Ray! Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 I noticed in the other forum that people are getting excited about the fact that there will soon be a new privately owned 4x4 location to drive in Queensland. I find that kind of sad, considering that in a state the size of Queensland, compared to Victoria, that 4WDriving is increasingly restricted to fewer and fewer public sites and more to private sites. I believe that NSW is not greatly different. For years Victoria has been threatened with track closures, and closures have happened, but we still enjoy the freedom of 4WDriving in many locations. It's no wonder that places in Victoria close to the NSW border, and even further in, are swamped with yellow plated 4WDs in summer. WA appears to be the only other place that allows a wider variety of 4WDriving as well. I've often said that once we close off everything for the sake of conservation, people will forget that these places even exist, they will become neglected, and then some time in the future someone will ask why aren't we using all this unused land and the cycle of rape and pillage will start all over again. Allow everyone to enjoy what we have, all of the time, and we will retain a balance that will be appreciated by all and won't be neglected. Cheers Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacket_1985 Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 x2. altho i would like to have a place or 2 in vic where we can go to drive the same notorious obstacle as everyone else. . . . like "Big red" or "widowmaker" if you have driven it everyone knows what its like and what an accomplishment it really is. see its no good Saying i drove trigg track in the wet in 2wd after breaking a cv. . . nobody cares because hardly anyone understands what i just said. Lets get a common obstacle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray! Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 I've driven Butcher Country in the mid-70s, Dingo Hill and 'widowmaker' in the early 80s (if your referring to one in the Wonnangatta valley), at least 3/4 way up before my MQ said enough, as well as Trigg in the 90s before it was graded into switchbacks and many other great tracks. A lot of really challenging ones have gone, but after our most recent foray, it looks like things are going to get better next year and the year after, as long as grading doesn't happen. I don't think there's enough money to do grading and now that global warming is turning to global cooling, the fear of major fires is diminishing to some extent. That said, I don't think that any other place in Australia still has what we offer in terms of 4WDriving and camping in the bush. There are some fantastic areas in Queensland and NSW, but the green brigade has well and truly suffocated the lot. Cheers Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigGQWesty Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 I know SA is very fortunate to have some many good parts and plenty of beach to travel on but we in the south east nearly lost some of that privilege with the introduction of the marine parks... But we still have plenty of desert tracks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heyhey Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Desert tracks every state has open (unless actually unsafe), they aren't worth a pittance IMO. Mountain tracks like those on the Great Dividing Range are the true 4wd challange in this country! I've always had the assumption that if you close of one track you encourage traffic on another, this then degrades the other causing a flow on effect until all are closed (QLD and Glasshouse). Victoria (and maybe Tas to a degree) take an active role in conservation of access, rather than conservation of weeds, introduced pest animals, etc (stupid tree huggers). They actively close and open the tracks to maintain some level of accessibilty and even do maintenance to the most difficult of tracks including but not limited to Dingo Hill (my new Favourite), Trig, Wesburn/Warburton area, Bunyip, Dargo area, Blue Rag, Frenchmans Spur, etc. Even the most abused tracks close to Melbourne's East were people actually test drive full on race ready comp trucks, such as Ellis Track, Cemetary Track and Burns Track in Wesburn/Warburton, Bunyip state forest, etc, are all open to the public for some time of the year. MANY cars have seen death on these tracks, they would have to be the most challenging public tracks in Australia, but yet they receive some maintenance and remain open. It is because the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environement understand that 4wders will be here no matter what, give them an area and concentrate, contain and minimise the destruction. The costs of closing areas of, policing the areas, obtaining By-Laws to enforce the restricted access, etc is almost not worth it and just moves people on to an area where they will cause destruction to something public that will have a larger cost of repair. I understand how this all works as I work in the area and have managed to open some areas of crown land that histroically have been closed off to the public, but have had a high amount of 'illegal' access. It is now costing us less to maintain not only the areas I have opened, but others as we are replacing less gates, fencing, signs, bollards, car parks, trees, etc, as we can spread people out rather than having one eyesore that gets all the local political and media attention. No use is not sustainable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 x2. altho i would like to have a place or 2 in vic where we can go to drive the same notorious obstacle as everyone else. . . . like "Big red" or "widowmaker" if you have driven it everyone knows what its like and what an accomplishment it really is. see its no good Saying i drove trigg track in the wet in 2wd after breaking a cv. . . nobody cares because hardly anyone understands what i just said. Lets get a common obstacle. You wont generally have this sort of thing in vic because many of the best tracks are a closely guarded secret or are actually un-named. Other than the commonly known tracks like ellis or rocky tk, publishing track names is generally frowned upon by victorian 4wders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dronus4x4 Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 There is nothing challenging that is free close to Adelaide. We have to go and pay stations to stay on their land and do their tracks. Its a real shame the amount of tracks that are gated off. I have been to most of the stations now, friendly people and some good tracks. Victoria has some of the most beautiful countryside, and great 4wding and camping so close to civilization. We love going over there and envy you guys who have it so good, so close to your doorstep. To answer the question in the topic I give it two thumbs up. Plus you have aldi, but that's another thread Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbear Posted June 2, 2012 Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 Its quite surprising so much gets locked up considering all the human caused vermin out there running rampant, they should be asking people to get out there and handing them firearms. Thumb up arse politics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigGQWesty Posted June 2, 2012 Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 There is nothing challenging that is free close to Adelaide. Whats close? 3hrs to the boarder track. 2 hrs to the yorke peninsula. And 3hrs to the flinders rangers.. But yes, a lot more in Vic.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heyhey Posted June 2, 2012 Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 And a lot closer, 3hours for only Boarder Track! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamus Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 For the most part there is nothing challenging about the border track save a small section here and there that can easily be bypassed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heyhey Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 (edited) I found nothing on Boarder Track challenging, just adjust your tyre pressures and its pretty boring. Edited June 3, 2012 by heyhey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigGQWesty Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 (edited) No it's not to challenging. But a nice weekend trip and some top camping spots along the way.. The fun starts at the end in the lil desert mud run.. (southern end) Edited June 3, 2012 by BigGQWesty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heyhey Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Helz yeah thats the best section west of the Toolangi until you get to Albany WA dronus4x4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dronus4x4 Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Yeah apart from trying to reduce pin striping I didn't find border track really challenging. Nice countryside but its no blue rag.. All of the good stuff in the flinders is behind locked gates. Good on the property owners for opening up their land but its all payed and not really that awesome. I was up there last weekend and was more worried about tyre damage than if I was going to complete any tracks. Yorkes, well apart from some dirt tracks and sand dunes I haven't seen much for free over there either. I hate to sound like a Tony Abbot and just be negative about it and not offer any solutions but I just can't see any. I was out looking for tracks the other weekend and dropped in to see what the going rate was to drive down to deep creek... crikey! I'd love to see some of the deep creek np, kuipto forest, and the one out the back of williamstown opened up. I've signed up for the 4wd action recent thing, will be interesting if it affects SA too. Sorry again if I sound like I'm moaning Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray! Posted June 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 I believe that there's some good tracks around the Pyrennes, but I've never managed to get there. Little Desert used to be interesting (when wet), but I believe they've closed off a lot of areas, the same as Albacutya. Cheers Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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