4X4 Australia

IF YOU hung around after the fast cars finished at the Finke Desert Race, you might have seen our friends from across the hall at Wheels magazine finish the gruelling race in a near-stock Mazda BT-50.

This was the same car we used in our 8-way Double-Cab ute test in the January 2016 issue. Since then, part-time 4X4 Australia contributor Toby Hagon has been driving it around.

Race preparation was limited to the essentials, as the Mazda team wanted to keep the car as standard as possible and prove that it could conquer Australia’s toughest two-day off-road race. Toyo tyres, race seats and harnesses, a rollcage, shocks and brake pads were the only changes.

Finishing the two-day, 452km event with the car in one piece – and within the allotted maximum time of four hours and 15 minutes each day – seemed a lofty goal. So the fact Hagon and co-driver Bernie Webb not only made the finish line but crossed it in second place in the Production Class, in a time of 7:55.32, seems little short of a miracle.

How tough was it? Well, some old hands with more than a dozen years’ experience were claiming this year’s course was the gnarliest they’d seen. Out of 127 trucks and buggies entered, just 64 finished. And out of those 127 entries, only the Mazda was driven to the starting line with a rego sticker on the window – the rest were trucked in.

Finishing was no walk in the park, though, with the shocks melting and failing on day one, and the Mazda BT-50 crawling over the line with the distance-to-empty reading just “4km”. Toby just managed to extract himself from the rollcage – a sight that looked not unlike a baby elephant passing through the eye of a needle – before requiring medical assistance. It was more than 10 minutes before he could even attempt to walk.

“I’m not kidding when I say I can’t believe that thing made it; there were some big hits. The ball joint has hit the inside of the wheel arch and the chassis has hit the turbo protector and put a ding in it, and even the metal toolbox in the back has dents in it from where the tools hit the lid. Just incredible,” a hugely grinning Hagon said at the finish line.

“The thing that mentally killed me yesterday was just how unrelenting it was. There’s a section in the second half where the bumps just go on and on, one after another, but today I knew it was going to get better.”

Navigator Bernie Webb added: “It was just brutal. I’ve had some big crashes in my time and I can honestly say, hopping out of the car yesterday, I felt like I’d had a 130km/h rollover, it was that bad.”

The satisfaction for Webb and Hagon and the whole team was not just in finishing, and finishing well – their time was more than three minutes faster than the fourth-placed truck in their category – but in proving their many, many doubters wrong.

“That car has stood up incredibly well,” Hagon said. “I’ve never seen a car brutalised in that way, and to have it still here and driving is beyond impressive.”

FCA US has launched a bug bounty program in an effort to expose flaws in its vehicle software.

The bug bounty program, administered by Bugcrowd (a crowd-funding company specialising in cyber security), allows Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US to identify potential security risks, implement fixes and/or mitigate controls and improve the security and safety of its vehicles.

It also has the advantage of establishing a relationship between FCA US and the cybersecurity community.

Titus Melnyk, FCA US’s senior manager of security architecture, explained: “We want to encourage independent security researchers to reach out to us and share what they’ve found so that we can fix potential vulnerabilities before they’re an issue for our consumers.”

The program plans to reward hackers financially, with payouts expected to range between $150 and $1500.

Casey Ellis, CEO and founder of Bugcrowd, added: “Automotive cybersafety is real, critical and here to stay. Car manufacturers have the opportunity to engage the community of hackers that is already at the table and ready to help, and FCA US is the first full-line automaker to optimise that relationship through its paid bounty program.”

Vehicles at risk of cyber hacking are those with an in-built internet connection.

Last year, news broke of two computer programmers who hacked into a Jeep Cherokee’s system and took complete control of the vehicle, exposing severe weaknesses in the vehicle’s security.

The hackers took control of the air-con system, radio and windscreen wipers, before totally shutting down the vehicle’s transmission.

HOW crap is mobile phone coverage in this country?

I was watching the ABC news the other night and saw a story on mobile phone black spots in Australia. When a graphic came up depicting all of the black spots around the country, I nearly spat out my Iced VoVo and knocked over my cuppa.

I already knew coverage was pretty crook outside of capital cities and major regional centres, but nothing could prepare me for what I saw on the screen. You can check out the map by heading to nationalmap.gov.au, hitting the ‘Communications’ submenu and ticking the ‘Mobile Black Spot Database’ box. I guarantee you’ll be astounded.

It’s not just remote areas of Australia that are affected; there are loads of black spots within a 50km radius of all capital cities. While this is inconvenient, it’s not nearly as bad as the service provided to people who live in or travel through country areas and remote parts of Australia.

The ABC news story detailed an incident in Walhalla, Victoria, which is home to one of the 6000 black spots in this country. According to the story, a visiting tour-bus driver collapsed of a heart attack and fell seven metres down an embankment. No one present had mobile phone coverage, so the local hotelier, Mr Michael Leaney, had to run back and forth between his hotel’s landline and the accident site – a 10-minute scramble up and down a steep hill – to relay information to emergency services.

According to the ABC, Walhalla had applied for funding through the Coalition’s $160 million Mobile Black Spot Programme, but had been knocked back. This is a small town, but one that, according to Mr Leaney, attracts more than 120,000 visitors per year – and it’s hardly a long way off the beaten track.

One thing I find quite astounding is the lack of mobile phone coverage along many of the country’s major highways. For example, anyone who’s travelled up the Stuart Highway from Port Augusta to Alice Springs, and then on to Darwin, will know there’s bugger-all mobile phone reception along most of the route.

I was recently travelling through South Australia’s spectacular Flinders Ranges, where I spent several nights at the Prairie Hotel in Parachilna. Ordinarily I could rely on Parachilna to have some mobile phone reception; as long as I stand in the right spot I can usually check in with my better half each night and let her know everything’s okay – but not on this trip. Not only was the mobile phone coverage on the blink, but the hotel’s landline was also stuffed.

The ultimate irony was that there was absolutely zero phone reception (mobile or landline) on the very day that Telstra was offering Australia-wide free data, in an attempt to make amends for previous technical stuff-ups.

While not being able to access a day of free data definitely falls into the first-world-problem category, in this day and age it’s not acceptable for a business such as the Prairie Hotel to have to operate without a phone line. It sure makes it hard for hotel staff to take bookings or order supplies, let alone call for help if there’s an emergency.

Now I understand Australia is a bloody big place and there aren’t unlimited funds to expand the mobile phone network to cover the whole country, but I think what we have now is seriously deficient. I won’t hold my breath waiting for things to get much better any time soon; according to the ABC story, the Coalition is already working with telecommunications companies to fix coverage, but it has not allocated any new money in the federal budget to address the issue.

At least the price of satellite phones has reduced significantly over the past couple of years.

ROOTHY has an endless supply of seafood recipes.

We’ve already seen his version of beer-battered fish and chips, chilli prawns and coconut-infused fish, but this time Roothy’s grilled up some fish with ginger.

The dish can easily be cooked on a campfire, aka the chicken and mushroom in al-foil treat Roothy concocted a while back. However, if you’ve no fire, the Gladiator Series gas stove does the job just fine.

Pretty much any fish – preferably one you’ve caught yourself – will taste great. And Roothy’s selected a nice cut of Barra – one he hasn’t caught himself – for this demonstration.

Grate some lime rind into a bowl, followed by some lime juice and equal parts soy sauce. It’s then time for the recipe’s secret weapon: a few spoons of good old breakfast marmalade. Sprinkle in some chilli flakes and grate some ginger in and you’re almost done. Cook the mixture on a low heat until it warms up.

Lay the cut of fish on a spread of aluminium foil and lather both sides with the dressing. Then wrap it tightly and place the package in a campfire (or on the stove) and cook for approximately 10 minutes either side.

The juices will flow through the fish and give it a rich, delicious flavour.

It mightn’t have the kind of presentation you’d see at a five-star joint, but when you’re out bush it’s the flavour that matters. And this dish is packing plenty!

Want more recipe ides? Browse our Bush Cooking collection for inspiration.

CONSTANTLY tinkering with your rig to make it more and more off-road friendly is part-and-parcel of 4×4 ownership.

But with so many options and so many variations of options, the task can often be daunting. So here at 4X4 Australia, we thought we’d ease the burden and show you some of the best storage and protection products currently on the market.

Ran out of room in the back of the wagon? Get a roof rack. Have trouble finding utensils when you arrive at camp? Get a set of drawers. Afraid Skippy will launch at you on a dark road? Get a bullbar.

Before you know it, your 4×4 will be taking you to those hard-to-reach places you never thought possible.

PACKED TO THE RAFTERS IF YOU like to keep the inside of your 4×4 uncluttered, then MSA 4×4’s Tourer and Basket Packs should be atop your shopping list (and your roof). Bulky items can be stored on a roof rack with peace of mind, knowing they’ll be protected from the elements. The packs feature a fully attached seatbelt harness system and a YKK chunky zip, with double metal sliders on three sides. Made from 16oz canvas, the packs are easy to load and unload and come with a lifetime guarantee. RRP: Froom $368 Website: www.msa4x4.com.au

ON TRACK NEED somewhere to store all of the crap you’ve got rolling around down back? Then check out Dolium’s upgraded range of Boab Roller Drawers. These drawers now come with a built-in anchor track and tie-down system. Mounted flush with the top of the drawers, the anchor track system uses removable load rings (single-drawer units come with four load rings; double-drawer units are supplied with eight load rings), which can be easily adjusted along the length of the track. Anchor tracks are available on single, double, large, medium, fridge slider or fixed-top roller drawers. RRP: From $695 Website: www.dolium.com.au

WINTER IS COMING PLANNING a weekend retreat to the ski slopes, but don’t have space for the gear? Rhino-Rack’s new Ski and Snowboard Carrier will make sure you don’t miss out on any winter adventures. A 695mm internal length allows up to six pairs of skis (or four snowboards) to be stored up top, and an easy-release locking system means the gear can be loaded and unloaded quickly. Other features include a Masterkey-compatible security lock, a universal mount, and mould-resistant materials. Plus it offers UV protection and is waterproof and rustproof. It comes with a five-year warranty. RRP: $259 Website: www.rhinorack.com.au

FRONT-END FORCE IF THERE’S one nonnegotiable when it comes to a vehicle’s front end, it’s that it’s made tough! And TJM’s Frontal Protection Systems are manufactured to the highest quality standards. TJM’s unique and innovative load carrying mount system separates the extreme winching and dynamic strap recovery loads from the airbag-compatible crumple zones required for compliance. Through clever design the TJM mount system directs the severe recovery loads to the strongest part of the chassis without affecting the airbag compatibility, to ensure maximum safety for the driver and their family. TJM’s Frontal Protection Systems are not only the strongest bars in town, but also easy to use. Website: www.tjm.com.au

OPPOSITES ATTRACT DOES this roof rack kit look familiar? That’s because it’s the one we opted to install on our giveaway HiLux. Except this one – the 2016 Toyota HiLux Slimline II Roof Rack Kit – is Opposite Lock’s newest addition to its exclusive Front Runner range. At 1165mm x 1358mm, the kit comes with vehicle-specific foot rails with table openings and a wind deflector. Specifically designed for off-road use, the modular rack is manufactured from high-density aluminium and is lighter and stronger than traditional welded racks. Website: www.oppositelock.com.au

BARRING ALL THE latest alloy bullbar to hit ARB’s range is tailored for the Ford Ranger PXII, and follows the release of ARB alloy bullbars or the newest Toyota Prado 150(pictured), Nissan NP300 and Ford Everest. The boffins at ARB HQ developed a high-strength bar that fully integrates with modern vehicle design, and it maintains that highly recognisable ARB look. It employs 4mm aluminium alloy for the outer wings and centre pan, while 60mm alloy outer tubing evokes a commanding presence. The bullbar is secured to the vehicle via a series of high-tensile bolts, and steel mounts ensure it’s capable of dealing with high winch loads(tested up to 10,000lb). Website: www.arb.com.au/alloy

THE 2017 Colorado made its public debut last night at the final NRL State of Origin game of 2016.

The first pics were released of the Colorado in Australian guise, with a focus on its new-look styling and increased range of accessories and high-tech additions.

Granted, there’s not a lot of aesthetic change to the Trailblazer model that was unveiled in April this year. In fact, only a new grille and Holden badge are the notable changes, though the interior has been given a thorough shake up.

As well as dashboard touch-ups, the Colorado boasts a new forward facing camera with forward collision alert and lane departure warning (on selected models), while a rear view camera is standard across the range.

In further news, the Colorado Genuine Accessories range – inspired by the Colorado Xtreme show truck – has increased markedly.

“In the coming months, the 2017 Colorado will deliver a plethora of all-new accessories to its range including a safari bar, fender flares, LED driving lights, 18-inch wheels and all-terrain tyres, so we’re confident there’s something for everybody,” Holden’s engineering manager of accessories Joseph Basile said.

What really caught our eye was the accessorised model, with its low, single-loop front bar and LED light. This rig shows us that Holden might actually be looking at what the market is doing and what punters are fitting to their 4x4s.

With local production of the Commodore ceasing come late 2017, it’s safe to say Holden expects big things in Australia from the revamped Colorado.

And, to be fair, the Colorado needed things to change, as it was way off the boil in a couple of key areas when compared to the likes of Volkswagen’s Amarok and Ford’s Ranger.

Keep an eye out for our exclusive development drive of Holden’s new Colorado. It’ll feature in the September 2016 issue of 4X4 Australia, due to hit stores on August 11!

Also, watch out for our first drives of the 2017 Colorado ute and Trailblazer wagon (formally the Colorado 7)!

LAKE Ballard, approximately 180km north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, is unknown to many in the eastern states.

Anyone driving from Melbourne to the Pilbara or Kimberley regions faces a round trip of up to 11,000km and, if taking the inland route, they’ll probably pass close by this attraction. However, even if aware of the lake’s existence, the thought of all those kilometres still ahead possibly deters many from stopping off.

WA is big, but you don’t realise how big until you try to drive it from south to north. Crossing the Nullarbor prepares travellers for seemingly never-ending drives through nothingness, but it’s just a precursor to what lies ahead (not a lot).

The gold-mining city of Kalgoorlie is a hive of activity that breaks the monotony of the drive. Everywhere you look there seems to be mining activity; it’s a place that gives the impression there isn’t a stone that hasn’t been turned over in pursuit of that precious metal.

Travelling north of Kalgoorlie, the countryside quickly becomes sparsely populated semi-desert, where the low scrub is punctuated by occasional signs of mining activity. The town of Menzies (population: 56) is where the bitumen turns to dust for those wanting to take a shortcut north-west to Meekatharra and pick up the Great Northern Highway.

At more than 500km, perhaps the word ‘shortcut’ isn’t entirely appropriate. For anyone thinking of doing this drive, the wide gravel roads are generally in good condition (albeit far better-suited to a 4×4 than your average Commodore). But, after rain, the red outback dirt quickly turns to mush that can see roads closed for extended periods.

Dry salt lakes pepper inland Western Australia, but Lake Ballard, 54km from Menzies, is very different from any other dry salt lake in Australia. Its notoriety is due to the 51 stylised human sculptures dotted over its 10km2 surface.

Created by artist Antony Gormley and called Inside Australia, the installation was originally commissioned for the 2003 Perth International Arts Festival. These two-metre-tall and somewhat alien-looking male and female statues were meant to be removed after the event, but they proved so popular with passing tourists it was decided they should be left in place.

The lake is usually dry, with a glistening white crust of salt, and it’s possible to walk an 11km circuit to the statues. Unless it has rained, of course, as the lake’s surface becomes slippery red mud that makes reaching even the nearest figures a challenge.

Rising above the white salt – a few hundred metres offshore – is a small conical island of red rock, which visitors can climb to get a bird’s-eye view of the lake. The very regular shape of this steep-sided hill gives it an artificial appearance, providing an otherworldly setting for the statues. Watching the sunrise over the lake from the vantage point of the low rocky ridge behind the campground, it’s quite easy to imagine you’re standing in another world.

Lake Ballard’s excellent campsite is a good place to rest up before tackling the long straight roads that stretch north towards the Pilbara. Those who choose to stay overnight may be lucky enough to have the place to themselves.

It’s peacefully quiet overnight, with an outback sky so clear the stars feel close enough to touch, while in the morning, the campground is filled with an amazing variety of tuneful birdcalls.

A fascinating, one-of-a-kind attraction in an otherwise relatively desolate landscape, Lake Ballard will reward those who take the time to seek it out.

TRAVEL PLANNER

WHEN TO TRAVEL To avoid the blistering summer heat, the best time to visit Lake Ballard is during the cooler months of April to October.

CAMPING The lake’s campground has self-composting toilet facilities. Fire restrictions apply from November to March, and campers need to provide their own firewood. No drinking water is available.

DRIVING TIPS The wide gravel roads are generally in good repair and are best suited to a 4×4. Beware of occasional potholes and washouts, and use extreme caution in the wet.

CONTACTS Menzies Visitor Centre Web: www.menzies.wa.gov.au Ph: (08) 9024 2702

This is a meal everyone will enjoy – except vegetarians of course! It’s simple, delicious and quick to make with just a few ingredients and a camp oven or stovetop.

Ingedients

Serves 4

Cooking It

Preparation time: 10-20min | Cooking time: 40-60min

You could just combine all the ingredients in your camp oven or pot to save time, but if you want to get a better, deeper flavour, then brown the chops, onion and vegetables in a bit of hot oil first. This is my preference.Step 1: Heat about 2 tbs of oil in your camp oven or pan, then add the chops (in batches if needed – don’t crowd the pot) and brown on both sides.Remove the chops and set aside.Step 2: Add the onions, carrots and garlic and sauté until the onion has softened.Step 3: Add the mushroom soup, French onion soup, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce, and stir to combine, making sure you scrape up all the goodness from the bottom of the pot.Step 4: Add the mint, and season.Step 5: Return the browned chops and mix well.Step 6: Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 45 minutes or until the meat is tender and falling off the bones. The length of cooking time will depend on the cut of chops you have used.Check the sauce during cooking. If it becomes too thick, add a little water or stock. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Viv’s Hints

Add some chunky potato, sweet potato and/or pumpkin pieces to make this a one-dish meal. There’s no need to peel the potatoes if you’re using the ‘new’ or washed variety.

You could also add some peas and chopped celery, and fresh mint is a worthy inclusion if you have it.

If you don’t, you can use dried or jellied mint. Just add enough to suit your taste. Make sure you use condensed soup.

More Hints

Choose cheaper meat cuts for casseroles and stews; they have more flavour.Don’t cut your meat (or vegetables) into tiny pieces. The minimum recommended size is about 2-3cm chunks. Remember the meat will shrink as it cooks. The same applies to your vegies such as potatoes, pumpkin and carrots – cut them into equally sized chunks so they cook evenly. If they’re cut small, they’ll break down before the meat is cooked.You’ll get the best flavour and colour from your meat if you brown it first. A stew or casserole is best cooked slowly. Give it enough time to simmer away gently, so the meat melts in your mouth and the sauce is the right consistency. To stop the meat and vegetables at the top of the stew from browning and drying out, place a sheet of baking paper on top of the stew while it cooks. It will keep in moisture and stop the sauce drying out.Use a cast-iron pot – your camp oven is ideal.If your sauce is too runny at the end of cooking, you can thicken it with a little cornflour mixed with a small amount of cold water, or you can use a ready-made powdered gravy mix.

Want more recipe ides? Browse our Bush Cooking collection for inspiration.

A TEAM of 16-year-old students from Pine Rivers State School in Queensland have clinched victory at the 2016 Land Rover 4×4 In Schools Global Education Challenge.

The competition required students to design and build remote-controlled four-wheel drive vehicles capable of overcoming a set of driving tasks and obstacles, including a wire bridge and a rock crawl course.

Students were also judged on the design and engineering of their rigs, as well as how well the vehicle was presented and marketed.

The winning team ‘Wombat Warriors’ blew the judges away and achieved the best overall performance, best verbal presentation and an excellent score on the driving challenge.

“This project was a great way for us to learn more about engineering careers and develop our skills.” Team leader Lily Eiseman said.

“Teamwork played a huge part in our achievement and we’ve spent around 600 hours working on the project over the past six months.”

The winning students defeated 130 bright youngsters from 12 countries around the world – including USA, South Africa and Brazil – to receive an Arkwright scholarship from Land Rover, a scholarship at Harper Adams University and a JLR Academy e-mentoring programme.

And in further promising news for Aussie engineering, team Zircon from Dubbo College in NSW finished second overall and also took out the Best Engineered Vehicle award.

The 2016 event also saw the debut of the Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) towing challenge. The mini rigs were required to tow a scale version of the Land Rover BAR training boat around the tricky course. It wouldn’t be a proper off-road course if there wasn’t a towing test!

Check it out in the video above!

JLR’s aim to encourage young people to pursue automotive careers is coming along nicely, with the programme set to reach five million youths by 2020.

Congratulations to all involved.

FIAT Chrysler Australia has issued another safety recall for the Jeep Wrangler.

Only last week FCA recalled 2007-2010 JK Wranglers due to dust affecting the vehicle’s clock spring, which in turn compromises the airbag circuits.

This follows a string of recalls recently, with Mitsubishi recalling Triton and Pajero models, Holden its Colorado 7 and Jaguar Land Rover a host of diesel-fuelled Land Rovers.

The most recent recall from FCA is for 2007-2012 JK Wranglers, while 2004-2010 Dodge Rams are also affected (campaign number: S43).

The defect this time relates to the front passenger Takata airbag, which poses the risk of rupturing due to excessive internal pressure during normal deployment. The airbag malfunction is more likely to occur in vehicles exposed to humid conditions for extended periods.

The hazard of the safety defect could result in serious injury and even death, as an inflator rupture can cause metal fragments to strike vehicle occupants.

If you’re an owner of the affected models, expect to be contacted as soon as possible by the dealers.