Attendees:
- Merrick and Daniel, Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series
- Callum and Tristan, Jeep Cherokee XJ
- Mark, Volkswagen Trakka
- Steve and Bjorn, Mitsubishi Pajero Shorty
- Phil and Michelle, Nissan Navara D40
- The Campbells, Land Rover Discovery 2
- Gordon, Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series
A fancy breakfast and coffee at Habituel in Healesville had us primed and ready for a great
day out. The sun was shining making it feel pretty warm, something that was pretty unusual
for the last couple of months.
Airing down and locking the hubs at Dom Dom Saddle we started our descent into the bush.
Straight away we could feel the impact of the last two weeks of rain that the area had
experienced. Keeping a good spread we slipped down the ruts and splashed in what
seemed like ongoing water channels in the track. The further we pushed, the wetter and
more chewed up things became until we found a rather large fallen tree across the track.
In the spirit of the good weather and paying it forward to the next people behind us we
decided to do a little track building around the skinnier end of the trunk that had fallen
directly into the borrow of a washout. Trimming logs, stuffing branches into gaps and suring
everything up with soil we made quick work the obstacle. Gotta tell ya, we seemed a pretty
competent road crew, maybe they should have us building the next expansion of the Monash
Freeway!
With that section fo the track made into a full blown road we puttered along until we came to
a rather large boggy step-up in the track. Taking a careful and casually paced crack at it first
saw me end up with a momentary loss of traction. Luckily Steve was perfectly placed to
rectify and then attempt himself. I tell you what, that little Pajero can climb! It shot out of the
boghole and up the step like it wasn’t even there, really shows you what a short wheel base
can do.
After that everyone jumped at the chance to test their rigs! Wheel spin and high revs put
smiles across everyone’s faces. Eventually everybody made it up, some on the hard path,
some on the slightly less hard path.
After some lunch we headed out for a quick look at Mt Gordon, analysed a very steep track
and decided to take a detour. Easy enough terrain saw for a pleasant drive through the bush.
At roughly 4PM we found ourselves close to the main drag and bid farewell to the
Campbells. Not long after getting back onto the road and trying to find camp Mark and the
Trakka found themselves in a little strife on a greasy hill. Luckily it was nothing a quick
snatch couldn’t solve.
Winding our way left and right, over mountains and into valleys, it ended up being quite hard
to find a suitable campsite. With the good ones being taken and leftovers being waterlogged
we pushed all the way back to where we had lunch and further. All this stopped gave Gordon
a great opportunity to lose his phone in the mud, luckily some friendly campers picked it up
and organised for him to come and collect it the next morning.
With a roaring fire at night, even I succumbed to a dose off in my camp chair. Was a great
way to top off the day at the cliff-view camp. Even if there were quite a few puddles next to
swags.
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