in pursuing common interests and activities in 4WD'ing, and also aiming to give the Nissan Patrol its own identity. Although named for the Nissan Patrol, the Club welcomes all types of four-wheel drives capable of completing our driver training course.

In 2002, the Club fulfilled a long-held dream and purchased its own property of 94 hectares in the Windellama region near Goulburn. The land is used for Club activities such as bush camping, driver training and social activities. There is also a dam on the property which provides a reliable source of water for bush fire fighting.

In May 2006, our initial idea of a large shelter/shed came into fruition and was finally completed. The shed acts as our bush classroom which allows us to easily host our Driver Training Courses. It is also the place where we have our Xmas In July, Easter and Club Anniversary weekends, and is available for free camping by members at any time.

Front View

Back View

The club atmosphere is, and always has been, to have fun and develop long lasting friendships from a wide variety of people from all over Sydney and the countryside.

The club holds regular driver training days for all members, trips from one day to several weeks' duration (such as outback trips) and a variety of social activities.

Club trips are graded depending on the degree of difficulty to cater for all levels of four-wheel driving. On trips, the traditional “happy hour” and campfire provide a wonderful setting for swapping yarns, having a quiet drink and building solid friendships.

We are strongly committed to “Access for All” (except ratbags) in our National Parks and State Forests, protecting the environment through responsible four-wheel driving and helping to 'Clean- Up Australia' by cleaning up our bushland.

Since 1980, the Club has been hosting varying types of events for the general public to enjoy in their 4WD’s. In past years there were the annual Nissan Trials, which saw inter-club challenges testing the driving skills of both individuals and teams.

In line with current community expectation and demand, the Club is running the Son of Trials at River Island on the first weekend of November. These events offer standard road registered vehicle owners, from learner drivers through to experienced 4WD’ers, to participate in a number of challenging courses to fine tune their skills and the chance to win some fantastic prizes.

For further information about the Club, please go to our website at www.nissanpatrolclub.org

NISSAN PATROL 4WD CLUB OF NSW & ACT INC. PO Box 249 FIVE DOCK NSW 2046 Club website: www.nissanpatrolclub.org ISSN 1446-0718

2015-2016 COMMITTEE MEMBERS & OFFICE BEARERS

COMMITTEE President POSITION VACANT Vice President Rollanda R Secretary Christopher B Treasurer Anne K Membership Secretary Steven R Trip Organiser Murray R Training Co-Ordinator Chris C Land Manager Kenneth I Communications/Editor Tania S Social Convener (Harry)

OFFICE BEARERS Trials Co-Ordinator POSITION VACANT Assist Trials Co-ordinator POSITION VACANT Trials Secretary POSITION VACANT Publicity Officer Glen S Webmaster Brett M Purchasing Officer Christopher B & (Harry)

Technical Officer Stephen S Equipment Officer Ross C Librarian Iro S Sergeant-at-Arms Darren G Assistant Membership POSITION VACANT Assist Training Co-Ordinator Christiaan J Assistant Land Manager Ray V Assistant Editor Fiona Sc Assist Social Convener Colleen Ib Auditor/s POSITION VACANT Please contact the Vice President if you would like to join the Committee and have a part in the running of YOUR Club.

From the Editors

Well, here I am again for another year, but with a new assistant. Actually, she has been more help in the past year than the "official" assistant.

You may know Fiona as the occasional Driver Training Team Demonstrator, but also for the past couple of years, she has helped with reading through articles, page design, picking front cover photos, etc. She is a tremendous help when it comes to making a final decision, and more recently when my email account was hacked, some emails were diverted through to hers. So as of the AGM, Fiona is now the Editorial Assistant.

We will start off this new Club year with a couple of new pages in the magazine that will be a regular feature. The first is "Down the Track" - a look at the amazing 4WD tracks of Australia. The second is "Up the Creek" - information on some great camp sites by our beautiful waterways.

We hope these new pages give you the urge to get out and see this wonderful country of ours, and maybe even take a few other club members with you.

We are always open to new ideas and articles for the magazine, so please contact us and we can discuss it further.

Keep On Patrolling! Tania & Fiona & Ruby

Next magazine due 1 July 2015 All articles for the next magazine MUST be sent in a Microsoft Word format and forwarded to [email protected] or mailed to The Editor, NPC, PO Box 249, Five Dock NSW 2046 by 25 June 2015.

Advertising Charges: If you would like to advertise your business Full Page $400 p/a in this magazine, please contact Tania at Half Page $250 p/a [email protected] Quarter Page $100 p/a Business Card $50 p/a

CLUB AWARDS 2014 Presented by Vice President Scott Dr on 11 February 2015

PRESIDENT'S AWARD

Christopher B

COMMITTEE MEMBER of the YEAR CLUB MEMBER OF THE YEAR

Marcel C

Jonathon D

TRIP REPORTER'S OF THE YEAR

John S

Steven R

TRIP LEADER OF THE YEAR $$ WORN OUT WALLET $$

Clarence the Cruiser Geoff G

Accepting the Award on behalf of Clarence is his owner, Steven R

APPRECIATION CERTIFICATES

Trevor & Eve W Mark C

Scott & Wendy D Stephen B

Christiaan J Ruth C Stuart D

The S Family Fiona S accepting the Certificate on behalf of the S Family

The Club would like to acknowledge and Welcome the following New Members who have joined us over the last 3 months.

Steve & Karen A Stephane B & Elise A Nigel, Kellie H, Finn & Lara D Michael B & Bonnie D Greg & Cheryl C Jacques, Agnes, Celine, Marianne, Jacqueline, Jacques Jr & William E Phillip & Lyn L Chaz, Cody & Sarah P Richard & Peta R Glen, Michelle, Jasmine & Jordan S

We hope you have an enjoyable, friendly and fulfilling time with the Club and stay with us well into the future.

THAT MOMENT WHEN

YOU HAVE A NEW IDEA FOR YOUR TRUCK

9 H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y We wish the following Club Members a very Happy Birthday.

APRIL 30 Laszlo B 29 Joseph S 1 Stuart D ? Emily O 30 Sally R 2 Karine C ? Jessee W 30 Greg W 5 Glenn R ? Spencer E 6 Finn D MAY 6 Anthony Sc 1 Ruth C JUNE 9 Charles B 1 Robert H 1 Anton El 9 Beau T 3 Ge Yun W 2 Tim P 11 Stephane B 3 Sophie W 3 Jasmine B 12 Josiane H 4 Abigail O 3 Jacques E 13 Michael L 5 Nigel D 3 Graham R 14 Jasmine M 6 Leah D 4 Steve L 14 Corey T 6 Chris R 6 Jean-Pierre H 15 Jacqueline E 8 Cheryl A 6 Colleen I 17 Phillipe C 9 Leigh H 7 Rebecca F 17 Bonnie D 9 Claire M 8 John F 17 Mitch E 9 Jason T 9 Michael A 17 Ben Ro 10 Elise A 9 Alex C 18 Rachel G 10 Dave C 10 Amanda D 18 Lyn L 10 Rick H 10 Christiaan J 18 Judah P 11 Trevor A 11 Byron Sc 19 Roslyn D 11 Peter P 11 Jeanette V 19 Julien I 12 Robert D 13 Cyrille C 20 Tony A 12 Kathryn W 13 Kevin K 20 Dawn S 17 Daryl R 13 Dale T 21 Margaret B 20 Brenda D 14 Martin S 21 Neil E 20 Garth P 17 Ally D 21 Ken J 22 Scott S 17 Lance M 22 Jennifer B 23 Andrew M 19 Neil C 22 Jack C 24 Kellie H 19 Jessica S 22 Zane P 24 Caelum M 21 Sam H 24 Glenn B 24 Rollanda R 21 Brett R 25 Chris C 25 Antonio F 25 Jason B 26 Geoff G 26 Rowena T 27 Greg C 27 Jacques E Jr 27 Darren G 29 Steve H 28 Chris W 28 Ian O 30 John M 29 Cheryl C 28 Reshma W 30 Veronica K 29 Christopher H If your birthday is not on this list, please contact Tania at [email protected]

10 GET TO KNOW ...

Trip Organiser

MURRAY R

BORN: Stanthorpe, Queensland

LIVE AT: Glossodia, NSW

OCCUPATION: Project Manager

FAMILY: Wife - Jody (Married 27 Years) 3 Children - Daryl, Jessie & Sarah

2 Grandchildren - Hunter & Jordan HOBBIES: Family, Camping, 4WDing, Quad Bike Riding

NPC MEMBER SINCE: 2009.

CLUB POSITIONS HELD: Trip Organiser 2015.

VEHICLE: 2010 Toyota 76 Series Land Cruiser Wagon

TYRES: 285/75/16 BF Goodrich KM2 mounted on steel rims for off-road 7.5 x 16 Dunlop "Road Grippers" mounted on split rims for desert driving 285/75/16 Pirelli ATR mounted on alloy rims for everyday use

MODIFICATIONS: 2" lift, front and rear ARB diff locks, diff breathers, bullbar, side rails, side steps, winch, dual battery system, IPF driving lights, snake racing light bar, long range fuel tank, rear bar and dual wheel carrier, Rhino roof rack, side and rear awning, dual UHF radios, Black Widow draw system, 60 litre Engel fridge.

FUTURE MODS: Rear camera.

FIRST VEHICLE: 1980 4 speed Mitsubishi Sigma 2.0 litre.

PAST VEHICLES: 1985 VL Commodore, 1991 SS Commodore, 1994 Toyota Hi-lux 1999 Nissan Patrol 2.8 litre 6 cyl ST Wagon

OTHER VEHICLE: 2001 Nissan Patrol 3.0 litre 4 cyl DX Wagon

DREAM VEHICLE: Our current Land Cruiser

TENT OR TOW: Both. We have a 4.5 mt ‘Coromal camper van’ that we use when 4wding is not required and we want to enjoy a bit more comfort, we have a heavy duty camper trailer for the more adventurous holidays, like Cape York, Cameron Corner etc, and we have a nice tent set up for when we cannot take either trailer.

FIRST CLUB TRIP: Mt Airly, fantastic weekend.

FAVOURITE TRIP: Very close - hard to pick. Either Canning Stock Route or the Kimberley, closely followed by the Victorian High Country.

MOST VISITED PLACE: Victorian High Country (3 times), Darwin (3 times) but we did live there for 2 years (1985 - 1987)

WORST TRIP: The drive home from work each day. We have had none, every trip is an adventure, the weather and conditions are what they are.

FUTURE TRIPS: Simpson and more of the remote desert tracks.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE CLUB DO IN THE FUTURE? The club does a wonderful job, I would like to see more suggestions/involvement from club members.

WHAT THE CLUB MEANS TO ME. I have been fortunate to meet some wonderful people, met some great mates and made many memories that will last a lifetime. I have even met a ‘homeless man’ while on one of our High Country trips. (‘I’m still here, this is the last river crossing, it’s about quantity not quality, this looks interesting).

If you are thinking of going on a day or weekend trip, but not sure where you would like to go, here are some ideas from the book "4WD TREKS CLOSE TO SYDNEY".

Yengo National Park The Hunter Region Turon River Watagan Mountains Stockton Beach Newnes Baal Bone Gap Chichester Forest The Bridle Track Sunny Corner Trek Barrington Tops Dixons Long Point Jenolan to Wombeyan Caves Tianjara Fire Trail Abercrombie Trek

If you still can't decide on where to go, try opening a map, close your eyes and point a finger. It is all just waiting there for you to explore.

Our Trip Organiser can help you with information and maps.

THE SCOREBOARD As at 23 March 2015

NRL FOOTY TIPPING COMPETITION

PLACE YOUR NAME POINTS TEAM 1 Fiona S 42 2 Trevor W 34 3 Chris B 34 4 Steve A 34 5 Belinda Z 32 6 Tony A 32 7 Paul W 32 8 Sharon R 32 9 Jeanette V 32 10 Kevin K 30

11 Anthony S 30 12 Mark C 30 13 Harry B 30 14 Darren R 30 15 Karen A 30 16 Brendan V 30 17 Steven R 28 18 Iro S 28 19 Joseph S 28 20 Eddie Z 28 21 Tracy K 28 22 Glen T 28 23 Tania S 26 24 Susan R 26 25 John S 26 26 Matthew F 26

THE SCOREBOARD As at 23 March 2015

NRL FOOTY TIPPING COMPETITION

27 David K 24 28 Chris R 22 29 Kris F 22 30 Darren G 22 31 Margaret B 20 32 Ray V 20 33 Glenn S 16 34 Ken I 10

NRL TABLE South Sydney Rabbitohs 6 Parramatta Eels 2 Canterbury Bulldogs 6 Brisbane Broncos 2 Newcastle Knights 6 Canberra Raiders 2 Penrith Panthers 4 St George-Illawarra Dragons 2 Melbourne Storm 4 Manly Sea Eagles 2 Sydney Roosters 4 Cronulla Sharks 0 New Zealand Warriors 4 Gold Coast Titans 0 Wests Tigers 4 North Queensland Cowboys 0 As at 23 March 2015

Tvan Camper Trailer Sales & Hire Contact us:  To hire a fully equipped Tvan off road camper trailer  For a demonstration of the Tvan  To talk about buying a Tvan Dealer for:  Track Trailer, Melbourne Visit us in Canberra or at a caravan & camping show Check our website for details INDEPENDENT TRAILERS ABN: 34 102 155 962 Peter and Catherine, 0412 866 375 www.independenttrailers.com.au

[email protected]

NATURE LOVER

SPECIAL REPORT

A LOOK INTO ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S MOST DANGEROUS ANIMALS THE DROP BEAR

Most visitors to Australia are familiar with the cute Koala. They seek it out in Eucalypt forests, are thrilled to spot it in a tree, and they even pay to cuddle it in Koala sanctuaries. However, few know of its deadly relative, the Drop Bear. It is our duty to inform the public of the dangers posed to visitors by Drop Bears, and to educate all our guests about the simple and effective Drop Bear repellents readily available to prevent dangerous attacks by these rare yet dangerous creatures. Regular Koala

The Thylarctos Plummetus is commonly known as Drop Bear, because the little-known predator takes its victims by surprise by dropping from trees to attack. Drop Bears look a lot like Koalas, but are larger and heavier. It is widely assumed that Drop Bears start out as Koalas and become infected by a disease similar to rabies. This disease makes the usual timid Koala grow in size and develop a carnivore’s strong jaw and teeth. It also makes them extremely territorial and aggressive, and will attack unwary bush walkers wandering under their tree. However, the Drop Bear beasts are so elusive, no specimen has ever been captured, alive or dead. One theory is that an infected Drop Bear will revert back to its original and normal koala self when it dies.

If all this talk about the danger of Drop Bears has you worried, fear not: Australians who have studied the Drop Bear in the wild recommend a range of proven Drop Bear repellents. The most effective of all is Drop Bear-o-Guard, commonly known as Vegemite wiped behind the ears. If you are in a known Drop Bear area you should probably smear it all Drop Bear attacking an unsuspecting foreigner over your face to avoid an attack. Due to the fact that no Drop Bear attacks on an Australian has ever been reported, it is sometimes suggested that speaking with an Australian accent may also be helpful to keep them in their trees, in case you don’t have any Vegemite handy.

Verified Drop Bear sightings are few and far between, so many visitors refuse to believe Drop Bears exist. We can’t provide you with any Repelling Drop Bears substantial proof of the existence of Drop Bears, but we do suggest you since 1923 always err on the side of caution and carry a supply of Vegemite!

To our overseas guest, "Welcome to Australia, Clint". TS

DRIVER TRAINING

With Chris C Driver Training Co-ordinator

The Nissan Patrol 4WD Club provides free driver training to its members, which is included in your membership fee. The Driver Training Course covers a comprehensive range of topics. Some of these topics are Practical Driving over a variety terrain and obstacles, Basic Recovery Techniques, Advanced Driver Training, Advanced Recovery, and many more. Our Sand Driver Training Course is usually held twice a year at Stockton Beach near Newcastle.

Before you are permitted on a Club Trip, it is a condition of Club Membership that you complete the Club Driver Training Course, regardless of your prior 4WD'ing experience.

The Driver Training Course is conducted on our own land near Goulburn, where a range of purposely built tracks give the course participants a variety of track surfaces. Our Land also has facilities to conduct other educational functions, such as GPS Operation and First Aid. Our Club shop is regularly at Driver Training selling top quality recovery gear, 4WD essentials and Club merchandise at very reasonable prices.

Anyone who wishes to do the Recovery Refresher Course is most welcome to join any driver training Sunday. Our driver trainers are looking forward to all our club members attending and revising the safety and recovery techniques that make our 4WDriving a safer and more enjoyable activity for all.

See the Club Calendar for the next Driver Training weekend.

WORKING BEES With Ken I Charles B Land Manager Trials Co-ordinator

Working bees sound like they would be a lot of hard work. BUT, our club working bees are a lot of fun, with friendship, good food and usually very little work. Regular working bees are held to help with land maintainence.

At the Land there is the opportunity to help establish new driver training tracks, assist with the shed, tank and toilet/shower facilities, have a chat around the fireplace and an excellent Saturday night dinner at “The Loaded Dog” in Tarago.

At Son of Trials, setting up for this event means searching new places for tracks, helping to create and being able to drive the tracks. As an added bonus, there is the opportunity for camping and talking with friends around the campfire.

Please consider helping out at either site, and contact the organiser to enable them to organise work activities and catering.

See the club Calendar for the next Working Bee weekend.

CLUB CALENDAR

Included are the dates of NSW School Holidays to help with your holiday planning.

April 2015

Fri 3rd to NSW School Holidays Sun 19th

Fri 3rd to EASTER ON THE LAND: Mon 6th Spend the long weekend relaxing on your own land. There will be some short trips available around the local area exploring the Southern Highlands or you can drive some of the many tracks on the Land. Use the Land as a base to visit Canberra, Goulburn or Moss Vale areas. Then sit back and relax with a movies in the shed at night.

Fri 3rd to ALICE SPRINGS: Sat 18th Grade D with a short section C: Heading to the Red Centre of Oz. Going through Broken Hill, Port Augusta and Coober Pedy. Visiting Alice Springs, Kings Canyon, Uluru and the Olgas. Returning to Port Augusta, then Mildura and Wagga Wagga.

Fri 3rd to VICTORIAN HIGH COUNTRY: Fri 17th Grade C (B if bad weather): 2 weeks in the picturesque High Country. Seeing some country huts, towns and looking at the panoramic views from many of the look outs in the region. Some camping will be done on mountains tops and deep in the valleys.

Sun 5th DAYLIGHT SAVINGS FALL ENDS BACK

Tues 7th SON OF TRIALS SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING: 8.00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. Come along and be a part of the organising team for this major event. All members welcome.

Wed 8th GENERAL MEETING: Visitors Welcome! 8:00pm at the Veteran Car Club Hall, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock.

Sat 11th to DRIVER TRAINING: Sun 12th The Club’s free Driver Training is open to all members. You must complete the Driver Training course before going on a Club trip.

Sat 11th to Caravan, Camping, 4wd & Holiday Supershow: Sun 19th Rosehill Gardens - www.supershow.com.au/

Fri 17th to Tuff Truck Challenge: Sun 19th Milbrodale near Bulga - www.tufftruck.com.au/

Sat 18th to LAND WORKING BEE: TO BE CONFIRMED Sun 19th Help is needed with many of the projects happening down on our Land. Great camping and socialising.

Wed 22nd COMMITTEE MEETING: Club Committee Meeting. 8:00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. All members welcome!

Sat 25th ANZAC Day

May 2015

Tues 5th SON OF TRIALS SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING: 8.00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. Come along and be a part of the organising team for this major event. All members welcome!

Wed 13th GENERAL MEETING: Visitors Welcome! 8:00pm at the Veteran Car Club Hall, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock.

Sat 16th to DRIVER TRAINING: Sun 17th The Club’s free Driver Training is open to all members. You must complete the Driver Training course before going on a Club trip.

Wed 27th COMMITTEE MEETING: 8:00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. All members welcome!

Fri 29th to Hunter Valley Caravan Camping 4WD Show: Sun 31st Maitland Showground, Bloomfield Street. - www.ruralscene.com.au/

Sat 30th to LAND CLEARING WORKING BEE: Sun 31st Help is needed to clear many of the fallen trees around the land that may be a fire hazard, as well as the many other projects happening around the Land. Please bring chainsaws, trailers, chains, picks, shovels, gloves, etc. Great camping and socialising.

June 2015

Tue 2nd SON OF TRIALS SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING: 8.00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. Come along and be a part of the organising team for this major event. All members welcome!

Sat 6th to QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY LONG WEEKEND Mon 8th

Sat 6th to CHRISTMAS IN JUNE & CLUB ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND: Mon 8th Come and share a fun weekend with fellow club members or ex-members and checkout the improvements that have been made to the shed and the facilities.

Wed 10th GENERAL MEETING: Visitors Welcome! 8:00pm at the Veteran Car Club Hall, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock.

Sat 13th to DRIVER TRAINING: Sun 14th The Club’s free Driver Training is open to all members. You must complete the Driver Training course before going on a Club trip.

TO BE CONFIRMED Sat 20th to LAND WORKING BEE: Sun 21st Help is needed with many of the projects happening down on our Land. Great camping and socialising.

Wed 24th COMMITTEE MEETING: Club Committee Meeting. 8:00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. All members welcome!

July 2015

Sat 27th June to NSW School Holidays Sun 12th July

Wed 8th GENERAL MEETING: Visitors Welcome! 8:00pm at the Veteran Car Club Hall, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock.

Sat 11th to ADVANCED RECOVERY TRAINING: Sun 12th Held at the Club land, this is an extension of our basic driver training and teaches additional skills for more complex recovery scenarios including roll overs and difficult access recoveries.

TO BE CONFIRMED Sat 18th to LAND WORKING BEE: Sun 19th Help is needed with many of the projects happening down on our Land. Great camping and socialising.

Wed 15th to NSW OUTBACK: Sat 26th Heading out to Mungo and Menindee Lakes, then following the Darling River to Bourke.

Wed 22nd COMMITTEE MEETING: Club Committee Meeting. 8:00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. All members welcome!

19 August 2015

Sat 1st to ABH / HRT Trip: Grade B/C. Mon 31st Anne Beadell Highway & Hay River Track with Chris Chapman. A fantastic 2 part desert trip. Part 1 will travel from Port Augusta through Coober Pedy and via the iconic Anne Beadell Highway through Emu bomb site, Volks Hill Corner, Cook, Eyre Highway Nullarbor, Ceduna, and back to Port Augusta. Part 2 will leave from Port Augusta and travel north to Maree, Birdsville, Poeppel Corner, the Hay River Track and Jervois. You can do either part or both.

Tues 4th SON OF TRIALS SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING: 8.00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. Come along and be part of the organising team for this major event. All members welcome!

Fri 7th to Mid North Coast Caravan Camping 4WD Show: Sun 9th Wauchope Showground, Beechwood Road - www.ruralscene.com.au/

Wed 12th GENERAL MEETING: Visitors Welcome! 8:00pm at the Veteran Car Club Hall, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock.

Sat 15th to NO DRIVER TRAINING THIS MONTH. Sun 16th The trainers are away on club trips.

TO BE CONFIRMED Sat 22nd to LAND WORKING BEE: Sun 23rd Help is needed with many of the projects happening down on our Land. Great camping and socialising.

Wed 26th COMMITTEE MEETING: Club Committee Meeting. 8.00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. All members welcome.

September 2015

Tues 1st SON OF TRIALS SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING: 8.00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. Come along and be part of the organising team for this major event. All members welcome!

Wed 9th GENERAL MEETING: Visitors Welcome! 8:00pm at the Veteran Car Club Hall, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock.

Fri 11th to Penrith Caravan Camping 4WD Show: Sun 13th Penrith Panthers - www.penrith.supershow.com.au/

Sat 12th to DRIVER TRAINING: Sun 13th The Club’s free Driver Training is open to all members. You must complete the Driver Training course before going on a Club trip.

Fri 18th to Orana Caravan Camping 4WD Show: Sun 20th Dubbo Showground - www.ruralscene.com.au/

Sat 19th to NSW School Holidays Sun 4th Oct

20 TO BE CONFIRMED Sat 19th to LAND WORKING BEE: Sun 20th Help is needed with many of the projects happening down on our Land. Great camping and socialising.

TO BE CONFIRMED Sun 20th Land Rover Club Expo: Castle Hill Showground - www.landroverexpo.com.au/

Wed 23rd COMMITTEE MEETING: Club Committee Meeting. 8.00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. All members welcome.

October 2015

Sat 3rd to Labour Day Weekend Mon 5th

Sat 3rd to LONG WEEKEND AT THE LAND: Mon 5th Enjoy a relaxing weekend with other members at the Club Land. Drive around the land during the day and see the local sites, have Saturday dinner at the Dog, watch a movie or two on Sunday

Sat 3rd to Willowglen 4x4 Challenge Mon 5th Tarago near Goulburn - www.tlcc.com.au

Sun 4th DAYLIGHT SAVINGS SPRING BEGINS FORWARD

Tue 6th SON OF TRIALS SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING: 8.00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. Come along and be part of the organising team for this major event. All members welcome!

Wed 14th GENERAL MEETING: Visitors Welcome! 8:00pm at the Veteran Car Club Hall, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock.

Fri 16th to 4WD & Adventure Show: Sun 18th Sydney Dragway, Eastern Creek - www.4wdshow.com.au/

Sat 17th to DRIVER TRAINING: Sun 18th The Club’s free Driver Training is open to all members. You must complete the Driver Training course before going on a Club trip.

TO BE CONFIRMED Sat 24th to LAND WORKING BEE: Sun 25th Help is needed with many of the projects happening down on our Land. Great camping and socialising.

Wed 28th COMMITTEE MEETING: Club Committee Meeting. 8.00pm at Greenacre Citizens Hall, 202 Waterloo Road, Greenacre. All members welcome.

TRIP LEADERS and NEW TRIPS

4WD trips are the heart of our Club and we need more trips and more Trip Leaders. Trips can be for a day, weekend or even longer.

If you've found a special place with great tracks, views, natural features, walks or a terrific camping spot then why not share it with like-minded friends from the Nissan Patrol 4WD Club who enjoy getting out into the bush as much as you do.

Alternatively, you could organise a non-4WD event such as a winery tour, river cruise, scenic walks around Sydney or to places of historic interest.

Cheers,

Murray R Trip Co-ordinator Nissan Patrol 4WD Club of NSW & ACT Inc.

BOOKING ON A CLUB TRIP

 You are required to book in on any Club trip you wish to attend by contacting the Trip Leader.

 Introduce yourself and discuss with them your vehicle capabilities and level of driving skills.

 Leave a contact number.

 You must reconfirm your participation in the trip a few days before departure.

 If you must cancel, contact the trip leader at the earliest possible time, so reserves can take your place and no-one is waiting for you where mobile phones don’t work.

23 TRIP CLASSIFICATION

This class of trip is considered to be extremely difficult. Participants will A have to be experienced at travelling over difficult terrain. Winching and/or towing will almost definitely be required. Participants will be required to bring along a certain amount of recovery equipment. The trip leader will have the right to reject a request from someone who is considered under- experienced.

B This type of trip is considered a moderate to difficult trip. Some winching and/or towing will almost certainly be required. Under extreme weather conditions this trip could develop into a Class “A” trip.

This classification is considered a moderate trip. Various sections of this C trip will require cautious driving in order to negotiate it, but in most circumstances, winching should not be necessary. Under extreme weather

conditions this trip could develop into a Class “B” trip.

D This trip is considered a relatively easy trip. It is unlikely that any winching and/or towing will be required.

E This trip is considered very easy with little or no four-wheel driving involved. This type of trip will usually consist of either an easy-to-get-to base camp or a series of scenic tours.

W Definitely, the most hideous of all trip classification, where you actually need to get out of your vehicle and walk to the desired destination.

UHF CB RADIO CHANNEL ALLOCATION USED FOR CHANNEL/S COMMENTS Calling 11 To call or locate another station. Parties then switch to a conversation (Established by law) channel. Conversations 9 Used for conversation between stations. 12-17 19-21 24-30 39 Highway 40 Mainly used by truck drivers and other highway users. Communications Caravaners, 18 Holiday Maker's communication channel. (eg when in convoy) Campers 4WDrivers 10 Used by 4WD enthusiasts, clubs, convoys and in national parks. Emergency Calling 5 Can be used by anyone in an emergency situation only. (Established by law) Repeaters 1-8 In duplex mode repeaters need two channels to work. Receives on 31-38 channels 1-8. Transmits on channels 31-38 automatically. When within range of a repeater, it will increase the communication difference. Operation in simplex mode on these channels is not permitted when in range of a repeater. Data Transmissions 22, 23 No voice transmissions allowed on these two channels. (Established by law)

24 CONVOY

PROCEDURE

For the benefit of new members and as a reminder to old members, convoy procedure on any NISSAN CLUB outing is as follows:

 The trip leader will ensure that the group on the outing is self-sufficient and should only call on outside bodies for assistance with recovery as a last resort.

 No driver will drive in a manner - or at a speed - that could endanger himself or any other person or vehicle.

 In hazardous areas it is the responsibility of the following driver to ensure that the previous vehicle has passed through the hazard before proceeding.

 It is the responsibility of all drivers to maintain (visual) contact with the following vehicle, especially at intersections.

 Persons leaving the convoy must notify the Trip Leader and, if possible, give details of their intentions.

 On trips including two or more vehicles, each vehicle will remain in a designated position in the convoy and not overtake the vehicle in front unless the driver of that vehicle slows down and signals the overtaking vehicle to pass.

 It is the responsibility of the Trip Leader to ensure that all drivers of all vehicles in the convoy are aware of any deviations in the route.

 No driver will park or drive in the reverse direction to the hazard of other vehicles.

 If a driver is trying to contact the rest of the group he will turn on his headlights. This is the signal for the rest of the drivers to stop.

 All gates must be left in the manner in which they are found. The second vehicle in the convoy must pull over and wait for all vehicles to pass and then rejoin the convoy after ensuring that the gate is left as it was found.

 When any form of recovery is in progress all those not directly involved in the rescue operations must keep well clear and at a safe distance. Parents are particularly asked to keep their children at a safe distance.

 The use of radio transmitters does not replace convoy procedure.

The trip leader will remind all drivers that convoy procedure should be followed before moving off.

4WD'ing Tips

for Dummies

Part Seven

STEEP DESCENTS

 If your 4WD has a turbo-timer, check how it operates and if an immediate override function is included. Practice how to stall with it, just in case.

 Driving down a steep descent requires a cool head and knowledge of how to handle your vehicle.

 Winching downhill is a safe but slow descent technique.

 Although it sounds a bit grim, if the going is really bad then you do need to have a fail-safe plan in your mind.

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26 Victorian High Country 22 to 30 November 2014

Trip Leader Stephen D - GU Patrol On the trip Ross M - GU Patrol Lydia B Lance M - GU Patrol Bob Di - Nissan Navara Slobodan & Dragana J - Toyota FJ Cruiser Chris C - GU Patrol Chris H - GU Patrol Mike L - GU Patrol

Saturday 22 November

At 8.30 am we set off for meeting place at Mansfield. Some of us had lunch at the Mansfield pub after getting some supplies and fuel. Chris Hind joined us and we set off at about 3pm for Sandy Flat camp ground. We took the Buckland Spur track, then Stringybark, with Tomahawk Hut and the Park gate was open. Then Evans Creek Track. A noteworthy sight was a rock sitting in a hole in a tree, 3-4 metres up. Some grader drivers had a sense of humour. Photo by Lydia

There are a number of camp sites at Sandy Flat so it’s worthwhile looking around for the site that suits you.

Photo by Steve D – Sandy Creek

Sunday 23 November. We were up early and heading for Howitt’s Hut via Craig’s Hut. We were off on time and we had a good laugh when over the radio came "just past the irrigation mound," (Oops, conservation mound). We were getting up high, because we heard another group talking, ' Bill’ [we had no Bill], but "Bill didn't answer. Craig's Hut

Morning Tea at Pineapple Flat. We crossed King River, quite a few times, till King Hut. Speculation Track; Mt Stirling Alpine Reserve. None of the tracks to Craig’s Hut presented any difficulties apart from drive up to the Hut which was a bit of fun.

27 Having lunch at Craig’s Hut saw us running a bit late so we expected we would only make it to Lovick’s Hut and not Howitt’s Hut.

Back on the Circuit Road and onto Lovick’s Hut. We set-up camp at Howitt’s Hut which for us was a great camp site. It can be a windy place but this time it was not.

Dinner over and drinking time started, we had a good fire. The Jovic’s brought out some exotic drinks from the home country which we tried and enjoyed.

Monday 24 November: As happened every morning, every eager body was ready early, but no, not till 9am. We had a photo stop at the "Man from Snowy River" Tree. King Billy track saw us avoiding fallen trees and rocks but nothing in the way of difficult climbs or descents. It was along this track that Chris Hind’s truck started to belch smoke from its exhaust pipe. Chris had to leave us and head south in the hope of getting the problem fixed and re-joining us at Dargo. This was not to happen as Chris had to head back home to get his truck fixed.

After lunch at Howitt’s Hut we headed down the Butcher Country Track. This track started with many bog holes some with side tracks (which were not to good) and many with no side track. After two bogs it was steep descents and climbs. I used my front locker a couple of times so I could proceed slowly up a couple of the hills. I think this was the best track we drove on this trip.

In the middle of nowhere I see a guy running toward me up a hill with a pack on his back and a large jug of water. It turned out he was heading off to get help after his mate had blown the clutch in is Patrol near Chester’s Hut on the New Caledonia Ross M getting through the mud. Track. We thought we might have to camp down Photo by Steve D there, to help him get out, but his father turned up to rescue him.

On the Bucher County Track it started to rain and did so until we set-up camp next to the McCallister River. This is a great spot to camp and would have been much better if it was not raining. The rain stopped once we got our tents up so we got a fire going. No swimming this time.

Tuesday 25 November We woke to a sunny day and I was requested to change the plan which meant not to drive up Dingo Hill which would have been a challenge when it’s wet. We took a transit leg to Licola, then another transit leg to the Pinnicles. Great views if you take the climb.

We then drove down Billy Goat Bluff Track. What a descent. It was very technical. A drive up this track would be a B track in my view. Anyway we all made it down without an issue.

Next was the very good dirt road to the Wonnangatta Camping Ground. On arrival at the camp ground we found Mike Latta had arrived. About an hour later Chris Chapman got there and now the group was complete (apart from Chris H). Most of us had a hot shower (the first in a few days) which was very welcome.

That night we drove into Dargo for dinner at the Pub.

Wednesday November 26th We stocked up at the Dargo Store and set off along the Crooked River Track with a morning- tea stop at Talbotville. Then another detour on the way to Grant township { a disappeared mining town}. We moved off to join Dargo High Plain road, Downey Rd

Downey Rd to Matheson Track with lunch at Harrison Cut, a man-made watercourse . Thankfully there was enough water coming though the pass to make it great.

The Birregun Crossing was a bit disappointing as there was not much water. But we made the most it.

Once across the river we were driving up Stock Route Track, Birregun Rd, Murdering Spur Track and onto Danes Track which none of us had driven before. It was a good drive with some great views. The drive into the camp site was good with a large bog hole which got your truck on a bit of an angle.

The Camm’s Top Place camp turned out to be a good one. Firewood around and some dense bush around the clearing. A few of the group had a look at the ruins up the road.

30 Thursday 27 November Back though the bog hole and onto the tracks to Crooked River. On the way along Danes Track, we came across a Heli Pad on the top of a hill. Great 360 degree views.

Left to Jones Road and Seldom Seen Hut where we had morning tea. Lazy dust on road and we weren't first car.

The Crooked River track did not disappoint with many interesting entrances, and exists on the river and many crossings. The other feature was a number of large bog holes to manage. We had lunch at nice spot near the river.

We aired up at Ensay. Thank you St Joseph's Catholic Church for the use we made of your facilities. We fuelled up at Swifts Creek at camped beside the Tambo River. Some people jumped in for a quick dip. A few people had tea at the Albion Hotel.

Friday November 28th A nippy morning. The hot showers were very welcome. Before heading off for the day we bought up at the bakery and General Store. Very welcome goods later in the morning.

We had to change to Channel 1, listening for Gravel Trucks. Again we had another detour which we regretted due to about half a day on lazy dust. Along Bentley's Plains Road we had morning tea at Moscow Villa Hut. Chris Chapman provided a wedding cake style birthday cake for Dragana's birthday ( I think it was for her). It was very rich.

We made our way along Native Cat Track. This was another first which I for one would not drive again. It was long and boring with the only thing to break up the trip on this track being fallen trees to drive around.

We camped at Native Dog Flat. We were very spread out and shared the spot with other campers. The Buchan River was very cold but as usual this was of our favourite camp site once the flies had gone to bed. We did see a couple of brumbies, but they kept their distance.

31 Saturday November 30 We set off 9.05 along Limestone Creek Track. We crossed the Buchan River a few times; then McCarthy Track to 'The Poplars'. These, once seen over the river were gone long ago. Nobody swam, it was shallow and very cold. Ross remarked we had done 700 kms since Mansfield. We changed plans and headed for Davies High Plains Rd. After a long climb, a bog hole where Bob Dobrinski got stuck, we stopped at Charlies Creek for lunch. Charlie's Creek Hut long gone. More climbing to Davies Plains and the Hut. Mike Latta produced a Frisbee and we had a good work-out. We came across Toyota Troup Carrier in trouble. They got all twisted up on a climb. Their tyre pressures were 40psi. After giving them advise on tyre pressures and how to get out of the mess they were in, we drove onto Tom Groggin and Dogman Hut, arriving at about 2.50 pm.

Some cars went partly up the way up Mt Pinnebar, while others swam in the Murray. A good fire and bed.

Sunday November 30 We left at 8.35 {home stretch}. We aired up on a flat stretch, stopped at Dead Horse Flat, and snow was visible on the high bits in the distance. We met up at Jindabyne, Nugget's Crossing of course for lunch. We broke up for our separate ways home.

By Stephen D.

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32 One Epic Day Trip 25 January 2015

Adventures for this trip are Harry (hey that’s me) Glen & Amanda plus Rhiannon & Kristy Brian & Dorothy Plus Catherine & Michelle Ray & Jeanette plus Brendan & Hayley Plus 3 Patrols & 1 Prado

Well I guess with a title like that I had better write one stonking epic trip report, telling all of you how our little band of adventuress (Hero’s) battled our way through flooded mountain roads, landslides, Gale force winds, driving rain, sleet and hail (Well there was no sleet or hail, I just added it to make it sound more EPIC), crazy suicidal wildlife that just wanted to jump out of the bush and give our 4x4’s a big hug, An encounter with a crazy Tractor driver & then, when we finally reach our destination we are confronted by a bunch of sword wielding Mexican Pirates.

I bet a few of you are thinking, what the hell, Mexican Pirates!!!!! Well maybe they weren’t real pirates. They probably weren’t even Mexicans. I can’t even confirm if there were any swords either, but they were definitely from south of the border, so that was good enough for me. Anyway more on these Victorians later. (Damit I just gave it away).

Well I suppose like all good stories I should start this from the very beginning. Billions & Billions of years ago, before the rocks came together to form our world there was an enormous cloud of gas in our little corner of the universe. Then One day it went KABOOOOM…….!!!!! Our SUN was born. This was a HUGE event that was Possibly bigger than the son of trials.. (Not by much though). This one event started the formation of our little solar system and….DAMIT!!!! I think maybe I might have gone back a little bit too far. Just let me start again.

This is how it really started. One day me and a few friends were sitting around a fire sipping a few sherbets when it was decided we needed another trip. Even if we could only get away for a day just to escape from our daily drudgery all the better.

So a day trip to Wombeyan caves plus a BBQ is organised. All we need to do now is pick a day, grab some fuel and supplies, plus few club members and off we go.

So now the big day for our trip is here and we are off on our adventure travelling down the Hume in a convoy of two Patrols on our way to meet up with some friends at the Douglas Park rest stop. You all know this place. It’s the place where they sell all the unripe fruit and veg plus the hard as rock Mangos. If they were painted red they would make pretty good cricket balls. Hhhmmmmmm……!!!!! Maybe I might get some Mangos for a cricket game someday.

So anyway here we are at the rest stop to meet our friends Brian & Dorothy plus their kids Catherine & Michelle. Not being club members they were travelling in some sort of foreign make of 4WD. I think they said it was a Prado. Well far be it for me to criticise what other people are driving, but at least my Patrol is made from local and imported ingredients (that was a little joke there).

Anyway, after our little stop, we are back on the road to reach our meeting point at Mittagong Markets at 8am. We always like to get there early so we can stock up on last minute supplies plus there is a Bakers Delight here. Fresh cheesy mite scrolls and a pie or two makes for a dam fine breakfast when you're travelling.

So now that we have all been fed and we still have about an hour to kill, we decided to go for a little walk to explore our surroundings when Glen makes the archaeological discovery of a lifetime in the car park. (Well maybe it wasn’t that big of a discovery. I’m just talking it up here). In the underground car park you can see the remains of the Fitzroy Iron Works that were found during the construction of the market. We spent about 30 minutes exploring down here reading all the info placards and taking lots pictures.

But we could not stay here for too long as we had to meet up with Ray & Jeanette and their kids Brendan & Haylee. So now all the Hero’s for this adventure have meet up it’s now time for us to continue on our way to the caves. It’s only a short drive from here to the start of the dirt where we can air down and engage 4 wheel drive.

Now this is where all the fun and exciting part of the epic trip starts………BUT I can’t tell you anymore of this EPIC day trip as I’m going to write this in 2 parts. One part for this issue and part 2 for the next issue. Hey it takes time to write an Epic story of this magnitude plus a few sherbets along way while I’m writing this. So it’s bye bye for now, but our band of hero’s will be back in PART TWO.

Special Feature

THE HISTORY OF THE NISSAN PATROL

Part Four

Fourth Generation Y60 1987–1997

The Y60 was radically different mechanically from its predecessors as it now had coil sprung suspension, the rear axle being on a five-link setup. Most models had a rear Limited slip differential and some variants had a vacuum or electric solenoid operated manual rear differential lock. The model now had rear disc brakes and some Y60s even had a PTO-driven front-mounted winch.

From 1988 to 1994, Ford Australia rebadged the Y60 (GQ) Patrol, as the Ford Maverick. This was a result of the Button car plan devised by the Government of Australia.

1988–1994 Ford Maverick 1988–1994 Ford Maverick 1995–1997 Nissan Patrol wagon (Australia) wagon (Australia) (GQ II) RX wagon

(Australia)

NATURE LOVER

Northern Territory State Flower STURT'S DESERT ROSE

Sturt's Desert Rose (Gossypium sturtianum) is a woody shrub, closely related to cultivated cotton, found in most mainland states of Australia and the Northern Territory. It has a life cycle of about 10 years, grows from 1–2 m tall and 1–2 m wide.

The colour of the petals can range from pale pink to dark purple to maroon. The five petals are arranged in a whorl and have a dark red centre. There is a small cotton spore in the centre of the flower. They can be seen for most of the year but peak in late winter. They are up to 12 cm in diameter. The leaves are different shades of green, round and strongly scented when crushed.

There are two variations of the Sturt's Desert Rose. Variation nandewarense is found only in north-eastern New South Wales (around Narrabri) and the Expedition Range in central Queensland. The more common variation, sturtianum, is found everywhere else.

The Sturt's Desert Rose is found in sandy and gravelly soils, along dry creek beds, watercourses, gorges and rocky slopes. This means that it must be able to store and conserve water.

Sturt's Desert Rose contains the substance gossypol. Gossypol is toxic to all non-ruminant (cud-chewing) animals. This means the shrub has less chance of being eaten.

The Sturt's Desert Rose was discovered by Charles Sturt in 1844-45. In 1947, James Hamlyn Willis gave the shrub its current botanical name. It is not considered to be at risk in the wild. The Sturt's Desert Rose is the floral emblem of the Northern Territory and appears in stylised form on the official flag. It is also known as the Darling River Rose, Cotton Rosebush and Australian Cotton.

Down The Track

A look at 4WD Tracks Around Australia

GIBB RIVER ROAD, WA

The Gibb River Road is a former cattle route that stretches almost 660 kms through The Kimberley between the Western Australian town of Derby and the Kununurra and Wyndham junction of the Great Northern Highway. It is named after geologist and explorer Andrew Gibb Maitland. The Gibb River Road is one of the two major roads which dissect the Kimberley region— the other being the extreme northern section of Great Northern Highway which runs further to the south.

The road is often closed due to flooding during the wet season, which is typically November through March, although delayed openings have been known to happen, frustrating the tourism industry as well as locals who rely on the road. Since the mid-2000s, the road has been upgraded to a formed gravel two-lane road including bitumen sections, but 4WD vehicles are still recommended.

The Gibb River Road has scenic views of geological formations and natural scenery, aboriginal and pastoral history, as well as rare and unique fauna and flora. Attractions along the Road include Windjana Gorge National Park, Tunnel Creek National Park, Adcock Gorge, Manning Gorge, Galvans Gorge, Lennard Gorge, Bell Gorge, and King Leopold Ranges.

Accommodation is offered by several cattle stations in the area including Mount Hart Wilderness Lodge, Mount Barnett Station, Mount Elizabeth Station, Drysdale River Station, the El Questro Station, Ellenbrae and Charnley River Station.

From 1948, an Air Beef Scheme operated between Glenroy Station and Wyndham. An abattoir, freezing works, and airstrip were built on the station and the meat air-freighted twice a day to the coast before being shipped to the southern cities.

To develop the beef industry further, a Commonwealth Government grant to build a road was given in 1949 and the following year construction of a road to Derby commenced, one of a number of roads built as part of the so-called "Beef Roads Scheme". This southern section, which is sometimes referred to as the Derby-Gibb River Road, was completed in 1956 at a cost of £713,677 and was used for trucking live cattle.

The northern section of the road was under the control of the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley until 1996 when Main Roads Western Australia took over control and upgraded the full length of the highway.

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Thanks to Susan for sending this in.

UP THE CREEK

A quick look at some of the great camp sites by our beautiful waterways

ILLAROO CAMPGROUND

The spacious Illaroo campground is split in two parts – north and south – and offers 60 campsites just a hop, skip and a jump from the beach.

Arrive early to nab a shady caravan site overlooking the Pacific Ocean and coastline. Lovely walks, including the Angophora Grove walk, are nearby and the beach offers an endless array of options – from fishing to swimming to snorkelling. If you’re into canoeing try the nearby and stunning Wooli River and fishing boats can be launched Wooli River from Minnie Water. In fact, it’s almost too easy to while away your days in this idyllic spot – you’ll never want to leave.

Wooli and Grafton are easily accessible if you find you need supplies while camping in this remote area.

Number of campsites: 60

Types of camping: Caravan site, Camper trailer site, Camping beside my vehicle, Don't mind a short walk to tent.

Fees: Vehicle entry fee: $7 per vehicle per day. Please note vehicle entry fees are not included in your accommodation or camping fees. Purchase at the local office or buy an annual pass on the NPWS website.

Camping fees: General camping area (north and south sections): $10 per adult per night. $5 per child per night. Child rates apply for children aged 5-15 years only. Infants aged 0-4 years are free of charge. Camping by the beach

Wheelchair access: Medium Assistance may be required to access this area

Facilities:  Gas/electric barbecues (free)  Wood barbecues  Drinking water  Picnic tables  Non-flush toilets  Trackhead/access point  Fire rings (firewood supplied)

You should know:  Please note that bookings are not available for the general area of Illaroo campground. The general area operates on a first in-first served basis so it’s a good idea to arrive early in the day, particularly during summer.

 Illaroo group camping area, is a separate area which can be booked online.

 Firewood is supplied for fireplaces on a user-pays basis  Strong rips and currents may be present at the beach – take care in the water and please supervise children at all times  A current NSW recreational fishing licence is required when fishing in all waters  Check the weather before you set out as the road to Illaroo campground can become boggy when it rains  The northern and southern parts of the campground are separated by a small depression which becomes a creek in heavy rain  You can access the beach with your 4WD

Getting there: Illaroo campground is in the Minnie Water precinct of Yuraygir National Park. To get there from Grafton, drive approximately 12km southwest on the Pacific Highway. Turn left at Eight Mile Lane. Follow Eight Mile Lane as it becomes Wolli Rd (keep right) for another 28km and turn left at left at Minnie Water Road. Continue for about 7km and turn left at Sandon Road. The campground will be ahead in just over a kilometre.

A-Z of NSW

National Parks

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

CASCADE NATIONAL PARK

Cascade National Park is a magical environment. Made up of temperate and subtropical rainforest, its 3,700 hectares are home to plants and wildlife of all kinds. The elegant lyrebird lives here, as do several types of rare frogs who inhabit the forest leaf litter.

A great day trip from Coffs Harbour, visitors usually begin at the village of Cascade, at the park’s centre. From there, you can go walking and cycling along trails through the rich rainforest environment, go car touring or bird-watching, or view the historic remains of the logging tramways.

The natural beauty of Cascade National Park is sure to inspire and charm the entire family, so pack a picnic and spread out a blanket for a relaxing day out.

History revealed At the beginning of the 20th century, all over Dorrigo Plateau, the land was being opened up for dairy farming and cropping. Soon after, red cedar and hoop pine were targeted by loggers. A rail line was opened in 1924 to Glenreagh, and a network of tramlines carried timber from the forests to the mills at Cascade. The four lines in Cascade National Park and nearby Nymboi– Binderay and Dorrigo National Parks are of heritage significance, and today the relics of the past logging life can Moonpar Forest be seen around Cascade village and on Moonpar Forest drive.

Adventures galore There’s a full range of adventures, from the gentle to the more active, in Cascade National Park. For those who like mountain biking, there’s Cascade ride. All ages can enjoy walking beneath the ancient trees on either Box Ridge or Mobong tracks. There’s also a driving route that traverses both Cascade and the southern reaches of Nymboi–Binderay National Park. Bring your binoculars for bird-watching, and a picnic for refuelling. Mobong Track

A natural palette of colours Cascade National Park combines warm temperate and subtropical rainforest filled with coachwood, crab apple, booyong and even hoop pine. Antarctic beech can also be found within its boundaries. In December, Dorrigo waratah blooms, showing off its spectacular red flowers. In the wet eucalypt forests, brush box, tallowwood and Sydney blue gums flourish.

Dorrigo Waratah

Wildlife abound

Lyrebird Brush Turkey Bowerbird Wompoo Fruit Dove The rainforest here teems with birds and animals both day and night. During daylight hours, be as still as possible and watch out for the beautiful lyrebird, brush turkeys, bowerbirds and other rainforest species. Look closely for the brightly feathered wompoo fruit dove – its green plumage blends with the luscious forest canopy. Wallabies can be seen early and late in the day. Rare species including sphagnum and pouched frogs, spotted-tailed quolls and red-legged pademelons also call Cascade National Park home.

Sphagmun Frog Pouched Frog Spotted Tail Quoll Red Legged Pademelon

Guided tours give you a fantastic insight into the unexpected delights of the park. Developed and led by specialist Discovery rangers, these fun activities will teach you more about the environment which surrounds you, and about the history that created it.

Cascade National Park is always open, however it may have to be closed at times due to bad weather or fire danger. There is no camping in the park.

TOP TIP: Spider Repellent

Spiders hate peppermint.

Add 10 drops of peppermint oil with 1 cup of water into a spray bottle. Spray around doors, windows or any place where spiders like to hide. Add a few more drops of oil for a stronger repellent.

FOR SALE Item: 1971 VW Beetle Karmann Convertible Description: ALL ORIGINAL 1.8 litre, 4 speed manual, Alloy wheels Colour: Metallic Green (Hot House Green) Extra Spare Parts: Dual Webber Carby, Plus other mechanical & internal parts. No rego, Some rust, Needs some work & a little love. Would be perfect for the newly retired. Price: $5,500 ono Location: Wetherill Park Call: Jason (not a club member) 0421 284 793 Or [email protected]

FOR SALE Pictures Item: 3/4 Length Steel Roof Rack Description: Unknown Generic Brand Currently set to fit GU Patrol, but can be adjusted to fit similar size vehicle. Comes with all mounting brackets,

bolts & rubber feet. Has inbuilt wind deflector, pre-drilled holes for spot light & aerial mount, + homemade PVC tube for tent poles or fishing rods. Max dimensions: 2210mm L x 1250mm W x 315 mm H Weight Approx 40-50 kgs.

Good condition - a little surface rust. Price: $250 Location: Mt Kuring-gai (Pick up only) Call: Brett 0416 057 175 OR [email protected]

If you would like to place something on the Noticeboard, contact Tania at [email protected]

WANTED WANTED Item: Long Range Fuel Tank Item: Rock sliders With: Main and/or auxiliary With: To suit GQ 1993 To suit GQ RB30 1993 Will do the km to pick up Will do the km to pick up outside of Sydney. outside of Sydney.

Call Cyrille 0400 341 526 Call Cyrille 0400 341 526 Or [email protected] Or [email protected]

FOR SALE FOR SALE Item: 85 Litre Sub Tank Item: 7 seat set Description: From a 2008 GU Patrol ST Description: a full set of 7 seats to fit a Used but in good condition. Patrol Series 1 & 2, 1998 on. No longer needed Reasonable condition, grey material. as it has been replaced. Front seats complete with runners. Does NOT include sender as this was Pick up or can deliver close by. transferred to the new tank. Price: $600 ono Price: $200 ono Location: Penrith Location: Gosford Call: Brian 0411 045 596 Call: Graham 0413 172 040 Or [email protected]

FOR SALE FOR SALE Item: 3 x Daihatsu Hubcaps Item: Rear Doors - white Description: Brand New Description: 2 rear doors (set) 13" to suit Daihatsu Sirion to suit Bought as spares for $70 each 2005 Nissan GU Patrol Never Used Pick up or Deliver Price: $100 Price: $10 each OR 3 for $20 Location: Location: Bossley Park Call: Marcel 0418 269 603 Call: Iro 0418 664 655 Or [email protected]

If you would like to place something on the Noticeboard, contact Tania at [email protected]

44 CAMPING CHECKLIST SAFETY COLD FOODS COOKING, ETC PERSONAL First Aid kit Water Stove & stand Daywear Torch & Batteries Milk-Powder/long life Gas cylinders (full) Sleepwear Portable Radio Sauces – Tomato, BBQ BBQ plate Swimwear & towel Maps Butter / Margarine BBQ tools Footwear Compass Cold cuts Matches / lighter Rainwear / Jacket EPIRB Meats Frying pan Underwear GPS Vegetables Saucepans & lids Sunglasses Spare Batteries Fruit Plates & Bowls Reading glasses Eggs Mugs / cups Hat Drinks Glasses TENT Cutlery Tents & Poles Vegetable peeler TOILETRIES Pegs & Guy ropes DRY FOOD Can opener Medication Spare pegs / guy ropes Tea, Coffee, Sugar Corkscrew Salt water soap Ground sheet / tarp Salt & Pepper Sharp knife (Sm & L) Tooth brush & paste Tent fly Flour –Plain/Self Raising Mixing bowl Hair brush & Comb Mallet Cooking Oil Tongs / Spatula Deodorant Seam sealer Vegemite Cutting board Shampoo & Conditioner Tent repair kit Peanut Butter Portable fridge Mirror Rake Tin Food Drink container Bath towel Broom / dustpan Breakfast Cereal Flask Face washer Door mat for tent Snacks Washing container Shaver Dishwashing liquid Shower cap Plate drying rack Cosmetics BEDDING MISCELLANEOUS Tea towels Sunscreen Sleeping bags Portable toilet Insect repellent Sleep bag inner sheets Portable shower Toilet paper Air Mattress Portable wash machine Tissues Camp beds Laundry detergent Pillows Rechargeable light ENTERTAINMENT Portable clothes line Recharging Cables Pegs Phone FURNITURE Daypack Camera, Film & Batteries Camp table Sewing kit Binoculars Chairs Garbage bags Card games Camp cupboard Duct Tape Books Camp wardrobe Bucket Pens, pencils, paper Kitchen table Small shovel Fishing gear Axe Insect Spray