Subaru 4WD Club of Vic monthly magazine - April 2013

(ISSUE 391)

Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc.

Reg. No. A – 0006149J FWDV Member

www.subaru4wdvic.com.au PO BOX 2456

Mount Waverley VIC. 3149

Mt Cole & Pyrenees Ranges Trip

April 2013

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KVOLKS--B UBARU

SUBARU and Volkswagen Specialist

Parts and Service Centre

We will smooth out your motoring costs with extremely

competitive prices, offering trade discounts to all Subaru

4WD Club of Victoria members on all parts and repairs.

John Bailey 1362 Heatherton Rd Dandenong North 3175 Phone: (03) 9793 5655

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INTRODUCTION TO THE SUBARU 4WD CLUB

GENERAL MEETINGS South Camberwell Tennis Club Last Tuesday of each 322 Burke Road month at 8:00pm sharp Glen Iris (Melways 59 H6) (except December)

COMMITTEE Meetings 1st Tuesday each month: 7:30pm

Damian Stock (President)

[email protected]

Jessica Walsh (Vice President)

Peter Bellis (Secretary)

[email protected]

Bob Marshall (Treasurer)

[email protected]

Martin Foot (Trip & Social)

[email protected]

Michael Hartshorne (Editor)

[email protected]. au

Andrew Jantke (Membership)

[email protected]

Dale Rebgetz (Resources)

[email protected]

Stephen Whittaker (Venue)

[email protected]

Bev Davison (Ordinary Member)

Phil Milkins (Ordinary Member)

The Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc. was originally formed over 30 years ago by an enthusiastic group of Subaru owners. Today the club has expanded to include all Subaru 4WD and AWD vehicles, as well as all other makes of AWD, light 4WD and crossover/soft-roader type vehicles. The club aims to participate in exploration of the Australian countryside without damage to the environment, vehicle or individual. Visitors are most welcome to attend the club’s General Meetings and contact committee members regarding participation in club activities.

The club relies on membership fees to offset its running costs, including insurance. Membership fees are payable each year, due on 31 May. Fees for the 2012/13 year were agreed at the general meeting in March 2012 and are as follows:

Interstate: $100 (Seniors card - $95) ● Single: $110 (Seniors card - $100) Joint/family: $115 - (Seniors card - $100)

(All fees includes affiliation and Insurance: $42) A trip fee of $10 per adult non-member applies (for insurance purposes)

Please contact the membership officer for further information regarding membership,

including pro-rata and monthly rates.

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Welcome to the April magazine and my latest president’s report. I must admit that this report is being written in a bit of a rush, as time to complete it is against me this time around. While I don’t have too much work at the moment I seem to be pretty busy all the same, due to various association commitments and work I am trying to complete on the Forester for the Simpson Desert trip.

 

From a club perspective I have not made it to too many events this month but I was pleased to make it down to Les and Elaine’s home for an education session, run by Les (with help from Jamie), on tyre repairs in the bush. Les offered to run this session for anyone interested in learning some of the finer points of bush tyre repair but specifically in preparation for the Simpson trip.

 

Quite a few members were already there when I arrived fashionably late for the session. Fortunately, Les had just started so I had not missed too much. It was very interesting seeing how to apply tyre plugs, even in quite large holes, without having to remove the tyre from the wheel, something that will come in very handy when on the beaten track in the Simpson. Of course, hopefully we won’t need to use the new skills we learnt but it is nice to know that we have them if we need them.

 

After the tyre session we enjoyed a most enjoyable BBQ dinner, with desert, courtesy of Les and Elaine, before heading off to Longwarry for the Bunyip State Forest night drive, run by Jamie. Some of those attending the tyre session were not coming on the Bunyip trip so they continued along the freeway, towards Melbourne, when we turned off to the meeting point at the BP service station.

 

Stephen, who had not planned on coming on the trip, and Les, quickly filled up before we headed off north, toward Labertouche and then into the forest. As tail-end Charlie, I was amazed at how dusty the tracks were for this time of year, needing to keep the air-conditioning going just to keep the cabin clear. The tracks did change a lot as the night progressed, ending up in some serious bog holes the closer we got to Gembrook.

Shortly after leaving Longwarry, Les found that he was having cooling issues with the Brumby. It seemed that his upper radiator hose had decided to spring

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a leak, via a serious split where it connected to the engine. After some bush mechanics it was decided that Les would not risk going any further on the trip, instead returning home via the next main road.

Relatively, the rest of the trip through to Gembrook was uneventful apart from Stephen getting a little out of shape through one bog hole and skewering his indicator with a stick while pulling off to allow an approaching vehicle to pass by. What happened to the trip leader after the trip finished is another story but you will have to come along to the next club meeting to find out about that.

 

One important reminder that came out of the trip was the importance of carrying both tools and spare water on any trip off road. While it was interesting trying to catch the leaking coolant in my Hilux console, also known as an ice cream container, it would have been a lot easier to just refill the radiator with water after completing the repair. Of course we are all wise in hindsight but we should never forget the essentials when venturing off road, no matter how close to home we are.

 

Last month I mentioned the first aid course I attended, with members of the Pajero club. One of the Pajero members, Ron Reed, subsequently provided some information about a Victorian Ambulance Service program called “Four Steps For Life” which provides practice kits for CPR. I have now obtained one of these kits that we can use at a coming meeting to learn CPR. We will give you plenty of notice about when we are going to run this session so that you can put this in your diary, given that it is a skill definitely worth knowing

 

Last month’s meeting at Subaru Glen Waverley was a great event and it was wonderful seeing so many members in attendance, for the meeting and the dinner prior to it. The time in between was well spent with many taking up the offer of a drive in one of the new models. While I did not have time to drive one, the new Forester XT, with its 2 litre turbo charged petrol engine, combined with CVT, really has me re-thinking my preference for a diesel alternative. The new XT is more powerful than my current XT but gets around 2 litres per 100 kilometers better economy. It also has a couple of new features, including a variation on the old hill-holder technology, that makes it a very well rounded offering.

 

What I need to do now is try one with a loaded camper on the back to see how it handles towing as this is where the Forester diesel was shown to be

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lacking, despite the fact that it was a diesel. If it performs well then maybe I won’t bother hanging out for the diesel CVT combination after all.

I would definitely like to thank the team from Glen Waverley Subaru for their gracious hospitality and to all the members who came along to make the meeting such a success. The pre-meeting dinner was well attended so maybe we will try to do this again in the near future. We even had a couple of old members, Charles and Paula Tam, at dinner even though they could not stay for the meeting. Charles and Paula have just re-joined the club after buying a new 4WD to replace the Subaru that they sold a couple of years ago.

 

We will try to have more of these dealer meetings during the year however we need to give as much notice as possible so that we do not have anyone turning up at the regular meeting spot by mistake. As it so happened, a potential new member, Andrew, and a couple of rejoining members, Peter and Jill Berry, met up at the normal meeting location but eventually made their way out to Glen Waverley. It was great seeing Peter and Jill again after so many years and I am looking forward to seeing them out on a club trip soon.

From all reports it seems that the trip to the Cranbourne Gardens was a success. Unfortunately I had some gardens of my own, at the farm, to trudge around on Sunday so was unable to make it. I am sure that Martin will have a full report on it at the next meeting.

Our next meeting is back at South Camberwell and will have a presentation on radio technology from a representative of Telstat. This is timely for the Simpson Desert trip as reliable communications are vital for outback travel. Come along and make our guest presenter feel welcome.

 

Anyway that’s enough from me for this month. Take care of yourself out there, on the road or in the bush, and if I look forward to seeing you soon.

 

Damian 

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VENUE REPORT

APRIL GENERAL MEETING - South Camberwell Tennis Club

Date: Tuesday 30 April at 8pm I’d like to thank everyone for a great meeting last month at Subaru Glen Waverley. Thank you, also, to those who attended dinner before the meeting making it an extra special occasion. Presentation: Telstat (outback communications experts) will be presenting at this meeting. We’re looking forward to what they will bring to the night… especially as we are just months away from our remote Simpson Desert Crossing! Presenters and meeting highlights to come in 2013: Smithy’s Outback Gear (Greg Smith’s business – 4WD & outback gear) Freshield (food preservation and packaging) And many more… There are door prize giveaways for members at each meeting too. Come along to be in the draw! Stephen Whittaker Venue Coordinator

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EDITOR’S REPORT

A reminder that we are no longer sending out hard copies of the magazine before the general meetings to the majority of members. The exceptions are those who have not registered an email address with the club. Everyone else will receive an electronic link to the magazine on-line and can collect their magazines at the meeting or print them using the files provided in the email.

The magazine deadline for next edition is May 16th 2013. Send all copy to

[email protected]

Michael

JESSICA’S JOTTINGS

It was great to see such enthusiasm for the fundraising chocolates at the last meeting, as this is one of our major earners for the year. How is the sale of the box you took going! Is your staff room / canteen begging for more?

I have 4 boxes left that I will bring to the April meeting. First in best dressed. (You know you want to)! If you have sold your box, don't forget to bring the proceeds to the meeting so I can cross you off the list. Happy Travels Jessica Walsh

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TRIP & SOCIAL REPORT

FWDV SAND DRIVING TRAINING COURSE

Fri 17 evening (optional), Sat 18 to Monday 20 May

Course includes:

• Pre trip checks • Driving through sandy terrain • Driving and recovery of a 4WD vehicle

• Perform maintenance and minor repairs on a 4WD vehicle

Location: Portland

Cost $330 (member)

A flyer for the course is available on the fwdvictoria.org.au website.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Martin Foot, email: [email protected] in the first instance, with a description of the vehicle you will be driving. We are told that soft roaders are not accepted, so we will have to provide specs of our modifications to pass muster. FWDV will be approached after the April General Meeting when we have a list of prospective attendees.

MYSTERY NAVIGATIONAL RUN / TOURING ASSEMBLY

Date to be advised, Trip Rating: Social

Trip Leader: Stephen Whittaker, email:

[email protected]

This is a day for everyone in the club! Commencing in Sunbury, this fun, social navigational run will take you across some picturesque countryside while challenging your brain (so make sure you bring it with you!). Keep your eyes peeled throughout the day too as you can’t miss a thing. There’ll be plenty of socialising and we’ll enjoy a BBQ lunch at the halfway point. A great day for the kids! All roads are 2WD, formed roads with some of them dirt roads.

Where will we end up? You’ll just have to wait and see…

BUCHAN MAINTENANCE TRIP

Sat 8 – Mon 10 June (Queen’s Birthday long weekend)

Trip Leader: Jamie Scott, email:

[email protected]

Follow up to the trip in March to continue maintenance work at the campsite, plus day trips.

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TRIP & SOCIAL REPORT

SIMPSON DESERT TRIP 2013

This trip is ON.

Sun 14 July to Sun August 4

Trip Leader: Damian Stock, email:

[email protected]

Vehicles will need to be suitably prepared and subject to prior inspection and approval. A preparation session is being held at Damian’s for participants on Thursday 25 April.

Contact Damian for details as soon as possible to register interest, as he will unavailable in June.

SOUTH GIPPSLAND TRIP

Deferred from Australia Day to a date to be confirmed.

Trip leader: Jamie Scott, email:

[email protected]

Day and night drives, visits to State and National Parks. Standing camp at Jamie Scott’s property in South Gippsland.

Social/Easy to Difficult, your choice.

Contact Jamie for further details.

HIGH COUNTRY AROUND POREPUNKAH

Sat 2 – Tues 5 November (Cup Day long weekend)

Trip Leader: Steven Whittaker, email: [email protected]

OTHER TRIPS

Film Night – Drive-In? Narbethong

Cathedral Ranges A Picnic at Hanging Rock

Woods Point Goldfields Melbourne Laneways

We need leaders to run these trips, please contact me.

Martin Foot

Trip and Social Coordinator

Email: [email protected]

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TRIP REPORTS

MT COLE & PYRENEES RANGES TRIP

Thursday 28th March – Monday 1st April

By Stephen Whittaker (trip leader)

Thursday:

The Easter long-weekend arrived and another Subaru 4WD Club adventure was planned! This time, we were headed to Mt Cole and the Pyrenees Ranges with a standing camp at Chinaman’s Campground in the Mt Cole State Forest.

Doug & Stephen met at Ballan, after conversing scratchily on the CB radio in the thick Melbourne traffic. It was then on to Beaufort where we met up with Bev. Bev had had a very relaxing afternoon (with Splash) in Beaufort after beating the Melbourne traffic by leaving at lunchtime. After a quick top up of fuel for everyone, we headed to camp. In the end, there was no need for the concern about how busy the campsite was going to be. We arrived about an hour before dark and found a perfect spot large enough for our group (which would include 3 camper trailers!) who arrived over the next 24 hours.

We were expecting Peter & Jean and Jamie at around 10pm. Despite receiv-ing a phone call on Stephen’s mobile at the campground on the pre-trip, he had no phone reception when we arrived. However, we discovered a small pocket of reception about 1km away where he was able to respond to texts from expected travellers of their delayed arrivals.

Peter and Jean arrived at about 10:30pm… and were greeted by a warm campfire and us. But where was Jamie?

After learning Jamie was going to be late (about 12-12:30am), we planned to stay up for him. But at 12:50am, Stephen (the last one standing at this stage) just had to go to bed!

Friday:

Entitled Leisurely Day, we rose late and discovered Jamie had arrived (silently!). We relaxed around camp awaiting Dale & Jan, Martin & Dot and Peter & Katie – they had all anticipated a lunchtime arrival. A short trip out on the tracks was in the planning. A quick ferry down to the pocket of phone reception to learn that Dale & Jan and Martin & Dot were running a little late due to traffic in Beaufort. The one traffic light in Beaufort caused the Easter rush out of Melbourne on Good Friday to be backed up more than two kilo-metres before town!

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TRIP REPORTS

Dale & Jan arrived at lunch, followed by Martin and Dot after lunch. Where were Peter & Katie?

We relaxed around the campfire while camp was set and then it was time to hit the tracks! “We’ll just go out for a drive for an hour and a half,” said Stephen. This line would haunt him all weekend. Our drive would take us up to the Ben Nevis lookout via some challeng-ing tracks. One which would be the talk of the weekend. Eversley-Sugarloaf Track proved to be extremely difficult. Loose rock, shale, rock steps and very steep. After a few attempts and no possibility of going further without doing damage, Stephen discovered he was still only 1/3 of the way up! Dale attempted it after Stephen backed (and slid part-way!) down. Equipped with his new low range gear-box, Dale got about 5 metres further up than Stephen and decided it was nigh-on impossible for our prized Subies.

There was another way around. So, we finally got to the Ben Nevis lookout via some more sedate tracks. There was a gor-geous lookout from Ben Nevis, as well as the fire and communications tow-ers to see. Stephen opened some dialogue about going down Eversley-Sugarloaf Track and it was decided we’d have a go at going down.

After a challenging up-hill section from the other side to get to the top, we started to make our way down. Dale walked ahead of Stephen to discover it was very rough and it was decided that everyone would need to be walked down one at a time.

That ‘hour and a half’ track was turning into a lot more than an hour and a half!

There was one section that had everyone’s rear drivers side wheel at least two feet in the air while dropping down a particularly steep rocky ledge. With nerves tested and anxiety levels high for some, everyone was down the bot-tom with no damage at all. Spotters and directors proved invaluable. Jan managed to capture the ‘pic of the weekend’ with Martin easing down that rock ledge with Stephen directing. No doubt, we’ll see that pic pop up in next year’s photo competition!

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TRIP REPORTS

We arrived back at camp with very little daylight left and a 3 ½ hour trip be-hind us!

Peter and Katie arrived at 9:30pm… in a different colour, lower L-series, hav-ing heard a funny sound from the beige one the previous day. Camper trailer in tow, they setup camp quickly and joined us around the fire.

Saturday:

With a 9am departure planned, all were up and about early. After breakfast, we trekked via some interesting, but not too challenging, tracks with 8 vehi-cles in convoy. On our way to Mt Cole, we visited the Victoria Mill Scenic Reserve as well as the huge telephone tower (which transmits all regional television station signals for the area). We had climbed a fair bit to get to the tower and the evidence was when we looked up and saw the top of the tower was in the clouds. It was certainly colder here than back at camp.

On we went to Ditchfields campsite for a quick look-see. Less busy than Stephen had anticipated, but it would have been a squeeze for all of us to be there. It was here that Doug left us for home. Don’t worry, he was coming back on the Sunday… with Michelle (after they attended a wedding back in Melbourne on the Saturday night!). A few more interesting tracks were ex-plored on our way up Mt Cole. Once over Mt Cole, lunch was approaching.

Down the other side, we passed the picturesque Cave Hill on our way to Ferntree Waterfalls Picnic Area where we had lunch. After a pleasant lunch, some of us chose to go for a walk up to the waterfalls. Unfortunately, they weren’t quite the waterfalls we had imagined, but an enjoyable walk nonethe-

less and still worth seeing.

On our way back to camp, on the other side of Cave Hill, we took Cave Hill Track and when we came to the end of this no-through track, some chose to take a walk to the actual cave. What was supposed to be a leisurely walk to the cave turned into a very challenging hike! Dale, Jan and Martin were the most ad-venturous, taking on the challenge, with many of us turning around after taking in the magnifi-cent view south towards Beaufort and west towards Ararat. At one point, overwhelmed by the steepness of the walking track, Jan made a beeline for the road on which we had come back over Mt Cole. A phone call was made

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TRIP REPORTS

and Stephen was summoned to pick up Jan, so he made a quick dash to pick her up (she was found all in good spirits!).

Now, where were Dale and Martin? Well, they had made it to the cave, which was magnificent by all accounts and photos. However, on their way back, they took a wrong turn and after a few anxious-sounding phone calls to the trip leader and some serious bush-bashing on foot, up a steep slope, they made it back to the cars. They were both pretty tired and in need of a good drink and sit-down.

The convoy then made its way, with Dot driving (and Martin resting), back to camp after an enjoyable day. Firewood was gathered and a delightful eve-ning around the campfire was had.

Sunday:

Everyone had been told, with plenty of notice, that Easter Sunday was enti-tled ‘fancy day’, with the plan to spend it trekking up to Moonambel, Avoca and Amphitheatre via the Pyrenees Ranges. The fancy part was to be a visit to a winery or two, a visit to the township of Avoca as well as an ice-cream at the pub-turned-home-made-ice-creamery in Amphitheatre (which had re-ceived rave-reviews in the recent RACV magazine).

Departing camp at 9:30am, we headed towards Elmhurst via a few tracks in the Mt Cole State Forest. Having received a little rain overnight, the tracks were a little greasy and there was one notable steep-ish down hill section that had a few vehicles and their passengers enjoying the ride down!

Through Elmhurst and then into the Pyrenees Ranges, the rain continued, lightly. The trip leader hadn’t pre-tripped the Pyrenees Ranges, so who knew what was ahead of us?! It turned out that the route we chose was just a per-fect meander through a really pretty part of the area. Up hills and over ridges, down into valleys we went.

We had morning tea on a ridge in the clouds… it was cold and wet, but still enjoyable. Not long after morning tea, the sun was making its way through the clouds and the day was warming up. We hadn’t quite got to the ‘fancy’ part of the day just yet. More meandering and we popped out of the north side of the Pyrenees Ranges, near Moonambel, just on lunchtime.

A pleasant stop at the park in Moonambel for lunch was had and communica-tion with Doug and Michelle was made to arrange where we would meet up with them. It was decided Avoca would be the best place. With a bit of time up our sleeves before they would be at Avoca, we visited Warrenmang Win-

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TRIP REPORTS

ery (told you it was ‘fancy day’!).

This was quite the winery. Many of our group tried (and bought!) wine. We even got a tour of the cellar and learned a great deal about the fermentation process. Quite the interesting tour.

While waiting to pay for a couple of bottles of wine, Peter Bellis hap-pened to look down at a business card on the counter and it turns out the person on the card was his cousin! …who was currently oper-ating the winery. Peter and Jean managed a brief catch up with them while the rest of the convoy headed to Avoca where Doug and Michelle patiently awaited our arri-val.

With full fuel tanks and another vehicle back in the convoy, we trekked to Amphitheatre for ice-cream. This was a highly anticipated visit with many keen to get into an afternoon cone! When we arrived in Amphitheatre to a main street full of cars, we had an inkling it might be busy. And, indeed it was! We all ordered our home-made ice-creams (of which there were only alcoholic varieties) and waited in the quaint old pub which had been trans-formed into this ice-creamery/coffee shop. And we waited… and we waited… and we waited…

Fifty minutes later, our ice-creams started to be delivered to our table. It was a busy day for the staff and they were noticeably flustered by the Easter Sun-day rush on ice-cream. Mixed reviews flew across the table… as well as the jibes directed at the trip leader about the “hour and a half” ice-cream (a refer-ence to Friday’s ‘hour and a half track’!). So, we’d had the hour and a half track on Friday, the hour and a half ice-cream (though, not quite) on Sun-day. When will the trip leader learn not to quote times to the convoy?!

Back in the cars, we headed back to camp, cooked dinner and relaxed by the campfire after a big day.

Monday:

With very little planned for Monday, everyone was reluctantly packing up camp and ready to head home. A few requests for a morning drive were be-ing thrown about camp. So, Stephen consulted the maps and planned… you

CLUB CA

Trip Standard Sign Vehicle Suitability

Easy All wheel drive and high range 4WD. Can be Medium Suitable for medium clearance vehicles with d Difficult Suitable for medium to high clearance vehicles wit Very Difficult Suitable for high clearance vehicles with dual rang

Date Event

2013

APRIL Tues 30 General Meeting

MAY

Tues 7 Committee Meeting

Fri 17 – 20 FWDV Sand Driving Training Course

Tues 28 General Meeting

JUNE+

Sat 8 - 10 June Buchan Maintenance Trip

14 July - 8 Aug Simpson Desert Trip

TBA Mystery Navigational Run / Touring Assembly

Nov: Cup Day weekend

High Country around Porepunkah

TBA South Gippsland Trip

ALENDAR

low clearance with single range and road tyres. dual range and all terrain or road tyres.

th dual range and all terrain tyres. ge and tyres suitable for the terrain (eg. mud terrain tyres).

Location Standard Contact for further info. Cost

[email protected]

CSTC Stephen Whittaker

TBC Peter Bellis

Portland Martin Foot

CSTC Stephen Whittaker

Buchan Jamie Scott

Details TBC Damian Stock

Social Stephen Whittaker

Details TBC TBA Stephen Whittaker

Gippsland Jamie Scott

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TRIP REPORTS

guessed it… “an hour and a half” track. We said our goodbyes to those still packing up who would be gone by the time we got back (Martin & Dot and Peter & Katie) and headed off.

There were some steep sections that were fun to tackle up and down and then we had a go at a track that had not been maintained for a long, long time. While the gate was open, there were trees down over the track and washouts aplenty. Careful navigation over and around these but it was no use… the track was in disrepair and progress along it would have been slow. So, we decided to head back to camp…

And guess what?! We arrived back after AN HOUR AND A HALF! That’s right, the trip leader finally achieved the ‘hour and a half’ track that he’d set out to achieve on Friday. Ok, we didn’t quite finish it and had to turn around, but the duration was right.

As we were in the northern section of the Mt Cole State Forest, we made our way through the park on the way home with the plan to tackle a couple of tricky tracks on the way home. We said our goodbyes to Peter & Jean and Bev (who had camper trailers) and left the main road for a couple more chal-lenges before the end of the weekend. Those remaining (Jamie, Doug & Mi-chelle and Dale & Jan) followed Stephen down a particularly wet, steep sec-tion and then up Manly Point Track which was fun.

We all said our final goodbyes in Beaufort and headed home separately.

Thank you everyone for a fantastic weekend!

Attendees:

Stephen Whittaker Forester 2.5X

Doug & Michelle Greenall Forester XT

Bev Davison Forester 2.0

Peter & Jean Bellis Forester 2.0

Jamie ScottToyota Landcruiser

Dale & Jan Rebgetz Forester XT

Martin Foot & Dot Greiveson Forester 2.5X

Peter & Katie Mynard L-Series

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TRIP REPORTS

TASMANIA TREKKIN’ (Part 3)

February 16 - March 1 2013 Report written by Jessica Walsh

Sunday Feb 24

We bid the resort farewell and made our way to Port Arthur, a scene of past and recent tragedy. The road in had many stretches of blackened hillside where the recent bushfires had been. Over 40 houses had been lost only a couple of months earlier. We stopped at a couple of places on our way in to try to spread out tourist dollars a little.

Port Arthur was a sombre place with much history to involve us. For the $32 entry fee we received a 45 minute walking tour and a 20 minute boat ride around some of the nearby islands. We spent the next few hours walking around the ruins, some of which had been very well restored. We hit the road again and made our way off the Tasman Peninsula, only delayed slightly as a boat made its way through the swing bridge at Dunalley.

We headed towards the coast as best we could and kept it in sight for much of our drive as we turned north. We chose the dirt roads when we had the option and at one point had a delightful view of a young echidna crossing the road. After a couple of false starts we decided to give up on bush camping and knocked on the door of the Triabunna Caravan Park. They were very full, but also exceedingly obliging. After the owner shifted his car, we pitched tents and headed down the road to the local takeaway. Without casting too many aspersions on the store, suffice to say we would not recommend eating there!

Monday Feb 25

We started our second week on the Apple Isle by heading inland slightly through some forest reserves. It was here when we were turning around to explore another track that Stephen found he had a flat tyre. He was in good company, with all of us now succumbing.

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TRIP REPORTS

As we toured the reserves we went looking for the ‘Lost Falls’ but with the cloud closing in they were to remain so. We tried dropping a stone over the edge and it was some seconds before we heard it land. The falls would have been a sight. Fortunately we took lots of photos of what we couldn’t see.

Coles Bay beckoned and after lunch we were off again. The drive into the bay was straightforward, and after a quick tour of the available campsites we set up camp and went for a very refreshing swim. The view of the bay from our campsite was simply delightful and we had pre-dinner drinks and can-apés whilst enjoying it. Note to self: don’t leave the bin out for the possums to play with in the middle of the night.

Tuesday Feb 26

Once again Stephen was up early to walk across the saddle to Wineglass Bay. Michael and Jessica chose to start the day a little later and by the time Stephen had returned they were enjoying coffee and breakfast in the main street. It was full steam ahead and off to Ben Lomond. We stopped a couple of times for lunch and fuel, and then to check a possible campsite at Mathinna for our return. Onwards and upwards, with upwards being the op-erative word. We climbed Ben Lomond on the switchback road known as Jacob’s Ladder, to come out above the clouds. And it was a sight to be-hold. We returned down the hill to an altitude of just over 1000m, so we camped at the 1km level. There was definitely a hint of rain in the air so we set up Jessica’s car awning with Michael’s tent awning to make a nice big common area to cook our dinner in. It did rain later on so it was a good move, and proved effective, too, as the rain got heavier through the night.

Wednesday Feb 27

We awoke to a cloudy morning and decided to head towards Bridport for our last night in Tasmania. First stop was into St Leonards on the outskirts of Launceston for fuel and then off to the north-eastern most tip of the is-land. We stopped in Lilydale for coffees and to stock up for lunch. As we passed through Scottsdale, Michael spotted a locality on the map that be-came a very necessary destination for us. So we were soon taking photos of two Foresters in Forester!

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TRIP REPORTS

We continued on our way and had lunch in Gladstone before continuing to the tip of Tasma-nia. It is impres-sive to see the number of wind farms, and their

size. In this part of the island their are not many residents because of the wind, which is ideal for the wind farms. We visited Petal Point and Little Musselroe Bay and then made our way west. The campsite at Bridport was a lovely spot with great views. We set up camp, showered, and then headed to the pub for our ‘last supper’. This was followed by a wine and cider at camp, the mood decidedly sombre as our last day approached.

Thursday Feb 28

We rose and proceeded to pack for the last time. Michael found he needed a jump start from Jessica (was that the second time?) and we were off for coffees before making our way towards Devonport. We detoured via Low Head and Beaconsfield where we had lunch. We arrived in Devonport in plenty of time so we headed around to a parking spot with a great view of the bay to while away an hour or two. At around 4pm we made our way to the boat, with a search for a fish and chippie on the way. It was actually a bit of a struggle and we had almost given up hope before we found one within a kilometre of our destination. We boarded the boat, and settled ourselves in for the return journey. The swell was up a bit so there was some movement as we headed home. We all found different ways to deal with the mo-tion. Before we retired I spotted my old boss from a few years ago walking past, so much catching up was done. We awoke the next day, watched while we docked, started our cars and drove off. One of the things said most often in the last couple of days was ‘Instead of going home, can we go around again’? I am certainly looking forward to doing another lap of Tasma-nia. And it won’t come soon enough.

Thank you to Michael and Stephen for helping to make this trip what it was - a great trip that was too short by half. Oh, and that tragedy? Having to leave Tasmania and return to work before we were ready.

Jessica Walsh2010 2.0D Outback

Michael Hartshorne2010 XT Forrester

Stephen Whittaker2007 X Forrester

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CLUB MEETING MINUTES

General Meeting Minutes The general meeting of the Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc was held on Tuesday, 26th March 2013 at the Glen Waverley Subaru dealership starting at 8:15pm after spending one hour checking out the new Subaru Forester and doing a few test drives. 1. Present

Jessica Walsh, Jean Bellis, Peter Bellis, Phil Milkins, Elaine Milkins, Glenys Howell, Brian Howell, Damian Stock, Stephen Whittaker, David Wilson, Ruth Marshall, Bob Marshall, Bev Davison, Michael Hartshorne, Katie Mynard, Peter Mynard, Doug Greenall, Matt McConaghy, Michael Dickman, Jamie Scott, Les Scott, Jan Aylott, Martin Foot, Dale Rebgetz, Peter Berry, Jill Berry, Cynthia Rennolds, Rick Koster.

2. Apologies

Lisa Jantke, Andrew Jantke, Elaine Hyde, Paul Saleeba. 3. Visitors

Emma Hammel, Andrzej Rogacki, Kerry Bright. 4. Welcome

A welcome was extended to all members and visitors. 5. Minutes of the Previous General Meeting

The minutes of the February 2013 General Meeting were accepted without amendment after being moved by Phil Milkins and seconded by Jamie Scott. There was no business arising from the minutes.

6. Correspondence

6.1 In Consumer Affairs Victoria 4WD Victoria – proposed track closures for Winter 2013. Membership enquiries Sales ad for 1998 L-series.

6.2 Out Consumer Affairs Victoria

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7. Reports 7.1 Resources

Have chocolates for club members to sell for fundraising. Brochures concerning Flexi-Tank. Still taking clothing order.

7.2 Editor Many thanks to Martin for doing the February magazine. Next editorial deadline is 14th April 2013.

7.3 Trip and Social See elsewhere in the magazine for details. Future trip suggestions for which trip leaders are being sought.

Cathedral ranges Woods Point goldfields Narbethong Film night at the Dromana drive-in theatre A picnic at Hanging Rock Laneways of Melbourne.

7.4 Venue See elsewhere within the magazine for details. Many thanks to Subaru Glen Waverley for hosting tonight’s meeting and allowing the test drive of the new Subaru Forester.

7.5 Membership. No report to submit.

7.6 Treasurer Current bank account balance is $2,915.34. Major payments included PO box renewal and Consumer Affair Victoria annual registration fee.

7.7 Secretary Club constitution needs to be updated as a result of new legislation governing incorporated associations. Proposed revised constitution has been formulated and will be discussed further at the next committee meeting, and then presented to members at the April meeting. The revised constitution will then be presented at the May meeting for formal adoption. Next week’s committee meeting is at Bev’s place.

7.8 Vice-President Fundraising – have chocolates for sale as a fundraiser. Each box will raise $50, which result in a $600 profit for the club.

7.9 President First aid – recently did a course through 4WD Victoria. Paid $144 for the course. Recommend that members to do such a course. If

Page: 24


there are sufficient members interested, will be able to organise a course for the club. A joint 4WD Victoria / Subaru 4WD Club membership card for 2013/14 will be issued, and will be backed up by discount deals. FWD Victoria is seeking further assistance with disaster relief for the Rutherglen area that was recently affected by tornadoes. Many thanks to those members who helped a few weekends ago to continue the development of the club hut at the Buchan property. The access track have been vastly improved courtesy DSE.

8. General Business

8.1 Jessica is selling her Outback. Consequently, there are a few bits and pieces for sales.

8.2 Damian’s car was recently experiencing fuel problems with his Forester turbo. The extra fuel filter that had been fitted was causing the engine to be staved of fuel. The extra filter has since been removed and the car’s performance has returned to normal. However, some “sludge” came out of the removed filter. Therefore, may need to fit a high flow second filter.

9. Fines and Fun

9.1 Nametags Damian Stock (for having on Angela’s nametag), Michael

Hartshorne, Rick Koster, Michael Dickman. 9.2 Last to Meeting

Rick Koster. 9.3 Trips

9.3.1 Tasmania Jessica – flat tyre. Jessica – taking a record player. Michael – flat battery due to leaving the lights on. Michael – flat tyre. Stephen – “foot in month” at Macquarie Heads campsite near

Strachan. 9.3.2 Buchan

David – for being late to pick up the timber from the Bairnsdale hardware place.

Les and Jamie – for not being able to fold up the shower tent.

9.4 Total fines collected - $6.20.

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10. Meeting closed at 9:45 and was followed by a presentation by Subaru Glen Waverley, and then supper.

11. The Lucky door prize (a voucher for the coal mine at Wonthaggi) was

won by Ruth Marshall. 12. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 30th April 2013 commencing

at 8pm.

Minutes of the meeting of the committee of the Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc held on 2nd April 2013 at the home of Bev Davison starting at 7:45pm.

1. Present Bev Davison, Bob Marshall, Damian Stock, Stephen Whittaker, Phil Milkins, Jessica Walsh, Peter Bellis, Martin Foot.

2. Apologies Michael Hartshorne, Andrew Jantke

3. Quorum A quorum was achieved with 9 committee members present.

4. Minutes of the Previous Meeting Minutes of the March 2013 meeting were accepted without amendment. Business Arising from the Minutes and Outstanding Actions

4.2.1 Club Constitution Changes Have been circulated to committee members for review and discussion.

4.2.2 Pre-2003 Club Website – Martin will continue to follow up with Mark Tyseen.

4.2.3 Club brochure – needs to be updated. Stephen has not been able to tackle it yet.

4.2.4 FWD Victoria membership stickers – will be sent out with the next magazine or handed out at the next meeting.

4.2.5 Fundraising BBQs – have some alternatives to Bunnings, such as Masters. Oil additive – have received a 15% discount. Chocolates – have been purchased and were handed out to

COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

Page: 26


members at the March meeting for sale. Still have 5 boxes for distribution.

4.2.6 Club website Dale, Stephen and Martin – update of website engine is a work-in-progress.

4.2.7 Membership survey Have the survey conducted at meetings by a committee member quizzing members. Damian has this under control. Will rejig the form so that it is anonymous.

5. Club Constitution Update Review

A review of the proposed new constitution was held. Discussions were held on several key topics and amendments were made to the working paper prepared and reviewed by Peter and Jessica. Discussion ceased after rule 63 and will progress to the end at the next committee meeting. The new constitution must be in place by November 2013. Otherwise, the model rules as spelt out in the Incorporated Associations Reform Act will take over.

Membership Fees 2013/14

The current membership fees are as follows:

Membership Type

Membership Subscription

Association Levy

Total

Single $68 $42 $110

Family / Joint $73 $42 $115

Interstate $58 $42 $100

Membership Type

Senior’s Discount

Joining Fee Trip Fee (adult non-member)

Single -$10 $10 $10

Family / Joint -$15 $20 -

Interstate -$5 $10 -

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Discussion revolved around the current disparity between the single and family memberships, particularly after taking Senior’s discount into account. The FWDV association levy is expected to increase by Melbourne CPI. The fees proposed for 2013/14 are:

6. Correspondence

6.1 In None tabled. 6.2 Out None tabled.

7. Reports

7.1 Trip and Social Details elsewhere in the magazine. 7.2 Venue Details elsewhere in the magazine. 7.3 Treasurer

Current bank account balance is $1,954.88. Major payments included the chocolate fundraising supplies, and supplies for the Buchan shelter repairs.

8. General Business

Presentation time at meetings – need to have a time limit so that speakers don’t waffle on.

9. Next Meeting will be held on Tuesday 7th May 2013 at 7:30pm at the home of Michael Hartshorne (tbc).

Meeting closed at 11:55pm.

Membership Type

Membership Subscription

Association Levy

Total

Single $70 $45 $115

Family / Joint $90 $45 $135

Interstate $60 $45 $105

Membership Type

Senior’s Discount

Joining Fee Trip Fee (adult non-member)

Single -$10 $10 $15

Family / Joint -$15 $20 -

Interstate -$5 $10 -

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RESOURCES

We have plenty of resources to sell. We may have many, some or none of the following items so if you are interested in any of these then please come along to the club meeting and I will be very happy to sell them to you. Correct change will be much appreciated.

$

Hat Oiled Skin size 55 20.00

Hat Safari size 59 20.00

Black caps with club logo 15.00

Short sleeve blue chambray shirt with logo Size 14 40.00

New Style Red Polo Shirts (M, L, XL, 2XL) 30.00

New Style Vest 60.00

Blue Polo Shirt 15.00

Large Sew on Badges 3.50

Small Sew on Badges 2.00

Shackles 3.2 tonne 5.00

Fuel Filter Plastic x 45deg. 7.00

Fuel Filter Plastic x 90deg. 7.00

Fuel Filter Plastic x Straight 5.00

eFlare HZ510 Red with Base 66.00

CV Boot Clamps Large & Small 4.00

CV Joint Grease 6.00

Wheel Nuts [Set of 4] 1.60

For substantial discounts on all general automotive spare parts, oils, filters, shocks, etc., please see me for details. Thanks, Dale Rebgetz Resources Officer, email: [email protected]

STANDARD TRIP EQUIPMENT & RECOVERY GEAR

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The aim of all Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc. trips is to have an enjoyable experience in the bush, increasing 4WDing skills and experience, whilst maintaining the highest regard for the safety of individuals, the vehicle and the environment. As a driver you have ultimate responsibility for the safety of your passengers and vehicle. It is the responsibility of any participating driver to contact individual trip leaders for clarification of individual trip re-quirements and standards.

Financial members are encouraged to participate in as many trips as possible to in-crease confidence and experience. Visitors are welcome subject to the payment of the appropriate levy to cover insurance, but after two visits, should consider member-ship. Non-financial members are not covered by insurance and may not participate until payment is received.

Individual drivers with concerns or queries regarding their vehicle and the trip standard should contact relevant trip leaders. The Subaru 4WD Club of Victoria Inc. recommends that each vehicle carry the following items of equipment on every trip:

a) Personal details form as specified by FWDV, copy to Trip Leader

b) Two Rated D- Shackles (minimum 3.2t);

c) Rated “Snatch’em” Strap; d) Recovery Points, Front & Rear; plus optional bridle strap, according to vehicle design; e) AM (27Mhz) Channel 5 or UHF (477Mhz) Channel 16 CB Radio;

f) Fire Extinguisher, accessible to the driver;

g) Spare Tyre (full size);

h) Jack and Wheel Brace, or equivalent;

i) Emergency Supplies (matches, food, water and clothing);

j) Sufficient Fuel, Oil and Water for the trip and delays;

k) A Tyre Pressure Gauge; Compressor (according to the trip)

l) An Axe, Bow or Chain saw;

m) A Sturdy Shovel (collapsible shovels are no good);

n) Spare Parts (appropriate to the nature of the Trip);

o) A Tool Kit;

p) Personal First Aid Kit;

q) The Vehicle Manual.

Any vehicle not carrying at least the first five (5) items of equipment should contact the individual Trip Leader before leaving. Any Club member unsure about any of the items of equipment listed above are advised to contact the the Trip and Social Co-ordinator or the Trip Leader concerned.

All Trip Leaders carry a complete First Aid Kit in case of emergency. All non-emergency medical needs are expected to be meet by individuals own medical supplies.

Page: 30

FOR SALE

The club makes this space available free of charge to members wishing to buy or sell items.

Please note that the Motor Car Trader Regulations 1998-22(4) require that vehicles for sale

advertisements must contain: (a) the cash price of the vehicle and; (b) the registration number

if registered or the engine/chassis numbers if unregistered. Contact the club editor to advertise

in this space.

Mountain Bike plus Tow Bar type 3 bike carrier, safety helmet The lot $120 o.n.o. Contact Bob Marshall, email: [email protected]

Forester Aluminium Bash Plates: made from 6.0mm construction grade

aluminium: $300 for club members, $330 for non-members. Fitting can be

arranged. Contact: David Wilson, email: [email protected].

Beige 1988 Subaru DL wagon, 5 speed manual dual range, carburettor 1.8

litre engine, MY89. After 24 years, this well loved work horse is being put out

to pasture. Single owner. Not subject to finance. Could make a good club car.

Currently registered UTJ400, but will be sold without RWC and without

plates.405000km. Has been well maintained by Combined Servicing.

VINJF2AN5ER0CE415801 $1000 negotiable. Russell 0418 102 255

Jessica’s Sale:

17" alloy rim to suit the current model Outback. It is fitted with an almost

new Kumho 225/60 R17 road tyre that has done about 500km (max). $200

3x 225/60 R17 Yokohama Geolander G012 A/T-S tyres to suit the current

Outback/Liberty. Two of them have been driven about 30,000km ($50 ea.)

and the other is near new with about 4,000km of use ($100).

Roof-rack mounted luggage carrier pod. Approximately 150 litres; lockable;

weatherproof. $100

(Can you tell I have changed vehicles)?

For more details on any of the above, please contact Jessica, email: [email protected]

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FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VICTORIA TRAINING CALENDAR

May 2013

Thursday 2nd Track Classification Course (TC130505) - Theory

Friday 3rd 4WD & AWD Proficiency (PC130504) - Theory

Saturday 4th 4WD & AWD Proficiency (PC130504) - Practical

Sunday 5th Track Classification Course (TC130505) - Practical

Thursday 16th 4WD & AWD Proficiency (PC130518) - Theory


Friday 17th Ladies 4WD & AWD Proficiency (LC130519) - Theory

Sunday 19th Ladies 4WD & AWD Proficiency (LC130519) - Practical

Wednesday 29th 4WD Driver Awareness (DA130529)

June 2013

Friday 31st May 4WD & AWD Proficiency (PC130601) - Theory

Saturday 1st 4WD & AWD Proficiency (PC130601) - Practical


Friday 21st Map Reading & Introduction to GPS (MR130621)

Saturday 22nd 4WD & AWD Proficiency (PC130622) - Practical

July 2013

Friday 5th 4WD & AWD Proficiency (PC130706) - Theory

Saturday 6th First Aid Course (FA130706)



Thursday 18th Ladies 4WD & AWD Proficiency (LC130721) - Theory

Friday 19th GPS Course (GPS130719)


Sunday 21st Ladies 4WD & AWD Proficiency (LC130721) - Practical

FWDV can be contacted on 9857 5209 or e-mail: [email protected] Contact S4WDCV Secretary Peter Bellis, email: [email protected] regarding attendance at FWDV courses as a club discount may apply.

Subaru 4WD Club of Vic monthly magazine - April 2013

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