Tuesday 30th April 2019
Leader: Peter
Participants: Roger, Gary, Daniel (with visitor Paul), Tony, Uwe (TC), Graham
We all met at Mackenzies Flat picnic area at 9.30 am, where we discussed the merits of Melbourne traffic, except for a couple who lie on the western side of town. A quick toilet break and a short morning tea, saw us all leave near 10am.
We headed north for a short trip on Camerons Road, to look at a historical marker, depicting a World War 2 Military camp, known as “The Darley Camp”. Interesting that this site is now a rural residential allotment.
The convoy at the Darley Camp marker
Still heading north, and on Seereys track, we stopped and aired down the tyres ready for some 4x4 fun.
The trip rating, was posted as ‘difficult’, but thankfully the rain forecast to arrive later in the day never arrived. This rating would significantly change with rain, perhaps getting near double black diamond with a lot of rain?
Peter provided our first tasting of difficult, by taking us into an old Slate Quarry, where some participated in a few challenges (this site appears to be used as a “4WD playground” for those looking to extend their skills) with some very interesting track sections of various degrees of excitement!
Scaling a steep pinch at the Quarry
After our “playtime” we travelled further north on seasonally closed tracks in the Lerderderg State Park, which included, but was not limited to:
Seereys Tk, Nuggerty Tk, Ratcliffe Tk, Wombat Tk and Saltwater Tk. Holts Tk, Blue Gum Tk, Firth Tk, Diggers TK, and to Upper Chadwick Tk & Campground.
Lifting a wheel in the ruts on Nuggerty
On these tracks, we had a combination of rocky trails, to deep ruts, and often some time was taken up in straddling and manoeuvring around them. Luckily some these deep ruts had bypass tracks around them, but were often close to small trees, so knowing the size of your vehicle was part of the fun.
The trip outcomes would have been somewhat different if the 20 or so millimetres of rain forecast had arrived before our trip, not to mention on the trip.
Thankfully not wet
After Upper Chadwick / Campground we made our way to O’Brien’s road, the main track/road through the park, passing through the site of the Lerderderg river walk, and stopping short of the Trentham/ Glenaladale Road, before ‘airing up’, for the joyous journey through Melbourne’s traffic snarls.
Many thanks to Peter, for organising the trip, I certainly had a great day.
Text: Gary
Pics: Graham