Warburton

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Warburton
Dates: 23/5/20
Weather: Fine and cool.
Crew: VB + Bergo + kids
Key Tracks Hit: See screenshot
Vehicles Used: Paj & Ranger
Distance Travelled: 150km
Campsites: N/A
Fishing: N/A
Gear Purchased: ARB 78L fridge, MSA drop down firdge slide, drifta drawers, road chef 12v oven, hulk air compressor
Gear Review:

• MSA Fridge slide - solid bit of kit. Works well and super handy to have given the fridge sits ontop of the drawers so would make it very hard to reach down into the bottom of fridge without having it drop down. However, i think the Clear View slide is a better design than the MSA and i feel i should have bought the clear view. Also the msa drop slide has a bolt on the right hand side that catches the webbing of the ARB fridge bag, and it has already started to rip the fridge bag!! Horrible design by ARB
• ARB Fridge - works well, draws hardly any power. Its a fridge. 
• Drifta Drawers - slide beautifully and a heap of room inside. Good buy, way easy to install. 
• Road Chef - first use of this kit. Jury is still out on this, as it didnt cook the pies to a crispy state. They came out soggy, even after checking out a number of times and extending the cooking.  
• Hulk Air Compressor - Used the air compressor for the first time outbush, and a hole started to emerge from the cord which made the air compressor not work! Should be under warranty and get it replaced. This better not be a sign of more issues to come...

Food: Pies, sausage rolls, hot cinamen donuts.
Report: Finally the VIC government allowed us out of our homes following COVID restrictions. Hit the tracks and got dirty. Dissapointinly many tracks were closed, so couldnt really explore this area even though it wasnt even past queens b'day weekend. It was drier than i had thought given all the rain, but there were a few puddles and slippery slopes to get the heart racing. Nearly slid off a small rock bridge which would have been nasty damage, but car stopped about 3cm short from falling off!! Didnt break anything which is always good (other than the air compressor hose).
Rating: 8/10

Hilux KZN 165R Safari Snorkel Install

Type: Safari Snorkel Install
Location: Home
Dates: 12 April 2020
Weather: Overcast
Crew: Huggett, Dan HZ
Key Tracks Hit: Path from driveway to shed in backyard
Vehicles Used: Hilux
Distance Travelled: 1km
Campsites: N/A
Fishing: N/A
Gear Purchased: Safari Snorkel
Gear Review: Not used yet
Food: Hot Cross Buns for lunch, and afternoon tea

Report: Figured it was time to get a snorkel after grossly misjudging a river crossing from last fishing trip.

Bought the snorkel from https://www.outbackequipment.com.au/. Delivery time was great given we're in the middle of the lock-down.

Big thanks to Dan for helping out with the install and the photos!

Below are a few pics and tips for the install.

All parts supplied.

Tools required. Other tools required (not shown) include a jigsaw with metal cutting blade and ring spanners. Ratchet ring spanners would be very helpful.

Step one. Open the hood.

Remove the inner arch liner. Tip - the clips are little bastards. Easiest to cut the off and get new clips. 

Remove inner guard ducting.

Interesting observation - mud and dirt build up behind arch lining. Worth removing the arch lining every so often and giving this area a clean. 

Remove air entry duct.

Jam a cloth into the air filter intake to prevent any debris (metal filings etc) getting in there.

Place and tape template to front guard.

Mark out holes. Tip - Apply tape to the drill/cut positions. Helps stop the drill from skipping across the metal.

Check the markings a few times, then start drilling. No turning back now.

Hole saw.

 The safari instructions said to do the rest of the cutout with a hacksaw blade. That would have taken all day. Easiest to use a jigsaw.

Paint the cuts.

Cut air entry duct. Tip - Be careful with this cut, try and leave as much pipe as possible to overlap with safari hose.

Apply silicone to air filter intake.

Re-fit air entry duct.

Install threaded studs into snorkel.

Fit snorkel. SWEET!!!

Install and tighten nuts.

Tip - Found it very trick to install nuts and washers. There is only just enough room to get your hand in to place the nuts and washers over the studs. The studs are inclined downward, and the washers keep falling off before getting the nuts on. Tape the washer and nut together to get them on.

Apply silicone to snorkel to air entry duct hose.

Fit to snorkel to air entry duct hose to snorkel and to air entry duct. This was an absolute bastard. Tighten hose clamps

Fix bracket to pillar.

Finished!!!

Rating: 8/10. 

Grampians - Jimmy Creek Campground

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Grampians
Dates: 6-9 March
Weather: Fine and mild 22s
Crew: VB Family, Olive Family, Buckets Family.
Key Tracks Hit: N/A
Vehicles Used: Ranger
Distance Travelled: 685km
Campsites: Jimmy Creek. Good site.
Fishing: N/A
Gear Purchased: n/a
Gear Review: n/a
Food: Spag bols, hot dogs, bacon and eggs, orange cake thing, jacket potatoes,
Report: Great time out in the grampians chilling. Spent most of the time at the campsite as the kids rode their bikes around the track. Had 1 day on the road checking out the views and waterfall. Lots to see in this area, need to spend more time here, but go properly out bush.
Rating: 7/10. Peaceful relaxing trip, but no 4wd'ing or fishing :(.

Black Range State Forest

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Black Range State Forest and Toolangi
Dates: 9 Feb 2020
Weather: Fine and 28. Track mostly dry, and few small bog holes.
Crew: Toon, Jax, Sam, Ross, Ella, Alphie, Henry.
Key Tracks Hit: Headed in via Jackson Rd from Woodbourne, then Garlick Tk, Water Wheel, McClure Bk (that was a sick track!), Up old SEC Rd, headed south down Black Range Rd, then took Ures Rd and Ure Spur Tk (that was a good tk), then got lost through narbethong plantation trying to get back onto black range rd, eventually did via little wonder tk, then spur link and spur rd, winch rd, then headed down sylvia creek rd and a littel further crossing myers creek rd to weasell ck rd (that was a nice tk), then headed home to farm.
Vehicles Used: Ford Ranger Wildtrak, Paj
Distance Travelled: 215km
Campsites: N/A
Fishing: n/a
Gear Purchased: Ford Ranger and everything on it.
Gear Review: The ranger is a beast and highly capable off road. Was very pleased with the Wilpeak AT3W tyres on 285/70/r17. Koni lift also was very good.
Food: Hot dogs for lunch stop, and various other snacks in the car.
Report: Awesome, full day. Left at 8:30, finsihed at 4:30. Home from farm after dinner at 8pm. So happy to have gone out finally again, and cant wait for the next trip.
Rating: 10/10

Shaw creek near Dingo Hill track in Licola - Place to Hit

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Shaw creek near Dingo Hill track in Licola

Dates: ASAP, but will the creek run in mid-summer?
Weather: Anything
Crew: Everyone
Key Tracks Hit: Dingo Hill Track
Vehicles Used: TBD
Distance Travelled: 300km one way, about 4 hour drive. 600km round trip.
Campsites: The one by the river on the bend of the road with the shot out yellow sign.
Fishing: Not sure if the river runs dr in peak summer, but it was running when we drove past this in winter sometime.
Gear Purchased:  tbd
Gear Review: tbd
Food: TBD
Report: Went 4wding one time up here and these dudes were camping in this spot. It looked like one epic beautiful place to camp. Need to go here one day!
Rating: Will be awesome.

Ross' Spot on Jamieson River - Place to Hit

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Mitchells Walking Track  https://www.google.com/maps/search/Marked+Location+Silvermine+Spur+Track,+Mount+Buller+VIC+3723,+Australia/@-37.307995,146.3349635,17z
Dates: ASAP
Weather: Anything
Crew: Everyone
Key Tracks Hit: TBD, unsure if you can drive in or not? Need to confirm.
Vehicles Used: TBD
Distance Travelled: 500km round trip. 250km each way.
Campsites: The one pictured here
Fishing: Definitely
Gear Purchased: TBD
Gear Review: TBD
Food: TBD
Report: TBD
Rating:TBD

Lighthouse Crossin Reserve - Place to hit

Type: 4wd'ing + hiking + camping
Location: Lighthouse Reserve
Dates: ASAP
Weather: Anything
Crew: Everyone
Key Tracks Hit: TBD
Vehicles Used: TBD
Distance Travelled: Expect 1000km round trip + adventures. About 480km one way from home.
Campsites: Somewhere on the boarder.
Fishing: Definitely.
Gear Purchased: TBD
Gear Review: TBD
Food: TBD
Report: TBD
Rating: TBD