You would think the guy who invented a recovery device that helps take you anywhere might have a bit of an idea when it comes to building a touring rig that promises the same. And, in the case of Brad McCarthy, the brains trust behind MAXTRAX, you’d be absolutely spot-on, as his big, six-wheel Land Cruiser 200 Series proves.
As with all perfect things, this LC200 is the result of a lengthy period of time – say, a couple of years all-up – researching, experimenting and tweaking before Brad was happy to hit the go-button. Brad is a big fan of beach and desert touring, so the vehicle had to be more angled toward that type of driving, without sacrificing general driveability or, for that matter, go-anywhere capability (the Cruiser is definitely not confined to just those terrain types).
So Brad was sure to take his time getting it all right, starting off with where the idea originated: in the Australian desert, a few years ago.
“I did a couple of trips with the Australian army back in 2012 and 2013 testing the Mercedes G-Wagens,” Brad said. “There were a couple of six-wheel drive versions of that – LRPVs – in the convoy and they were just so capable and so comfortable in that rough terrain. I rode in a few during those expeditions and, just because of the length of the wheelbase, they were so much more comfortable.”
This first experience of the comfort and stability offered by a couple of extra wheels out the back was followed by another desert stint, this time with some modified Land Cruisers, which allowed Brad to undertake a slightly more direct comparison of four wheels versus six.
“We did a trip testing some Land Cruiser-based LRPVs in 2015,” Brad explained. “We went across the Simpson driving a couple of six-wheel drive (6WD) Cruisers. I had my four-wheel drive, a 100 Series Cruiser, and I was driving that and then I jumped in one of the 6WDs for a few hours and I was like, ‘it’s like chalk and cheese’; so much more comfortable in really rough terrain and I went ‘yeah, I really like this’, so I thought I might build one. So that was the impetus for it.”
IN THE BEGINNING To fit an extra pair of hoops under the Cruiser, Brad enlisted Australian Expedition Vehicles’ (AEV) Mick McMillan, having worked with Mick on the earlier G-Wagen testing for the ADF.
In fact, Mick was a Major at the time of testing, and it was through the desert testing of the Mercs that he first came up with the idea of AEV, as Brad explained. “It was interesting, because when we were doing that testing, during the two trips, I drove my 100 Series and I never had any mechanical problems the whole time,” he laughed.
“These were all brand-new Mercedes and I had a 2005 100 Series, and every time we pulled up to fix something in the G-Wagens I would wind down the window and say you need Land Cruisers! They’d just reply ‘yeah we know, but we’re getting these things’.”
It was during all this testing that Brad and Mick started chatting about how much more suitable an LC200 – in extended, six-wheel form – would be for this type of expedition-style remote-desert travel.
“We were having a chat and Mick said, ‘you know, we really do need a Land Cruiser; I am going to set up a company and start building them’, so that’s how he started,” Brad said.
Since then, AEV has produced a number of 6WD Cruisers, utilising the many years’ of experience from all that testing and combining it with a unique drive system courtesy of Jason from JMACX Off Road Solutions, another Queensland-based company well-known for its coil conversion kit for 70 Series Land Cruisers.
ALL WHEELS GO Getting the extra-wheel configuration to work ‘as standard’ at the rear of this stretched Cruiser is the result of AEV fitting what is basically a double JMACX coil set-up with a few trick components to ensure it works a treat.
“The system is basically a double JMACX with a drive-through centre diff,” Brad explained. “So you’ve got good articulation, and the six-wheel drive system just happens automatically. So, normally, if you’ve got it in four-wheel drive, it’s driving just the four wheels. As soon as there’s 20mm of slip in that middle axle it engages that centre diff and locks in the rear axle, and then you’ve got six-wheel drive. You don’t have to press any buttons or engage anything, it just automatically occurs as you need it.”
Brad reckons it transforms the Cruiser’s tractive capabilities, making it – nearly – all too easy. “As soon as you lose traction you’ll feel the system kick in, it’s almost like you’ve hit the diff lock button,” he affirmed. “You get that instant traction at the back and, once you don’t need it, it backs off. It’s such a difference; it’s unstoppable. You point it at anything and it walks over it like the terrain is concrete.
“I haven’t had it in any real steep terrain; although, we did the CREB Track and went up to Cape Melville in October last year and nothing really bothered it. It’s sort of cheating a bit; there’s no real challenge when driving it. I would rather be driving my little 1943 Jeep, to be honest. If you’re loading it up with gear and going somewhere a couple of thousand kays away, though, it’s not a bad way to travel!”
JMACX SOLUTIONS This Cruiser is not a one-trick rig. As well as that awesome drivetrain, it has been further modified with an AEV-sourced GVM upgrade (it is now certified for 4500kg) and had a custom canopy fitted from Outback Customs, based out of Caboolture, Queensland. This set-up comprises two removable canopies (the front one doubles as Brad’s sleeper cab).
Reflecting Brad’s personal touring preference, there are minimal permanent fixtures in the canopies; only the fridge/freezer (with MSA Drop-Down slide) and a few other items are what he considers must-stay items. This allows the two cargo spaces to be super versatile – a must in Brad’s book when it comes to a touring vehicle.
“I don’t really like having the kitchen permanently in them (touring vehicles),” Brad said. “I think you need that space to be a bit more flexible. Obviously the fridge has got to be in there, but we usually just use hard boxes, and when we pull up to camp just pull everything out, throw it on the ground and then set up a table. Then you can cook wherever you want to cook and you’re not relying on being near the vehicle. And then if I want to do a delivery anywhere – especially remote – I can just fill that whole back area up with MAXTRAX. So it’s just a flexible space more than anything.”
That theme of flexibility was also the reason for Brad specifying the canopies as removable. “We can take both those canopies off,” he said. “So we can lift them off and just use the tray. The tray is about three-and-a-bit metres long.”
This tray length also means Brad can load up any of his toys when the canopies are removed. And, by toys, we’re talking a Polaris ATV and that 1943 Jeep Willys.
As well as the sleeper cab, the canopy is set-up with a Backtrax Ascent Pro rooftop tent atop a Rhino-Rack roof rack. This hard-roofed unit is operated via remote control (once you open a couple of exterior latches) and Brad rates the Ascent Pro highly, noting how quick set-up and close-down is, again reflecting his ethos of keeping hassles to a minimum when touring.
Speaking of hassles, the Cruiser’s turning circle is tighter than expected. “The full rig measures about seven metres all-up,” Brad said. “The turning circle is surprisingly good for something that size. I haven’t measured it, but you can sort of do a pretty quick turnaround – except on a narrow track where you’ve got to do a 48,000-point turn to turn around. But, yeah, for beach and desert work, which is what I have mainly built it for, it is perfect. You don’t really have to worry about your turning circle out there.”
THE TRUE APPEAL One thing that’s quite noticeable – or unnoticeable, as it may be – is that, besides the rooftop tent, there is a distinct lack of additional gear up on the roof of the Cruiser.
Another part of Brad’s ethos when creating this mega tourer was to keep it self-contained, self-sufficient and as frugal on fuel as a seven-metre-long 6WD Land Cruiser can be. This meant fitment of the two spare wheels to the rear of the custom tray, to minimise wind-resistance, as well as a 250-litre Long Ranger fuel tank on top of the stock 138-litre jobbie, to keep the Steinbauer-chipped TTDV8 humming.
Adding to the remote-area readiness is a schmick Redarc solar power set-up, with BC/DC and an inverter sitting in behind the passenger seats ensuring there’s plenty of juice flowing to the dual-battery set-up – the lithium-ion batteries sit inside custom boxes set into the wheel arches either side of the cab.
All of this gear means Brad and his fellow travellers can disappear into the desert for weeks on end. “We do at least one or two trips a year, where we go away for three or four weeks or more. The fact you can just carry everything in that one vehicle, and you’re not going to have a heap of stuff piled on the roof rack or have to tow a trailer, it just makes it easy,” he said.
Finishing off the vehicle is some exemplary ARB bar-work, Goodyear Wrangler (with Kevlar) MT/R LT285/70R17 rubber wrapped around ROH alloy wheels, and some comfy Recaro seats in the cabin. These, Brad reckons, top off the Cruiser’s comfort levels.
“It’s a pretty comfortable ride as it is, but the Recaros make it even better. Like I said, we took it to Cape Melville in October and it was only a short, two-week trip, so we did around five- to six-thousand kays and you can sit behind the wheel all day and still be comfortable,” he added.
Getting this Cruiser on the tracks hasn’t been a short journey for Brad. He estimates that, between the AEV work, the custom tray and canopy build, and chopping off the back, it took around five months. Still, that’s not too bad for the end result: a purpose-built, self-sufficient, super tough outback touring vehicle that will definitely get you to places few have been. And then get you back again so you can brag about your adventure with your mates over some cold bevvies.
That has to be a good thing, don’t you think?
In Detail
1 – Light Bar
The light bar slots in between the Rhino-Rack and the roof, and it’s topped off with a set of MAXTRAX.
2 – Batteries
The area in the cab’s rear wheel arches is now devoted to housing lithium-ion batteries each side.
3 – Rear Winch
A Superwinch is neatly concealed at the rear of the custom tray, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.
4 – Redarc Solar
The BlueSolar charge controller, of the Redarc solar power system, feeds the dual-battery set-up.
5 – Rooftop Tent
Apart from the Rhino racks, the biggest piece of kit on the roof is the Backtrax Ascent Pro rooftop tent.
6 – ARB Bar Work
Exemplary ARB kit has been plastered across the 6×6, including the bullbar, side rails and side steps.
A FULL-SIZE American pick-up will storm onto the booming Australian ute market midway through the year, with the Ateco Group announcing the arrival of the 2018 RAM 1500.
The 1500 is powered by a 5.7-litre Hemi V8 engine good for 295kW and 552Nm. It’s mated to an eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission that’s standard on all RAM 1500 models.
In the competitive ute market, the 1500 will offer plenty of muscle and pulling power, as well as a spacey cabin, plenty of cargo space, and a tub length nearly two metres long.
“We are not just providing vehicles designed to tow big loads across our big country – up to 6.9 tonnes, in fact – but we’re also employing top engineers, designers and automotive technicians, as well as local component companies to work with us,” said Alex Stewart, Chief Operating Officer of RAM Trucks Australia. “This is something of which we are extremely proud, almost as proud as we are of the expanded range of RAM Trucks that we’ll be selling across Australia and New Zealand!”
The 1500 will join RAM’s 2500 and 3500 which launched here in 2015, and both have enjoyed steady sales growth since – in fact, sales increased by 36 per cent in 2017 compared to 2016 according to VFACTS.
“The RAM 2500, 3500 and, from the middle of this year, the 2018 RAM 1500, are remanufactured in Australia by Australians to meet Australian market demands,” Stewart added.
What this means is the US-built 1500 arrives on our shores as a LHD vehicle, but leaves the showroom floor officially classed as a remanufactured RHD vehicle – not a conversion.
At a purpose-built facility in Melbourne the chassis and body of all new arrivals are separated, before a re-engineered RHD-specific steering system is fitted. An Australian designed and developed dashboard is then installed, as well as a RHD heating and ventilation system. The body and chassis is then remarried.
The 1500 will be offered with a comprehensive three-year/100,000km warranty.
Keep an eye on 4x4australia.com.au for full details, pricing and specifications when they come to hand.
A RECALL has been issued for RAM 2500 (DJ) and Ram 3500 (D2) vehicles due a faulty water pump.
The affected vehicles – model years 2014 to 2017 – are equipped with the 6.7-litre inline-six Cummins turbo-diesel engine.
Click here for a complete VIN list of affected vehicles.
According to the ACCC product safety recall report, “the water pump may experience a failure which may result in an engine compartment fire”.
This can lead to obvious risks to occupants of the vehicle and/or persons outside of the vehicle.
The RAMs were supplied by American Special Vehicles and sold through authorised RAM dealers Australia-wide.
Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified via mail, where they’ll need to contact an authorised RAM dealer to organise a time for inspection and reparation (if required).
Edward Rowe, Ateco’s Media and Public Relations Consultant, said: “There have been no reported cases of this failure in Australia and we will carrying out the recall with immediate effect in the normal manner, contacting all the affected owners and arranging to have required work completed.”
IT MAY be a different rig to the Aussie-bound Raptor due in local showrooms later this year, but it was impossible to refuse a drive of the F-150 Raptor when we were across the Pacific last year.
The 2017 F-150 Raptor runs Ford’s stonking twin-turbo 335kW/691Nm EcoBoost V6 engine, an engine that’s unfortunately not transitioning into Oz-bound Raptors – we’ll instead get the 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel capable of 157kW and 500Nm.
In the F-150 the V6 is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, so there are plenty of gears to maximise fuel economy and keep the engine on the torque. A 4WD system offers the options of rear-wheel drive, on-demand all-wheel drive and locked 4×4 with high and low range.
The Raptor excelled on the desert tracks of the Mojave Desert in California, where it keeps on keeping on with the pedal pegged to the floor. Baja mode is clearly where the fun is had on open desert country, but there are also Sand, Rock and Snow modes available from the multi-terrain system.
It doesn’t just lap up open country, as its dual-range transmission, rear-locking differential, ample ground clearance, generous wheel travel courtesy of the Fox suspension, and decent off-road tyres – 35-inch BFG KO2s – also make it capable in a true off-roading sense.
The Fox suspension comprises of 3.0-inch Fox coilovers up front and Fox shocks supporting the leaf springs at the rear. This give is 330mm of travel up front and 353mm down back.
Australia’s 157kW/500Nm Raptor will be available later this year, but those wanting American muscle can still get a US-spec F-150 through RHD conversion companies like Harrison F-Trucks, Performax International and American Vehicle Sales, but you’ll need to fork out a considerable amount of cash – around $180K – to land one in your garage.
While the rear diff centre was out of the Middy to deal with oil leaks from the axles and pinion, we figured there was no better time to fit a locker to improve the BJ73’s off-road ability.
These old Cruisers might be tough, but with open diffs or, at best, a loose LSD, they don’t go far once you kick a wheel up in the air.
Terrain Tamer is a distributor for the Australian-engineered Harrop ELockers, so we made a quick call to Harrop to secure a unit and pulled one from the shelves at Terrain Tamer, along with a Terrain Tamer bearing and seal kit.
Past experience with the Harrop ELockers convinced us of their benefits; namely the simplicity of installation, with no air lines or compressor to worry about, and the ease of use when out on the tracks. The ELocker was originally developed by US driveline specialists Eaton for use in the H1 HMMWV, and it soon found its way into civilian applications.
Melbourne’s Harrop Engineering took the Eaton product and re-engineered it with four-pinion strength and made models to most 4x4s that are popular in Australia. Harrop manufactures the ELocker in Melbourne, and it partners perfectly with Terrain Tamer’s bearing and seat kit for hassle-free installation.
Tony from Terrain Tamer cleaned up the original centre and got it on the stand, before he and Allan Grey checked the gears for wear. Allan declared they had obviously been set up well by someone in the past, as they were wearing nicely and should happily continue for many more miles of service.
The gears were then stripped off the original centre and Tony fitted them to the new Harrop locker, using the Terrain Tamer bearings. A small hole was drilled into the diff centre to pass the wire through to power the ELocker and, with the backlash set and everything torqued in place, the centre was ready to go back into the car. The power wire was then ran up to the front of the car, and the activation switch placed within easy reach of the driver.
Once the ELocker was wired up and everything else refitted to the Middy, we took it for a quick spin on Terrain Tamer’s exclusive in-house test track. It didn’t take long to prove that fitting the locker was a good choice as we scaled the dirt mounds, logs, mud and obstacles. With the sweet, old 13b-turbo engine idling along nicely on the hand throttle, one particular section of the track that has offset wombat holes flexed the full-leaf suspension to the max.
Soon enough, wheels were in the air and forward progress was halted. As the hanging rear wheel spun in the air, flicking the switch engaged the ELocker and instantly the diff was locked and the little Cruiser chugged onwards.
As the name suggests, the ELocker locks the differential action in the rear (or front if you have one fitted there) axle to send all the available drive to both wheels. This then gives your vehicle the best chance of progress if one or more of the wheels is off the ground or losing traction in mud or snow.
The ELocker is an amazingly simple and effective piece of equipment and dramatically improves the off-road performance of any 4×4 with open diffs, or even an LSD.
The Terrain Tamer test track also gave us a chance to bed in the new rear brakes and notice the improved feel of the steering and suspension. Now to put some kilometres on it, recheck that the oil leaks are fixed, and get it roadworthy for registration.
Just before Christmas 2011, our local 4X4 club (the Riverland 4WD Club) had [the late] Anne Beadell as guest speaker – this was the final spurt of enthusiasm we needed, as only a few months earlier we’d been discussing around the campfire where to hold next year’s big trip.
This article was originally published in 4×4 Australia’s April 2012 issue.
Having driven the Gibb River Road, Tanami and Simpson deserts on numerous occasions, the Great Victoria Desert was mentioned and this materialised into a plan for an Anne Beadell Highway crossing.
Several permits are required to pass through aboriginal and government-restricted areas, and this is one of the longer trips away from any major supplies. We had been also told to expect a narrow track in places and lots (and lots) of corrugations.
My decision to take a Jayco into such a rough, isolated area was questioned. My response was, and is, if Len [Beadell] could do it in an old Land Rover, then surely I could manage with modern equipment.
I had done a lot of work on the Jayco, replacing screws with bolts and Nylocks, and just checking and fixing what I considered weak points. Having done a lot of 4X4 travel with a soft-floor flop-over camper, I was confident that with everything set up and checked and driving to the conditions, we would be fine.
In early June we set off along the blacktop towards Coober Pedy. The Anne Beadell crossing was only a small part of a seven-week trip through the Pilbara and to the WA coastline and then back across the Nullarbor.
We camped 40km below Coober Pedy, finding a spot set back from the road for our group, which consisted of Barry and Rae in an 80 Series with a new Cub Spacevan in tow; Pete and Pat in a 3.0-litre Nissan Patrol with an Adventure Camper; and Sadie and me with our Mitsubishi Challenger towing a Jayco Eagle Outback. Ages ranged from 50 through to Barry at 70 years young.
Thunderstorms surrounded Coober Pedy the following day and after refuelling and topping up supplies, we looked west to find the only porthole in the weather exactly where we intended on heading.
Approaching 2pm, and after a quick call to the Bureau of Meteorology, we headed towards Mabel Creek. Though dusty, this road was in very good condition and we had quite a large area of opal mining to pass through, but we made good time. Camp was struck among thick scrub beneath a brooding sky.
Next morning, after packing up, it wasn’t long before we found some aggressive corrugations. Speeds were reduced and tyre pressures dropped to help the suspension. With camper trailers in tow, progress was slow. Nobody minded, as this allowed more time to enjoy the countryside and the light-hearted UHF chatter between the three vehicles.
Just after lunch and about 200km from Coober Pedy the tone changed when it was discovered a U-bolt had fallen off one of the camper axles. We set up camp and then thought about the best way to attack the problem. Pete decided to head back and buy a replacement in Coober Pedy. He and Pat returned 24 hours later and the parts were fitted. That night we enjoyed a roast dinner with considerably lifted spirits ahead of the next morning’s departure.
After about 40km we reached the turn-off to Emu Field, where the British Government carried out its first mainland atomic bomb tests. Totem 1 and 2 were detonations carried out at Emu Field on October 15 and 27, 1953. It was an eerie feeling to look around and see the lack of vegetation for at least 200m, which slowly built as it radiated from the site. Onward from here it’s 16km to Emu Air Strip – one can now only imagine the planes landing here, loaded with equipment.
After a good look around, we pushed on to eventually strike camp 30km further west. I had looked for campsites using Google Earth before leaving home – all were great with ample room for three vehicles and campers. This is a great way of finding camp spots anywhere before heading out.
We awoke to some drizzle and everything was damp, so we took time packing up to allow for things to dry. I did my usual vehicle check. As I examined the camper connection, it all moved – including the towbar!
Thinking it was just mounting bolts being shaken loose, I climbed under with sockets and spanners only to discover it was actually cracked in three places. Nothing to do but remove it and fix it with a bush battery weld. We had tried using two batteries, but found three better. While doing this, we also put some steel rods to help strengthen it. It was replaced and we finally got underway.
Later that day we reached Annie’s Corner. Most of the tracks and corners were named by Len Beadell using family names, with this corner and the track itself named for his wife Anne (he must have had a smile on his face when he called it a highway, though). Travelling on with corrugations getting worse and checking welds every 30 minutes, we only covered 65km on this day.
The following day we noticed how the countryside was changing, with much more spinifex and mulga, with other grasses and grevillea. We were surprised to learn that there are currently 65 species of spinifex that have been documented.
By now we had settled into a similar driving style each day. A lot of the track now was becoming closed in and with the extra width of the Jayco scraping its way past all the growth, we copped a broken exterior light.
We checked out Vokes Hill Corner and the Len Beadell sign there. By the time we stopped for camp we were just over 110km from Ilkurlka, and 700km from Coober Pedy. When setting up camp we heard another group coming along heading the same way. They stopped and told us of their dramas with parking and indicator lights falling out of vehicles. They also had a tandem trailer that had lost its U-bolts from one side and had the axle chained to the spring.
While examining my tow hitch I found it was cracking again slightly. We decided to leave it and see if we could do a better repair at Ilkurlka, only a day away. In this first 700km and seven days we had only seen four other vehicles – the only other track that is more isolated than this is the Canning Stock Route, although it arguably sees more traffic.
Day eight and a small drama surfaced with the 80 Series: Barry could hear a grinding noise from the rear of his vehicle. We started by pulling the wheel off the side he believed the noise was coming from. More and more it sounded like a wheel bearing, but once we tried to remove the brake rotor and found it would not budge, we started thinking it may be the handbrake shoes.
Sure enough, when we finally removed the rotor, the shoes had delaminated and were spinning around inside, jamming the rotor. We removed the shoes and taped the hand brake handle down so Barry wouldn’t apply it by accident.
Next we were headed for Ilkurlka. This piece of track had more sand hills and was the site of our first camel spotting. We saw three groups and one single male that decided he wanted to be trip leader for about six kilometres – no matter what we did and how much we varied our speed he stayed on the track, plodding along at about 30km/h. We were about to give him a sand flag so he could become our official new trip leader, but he decided to head bush.
Shortly after this entertaining interlude, we reached Ilkurlka and refuelled. We also made use of the great camping area and hot showers there. Welding repairs were done using an inverter welder and some 70 x 50mm RHS on both my errant towbar and an LPG bottle holder on one of the other campers.
In the morning and after final repairs, we travelled the 57km to the light plane crash site. A Goldfield Air Services plane had crash landed in January 1993 en route from Warburton to Kalgoorlie. The track is the same one in and out, cresting numerous sand dunes.
Discussion was made about how lucky they were the pilot came parallel to the sand dunes, putting it down so well in a very deserted area. After a photo session we headed off towards Neale Junction. Along this stretch we noticed all the burnt areas from the previous fires, but regrowth was looking good, with recent showers helping the recovery. Large groups of camels grazed the grasses that had sprouted.
Camp was made about 5km short of the junction as we expected it to be a dust bowl at the camp area itself, as it’s used by travellers of both the Anne Beadell and Connie Sue highways.
We awoke to dark clouds and reports on the radio of the Pilbara being flooded and of heavy rains headed our way. Camp was packed up and we headed west. We met other travellers at Neale Junction who were doing the Connie Sue and heading north to Warburton. Visitor books were signed and we moved on.
After about 30km we started getting into windscreen-wiper weather and the track became wetter and wetter. By the time we had travelled 50km, water on the track was 30cm deep. As the track is lower than the surrounding countryside, water rushed onto it in channels.
The conditions persisted until Yeo Homestead. This is effectively the end of the Anne Beadell Highway and after lunch we headed off again, avoiding some large washaways across the track.
By late afternoon we decided we needed to camp. The surrounding country looked wet and boggy, so we pushed on for another 30 minutes until finally finding a raised area with rocks and plant growth showing through. Only 170km for the following day along the smooth White Cliffs/Yamarna Road into Laverton.
Next day’s run was uneventful but very pretty, especially around White Cliffs. We stayed overnight at Laverton to do some washing and repairs. We were now only 1800km into our 11,000km trip.
We had taken 10 days to do the crossing, which is good considering we lost a day with the camper U-bolt and three or four hours with the cracked towbar and brake problems. It’s all part of the adventure and these desert areas are a must-see for anyone wanting to experience the real Australia.
Travel Planner
WHERE The Anne Beadell Highway runs for 1258km from the SA opal mining town of Coober Pedy due west to Yamarna, which is 142km north-east of Laverton, in Western Australia.
WHAT TO BRING This track is extremely isolated, you will need to be entirely self-sufficient in everything from food and water, remote-area communications, first aid, vehicle spares, etc.
MAPS Hema’s Great Desert Tracks South West Sheet and South Central. Westprint’s Anne Beadell Highway.
PERMITS/CONTACTS Permits are required for travel on the Anne Beadell Highway. SA Department for Environment and Heritage, ph 08 8204 1910. Maralinga Tjarutja Land, ph 08 8625 2946 Mamungari Conservation Park, ph 08 8625 3144. Tallaringa and Unnamed conservation parks, ph 08 8625 3144.
The east coast of Australia is blessed with magnificent 4X4 escapes but there are few better than Queensland’s Byfield National Park.
This article was originally published in 4×4 Australia’s November 2012 issue.
It’s the only 4X4 destination on the Capricorn Coast, yet it still manages to pack massive parabolic sand dunes, rainforests, freshwater lagoons, a sandy coastline and tall-pine plantations into a single family-holiday destination.
Byfield NP is just south of the huge Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area, a strictly off-limits wilderness area and one of the largest tracts of undeveloped land on the Queensland coast.
The southern boundary of the park is an easy 30-minute drive north of Yeppoon, or an hour north of Rockhampton. While the more demanding 4X4 tracks are in the park’s north, there are still plenty of interesting areas to explore in the surrounding state forest and further to the south.
From Yeppoon, take the Yeppoon–Byfield Road north along the coast to Farnborough. Ocean beach access is available from Bangalee, stretching north to Sandy Point at the mouth of Corio Bay, where there are views to the opposite peninsula and the northern end of the national park.
This is a popular, wide and flat stretch of beach that has plenty of visitors coming to fish, swim, bask in the sunshine or ‘blokart’ … yep, that’s like a billy cart with a sail, threatening to pop one of its three wheels off the ground at the first gust of wind, resulting in a momentary loss of directional stability. Look out!
Once at the tip, you can carve through the soft sand around the point and onto the unsealed Sandy Point Road as an alternative way back to the main road. From Farnborough Road, there are several unsealed minor roads that run east through pastoral properties on their way to the back of Corio Bay. We took the Kellys Landing Road and meandered down to the mouth of Water Park Creek, passing several wetland areas on the way.
Back on Byfield Road, it’s not long before the road enters Byfield State Forest. Once you’re a couple of kilometres inside the forest, take a left turn at Stony Creek Road towards the Upper Stony Creek Recreation Area. This is generally a well-formed road but it’s so riddled with corrugations and potholes that the speed limit is restricted to 40km/h. It is also used for logging so watch out for trucks and set the UHF to scan mode to check for local activity.
The campground here is set in a tall-timbered area and is next to a picnic area with tables, barbecues, toilets and a freshwater swimming hole. With estuarine crocodiles in Corio Bay, this is the safest swimming hole in the district, despite the freshwater Stonefish or Bullrout that call it home. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service recommend wearing sandshoes and swimming rather than wading, to avoid making contact with these spikey critters that can dish out a nasty sting.
Bushwalks range from 20 minutes to a couple of hours and provide an opportunity to appreciate the flora and fauna. The rare Byfield grevillea is found on the northern side of the picnic area along the Venusta Circuit (20 minutes). Further north, along the Stony Creek Circuit (1.5 hours) the forest is scattered with pockets of grevillea and cycad. Finally, the Caribbean Circuit (2 hours) includes patches of riparian rainforest, grass trees and cycads among mature Caribbean pine and eucalypt forest.
Backtracking to the Byfield Road junction, turn left and travel 4.8km to the turn-off on the right for the Red Rock camping area, accessed via a rough gravel track. It’s a dog-friendly camping area set among towering pines with wood barbecues, water and flushing toilets. We based ourselves here for the duration of our stay.
A couple of clicks down the road is the Byfield township. As well as the Byfield general store where fuel and compressed air are available, there are a few private accommodation offerings and the Nob Creek Pottery Studio.
The main access to the northern end of the national park is via Water Park Road found by backtracking to the intersection of the same name. The Water Park Creek campsite is only a few kilometres away and offers toilets, fireplaces, a day-use area and a rainforest walking track. There are estuarine crocodiles in this creek so don’t be tempted to go for a dip.
Beach access is via Stockyard Point Track, which leads through a canopy of trees to the sandy track within the national park. There’s a tyre-pressure reduction bay before the dune called Big Sandy, which acts as gatekeeper to the beach.
We met a couple of locals there who described the lie of the land and the best strategy for a successful climb. The track is mainly single lane and shrouded in bush which makes for limited visibility as it weaves its way up the extended length of the dune.
Two cutaways, each with a number of holes in alternating wheel tracks, are carved into the dune. The right cutaway is the easiest uphill climb through the deep, dry and soft sand. The caveats are oncoming traffic also using that lane, others bogged part-way up which could see you losing precious momentum, and limited visibility.
Once up Big Sandy, there are several options at track marker seven. Turning left accesses Five Rocks Beach or Death Valley Track. The latter is a one-way track that meanders down the valley on a north-westerly bearing before looping back onto Stockyard Point Track to exit the park.
Five Rocks Beach is named after the five rocks visible out to sea, abutting the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. Vehicles are prohibited north of this point. Proceed straight ahead at track marker seven past the Stockyard Point township to the Five Rocks Camping Area, or you can go via the Stockyard Point headland.
At the time of writing, there was construction underway to redevelop the headland track, viewing point and nearby walking trails, so check the park alerts before you travel.
The Five Rocks Camping Area is pleasant and sheltered from the beach by trees that screen neighbouring campsites. There are allocated sites, picnic tables, untreated water, some shade, a pit toilet and shower. No fires are permitted so ensure you bring a fuel stove.
There are some good walks from the campground. The first is to Little Five Rocks Beach. This is a pretty, self-guided one-hour-return walk which passes through a wetland area. The second walk continues from the beach and explores the Five Rocks Beach further north for about 900 metres. The walk should only be attempted at low tide with sufficient beach and three to four hours to spare, to return before the tide comes in.
To access Nine Mile Beach, turn right at track marker seven. The inland tracks are well maintained using woodchips, planks and traction mats on the beach-entry points and other hazardous areas. Once onto the beach at track marker nine, turn right and travel 400 metres to Freshwater Creek. You can park at the mouth of the river and follow the self-guided walk along the creek, stopping for lunch in the shade or to cool off in the creek.
A kilometre up the beach is the Orange Bowl sand blow, coloured by traces of iron oxide. The area was formerly open to vehicles but is now closed due to vehicle accidents and damage to the vegetation. Looking at the steep walls of the sand blow, it is easy to imagine the potential for danger. Follow the walking markers off the beach and climb to the lip of the bowl for panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. It’s a steep climb so take a hat, sunglasses and a bottle of water.
It’s worth noting that while off-road camper-trailers and tinnies on trailers can and do venture to the northern end of the park, it is best suited to high-clearance vehicles and trailers that can safely climb Big Sandy. It only takes one oncoming vehicle to make the climb more interesting, as reversing a trailer in these conditions will be particularly challenging.
Byfield National Park offers a diverse range of landscapes and vegetation. Combined with great fishing and some challenging 4X4 tracks, it can only serve to make a magical destination even better.
Travel Planner
CAMPING The state forest and national park are jointly managed. All campgrounds cost $5.30 per person, per night. Bookings can be made online, at the booking office, or by phone. There’s no self-registration and camping permits can only be issued for a maximum of seven consecutive nights.
WHAT TO BRING Insect repellent, drinking water, fishing gear, binoculars, recovery gear, long-handled shovel, sun protection, fuel stove, firewood, an off-ground fireplace if camping along Nine Mile Beach, as well as compressor and tyre gauge.
SUPPLIES Rockhampton or Yeppoon. The Byfield Store has general items, takeaway food and fuel.
TRIP STANDARD Easy to difficult. Four-wheel drive is recommended for the northern end of the national park. Stockyard Point/Five Rocks Beach is considered medium/difficult, Nine Mile Beach is medium, and the state forest roads are generally well formed but are corrugated and potholed in places.
PERMITS & ACCESS Other than the main roads to the recreation areas, a permit is required to traverse areas of Byfield State Forest. Vehicle access on and off the beach is only by tracks where a 4X4 vehicle symbol is displayed. Penalties apply for using all other vehicle tracks where this symbol is not displayed.
Camping, fishing, rodeo, and competition off-roading are some of the 4×4 highlights from April till June this year.
BOGGABRI DROVERS’ CAMPFIRE (NSW) A great way to celebrate the wandering lifestyle first encompassed by early drovers and now continued by caravanners, off-road tourers and motorhome owners. Run by the Boggabri Lions Club, the event, which runs April 25-30, includes optional tours of the surrounding area (including fishing on the Namoi River and exploring Mount Kaputar NP) and a number of different activities for all ages, including heavy horse displays and damper cooking. Each evening sees everyone come together around a ‘drover’s campfire’ for a yarn and to relive the day’s experiences.
See www.droverscampfire.com.au for more info.
CONDO 750 – 30TH ANNIVERSARY (NSW)
One of Australia’s most famous off-road races – the Condo 750 Navigational Rally – will celebrate its third decade at Easter this year (March 30 to April 1). Saturday will split the field, with bikes and quads tackling a separate course from the cars, ensuring plenty of navigational and driving challenges. The course totals 1050km, with 778km of competitive racing.
Entries are now open, so head to www.condo750.com.au.
OUTBACK STOCKMAN’S SHOW (QLD) Third-generation stockman, Lachie Cossor, leads the live Outback Stockman’s Show that kicks off at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, in Longreach, from April all the way through to October (Tuesdays to Sundays).
Lachie brings his extensive experience (campdraft winner, state Saddle Bronc title and previous winner of King of the Ranges and Snowy Stockmans challenges) to the stage to showcase the skills and life of the Aussie stockman. Attendees will see a show that encompasses all of the stockman’s life including expert horsemanship, working dogs and even a one-tonne bull to keep everyone on their toes.
ORD VALLEY MUSTER (WA)
One of Australia’s premier outback events is celebrating its 18th year with 30 events over 10 days, from May 11-20. The Ord Valley Muster includes everything from rodeo action and comedy nights, to dining under the outback skies, to the famous Kimberley Moon Experience. This, held on the banks of the Ord River, is a dance/dinner/concert evening showcasing the attractions, personalities and unique foods available in the East Kimberley.
SHARK BAY FISHING FIESTA (WA) Celebrating 24 years, this festival includes the chance to throw a line in at the World Heritage-listed Shark Bay, with a chance at some of the $10,000-plus in prizemoney, but also to grab a seat for some live entertainment or the cool sponsor’s auction. Run over the week of Friday, May 18, to Friday, May 25, the Fiesta includes family activities, a bar, food outlets as well as art and craft workshops – all at one of the most pristine parts of this country’s coastline.
See www.sharkbayfishingfiesta.com
HAEUSLER’S MALLEE RALLY ARB 400 (VIC) Round Three of the ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship (which doubles as Round Five of the Victorian Off Road Club Shield) sees competitors tackling challenging terrain at Sea Lake in northwest Victoria from Friday, June 8, to Sunday, June 10.
The ARB ORRC runs over six hard-fought rounds at six different locations around the country this year. This event location sees drivers and vehicles powering through (and flying over, no doubt) some of Victoria’s famous Mallee country, so expect some fast and spectacular driving during the event.
Check out www.offroadracing.com.au for more information.
EXPERT RED CENTRE GUIDES (NT)
Alice Springs Expeditions, run by experienced off-road tourer John Stafford, offers visitors to the Red Centre capital the chance to get out and see some of the area’s spectacular destinations. The team runs expedition-style jaunts into the more remote locations that surround Alice Springs. You’ll experience fantastic outback landscapes and awesome camping, and be fed top nosh at camp before crashing out in your swag.
Alice Springs Expeditions run a number of set tours to different locations, or you can contact John and design a bespoke adventure. For more info, see www.alicespringsexpeditions.com.au or call 0419 760 795.
Since 2005, MAXTRAX has been the byword for unique and effective vehicle recoveries around the globe, and 2018 is shaping as a big year for the brand as it expands its range to include more innovative recovery gear.
It’s hard to envisage how the idea for a product such as MAXTRAX initially came about – well, that is, until you hear MAXTRAX’s Brad McCarthy recount the humorous story of the brand’s origins.
“I was researching for a guidebook up north (in 2002) and got stuck on a beach with an incoming tide,” Brad told us. “I spent six hours on a hand winch getting the vehicle out and thought, ‘there’s gotta be a better way than this’.” And he devised a way that was better, tweaking and expanding his initial idea for a solid recovery track over the next three years before launching MAXTRAX at the Brisbane 4WD Show in 2005.
The length of time Brad took between that first idea and the final product reflects his attention to detail, checking out potential options already on the market before designing his own and focusing on ensuring everything just worked, with little hassle and loads of practicality – in effect, bringing bogged vehicle recovery to the masses.
“Initially it was just a matter of seeing what else was available and what might be able to do the job and testing a few of those products, and none of them did,” he reckoned. “Then I just started working on making my own; I made a crude prototype out of timber stair treads and metal plates and went and tested that and it worked and then just sort of went from there.”
After getting the prototype sorted, it was on to the next step, with Brad envisaging how it looked before it was even built.
“I went and met an industrial designer and tried to figure out how to do it,” he said. “I had basically drawn the ad, written the ad for the product at the start and said this is what I want it to do and what I want it to be. Then we designed it around that wish list and it took us a few years to get it right.
“We made a few prototypes CNC’d out of blocks of polypropylene, went and tested them, and then refined the design and did another one. Then we went from there, launching it at the Brisbane 4WD Show in 2005. And, since then, MAXTRAX has grown incredibly fast and is now a globally recognised product and brand.
“We’re all over the place now,” Brad said. “I have lost count of the number of countries we’re in, but it is well over 30-something, and we’re supplying the Australian military and the US Special Forces as well. We’re also (currently) doing a big order for a French company that is doing a big fleet order for the French military. So it’s getting out there.”
During these 13 years of continual growth, the MAXTRAX design has been tweaked just once, with the Mark 2 version launching at SEMA 2010, where the company garnered a few awards. Satisfyingly for Brad, the revision to his original concept was only minor, and proof of the effectiveness of the original design.
The feedback that sparked Mark 2 came from some, shall we say, pretty unique users.
“We gave some to the SAS – and they gave us some feedback, along with some other guys who do some pretty extreme stuff (read: Dakar racers),” Brad said. “One (modification) is the keyholes; the keyholes in each corner help link them together to make a continuous track. We also had to make them work for mounting, so we designed the mounting pin at the same time so you could mount them using those keyholes.
“We also made them a little bit shorter because the original one was a little bit longer and we found that when we were shipping them they’d be sticking out of the end of a standard pallet, so we just shortened them enough so they fit on a standard pallet. We changed the material a bit and also just made it look a bit better.”
Not content to rest on its laurels, MAXTRAX has continued to tinker with its DNA, with the result being the upcoming release of a new Extreme version, along with the Mini MAXTRAX and a jack base.
SEMA was again the location for the launch, with Brad and his team heading over last year to announce the new gear. The MAXTRAX Extreme reflects Brad’s relationship with military users looking for bombproof (and idiot-proof) gear, and it features replaceable metal (alloy) teeth.
“We spoke to our military customers and they said ‘it would be good if we could service them in the field’,” he said. “They also said ‘because we have people who aren’t that intelligent use them, the first time they do, the mentality is just to get out and floor it, so they burn the teeth and obviously damage the product, then they’ve got to turn around and use the other end’.
“So we said to them we’d work on that, and we’ve been working on that for about two years now and refined the design and figured out the best way to do it and launched that at SEMA in November. “We’re doing tool trials at the moment, so hopefully we’ll have that available in the next couple of months – that’s the plan anyway,” he added.
The Mini MAXTRAX – aimed at both serious off-roaders and owners of compact 4x4s and SUVs – is expected to debut at a similar time. These are, as the moniker suggests, shortened-length MAXTRAX, ideal for those who have limited space to store a set of full-size MAXTRAX.
Additional to this is the jack base, a product that evolved from Brad’s observations of the additional ‘uses’ owners were putting their MAXTRAX to.
“People have sent us photos of them using the MAXTRAX as a jack base, inverted, with the Hi-Lift jack lifting the front end of the car,” he explained. “The idea behind the Mini was we could rip out the bottom of it and turn it into a bit of a jack base. So the idea was to have a set of three Mini MAXTRAX, with a jack base as the bottom when they’re stacked. And then they will also fit into the underside of a standard MAXTRAX, so if people have got four MAXTRAX on the roof they can stick the jack base in the underside of the bottom one, with a couple of Velcro straps around the handles to hold it in place. Then they can jack it up and they’ve got one to stick underneath each wheel, instead of using the MAXTRAX to jack up the wheel and only having three MAXTRAX (for the recovery).”
The Mini MAXTRAX and jack plate had shorter development times than the original, with more spent on the Extreme.
“That was pretty easy that one (the Mini and jack plate). We basically made it so it would fit into the middle or either end of the bottom side of the MAXTRAX, so that was what determined the size of it. That way it would work with the current version as well as independently, so there wasn’t too much work to do with that one.
“However, the Extreme version has taken us a while… just trying to refine the design, where the teeth fit into the board. It’s actually a lifetime product; if people use it and somehow the metal teeth get damaged then they can replace them as well.”
It’s a continuing success story for MAXTRAX and a great result for years of hard work. It’s also a long way from that bogged 4×4 on the beach.
“I didn’t want to go through that ordeal of spending six hours trying to get a car out, with the tide coming in,” Brad laughed. “I just thought if I can come up with something that will do the job and that I can rely on, I’ll be happy. And then when I started talking to people about what I was doing they were like, ‘shit, when can we have some?’ That was the response.”
We reckon it won’t be the last time Brad and the MAXTRAX team hear that “when can we have some?” question once these cool new products hit the stores.
PEDDERS Suspension has introduced a free service on its website that allows customers to determine the weight of their vehicle once aftermarket accessories (bullbars, winches, tow bars), passenger loads, general cargo and towing loads are taken into consideration.
The Pedders Weight Matrix “calculates the weight of the vehicle referenced against original manufacturer specifications and provides some information on the critical impacts on weight”.
Once all of the accessories, weights and loads are listed – via an easy-to-use interface – the software then spews out the results that are separated into four key metrics: vehicle load; remaining capacity against the original Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) limit or Pedders GVM + upgrade limit (if applicable); estimated additional braking distance; and weight balance shift (rearward or frontward).
As the Pedders website states: “Pedders has developed this world-first Weight Matrix ™ software to assist in understanding your vehicle weight, each of your tow and load ‘scenarios’ and most importantly the critical impacts of weight.”
The entire process only takes a couple of minutes – we tried it and had no dramas. The only catch is, after you enter all data, you then need to sign up to Pedders before you can access the results.
Sure, you could just duck into the closest weighbridge, but the Pedders Weight Matrix provides much more information than a vehicle’s overall weight.
Give the Pedders Weight Matrix a go at www.pedders.com.au. After all, carrying additional weight has a huge impact on a vehicle’s overall performance and safety.