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1 Track Torque Responsible Four Wheel Driving And Family Touring TRACK March 2011 Newsletter Torque The Editor s Page Inside this issue: Member s Page Minutes from February General Meeting Minutes from 2010 AGM Trip Report Club trips Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 1

2 WANGARATTA 4X4 CLUB Track Torque President Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Committee Members Vice President Secretary Treasurer Committee David Robinson (Robbo) Jim Bramich Bruce Gooday Ian Watkins The Wangaratta 4WD Club has evolved from a few members in 1983, to a membership of over 40. The Club is made up of individuals and families who are interested in responsible Four Wheel Driving. There is no restriction on the make or type of four wheel drive vehicle, and there is always plenty of variety and camaraderie amongst members. Where we live: Members live all over the North East and beyond, including from Benalla, Beechworth, Glenrowan, Milawa, Albury, Wodonga, Wangaratta, Goorambat, Tatong and Melbourne. Membership Officer Property: Merchandise Sergeant at Arms 4WD Victoria Representative Editor Trip Coordinator Web Master David Blore Craig Cheetham David Jackson Craig Cheetham Maria Lucas Stan Williams Terry Dillon Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club is a member of the Victorian Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs. Affiliations: Members of our club are proud to be part of the Adopt a Hut Program and work with Parks Victoria to look after Top Crossing and Lake Cobbler huts. We are also affiliated with the South Coast Four Wheel Drive Club based at Wollongong, and the Four Wheel Drive Club of WA. Current members of the respective clubs are entitled to Reciprocal Membership.. Membership: Single or family $80 p.a. WEBSITE: commencing 8.00pm. There is no meeting in January. Please refer to the club calendar. Visitors are always most welcome. Track Torque: Newsletter Contributions may be forwarded to Editor : Maria Lucas : editor@wangaratta4x4club.org.au General Meetings are held on the 2 nd Tuesday of the month, generally at the North East Car Club Rooms, Tarrawingee Recreation Reserve, Editorial Deadline Usually 1 st of the month. This is your newsletter so be a part of it and send any articles of interest, comments, birthdays, etc, to the editor. Advertising: $80.00/yr. Please contact the editor for further details. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the articles in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the editor or of Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc. The editor reserves the right to delete any section of any article, or reject any article, which has been sent in for publication in the Newsletter. Front Cover: Eldorado, Beechworth, Yackandah, Stanley trip Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 2

3 The President s Page Track Torque Just a quick thank you for all the guys and girls who have supported me throughout my term as President, the committee has had its ups and downs and there has been moments when I could of throttled a couple of members. But all in all it s been great fun and I am pleased with the results. We have come on a ways with the money we have gained in the grants, new equipment including a sat phone, walkie talkies, gazebos, club sign s, chain saw courses, bush fire equipment and a new trailer plus many other items. We have many club trips into the bush and around this fantastic country we all love to bits. We have many new members and are recruiting more as I write this piece. I will be giving way to another President and will sit in the side lines and heckle the new club officers from the safety of the general ranks. I intend to be leading a few trips in the future and will endeavor to make them available to as many members who want to enjoy the bush right on our doorstep. Those of you who come on my club trips should be warned I am rarely a base camper, I like to keep moving so swags or roofie s are the go with me. If you can put up with that, we will be able to really have a good look at some of the great locations and hidden campsites in the alpine area. See you all at the AGM Thank you Robbo Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 3

4 The Editor s Page Track Torque The time is almost upon us. Yes it s that time of year again. The AGM is on the 8 th of March and a nomination form is in this month s newsletter. There are plenty of positions to be filled so if you feel you can help out at a committee level please put your name down. The trip calendar is under review at present. The suggested calendar in last month s newsletter still applies but the weather has caused cancellation or postponement of a couple of trips and trip leaders are required for others. The calendar is a fluid thing and as usual if impromptu trips are organised members will be notified by or just keep a check of our web site. If you are interested in leading a trip please talk to the trip coordinator. In this edition 4WD Victoria has some interesting reading including information about insurance and news about the new bull bar regulations. The government seems to have changed its mind, for now, about the introduction of the new regulations and 4wd Victoria are still offering training courses so have a look at their website and the new edition of Track Watch. While you are wondering around on the web, checking out our web page, have a look at our new Facebook page wang fwd. It s still in its infancy but there are some great photos to have a look at, particularly of the recent trip around Beechworth. Happy reading and welcome to Facebook to those who dare. Maria Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 4

5 Member s Page Track Torque Corn, bacon & zucchini soup Ingredients (serves 6) 30g butter 4 shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced 4 short-cut bacon rashers, halved lengthways, cut into thin strips 3 (about 450g) zucchini, cut into 1cm pieces 1 x 420g can corn kernels, drained 2 x 420g cans creamed corn 500ml (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock Crusty bread, to serve 1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until shallot is golden. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 minute. 2. Stir in the corn kernels, creamed corn and stock. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes or until the zucchini is soft. 3. Ladle soup among serving bowls. Serve with crusty bread. Farewell David Blore presented to Stan a box set of local wines at Stan's last club Meeting. David thanked Stan for his contribution to the club over many years and for the input from both Stan and Bethne to training and club trips. Stan returned to the club his award from last year and a long lost briefcase which included his membership application! In March David Clark 3 Edward Bramich 4 Kevin McClellan 9 Pete Carlyon 22 Carol Robinson 20 Jenny Michelli 24 Rachel Ham 24 Rob Holden 26 Irene Ham 28 Craig Cheetham 29 Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 5

6 Minutes of General Meeting 8 February 2011 Track Torque Meeting chaired by President David Robinson. Present & apologies: As per attendance book. Visitors: Adrian Doyle, Olivia Williams, and Irene Jones were welcomed Minutes of December meeting; Approved on the motion of M French/R Beurs Correspondence: Magazine from Nissan 4WD Club Anne Buchan resignation from club Terry Kingston acceptance of invite to address May general meeting 4WDV requirements for instructors - call for assistance in Avoca area Treasurer: Thirteen subscriptions still outstanding Trip Reports: Tom Barnard Pineapple Flat (verbal & 12 minute video) President David thanked members who had helped with the display at the Rotary Club Fishing, Camping, and Leisure Show. Future Trips: 12 Feb Eldorado / Beechworth David Jackson Feb Ulupna Dave & Doreen Clarke March - Hut Maintenance Graham Abotomey Membership: Glenn Norton was welcomed to the club as a member. David Blore made a presentation to Stan Williams in recognition of his contribution to the club. Stan responded. General Business: No general business Fines session conducted by David Jackson Presentation: Terry Dillon used a PowerPoint presentation to show how to store, retrieve, and enhance digital photos with photo editing software available free on the Web. Terry s presentation was illustrated with Windows Live Photo Gallery. Meeting closed at 9.40pm. Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 6

7 Minutes of Annual General Meeting 9 March 2010 Meeting opened:9.35pm All committee positions were declared vacant. Nominations from the floor of the meeting: President: David Robinson Vice president: Jim Bramich Secretary: no nomination Treasurer: Irene Ham assisted by Bruce Gooday Committee: Terry Dillon Web Master Maria Lucas Editor Craig Cheetham 4WDV Regional Rep / Property David Jackson David Blore Stan Williams Track Torque There being sufficient vacancies to accommodate all nominees, all were declared duly elected to the committee. David Jackson was chosen as Sergeant at Arms for General Business Moved Irene Ham, Seconded Maria Lucas: That subscriptions be kept at $ Amendment moved Craig Cheetham, seconded Bruce Gooday: That fees be set at $40.00 for the period August 2010 to March 2011 in order to better align with 4WDV financial year. Amendment carried. Amended motion carried. Moved Irene Ham, Seconded David Robinson: That the club financial year be from 1 January to 31 December with Financial Statements presented at the AGM. Motion carried. The meeting agreed that club trophies should be presented at the Club Annual Dinner. Meeting closed 10.20pm Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 7

8 Committee Meeting Rap Track Torque The committee met on 22 February and has given top priority to finding an alternative means of printing our newsletter. Our current arrangement is not sustainable in the long term. The favoured option at present is to purchase a printer and do it ourselves. Planning is well underway for a varied program of speakers at our general meetings, and the trips calendar is under review. The committee decided to gauge interest in a weekend in Charlton (26-27 March) to assist with flood recovery. Craig Cheetham will attend the 4WDV Regional Reps meeting in Mansfield on Sunday 20 March and would welcome some company on the day. 4WDVic has passed on a request for continuing assistance for flood affected areas in Victoria. I have contacted the Charlton area coordinator and have been advised that assistance is required on farms to repair and replace fencing, and in the town as well as on farms assistance is required for gardening and general tidying up around houses. The matter was discussed at our recent committee meeting and it was decided to offer assistance on the weekend of March. That is the last weekend of daylight saving. Charlton is about a three and a half hour drive from Wangaratta and some members have already indicated an intention to travel over on the Friday. Charlton has a caravan park and the local pub provides a good evening meal. Planning for our participation on that weekend is in the early stages. The level of interest from club members will be an important determinant of what we do on the weekend, so please give it some thought and make a commitment early if you are able to come along. Apart from providing an opportunity for us to help others, such activities usually turn into enjoyable social events. Bruce Gooday Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 8

9 Track Torque Notice of Annual General Meeting 2011 The AGM of the Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club will be held on Tuesday 8 March 2011 in the North East Car Club rooms at Tarrawingee. The meeting will commence at 8.00pm. The election of office bearers for will be held at the AGM. Members are invited to use the form below to nominate candidates for the various positions. If nominating for one of the six Committee positions, nominees should express a preference for any one, or several, of the tasks listed below the nomination form. The incoming President will allocate tasks to committee members according to expressed preferences and to circumstances from time to time. The position of Sergeant at Arms is determined by a separate process and is not necessarily held by a committee member. The composition of the current committee, and the allocation of tasks to committee members, can be found on the inside cover of the club newsletter. Completed nomination forms should be forwarded or handed to the Secretary prior to the commencement of the AGM. Election to positions will be by a show of hands on the night. Nomination Form Position President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Committee (6) Nominee: Nominated by: Seconded by: 4WD Vic Regional Rep Committee preference: Editor Meeting Program Membership Property Social Coordinator Training Trip Coordinator Webmaster Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 9

10 Track Torque FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VICTORIA Driving In A Sustainable Environment For more information visit the website: The following information has been taken from E-news and the FWD Victoria website. If you would like to receive a free copy of E-news, the Fwd Vic office and ask to be placed on the list. office@fwdvictoria.org.au 4WD Vehicle Insurance When Affinity Insurance established the 4WD insurance facility in conjunction with Four Wheel Drive Victoria, one of the main aims was to design a product that offered club members customised coverage for 4WD activities and equipment that was not readily available in the market place, and one of the other main objectives was to offer the product exclusively to club members as a benefit of membership. Affinity s efforts to provide the best coverage for you as a member of Four Wheel Drive Victoria resulted in them successfully negotiating a new and exciting underwriting arrangement with a CGU Insurance Limited. As a result, CGU have now substantially improved the product, whilst taking a significantly greater interest in the welfare, future growth and development of 4WD Insurance, Driver Safety and 4WD Training. Affinity Insurance Brokers have agreed a pricing structure with CGU that takes into consideration the product offering and market pricing standards. CGU (as part of the IAG business whose brands include NRMA, SGIO, SGIC, Swann Insurance and The Buzz) are a major motor insurer in the Australian market and have considerable knowledge and expertise in the area of pricing. We have great pleasure in providing information of the new policy benefits in the attached report showing a comparison between the CGU Direct Motor policy (available online direct to consumers) against both the previous Lumley 4WD policy and the new CGU 4WD Motor policy (offered by Affinity). We highly recommend that you print this comparison and we challenge you to compare these benefits with your current policy, or any comparative quotation/policy they you have obtained, as we are confident that you will be pleasantly surprised. Win $500 with Affinity 4WD Vehicle Insurance Affinity Insurance Brokers offer you a 4WD Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy specifically designed for 4WD owners that is endorsed by Four Wheel Drive Victoria. To go into the draw to win $500 simply renew your existing Affinity 4WD Vehicle Insurance Policy, or take out a New Policy before the 1st of March Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 10

11 Track Torque BULL BARS TO STAY - 4WDRIVERS HAVE BEEN HEARD! Friday, 25 February 2011 The 4WD Council have been advised that the RIS has been withdrawn on the grounds that the regulatio is not appropriate for Australian Conditions. This is a significant win for the 4WD Industry and vehicle owners If the recommendations of the RIS had been adopted into Regulation, they would have seriously impacted the fitment of fit for purpose Bullbars on Australian vehicles, this spells the end of Government Regulations (GTR 09) in Australia and whilst we still may have some issues within some States, causing problems for the Industry and Users in the future, it would be unlikely that any State Minister would table GTR09 for adoption in their State MEDIA RELEASE The Hon Catherine King MP Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport 24 February 2011 CK006/2011 Pedestrian Safety and Bull Bars Albury Wodonga s Complete 4WD Equipment Centre The Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport, Catherine King, restated again that the Government will not be banning bull bars. "Over recent weeks I have received strong feedback through the consultation process associated with the Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) proposing the adoption of an international standard on pedestrian safety," Ms King said. "Following careful consideration of the views and concerns put by individuals and stakeholders, I have decided that the proposal is not suitable for Australian conditions and I have directed the Department to withdraw the Regulation Impact Statement," Ms King said. "While the Government is committed to improving the safety of pedestrians, we also recognise that bull bars play a positive role in the safety of vehicle occupants. DISCOUNT FOR CLUB MEMBERS pleasmith@arb.com.au See Peter, Nathan, Damian or Mick 476 Hume Street Albury (Next to Hungry Jack s) "In no circumstances will the Government consider banning bull bars or contemplate any lessening of the protection they provide. We are committed to ensuring that people remain fully protected in animal strikes and other hazardous situations where bull bars play a key role," Ms King said. Ms King has now asked Department to consult with interested parties on the options for improving pedestrian safety. Cruiserkhana. - 2nd / 3rd April 2011 One of the major events we hold each year is our Cruiserkhana. What started off, as a club event is now open to all Clubs and individuals. Held on our club property, the main activities are held on the Saturday with Sunday playing host to some fun events. The emphasis is brains and not brawn as the courses are set to test the driver s skill, not speed. You don t need a super modified truck to do well as the classes are set at touring and standard type vehicles in line with CCDA rules. The aim is not to damage your vehicle but to have fun. Vehicles off the show room floor are equally competitive, but is the driver up to it? Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 11

12 Track Torque Events such as the tyre road, sand trap, stair case and cross country are all designed with the more technical aspect of 4WDing being tested. Optional fun things like the bog hole and rock climb always go well for those who enjoy more of a challenge. Saturday night is capped off with a great three course meal and a raft of prizes donated by our generous sponsors. All the big name brands will be present so there s something to aim for. Not only do we have prizes but the coveted inter club team trophy is also up for grabs. This gives the winner bragging rights for the next twelve months and the ability to defend it at the next event. We throw out the challenge to all clubs to come and compete in this year s event. For more information, check out our website Entry forms are available from the above website. Victorian High Country Huts Association VHCHA For information about huts please visit VHCHA website : This site has further information on the Victorian High country huts and activities associated with each area. Our club is a member of this organisation, with Graeme Abotomey our representative. From Wangaratta 4wd Club Members Handbook Convoy Procedures All participating vehicles are to have UHF fitted and tuned to nominated channel Each vehicle is responsible for the vehicle behind. When negotiating intersections, or where taking a wrong turn is likely, wait for the following vehicle before proceeding. A safe distance between vehicles must always be maintained but to avoid confusion or delays attempt to keep the forward vehicle reasonably in view. At difficult parts of the trip designated by the trip leader, vehicles should proceed one at a time, and then move off to a position which allows room for the following vehicles. If problems arise-stop-notify the trip leader of the problem. In low visibility situations, use your headlights so the vehicles in front and behind can see where you are. Leave the track clear (for passing traffic) when stopping. Changing place in a convoy is acceptable provided safety is not compromised. Consumption of alcohol is unacceptable until the days scheduled driving is complete. Canvas Creations of all types Retail saddlery Full repair service 2/165 Mount Buller Rd. Mansfield Vic 3722 Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 12

13 Track Torque Eldorado, Beechworth, Yackandah, Stanley OR: Wangaratta to Eternity Written by: David Jackson One minute to 8 o'clock the last of the team arrived at Macas in Wang for the start of our clubs first 'hard' trip of the year. Rather than a driver only in each vehicle - which is common, we had lots of passengers, 11 members in 5 vehicles. Tally was Nissans 2, Toyos 2, Landrover 1, chainsaws 4. (in no particular order thank you very much). With medical envelopes checked into the glove boxes and final supplies grabbed from Subway, we hit the road at 8:17 First stop was the dredge at Eldorado where we aired down. While the water level was quite a bit down from the previous Saturdays (100mm rain) 4th rece trip, today s weather was great, no rain in sight. Maybe we'll do the trip without bypassing some of the more slippery (read impassable) sections. As leader, I gave the group the old "4WDriving is a dangerous sport - can result in vehicle/physical damage - there is no disgrace in taking the "chicken" detours etc etc etc WELL!! you'd have thought I drove a Landrover - they just turned their backs on me and muttered Yea yea yea - just get on with it (or something similar) Off down Old Coach Road with Tom (Nissan) now codenamed 'Charlie' (Tail end Charlie) bringing up the rear and then 'Richards Track' where we had an 'interesting' half an hour learning first hand about the Eldorado granite sand and what it means to be last through a steep washed out sloppy section. No damage but Nissans down 5 points. (snatch penalty). Into the Eldorado reserve area where we had morning tea at the very picturesque 'quarry lake', we then played 'follow the leader' into some interesting pre-planned scenarios in the gravel pit area. Results - Toyotas down 1 point (dnf - did not finish section) Landrover down 2 points (dnf) Nissans perfect score with 2 additional bonus points for (PO) photo opportunity. Oh yes and the Toyota another 2 bonus points (PO) as well. Onto the road towards Kangaroo Crossing where we planned on 'viewing only' the rapids across the causeway. After insisting to show us how to cross fast flowing water, Toyotas earned another bonus point. We backtracked then to Neioffs Track and then a very wet short cut through Cypress Track onto CFA Track - lots of washouts and steep downhills for a lunch stop at Spring Ck Cascades. This was indeed a highlight of out trip viewing the mighty cascades at very close range (closer for some than others) a perfect stopping point considering the amount of rainfall in the previous 36 hrs. After lunch up Malakoff Road bypassing Beechworth proper and taking an exciting rutted out unknown track (to all) to reach an unnamed slippery, steep, washed out, muddy, and rutted track that parallels Red Hill Road for quite some considerable time. This section when dry is an exciting trip, however after 100mm of rain - well that's what the word 'hard' is reserved for. As a sideline - except for a couple of wet spots most competent drivers in the club would have had no real problem with the trip so far. But now with the rain, things turned very er exciting. Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 13

14 Track Torque This is the area that stopped a companion and me the weekend before (4th rece) with well over 120mm on the day while we were driving and without a chainsaw we could easily have remained marooned overnight at the bottom of a 'monster' hill that we couldn't get back up with a giant tree across our path. We had to dig out and drive over a 1200mm embankment to get down onto the road to get out, we were again caught in between fallen trees in both directions. We cut through the head of one tree with a bow saw and after 1.5 hours we were freed once more. Yes I paid my fine at the club meeting - just glad to be there to tell my story and warn others. (chain saw or two - mandatory in the high country) Another hill which stopped us the week before proved a show stopper once more - however not for the mighty Landrover this time as she sailed straight up (we'd practised before hand) Nissans down 1 point (MT multiple tries) Toyota down 2 points (MT) Big tree across the track - taken care of by single chainsaw by 'Charlie' Arrived at Rocky Point Mine and had a quick look and then down the monster hill of Rocky Point Track where we found the giant tree still sitting where we were caught out the week before. However this time (with the help of the cavalry) 9 blokes, 4 chainsaws and 2 camera girls, the Wang 4WD club had this muthers measure. 20 minutes and we were on our way. Up Casper track we detoured back through an extensive mud area to the Wallaby mine area and then onto the Lower 9ML Rd and onto No 1 Rd in order to get to our extreme sections of the trip. If you'd read the pre trip report I wasn't at all fussed if the guys didn't want to do these two tracks. First one was called 'Long Tom' (no connection to our Tail end Charlie) which is in two sections normally both very hard, both Dean (Toyota) 2nd rece, Tom (Nissan) and I (Landrover) 3nd rece managed to climb it and descend it without incident. However this time with the rain and someone with a machine rendered it inaccessible. Despite this Dean (Toyota) gets 1 bonus point for having a real go - simply too muddy/slippery. Time is moving on and we had one more to at least look at - she is called 'Eternity' and its not that it goes forever, as in reality the extreme section is only metres - it's just that it is boulder strewn with many 600mm step ups, very, very steep and covered in very loose rocks. The trip rules were 'if any one wanted to climb her then they had to descend her first to see what they were getting into'. It took about 15 minutes to get to the top via an alternative route, we found ourselves perched on the top of an almighty hill looking down over all the area including the previously formidable 'Long Tom' I'd descended 'Eternity' on my first rece, descended and climbed her on my second rece along with Dean (Toyota) and climbed her alone on my 3rd rece with Dean and young David as passengers (I had Tom and Nick in reserve in case something went wrong). I'd just about had enough of 'Miss Eternity' however the hard trip was what it was about today. A few of the guys went walked over the top to have a look - I had just about every one convinced to just peer over the side and see if they could see the bottom and Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 14

15 Track Torque then 'give her a miss' when Dean decided he had to leave for home a little early via 'Eternity' he apparently checked with Jackie his co-pilot who agreed with the descent. All went well, we cleared the face of the hill of spectators and over the Toyo went with every one else's eyes affixed on this little BJ 40 (lovingly called the Mule) bouncing its way down. So the story goes - sometime on the way down Dean and Jackie decided they'd like to take the 'Mule' back up again which they promptly did once at the bottom. Now somewhere between the 'Long Tom' attempt and the next few moments in time, the Mule spat its front Diff lock - you know how mules can be. Which left all three - Dean, Jackie and mule stuck in the rough on the side of eternity (hugging the tree line) Giant rocks in front - gianter rocks behind and a lame mule. Jackie left the stricken vessel and set up a camera posie near by while Dean and half the crew set about extricating the Tojo. A bit of winch here, a bit of winch there and soon mule was backing its way to the bottom. One of our members suggested to me that Jackie may now be suffering a slight mental melt down but Hey! she was as good as ever. Dean told me later that he was very proud of how Jackie handled the whole event, but in future he wouldn't be bullied into climbing big hills that scared him. We gave the mule 1 bonus point for the descent. Well after this we headed home - we were about half hour overtime, some of us even more. I still had another few areas we were going to visit on the way back to Wang as a warm down - we'll leave them for another day. Results of the trip; no vehicle damage - no personal damage - lots of great memories and certainly closer friendships. Oh yes and the results of the points test. Toyotas plus 2, Landrover minus 2 and Nissans minus 4, I had a great time, hope you all did - special thanks to Tom, Dean and Brett (son in law and soon to be member) and Nick (hopefully a new member soon) for your assistance in the reces and the support of all on the day, really appreciated it. There will be a fantastic film library both still and video available soon. Keep watching. Also, soon on Facebook - look for your invitation. Those on the trip - Dean and Jacki (photographer) Cunico '2IC' BJ40 Toyota mule, Tom and Zoe (photographer) Barnard 'Tail end Charlie' GQ Patrol and passenger Justin Nyman, President David 'Robbo' Robinson GQ Patrol and passenger David Ashford new member. Rob Holden 100 series Toyota and passenger David Ferguson my grandson and yours truly David Jackson 'Leader' Disco 3 and passenger photographer Terry Dillon. Just a few thoughts/highlights from some of our people - more to come. Jacki The day was coming to an end and what a great day it had been, waterfalls, wildlife, fun people and muddy excitement. dj announced back in Wang by 5pm everyone. BEAUTIFUL... My little boy (Dean) begs - "just one more time, just one more time. It felt like an eternity. My little boy and his little mule are wrenched around a pine tree looking at what lay above and what lies below. I had said earlier that day "The Mule is proving reliable... next word illegible" Dean We left Apco at about 8am heading for a wonderful day 4WDing. To cut a long story short, coming down Eternity I noticed that the recent rain had shifted the rocks and boulders, changing the playing field. Jacki was beside me - I told her that we'll just go down then be on our way home. Reaching the bottom I decided to go back up - first big mistake! Passing the first difficult section, the Mule faltered. The driver s side wheel was still; with diff locks this shouldn't happen. Tom, Justin and young David came to my aid, letting tyres down trying to get the Mule moving, we winched across and up to allow me to reverse back down. Thank you to all who were present. Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 15

16 Track Torque David Ferguson (Young David) Cold start, but warmed up. Rough at times but slow at other times. Rode in a Toyota, pretty good. Dean was the man of the day. Terry A very nervous start for our leader but he quickly warmed to the task. Trip was well planned and expertly lead. Agree with (young) David: Dean & Tom drove well. Our president tried to bend a tree and Rob H avoided walking on water, only because he had sidesteps. Discos are very comfortable but not so good at ledges! Lots of good fun, an excellent day, good company and wonderful country, so close to home. Thanks DJ & fellow travellers. Justin Well done David on leading last weekend s antics. Lots of fun tracks & places of interest and all so close to home. We couldn t have asked for a better day with just enough MUD, fast water & slippery hills, mixed together with some spectacular scenery and lovely company. Tom An all round great trip with lots of highlights. Definitely one to remember and do again. Thanks Dave for all your hard work and preparation, thanks to Dean for showing us the way, thanks to Jacki for letting him and thanks to everyone who came along and making it the terrific day it was. Exceptional weather, good driving, superbly prepared and lead. Terrific people. Great trip Zoe Scenery was good, especially the waterfall. Great friendly company. Had a few nervous laughs and some humorous moments. Look forward to doing it all again. Thanks to Dave for the great leading and everyone who came along to make it a really enjoyable trip View Photos: You can view photos of the day on Facebook: Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 16

17 Club Trips Track Torque Please let a committee member know if you are interested in leading a trip. There are many experienced club members who are more than willing to assist you with some planning and to assist you on the day if you would like. TOP CROSSING AND LAKE COBBLER HUTS MARCH Ever since the Wangaratta Club was formed its members have been active in various projects for the benefit of the public. One of these projects has been the maintenance and upkeep of these two huts. The purpose of this weekend is for a general clean up around the huts and to do any minor maintenance as required. Trip Leader Graham Abotomey Bookings by Thursday 17 march Start Time 8.30am Saturday Return 4.30 pm Sunday Meeting Place Oxley and Whitfield Trip Rating Fuel Recovery gear Medium for approx 200 Klms Round trip Standard Accommodation Tent, Swags or Trailers Extra gear for cleanup you can think of. Rakes, Shovels, Hammer, Nails, Screws, Battery powered drill and anything else We will probably camp at Top Crossing Hut Saturday night with a run up to Cobbler Sunday morning INVITATION TO SPONSORS We would love to see some of our sponsors on our trips. Please checkout the trips on the calendar and see if any might suit you. All you need to do is to give the contact person a call. Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 17

18 CLUB CALENDAR 2011 Track Torque Dates 2011 Destination Type of trip Proposed leader March 8 AGM Tarrawingie President March Hut Maintenance Top Crossing Hut Cobbler Hut Graham Abotomy March 22 Committee Meeting To be confirmed March Charlton Flood Relief Bruce Gooday April 12 General Meeting Tarrawingie Presentation from Craig Norton from Adventure camping April Bilby chocolate egg hunt Butcher country OR Big Desert May 21 Birthday Dinner To be confirmed Require Leader Something different Patrick walked into a bar in Dublin, ordered three pints of Guinness and sat in the corner of the room drinking a sip out of each pint in turn. When he had finished all three he went back to the bar and ordered three more. The barman said,"you know a pint goes flat soon after I pull it. Your pint would taste better if you bought one at a time". Patrick replied, "Well now, I have two brodders, one is in America and de odder in Australia and here I am in Dublin. When we all left home, we promised dat we'd drink dis way to remember de days we all drank togedder". The barman admitted that that was a nice custom and said no more. Patrick became a regular customer and always drank the same way... ordering three pints amd drinking a sip out of each in turn until they were finished. One day he came in and ordered just two pints. All the other regulars in the bar noticed and fell silent. When he went back to the bar for the second round the barman said, "I don't want to intrude on your grief but I wanted to offer my condolences on your great loss". Patrick looked confused for a moment, then the penny dropped and he started to laugh, "Oh no," he said, "Bejesus, everyone is fine! Tis me... I've Quit Drinking Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 18

19 NOTES Track Torque Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 19

20 Track Torque TRACk Torque March 2011 Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club A D PO Box 494 Wangaratta Responsible Four Wheel Driving And Family Touring Wangaratta Four Wheel Drive Club Inc March 2011 Page 20