Upper Big River - Horseshoe Bend

 Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Upper Big River - Horseshoe Bend Campsite
Dates: Queens B'day Weekend 5th June - 8th June.
Weather: Cold but dry. No rain, top of 10 low of freezing maybe -4 low.

Crew: TAL family, Ross + kids, WAM family, LJ + hugo.
Key Tracks Hit: Enoch's Point round to Mt Terrible, down Newmans.
Vehicles Used: Paj & Ranger on the tracks.
Distance Travelled: 350km
Campsites: Horseshowe Bend
Fishing: Yes, 1x rainbow.

Gear Purchased: DIY hot plate mansion.

Gear Review: Hot plate mansion is awesome. Road chef cant roast a chook properly, it just steams it. It was like a poached chicken. Other than meat pies and warming up already cooked food, it seems like a useless piece of kit. Mind you, meat pies in the bush is pretty good - but it would be better if the raod chef actually cooked it rather than steamed it.
Food:

• Brekky: Bacon and eggs sangas each morning, pancakes, coco pops, nutri grain, damper
• Lunch: Hot dogs, snags, magic noodles, wraps
• Dinner: Roast chook (in the damper pots, didnt work in road chef), party pies and sausage rolls
• Desert & Late Night Snacks: Stoner cones, apple pie, Bitterballen, fried chicken

Report: Finally got to get out camping following covid restrictions. Headed up towards big river, but every other bogan thought that was a good idea too. Thanks to Ross leaving early managed to secure a site otherwise we may not have found something. Great to have everyone out there bar Huggett and NSP, and all kids seemed to have a blast. It was pretty darn cold though at night, so needed lots of firewood and good sleeping bags. The Sunday 4wd'ing around the tracks was supberb with awesome views. Tracks were not challenging at all, but it was good exploring. Jamieson township is nice, need to find a secluded campsite along the Golburn River somewhere. That would be epic.
Rating: 10/10. Was awesome.

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