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31st
January 2009
Chromite Mine Trip
Walhalla - Licola Area
Season 3 - Episode 1
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Weather:
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Fine, Sunny & Hot with an expected Top Temp 44°
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Track Conditions:
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Dry & Dusty
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Vehicles:
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Toyota Prado, Mazda Bravo T\Diesel, Toyota Landcruiser
Suzuki Vitara, GQ Mavrick, Toyota Surf, Toyota Hilux Diesel, Pajero
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Still Photos:
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From the film
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Tracks Used:
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Maiden Town Tk, Deep Creek 1, Deep Creek 4, Deep Creek 2,
Deep Creek 5, Binns Rd, McEvoys Tk, Bark Hut Tk, Black Range Tk,
Burgoynes Gap Tk, Burgoynes Tk, Mt. Margaret Tk,
Chromite Mine Tk, Hickey Creek Track
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Maps:
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Rooftop Walhalla - Woods Point Adventure Map
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8.00 - 8.30am the Going 4WD team meet at the carpark in Walhalla
for a pit stop. Four viewers have been invited on todays trip along with Allan Mac from
the Pajero club who will try and catch up later in the day.
With everybody watered and supplies bought its time to head off to the Chromite Mine.
Heading out of Walhall past the cricket ground, we make our way onto Maiden Town Tk turning
right onto Deep Creek # 1 Tk. We've done this track a number of times but we can't help admiring
the scenery as we decend down to the valley below.
We've decided to redo Deep Creek 1 because the last time the Mazda tried the ledge, we broke a CV
joint. This time I want to conquor the ledge.
Tip: The trick with this obstacle is instead of pointing
your front wheels in the direction of where the track goes keep your front wheels pointing straight or slightly
left following the slope of the ground then with a little power you can get the rear wheels
up and over the ledge without breaking anything.
All vehicles in the convoy had 3 to 4 goes before getting over the ledge.
Thanks to some great spotting by Craig no one suffered any damage.
From the ledge a steep climb out of the creek to the top of the hill where we have 3 alternatives
1: stay on Deep Creek 1 to Binns Rd. 2: Go straight ahead along Deep Creek 4 or 3: We turn right onto
Deep Creek 2 Tk. Deep Creek 2 doesn't offer any challenge as it follows a saddle to an intersection where
Deep Ck 2 goes right. We go straight along Deep Ck 5 up and down some steep sections. On a particularly
steep climb,the temp gauge on the Mazda started heading towards the danger zone .... mmmm
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its never done that before. One of the vehicles has a thermometer in their car and has
reported the outside temp as 41 deg. At the top of this steep climb the convoy pulled up for 5 mins
and while everyone was talking a loud hissing sound was heard coming from the Zook. The thought of a stuffed
radiator came to mind but after lifting the bonnet we saw an air con hose had blown .... phew at least Rob
and the Zook could keep moving. Further down the track we crossed Deep Creek West Branch (just a trickle) and then
a climb up to Binns Rd.
Turning right onto Binns Rd we make our way quickly to the intersection of Binns Rd &
McEvoys Track. A left turn into McEvoys and after a few short km's we turn right into
Bark Hut Track.
Bark Hut Tk has a number of steep sections both up and down with woopty doo's that can be
quite sharp before intersecting with Black Range Track. Left onto Black Range Tk and
travelling for a couple of km's to Burgoyne Gap Track.
Burgoynes Gap Tk is a great track that has many steep low range hills to climb as well as
good low range decents with loose shale on some hills. The decent from the top of a hill
down to the Macalister river camp area is around 1km long and steep. Coming onto the flat area,
Captain Mud finds a tree across the track and rather than get out and move the tree in 44 deg heat,
he decides to try and drive over it thus breaking it into pieces. That little exercise cost us 30min delay
courtesy of a staked tyre.
A short 500mtr drive takes us down to the rivers edge and camping area where we take
a break for lunch and let the kids go for a swim and cool off. During our lunch stop we are found looking up at the
tops of the trees as smoke is now drifting across from the south. A voice on the UHF is concerned about the smoke
as we are too but thankfuly we had heard that a southerly cool change was coming through blowing
smoke from the Strezleki bush fire through where we were.
From the camp area we cross the Macalister up a steep sandy bank where Cpt Mud
started to dig holes from wheel spin.
Everyone made it up the bank except for Kees in the Hilux who just dug holes because of the Simex tyres.
Cpt Mud came to Kees' rescue and snatched him up.
From the river we climb up rounding a bend then a straight section with loose
rock and ledges makes for some fun low range driving. Tony can't help himself when it comes to having
the Surfs wheels off the ground with Rob and his Zook also getting a little air. Brendan in his Prado
opted on the side sedateness.
Keesy and his slolux chugged along with wheels off the ground thanks to
a very stiff front suspension that gives him no articulation. The last section of
Burgoyne Gap Track is medium sized loose rock and all IFS vehicles kept hitting rock
with their lower wishbones. The only damage was to Rob's Vitara which suffered a staked
tyre from a sharp rock on the way to the bottom. This saection leads down to Burgoyne Gap at
Licola - Heyfield Road where Rob decided to air up and replace the flat tyre and head for home.
Another casualty for the day is Captain Mud. He pulled up on the other side of the Gap when all of a sudden
out of nowhere was a loud bang and lots of steam. The top radiator tank had exploded. Tony in the surf is also heading home
leaving only 3 vehicles to continue.
While Rob's Vitara & Captain Mud did tyre changes and radiator repairs, Craigs other half
brought the split personality Mavrick, Patrol, Kenworth or Big Mac with fries and
Allan Mac with the Pajero arrived to do the Chromite Mine leg of the trip.
Recently bull dozed, this part of the trip is by far the easiest even though
Burgoynes Tk has a couple of steep sections with loose rock & ledges.
Mt Margaret Tk is another easy track even with a few steep sections thrown in.
Chromite Tk is also a very easy track again with some steep parts but nothing remotely difficult.
Chromite Mine has long been abondoned and all that remains now is the remnants
of the open cut. The ore excavated from the site was originally used to help make film negatives
from the early 1900's.
Brendan and Craig decided to test the ramp angles of their vehicles
before heading down to the camp area and crossing the creek.
The climb up the hill on the other side
is a fantastic one but unfortunately once at the top it was a matter of 'U' turns and back down again
as it was time to head home.
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