Robe update

Eric...we've been a couple of times, but just did the beach drive - which was fun, and did a bit of a drive in the Little dip Nat park, but i'm sure others will have stacks more info....

re the kids thing...dunno...lol....email me....though I might just have a costume that'll fit the theme....lol....

Lyn

Further to this.....

can people contact me who have kids, and let me know how many are coming...either member message me, or email me, just click on my pic and you'll get the addy.....

Lyn

Read lots about it Eric. Never been other than a drive thru on the blacktop

Eric,

Just 2 of us and had little expreience of the tracks but have played around in Little Dip with some of the dunes before and got out in one piece by the rubbish tip. Found the dunes quite steep and close together. I didn't want to get bogged with no support about and no winch.

Understand there is a good area near Beachport that others have had fun with in a SP

Eric there is the Robe to Beachport run that can take a while and take a lot of vehicles but you may need to keep a weather eye. It goes into the dunes and out on the beach many times. Check out the trek-notes click this link

I've been over there a couple of times, there's a run from Little Dip Park (just out of Robe) through to Beachport, this is a mixture of dune and beach runs, with some really nice big dune play areas near the Beachport end (Near the Dune Buggy Club)
Then theres the run from Beachport to Southend, this is along the beach.
Then there is a run from Southend to Carpenters Rocks (south of Mt Gambier), this would take you most of a full day, and this is mostly dunes.

We stayed at Millicent, and got info on tracks etc from the Tourist Centre at Milicent.

Grinner

Depending where you are staying. If your in Beachport(only 1 pub and 1 takeaway!), go 1 group to robe, and one group the other direction...

If your staying in Robe, you wont do both halves with the crowd that will be there. You will have to leave early to beat the carpark situation that happens, EG 7-8am at latest. We left at 9, headed to beach, and waited for trillions to go thru, was like 4wding in middle of the city.

have fun.

PS.. the birdsiht doesnt wash out of canvas from there, and it gets windy as hell.

Have been quite a few times and done sand drive from beachport to robe 4 times, but not for 3 years, but i doubt it has changed much. It is a good run with a mixture of beach and sandhill driving, but all will need to be set up for soft sand, as some beachs are gritty and hard going, and some sandhills will be chopped up.
Long beach at robe, is right on the edge of town, and is a fasntastic spot for swimming fishing and playing and is a easy drive for any car.
Groups of 6-8 cars would be good size, as passing traffic from opposite direction can be a real problem on narrow tracks in sand hills.

I've never been there, it will be all new to me.

cheers,

Jim.

Same as Jimbo - have never been near the place!

This will also be my introduction to sand driving so it could be interesting!

Cheers
Muddy 'doe

Haven't been 4WD ing there before but have plenty of sand driving under my belt. By all accounts the beaches here are very soft and with it being a Vic long weekend I would excpect it to be very busy and pretty chopped up, especialy around Little Dip, Errington Beach and Long Gully as there are camp sites there. As pesty suggested groups of 5 - 6 cars is ideal so we don't hold up traffic on the single track sections.

Hi Eric,

We're in the same category as Jimbo and Muddy. Never been to Robe and our sand driving experience consists in total of the Little Desert weekend. It could be very interesting.

I did Fraser about ten years ago in my GQ 3 litre petrol, which was no firebreather. Lowered the tyres to about 15 psi and didn't have any problems. One minor bog, had the sense not to rev it and dig it in, 5 minutes with shovel and I was moving.

Is Robe different to Fraser?

Cheers,

Jim.

All new for the brewman too.

Gawd, I didn't know it was a bloody Victorian Long Weekend! Crowds ain't my scene. Might just camp somewhere else and pop in at drinkies time. Convoys on the beach with all the clubs? How about a night drive...that'd make it interesting.

Yeah I been on the dunes and the sand in my old G60 with 12psi in the tyres and 3rd Low. Didn't get bogged but then there is always the possibility. Some of the sand is quite soft. It is a pretty area but not sure what it would look like with 1000 4x4's trundling around.

Message for Andrew....Leave your kids at home..... we ain't baby sitting them!!! :o)

Have done Robe quite a few times. Last xmas we took a large group there. Took a group of 26 vehicles through Little Dip and it was a hassle as most of the scenic coastal stops can only accomodate 5or6 vehicles. Nora Creina to Beachport is OK with a big group (I think we had about 20 vehicles that day). Southend to Carpenters we took 26 vehicles which is OK until one got bogged and 13 others got bogged when they stoppped behind them! The beaches were treacherous and we ended up running the last half through the dunes.

Ask Rick(SA) (aka the "4WD Mayor of Robe") about our alleged world record snatch strap effort. LOL. He had the best view as he was the recovery co-ordinator.

Enjoy. Dont be impatient, always help others, be extra careful with recoveries and most of all take your time. And please let your tyres way down. 25psi is a waste of time, you need to be under 20 and maybe as low as 15.

cheers

Andrew H

Was there in Jan this year, nearly lost our Cruiser to the incoming tide bogged on a beach. The price you pay for going on your own.

Well Eric
have only had my patrol for a year
done some sand driving here on the your paninsular but only limited & only a little 4x4ing
i have to boys 14 & 16 my wife has 3 boys 14,16 & 49 hahahahahah
have never been to robe or on a group gathering like this so its all new to me the bride & the boys but really looing foward to it
Looking foward to seeing all the rig setups & learning & getting to know everyone
a little better in person over a beverage or 6
warren