Tallarook State Forest

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Tallarook State Forest
Dates: 16th - 17th Dec
Weather: Warm-hot about 30. Forest cooler though than the drive up the hwy.
Crew: Toon, Jax, Billie, Uncle Rhino, Aunty Em, Baby Jake, REM Neighbours x2.
Key Tracks Hit: Tehans No 5 Tk, East Loop tk, Jenkins No 2 tk, Stoney Ck Tk.
Vehicles Used: Paj, Isuzu MUX, Landcruiser Troopie + 2x Tbags.
Distance Traveled: 300km
Campsites: Some random rocky spot West of the reservoir.
Fishing: NA
Gear Purchased: REM had their new MUX & tbag to play with.
Gear Review: They had some serious smiles, so that tells the story.
Food: kids had noodles and corn for dinner and then warm crossies for brekky. REM cooked up a ripper nandos chicken and koos-koos for dinner. Quality eggs and tomato sangas for adult breakfast.
Report:
Great place for an easy one-nighter. Easy 1.5 hour drive north, worth many a visit. Good bush, decent 4wd tracks. No rivers for campsites, and very few people which was a massive surprise. Tick.

Kids loved it, especially the 4wd'ing. They couldnt stop laughing. Eventually billie fell asleep thank god. When it came to bed time kids were so excited and couldnt stop talking to each other and they eventually got shut eye by 10pm - which was close to adult bedtime.

Their tiredness the next day made the decision to move early in the AM a necessity as shit would've hit the fan, plus the fact that 3x wee accidents in the first hour of waking up was a joy.

No fire which was a little disappointing and kids didnt get their fix of stoner cones or campfire marshmallows.

Next time hit up Tehans No 2,3 & 4. REM did 3 & 4 on the Sunday and said it was pretty good. They did them in the T-bag so shouldnt be too tough, but good climbs regardless. Winter time will see this place rutted out and bog holes so could we worth a look then too.

Next time come in via Willow Track. Seems like it would be a good climb into the SF and then set up camp at placemark 1: 37 degreesywogs 8.683'S, 145 degreesywogs 12.340'E. Look to Jenkin No1 & Link Tk's in additition to Tehans 2,3,4 for some fun.
Rating: 7/10. great to head out with REM + Jake and get to know their neighbours. No fishing, river, or fire brings back rating.

The Boys

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Rubicon, the Boys.
Dates: 28 - 30 July
Weather: Cold but fine.
Crew: Toon, Ross, Nick, Willo, Huggett
Key Tracks Hit: N/A. Tracks closed.
Vehicles Used: Paj, Pathy & Huggetts new Hilux
Distance Travelled: 300km
Campsites: The Boys.
Fishing: N/A Rivers closed.
Gear Purchased:

1. Kings 9" round spotties. Awesome. Pretty easy to install, and worked a treat to light up the dark road ahead on the Friday night drive up. 
2. Oricom handhelds. Worked crisp. Fine. 
3. Illuminator led waterproof strip. Works as needed. 
4. Huggett's 4wd. He can comment on that...

Gear Review: As above.
Food: Dirty maccas, dimmies, chicken stripies, homemade farm bacon, eggs, snags and slow cooked pulled pork shoulder, ross' slaw, 2 minute noodles, fizzers, zappos, stoner cones.
Report: Awesome location given proximity from Melbourne. Nice get there quickly and return home pretty soon after packing up. Only annoying part is that everyone else makes their way their too, so no chance of being alone here. Perfect river on your doorstep for fresh water and fishing. Hike up Mt Torbreck was the highlight of this trip. Halfway up you start to get snow, and by the time you're on the top its 40cm+ deep in areas. Weather was perfect, even though Melbourne was reportedly getting whacked with severe winds. I did manage a little fun in a bog hole and eneded up getting stuck. Had to winch out - thanks trusty Runva! Food as always was a highlight when eating it, however this time it played funny buggers afterwards and a few got sick. Was it the dimmies or the chicken big macs, or just the booze? Eitherway, i think no more camping dimmies, but im sure maccas and beer hiatus will be rather short lived.
Rating: 7/10. Sickness, migraines, no 4wd & fishing reduces score. The rest was perfect.

Naughty Mick

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Dates: 23-24 June 2017
Weather: Cold. Day 1 clear, rained over night. Day 2 drizzle and a bit of snow
Crew: Ben and Dave
Key Tracks Hit: Naughty Mick Circuit.
- Start at Ronnie's Way, up the hill, down the hill
- Head right to the pond.
- Along the east branch road to the bridge (camp at bridge).
- Up the hill to the next junction
- Left, down the hill to the west branch
- Back up and down the hill to Ronnie's Way
Vehicles Used: N/A
Distance Travelled: ~ 26 km
Campsites: Next to bridge
Fishing: Had a look at the east branch, will head back for a session when things warm up.
Gear Purchased: Sea To Summit Mattress.
Gear Review: Great mattress, excellent replacement for my 20 year old Thermarest
Food: Pasta with stir-through sauce, and country ladle for dinner, oats with sultanas for breakfast, freeze-dried chicken tika masala, and tuna thing for lunch. Muesli bar snacks.
Report: Nice little overnighter. Keen to do the full circuit next time, and get to the top of the hill. Last outing for my tent. Saw a few deer.
Rating: 8/10

 

Licola Secret Spot

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Licola secret spot
Dates: 15th April - 17th April - Easter Long Weekend
Weather: Fine, top of 22 partly cludy
Crew: Toon, Lisa, Jax, Amelia, Mum, Dad
Key Tracks Hit: Black Soil Gully Track, Macalister River Track
Vehicles Used: Paj + 70 Series Landcruiser
Distance Travelled: 680km
Campsites: Secret Spot
Fishing: Yes, but no action
Gear Purchased: N/A
Gear Review: N/A
Food: Special. Hamburgers, Roast Potatoes & coleslaw with 6 hour slow cooked lamb shoulder, kippers, french toast, pancakes, meatball pasta, toast, stonercones.
Report: Great to have mum and dad join us for this one. Kids were awesome as usual having a fun time in the bush. Shacked up at the campsite with two other guys as all sites were full in this long weekend - thanks to those guys for being accommodating! Camping folk are just genuine people. Macalister river 4wd with the kids was fun, 6 river crossings up and 6 back. Black Soil Gully track is a tough track on the way up, some sections of rock makes it hard to climb.
Rating: 8/10

Taponga River, Big river state forest

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Taponga River, Big river state forest
Dates: 3-5 March 2017
Weather: Perfect. 28 & sunny each day.
Crew: Mofo Crew
Key Tracks Hit: Newmans Track
Vehicles Used: Paj & Pathy
Distance Travelled: 400km
Campsites: The Pines
Fishing: 1x brown
Gear Purchased: Merrell Maipo
Gear Review: Great river shoes for trout fishing. Fantastic grip and good comfort level. Takes a little longer to dry completely than i thought, but its like wetsuit material so it doesnt matter. Awesome slip grip and good comfort level.
Food: Jeepers, where to start... A highlight. High quality hot dogs, bacon and eggs, hamburgers, vasio with homemade chimicuri sauce with roast potatoes & blanched beans, dimmies. stonercones.
Report: Didnt get out 4wd'ing much because my car is f'ed. Something wrong with the front left wheel when putting in 4HLc and going up hill a random knocking noise occurs. Didnt want to push the car in case something went kaput, so need to take it to Mr Mechanic. Booo. We did however go up Newmans track at night for some night 4wd'ing. That was unreal!! Need to do that more often.

Campsite was wicked, river was pristine. Would have been nicer to have caught more fish, but it didnt matter as the time spent not fishing was spent in the water/by the campfire. Too much fun and perfect place to chill fromt he rest of the world.
Rating: 9/10

Taponga River, Torbreck Station

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Torbreck Station
Dates: 17th - 19th Feb
Weather: Mild, 20, Cold night low of 5
Crew: Vb's + Olive's
Key Tracks Hit: Newmans Tk, Donald Tk
Vehicles Used: Paj
Distance Travelled: 430km
Campsites: Taponga Campsite
Fishing: 1x rainbow 1x brown
Gear Purchased: Shimano Stradic ci4 2500 & Shimano 1-3kg raider.
Gear Review: Beautiful spinning outfit. Smooth as, and can cast all day. Great little fighting outfit!
Food: Pancakes, Salad rolls, snags, campfire waffles with goodies inside, bbq chicken + veggies, bacon & eggs, damper.
Report: Headed off from Nunawading about 6:30pm, got to campsite just before 9pm. Tricky place to find in the dark but got there in the end. Had some beers by the fire after tent was pitched up and kids asleep. Next day chilled, ate, and did a little bit of 4wd'ing to check out Mt Terrible. Pretty easy trip up Newmans Track, and then down Donald Track. Donald Track was more tough, but not too difficult still.
Rating: 8/10.