A Trip to Brunswick

Saturday 25th March 2023

Participants 

Don &Jane GU Patrol 4.2 (trip leader)

Alan GQ Patrol (guest)

Roger 76 Series Toyota Landcruiser (tail)

Once again, we used a familiar meeting point for Harvey: The Vibe Service Station on the South West Highway and we all arrived on time. It is not hard to be punctual when you live just 10 kms north of Harvey.

This trip was based on a recent recci that Joel and I had done some months ago on tracks that were new to us. The tracks were typical of the Brunswick area with rocky steps, eroded banks, offset dips, narrow winding clay-based tracks. In many places the ruts were deep suggesting that others familiar with the area had driven them in wet conditions.

Previously, we encountered many encroaching branches that we trimmed as we drove the track and these marked the route for us.    

We had lunch at a small unnamed dam that is used for camping.. Though the vehicles were covered in dust, the ground around the dam was soft, soft enough for Jane to begin sinking. The track down to the dam created impressive angles. This is where the cover page photo was taken.

Despite some people not being able to come, the trip went ahead with only 3 vehicles. Never the less we had a good time and had the pleasure of meeting a visitor and possible future member. Alan is a local living in the Harvey area. We benefited from his local knowledge and drove some very challenging tracks that we never knew about.

His vehicle is a modified GQ petrol/gas 4.2 non turbo with a 5-inch lift, and 35-inch tyres. It usually stays away from bitumen and Alan showed us another route back into Harvey where we pumped up tyres in the rain. Heavy rain that washed the windscreens and vehicles clean again.

Take away: It’s not often today that you have a trip with only beam axle vehicles. It was interesting to see that there was not a lot of difference in off road performance between a vehicle on 33-inch tyres or on 35-inch tyres.

Don.