4X4 Australia

I was coming down the Oodnadatta Track the other day, dropping in to outback towns including Finke in the Northern Territory, and Oodnadatta, William Creek and Marree in South Australia.

It was bloody hot and there were very few travellers on the road, so each town was a welcome stop in the heat-soaked landscape.

Not one of these small but important towns – that service a vast and remote inland area – had mobile phone reception! Well, Oodnadatta has a short-range Optus service, I’ve been told, but that is all. That’s bloody disgusting in this day and age in a modern country such as ours!

Meanwhile, when passing through countries including Kenya and Mongolia, we found much better and wider mobile phone coverage. For me, that was a revelation of how badly our telcos (and our governments) treat outback Australia and its people.

While some of those iconic Aussie towns and communities may have some form of internet connection, most of the time it is unavailable to the travelling public. In Marree, an internet connection was available at the local pub for public use, but the town has been forced to stop it because of the poor (slow or near non-existent) connection provided by the much-talked-about National Broadband Network (NBN). That is piss poor!

All is not lost, however. Supposedly, the mobile phone network will get a big upgrade over the next couple of years, with the Federal and State governments teaming up with Telstra and Vodafone in a $385 million program to bring mobile services to far-flung places. Note that Optus did not get any of the monetary pie, even though they did apply for some.

In total there will be 144 new and upgraded base stations built across New South Wales, 110 in Victoria, 68 in Queensland, 130 in Western Australia, 11 in South Australia, 31 in Tasmania and five in the Northern Territory.

These bases include Gooloogong in NSW, Dingo in Qld, Cape Otway in Vic and the Aboriginal communities of Imanpa in the NT and Fregon in SA. There was no reference to important tourist towns such as those mentioned on the Oodnadatta Track or elsewhere across the country, but they could be lucky … we’ll see!

These new and upgraded base stations from Telstra and Vodafone will supposedly provide improved mobile reception and coverage to 68,600km² and new external antenna coverage to more than 150,000km². More than 5700km of major transport routes will also receive new handheld or external antenna coverage.

By all accounts both Telstra and Vodafone will determine the rollout sequence of the new and improved bases, while the feds said they will closely monitor the upgrades and ensure that regular public updates are provided.

The first new base station was to be completed by the end of 2015, but have we seen any updates on that? And have we seen any progress with the NBN and its supposed ‘future proofing’ of all of Australia?

Ask any bush person and most would agree that it’s a cruel joke. Download limits are, where they exist, tiny – and connection is so slow that even sending a basic email is often impossible. The publican at Marree, who wanted to upload pics to a tourist-popular website, had to drive to Port Augusta, 380km away, to get a connection good enough for the job!

After all that and the billions of dollars spent, I wouldn’t be relying on my mobile phone to get me out of trouble when I’m stuck in the outback. And if you have a mobile phone provider other than Telstra, best of luck getting coverage anywhere in the outback.

I’ll continue to pack my sat phone or my HF radio, thanks – and I suggest you do something similar!

Getting away from town can be the best way to spend the long weekend. Packing your 4×4 right and not forgetting the essential will make the trip memorable for all the right and not the wrong reasons.

Here are a few tips thanks to Yakima.

1. Try and only pack the essentials. Throwing in more things just in case could increase your risk of getting bogged if you’re heading to the beach. Remember every kilo you save reduces your chances of getting stuck and if that does happen, start by unpacking the vehicle to lighten the load.

2. Think safety. Sensible packing starts with the essential items like vehicle spares, tools and recovery equipment. After that, consider navigational supports like maps (packed in water proof bags or containers), a compass, GPS and EPIRB beacon. Always remember to pack enough water for each person on board plus the tank.

3. Keep all of your recovery gear out and pack them at the last minute so they are accessible if you need them. Pack things like chains, ropes, tracks and a shovel on top so you can grab them if or when you get into trouble and need help to get out.

4. Make sure you pack essentials. Lighters and fire starters are vital to making a camp comfortable – to provide heat, light and cook dinner. A decent sized tarp and rope are also fundamentals because they have multiple uses. A tent and sleeping bag, as well as the few outfits you’re taking. Pack your clothes in a soft bag that can not only double as a pillow, but is also easier to pack into the car – squeezing into awkward, spaces to fill.

5. Always carry some reserves of food and make sure liquids are packed inside containers that won’t leak or break. Wrap glass in tea towels or wedge between toilet rolls.

6. A first aid kit, a fire-extinguisher, suntan lotion, a hat and insect repellent are vital! Make sure you put them in an easy spot to access quickly and easily. At your feet, in the centre console or inside the glove box are good ideas.

7. Have fun and return home safely!

Roof racks are good for things you don’t want inside your car like gas bottles, firewood, camping and smelly rubbish. Loading and unloading roof luggage is a real task, so it is important to pack things up there that you don’t need to access often. It’s like the computer game Tetris – it takes skill and practice to efficiently fill the space.

Keep it centred – to make any swaying less noticeable. If your load is too far forward or too far back, either way it will affect steering and make a 4WD journey a real challenge for the driver and can make passengers anxious.

Remember that your car is now taller, so don’t go into undercover car parks without checking the height of the vehicle or you might get a nasty surprise. Watch for low-lying branches and inclines when your vehicle is taller and has a higher centre of gravity.

Also remember that everything packed outside your car can or will get weather affected. Consider rain and dirt and keep valuables inside the car or wrap them really well, covering them up in tarps or Yakima’s luggage bags.

DUAL-CAB utes loom as the next battlefield in performance vehicles as manufacturers capitalise on increased demand for something above the load-lugger norm.

Already, local sales of upmarket utes such as the Ford Ranger Wildtrak, Toyota Hilux SR5 and Volkswagen Amarok Ultimate account for 40 percent of a market segment that now snares almost one in six sales. Buyers are clearly hungry for more sporting, visually aggressive pick-ups, especially with the imminent demise of the Falcon and Commodore-based utes.

The prospect of paying $60K for a dressed-up work ute hasn’t frightened buyers, and carmakers are keen to cater with more visual fruit and – in some cases – upgraded performance.

Leading the hi-po ute onslaught will be HSV, a brand best known for 400kW-plus Commodores.

“We have an interest in this area, and have been watching the segment develop in recent years,” HSV boss Tim Jackson.

Jackson said any Holden Colorado-based ute would need to live up to the HSV promise: “The primary caveat on any program from HSV is the execution we pursue would need to meet the expectations of the brand: performance, bold styling and a strong technology story.”

Key to HSV’s performance discussions are whether to fettle the 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel fitted to Australian Colorados or use the Commodore 3.6-litre V6 that is used in the Chevrolet version in the US.

“The execution also has to meet the on-road and off-road needs of the customer. Therefore the versatility of the powertrain and chassis become real focal points,” Jackson said, hinting that the thirstier petrol engine may be best for HSV buyers.

“At some point you need to decide on which attributes your vehicle will compete with most strongly, and be comfortable you will deliver better than the competition,” he said.

Ford also has big hopes for Ranger. It has trademarked ‘Ranger Raptor’ (pictured top) in readiness for the flagship ute. As with the F150 Raptor sold in the US, the Ranger version will get power upgrades and extensive bodywork changes – at a price. Expect to pay upwards of $80K.

Raptor details are scant. It’s not known whether Ford will use the 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel or one of the latest petrols, such as the 242kW 2.7-litre turbo in the F150.

It’s also likely to be a product of the all-new Ranger, due about 2019.

Industry leader Toyota is also planning to bolster its Hilux range. The SR5 model that currently tops the range is in hot demand and execs have all but confirmed another model is in development.

“There’s clearly scope for something like that,” said Toyota sales and marketing chief Tony Cramb, adding it would focus on styling and likely use the standard 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel.

Hilux chief engineer Masahiko Maeda is cautious about higher outputs: “If customers require such kind of high performance with high-price vehicles, we will start to study, but based on my experience with the previous-generation Hilux, I don’t think so.”

Cramb noted that “TRD has a good name here in Australia” and could be used “if we were to do something like that”. However, Toyota insiders tell us a Hilux TRD (pictured above) is unlikely before 2018.

Holden is keen to expand Colorado when the update arrives in August and is working on a new flagship likely to reuse the Z71 moniker applied to a limited-edition model last year. “It’s a growing segment of the market and models like our Z71 proved popular, so there’s certainly an appetite for those kinds of vehicles,” said Holden spokesman Sean Poppitt.

Then there is Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming ute (pictured above), which has Australia front and centre in the planning.

Due in 2018, Merc will offer four-cylinder versions of the Nissan Navara-based Mercedes-Benz GLT as well as a V6 diesel with outputs of around 200kW and 600Nm, making it one of the most potent utes available.

Benz is also considering an AMG version, though not a V8. AMG boss Tobias Moers told Wheels the brand was exploring the potential for an AMG ute, but that it wouldn’t be “the full Monty”.

“Is there going to be an AMG-line, which will have unique bumpers and wheels? Maybe,” said Moers. “But there’ll be no 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 model, so it won’t be a proper AMG car.”

Hyundai hauler?

A performance ute wildcard could come from Hyundai with the production version of the Santa Cruz. While right-hand-drive production is unlikely before 2020, the car-based chassis makes it the closest thing to Falcon and Commodore utes dynamically. An N version from Hyundai’s newly formed performance division would certainly work in the US market for which the ute is primarily designed.

Heat seeker

Not wanting to miss out on the boom at the top of the ute market, Mitsubishi showed its hand for a flagship Triton with the Geoseek concept at the Geneva motor show in early March. It featured splashes of orange, a black grille, black wheelarch extensions, stylised silver underbody protection, LED fog lights and roof racks. Mitsubishi Australia says the Geoseek is only a design concept for now and that the brand will monitor feedback.

Cool as ice

Renault looms as a wildcard in the performance ute race. The Alaskan concept revealed last year in Paris showed a clear desire to explore the sportier side of the ute segment. With 21-inch wheels and bold design features previewing an Alaskan production car to be unveiled this year, the French brand looks set to shake up a segment once reserved for workhorses. Whether there will be a Renault Sport version is too early to say, although executives are keeping an eye on the growth of the market, saying “it is not out of the question”.

Aussie TOP 10

Sales figures* reveal that four utes made the Australian top 10 list in January. Sales of 4×2 and 4×4 utes accounted for 15.1 percent of the market.

1. Mazda 3 2. Toyota Corolla 3. Ford Ranger 4. Toyota Hilux 5. Hyundai Tucson 6. Hyundai i30 7. Mazda CX-5 8. Holden Colorado 9. Nissan Navara 10. Volkswagen Golf

*Source: VFACTS, Jan 2016.

This article was originally published in WHEELS magazine.

Next workshop visit was to one of our favourite places, Marks 4WD Adapters in Dingley.

Click here for your chance to win 4×4 Australia’s Custom Toyota Hilux.

We always love checking out the projects in the workshop at Marks as they usually involve a V8 engine conversion and some clever engineering. No V8 this time (damn it!), but a super front brake upgrade to improve the stopping performance.

The brake package is one that has been developed for heavier vehicles such as the Land Cruiser 70 Series and really benefits vehicles that are towing a load and working their stoppers hard. The package contains Australian designed Delios Command 4WD carbon-enhanced disc rotors fitted with ceramic-impregnated high-performance brake pads. This combination gives extra bite to maximise deceleration with minimum pedal effort and copes better at higher temperatures that occur when pulling up heavy loads or controlling a 4×4 down long, steep descents. That means no brake fade when working them hard.

Our Hilux is five years old and as such its OE rubber brake hoses were due to be replaced; how many of you factor this into your regular vehicle servicing? Marks 4WD manufacture and sell braided stainless steel replacement brake lines for any 4×4 and as they are tailor made to the vehicle, they can be made longer to accommodate lifted suspension or custom applications. Braided lines should last the life of your vehicle and eliminate the sponginess felt as old rubber hoses expand under pressure. Ask any motorcycle rider or race car driver how much better braided SS lines are and you’ll be converted, too.

We haven’t put many kays on the new brakes yet, but straight away you can feel the added bite and more immediate stopping power with much less pressure on the brake pedal. The improved brakes will really come in to their own once we add some more weight to the Lux with bars, a winch, batteries, bigger wheels and tyres, and so forth.

It’s the start of a fun vehicle-build and we’re looking forward to transforming this former work truck to a capable off-road expedition vehicle. The competition, which gives you the chance to win the finished rig, will start at the end of the year, so stay tuned, follow the build and don’t miss your chance to enter the comp.

Marks 4WD Adapters Address: 385-393 Lower Dandenong Rd, VIC 3172 Phone: (03) 9552 6555 Website: www.marks4wd.com/

Want to see more of our Project Hilux build? Check out the below:

Based on the same platform as the rugged Hilux ute, the Toyota Fortuner is built to tackle serious off-roading and that hardware’s backed up with the latest software to help.

Make no mistake, this is no ‘soft roader’ – it’s a real four-wheel drive, with a dual-range 4×4 system, generous ground clearance, and loads of suspension travel.

The ATRC traction control system was developed in Australia and – as we found on 4×4 Of The Year – that testing really shows in how well it works in the bush. For those of you determined to push things beyond the ATRC’s limits, there’s also a locking rear diff but we reckon most won’t need it.

Climbing over Outback tracks is one thing; surviving the hard knocks is another, and the Fortuner packs solid underbody protection into the package

When it comes to river crossings, the Fortuner boasts a 700mm wading depth, and if the climbs in or out are steep, the generous approach and departure angles mean the bodywork won’t be at risk.

All up, the Toyota Fortuner Crusade is set to tackle almost any terrain.

Click here to see the Toyota Fortuner Crusade tow the Patriot X1 and view it’s features.

The Alu-Cab range covers a host of vehicle-mounted canopies, slide-on campers, roof-top tents, awnings and camping accessories.

Recently we came across a well-sorted Land Rover Defender fitted with an Alu-Cab flip-top camper conversion. These conversions are also available for Land Cruiser Troopies.

While Landie owners Andrew and Sharon Cox imported the product direct from South Africa and fitted it themselves, most people would find it easier to have all the work done by the newly appointed Australian dealer.

Fitting the unit to the Landie is a simple matter of removing the OE bolt-on roof and replacing it with the camper conversion. Not happy with stock-white paint, Andrew had it repainted black.

The unit is built from aluminium, while the outer skin is anodised tread plate, easily supporting the full-length roof rack that’s now attached to it. There’s a 25mm sagex-polystyrene layer for excellent insulation, and two more layers in the roof that add strength and a good finish.

The roof lifts on gas struts, which will vary, depending on whether a roof rack is fitted or not. The conversion’s higher-profile roof line allows for the flooring of the camper and plenty of room for the 75mm-thick mattress, along with all the sleeping gear you’ll ever need.

The floor of the camper – the normal ‘ceiling’ of the Landie’s roof – is aluminium and plywood sheet covered in carpet. It’s in two sections, the smaller end providing easy bedroom access from below when the camper has been erected.

The tent area is made from high-quality canvas, with plenty of ventilation from three large mesh-covered windows. The rear window has a large awning over it, allowing access direct from the outside, or for the window to remain open in inclement weather.

Opening the camper is simply a matter of undoing the clips and pushing upwards, with the gas struts doing the lifting. Closing it takes a little more effort, as it needs to be pulled down into place.

One interesting feature is the support strut that allows you to put all the canvas away without having to try to hold the roof in place. Once tucked away, simply pull down on the roof and the support strut depresses into its holder, allowing you to latch the roof easily.

The camper roof holds a full-length rack, with the amount of gear it can carry only restricted by the strength of the gas strut and the person lifting the roof.

Enhancing the versatility of the camper, Andrew and Sharon have added an Alu-Cab Shadow Awning, which is a robust 10sqm, 270-degree swing-around shade awning. This is probably the strongest-looking unit I have seen on the market.

The mounting and hinged points are made from solid stainless steel, while the arms are from boxed aluminium. It comes with a support leg and a few pegs to hold it down in strong winds, and it is as easy as you’d expect to deploy.

The Defender’s rear windows were removed and replaced with Alu-Cab storage units. The driver’s side has a box suitable for recovery gear and tools, while the passenger-side box is a deeper unit customised as a kitchen.

There’s a swing down bench at the back of the Defender to carry the stove, while on the other side a gas bottle can be mounted externally (so no danger of gas leaks in the vehicle) and plumbed in with a quick disconnect gas connection.

In some of the unused space inside the cab, a set of roomy Alu-Cab drawers house a pair of narrow 110amp/hour batteries that help power the nearby Engel fridge. The top of the drawer system doubles as a handy seat when Andrew and Sharon are forced indoors, while a long storage box opposite doubles as a bench.

Being keen and experienced desert travellers, they have two 22-litre plastic jerry cans for water readily accessible inside, plus a 60-litre stainless steel water tank tucked up under the floor, giving a pretty generous supply overall.

If you’ve spotted the elaborate rubbing strips on the doors, those are actually Alu-Cab aluminium tie-down rails. These not only strengthen the doors, as Andrew has found, but more also allow numerous items to be mounted there when setting up camp.

In fact, Alu-Cab has a hot water system that mounts on to the door, although it wasn’t on their shopping list – not yet, anyway!

Of course, such a well set-up Land Rover has all the normal stuff – ARB bullbar, aftermarket suspension, long-range fuel tank, snorkel, winch, HF radio, and the like. But it is the Alu-Cab additions that lift this rig from the norm to the exceptional.

Rated

Available from: Alu-Cab Australia RRP: $7000 (roof conversion only) We say: Great modification; well thought out, easy to use, durable and reliable

Cost

Alu-Cab roof conversion – $13,000 fitted Shadow Awning – $1700

For more Info: Alu-Cab now has a local dealership – Alu-Cab Australia (& Quick Pitch Campers), Wangara, WA Ph: 1300 136 964 Visit: http://alu-cab.com.au

4X4 Australia magazine has a project car – a 2010 Hilux which, once we’re finished kitting it up, we’ll be giving away to a lucky reader. Stay tuned and follow the build over the coming months as we reveal details of the competition that could make this expedition rig yours.

Click here for your chance to win 4×4 Australia’s Custom Toyota Hilux.

We’re building a project car that one lucky 4×4 Australia reader could be driving in 2016. That’s right, we’re transforming this plain-Jane base model Hilux into something you’ll be proud to own and drive thanks to a swag of goodies from all our best advertisers.

The ex-PMG Lux is the perfect blank canvas on which to create a trick bush tourer. It’s a 2010 model SR with a D4D 3.0 engine, 5-speed ‘box and 162,000km on the clock. We picked it up with a full Toyota service history; it just had the cam-belt done at the country Victoria dealership where it served its apprenticeship and, frankly, it drives too tight and feels too good to mess with.

But that’s not our style. The Lux will be refreshed from the ground up and will soon be rolling on Cooper’s new STT Pro tyres mounted on ATX alloys tucked inside TJM flares. It will also have an EFS suspension kit; front and rear bars and rock sliders, also from TJM; a Mean Mother winch; a high-performance brake upgrade from Marks 4WD; a secondary fuel filter from Flash Lube; MSA canvas seat covers; Lightforce LED lighting; a cargo area fit-out with a roof tent from Ironman 4×4; and whatever else we can persuade our supporters to throw at it. The loaded Lux will be a sweet piece of kit and we’re already ruing the day when we have to hand the keys over to a lucky reader.

But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. We bought the Hilux from Orix Fleet Leasing with the help of Red Plum Automotive brokers, who found the right vehicle for us. The first port of call was Terrain Tamer, where its resident Toyota 4×4 expert Allan Gray gave the Lux a once-over and told us what else it needed.

“I drive a similar model”, Allan says, “but this one goes very well. A couple of things wrong with it – it’s got a leaking oil seal on the front drive shaft that needs replacing and these common-rail diesels definitely need a second fuel filter to keep dirty fuel out of the high-pressure fuel pump.”

With that said, it was straight up on the hoist and Allan soon had the off-side front drive shaft out to replace the leaky seal with one from the extensive range of replacement parts in the Don Kyatt catalogue. The oil in the diff looked freshly changed, reflecting the well-serviced history of this car.

Back on deck and under the bonnet, Allan got to work fitting the secondary fuel filter kit. These are offered with a model-specific bracket to make the install as easy as possible. On the Lux the bracket sits up near where the second batter will go, but still leaves room for it. Clever.

Allan is passionate about getting clean fuel to your diesel engine and says there are plenty of examples of expensive repairs caused by dirty fuel. “We speak to workshops and vehicle owners every day and they are reporting cases of serious damage to diesel pumps, injectors and engines, largely caused by contaminated fuel. Most of these dramas could have been avoided.”

The standard fuel filter filters at around five microns while an auxiliary filter, such as the Flash Lube one, filters at 30 microns. The Flash Lube set up also has a glass bowl at the bottom where you can quickly see if any contaminants, including water, have been caught in the filter. You can also add an optional warning light to mount in the vehicle cab to alert you of contaminants.

At $210 for the filter and $250 for the Hilux mounting bracket, we see this as cheap insurance against contaminated fuel and the resulting expensive engine repairs. We were going to replace the element in the OE fuel filter, but upon removal it looked new, so now there’s a complete Terrain Tamer filter kit (worth $55) waiting in the tray for the lucky winner of the car to install at its next service.

PLUM ON TARGET

There are more important things to do than waste time with car salesmen.

Experiences with classifieds and car dealers are never pleasant, but we’re happy to say that there is a better option: a car broker. Car brokers can take care of all the unpleasantries, save you time, and find you the right car with the best deal. If you meet a good broker, you shouldn’t need to do much more than sign the papers, pick up the vehicle from a car yard, or wait for it at home – some brokers will actually organise to have the vehicle dropped to your driveway, so you might not need to step into a car saleroom at all.

When we put word out that we were looking for a Hilux, a 4X4 Au friend recommended Red Plum Automotive. Based in Brisbane, Red Plum can find a vehicle for you anywhere in Australia, and once we let them know what we needed, Red Plum’s Tony Kerr got back to us with several vehicle options, based on a thorough nation-wide search.

Tony found the model we were after, and met our budget and specific needs. Even the Hiluxes that didn’t make the cut were impressive machines. A lot were rejected, however, because of high mileage, poor service histories or obvious abuse.

As it turned out, a suitable candidate was found not far from 4X4 Australia HQ. And after we checked it out and took it for a test drive the deal was done, and we reckon we got a good-un.

While Red Plum found the right used car for us, they can also source new and used cars for private or business buyers, and the service doesn’t end there.

“We are with you for the duration of ownership and will check in with you from time to time to be assured that both your vehicle and ownership experience have lived up to expectation,” company director Christopher Lee says.

Red Plum not only helps with finding the vehicle, but can also help with finding finance, aftermarket and vehicle servicing, detailing and trade-ins.

It’s a one-stop shop for all your vehicle needs and it takes the hassle and time-wasting out of buying. Tony sure made it a lot easier for us.

For more info or to make an enquiry, head to: www.redplumautomotive.com.au.

Terrain Tamer Address: (HQ) 245 Sunshine Rd Tottenham, VIC 3012 Phone: 1300 888 444 Website: www.terraintamer.com/en/

Red Plum Automotive Address: 40 Prospect St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 Phone: (07) 3252 8865 Website: www.redplumautomotive.com.au/

Click here for your chance to win 4×4 Australia’s Custom Toyota Hilux.

Want to see more of our Project Hilux build? Check out the below:

Getting away from it all doesn’t have to mean roughing it, and the top-of-the-range Toyota Fortuner Crusade comes loaded with features and mod-cons to make escaping the rat-race easier and more comfortable than you’d imagine.

In the Crusade model, leather trim is accompanied by climate control and there’s even a front cooler box, so you won’t be sweating at your destination on even the hottest Outback days.

With a 220V power outlet, forgetting your phone’s car charger needed be a worry – though what you need it for out here is another thing – and for those trips when you don’t have the whole family with you, the standard seven-seat layout can be quickly transformed to suit your needs.

Helping keep you on track there’s satellite navigation as standard, while the digital radio means you won’t have to chase the frequency as you drive from border to border. The seven-inch touchscreen in the dash doubles as the reversing camera’s display, making parking or picking up a trailer a breeze.

Wherever you’re going, the Toyota Fortuner Crusade will get you there in style.

Click here to see the Toyota Fortuner Crusade tow the Patriot X1 and view it’s off-road capabilities.

In the 10 years between July 2002 and June 2012, 996 people have drowned in Australian rivers – 68 of them in the Murray River and 356 of them in New South Wales. Males accounted for 78 per cent of the deaths and in 35 per cent of cases there was grog involved.

These statistics are horrifying!

The figures come from the latest Royal Life Saving report on drownings.

In the 12 months of 2014/15 that the report covers there were 271 drownings in our waterways, with 99 deaths in our inland rivers, creeks, dams and lakes.

These figures are not a flash in the pan, either. Every year for the past 13 years, 266 to 324 people have drowned in Oz.

While the Murray tops the list of killer streams, the Brisbane River, Yarra, Swan and Hawkesbury come next, which stands to reason, as they’re around major cities.

Surprisingly, we lose more people in rivers and streams than we do at the beach, even though this past year there were 55 deaths off our golden sands. For the fishers or water skiers among us, it’s a timely reminder that there were 53 deaths involving watercraft in the past 12 months. How prepared are you?

Overall, fatalities involving males well outnumber those involving females, with a total of 216 males drowning in the past 12 months, compared to 55 females.

Young kids under the age of five figured too highly in the stats, with 26 deaths – most occurred after a youngster had fallen into a swimming pool.

Oldies over 55 – that’s my age group! – recorded a staggering 89 deaths (73 were male), with nearly 30 per cent of those occurring in inland waterways and 20 per cent involving watercraft of some sort.

Dig a bit deeper and you’ll find a case study on the dangers of flooding. Between 2002 and 2012, 130 people have drowned as a result of floods. And here’s the sobering bit for all us gung-ho drivers: over half of these deaths were due to cars being driven through floodwaters. Think about that the next time you come to a flooded creek.

Areas deemed ‘remote’ or ‘very remote’ – basically anywhere away from a town and medical help – accounted for 10 per cent of the drownings. That’s a pretty high figure when you consider it in the overall picture, and it’s the area of Australia where four-wheel drivers tend to travel for recreation and enjoyment.

The major points at the end of the report are to wear a lifejacket whenever you’re on the water; supervise children; learn CPR and first aid; and don’t drink alcohol when swimming or boating.

CPR and first-aid courses are run throughout Australia by the Red Cross and St John Ambulance as well as private providers. Even if you’ve done one in the past, it’d pay to do a refresher as a lot has changed in recent years. The life you save could be your wife or daughter, father or brother.

Please stay safe!

Just in time for the 50th Annual Easter Jeep Safari (hosted by the Red Rock 4-Wheelers in Moab, Utah USA) the company has revealed some fresh concept vehicles.

Jeep’s designers and engineers are respectful and responsive to its many passionate customers and the opinions they have about new products. So showing a stack of fresh ideas – for both Jeep and MOPAR accessories – in concept vehicles at an event such as this is great for the off-road community and great for Jeep.

Stay tuned to 4×4 Australia for an exclusive drive of some of these special vehicles after Easter.

Crew Chief 715

With a big nod to its military past, the Crew Chief 715 four-door ute mixes extra doors for additional passenger capacity with classic military roots. Said another way, it’s a dual-cab 4×4 (a huge international market but one that Jeep doesn’t participate in) with an open top.

With a nose inspired by the M715 trucks and dressed in what Jeep has named Tactical Green, the Crew Chief drivetrain is a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6, five-speed auto and Dana 60 axles.

It rolls on 20-inch beadlocked rims with 40-inch NDT military tyres inspired by the old bar treads we all hate so much! It’s also stacked with useful equipment such as an on-board air system and winch.

Jeep Shortcut

This is a carefully crafted take on the beloved Jeep CJ-5. Based on the present Wrangler, this concept vehicle invokes the spirit of 1950s Americana with a shortened body and functional simplicity with a unique grille, bonnet, tailgate, front and rear wheel flares and custom chrome front and rear bumpers.

Compared to Wrangler, Shortcut is 66cm shorter to keep it light and manoeuvrable. It’s powered by a basically stock Pentastar V6 and five-speed auto. Under the Shortcut are 17-inch red steel wheels and 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 tyres on retro-style steel wheels. The interior is retro, too, with plaid red trimmed buckets.

Jeep Trailcat

Powered by a 6.2-litre supercharged HEMI Hellcat V8, the Trailcat (that’s a clever name, eh?) takes its styling direction from present off-road competition/motorsport. No wonder – it’s needed a 12-inch splice into the Wrangler chassis to install the engine and six-speed manual.

The windscreen has been chopped too – 50mm. Inside are leather-trimmed carbonfibre seats from a Dodge Viper. With around 520kW, it’s touted as the ‘Ultimate off-road machine.’ No arguments.

Jeep Comanche

Probably the least convincing of the bunch – it is, after all, based on the Renegade soft-roader chassis with a 2.0-litre diesel four-pot – is the Comanche. The Beige Against the Machine concept exterior paint is probably the most inspiring aspect of Comanche: it’s accented with a satin black bonnet, a concept lower front fascia, winch, steel rear bumper, soft top and spare tire in the bed.

The wheelbase has been stretched an additional six inches versus a production Renegade to accommodate Comanche’s 5-foot bed.

Jeep FC 150 Concept

The Jeep FC 150 concept is the real cutesy of this bunch. The original was a forward control vehicle with a long tray built on the CJ-5 chassis from 1956 to 1965. This one is a real oldie survivor but retro-teched by being installed on a 4.0-litre Powertech straight-six powered 2005 Wrangler chassis upgraded with Dana 44 and 60 axles and BFG Mud Terrains.

Final par

Love ‘em or not, you really must give Jeep the thumbs-up for its efforts in creating show/concept vehicles such as these and having the heart to showing them to its enthusiast customers at events such as the Easter Jeep Safari. Keep an eye on 4×4 Australia because we’ll be taking a closer look at these Jeeps – and driving them – in our next issue.