COFFS COAST ADVENTURE GUIDE - XXXX Coffs coast is arguably the low range capital of the Oz 4WDing...
1
CAMPING Perhaps the most popular camping site on the Coffs coast region is that out at Platypus Flat. With excellent fishing, swimming and close to a number of moderate to hard 4WD tracks, this is perhaps the ideal base camp. Should you push further west and head out from Coffs towards Dorrigo, there is Guy Fawkes wilderness area and the absolutely cracking Chaelundi campground. This remote yet well situated campground has river and waterfall access (Ebor Falls) and there is every chance you will have it all to yourself. 4WD GEAR AND TIPS The Coffs coast is arguably the low range capital of the Oz 4WDing scene. Not only does it have a large percentage of tough tracks, the calibre of these tracks is off the scale extreme. This really is tough truck country and equipping your rig to handle the toughest tracks, not break and then get you home safely is what it’s all about. Lockers are mandatory, both for the track and your truck. Being able to crawl and pick perfect lines is essential – couple lockers with reduction gears and you are building a solid platform. Next, aggressive rubber being run at lower than average pressures. Grip on the clay based, wet rainforest soils are key – so too is your tyres’ ability to self-clean and not become clogged. Keeping your truck low yet giving down travel and tyre clearance is a balancing act well worth putting effort into. The taller your truck, the higher your centre of gravity, the easier it is to roll. Remember your diff height doesn’t change (unless you run portals) so high isn’t always best. Keep weight in your truck to bare essentials on the extreme tracks – lightweight rigs climb and crawl far better than touring rigs. Try to move essential weight (recovery gear, water) to the middle of the 4WD and avoid excessive rear weight. Panel damage is not a possibility in Coffs, it’s a certainty. Locals employ brush guards, side rails and solid frontal protection to try and minimise damage. Likewise, laminated diffs and diff guards are quality insurance against damage. Have a think about upgrading parts prone to failure under stress, such as CV joints and be sure to carry spares of anything you know to be likely to give way when your rig is pushed hard. Winches and recovery gear should be carried by every vehicle in a convoy and if you are heading out to tackle the harder grade tracks, do so in a group for safety yet keep numbers low enough to actually finish a track in good time – 3-5 trucks is a sensible number, no more or less. COFFS COAST ADVENTURE GUIDE MAJOR ATTRACTIONS WATER FALLS AND SWIMMING HOLES: With the Great Dividing Range at its closest point to the coast at Coffs Harbour than anywhere else, it is possible to surf by morning then swim under a pristine waterfall by afternoon. Some cracking examples are to be had just a short drive into the Coffs hinterland such as Dangar Falls, Crystal Shower and Coachwood Falls. MINES: Mining is perhaps not the first (or second) activity you might associate with the Coffs coast, yet the region has a rich (pardon the pun) history with many relics left behind. If ever you needed an excuse to lock the hubs, heading into the Coffs hills on a mining mission is perfect. Head for Orara Way and then follow your nose through the maze of 4WD tracks to discover old ruins, mine shafts and diggings. TOUGH TRACKS: This is the Coffs coast after all so there’s a good chance you have an interest in the extreme side of 4WDing – this is the capital. Even Coffs laidback tracks are demanding – ease into things with Rover Trail before stepping up to Commando then on towards Mount Coramba and tackling Dump Trail and Morbid, just to name a few. BOAMBEE BEACH: If enclosed rainforests and mud all gets a bit much, head for the crystal clear waters and wide open 4WD run along Boambee Beach. The beach fishing can be epic as can the surf at “Gallows” break and despite being just under six kilometres long – this is one of the best beaches in the area. Coffs Harbour is home to some of toughest 4WD tracks in the country and is spoken of as the capital of Australian low range. Come prepared as these tracks are not for the faint-hearted. LOCATION AND SUPPLIES A unique aspect to the Coffs coast is that you can be swinging off the end of a winch rope after a four hour ordeal up an overgrown, rutted and vertical track, look over your shoulder and see the CBD! With the Great Dividing Range so close to the coast, nothing is ever far away. The town of Coffs Harbour offers the entire infrastructure you could need and for the most part is never far from the action. TO SEE THIS VIDEO + DOWNLOAD THIS FREE FACT SHEET VISIT www.xxxx.com.au BEST TIME TO VISIT The majority of rain in the Coffs region falls as summer storms in the mid to late PM. This can cause a mild track to become off the scale wild within seconds. Keep this in mind should you find yourself halfway up track X as a thunderstorm rolls in.
Transcript of COFFS COAST ADVENTURE GUIDE - XXXX Coffs coast is arguably the low range capital of the Oz 4WDing...
CAMPINGPerhaps the most popular camping site on the Coffs coast region is that out at Platypus Flat. With excellent fishing, swimming and close to a number of moderate to hard 4WD tracks, this is perhaps the ideal base camp.
Should you push further west and head out from Coffs towards Dorrigo, there is Guy Fawkes wilderness area and the absolutely cracking Chaelundi campground. This remote yet well situated campground has river and waterfall access (Ebor Falls) and there is every chance you will have it all to yourself.
4WD GEAR AND TIPSThe Coffs coast is arguably the low range capital of the Oz 4WDing scene. Not only does it have a large percentage of tough tracks, the calibre of these tracks is off the scale extreme. This really is tough truck country and equipping your rig to handle the toughest tracks, not break and then get you home safely is what it’s all about.
Lockers are mandatory, both for the track and your truck. Being able to crawl and pick perfect lines is essential – couple lockers with reduction gears and you are building a solid platform. Next, aggressive rubber being run at lower than average pressures. Grip on the clay based, wet rainforest soils are key – so too is your tyres’ ability to self-clean and not become clogged.
Keeping your truck low yet giving down travel and tyre clearance is a balancing act well worth putting effort into. The taller your truck, the higher your centre of gravity, the easier it is to roll. Remember your diff height doesn’t change (unless you run portals) so high isn’t always best.
Keep weight in your truck to bare essentials on the extreme tracks – lightweight rigs climb and crawl far better than touring rigs. Try to move essential weight (recovery gear, water) to the middle of the 4WD and avoid excessive rear weight.
Panel damage is not a possibility in Coffs, it’s a certainty. Locals employ brush guards, side rails and solid frontal protection to try and minimise damage. Likewise, laminated diffs and diff guards are quality insurance against damage.
Have a think about upgrading parts prone to failure under stress, such as CV joints and be sure to carry spares of anything you know to be likely to give way when your rig is pushed hard.
Winches and recovery gear should be carried by every vehicle in a convoy and if you are heading out to tackle the harder grade tracks, do so in a group for safety yet keep numbers low enough to actually finish a track in good time – 3-5 trucks is a sensible number, no more or less.
COFFS COASTADVENTURE GUIDE
MAJOR ATTRACTIONSWATER FALLS AND SWIMMING HOLES: With the Great Dividing Range at its closest point to the coast at Coffs Harbour than anywhere else, it is possible to surf by morning then swim under a pristine waterfall by afternoon. Some cracking examples are to be had just a short drive into the Coffs hinterland such as Dangar Falls, Crystal Shower and Coachwood Falls.MINES: Mining is perhaps not the first (or second) activity you might associate with the Coffs coast, yet the region has a rich (pardon the pun) history with many relics left behind. If ever you needed an excuse to lock the hubs, heading into the Coffs hills on a mining mission is perfect. Head for Orara Way and then follow your nose through the maze of 4WD tracks to discover old ruins, mine shafts and diggings.TOUGH TRACKS: This is the Coffs coast after all so there’s a good chance you have an interest in the extreme side of 4WDing – this is the capital. Even Coffs laidback tracks are demanding – ease into things with Rover Trail before stepping up to Commando then on towards Mount Coramba and tackling Dump Trail and Morbid, just to name a few.BOAMBEE BEACH: If enclosed rainforests and mud all gets a bit much, head for the crystal clear waters and wide open 4WD run along Boambee Beach. The beach fishing can be epic as can the surf at “Gallows” break and despite being just under six kilometres long – this is one of the best beaches in the area.
Coffs Harbour is home to some of toughest 4WD tracks in the country and is spoken of as the capital of Australian low range. Come prepared as these tracks are not for the faint-hearted.
LOCATION AND SUPPLIESA unique aspect to the Coffs coast is that you can be swinging off the end of a winch rope after a four hour ordeal up an overgrown, rutted and vertical track, look over your shoulder and see the CBD! With the Great Dividing Range so close to the coast, nothing is ever far away. The town of Coffs Harbour offers the entire infrastructure you could need and for the most part is never far from the action.
TO SEE THIS VIDEO + DOWNLOADTHIS FREE FACT SHEET VISIT www.xxxx.com.au
BEST TIME TO VISITThe majority of rain in the Coffs region falls as summer storms in the mid to late PM. This can cause a mild track to become off the scale wild within seconds. Keep this in mind should you find yourself halfway up track X as a thunderstorm rolls in.
