Hi Guys,

I’m taking a trip around the Woods Point area on the weekend of 18th and 19th of September.  We are going to go over Mount Skene on Saturday, so we have to fill in some paperwork and submit it to the Association to have access.

I need to know who wants to come, the trip is open to financial members and visitors, though with limited numbers avaliable, financial members get first crack.  If you want to come, send me an e-mail with your vehicle make and model, rego number and number of passengers NO LATER then 7pm Wednesday the 8th of September.

There are already a couple of members with their names on the trrip sheet, so join in the fun, we should still have some great snow on the Mountain.

Humph

On a side note, If anyone wants to travel in complete luxury, I have a passenger seat which is vacant and needs to be filled.

Share on Facebook

Club members, login to see all of the pictures.

Share on Facebook

Trip Leader:  and report   Troy.

Who else went: Simmo and Tim in the rocket, Darious and Pete in the Shorty. Jerry and son? Sorry forgot his name in the Cruiser.

Maps used:      The one at the motorbike unloading area on Sunday on the way home.

We planned to met at Smythesdale on Saturday about 10:00 am, on the way out I caught up with Simmo and Tim outside Melton and Pete was waiting for us at Ballarat. We missed the turn to Smythesdale and headed cross country for a bit to get back on track. After voting we headed out to the bush with no maps just a general idea which way to head to end up at Enfield.  The first interesting track we found was a corker, a steep rutted drop into some slippery ditches and a narrow winding climb back around to the top again. I went straight down the guts and Simmo and Pete opted for the less rutted side track. (This was a bit too angular for my liking) As it turns out Simmo made it down in record time (check his face book for the in cab footage) Pete got crossed up at the top and waited for us to come around for a recovery. After this track, just around the corner, we went through a deep bog hole and up a rutted steep climb, made harder by the exposed root in the rut. I got slightly airborne over the root and ended up with mud in the beads, AGAIN!!! Time for some bead locks me thinks. Simmo caught a big chunk of the exposed root in his front wheel, but no air was lost. Traveling on a gravel road for a bit then up another track the constant air loss was getting out of hand, so we decided to stop for lunch and strip the Simex for a clean. Pete got out his trusty tyre irons out and went to work while Simmo put the sauce on his hot pies. After lunch we dug the tree root out of Simmo’s tyre and were ready to go again when some people walked towards us and stated “you won’t get through there, big trees fallen across the road and really deep mud holes block the track” Feeling not too adventurous we turned around and back tracked finding a good power line track; we’ll check this out next time. Coming to a clearing there was some strange Air Force Radar Beacon with a fence around it and signs saying keep out. After checking that out we headed off towards Enfield, going  through a small rut my Tyre came completely off the rim, due to lack of air, and bad driving.

The rain fell as we lay in the mud under my car using two jacks to get her off the ground enough to reset the tyre and pump it up again. As it turns out we were only a few kms from the pub. Simmo went into the bar to ask if there was a campsite within walking distance. The Bar Lady came out and told us we could stay in her back yard if we wanted, boy… that IS close to the Pub! She said we could light the pot belly fire under her veranda as long as we supplied the wood and didn’t supply our own beer. Fair enough we thought and went out again to hunt down some wood. Getting back to the pub around 4:00 pm we had a few beers and got the fire going. We ordered our tea and ate just after 6:00. Tim and Darious set their tents up, Pete Swagged it by his car, and Simmo and I rolled the swags out under the veranda. SWEET.

In the morning we had bacon and eggs for breakfast, thanks Simmo, and Jerry rolled up after doing a lap of the forest looking for us at the campsite. We headed out to Enfield State forest to checkout the tracks and find a future campsite. Some of the tracks here were seasonally closed and the camp spot was not much chop, nowhere near as good as the back yard of the pub anyway. We did a lap of the forest and ended up back at the power line track. At the pub last night some locals were telling us where all the hard tracks were and they all seemed to be in this area. We drove along the power lines taking all the side tracks we came across and found some good tracks and a great fishing spot. We headed back to the track with the fallen trees on and bog holes with new enthusiasm and cleared the trees before negotiating the deep bog holes. Driving along a gravel road we headed down another side track. About 20 meters down this track, Jerry got stuck in some quick sand. We got him out and bid a hasty retreat! We looped around the main tracks for a bit and got back to where we started the day before. This spot is a motorbike unloading area, so we checked the map on the information board to see where we had gone for the weekend while we were having lunch. From there it was a 20 minute drive back to Smythesdale to air up and head home. Darious did most of the driving in the shorty all weekend and went really well, I don’t think he even got stuck once. This area is small but has lots of challenging tracks and the pub at Enfield was tops. Pub of the month report is on the cards. Nobody winched for the weekend but the snatch strap got a good workout, and all cars got through with no damage.

QUIZ QUESTIONS

1. Where did Pete vote?

2. What did Simmo have on when he was getting snatched?

3. How many times did Troy’s tyre come completely off the wheel?

4. How slippery was the grassy knoll near the radar beacon?

5. Name three tracks we went on?  Beethoven had his critics too.

6. Who went to bed first?

7. Who was most wasted?

8. What did we see through the lounge window on Saturday night?

9. Who had a flat tyre in the morning?

10. How deep was the quick sand?

11. What is Jerry’s son’s name?

12. How many PSI did Troy’s tyre get down to on the way home?

13. Who wants to go to Enfield again?

Club members, login to see all of the pictures.

 

More...  (Members Only) 

Share on Facebook

GAZ’S BIG SOFTIES CARAVAN TRIP

When: Friday the 13th to Sunday 15th August 2010

Who went: Gary +kids, Paul & Bobbie +kid

Bobbie & I headed off in afternoon and had a leisurely drive to Healesville, where we stopped at the pub for an early dinner.   We got into the black spur caravan park around 7pm, and setup the van in the only flat spot in the caravan park.  It’s sort of like firth park, but with power.  Gaz already had the swap-n-burn fire drum going, so after the kids were tucked in bed, we tucked into a few friday night drinks.

Next morning, we headed on into Marysville to check out how it’s going.  The last time I was there was actually the Australia day trip just before the bushfires.  It was a bit sad to see how little has been rebuilt, but great to see so many tourists in the town.  A trip to the lollie shop, a quick lap of town, then it was into the warm bakery.

Back at camp, we headed out for a wood run in the hilux.  Actually had to engage 4wd for the only time on the trip.  Then back to camp to cook some damper.  Wasn’t the easiest using a camp oven inside a firedrum, and the first attempt was a little crunchy.  Second one was much better, and wend down well on a windy cold day.  A few more beers were tipped in, and we abandoned any idea of driving to the pub for dinner.  Once the wind died down, the rain started, and settled in for the night.

Sunday we headed up to Lake Mountain to check out the snow.  The kids had a ball – toboggan, snowballs, and general mucking about.  After a couple of hours, it started to rain pretty heavy so we headed back to camp.  A fairly quick packup, then it was a drive back through the black spur in the rain towing caravans.

Nice relaxing weekend.

Club members, login to see all of the pictures.

Share on Facebook

Father Flanagans Irish Pub, our usual meeting location has been sold, and is being rennovated.  We dont know of our future there long term , but we in the short term  we have to change the location for our general meetings.

The August General Meeting will be at the Terminus Hotel.
492 Queens Parade, Clifton Hill.

Meeting starts at 8:00pm as usual.  Feel free to come for a drink or a meal before hand.

http://www.terminus.com.au

Share on Facebook

SIMMO’S WALHALLA WEEKEND GETAWAY

When: Friday 23rd July to Sunday 25th July 2010

Trip Leader: Simmo. Trip Reporter: Troy.

Who went: Troy in Simmo’s Patrol.
Matt and Humph in the Cruiser.
Bear and Bailey in Dave’s Patrol.
Tim and Dazza in the shorty Patrol.

Map used: Walhalla-Woods Point Adventure Map.

Simmo’s brother Tim and Dazza headed up around lunch time on Friday. Matt and Humph got on the road about the same time as me and Simmo; we raised them on the UHF around Gumbyha Park and caught up just after Sands rd servo. We stopped for a comfort stop and some potato cakes at Yarragon, well worth the effort. Fueled up in Moe after a short tour of Moe Heights! Then it was on to Erica pub for a meal and to wait for Bear and Dave. After we all had Dinner we headed out towards O’Tooles Flat, to meet up with Tim. We followed the main rd out and over the Dam wall at the Thomson Reservoir, then down Merringtons Tk. Bear coaxed Dave into taking a short cut track down to Jorgensen Flat, while the rest of us went around, cautiously gazing back at the tomb stone perched on the top of the short cut track? Dave got down safely, sometimes on three wheels and at one stage, just two! We followed Donnelly Creek track, dropping into all the campsites along the way and calling Tim on the UHF. Eventually we found them on the bottom of Army track at Store Point Hut. This was not a bad hut, a bit dank inside with bunk beds and a hot water system out the back. Under the veranda was a good fire tub with a chimney and seats around the edge. Friday night was pretty full on as usual and a few sore heads took a while to come good in the morning.

After bacon and eggs, we packed up and took off up Army track. Tim pulled over for Dazza to feed the birds along the way, then turning off at Williamson Spur track. We headed up to Mt Useful via McEvoys track and looped around Green Hills Link rd to keep us off the main road.
At Mt Useful we found some light snow on the ground and the view was a bit limited through the low clouds. Dazza was still feeling the effects from the night before, so Bailey sang him a few rounds of “This old Man, He played one” to perk him up a bit. We loaded up Tim’s pie warmer before taking off down the main rd again, heading for Black Range track. We went down Burgoyne Gap track and stopped for lunch at Macalister Gorge Scenic Reserve…Still no Dazza!

After lunch we headed across the Macalister River and continued up Burgoyne Gap track, passing by the spot where Simmo blew the front diff in his Hilux a few years back! We went passed V Steep & Rocky Track where there is a secret hut at the bottom. After crossing the Heyfield Jamieson rd. we went up Hickey Creek track passing McMillans Lookout, a huge rocky outcrop. Stopping at the intersection of Mt Margaret track we came across a group of 4 wheelers from the P.A.L.S. 4wd Club. Heading down Mt Margaret track we enlisted Bear, with his GPS to help navigate because we went off the edge of the Rooftops map. Passing through Ben Cruachen Scenic Reserve we turned right onto Cruachen rd. and headed towards Huggets Crossing. There was 8 fords on this track, no Holdens or Nissans…….(cricket,cricket,cricket)…..yep still no laughs….

Coming into Huggets Crossing there was an interesting side track that went along a dry river bed, we got out for a look before opting to stick to the formed track. Huggets is a huge campsite with an awesome water hole and a few long drops scattered about. We picked a good spot to erect the tarp, using the recently modified poles, (now they fit into the back of a wagon) and hunted some fire wood. After dinner we sat around the convivial fire and had a few drinks.

In the morning we packed up and headed out towards Heyfield. Simmo handed the front spot in the convoy over to Tim and Dazza, who took us to Bruntons Bridge. We stopped after crossing the river and explored the walking bridge. Dazza took us down a steep track that wasn’t marked on the map that led us to Victoria’s first Copper mine at Coopers Creek. We checked out the old mines here and the Smelter before doing our last river crossing for the weekend, then headed out towards Rawson and Erica.

Simmo led a great weekend, good to see some different members having a go and running trips.

Quiz Questions

1. How many potato cakes should you buy at Yarragon?

2. What did Matt and Humph have for dinner at Erica?

3. What was Dazza wearing when we arrived on Friday?

4. What is the elevation of Mt Useful?

5. How much water was on the water wheel?

6. What is Dave Forsythe’s middle name?

7. How many stubby holders were found all weekend?

8. How many Wild Turkey’s did Troy drink?

9. What is Simmo’s 4 inch thunder?

10. How deep is the water hole at Huggets?

Club members, login to see all of the pictures.

Share on Facebook

Welcome to the new website for the Toyota Hilux 4×4 Club of Victoria.

Just like an old hilux, the old website had served us well for many years.  It just kept racking up the kilometers, but  had a few quirks, and required a bit too much maintenance.  Well, time has come to trade in the old website on a brand new model.

The new website should allow us to add heaps of new features.  We have loaded up the past 12 months or so worth of photo’s, and there will be an ongoing project to get all 150 or so trip’s worth of photos, videos, magazines etc loaded up (volunteers are welcome).

The old website will still be available (http://old.hiluxclub.org.au) until we get everything working smoothly here.

Club Members, register on the new website (old member and/or forum logins won’t work) to see extra photo’s etc. Stay tuned as we add a few after market accessories and get the new website firing.

Cheers, Paul.

Share on Facebook

Here are some photos from Steve’s trip on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

Share on Facebook

Here are some photos from the Rob Gardner Memorial Trip held at Firth Park.

Share on Facebook

Share on Facebook