Newsletter dated May 14, 2015

JACKAROO 4WD CLUB
VICTORIA’S PREMIER ALL MAKE 4WD TOURING CLUB
MAY 2015
Reports on:
Buckland Valley
Backhouse Beach
Club Calendar
Month
May
Date Event Details
30
30 & 31
Committee Meeting
General Meeting - Pizza Night
- Cando Motors
Intermediate Driver Training
Otways Photography Walk
June
5 -8
7
17
17
30
4WD Vic at Mansfield
Deadline for Newsletter items
Committee Meeting
General Meeting
Len Beadell Highways
July
5
15
15
Deadline for Newsletter items
Committee Meeting
Soup & Sausage Night
August
9
15
19
19
Deadline for Newsletter items
Intermediate Driver Training
Committee Meeting
General Meeting
September
6
16
16
Deadline for Newsletter items
Committee Meeting
General Meeting
October
20
20
2-5
11
21
21
24 & 25
Little Desert weekend
Deadline for Newsletter items
Committee Meeting
General Meeting
Clunes weekend
Next Meeting
The Jackaroo Club of Victoria
Box 617, Doncaster 3108
Our next General meeting will be on
Wednesday 20th May 2015 at the RSL
Bowling Club, Centre Way North Balwyn at
7.30 pm.
www.jackaroo4wdclub.org.au
This will be our annual Pizza Night.
President:
David Dobson 9728 3550 or 0430 286 168
dtdobson@bigpond.com
This night is one of the social highlights of Vice President:
the year. Come along with your partner and Ian Blainey 0458 444 656
Ian_anne1@bigpond.com
enjoy some club supplied pizza in a convivial atmosphere with other members.
Secretary:
There will also be a guest speaker from
Cando Motors in Lilydale, who have just
opened a retail TJM store.
If you have an interest in off market
items, come along and hear what is now
available.
Ron Taylor Award
Each year at our July Meeting, the Club
makes an award to a club member who has
made a contribution to the Club, over and
above that of a normal member.
Rob Hume 0438 505 257
rdhume@outlook.com
Treasurer:
John Dudley 5429 5087 or 0412 948 361
rjdudley@bigpond.com
Trip Coordinator:
Michael Martin 9730 1465, 0427 973 014
bunda491@yahoo.com.au
Membership Officer:
Chris Rogers 9481 4769 or 0425 795 858
rogers_chris@optusnet.com.au
Editor:
Harry Richards 9878 8908, 0408 142 107
harryjr42@optusnet.com.au
Librarian & Clothing:
The award honours a respected early
Ian Marr 0413 546 178
member who unfortunately passed away on
iamarr@optusnet.com.au
a club trip.
Property Officer:
President, David Dobson, is keen to hear
from you if you have a nomination for a
member who you think has made such a
contribution over the last twelve months.
He needs to know by 17th June, the date
of the June meeting.
Mark Eames 9431 6400 or 0401 998 172
eamesm@tpg.com.au
Committee:
Alan Dash 9311 3628 or 0407 568 700
Philip Johnstone 9807 9096 or 0417 014 636
Rod Tamblyn 9735 0698 or 0427 884 603
Paul Trouse 0408 003 383
VALE
Wayne Scholes
September 29, 1953 - April 23, 2015
It was indeed a sad day when we learned of the passing
of a popular member, Wayne Scholes. He passed away
peacefully on 23rd April.
Wayne was a very popular member of the Club for many
years, always making himself available if anything
needed to be done and enjoying many of the Club trips.
Unfortunately, he was afflicted with a debilitating disease
some four years ago, which gradually reduced his mobility. It did not however, affect his infectious smile and outgoing personality.
Twenty members attended his funeral at the Mechanics
Hall in Nagambie and afterwards at the Royal Mail Hotel.
We learned that Wayne was born in Queensland and
developed a keen interest in photography. As a consequence, he joined the air force as a photographer. He
was posted to a number of states and had some time in
Malaysia.
As a bushie from Queensland, he always liked the outdoors and upon retiring from the air force, started four
wheel driving. At one stage he was a member of three
clubs, but finally settled on us.
A good friend who presented the eulogy, told us of an
early camping trip where Wayne attached the air compressor to his mattress to blow it up, then promptly forgot
about it. He did blow it up, but not as he intended.
Another anecdote related was the time Wayne received
a call from Gareth Evans, who was the Foreign Minister
in the Hawke government. He wanted to talk about purchasing an aircraft carrier.
A bemused Wayne eventually realised Evans thought he
was talking to Gordon Scholes, the then Minister for
Defence.
Wayne, you may be gone, but our fond memories of you
are not.
Backhouse Beach
30th April - 4th May
The camp is a huge clearing on the bank of the Murray
Ann Marr reports:
We were eagerly looking forward to the weekend when we received the sad news that former
Club member, Wayne Scholes, had passed away.
To quote from Chris Rogers email “Many knew
Wayne as an active and enthusiastic member of
the Club until his deteriorating health forced
his reluctant retirement from Club activities.”
The river was high
Trip Leaders Jan and Michael Martin advised
that they were altering their plans to attend his
funeral in Nagambie on Thursday.
Along with many other Club members, we attended the service in the Mechanics Institute
hall and afterwards at the Royal Mail Hotel. The
lovely sunny day helped make it a wonderful
send off for Wayne.
Jan and Michael headed off for Backhouse
Beach and we followed a little later. We easily
found the camp using the excellent notes provided by Michael and arrived around 4.30pm to
find Colin Cameron had joined Jan and Michael
in setting up camp
The river was high this year. The camp is on a
huge clearing looking north over the mighty
Murray River and surrounded by magnificent
river red gums which support all sorts of
birdlife. It is a lovely area.
Friday saw another lovely, sunny day - not quite
swimming weather, though almost. Colin, Ian and
Michael went off to collect some firewood for
the evening’s communal fire.
Tom and Heather (friends of Colin also from
Berrigan) arrived and set themselves up with
their van, followed by Chris and Helen Rogers.
Chris and Helen arrive
The day disappeared quickly and Happy Hour
began. A huge camp fire was lit and the day
ended with the group sitting around the camp
fire waiting for the full moon to rise.
It was another beautiful
day in Paradise
Tell me about your new van
Saturday, another beautiful day in paradise,
as Michael could be heard repeating over the
weekend.
Cleve and Jenny arrived and set up their tent,
followed in turn by Greg Moore, Mark Eames
and Stella.
Rob and Veronica Searle arrived in their Jeep
and ??? . Their brand new Paramount van was,
at that moment, 47 hours old, so they and
their van, were staying at the Cobram Resort.
They were visiting for the day and promised
to return on Sunday with their lunch.
Greg and Colin collected a heap more wood
for the fire which would support the camp
oven cook-off.
A long pit was dug, ready to take the hot
coals for the camp ovens. However, the pit
was damp and the heat disappeared too
quickly. It was decided to put the ovens on
the edge of the fire.
Ian dug a tranch
Grag was first to put his camp oven on
Greg was the first to put his camp oven on, but
the last to eat. There were some great looking
meals and lots of laughter.
Helen baked a delicious plum cake which she
offered to everyone with clotted cream for
dessert. Magnificent.
We did lots of sitting around today in the sun,
or shade, or dappled shade, mostly down by the
river
When Rob and Von arrived, the burning question
was “How did it go last night?”. The response
was “Everything worked well”> This was in relation to their brand new van … ???
Some people needed to go home for work … ah, I
remember those days! Mark and Chris packed up
and left the rest of us to enjoy the rest of the
day.
Monday morning saw a heavy dew and early
morning fog. One by one, we packed and left for
home in lovely sunshine. A great relaxing weekend in a great spot.
A great relaxing weekend
Ray is Upgrading his Van
Club member Ray Bridger is upgrading his caravan,
so his present outfit is for sale.
EVERNEW caravan, 2003 in excellent condition. It
has a club lounge, 3 way fridge and a Queen bed
$17,000
Nissan Patrol 3 litre turbo diesel, fitted with dual
batteries, tow pack, rear drawers and fridge slide.
It is in excellent condition despite its 400,000kms
$20,000
Ring Ray on 0428 377 613
Buckland Valley Trip
17th - 19th April
Participants:
Brad Riddington - Trip Leader
Barry Gough
Michael Woods
Graeme and Monika Thornton
Greg and Noelene Moore
Karl-Martin Scheuerlein, Christian Schiele and Dimitri Gordeev
Friday 17th - Noelene Moore reports:
There was great excitement in the Moore household at the thought of packing the tent and camping equipment to embark on a real 4WD adventure.
To make the trip a little more relaxing, we decided
to leave on Thursday afternoon and drive to
Benalla for the night. Graeme and Monika agreed
to do the same and share a cabin for the night.
After booking in and unpacking, we headed to the
North Eastern Hotel for dinner. The venue was
recommended by the lady at reception at the caravan park and we were not disappointed. The meal
and friendly service impressed us both.
Graeme and Monika arrived about 9.30pm and,
after our usual chat and a cup of tea, we retired
for the night.
Myrtleford at 11.00 am, was the designated meeting
time. As it was only about one hour’s drive away, we
had a leisurely breakfast before heading off.
In Myrtleford we refuelled, had morning tea, then
met up with the rest of the group. Brad provided us
with a map and briefed us on the tracks he intended
to traverse.
The weather forecast left us in no doubt that rain
was imminent. Brad suggested it could be up to
100mm. Suddenly the prospect of camping in a tent
was less inviting.
A short drive took us to Lake Buffalo, where the
tyres were aired down. By the time everyone was
done with their tyres, Brad suggested we have
lunch.
With a mild temperature and no rain in sight, we left
our lunch spot around 12.40pm.
Lunch at Lake Buffalo
Buggery Track was the first track of the trip. The group drove
south along Buggery Track with Brad leading and Greg as
Tail End Charlie.
Michael had a near new MUX with BFG All Terrains and this
was its first real off road adventure. Our travels continued on
to Camp Track, then right on to Buffalo Range Track.
By now, the weather had become threatening and a few
drops of rain were evident. Still it wasn’t what you would call
raining.
A left turn on to Scotchmans Creek Track saw us head in a
more northerly direction. The track was quite solid, with sections of quite steep uphill climbs.
At the junction with Buckland River Road, we turned right on
to a substantial gravel road which took us to our camp site at
Good Hope Flat.
This camp area was really lovely, with green grass, tall trees
and an abundant supply of fresh water in the nearby Buckland
River.
Everyone selected a spot to set up camp and, for some time,
diligently erected tents, swags and tarps.
The rain though, started to steadily get heavier. One
of the most enjoyable aspects of bush camping is
the camp fire and at this stage it was seriously
under threat of not happening.
Thankfully, as luck would have it, the rain eased and
gave us enough time to get a fire roaring and the
evening meal cooked.
One of Karl-Martin’s guests, Christian, had brought
along some bread dough he had prepared earlier.
As everyone looked on with curiosity, Christian set
about finding himself a green stick, which he shaved
at one end.
On to the stick, he pressed a bread dough and then
very patiently cooked it over the fire. Christian was
clearly a master at cooking bread this way and we
all enjoyed a taste of his curiosity.
Our camp ground for the night
Not to be disheartened, our resilient group donned
rain jackets and employed umbrellas to enjoy the
warmth and company around the fire.
The rain passed through in showers before we all
decided it was time to head off to bed.
Saturday - Graeme Thornton reports:
There was a lot of rain on Friday night, which made
for a fun night for those who had leaking tents. Mike
decided his dome tent was not up to the weather
and packed it away on Saturday morning. He
elected to sleep the next night in his car.
Graeme and Monika had some minor leaks in their
new Southern Cross tent, even though it had been
set up in the back yard for three weeks prior to the
trip to ‘season’.
Due to the overnight rain and the likelihood of further rain on Saturday, it was decided not to pack up
camp and move to Myrtleford, but to leave the tents
where they were.
After breakfast and a slow start, the convoy of six
cars left camp just after 9.00am and headed south
on to Buckland River Road.
Not long after leaving camp, light drizzle started and
this was to be the weather pattern for the day. Over
92mm of rain fell in the region over the 24 hours.
The convoy turned left to Beveridge Station on to
Selwyn Creek Road, then another left on to Mt
Murray North Track.
There were two creek crossings on this track and
the group stopped at the second of these to have a
look and take some photos.
We continued on this track until a left turn was made
Christian with his mystery bread on a stick
Rain won’t stop a camp fire
The second creek crossing on Mt Murray North Track
on to Twins Jeep Track. By now, it was very misty.
A right turn was made some time later to Mt
Murray Track and a steady climb to the top. There
were a couple of obstacles along the way, including a small washaway, which required accurate
driving to negotiate.
Instead of a majestic view of the Victorian High
Country, the group was greeted with driving rain,
strong winds and thick mist.
No-one got out of their vehicles, but most took the
opportunity to make and receive phone calls and
texts, using the strong signal at the top of the
mountain.
The drive back down Mt Murray required some
caution due to the wet track, but it was always
firm. The convoy headed on to Mt Hotham Road,
then Dargo High Plains Road,
A call was made to head to Lankey Plain Hut on
King Spur Track, for some shelter and lunch. It
was a small, but cosy hut and provided the necessary shelter for some warm food and drinks.
One of the highlights of the trip was to be the Blue
Rag Track, but due to the poor weather and lack
of visibility, it was wisely cancelled.
The group then travelled to Gunns Track and then
Mt Sugarloaf Track. This track was quite steep
Lankey Plain Hut
Lunch in the hut
… and an early Happy Hour was had around the campfire
and, with the wet conditions, Barry lost traction
almost at the top of the track. Brad assisted him to
the top with a strap. The other vehicles made it to
the top without any issues.
The rest of the afternoon was spent traversing
Gunn’s Track and Pheasant Track, experiencing a
variety of tracks and countryside. Several times the
mist lifted and provided glimpses of the surrounding
mountains. But it was short lived.
The rain had lifted by the time we got back to camp,
and an early Happy Hour was had around the camp
fire, followed by dinner.
As the night progressed, the sky started to fine up
and we enjoyed glimpses of a starry night.
Misty Mountains
There was a little rain overnight, but we woke to a
clear, but cold, Sunday morning. By mid-morning,
there was blue sky and some warmth in the sun.
Brad packed up early to head home, followed by
Greg and Noelene and Graeme and Monika. The
others decided to spend the day heading back to Mt
Murray to take in the views on a clear day.
Even though we had the rain on Friday and Saturday, it was a thoroughly enjoyable trip. Many thanks
to Brad for arranging a well organised trip.
Brad leads his convoy
Driver Training
Proficiency Level Courses
This is a course for the 4WD Victoria Driver Proficiency Certificate, which includes
4WD characteristics handling, pre-departure checks, steep ascents and descents,
side slopes, basic navigation, water crossings, negotiating all typres of terrain
and correct use of recovery equipment.
The course is in two sections - a theory session in the evening at Ely Park Hall in
Blackburn South and a full day practical session at the Werribee 4x4 Centre.
The Club subsidises the cost of the course and is run by our own instructors in
con junction with the Land Rover Owners Club.
The next course is on Wednesday 14th October (theory) and Saturday 17th October for the practical session.
Intermediate Level
This is the next level up from the Proficiency course, which is a pre-requisite.
Topics include advanced and more difficult aspects of Proficiency course. It is a
one day course with one on one instruction with our own instructor.
Future dates are:
Saturday 30th May - Barry Gough registered
Saturday 15th August
Saturday 14th November
For details of any of these courses, contact Ian Blainey 0458 444 656
Otways Photography & Walk
Saturday 30th May to Sunday 31st May
Walk to Upper Cumberland and Yannathan Falls. Photograph the wonderful
scenery. Walk is about 5kms in total. Saturday dinner at the Wonky Donkey or
Forrest Brewery.
Meeting Time & Place: Forrest Caravan Park 10.00am Saturday
Convoy Limit: 10 walkers otherwise no limit
Fuel Requirements: Available at Colac, Deans Marsh & Apollo Bay
Trip Standard if Dry: Easy If Wet: Medium
Trip Leader: Peter Sanders 9337 6612 or 0434 675 610
Special Requirements: Photography and bushwalking gear. Backpack with
lunch, drinks, raincoat and sturdy footwear.
Currently registered: Greg Moore, Graeme Thornton, Ian & Anne Blainey
Len Beadell Highways - Woomera to Ceduna
30th June to 31st August
A challenging trip visiting many of Len Beadell’s roads. The trip will begin at
Woomera and finish at Ceduna.
Meeting Time & Place: 9.00 am in Woomera
Convoy Limit: 6
Fuel Requirements: Available at various sites. You will need a range of at least
900kms
Trip Standard if Dry: Medium, one difficult section If Wet: Difficult
Trip Leader: Barry McElhenny 0427 330 676
Special Requirements: New, or near new AT tyres. Extremely well serviced vehicle particularly suspension & shockers as you can expect many corrugations. Need to be self sufficient for
min 12 days. Camper trailers with heavy duty off road suspension OK.
Currently registered: Cleve Warring & Jenny, Ian & Ann Marr, Leigh & Christine Wagstaff (visitors),
Peter Bailey (visitor) Ken Paus, Lucie & Gemma (visitors)
This trip is now full, but record your name if interested as there could be dropouts
Little Desert Weekend
Friday 2nd October to Sunday 4th October
Alan Dash’s 23rd annual foray into Victoria’s desert habitat. He will look for
birds, wildflowers, orchids, items of historical interest and anything else which
takes his fancy.
Meeting Time & Place: Serviceton Recreation Reserve from Friday onwards
Convoy Limit: 10
Fuel Requirements: Full tank ex Nhill
Trip Standard if Dry: Medium If Wet: Medium
Trip Leader: Alan Dash 0407 568 700 or 9311 3628
Special Requirements: Be prepared for sand driving (suitable recovery gear &
tyres) and for cold or wet weather. Camp has powered sites, toilets and showers. Bring some firewood.
Currently registered: Rogers, Richards, Marr, Martin, Blainey, Thornton, Farlow
Clunes Planning Trip
Saturday 24th October to Sunday 25th October
A planning and discovery trip for Clunes 2016. Camp at Clunes Showgrounds
and explore the area on both days with a view towards what we will do at
Easter 2016. NOTE: There is no Talbot market this weekend.
Meeting Time & Place: Clunes Showgrounds from Friday pm onwards.
Convoy Limit: No limit
Fuel Requirements: Available locally if needed
Trip Standard if Dry: Medium If Wet: Medium
Trip Leader: Alan Dash 0407 568 700 or 9311 3628
Special Requirements: Caravans and campers OK. Some powered sites and
all facilities will be open. Powered sites $15.00 per night, non-powered $10.00
per night. Bring your camera.