TAFE 4x4 course in WA (Perth)

Hiya,
I've just finished cleaning the 4x4 (2000 Challenger) after spending Sunday out the back of Mundaring doing a 4 wheel driving course. Thought I'd report back on what it was like.

Run by TAFE and the training's led by Darren Bryne - Website is TAFE 4x4 courses they cost me $145 each (Sand and All Terrain courses).

From the point of view of someone who hasn't done ANY 4 wheel driving, I thought it brilliant.

They supplied UHF CB's to those who didn't have them so they could give instructions on the road, like how to approach what was coming up, what gears to use and where to set your wheels etc. For the All Terrain course it was out the back of Mundaring and the Sand course was past Wannaroo. If you can time your courses for good weather its probably a good idea. BYO lunch picnic out bush somewhere along the way.

The terrain probably wasn't hugely challenging to anyone seriously into it, but some of it looked pretty damn narly to me. The stuff taught on the course was the much the same as I'd read in some magazines and books but reading it in a book is one thing, doing it is a whole different ball game. Made a lot more sence getting told, then shown how to do it right. Best of all with two instructors in decent vehicles on hand if Ibleeped it up there was plenty of help right there (or in the vehicle with us if it was particularly tricky bit to get over).

At the lunch break Darren brings out examples of the right (and wrong, and why) stuff to have in your basic recovery kit and then talk about the right and wrong way to do various recovery techniques. We saw a demonstration of a snatch recovery.

The course numbers are limited. There were 8 students and 2 leaders on the 2 courses I did. You can bring along as many as your vehicle can carry, but officially its only the driver they're training.

I reackon it was really bl**dy good value, even if you only look at it as a chaperoned day out 4x4'ing. Considering wear and tear on their vehicles I doubt they are making much, if any money out of it.

At the end of each day (officially 4pm, but was past 5.30pm on both courses before we headed home) I had a huge grin on my chin and a TAFE certificate to prove I was there. Worth every cent.

t0me