The sound of thunder crashed around us, echoing off the great cliffs of Fiftymile Mountain to our south and the natural rock amphitheatre of Dance Hall Rock behind us. Lightening flashed in a coruscation of blinding light and pulsating natural power as the leading edge of the thunderstorm rolled over the cliffs and rocky hills around us.
This article was originally published in the October 2014 issue of 4×4 Australia.
A splattering of raindrops followed, but the storm was more a light and sound show than a downpour. The few drops that did fall hardly unsettled the dust and only occasionally gathered in small pools on the sea of rock that surrounded us.
The rocks that swept away from us in all directions were ‘petrified dunes’ – once mobile sand dunes that have fused together over the years, but are now even more impressive in their harsh starkness. The four-wheel drive trail we were following dipped and climbed, curled and wandered among these low rock swells, the waves of rock becoming more pronounced and dominant the further we progressed.
We were following in the footsteps of one of the most incredible settlement endeavours of America’s wild west. In the late 1870s, a group of Mormon pioneers set off to establish a community in the south-east of Utah. Their train of 80-odd wagons, 250 people and hundreds of livestock blazed the trail east from the small community of Escalante – when they came to the 600-metre sheer cliffs that bordered the Colorado River, in an area now called Glen Canyon, they simply pushed on.
The group discovered a crack in the defile. Here they widened and suspended a road out from its edge in order to lower their wagons, livestock and people down the scary slope – this hole is now known as: ‘Hole in the Rock’. Once at the bottom, they built a ferry to get across the raging river. Then true hardship began as they tried to find a route up the other side. Talk about pioneer grit and fortitude – backed up by a big dose of religious fervour, no doubt.
Still, until you stand on the edge of that high cliff at Hole in the Rock and look down to the waters – what was the Colorado River, and is now the backwaters of the man-made Lake Powell – the full enormity of what they did is impossible to comprehend. Most people are in complete and utter awe as to what the pioneers achieved and that is reflected in the visitors’ book that is found nearby – unbelievable, crazy, stupendous, stupid, awesome and terrifying were just some of the words listed.
We wandered the cliff edge and climbed a short distance down the defile, shaking our heads in wonderment. Then, with nobody around, we set up camp nearby, our surrounds and view identical to what those early, hardy and resourceful pioneers had experienced.
Our travels in the south-west of America started a few weeks previously when we bought a second-hand Dodge Ram, fitted it with a Four Wheel Camper slide-on and headed for the remote parts of this extremely populated country.
In a country roughly the same size as Australia but with a population of more than 300 million it’s a little harder to find remoteness, but it’s still possible.
Another camping spot that is more famous and on everyone’s bucket list is the Grand Canyon. This incredible place sees more than four and half million visitors each year, and while the popular spots on the South Rim are crowded much of the time, the North Rim is less congested.
If you head east or west from Bridle Veil Lodge, at the heart of the North Rim, you will end up on a series of forest trails that take you to the very lip of the canyon. Here, you can find a camping spot all to yourself.
From the North Rim, we headed to Page where the mighty Colorado River has carved another canyon. Here, amongst an incredible range of vistas, there’s Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon, the latter only spoilt by the number of people that wander through it.
From Page, we travelled west and crossed the border into (what has only recently become) our favourite state – Utah. Slipping off the blacktop, or ‘pavement’ as the Yanks call it, we entered the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, a vast area that links many of the nation’s finest national parks and national recreational areas into a contiguous 1.4 million hectares of protected lands – that doesn’t include the huge areas of national forest that border these parks and reserves.
Our route through the national monument took us along the Cottonwood Canyon Trail, and some isolated camps along Cottonwood Creek, before coming to the rock formation of Grosvenor Arch and then the multi-hued Kodachrome Basin State Park.
Nearby is the popular and impressive Bryce Canyon National Park. We took in some of the views and wandered the walking trails for a short distance, but it was way too crowded so we headed for the adjoining Dixie National Forest and picked up the Great Western Trail.
This trail runs from the Mexico border in Arizona to the Canadian border in Montana and passes mainly through national forest and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land. It would make a great trip and one we are planning to do in the future.
We camped in the heart of a small verdant meadow at an altitude of 2500 metres and just below a great white and red bluff dotted with pine and fir trees. A spring babbled from the ground just a few metres from our camp, and deer eyed us warily from the surrounding cover of trees and scrub. It was a magical spot.
The next day we rolled into the small hamlet of Escalante and then, after finding out about the endeavours of the early pioneers, we took to the Hole in the Rock track, which took us to the edge of the mighty Glen Canyon. Being of weaker mind and aptitude than the early Mormons, we turned our backs on this dead-end track and wound our way up into the higher country to the west of Escalante.
One of the things I love about touring the west of America is the incredible variety of scenery you witness in just an hours’ drive. One minute we were in raw red rock country more akin to Australian desert country; next we were travelling through verdant pine covered mountains dotted with lakes cut by cool trickling streams.
Again we found a choice of campsites – the Forestry Service provided some fabulous camping areas while, with just a bit more flexibility and effort, we could find a more isolated spot on a pine fringed meadow, all to ourselves.
From our mountain top camp, we headed east along Hells Backbone and then onto the Burr Trail, left the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and passed through the bottom section of the Capitol Reef National Park. We traversed an impressive series of switchbacks as the trail dropped over the edge of the Waterpocket Fold: the dominating 150-kilometre long feature of the national park.
For the next few days, we wandered the back roads, mainly through BLM land, leading to Moab, the mind-blowing vistas of Canyonlands National Park and the gravity defying rock formations of Arches National Park. We had been to both parks previously, and while there were always a few people around, these two parks and the surrounding country offer some of the best scenery, walks and four-wheel drive trails in all of the USA.
From Moab you can partake in a variety of adventures; hire a rock crawler or ATV, go rafting on the Colorado, climb or abseil some of the many sheer rock faces in the surrounding area, and horse ride or mountain bike on some of the high desert country trails from town.
After a somewhat disjointed wander through this four-wheel drive and adventure mecca we slipped into Colorado and headed into some fabulously rugged mountain country. Trouble was, while the main roads and highways were open, we were too early to travel the high mountain trails, which were still closed in early June due to snow.
We contented ourselves wandering the more beaten paths as we made our way south into New Mexico. Where, once more, we took to rarely used trails in the wake of some of the wild west’s most famous characters; like Billy the Kid and Kit Carson. But that’s a story for another day.
TRAVEL PLANNER
GETTING THERE Numerous airlines fly from Australia direct to Los Angeles in the USA and if you keep an eye on their websites you can get some great bargains.
GETTING SOME WHEELS Hire or buy? For hiring a fully setup RV start with Cruise America. There are plenty of others, including Tonto Trails who hire fully setup 4WD pick-ups with slide-on campers fitted or fully setup 4WD sportsmobile rigs.
If you are planning on touring for longer than a couple of months, buying a second hand rig is definitely a good choice. You’ll be surprised at what you can get for $10-20 grand.
BEST TIME Spring (April-May) is good for touring the desert country of the SW and is less crowded. Summer comes late in a lot of the high country, so access can be restricted due to deep snow off the main roads and highways, so it’s best to be flexible.
MORE INFO All the parks, reserves and forests have great websites where you’ll find a heap of info. For the national parks/monuments, start at: www.nps.gov or for the national forests visit: www.fs.fed.us
In addition, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) controls nearly 107 million hectares of land in the west and much of this is available for touring and recreation – see: www.blm.gov We always buy a state atlas of each new state we visit in the west – with their detail on tracks and reserves it will open up a new world to the US traveller. HEMA also does an excellent USA Road Atlas.
ROOTHY partners up with his mate Paul on the banks of the Paroo River to cook up some spicy chilli con carne.
Not a fan of chilli con carne? Then check out these recipes.
Putting this camp dish together is pretty simple. First, stir up some sliced onion in a frying pan and chuck in a few spoons of garlic.
Add a combination of beef and pork mince to the frying pan and mash it together until it starts to brown up.
Trickle in some soy sauce, add two OXO cubes, and sprinkle in plenty of chilli and cumin. Then add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, red kidney beans and hot tomato chutney.
Stir through generously until all of the ingredients blend together nicely. Then leave the lid on, let it bubble away, and plonk it in the Shuttle Chef.
“You’re probably wondering how good that’s going to taste. I’m wondering so much I’m actually salivating” Roothy said once he took the lid off the Shuttle Chef.
Serve up with a side of rice and some bread.
“It’s a really tasty lunch that’s really filling, and it’s not even expensive. It’s kind of like driving 40 Series Toyotas,” Roothy quipped.
It tastes great, and being stored in the shuttle chef means you can pull over for lunch wherever you see fit! Bon appetit!
By the time Mercedes Benz hits the market with its X-Class 1-tonne ute in 2018, the Nissan Navara chassis on which it is based, will have worn more different badges than a Chinese-made 12-volt winch. And that might not be the end of it.
Mercedes-Benz’s tie up with the Renault-Nissan alliance will see the X Class as the third vehicle to ride on the NP300 platform originally from the D23 Navara. Late in 2017 we’ll see the Renault Alaskan pick-up which also uses this architecture and shares powertrains and most body panels with the Nissan ute.
But it might not end there. Having just taken a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors, Renault-Nissan executives have stated that model sharing will be a key part of the wider alliance. Mitsubishi already has a deal with Fiat Professional to use the chassis and architecture from its Triton one-tonner to build the Fiat Fullback ute.
It would seem wasteful for the alliance to produce more than one body-on-frame platform for one-tonne pick-ups so is it unreasonable to imagine utes from Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Renault and Fiat all riding on the same design in the future?
In other wife-swapping utescapades; Ford has dropped its long association with Mazda to go it alone for the next generation of Ranger ute. Once again this vehicle will be developed in Australia although our Rangers will continue to be made in Thailand. Ford USA has also announced that the next Ranger will go on sale there by the end of the decade and Ford Australia in believed to be involved with development of that vehicle which will be built in Detroit. The development is happening alongside that on our next Ranger which will continue to be sourced from Thailand.
Looking for a fresh bedfellow, Mazda has slipped in with Isuzu for it’s next-gen BT50. Other than that this will be built on the next D-Max architecture, not much has been revealed about the collaboration but expect it to retail Mazda’s styling in line with the latest CX9 and CV5 SUVs
The Mazda tie-up came at a good time for Isuzu as its old mates at General Motors dumped the Japanese brand to go it alone for the Colorado. GM now sells a version of the Colorado as both a Chevrolet and GMC in the US market and rumour has it that the next-gen Colorado will be a shared GM product globally.
That leaves the Toyota Hilux and Volkswagen Amarok as the only two of the mainstream 4×4 ute models to still be single. There’s a gaggle of Chinese and Indian manufacturers out there as well who we’re sure would love to get a hold of that Toyota and VW tech.
All in all it lines us up for interesting times ahead for a 1-tonne ute market that is expected to grow more than 30-per cent over the next 10 years.
SINCE it’s launch Volkswagen has said that the Amarok was not designed to have a bull bar fitted to the front of it and would not have a factory option for one.
It appears that line is softening with the company hinting that one is coming for the updated model.
“I don’t want to go too much into the detail, but wait for 2017,” said Volkswagen Australia sales director for exported commercial vehicles, Dr Jan Michel at the recent launch of the Volkswagen Amarok TDi550 V6 model.
This was in response to questions pertaining to Australian developed accessories and local testing of the Amarok and it is believed that an airbag compliant bulbar will be offered by the factory in 2017
“The accessory business is one thing we are really putting high attention [into],” Michel said. “You can have happy dealers, you can have a happy importer and happy customers providing the right range of accessories … and this is what we are now doing.”
In regards to local testing in Australia Michal continued, “We have a factory in Argentina … and Argentina has also tough conditions so it’s easier to test there. For me it’s really learning from the market; Australia is really important.”
Australia is the single biggest market for the Amarok– something that ensures Volkswagen Australia has a louder voice at its German head office when it comes to future models.
Ford, Toyota, Mazda and Mitsubishi have all tested their respective utes in Australia prior to release. Mercedes-Benz is also planning to do the same here with its upcoming X-Class pick-up.
LIKE the simple things in life: pull-on boots, hats that shade my honker, and tools that do a job properly.
The same goes for camping gear. Nothing to break, nothing to lose and nothing to get flustered about – isn’t that why we go camping? To relax?
When it comes to touring tents – ones that are supposed to be quick and easy to set up and pack away – centre-pole-design tents are the best around. Sure, they miss out on some modern design inclusions, but you can’t break them and they’re perfect if you’re camping without a camper trailer or caravan, and they’re a great backup if you need to leave the ’van behind for a few weeks while you hit Cape York.
Throughout history you’ll find centre-pole tents have been used more than any other type of temporary accommodation, apart from caves. The old-style touring tents (centre-pole tent, bus tent, or whatever you call them) are still alive and strong, but they’re a rarity when compared to newer multi-framed, multi-hinged, pop-up, unfold, extend-a-frame styles.
There’s not much that can go wrong with this style of tent; no fancy spring-loaded clips and nothing that pops up or down.
We got our hands on a Southern Cross Ultimate Trekker centre-pole touring tent. It’s large enough to jam in mum, dad and a gaggle of kids, but it would be a little uncomfortable without the optional extra awning if the weather was unkind. No outdoor canvas coverage is offered, but a zip-on awning is optional.
The tent measures in at 4.0m long, 3.0m wide and 2.26m high when set up (the rear room section is 1.62m high) and packed dimensions are 1.0 x 1.0 x 0.15m. Given the tent is made from old-fashioned polycotton canvas, the total weight is 25kg. You won’t be hiking through the Red Centre with it on your back, but you could expect to cart it around on your roof rack or in the vehicle.
Southern Cross uses Australian-made 10-ounce polycotton canvas throughout, while the floor is heavy-duty PVC. Even the poles are made locally. That central pole has a simple double-lock feature to ensure the tent roof doesn’t slip down, regardless of the wind speed. A side-pole kit can replace the central pole to free up floor space; the floor has a reinforced patch so the pole doesn’t damage it.
Huge side and rear windows offer plenty of ventilation, plus there’s a small vent in the built-in roof frame to exhaust hot air. No fly is needed with this tent, which means you don’t have to wrestle to get an extra sheet over the high peak of the tent. Good quality canvas doesn’t need a fly to stay waterproof!
A gusseted window system, a decent-sized awning and a few other mod cons would be nice, but then it wouldn’t be a simple, tough-as-nails, quick-to-erect touring tent, would it?
Window mesh is fine enough to keep out mozzies and midges, and huge diameter peg rings allow a good grip to yank pegs out of the ground without tugging on the material.
The Ultimate Trekker claims to sleep four to six people.
RATED
AVAILABLE FROM: www.southerncrosscanvas.com.au; (03) 9729 5056. RRP: $1900. WE SAY: Simple; robust; quick and easy set-up.
Volkswagen’s much-anticipated V6 diesel Amarok has arrived and with it comes a new benchmark in 4×4 dual-cab utes.
Initially available in Ultimate and Highline specification and only as an eight-speed automatic, more V6 models will arrive next year including a 6-speed manual with dual-range, part-time 4×4.
The V6 engine attracts a very reasonable $3000 premium over the other Highline and Ultimate automatic models. The TDi550 Highline is $59,990 while the Ultimate tops the range (for now) at $67,990.
While the two new V6s will sell against the existing four-cylinder models for the time being, next year will also see shrinking of four-cylinder range from four to two grades, Core and Core Plus, while the single-cab 4×4 may also be phased out.
The reduction of the four-cylinder range will make way for an expanded V6 range including the special-edition Aventura due mid year. Expect the V6 to also make it’s way down the model grades but in a lower state of tune from the current 165kW/550Nm.
The engine in question is a long-serving VW family design that’s used in the Touareg as well as the Porsche Cayenne and Macan and Audi Q7 although it’s been beefed-up for the Amarok application.
Changes include a larger sump for added oil capacity and stronger pistons especially designed to cope with the demands of high-load, low-rpm operation. The Amarok’s V6 also comes with the latest emission tech including AdBlue SCR and a DPF and is already ahead of the game with regards local emissions compliance.
Unusually the engine is a 90-degree V6, rather than the more common 60-degree V6. It’s a DOHC, 24-valve design where the cams are chain and not belt driven and employs common-rail injection (@ 2000bar) and a single variable-geometry turbo.
For the time being the V6 only comes with a ZF eight-speed automatic and single-range full-time 4×4 in a system that’s similar to what’s currently available with the four-cylinder engine although the gearbox is a heavier-duty unit to cope with the extra torque of the V6. The 4×4 system uses a self-locking electronic-clutch centre diff that provides a nominal 40/60 front to rear torque split on high-traction surfaces but can vary the torque split as needed.
While the engine claims 165kW from as low as 2500rpm and extending up to 4500rpm, it also has an overboost function that bumps the maximum power to 180kW to provide more urge in overtaking situations and the like. The overboost is activated on throttle applications of 70 percent or more and for periods up to 10 seconds at a time.
At the other end of the rpm range, the 550Nm is on tap as low as 1500rpm and extends from there to 2500rpm.
DRIVING On the road the Amarok V6 is effortless at low and middle revs and punchy when needed. Pedal to the metal it will sprint from a standstill to 100km/h in just 7.9 seconds something that will leave even the best of the competitors utes, none of which will even break 10 seconds for the same sprint, back in its dust. Perhaps more appealing is the smooth and refined nature of an engine that sounds very un-diesel like with little or no telltale diesel rattle.
The refinement of the engine is matched by the super-slick ZF automatic that provides a wide spread of ratios for everything from low-speed rock crawling to effortless highway cruising. Thankfully the overall gearing isn’t excessively tall (as seems to be the trend today) with top gear giving around 60km/h/1000rpm. With maximum torque on tap at 1500rpm it means the engine doesn’t even think about slipping out of top gear on undulating country roads at legal highway speeds.
As with the four-cylinder Amarok with the eight-speed auto and single-range 4×4, the V6 can go from highway cruising to steep off-road work without having to touch a lever, switch or dial. There is a ‘Off-Road’ button that tweaks the gearbox-shift and ETC protocols as well as activating the hill-decent control, but left to its own devices the Amarok largely works it out itself anyway.
The off-road section of VW’s launch drive was moderately tough in parts but not sufficiently tough to require the rear locker to be engaged, which in the case of the Amarok keeps the traction control active on the front axle. On all competitor utes bar the up-dated Ford Ranger activating the rear locker cancels the traction control on both axles, which means it’s not always helpful.
If the Amarok V6 performs as well in truly difficult off-road situations as the four-cylinder eight-speed then it will be brilliant. Certainly there’s nothing to suggest it won’t be given the gearbox and drivetrain is effectively the same, only beefier. Given the extra torque of the V6 at low rpm, VW techs suggest it’s actually better in the steep stuff than the four.
As ever the Amarok offers first-class on-road ride and handing thanks to steering and chassis-balance that’s a cut above the rest of the class. If you want your ute to feel as much like a sports car as possible then this is it.
As standard the Highline comes with 18-inch alloys and the Ultimate with 19s but the launch vehicles were equipped with factory 17s fitted with Pirelli Scorpion ATRs (245/65R17s) as used on the current Core model.
The 17s can be fitted despite the V6 having bigger front brakes than the four-cylinder, now the biggest front brakes in the class. Disc brakes are also fitted at the rear which is a rarity in this class of ute.
The towing capacity remains changed at 3000kg but the GCM as been beefed up to 6000kg to match the Ranger and the BT-50 as a best-in-class figure. With the higher GCM, the V6 can tow its max and still have a decent payload in the tray, which is not the case with the 3500kg tow-rated utes. VW also offers a factory towbar while a bullbar is also in the works for next year.
Things like the spacious cabin (the widest in class) and the only tub in the class that can carry a full-sized pallet between the wheelarches remain largely unchanged although the cabin and equipment details have been changed, as has the front-end styling details.
SPECS Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel Max power/torque: 165kW/550Nm* Gearbox: eight-speed automatic 4X4 System: single-range full-time Kerb Weight: 2169kg to 2216kg GVM: 3080kg Payload: 864kg to 911kg Towing capacity: 3000kg Towball download: 300kg GCM: 6000kg Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres ADR fuel claim: 7.8 litres/100km *180kW with overboost (see text)
THERE’S a lot to be said about using punishment for learning.
A quick bop on the nose teaches your dog to stop sniffing around the barbecue, a hefty fine in the mail teaches us not to speed, or, in extreme cases, an overnight stay in the clink lets us know Mr. Plod thinks we should have a few less beers next time we’re in Kings Cross.
Following that same logic, this next recovery technique is a surefire way to teach you never to get stuck again because the punishment far outweighs the crime.
So, there you are, trundling along the beach by yourself on a week day. You’ve forgotten the MaxTrax, the exhaust jack is sitting on the shelf, and you neglected to back off the loud pedal before sinking axle deep in the soft stuff.
With no one in sight and no trees to speak of, you’re left with one option: bury your spare tyre and use it as an anchor. This will be a lesson in preparedness you won’t soon forget.
STEPS
1. NO CHOICE THIS might sound a little backwards, but the first step when it looks like you’ll have to bury your spare tyre is to try every other conceivable method of getting yourself un-stuck. It’s a seriously last-resort option that involves hard yakka and a long time in the sun. If you’ve got a shovel – and you should always have a shovel – try using it to dig away the sand from in front of your tyres.
2. ROPE-A-DOPE IF THAT fails, now isn’t the time to start taking half measures. So wind out the winch rope until there’s just one full layer left on the drum. It’ll let your winch work with its maximum pulling potential and, hopefully, give you enough length to get back on semi-solid ground.
3. DIGGITY NOW grab your trusty long-handled shovel. You’ll need to dig the hole deep enough to get your spare tyre completely under the surface, with at least 100mm of room to pack sand above again. As difficult as it is, you’ll need to avoid sloping the side of the hole closest to your vehicle, as it’s going to bear the full force of the spare tyre pushing against it. If possible, undercut the hole so the tyre is leaning away from the vehicle. Don’t cart the sand too far away either, as you’ll need it again soon.
4. FILL THE HOLE BY NOW the sun should be about an hour lower in the sky, and you’ll be cursing yourself for driving on that damned beach. But the good news is it’s now time to fill the hole. Grab your spare tyre and feed a tree-trunk protector through the centre hole of your wheel and back over the front. Avoid putting the strap through any spokes in your wheel, as the load can buckle steel and alloy wheels alike.
5. WHEEL IT IN ROLL the tyre to the edge of the hole and gently lower it in. If you have a standard size tyre you should be able to lower it in by hand, being careful not to push sand back in the hole. You’ll need to face the outside of your wheel against the front edge of the hole. It has a bigger surface area so can spread the load over a larger area. If you have larger and heavier tyres you’ll need to roll the tyre in from the side. The strap should be at the bottom of the tyre, if possible.
6. MORE DIGGING DON’T get too excited just yet – there’s more digging to be done. You must now dig a shallow trench through the sand so your winch line can make a beeline to the ends of your tree-trunk protector in the wheel. Try and keep the trench as narrow as possible, as the more sand you take away the less strength the wall of the hole will have to hold your spare tyre.
7. PACK IT IN GRAB your shovel again and get back to work. As backwards as it sounds, you’ll want to pack as much loose sand as possible behind the wheel first – the idea being to keep the spare tyre pushed against the hole’s still firm front sidewall. As you shovel the sand in, push it down into place. The tighter packed the sand, the less chance your spare tyre will pop out before you do.
8. RECOVERY KIT WITH the spare tyre properly buried and your tree-trunk protector poking into the trench, grab your recovery kit and rig it up. If you’re using a hook, keep its open end up, so it shoots down if it breaks. You’ll also need to fit a winch blanket; although, it should be halfway between your vehicle, just where your line enters the sand. Avoid handling straps and rope while they’re covered in sand, as the abrasive particles can work their way into the webbing and cut it to pieces over time from the inside-out.
9. GIVE IT A WHIRL WITH passengers and eager spectators standing well clear, jump back in your 4×4 and pull the winch-line tight. The spare tyre should be deep enough to pull you out but won’t stand a chance against the dead weight of a fully loaded 4×4, so give it all the help you can. Make sure there’s as much sand cleared away from in front of your tyres as possible and, in first gear low range, drive with the winch without spinning your tyres.
10. CLEAN THE MESS WHEN you’re back on solid ground, it’s time to reach for the shovel one last time. Before you disconnect your winch line, drive over the top of the hole and winch in. The spare tyre should have no problems pulling up through the recently disturbed sand. It’ll leave a mud-tyre-sized hole that could catch out unsuspecting beachgoers, so fill it in before setting off. Don’t forget to thoroughly rinse any recovery gear to remove ingrained sand.
WHEN Chevrolet’s Colorado ZR2 was revealed last week we noted that the big ticket item on the build was the Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSV) damper technology.
We had to re-read the press statement when we first saw it, too. ‘Isn’t this the same damper technology used in F1 cars?’ we thought.
Indeed it is. In fact, it was used by the constructors-championship-winning Red Bull team from 2010-2013. Then, in 2014, the Chevrolet Camaro Z/38 was the first production car to utilise the damper tech.
Other notable performance cars to utilise the technology include the Aston Martin One-77 and Mercedes-AMG GT. It will also soon underpin the new Ford GT.
Now the all-new ZR2 will be the first vehicle to come with the state-of-the-art hypercar suspension that’s tailored for off-road use. But what is the advantage of Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSV) damper technology?
The DSSV-equipped ZR2 is said to be equally proficient both off-road (aggressive driving) and on-road (smooth, relaxed cruising) thanks to spool valve ports that can be shaped to alter the amount of hydraulic fluid passing through the suspension dampers.
The damper’s aluminium bodies house two spool valves that provide compression and rebound damping optimised for everyday use. The addition of a third valve specifically for the ZR2 aids when traversing extreme off-road trails whereby extreme suspension compression occurs.
The spool valves also offer increased precision and manufacturing repeatability, which dramatically cuts real-world tuning and development time.
We’ll have to wait and see whether Holden Australia has the bravado to follow suit. Until then, watch the video to see the ZR2 in action.
WHEN someone told me there was a place just a couple of hours’ drive from Sydney where you could do lake and shore fishing, explore a rainforest, drive along a beach in your 4WD, and spend a day tackling a maze of unsealed tracks that covers nearly 70km² of forest, it sounded a bit too good to be true.
As it turns out, it is true – and it can all be done in a weekend. To top it off, the area offers some cracking campsites!
The Great Lakes region and neighbouring Wallingat National Park are a combination of waterways that include the Myall, Smiths and Wallis lakes – all located along the NSW coast, just 80km north of Newcastle. Wallingat National Park is a stone’s throw away from the lakes, located on the western side of Wallis Lake, and this forest offers plenty of unsealed tracks that make their way through the park’s rainforests, swamps and dry woodland areas.
The Great Lakes region is renowned for its beauty and striking landscapes, ranging from vast ocean beaches – with more than 80km of coastline – to sheltered waterways, lakes and coastal forests. The Myall Lakes, covering more than 100km², are the largest natural freshwater system on the NSW coast and are listed as a wetland of international importance. This lush environment is also home to the tallest tree in NSW, the Grandis, which tops a whopping 84 metres.
We decided to stay for two nights in the area and, on the first night, we stayed at the Mungo Brush campsite, one of the region’s many campgrounds. Here you can camp on the lake shore, or right beside the entrance to the Mungo Brush rainforest. You are also within walking distance of the beach, with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean set against a backdrop of dominant sand dunes and white-sand beaches – which you can explore in your 4WD with the appropriate permit.
We parked the Land Rover right beside the entrance to the rainforest walk, and if you set up camp here you will be drawn into exploring this well-marked rainforest trail. This easy loop takes you on a short walk through a coastal rainforest that features ancient trees, plum pine, mock olive, coogera and brush bloodwood.
This moist and lush environment suits all types of wildlife including frogs, kangaroos, koalas, wallabies and a number of reptile species. And, at the Mungo Brush campsite, be prepared to share your campsite with numerous not-so-shy brush turkeys as they scavenge for whatever pickings they can get from the camp table.
After a pleasant overnighter we spent our second night at the Sandbar and Bushland Parks campsite. En-route we did some exploring, firstly taking in the recommended Violets Hill, then on to the Grandis (NSW’s largest tree). To get there from Mungo Brush, head towards Bulahdelah and continue north along the Pacific Highway.
After 6km look out for the turnoff to Violet Hill, and after a couple of kilometres along this track you will see the sign ‘The Grandis 5km’. Take this path and you will then hit a dirt track, which you’ll follow to its end for a couple more kilometres. An information point is located just before a short walking trail which leads to the viewing point of NSW’s largest tree. This Flooded Gum stands a staggering 84.3 metres and measures 2.7 metres wide.
From here we took Violet Hill Road, a narrow dirt track that leads to a great place to stop for lunch, right beside the lake. You’re almost guaranteed to see a number of majestic black swans here, swimming close to the lake shore. In the mid-1800s this place was thriving and buzzing with industry; there was a substantial timber trade on the lakes, with logs transported by barges to Newcastle and down to Sydney.
After a good look around we got back on Lakes Way Road and headed for Bungwahl, just under 20km from Boolambayte – a route that took us along the borders of Myall Lakes and Smiths Lake.
From Bungwahl, continue on the Lakes Way until you see the sign for the Sandbar and Bushland Park. Turn right and drive under the ranch-style welcome sign. From there you’ll meander along the dirt track through sub-tropical rainforest abundant with palm trees, before reaching the Sandbar and Bushland campsite.
The campground occupies a secluded bush location on the shores of the beautiful Smiths Lake and Sandbar Beach. There are two separate parks here, one in the bush and one by the lake.
We opted to camp in the bush and parked the Land Rover under the shade of some very tall gum trees beside a creek that feeds into Smiths Lake. It was our last camp in the Great Lakes region and we were delighted to be allowed to have a campfire right beside the creek, as fires aren’t allowed at Mungo Brush.
As we set up camp we were treated with a buzz of wildlife that included ducks, many other birds and a menacing hawk. Plenty of small fish could be easily observed through the creek’s clear water. Make sure to take the short walk across to Smiths Lake and watch the sun go down. We enjoyed a couple of cold beers as we shared the spectacle with a lone fisherman who had waded in up to his waist.
Next morning we were up at the crack of dawn for eggs on toast. As this was our last day in the Great Lakes region we spent the rest of the day tackling the tracks in the neighbouring Wallingat National Park. The 65.57km² park, described as one of the largest and most significant coastal forest reserves in north-eastern NSW, is located west of Wallis Lake
A network of unsealed tracks allows you to discover the park’s best features. Some of the smaller tracks that dissect the forest off the main track have signs notifying of risks and hazards, but despite those warnings we had no issues in our standard Land Rover Defender 90.
A popular and not-so-challenging unsealed track near Forster is a 25km loop of Wallingat. This track will take you through dense forest, and you’ll come across a couple of timber bridges – none of which will cause any drama. Note that the bridge crossing Boggy Creek has a three-tonne load limit, but unless you’re driving a kitted-out Unimog or large Russian military truck you should have no issues.
If you decide to camp in Wallingat National Park there are a couple of cracking campsites, including the Wallingat River campground, a picturesque riverside campsite towered over by eucalyptus trees, and the Ferny Creek campground. This campground can only be reached in a 4WD and is highly recommended by locals as a great fishing spot.
If you have a spare weekend, or longer, the Great Lakes region and the Wallingat National Park present an incredibly diverse and natural environment. This isn’t an epic 4WD adventure, but with its picturesque lakes, coastal beaches, walking trails and 4×4 tracks, you will be pleasantly surprised with the variety of activities you can enjoy in just a few days.
TRAVEL PLANNER
WHERE THE Great Lakes, just three hours’ from Sydney, are a network of waterways that include the Myall, Smiths and Wallis lakes and sit between Nelson Bay and Forster, north of Newcastle.
MAPS HEMA Maps’ Australia Easy Read Road and 4WD Atlas (9th edition) is useful. The Myall Lakes, Booti Booti and Wallingat National Parks’ visitor guide is available from tourist information offices.
CAMPSITES THE Mungo Brush campground is a well-known campground near Hawks Nest. There are more than 22 campgrounds within the Myall Lakes. The Sandbar and Bushland Park campground can be found some 20km south of Forster. There are two idyllic campsites in the Wallingat National Park: the Wallingat River campground and the Ferny Creek campground.
FUEL AND SUPPLIES THE area is serviced by the towns of Hawks Nest, Forster and Bulahdelah.
KEY CONTACTS WALLINGAT National Park is operated by Great Lakes (Pacific Palms), phone: (02) 6591 0300; (02) 6554 0489. Sandbar and Bushland Caravan Park, phone: (02) 6554 4095 www.sandbarpark.com.au
RESTRICTIONS AND PERMITS 4WD beach permits are required to drive along the beach north of Hawks Nest. General park entry and camping fees also apply. The permit allows access to beaches in the Great Lakes and Greater Taree City Council areas. Fishing permits are also needed. The lakes, including the Myall Lakes National Park and the Wallingat National Park, are always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
TRIP STANDARD Suitable for standard 4WDs. All tracks are well graded, particularly around Myall Lakes. Be sure to pack recovery gear, as things can get interesting if the tracks are wet.
IT IS said that the Toyota Troop Carrier is the Swiss Army Knife of four-wheel drives, and proud Troopy owner Sam Garrett couldn’t have displayed it better than he has in this clever video.
The quick video proves how versatile the Troop Carrier can be. It can convert in an outback kitchen with mountains of storage space, and the next minute an installed roof-top tent can unfold for a perfect night’s sleep.
Sam is a member of Troopcarriers of Australia’s Facebook page. They’re a bunch of guys and gals who own Troopys and love everything about them.
We joined TOA on their Winter Ramble earlier this year and found them a great bunch of folks who know their stuff and enjoy a good time.
A total of 150 Troopys turned up to the 2016 Winter Ramble, which was an incredible feat – three Troopys attended the event in 2013, 17 showed up in 2014, and 76 vehicles participated in 2015.
The 2016 Winter Ramble also raised $4850 for the Southern Cross Kids Camps charity.
Own a Troopy (or want to own one and join in on the fun) then check out TOA’s Facebook page.
Or read the full story on our catch-up with Troopcarriers Of Australia here.