Member - Crazie (VIC) replied:

Hi!!!

Just so someone answered your question

Ads

Gramps (NSW) replied:

Sorry Laura B, I've run out of chooks to slaughter so I can't examine their entrails and give you an answer. Do you think a cat would suffice? :))))))))

Regards

cokeaddict replied:

Hi Laura,
Answer to Q 1.....i have no idea.

Answer to Q2...... I believe they want to restrict access to registered clubs only. I think its because when you up there in a club, members wont try and destroy the place bacause others in that group will not approve. So less chance of damage. Where as an individual 4wd'er or 2 may get carried away and do some stupid things while they are having fun.

Also remember that clubs, if profitable pay taxes..thus revenue for those who thing they know whats best for us.

I have to say though, I joined the nissan club a couple years back thinking it was the way to go...(safety in numbers, company on trips etc) but i just didnt feel comfortable when on outings. I felt there were too many rules and that i couldnt do my own thing. So after a couple of outings with them, i stopped being involved and went back to doing what i wanted and when i wanted to do it..I removed myself from that "sheep" feeling. Dont get me wrong, clubs do a great service out there but sometimes you just want to step over the line a bit and you just cant do that in a club.

A great example is Menai down here in sydney, They have a clean up day every so often. Clubs are welcome to come in and fill a bag with rubbish, hand that bag in to the officials. The officials take your rego number and i think they also ask you what club you belong to. Once they have your details you can then spend the day driving around in Menai. But if your not a member, legally you are not allowed in there. I did a clean up day with the nissan club once, of the 30 odd members that showed up that day, not all did any cleaning up, they just walked round waiting for the time so they could get dirty in the mud.

Ange.

Richard W (NSW) replied:

My understanding is that Yarramunmun was graded and gates put up by the council. Key access given to the local 4WD clubs to manage access. This failed and the council has washed their hands and given control of the area back to Dept of Lands. Haven't heard anything about it being locked off again but wouldn't be suprised. I'm also finding difficult to get any reliable info on area closures. Newnes, Watagans, Yalwal.

The clubs do a fair bit of voluntary restoration work in some of these areas. Controlled access is the only way some of the tracks have still been allowed to be used. eg. Menai, Spanish Stairs.

There has been long standing negotiations between the 4WD movement and National Parks to try and keep access open. If this had not been done more than likely much more would have been locked off.

Provided a club has liability insurance club trips are covered.

Member - Oldplodder (QLD) replied:

Laura,

I would have answered your question if I knew the answer.

Being in Qld, I don't know what you are talking about, so I thought I better keep quiet rather than post an answer that would be misleading or pure conjecture.

Not that every one does that!

Trick is osmetimes to word the question differently in the first place with a hint of humour or similar to get some interesting responses.

signman replied:

Why don't you just phone the relevant authorities?? I'm sure if you approached it in a diplomatic way they would furnish all the info. required.
Just don't mention angle grinders or bolt cutters....
I have had dealings with most of the authorities in that area including the Morton, Currowan and Yadboro forests, organising access for car rallys. They were always very helpful- even suggesting alternatives if a particular road was unavailable.
The area covered included from Nowra, south to Batemans Bay, west to Braidwood.
Maybe the reason non-club members are excluded is maybe they have a different 'attitude' to club members?? (read some comments to your previous posts)..

Blackie replied:

Laura B any thoughts on Post 32980?
Another clue. Its at least a thousand K's from any capital city.