Paddy’s Ranges State Park is a small gem tucked away in the heart of the Victorian Goldfields. The park owes its name to an Irish miner by the name of Paddy who lived in the area in the 1800s.
This feature was originally published in 4×4 Australia’s August 2012 issue
Today, it is a great place for a family getaway with plenty of walking tracks to explore and goldmining relics to discover.
Bush camping is the only option for accommodation and the signs along the Karri Track make it easy to find the large campground. The flat, grassy area is a camper’s dream but beware the prodigious march flies and mosquitos which attacked us as soon as we stepped out of the 4X4. Five-year-old Chantelle was given the job of chasing the little critters away, with the $2 fly-swatter we’d brought coming in very handy.
Facilities are limited to a long-drop toilet and a small rainwater tank but camping is free. The site is ideal for kids as it has heaps of space to play or ride a bike without annoying your next-door neighbours.
The short, well-signposted drive to the Settling Ponds picnic area is a must-do. Here you’ll find tables, a toilet and wood barbecues, although you must bring your own firewood. A walking track winds through the forest and information boards along the route provide interesting details about the history of the park.
The diggers’ holes tell of a long-gone era. Back in the 1800s, more than 25,000 people flocked to these goldfields to try their luck. In its heyday, the gold escort took out more than 8000 ounces of gold a week. The kids had a closer look at the holes but gold was nowhere to be found.
If you’re keen to fossick, there are designated areas within the park where you are allowed to prospect. You’ll need to buy a Miner’s Right and obtain a map at the Coiltek Gold Centre in Maryborough (www.coiltek.com.au).
At the end of the track, the old dam is a reminder of the eucalyptus oil distillery that worked here in the early 1900s. The oil was made by steaming the leaves in a large vat, then condensing the vapour and drawing the oil from the resultant liquid.
From the picnic area it is a quick trip to the Ballarat-Maryborough Road and the Goldfields Reservoir is just down the road on the right. The reservoir was built in 1862 as a water supply for Maryborough but today it is used for recreation. It is also a beautiful spot for a picnic lunch.
Maryborough’s heritage buildings are testament to the town’s rich past. The impressive post office was built in 1877 in typical Victorian style, while Maryborough railway station dates back to the 1890s and now houses the Antique Emporium.
Up on Bristol Hill, the Pioneer Memorial Tower stands 905m above sea level and is a fantastic place from which to watch a sunset. From here it’s an easy 5km drive back to the campground.
We enjoyed four wonderful days in Paddy’s Ranges. We were treated to beautiful weather, breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, and had lots of fun. We didn’t find any gold but the memories made are much more precious.
Travel Planner
GETTING THERE Paddy’s Ranges State Park is 170km north-west of Melbourne, just south of the town of Maryborough.
CAMPING Karri Track camping area has toilets and fireplaces. No fees apply.
WHAT TO BRING Take along your bush shower and bring drinking water. Fuel and groceries are available in Maryborough.
MAPS AND GUIDES Paddys Ranges State Park Visitor Guide. Contact Parks Victoria on 13 19 63 or visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au.
Stokes National Park lies on the south-east coast of Western Australia, a short hop from Esperance. As it offers ocean and estuary waterways, the park is popular for fishing, swimming, boating, birdwatching, walking and camping.
This feature was originally published in 4×4 Australia’s March 2012 issue
Stokes Inlet can often be closed to the sea – a trait common with estuaries of the area – but as one of the largest and deepest, it manages to retain water and the associated wildlife.
There are a number of picturesque campgrounds in the park offering broad appeal. At just 6km off the South Coast Highway via the gravel Stokes Inlet Road, Benwenerup campground (33 49 02S, 121 08 59E) offers the best facilities.
Campsites are cut into the scrub, offering privacy and level plots, some with inlet views. Other facilities include a covered camp kitchen with sink, gas cookers and picnic tables, hybrid drop toilets and rubbish bins.
The campground has only been open for 12 months or so, with everything looking fresh and new. Camp hosts help manage the campground in peak periods, gathering camp fees and distributing information. Continuing along Stokes Inlet Road, the park reaches the day use area, facing the inlet. A covered shelter with gas cookers is provided.
The area owes its history to pastoral holdings and mining interests. Stokes Inlet was named after John Lort Stokes, a friend of Surveyor-General John Septimus Roe. Alexander and John Moir established a homestead near the eastern shore of the inlet and grazed sheep through the coastal vegetation.
They shipped their wool from nearby Fanny Cove, together with sandalwood from the surrounding country. The cove was later used by miners on their way to the Dundas and Norseman goldfields. The naked limestone walls of Moir homestead stand within the national park to this day.
To access the eastern side of the inlet, either cross by boat or backtrack to the South Coast Highway (33 46 00S, 121 08 08E) and enter via Farrells Road, 16km further east (33 44 18S, 121 17 55E).
Turn right at Farrells Road and continue for 7km. Engage four-wheel drive and reduce tyre pressures for the run down to Fanny Cove. Turn right at Fanny Cove track (33 47 55S, 121 17 54E), which meanders through soft sand towards the coastline.
After 14km, turn right to the Moir homestead ruins (33 50 20S, 121 10 47E). The homestead is fenced off because of the potentially unstable nature of the walls without a supporting roof. A walking trail leads down past the ruins.
Backtracking to the road junction, turn right towards the Fanny Cove campground (33 51 20S, 121 11 33E), a further 2km down the sandy track. Fanny Cove is popular with boaties, with some reasonably large, dual-axle rigs frequenting the area. Keep that in mind as you traverse the soft, sandy track en route to the beach – particularly approaching the blind bends.
For those that enjoy the tranquillity of a coastal campsite, Stokes NP and in particular Benwenerup campground is hard to go past as either a cosy weekender or an overnight stop as part of a much bigger trip along the untouched west coast.
Travel Planner
WHERE Stokes National Park is around 80km west of Esperance, WA.
PERMITS AND ACCESS Park entry is $11 per vehicle.
CAMPING Benwenerup campsite: Gas barbecues, camp kitchen, picnic tables, toilet, walking tracks, boat launching. 2WD accessible. $7 per adult per night ($2 child). Fanny Cove campsite: Gas barbecues, toilet, walking tracks and boat launching. 4X4 only. No camp fees. Shoal Cape campsite: Toilet and walking tracks. 4X4 only. No camp fees. Skippy Rock campsite: Gas barbecues, picnic tables, toilet, walking tracks and boat launching. 4X4 only. No camp fees. For further details contact the DEC Esperance on 08 9083 2100 or see dec.wa.gov.au.
BEST TIME TO VISIT Spring to autumn.
WHAT TO TAKE Insect repellent, water, fishing gear, binoculars, recovery gear, canoe, walking shoes, bird book, air compressor and tyre pressure gauge.
SUPPLIES The closest main town for supplies and repairs is Esperance, otherwise Munglinup, 30km west of the park, can provide most basic requirements.
TRIP STANDARD Easy to medium. The beaches and coastal tracks can be very soft. Reduce tyre pressures and drive to the conditions.
MAPS AND GUIDES VMS iTOPO Zone51 South HEMA Goldfields, Esperance & the Southern Coast of WA.
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WHEN a car company of the stature of Mercedes-Benz joins the fray in the competitive world of one-tonne utes, you need to sit up and take notice.
After all, Mercedes-Benz can trace its history back to 1886 and the world’s first petrol-powered car – the Benz Patent-Motorwagen – and is rightly considered the father of the global automotive industry. Today Mercedes-Benz produces everything from long-haul heavy-duty trucks to the world’s most successful F1 cars, which stand at the very pinnacle of motorsport technological sophistication.
Given this background it may come as some surprise that Mercedes-Benz has based its new X-Class ute on the Nissan Navara and not designed an all-new ute from the ground up. This decision is more a commercial one rather than one based purely on engineering, and it saved Benz several years in getting a ute to market. Obviously someone at the top said: “We want a ute and we want it fast.”
Why Navara you may well ask? Well, the simple fact of the matter is that Mercedes-Benz has a strategic co-operation strategy (and an equity sharing arrangement) with the Renault-Nissan Alliance that dates back to 2010. The idea is to share in the development of new powertrains and vehicle platforms, so the Navara was the logical (and, realistically, the only) choice.
Now you might think Benz simply whacked a three-pointed star on the Navara and was done, but nothing could be further from the truth, as the X-Class has been re-engineered from the ground up. Most notably the ladder frame has been strengthened with extra cross bracing, the front and rear tracks widened, the suspension retuned, a new wider body and tub fitted, and a new interior added.
Benz engineers have also gone to great lengths to improve the NVH so as to give the X-Class the feel of quality and refinement you’d expect of a Benz. The X-Class also features automatic emergency braking, a first in this class and a reflection of Benz’s peerless history in automotive safety.
Some components such as the doors look to be the same as the Navara, so there’s some similarity in profile between the Nissan and Benz. The Navara’s Renault-sourced 2.3-litre four-cylinder engines (both single and bi-turbo versions) and six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic gearboxes have also been carried over.
So does the X-Class feel much different to drive from the Navara? Yes, very different.
It’s far quieter and feels more surefooted yet at the same time has a more supple and compliant ride. Aside from some similarity in the engine’s response and feel, you wouldn’t know the Benz is based on the Nissan.
And if you’re not happy with that, in a few months down the track the X-Class will be offered with a Benz 3.0-litre V6 diesel and dual-range full-time 4×4. Yes, it will be more expensive, but it will also be unique as you can’t currently get this combination of mechanical features anywhere else.
Still unhappy? Well, wait another five years or so for a second-generation X-Class that, by all reports, will be a Benz from the ground up and could well be based on the new G-Wagen platform. No doubt Benz engineers are already working on it.
DATES have been set for the second annual Mount Hunter Country Music Stampede, with the event running from October 12-14. 2018.
The three-day festival will bring live music and festivities to the K Ranch Arena, located just 50 minutes’ drive from Sydney Airport.
The idea for the Stampede was conceived by K Ranch owner, Mick Kearney, following a visit to a ranch in Texas. Upon return, he spent five years building his vision within Mount Hunter’s 400 acres. K Ranch now hosts live music, private functions and corporate events.
The 2018 Stampede will feature live music from the following world-wide artists: Christie Lamb, Jasmine Rae, Drew McAlister, Adam Harvey and Adam Brand.
As well listening to the tunes of award-winning artists, there’ll also be events featuring traditional cowboy skills, as well as an equestrian competition on K Ranch’s internationally recognised equestrian area.
There’s no tent-camping available for the 2018 Stampede, but ticket holders are encouraged to stay on-site in their caravan or camper trailer. Those without caravans and camper trailers can roll out a swag in one of the 3x3m stables, for $30 per night. Attendees are required to bring all the necessary equipment.
Tickets for the 2018 Mount Hunter Country Music Stampede are available now. Punters who pre-buy tickets online with save a pretty penny, as prices will be more expensive at the gate.
Website: www.countrymusicstampede.com Prices: Start from $25 (plus booking fee)
THE Victorian High Country has a rich and diverse history, dating back to the time of gold exploration and the days of the early cattlemen who worked in the Alps.
It’s a history that can be explored in a 4×4 vehicle by modern adventurers looking to learn more about the area’s heritage.
Join 4X4 Australia’s Ron Moon as he leads a party of off-road industry leaders through the heart of the High Country, visiting some of the old mining sites that remain scattered throughout the mountains. He’ll also recall tales of the hardships those early mountain men faced.
Linked together by some of the best 4×4 tracks Australia has to offer, this is a trip that both thrills and informs.
In Episode 3, we’ll track from the iconic Dargo Hotel right up to Mount Stirling. Don’t miss it.
LDV’s strategy to position its T60 ute at the budget end of Australia’s burgeoning ute market has paid off, with the brand seeing a 155.6 per cent year-on-year increase in sales, driven largely by sales of its T60 4×4 ute.
According to July 2018 VFACTS data, the Chinese vehicle manufacturer has sold 1557 examples of the T60 4×4 ute so far this year, which constitutes 46.5 per cent of the brand’s total year-to-date sales. A total of 270 sales in July gave the T60 a 2.2 per cent slice of its sector for the month.
Introduced in October 2017, the T60 4×4 ute’s current year-to-date sales figure has already eclipsed LDV’s total July 2017 year-to-date sales performance of 1310.
LDV attributes the success of the T60 to its “advanced design, value for money equipment levels and ability matched to its keen pricing”.
Prices for the T60 ute range starts from $28,990 for the PRO manual to $34,990 for the range-topping LUXE automatic.
THE curtains have dropped on Holden’s locally designed and built Colorado Z71 Xtreme ute.
Designed and built at Holden’s Port Melbourne HQ in Victoria, the Xtreme is based on the brand’s range-topping Z71 and takes design cues from the Xtreme concept unveiled at the 2016 Bangkok International Motor Show.
As such, much of the Z71’s features are carried over, including the 2.8-litre Duramax turbo-diesel engine – good for 147kW and 500Nm, when mated with the six-speed auto – and 3500kg towing ability.
What separates the Z71 Xtreme from the Z71 is the addition of a number of key features: a winch bar, a winch system (with a 10,000lb load capacity and a 30m synthetic line), a heavy duty bash plate, an LED light bar, a towing package, a roof tray kit, a rear steel step, and upgraded front suspension (new front springs with a higher load and rate).
To give it a visual edge over its stablemate, Holden also threw in fender flares, Colorado branding on the tailgate, Xtreme decals, a soft tonneau cover, a bonnet bulge, a black extended sportsbar, a black tubular side steps package, and 18-inch Goodyear All-Terrain Wranglers.
“The top end of LCV market continues to develop, and we’re seeing a growing number of customers demanding greater off-road capability,” Holden’s Product Marketing Manager, Andre Scott, said. “The Colorado Xtreme was a concept car that resonated with our customers, and to not only put it into production but elevate it is very exciting.
“As a base vehicle, Colorado Z71 is already very capable, so we’ve expanded our Genuine Accessories range for additional off-road capability.”
The Z71 Xtreme is priced at $69,990 driveaway. The limited run of Xtreme utes will arrive at Holden dealers from October 1, 2018.
THIS GU Patrol you’re ogling right now hails from Denmark, but a couple of years’ back it was shipped over to Australia for the better part of three months.
The Patrol spent three years sitting in a Danish workshop before it’s Danish owners, Kim and Heidi, arrived locally to travel up and down the east coast and venture into the heart of the desert.
When purchased, the GU looked nothing like the stunning behemoth standing before you now. It had a clapped-out ZD30, shoddy sills and quarter panels and 31-inch all terrains.
An 800Nm-strong 5.9-litre inline-six turbo-diesel (Cummins 12V 6BT) from a 1998 Dodge Ram now resides where the ZD30 once sat. The grunt is fed through a custom clutch and flywheel from Australian company, Western Clutch Service. The ZD30’s five-speed manual gearbox is retained. Read the full review here.
WHAT ELSE IS IT PACKING? – 10mm CNC-cut steel adaptor plate – Optima Yellow Top – Dual transfer case set-up – 3.9:1 diff gears from Nitro Gear & Axle – TJM Pro Lockers – Custom-built radius arms (front) – Triangulated four-link with adjustable uppers (rear) – 50mm extra ride height – Profender four-inch hydraulic bump stops – Six-inch Dobinsons lift kit – 40-inch Maxxis Trepadors – 17-inch bead-locked ATX wheels – 50mm wheel spacers – Cargo barrier – Two Waeco fridges – Custom rock sliders – Custom bar work
While you might not need extra gear to go places in your 4×4 (with the exception of tyres), they can be very handy in making your trip a breeze.
Light bars to help you see where you are going and watch out for pesky night dwelling denizens that might ruin your radiator, winches to get you or a mate out of a tight spot, and drawer systems to keep things in order, this selection of 4×4 gear is a welcomed addition to any 4×4.
Roadvision DC2 LED Light Bar
The Roadvision DC2 Series are the next generation in dual-row LED light bars, producing up to a maximum 25,920 lumens of output thanks to its advanced optical design and 3-Watt Osram Hi-Lux LED lights.
The bars include PWM dimming and thermal management tech and are available in combo beam patterns ranging in size from eight to 50 inches. The anti-vibration mounting system includes nine positions and low-profile adjustable slide mounts.
The DC2 series also feature a super-slim 65mm deep housing, allowing for more options in terms of mounting the light bar. The light housing is diecast aluminium, the lens polycarbonate and the whole thing is IP67 water- and dust-rated. Available with a seven-year warranty.
Website: www.roadvision.com.au
MSA 4X4 Explorer Storage Drawer System: Volkswagen Amarok TDV6
The MSA 4X4 Explorer Aluminium Storage Drawer system suits the 2017-plus Amarok TDV6 that runs AdBlue. Believe it or not, the AdBlue addition to the ’Rok necessitates a tweak to the design and build of the drawer system to ensure it meets that model’s ADR compliance regulations.
The 1350mm double-drawer system includes left and right drawer modules, L/R wing and fit kits, the double drawer join kit, double trim and the floor extension, and it’s built to MSA 4X4’s exacting standards to ensure optimum storage without compromising vehicle/occupant safety.
The MSA 4X4 Explorer storage drawer system is light and strong (capable of holding up to 250kg of gear per pair) thanks to its aluminium construction, and it comes with a lifetime guarantee. Also available for pre-AdBlue Amarok models at the same price.
Website: www.msa4x4.com.au
Sherpa 4X4 Electric Boat Trailer Winch
For fast, efficient and reliable shifting of a boat (and vehicles) onto and off your trailer, Sherpa 4×4’s new electric boat trailer winch, with 3600kg vertical-lift capacity, is ideal.
The 60hp winch weighs 25kg and is available in either 12V or 24V form. It includes genuine Albright electrics (including a heavy-duty solenoid) and tough 316 stainless steel cross members, fittings and drum.
The waterproof hoist-style remote control can also be optioned as a wireless kit and there’s 10 metres of 50mm webbing included. A bonus with this boat winch is that the tooling from Sherpa 4×4’s highly regarded 4WD winches has been used to optimise strength and build quality (including corrosion-resistant aluminium) so you know you’re getting a well-proved product. Includes a five-year warranty.
Website: www.sherpa4x4.com.au
WITH Finke run and won, attention has turned to the third and final round of the 2018 BFGoodrich CAMS Australian Off Road Championship: the Rainbow Desert Enduro.
The event kicks off this weekend – August 10-12 – two kilometres from the remote town of Rainbow, located about 400km north-west of Melbourne.
The Rainbow Desert Enduro debuted in 2017 and was declared a success by competitors and spectators alike, but changes have been implemented to make this year’s event an even greater spectacle.
“Some of the long straights have been broken up,” said Victorian Off Road Racing Association President Brett Price. “There has been about 1.5 kilometres added to the track.
“On the run home we shoot into a paddock and run around the perimeter, breaking up a long straight. And heading away from the spectator area before you hit the desert, we now go through some trees instead of along the road.”
Two more jumps have also been added, as well as more parking areas for spectators.
One contender ready to attack the 80km course is Mick Magher Motorsports, who is keen to unleash its Narva Racing TSCO Trophy Truck following a solid debut performance at Finke.
“Over two years of planning went in to getting the TSCO Trophy Truck to the start line at Finke and we were blown away to come home with ninth outright and second in class on the biggest stage in Australia,” said Mick Magher. “The truck did everything we asked of it straight out of the box.”
In the end, the team clocked an overall time of 4hr 21min 2.8sec to finish ninth outright and second in the Extreme 2WD class.
“The gear on the truck was outstanding and gave us the confidence to push hard. We couldn’t fault the BFGoodrich tyres and they look like they could turn around and go down and back again,” Magher said. “We learnt a lot this year and we are excited for the future.”
The Rainbow Desert Enduro involves seven laps of an 80km course. Scrutineering takes place on the Friday afternoon, August 10, where punters can check out the #482 Narva Racing TSCO Truck. The prologue kicks off on Saturday morning, followed by racing on Saturday afternoon and Sunday.
The AORC says that camping is available at the Rainbow Recreation Reserve, with some powered sites available.