Vic desert/Border to/SA trip report. Pack a lunch!

[El_Freddo]

Bennie’s September 2018 Trip

It’s about time I got this sorted, a few details have slipped and I’m not so good with the names of ppl I just met. Apologies to these ppl I met on the trip, I hope I haven’t offended you and I hope we cross paths on another trip soon!

So before we really begin, my planned trip was delayed for two days due to prep plans not working in our favour. By the time we’d packed it was late enough to say it’s not worth the effort to leave now as we’d then have to set up camp a few hours out of Benders. So we decided to get up super early and roll out of town in the wee wee hours of Thursday the 27th of Sept.

Our aim was to visit the top North Westerly point of Vic and McCabe’s corner where NSW, SA and VIC borders all meet. Then head south along the border track from the very tip of Vic, into the Murray Sunset NP middle section before meeting up at Pinnaroo on Friday with a group of fellow subi nuts from a facebook group that we decided to hook up with for the border track run in the Ngarkat NP on the SA side of the border.

Day 1 - Thursday, 4am we were up, packed those last few bits and headed off at about 4:30am. Fuelled everything up and off we went, headed for Mildura for our next fuel stop before we hit the desert. We had a good run and to set the trip off we swung around to snap the sunrise, about an hour out of Ouyen from memory:

We refuelled in Mildura, added a few bits to the kit that we forgot but worked out at breakfast (north of Ouyen beside the rail line).

Once on the border, we turned right off the Sturt Hwy and headed north towards the corners of the three states. We saw a couple of these along the way:

Headed for McCabe’s corner first, this is as close as we could get. I’ve been told it’s about 4km from the actual point:

We then turned around and tried for the Vic Tip. This is as far north as we could get:

We did our usual country thing that we grew up with – stop and ask a local! The farmer didn’t seem very welcoming at first but after an introduction and what we were doing he gave us some information that was super handy but not so great for what we were trying to achieve.

Firstly, McCabe’s corner is in the middle of the River. This is the point where NSW/Vic/SA meet. The land on the Vic side is now owned by someone who doesn’t want the public visiting and they’ve effectively shut off any access tracks to the area. So it’s by boat access only now. I’ve read on the web that there’s a monument, I believe on the NSW side of the river.

The tip of Vic was another story. No actual tracks to get there, even from the SA side. But it could be accessed by following the fence line “bush bashing”. The fella we were talking to didn’t go into much detail about this option as it would’ve been on his land – or his neighbours… We opted to turn around and head south, aiming for the Shearer’s Quarters for our camp for the night. It could’ve been an ambitious trek depending on what lay ahead. We had planned to camp on the Murray at one of these places but that changed.

On our return trip south from where we’d come we stopped for a few highlights along the way, first, this survey marker:

^ Someone did a good job on that one! Even the official “government peg” beside it says that the marker is 3m to the south of the peg!

Then this interesting kink – not many people seem to know that the Vic/SA border is not actually straight. Or that there’s about an 11km section of Murray River where SA is on the northern banks of the river with Vic on the southern side… So this kink in the border, Looking south:

Looking north east-ish:

^ Behind me there’s another corresponding corner that re-aligns with the border, it’s about 150-200m further along.

When we first hit this section of track we saw Shingle-Back after Shingle-Back. I snapped this little one, then promised the crew that I’d get a pic of them with the next one (that we didn’t see until the next day – Murphy’s Law!).

We crossed the Sturt Hwy and pulled up at the start of the next section so we couldn’t see the main road and had some lunch. While we were doing this a police car (territory) drove past on the main section. That was interesting. Next thing we knew he was on our side track in front of us, didn’t hear him until he was right on us. We had a chat, he complemented our setup for desert travel and he told us of a few 2wd vehicle rescues he’s been involved with – he put them down to the GPS showing them into the desert without any warnings of the terrain or requirements for self sufficiency out here. Off he went and so did we. This is basically what we saw for the majority of the rest of the day until we swung in an easterly direction to get the to Shearer’s Quarters:

There were a number of sections that would be quite boggy in winter, and a couple of little climbs that could be done too. Generally it was pretty easy going. Once headed east the vegetation changed to more Mallee Gum and we encountered some “fun” corrugations in the road:

This was an interesting “find” – an airstrip in the middle of nowhere!

As we neared the Shearer’s Quarters, we saw a couple of wild goats that roam this area, then we were there. Not the greatest pic as I couldn’t get Ruby Scoo in the best position due to the vegetation out the front of the place. There’s a big 6 (maybe) vehicle shed off to the right of the image:

The campground is about 100m further up the track in some lovely native pines or Sheoak. I’m not totally up with the different species but they’re a cool native tree none the less. At dinner time the new cargo setup was working its magic! Unfortunately there was a massive stuff-up with my Bunnings Special Order and the slides for the kitchen box didn’t arrive, so it’s perched in place in this image – but still demonstrated that the design worked well for us:

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[El_Freddo]

The next day we did a “Blockie” – headed east from the Shearer’s Quarters, then north, then west, then south with a run along the airstrip (my top speed for the desert trip while “out bush” – 80kmph – I didn’t know the condition of the airstrip and I wasn’t out to break any land speed records, it was just nice to drive without corrugations for a little bit). Just east of the camp the vegetation did another dramatic change from open Mallee gum to this Sheoak tree from camp:

It was a really cool looking area and the whole ambience was changed just from the vegetation. It clearly followed a change in soil or hydrodynamics underground. And this is why we did a blockie – The Crater:

It really did look like a crater, but it’s more likely that it’s a result of salinity, wind and sand movement. Of course the little sign in the bush says “vehicles prohibited” or something of the like but those muppets that think it’s their entitlement to go where they want had been here and driven all over the bottom of the crater, leaving huge track marks everywhere. It’s disappointing that people have to go and ruin these places. They’ll only get closed up if we don’t look after them!

On our way in to the Shearer’s Quarters there was this track that intrigued me, they always do:

So of course we took it rather than heading back to the Border Track. It was a fun section that could have a bit of pace going if you were careful. Basically you’d crest small sandy dunes that weren’t really steep or anything, more rises than actual dune dunes, if you know what I mean! The vegetation was mainly Mallee and it looked like this on a high point:

We passed a photographer who was just as surprised to see us as we were to see him! Getting bored of this track I (I say I as Mrs El Freddo had fallen asleep at this point) decided to head back to the Border Track. I felt like I’d missed a good section of it. So we turned right and headed west… on this complete goat’s track:

I was worried about staking a tyre on a hidden mallee root or collecting spinifex looking grass under the vehicle and starting a fire, but none of those issues arose and I was very glad when we finally met the Border Track again. This section was interesting as we started seeing some actual dune climbs, typically with flat clay based sections in between so it wasn’t as exciting as Big Desert or the next section of the Border Track in the Ngarkat NP. That was until we got to this little pocket of good fun:

Behind me in this pic is a short sharp drop off the top of the last dune. You sort of meander your way up it then drop into this sandy “valley”. This pic was after my first attempt to get out – and it was at the time we should’ve been meeting the group in Pinnaroo. So I aired down for the first time this trip (yes, I was lazy, but I also didn’t really trust the roadies with Mallee root so kept them aired up until I really had to drop pressures, like now…). It did cross my mind that we could get stuck here – then I thought about the cop yesterday with his recovery stories… Anyway, second attempt was pretty good and I didn’t need to stress!

From here the sandy dunes became more frequent until we “ran out of 4wd tracks” and ended up on public roads – this was like the back block section while we tried to cut our way down the border as close as possible. It involves heading east for a few km, then south west, then west before you find the next section. We pulled up because we’d never seen this before – MASSIVE tumbleweed!

No joke, we found many of these to be as tall as the window sill of Ruby Scoo. We even found one with a Witchetty Grub living in the stem. Poor bugger got a free ride they probably didn’t want! To the left of this pic (in the west) were a number of farm crops. This tumbleweed was probably about 10m deep into the bush depending on how many larger trees were around to stop the penetration by the weed. From here it became a bit tiresome to try and follow the “official” border track. So we cut into SA and headed for Pinnaroo to fuel up and grab some basic veg etc.

The BP on the main road was a bit of a 4wd circus when we arrived. It made us realise that the next day’s adventure might be a bit of a bumper to bumper car park event. I wasn’t looking forward to that. And of course everyone was here, it was the AFL Grand Final weekend – all Victorians had the Friday public holiday and SA had the Monday public holiday. Great.

We headed into Big Desert State Forest solo to meet up at camp as communicated by Nachaluva and a mate we’d invited last minute (more on that shortly). About to hit the sand on our way to camp – about 15km IIRC:

We arrived at camp, no one around so we parked up and waited. It was blisteringly cold with an unrelenting wind. The weather for this whole trip was cooler than usual and tonight was definitely a low point. Eventually the group met up after their afternoon’s adventure’s playing around at Thompson’s Peak.

Going back to that mate we invited last minute, that’s the Prado. Our friend purchased it a week and a half before we left for this trip and they managed to slip it into their schedule for something different. They drove this thing well and enjoyed their trip. I admire their courage with such sort ownership of their first 4wd. I have a mate that owns a 130 Defender, tells me how it’s a real 4wd etc yet it’s never seen any action beyond a typical dirt road…

Day three of the trip. We lined up as others finalised their setup with pressures etc. Other played in a bog hole, not to stereotype, but it was the P platers that wanted to have some fun.

The Pretty Disco in the group got bogged, the 110 Defender pulled them out (the green one above, driven by “Dave Groll”), then ripped through it. Then we met some rangers. The gist of that conversation was that we were on private land – and we also needed a vehicle permit to enter the Ngarkat NP. $10 per day. News to us, it wasn’t like this the last time we visited 4 years ago. I guess the SA government is doing it tough atm, at least that’s what my uncle tells me!

The rangers also told us the track was pretty chopped up and in poor condition so it could be tough getting through (yes!).

We all scrambled back up the track to get phone reception to book our passes. There was much radio chatter about which website and how many days we needed – one or two. One if you’re confident in what you’re doing and know your setup. Two if you’re just cruising. If going for two days, you’ll also need a camping permit!

From here the fun began and excitement was high. Not many pics from here due to mainly driving. We met a few groups along the way, one that wanted to push past, so we let them through, only then to have them slow down and block us. That was probably the most frustrating part of the day I reckon.

Here’s one of the early dunes that Ruby Scoo got hung up on. This climb was rutted out by diagonally articulated vehicles, so it was a hole on the left, then right, then left, then right etc. Too deep for me to skip over them and maintain my momentum:

Some track work and we were off again.

Generally speaking, the track was easier than when Nachaluva and I did it four years earlier with a few other mates. The base was firmer and the daily temps much cooler too.

At lunch we stopped and watched this group do a dune climb. They drove like your typical steep climber – when the engine bogs give it more until you get out of it, but you don’t get out, you just dig deep holes and quick! Then we were surprised to see one TOWING a camper van up the dune…

Yay, they clearly can’t read! But they made it with some real effort. I don’t think the track liked it though! For Ruby Scoo we went around this climb after seeing how rutted out it was. It’s not worth throwing my “historic” subi over that for the sake of it while out touring.


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[El_Freddo]

A couple of k’s further down the track and some good little dune climbs with ruts and stuff I realise I don’t have my DSLR with me… where did I have it last..? Oh ____!! I had it on the roof at lunch and left it there while I tended to something with the intention of taking more pics. Luckily it was still where I left it between some deck chairs!! Bloody lucky! This was the point where I found it, and you can see more of what was to come in front of us:

The later parts of the Border Track become flatter and you can pick up some pace if you’re careful about it. You also have to be aware of fatigue too. Mis-read the section of track in front of you while at speed could result in your vehicle being violently thrown around up and down. Not fun!

While collecting some Mallee root for the fire I snapped Ruby Scoo with a couple of the Foresters:

We made it to Red Bluff campground on the Vic side of the border (few k’s in actually). It was packed. A small group from our group decided to bug out back home (they’re nuts!). We ended up finding a neat patch near the entry to the camp ground. There would’ve been about 80 4wds here! It’s the most packed bush camp ground I’ve EVER stayed in! Here’s our little setup from the top of Red Bluff:

And half the camp ground including our bit, and the fellas we passed earlier on the track skull dragging a Gen2 Pajero all wearing cricket whites… must’ve been a buck’s party or a cricket team’s bonding trip, either way they were tame and enjoying a late arvo game of cricket that you might see in this pic:

Red Bluff in the setting sun’s light:

Day four. Pack up camp and head south before departing each other’s company for the trip home for others and our trip into Radelaide! This day had the second dune that Nachaluva was looking forward to on the trip! It’s another good little play area too. Ruby Scoo climbed, “watched” and decended. Actually we went back down from where we came to try a different route to the top, anyway, pics!

Crazy angles!

Mitre’s foz looking tough:

The SH completing another climb:

[MENTION=2617]NachaLuva[/MENTION] cresting:

The sand pit doughnut hole. Last time we were here this was just a flat space!

While parked here watching the action up top, namely a recovery of Mitre’s foz that ended up in the scrub on a precarious angle, we met several other groups of 4wds that passed through. All were out for a good time, one fella put his patrol on its side the day before. He cracked his windscreen and dented the front RHS guard. All his mates were still giving him poo about it! He was bloody lucky I reckon!
Everyone was interested in the Subarus being out and about. It was a good attitude change to what we’ve typically come up against while out bush!

The last section of the track before you get pushed out to the main road meanders it’s way through the border easement with little dune climbs and tight corners on a narrow track. While in this section we found this lazy thing kicking back:

After completing all the track we could for the Border, we aired up, said our goodbyes and headed off in all sorts of directions. We continued west towards Radelaide. We still had plenty of fuel in the tank and two jerry cans full so opted to skip on fuelling up at Bordertown. Now, I can’t remember at what point along the way this was, but the car had a vibration under acceleration that was getting worse as time went on. This came on suddenly. Then it couldn’t maintain cruising speed. I worked out pretty quickly that we were running out of fuel. We pulled over by this beautiful old ruin off the side of the Duke’s Hwy:

I also investigated a squeaking noise that seemed to be getting worse. Initially before the trip I could hear it just at walking pace as the car began to move – and I hoped it wasn’t a clutch issue. I couldn’t find anything, mounts seemed good etc.


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[El_Freddo]

We continued on while making plans for where to stay the night. We selected a little caravan park on the Radelaide side of Tailem Bend, it took us down a side road then down to the Mighty Murray River. We got a spot for the night for a top price and it was BEAUT!

Couldn’t have got a better spot! The facilities were a little dated but clean which is always the important detail. It was good to have a shower! Our plan for the next day was to enjoy the morning then head over to the Monarto Zoo after dropping in the second jerry can of fuel. The Monarto Zoo is another step up on our Werribee Zoo. Plan a FULL day to be here if you want to see most of it! Being that we forgot this Monday was SA’s public holiday, we encountered this line out the front of the zoo’s front gate!

Well, we decided to high tail it from there and come back another day rather than put up with crowds. Since we were on the old highway we decided to take it all the way into the city if we could. It was great to visit some places that family used to live in too, there’s a lot more urban sprawl out there too, it seems to be an epidemic

Then we came to Harndorf. Awesome little German town…

…until you put a festival in the middle of the single main rd town. That wasn’t much fun! We continued to follow the old highway as much as we could, we fuelled up at some point too.

In the end we made it into Radelaide, and that squeak had turned into some other noise that was becoming concerning. We cruised around checking out a few things before finding another caravan park to crash at for the night. We stayed at Moana Beach CP. Nice beach a stone’s throw away too:

At some point I realised the issue with the noise was a uni joint. It was now becoming a nasty vibration. Plans were made to visit a wreckers and HOPE another L series was there (these are getting thin on the ground – and are basically non-existent in Melb’s self serve parts yards). There was ONE there, and it still had its tail shaft. I took the whole thing, and a turbo crossmember from a vortex (score!).

We caught up with some family for dinner then headed off to camp out at Pink Gums in the Adelaide Hills. This campsite was recently refurbished, and wasn’t really my idea of “camping” as such, but it was a neat area anyway. Again, a permit was needed to camp here.

Before we headed off I swapped out the tailshaft. Here’s the offending unit. There’s no way we could’ve made it home with this the way it was – and we were reduced to 80kmph the night before:

After that was sorted we headed back to the Monarto Zoo for most of a day out there, then head home. The leg it home didn’t happen. We ended up getting a hotel in Tintinara for the night and tripping home the next day ( day 8 ). On our way home we decided to mix things up and make a detour to Stawell for some pics at the Sister Rocks, then head to Benders via the back roads – and we took some back roads! We found some places to go exploring on our way back home. It was looking dodgy for a bit there!

The Sister Rocks, I don’t condone graffiti at the best of times, and I really hate it in the bush – yet this makes an interesting backdrop and is the only place I’ve seen like this (I hope it stays that way! – the number of locations like this is what I mean!):

Once again, a great trip away. These need to happen more often! I’m very happy with the setup in Ruby Scoo. The new cargo space has “revolutionised” how we operate with the vehicle and our gear. Not having to remove our stuff from above the fridge to access it was a real game changer as was the “kitchen cabinet” - that still needs to be finished off…

If you’ve made it this far I hope I haven’t turned you off from reading trip reports.

Regards

Bennie

 

[Beachworm]

An excellent report. I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks

 

[temmah]

Awesome trip report. Sounds like a great trip. I really like your camp setup / kitchen cabinet. When you get it finished I would like to see a few pictures.

 

[Kevin]

Thanks indeed Bennie for a great report!

 

[Ben Up North]

Great report! :thumbsup:

 

[jf1sf5]

Reading your trip report made me feel like I am an Aussie travelling the Outback !

 

[Dulagarl]

Nice one Bennie. I do miss MW Victoria. One day...

 

[El_Freddo]

Thanks guys for the feedback. This was in the pipeline for a long time! I need to work on that next time!

Awesome trip report. Sounds like a great trip. I really like your camp setup / kitchen cabinet. When you get it finished I would like to see a few pictures.

For sure. It’s in the shed waiting... it uses the connect-it square tube system and a cut down SCA tool box. I went with the tool box as it was cheaper material wise than buying sheets of tin from Bunnings.
The tray you see in the pic flips up over the stove and helps secure the stove when in transit.

Nice one Bennie. I do miss MW Victoria. One day...

Yeah mate I love this area. I’m finding the Murray Sunset NP only good for touring, it’s easy going and there’s are a number of tracks that could easily be traversed by a 2wd in good conditions.
Big Desert and the Wyperfeld areas are the best areas to be in the Vic deserts.

So what are you doing in 2019?

Next trip out that way I’d like to venture further west into the Ngarkat park - and pay the fees for the privilege... just to see what else is in this area. And we’re looking at another Robe trip as it’s been a while. I just hope the roadies will be good in the beach sand...

Also, this is the video as made by Mitre. Part 1 is the shenanigans prior to meeting up with the rest of the crew. Part 2 is the Thompson’s Peak shenanigans and part 3 is the border track:

Part 1:

"]Big Dune Defeats us all! Border Track Trip Part 1 - YouTube

Part 2:

"]Epic Offroad Subaru Convoy - Border Track Trip Part 2 - YouTube

Part 3:

"]Recovering my lifted forester - Border Track Trip Part 3 - YouTube

One thing’s for sure, we need more L series action out there!

Cheers

Bennie

 

[Kevin]

Looks like a lot of fun was had!

 

[Dulagarl]

So what are you doing in 2019?

Next trip out that way I’d like to venture further west into the Ngarkat park - and pay the fees for the privilege... just to see what else is in this area. And we’re looking at another Robe trip as it’s been a while. I just hope the roadies will be good in the beach sand...

Big year work wise, but it would be nice to think that I would have broken the back of it by winter. Will keep in touch. Would be interesting to try the vehicle on heavy sand now that it has a 20kg centre diff, KAAZ clutch diff in the rear as well as the torsen in the front. Its been almost unstoppable in the high country!

 

[Beachworm]

From looking at this footage it seems that the old Landie made easy going of sand hills that stopped Subies. I would be interested in observations of those who were actually there as to why this might be when I would have expected otherwise.

 

[duncanm]

From looking at this footage it seems that the old Landie made easy going of sand hills that stopped Subies. I would be interested in observations of those who were actually there as to why this might be when I would have expected otherwise.

There's something to be said for slow and steady with a lazy engine that doesn't drop off the torque curve at low revs.

I imagine true 4wd and diffs had much to do with it, too. There was noticeable subaru front-wheel spinning without much drive evident at the rear.

 

[Beachworm]

I was thinking it was more likely related to ground clearance. The Subarus looked like they were dragging their underbellies just before pulling up whereas the Land Rover was well clear. I can't see it being related to "real 4X4" because this would then mean that even the Prado should do better but this did not seem to be the case.

 

[El_Freddo]

I was thinking it was more likely related to ground clearance. The Subarus looked like they were dragging their underbellies just before pulling up whereas the Land Rover was well clear. I can't see it being related to "real 4X4" because this would then mean that even the Prado should do better but this did not seem to be the case.

Yeah it’s a good question as to why the landie did well on most things. I think a lot of it simply came down to appropriate gearing. The issue was when the sand softness changed mid climb where it could bog down or just dig holes due to lack of momentum. I will say the diesel sounds nasty when revving high compared to the subi’s petrol engines revving high. Chalk and cheese.

As for the Prado, we’ll a few things come to mind. Heavier than the landie I’d imagine, it was the first time the driver had been offroad in the week and a half of vehicle ownership too! So it was a learning curve for her to read the track and decide when to go hard or when to take it easier. Usually if the lead vehicle (disco) said “go hard for this one” you didn’t need to.

I’m looking forward to getting out here again this year. Just trying to decide when and how to do it - easter holidays or sept holidays. Do Robe/Beachport, returning through the SA/Vic Border desert areas then 4wd hopscotching our way home from there... we’ll see what happens!

I’m also keen to do another Walhalla trip - after watching a few of Nachaluva’s videos out there that big has definitely bitten good and proper! For a trip like this the Easter holidays are usually the best time to go due to a general lack of rainfall, meaning the creeks and rivers aren’t flowing high.

Cheers

Bennie

 

[NachaLuva]

Excellent trip report & some great photos.

I had a ball! It was the first time driving the SH offroad & I kept forgetting to turn the TC off whenever I restarted the engine. Veeerrryyy noticeable how it bogs you down with it on!

Very impressed with the VDC on soft rutted sand. Really made it easier. I thought it was pretty chewed up this time compared to other trips here, the diagonally opposite ruts were very deep & regular, making grip difficult.

On the 1st day, I had a problem with my front swaybar clunking badly. I thought this was a broken or worn endlink but I couldn't see anything obvious. When I got back to Melbourne, I found I was missing a swaybar bush! It was completely gone haha. I ordered some HD endlinks and swaybar bushes & all was good.

This is the one to get for those with a 2" or 2.5" lift:
https://www.whiteline.com.au/product_detail4.php?part_number=KLC140-090

Overall, the trip was lots of fun & it was great catching up with old mates & meeting new ones

 

[Dave Hansford]

Man, that made me nostalgic... I had four L- Series (They went by the name “Leone” here in New Zealand) wagons, and the first was a naturally-aspirated 1.8, the exact same colour as yours. I loved that car, but I couldn’t stop it rusting... thanks for a great trip story.

 

[El_Freddo]

No worries Dave! I love mine and it’ll keep going for a long time yet.

Cheers for reading the thread!

Bennie