Western 4W Driver #135 Spring 2025

135th EDITION Spring 2025

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WESTERN 4W DRIVER 135th EDITION Spring 2025

WHEATBELT WAY

LAND ROVER DEFENDER MAGNET FISHING HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WORLD’S BIGGEST 4WD SHOW

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CONTENTS ADVENTURES

Edition 135 | Spring 2025

Land of the Giants

Tall stories from Pemberton and Warren River .................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Niagara Dam

A WA Goldfields 'White Elephant' ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26

A Journey Through WA's Wheatbelt Way

Travel through charming towns, remarkable rock formations, and a rich tapestry of pioneering history ............... 34

Mountains, Machines & Megawatts

The Snowy Mountains Scheme ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 52

93 6 16 34 106

26

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FEATURES Beyond the Pavement

Guardian of Gutharraguda

A deep dive into the 2025 Defender D350 110 ....... 16

Wula Gura Nyinda Eco Cultural Adventures ................ 95

It's a Wrap!

A Very Affordable Power Solution

The Cemetery Gold Rush

Overedger Full Pack Hanging Camp Kitchen

Highlights from the world's biggest 4WD show ...... 44 The true story of miners clamouring

to stake claims in hallowed ground ..................................... 60

Crumbling Colours of Outback Erosion

Product Review .................................................................................. 100

Product Review .................................................................................. 102

Chasing Light & Mud

Photo Essay by Amanda Barker .......................................... 106

A selection of some of the best

Australian outcrops and breakaways ................................. 70

Understanding and Enjoying Meteor Showers

The Horse Has Bolted ...

One of nature's most dazzling celestial shows ..... 114

The Other Form of Fishing

Product Review .................................................................................. 118

Seagulls

Rock Armour Outback Traveller 12V Air Fryer

A look at the latest Chinese-built 4WDs .......................... 80 Magnet Fishing ....................................................................................... 86 Friend, foe or feathered freeloader? ................................. 93

Terrain Tamer Suspension

Product Review .................................................................................. 122

REGULARS The Front Matter ................................................................... 4

Smart Photography ................................................ 144

The Things You See! ................................................ 126

Goings On ................................................................................... 147

Bush Mechanics .............................................................. 128

Now We're TAWKing! ............................................ 150

Country Stargazing .................................................. 130

Crossword Puzzle ......................................................... 154

Outback Survival .......................................................... 133

Subscriptions ....................................................................... 158

Gear to Go Camping ............................................... 136

Directory ....................................................................................... 159

Clewed Up .................................................................................. 140

Silly Snaps .................................................................................. 160

Capture the Moment ............................................ 143 western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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Vanguard Publishing ABN 70 616 133 870 26 John Street, Northbridge WA 6003 PO Box 50, Northbridge WA 6865 Phone: (08) 9422 4330 admin@western4wdriver.com.au www.western4wdriver.com.au EDITION 135: Editor Brayden Edwards Graphic Design Karen Morton Content Brayden Edwards Michael Collins Advertising Brayden Edwards brayden@western4wdriver.com.au Matt Clarke matt@western4wdriver.com.au Natalie Du Preez natalie@vanguardpublishing.com.au Administration Steve Larcombe Sally van Heemst Printing Vanguard Print

Cover image: Wheatbelt Way

by Jane Pelusey

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Vanguard Publishing or the editors but those of the authors who accept sole responsibility and liability for them. While every care is taken with images and photographs, and all other material submitted, Vanguard Publishing accepts no liability for loss or damage.

Vanguard Publishing reserves the right to amend publication schedules and frequencies.

W

ell, haven’t we all earned a bit of sunshine after a winter that felt like it had something personal against us? Wow, it’s been cold, wet, and clinging on far too long! It’s time to roll out the swag, dry out the gear, and point the rig towards somewhere warmer.

I don’t know about you, but I’m over the cold! I guess there is always an upside to everything, including the cold weather and rain. The wildflowers are in great abundance this year, so do yourself a favour and head out and check them out.

This issue of Western 4W Driver captures that postwinter itch perfectly, packed full of real stories, real places, and the kind of experiences that remind us why we keep the fridge packed and the fuel tank full.

We kick things off with Jane Pelusey guiding us through the towering forests and wild adventures of Pemberton and Warren River. Think vertigo-inducing lookout trees, thick karri canopies, marron-filled rivers, and the legendary Callcup Hill, where traction meets nerves of steel. Whether you’re hiking, fishing, or sending it up a sandy slope, Jane’s piece is a breath of fresh forest air.

Matt Payne test-drives the 2025 Land Rover Defender D350 Sedona Edition, a modern beast that’s more tech-laden than a lunar rover but still punches hard off-road. From highway comfort to tackling the Lancelin dunes, Matt puts it through its paces, and, spoiler alert, he walks away impressed (even if the tyres are shinier than your average camp chair).

Edition 135 Spring 2025

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THE FRONT MATTER with Michael (Spike) Collins

A proper gem! Colin and Prue Kerr revisit the Goldfields’ Niagara Dam, a grand engineering project turned white elephant, which—despite never being used for its intended purpose—is now a peaceful, history-rich spot for campers, hikers, and amateur geologists alike. Classic WA, where even the mistakes become tourist destinations.

Now, here’s one that’ll get tongues wagging at the next campfire: Are Chinese Utes catching up? David Wilson has taken a look at the latest crop of Chinese-built 4WD utes.

Long gone are the days when they were dismissed as budget city runabouts. These rigs are stepping up their off-road capability, comfort, and price points that’ll make some of the big-name manufacturers squirm.

We’re not saying they’re perfect, but you’ll want to read this one before your next ute upgrade.

Jane Pelusey (she’s been busy this edition!) went for a trip through the Wheatbelt Way, an 800-kilometre circuit of granite rocks, salt lakes, wildflowers, and big starry skies.

Luke Clatworthy dabbles in a bit of magnet fishing. Amanda Barker is chasing a little light and some mud! Truthful Phil talks about spares; Geoff Lewis averts trouble!

And Jo Clews musters up a self-saucing chocolate pudding!

Grant and Linda Hanan give a great wrapup of the Overland Expo West in Arizona, aka the world’s biggest 4WD and camping show. From composting toilets that seal your “contributions” into plastic pancakes (yes, really) to Aussie brands making waves overseas, their coverage is part gear expo, part cultural exchange, and all enthusiasm.

You’ll be circling gear with a red pen by the end.

Hey, don’t forget to mark your calendars: The Perth 4WD & Adventure Show is back!

7–9 November 2025, McCallum Park.

Whether you’re chasing a new rooftop tent, comparing fridges, eyeing off the latest touring trailers, or just wanting to soak up the atmosphere with like-minded adventurers, this is the big one. We’ll be there!

All that and a whole lot more in this edition of Western 4W Driver.

Thanks again for welcoming us into your glovebox, back seat, swag, or wherever you keep your copy of the mag. Here’s to spring, to stories well told, and to one more excuse to get off the bitumen.

See you out there!

Spike

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LAND OF THE

GIANTS TALL STORIES FROM PEMBERTON & WARREN RIVER Journey into the Pemberton and Warren River region’s majestic karri forests, where towering trees, wild rivers, and shifting sand dunes offer exhilarating climbs, challenging 4WD tracks, and serene natural beauty.

BY JANE PELUSEY

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D

riving under the karri forest canopy, past vineyards and lush pastures, we rolled into Pemberton, 325 km south-west of Perth. After topping up fuel, buying last-minute supplies, and grabbing a coffee, we were ready to begin a week of adventures in Pemberton's hinterland, which abounds with majestic karri forest, sweeping sand dunes, freshwater rivers, and wild Southern Ocean beaches.

When we come to Pemberton and Warren River, there always seems to be adventure involved, whether climbing the fire watch trees, hiking the 1,000 km Bibbulmun Track, driving on a massive sand dune system, or taking on the 4WD challenge of Callcup Hill.

The tall, straight karri trees surrounding the town are endemic to Western Australia. They are among the tallest trees in the world, some exceeding 80 metres.

Many of those trees are now protected in the surrounding national parks: D’Entrecasteaux, Warren River, Brockman, Gloucester and Greater Beedalup.

When we go to Pemberton, we always shimmy up Gloucester Tree. It was one of the eight fire lookout trees used in the 1940s and 1950s. The other one is Bicentennial Tree, which is the tallest fire lookout tree in the world, and Gloucester is the second highest. On this occasion, both trees were closed for safety and construction of new viewing platforms. Bicentennial Tree has since been reopened with a new platform, while Gloucester Tree will open at the end of the year.

 Gloucester Tree.

Climbing these trees isn’t for the fainthearted or those prone to vertigo. The ‘steps’ are metal poles sticking out, much like a very long, steep ladder. Our best tip is to always have three points (between hands and feet) on the ladder. Be aware the trees do move in the wind, making some people feel a tad queasy. western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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While the trees are being refurbished, there is an adrenaline-seeking alternative.

Aerial Adventures is a venture that allows you to hook up and challenge the high ropes course in the karri forest.

Gloucester Tree is also on the Bibbulmun Track, the 1,000 km hiking trail from Kalamunda to Albany. Nearby is the Munda Biddi trail, a 1,067 km mountain bike adventure from Mundaring to Albany.

For a complete change of pace, you can take a ride on the Pemberton Tramway.

The privately run railway meanders through karri forest over wooden bridges that span streams, ending at Cascades.

As well as being incredibly scenic, visitors on the 75-minute return ride get to learn about the history of timber railways in the Pemberton area.

Also worth a visit is Big Brook Dam, 6 km from Pemberton. It was built in

1986 to support the trout hatchery. The picturesque reservoir is well stocked with trout and marron, but strict fishing rules apply. There is a 4 km walk trail that is wheelchair accessible that goes right around the dam.

Just over a 1 km walk from the dam is the Big Brook Arboretum, where camping, including caravans, is allowed. Camping fees apply. While there, check out the wonderful variety of exotic trees on display.

After exploring the town itself, it’s time to head further afield. Vasse Highway heads to Nannup, but the Old Vasse Highway weaves into the magnificent karri forest and ultimately to the tannin-stained Warren River.

There is a fantastic gravel drive trail that follows the river called Heartbreak Trail. Although not technically 4WD, it certainly isn’t for towing caravans. There

PEMBERTON

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are campsites on the river for tents and campers. Drafty’s has 20 sites, and Warren has six sites that can be booked on the Park Stay website.

This peaceful river, home to marron and trout, meanders through the tall forest all the way to where it enters the Southern Ocean. But that is later in the trip. Fishing in the river requires a freshwater fishing licence. You must acquaint yourself with the rules. This especially applies to marron, a type of freshwater crayfish.

Break any of these rules and regulations, and you risk very steep fines.

While we camped by the tranquil waters, we tackled the Warren River Loop. It is a 10 km loop walk through the forest to Bicentennial Tree and back along the river. It is a WA Top Trail, so it's worth the effort.

Heartbreak Trail is one-way, so driving down the steep hill towards the river, it

turns left to follow the river. At that turn the trail on the right is for Heartbreak Crossing. It is a rocky 4WD crossing to the other side of the river. When we were there in winter, the river was running a bit high, so we chose not to cross this time.

The other opportunity to cross the river is at Moon Crossing, closer to the small town of Northcliffe. There is a campground with no facilities, and the Bibbulmun Track crosses near here too.

After getting the tyres wet, it’s time to get them sandy.

After being enclosed in karri forest, we head out into the open, exposed sand dunes. Yeagarup Lake and Leaning Marri Campground are the gateway to the Yeagarup sand dune adventure.

Yeagarup Lake is a freshwater body of water near the sand dunes. There is a 30 m boardwalk to explore along with facilities including picnic tables, toilets

WARREN RIVER

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and parking. Leaning Marri Campground has 10 campsites that are booked online from the Park Stay website.

At the campground, there is the sign to drop tyre pressures. After dropping some air out of our tyres, around 15 PSI, we drive on soft sand through a tunnel of vegetation onto the sand dunes. The expanse of white sand is the largest inland moving sand dune system in the southern hemisphere. In a sea of karri trees, the white sand is inexorably moving towards Lake Yeagarup. The sand is so white it looks like a vast snowfield complete with strategically placed directional ‘snow’ poles. Veering away from the more correctly termed ‘sand poles’ could put you in a boggy situation.

When we did this drive, the sand on the dune was reasonably firm, so we stopped for a moment to take in the surreal landscape.

Back in the car, we followed the sand poles until finding the rollercoaster track of soft sand that winds down to the beach. On the way we come across a goanna digging for water in the middle of the track. The track was wide enough to slowly inch our way past him. He seemed unperturbed by our presence.

We then arrived at Yeagarup Beach, a long open stretch of white sand that gets pummelled by the Southern Ocean.

Conditions down here vary from soft and sandy to hard and compacted. On different occasions, we have experienced both.

This huge stretch of pristine beach is great for fishing. Expect to get amongst huge, hard-fighting Australian salmon in autumn. Patient anglers can also get a mixed bag of silver trevally, whiting, silver bream, and the odd tailor.

Fishing is not why we are here; it's Callcup

YEAGERUP

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Hill that is on our minds. There is one big factor that needs serious consideration before taking on the Callcup Hill challenge, which is the state of the Warren River mouth. To get to the base of Callcup Hill, you must cross the river mouth, which can only be done safely if the sandbar is intact. Mostly, the sandbar is intact, especially after a long dry summer. On the other hand, during heavy rains or a wet winter, the Warren River can burst through the sandbar, dumping dark tannin water into the ocean. If it has broken through, it is a trip back up the way we came. Experienced four-wheel drivers accompanied by others may attempt the crossing if the river is shallow enough and not too fast. Great care and judgement are required, or you risk your vehicle drowning.

A good idea is to contact the Pemberton visitors centre for an update on

conditions before setting out.

On a previous trip, our Callcup Hill challenge was aborted due to the surging Warren River breaking through and making it impassable. It didn’t matter.

The experience of witnessing the raw power of the river carving out a pathway to the ocean was something to behold.

From a narrow channel the river rapidly expanded, forming steep-sided sandy banks that eroded and collapsed with the force of the water. It was fascinating to watch, but we suggest not standing or parking too close to the action and risking a good dunking.

On this occasion the river sandbar was holding dry and firm, so Callcup Hill was on. Nearing the base of the massive dune, the track looked soft and steep.

We were both nervous and excited at the prospect. A group of local anglers were having a chat, and one of them offered a

YEAGERUP BEACH

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bit of advice that, if taken, will mean the difference between success and failure.

He asked Mike, who was driving, “What tyre pressure are you running?” Mike answered, "15 PSI," which was followed by "Make it 11. Otherwise, you have no chance."

With tyres looking almost flat, we headed up in our Prado. "Momentum is your friend," I kept saying out loud as we climbed steeply while Mike wrestled the wheel. Halfway up, we took a sharpish right, hoping the low-pressure tyres didn't separate from the rims. They didn’t. No stopping now as we bounced onwards and upwards.

Some high-fiving ensued as our trusty Prado made it safely to the top. We then followed a narrow, soft sand track winding through vegetation back onto the dirt road. Out came the compressor to pump those spongy tyres to a more

reasonable sand driving level.

Having successfully navigated Callcup, you might like to celebrate. Margaret River might be the famous wine region, but Pemberton has some amazing wines.

There are over 50 vineyards, some with cellar doors. This is Pinot and Chardonnay country.

The other final thing to experience in the Pemberton area is the waterfalls.

Pemberton is a wet place, and there are numerous waterfalls cascading over rocks. Although the falls are worth visiting anytime of the year, go in late winter or early spring to see them at their best. Two waterfalls that we always check out when in the area are: Cascades: Nestled in Gloucester National Park near Pemberton, Cascades is a series of fast-flowing waterfalls and rapids on Lefroy Brook that go through towering Karri. To really appreciate the beauty of

CALLCUP HILL

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nature, we recommend the easy 1.2 km long Cascades Trail that starts from the carpark. In winter, the Cascades flow fast, and in summer, they are more of a gentle nature. Trout can be caught here by anglers with a freshwater fishing licence.

Look out for the unusual eel-like pouched lamprey that breed here in winter.

Beedelup Loop Walk through beautiful forest via Karri Valley Resort.

The Pemberton region offers a rich blend of wineries, forest, hiking and four-wheel drive adventures. It's a great spot for a long weekend escape, or better still, an extended stay to really experience the magic of this special part of WA.

Beedalup Falls: This series of raging torrents plunges through steep sloping forest, inviting you to hang around and soak up nature. This beautiful location is easily accessible from a carpark, a 20-minute drive from Pemberton. There are two walk trails from the carpark. The shorter 300-metre trail goes across a suspension bridge spanning Beedalup Brook. There are fantastic views from the bridge and platforms. With all this moisture around, the slopes are cloaked with dripping maidenhair ferns. You can also do the moderately challenging

 Beedalup Falls.

 Cascades.

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THE PAVEMENT

A DEEP DIVE INTO THE 2025 DEFENDER D350 110

BY MATT PAYNE

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From a utilitarian workhorse to a luxurious family vehicle, the Land Rover Defender has evolved dramatically.

But can the 2025 D350 110 Series live up to its rugged heritage? Matt Payne, a selfproclaimed sceptic, puts the new model to the test and discovers a surprising blend of comfort, capability, and undeniable power.

The new Defender design has a G-Wagon feel, but with more rounded edges and lines.

S

imilar to the Toyota LandCruiser, the first iteration of the Land Rover Defender was built primarily for agricultural and light industrial applications. Released in 1948 at the Amsterdam Motor Show and soon after known as the Land Rover Series I, comfort was certainly not a core focus of the design; the vehicle was essentially a box-style aluminium body sat on top of a steel frame with a 4WD drivetrain mounted underneath.

Over the space of several decades, however, Land Rover made continued refinements to the vehicle to expand the scope of its market to include recreational 4WDing and touring, with more of a focus on comfort—which, by modernday standards, is a term that should be taken with a grain of salt! Officially named Defender in 1990 and built up until 2016, the original series is instantly recognisable on the tracks from its boxshaped body with characteristic riveted exterior panels, sitting on top of twin solid axles with coils at each corner.

Available in three different wheelbases, 90, 110, and 130, the original Defenders have a cult-like following in certain circles, and I have heard the 90 series in particular is incredibly capable off-road.

In Australia, the vehicle has primarily been powered by turbo diesel variants, which is a factor that played a role in its demise, with the solid axle version of the vehicle ceasing production in the United Kingdom in 2016 due to tightening emissions regulations.

In 2020, Land Rover Australia introduced the latest iteration of the Defender, which, in terms of design, was about as far as you could imagine from the original series as possible. The ladder frame chassis was replaced with a monocoque design, and the twin solid axles were removed in favour of independently

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sprung front and rear ends with suspension coming in the form of either coils or electronically adjustable airbags. The design brief appeared to have changed substantially from one that was utilitarian in nature to one more focused on comfort, luxury, and significantly more power under the hood— the latter being a notable improvement on the original turbo-diesel Defenders, which were renowned for being a bit underpowered.

Over the past five years I’d seen the new Defenders on the road plenty of times, and although I didn’t mind the new modern shape, to be completely honest I had always considered them to be on the softer side of things, 4WD-wise. So when I was asked to review the new 2025 model, I honestly didn’t know what to expect.

I was given the D350 110 series Sedona edition for my review, one of the luxury variants that comes exclusively in Sedona Red and really does look amazing in full sun. Shape-wise the new Defender has G-Wagon vibes, but with more rounded Decent underbody protection comes as standard.

The matrix LED headlights with adaptive high beam are an impressive feature.

edges. The headlights are an immediate focal point, taking on a distinct human eye-like appearance. In this specific variant these consist of Matrix LEDs with daytime running lights and offer adaptive driving beam capability—more on that later. Black checkerplate strips run on either side of the bonnet in a nod to the original Defender, offering some unique styling; however, in this case, these are plastic, not aluminium.

Unlike its competitors (which would mainly be the Lexus GX 550 and perhaps the higher-end J250 Toyota Prado models), the Defender comes standard with steel rock sliders and a healthy amount of underbody protection plates. This came as a surprise to me but one that was certainly welcomed—these are accessories that most fourwheel drivers would normally fork out extra $ for after purchase to set their vehicles up for off-road use. The rear even comes standard with two rock-solid recovery eyelets built into the frame, making

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backwards recoveries possible in stock form, even if a towbar wasn’t added.

Moving away from features that would be seen as a plus for fourwheel drivers, the Sedona series sits on massive 22-inch alloys, wrapped in equally big low-profile rubber: 275/45 R22 (31.3 inches), to be exact.

Although these look great, they are without The rear of the Defender comes standard with solid recovery points. a doubt the biggest rims I have ever seen on a 4WD. You do have the option of downsizing to a 19-inch rim, though, which would certainly afford more sidewall bagging when airing down prior to hitting the tracks. Unfortunately 17and 18-inch rims won’t work with the big brake rotors that the Defender runs.

The rear seat is spacious and features ventilation.

increase of 75 mm and one that would negate the need to lift the vehicle. You can actually increase this even further if you become bogged while in low range to help you get enough body clearance to get the vehicle out.

The D350 Defender in Sedona trim sports 22-inch alloys on all four corners.

Suspension-wise, the Defender sits on electronically controlled airbags on all four corners, and although it appears to have low ground clearance at 218 mm, you then have the ability to increase this to 293 mm at the touch of a button when you want to head off-road, a massive

Luxury echoes throughout the cabin.

Soft-touch materials are included in most places with suede leather A-pillars and leather materials elsewhere, including the door trims, which are secured with exposed pan-head Torx bolts, perhaps a styling cue from the riveted panels of the original Defenders. Seats have a huge amount of adjustment (14-way, electronic) and are comfortable for the

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most part, but do lack side bolstering on the base, meaning that you do have a tendency to slide a little if throwing the vehicle in turns, etc. The front seats feature three-level heating and ventilation; however, I do note that these took a while to come on at full capacity: once on, though, they were among the best I have experienced in a 4WD to date.

The cabin has an enormous amount of storage built in, with generous door pockets, a large centre console storage bin, and additional console storage below the gear shift. You also get two water bottle holders built into the console, which easily fit the popular Yeti-style drink bottles.

delve into the menus in any great depth).

One feature I did love was the inclusion of buttons for features that are core to the vehicle and/or likely to be accessed frequently: these include all 4WD features (modes and low range), air suspension height, climate control, and seat heating/ cooling. It was also great to see a button to turn the ESC function off. The steering wheel has additional buttons to control other key features like cruise control, with both adaptive and standard included, the latter of which I find is by far the better option for use in multi-lane traffic situations where vehicles may be moving substantially slower in neighbouring lanes.

The dashboard features a soft-touch grab handle on the passenger side with ‘Defender’ embossing beneath. The central focal point, though, is the 13.1inch touch screen that features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and was easily navigable (although I didn’t

One feature of the Defender that I absolutely loved was the ability to set custom driving assistance settings. We all know how much of a pain some of these can be, so to be able to set a custom program of what you like and don’t like and then be able to engage this selection

The dash features soft touch materials, Defender lettering embossed on the passenger side, and a central 13.1-inch screen.

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from a button on the steering wheel is an amazing feature that many other manufacturers should take note of. The Sedona edition also comes standard with a sunroof, which can be utilised in both moonroof format and as a fully open sunroof with an automatic windbreak that works well to remove the helicopter shudder noise you would otherwise normally get driving at speed.

The rear seat is comfortable, collapsible in a 40/60-style format, and has plenty of legroom. It even features ventilation.

There is also a surprising amount of room in the cargo area, more than what I had expected to find in a mid-wheelbase wagon, with additional storage in the form of side wing cargo nets and even a small void underneath the floor, next to where the jack assembly is housed.

You even have toggle controls supplied to adjust the height of the rear to suit whatever you are lifting in/out of the car!

Another notable feature that I think all 4WD enthusiasts would love is the total absence of carpet. Even at this high-end, luxury spec, the flooring is solid plastic with high-quality rubber mats included throughout (including the cargo space), making light work of cleaning after a day at the beach.

Power-wise, the Defender comes in three engine variants: either a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder 221 kW/400 nm Turbocharged Petrol PHEV, a 5.0-litre V8 368 kW/610 nm Supercharged Petrol V8 or a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder 257 kW/700 nm Twin Turbocharged Diesel MHEV, the latter of which powers the D350 series and was supplied in the Sedona edition I was given to review. Although this engine is advertised as a mild hybrid, it doesn’t actually have an electric motor that drives the wheels and instead consists of a 48V electrical system with a belt-integrated starter-generator that assists the engine

The rear cargo area is spacious for a mid-size wagon.

Additional storage can be found under the rear cargo floor.

and transmission with functions such as gear shifts and the auto stop/start feature, similar to the way the 48V system functions in the new J250 Toyota Prado.

Notably though, unlike the Prado, there is no apparent loss of boot space due to its inclusion.

Pulling out of the Barbagallo dealership in Osborne Park, the first thing I noticed was the high driving position; it offers a commanding view of what’s ahead—I would think even shorter drivers would have no issues obtaining a clear view over the bonnet. Pushing firmly on the

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accelerator, the engine came to life and accelerated quickly and smoothly up to speed, with a distinct throaty note coming from under the bonnet. The 6-cylinder twin-turbo diesel has plenty of poke, with a 0-100 km/h time noted at 6.4 s.

Overtaking slower vehicles was absolutely effortless, with almost instant acceleration from higher speeds. Coupled with the 8-speed automatic transmission and low on-road centre of gravity afforded by the adjustable air suspension, it feels like something you expect in a sports car. The suspension setup is incredibly comfortable, with no noticeable body roll while cornering and rougher sections of road effortlessly absorbed.

The Defender is rated to tow 3,500 kg, and although I didn’t get the chance to test this during the review, I have no doubt that it would be an amazing tow vehicle.

Payload is also a respectable 774 kg, almost 200 kg more than the new Prado, meaning that towing a 2-3 tonne caravan

shouldn’t cause GVM issues (bear in mind too, the Defender already has rock sliders and underbody protection fitted as standard and included in the overall weight).

The brief I was given for the off-road testing by the dealer was to return the vehicle with zero pinstripes. This ruled out Wilbinga and similar areas that have narrowish access tracks. Instead, I opted to take the car up to the Lancelin dunes to see how good its 4WD systems were.

Pulling into the parking space at the start of the off-road area, I dropped the 22-inch tyres down to 18 psi. This really didn’t produce a lot of sidewall bag (as you would expect), and to be honest, I was a bit concerned about the potential of the rim bottoming out. Next I selected 4H sand mode, turned off ESC, and raised the suspension to the second-highest setting.

I also selected the off-road information screen on the main display, which provides details on which mode you are

The electronically adjustable air suspension makes for a very comfortable ride while still allowing good wheel articulation.

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in, whether the centre diff is locked, and what wheels are turning. It also gives you a compass and details of the vehicle angles—all very useful. It would have been great if it also displayed the tyre pressures, though.

Heading towards the dune system, anyone who has been to Lancelin will know how chopped up the tracks are, as you constantly end up rolling over other wheel tracks at right angles to yours.

Although I was expecting a rough ride due to the tyre setup, the air suspension seemed to pick up the slack and offered a surprising amount of comfort. First up were a few short, moderately steep dunes that weren’t overly soft—the Defender ate these up without even breaking a sweat.

The transmission performed beautifully in D, with fast, smooth gear changes when necessary, with no impact whatsoever on forward momentum.

Next up I decided to give the Defender a more serious test and so pointed it in the direction of a much steeper dune that, based on the wheel tracks already on it, looked to be incredibly soft. Selecting 4L, the transfer case engaged almost instantly (a pleasant change from the lag commonly experienced with some electronic transfer systems), I selected D and accelerated at the dune. To my surprise, the Defender made it up and almost over the top before it started to dig down. A quick reverse back about half a metre and gentle acceleration then saw me crawl forward and over the top. The engine really does have a phenomenal amount of torque and power on hand in low range.

Next I aimed the car at another steep, slightly firmer dune system (but still soft) and accelerated towards it—the Defender climbed it fairly easily, only getting marked wheel spin towards the crest, at which point I could certainly feel some

sort of traction control coming on (even though ESC was turned off), but it was not overly intrusive in terms of stopping drive to any wheels, etc. The only dune climb I was unable to get the Defender up was a softer, steeper section next to the previous line, where it just wasn’t able to make the crest section. I tried this in both D and low 3rd on more than one occasion, each time without any success. Overall, I was incredibly surprised at the Defender’s off-road capability, especially considering the tyres it was on! I can only imagine how much more this would increase if you opted for the 19-inch rims and higherprofile tyres.

Coming down the faces of some of the steeper dunes in manual mode, first gear allowed total control, with the car showing no signs of running away.

The hill descent control feature also worked well. Wheel articulation with the air suspension was very good, and the amount of control afforded by this setup was really impressive—I found myself hitting sections of track with multiple rollers a lot faster than normal—the suspension had minimal rebound.

The steep, soft dune that the D350 was able to climb.

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Popping the bonnet to air back up, I found a similar scenario to when I was reviewing the Ineos Grenadier in that the battery is located inside the cabin, in this case under the passenger seat. To enable access to 12V power in the engine bay, however, Land Rover have mounted positive and negative posts that are attached to this battery, allowing you to easily run items like air compressors. This is a much better setup than that found on the Ineos, which only has a single positive post in the engine bay, meaning that an earth must instead be picked up off a bolt head secured into the vehicle body—a less than optimal solution.

By the time I had finished putting the Defender through its paces in the Lancelin dunes, night was rapidly falling, which allowed me to test out the feature Matrix LED headlights that the Sedona edition comes standard with. Selecting adaptive high beam, I was incredibly impressed by the vision these provided.

What was even more impressive was that as the vehicle sensed oncoming traffic (via the front camera), it would dim only the sections of the beam directed at the oncoming car, meaning that I was still afforded high beam vision from most of the headlight. It would then automatically adjust to full high beam once the oncoming car had passed.

Refuelling prior to returning the vehicle to Barbagallo, including ~40 km of city driving, ~200 km of highway driving, and a play in the sand dunes, saw the figures come in at an impressive 9.68 L/100 km.

I would imagine this could come down slightly as well by not being as punchy on the accelerator and/or engaging ECO mode.

I was incredibly impressed with the new Defender. Land Rover have produced a highly refined, luxurious 4WD that is super comfortable to drive and yet is still

incredibly capable off the blacktop (in sand at least). Relative to the features on board, pricing is also not overly exorbitant, starting at $133K for the X-Dynamic SE, while the Sedona edition I had on review is closer to the $161K mark (both prices are driveaway). Warranty is five years and vehicle servicing is every 2 years/34,000km – you can also purchase dealer servicing plans for this, which offer marked savings and come in at ~$1,166 per service, $3,500 in total for the warranty period.

Overall, the new Defender would certainly tick a lot of boxes for families who want a luxury 4WD as their daily driver, with highly refined on-road driving manners, ample storage and payload specs, and plenty of capability to go on off-road adventures during weekends away and long trips.

s t c a fast f

Engine/transmission – 3.0L inline 6, twin turbo, mild-hybrid diesel/ 8-speed automatic with manual mode Power/torque – 257 kW/700 nm Suspension – Front: Independent double wishbone, with adaptive electronic dampers and electronic air spring struts. Rear: Independent integral link (multi-link), with adaptive electronic dampers and electronic air spring struts.

Wheels/tyres – 22-inch alloy/ 275 45 R22 (31.3 inches) Towing capacity – 3,500 kg braked, 750 kg unbraked GVM – 3,280 kg Payload – 774 kg

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EMBRACE THE IMPOSSIBLE. Book a Test Drive.

BARBAGALLO LAND ROVER 354 Scarborough Beach Road, Osborne Park WA 6017 1300 074 458 retailers.landrover.com.au/barbagallo DL2061.

NIAGARA DAM A WA GOLDFIELDS’ ‘WHITE ELEPHANT’ IT COST A FORTUNE BUT WAS NEVER USED!

BY COLIN & PRUE KERR

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Built in 1897 to supply the booming gold mining town of Kookynie, Niagara Dam was an engineering marvel, carting cement by camel train. But a surprising discovery rendered it obsolete before it even filled.

Today, this 'white elephant' is a stunning oasis for camping, swimming, and exploring the fascinating history of Western Australia's Goldfields.

I

t was back in 1897 that Niagara Dam was built just 10km out of the thenbooming little gold mining town of Kookynie, some 200km north of Kalgoorlie. In those days the town of 1,500 people and many more in surrounding mining camp areas, including the Niagara mine area, had a critical shortage of water, and at a cost equivalent to $128,000—a huge sum in those days (and not peanuts even today)—the dam construction went ahead. Water was also needed for steam trains, which were to be heading north with the extension of the railway from Kalgoorlie.

The huge quantity of cement needed for the dam wall was carted by camel trains (operated by cameleer Abdul Waidz), involving some 400 camels from Kalgoorlie, 250km away. When completed, the dam wall measured 228 metres long, 18 metres high, and seven metres thick and had a holding capacity of 141,000 cubic metres of water. The wall was built across an ideal section of low breakaway country to dam the water fed from a 330-hectare (792-acre) watershed.

 Information sign at Niagara Dam.

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 The dam wall at Niagara Dam.

But … there was just one problem. Whilst all this was going on, and before the dam could actually start providing water for the town, a new, permanent, large, good-quality underground water supply was found near the town itself. And so, the dam, which relied on the collection of rainwater, which would then need to have been piped some 10km to town, was no longer required. And thus, despite the

significant cost and effort to build it over 100 years ago, Niagara Dam (also called Niagara Falls on some maps) was never used for the water supply or railway for which it was designed. Call it a ‘white elephant’ if you like, but today it is a beaut place for swimming, camping, and picnics and a scenic waterhole for visitors to call in, photograph and enjoy.

 There's plenty of room for camping at Niagara Dam.

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The water in the dam attracts a variety of bird life coming in for a drink, and once you have set up your campsite or enjoyed a cuppa, there are a couple of beaut, marked walk trails with regular information panels to read along the way. The first of these is the Round the Dam Trail (1,150 metres return), and the second is the Breakaway Trail (1,600 metres return), which takes walkers

 There is a walk trail near the dam to some breakaway country.

 An old and well-established volcano-shaped ant mound — the work of Rhytidoponera mayri ants.

along the rim of the main breakaway and returns along the usually dry creek bed to the dam.

Along this trail up on top of the breakaway there is a nice lookout point, which is worth stopping at before the short descent to the creek bed, where the trail passes through some quite scenic, white quartz rock areas, and past colourful breakaway cliffs and caves. Also along the way, check out the story behind the large volcano-shaped ants’ nests (made by the Rhytidoponera mayri ants) seen in several locations.

The original name ‘Niagara Falls,’ after its much more famous overseas namesake, must have been a real ‘tongue-in-cheek’ western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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 Niagara Dam.

 The walk trail near the dam leads to breakaway country.

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(wry, outback Aussie humour) declaration, as the falls here before the dam was constructed were nothing more than a miniature replica and only flowed for a very short time with any vigour after really heavy rain. Both of these walk trails are relatively easy, with just a few rock-hopping and undulating sections to negotiate.

There is today a fully sealed road to Niagara Dam some 60km north of Menzies via the Kookynie Road off the Goldfields Highway. Bins are provided, and for camping there are beaut areas either on the edge of the breakaway overlooking the dam or in the large, wide, open, mostly level space below the  Grand Hotel, Kookynie.

dam wall and breakaway cliffs, which are nicely protected from the wind. This is one of the Goldfields’ best free camping spots and a great place to rest for a day or two during your travels through this fascinating and quite historic region of Western Australia.

Whilst in the area, check out the scant remains of the old mining town of Niagara and the more substantial remains in the nearby town of Kookynie, including the still-operating Grand Hotel, and 2km out of town, the Niagara Historic Cemetery is well worth a visit—plenty of stories of early Goldfields life here— including sadness, struggles and tragedy.

INFORMATION BAY Niagara Dam is located 3km off the Kookynie Road. There is no charge for camping here.

 Remains of the National Hotel, Kookynie.

There is a small ‘day use only’ area overlooking the dam with a free gas barbeque, table/chairs, shelter shed, toilet and information signboards.

A chemical toilet dump point (including non-drinking water for rinsing cassettes) is located in the lower camping area below the dam wall.

Campfires are allowed (seasonal), but BYO wood.

The water level in the dam varies according to rainfall in the area.

If going for a swim here at Niagara Dam, beware of the risk of amoebic meningitis—keep your head out of the water and the water out of your nose.

For more information

 Old graves at the Kookynie Cemetery.

Contact Menzies Visitor Centre Phone (08) 9024 2702 menzies.wa.gov.au western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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Western Australia’s

Reef to

Onslow — Gateway to Mackerel & Montebello Islands

In the mighty Shire of Ashburton, you are truly navigating through a world of natural and ancient wonder that stretches across the expanse of the beating heart of the Pilbara. From the pristine Mackerel and Montebello Islands set amongst sparkling blue waters and clear skies, along roads that weave through the ancient ranges set amongst the red dirt, taking you to the serene waterfalls and billabongs of Karijini.

Experience Western Australia’s ultimate Reef to Range adventure.

Ultimate Road Trip

Range

Tom Price — Gateway to Karijini Country

For more information: Tom Price Visitor Centre P: (08) 9188 5488 E: info@visitashburton.au W: visitashburton.au

A JOURNEY THROUGH WA'S

WHEATBELT WAY Beyond the coast and outback lies Western Australia's vibrant Wheatbelt, where golden fields meet ancient granite.

Discover a unique 800km journey through charming towns, remarkable rock formations, and a rich tapestry of pioneering history.

BY JANE PELUSEY

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I

n WA we are naturally drawn to our glorious coast and the adventure of the outback. In between is where the green wheat turns golden, waving in the breeze, where the canola is so bright it seems to generate its own light, and the granite rocks rise out of the flat plains. This is the wheatbelt, and we are driving the 800 kmlong Wheatbelt Way. The Wheatbelt shires, such as Dowerin, Mukinbudin, Nungarin, Koorda, and Wyalkatchem, came together to create a drive trail that connects towns and explores amazing rock formations in the region. They designed a route taking in as many granite rocks as possible, culminating in a very useful app.

After refuelling ourselves at the Toodyay Bakery, we were ready for an epic road trip. The first town and kickoff point for the Wheatbelt Way is Dowerin, home of the famous Dowerin Machinery Field Days. We drove 26 km from Dowerin to our first campsite at Minnivale. This community of around 40 residents on a train line has a church built in 1925 and a few other buildings. We took time exploring the streets, including the abandoned bakery with a large bread oven still on site. For the railway buffs, the old wheat silo is an annex of the Bassendean Railway Museum.

You need to contact the Shire of Dowerin (08 9631 1202) to make an appointment to visit the museum.

 Abandoned bakery at Minnivale.

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In spring the Koorda Native Flora Reserve, flowering plants (over fifty species) burst into a mass of colour, including the beautiful Koorda Rose. It’s a good place to get out the birdwatching binoculars.

 Minnivale Campground.

The campground is a grassy area with a flushing toilet and cold shower. Like most of the campsites on this road trip, there are no camping fees. Accompanying us were about five campers and caravanners.

Wyalkatchem was a good place for morning coffee before heading north to Koorda and east to Bencubbin. Along the way, we stopped at pioneering relics like Wyalkatchem Well and Cowcowing Cemetery to break the journey and give our legs a stretch. We wandered the sites, imagining what it was like for the early farmers out here. The app has excellent information about these locations, with 24 interpretive sites on the drive trail.

Gabbin is another abandoned railway siding town that offers a free campsite with toilet and shower facilities.

Out of Bencubbin are two spots well worth the side trip. Marshall Rock is an obvious landmark, and on the eastern side of the rock is Pergande Sheep Yards. This place is a tribute to farming ingenuity. To build sheep yards, the Pergande family used locally available flat slabs of granite. They stood the slabs upright to make yards and even narrowing sheep chutes. Interpretive signage explains what life was like for the pioneering Ted and Annie Pergande.

Marshall Rock is a nice spot to camp with the picnic tables, fire pits, and drop toilet provided. Marshall Rock, like many large granite formations in the wheatbelt, is climbable if taken carefully. For the nimble-footed, the rewards are fine vistas of patchwork paddocks of wheat, barley,

 Pergande Sheep Yards.

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 Pergande Sheep Yards.

or canola, interspersed with dark green nature reserves.

Beacon is the northernmost town on the Wheatbelt Way route. We drive 30 km further to the impressive Billiburning Rock. You can also free camp here. Further north again is the isolated wilderness that is Karroun Hill Nature Reserve. We will have to come back another time to explore this massive nature reserve. At the time, emergency services were packing up after the sensational search and rescue

of a missing German backpacker. It is a reminder that this is a remote area and not to be undertaken lightly, as phone coverage is dodgy.

Further on, we stopped at Datjoin Rock and well. The well was dug by sandalwood cutters in the early 1900s. Winding through the dirt track, we see some lovely campsites amongst the trees and rocks.

This is a no caravan zone, and the track is four-wheel drive the further you get in due to the washouts and tree roots.

The most interesting rock is shaped like a giant potato. As you wander around, it is hard to believe how such a big, oddly shaped rock is so precariously balanced.

In spring the area is swarming with wildflowers, including everlastings and orchids.

Bonnie Rock is the next train siding settlement that features a free campsite with the addition of brand-new toilets and hot showers.The temptation to camp here is strong, but we push on.

 Datjoin Rock.

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 Camped at Beringbooding Rock.

Next stop: Beringbooding Rock, the site of an impressive engineering feat. When it rains, water runs off the rock and is channelled by a stone rim into the biggest rock water catchment tank in Australia. It was built in 1937. Once we set up camp in the designated campground, it was time to explore on foot. After the recent rains, it was a bit boggy in places. The water running off the granite feeds the soil around the rock, providing the perfect habitat for a myriad of wildflowers.

We climb the granite, avoiding the wet slippery bits, passing by interesting

 Reflections at Beringbooding Rock.

smaller naturally sculptured rocks. On top, the view forms a stunning 360° panorama. The patchwork of paddocks stretches into the distance. The green wheat is dominant with yellow canola in between. Some paddocks are in fallow, resting for a season. We can see another granite rock in the distance.

From our research of Beringbooding Rock, there was one spot we wanted to get to. Kangaroo Hole is a large gnamma hole backed by a massive smooth rock wall. In the afternoon the rock face is beautifully reflected in a pool of water, a

 Beringbooding Rock views.

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 The Wheatbelt is a great spot for astrophotography.

popular spot for that Instagram shot.

The large amount of water collected means the Beringbooding Rock campground has flushing toilets, a rarity when it comes to free campsites.

The stars at night out here in the wheatbelt are mesmerising. The clear night sky is so dark, the Milky Way illuminates the surrounding landscape.

We have been to Elachbutting Rock before. It is probably the most famous rock on the trail. The road around Elachbutting is one way. On the northern side of the rock are two of the most spectacular formations. We have all heard of Wave Rock near Hyden. Well, Elachbutting has one also, but without the crowds. Near the wave is Monty’s Pass, a  Elachbutting Rock.

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 Elachbutting Rock has its own 'Wave Rock' minus the crowds.

 Monty's Pass.

 Monty's Pass.

30 m tunnel formed by a rockslide. At the end the sun lights up the red rock. In the middle of the tunnel, it does get dark, so take a torch.

destination was Eaglestone Rock, which isn’t officially on the Wheatbelt Way, but we think it should be. Driving down the gravel road, we arrive at a large salt lake known as Lake Brown. Eaglestone Rock sits on the banks of the lake. North of the rock is a large campground. It has a drop toilet as its only facility. Some of the rock campsites are dog friendly, but others aren’t. This is one of the ‘no dogs’ ones.

The campgrounds and a short four-wheel drive track are on the other side of the rock. We didn’t stay here because we had only travelled 29 km that day. Our

At sunrise, the rocks next to the white encrusted lake light up in golden hues.

The salt sparkles in the early morning light. Well worth an early morning stroll.

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 Eaglestone Rock campground.

 Lake Brown.

After capturing the sunrise magic hour, it’s time to hit the road. We stopped in at Sandford Rocks for another granite experience. It is also a wildflower hotspot.

It’s been a couple of days of remote camping, so we stocked up a bit in Westonia. Like all the towns on the Wheatbelt Way, Westonia has a caravan park, if that’s your preference. Wheatbelt towns generally service the farming districts, but Westonia has an open-cut gold mine. Westonia’s old school serves as a 48-hour free campsite for selfcontained rigs.

Like Sandford Rocks, Boodalin Soak is a sea of wildflowers. Historically, this was

a place where early gold prospectors stopped on the way from York to Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. Weira Reserve is similar in that there are permanent gnamma holes and wildflowers.

Next on our town hit list was Mukinbudin and a quick coffee stop, then onward to Nungarin. Just 15 km out of Nungarin is the historic homestead of Mangowine.

Before the train went through to Kalgoorlie, horse-drawn coaches transported people from inn to inn.

Mangowine Homestead was one of these inns. Built in 1876, the National Trust building has been restored to its former glory. It costs $4 to explore the

 Lake Brown. western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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 There's plenty to see and do around Nungarin.

homestead, and there is a caravan park in the grounds with powered sites.

Tiny Nungarin is a fascinating town that deserves some exploration. McCorry’s Hotel, built in 1913, has been restored for overnight accommodation and caravan park facilities. The original owner thought the new railway line would pass through his property, but sadly, it didn’t.

Nungarin was a base for a strategically important army depot and workshop during World War Two. Visitors can check out the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum, featuring a huge collection of old tractors, World War Two military vehicles, and memorabilia.

It is housed in massive hangars. I have a personal interest in Nungarin, as my grandfather, a mechanic, was stationed here with 12,000 other personnel during the war. My grandmother and mother would stay at McCorry’s to visit him. The museum is open every day from 9am to 4pm and has a café. Once a month, they

host an atmospheric campfire dinner.

On the way home from an epic road trip, we popped into Billyacatting Hill Nature Reserve to stretch our legs on the 2.4 km walk trail. Interestingly, the nearest town of Trayning comes from the local Aboriginal name meaning ‘snake crawling in the grass near campsite.’ Luckily, we didn’t see any of those snakes during our trip, being the middle of winter. But as it warms up, I reckon they will be out and about.

This road trip has so much to see and explore. The towns are welcoming, where you can stock up with supplies as well as enjoy great coffee. Accommodation varies from brilliant free campsites to historic country hotels. Roads along the Wheatbelt Way are two-wheel drive friendly. Just be aware that there are wellmaintained gravel sections, so drive to the conditions.

Next time you hanker for a road trip with a difference, give the Wheatbelt Way a go.

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 Overland Expo

IT'S A WRAP! HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WORLD’S BIGGEST 4WD SHOW Grant & Linda hit the USA to experience the world’s largest 4WD and camping event, Overland Expo West. The 2025 event turned out to be a record breaker, and they share some trends and products that could find their way down under.

BY GRANT & LINDA HANAN

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I

t was early afternoon by the time we pulled into the tranquil forest setting at Fort Tuthill in Flagstaff, Arizona. That smell of fresh pine provided an instant sense of calm after what were several nerve-racking hours of driving on the crazy-paced Interstate I-40 Highway from Nevada. We’d only picked up our rental RV the day before in the glitzy city of Las Vegas, then headed straight to a local Walmart supermarket to fill up with supplies. From there it was pedal to the metal as we made a beeline nearly 450 kilometres to reach Flagstaff and onto the stage where the world’s biggest 4WD event extravaganza is held.

This Overland Expo event wasn’t actually our first, as we’d initially gotten a taste at an event in Virginia a few years ago.

After having a great time there and being told by many that the show in Flagstaff is the “4WD show of all shows,” the stars aligned this year, and we were able to travel to the USA and experience it for ourselves.

If you’ve never heard of Overlanding Expo, let’s start by running through the concept. You could say it’s similar to the largest 4WD show here in Australia that typically runs over a three-day weekend.

But in reality, that’s where any similarity with our 4WD shows ends. Besides being bigger in size, another major point of difference is that show attendees and exhibitors can camp (unpowered) at the event in designated camping areas right alongside the venue. There are hundreds of people who make the pilgrimage from all over the USA each year just for this particular event.

The expo also allows enthusiasts to test their skills by joining in various 4WD training sessions using their own rig.

Some dedicated 4WD tracks are set up around the venue, with training sessions being run by qualified instructors. Other

 This Jeep had all the gear in the campground.  Overland Expo

daytime events include numerous hourly round-table-style information sessions.

These sessions cover a range of topics and are held by industry experts and some worldly travellers. So the expo really covers a bit of everything.

Besides a jam-packed event calendar during daylight hours, there are plenty of activities after dark if you’d like to join in. There are always competitions and giveaways of sorts, plus food trucks offering a mix of fast food and gourmetstyle meals and snacks if you don’t feel like preparing a meal in the campground.

And with the film festival and other entertainment available, the party-like atmosphere kicks along well into the night.

From what’s been described above and whatever image you’ve conjured up of what you think Overland Expo is, you’ll need to multiply it by 10! Yep, the 2025 event in Flagstaff was absolutely massive and much bigger than we had ever expected. The Fort Tuthill venue is less than 15 minutes from downtown Flagstaff, and more than 400 exhibitors attended this year to showcase the latest and greatest gear across the 4WD and

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camping sector. But when you’re also camping onsite at the biggest 4WD show of its kind, it’s much like a festival-style experience and a big social event.

Now in its 16th year, Overland Expo West continues to grow year upon year. It was the original event of this type, with an additional four Overland Expo events now held in other areas of the USA each year to cater to a wider audience—although the show is fast becoming a world event because it doesn’t just attract USA suppliers. Businesses like REDARC, Terrain Tamer, ARB, MSA, and Patriot Campers were just a few of the exhibitors flying the Aussie flag at this year’s event.

Given the show’s sheer size, we took a strategic approach to help ensure we saw everything and to get a handle on the latest trends in the 4WD overlanding and camping scene. Let’s just say we gave it a red-hot crack over the three days, starting early each morning after overnight temperatures dipped to a crispy -2°C, and finishing well after dark. It was high-fives for our rental RV’s propane heater that thankfully kept us warm as toast!

So what did we find while we were at Overland Expo West? Surprisingly, there was lots of cool stuff. While we don’t have enough word count here to cover it all, here's a few trends and products we uncovered that could very well end up on our Aussie shore before too long.

American trucks continue to be the most popular vehicle.

AMERICAN TRUCKS After a quick look around the event, it was obvious the American trucks continue to be the chosen platform for USA Overlanding. Jeeps remain the popular choice and have a cult-like following, especially when there’s so much aftermarket gear available. The big three pickups, like the Ford F-series, Chevy Silverados, and RAMs, still remain the dominating platforms. They can vary in overall size and capacity, but if you want to carry weight or tow heavy loads, then one of these looks like the popular choice.

We visited the Toyota stand to look at models like the Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runners, and while they’re not as big as the top three, they’re still very popular.

And from our understanding, Toyota now fully warrants the Australian version of the right-hand drive Tundra. Although the conversion is done in Australia via a

Information sessions included a range of topics.

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The new Toyota Tacoma was on display.

third party, it is under licence to Toyota.

Now if that’s the case, and although we’re not in the business of starting rumours, we reckon you need to watch this space if the desire for American-style pickups in Australia continues on its current path.

BOLT-ON LASER CUT PANELS With rooftop tents continuing their strong popularity and the need to still carry other equipment on a vehicle, a number of businesses are producing a variety of bolt-on laser-cut panels as vehicle add-on storage solutions. We found these types of panels everywhere we travelled through the U.S., and not just at this event. Generally, they’re a pressstamped or shaped panel that has T-slots and some sort of grid pattern plus some mounting tabs. Then the world is your oyster as to what you put on them.

Aftermarket branded products like Rotopax (liquid storage containers) and shovel and axe holders were just a few of the more popular accessories. Although it wasn’t uncommon to see things like gas bottles, Pelican cases, storage bins, bike mounts, and anything else you might like to carry on your vehicle attached to one of these panels too. Many of these lightweight panels have quick-releasestyle bracketry and come colour-coded or in bright colours so they stand out. We saw them mainly fitted to the sides and backs of canopies or sitting inside pickup

Bolt-on panels can hold all sorts of accessories.

Storing fuel/water on the side of a vehicle is a big thing in the U.S.

tubs. And if you’re wondering whether they protrude outside the vehicle’s footprint, yes they do! Is it legal? Probably not, but it’s one of those practices that seems to be widely accepted.

BACKBONE ROOF RACKS Roof racks aren’t anything new, and backbone-style mounting racks have been around for a while here in Australia.

That said, there are many companies in the U.S. that are making their own backbone-style racks with different style platforms and T-slot insert tracks. Having wind deflectors at the front of the vehicle is also something popular, as well as mounting brackets for various light bars, round-style driving lights, hidden wiring loom conduit, and side camp lights.

They look sleek when specifically made to suit the shape and contour of the vehicle’s roof.

The snug fit of a backbone style roof rack.

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We received a mixed bag of replies when we quizzed businesses about their installation method and load-carrying capabilities. Although they look sleek and neat by design, we wonder about their functionality and durability… especially if off-roading on corrugated tracks.

are generally what’s used here, it’s composting and bagging toilets that are a big thing there. But first things first— you’ll need a mindset shift as to how number twos are managed with these styles of toilets because you’re ultimately separating solids from liquids.

We initially couldn’t work out what these black, irregular-shaped, polelooking things were on vehicles in the campgrounds and in the event display areas. After finding the supplier stand, we learned they’re aerial cell phone boosters specifically made for vehicles, RVs and boats. While we have a similar product here in Australia and other aerial boosters, we learned the smarts and technology weren’t the same. While this booster only currently works in the USA, they’re looking to expand and export to other countries, including Australia and NZ. Watch this space.

So how do they work? We came across a toilet system that uses plastic bags that are welded together using a heat strip, similar to when using a vacuum seal machine.

After doing the number two business in the plastic bag that sits within the toilet, it’s a matter of adding some crystal agent that absorbs the liquid, leaving just the solids. It’s then a quick push of a toilet button that seals your business in the bag and leaves no foul odours or unhygienic waste to deal with. Simply get rid of the bag at a landfill-style rubbish bin at the next opportunity. The toilet unit is quite compact, with size dimensions being comparable to our chemical-style portapotties. They’re manufactured in Japan and distributed by a supplier in the USA.

COMPOSTING & BAGGING TOILETS

MANHOLE ACCESS ROOFTOP STYLE TENTS

When you’re wild camping in the USA (their version of free camping), the way in which human waste is managed is different from how we do it in Australia.

While chemical cassette-style toilets (porta potties or fixed bowl mounts)

There was no doubt rooftop tents are very popular in the USA, and we saw our fair share of makes, models and designs at Flagstaff. And in most cases, the tents are accessed via an external ladder of sorts unless they’re part of an integrated

CELL PHONE BOOSTERS

The “poop in a bag” style of toilet.

Access to the roof top tent is inside the camper.

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roof conversion. This is where the floor area of the rooftop tent is hinged up out of the way so you can easily stand inside the vehicle. Simply lower the floor and open the hatch to climb into the tent area when needed. While Australia does these roof conversions on vehicles like Troopies, the USA trend takes it one step further by adding this concept to camper trailers and slide-on campers as well. But for something completely unique, we came across vehicles with rooftop tents that had a manhole-sized cut in the vehicle’s roof as a more permanent modification.

REAR HITCH & TOW BAR USAGE/STORAGE It was hard to go past this concept when it’s something completely different to Australia. It’s basically where the rear towbar hitch receiver is utilised for other purposes when not being used as a towbar connection to a trailer. We found in some cases it’s pretty well used as a platform to store whatever you like, such as crates and tubs, or to lash down anything else you’d like to carry.

Some hitch receivers are designed to carry motor scooters or a swing arm for another wheel, even a full-on kitchen cooking station complete with burners and a kitchen sink! You only have to slide the cooking station into the receiver for transporting, and the whole thing unfolds

The rear hitch style of kitchen has everything including the sink!

into a workable cooking/kitchen when needed. It’s a concept that’s really been designed for people who use their daily drive for a camping weekend, and space is at a premium. That’s how it’s being marketed, so there’s still quick access to a cooking station while camping.

4WD SPRINTER-STYLE VANS This is one area that continues to go gangbusters throughout the US for travelling in comfort and with all the mod cons. Not only do these vehicles allow you to retreat to the vehicle in comfort to escape extreme weather conditions (we’re talking anywhere from below 0° through to 40° plus, depending on location and season), but there are minimal restrictions as to where you can’t travel with this type of setup within the USA. One thing Americans like to travel with is either a side-by-side or quad bike. Both are big-ticket items, and towing a toy hauler arrangement with a Sprinter-style van fulfils this brief nicely. After many years of only being available in petrol models, these types of vehicles now come in a diesel configuration as well. They also come with 4x4 high/low range and a lockable transfer case, front and rear diff locks, plus suspension upgrades including load carrying and ground clearance, with larger diameter off-road wheel and tyre packages.

These types of overland vehicles are becoming increasingly popular. western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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In fact, all the big vehicle manufacturers are adding this style of platform into their lineups, and there is no shortage of outfitters ready to transform what was the humble delivery van of the past into a home away from home. The design and layout options are endless… toilets/ showers, full induction-style kitchens, fridge/freezer combos, diesel hot water and heaters, and massive lithium battery capacities with 3000w inverters to run AC units and all your appliances. This is another space in Australia to watch now that a capable, true 4WD configuration is available straight from the OE manufacturer.

LUNATEC SPRAY BOTTLES We were pretty well hooked when we came across these guys after watching their well-delivered demonstration. You could easily be thinking pressurised pump-up water sprayers aren’t anything new, and yes, we agree. However, the amount of water pressure and the numerous spray options this pint-sized unit offered were phenomenal…and all while using very little water. It operates a few different ways—you can use it for staying hydrated, as a stream of misted water to keep cool, or use it to have a wash/shower.

The kit can include the bottle as well (including a double-walled version for

hot water), but I reckon this product is a winner when the spray lid concept can be transferred to your own plastic or metal drinking bottle. We thought this unit would be perfect for our remote desertstyle travel where water is a premium and didn’t leave without buying a set to bring back home. We’ll let you know how it goes in an upcoming review in Western 4W Driver down the track.

DRIP DONGLE WATER TAP This was another accessory that caught our attention at the expo because it helps minimise water usage and also in a hygienic manner. It’s a simple concept that has a suspended dongle fitted to a water container. So instead of turning a tap on to get water (which in our case often means dirty hands touching the tap), you now “tap” the suspended dongle to release water. A quick tap releases a small amount of water, a longer tap releases more water, etc. The beauty of how this dongle can be used really comes down to its versatility. It can be fitted to almost any style of recyclable plastic containers, like a cordial or orange juice bottle, but also to dedicated jerrycan-style containers that have a tap. And there’s an adapter hose available as well, if required. Yes, one of these guys has made it into our suitcase as well, and we can’t wait to test it out on an upcoming desert trip.

Simple by design but very effective.

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We saw the one-touch Aquasaver in action.

WRAPPING UP With so many exhibitors at Overland Expo West, it’s hard to say whether we truly got around to seeing everything when the show was jam-packed with lots of great stuff going on.

And the beauty of camping onsite meant we could get the low-down with USA vehicle owners in the campground before and after the show, who were only too happy to yarn Every bit of available space is used for storing accessories. and show us around their rigs and setups. From our experience, in California, Oregon and Colorado for us the entire event ran like a well-oiled to do. So there’s every chance we might machine, and it was a highlight of our be packing our bags and heading back to USA visit. Having now attended the expos attend another event before too long. in Arizona and Virginia, that leaves events

GENUINE OUTBACK HOSPITALITY YOU DESERVE IT

Plan a stay at the grand old Queen of the Murchison Guest House and soak in the history of Cue. Admire the preserved buildings, fossick for gold, photograph amazing sunsets.

Owner Joyce Penny has created a fresh and homely environment for travellers and workers.

Address: 53 Austin St, Cue 6640 | T: (08) 9963 1625

E: info@queenofthemurchison.com.au | W: www.queenofthemurchison.com.au

GUEST HOUSE

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MOUNTAINS, MACHINES & MEGAWATTS

The Snowy Mountains Scheme

BY LARS P WANG

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Embark on a cross-country journey to uncover the monumental scale and hidden depths of Australia's visionary Snowy Mountains Scheme, a testament to post-war ingenuity and enduring renewable power.

of most four-wheel drive vehicles. One could therefore ask whether it was wise to choose the Snowy Mountains as a destination for a three-week trip from Perth. On the other hand, the talk about renewable energy sources and electric cars made it all the more tempting to have a closer look at the biggest and most important renewable energy project ever built in Australia.

The Snowy Mountains Scheme (SMS) was constructed in the 25 years from 1949 to 1974. It was in all aspects a remarkable project. It required 100,000 workers, of whom most came from post-war Europe.

Its cost was equal to $5.5 billion in 2025 dollars. It increased the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area to 6,600 sq km. And it still provides electricity for much of Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, and parts of regional NSW and Victoria.

M

odern four-wheel driving makes the driver acutely aware of the continued need for fossil fuels.

In other words, where is the next roadhouse, and what is the price of diesel or petrol? It also tends to emphasise the modest fuel economy

Even for the modern Western Australian traveller, the SMS is not easy to access; it is a long way from WA, most of the constructions are in inhospitable areas between steep mountains, and most of the SMS is built underground with little to see for the passing tourist. In general terms, the SMS was built over a 200 km by 100 km area almost exclusively within the Kosciuszko National Park. The dams, dam walls, tunnels, and power stations were constructed between 300 and 2,000 metres above sea level.

 Hydro scheme power generation energy station dam on the Snowy River in Snowy Mountains — Jindabyne Lake.

The drive from Perth to the Snowies is around 3,000 km. The Great Eastern and the Eyre Highways are familiar to most four-wheel drivers. The first crossing of the Nullarbor Plain is interesting to most drivers; the eighth or ninth crossings, not so much. Madura Pass and Eucla Pass are both spectacular and provide good photo opportunities, as does what is left of the Eucla Jetty. The old telegraph station in Eucla has been vandalised by graffiti and has lost much of its photographic appeal.

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 Access to Bunda Cliffs has been much restricted in later years. There are only a few open tracks between the highway and the cliffs, and camping there is no longer permitted.

 Morgan is a little old town in the eastern SA with its own river crossing ferry (and is the origin of the 360 km Morgan-Whyalla water pipeline).

Overnight camping options between Kalgoorlie and Ceduna include numerous free campsites off the highway, caravan parks in Norseman and at the roadhouses, and motels in Eucla and Bordertown. Pildappa Rock and Kimba are free camp opportunities between Ceduna and Port Augusta. It is no longer permitted to camp along the Bunda Cliffs in South Australia.

the beholder; however, there is nothing visually appealing about the hundreds of transmission towers that dominate the skyline in this part of South Australia.

Our route eastwards from Port Augusta went through Jamestown, Burra, and Morgan to Mildura. The hilly landscape encompassing the southern part of the Flinders Ranges was topped with hundreds of windmills and wind turbines.

Whether so many windmills are a blight on the landscape depends on the eye of

Jamestown was the birthplace of RM Williams, and Burra was a (copper) mining town from 1851 to 1979. The town of Morgan provided our first glimpse of the mighty Murray River (or the River Murray, as they say in South Australia).

It is a charming little town with its own 24/7 cable ferry across the river. The tidy caravan park is situated next to the river (and the ferry). Morgan is also the start of the 360 km Morgan-Whyalla water pipeline that has supplied water from the Murray River to the steelworks in Whyalla since 1940.  Whether the windmills are a curse or a blessing on the landscape depends on the beholder.

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 Tumut 3 Power Station in Talbingo is part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Much is made these days of the renewable aspect of hydropower, but the plant was opened in 1973. Tumut 3 is the largest of the SMS power stations. It produces up to 1,800 MW, or 1.8 GW, of power (electricity).

 The Yarangobilly Caves are a must-see on the Great Alpine Road. It is a long way downhill from the GAR to the caves, and the road is not caravan-friendly.

After crossing into NSW in Mildura, the eastbound traffic increased dramatically.

The flat and featureless regions of the Riverina and the Hay Plain were shaped by the Murrumbidgee River, which we followed east past Wagga Wagga. The enormous irrigated areas along the river underlined the conflict between agricultural and environmental priorities.

We camped in Tumut by the very-fastflowing Tumut River before heading up

 Talbingo Dam is around 40 km long and supplies Tumut 3 with water. The Talbingo Dam wall is four times higher than that of Mundaring Weir in Perth (162 m against 42 m).

into the Snowy Mountains proper. The townships of Tumut and Cooma provide easy road access to Kosciusczko NP from the north and east, respectively. Western access is from Albury-Wodonga and Corryong and Khancoban.

Our route followed the Tumut River upstream past Blowering Reservoir to Talbingo Reservoir and the Tumut 3 Power Station. Then via Yarrangobilly Caves and Cabramurra (elevation 1,488 m) to Tumut Pond and Tooma Reservoir before heading downhill again to Khancoban and the Murray 1 Power Station. These locations constitute much of the visible parts of the SMS.

 The Tumut Pond Reservoir supplies the underground and inaccessible Tumut 1 Power Station with water.

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Around 100 townships and work camps were established during the construction of the SMS. Most of them were dismantled upon completion of the scheme. South of Khancoban along the very scenic Alpine Way is Geehi, which was a large community with its own airstrip. Further south is Tom Groggin, which was another SMS community.

There are plenty of huge campsites available at both places, but permission to camp must be booked (online) with NSW National Parks. There are no allocated sites due to the considerable size of both campgrounds. The Alpine Way turns east at Tom Groggin, and soon we approached modern civilisation at Thredbo Village before rolling into Jindabyne. Both Lake Jindabyne and Lake Eucumbene were established as huge reservoirs as parts of the SMS. Jindabyne offers all the facilities that a modern camper/traveller can think of.

Jindabyne is almost in the shadow of Mt. Kosciuszko, so we headed north-west to catch a glimpse of the peak. But it was not to be; firstly, the mountain was shrouded in rain and clouds, and secondly, a

mountain bike 'event' was held at Charlotte Pass, so the road onwards to the lookout was closed. Brave people, bike riders! We concluded that the area must be wonderful for skiing but often too inhospitable outside of the snow season.

Nearby are Guthega Pondage and Power Station as well as Island Bend Pondage and Dam. Both Guthega and Island Bend were constructed in three years from 1950 to 1953 by Norwegian workers under the most isolated, inaccessible, and freezing conditions. Three major tunnels from Lake Jindabyne, Lake Eucumbene, and Geehi Reservoir (leading to Murray Power Stations) meet at Island Bend Pondage, which is thus a central part of the scheme.

We left the Snowies by heading south from Jindabyne on the Barry Way, which crosses the border to Victoria and ends in Bairnsdale. The road surface is gravel for around 60 km. It is a spectacular drive as the road twists and turns through the mountains with some quite steep and narrow stretches. It is a one-lane road, and reversing in the case of oncoming traffic can be challenging. Part of the road follows the Snowy River and provides

 Lake Jindabyne dominated by rain clouds towards Mt. Kosciuszko and Guthega/Island Bend Pondage in the NW.

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 One of many koalas on Raymond Island south of Paynesville on the south coast.

across for free 24/7. Raymond Island has a large population of 'wild' koalas, and a 2 km walking track seems to guarantee koala encounters.

 The Barry Way follows the Snowy River for around 25 km.

classic scenery for the photographer. We spotted several brumbies as well as deer, which are both beautiful animals, albeit introduced species. The Barry Way passes the old locality of Suggan Buggan, settled in the 1860s by cattlemen, and the turnoff towards McKillop’s Bridge.

There are a few campsites along the Barry Way (including Suggan Buggan, no facilities), but the road is easily driven in one day. Signage at the start of the road indicates the road is unsuitable for caravans. That would be an understatement. We also encountered a couple in an ordinary two-wheel drive travelling the entirety of the road. Let us just say that the lady was not happy with her husband’s choice of vehicle!

South of Bairnsdale and across from Paynesville on the coast is Raymond Island. A small ferry takes passengers

Our route took us north again on the Great Alpine Road via Omeo and Mt. Hotham to Bright. The Great Alpine Road from Bairnsdale to Wangaratta is around 300 km long. It is 200 km from Bairnsdale to Bright. It is easily doable in a day. However, it does include an 1868 m climb (from Paynesville to Mt. Hotham) and a 1,560 m descent (from Mt. Hotham to Bright). Although there are no recommendations against towing of caravans on the Great Alpine Road, towing greatly increases stress on the driver, the towing vehicle, and fellow drivers, and it impacts the driver’s chance to enjoy many of the magnificent views.

 The “Roof of Australia” from Mt. Hotham. western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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We decided to visit Mt. Buffalo National Park, which is just west of Bright. Again, towing is not recommended as the sealed road is extremely steep, narrow, and tortuous. The main attraction is the views from the top of The Horn (1728 m), and they are stunning. Mt. Kosciuszko was again hidden in clouds of rain some 140 km away. There is only one campground within the NP. It must also be booked online, and it is very busy (Parks Victoria has waived camping fees until July 1, 2025, as a means of helping out with the ”cost of living”). The downside of free bookings is the so-called ghost bookings.

The Grampians in western Victoria had suffered several large bushfires, and most of the park and lookouts were closed to the public. Hence, we headed back to Perth in four long days of driving, following the same route home that we took to Mildura.

The Snowy Mountains Scheme remains a project that defined post-war Australia in terms of migration policy and Australian ingenuity. Time has proven how visionary our predecessors were. The Snowy Mountains in summertime is made for

four-wheel driving. The roads are either sealed or well-maintained gravel; they are often steep and narrow but also scenic and great fun to drive. It is likely the younger generations have limited knowledge of the significance and the extent of the scheme because it is now simply a part of their lives and the nation’s infrastructure. For the parents of the baby-boomer generation, it was something that made their own and their children’s lives safer and easier.

Author’s note: We drove from Perth to Tumut during a heatwave with day temperatures in the low forties and very warm nights. Once back in Perth, the author was diagnosed with Ross River virus infection. RRV is transmitted via mosquito bites. RRV infections have occurred throughout Australia in the past. It is a notifiable disease. There is no treatment, and the symptoms subside slowly over several weeks to months. Camping along wetlands and waterways increases the risk of mosquito bites and hence RRV. Caravans and tents provide good protection against mosquitos, whereas swags and sleeping bags or blankets may not cover the entire body—especially during a hot night.  The main attraction in Mt. Buffalo National Park is the views from The Horn.

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Arm yourself against fatigue.

Regularly get 7.5 hours sleep a night.

On long drives take a break every two hours and swap drivers if you can.

Make every journey safe. wa.gov.au/rsc/fatigue

 Gold Prospectors' Camp Kanowna 1898 near South Lead.

THE CEMETERY

GOLD RUSH

In the mid-1890s, as the rich gold leads of Kanowna, Western Australia, began to dwindle, desperate prospectors eyed an unlikely new frontier: the town's cemetery. Luke Clatworthy unearths the astonishing true story of the 1897 "Cemetery Gold Rush," where hundreds of miners clamoured to stake claims in hallowed ground, sparking chaos, controversy, and even ghostly tales.

BY LUKE CLATWORTHY

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T

he famous deep gold leads at Kanowna, situated in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, had brought a myriad of prospectors to the area in the mid-1890s. The leads ran in all directions, and some miners had pegged fabulously rich claims and extracted thousands of ounces of the precious metal. In most cases, these leads were quickly exhausted, leaving only adjoining ground that was heavily impregnated with the infamous Kanowna Pug: heavy clay impregnated with differing grades of gold that was both expensive to treat and notorious for not fully yielding all gold contained within.

The town was booming at this stage, but with the richest gold leads now being worked and pegged, those prospectors who had finished their claims or who had been less successful needed new ground to be discovered; otherwise, there would be a steady drift away from Kanowna.

One of the most unusual gold rushes ever recorded would soon see hundreds of eager miners rush to try and secure a potentially rich piece of gold-laden ground situated in the most unlikely of locations.

the need for a second cemetery to be established. Today visitors to the area can visit both historical cemeteries, with the abandoned diggings still visible at the site of the first cemetery reserve. Let us investigate in more detail what transpired here from November 1897.

The South Lead was discovered approximately one kilometre from the original cemetery. The line that this Lead followed was supposed to be an ancient river channel that had emptied its waters into the Red Lake, a depression in the landscape located at the north-western end of the rich North Lead workings.

This river channel was connected to the Fitzroy and QED Leads, also comprised of ancient streams. The streams carried the gold and deposited it on the slopes, and the auriferous wash was left in the actual channels of the waterways and, over time, covered with layers of topsoil. This wash was especially rich. The party led

Situated at the now abandoned townsite of Kanowna are two cemeteries. There are two cemeteries for a particularly good reason: the original site of approximately four hectares became the location of the famous Cemetery Gold Rush, hence

 Site of Kanowna Cemetery Gold Rush.

 Grave at the old Kanowna Cemetery. western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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by Donovan and O’Neill had sunk a shaft south of the cemetery boundary and the railway reserve and discovered extremely rich gold-bearing wash at a relatively shallow depth of ten metres. Over several days, the party of miners were recovering an average of 20 ounces of dollied gold. This discovery brought immediate attention to the area.

Another party of prospectors next found gold on one of the unoccupied town blocks just west of the railway reserve.

This find caused other groups of men to peg all available ground next to the original claim. Quickly, further empty town blocks as well as additional sections of the railway reserve were pegged, and mining started. This meant that the blocks surveyed for town expansion could not be sold, causing anger and confusion. The Kanowna Police, with Sergeant John Smith in charge, received instructions to inform the miners who had pegged ground in

this vicinity to cease work. Those that disobeyed would be summoned to appear in court in front of the local Mining Warden. Sergeant Smith was a very popular and well-respected figure and one who would always uphold the exact letter of the law.

While this was going on, all available land on the South Lead up to the cemetery fence had been pegged. Indications were that the Lead would continue beneath the cemetery. Testing that theory, Tassie O’Connor, one of the original discoverers of gold at Kanowna and who had made a fortune from the gold he had found, estimated where he thought the South Lead would continue beneath the cemetery. He observed an obtuse bend in the overall direction of the South Lead that he thought would take the rich gold wash and quartz through the cemetery and out the other side. Wasting little time, O’Connor and his mates pegged

 Kanowna Alluvial Claim.

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a claim outside the opposite fence of the cemetery. His new claim was a bonanza, and from his claims on either side of the cemetery boundary fences, it was estimated that he found gold to the value of fifteen thousand pounds, a very substantial amount in 1890s Western Australia. The area around Tassie O’Connor’s claim at the opposite side of the cemetery boundary was quickly pegged, and the claims registered.

This left numerous prospectors with no land left to peg except for the ground in the cemetery reserve itself. Was there any chance of the land inside the cemetery that had not been used for burials being opened for mining? Immediately formal representations were made to the Colonial Government in Perth seeking official approval for the cemetery to be opened for pegging. These requests initially caused a furore, especially in far-away Perth, as the thought of mining being undertaken inside a designated cemetery that had already had fifty burials take place was outlandish and disrespectful, to say the least. This was a potential precedent that should not be considered. What were the rights of the departed? Had the miners in Kanowna lost their sense of decency?

The miners of Kanowna stated that they had the utmost respect for those who had passed away, and many of the deceased had been fellow prospectors and miners, friends, colleagues, and workmates. Allowing the cemetery to be thrown open for pegging would ensure more prospectors could remain working and living in Kanowna, helping to maintain its population and prosperity.

Seeing potential benefit for all parties, a groundswell of support quickly grew within the town. Potentially the colonial government could realise much more revenue being generated if the unused

portions of the cemetery were as rich as the claims that had already been pegged and worked located on its boundaries.

After a short delay, Warden Patrick Troy, the local mining magistrate and former Police Chief Inspector, was tasked with investigating on behalf of the Government if it would be feasible for mining to take place within the cemetery boundaries and, if so, if any person interred would have to be shifted. It was quickly found that the fifty burials that had already taken place were all situated in the Presbyterian and Roman Catholic sections of the cemetery, and these could be enclosed by new fencing where any form of mining would be strictly prohibited. This would leave most of the cemetery reserve to be cancelled and then declared open for pegging. A new cemetery would then be gazetted and prepared by the Government. Warden Troy quickly completed his investigation and confirmed that it would not take much for mining to proceed and that the final resting place of those interred could be adequately protected.

Speed was now of the essence to make the necessary changes to allow mining within the original cemetery to proceed.

The first step was to officially cancel the existing cemetery reserve and have this declared in writing in the Government Gazette. The Gazette was published on a Friday evening. Warden Troy made the decision that pegging inside of the cemetery once the burial plots had been properly fenced off would take place on Thursday after midnight. It was estimated that approximately four hundred prospectors were waiting just outside the cemetery prior to midnight, ready to peg a claim.

At the stroke of midnight, four hundred determined men carrying an array of lanterns flooded the cemetery and started

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driving in pegs. It was sheer chaos, with one claim said to have been pegged at least fifty times! Alas, all the hard work, confusion, sweating, and swearing led to nothing; Warden Troy had overstepped his authority, as the next morning, the Minister of Mines sent him a telegram stating that no pegging would be allowed prior to 2:30pm that afternoon and any pegging that had taken place previously to this would be disallowed.

As you can imagine, this directive was not well received by the men who had endeavoured to peg claims just a handful of hours previously. Those who celebrated in pegging a claim on the likeliest-looking ground were soon cursing their bad luck and government red tape. Their hard work and determination counted for nought. Worst of all, this delay would provide more time for other gold seekers to potentially flood in from the closest centres, such as Kalgoorlie, Coolgardie, Bulong, and especially Golden Valley, a mining camp only 5.6 kilometres north, greatly reducing the odds of these men being able to peg the same ground again. The anger quickly reached boiling point, but thankfully no threats or acts of violence over this delay were recorded.

Warden Troy, once this announcement had been made, needed to quickly organise an alternative plan to align

with the Minister of Mines’ directive. It was hastily announced that just before 2:30pm that afternoon, 3 December 1897, Sergeant Smith of the Kanowna Police would ride his horse to the middle of the cemetery reserve, where he would drop a white handkerchief at precisely 2:30pm to signal that pegging could commence.

This announcement spread like wildfire throughout the town, and in addition to the prospectors assembling, eager to again stake a claim, a large crowd of onlookers, estimated to be in the vicinity of two thousand five hundred, found suitable vantage points and hopefully positioned well out of harm’s way to watch the proceedings unfold.

All eyes were on young Sergeant Smith who sitting on his horse, calmly watched his pocket watch as the seconds slowly ticked by. It was an enormous responsibility for the serious and dedicated policeman who had only joined the Western Australian Police Force four years previously. Slowly the minutes ticked by. At the exact time, the Sergeant took a tighter grip on his mount’s reins and dropped the white hanky. With a deafening roar, this time over four hundred determined diggers swarmed into the cemetery and began to furiously drive in pegs. Some of these had been waiting outside of the cemetery for up to five days and nights in order to procure

 Kanowna Mining Lease.

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 Kanowna Cemetery Rush Miners Claim.

the best position to enter when it would be officially opened for pegging.

What a sight it must have been as these men stormed the sacred ground of the cemetery and were soon lost in the spiralling clouds of red dust. It was a minor miracle that all the ground available was pegged without any serious injury to anyone involved nor any fights taking place. It must have been a truly amazing sight to the onlookers hoping to catch a glimpse and see history in the making! A claim for each individual miner was only 25 square metres and 25 x 50 metres for two mining partners, and so on. Many prospectors were organised into parties of four so that pegging could be completed with more speed and, hopefully, greater accuracy.

Again, the pegging of ground earmarked for burials within an official cemetery for gold mining was unprecedented anywhere except here in Kanowna.

Groups of dirty, dusty men, bathed in sweat, emerged from the swirling red clouds of dirt and went directly to the Warden’s Court to register their claims.

The townspeople who had gathered to watch a unique piece of history unfold slowly wound their way back to town with the extraordinary happenings of the afternoon to be relived time and time again that evening either at home or in one of Kanowna’s sixteen hotels. Now the fun would begin!

Warden Troy faced a monumental task. It was his job to sort through the paperwork and choose who would be formally granted mining claims within the cemetery boundaries. This process would take over a month, and the Warden worked meticulously and tirelessly to sort the wheat from the chaff, so to speak.

Much of the time spent was investigating multiple pegging of ground. One claim was to have a total of one hundred and

seventy-one pegs within its boundaries.

The first task for the Warden was to personally inspect the claims inside the cemetery and to immediately cancel any claim where the incorrect-sized pegs were used or the corner trenches did not conform to the regulatory standards.

When completed, Warden Troy was able to throw out numerous incorrectly pegged claims. In the interim, the wait to see which prospectors would have their claims approved had just begun. Tension grew as the prospectors impatiently waited for the Warden’s official confirmation to be announced.

Finally, on 5 January 1898, Warden Troy formally announced which parties had been successful. Only nineteen claims were ultimately granted. This was after the initial rejection of some claims made on 3 December 1897 due to incorrect pegging and failure to dig the correct trenches at the claim boundaries. The Warden’s decision was relayed to all parties in court, and obviously those men who had their claims rejected were disappointed and angry that they had not been successful, some unfortunately for a second time. For the nineteen claim holders, there was little time to celebrate, as it was now a time of action as they scrambled to commence mining their newly granted leases.

As originally thought, most of the successful applicants were able to reach the wash laden with gold, as the South Lead did indeed run beneath the cemetery reserve. Worthy of special mention were prospectors Minter and Harrison, who, with their mates, did extremely well from their relatively small claim that was situated near a section of the cemetery that held a number of graves. This group of men was obtaining one hundred ounces of gold per week from puddling as well as some fabulous

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how such an object could be found intact buried beneath a cemetery.

The second was after the claims within the cemetery had mostly been worked out. By 1902, the site had been effectively abandoned, with the remaining graves half hidden by piles of mullock and the remnants of mining shafts. Reports began to arise about strange ghostly noises being heard from the area late at night and shadowy figures being seen by the occasional townspeople who happened to be passing by. Why any townsperson would be out walking on the outskirts of the town late at night is anyone’s guess. The stories of the unexplained phenomena grew so quickly that the old cemetery soon became a place that was to be avoided at night at all costs.  Headstone amongst the old mining operations at Kanowna Cemetery.

grades from ore treated at nearby batteries. Imagine finding that much gold today using metal detectors! When their rich claim was finally worked out, Minter, Harrison, and party were able to obtain four thousand ounces of the precious metal.

During and after the Cemetery Rush had concluded, many stories began circulating around town about some strange occurrences when mining inside the cemetery reserve. The majority of these were mythical in nature and the result of some very vivid imaginations coupled with the fact that mining was being undertaken inside a cemetery! Two of these stories I wish to elaborate upon; the first was when one of the prospectors was sinking a shaft to reach the rich gold-bearing wash of the South Lead.

It was alleged that as he was digging a drive off the main shaft, his pick struck a playing card, causing much speculation of

Finally, in early 1903, a prospector who was working a claim adjacent to the old workings decided to see for themselves if the rumours of strange noises and shadowy figures were true. Suitably armed with a shotgun for supposed protection, he sneaked into the old cemetery late one night and found a spot where he could not be seen to patiently sit and wait and see if these stories had any credence. Making himself as comfortable as possible, he began his determined vigil. Suddenly he spied two shadowy human forms slowly moving around the old workings. Gripping his shotgun, he carefully took aim at the closest figure and prepared to fire, but thankfully he did not pull the trigger.

It turns out that two of the local townspeople repeatedly visited the area late at night to look for any gold that the original claim holders may have missed, using, of all things, a divining rod. They chose the dead of night to undertake their search as they were worried that they would be ridiculed for using this unorthodox form of equipment.

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Thankfully, besides both parties being initially scared out of their wits, they all lived to tell their stories: two of their narrow escape from being blasted at close range by a shotgun and the other proudly announcing that he had solved the mystery of the weird happenings at the old cemetery. More than likely they did not have to pay for their drinks at their favourite Kanowna watering hole for quite a long time. Alas, there is no record of whether the two intrepid diviners had found gold using this unusual method or whether they continued their search after experiencing such a fright in the dead of night.

memorable, I recommend purchasing the outstanding Kanowna Heritage Trail book available from the Eastern Goldfields Historical Society Inc. Their website is kalgoorliehistory.org.au, their phone number is 08 9093 3360, or you can email them at eghs@kalgoorliehistory.org.au

With the Cemetery Rush finished, it was only a few months later in 1898 that the famous story of the Sacred Nugget again ignited the town and subsequently again brought thousands of prospectors back to Kanowna. This too is a fascinating story and one that is well worth the effort of learning more about. These are just a small taste of the amazing events that occurred during the heyday of this remarkable former Eastern Goldfields town. It is quite remarkable when you visit Kanowna today and stand at the site of the old Cemetery Rush and take in what transpired at this spot over one hundred and twenty-five years ago. It is indeed a very special place and well worth the visit when next you are in KalgoorlieBoulder, especially with the outstanding Kanowna Heritage Trail to guide you on your journey into yesteryear.

Being in such close proximity to Kalgoorlie-Boulder, it is only a short drive along the sealed Yarri Road, allowing you to step back in time and relive life at one of the most amazing Eastern Goldfields ghost towns. A visit to Kanowna on your next four-wheel drive trip to the Eastern Goldfields should be on your to-do list. To make the visit even more

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An excerpt from Hema's WA State Map

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CRUMBLING COLOURS OF OUTBACK EROSION

BY COLIN & PRUE KERR

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F

ound in many parts of inland Australia, breakaways, in geological terms, are in fact the remains of ancient landscapes that, over the years, have progressively eroded away. What is seen today is mostly just the hard, crusted tops of the rocky formations with underlying layers of soft, crumbly sandstone. The hard top capping broadly shows the original level of the landscape, whereas the softer lower layers, once exposed, have rapidly weathered and crumbled into sand at the base.

Believed to have taken some 300 to 400 million years (or maybe longer) to erode to their current state, these fragile formations creatively sculpted by nature today produce some wonderful shapes, patterns, and colours for outback travellers to enjoy—a landscape full of intrigue and fascination.

Like most other Aussie scenery, early morning and late afternoon sunlight brings out the rich glowing colours in the formations—a time when they seemingly come to life. A real photographer’s paradise! As the last rays of the sun disappear in the evening, the vivid shades of red, yellow, orange, brown, and white all too quickly turn to black silhouettes in the moonlight—to then once again burst into colourful life in the warm glow of the morning sun.

Here is a selection of some of the best WA and other outcrops around Australia we have seen in recent travels. All you have to do is get out there and experience them for yourself before they all just crumble away!

 The main sandstone formation at Rainbow Valley reflecting in some water, Central Australia, NT. western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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 Breakaway country between Hyden & Norseman, WA.

 At the colourful breakaways at Baldy Top, near Quilpie, QLD.

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 A metal sculpture watches over the entry to The Granites - Mount Magnet, WA.

 Rainbow Valley (late afternoon), Central Australia, NT.

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 The Terraces, near Leonora, WA.

 Giles (Jindalee) Breakaway, near Laverton, WA.

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 London Bridge breakaway (early morning), near Sandstone, WA  Marlong Arch - Carnarvon National Park, QLD.

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 Chambers Pillar - Central Australia, NT.

 The Painted Desert - near Oodnadatta, SA.

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 The Amphitheatre - near Mt Magnet, WA.

 The Terraces, near Leonora, WA.

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Toyota Hilux Rogue has the fat wheel arch flares and a coil-sprung back axle to go with what should have been an exciting ute, but with no extra pep, who cares?

 Gold Prospectors' Camp Kanowna 1898 near South Lead.

THE HORSE

HAS BOLTED...

The automotive landscape, particularly for 4WDs, is undergoing a seismic shift. Long-standing industry giants, once comfortable in their dominance, are now facing an unprecedented challenge from innovative Chinese manufacturers and a resurgent Ford. Veteran 4WD observer and trainer David Wilson pulls no punches, arguing that the "horse has bolted," signalling the end of an era where legacy carmakers could afford to be complacent in the face of rapid technological advancements and evolving consumer demands.

BY DAVID WILSON

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B

ack in April this year, all the cards in the deck were finally revealed.

And the serious legacy car makers, who I reckon have been pulling our leg for decades, will have to be worried.

I’ve been a keen observer and player in the 4WD automotive industry for all that time, and there have been so many occasions I’ve seen missteps by my mob Isuzu, or Nissan, or Mitsubishi, and especially Toyota.

Toyota, constrained by the uberconservative Japanese way of doing things (and assuming the cachet of the Toyota badge was enough to keep the lemmings coming in), handed Ford the mantle of the biggest-selling ute around COVID time. How? By dumbing down the DPF scandal and making glacial changes in the face of frankly better vehicles from elsewhere. Overrated and overpriced.

Whereas this guy has lots of sparkle!

Ford Ranger Raptor Next-Gen.

of China about their plans for the coming years and the product that was evolving with ridiculously short lead times. I’ve got no idea how they can go from concept to construction in under three years, when the Japanese model cycle is the product of a decade or more.

Next-Gen Ranger came along and proved it wasn’t a fluke. I’ll come back to Ford in a moment.

BYD (I'm glad they don’t splash the full details of their abbreviated name on their bonnet anymore, because frankly it’s not blokey) announced a hybrid ute that appeared bigger than the UJD (that’s Universal Japanese Design) and thankfully smaller than those sold in Fanta-Land (reference F150, RAM and Silverado). As Kellogg's would call it… Just Right! Hello Shark.

All the while, and I don’t know about you, but I started reading reports coming out

Ready to accept the challenge, GWM (another brand recognising that the full

The Aussie buying public was rightly bored stiff by Hilux and the rearguard reaction to the Ranger Raptor in the forms of the Rogue and Rugged X was average at best. No fizz, no biz.

The Toyota Hilux has been the biggest-selling vehicle in Australia for donkey’s years until a couple of years ago when Ford got the gong with the Ranger. That’s what happens when you get stale.

BYD Shark is a chunky ute and full of tech, for a not-so-chunky amount of change… $60K and sales are going gangbusters!

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enunciation of their name is polarising and tainted by an earlier foray into our local market—remember the Steed?) was similarly thinking bigger and hybrid.

Hello, Cannon.

Now, all this is exciting stuff, and especially so in the case of the (soon to our shores) Yang Wang U8, an EV Defender clone that can swim and is blisteringly quick. There you go, innovation aplenty. That’ll get someone’s attention.

GWM Cannon Alpha is another powerful emerging force in our local ute market, and if they could only drop the chrome off the grille, it’d be perfect.

To give you some idea of the rapid uptake of Chinese vehicles in our sector of interest in Australia, BYD reported that since October last year to June just gone, they moved more than 10,000 Sharks.

That’s taking market share from legacy makers and reflects a growing confidence in the buying public for something different.

The handbrake for the Chinese in the past has been three things. It certainly hasn’t been price, because all this new product is looking very affordable.

The first has been reliability.

Another “guilty as charged” example of what happens when sparkly stuff is suggested as a design feature, the Yang Wang U8 is a four-motor (electric) wagon with a modest 880kW/1,280Nm output that’ll propel this 3.5T (kerb weight) buggy to 100km/h in only 3.6 seconds.

I’m old enough to remember back in the 60s when the first Japanese vehicles arrived and the common refrain was “Japcrap.” Didn’t take long to dispel that line of thinking, as anything Japanese would outlast anything the Poms or the Yanks could bring to market, and with zero oil leaks. The Chinese are just one vehiclegeneration away in time-terms of proving their stuff doesn’t break.

The second was styling.

And it swims in “Yacht Mode.”

This, I believe, is still a work in progress.

The Asian want of bling is something of an anti-Christ to me, and I reckon you too, when what we want is function without frippery and please, a major turn down of the volume control on the chrome. It took the Koreans a while to get someone with a Western nous to make current Hyundai

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and Kia products look dazzling (with the massive exception of the new Tasman…

WTF).

The last is mumbo.

Horsepower means everything for bragging rights, and the Chinese have been very poor cousins when it comes to grunt. Up until April.

The new Kia Tasman cornered the market in ugly pills, a polarising style that’ll starve it of mass appeal. I thought Kia were smarter than that based on their recent passenger car range designs, which are on point.

GWM’s BIG idea is to drop a 4.0L V8 twin-turbo into its 4WD lineup in the near-future with 600kW/1,200Nm tyre-shredding outputs to lay the Doubting-Thomases amongst us to rest.

GWM has an idea, a BIG idea of putting a petrol 4.0L twin-turbo V8, with hybrid too, into its lineup of Cannon, Cannon Alpha and Tank sub-brand 500 and 700 models.

With that they’ll win the pub chatter and then we’ll know the horse did bolt.

I did mention Ford earlier.

Whilst the dullards elsewhere have been sleeping on their hands, Ford keeps coming up with surprises. The Next-Gen Raptor is a ballsy ute that has certainly captured the attention of tradies who I know, because they’re everywhere.

Ford also pulled off a major coup by partnering with ARB on their accessory line. That was brilliant, and despite the fact I know some of you might like to throw stones at the ARB brand, it’s still Aussie owned and a producer of good

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Super-Duty Ranger has had a lot of chassis and driveline development added to it to appeal to the towing set and give it the capacity to tow more safely than its peers.

4WD stuff… when fitted to a Ranger or Everest it makes them look even better.

And to address the legions who have bought the BS that your typical UJD ute or wagon can tow 3,500kg and discovered to their dismay that they develop a very saggy arse, can’t stop, nor overtake when afflicted with caravanitis, Ford bring out the Super-Duty Ranger!

Ford will sell every one of these that they can make for the tow-tug crowd until that last bastion of distrust disappears on Chinese reliability.

At the risk of this sounding like an advertisement for the Blue Oval, Ford is the only legacy maker with even a hint of innovation at the moment.

Why? Because hot on the heels of the SuperDuty Ranger is another one, the Ranger Stormtrak PHEV. Taking on the Chinese at their own hybrid game is a full-time 4WD Ranger with a 2.3L single-turbo petrol engine plus an electric motor and an 11.8kW battery pack.

Ranger Stormtrak is Ford’s approach to electrification, a PHEV (plug-in hybrid) ute.

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I betcha you Toyota fans are busting your britches for next year’s release of the new Hilux and then Ford and the Chinese will get their comeuppance?

I’d say be prepared to be disappointed, because the recently released Prado 250, whilst newly stylish, is no game-changer in the likely shared powertrain stakes and will be further blighted, I’m led to believe, in following

the South-east Asian market’s Vigo bland, instead of North American Tacoma/4Runner butch.

That’ll be another opportunity lost.

By the time you read this I’m hoping everyone with a nuclear button to press will have calmed down and we can see this epic automotive battle play out in all its glory, because the Chinese are going to be leading by example.

Yep, the horse has bolted and the 4WD automotive world as we knew it is gone, gone, gone.

The new Prado 250 I reckon is a smart looking vehicle, launched locally to mixed commentary, largely revolving around the compromise to carrying capacity in the cargo space thanks to the battery pack.

This is the styling that Aussie Toyota fans want to see on the next Hilux, but they’ll be disappointed because we’ll get the Vigo, the Asian-market staple.

David Wilson has been a professional 4WD instructor and columnist for over thirty years and lists one of his clients as being Isuzu Ute Australia, for whom he has been the lead trainer and brand ambassador of its I-Venture Club, customer retention, and driver training program since its inception in 2014.

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 Gold Prospectors' Camp Kanowna 1898 near South Lead.

THE OTHER FORM OF

FISHING

BY LUKE CLATWORTHY

The automotive landscape, particularly for 4WDs, is undergoing a seismic shift. Long-standing industry giants, once comfortable in their dominance, are now facing an unprecedented challenge from innovative Chinese manufacturers and a resurgent Ford. Veteran 4WD observer and trainer David Wilson pulls no punches, arguing that the "horse has bolted," signalling the end of an era where legacy carmakers could afford to be complacent in the face of rapid technological advancements and evolving consumer demands.

BY DAVID WILSON

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Forget the rod and reel!

A new kind of "fishing" is pulling up surprising treasures from our waterways, offering a relaxing and rewarding adventure that's gaining traction among outdoor enthusiasts.

F

or many four-wheel driving enthusiasts, fishing is a vital component of their next camping, caravanning, or off-road adventure.

Having the right fishing tackle and equipment included with their camping and touring accessories is a must.

Whether it be fishing or marroning in our rivers and streams in the south-west or in the Kimberley regions or fishing, crabbing, or crayfishing along our vast coastline, this extremely popular recreational pastime to many will be a major “to do” on their next holiday or four-wheel driving trip.

However, there is another form of fishing that is growing in popularity, does not require much equipment nor the need for bait, can be as rewarding as casting a line in your favourite waterway, and does not need someone patiently waiting on the end of a fishing line, sometimes hours on

end, waiting for a bite. Unfortunately, this form of fishing, no matter how successful you may be, will not end up with you savouring your favourite seafood for your next meal in the great outdoors. Before anyone accuses me of totally losing the plot, the alternative form of fishing I am referring to is known as 'magnet fishing.'

Let me explain in a little more detail.

Magnet fishing is a very simple concept yet can be as fun and rewarding as traditional fishing. Magnet fishing also requires you to select an appropriate location along your favourite stretch of water and cast a line. When you register a “bite,” as per traditional fishing, you need to pull in your catch. However, this is where the similarities end. Magnet fishers, instead of searching for fish and other edible delicacies, are looking for any long-forgotten ferromagnetic materials such as steel, tin, iron, nickel and cobalt.

But why would you bother to try and search for examples of these raw materials? The answer is that it is certainly worth your time and effort to find some of these submerged targets, especially

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when you think about the products and potential treasures that are manufactured from these materials. Like traditional fishing, magnet fishing is a hobby that can be enjoyed by every member of your family and can provide another string to your bow of activities you can participate in when spending quality time together on your next outdoor adventure.

Coins are easy to find when beach detecting.

Magnet fishing, like traditional fishing, can also be relaxing and reduce stress levels. Best of all, there is not much capital outlay required to add a quality magnet fishing kit to your four-wheel drive accessories, nor does it take up much space when packing essentials for your next trip. For those of us who also enjoy metal detecting when out and about the length and breadth of Western Australia, an appropriate magnet fishing kit can complement our metal detecting gear and allow us to search for treasure when metal detecting is not possible. Best of all, magnet fishing certainly helps reduce metallic rubbish in our waterways and protect the natural environment where we cast a line.

It is thought that magnet fishing originated in Australia sometime in the 1980s but could predate this period also. The first proponents of this very interesting pastime used, for example, old speaker magnets attached to a length of rope and cast these into the water.

Although relatively crude by today’s modern fishing magnets, these early pioneers of this hobby found some levels of success, but it was quickly realised that dedicated, purpose-built fishing magnets needed to be designed, manufactured, and tested to optimise what could be found lurking in the depths of your nearest river or lake, alongside a jetty, dock, boat ramp, or pier, or from a bridge.

Rings are often found when beach detecting.

Anywhere there have been people swimming, boating, or fishing, or where

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items have been dumped in deeper water either by accident or purposefully, there could be something of value or curiosity just waiting to see the light of day again. Some magnet fishers are extremely successful, with even some undertaking magnet fishing on a full-time basis, especially in Europe. Magnet fishing is also very popular on social media platforms such as YouTube. Some of the interesting finds made by experienced magnet fishers include watches, cameras, mobile phones, bikes, scooters, fishing gear, and, on occasion, stolen safes, some of which still contain cash, coins, jewellery, and other items of value.

first visit a likely location and observe where people are walking, standing, fishing, or simply spending time near the water.

Of course, the chances of finding a safe, let alone one still filled with valuables, are relatively remote. However, they have been found in deeper water both in Australia and overseas. Other metallic items found when magnet fishing are of more of a historical nature. Recorded finds include knives, old swords and daggers, and World War 1 and 2 era firearms, as well as some older-era magnetic coins. Naturally, when magnet fishing, you will also discover items of junk as well as some discarded mundane items such as shopping trolleys. That is one of the reasons why magnet fishing is so unique and unpredictable, as you will never know what might turn up when casting your magnet into the water.

Consideration 2:

Also seek out people who use the area you wish to magnet fish in and ask them where people congregate. Sometimes this could provide you with a tip, especially if something of value has been lost or stolen. Like detecting, there is nothing quite like local knowledge. The more thorough the research, the better the chance of finding something interesting near a bridge, dock, boat ramp, jetty or pier. Popular fishing locations near the shore are also key locations to try.

When magnet fishing, try to avoid water that could snag your magnet. A location that has jagged rocks, dead trees, or roots underwater will only increase the possibility of you losing your magnet.

Sometimes, magnets can get stuck underwater, requiring you to have to retrieve them manually. Obviously if this should occur, the risk level only increases, even more so if you are operating in unfamiliar deeper water. However, this task can pose risks, especially when dealing with unknown deep water. To

Next, let us cover some important rules and tips if you decide to try magnet fishing and seek as much success as possible.

Consideration 1: Location: Like with metal detecting, choosing a location that will give you the greatest chance of success is a top priority. Areas that see a high level of foot traffic are the key. Do your research and study local maps or check likely-looking spots using Google Earth. Take time to western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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ensure your safety, take the time to assess the water's current and depth. If you are unsure, always play it safe and avoid entering the water altogether. Your well-being and safety should always take precedence over retrieving a magnet that becomes stuck or snagged.

You also need to remember to always wear the safety gloves that come with your fishing magnet kit. Use sturdy footwear that can protect you from sharp objects and potential accidents and provide additional grip if standing on wet surfaces when magnet fishing.

In addition, constantly observe the area around you, especially if you are magnet fishing near busy waterways or pedestrian paths. Try and avoid making obstructions or hazards for other users.

Finally, always have on hand a quality first-aid kit and the knowledge and understanding of how to properly use it.

Consideration 3: Once you have researched and selected your fishing magnet kit, it is important to first practice and develop your skills. This includes the two main ways in which to cast your fishing magnet. These are: (a) The Drop and Pull Technique: This is when you simply drop your magnet straight down into the water and then lift it back to the surface. This technique is best when magnet fishing from bridges, piers, and docks. This method also suits the three main types of fishing magnet.

These are single-sided magnets, doublesided magnets, and 360-degree magnets.

The 360-degree fishing magnet is the most effective of the three but also is the most expensive and will react to larger and heavier metallic items, making it harder to retrieve your “catch.” (b) The Throw and Retrieve Technique: Throw the magnet out into the water and pull it back slowly. This allows the magnet

to sweep the bottom of the waterway.

This technique works well in areas of open water. It is recommended to use doublesided and 360-degree magnets only.

Be mindful also of your physical capabilities when selecting a fishing magnet.

Consideration 4: Using the correct equipment is paramount when magnet fishing.

360-degree fishing magnets are by far the best magnets available to magnet fishers currently. They are also the most expensive to purchase. 360-degree magnets have superior magnetisation lifting capacity and penetration for their size. Correct rated tackle (rope and carabiners fitted to your magnet) is also vital. You need to have a rope breaking strain greater than the pull capacity of your magnet. Quality fishing magnets are sold with all required tackle as well

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as other important accessories such as gloves, all contained in a handy carry case.

Consideration 5: Follow all rules and regulations. These include, where required, gaining the necessary formal permission to search a particular location. This includes any magnet fishing undertaken on private property. In addition, some public areas may have restrictions on magnet fishing.

Check local regulations (if any) and verify with the relevant local government or state government authorities if required to do so. This will help ensure that those who magnet fish have a positive reputation and that magnet fishing can continue well into the future.

Consideration 6: If you recover something unusual or historically significant or find something that may be hazardous to the health of yourself, others in the area, or the environment, handle it carefully and notify the appropriate local authorities.

Consideration 7: When you have finished magnet fishing

at your chosen location, it is important to remove all rubbish and debris. Dispose of any metallic junk found in the appropriate manner, ensuring that you leave your fishing spot cleaner than you found it.

Consideration 8: Always be mindful of wildlife in the area and avoid magnet fishing in sensitive habitats. Disturbing wildlife can have detrimental effects on local ecosystems.

Again, follow proper etiquette and set a positive example for others. You should avoid magnet fishing near culturally or historically significant sites. Again, careful and thorough research is the key.

Consideration 9: Once you have gained some experience, share your magnet fishing story with others in the community so they gain a better understanding and appreciation of this great pastime. Be willing to provide advice and expertise to beginners.

Consideration 10: The final consideration is also the easiest.

Have a terrific time when magnet fishing!

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hopefully with a catch. The second eyelet enables the operator to throw the magnet further away into the water and retrieve it by dragging it along the bottom of the waterway, allowing for greater coverage and thus improving your chances of a catch. These magnets are also referred to as intermediate magnets and provide up to 550 kilograms of pulling power.

Where Can I Purchase a Quality Magnet Fishing Kit? For any four-wheel drive enthusiasts interested in learning more about magnet fishing, there are dedicated Australianbased retailers who sell the full range of necessary equipment. As stated earlier, there are three main types of fishing magnets—single-sided, double-sided, and 360-degree. Single-sided magnets are also sometimes referred to as Beginner's Magnets. These magnets are best for dropping straight down to look for metallic objects, such as from a jetty or bridge. These magnets are usually rated from 180 kilograms to 300 kilograms of pulling power and are suitable for people new to this hobby, including children using the 180-kilogram-rated magnet. For the very experienced magnet fisher, there is also a single-sided magnet that is rated as pulling up to 1 tonne. The lighter-range single-sided magnets are also the least expensive to purchase.

Next comes the double-sided fishing magnet. This is a more versatile magnet, as it comes with two different eyelets to tie your rope onto. With all fishing magnet kits, the rope used to attach to your magnet and cast/drop it into the water is 20 metres in length. Twin eyelets will allow the magnet to be used like a singlesided magnet for dropping straight down into the water and for pulling straight up,

Finally comes the top-of-the-range 360-degree fishing magnet. These advanced technology units and their comprehensive magnetism allow the user to catch a wider range of items, such as historic relics and coins that are not very magnetic, as well as electronic gear. In addition, these magnets give the operator up to 1.4 tonnes of pulling force.

This magnet is an essential choice for any serious underwater magnet fishing expedition.

Some of the different specialist magnet fishing outlets situated in Australia are Aussie Magnets and Magnet Fishing Australia with their Pull Force Fishing Magnet range. I own a fantastic fishing magnet purchased from Great White Magnetics based in Geelong. They have a comprehensive range of outstanding fishing magnets at very competitive prices backed up by excellent service and support as you begin your magnet fishing journey, including an affiliate Facebook community and an informative monthly newsletter keeping you abreast of all the latest news, finds, and advancements. They can be found at greatwhitemagnetics.com.au If you are interested in adding a fishing magnet to your four-wheel drive accessory list, undertake your own research and select the brand and type of fishing magnet kit that will best suit your needs, is of the highest quality, and can be purchased at the most competitive price. You certainly will have some choice.

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SEAGULLS

FRIEND, FOE, OR FEATHERED FREELOADER?

BY COLIN KERR

It has been said that seagulls must be the most ‘humanised’ of all of our native birds. They have probably always been scavengers, but being clever as they are, they have certainly learned to coexist with us humans extremely well.

F

ound right around our Australian coastline, seagulls are indeed a familiar sight, and love them or hate them, there is no doubt our coastal shores wouldn’t be the same without them.

Seagulls (silver gulls – Larus novaehollandiae), it seems, have two very different bands of followers—the thousands of people who sit or stand watching their antics, interacting with them, or often providing them with a free feed—marvelling and enjoying the competitive, gluttonous way they accept any handouts that come their way …

And, of course, what kid (big or small) hasn’t, at one time or another, enjoyed feeding the seagulls? …

And yes, how is it that these days one of their favourite meals is hot cooked chips? That surely can’t come from their marine, coastal background!

The other band of seagull followers

is those who would rather do without them altogether. It seems that seagulls have probably caused more heartaches and problems in our urbanised society than any of our other feathered friends.

Across the country local shires and councils are continuing to declare war on seagulls. Gulls in large numbers are making nuisances of themselves with noise, droppings, and sometimes quite aggressive behaviour around rubbish tips, malls, swimming pools, caravan parks, boats, city car parks and houses.

Then, of course, there is the danger they have become around airports and the near disasters that have been caused by being sucked into jet engines…

Yes, it seems that as more and more readily available food is ‘provided’ to our loveable feathered friends, the more they breed and the worse the problems grow.

The councils and local authorities are still working on ways to reduce the ‘easy pickings’ at tips and in public places, and more and more signs are being erected asking people not to feed them.

Local recreation spots and picnic sites are often turned into noisy, squabbling, freefor-all seagull feeding and begging sites. In some locations gulls

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have become a real nuisance, with their normally aggressive behaviour becoming bolder, even dangerous. There are numerous reports of seagulls attacking both adults and children to get at their food. “Turn your back on them for a second,” an old fisherman said recently, “and you’ll not only lose your lunch, your bait, and your fishing spot, but you’ll lose your catch as well.”

Their nests vary from slight depressions in the ground to more substantial saucers of grass or seaweed. Two or three chicks is the usual clutch. The breeding season varies from place to place around the country, but it generally peaks in spring.

In Western Australia they often doublebrood during the year, during both spring and autumn—a characteristic unique among gulls.

Silver gulls, in fact, eat almost anything, and their diet varies greatly with locality.

They feed naturally on small fish, plankton, crustaceans, and other marine life. However, in recent studies it has been shown that a high proportion of gulls’ food, around our ever-increasingly urbanised seashore, now consists of bread, fried chicken, sausages, and yes, potato chips!

Immature gulls have brown eyes, legs, bills, and some brown feather tips. Adults have white eyes with a red eye ring and scarlet bill and legs. Each gull group establishes a hierarchy of dominance at feeding locations. Watch the actions and listen to the noise to see who is 'boss'!

In the wild also, silver gulls are scavengers. With increasing numbers in some areas, they are even affecting the well-being of other native fauna by robbing nests of eggs and newly hatched chicks and have, in a few instances, displaced the adult birds of other species from their traditional breeding sites.

The message seems clear—do the gulls a favour, and us too! To ensure gull numbers do not continue to explode and that they do not continue to rely on human handouts … keep your food to yourself and put any leftover fish and chips and the like in the bin. Gull numbers could then return to something more manageable—in better balance with nature and available natural food supplies.

Silver gulls themselves breed in colonies, sometimes on headlands or around lakes, but predominantly on small islands just off the coast.

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Although native to Australia, silver gulls are also found in New Zealand and New Caledonia.

Slow down and soak up the spectacular landscapes of Shark Bay, known as Gutharraguda, the place of two waters, with Darren “Capes” Capewell, proud Nhanda man and owner-operator of Wula Gura Nyinda Eco Cultural Adventures.

GUARDIAN OF

GUTHARRAGUDA C

apes has been walking the red dunes of Wulyibidi (Francois Peron National Park) for 20 years now, guiding visitors gently through his ancestral lands, yet his appreciation for the simple pleasures of his unconventional outdoor “office” remains undiminished.

Crossing paths with a jabi (thorny devil) going about its daily business, uncovering remnants of shells used by his descendants to carry water, or soaking up the maru maru (setting sun) at the end of a long day are all met with indefatigable joy—and it’s this deep sense of wonder

that resonates with his guests, who take it with them when they leave.

“We encourage our guests not just to ‘see’ Country, but to feel it,” Capes says.

“Don’t fold your arms. Don’t be closed off to Country. Country is the best teacher and the best healer. And you’ve got to slow down. You’re on nature’s time now.

Be respectful.”

Capes and his wife, Mira, began their business with “leave no trace” walking tours around Monkey Mia Reserve, and now they have recently launched a new

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three-day itinerary that includes the white sands of nearby Wirruwana (Dirk Hartog Island National Park).

The saltwater paradise that once sustained Nhanda and Malgana people harmoniously for 40,000 years now forms the basis of two iconic national parks— Francois Peron and Dirk Hartog Island—a combined footprint of 2.2 million hectares that were granted World Heritage status in 1991 in recognition of the area’s outstanding natural value.

“We started our business as a way for us to be able to look after Shark Bay and to educate our guests on how to do the same,” Capes reflects. “Our real job is to look after Country, and we are born into this responsibility. For me, this is a lifetime responsibility."

“Out of respect for Aboriginal customs, we ask that all our guests follow some basic protocols, including no smoking or walking without shirts. But most importantly, we ask that they please tread lightly on the ground, step only in the footsteps of the tour guide, and be careful to not break tree branches or disturb potential wildlife habitats.”

Walking slowly and mindfully through Country is the best way to immerse yourself in nature, especially during “wildflower time,” Capes explains, when you can feel the “reawakening” of the landscape with your senses—if you are paying enough attention.

“The first thing I notice is the beautiful fresh smells,” he says. “Everything that has been lying dormant in winter is now starting to wake up. You can smell it with the fragrance of flowers in the air, and you can see it with all the insects and animals starting to come out."

“There is a shift in energy, and it’s great to be out and about at this time of year and just absorb all changes. You’ll start to understand how everything is connected out here."

"When you come out here, it is easy to “see” Country, but to truly take something away with you, you need to feel the spirit of Country. This is what I share with visitors. People walk away with a deeper appreciation of what “Country” means to my people.”

To find out more about short and longer walking tours with Capes, including the three-day World Heritage Walking Tour, which includes an overnight stay on Wirruwana (Dirk Hartog Island National Park), go to wulagura.com.au

Shark The western name for Gutharraguda, Shark Bay, is derived from the 28 shark species who have made these turquoise waters their home. From a vantage point along Cape Peron, you can spot plenty of tiger sharks and hammerheads cruising through the crystal-clear waters of the

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 Dugongs  Jabi (Thorny Devil)

marine sanctuary. The sharks like to patrol the shallow areas closer to the beach, says Capes, but they are quite skittish in the presence of humans. A resident pod of dolphins can also be frolicking at the beach (though not necessarily at the same time that sharks are in the vicinity), and further out to sea, on a calm day with good visibility, migrating humpback whales can often be seen on the horizon making their epic journey up north to their calving grounds in the Kimberley.

Dugong Although sharks have given their name to this corner of the world, it is the endangered dugong who is the prolific resident in these waters. An estimated 11,000 dugongs live in Shark Bay. Along with buyungurra (green and loggerhead turtles), who are also endangered species, they come back to the tranquil waters of Shark Bay during the warmer spring months and feed on the massive seagrass meadows within the bay. At 4,800 long, these are the longest and richest seagrass meadows in the world, and a great way to observe these shy marine creatures in their sheltered nesting grounds is to glide silently across the lagoon on a guided kayaking expedition with Capes.

Jabi (thorny devil) This fearsome-looking but reclusive little character, a favourite among bushwalkers and motorists along the Coral Coast, makes more frequent appearances during wildflower time. Drawn out by the warmer temperatures and the promise of ants to eat, the jabi is connected to the wirriya wangganayina (saltwater story) and has great cultural significance for the Nhanda and Malgana people. "Slow down and drive carefully," Capes says, "to avoid hitting a hungry jabi on the move."

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 Biliguda (Echidna)  Shark Bay Daisy

Biliguda (echidna) Another local resident who likes to dine on ants, this one usually only comes out later in the day when it’s cooler or after there has been a little rain. They are often found near water sources, which they seek out in order to cool down. Despite its formidable spikes, the slow-moving biliguda has plenty of good fat on it and was once a prized traditional food source for the Nhanda and Malgana people. As with the jabi, Capes advises motorists to drive responsibly while out on Country.

Shark Bay daisy Few people realise that due to its unique geographic location, Shark Bay has the longest wildflower season of any part of Western Australia and has over 700 species of flowering plants. Of these, more than 150 species are of special scientific interest—many exclusive to the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Capes’ favourite blossoms include the crowdpleasing Shark Bay daisy, the dramatic and aromatic Tamala rose, and the delicate native hibiscus. And if the rains have been good throughout winter, Capes

predicts carpets of Instagram-influencer’s favourite: everlastings. “Everything is connected—how many flowers we will get depends on how much rain we have had,” Capes says. “If we’ve had good winter rain, then she’ll be right.”

GLOSSARY Biliguda: echidna Buyungurra: turtle Gutharraguda: Meaning “place of two waters,” the traditional name for Shark Bay Jabi: thorny devil Maru maru: sunset Wirruwana: Dirk Hartog Island National Park Wulyibidi: Francois Peron National Park

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PRODUCT REVIEW

BY MICHAEL GUNTER

A VERY AFFORDABLE POWER SOLUTION LiTime LiFePO4 Batteries

A relatively new player to the Australian market, LiTime have been operating for 15+ years, in over 100+ countries and regions, bringing with them a range of LiFePO4 solutions for your power needs while on the road.

F

rom a small 50Ah all the way up to 400Ah in their 12 volt range and 100Ah to 200Ah in their 24 volt range (some with Bluetooth connectivity using the LiTime iOS and Android applications to monitor usage), there should be a battery to suit your application.

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I have put my own 100Ah Group24 (small form factor) battery through a torture test over the summer of 2024/2025.

I purposely mounted this specific battery under the bonnet in my 80 series Landcruiser that does have factory heat shielding, purely to see if it would handle it, which it did.

This is still where it lives to this day as I continue to put it through its paces and note any issues I may have along the way, so far, after 9 months and only 17 charge/ discharge cycles, I am happy to report I have not had any issues at all. I do not recommend doing this for your setup though for safety reasons.

The battery comes equipped with a few fail safes from the factory, which are quite helpful.

A low-temp cut-off for cold climates, automatic overload protection and recovery, and automatic cell balancing

make this battery a breeze to use and safe as well.

Equipped with LiTime’s EV Grade-A LiFePO4 cells, this gives this particular battery 4000+ charging cycles at 100% depth of discharge.

With great performance, comes great value.

During my search on a LiFePO4 setup, there was a lot of different options to choose from.

I went with LiTime as it was great value for money, for what you get with the above mentioned specifications backed with a 5 year warranty.

Head on over to their website: au.litime.com and check out what is on offer from this great new player to the Australian market, and check out the battery review section to find my in-depth review on this battery on YouTube. youtube.com/@OzTrax4X4

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 The full pack worked beautifully when hung from a 270-degree awning, keeping everything needed for cooking within arm's reach.

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PRODUCT REVIEW

BY MATT PAYNE

OVEREDGER FULL PACK HANGING CAMP KITCHEN My first 4WD was a D22 Navara dual cab ute. It was a pretty basic setup in the tray by today’s standards—a tonneau cover, a toolbox, and a fridge.

Packing for camping trips usually involved throwing multiple boxes into the back for some resemblance of organised storage, one of which was full of cooking gear, and then pilfering through this come mealtime to find cutlery, plates, bowls, etc.

W

hen I upgraded to a GU patrol wagon in 2014 and installed a full drawer system in the back, I was pretty certain I had the ultimate camp kitchen storage setup. The sliding cutlery insert and ample storage for plates, bowls, cups and cooking utensils kept everything organised and made camp cooking a breeze, especially once I added a drop-down table off the inner rear barn door a few years later.

Fast-forward 11 years and after selling the GU and moving to another dual cab setup in my new MV Triton, I was back to the drawing board for camp kitchen ideas, as I wanted to keep weight to a minimum in the Triton build to try and stay within GVM limits when fully loaded for big trips.

I also didn’t want to lose the versatility of having a tray by installing drawers. So began my search for a solution…

I was recently drawn to a product

that I saw featured on my Facebook newsfeed by an Australian company called Overedger Outdoors. It was a hanging camp kitchen—but not just your standard variant. The level of thought that had gone into the design was instantly noticeable, and the construction looked solid. The hundreds of five-star reviews gave me further confidence that this may be the camp kitchen solution I was looking for, so I reached out to the company for more information on the product.

Overedger Outdoors is a Queenslandbased company founded and run by Bevan Hall. They specialise in camp organisation products, with their flagship items being the Overedger packs, available in two sizes—the full pack and the more compact half pack. In addition to these, though, they also make a number of other organiser solutions for fridges and anywhere else in your camping setup where you can mount a Velcro strip.

Bevan grew up in North Queensland, where camping was a regular feature in his upbringing since he was a baby. Like many others, his parents would pack all their camping gear into various boxes to resemble some form of organisation and then dig through these to find gear while on a trip. Although this approach got the

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job done, his mother, Anne, quickly grew tired of constantly searching for cooking utensils come mealtime and vowed to come up with a better solution—enter the first iteration of the Overedger full pack.

Armed with her trusty Bernina sewing machine, she sewed together a hanging organiser with custom-sized pockets to fit all the camping gear that was needed within arm's reach while preparing meals.

She would then load this up with gear from the storage boxes at the start of a trip and pack it down at the end. While it was certainly a step up from sifting through boxes each day, Anne decided to take the design to another level by removing the need to pack and unpack the organiser. It was at this point that the real innovation occurred, and she came up with the idea of sewing hard plates into the design so that it could be folded into a box when packed up, while leaving everything in place.

Bevan’s family then camped using this setup for 5-10 years, while constantly fielding questions from other campers on where they ‘bought’ the product from.

It was only after this constant interest that he decided to take steps to patent the design and optimise the product  Packed up, the full pack is a fairly compact unit, especially considering all of the gear contained within.

for market through various prototypes, finalising the design in late 2019.

For the Triton build, I opted to go with the full pack, as I wanted the ability to store as much gear as possible. The pack arrived several days after placing my order, and from the moment I began unboxing it, the quality was instantly evident. Heavy-duty vinyl is used to encase hard plastic inserts that form the walls of the pack, and the whole unit is held in place using heavy-duty Velcro.

Handles and eyelets all appear overengineered, and the unit comes supplied with two aluminium poles that slot into elastic sleeves on the sides of the pack to either hold the wings open when set up in hanging form or hold the lid open when set up on a table (more on this later).

The pack arrived weighing 4.8kg, and after adding all of my cooking gear, it came in at 11kg—a huge weight saving on a single-drawer setup; Overedger claim you can safely add 11kg to the pack. The first trip I used the product on was a Hipcamp out near the Stirling Ranges, where I hung the product off my 270-degree Alucab Shadow Awning.

The pack unfolded easily, taking me around 45 seconds to set up, and the functionality was quickly evident once I had worked out exactly what I needed to house in it for preparing meals, etc. There are pockets for practically everything, and it also features shock cord loops to hang tea towels from and a paper towel roll holder—I soon forget about how ‘convenient’ my last drawer setup was!

The only negative I found was that the unit had a tendency to pivot off the single hanging eyelet, but Bevan said this has already been noted and a double eyelet design is in the works for future versions—he also pointed out that you can hang the bag from the dual straps used to secure the pack closed to work

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 The supplied aluminium poles that hold the ‘wings’ of the pack open while in hanging format are used to prop the lid open when set up for use on a table.

around this as well. Another plus I noticed was that the mesh used to make the pockets meant that sand, etc., does not accumulate in the bag, something I was constantly fighting in my previous drawer setup. It would also allow for easy drainage if anything wet was put away in the organiser (or if you wanted to give it a hose down after a trip). Packdown of the product was super quick, again taking around 45 seconds each time once I had it sorted.

However, one thing to note is that at a potential combined weight of ~16kg, the full pack can only really be hung off solid awnings (and even then it should be hung near the hinge points) or off the vehicle itself. To get around this potential limitation, though, the pack can also be set up on a table while still retaining functionality. In this form, the aluminium poles are used to hold the lid open, and the front of the box hangs over the edge of the table. You can then access the pockets in the base for the plates and

 A notable feature of the full pack is that it can be set up in either hanging or table format.

Although primarily marketed as a hanging organiser, the table format still retains much of the product’s functionality.

bowls by unbuckling a single central press stud.

Overall, I’m incredibly impressed with the build and design of the Overedger full pack. It’s been the perfect addition to the new Triton build and is surprisingly more functional than my previous drawer setup. The fact that the product comes with a five-year warranty further instills me with confidence that it’s going to last, and speaking with Bevan, he mentioned that they have only had 1-2 warranty claims in the past five years, both of which were extremely minor and quickly resolved. So, if you are in the market for a new camp kitchen organiser or are simply trying to refine your current setup, I highly recommend taking a look at the Overedger full pack—it really has changed the way I camp for the better!

More details on the Overedger full pack can be found at overedger.com.au

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CHASING LIGHT & MUD PHOTO ESSAY IMAGES BY AMANDA BARKER

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I

was born and raised in the rugged outback of Western Australia, where I got my love for wide open spaces and red dirt tracks. Though I now live and work in the city, I take any chance I can get, pack up the camera, and head out bush—there’s nothing like the freedom of the tracks and the promise of the unknown!

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My journey into photography began alongside arenas and cross-country tracks at equestrian events, capturing not only my own children but also pony club attendees as they competed. It was there I first learned the power of timing, light, and emotion in an image. But as life moved forward, I turned my attention to a different kind of horsepower. The roar of an engine over mud, the spray of sand, and the drama of a recovery scene became my new canvas.

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With a Certificate in Photography under my belt, I set my sights on capturing landscapes and moments that are often overlooked—those hidden locations and quiet corners that haven’t been saturated by a thousand lenses. From a golden sunrise breaking over a remote track to the spontaneous grin of a mate midrecovery, I aim to tell the stories of our adventures through my lens.

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Travelling with the Toyota LandCruiser Club of WA has been a huge part of my journey. The camaraderie, the remote locations, the unpredictable moments— every trip offers new perspectives and personalities to photograph. It’s always surprising how quickly people find their best angle when they know a camera is pointed their way!

For me, photography is more than just images—it’s a way to relive the dust, the laughs, and the shared love of getting off the beaten path! western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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UNDERSTANDING AND ENJOYING

METEOR SHOWERS There's a special kind of magic in the night sky when it feels like it's raining stars.

Meteor showers are one of nature's most dazzling celestial shows, and they're surprisingly easy to enjoy.

BY DONNA VANZETTI AND CAROL REDFORD, STAR TRACKS ASTRO EVENTS & ASTROTOURISM WA

P

eaking on the night of the 20th and into the early morning of 21st October, the Orionids Meteor Shower promises a treat for stargazers. Visible from October 2 to November 7, best after midnight to dawn and coinciding with a new moon for optimal viewing. You could see up to 20 meteors per hour!

These meteors are remnants from the famous Halley's Comet. While the comet itself began its 40-year return journey past Earth in December 2024 and won't grace our skies again until June 2061, we still get to enjoy its dusty trail.

When and where to look: The peak of about 20 meteors/hour is from 1am on 21st October. Look toward the northeastern horizon.

But what exactly are you looking at when a streak of light flashes across the darkness?

What Are Meteor Showers?

A meteor shower happens when Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind by a comet or, less commonly, an asteroid.

Meteor showers happen when our planet Earth crosses the orbital path of a comet. As comets pass by the sun, the extreme temperatures heat up some of the nucleus and cause debris particles to spread out along the comet’s orbit, creating a comet tail. As Earth passes through this debris cloud, we have the opportunity of viewing the fiery spectacle of a meteor shower.

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Comet debris slams into the Earth’s upper atmosphere at about 150,000 kilometres per hour, vaporising or burning up as meteors or shooting stars. A meteor may be as small as a grain of sand but when striking the Earth’s atmosphere at such speeds, these tiny bodies are heated up by friction, and this allows us to observe them as they burn up in our atmosphere, creating the brilliant streaks of light we call meteors or, more commonly, shooting stars. The debris itself is known as meteoroids. If a piece survives the fiery descent and lands on Earth, it's called a meteorite.

Why Are They So Thrilling?

The thrill of watching a meteor shower comes from several factors, both scientific and personal. First, there's the element of unpredictability. While we know when

a shower will peak, you never know exactly when or where the next meteor will appear. It's a cosmic game of hideand-seek that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Second, meteor showers are a humbling reminder of our place in the vastness of space. Each shooting star is a piece of ancient cosmic history, a whisper from a distant comet. You're not just watching a light show; you're witnessing the tail end of a journey that began billions of years ago.

Furthermore, meteor showers are a shared experience. People often gather in groups, making it a social event.

Finding a dark sky away from city lights, lying on your back, and pointing out meteors to friends or family creates lasting memories. It's an opportunity to slow down, look up, and appreciate the universe's quiet, spectacular beauty.

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Tips for Watching Your Next Meteor Shower 1. Check the calendar: Find out when the next major meteor shower is scheduled to peak. Showers like the Eta Aquarids in April and May, also linked to Halley’s Comet and the Southern Delta Aquarids in December are known for being particularly reliable and abundant.

2. Find a dark location: The key to a good viewing experience is getting away from light pollution, and it’s even

better on a moonless night. The darker your sky, the more meteors you'll see.

3. Be patient and comfortable: Bring a blanket or a comfortable chair, dress warmly, and give your eyes at least 20-30 minutes to adjust to the dark.

The longer you watch, the more meteors you're likely to see.

Viewed from out in our pristine, dark country skies, meteor showers are a mesmerising and marvellous evening of stargazing. Enjoy the fabulous and fiery views!

For more information on these stargazing forecasts, visit astrotourismwa.com.au For stargazing events to attend, visit startracksastroevents.com.au To find a dark sky location, visit one of WA’s Astrotourism Towns astrotourismwa.com.au If you’re a budding “astro-enthusiast”, check out Stargazers Club WA’s telescope classes and astronomy events for beginners at stargazersclubwa.com.au

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PRODUCT REVIEW

BY RON & VIV MOON

TERRAIN TAMER SUSPENSION After a year and thousands of rugged kilometres, discover how a Terrain Tamer GVM suspension upgrade transformed our heavily-laden Troopy. This deep dive into parabolic springs reveals how enhanced comfort and impressive off-road capability can go hand-in-hand, even on Australia's toughest tracks.

First trip with the new Terrain Tamer suspension — a Canning run.

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and articulation—something that 70 Series Cruisers aren’t well known for. As well, in a parabolic spring, the tapered design of each leaf allows the stress to be distributed more evenly across the spring, while each leaf is allowed to work independently with enhanced flex, and importantly, without sacrificing loadcarrying capacity, while keeping all four wheels on the ground.

Kit includes new coils and shocks for the front.

I

t’s been over a year since we fitted a Terrain Tamer GVM suspension upgrade to our Troopy, and since then we’ve done three pretty long and hard trips, including along the Canning, a jaunt to Cobourg Peninsula in the NT, and another trip through Outback SA and the NT, following much of the Binns Track to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

With the Troopy wearing an ARB bullbar with a Carbon winch up front and a Kaymar rear step/towbar down the backend with drawers and a water tank to add to the weight, I knew I had to do something with the suspension. Even though Toyota upped the ante as far as GVM was concerned with this model, it was just a token addition, and most people would want more.

In recent years parabolic springs have seemingly become the flavour of the day for those wanting to replace their normal leaf springs. Parabolic spring packs typically contain less leaves than the normal leaf spring, while also featuring less unsprung weight with better flex

With some great reports from my son with his 79 Cruiser and the many tough, heavily loaded trips that vehicle is subjected to as part of his tour company’s (moontours.com.au) travels in Cape York, the Simpson and western deserts, along with the Victorian High Country, a set of parabolics for the rear of the Troopy quickly went to the top of my most wanted list.

My timing was right as well, as Terrain Tamer released a GVM upgrade for the 70 Series Cruisers late in 2023 that included parabolic springs. The GVM upgrade was pretty impressive as well, lifting the GVM to 3,950 kg in this case (they have other variants as well) from the standard 3,300 kg. While the Troopy has a kerb weight of 2,308 kg, it does not include (as per normal with any kerb weight figure) any fuel, passengers or additions such as bullbars, dual batteries, etc.

The whole GVM upgrade kit, designed in conjunction with the well-known and well-respected Multidrive Technology company (multidrive.com.au) based in Geelong, Victoria, includes new springs and shocks front and rear, along with a new sway bar for the rear, plus shackles and poly bush kits. The Installation Guide and associated info are first-class—easily the best and most comprehensive I’ve ever seen and obviously aimed at the DIY handyman. And, as with anything these days, there’s the paperwork that must be completed and a sticker to go on the

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Kit includes new coils and shocks for the front.

driver’s side B-pillar informing those who need to know of the GVM upgrade.

It’s a lengthy process to change a suspension with some heavy lifting involved. It really necessitates a well-setup workshop, equipment, and expertise, so I left that for the crew at Outback 4WD in Bayswater, Victoria (outback4wd. com.au), to do the job.

The front suspension is relatively easy, with the original coil springs and shocks painlessly replaced with the new Terrain Tamer product. The biggest issue at the front end is the changing of the caster bushes on the trailing arms, which requires a good, gutsy hydraulic press for the removal of the old bushes and the fitting of the new ones.

Fitting the new springs.

double-welded eyelets for added strength and a multi-stage valving system for a responsive but comfortable ride, while the nitrile seals that keep the oil where it should be are German-made. The shocks for the rear are not only bigger but also more firmly valved than what would be required for a normal leaf spring pack, as parabolic springs do not offer any frictional resistance to the spring's oscillations, so that work has to be done by the shock—a bit like a shock that controls a coil spring.

The back end of the Cruiser and the leaf spring packs are a bigger and heavier matter requiring a couple of people and a few support stands to make the job easier and safer. Once the new parabolic springs were in place, the new shocks were fitted, and then it was time to also fit the new heavier-duty sway bar.

Having a quick look at the TGS Series twin-tube shocks from Terrain Tamer themselves, you’ll quickly realise they are, in both the front and rear shocks, bigger than the OE versions with a 40 mm bore and 20 mm chrome-hardened shaft, the bigger body allowing more oil in the shock, which is a good thing. There are

New Parabolic leaf springs (top) compared to original.

Terrain Tamer shocks compared to original (top) — notice the difference in tube size.

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We also fitted a new steering shock to the Cruiser, while earlier model 70 Series have to have bigger side indicators fitted to comply with ADR requirements, but our rig, being pretty new (but the old V8 model), had the right size lights.

The price for this suspension upgrade comes in at $6,367 plus fitting, so it’s not a cheap addition, but I reckon it is well worth it. Warranty-wise, the shocks have a three-year cover, while the springs are covered for the owner's lifetime. For more details, go to terraintamer.com With the new suspension fitted, the Cruiser sits a lot taller, especially in the rear, and we’ve given it more than a fair test over the last 12 months. The ride, even when empty, is very comfortable over a wide variety of surfaces—I’m always surprised at how good it is. And it carries the load you end up with when on a long remote desert jaunt easily with little difference to the ride and handling quality. I’m more than impressed, and it’s a worthwhile GVM upgrade that offers top-notch equipment and a good ride whether loaded or empty!

New shocks and springs fitted to front of Troopy.

Most of our long trips have been fully loaded and with a camper on the back.

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PRODUCT REVIEW

BY MATT PAYNE

ROCK ARMOR OUTBACK TRAVELLER 12V AIR FRYER

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 Crisp pastries were produced after ~35-40 minutes of cooking time.

Anyone who has used an air fryer before will know just how much of a game changer they are for quickly cooking frozen foods to perfection, in addition to reheating food while retaining a nice crisp texture that you simply can’t get using a microwave.

H

owever, in terms of using an air fryer while camping, until recently the only real options available were to buy a smaller wattage 240V unit and use this through a 2,000-3,000W inverter mated to a minimum 100ah lithium battery.

The issues with this are that even using a smaller unit, the current draw is ~150 amps/hour, meaning that unless you are running 200ah or more of lithium, you will drain your battery FAST. Running the car while you cook might help slow the power drain, but most DC-DC chargers will put at most ~40 amps/hour back into the battery.

With all of the above in mind, my interest was definitely piqued when I first saw a 12V air fryer appear on the market last year. Initial reviews appeared to be mixed in terms of how well (and quickly) it cooked food, though, and the small 3L basket really limited things volume-wise.

However, when Rock Armor released their

 The air fryer cooked a frozen pie to a nice crisp finish in ~40 minutes.

 The Rock Armor unit is lightweight, quiet and well-made.

new 4L 12V air fryer, it quickly received positive feedback online, and with the slightly bigger basket allowing greater cooking capacity, I decided to take the plunge and test one out for myself.

Upon unboxing, the unit seemed well made and was surprisingly light. A selectable temperature dial (80-200°C) is included on the right, and there is a timer dial on the left that can be set for up to 60 minutes. Plugging the unit into my 150ah lithium power station, it fired up instantly and was super quiet. The exterior of the unit did get warm to the touch but was certainly not a burn risk, something that you do hear being an issue with the mini 12V camp ovens.

The claimed 21-22 amps/hour power draw was very accurate, and the unit’s ability to cook food from frozen was fairly impressive—however, the results were not as good as a 240V air fryer in terms of the overall crispiness. This said, the Rock Armor unit still attained a somewhat crispy texture for frozen chicken nuggets (and it certainly cooked them to a piping

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hot temperature), and it was able to cook both a frozen pie and frozen pastries to a nice crisp finish.

 Unlike smaller units, the 4L Outback Traveller has an adjustable temperature dial.

As expected, the cooking times were much longer than a 240V unit, with a single frozen pie taking ~40 min and a single layer of frozen chicken nuggets taking ~25-30 min, slightly longer than Rock Armor’s claimed cooking times.

Preheating the unit for five minutes prior to putting food in definitely helped, as did having it run while the battery was receiving concurrent solar input (even though my battery voltage was already over 13V). The only time the unit failed to perform was when it was loaded up with diced potatoes—although it was able to cook the food in the drawer after ~ 60 minutes, it was unable to crisp up the outside, something easily achieved with a 240V unit.

However, all in all, I found the unit to be a really handy addition to my camp cooking setup. When used within its limitations (in terms of the volume of food you put into the basket), it produced good results, and I would imagine putting defrosted food in would dramatically reduce cooking times.

BUILT FOR THIS NORWELD.COM.AU

The mere ~20 amps/hour power draw is a huge feature, meaning that this can easily be used by those running 100ah lithium setups, and in the worst-case scenario, you could always run the car while it’s on to ensure you don’t lose any battery capacity. For those with kids, the ability to cook chicken nuggets while on a trip is an absolute game changer, and I would think many families would take a serious look at the unit for this alone.

More details on the Outback Traveller 12V air fryer can be found at aussieoffroad.com.au

124 | Western 4W Driver #135 | western4wdriver.com.au

If you own a 4Wdrive vehicle of any type, you’re welcome to join us. It’s where ‘experience and adventure meet’

www.tlccwa.org.au

THE THINGS YOU SEE! WITH (TRUTHFUL) PHIL BIANCHI

SPARE YOURSELF THE TROUBLE Veteran 4WD enthusiast and explorer Phil Bianchi has faced more than his fair share of tyre troubles in the Australian outback. From remote crosscountry treks to unexpected triple punctures, he shares invaluable insights into why carrying two spare wheels isn't just a preference, but a vital necessity for serious off-road adventurers.

I

’m often asked why I have two spare wheels; wouldn’t one be enough, they say? I explain that with over 35 years of 4W driving, including lots of off-track and crosscountry driving, following in the footsteps of explorers such as David Carnegie or Frank Hann, I’ve needed both spares more times than I can remember. By off-track and crosscountry driving, I don’t mean the Gibb River Road or Gun Barrel Highway; I mean no tracks at all.

Everyone's experiences are different.

Probably my worst experience was some years ago when, while doing a cross-country trip, I punctured three tyres, two of which were terminal, with a third being almost terminal. Thankfully, I had two spares over which to spread the carnage. I slowly limped into a country town, having used more tyre plugs in the tyres than ARB had for sale. I was able to buy two tyres so that I could get home safely.

On the subject of tyre plugs, I usually carry a couple of boxes of ARB plugs. I've often given sheets of plugs to fellow travellers who had run out. Why ARB plugs? They are a trusted brand and good value for money.

Also, please ensure you have a quality tyre repair kit and compressor.

Some retailers sell plastic-handled tyre plug inserters. Get rid of them; they are dangerous. I’ve seen the plastic handle snap

off under the pressure of inserting a tyre plug. The person was lucky he didn’t stab his hand!

Should you be towing an off-road camper trailer or caravan, endeavour to match the trailer and vehicle wheel stud pattern and offset with that of the vehicle. This will give you more spares and peace of mind. Having said that, one wouldn't take their camper over some of the terrain in which I travel, so the risk of tyre damage is less likely. But there is always a risk.

Where should you carry your second spare?

I have opted for a dual-wheel carrier for my two spares. A large aftermarket fuel tank takes up the first spare's original undervehicle location. I prefer not to carry my second spare on the roof rack, mainly to keep the vehicle’s centre of gravity lower.

Then there is the problem of lifting the spare onto the roof rack or getting it down should it be needed.

There have been occasions when one of my spares saved a fellow traveller in trouble when they ran out of spares.

To keep the weight down, some people take just the tyre carcass as their second spare, along with tubes and tyre patches.

If you are taking a carcass, make sure you have the necessary tools to remove and refit tyres. It's all about risk mitigation and having a backup plan. Should you opt for

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a carcass, practice changing tyres at home before your trip; it could prove invaluable. I feel, however, that you should take two full spares because, by the time you weigh the tyre pliers, levers, etc., you're probably at the weight of carrying a full second spare.

I’ve opted for a dual-wheel carrier. Yes, it adds additional weight to the vehicle, but it suits my purposes. It also gives me a place to fit camp lighting, an HF radio antenna mount, and a garbage bag.

As I’m getting older and ‘rust’ is forming in my joints and back, my 4W driving destinations are becoming more sedate and extreme off-road adventures less ‘risky’ tyrewise. I, however, still would not go without my dual wheel carrier and two spares.

I won't get into which tyre is the best for 4W driving because everyone’s needs, budgets, and experiences are different. Then there’s the one-eyed driver who hasn’t tried any other brand or goes by his uncle’s brother’s mate, who says X is the best 4WD tyre. Over the years, I’ve favoured a few tyre brands, all being Mud or All-Terrain patterns. I couldn’t tell you how much whole tyre life I got out of them because punctures usually destroyed them before they were worn out!

My dual wheel carrier.

The joys of cross country driving.

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BUSH MECHANICS WITH GEOFF LEWIS

CATCHING TROUBLE BEFORE IT CATCHES YOU Hitting the road in a four-wheel drive comes with the understanding that your trip could turn into an unexpected adventure at any moment. While some surprises on the road can be opportunities to tackle challenges head-on and come away with a sense of achievement and reassurance in our ability, they can also be a daunting prospect.

I

n my experience, prevention of the unexpected is always the best path to take, and in terms of our form of travel, that means continuing to check and maintain your four-wheel drive well beyond the reaches of the local mechanic and service dealer. Remember, you are the cook, navigator, medic and mechanic.

Routine checks for your four-wheel drive don’t need to be complex. A good starting point is to check fluid levels—engine oil, brake and clutch fluid, power steering, and radiator coolant—on a daily basis, though taking the time to lie down and look over the driveline and undercarriage of your vehicle is very important too.

Remember, you don’t have to be a mechanic to know something is wrong; it might be simple, such as a piece of rubber hanging out of where the bolt goes through the suspension (failed suspension bush), or you might have noticed that something may have shifted, like a steel plate or bracket that has worked loose and needs tightening.

The checks never stop. The key is to catch something before it fails.

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When I am driving, I listen to the Land Rover or vehicle from time to time to see how it is running and to listen for any unusual noises.

Time spent listening to your four-wheel drive on the move can very easily pay off and highlight any minor issues that might become more major. This method has paid off several times over the years and would once more…

I had been at this point on the road for one month, driving on rough gravel roads and backtracks in the Land Rover Perentie, and was coming to the end of a one-week stint on the job 100 km south-east of Marble Bar. Driving the 30 km back to camp listening to the Land Rover Perentie, I noticed over every large bump there was a knock or clunk noise coming from the rear axle of the vehicle.

It didn’t sound like anything was loose in the back of the Land Rover’s tub, though my thoughts went to a damaged suspension bush.

There wasn’t much I could do at this moment, and I was 10 km from camp, so I pressed on and took it easy.

Once back at camp, I rolled out my canvas tarp and slid it under the Land Rover and inspected the driveline. Everything looked okay until I got to the rear axle, when I found the cause.

Not even finger tight, one of the key bolts that holds the suspension in place (upper A-arm bolt) had come loose. By using a spanner and socket, I tightened the bolt up and then took the Land Rover for a test drive. The knocking noise had gone, and the Land Rover was ready to continue on its adventure.

So it always pays to be aware of your fourwheel drive and never take it for granted because the moment you do, that is when something I find usually goes wrong. Keep up with those checks.

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COUNTRY STARGAZING WITH DONNA VANZETTI & CAROL REDFORD STAR TRACKS ASTRO EVENTS & ASTROTOURISM WA

GET READY FOR A TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE! When you're out on your 4W driving adventures, don't forget to look up once the sun goes down! The next few months are packed with amazing celestial events you won't want to miss.

TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE Let’s start with a Total Lunar Eclipse! When it comes to natural cosmic phenomena, a Total Lunar Eclipse is as remarkable as it gets!

For a total lunar eclipse to occur, we need the Sun and Moon to be perfectly aligned in their orbits, with the Earth in the middle. As the Moon travels around the far side of the Earth, it passes directly into the shadow of the Earth.

Eclipses are incredible demonstrations of the movement of objects in our Solar System.

This year, if you're in Western Australia, you'll have a fantastic opportunity to see a Lunar Eclipse on the evening of November 8th.

The Moon will rise already completely eclipsed, gradually moving out of Earth's shadow. During this time, it will transform into a stunning red/coppery colour.

The best part? You don't need any special equipment to enjoy this celestial show; it's spectacular to see with just your naked eye.

But, if you have binoculars or a telescope, you'll obviously get an even more detailed view!

Here are the key times for Perth in WA: • 11.28pm, 7th September – penumbral eclipse begins • 12.27am, 8th September – partial eclipse begins • 1.30am – total eclipse begins • 2.11am – maximum eclipse

• 2.52am – total eclipse ends • 3.56am – partial eclipse ends • 4.55am – penumbral eclipse ends Which direction to look: The moon will be high in the sky above the north-eastern horizon when the eclipse begins and low on the western horizon when it ends.

Why does the Moon turn red during an eclipse?

During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon appears red or coppery because of how Earth's atmosphere affects sunlight.

Here's the gist: Our atmosphere scatters blue light more easily, which is why the sky is blue. At sunrise and sunset, more blue light is scattered, leaving red and orange light.

Earth's atmosphere bends and focuses this leftover red-orange light into its shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon passes into this shadow, it's illuminated only by the reddish-orange light from all the world's sunrises and sunsets. That's why the Moon takes on that striking red hue during a total lunar eclipse!

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ORIONIDS METEOR SHOWER

SUPERMOON

21st October — A Cosmic Spectacle

5th November

This month, the Orionids Meteor Shower promises a treat for stargazers, coinciding with a new moon for optimal viewing. You could see up to 20 meteors per hour!

The Moon's orbit around Earth isn't a perfect circle; it's an ellipse. This means that at different points in its monthly journey, the Moon's distance from Earth varies.

These meteors are remnants from the famous Halley's Comet. While the comet itself began its 40-year return journey past Earth in December 2024 and won't grace our skies again until June 2061, we still get to enjoy its dusty trail.

• Perigee: The point in its orbit when the Moon is closest to Earth.

The Orionids shower is active from October 2nd to November 7th, but it peaks on the night of October 20th and into the early morning of October 21st. For the best views, find a dark sky location and look up after midnight.

When and where to look: The peak of about 20 meteors/hour is from 1am on 21st October. Look toward the northern eastern horizon.

• Apogee: The point in its orbit when the Moon is furthest from Earth.

A Supermoon occurs when a full or new moon coincides with the Moon being at or near its perigee, appearing larger and brighter than usual. Conversely, a Micromoon happens when a full or new moon occurs near apogee, making it appear smaller.

Where's the best place to see the Supermoon rise?

To get the best view of the Supermoon rising, find a spot with a clear view of the eastern horizon. Avoid locations where buildings or trees might obstruct your line of sight.

Does a Supermoon appear larger to the naked eye?

While a Supermoon is closer to Earth, the difference in apparent size between a "micromoon" and a "supermoon" is only about 14%. Look closely and see if it appears larger than normal.

For more information on these stargazing forecasts, visit astrotourismwa.com.au For stargazing events to attend, visit startracksastroevents.com.au To find a dark sky location, visit one of WA’s Astrotourism Towns astrotourismwa.com.au If you’re a budding “astro-enthusiast”, check out Stargazers Club WA’s telescope classes and astronomy events for beginners at stargazersclubwa.com.au western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

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With over 40 years experience teaching Outback Survival, Bob Cooper has produced what he calls the ‘Trilogy for Survival’.

Along with enough water, Bob believes every time you go bush, no matter what form of transport, these three items should accompany you in case something doesn’t go to plan and you’re in an emergency situation – anywhere.

A quality Three stretch elastic bandages. Quality survival blanket. emergency/survival kit. Multiple uses and first aid.

This one spells HELP.

$89.95

$29.95

$19.99

Check out these items and more at

www.bobcoopersurvival.com Also available

Playing cards with a survival hint on each card.

$10.00

Bob’s best selling book

$24.95

OUTBACK SURVIVAL WITH BOB COOPER

SURVIVING A CROCODILE ATTACK IN THE KIMBERLEY

I

n 2005 Mark and his partner went out from Kununurra to the Pentecost River for a fishing trip, notifying friends of their planned return date several days later. On night one, they set up their mozzie dome tent only three metres from the water’s edge up a steep sand embankment they thought a croc couldn’t or wouldn’t climb, but they were wrong!

At 4am they were woken by a four-metre salty when it snapped its jaws down on the edge of their tent and started shaking and tugging them, tent and all, down the embankment into the water.

In total darkness, all four hands struggled frantically with the tent zip as they were being dragged until they finally managed to open the tent and escape, sprint to their 4WD, and lock themselves inside. They turned on the headlights and waited with hearts pounding in fear of the croc coming for the vehicle next. Then, well after sunrise, they went to drive off and realised they had flattened the battery, dead flat, by leaving the headlights and spotlights on for many hours.

They were now stranded in a very precarious position.

 Pentecost River.

Mark tried the bush mechanics trick of spinning the jacked-up back wheel to start the car, but it didn’t work. A push start was impossible as they were parked on sand.

He then tried warming the battery near the fire, but it didn’t work. They waited a full day for the battery to recharge itself, but it didn’t work.

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Mark was a participant on one of my survival courses in Kununurra only months prior to this. After two more days and nights of sleeping in the car with the everpresent danger of the croc returning, he made a plan to walk out to the main Gibb River Road and set up a tripod of sticks with a help note. This was the wet season, and only a handful of vehicles would use that dirt road each week, but someone would eventually find it.

He set up the tripod with a detailed note and request for assistance. He secured it and waterproofed it in a plastic bag with large sets of arrows of wood and stone laid out on the tracks indicating the exact

route back to their camp. This worked, and the first vehicle was one of the El Questro station hands who responded to the note. He drove in the six kilometres and jump-started their vehicle. They then retrieved their tent that was snagged on tree roots. The croc's teeth marks were well imbedded in the ripped tent, and their doona was gone, and so were they, never to return.

This story serves as a reminder: never underestimate a croc's ability and agility out of water. Fifty metres is the minimum distance you should camp from croc waters. I prefer hundreds of metres, and I sleep much more peacefully!

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WATER STORAGE

ALTERNATIVES TO JERRY CANS

I

t is, of course, no secret that our harsh Australian environment is not to be underestimated when it comes to being prepared.

In normal day-to-day adventures, let alone emergencies, water is the most essential resource that we carry into the bush. But what are the alternatives to loading up with bulky jerry cans when space might be limited?

Enter soft bladder water storage systems. These are collapsible and flexible water containers that provide convenience and efficiency for storing and transporting water in vehicles.

Soft bladder water storage systems are made of durable and flexible materials, which include PU (polyurethane), TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), film laminates, and perhaps even PVC (though avoid that at all costs!). These materials allow you to collapse the bladder when not in use, saving valuable space. Unlike jerry cans, these bladders conform to the space available in your vehicle, making them easy to manipulate into tight spots and stow away when empty.

Not only are they space-efficient, but they also tend to be lightweight and resistant to punctures, providing an excellent balance of practicality and durability.

Let's take a closer look at some of the options.

ORTLIEB WATERBAG 10 Litres $59.95 Ortlieb is renowned for producing highquality, durable outdoor gear, and their water storage bladders are no exception.

Their Water Bag series is a standout, offering a range of sizes up to 10L of water.

Ortlieb's bladders are made from abrasionresistant materials, with high-frequency welded seams for superior strength. The cap doubles as a spout, and there is also an optional shower attachment.

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HYDRAPAK SEEKER 6 Litres $112.99 Ultra-durable construction: Made with TPU, which is a lighter material that has excellent resistance to punctures, UV rays, and abrasions, as well as having the ability to handle extreme temperature variations (perhaps not so important in WA). Connects into Plug-N-Play Cap, which is a press-and-release tap lock that opens for fast dispensing or washing. The 42mm cap can also accept a filter system which inline can clarify water and remove bacteria.

SEA TO SUMMIT PACK TAP 10L $49.99 From Perth’s own Sea to Summit is one of their longest-ranging products, the Pack Tap, which has offerings from 4L up to 10L. The Pack Tap is more of a durable pocket to hold a Mylar laminated film bladder (aka, to most Aussies, the good ol’ Goon Bag), and bang for buck, this is the way to go.

The “bag in a box” marks 70 years of production this year; there have been literally hundreds of millions of these bags made since inception, and so, taking out Darwinism, they work perfectly time and time again. Our own personal experience using them off-road is that these things will not leak if packed correctly. We took 4 of the 10-litre Pack Taps on the CSR and never had an issue. If the bladder starts to develop a funky taste, simply replace it with a new one.

The straps are handy to hang from a tree and provide a nice shape to work with.

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GEAR TO GO CAMPING

SEA TO SUMMIT WATERCELL 20L $129.99 More recently, Sea to Summit have stepped up and innovated their WaterCell range, which includes models like the WaterCell X, which has sizes ranging from 2L up to a whopping 20L. The WaterCell X is the one for the car, constructed from TPU with a heavy-duty face fabric to resist wear and tear. Inside are baffles to stop the shape from bellowing out, meaning you can lay it flatter. The multifunctional cap allows a twisting on/off and includes a small shower attachment.

Considering that the 20L WaterCell X carries as much water as a Jerry Can, the benefit of being able to squeeze these into various nooks and crannies means you can take a heap of extra water with you.

Whatever you take, be aware of how you pack the bladder, as despite all of these being durable, nothing will stop a wayward spike from wearing a hole over countless corrugations.

If they leak, look inwards at your packing first before blaming the product!!

Soft bladder water storage solutions are super useful for Australian conditions, and there is plenty of choice. Check out Go Camping & Overlanding in Balcatta for just a few!

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CLEWED UP WITH JO CLEWS

MURCHISON CAMP OVEN MUSTER

I

t was my absolute pleasure to once again be involved with the Murchison Camp Oven Muster.

What will hopefully become a yearly event held on the first weekend of August at the small outback community of Murchison, approximately 200 km from Mullewa, was again this year a huge success.

This event is only made possible by the hard work and dedication to detail by the Shire, its employees, passionate individuals from the community, station families, and residents of the past.

Over the two-day event there are many experiences to be had for the price of the ticket: wildflower walks, a breakaway sundowner, a starlight dinner, woodworking, fabric dyeing, native plant propagation workshops, and much more.

This year the highlight was having Michael Atkinson, a survivalist, adventurer, and documentary filmmaker, participate and hold a survival workshop as well as play

his movie Modern Day Castaway for the participants.

Of course the main reason everyone gathers is to put their camp oven skills to the test and have an awesome feed.

Friday afternoon saw us gather at the community centre, where I did a dampermaking workshop. Then the participants had a go, and about 30 dampers were made to be part of the evening's starlight meal.

I have never seen that many dampers of all shapes, sizes, and flavours in one place at the same time. I was well and truly dampered out by the time the judging was finished!

Saturday was a full day of interesting workshops, homemade goodies at the market stalls, and relaxed bush walks.

At about 2:30pm the participants started to drift over with their camp ovens and the ingredients to make a main meal to contribute to the camp oven long table.

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Fires had been burning for a couple of hours so we would have enough coals for the cooking, and camp ovens were carefully nestled near or on piles of coals to be carefully watched over for the next few hours while the creative culinary chaos ensued.

Long dining tables were decorated with local foliage and candles, under the festoon lights, under the stars, and just after 6pm the procession of camp ovens filled to the brim with delicious goodness were presented on the serving table.

The tables groaned under the weight of 55 camp ovens filled with everything from curries to roasts, quiche to crayfish mornay, and everything in between. What a feast, and absolutely no one was going to go hungry. I know I only got halfway down the table before my plate was nearly overflowing.

Because the participants are so focused on making sure their contribution is ready in time for the feast, no one has time to think of dessert, so the organising committee provided a little sweet treat just to top everyone right up.

This year we made chocolate self-saucing pudding, and I contributed by making one in my medium-sized cast iron camp oven, so that is what I will share with you in this edition.

SELF-SAUCING CHOCOLATE PUDDING You will need: 1 medium-sized camp oven Mixing spoon or an egg whisk As all ingredients are mixed in the camp oven, there is no need for a mixing bowl.

Ingredients for cake: 100g of melted butter 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder 5 tablespoons of sugar, white or brown, does not matter 2 eggs 1¼ cups of milk 1½ cups of self-raising flour Ingredients for sauce: 2 tablespoons of sugar 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder 3-4 cups of boiling water

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Method: Melt the butter directly in the camp oven, allow it to cool, then add all the other cake ingredients, and stir or whisk until all ingredients are well combined.

Sprinkle the cocoa powder and sugar over the top of the cake mixture, then pour the boiling water over the back of a spoon on top of the cake and sauce mixture. At this point do not stir.

If you want more sauce, then add a bit more boiling water.

A shot of coffee or a teaspoon of instant makes a richer chocolate cake.

Place the camp oven over a small pile of hot coals, put on the lid, and arrange some hot coals over the top of the lid.

Cook for 20-30 minutes or until the magic has happened and the cake is cooked on the top and the sauce is thick and unctuous underneath.

Serve with cream, hot custard, or ice cream.

Enjoy!

Vanilla cake with small chopped pieces of apricot and hot apricot nectar instead of boiling water makes a nice alternative.

The addition of some liqueur gives it just a little more punch.

Experiment and come up with your own favourite combination.

Holiday in in WA WA Holiday Holiday in WA

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Holiday in WA

When you holiday in WA, book with Quality Tourism Accredited Businesses and reliability and great customer service. you’ll get a quality assured operator wherever you go.

From hotels and guided tours to shops and services, you can expect quality, When you holiday in WA, book with Quality Tourism Accredited Businesses and and great customer service.

From hotels andreliability guided tours to shops and services, youyou can you’ll get a quality assured operator wherever go.expect quality, reliability and great customer service.

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To book your holiday with Quality Tourism Accredited Businesses, visit To book your holiday with Quality Tourism Accredited Businesses, visit www.holidayinwa.com.au www.holidayinwa.com.au

book your holiday with Quality Tourism Accredited Businesses, visit To book your holiday with Quality Tourism Accredited Businesses, visit To book your holiday with Quality Tourism Accredited Businesses, visit www.holidayinwa.com.au www.holidayinwa.com.au www.holidayinwa.com.au 142 | Western 4W Driver #135 | western4wdriver.com.au

CAPTURE THE MOMENT WITH UNCLE DICK STEIN

Do not figure on finding water in the bush or solid dry land at the beach—that is not how geography works. Take more food and water than you need. Take less liquor than you can hold.

AM I IN TROUBLE YET?

T

he time to ask yourself this question is a half hour before the answer is going to be "Yes”…

You can apply this philosophy to many aspects of the 4WD experience—all the way from your first vehicle purchase through to your latest epic action-cam shot. That’s the one that will earn you a place in the hall of fame and the orthopaedic ward.

If that is your aim in life, don’t let us stop you. We will not stand in your way, nor anywhere near it as you rev up and pop the clutch. The better souls amongst us will turn away and think gentle thoughts—the rest will film it on their phones and share the result as you and the vehicle go aaaaall the way down…

But if you’d like to avoid this, think ahead.

Plan the big expenditure so that you and the family can eat food during the next six months. Do not dismantle the fuel injection on your 4WD to see if you can put it back together. Do not unplug anything under the bonnet, and do not solder anything up under the dash.

Do not depend on a 1978 road map—the bit you want is in the creases. Also do not depend on the GPS—it was programmed by someone in Taiwan, and they were not lost.

Do not depend on a rumour or the advice of the bloke in the pub. He might have the same sense of humour I do…

Get better tyres than you need and take several of them. Take several more lug nuts than you strictly need. Ditto fuses and light bulbs—if your rig uses light bulbs.

Be as cautious in where you go as if the place was mined—much of the Goldfields is.

Tell responsible people where you are going and when you’ll get there—even if you are fleeing warrants. You may eventually want them to find you, and it would be nice to be able to speak when they do.

And when you get that vague, tingly, weird, off-the-hook feeling—like the characters in the haunted house movies—don’t go where the feeling gets worse. Turning around and leaving is always a good idea.

Well done Oliver!

You’ve won a Vehicle Survival First Aid Kit valued at $130, from

Follow us on Facebook and watch for our request for entries for your chance to win! facebook.com/western4wdriver

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SMART PHOTOGRAPHY WITH KARL FEHLAUER

VIDEOGRAPHY WITH A SMALL SENSOR – PART 2 Welcome to spring, everyone. Hopefully you've managed to get outside and do some photography or videography. Last month’s article was an introduction to creating video with a small sensor on a smartphone, and this month’s article will be a brief discussion on how to video using a small sensor, whether it be on a smartphone or other device such as an action camera, etc.

I

say ‘brief’ because this topic can get very in-depth and confusing, which then makes it complicated. In a previous article (No. 2), I mentioned that photography with a smartphone is basically ‘computational photography,’ that is, the phone uses computer algorithms to create the images, which is different from the way ‘normal’ cameras operate.

There are good points and bad points in regard to computational photography, and it is important to understand them, so if you want to understand it a bit more, please go back and read article No. 2, Tips and Techniques.

One of the biggest issues is that the video image is too sharp with no (or very little) motion blur, and this is because the camera has to use extremely fast shutter speeds to correct the exposure due to the large apertures that smartphone camera lenses have, and this appears unnatural to the human eye.

The human eye is used to seeing motion blur; therefore, when shooting video, you get the best results shooting ‘manually’ or in ‘Pro Video’ mode, as many smartphones have, and this article is going to explain the principles/techniques to shoot in manual mode.

First up, we need to understand ‘Frames Per Second’ (FPS). Essentially, video is just a series of still images joined together to create the motion, and how many FPS will determine how it is viewed. Too slow, and it will be in slow motion; too fast, and it will be in very fast motion; and somewhere in the middle, it will be just right.

When it comes to recording video with a smartphone, then the same principles of computational photography apply, which is why many people enjoy taking video with smartphones because you just basically point and shoot/record, and your phone will record rather good video that is great to share with family and friends or online; however, there are some downfalls to using the native video app on your smartphone.

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Testing out the cage.

PAL uses 25 FPS, which is why, when you watch YouTube, the Americans always go on about 30 FPS as being the 'correct' standard; however, this isn’t always the case, and we in Australia use 25 FPS. However, all the new televisions, computers, etc., can play both frame rates, and YouTube automatically converts the video anyway.

That said, I recommend using 25 FPS, but it is up to you to decide what you want to use.

Trying the Hohem Gymbal.

We would have all seen vision of films created back in the early days, which were very ‘jittery/flickery,’ and this was because the playback (or FPS) was too slow, and it took the early creators many years before they found the ‘sweet spot’ for recording FPS that looked natural, and that was 23.97 FPS, which has since been rounded up to 24 FPS and is now the standard for all movies created for cinema, and this is where you get the term ‘cinematic.’

Now, without opening a barrel of worms and complicating things, I will try and explain what FPS to use and why, as it is a very complex topic and one that can go on forever.

As stated, 24 FPS was used to create films for the cinema, but once television arrived on the scene, things changed because there was no standard; however, two formats were created: PAL and NTSC. NTSC was created and became the standard for the USA and a couple of other countries, and PAL became the standard for the rest of the world. NTSC uses 30 FPS, whereas

Once you have decided on what frame rate you want to record your video at, then the next important thing is your shutter speed. The ‘rule of thumb’ for video (and this has been around for years) is the ‘180 degree’ rule, that is, your shutter speed must be double that of your frame rate—i.e., if shooting at 25 FPS, your shutter speed should be 1/50th of a second, or if shooting at 30 FPS, your shutter speed should be 1/60th of a second. This is because it creates the correct amount of motion blur that looks natural to the human eye.

However, the big problem we have when using smartphones to record video (or to take still photos) is the camera lens apertures are fixed and usually at a very wide opening, such as F2.8, F1.8, etc., which means that when using slow shutter speeds, such as 1/50th of a second, the images will be overexposed, especially when shot during bright, sunny days.

This is why, when using the standard camera video app to shoot video, it will use superfast shutter speeds in excess of 1/1000th of a second to balance the exposure, which, as I explained before, becomes unnatural to the human eye. Therefore, you need to use Neutral Density (ND) filters on your lenses to assist with balancing the exposure, so you will need to invest in a good set of ND filters and holders to correct your exposure.

In my previous article (No. 14), I showed you my setups, and I use Freewell Filters and filter holders, and I like them, but there are other brands available, and it is up to you to decide which best suits you.

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If you watch a lot of YouTube (as I do), you will see a lot of YouTube creators like to use a lot of slow motion in their videos, and I will discuss this in depth in a future article, but if you want to use slow motion in your videos, you need to double, triple, or quadruple your FPS when shooting. So what do I mean by that? Essentially, if you are shooting at 25 FPS, then you need to increase your FPS and your shutter speed to match—i.e., if shooting at 25 FPS / 1/50th, then you need to shoot at 50 FPS / 1/100th, 100 FPS / 1/200th, etc., and then when you are video editing, slow it down in post-production— more on that in a future article.

So a quick recap on what I have written.

Firstly, if you want to shoot naturally looking video with the correct motion blur, you need to shoot in a manual (or Pro) mode.

Secondly, your FPS needs to be 24, 25 or 30 FPS. Thirdly, your shutter speed needs to be double that of your FPS—i.e., 25 FPS = a shutter speed of 1/50th of a second.

This is probably a lot to take in, but there is lots of information out there, particularly on YouTube, that will assist you in understanding frame rates and shutter speeds.

In my next article I will discuss audio requirements in more detail and what video app I prefer to use to record video and recommend.

Anyway, that’s it for now. Keep the shiny side up, and if not, make sure that you get it on video.

My setup.

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GOINGS ON

WA shires join forces to safeguard coastline from off-road driving damage

initiative designed to protect the coastline by restricting off-track four-wheel driving while maintaining its reputation as an ideal location for nature-based activities.

The Shires of Coorow, Dandaragan, and Gingin have jointly adopted a master plan to protect WA’s coastline from the harsh effects of erosion, largely driven by off-track four-wheel driving.

“We are not closing tracks per se,” Mr. O’Gorman stated. “The purpose of the Masterplan is to clearly identify the recognised tracks and restrict usage on all the other unapproved tracks.”

The coastal stretch north of Perth, known for its wide range of outdoor activities such as four-wheel driving, fishing, and camping, has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, which has become a concern for the local Shires.

To support the plan, signage will be placed along the designated routes, and information brochures will be made available at local visitor centres, government offices and libraries. Further information on tracks will be available from the Turquoise Coast Visitor Centre in due course, along with updates on social media and Shire websites.

With the increase of four-wheel driving across the coast, there has been a rise in the formation of new ‘unofficial’ coastal tracks, with drivers cutting through dunes rather than following the approved trails, leading to crucial environmental damage.

“The reason the Shires undertook this work was due to the massively increased usage of the coastal tracks,” said Dandaragan Shire President Tony O’Gorman. “This has caused significant degradation to the coastal environment.”

The newly acquired Coastal Recreation Track Management Master Plan (CRTMMP) is an

The councils say these changes will not only aid in the protection of the coast but also foster a sustainable environment for recreational off-roading for years to come.

The Shires of Coorow, Dandagaran, and Gingin have adopted a Coastal Recreation Track Management Master Plan to protect the coastline from erosion caused by offroading. More information can be found at dandaragan.wa.gov.au, and further updates will be posted on visitturquoisecoast.com.au

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Red Dust Revival 2025 to celebrate the glory days of outback racing The Lake Perkolilli Red Dust Revival will return in 2025 from Monday, September 29, until Sunday, October 5.

The Lake Perkolilli Red Dust Revival celebrates the golden years of outback motor racing history between 1914 and 1939 with riders and drivers in old cars and bikes lovingly recreating the spirit of the past.

For more than 100 years, competitors and their friends have been camping at Lake Perkolilli, not just for the racing, but for the experience. Alongside the vintage speed demonstrations, highlights of the 2025 event include helicopter rides, food vans, a fully licenced bar, and a host of other attractions for motorsport fans and families alike.

Lake Perkolilli is a natural claypan about a 45-minute drive from Kalgoorlie in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.

The last part of the drive is on a dirt road and then becomes a bush track, but it is accessible for two-wheel-drive vehicles.

All proceeds from camping and spectator entry fees go to the children’s charity, Variety WA. Red Dust Revival takes place at Lake Perkolilli from Monday, September 29, until Sunday, October 5, 2025. For more info and to buy tickets, head to eventbrite. com.au. For updates, follow the Red Dust Revival Facebook page.

The Mandurah Boat, Caravan, 4WD & Camping Show The Mandurah Boat, Caravan, 4WD & Camping Show returns in 2025, taking over Rushton Park from Friday, October 10, to Sunday, October 12.

Presenting new release boats, caravans, camper trailers, 4WD vehicles, camping equipment, and more, the large-scale exhibition is an opportunity for families and adventure enthusiasts alike to experience WA’s premier leisure lifestyle showcase, compare quality brands, research the latest products, and enjoy special show pricing amongst a vibrant carnival atmosphere.

The Peel Craft Beer Festival will run as part of the show, with brewers of the greater Mandurah region, such as Boundary Island Brewing, Thorny Devil Brewing, White Lakes Brewing, Dingo Brewing, Kind Road Brewery, and Spinifex Brewing Co., all presenting their finest ales in the Mandurah Show licenced area, titled “The Abbar.”

The event will also feature Hardwired Entertainment Freestyle Motocross stunt shows, live entertainment, kids’ activities, and more.

Rushton Park is conveniently located close to the Mandurah Train Station, with parking and a dedicated complimentary shuttle bus service available for patrons heading to and from the show gates.

The Mandurah Boat, Caravan, 4WD & Camping Show hits Rushton Park from Friday, October 10, to Sunday, October 12.

For more info and to buy tickets, head to mandurah.show

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Perth 4WD and Adventure Show returns bigger and better in 2025 The Perth 4WD and Adventure Show returns bigger and better in 2025, taking over McCallum Park on the banks of the Swan River from Friday, November 7, to Sunday, November 9.

Returning to its home where it has been held for over 30 years now, this year’s show will fill all of McCallum Park and Taylor Reserve, bringing an extra 8,000 square metres of space to the show—meaning there is even more to see and do than ever before.

Celebrating outdoor exploring in all its forms, the 4WD Show features all the big brands in 4WDs and SUVs, camping and 4WD accessories, as well as caravans, camper trailers, motorhomes and fishing gear, each with different activations designed to educate and inspire.

The Western 4W Driver Travel Zone is also set to feature at this year’s show, bringing tour operators and regional experts on site to share advice and inspiration for your next trip. The Western 4W Driver team will be there too, giving you a chance to hear their stories, grab some merch and past issues, and win prizes.

The Perth 4WD and Adventure Show offers free parking on Sir James Mitchell Park, as well as free parking and shuttle bus services from Belmont Park. The show runs from 8:30am to 5pm daily. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $12 for children, $20 for concession, and $55 for families. Children under five are free. Two-day and three-day passes are also available, and tickets can be purchased online or at the gate.

The Perth 4WD and Adventure Show takes over McCallum Park from Friday, November 7, to Sunday, November 9, 2025. Tickets are on sale now from perth.4wdshow.com.au

Attractions this year include the Toyo Tires Open Country Adventure Zone, offering visitors technical and practical information on four-wheel driving and overlanding to equip them for exploring our country. Each zone within includes different presentations and interactive demonstrations, including 4WD Recovery Demos, the popular Traction Track, and the Bush Mechanics Area.

The Engel Bush Camp Stage will feature once again in 2025, with special guests including Graham Cahill from 4WD24/7, Jase Andrews from All 4 Adventure, and Ronny Dahl, with more to be announced.

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NOW WE'RE TAWKING! Travelling Australia With Kids WITH TARA HENRY

Try our quiz at the end to see if you have the stamina to be a TAWK family!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG THE HILARIOUSLY HONEST GUIDE TO TRAVELLING WITH KIDS (AND SURVIVING IT) Spring in Australia is like nature's invitation to families: "Come out, explore, and maybe lose a shoe or two on your travels."

I

t's the season when wildflowers bloom, kangaroos play peekaboo, and parents across Australia, especially in Western Australia, decide it's the perfect time to pack up the kids and embark on an outdoor adventure and enjoy the warmer weather and a little less wind.

Whether you're towing a caravan, pitching a tent, or heading off the beaten track with your swags, travelling with kids promises unforgettable memories—and a few stories that will be retold for years to come.

Hopefully without any eggs on heads, like our recent hide-and-seek-in-the-dark game enjoyed by our tribe of kids and cousins!

WHAT'S YOUR TRAVEL STYLE? CARAVAN

Home on wheels (and wheels on the edge) Caravanning is the epitome of family travel freedom. You have the flexibility to change your backyard view daily, from the red cliffs of Kalbarri to the turquoise waters of Esperance. But let's be real: sharing a compact space with your kids can test even the most patient parent.

Perks: Flexibility: Change your backyard view daily.

Convenience: No need to unpack and repack at every stop.

Community: Meet fellow travellers and share tales (and tips) around the communal BBQ.

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Challenges: Space: It's cosy... perhaps too cosy when everyone's inside during rain or wind.

Maintenance: Regular checks are essential to avoid unexpected detours to the mechanic.

Top Spots: Bremer Bay Beaches Resort Tourist Park: A family-friendly park offering TAWK Members two nights of free camping for up to three children.

Boddington Caravan Park: Known for its welcoming atmosphere and three nights of free camping for TAWK Members' kids.

Note: TAWK (Travelling Australia With Kids) is a fantastic resource for families hitting the road.

Their TAWK Membership offers benefits like two nights of free camping for kids at over 180 parks across Australia.

TENTS

Embrace the elements (and the insects) Camping in a tent or chucking in the swags is an ultimate Australian experience. It's about getting back to basics, roasting marshmallows over a fire, and waking up with the sunrise (or the sound of kookaburras laughing at your expense).

Perks: Affordability: A budget-friendly option for families.

Connection to Nature: Sleep under the stars and truly immerse yourself in the environment.

Simplicity: Less gear means less to worry about.

Challenges: Weather: Rain can turn your cosy into a soggy mess.

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Comfort: Sleeping on the ground isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Setup: Pitching a tent with "help" from the kids can be... interesting. The extra items for cooking, etc., can make for an epic set up and pack up.

Top Spots: Yanchep National Park: Offers familyfriendly trails, koala sightings, and the Trees Adventure Park for kids aged 4 and up.

Kulin Caravan Park: A unique "pay-whatyou-like" camping spot, complete with Australia's largest waterslide outside of cities.

Final Thoughts: Embrace the adventure!

Whatever style you choose, take the little rat bums away with you (sorry, kids).

Travelling with kids in Australia is an adventure filled with laughter, learning, and the occasional meltdown. Whether you're towing a caravan, pitching a tent, or swagging the better weather away, the key is to embrace the chaos and cherish the memories.

So pack your bags, load up the snacks, and set off on a journey that your family will talk about for years to come. And remember, when things don't go as planned (because they won't), those are the moments that make the best stories.

Happy travels!

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Before you go, let's see if you can pass the travelling with kids test!

(Warning: If you’ve ever handed your child a banana to stop a meltdown, only to be screamed at because you "peeled it wrong"... this quiz is for you.)

Answer YES or NO to the following questions: 1.

Have you packed 73 snacks for a two-hour drive... and still been told there's “nothing to eat"?

2.

Have you ever tried to enjoy a scenic lookout while a child yells, “I NEED TO PEE RIGHT NOW!” even though you stopped five minutes ago?

3.

Has your child ever dramatically announced, “I think I have gastro,” while you're 100 km from the nearest public toilet?

4.

Have you shared a caravan bed with a toddler, a soft toy, a rogue chip, a dog, and someone else's foot on your face?

5.

Have you unpacked 12 activity books, iPads, puzzle kits, and a ukulele... only for your child to whine, “I’m BORED”? And are we there yet?

6.

Have you ever cooked dinner on a camp stove with one hand while holding a torch in your mouth, swatting flies, and refereeing a fight over who gets the blue cup?

7.

Have you confidently booked a camp spot to find a family already all set up?

8.

Have you ever told your child, “Just look out the window and enjoy the view,” only to hear, “It’s been the SAME THING for 20 minutes”?

9.

Have you whispered “this was a terrible idea” to your partner at least once before midday on day two of the trip?

10. Have you ever felt deeply betrayed by your own bladder when you finally get the baby to sleep in a tent?

Results: 0–2 YES answers: You're either a travel unicorn or you haven't left yet. Pack snacks. You’re gonna need them.

3–6 YES answers: You’re deep in the trenches of family travel. You’re surviving on baby wipes and blind optimism. You’ve earned a hot coffee (that you’ll never get to finish).

7–10 YES answers: You’re a seasoned road warrior. You laugh in the face of “Are we there yet?” You don’t just travel with kids—you parent on the move like a boss.

Bonus points if your kids think servo pies are gourmet cuisine.

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QUARTERLY CROSSWORD Read the mag cover to cover and you'll have no problems solving this puzzle.

DOWN

ACROSS

2.

Home of the Camp Oven Muster

1.

Wild horse

3.

Colourful rock formation

4.

6.

Aussie slang for saltwater crocodile

Box-shaped Land Rover with cult following

9.

Debris from Halley's Comet

5.

Hybrid ute from BYD

7.

Home of Overland Expo West

8.

Claypan lake used for outback racing

11. Birthplace of RM Williams 13. Home of Australia's largest outback waterslide 14. Spooky site of Kanowna gold rush

10. Mercedes van often modified for recreational use 12. Goldfields dam that was never used 15. Tallest fire lookout tree in the world 16. The other form of fishing 17. Biliguda

Answers will be published in the Summer edition of Western 4W Driver

Crossword Puzzle Crossword solution from Winter Edition #134 B

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 Jane Pelusey

Across:

ngrove whelks 2. Ningaloo Sky Festival headliners ongar name for the coldest and wettest 6. Town Fred Merton was born in | Western 4W Driver western4wdriver.com.au ason 8. #135 German | explorer

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MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE! Subscribe online at: western4wdriver.com.au or fill in the form over the page and post it to: Western 4W Driver, C/- Vanguard Publishing PO Box 50, NORTHBRIDGE WA 6865 To order back issues go to western4wdriver.com.au 156 | Western 4W Driver #135 | western4wdriver.com.au

HX-2+ built with Hema Nav — offroad navigation, reimagined.

Whether you’re navigating through dense urban streets or exploring remote offroad locations, the Hema HX-2+ GPS Navigator is your perfect travelling companion in more ways than one. Now updated to include the innovative Hema 3D Explorer Map and leveraging advanced turn-by-turn and remote guidance, the HX-2+ GPS Navigator lets you plan, experience and share your adventures. Pre-loaded with the all-new Hema Nav, the HX-2+ takes you on a journey to remember and brings you back home safely.

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Prepared to explore.

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Postage costs for trip books: 1 book - $4.00 2-8 books - $12.00

Total $

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158 | Western 4W Driver #135 | western4wdriver.com.au

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Your quick-find reference to products and services in Western 4W Driver

ACCOMMODATION Queen of the Murchison............................... 51 CAMPING SUPPLIES Bob Cooper Outback Survival.................... 132 Go Camping and Overlanding................... 139 CLUBS Toyota LandCruiser Club of WA................. 125 DESTINATIONS Pilbara East....................................................IFC Shire of Ashburton......................................... 32 4WD PARTS & ACCESSORIES ARB Midland................................................... 69 Goldfields Offroad......................................... 67 Maxtrax......................................................... IBC Medicar Automotive Solutions................... 117 MSA 4x4 Accessories..................................... 43 Norweld......................................................... 124 Supafit Seat Covers........................................ 15 MAGAZINES Western Angler............................................ 135

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MECHANICAL SERVICE, REPAIRS & REPLACEMENT Fremantle Fuel Injection............................... 13 Goldfields Offroad......................................... 67 Medicar Automotive Solutions................... 117 United Fuel Injection..................................... 79 MOTOR VEHICLES Barbagallo Land Rover.................................. 25 Toyota...........................................................OBC PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS Fremantle Fuel Injection............................... 13 Turbotech........................................................ 77 United Fuel Injection..................................... 79 TRAINING & TOURS Bob Cooper Outback Survival.................... 132 WAITOC........................................................... 99 OTHER Perth 4WD & Adventure Show....................... 1 Quality Tourism Accredited Businesses.... 142 Road Safety Commission.............................. 59 Be Crocwise.................................................. 134

MAPS & NAVIGATION Hema Maps................................................... 157

western4wdriver.com.au | Western 4W Driver #135 |

159

S

ILLY NA P S

that I didn’t day and this was the only hole I went four-wheel driving for the snorkel and no with ruts and slipped into the give a walk-through. I got lazy, s! sing cros r k your wate locked the motor up. Always chec Mason Walker

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first Rodeo— Well Mason, it might not be your could be it but with that kind of confidence not just it’s gs, your last! By the look of thin be grab may kel… snor the ute that could use a too? it at re you’ some flippers while

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How you get out is ours.

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KEEP ‘EM COMING FOLKS. All you need is a potentially funny situation, a good sense of humour and of course, your camera.

Send your silly snap to: submissions@western4wdriver.com.au 160 | Western 4W Driver #135 | western4wdriver.com.au

135th EDITION Spring 2025

PEMBERTON NIAGARA DAM SNOWY MOUNTAINS

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11.95

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Print Post Approved 602669/00784

WESTERN 4W DRIVER 135th EDITION Spring 2025

WHEATBELT WAY

LAND ROVER DEFENDER MAGNET FISHING HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WORLD’S BIGGEST 4WD SHOW