DSLRUsers's meet in the Outback!

[birddog114]

Oneputt, LostDingo, any 4WDer!

I'm thinking of organizing a trip to the outback as the one which Oneputt just came back.

We might form a convoy of 4 to 6 4WDs and doing photography while we are out there.

Maximum 3 pax/ car, travelling one to two weeks.

Your thoughts!

[sheepie]

Now there's a tempting thought!

[embi]

Hmmm the new Prado might just be up for this. What sort of date are you looking at going?

[stubbsy]

I'd be more than happy to go and help organise (and there's a lot of organising!), but I can't really take the Mazda 6 so I'd have to be a passenger.

[birddog114]

Keep this thread alive and we will work out what date, time of the year is good, I don't have much experiences out there but believed oneput and other will make more contribution to this outing and hope we will have a great time in doing this.

[Manta]

Another Prado owner here...
Lots of off-roading but no desert stuff yet.

An interesting idea for a meet Birdy - I'll be keenly watching for further info.

[Oneputt]

Birdy a lot will depend on what you want to do. An outback trip or even Cape York is best done during the cooler months. Summer travel can be a PITA.

If you want two weeks max duration then Central Australia is a good bet, or even the Flinders Ranges in SA.

I am off to the Victorian High Country in about six weeks time which will be my last trip for this year, as I have already been to the Kimberly and Central Aust already this year, but next year................

[embi]

....I am off to the Victorian High Country in about six weeks time.....

We are going up there in April

[birddog114]

Birdy a lot will depend on what you want to do. An outback trip or even Cape York is best done during the cooler months. Summer travel can be a PITA.

If you want two weeks max duration then Central Australia is a good bet, or even the Flinders Ranges in SA.

I am off to the Victorian High Country in about six weeks time which will be my last trip for this year, as I have already been to the Kimberly and Central Aust already this year, but next year................

Oneputt,
I'm talking about the plan for next year, perhaps you'll lead us into some areas which you have been there, done this done that! I don't have lot of experiences in that field, though would like to form a group and outing, serving the purpose of our photography hobby which other members on this board shared the same interests.
Can't do all in one go but happy to just visiting one location at a time.
We need more info and recommendations from all others.

[Oneputt]

Remote country travel is a lot of fun providing you have done the preparation, and that doesn't just mean the vehicle I have travelled remote country enough to know that unless I have confidence in the skill of the other people in the group I would not be going.

Small groups are easier max. about 5 vehicles, with everyone having a clear understanding of the problems of group travel. It can be heaps of fun done properly, and I am always up for a trip.

[sheepie]

...Flinders Ranges in SA.

This sounds do-able. From what I understand, there's a lot of area which is easy 4wd stuff - that would probably be a good match for most of us
It's also not a bad road trip over to Adelaide from Sydney, and then up. Supposed to be pretty scenic too

[birddog114]

Remote country travel is a lot of fun providing you have done the preparation, and that doesn't just mean the vehicle I have travelled remote country enough to know that unless I have confidence in the skill of the other people in the group I would not be going.

Small groups are easier max. about 5 vehicles, with everyone having a clear understanding of the problems of group travel. It can be heaps of fun done properly, and I am always up for a trip.

I'll talk with you more at Xmas dinner events and am very keen in doing this, though, you're right, not only the vehicle but do need other preparations well.
Yes, I think 4-5 cars is more than enough, and yes, I'm ready to roll into the game with you oneputt.

[Manta]

Remote country travel is a lot of fun providing you have done the preparation, and that doesn't just mean the vehicle I have travelled remote country enough to know that unless I have confidence in the skill of the other people in the group I would not be going.

Small groups are easier max. about 5 vehicles, with everyone having a clear understanding of the problems of group travel. It can be heaps of fun done properly, and I am always up for a trip.

You've raised some good points there Oneputt.

I've led several trips through 4WD clubs and groups from work and I'd have to say convoy driving is a definite artform. Done well, it's the best way to travel; done poorly and it's probably the last time you'll get your truck dirty!

Couldn't agree more about keeping numbers manageable. Perhaps we could organise two (or more) groups - converging on a central region from different directions? That would satisfy the others as well as us Banana Benders.

[birddog114]

...Flinders Ranges in SA.

This sounds do-able. From what I understand, there's a lot of area which is easy 4wd stuff - that would probably be a good match for most of us
It's also not a bad road trip over to Adelaide from Sydney, and then up. Supposed to be pretty scenic too

Sheepie,
This can be done as well, perhaps get into one of the mini meet of SA chapter up to the Barrossa valley or other places in the region.

[digitor]

Great idea - we go bush every chance we get.

Although some of the bridges are a bit suspect - here's the one across Cypress Creek, on the Telegraph Track on the way to Cape York:



Yes, I drove the troopy across (slowly)!

But the main roads can be pretty:



The Dog Fence, near Malbooma outstation, SA.

Cheers

[Oneputt]

Same bridge Digitor only the steel tracks had gone.



Oops sorry about the size

[LostDingo]

Definitely sounds good but will have to be a plan for a bit later since I just spent 3 weeks in the Central.

Sounds like some good fun. OnePutt has advised correctly and some ground rules need to be set and preparations etc but overall depends on where and what type of travel.

There is a great deal of this that is definitely not difficult but some great scenery.

Couple of things to think about is the Central via Broken Hill with return through Mildura and Mungo National.

Another might be going Coastal North and Frasier Island, Birdie should be the Sandman since he practically has a place on Stockton Beach!!

BirdDog, with my last experience I say we configure yours to be the Data Centre with Raid drives for our piccies

[LostDingo]

Oh yeah, and of course satelitte feed to send a constand feed of data back!

[birddog114]

Digitor, Oneputt, LostDingo,
Good resources from you all, we might sitdown and work the way thru with all the experiences of you guys got, make one of the unforgotten trip,
Research and planning more so can help our outing more easier.

LostDingo,
All your suggestions can be done and achieve in the planning of next year.

[thaddeus]

Please keep me in the loop - it would be fun to do this in the chopper

[birddog114]

Please keep me in the loop - it would be fun to do this in the chopper

thadeus,
Imagination of which you can do the air cover and support for our convoy

[digitor]

Please keep me in the loop -

FFS - don't start that again!!

Cheers

[robw25]

Great idea - we go bush every chance we get.

Although some of the bridges are a bit suspect - here's the one across Cypress Creek, on the Telegraph Track on the way to Cape York:



Yes, I drove the troopy across (slowly)!

But the main roads can be pretty:



The Dog Fence, near Malbooma outstation, SA.

digitor.. that fence looks familiar ! a group from work ( 5 vehicles ) are leaving to do googs track again tomorrow morning at 6, this time we are heading north/south the same group went across the simpson desert in april last year, we had a shutdown at work so we planned for over 18 months for that one ! we stayed away for 18 days ! it was fantastic, i think the highlight was coopers creek area ( innaminka ) we plan to go back there again ! but as someone else has touched on DONT go with inexperienced 4wd people, in our pre-plan for the simpson we joined our local 4wd club and learnt a shit load of stuff from the experienced people and it paid off, oh and the second best part of the simpson was making it up big red first time ! anyway enough dribble, i hope in the morning when i re- read this i havent sounded like a dick from too much jb

cheers rob

Cheers

[baboo]

Great idea guys but how about a short trip of a few days first to introduce people to the world of 4wding rather than jumping in feet first into a long trip.

My experience has been that peoples perceptions of 4wding are very different from reality. They don't realise the effort involved in such trips and when confronted with the reality, are put off.

In addition, it would be handy for passengers in the vehicles to have some knowledge of 4wding operations, particularly in the field of recovery.

I have been on trips where I have been the only person in the vehicle experienced in 4wding and recovery techniques. As such, it increased the strain on myself during the trip.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

[sheepie]

Great idea guys but how about a short trip of a few days first to introduce people to the world of 4wding rather than jumping in feet first into a long trip.

Agree - would love for us to have a weekend away some time. There's apparently several easy weekend 4wd trecks around the greater Sydney area, Newnes comes to mind (http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/parks.nsf/campingcontent/n0051?opendocument&parkkey=n0051&type=k). Or maybe somewhere around the Snowy Mountains, to include our Melbourne friends

What do you reckon guys, do you think we can arrange something earlyish in the New Year? (Late Jan/Early Feb perhaps into March)

[baboo]

Australia Day weekend maybe?

If not, I had tentative plans with a friend to be in the High country around Threadbo/Tom Groggin during that weekend.

If others want, they're free to join in, bearing in mind it's still a while away and plans are still tentative.

[mitedo]

This sounds good count me in please maybe a trip out to birdsville & K1 track

[birddog114]

This sounds good count me in please maybe a trip out to birdsville & K1 track

I love to head up to birdsville & K1 track instead of merry go around at the locale.

[mitedo]

Will have to keep in touch then BD John & i were only talking about going back out to the desert some time

[birddog114]

Will have to keep in touch then BD John & i were only talking about going back out to the desert some time

Pls. keep me in the "loop"

[Big Red]

done a bit of travelling on my own, with only a couple of cars and in a large group.
have also seen the effect of groups of friends travelling together for more than two weeks ... they invariably don't talk to each other when they get back [sorry to say but it is true that this mainly happens when women are in the group]

Perhaps what you could do is to arrange to all meet at Tibooburra at the little national park camping area called dead horse gully on a certain date.

then travel to cameron corner and meet up again the next night [there is a couple of ways to go]
then meet up at innamincka the next night [there is a few different ways to go]
then all go out to coongie lakes [its all one way in and out]

etc etc etc
there is a couple of different ways across the simpson but it might be better to stick together on that section for safety if its only a small group.

anyway, the idea is to spread out a bit and have a couple of options on which group to travel with to avoid personality clashes and the whole experience should be a very happy one and one which you will always remember fondly.

One of the biggest dramas i have seen is having a definate timetable and some people blindly sticking to it and some wanting to spend extra time at something interesting so its advisable to have a loose itinerary of where to go but do not plan exactly when you will be there.

A lot will also depend on the vehicles that are going ie: to cross the simpson you need fuel for 600 to 700 kms at double your normal fuel consumption.

anyway ... here a link to a trip i ran back in 2002 across the simpson desert.
http://www.bigred4x4.com/simpson-desert ... rip-report

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/simps ... .sized.jpg
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/simps ... .sized.jpg

[Ree]

All I can say is GO GO GO!!!!!

We went Christmas 2005 (self flew) 5 states over 15 days (did need more time but that was all we had)

Here are some pic's from my old P/S but it gives you an idea









ENJOY THE OUTBACK!!!!!!!

[Ree]

Christmas 2004 opps forgot we are now in 2006