• Upgrade to XenForo 2.2.15 has completed

Lerderderg/Wombat Forest 18APR09 ***Dial up warning***

El_Freddo

Forum Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
2,398
Location
Bridgewater, Vic
Car Year
1988, 1990
Car Model
EJ22'd L series; Targa Brumby
Transmission
Locking FT4wd 5spd Manual, 4.111:1 diff w 1.59:1 low range & front OBX LSD ;)
G'day all!

Well it was a small turn out - Subaruby, Brrrummmbeee + mate and myself: Meet up at IGA:

jpegp4180020.jpg


I had my new camera out to give it a good test - I'm a little disappointed with the sound quality of video recordings but anyway:

jpegp4180021.jpg


We headed north east out of Baccus Marsh to the Lerderderg Rd, along Cameron Rd and into the Lerderderg State Park. First off we checked out the old quarry where we found one good short climb that we did a few times. I got a few videos of this but no photos...

After this we headed off to Blue Gum Tk and shortly after turned onto
Holts road, this was a fairly easy track, a 2 wheel drive could have done it down to the valley and dry creek crossing. This area was a bit of fun with a challenging climb to start a longer climb up Nuggerty Tk back onto Blue
Gum Tk:

At the base of Nuggerty Tk:

jpegp4180030.jpg


Subaruby climbing a section of Nuggerty Tk:

jpegp4180044.jpg


^ Once again, the images don't really depict the slope very well...

We shuttled along Blue Gum Tk to Radcliffe Tk that then followed onto fire break tk 1, this had an interesting crossing of the river in the valley, it would've been more interesting to cross if the river was flowing:

jpegp4180056.jpg


The group on the river bed:

jpegp4180059.jpg


The mud puddle in the middle of the river bed:

jpegp4180061.jpg


Brrrummmbeee and his mate checked the depth of the water and the firmness of the mud at the bottom, all checked out relatively ok.

Brrrummmbeee went first and got through ok. I thought I'd transverse the ruts for a bit of fun but came in too slow and stopped in my tracks (on my roadies). I actually stuck my head out the window to make sure the wheels where still turning!

At this point it looked like a snatch was needed - I had a go at cradling/rocking back and forth - once I got some movement it was easy to gain momentum after some spraying of dirty water, Ruby Scoo actually made it out without any trouble in the end:


jpegp4180064.jpg


This fire break tk took us up to the main track that draws the line between the Wombat forest and the Lerderderg forest. Subaruby showed off his lift:


jpegp4180072.jpg


We had a bit of a play in some muddy ruts we found near the carpark before having lunch at the bottom of Digger's Tk:


jpegcroppedp4180078.jpg


I dropped in on O'Brien's Crossing ;) There was a largish camp of people there with a decent setup. And there was two little pools of water there, my bad.

From here Brrrummmbeee's mate took the lead over to the wombat to an area that he'd taken some new 4wd's out for a few demo runs. Apparently it wasn't as fun due to the lack of moisture around but it was still a good area to get to know your subi and pick different lines to everyone else.
Brrrummmbeee hadn't been 4wd'n before today yet he managed to negoicate these tracks with the help of his mate (who has various 4wd experience). I took several videos from my sun visor position but unfortunatly I managed to cover the lense :redface:

We then headed over towards the powerline track I wanted to check out, we did a few different tracks along the way:


jpegp4180083.jpg


Easter Monday Track was one to note for next time:

jpegp4180089.jpg



More to come!
 
From here we went and did another dry river crossing. Subaruby and I went for the same line as each-other:


jpegp4180090.jpg


jpegp4180093.jpg


Brrrummmbeee had ideas of his own on the crossing but decided to take the same that we did. Unfortunatly he was unsuccessful at this attempt due to the nortourious open diffs free wheeling on opposite diagonal wheels. Brrrummmbeee went for his original plan and nailed it with very little hastle - a good effort for someone who had not 4 wheeled before today!

jpegp4180095.jpg


After leaving this area I got a flat - seems that I knocked a tyre off the bead as its now back on the subi without a problem... I don't have a photo of this but Brrrummmbeee and Subaruby do. Its becoming a tradition for me to have a flat whenever I go 4wd'n with Subaruby - I put a rock through the side wall of a new roadie two years ago with Subaruby out at Heathcote...

After that was sorted we checked out the powerline track some locals told me about, here are some pics:

jpegp4180101.jpg




jpegp4180107.jpg


jpegp4180108.jpg


jpegp4180109.jpg


^ A bit of water on this and you'd have yourself quite a challenge on your hands!

And here's a photo of my trip home to cap off an awesome day out in a new area:

jpegp4180110.jpg


- I'm sure there'll be more trips out to the Wombat and Lerderderg areas, we've only just touched the tip of the ice berg so to speak.

Hope you packed a lunch for this read and still enjoyed it if you didn't!

Cheers

Bennie
 
Sounds & looks like you guys had a fantastic trip. :)
There's nothing better than waking up & reading such a great trip report. It beats the newspaper any day. :biggrin:
There are some top pics in there aswell, I really like the one with the 3 wheel action showing us some air. :ebiggrin:

Thanks for sharing.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
Thanks everyone for your replies!

Basically we had a ball and are now waiting for some rain to see what its like during those conditions - I hope to have some 4wd tyres by then (and some lift... and an EJ...).

I'm hoping Subaruby throws some of his photos in, they show a different perspective as you would expect from a different photographer.

Carljwnc: I really want to put some video up but would like to edit it to actually make it all look interesting and to cut some of the flab. I don't know if I've got a program to do it yet as I still haven't installed the CD that came with the new camera. The only thing I'm disappointed about the camera is that the sound quality doesn't seem that flash, its kinda muffled or not there at times...

I'll have the video up ASAP but I'm headed off tomorrow (again) on another trip of a different kind without internet or computer access...

Cheers

Bennie
 
Carljwnc: I really want to put some video up but would like to edit it to actually make it all look interesting and to cut some of the flab. I don't know if I've got a program to do it yet as I still haven't installed the CD that came with the new camera. The only thing I'm disappointed about the camera is that the sound quality doesn't seem that flash, its kinda muffled or not there at times...

All of the video I've done, I've just left unedited. I haven't really messed around with the software that came with the camera yet to know what it can do.:shrug: I'll have to mess around with it a bit more.

The other thing I meant to say earlier; You didn't have the biggest turn out, but it was really cool that it was all Old S'Cool' Subies!!!:bcool:
 
A big thanks to El_freddo for organising this trip, and Brumbee and is mate for coming.
Was a great day with a nice mix of tracks and good company and conversation which made for lots of fun.
Can't weight to get out there again, maybe when its a little wetter.


Quarry-2.jpg


El_freddo at the quarry

Quarry-1.jpg


Brumbee at the quarry

Nuggerty-1.jpg


El_freddo at the start of nuggerty tk

Nuggerty-2.jpg


Brumbee at the start of nuggerty tk


River-1.jpg


Brumbee in the mud

River-2.jpg


El_freddo in the mud

River-3.jpg


El_freddo getting out of the mud

River-4.jpg


We all made it!
 
Just a few more pics to add to El_fredos trip report

Lift-1.jpg


Loving the lift :)

Dryriver-2.jpg


Brumbee "resting" half way through a dry creek crossing!

Dryriver-1.jpg


Notice the rear tyre

Flat.jpg


Bugger!

powerlines.jpg


The powerline tracks

Thanks again for a great day:ebiggrin:
 
Thanks also for posting some pics Subaruby. I am so jealous. I wish I was there with you guys to join in on all the fun.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
El Freddo at Lerderderg Gorge

Gidday Bennie

I knew someone had written up their trip to Lerderderg Gorge somewhere. I had browsed over it before, some time ago.

Great write up and pics, mate.

No way was I going to do anything 'adventurous' or 'brave' without having others around to help if things went pear shaped. Still a nice area to cruise around anyway.

As I have said elsewhere on the forum, it is one thing to have a go at tricky bits when others are around to help; but risky and sometimes suicidal to attempt the same things when alone ...

Much of my driving in the past has been solo; and most of it in the future will be as well. It is therefore hardly surprising that I am fairly cautious, and avoid doing 'courageous' things whenever possible, rather than jumping in feet first! :iconwink: :cool:
 
Talk about an old thread dig! No EJ, no lift!

Good times had. I'm really going to miss Subaruby's MY wagon :(

Cheers

Bennie
 
Back
Top