2014 08 August

MANUKAU 4WD CLUB MAGAZINE August 2014

Quad Torque

www.manukau4wd.org.nz

This issue ♦Presidents Report 3 ♦Club Vehicle Standards 11

♦Trip Schedule 4 ♦Brass Monkey Trip 14

♦Captain's Corner 5 ♦Woodhill Roster 28

♦Onewhero Farm Trip 6 ♦Club Discounts 34

Contacts EDITORS NOTES

President Bernie Konz Wk (09) 236 6857 Hi Everyone Ah (09) 236 6856 Treasurer Colin (Charlie) A couple of great stories this month Browne and some amazing photos for the (09) 238 7298 Brass Monkey trip. Too many to be able to get them all in but I hope you Secretary Joy Browne enjoy the ones I have picked. (09) 238 7298 Thanks to Bernhard Kuepper for Club Captain Peter (The Shoe) sharing his photography skills with Haigh us. And to Joy of course for the (09) 236 3393 mammoth story writing effort…. Not Scrutineer to diminish Jeremy D’s story and pics either as he becomes a regular Gavin Campbell (09) 2947111 author for our mag… Well done to

all… :-) Committee Members Now I think I need some assistance Richard Eyres (09) 238 9838 and wonder if my family of readers (new members officer) may be able to help me. You will Owen Dwyer 021 622096 see from the president’s report that Glen Raymond Bernie and Craig and Pete have Gavin Campbell (09) 2947111 been up to their usual antics again… What should I do with them? The Mike Gibson 021 888870 best advice that is sent in will be Dave Brown 021 610307 published next month. Anthony Sharpe 021 02348351 Take care… Jenny Magazine Editor Jenny Konz (09) 236 6856 Email [email protected] Website Hans Rector (09) 238 6491 E mail [email protected] Club Rep Northern Zone NZ4WD Tony Burgess (09) 298 3194

Page 2 Quad Torque Presidents Report

Well I'm cutting and burning less wood this month; does that mean winter is on its way out, I hope so... Over the last month or so there has been "chat" about how we could get together with our neighbours i.e. Counties 4x4 club, with different ideas floated most of which abandoned due to the need for finer weather, access and clashing dates. Well finally, we have decided on a 4x4 time trials event largely set up by Counties club with Manukau supplying the venue, this is mostly a social event with some 4 wheel driving, a chance to blow some cobwebs off your truck and also the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of these state of the art Rally trucks and their owners topped off with a BBQ. All vehicles will be welcome, keep an eye out for late September. Also last month, there was discussion at committee level on winch challenge class rules and which version to run with, north or south island, with both views put forward andFree at the end of the day a unanimous decision to stay with the status quo.

You will also find in this issue the draft proposal for club vehicle scrutineering due to be implementedOffer later this year, please read carefully, not that a tremendous amount will change for most of us. The idea was born for 2 reasons, one was for safety issues the other to help out trip leaders.

Lastly, last month I travelled along with Craig Brassey to Christchurch for the "Cust winch challenge" in support of Pete and Nathan, seems neither Craig or myself could get coordinated enough to even arrive at the same time which meant Pete had to make the 40-50 km drive to the airport twice in the space of an hour and a half, seems it was all my fault (probably cause I'm the smallest and young- est... you know how it goes) anyway, a chance to see how these south island guys operate. I have to say; from a spec-takers point of view, very early after lunch it became evident; all Pete and Nathan had to do was keep it together and finish and they were in with a good result.... it was no surprise at prize giving to see them in 1st place.... excellent result, well done. All three of us at least managed the same flight home with Pete cheaping out on the baggage booking and having to ride off the back of myself to get his gear home, plus a misplaced "sneeze" saw me with a cold 3 days after getting home, the high- light of the return flight was upon landing; the look on Craig's face when the air hostess put on a pair of rubber gloves , he obviously thought it was going to be his lucky day and said as much, the only problem with that was, the air hostess also heard it, her "you wish" reply was awesome Bernie

August 2014 Page 3 Planned Trips

Remember to partake in any trip you must contact the trip leader and register your interest as numbers may be limited and a lack of numbers may result in the trip being cancelled. The weather may also dictate last minute changes. Full details of the trips can be found when you logon to the website.

MINIMUM GEAR TO BE CARRIED ON ALL CLUB RUNS Tow Hooks Front and Rear Spade First Aid Kit Nylon Rope / Strop Fire Extinguisher

Page 4 Quad Torque

Captain’s Corner

July was a big month for me and my Co driver Nathan as we went all the way down to Christchurch and competed in the second series of the mainland South Island Winch Competition. The location was Cust about 30 km north west of Christchurch This event was a lot different to Nelson where we only had about four winches in the whole event. On the first stage at Cust we had four winches and all the rest of the stages had at least three winches each. Well we thought by the end of the day after 30 plus winches and half of them anchor winches we had done pretty well as we had finished all the stages with no DNFs and the Cherokee was still all in one piece apart from a ding in the left rear pillar and a lost plywood window. We were in quite anticipation as we fronted up to the price giving that we might be in the money and we achieved FIRST place in the Outlaw class This was our finest performance as we beet some serious south island competition and this is the first ever first for the Shoe racing team. Thank you Nathan for a magnificent effort on the end of the winch rope. Thank you to Nathans wife, Jo and daughters Alexis and Jessica who keep us feed and watered and thanks to our support crew Bernie and Craig who flew down to Christchurch and gave us serious encourage- ment. Coming up we have Mike Gibson is taking a trip to Porters road down near Rotorua on August 23 Saturday Aug 30 Woodhill patrol Sunday August 31 Woodhill patrol. Also we are going to have a club trip to Woodhill on the same day Book with Peter Yates September 21 st We are going to have a combined Manukau and Counties 4wd time trial event. Two classes With WOF and Rego and Without WOF and Rego. We have found a new location at Patumahoe for this event. We have set a firm date of October 17 & 18 for this years winch competition. Last year Manukau got more entries than all other North Island winch competitions combined so please keep these dates free as we will need you. Take Care out there Peter Haigh

August 2014 Page 5 Onewhero Farm Trek

During the July club meeting Dave talked about the Onewhero trek coming up. A number of questions were asked and the answers given and many people were keen to go. As the conversation started to change subject Dave mentioned just quietly ".....oh, and mud tyres could be handy...... " I didn't consciously think too much of it at the time but not long after the start of the day I found out exactly what he meant! We grouped at a layby on the left just over the Tuakau bridge and signed onto the trek. About 15 trucks made their way to the farm which is down a very windy one lane road on the east side of the Onewhero village. The weather was not too bad al- though showers were forecast on the day. We gath- ered at the bottom of the hill just short of the cattle stop to air down and have the briefing. Dave asked if there was anyone new to 4WDing and three of us put our hands up. I have done a few treks with the club however mud is something I have not experienced yet. We were paired up with experienced drivers and Annette and I followed Rob and Martina for the morning. A long slippery uphill was the first challenge for the day. We slipped and slided to the base of the grade and made a right turn to start. Surprisingly the climb itself was tricky but not as bad as I thought it might be so we made it to the top ok. Most vehicles made it ok with only a new Toyota double cab with roadish tyres needing a bit of help as the turn was cutting up with each vehicle going through. At the briefing Dave explained that hill would dictate how the rest of the day would go and we were all very happy to make it to the top. From there we made our way northish and stopped at a fence line on a ridge. Dave used the trek to scout out new stages for the winch challenge to be held on this property in October. A couple of good spots were sighted but the terrain is just too difficult to allow access. We started off again with the sun breaking through the clouds and the temperature rising. This was a good thing as it gave the uphill a chance to dry a little as we had to get back down it again!! However everyone made the downhill with no problems and we stopped back at the cattle stop for a cuppa.

Page 6 Quad Torque Next on the list was a track following a stream bed about a kilometre long lead- ing to the clubhouse. This track was very slippery and lots of fun. At the end of it a long off camber climb started to take us up to the corner of the paddock. We parked near the top and watched everyone having a great time sliding around and trying different lines to get to the top. It became quite difficult but all managed the climb eventually. A Landrover County got to the top but started a slide just as it got to the parking area and drifted into the front of Mark's Suzuki. There was the sound of a crunch and breaking glass as the County lost it's headlight and bent up it's bumper and right front guard. The Suzuki was hit in the winch and did not look like it suf- fered too much damage. Just a bit of bad luck but nobody got hurt so that was good. Four Can Am offroaders were also on the property and were having great fun zipping up and down the hills that the bigger vehicles could not make. They are very nimble and have a good power to weight ratio. Lunch at the clubhouse was next and we drove back down the off camber and turned left and climbed up to get to it. Those that have never been there before took a look at the facilities. It has kitchen amenities, toilet, and a wood burner, all under a large covered area. The basic requirements for a comfortable stay during the Xmas holidays! All of that and a great view as well. Dave was keen to look at a part of the farm he had never been to before with the intention of scouting more winch challenge stages. We drove back down along the track next to the stream and headed up to a gate on our left. A few winches and tows were required here and eventually all trucks made the climb. Crossing the paddock took us behind the farmhouse and led to a stream crossing that turned out to be much trickier than it looked. It was basically a right hand turn through a shallow muddy dip and a gentle climb up an off camber track about 25 metres long. A number of trucks including mine required assistance through this part and those drivers with lead jandals faired best of all. Paul got his Safari well off the track and using his winch attached to a perfectly placed tree (and with some advice from Dave) drove the truck back up onto the track. The winch cable was retracted but the truck was still at an angle to the track and the left front wheel was partly up the bank. Paul adopted the lead jan- dal technique and flew up the rest of it no problem at all. It took a while and with help given and Phil winching with his Hilux all vehicles made it to the top. The group moved off to explore more of the paddock but it was decided to head back as the going was getting tougher and time kept marching on.

August 2014 Page 7 This meant going back down the same tricky bit we had just been through. Mark suggested a bit more speed was required to go back down that plan worked very well. Eve- ryone had great fun sliding all over the place and the Safaris had only 3 wheels on the track at times but they managed to hang on to the end. Less trucks got stuck this time but the drive of the day had to be the Toy- ota double cab. He picked the perfect line, had the perfect speed, and perfectly cor- rected the slides as he came out of the dip and down to the parking area. It probably took him only 10 seconds to do the whole section and all the spectators gave him a round of applause. He made it look very easy. After that it was one more climb to head back to the cattle stop and pump up the tyres for the drive home. This climb cut up quite quickly and a few trucks required a winch to the top. A great day on a fantastic property with some new drivers along and lots of practice at winching and towing thrown in. Some people had not used their winches before and were happy to have tried the gear out. The weather had held out well all day with only very light rain occasionally. The sun was out as we had a coffee and a few laughs with other truckers. Just as vehicles were leaving we heard a small crunch. Mark's Suzuki had stored some of the kinetic energy from the incident with the County earlier in the day and uncom- manded it leapt backwards and hit a open gate end on. Well that's how I remember it any anyway! Haha! The GPS said we only did about 6kms but most speedos would read about 30kms I reckon...... lot's of wheel spin and heaps of fun!

Thanks to Dave, Owen, Rob, and Martina for an excellent day. We will definitely be going to the farm again.

Page 8 Quad Torque August 2014 Page 9 APEX Auto Centre The Brake and Cable Specialists

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Page 10 Quad Torque

New truck heading for the club, Glenn Oughton is the proud owner

Winch Rope for Sale Plasma winch rope—Competition Grade 7mm —$9.00 per metre, 9mm — $13.50 per metre Colin Browne (09) 238 7298 any length

August 2014 Page 11 Club Vehicle Standards As you will be aware, we are a safety conscious club. To that end, in order to promote safety and the smooth running of Club trips, the club has always had minimum requirements in regards of vehicle standards and a list of equipment to be carried on club trips. To this end, vehicles must be mechanically sound and suitably equipped for off road driving in the conditions expected to be encountered during a trip Those of you who regularly read the ‘Presidents Report’ page may recall that in the June magazine Bernie made mention of the committee mulling over making some changes to the club scrutineering system. You may also recall I ended up with the short straw to come up with a suitable scheme. Currently the club rules specify minimum requirements for vehicles, including equipment to be carried. There is usually mention of these minimal requirements in each magazine. Scrutineering should take place prior to every trip. The reality is that given the size of the club and the number of vehicles attending each run, it is not practical to check every vehicle. There have also been instances recently of vehicles not having the right equipment, or in one case being potentially unsafe as a forged hook had been welded onto a bull bar bracket – which is a big no-no from a metallur- gical point of view. Off road recovery, particularly when ‘snatching’ can involve considerable force, and a recovery point becoming detached from a vehicle during a recovery is a fast moving missile, with potentially lethal results. A flying snatch strap on its own can also cause considerable damage, or injury, even to the extent of being lethal. In recent years there have been prosecutions following recreational injuries where the authorities have considered that foreseeable risks have been poorly managed or overlooked. As a consequence of this, the committee have deemed it necessary to introduce a more formal and structured system of checking and confirming that vehicles comply with the club requirements and are suitable for the trips undertaken. A quick straw poll of NZFWDA affiliated 4WD clubs across the country shows that a growing number of clubs have gone or are going down the same route, and have intro- duced or are in the process of introducing more formal inspection regimes. Some clubs have had such schemes in place for several years. The basic concept is that in order to take part in a club trip vehicles would have to have been checked and a suitable sticker displayed, providing quick visual confirmation to both the trip leader and other trip participants that the vehicle has met the requirements. Effectively ‘no sticker, no trip’. The vehicle and equipment checks have two main objectives: To help all participants on a trip by providing a quick visual confirmation that the vehicle meets the minimum requirements and is suitably equipped in advance of the trip; and to assist trip leaders who may not feel qualified to undertake checks.

August 2014 Page 12 Current thinking within the committee is that there will be two stickers, currently thought of as ‘green’ and ‘red’. The ‘green’ sticker would signify the vehicle is suitable for trips grade 1 and 2 trips where there is a lower likelihood of getting seriously stuck; typically this would in- clude vehicles close to ‘showroom’ standard. The ‘red’ sticker would signify the vehicle is suitable for harder trips (grade 3 and up); typically some vehicle modifications would be required. As always, the trip leader could specify additional requirements as appropriate. There would also be provision for visitors and prospective new members to allow participation in the lower grade trips. The intention is there would be one or more ‘inspection days’ per year, likely to be combined with another event, possibly social or training. It would also be possible to arrange checks by prior arrangement before a trip or at another time agreed by the inspector and vehicle owner. Vehicles that meet the required minimum standards at the time of the check would be identified with an appropriate sticker. The sticker would be valid for a period of 1 year. The check would be purely visual, and would cover such things as recovery points and equipment. It is proposed that inspectors would be appointed by the committee and be selected from members who are suitably experienced mechanics/engineers. Inspections would be ‘visual’ to check that at the time of inspection the vehicle meets the standards and carries the required equipment with no obvious deficiencies, but would not be able to guarantee it is safe. At all times of course the onus for safety would still rest solely on the owner/driver to ensure his/her vehicle and equipment is safe and maintained in good working condition at all times, complies with any applicable legislation for where the vehicle is being used, meets the standards required by the club rules and is suitable for the expected conditions. Inspections (inc vehicle reg + grade) would be recorded on a club database. If you want some further background reading on the topic, there is some good information regarding recovery points etc. to be found on the CCVC (Wellington) website (www.ccvc.org.nz – navigate to the ‘Trips’ tab, then the ‘Equipment required on trips’ tab, there is also some information on tow hooks and snatch recoveries) and the LROCA website ( www.lroca.org.nz – navigate to the ‘FAQ’ tab, then ‘Equipping your Land Rover’ tab). Anyway, that’s enough from me – let me or any of the committee know what you think, all comments and feedback is welcome and will be taken into account. Thanks, Richard.

Page 13 Quad Torque NEW ZEALAND FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ASSOCIA- TION - BRASS MONKEY TRIP Organised by John Mc Donald – Southern Zone PRO Officer.

As secretary of Manukau Four Wheel Drive Club, I receive emails regarding safaris, trips and various items relating to 4x4 stuff. All go to Jenny for inclusion in our club magazine. I checked my emails on a mid morning, saw Brass Monkey NZ 4x4 Assn. trip and had a look. Rang John that night to put our names down tentatively, he had 3 places left, I booked there and then! 24 hours 20 trucks had booked. He allowed 25 as many were happy to share accommodation facilities.

SUNDAY 29 TH JUNE: All met at Rakaia Gorge Camping Ground at 9.00 AM. The usual briefing etc. It was a clear day, but COLD. 9.15 AM headed off to Glenthorne Station, our accommodation for the next 3 nights. 3 different locations. First stop Lower Glenthorne Station (ex Ryton Station, as Ryton Station has been bought by Glenthorne and is now known as Lower Glenthorne). Next stop Upper Glenthorne, where Charlie and I were. Converted shearers accommodation, surrounded by the homestead, woolshed and general farm buildings. Third stop is known as “The Retreat”. It’s the former accommodation/sheds etc. of Harper River Field Service, now part of Glenthorne Sta- tion. This is a 20 minute trip from our accommodation through a padlocked gate which John had the key to. The evening meals were organised by the 3 different locations. Our night was the last, Tuesday. Those staying at the Retreat got a bum deal. Rough as gutz, yet the same price as where we were staying, and ours was a home away from home. After all the accommodation was sorted, all met at the padlocked gate and were given a briefing by the station managers, the owner of Glenthorne is a Pom who lives in Singapore. We arrived at The Retreat at lunchtime.

At 1.15 PM all departed for Harper and Avoca Rivers. Took awhile to find a safe crossing. First river to cross was the Avoca. John led and waited for the party to cross. One vehicle left up Avoca, one vehicle right to the Harper. We went up Harper. Tomorrow this would be reversed. Charlie

August 2014 Page 14 and I had done this trip on the former Station To Station 4x4 Trip, which some of our club members have done. Travelled left up Harper, but there were many difficult crossings, which took time. The river was running high, and many vehicles needed assistance. Arrived at 4.10 PM. to where no vehicles can travel further. This is also the track to Hamilton Hut – DOC hut. Time did not per- mit the 30 minute return walk. Some took the time to have a quick cuppa but did not dally as it was 1 and half hours back to The Retreat When our group arrived back at the Retreat some of the Canterbury, Mid Canterbury and Ashburton 4x4 Club members had come in and started dinner. John knew this and had not padlocked gate. After a great dinner those staying at other accommodation locations headed off.

MONDAY 30 TH JUNE: Heavy rain during the night. Morning dawned fine, but much cloud around the tops. Very COLD. The mountains all have a light dusting of snow. Winter is late coming to the high country. Led by John, who is with us at Upper Glenthorne all parties met at the Retreat 9.00 AM. Today, our party is travelling up the Avoca River. All good and we arrive at Basins Hut at 9.45 AM DOC Hut, 6 bunk, built 1974. 800m. altitude. The hut is situated on a plateau amongst beech forest. It’s a picturesque sight. Charlie and I read the hut book. Majority of users are hunters. Smoko time. Situated across the river is the old hut, known as Back Basins Hut – built 1957 – 6 bunk. Departed Ba- sins Hut 11.30 AM heading left up Avoca. Went ¾ hour up this wide terraced river flat. A wide grassed terrace was used in the 1950’s as a meat hunters airstrip. The weather has deteriorated from showery to heavy, steady rain. Not good. The Avoca has already started changing colour, which indicated heavy rain in the alps. John made the call to turn back, as visibility not good. This was ¾ hour from leaving hut. Periodically the cloud cover lifted from the tops to reveal a new light dusting of snow. It was 3.30 PM in dreadful weather when our group assembled at the Retreat. Word came through that the Harper River group were in strife. They were plagued by mechanical issues with vehicles, but one vehicle, a Landrover was in serious trou- ble in the deteriorating weather and Harper River was rising. Some confirmed it had risen by 2 metres. Some of our group crossed the rising Avoca to meet the party and offer assistance if needed. It wasn’t. All did get safely across and all met at Up- per Page 15 Quad Torque Glenthorne for dinner. This is the A+ of accommodation. This group put on a roast chicken dinner with apple/ apricot pie and ice cream.! Gordy had his guitar so a sing -a-long whilst dinner was being prepared. Great night. NOTE: The Landrover had broken a tie rod end and Paul Curin, who is something to do with a Toyota dealership/ salesperson volunteered to go to Christchurch to source new part which he successfully accomplished and back over the river to get the Landrover mobile. Towing wasn’t an option due to the bouldery terrain and dodgy river crossings

TUESDAY 1 ST JULY: Breakfast is provided each morning as is all the salad stuff/bread/butter/wrap to make sandwiches. All met at “our place” at 9.00 AM for usual briefing. Clear, sunny weather and COLD. De- parted 9.30, half hour late as a 4 door new Jeep Rubicon was having computer trou- bles – the red light came on. A check revealed nothing amiss, so Kevin, the owner carried on. The farm track went through the back paddocks of Glenthorne heading for the Wilberforce River. Travel was upwards to come out on a high plateau. Left across the river is Mt. Algidus Station. It was an unforgettable sight looking at the braided Wilberforce River heading off to the alps way out ahead. Snow capped mountains each side of the river made for an awesome sight. Made our way down to the river travelling up the true right of the river (Glenthorne Station). An hour later saw us at Fanghill Hut which is on Glenthorne Station. Musterers Hut. Great condition. This 6 bunk hut dates back to 1936. It is available to all. Charlie and I took time to read the Hut Book. Mostly hunters seeking thar and chamois, and trampers use as base to climb up Browning Pass. Some return, some go on to tramp the 3 Pass Tramp. Departed 11.20 AM continued to travel up the river making for Urqhuarts Hut. Mid- day temp outside: 3 deg. COLD. Lunch was on a grassy plateau where the Burnet River meets the Wilberforce. 1.40 PM continued up Wilberforce River. 7 trucks turned back. After 20 minutes the going got very gnarly, and the Wilberforce was running quite high. 2.00 PM in the interests of safety John made the call to turn back. John mentioned August 2014 Page 16 that many Summer trips don’t get to the Urqhuart Hut. Probably a good hours travel if we had continued. About three quarters of an hour later on our way back, our group came to the first group who had gone back and things didn’t look good. A Jeep Wrangler had the bon- net up! Never a good look. The Jeep had died. It was going nowhere. Lucky though, they were near the entrance to the Glenthorne paddocks. Murray Taylor in his long wheel base Nissan Patrol towed the Jeep back to their camp, Lower Glen- thorne and there it stayed for the rest of the trip. NOTE: Paul Curin to the rescue. Paul was with us on the ferry and as salesman or whatever for Toyota, he was driving a Toyota 4x4 Landcruiser to deliver to a cus- tomer, and as such had his long wheel base Nissan Patrol on his tandem. He organised from I don’t know where for the owners of the dead Jeep, Gordy and Norma a replacement vehicle – a fairly new flat deck Toyota Landcruiser, for their use so they didn’t miss the rest of the trip. It gets better! On his tandem he would take their Jeep to Hamilton, I think, though they live in Whangamata. (Whangamata 4x4 Club). Paul got a round of applause at dinner that night. 4x4 people helping 4x4 people. It was our groups turn to prepare dinner. Kevin, the Jeep Rubicon owner, was not impressed with his Jeep “Its nothing but a heap of shit”. (He left the trip a few days before the finish, he was going home to give his Jeep a lift kit, and I think there were other issues he wanted to deal with as his Jeep didn’t perform that great). WEDNESDAY 2 ND JULY: Its snowing!. Yep, and it’s a great sight. Met the Upper Glenthorne party at the padlocked gate at 9.00 AM. The Retreat party were to meet us at the entrance to the Harper River, as they were travelling towards us. The programme had to be altered due to the snow, so Greg Carroll (Otago Recreational 4x4 Club), who grew up in the high country was the guide for today. For those in Manukau who have done Station To Station Trip this will be familiar, as it’s the ex Ryton Station tracks that we travelled over. The station manager had graciously consented to allow us on these tracks.

10.15 AM in snow we had morning tea at Lake Monck. Air temp outside – minus 1 degree. COLD. Didn’t dally too long and at 10.30 left for Mt. Olympus. Parked at “The Plateau”. By now it was snowing heavy. We couldn’t travel further, as appar- ently there was some obstacle on the road. Five and half ks further to top of skifield, which is now all but redundant due to lack of facilities. It was closed when we vis- ited. Onto Lake Ida. Everywhere was white. Lake Ida is now owned by Glenthorne, and is closed to the public. The entrance gate is padlocked. Ice skating is now a thing of the past as in the last few years the winters have not been cold enough to freeze over. An awesome sight as the snow on the spruce/pines and other trees looks like a picture postcard. The group headed back to Upper Glenthorne for lunch. After lunch all head to Methven to fuel up and onto Mt. Potts, our accommodation for the remainder of the trip. At about 1.00 PM it stopped snowing, and cleared to a Page 17 Quad Torque sunny, fine afternoon. COLD. Charlie and I take this opportunity to head to Whitecliffs to visit a dear friend we havnt seen for yonks. Whitecliffs is a small settlement near Glen Tunnel, near the Ra- kaia River. The drive from Glen- thorne to Whitecliffs with the snow down to low levels on the sur- rounding high country stations and the trees was the stuff of picture postcards. At 3.30 PM we left Whitecliffs and headed off to Methven to fuel up, onto Mt. Somers where the turnoff to Mt Potts is. A long drive passing through Hakatere Stn which is now DOC Conservation land, the stations original buildings are DOC maintained and open to the public. Through Lake Clearwater, a settlement with holiday cribs, Mt. Possession which is now closed to all 4x4 bikes and 4x4 vehicles due to 4x4 vehicles abusing the privilege of using their tracks to access Harper Skating Rink. Ap- parently these lowlifes left the designated tracks and drove over fragile environment with rare plants, so the manager closed it off. Yeah, don’t you get sick of hearing about this sort of behaviour? Charlie and I arrived at Mt. Potts about 5.30 PM. Dinner is at 7.00 PM. The dinner was an absolute disgrace. I guess we are on a set menu but, what they served up did them no favours at all for their PR. No kiwi staff here. Even the manager is a Pom! This is what we got: Plate of mushroom soup with bread and butter. Dollop of mashed spud, tablespoon green beans, two slices of pork. No dessert. No tea/ coffee.

THURSDAY 3 RD JULY: At 8.30 AM it was minus 5.4 degrees. COLD. Breakfast. Shearers and continen- tal breakfast. They redeemed themselves! Departed Mt. Potts Station 9.15 AM after briefing and turned right at gate onto the metal road that leads into Erewhon Station. This is public access to the rivers. Travelled through the station to the Clyde River flats. This trip up the river was tough, bouldery with gnarly river crossings. Crystal clear weather. Travelled up for about an hour, veered right onto the Lawrence River and wide flat grassed terraces. Erewhon Station is on both sides of the rivers, and as yet, has not gone through tenure review. A good covering of snow on the mountains. The travelling got a lot easier with less boulders to negotiate. It was 12.30 when we arrived at Erewhon Station Musterers Hut, situated on wide grassy plateau in a frigid August 2014 Page 18 position below the mountains, would never see the sun in Winter. Snow all around, most of us seeking a place in the sun for lunch. COLD. The station hut was open but too cold to stay inside for lunch. Departed 1.30 PM continued to travel up the Lawrence River. Drove up onto a grassy plateau, nestled under the mountain was the Lawrence Hut. DOC – 6 bunk, excellent condition. Oh no, not again, down on the flats the Landrover had the bon- net up! Yep, tie rod problems again. While a group stayed there to help get the Lan- drover sorted, Charlie and I went and read the hut book. Majority of users are hunters after thar which some of the group saw, and chamois. Trampers climbing Whitcombe Pass/Butler Saddle route use this hut. The Landrover got going ok but that group decided to turn back whilst the rest of us carried onto Hermitage Hut. Arrived 1 hour after leaving Lawrence Hut. Better travel over grassy plateaus. Hermitage Hut is a musterers hut owned by Ere- whon Station and was padlocked. This is where the 4x4 travel finishes. John told me no- one has gone further in his 4x4 club, as the going gets really tough, but thought probably keen 4x4 could go a bit further before the mountains close in. Had afternoon tea, and another vehicle needed assistance, a short wheel base Toyota Prado had a broken shock ab- sorber bolt. Hermitage Hut is situated in the lee of the mountains, so very sheltered, looking up the river towards the mountains. The grass/tussock hanging over a fast flowing creek had ice crystals dripping off it in various shapes. On a possible camp- site nearby frost was still on the ground. The air was COLD. Left Hermitage Hut 2.30 PM. Back through the paddock with the Clydesdale horses. Most of us just had to stop and pull out tussock/grasses to feed these friendly giants who had come down to the fence. I would think that most visitors would do this, as these horses seem to know they are going to get some fresh greens. Arrived back at Mt. Potts 4.35 PM. Dinner 7.00 PM was a great feed. Wonder if John said something!!! NOTE: Erewhon Station is now a tourist destination, as well as farming. They breed clydesdales horses for purchase and movies/tv etc. They are used on the station as working horses and tourist wagon rides.

Page 19 Quad Torque FRIDAY 4 TH JULY: Dawned fine, with high cloud around the mountains. This was the easy day of the trip. Left 10.00 AM for Mt. Sunday, which is now famous for Lord Of The Rings – Erodas - The Two Towers. Most of the group went for the 45 minute return walk. DOC administered, as it passes through Mt. Potts Station. Nothing remains on the top of the mountain of the set. It was completely dismantled. There are great views from the top. A perfect nor’west arch over the Rangitata River. Lunch back at Mt. Potts Station. 12.30 – 3.00 PM free time. Our cabin looks directly up at Mt. Potts, which is covered in snow. There is a walk to the top, starting further down the road towards Erewhon Station. Administed by DOC as it crosses private land. Must have been gale force winds up on the top as snow was blown off. At 3.00 PM, Matt, the farm manager takes us for a walk up the hill to the generator plant. Mt Potts has no power, and is totally reliant upon generators, which during our stay did cause problems. There is an emergency generator on standby. The weather has cleared, but the wind is galeforce. Mt. Potts has gone through tenure review, and of the original 26,000 odd acres it is now 3,000 acres, and to make it a viable station they own a large area on the flats by the Rangitata River. The station is owned by a Russian, who lives in Russia! But, to his credit he has done a heap of work/maintenance to make this station profit- able. When bought it was run down. Matt has been station manager for 12 years. The old woolshed is now a restaurant. Our accommodation used to be shearers quarters. The station is fenced for deer farming, with all the appropriate shedding. A few beef. As well as farming, tourism is now been plied, with helipad. The station in general does not attract New Zealand clientele, and the staff had difficulty coping with us and our Kiwi traditions. Upon returning at the end of the day, there was no tea/coffee station and had to ask at the bar for a cuppa. They thought that most odd, but not as odd as our lot wandering into the kitchen early in the mornings to fill their thermos! Char- lie was asked to leave! He and the others didn’t, and their thermos were filled, thanks to Matt, who knew the NZ way of doing things. They did get used to us and our culture by the time we left. Matt rode shotgun in John’s vehicle for a tour of the station. Good travel up the station tracks until started climbing onto the tops. These tracks obviously had not been used for a long time as they were rutted, gnarly and hard. Probably now retired as tenure review has taken a good percentage of the tops. We were high enough for

August 2014 Page 20 great views. A dust storm blowing down the Rangitata River. Snow on the Two Thumb Range across Rangitata River. A VX Landcruiser got seriously stuck in the ruts. He had to be winched out. This took some time. It was about 5.15 PM when all mobile, but in fading light we all turned back.

SATURDAY, 5 TH JULY: Another crystal clear day in the high country. COLD. Departed 9.15 AM after briefing. Back through Erewhon Station, over the Clyde River to congregate on a grassy terrace. About 15 minute walk to an old woolshed. 3 of us went and checked it out. Dilapidated. The accommodation was once a caravan, now home to the wild- life. Today’s travel was up the Havelock River Valley. Wide grassy terraced valley. Good travel for most of the way, but the track peters out on the flats on a few occa- sions and did take time to find at times. Morning tea in the scrub. NOTE: After we left the grassy plateau by the woolshed, our direction of travel turned RIGHT up the Havelock River. Travelling up: On the right: Erewhon Sta- tion. On the left: Mesopotamia Station, known locally as “Messy”. Arrived 12.30 PM at Mistake Flat Hut. 6 bunk. Excellent condition. A few hunters and their dog in residence. Hut is situated in a sheltered lee beneath the mountains. A stunning day and stunning views. From the door of the hut the view is straight up to Mt. D’Archiac covered in snow and against a clear blue sky, and the green beech forest……it is just awesome, it really doesn’t get any better than this. Lunchtime. Placed our chairs in the sun looking straight up at the mountains. COLD. Charlie and I went in and read the Hut Book. Many hunters. Thar and chamois. Climbers use this as a base to climb Mt. D’Archiac.

At 1.30 PM departed to travel further up the Havelock River. Many decided not to continue and turned back. The travel for our party got really tough. Many large boulders and washouts to negotiate. Our poor Patrol!. Upon looking back down river, quite a few were struggling with the river crossings, and terrain. They turned back to meet up with the other party who had turned back at lunch time. NOTE: At no time during this trip would John allow a vehicle to turn back solo if they indicated that they did not wish to continue. They had to go back with at least 3 vehicles, or park in a sheltered spot until the main group returned. This of course in a harsh and often hostile environment with dodgy river crossings was all in one word SAFETY.

I couldn’t believe it!. 4 trucks: John, us, and 2 trucks from Canterbury 4x4 Club who had come for the day made it as far as 4x4 trucks could go. Across the river was St. Winifreds Hut. It was 2.15 PM. We could not get across the serious washouts to the hut, nestled in the lee of the mountains on a grassy plateau. A bivvy was across a side river, which was also undriveable. It would be our group estimated a good half hour walk one way to the hut, and because of the time decided not to go with that idea, as we still had to negotiate our way back over difficult terrain. The

Page 21 Quad Torque vehicles were: John in his short wheel base Prado, us in our Patrol, Nigel from Can- terbury 4x4 Club in a short wheel base Mitsi Pajero, and husband and wife (Jim & Sandy) from Ashburton in a flat deck fairly new Landrover. Jim has done climbing in this area, and was a mine of information where all the mountains led to. For us all this time surrounded by the mountains was quite special, Charlie’s driving skills over difficult terrain was one thing, but our truck, our short wheel base Patrol was awesome. No damage. We sustained no damage on this trip. In fact, no vehicles did. But mechanical issues………….well that was another thing!. John was chuffed that no vehicles sustained any panel damage. 2.30 PM the 4 trucks departed to negotiate way home. Up on a plateau was a hut. Curtis Memorial Hut. (no idea who he was as there was no info in hut). DOC. 4 bunk. New hut book but all indications are that it is used mainly by hunters. Excel- lent condition. It is quite hidden in a sheltered position beneath the mountains. Straight across the river was the Mistake Flat Hut. I guess that this river must get uncrossable at times hence two huts opposite each other. Further down the valley we invesitagate a “shed of sorts”. It’s a hunters camp for sure. We have caught up with some of the second group who turned back. They negotiated the river, they did- n’t know about us travelling on the grassy plateau thanks to Jim, as we made good travelling time. This group leave as we arrive. On the way back, we bypassed Messy Station’s Growler Hut which has an air strip now. The hut is tucked up in a sheltered position beneath the mountains on our right, and this would mean that we would have to cross the Havelock River. No mean feat. The original hut has long gone and is now a concrete job. The original hut was made famous in Peter Newton’s books on his time as a high country mus- terer on Messy Station in the 1930/40’s. era. It was quite a drive up to this hut, and getting out to Mt. Potts in daylight was an issue as no-one was keen to negotiate this type of terrain in darkness.

Not long after leaving the hunters camp and crossing the Havelock River as that was where the track led, our group of 4 has lost contact with Roger and Karen (Nor’West 4x4 Club) in their long wheel base Nissan Patrol. They should be with the group that left the hunters camp as our group of 4 arrived. John called a halt to our group of 4. We needed to ascertain their where- abouts. A bit of radio work involved but all good they are with their group. The batteries on their hand held had died. The don’t have any other means of commu- nication. Later on Roger didn’t think that this was a

August 2014 Page 22 problem. Yeah right, most of us don’t agree. The environment in which we have travelled today is frigid everyone needs to be accounted for, like, let someone in your group know your batteries on your hand held have died and you don’t have replacements with you. All parties arrive in dusk at Mr. Potts. Dinner 7.00 PM. It’s the final dinner and Gordy of the dead Jeep Wrangler has been nominated to be the speech maker, ideal as he is a real estate agent! John is pre- sented with a gift and card signed by all participants. All agreed that it was a brilliantly organised trip, no issues with the convoy rule, all looked out for each other. John, a man of few words replied that we were a great bunch to have on his trip and that he enjoyed every minute as much as all the participants did. Matt was thanked for being so generous with his time to show us the station, and for being so willing to help with any issues that arose. 4x4 people are welcome at any time on Mt Potts. A great night of fellowship.

SUNDAY, 6 th JULY: Last day. There is definitely a hint of sadness as we have had heaps of laughs over the week. The whole group gelled and that made for a great trip. 9.00 AM last briefing. We have been joined today by members of the Canterbury 4x4 Clubs. Mi- nus 5. COLD. Another crystal clear fine day. Departed at 9.15 AM, left out the gate back towards the Potts River. Just before the river bridge, we turned right onto the Mt. Potts Station river flats. At the end of the flats the Potts River joins the Rangitata. Our direction of travel was upriver. Morning tea was on a grassy plateau looking straight across the river to Messy Stn outbuildings, and out in the direction of travel upriver - Ben Mc Leod range of mountains. We placed our chairs to look down river at the snow covered mountains up the Erewhon Valley rivers. Awesome sight. Departed 11.00 AM and it soon became obvious we were not going to get to our lunch spot – Harper Skating Rink. The Rangitata had flooded the river flats not too long Continued on page 26

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Manukau Four Wheel Drive Club Presents the Rosehill College, 4 Wheel Drive Safari 2014, Sunday 2 nd November 2014

The Rosehill College Fundraising Safari is on Sunday 2 nd November 2014 This is a unique opportunity to visit the south coast of the Manukau harbor, an area that is normally off limits to the public while enjoying your 4WD vehicle in its natural environment. This area has never before been open to the public and the trip is unlikely to be repeated. The event is a fund raising event to raise funds to help send a group of Rose- hill College students on a World Challenge expedition to Vietnam in December 2014.

The Safari will start 30Km south of the center of Auckland and will follow a route through several farms, along the beach, paddocks, bush, mud, some tracks specially built for this event. Parts of the route are below the high tide mark on a hard surface. Historical information and activities for the kids will be provided on route. The route will be suitable for all high clearance 4WD vehicles with optional more challenging sections for more capable vehicles and drivers.

Numbers are limited. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Further information including exact starting point and time will be supplied when your entry is received.

Costs $ 85.00. Per vehicle (Including morning tea) Entrants who are not members of a New Zealand Four Wheel Drive Association (NZFWDA) affiliated club will be required to become a day member of Manukau 4 Wheel Drive Club and pay the day member fee of $5.00 in addition to the safari fee.

Make cheques payable to “ Manukau 4 Wheel Drive Club” . or direct credit to 12-3016-0449316-00 ( Manukau Four Wheel Drive club)

For more details Contact or Tony Burgess 09 298 3194 or 0274792636 or email [email protected]

Return Entry form to [email protected] or

Rosehill College Four Wheel Drive Safari, 22A Gills Ave Papakura 2110

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Page 25 Quad Torque ago, to the degree too many vehicles were getting stuck and needed assistance. Mud, glorious mud everywhere. The Rangitata was running fast and high, and no safe place could be found to cross. Bit of a shame as this is now the only driveable access to the Harper Skating Rink. Not used for something like 40 years it was the place to go in its glory days. I think there is walking access through Mt. Possession Station. Backtracked to our morning tea spot to have lunch. Arrived back at Mt. Potts river bridge 1.00 PM ish. It was time to say goodbye to all, and thank John for an unforgettable time in the South Island High Country. VEHICLES: Nissans 6 Jeeps 4 Toyotas 12 Landrovers 3

CASUALTY LIST: Day 1 Hilux Surf - CV Day 2 Landrover Defender. Broken tie rod end Day 3 Jeep Wrangler – transmission. Jeep Rubicon – electrical problems. Day 4 Nissan Safari – clutch plate Day 5 Landrover Defender (same Landrover as Day 2) – broken drag link Day 6 Nil Day 7 Nil Joy Browne

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August 2014 Page 27 2014 Woodhill 4x4 Adventure Park Safety Patrol Roster

The park is open to the public from 10.00am to 5.00pm and club members should arrive between 9.30 – 9.45am and expect to get away after 5.00pm. However should a member of the public fail to check out club members are expected to search for them. Require 4 trucks each day and 2 must have winches, fire extinguishers, tow hooks and PRS a must. This is a good opportunity to test your off-road driving skills and find out vehicles capability in a safe environment and all for free. Member to register with the Clubs Woodhill co-ordinator

Page 28 Quad Torque CRAIG BRASSEY Ph: 027 4815211 www.2upwinchadaptors.co.nz

PageAugust 29 2014 QuadPage Torque 29

THOMPSONS TRACK NOTICE This is to inform the Association that Thompson Track Road between Kati- kati BOP and Te Aroha Hauraki Plains will be closed to through traffic for logging operations from the 1st of August 2014 for up to 3 months. However, emergency access through the logging site will be maintained. Access to the Summit from the Katikati side and for 6km from the Te Aroha side will not be affected. A traffic management plan has been submitted to the Mata- mata Piako District Council. Would you please pass this information onto the affiliated clubs in the North Island. Thanks Keith Davenport Operations Manager

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AugustPage 32 2014 QuadQuadPage Torque Torque 32 CLUB GEAR AVAILABLE—see Gav

Polo shirts with club logo 35.00 Vests with club logo 40.00 Jacket with logo 50.00 Singlet's 25.00 Caps 15.00

AugustAugust 2014 2014 PagePage 33 33 Club Member Discounts

IVECO Trucks offer a discount of 30%-50% to all Club Members on all parts including but not limited to Oil Filters, Trailer Lights, Batteries, CRC Products, Fan Belts, Car Stereos etc. 21 Vogel Drive, Wiri, Manukau Ph: (09) 262 2200 Email: [email protected]

Auckland 4X4 The helpful people at Auckland 4X4 give a 5% discount on all ARB products and 10% n all Auto Electrical products. 35 East Street, Papakura Ph: (09) 298 2595 web: http://www.autoelec.co.nz/

COOKES Varying discount on products. Suppliers of Snatchmas- ter Strops, Tree Protectors etc. Must produce Cooks Club Discount card. See Stu Keat for more information. 6-10 Greenmount Drive, East Tamaki, Auckland Ph: (09) 274 4299 web: http://www.cookes.co.nz/home

Tyre Shop Pukekohe , Discount on tyres and alignments to Club Members. Ask for Jane or Dean Ph: (09) 238 3543

NZ 4WD Parts and Accessories 15% discount of parts and accessories to Club Members. Hours are Mon-Fri 8:30am to 5:00pm. Unit 1, 46 Hobill Avenue, Manukau City Ph: 0800 287278 web: http://www.4wd.co.nz

Page 34 Quad Torque Club Member Discounts

PUKEKOHE HOSE & CONNECTORS (2005) LTD 10% Discount on Hydraulic Hose and Fitting to Club Members 83 Manukau Road, Pukekohe Ph: (09) 238 4001 Fax: (09) 238 4118 email: [email protected]

NZ 4X4 Equipment 2006 Ltd Discounts on all stock. Hamilton Ph: 0800 493493 web: http://www.nz4x4.co.nz Nic Fong

Bearing Spot Manukau Discount offered to Club Members on all Bearing and Oil Seal purchases. Unit 20/69 Wiri Station Road, Manukau Ph: Steve (09) 263 0953 Hours Mon to Fri 8:00am to 5:00pm Saturday 10:00am to 1:00pm

Manukau 4WD Club 7mm Dynex Dux winch rope Ph: Colin Browne (09) 238 7298

If anyone has any other club discounters please let the editor know so their details can be published in the next magazine

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